What is in my iPod and on my bedside table

Stop what your doing and go and get both of these...then come back here and lets talk about them...

I don't care (but I really do)

"I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court"



Profound words spoken by Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians. Ones that I would like to be able to say and believe but ones that I actually believe the opposite. I do care what people think of me. I don't want people to judge me because of my beliefs, my choices, or even my clothes.



We have all heard "Judge Not" or "Don't judge me" over and over. Especially when anything concerning religion comes up - but Paul's phrase here brings it to a whole new level for me. Not only am I not to judge (as he points out in the following verses) but I am not to care if others judge me - and that may prove to be more difficult than not judging others...



How about you? Which is harder for you?

The Force is strong with this one...

Star Wars Weekends. Disney's Hollywood Studios. June 6-8. If you are planning to go, stop me and say hello. I'll be the guy in the Star Wars shirt. May the Force be with you...always...

Parenting by Walt Disney

I read this the other day and thought it was so good that I would share it - especially for those of you who have daughters. Here is Uncle Walt:

One of the most serious problems I find confronts parents is how to make children obey. For some reason this has never been much of a problem around our home. Maybe it’s because we started very early to have the girls do things through a sense of fair play, rather than responsibility to parents or fear of them.

When we’d go out for a ride on the merry-go-round, for example, we would have an understanding in advance of how many times we’d ride. When the times were up, that was that. A bargain was a bargain! One was expected to be a good sport.

One Sunday, when Diane was about 8 or 9 years old, I took her to the old Seliz Zoo in Los Angeles. I warned her to stay behind the railing at the monkey cage because simians have a habit of reaching through the bars.

My attention was distracted for a moment. When I turned around again, there was Diane, white as a sheet, struggling to get free from a monkey who had her by the hair and was pulling for all he worth. It must have hurt plenty, but Diane never let out a peep. The only concession she made was one plea, 'Daddy, you won’t tell Mother, will you?'

'But, Diane,' I remonstrated, 'you don’t keep any secrets from Mother.'

But she took care of that situation. When we got home she dashed in and said, “Mother, you don’t care if a monkey pulls me by the hair, do you?

Mrs. Disney and I found that treating the girls as individuals and encouraging them to think for themselves was a far more satisfactory way of bringing them up than by trying to regulate every step of their conduct with an elaborate set of rules.

You can read the article in its entirety HERE

Before the Amplifiers

Sister Hazel has a new album coming out on June 17 and this makes me very happy. If you have never given this band a shot past their hit "All for you," I suggest you head over to iTunes and have a listen to "Champagne High", "Strange Cup of Tea", "Feel it", & "Mandolin Moon". You will not be disappointed. All of these songs will be featured on this new album in acoustic form. If you like what you hear you can pre-order "Before the Amplifiers" HERE.

For Tomorrow

Very Cool - Here's Blake:

Friends,

I am very proud to announce that our documentary For Tomorrow played at the Tribeca Film Festival last week. We brought a camera on our first Argentina Shoe Drop and it was such an amazing week that we felt inspired to create a film and share it. The film came out better than we could have ever imagined, and we were thrilled and humbled to be accepted at one of the top film festivals in the world.

The best part of this is that so many new people will learn about TOMS and our One for One giving philosophy. This is going to put shoes on a lot of kids feet!

To read more about this incredible week and the film, please visit my new blog by clicking here.

I would like to thank our director Ken Kokin for making a movie that perfectly captures the spirit of TOMS. As a supporter who cares about what we are doing, you will love this film. Help us spread the message by showing the film to your friends and loved ones.

In keeping with our One for One model, TOMS will donate a pair of shoes to a child in need for every copy of the film sold. To be a part of it, Click here.

Thanks for your continued support.

Carpe Diem,
Blake

The Island of Eden?

Read this "Theory" then share your thoughts. A LOT of good points in there. I will share my thoughts in the comments as to not ruin the theory for you.

Does it Pay to Ignore the "Voice of Warning"

WOW - that is all I can say about last night's episode. Here is my brief run down of the "blast from the past" we saw last night:

• Richard Alpert paid a visit
• As did Matthew Abaddon
• And Mittelos Bioscience
• Along with The Dharma logo for the Orchid Station
• Our old friend Christian Shepherd was back in Jacob's Cabin (along with Clair!)

Questions Raised:

• What was with the creepy test that Alpert gave young Locke?
• Is Alpert John's real father?
• Why is John special? (able to survive all those infections and Pneumonia as a preemie)
• Why did Abaddon say that John would "Owe him" the next time he sees him?
• Does the picture John drew as a child mean that he has seen the Smoke Monster before?
• Is the creepy old comic book a clue? (thus the title of this post)
• Is with Sawyer where "the baby where he is supposed to be" As Christian states?
• What is up with Clair being all calm in the Cabin?
• Is Horace Jacob? I mean he did build the cabin...

That's it! Let's discuss!

Oh FYI - Jorge Garcia (Hurley) has a blog that is pretty cool/funny - have a look

For reviews/Recaps check out the Lost Side Bar on the right of this page.

Tell Tale Signs That I Am Getting Old #1

I like Diet Coke

I am not sure how this happened. I don't know if they have changed the secret formula over the last 20 years but something has changed and I think it is me. I have become old. Not like Gandalf old, but like my parents* old. I can remember telling my Dad, "Dad, How can you drink that stuff?!?! It taste like (insert favorite derogatory thing here)!!!" But as it turns out - I seem to like said derogatory thing.... Must be Karma...

* If my parents are reading - you are not old - just older than me : )

1 Weekend. 2 Movies

The Mrs. and I had the pleasure of seeing TWO movies this weekend! In the theater! That is like, more movies seen in a theatre then we saw in all of 2007! The first, Horton Hears a Who, was with our little ones and was great for a family movie. Funny, great animation, and one liners provided by my youngest. Like:

Half way through the movie:
Mom! (there is no whispering with this one)
Yes Chloe
How we gonna get outta here?! (A valid question for a 3 yr old)

A few moments later:
Mom!
Yes Chloe
This is too loud
You're Too Loud! (both Amy and I at the same time)

As for the second movie - Iron Man - is a must see in the theater. I went in to this knowing nothing of Iron Man. (I am more a Batman kinda guy). But the story was excellent. The special effects were mind blowing but not inconceivable (there were no - "that could never happen" moments). It was directed by Jon Favreau and he did an excellent job. It was also the role that Robert Downey Jr. was made to play. It is nice to see him back and cleaned up.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Seems that the whole concept of LOST comes down to this book...Click Here for the best review of last weeks episode I have seen. Great Theories, Great questions - just great.

One thing that jumped out to me was: Does the fact that the smoke alarm was going off in Jack's office during the flash foward just before he sees his 'dead' father mean that Christian is indeed 'Smokey'? (Smoke makes fire alarms go off) Just a thought.

What did you think? What is Aaron's role in this whole 'game'?

It's All Fun & Games Until Somebody Loses a Daughter...

As our good friend Hurley says - "Australia is the key to the whole game..."

I was out of town last weekend and wasn't able to comment on last weeks episode. By now you have scoured the Internet and have it all figured out - so I wont bore you with the details - just some random thoughts and questions:

* It seems that our friends Benjamin Linus and Charles Widmore are engaged in quite the little game - but upon the death of Ben's 'Daughter' the rules seemed to have changed....WHAT RULES? What is the game? How is Australia key to the whole game?

* Did you notice Ben's parka when he 'awoke' in the desert? It had a dahrma logo we haven't seen yet on it - perhaps the fabled 'Orchid Station'? Also the name on the parka, Halliwax, was one of the aliases used by the good doctor in all of the orientation videos - NAMSATE!

*Speaking of waking up in the desert - when Ben awoke he vomited and what he vomited was orange in color. Is this the same liquid that Juliet had to drink in the episode "One of Us" before she was taken to the island? Is it necessary for 'time travel'? **Hat tip to getlostpodcast.com

*As I pointed out in my earlier post - Ben has a secret door where he can release/control 'Smokey'! Did you notice the Hieroglyphics?! What do they mean? Are they any relation to the ones on the countdown clock in the original hatch? How does Ben 'control' Smokey? This interview with Michael Emerson sheds some good light on the subject and what it means/costs Ben to do so.

*The 'Island is in a different time' thing played out some more this week with the 'Good Doctor' from the Freighter washing up on shore - while the Freighter folks were saying he was alive and well...How is this anomaly going to affect the Losties when they get off the island?

*Why is everyone calling Hurley - Hugo now?

That's all I got! How about you? Thoughts? Any new questions to add to the List?