I totally support the writers on strike, but the Access Hollywood Golden Globes announcement show and Dateline special preceding it were PAINFUL. I know, I should have just logged on earlier in the evening to see the names of the winners. But I am a pop culture sponge, and apparently a glutton for punishment. I can’t stand Billy Bush (and not just because he’s related to our president; he cut in front of me in the security line at the Vegas airport two years ago – for the record, he’s smallish and nobody else recognized him), and in my opinion NBC mishandled the entire evening. I’m sure they had to rush to piece it all together when it was announced that the official awards show was canceled, but they would have been better off just having the list of names scroll on screen with no human involvement.

BEST PICTURE, DRAMA: Atonement (woah, WTF?!)
BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA: Julie Christie – Away From Her (need to Netflix)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Cate Blanchett – I’m Not There (does she ever suck? no.)
BEST ACTOR, DRAMA: Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood * (does he ever suck? no.)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Javier Bardem – No Country For Old Men (must be that hair)
BEST PICTURE, COMEDY OR MUSICAL: Sweeney Todd (fine, but it should have been Juno)
BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY OR MUSICAL: Marion Cotillard – La Vie en Rose (shoe-in for Oscar nod)
BEST ACTOR, COMEDY OR MUSICAL: Johnny Depp – Sweeney Todd * (duh)
BEST ANIMATED FILM: Ratatouille (Pixar is golden)
BEST DIRECTOR: Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (no surprise from foreign press)
BEST SCREENPLAY: Ethan and Joel Coen – No Country For Old Men (love them)

BEST TV DRAMA: Mad Men (no. way.)
BEST ACTRESS, TV DRAMA: Glenn Close – Damages * (YES!)
BEST ACTOR, TV DRAMA: Jon Hamm – Mad Men (now that’s a surprise)
BEST TV COMEDY: Extras (smart, but not 30 Rock funny)
BEST ACTRESS, TV COMEDY: Tina Fey – 30 Rock (sweet!)
BEST ACTOR, TV COMEDY: David Duchovny – Californication (shut up. this isn’t even a comedy!)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, TV SERIES: Samantha Morton – Longford (miniseries should be different category; not fair)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, TV SERIES: Jeremy Piven – Entourage (again? Danson owned this, should have won)

I will be VERY bummed if the Oscars are also canceled, but as a huge film & TV fan, I stand strong in my unwaivering support for the scribes who are responsible for what I watch on the big and small screens.

In totally unrelated matters, my ears have been congested and clogged for days, and my hearing has reached senior citizen lows. Do any of you have suggestions for remedies besides decongestants? The usually reliable Sudafed has been absolutely useless.

Have a nice week!

I was attempting to write a profound essay about the pregnancy film trilogy (Juno, Knocked Up, Waitress), but I have a horrible cold in my sinuses and am not capable of doing much more than this.

Next
week I will probably look back at these choices and laugh, but for the
time being and with a cloudy head, they make perfect sense to me. Care to disagree with any of my choices or post your own?

Have a great weekend. If you need me, I’ll be swathed in blankets with a cup of English Breakfast tea and a Breathe-Right across my nose. Hot!

It has been far too long since I’ve written about Writer’s Strike. Obviously there are more informative places for you to receive such news, but I like keeping my readers posted and I am asked about the status of the strike every day.

Would you like to know how many new episodes of your shows have yet to air? Check out TVGuide.com’s Strike Chart.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off in search of some preventative cold meds. Good evening.

I know I’m not the only one who geeks out whenever the new LOST promos air on TV. And I also know that there are thousands out there who are also counting down the days until Season 4 premieres on January 31.

Ok then, what are you waiting for?

Three weeks ago today, I had back surgery. Today, I can walk and drive without pain, and I returned to work (all without the assistance of medication)!

To sum up, here is how I spent the last 21 days of my life:

• Books: 2
• Episodes of 30 Rock (Season 1) on DVD: 2
• Episodes of Nip/Tuck (Season 4) on DVD: 3
• Episodes of Lost (Season 3) on DVD: 8
• Naps: 13
• Blog entries posted: 15
• Movies (cable/TiVO/theater): 15
• Movie-doku puzzles: 21 (13 successes, 8 failures)
  

In retrospect, I was quite productive for someone recovering from major surgery and under the (prescribed) influence!

Happy Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas. I hope your holiday has been lovely so far. I am quite a happy camper myself, having received the following:

• Season 3 of Lost
• Season 3 of The Office
• Knocked Up
• Waitress

Combined with two seasons of The Sopranos and Season 2 of Extras, which I gave to my better half, our DVD collection has taken a major leap in the right direction.

So the strangest thing has happened; I have returned to an old but familiar hobby…reading. Actual books. For the first time in years, I am buried in books rather than glued to my laptop. Don’t get me wrong; I love reading and majored in World Literature, so perhaps I have been subconsciously rebelling against the ridiculous number of tomes that I ingested during those four years of college. And I’m sure that this renewed interest is a result of having more time on my hands than usual, and slowing down in general. But I am absolutely loving it.

Happy holidays! Let me know what your favorite gift was, and if you have any book recommendations as well.

- Jo