Excuses, Excuses: My TV & Travel Schedule


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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When Am I? Initial Thoughts About LOST, Episodes 5.01 & 5.02


For those of you who watch the show and are interested, I just finished posted some questions and theories over on my Lost blog about the first two new episodes of Season 5. And now I will rest my exhausted eyes and mind for a few hours. Of course the episodes require a second viewing and further analysis, which I plan to address before this weekend.

Good night!

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Preview/Review of Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse” & Other Blog News

I was recently given the opportunity to view and review the first episode of the new series Dollhouse for TVOvermind, a fantastic new entertainment hub for television fans! It is my initial post for the site, and hopefully the beginning of a new extension for this blog. As many of you know, I contribute occasional Lost articles and theory analysis on DocArzt and Friends’ Lost Blog as well.

Click here if you’re interested to hear my initial thoughts about Joss Whedon’s new show. If you are a fan of Whedon’s previous efforts (Buffy, Firefly, Serenity) or enjoy any combination of Alias, Fringe, Heroes, Lost and The X-Files, I highly recommend that you tune in when Dollhouse debuts on FOX on Friday, February 13!

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I’m Cheating on You…for 17 Weeks


Apologies in advance to those of you who do not watch Lost…I will be immersed in that world from now through May.  Though my primary attention will be focused on the Lost blog, I have grand plans to keep posting current entertainment news and commentary on this site as well, with the same frequency.

But stay tuned because I will also be reviewing and discussing new and existing shows for another site (links and details to follow shortly)!

Thank you again for your readership, patience and support. Without you, well…I would be talking to myself on paper. Not as much fun.

- Jo

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Twitter: Who I Follow & Why I Tweet

I don’t remember why I created a Twitter account back in March of this year, but I certainly can’t imagine my life without it now.

Are you one of those people who are online (via cell or computer) during most waking hours? Do you ever wonder what some of your friends and family are up to, or where they are, but don’t feel like calling or emailing to find out?  If so, I highly recommend that you either sign up for a free Twitter account or find out which of your loved ones and buddies already use the service so you can follow them.

I casually refer to Twitter as ‘cyber-stalking with permission,’ but in reality it is a quick social networking message system. When you have an account, you have up to 140 characters to answer the question, “What are you doing?” in real-time, as often as you like. Some people offer very specific and personal details, while others are purposefully mysterious or controversial. You also have the option to reply to someone’s update, often resulting in a tweetversation.

So why do I use Twitter? Several reasons…

  • It is a shorter, easier & more frequent method of sharing w/o blogging
  • Post links to new entries from this blog & my LOST blog
  • Networking
  • Idea sharing/brainstorming
  • Live event updates (i.e. Comic-Con)
  • Discover new blogs & sites, as well as fellow LOST & film/TV fans

I am ‘following’ just over 600 people on Twitter right now, so I obviously don’t have time to read every update. And because there almost 360 people following me, I try not to inundate or bore them by ‘tweeting’ too often. Frankly, most of my life is pretty mundane. I tend to post updates via Twitter when they pertain to pop culture (rather than over-share with personal details; even though I am all over the map online, I still try to maintain a degree of privacy).

Here are just a few favorites from the hundreds I follow:

Whitney Matheson: USA Today columnist (Pop Candy)
Greg Grunberg & Brea Grant: Heroes actors
J.R. Orci: writer/producer, Fringe
Jesse Alexander: writer/producer, Alias/Lost/Heroes
Mo Ryan: Chicago Tribune columnist (The Watcher)
TheODI, DocArzt & DarkUFO & Ryan from The Transmission: Lost scoop
DuckyDoesTV, GiveMeMyRemote, Ramblings of a TV Whore, theTVaddict: TV bloggers
SlashFilm, FirstShowing, Cinematical, AintItCool: movie news, interviews
Brill, Hanh, Rick, Andy, Sarah, Ryan, Korbi:  Zap2It TV team

You have the option to link Twitter to your Facebook status updates, but I’m not a fan of that particular option for my page (I update far less on Facebook). On my iPhone, I use the free application Twitteriffic to catch up and post new updates on the go. 

If you’re interested in following me, feel free to bookmark my Twitter profile: http://twitter.com/jopinionated. If you already have an account or create a new one, make sure to click ‘follow’ under my LOST icon (and I will follow you in return).

When in doubt, exercise caution before drunk-tweeting or sharing specific work and life details via Twitter. Before I post anything, I keep in mind that my mom follows me; it can be a tad disconcerting to receive calls from her with a specific question about or statement regarding something I forgot that I had posted on Twitter…but it is one of the many ways for her to keep in touch and involved from across the country.

So…do you tweet, and if so – who do you enjoy following on Twitter?

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Gift Guide: Pop Culture Presents for $20 or Less


We are all feeling the effects of the economy right now, and the holidays will be particularly challenging for some with regard to gift giving.  So I have compiled a list of cool and affordable gifts for your favorite fanboy or girl, TV addict or film buff. Obviously there are thousands of choices out there, but here are just a few suggestions.

[Unless otherwise noted with a link, you can find all of these items on Amazon.  Keep your eyes peeled for great online coupons from Borders and Barnes & Noble as well.]

APPAREL & ACCESSORIES

Dr. Leo Spaceman T-Shirt (30 Rock)
$17.95
He’s a fine doctor, and a pretty good dentist!

Edward Cullen’s Replica Wristcuff (Twilight)
$19.99
Seriously. You can purchase this man bracelet for your swooning daughter or girlfriend.

Top Chef logo cap
$14.99, Bravo Shop
For the top chef in your own kitchen or life.

BOOKS

The Bro Code
Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother)
$12.98, CBS.com
I believe that the cover photo says it all.

Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire Mysteries, No. 1)
Charlaine Harris
$7.99
Get to know Sookie Stackhouse and the other cast of characters from Harris’ series, on which the new HBO show True Blood is based.

Heroes, Volume 1
Illustrated by Tim Sale
$13.59
Regardless of how you feel about the television series now, this compilation of online comics that accompanied the first season is very cool.

Lost Ate My Life: The Inside Story of a Fandom Like No Other
Jon Lachonis & Amy J. Johnston
$13.57
If you or someone you know has ever posted on a Lost message board/forum or spends hours analyzing and discussing every episode, this is the perfect gift for them; a fantastic behind-the-scenes perspective about how one show has inspired an entire online community.

Roasting in Hell’s Kitchen: Temper Tantrums, F Words and the Pursuit of Perfection
Gordon Ramsay
$11.16
Even if you haven’t seen any of Chef Ramsay’s shows, this is quite a fascinating autobiography.

Watchmen
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
$11.99
One of the most celebrated graphic novels of all time; you do not need to be a comic book aficionado to appreciate it. The film debuts next year – read this first.

DVDs

Can’t Hardly Wait (10th Anniversary Edition)
$17.99
One of the best ‘guilty pleasure’ teen movies around, featuring an ensemble cast of future television stars and character actors: Lauren Ambrose, Eric Balfour & Freddy Rodriguez (Six Feet Under), Selma Blair (Hellboy), Clea DuVall (Heroes), Jenna Elfman (Dharma & Greg), Ethan Embry (Sweet Home Alabama), Peter Facinelli (Dr. Cullen in Twilight), Donald Faison (Scrubs), Seth Green (Family Guy), Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina the Teenage Witch), Jennifer Love Hewitt (Ghost Whisperer), Breckin Meyer* (Robot Chicken), Jerry O’Connell (Crossing Jordan), Chris Owen (American Pie trilogy), Erik Palladino (ER), Jaime Pressly (My Name is Earl), Sara Rue (Less Than Perfect), Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother) and Sean Patrick Thomas (Save the Last Dance).

* Pop culture sidenote: Breckin Meyer is married to Can’t Hardly Wait writer/director Deborah Kaplan.

Friday Night Lights
$10.49
The excellent film that preceded the stellar television series, both of which are based on H.G. Bissinger’s book of the same name.

The Office, Season 1
$19.98, NBC.com
Watch Jim watch Pam, from the beginning.

Pushing Daisies: The Complete First Season
$18.99
This gem of a show was recently canceled, but it is destined to become a cult classic.

MUSIC

Matt Nathanson: Some Mad Hope
$10.99
I never pass on the opportunity to promote Matt’s music. Even if he wasn’t a very good friend of mine, I would own this CD. His songs have been featured on Eli Stone, Men in Trees, Private Practice and Scrubs.

OMFGG No. 1: Gossip Girl Soundtrack
$14.99
An upbeat compilation with tracks from The Killers, Phantom Planet, The Ting Tings, Junkie XL and more.

TOYS & GAMES for Grownups

The Dude Abides: a Big Lebowski talking keychain
$11.99
Clip this bad boy on when you go bowling or to the bar when you order a White Russian.

LOST Dharma Be@rbrick
$15, Meltdown Comics
What LOST fan wouldn’t want this cute little Dharma bear figure on their desk?

Sex and the City Trivia Game
$16.99
We all know someone who knows entirely too many details about Miranda, Charlotte, Carrie and Samantha. This should be right up their Manolo alley.

And of course, here are a few items on my personal wish list of pop culture gifts:

             

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone – safe travels!


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