Sandra Bullock, Ben Stiller, Jeff Bridges

Yep, I watched the show last night. Christa and I watched it later though, starting it around 9:30pm.  Which actually was awesome, because we were able to fast forward through all the commercials, some slow speeches, and all Twilight kids.

I loved NPH’s opening song – he’s so awesome and epic (yay, Barney Stinson!) and it was a great way to kick off the night. Alec and Steve were great hosts – funny, but not overly so, and I liked the simplistic stage dressing. It was a classy night that seemed to move along pretty quickly (or maybe that was just me fast-forwarding through the commercials and slow parts).

I realized, however, that I’d only seen a handful of the movies nominated last night – Star Trek, District 9, and Up… and that’s it!  I saw some of the movies nominated for sound and art awards (like Harry Potter, Transformers, and Sherlock Holmes), but that’s it.

I think it’s a bit strange that I work in the industry, at the best studio in the world (in my humble opinion) and yet I see very few movies. I don’t like to think that I’ve become a movie snob, but I kinda think I have.  It certainly doesn’t help that they do free screenings for us at work about once a month or so (Dr. Zhivago coming up this week!). I don’t know what it is, but I have to really want to see a movie to actually put in the time and money and go see it at the theaters.

The last movie that I saw in theaters was Shutter Island – it was fantastic. Before Shutter Island, the most recent movie I’d seen on the big screen was Sherlock Holmes and I only went to see it because it was my family’s annual Christmas Day movie outing.

Anyway, back to the Oscars.  I thought it was a fun show, a good idea to have two such charismatic hosts.  And I LOVE that they had co-workers of the acting nominees give a little speech. This happened last year at the ceremony and I feel like it truly honored the nominees (as well as having them onstage at the beginning of the show) for their achievements. And Oprah calling you the new American Cinderella? That’s a great consolation prize.

Entertainment Weekly, my go-to source for all things entertainment, has a fun little article that highlights what happened in the press room.  Read the full article here, but my favorite moment comes from Jeff “The Dude” Bridges.

Jeff Bridges, who is more similar to Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski than we may have initially realized, was his usual go-with-the-flow self backstage. However, the Best Actor winner did manage to put together a rather lovely metaphor when asked about his personal key to success. “The first thing that pops into my mind is my wife,” Bridges said. “She holds that kite string. She lets me go way out there, and then it’s so sweet being reeled back in. I love coming home.”

Wow. Where’s the man who’ll hold my kite string?  Jeff Bridges, by the way, has been married to his wife for 32 years. It’s possible, Hollywood. If “The Dude” can choose wisely and make it last, so can you. I’m just sayin’…

So another Oscar season is down and done. I wonder what movies from 2010 will be nominated at next year’s ceremony. I nominate the always-captivating and amazing Leonardo DiCaprio for Shutter Island.

I know we’re only three months in, but have you seen any Oscar-worthy films or performances this year?

I try to keep this blog professional (-ish), fun, and entertaining.  I try not to spread the geek on too thick, but it happens sometimes.

Like tonight.

I met Wil Wheaton today.

He was on the lot again to tape an episode of the funniest comedy on TV (The Big Bang Theory) and I ran into him (and Bill) outside the commissary while on a dinner break.  Bill and I are old acquaintances, so we fell into easy conversation, with Wil interjecting every once in a while (I agree, Wil, Tim Burton’s Pee Wee’s Big Adventure is a classic).

It wasn’t a long conversation, I didn’t even properly introduce myself to him (hi, Wil, I’m Emily!), but in those few short minutes, I learned a lot about him.

He’s very sweet: he was on a well-deserved break after 5 days of rehearsals and was about to perform live in front of an audience full of die-hard fans, but he took the time to just chill and chat with Bill and I.  No rush to get back to stage, no impatience, he seemed very content just to hang out for a bit.

He’s a super fan: he was following Bill around like a puppy.  Wil has proudly proclaimed his love for The Big Bang Theory on his blog, and I’m sure he’ll continue to do so for as long as the show is on TV and probably even after that.  Wil is a BBT geek. He was also, I’m pretty sure but my memory could be fuzzy, wearing some shirt that had something to do with sci-fi, computers, or science. I could be totally wrong, but I do remember that his knapsack thingy had an old-school seatbelt buckle.  He looked like a college student who was on the lot to shadow one of his favorite producers of his favorite show.

He’s cute: Yes, the man is, according to IMDb, 37 years old, but without the beard, he’d look like he was only 12. It’s strange for me to think that Wesley Crusher, the heartthrob of my youth, is all grown up, is a husband and a father, is playing evil incarnations of himself, but it’s all true.  He’s still handsome!

He’s a great writer: I already knew this just from reading his blog, but hearing him speak only confirms that he’s smart, reads a lot, and is a great writer.  I’d love to just grab a cup of coffee with Wil and pick his brain about writing.  Mostly, I’d ask him how he tricks himself into just starting (that’s my big problem).

In conclusion, Wil Wheaton is everything I’d hoped he would be.

Wil, if you’re reading this, I’m in the Eagle Rock area every weekend – let’s grab coffee sometime!

Where to begin.

Last week was a crazy week.  Some major changes started happening at work (I don’t want to go into it here, but if you want to know, email me!), so it was nice to have two days off from work.

Wednesday:

Lunch at the Disney lot with my friend Heather was really fun. I actually spent about an hour and a half there. We accidentally walked through filming of a scene of Brothers & Sisters (look for me!) and accidentally walked into a screening of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.  We also ate at the commissary – always fun to eat good food with good friends.  And then, my favorite part, she took me the Lost writers’ office!!  It was magical.

After lunch, my aunt Lauri and uncle Dave from San Jose met me at Warner Brothers and we spent the afternoon poking around at Gilmore Girls and Chuck sets. They’re big fans of both shows, so it was fun.

The highlight of the day though was getting great seats to a taping of The Big Bang Theory that night.  A friend of mine (he’s awesome and shall remain nameless) got us seats to the show and we spent four hours busting our guts. It was seriously one of the funniest episodes of television I’ve seen in a long time.  I love this show!

Thursday was work again – bleh – but then I had Friday off!  Spent the day doing a lot of chores and errands, which wasn’t as fun. But at least it meant that my weekend was truly my weekend.

I had a great weekend with friends and family and Marvin (my new/used MacBook Pro).

This week has already flown by – turns out days spent working and nights spent with good friends makes for a quick week.

Tomorrow is Friday and I have plans to hang out with a friend until the wee hours of the morning, Saturday morning will find me running around the Rose Bowl, Saturday night I’ll be with my kids, and Sunday I’ll be running at Lake Balboa in the morning and church in the evening!

Whew!

What are y’all up to this weekend?

Check out Don’s blog for all the things he shares.  He’s got great wisdom to share and stories to tell.  It really feels like I know him.  Plus, he wrote Blue Like Jazz.

The repost:

Dr. Cloud was kind enough to write a guest blog just for this website. I’m honored. And even more honored because it’s a great one. Sorry I got this up a bit late. We had something of an e-mail mixup. But here are some things to reflect upon as you prepare for bed….

A Few Valentine’s Day Thoughts

By Henry Cloud, Ph.D.

When I first became a Christian, I remember a wise older man told me he wasn’t going to church on Easter. I was surprised, especially in my newfound excitement about the faith.

“What? Why not?” I asked.

“It’s amateur day,” he said. “People go who never go any other day of the year and really aren’t serious about it. So, it is too crowded and I just stay home with God.”

I walked away thinking, “weird.” But there was a point to it…..sometimes “special days” take on a meaning to people as if they are the essence of what they are meant to symbolize and commemorate. Easter should be a day that symbolizes what we realized each and every 365 days: we have a risen Savior. He is alive every day. And then on that day, we celebrate the reality that we have all the year long.

Now, about Valentine’s day…..

Apart from being a windfall for Hallmark, what is it for us? Hopefully, it is also a symbol for what is happening on the other days in the year. For married people and singles in serious relationships, it should be a day that celebrates all of the good stuff you are expressing to each other all year long. No “amateur” day….right? Just as going to church on Easter does not mean a person has faith, neither does breaking down and buying a card for a spouse mean that good things are happening the rest of the year. It should not just be a “cease-fire” where you try to be loving for a day and then devour each other for the rest of the year. It should remind people of what they have and share, and also inspire to continue to practice that kind of love all year long.

Also, remember other people than your spouse or the one you are dating. For other important people in your life, you might let it remind you that they would like to hear from you as well…..(especially Moms….they like this sort of thing).

So, what if it is the worst day of the year for you?

The reality is that it is often a day of reminding some people of what they don’t have and are longing for, single or married. For the married folks, it should be a call to action. Let this day symbolize what you want, and maybe start you off on a little different plan for getting there than the one you have been working so far. Kind of a wake up call if a relationship is not going well. Maybe it can be a day where the two of you think of a new direction for your relationship, possibly even getting some help. But what if you are single?

Many times, Valentines day reminds some singles of what they are long for and have not found. What to do then? Here are a couple of thoughts:

First, see it as a time to celebrate the love that you do have in your life right now: your friends and community, family and friends. Make it a point to let some people know that on Valentines Day you were thinking of all of the sources of love in your life and you wanted to thank them for being one. They will love it, and you will be reminded of how fortunate you are to have them. You will feel more grateful and know that you are not alone on the planet. If you look around and don’t have a community of friends, then make that your first priority. That may be the real reason this day is the worst, as it gets you in touch with a deeper aloneness than not having a Valentine. It may remind you that you are alone. Make finding community the first call to action.

Second, as I mentioned above, see it as a symbol and reminder for what is happening the rest of the year. “Wait a minute….,” you might say. “That is the problem. I don’t have anything going the rest of the year. That is why I am bummed out today!” Ok, good. That is a good awareness to have. So, ask yourself the hard question. “If I don’t like where things are, what am I truly doing about it besides wishing, praying and waiting?” In my book “How To Get A Date Worth Keeping,” I talked about how a lot of Christians approach dating in a very different way than they approach the rest of life, and different that the bible tell us to approach life. They think that somehow God is just going to drop this person into their lives, without their doing anything. Really? Is that how he provided a job for you? Or a church? Or food every day? No….he provided those, but you got off the couch and went looking for it too. He secured the Promised Land for Israel, but Joshua and others had to go possess it with some hard work!

So, maybe it is time to get a plan and think about how you would like for your dating life to look different and start to work it. For some, that might mean some hard stuff….maybe even some therapy to work through some old hurts or fears. For others, it might mean getting out of some comfort zones. Either way, what I have found is that it can be an awesome growth journey when people decide to own it and go for it. Make a commitment that next Valentine’s Day will be different than this one. Even if you are not in a serious relationship by then, you will be having a blast in your dating life.

So, in sum….Valentine’s Day can be a celebration of what you already have, or it can be a wake up call to take God’s hand and find what you haven’t found. Either way, even if it might be a reminder of some disappointment, it can be transformed into hope if you let it jumpstart you to a different future.

Cheers,

Henry

If you’re single, check out Dr. Cloud’s book How to Get a Date Worth Keeping

I, however, will not be watching the big game.

Instead, I’m hosting a Battlestar Galactica marathon.  Our goal is to watch the last five episodes of season two.

We’re starting the show at 5pm, if y’all want to come.  Just bring some grub to share.

A lot of things have been said and written about Lost lately.

I watched the hour-long recap and two-hour season premiere.  It felt so good to return to that crazy little island.  I thought it was a very good episode (I guess technically it was two episodes, part 1 and part 2), and a good, solid start to the final season.

That’s really all I can say about it.  Others (actual professional TV critics) have written great recaps and reviews, some have even created fan videos.

I’ve read a lot and watched a lot of them, and I present to you my favorites:

To get you caught up with Lost so far: “Lost” Recapped by Extended Italian Family.  This YouTube video was posted just a few weeks ago on January 20th and has been viewed 117,855 times.

If the whole jumping through time thingy is confusing you more than algebra confused me (math is really not my thing – in college, I had to take problem solving… twice), then check out this site from the New York Times.  It’s an interactive timeline, starting in 1845, the year that Jacob and TMIB have their loaded conversation on the beach and the year the Black Rock left Portsmouth, England. The NY Times have really outdone themselves with this timeline, though, as there are also videos, photos, audio clips, and links to the episodes at ABC.com.  Good job, NY Times!  (Too bad no one reads newspapers on, well, paper anymore.)

And, lastly but most importantly, head over to EW.com where they have a whole “Special Coverage” area on their site for their vast Lost database.  Anything you find there is going to be terrific, and they’re very good about warning you about spoilers.  You’d have to be really blonde to read a spoiler (ok, yes, it happened to me once).  If you don’t have hours to wile away exploring the “Totally Lost” branch of the EW.com website, just read Doc Jensen’s stuff.  The man is a brilliant writer, very smart but accessible, funny, clearly a devout and loyal fan, and a guy who I’m convinced knows how it all ends.

So that ought to be enough to get you caught up and on solid ground for the rest of the sixth and final season of Lost.  If you’re still confused, I have a Lost notebook that might help you out, as well as all the previous seasons on DVD.  Or you could just buy me a cup of coffee and pick my brain.

Namaste.

January has been a crazy month.  I’ve done things I’ve never done before, like play broomball – it’s so much fun!  I’m still running – training for a half marathon and beating personal records.  I’ve also become a big fan of the dash – though I don’t think I use it correctly all the time. Katie, I should’ve paid more attention in college!

Work has been tough this month.  Spiritually and emotionally, it’s not a healthy place for me anymore.  I’ve been really struggling, because I genuinely love my co-workers and manager, and the job itself is still fun.  But there are bigger, stronger things that are overshadowing the joy I have at work, and it makes me sad and sick.  I’m doing okay, still trying to excel at my job, nurture relationships, and love my colleagues.  But I’m also actively pursuing my true passion and calling – TV!  I’m hoping that pilot season gives me an opportunity to work on a TV show at Warner Bros.  Ideally? I’d LOVE to work on The Big Bang Theory, The Mentalist, Shameless, Chuck, or Cold Case, in that order.  I just hate the wait-and-see part.

Luckily, February is here and things are already getting better.  Why?  Because Lost starts again in two days.

Finally!

This is the sixth and final season of Lost, and it’d better be a good one!  I have faith in the show though – I went to a panel with the writers/creators a while ago and just hearing them talk shop for a few hours told me that they are all over this final season and have great things in store for the show.

If you haven’t been watching Lost, then, well, that’s ok.  There’s still plenty of other great TV you can be watching.  To list just a few: The Big Bang Theory, The Mentalist, Caprica, Community, Burn Notice, White Collar, Psych, 30 Rock, and of course, there’s always ER.

But Tuesday night at 9:00pm?  I’ll be watching Lost.

It was a great week for me, personally.  If you’re my friend on Facebook, you know that I’ve brought the sexy back this week.  When it rains, it pours!  It’s been fun.

And my co-worker/friend/running guru Sheryl has been kicking my butt and helping me really get in gear for the half marathon I’m going to run.  My favorite thing this week was running on the treadmill (boring) while watching Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune (yes, I yelled answers at the tv).

What?  I didn’t tell you?  Yeah, I’m gonna run the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Los Angeles in October.  Whew!  That’s 13.1 miles, y’all!

Now I’m off to do some chores, hit the gym, and then time with my junior high kids tonight!

OH!  Chuck premieres its third season on SUNDAY on NBC.  Watch it, y’all!  It’s no more Mr. Nice Spy.

I remember graduating from high school in 2001 and thinking that the century seemed still so new, and now here it is, 10 years old.

Anyone got some resolutions they want to share?

I’m planning on running the Los Angeles Rock and Roll half marathon (13.1 miles) in October.  My runner guru Sheryl told me that I should tell tons of people my plans so that I can’t back out.  She’s right – I’m already groaning and whining that I’ve told people, because now I have to do it.  But it’s a great motivator to get out there and train.

So, cyber world, my goal is to run a half marathon in October. Wish me luck and hold me to it!