When I’m not busy neglecting this blog, I am either working or transforming into a larger geek than I ever thought possible. If you would have asked me or anyone in my family even ten years ago whether or not I would love and embrace new technology, sci-fi, graphic novels, etc. – we would have all laughed out loud at the very thought.

Here are a few examples of what I’ve been up to and am about embark upon.

1. Less than two weeks ago, we went on an all-day LOST tour on Oahu. Incredible is only one way to describe the overall experience. See for yourself here and here on my Lost blog.

2. Last weekend I had the opportunity to call in to the Sci-Fi Party Line podcast to discuss Lost and the tour with my new friend Cat (@FancyFembot on Twitter), as well as other TV shows like Bones, Dollhouse and True Blood. Click here to listen to the chat, or find it on iTunes!

3. Tomorrow we are heading into San Francisco for our very first WonderCon, which is a smaller version of San Diego’s Comic-Con (and yes, I’m going back there this year as well).  If we get there early enough, we’re hoping to attend the Watchmen panel first, then brave the lines for the new Star Trek in the afternoon.

Besides that, I’ve been attempting to catch up on 3 weeks of shows…but have been disappointed in many. Right now I am only really enjoying Bones, Friday Night Lights, Fringe, House and Lost. And I need to finish Season 1 of Breaking Bad because the second season begins on March 8!

Phew.

What’s new with YOU?

Have a great weekend!

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I have been absent and a shell of a blogger. Apologies.

Tomorrow we leave for Hawaii, and I have plans to post a few entries…when I’m not on the beach, at the pool, on the zip line or enjoying ridiculously fruity/girly cocktails.

We will be in Maui until next Sunday, and then in Oahu for a few days. We are primarily going to Oahu to take the all-day LOST tour. Seriously, and of course.

I have not had enough time to catch up on all of my TiVO’d shows, but here is a very quick report card:

• 30 Rock: A-
• Bones: B-
• Damages: B+
• Friday Night Lights: A-
• Grey’s: B+ (HUGE improvement)
• Heroes: A- (HUGE improvement)
• House: B
• Flight of the Conchords: B
• Lost: A
• Nip/Tuck: C
• The Office: B-
• Private Practice: B
• The United States of Tara: A-

Thank you for your patience and for checking in on occasion. You still complete me.

p.s. If you’re at all interested in our (mis)adventures in the 808, feel free to follow me on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/jopinionated.

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See, I warned you about my lack of posts here once Lost started up again. I’m certainly not complaining, but watching every new episode 2- 3 times and then writing several entries about each per week is quite time-consuming (and is more than likely the culprit for this lingering headache I’m nursing).

In addition to Lost, I am also watching the following shows every week:

1. 30 Rock
2. Bones
3. Brothers & Sisters
4. Damages
5. Flight of the Conchords
6. Friday Night Lights
7. Fringe
8. Grey’s Anatomy
9. House
10. Life on Mars
11. Nip/Tuck
12. The Office
13. Private Practice
14. Scrubs
15. Top Chef
16. The United States of Tara

…on top of catching up with Season 1 of How I Met Your Mother on DVD and Season 1 of Breaking Bad on my iPod, and attempting to finish last season’s Survivor online.

I’ve given up on The L Word and Ugly Betty. But in the next few weeks I will be adding these to my collection: The Amazing Race, Dollhouse, Heroes, Life, Medium and Samantha Who.

Why do I list these out and why should you care? Because I’m an over-sharer and like to keep you in the loop. I would also like to know which shows you’d like me to write about; I’m much more likely to discuss YOUR favorite series…if only I knew what they were. Do tell.

In the interest of over-disclosure/overexposure, I also wanted to let you know that I will be out of town next week on business and then in Hawaii for 10 days on vacation. Don’t hate me. So you may not hear as much from me in February, except for occasional pop culture related reports (i.e. after our 8 hour private Lost tour on Oahu)!

Keep watching, keep reading and keep in touch.

Love you, mean it.

- Jo

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I am often asked to compile songs using a specific theme or for a certain locale. So for this trip to LA, I was inspired to create a set list for my iPod with a few tracks that either focus on or make reference to the area. Here they are, accompanied by a sample of lyrics from each.

Come a Long Way (Michelle Shocked)

The sun was sinking into the sea
But a ball of fire inside of me
Was burning my motor and driving me hard
Past the big hair on the Boulevard

Dogs of LA (Liz Phair)

The canyon air is like a breath of fresh L.A.

I was a Star Trek crew member, with my Beatle boots and my Super-8

And I raced you to the top, the camera gets a stuttered shot

Of me approaching a painted shrine

I kissed the Buddah and made him cry

Electrolite (REM)

If you ever want to fly

Mulholland Drive

Up in the sky

Stand on a cliff and look down there

Don’t be scared, you are alive

First of the Gang to Die (Morrissey)

You have never been in love,

Until you’ve seen the stars

reflect in the resevoirs

Going Back to Cali (LL Cool J)
* Guilty Pleasure Alert! Oh please – you know you had the Less Than Zero soundrack on cassette back in ’87 too.

I’m going back to Cali, rising, surprising

Advising realizing, she’s sizing me up

Her bikini – small; heels – tall

She said, she liked the ocean

She showed me a beach, gave me a peach

And pulled out the suntan lotion

Heartbreak World (Matt Nathanson)

Let’s move out of Los Angeles

Just drive until this summer gives

And forget the lies we use to live

‘Cause we’re gone

Los Angeles, I’m Yours (The Decemberists)

There is a city by the sea

A gentle company

I don’t suppose you want to

And as it tells its sorry tale

In harrowing detail

Its hollowness will haunt you

Its streets and boulevards

Orphans and oligarchs it hears

A plaintive melody

Truncated symphony

A Sorta Fairytale (Tori Amos)

Things you said that day

Up on the 101

The girl had come undone
I tried to downplay it

With a bet about us

You said that

You’d take it

As long as i could
I could not erase it

Screenwriter’s Blues (Soul Coughing)

Your Cadillac breathes

Four hundred horses

Over blue lines.

You are going

to Reseda

to make love

to a model

from Ohio

whose real name

you don’t

know.

Why You’d Want to Live Here (Death Cab for Cutie)

I’m in Los Angeles today

Asked a gas station employee if he ever had trouble breathing

and he said, “It varies from season to season, here.”

It’s where our best are on display

Motion picture actors’ houses maps are never ever current,

So save your film and fifteen dollars.

And now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get some rest so I can be a proper tourist before the event tomorrow night.

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Rather than try to explain what it was like driving into Santa Barbara last night during a raging fire, or attempt to describe the fun we had when the electricity went out for most of the night…

View from my in-laws’ backyard.

My new car. Snowflake sized ash. Not Tahoe, not December.

But it’s all about perspective. Cupcakes by candlelight with the family? Check.

Belvedere with melting ice? Perfection.

But the house is safe and everyone is fine. The fire has shifted and subsided, as well as the wind. And although all local fireworks were cancelled, the party continues.

Enjoy your 4th!

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My friend went to a taping of Ellen yesterday and was on TV today, dancing next to her. I was jealous (of the proximity, not the dancing). It made me think about the activities I’d like to experience at some point before I die, as well as the ones I already have.

I’m not trying to be morbid, but I am attempting to be a little less tightly wound, and adopt a carpe diem attitude. Recent back surgery forced me to contemplate/acknowledge my mortality for the first time, and I have made an effort to become more flexible (emotionally, mentally & physically) as a result. I simply need to relax, enjoy and appreciate life more than I have in the past (and for the future).

Most people keep lists of dream vacations. Me? Not so much. Here are a few random things I’d like to experience in my lifetime, in no particular order:

• Visit the set of Lost, or interview some of the cast
  

• Attend a taping of Ellen

• Throw out the first pitch at a major league ballpark
  

• Fly to Boston & Chicago for baseball games at Fenway Park and Wrigley Field

• See both REM and Bruce Springsteen live

• Watch the A’s win the World Series at home in the new stadium

• Go to the Emmy Awards
  

None of the above are career-related, but my dream job would be to either be on the writing staff of a television series or write a pop culture column for a newspaper or entertainment magazine. No big secret or surprise there.

I’m thrilled to have already had the opportunity to experience and participate in a few amazing events, including:

• Meeting Mary Lou Retton & attending the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles (I was a budding/failing gymnast at the time)

• Having coffee with Shawn Colvin in London before her show in 1993 (I was studying abroad, it was snowing outside, and she invited me in to watch rehearsal)

• Working as an ‘extra‘ on The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in 1994 (a story for another blog post altogether)

• Attending a private benefit honoring Ellen DeGeneres in 1998 for her groundbreaking coming out episode (and meeting the Indigo Girls)

• Being among the 73k fans watching the Women’s World Cup semi-finals at Stanford in 1999 (USA defeated Brazil)

• Hiking through the rain forest and cave-tubing in Belize

• Climbing to the top of the Duomo in Florence, Italy
  

• Seeing Barry Bonds hit #71 & #72 at PacBell Park in 2001, breaking the single-season homerun record (not a huge fan of the man, but it was electric in there)

• Watching The Incredibles and Cars at Pixar Animation Studios before they were released (both for events benefiting local education)

• Going to  Sundance in 2007 (the coldest days of my life)

• Sitting in the front row of the bleachers at the 2007 MLB All-Star Game in SF (and not getting pummeled by large men attempting to dive for homerun balls)

• Attending the Grey’s Anatomy/Private Practice benefit show earlier this year

This summer, I will be going to Comic-Con in San Diego, and I’m pretty sure that it will wind up on the list above.

I can’t believe that this entire post was inspired by a friend dancing onscreen with Ellen for three seconds, and I’m not sure I even had a point. Oh well. I know that my List of Things To Do Before I Die will be amended and updated shortly and often, because there are far more places I’d like to travel to and events I’d like to attend.

Thanks for reading yet another entry of rambling and lists. Good night!

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