You know you’re old when…a former student sends you beer koozies.  Yes, I’m officially old enough to have past students that send me koozies and it’s ok, in fact welcomed.  These aren’t your typical beer koozies that my advisee, Becca, sent me, not even personalized wedding reception beer koozies.  (I do love those too!)  These are Dharma Initiative beer koozies.  If you have no idea what that phrase means, you have either never seen the show “Lost” or haven’t yet finished the first season.  If that’s the case, I’m very jealous and you should immediately put this amazing series in your Netflix queue.

If you’re like me, however, and know exactly what Dharma is, then you’re:

1)    jealous of my awesome koozies.

2)    anxiously awaiting the 2.5 hour finale on Sunday night.  Oh, wait, the 4.5 hours, including 2 hours of recap (which I will absolutely watch), or as David figured out, the 3.1666 hours of actual “Lost” (when you fast forward through ads on your Tivo).

Yes, I talk about “The Bachelor” and “Top Chef” but the show that I’m most fascinated with is “Lost.”  If you, too love “Lost,” just thinking about Sunday night evokes many emotions for you.  The emotional roller coaster for me includes:

• Eagerness to know how it’s going to end, as well as worry that I just might not understand the final moments.  (More time travel?  Ugh.)
• Overwhelmed by questions: Can “the black smoke” die?  Will Jack really be the protector of the island?  Where did Anna Lucia come from?  Are we going to see Libby again?  (I hope so!)  How is Desmund going to reconnect everyone in the parallel universe?
• Sentimental about the show and the many memories I have watching it.  Basically my whole married life we’ve been watching “Lost,” spending many dinner table conversations as a couple and with friends talking “Lost” theories.
• Concern that I’ll be disappointed with the ending.  I’ve invested so much time into the show over the years.  How can they possibly explain everything?
• And of course I can’t help but be sad that like all good things, “Lost” must come to an end.  I mean, I love this show.  The twists and turns and time changes have been endless, but I’ve kept watching nonetheless.

Even when I get frustrated with some of the plot ridiculousness (Seriously, Jack has a son now?) and formulas that only my math-minded friends, Patrick, Mindy and Mimi, understand, the show always brings me back.

I had to go with a Season 2 cast photo because Echo was one of my favorite characters.

Once Sunday night has come and gone, I don’t know what I’m going to do without Sawyer’s cynical stares, Jack’s desire to save everyone, Hurleys’s visions of dead people, and Clare’s whacked out hair.  Any bets that at least three new characters will be introduced in the final episode?  Maybe Jack and Locke are brothers in real life?

What are your thoughts about the finale?  Any predictions?  Concerns of your own?  Please share!  I’m always eager for more “Lost” theories.

Thanks to Becca for sending me these awesome Dharma koozies.  Of course, I’ve got New Grist, a gluten-free beer made with sorghum and rice, in my koozie.  They will be with me during the finale.  Enjoy the final 150 minutes of glory!  (If you’re in search of a show to watch now that your relationship with “Lost” has come to an end, and you’re ready to move on, may I suggest HBO’s “The Wire?”  I promise, it won’t be sloppy seconds.)