Thursday, February 11, 2010

The Mystery Package Unveiled!!

Last week I posted that a mysterious package arrived in my office. I opened it up, and what I found inside was... wow. So I mentioned on here that I'd reveal what was inside, but then my webcam wouldn't work, and then the microphone wouldn't work (someone out there is saying that it's because I use a PC... ahem...) but I finally got everything to work. I know I promised I'd never do a video podcast again, but this demanded it. You have to see this to believe it. I've held parts of it up and if you pause that scene you should be able to see it a little better... I hope. Maybe YouTube fuzzed it all up or something. But there are many subtle things I haven't talked about that are there if you look closely. (However, I changed locations this time so you're not distracted trying to see the books on one of my bookshelves!) ;)

I've received many gifts from my readers, and I can't tell you how amazing that makes me feel. I've loved all of them, but this... well. This rendered me speechless. For about 3 seconds, and now you can watch me yammer about it for 10 minutes. Who sent the package? Just watch and find out...

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46 comments:

  1. JennM11 February 2010 at 22:45

    Wow! Joshua—amazing!

    How did you keep track of all of the little details and songs?

    Awesome work! :) I am truly impressed with your eye and attention to the details!

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  2. Marebabe11 February 2010 at 22:58

    THAT. WAS. WONDERFUL!! Joshua, I'm sorta like Nikki here. No words. (Or not many, anyway!)

    And Nikki, seriously, how cute are you?! You SQUEAKED!! Thanks so much for sharing. It felt like watching someone open a gift on their birthday. Big smiles over here. :)

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  3. Batcabbage11 February 2010 at 22:58

    Joshua, holy crap, dude! That was amazing. I think the phrase 'eye for detail' falls short. Nicely done!

    And Nik, nice presentation video! It's easy to see how excited you were about the gift- all giggly and giddy - so cute!

    BIG, BIG KUDOS, JOSHUA!!!

    vw: comenize - the act of making something common.

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  4. LoyallyLOST11 February 2010 at 23:30

    I do believe he should receive, hands DOWN, the award for most loyal LOST fan EVER!!!!! He puts the rest of us to shame! I thought I was a huge fan, but this guy...I am at a loss for words! What a perfect momento & keepsake! YOU are one lucky lady! To put that kind of work into something for someone else is a gift that is priceless. I just hope this somehow gets back to the cast & everyone involved in this amazing show & he is recognized by even just a letter from Darlton.
    Oh, Nikki! You are so adorable! To see you get so excited over this! I high five Marebabe about the 'squeak'! You truly love your followers & I think that is great!
    HOW can anyone top THAT gift! Or just ANYTHING!
    Thanx! You made my day! I will miss all of this when this is all over! I hope you keep some archives or something open for us to go back & reminesce(sp?)!

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  5. Joan Crawford11 February 2010 at 23:32

    Holy Crap, Josh! That is fantastic! You know what makes you special? While others (like me) think of cool stuff (not as cool as this) - you actually do it. I am beyond impressed. You should sell this idea to the Lost people. A ton of people would want this!

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  6. Fred12 February 2010 at 00:47

    Alright I was somewhat impressed with the CDs featuring every song on LOST. But then Joshua you made the paper and hand wrote notes and all the bookmarks and the burrito bill for LAX. Oh man!! Let me guess, you really are Jacob. That was one of the best LOST collections I have ever seen. Kudos, kudos Joshua.

    Yes, Nikki, your husband may never understand. But that's okay. If someone tells me LOST fans are a bit crazy, I'll just say no they're terrific, and then tell them about Joshua's gift. Wow, again!

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  7. lorogomo12 February 2010 at 02:06

    no one is going to want to give you anything EVER... who can top that? haha

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  8. Genevieve12 February 2010 at 03:30

    Wow, that was amazing! All the work and time that must have gone into that!

    Nikki--I loved seeing you share your enthusiasm, and it really made your blog more personal! I've been reading your blog for a while now and it's great to not only put a face, but a voice, expressions, etc., into your writing. LOVE IT!

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  9. Telmo Couto12 February 2010 at 06:13

    Amazing!!! Wow, that is incredible :)

    Btw, Nikki, loved finally hearing your voice, I think it added a whole new level of character to your blog posts :) and it's really easy to understand your excitement, Joshua sent a wonderful work :D

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  10. JS12 February 2010 at 07:41

    That was incredible, Josh! Truly. There is nothing better than an incredible gift, for someone who can appreciate every minute detail.

    Nikki - cool video! Thanks for the "pause" opportunities to get a closer look. And for your enthusiasm!!

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  11. humanebean12 February 2010 at 08:06

    Joshua - man, that is absolutely brilliant. What an amazing piece of LOST arcana. Clearly, your passion for the show is surpassed only by your keen artistic sensibilities and your painstaking attention to detail. It was nearly as much fun watching the contents of the mystery package be revealed as it must have been to open it. (okay - no WAY! - but it was awesome nonetheless)

    Thanks for sharing it with us, Nik! Big kudos to YOU for establishing a web home where such talented obsessives enjoy indulging their passion for All Things LOST and wearing their creative hearts on their impeccably designed sleeves.

    Bravo!

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  12. Gillian Whitfield12 February 2010 at 08:36

    Wow! Joshua, big BIG kudos for giving all that time and effort into that. That is amazing! I agree with Joan Crawford: A lot of people would want something like this!

    VW: Jokett: female Joker from the Batman comics/movies.

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  13. Ashlie Hawkins12 February 2010 at 08:37

    Wow, bravo Josh! That was fantastic! So, when can we all order one for ourselves? ;-)

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  14. Kate12 February 2010 at 09:44

    That is freakin' awesome!

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  15. Mike Cunningham12 February 2010 at 09:49

    Josh! I don't know you but you are amazing dude! That is by far one of the coolest, nay, stupendous things I have ever seen! You have such a talent! Way to go!

    Nikki, thank you for sharing that with us. You have officially made us all jealous.

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  16. Austin Gorton12 February 2010 at 10:20

    That was pretty dang impressive. The CDs alone were awesome, but hand written linear notes in the style of Daniel? Complete w/drawings, diagrams and theories? That's just...beyond awesome.

    And Nikki, thanks for sharing the contents, and your obvious glee for them, with us!

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  17. Sooze12 February 2010 at 10:21

    I usually just read and almost never comment (I think I did for the first time the other day)...but that was just outstanding. Wow, Joshua, how creative and special! I am sure every LOST fan out there is just green with envy - but certainly your gift went to exactly the right person!

    Nikki - I have been reading your blog for a very long time, and now that I have seen and heard you...well, reading your blog has just become that much more enjoyable! Now I can "hear" you as I read. The enthusiasm just shines right through. I admit that I read just about every blog out there (my kids think I am nuts) - but yours was one of the first I found and I always look SO forward to your posts.

    Thanks for sharing!

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  18. Joshua12 February 2010 at 10:34

    Wow, Nikki. What a cool shout-out! I can't tell you how much it means to me.

    And thanks for all the generous niceness in your comments, everybody. I had such a great time putting these together, and it's really cool to hear that you guys like 'em. The discs aren't quite exhaustive because there was so much material that I just didn't quite have room for it all (for example: the only version of the former Iraqi National Anthem that I could find was over 14 minutes long, and since Kelvin only sang it for a second, I let that one go), but I did the best I could to be fastidious. And really, for someone as detail-oriented as Nikki, how could I do it any other way?:)

    Like I told her, it's hard to love something as much as I do this amazing show, so rich with nuance and intricacy, and to be a creative person, and not want to participate somehow, so this ongoing project has sort of been my private way of doing that. I'll upload some pdfs of the artwork to my Box.net account before the end of the day and post the links here so anyone that would like to get a closer look can do so.

    FYI: For anyone interested in compiling your own, there is a complete list of all the music from the show, both used and referenced, at Lostpedia.com -- just search 'music.'

    Oh, and PS: Yes, it's true that our dog ate the first draft of Faraday's notebook, but that's ok, because it gave her horrible diarrhea. So there.

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  19. Joshua12 February 2010 at 11:00

    Here is that download addy for anyone who'd like to get a closer look at the artwork:

    http://www.box.net/shared/rmn7nf7k25

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  20. Unknown12 February 2010 at 12:20

    rHi Nikki,
    So, usually Im just one of those people who just reads the blogs, because Im too afraid to chime in,but today I was looking at your video about your surprise gift and could'nt believe it. My sister also made me a set of cds from seasons 1-3 a couple of years ago for Christmas and it was the best day ever! I love collecting handmade Lost things and even as of now I am waiting for my second set of Lost characters to arrive as we speak. A woman on Etsy custom makes hand painted 3"wooden dolls.
    I have all of the characters from season 1 ( yep, Vincent too!) so now Im just waiting on everyone else from the rest of the seasons and I will have over 30 Lost characters sitting on my shelf. Thanks Nikki for sharing your surprise.

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  21. Anonymous12 February 2010 at 13:20

    Whoa! Josh has got way too much time to kill, but what a fun way to use that time. :)

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  22. Zari12 February 2010 at 14:07

    Brilliant, Joshua!

    And now I know why I invariably agree when I read your comments on this blog: "Yes! What Joshua said!"

    Thank you Nikki for sharing this with us.

    Word Verf: discur: To rid oneself of a dog.

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  23. Brother of Joshua12 February 2010 at 14:45

    He is totally not joking about sending you a revised edition. I've got like four of his old prototypes on my desk right now!

    You're the shit, Joe. Brilliant as always.

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  24. Anonymous12 February 2010 at 16:32

    Joshua,

    You are quite the creative genius! Absolutely fabulous! Nikki, if only I had half your infectious exuberance and adorable squeakiness!!

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  25. Mike_D12 February 2010 at 17:24

    Wow--

    That was awesome!!!! I myself have Driveshaft's "You All Everybody" and Geronimo Jackson's "Dharma Lady," as well as some tracks from the boys at "Previously on Lost."

    Amazing...I'm going to print out that artwork!

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  26. Hagbard12 February 2010 at 17:30

    the craziest handmade d.i.y. stuff i've ever seen! to be honest: i am really jealous. but nikki deserves it :o)

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  27. Jazzygirl12 February 2010 at 18:13

    Wow, I am speechless. It's absolutely mindblowing. I feel put to shame as a LOST fan. LOL!! Joshua you are so amazing not only to do it, but to (as Nikki said) give it to someone you've never met. And I have to admit I got a little weepy when Nikki reiterated her conversation with her husband about "you don't know the people on my blog". I feel so privileged to a part of this amazing group of people.
    And Nikki, I wish it wouldn't be your last video. I was laughing along with you and nodding and such as if you were really here. LOL I think it would be totally amazing to see your reactions to the new episdoes. :)

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  28. LoyallyLOST12 February 2010 at 18:35

    Did you notice the total on the bottom of the burrito receipt? $8.77.
    That is EIGHT SEVEN SEVEN, people! 8~one of the numbers & if you add the two 7's together, you get 14!!!
    Cool!

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  29. bowlhed12 February 2010 at 19:17

    Dude I hope you are making a living out of doing stuff like that - nice work!

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  30. Blam12 February 2010 at 20:55

    "with-oat"... Ahahahahahahahahaha!!! Crazy Canadians.

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  31. Blam12 February 2010 at 20:55

    Holy Frijoles, Joshua... Amazing!
    the only version of the former Iraqi National Anthem that I could find was over 14 minutes long, and since Kelvin only sang it for a second, I let that one go
    Oh... I take it all back. 8^)

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  32. The Question Mark12 February 2010 at 22:17

    Joshua, your effort & attention to details are astounding! Great job, bro! I hope you do that professionally, because you are seriously talented and extrordinarly creative!

    Lost is one of those sows where it's very rare to find merchandise out there in stores, so to see something this detailed be compiled with such care by a fan, it really goes to show that Lost truly is like no other show in the history of television.

    Kudos, Joshua.

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  33. The Question Mark12 February 2010 at 22:19

    CORRECTION: I meant to say that Lost is "one of those SHOWS", not "one of those SOWS". Lost is not a pig.
    There are boars on the show, though.

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  34. Gerald Orr12 February 2010 at 23:32

    Joshua - Beautiful work ,Brother.
    Such great attention to detail , you are a creative and talented gentlemen.Best wishes to you.

    Nikki- It was so nice to see you in that video show such pure giddy emotion (Adorable by the way.)It is rare anymore to see someone be overwhelmed with sheer joy from something another person gave to them and actually made with their hands and took the time and effort.I made a special compilation of Frank Sinatra, Robbie Williams, and The Beatles for my Mom on her 66th birthday this past Wednesday and it made my heart melt to see her face light up with joy.I made new cover photos and booklets with track listings for her.She likes certain songs from each artist and I put them in chronological order as well.I for one was glad I didn't go the cliched gift card route this time.Take care and enjoy your well deserved vacation.

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  35. Anonymous13 February 2010 at 02:54

    Awwwww! Nikki, you're adorable, and Josh, you are amazing. I love handmade gifts; they really are the best, especially when someone "pays attention" and makes you something they KNOW you'll love. KUDOS to both of you, and thanks for sharing!

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  36. Anonymous13 February 2010 at 05:13

    I bet he's get a lot of customers if he started selling them

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  37. Missing Georgia13 February 2010 at 11:06

    Absolutely AMAZING! Joshua, you are an extremely talented and creative guy. How thoughtful to share this with Nikki (and the rest of us). WOW.

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  38. Ambivalentman13 February 2010 at 11:39

    That is some impressive work, Josh. Your dedication and love for LOST is evident. Only a community like this one can inspire such loyal inspiration.

    I created a LOST playlist for my iPod of songs from every season, and patted myself on the back for how creative I am, but you, my friend, are amazing! Cutting in snippets of dialogue? Liner notes? You are an inspiration to me.

    Thanks for the fun webcast, Nikki. You should do more.

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  39. LoyallyLOST13 February 2010 at 23:19

    I'm editing my last post. I had a brain fart. 8 is one of the numbers, but DUH~14 is NOT! I am smacking myself in the face right now. I forgot to mention that if you take the 1 away from the 14(7+7=14), it is 4. Whew! THAT has been bugging me alllll day! Sorry, dudes!

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  40. Rebecca T.16 February 2010 at 14:20

    That was amazing, Joshua! I totally want one! You seriously should sell them :)

    Nikki, you are so much fun to watch! More podcasts!

    "I don't think you understand the people on my blog"

    Truer words have never been spoken. If you have never come on here, you cannot understand the camaraderie we share.

    So much fun (glad I finally had a chance to watch it)

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  41. Cedar16 February 2010 at 14:22

    Nikki--Thanks for sharing this video and the exquisite gift. I found myself laughing and smiling through the entire video because your happiness is gloriously infectious. Joshua--you deserve a Lost Award!

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  42. Nikki Stafford16 February 2010 at 14:47

    Hey all: Thanks so much for giving so many compliments to Joshua. He deserves every one of them. YouTube made me edit it to under 10 minutes to post it, but there are SO many other things I could have shown you on it.

    Marebabe and LoyallyLost: I read your comments and thought, "I do not squeak!" And then I watched the video and... yep, I totally squeaked. Hahahaa! I guess this is one of those occasions where it called for nothing better than a squeak!

    My husband's always joking that one of these days he's going to set up a hidden camera and record me while I'm actually watching Lost. Yeah. That would make for fantastic viewing, I said. He replied, "Well, you just have no idea what your face looks like when you're watching an episode for the first time..." LOL! Maybe there are some things I don't WANT to see.

    Word verif: whhormer. How Ben Linus refers to something that's more warm. "It's whhhhhhhormer under the blanket?"

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  43. Blam16 February 2010 at 20:08

    My husband's always joking that one of these days he's going to set up a hidden camera and record me while I'm actually watching Lost.
    I see you leaning forward on your couch, with a laptop on the coffee table, a paper notepad on your actual lap, one pen in your hand and another (plus a pencil) tucked behind your ear, mouth agape, eyes wide, and, when Desmond shows up, a little involuntary moisture forming on your lips.
    Not that I've thought about it before now. Really.

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  44. Jesse Lunsford18 February 2010 at 20:14

    I don't know what's more awesome: the amazing, AMAZING work that Joshua put into such a thoughtful gift; or the adorable reaction from Nikki. You're so cute! LOL

    Excellent work, Josh. I'm so jealous!

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  45. Jesse Lunsford18 February 2010 at 20:14

    I don't know what's more awesome: the amazing, AMAZING work that Joshua put into such a thoughtful gift; or the adorable reaction from Nikki. You're so cute! LOL

    Excellent work, Josh. I'm so jealous!

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  46. Eugen Caitaz5 March 2010 at 09:32

    Wowww! It's so cool and awesome! Love it very much! You are very lucky my dear!

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