Sebec 2021

 We are finally able to make it to Sebec Lake with family and friends this year.  It is always great to be with family and friends.  I am really happy that Coco decided to come with us.  He is twenty now.  He is in college.  I was going to say that college kids have different priorities but actually, same priority but they want to be with their friends.  Coco has a good sense of family though.  He knows it is important.  And I think he has fun with this crew and in this location.

I wish Caz was with us.  He will be missed.  Family time is incomplete without either one of the boys.  

Time at this lake is extremely therapeutic. For many years, this camp had very spotty to no cell service and no wifi.  The only TV was an old school tube TV with a VHS hooked up to it.  One could really unplug from life.  I love it.  My wallet only comes our for supply or trash runs.  My phone only comes out for use as a camera.  The days are early.  Sunrise is beautiful, as it comes up from across the lake.  Night are late, spent around the campfire.  The beer fridge in the boathouse is always stocked and is always open.  It's beer o'clock all the time.  Everyone does as they wish.  If you want to socialize, great.  If you want alone time, also great.  We have many memories and can't wait to make more.

24 - Season 7 - Check In 1

It's been a phenomenal season so far. Jack is back with a vengeance. He still is the best shot of any secret agent. He still has ice water in his veins. Surprisingly, he hasn't had to torture anyone yet. But his new disciple, Agent Walker has. She definitely has some Jack in her. Tony is back from the dead. Bill is running the show. Chloe is a pain in the ass. All is right in the world.
I think the change of scenery to DC has served the show well. The demise of CTU works. It has been action packed from the get go. It is so good to have 24 back.

TV Nirvana

24 is back after an extended hiatus. The first 4 hours over 2 consecutive nights got us off to an exciting start. Fastest four hours on TV. 2 LOST premier tonight using the 24 format of no repeats during the season. Does it get any better than this? Almeida looks like he went to the dark side, only to be deep undercover. Chloe is still a pain in the *ss. Jack still doesn't miss a shot. The Island is traveling in time. Jack Sheppard wants to go back to the island. The perfect storm of TV shows. Winter just got brighter.

The Return of LOST

Who's happier than me that this week marks the return of Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Sayid. Oh, and did I mention Kate? It was a long layoff but again, I love that they adopted the 24 format, even with the writers strike. Speaking of 24, the Fox site says it will return in 2008. When? TBD. But there's not a strike or jail cell that can prevent Jack Bauer from saving the world. Was anyone surprised that Keifer was "released" early? "Released". We all know that is a cover up term for his breakout. It's on par with Area 51 and the faked moon landing. As if anyone is going to believe he behaved himself and was released early.
But back to LOST. ABC was a bit misleading with their "2 Hour" season premier. The first hour is one of those recap shows. But what I do like is that they are replaying the two hour season 3 finale Pop Up Video style. Apparently there will be hint and text sprinkled in to help us along and spark thousands of more LOST theory. Sorry, Lefty, but Locke will be back for a while anyway. Maybe we will find out who died in Jack's flash forward bit. Or maybe we will see Michael and Walt again. Whatever it is, the anticipation is building. Make sure you tune in.

Battle of the Season Finales

Well, I have had adequate time to mull over the winner. But really it was decided about 3 seconds after LOST ended last Wednesday night. LOST had kicked butt. There was a lot of action in 24, and Jack is still Jack. Best action hero. Period.

But for 24, the last 20 mins of the season finale was like the last 6 hours of the season, unnecessary. Very anti-climactic. What was the point? Did we need to see Audrey again? Jack is not the "stare off into the sunset (OK, sunrise for this)" type of character. Now if he had shot himself, that would have been something.

LOST on the other hand. Brilliant. Tons of action. Jack (Shepard) finally lost and went postal on Ben. Kate was hot, as usual. Great plot. More questions then ever. And poor Charlie. At least there is life in flashback on this show. And now, flashforwards too. Again, brilliant. Anyone else notice that the last two seasons now have ended with clips with Penny?

Season Finales

2 hours of 24 and 2 hours of LOST coming up this week to wrap up the season. Can't wait.

Besides Jack Bauer being the best bad *ss on TV, I need to see how this ends up. I have to wonder if the last 6 hours was worth it. After the nukes were recovered, is this all anti-climactic? What's next for Jack? Will he survive?

And LOST. You know Locke will be back. I think they gave away too much in the previews. The women Charlie stumbled upon? I think they are either Dharma survivors or rebels that oppose Ben. Just a guess of course. The LOSTies fight back.

Lessons from Happy Days

So after watching this week's hour of 24, I am still not sure how I feel about the twist at the end of the episode. I need to know what folks think. The reaction at the office is a lot different from what I expected. I absolutely expected folks to say that 24 had finally jumped the shark (a la Fonzie) and gone off the deep end.

Post some comments and let me know.

24

"The devil is a gentleman"

I reserve the right to digress onto tangents. Is there anything better than an hour of Bauer? Jack is the man. And 24 is the best concept TV has come up with in a long time. With the end of Seinfeld, Comedy is dead. TV needed something. Action was called for and 24 responded.

While it was a good episode last night, there was not enough Jack. I know that in order to stay true to the real time format that Jack can't be at the forefront of every episode. Last night the meanest thing he did was to throw a dirty look at Logan. But do we really need Chloe as a side story. I think Chapel put it best when he said, "Chloe's a pain in the a**."

Previews for next week make it look like things are back on track though. Jack is back to torturing suspects, this time with a glorified cigar cutter. Who needs ten fingers anyway?

Still waiting for the emergence of the Ricker.....well, not really. I wasn't a NYPD Blue fan and I hear that the Ricker did well with that stint. But really, can anyone really get past Silver Spoons? Didn't the Ricker single-handily start the friendship bracelet craze?