GRIPPED . . .

I am gripped by a cold.

But more importantly, thanks to Hooch and the pull of the Motherland still alive in me, I am gripped by "Lost." I refused to watch for a few weeks because the first episode I watched freaked the living daylights out of me. The second half of the premiere episode was spooky, eerie, confusing, violent and contained almost zero background music. Moments like that is when I hate living alone, although come to think of it, if I had someone here with me, he probably would have found my freaked-outedness very funny and would've tried to scare more of the living daylights out of me by doing something like jumping out at me from the shower stall when I sat down on the toilet to pee during a commercial break. That's just not funny.

In any event, the fact that each character is further developed in each episode (clever, people, very clever) and the fact that two of the main characters speak Korean in the show -- mostly sans subtitles -- now have me totally hooked. But aside from those two elements ... the other thing that has me hooked is the fact that the Korean man speaks Korean very strangely. He has clearly learned Korean just for this show, and his inflection is weird and stilted. He still speaks Korean more fluently than most of the Korean-Americans I know, but compared to the complete fluency and fluidity and nuance spoken by his female counterpart ... well, he just makes me laugh. And in a freaky show like this, I need some laughter. (Oh, also, she's a great actor and he is not.)

Back to my cold. The best thing about being a pharmacist's daughter is the ability to get the good stuff. Now, now, don't freak out. I'm no drug addict. I haven't even ever inhaled -- not that I'm a prude about it because I've surely done other stupid things in my life. But I sure have indulged in a little codeine-laden cough syrup now and again, and tonight was one of those "agains." Hee. I am so, so woozy now. Even typing on Bob right now, I am unsure if I am making sense. But who needs to make sense when my cough will be gone in the morning, right? (And I think I'm saying "but" too many times. This is why they say to not operate heavy machinery.)

Oh wait, back to "Lost." May I also say this ... I love that there are Korean or Korean-American actors on the show. It's such a small statement to most of the nation, really -- an ensemble cast, characters who don't speak much, unknown names. But to me, it's huge. People who look like me and talk like me. People who are in a place where someone like me could never have imagined being, even five years ago. People who are not considered "fringe" or "indie" -- nay, this is mainstream broadcast television. It's pretty cool. Reminds me of a conversation I had with DYC a long while back ...