LOST alum casting news

Some casting news about these four awesome LOST alums this week. Click here to see the list over at Flash Sideways.

And as a side note, I can't believe there are still some of you who visit this blog. I get views everyday, and I haven't even posted in here since I started my other one. It just makes my cold, dead heart swell :') Thanks, Losties.

NEW blog by yours truly!

I've started a new blog called Two and Twenty (because I'm 22 today :) and the title is based on the A.E. Housman poem, 'When I was one-and-twenty'). It's a design inspiration blog about things I find interesting and it's not related to LOST (but that doesn't mean LOST won't ever be mentioned *wink wink*). I decided to start Two and Twenty because as a graphic design student (and very-soon-to-be freelance designer, yikes), there needs to be a place for me to unload anything and everything that peaks my interest, visually. Stop by when you can, say hello, spread the word. If graphic design is something that interests you, or if you enjoy looking at lovely things like food, fashion, photography, and the like, I'm sure you'll enjoy the blog as it grows. I will still be blogging LOST stuff regularly from Flash Sideways, and tweeting from @aouaLOST, but Two and Twenty will also have its own Twitter account, @MichaTwoTwenty. Until we meet again, Losties and friends, cheers!

So about what I said...

(click on pics for full size)

All three of these are tiling, please check the tile background box in the design panel. To see what two of the three look like live, visit @aouaLOST and @SideStepsTEST.

A few months ago when LOST ended, I was all, "This is the last Twitter background I will ever give you here"...Yeah. I lied.

But not without good reason, friends! There's a new version of Twitter out, and because of the much wider user interface, you can't see much of your background unless you're on a wide screen (Meanwhile, new Twitter is stunning on Mac's cinema displays and the old backgrounds look just fine). On your typical laptop, old Twitter had about 250 pixels to the left and right of the page content. The new version shrinks that down to about 112 pixels on each side (The sidebar is now semi-transparent, though a little more transparency wouldn't hurt, in my opinion). For that small a space, I've found that tall, tiling backgrounds work best. So here you have it. Last ones, for real this time.

#NewTwitter

EDIT: I now have the new version of Twitter, and yes, people with larger displays/monitors/resolutions will still have a lot of background space. Laptop users and the like, there's probably only an inch or so left on each side, so read on.

There's about to be big changes as the new version of Twitter launches globally within the next few weeks. Now I don't have it just yet, but I have seen previews. The first thing I noticed is that the new interface takes up most of the screen, so for most people, the Twitter backgrounds on LOST SideSteps are about to become obsolete, save for this and these. They are both tiling backgrounds.

Of course for those folks who have giant monitors, the rest of the backgrounds on here are probably fine. Then again, I don't have the new version yet, so I don't know how the background placement is coded. Just giving you a heads up. Namaste.

And we're done.

Thanks for the ride. Please link back to this site when re-blogging any of the posts/artwork. And check out my other blog, Flash Sideways. Namaste.

Aloha

(click on pic for HQ)

This is a tiling Twitter background. (To see this background live, visit @aouaLOST.)

You may or may not recognize this background. This is the last Twitter background I will ever give you here, but if you've been paying attention, you'll notice that it was also the first. The difference is, when I gave it to you the first time, the file itself was too large to use on Twitter. I didn't label it as a Twitter background, nor did I think anyone would ever see it. But after working some magic, we are able to come full circle. The only way to conclude on a poignant note.

This is the end, friends. Where have you been, and what did you learn? What did you find on your journey back from the edge of time and space? If we've all taken something from this shared experience, then what was it? Probably something to do with destiny, right? Commit yourself to your purpose. Embrace the person you are meant to be. Learn to face your demons, and walk through life with your ghosts. Apologize to no one for doing the unpopular thing you know is right. And should you find that you have made a mistake, know that you can always start over; nothing's irreversible. These lessons may be true of LOST, but they are also true of life.

This is why the series stands alone on its own level. It holds within it a human element. The reason LOST resonates so well with us is because while we may not always understand the mythology, what we do understand is the journey. We understand that inside each of us is a light, a life force, a purpose. We understand that when we live together, it's not just because we don't want to die alone. We understand our ability to love another being so intensely and unconditionally, that we would sacrifice everything for its safety. We understand the value and the weight of a life, and we know how to grieve its loss. In many ways, LOST is just about the clearest life story there is, and while we are sad to see it go, we are grateful to have been given this experience at all.

So this is where I say "thank you", and that it's been an honor of mine to be a part of this fandom, as you truly are the most dedicated and smartest bunch out there. I was going to save this post for right after the finale aired, but it didn't seem right somehow. So I'm gonna bow out early and let LOST do the talking. Let our old friend have the last word.

Enjoy the show. Tonight's episode is entitled, "The End", and rightfully so. To LOST fans everywhere and everywhen, thank you, Namaste, and good luck.

My only friend, the end.

SPOILER: The following backgrounds contain promotional photos from tonight's finale. While they are mild in nature, you have been warned.

(click on pics for HQ)

These are non-tiling Twitter backgrounds; set your background color to black. (To see this background live, visit @SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.)

I do have one more Twitter background coming down the pike in a little bit, and yes, it will be the last one. In the meantime, we've got these backgrounds, which are so very simple yet cinematic, all I did was up the saturation and contrast. I do think these work quite well, as I didn't want to detract from the scenes by adding fluff. LOST can speak for itself, and these final promo pics prove that.

I have blocked comments until after the finale to avoid spoilers. Namaste.

Weird scenes inside the gold mine

(click on pic for HQ)

This is a non-tiling Twitter background; set your background color to black. (To see this background live, visit @SideStepsTEST. Note that the background of that account usually changes everyday without notice.)

Sawyer, Kate, and Hurley, each a former candidate, look on as Jack accepts his role as the new Island guardian in this scene from LOST's penultimate episode, "What They Died For."

Tomorrow night is the finale. If you haven't already, take a look around the blog and choose a LOST Twitter background for yourself. Wave your LOST flags high and mighty, LOSTies! It's time to represent!

And on the subject of Twitter, I'd like to take a moment to thank all of my Twitter followers, and anyone who has ever checked out my blogs. I started my Twitter account in mid-October 2009, I believe, and I never thought I'd get to this number in a million years (over 500 followers!). I remember how jazzed I was when I had my first four followers, because I didn't know any of them. The Twitter game is kind of odd; you keep some, you lose a bunch. So cheers to those of you who stuck around, and to those of you who have used my backgrounds (whether you follow me or not)! You'll never know how much it has meant to me to see some of my work out there being used by people who can appreciate it. I'm happy to be ending the series in your company. Thanks for getting LOST with me!

(As we celebrate our last hurrah, feel free to tweet me your goodbyes, your thoughts on the series, questions, etc.)

My greatest hits

Sunday marks the end of an era, but while LOST may be over, Twitter is here to stay. Take a look around and choose a Twitter background for yourself, and show the world your LOSTie love! To start you off, here's a list of just some of the "greatest hits" on LOST SideSteps. Click on the pics to go to the original post.

1. Todos nos vamos al Infierno--by far the most popular Twitter background on the blog, this features an uncorked bottle o' darkness.

2. When Darkness looms--my personal favorite, features the sinking sub from the episode, "The Candidate"

3. Their dice were made of bones--another fave of mine, an echo of Locke's words from Season One

4. The Official Numbers Twitter/desktop sets...
5. ...and the Unofficial Numbers (desktop and Twitter)
6. The Man in Black, as Christian Shephard--a full set including Twitter, desktop, and iPhone backgrounds
7. The light--a Twitter background that didn't include any characters or locations, just the warm glare of the light of the world.
8. Two Players--Why can't we all just get along?
9. iPhone backgrounds--because I want you to represent LOST on the go! Not all of them are here. Most are at Flash Sideways, my miscellaneous LOST Tumblr blog; so check em out!

Of course, these are just the highlights. There are many more to choose from (over 130), so I urge you to take some time to look around. It's been so fun making these! Namaste!