A Lost Sign of Spring

It’s around this time of year that the signs of spring start popping up, making winter in central Ohio a little less dreary.

Spring training means baseball (yes, even pre-season baseball) is here.  The days getting longer sets the stage for grill season.  And for the past few years, the new season of Lost has always started right around the first week of February, carrying through right up to the beginning of summer (which in addition to giving me something to watch, has given me something to write about).

Well, the past few days, I’ve been looking forward to the beginning of baseball season and have noticed the days getting longer.  While I’ve thought about Lost, I haven’t really felt like I was missing anything until I read an essay on the New York Times’ Website written by Carlton Cuse, one of the head writers of Lost:

After “Lost” ended last May, the first thing I wanted to do was go someplace far away and clear my brain. But I quickly discovered there was a big difference between getting away and leaving the show behind…Right around now a new season of “Lost” should be making its heavily promoted debut. Instead, three years into the show my partner, Damon Lindelof, and I did something that had never been done before in network TV: We negotiated an end date.

After reading the article, I haven’t been able to stop thinking: Shouldn’t we be getting a new episode of Lost next week or so?  And then reality hits me: the show is over.  So no, winter is going to last a while longer and there won’t be any new episodes of Lost to lead us into summer.

On the show, mostly everyone got a happy ending.  A large percentage of the questions were answered.  And I’m still (obviously) a fan of the show.  But it was such a huge event for the last six years that it’s odd not to have it anymore, yet it’s still around.  A few weeks back, a number of people won  money in the lottery by playing Hurley’s numbers. Apparently, last night on TV there was a Lost reference on 30 Rock.   Also, yesterday, I found a rather odd tie to Lost: if I worked at my current place of employment 80 years ago, Kelvin’s grandfather would have been my boss.

Back in December, I finished watching the whole series (it took a few months to do it).  It was enjoyable watching it again without the mysteries hanging over my head like the sword of Damocles.  To be able to concentrate on the characters again (even Kate), even knowing what would happen to them, was fun.

It feels like this time of year is missing something without new episodes of Lost.  I could always pop in a DVD and watch an old episode any time I want.  At the same time, not having the show continue frees up parts of my life.  And with a baby, there’s plenty to do.  New signs of life and all.  Isn’t that what spring is about?