Hey y'all! I'm Amy (aohora), and I'm a (proud) card carrying LOST addict!

Name: aohora or just Amy (if you’re feeling lazy). Officially I’m Amy Monroe.

Location: I live in Hawai’i (on O’ahu – where they film LOST) with my beautiful husband, my two boys and my dog, Jo-Jo.  (Don’t be jealous. The weather’s great, but 4 sticks of butter cost over $7 here.)

What’s your LOSTBLOG.com gig: I’ll be your friendly neighborhood “snarky recapper” throughout Season 6.  Since I’m on location, I’ll also be reporting inside info on the LOST doings in Hawai’i, starting with the the Season 6 premiere in Waikiki.  HOWEVER, I HATE SPOILERS, so I won’t be providing any, and I don’t want to see any—PLEASE, NO SPOILERS!

FYI: I have separate blogs for my LOST Theories and Experiences (but don’t visit them if SWEAR WORDS bother you).  For those of you familiar with my work, don’t fret.  I will NOT be using any questionable language at any time on LOSTBLOG.com.

Hobbies or Interests other than LOST:  There’s something other than LOST?

What you want more!?! I got more for you (now with JACK pics) below, read on faithful fans!

Occupation: I’m a writer (the unemployed kind).  I am also a big, fat cliché (screenplays–how embarrassing!). I teach college part-time (Freshman Composition, Humanities, Remedial Writing, Intro to Lit, Film Studies), but currently I’m not working while I finish a Master’s Degree in Instructional Design for Online Learning.  (Only ONE more term! Yay!).   I just got accepted into the MFA program in film editing at Academy of Art, but I’m not sure what I’m going to do with that.

Q:  How long have you been watching LOST? If you watched from the pilot, what were your initial thoughts?

I watched LOST from day one.  I’d heard the buzz out of ComiCon 2004, and it looked like it had a shot of being something very, very cool, but the kicker was Matthew Fox.  I’d watch that man in anything!

I was very impressed and excited after watching the pilot because I thought, these guys could give a crap what anyone else thinks! I saw LOST as a love note to all things creative, beautiful, unafraid and uncompromising.  The story would always be king, and there would never be LOST toys in my happy meals (always a good thing).

Q: How did LOST get its bear claws into you? How did you get hooked?

As soon as Jack took his shirt off, I was a goner.  Seriously, after the pilot got eaten by the smoke monster, I knew I was in love.  (That blood spatter on the window! WOW!)

Q: Favorite character?

Jack (duh!). Actually, the reason I like watching Jack is his self-denial.  There’s something noble about him that really, really wants to do the right thing in the end.  I think he’ll end up sacrificing himself in the end, and it will be transcendent.

My husband and I loved watching Sun and Jin’s story–how they repair their marriage is really beautiful.

I LOVED Mr. Eko (a priest who bludgeons? What’s not to love about that?), and I thought Ana Lucia was pretty cool too.

Oh wait, I love Ben too, esp the creepy Henry Gale Ben.  Ack! I like too many characters to choose!

Q: Least favorite character?

I was pretty happy when Juliet died, but probably the characters that bother me the most are Charlotte and Richard because they don’t seem to serve any purpose to the story. I’m guessing that’ll change in Season 6.

Q: Favorite episode and season?

“I Do” – When Kate and Sawyer hook up in the cages, and Jack tells her to leave without him.  That final, “Dammit, Kate, RUN!” still gives me chills!

Season 1 is brilliant, but I re-watch everything after each season finale, and Season 2 is really kickin’ this time around.

Q: Least favorite episode and season?

“Stranger in a Strange Land” is by FAR and AWAY the WORST episode ever. Everything about it grated on my nerves, which is such a bummer because it contains the ONLY sexy scene Jack has in all 5 seasons.  (2 days in bed with Bai Ling – Poor Mr. Fox!)

Q: If you had to be one of the following, which one would it be and why: An 815 survivor, an Other or a member of the Dharma Initiative?

I’d be whoever gets to smooch on Jack. Or nurses him back to health. Or pops him in a cage and brainwashes him. Take yer pick!

Q: Team Jack or Team Locke?

Team JACK!  I think Jack is on a mission to save the day.  That’s the side I want to be on.

Q: Which character’s demise were you most upset to see happen?

I really cried when Charlie died because it was such a beautiful scene, but I was totally bummed when Mr. Eko died.  I think there was a lot more he could have done for the story.

Q. What are your favorite online Lost communities, blogs, podcasts, etc.? (Besides us, of course!)

DarkUFO – Andy Page is the coolest guy, and he has a stringent policy on spoilers (I HATE spoilers!)

Donaldislost.com – His podcasts are really fun, esp. his satirical song adaptations! (HAHAHAHAHA!) He very kindly had me on to hash out my theory (Episode 68: Amy’s Theory Podcast), and I had the best time!  (We are supposed to do another one pretty soon.  I’ll send word out when I have a solid date.)

Karen’s Lost Notes – Karen is a stellar human being and a terrific LOST buddy.  We share an imaginary lust for Jack, too, which is always fun!

LOST Video Island – I’m a HUGE fan of this site where LOST fans create vids (music videos) using clips from LOST.  I highly recommend the monthly contest vids, where the council sets parameters and then judges the entries (My favorite so far:  Create a LOST vid using a Disney song. LOL!)

Q. Tell us something interesting/scary/amusing/downright crazy about how your
place in the Lost fan-verse has changed your life.

Like many fans, LOST was a wonderful and very welcome diversion during some of the most difficult years of my life.  I had to “create” LOST fan-buddies.  For example, I took care of my pal Jen after she had surgery, and I made her watch the first two Seasons on DVD.  She was doped outta her head, but she was a huge fan after that!

I also use LOST to teach in my Humanities classes (my students are particularly fond of my Matthew Fox is not “Matthew Fox” lesson).  I think it’s THE postmodern text and social media phenomenon that will define the century to come.  It’s the direct TV/Internet descendent of The Watchmen, another excellent postmodern text I use in my classes.

Q. You’re in an elevator with someone who has never watched Lost. You get on in
the lobby and you’re both headed to the fifteenth floor. How do you convince him/her
to buy and watch all the DVDs before the elevator gets there?

My usual quip is: If you’re under 40 and you haven’t watched LOST, congratulations. You’ve just betrayed your generation.  Before this week, I’d tell them to try watching the pilot for free online.  At this point, however, I’d just say: wait for the cliff’s notes. Your children will be studying it in college.

Q. How do you plan on combating PLDS (Post Lost Distress Syndrome), or do you
think we’re all destined to end up continuously re-watching our Lost The Complete
Series Ultimate DVD Box Set for the rest of our lives?

I LOVE the fact that LOST, in the end, will be a complete unit, like a book.  I think that’s the key to its brilliance, and it’s the thing that will make it stand out and above the rest for a LONG time to come.

I also think LOST fandom has moved beyond the confines of the show.  That’s why I agreed to be a part of a website that focuses on the FANS, their stories and activities.  LOST has inspired a huge network of scholarship, creativity and cultural investigation around the world.  I think it’s just amazing.

Buyer beware:  Team LOST is NOT going to tie up everything neat as a bow any more than Alan Moore did in The Watchmen.  There’ll still be plenty to talk about when the curtain falls and the wizards take a bow!

My husband asks me this all the time: What will you do when LOST is over?  I always answer: I’m gonna WIN!

I’m SO excited to be a part of this project!  See ya’ll on The Island!