Newsweek's "Why LOST Got Overlooked"

Here's a snippet of the Newsweek article on the 2007 Emmy Awards nominations announced last Thursday, 19 July 2007.

After winning the best-drama Emmy for its first season in 2005, "Lost" has now been shut out of the category two years in a row. But this time around, "Lost" didn't lose because its producers submitted the wrong episode. The show's third season was bumpy to say the least. About halfway through, many fans came close to writing it off entirely. But "Lost" recovered with a thrilling run of episodes at the end of the season, culminating with its instant-classic finale, titled "Through the Looking Glass." This was the episode that "Lost"'s producers submitted for Emmy consideration.

So what happened? You got me. The Emmys' odd, single-episode nominating process does put serialized dramas such as "Lost" in a tricky spot. It's impossible to appreciate an episode like "Through the Looking Glass" if you missed everything that led up to it. That's why so-called procedurals—programs with self-contained story lines that wrap up in an hour, such as "Law & Order," "CSI" and, more recently, "House"—have tended to fare well at the Emmys. But the process's natural bias against serialized shows didn't hurt "The Sopranos," or "Grey's Anatomy."

And here's the weird thing about this year's Emmys: it didn't exactly hurt "Lost," either. "Through the Looking Glass" earned well-deserved nominations in both the writing and the directing categories, but the show still failed to earn a nomination for best drama series. In other words, the academy decided that "Lost" was beautifully written and directed, but other than that, they weren't impressed. "Boston Legal" and "Heroes," meanwhile, earned only a directing nomination. And "House" was shut out of both writing and directing honors. Yet all three were nominated for best drama.

And this is supposed to make the LOST fans' feel better?

Fine. I admit, I feel a little better.

But then, does it mean that some changes in the Emmy Awards criteria are necessary? Considering that recognition for LOST's accomplishments (most importantly, it being the outstanding drama in the past season) suffers because the show's concept and format do not fit with the awards criteria, shouldn't the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences tweak its nomination criteria? Primetime television is changing, with unique shows such as LOST becoming popular. I think the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences should go with the changes.

That said, even if the Academy are not impressed with LOST's third season, I was. That's important, because this was the first season that literally glued my bum to the couch. Heck, I've become so involved with Season Three that I cried so much during Greatest Hits and Through the Looking Glass.

For me, LOST rules!!!

Ahem, ahem.

If you're interested in reading the full article, please click here.

What Temperament Am I?

You Have a Melancholic Temperament

Introspective and reflective, you think about everything and anything. You are a soft-hearted daydreamer. You long for your ideal life. You love silence and solitude. Everyday life is usually too chaotic for you. Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace. You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life. Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times. At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you. You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others. You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.

What Temperment Are You?

Am I Left-Brained or Right-Brained?

Haha. I'm going Blogthings-crazy. The results are mostly correct. Like this one...

You Are 45% Left Brained, 55% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Interesting Quiz from Blogthings

Looks like, I should really learn Italian...

You Belong in Rome

You're a big city soul with a small town heart Which is why you're attracted to the romance of Rome Strolling down picture perfect streets, cappuccino in hand And gorgeous Italian people - could life get any better?

What City Do You Belong In?

Am I Happy Being Single?

You Are Pretty Happy Being Single

You have a full, fun life. And you definitely don't need love to be content. Of course, being single can get you down a little. Especially when you've been single for a while. But you know how to be patient and wait for the right person. You're life is too good to settle for anything!

Are You Happy Being Single?

Amen! Amen! Amen!

Nod Ya Head Six Times, Emmy Voters

So the day of reckoning for primetime TV dawned.

The primetime Emmy nominations were announced this morning. As you should know, I'm crazy about the seminal show LOST. I've been watching it since "Pilot Part 1" and I intend to watch the series finale sometime in May 2010. Anyway, I know - and most LOST fans will agree with me - that we had a fantastic season. Sure, it didn't start as well as some fans would like and we had to wait for thirteen weeks before a new episode, the Juliet-centric "Not In Portland," aired. Then the fun began for real. The season culminated in a heart-wrenching and shocking episode "Through The Looking Glass" that featured the so-called rattlesnake in the mailbox.

So today, at work, I opened the Yahoo homepage and followed the link to the 2007 Emmy nominations. Lo and behold, LOST is nominated, as follows:

Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
Lost • Through the Looking Glass • ABC • ABC Studios
Jack Bender, Director

Outstanding Single-camera Picture Editing For A Drama Series
Lost • Through The Looking Glass • ABC • ABC Studios
Mark J. Goldman, Editor
Christopher Nelson, A.C.E., Editor
Stephen Semel, Editor
Henk Van Eeghen , Editor

Outstanding Sound Editing For A Series
Lost • A Tale Of Two Cities • ABC • ABC Studios
Thomas deGorter, Supervising Sound Editor
Paula Fairfield, M.P.S.E., Sound Editor
Lloyd Jay Keiser , Sound Editor
Alex Levy, Music Editor
Maciek Malish, M.P.S.E., Sound Editor
Cynthia Merril, Foley Artist
Carla Murray, M.P.S.E., Sound Editor
Doug Reed, Foley Artist
Joe Schultz, Sound Editor
Geordy Sincavage, Sound Editor

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Lost • ABC • ABC Studios
Terry O'Quinn, Terry O'Quinn as John Locke
Lost • ABC • ABC Studios
Michael Emerson, Michael Emerson as Ben

Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series
Lost • Through The Looking Glass • ABC • ABC Studios
Carlton Cuse, Written by
Damon Lindelof, Written by

I wasn't expecting LOST to be nominated in the outstanding drama series category. I've learned to expect the worst and hope for the best when it comes to my favourites. But I have to say, I was still disappointed that my favourite show isn't even nominated as best drama series. Season three was the first season I didn't dare to take my eyes off the TV while it's on. I wrote about it, I blogged about it. Heck, I dream about it. This was the season that got me even more addicted.

At least, Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson - a.k.a. the best antagonists, Locke and Ben, ever - are still nominated. And the writing. directing and editing for "Through The Looking Glass" got nods. That isn't so bad, is it?

Like I said on my Facebook status, I can't decide whether I'm going to be happy because LOST got nods - six great ones - or be sad and pissed off because LOST didn't get the nod for outstanding drama series.

I would have loved to see LOST up against Grey's Anatomy, House, Heroes (although I've never watched it), or The Sopranos. Boston Legal? Ugh. I prefer CSI.

I just hope and pray that LOST wins at least one award. It would truly suck if LOST didn't win anything.

Blogs Have Ratings?

Huh!

Mingle² - Online Dating

It's just because of the word "kill" - which wasn't on any of my blog entries!

Crap.

Am I Addicted to Blogging?

Apparently, I'm addicted to blogging half the time.


50%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Mingle² - Online Dating

Can you believe it??? :P

Billboard Album Charts

Now that My December and Ms. Kelly have been released, I wonder how they fared in the Billboard album charts...

Billboard Top 200
My December debuted at number TWO! I don't care that Miley Cyrus beat Kelly to the top spot. Kelly rules! On its second week, Kelly's third record (and the most controversial) dropped to three, because T.I.'s new record topped the chart.

According to SOHH.com, Ms. Kelly moved 82,700 copies in its first week. It debuted at number SIX. Not bad, Ms. Kelly, not bad at all. Actually I didn't expect Ms. Kelly to crack the top 50! It was a very pleasant surprise.

Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Being the second bestselling new release this week, Ms. Kelly debuted at number TWO! Like I said, not bad at all.

Top Digital Albums
My December is the fourth most downloaded album. Woohoo!

Hopefully both CDs will climb the charts next week!

Houston Chronicle Review of "Ms. Kelly"

Check this article out on the Houston Chronicle website.

This is one of the most positive reviews of Kelly Rowland's Ms. Kelly.

July 5, 2007, 9:41PM

Fan inspiration

Destiny's Child's Kelly Rowland completes new CD, Ms. Kelly
By JOEY GUERRA

Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

As one-third of iconic girl group Destiny's Child, Kelly Rowland sang about being a self-sufficient diva — who still, of course, knows how to swivel her hips.

"I worked hard and sacrificed to get what I get," went the lyrics to a certain sassy Charlie's Angels tune. "Ladies, it ain't easy bein' independent."

Today, Rowland seems to have a new understanding of that girl-power credo. Her second solo disc, Ms. Kelly, arrived this week after several shuffled release dates and name changes.

"You have no idea how happy I am," Rowland said during a recent visit to Houston. She currently lives in Miami but has plans to move back "home" soon.

"It's been a journey, above anything."

Rowland, 26, began working on the project (originally dubbed My Story) in 2004. That version featured several midtempo grooves and ballads, but Rowland soon opted to punch things up with more upbeat, club-friendly tracks.

It proved to be a difficult decision.

"I think that when I had to push my CD back — although I had to do it — it still hurt, and it set me back a little bit in the studio," Rowland said.

"I had no creative ideas. I felt blank. I think it was just out of the sadness. I didn't want to disappoint my fans, but I did want it to be right.

"I probably spent a week and a half, two weeks like that, where I was just blah."

Inspiration and motivation returned, Rowland says, via fan enthusiasm and words of encouragement on blogs. She gave the disc a snappier title and officially introduced it via slinky first single Like This. The tune, featuring stylish rapper Eve, is a top-10 hit on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

"I just felt like it was very sassy and personal," Rowland says of the title. "People have started calling me that recently."

Last weekend, she showcased a few songs from Ms. Kelly, including simmering party-starter Comeback, at a pair of local events geared to the black community: Dr. Ian Smith's 50 Million Pound Challenge at Hermann Square in downtown Houston and Hip-Hop 4 HIV at Reliant Arena, which encouraged young adults to be tested for HIV/AIDS.

The Destiny's Child alum proved a comfortable solo presence and was clearly excited to finally be performing new material from the disc, which was originally supposed to hit stores last summer and was released Tuesday.

"A year and a half is a long time to record an album and basically wait," Rowland said. "It feels so good to say, 'It's really coming out on Tuesday!' It's the best feeling in the world."

The extra time proved beneficial. Ms. Kelly is a marked improvement over Rowland's 2002 solo debut, Simply Deep, which failed to showcase her flirty, assured personality. (It did, however, boast a global hit in Dilemma, a gorgeous duet with rapper Nelly.)

"This album took time for Kelly to find herself as a pop artist. I'm very proud of the record she's made," said Mathew Knowles, who manages Rowland along with his superstar daughter Beyoncé.

He also oversaw Destiny's Child, which sold more than 40 million records worldwide on the strength of such hits as Bills, Bills, Bills; Say My Name; Bootylicious; and Lose My Breath.

"I've said it before: Most people don't know just how talented each of them are individually," Knowles said.

The new disc finds Rowland exploring a variety of styles. Work is a Scott Storch-produced club thumper that begs for a tightly choreographed video. Flashback and Better Without You are standouts that recall the noirish urban grooves of Aaliyah and Brandy.

Rapper Snoop Dog cameos on the laid-back Ghetto, and R&B singer Tank duets on The Show. Solange Knowles, Beyonce's younger sister, co-wrote Love.

But it's Rowland's alternately sexy and serious delivery that anchors the disc.

"I wanted people to hear my voice," Rowland said. "I took risks on this album. ... I just let my ear lead me. It was just whatever felt good to my soul. I did it completely for me."

The mood shifts three-fourths of the way into Ms. Kelly, marked by a haunting interlude that finds her addressing a breakup — likely her own. Rowland was engaged to Dallas Cowboy Roy Williams, but the couple split in 2005.

"Was about to say 'I do' when I know it wasn't meant," Rowland sings during Still in Love With My Ex. It's an unflinching moment of honesty and one of eight tunes she co-wrote on the disc.

The writing process "was very therapeutic for me," Rowland said. "I allowed myself to be really vulnerable. I figured if it wasn't supposed to be on paper, and I wasn't supposed to record it, then it wouldn't have happened.

"Obviously, other people have these feelings as well. It's important for people to relate to you in your music and your lyrics."

Rowland's illustrious musical history has already allowed her to connect with millions of fans worldwide. And though Destiny's Child officially disbanded last year, a reunion seems imminent.

The trio was back together, briefly, during a vibrant performance at last month's BET Awards. And they're seen dancing together in Beyoncé's Get Me Bodied music video.

"I'm still trying to comprehend it, just take in everything we did," Rowland said. "I think it literally only hit me when we got our star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

"I still don't believe it. It's incredible."

joey.guerra@chron.com

Kelly Clarkson in Live Earth US - NYC

Live Earth concerts day!

I didn't get to watch any of the Live Earth concerts today because I was asleep most of the day. Luckily, the full concerts are available on demand on Live Earth on MSN.

I'm watching the Live Earth USA - New York right now, hoping that I'll get to see Kelly Clarkson perform her set.

She performed the following:

1. Walk Away


2. How I Feel


3. Never Again


4. Sober


5. Since U Been Gone

Here's the article:

Kelly Clarkson, still our 'Idol'

Looking very rock chick in layered black-and-red tanks, black pants, heavy makeup and lank hair, Kelly Clarkson opened her set with a driving, raspy-throated version Walk Away. American Idol's prodigal daughter admired the stage's recycled-tire backdrop ("It's really cool, I'm going to steal their idea for my show") before playing her current single, Never Again.

"Man, there are some killer bands today that I've never seen, I'm really stoked," she said, then launched into an intense Sober. "Sing it!" she commanded the crowd as she wrapped up with Since U Been Gone. -- D.F., E.G.

Posted at 07:53 PM/ET, July 07, 2007 in Live Earth

Also, earlier I turned the TV on and caught Daniel Levy of MTV Canada and Devon Soltendieck or MuchMusic commenting on Kelly's performance of Since U Been Gone. They said it was amazing that everyone in the Giants Stadium sang along when she sang her Billboard Hot 100 #2 single. They said the stadium shook while everyone sang Since U Been Gone. It wasn't obvious on the streaming video on Live Earth on MSN, but I'll believe those guys because they were there!

I wish I'd been there!

KELLY CLARKSON ROCKS!!!

Cerberus in Cloverfield

I haven't seen the film Transformers but I've heard of the mystery trailer that premiered before the movie.



There's a better video but embedding was disabled by request, so if you want to see it, please click here.

Apparently, it's code-named Cloverfield and is produced by LOST's creator J.J. Abrams. Paramount Pictures is behind it and it will be in theatres on 18 January 2008.

That's all we know about it.

Anyway, this trailer shocked and intrigued everyone, and it even reached CNBC!



There's also a guy named Nostalgia Critic who rehashed the trailer and speculated about it. It's so funny. But I must warn you, the next video has some coarse language in it.



Wonder what this is...

Cerberus (LOST's Smoke Monster)???

Two-Hour Sleep, Anyone?

I survived it.

I only slept for two hours last night. Two hours.

Well, my insomnia came back with a vengeance during my three-week vacation. But I was asleep by midnight the night before I came back to work.

What happened? Dunno.

Was I depressed? Hmm... Not quite.

Were there things in my mind? Yeah. Work and my outfit for the morning (that is, this morning).

I was tired, very tired. I just couldn't sleep.

I tried breathing evenly as though I were asleep, but it failed. Imagine that? I closed my eyes and tried to clear my mind, but it failed again. I tried listening to folk/jazz, as in Theresa Sokyrka (Kalan Porter's runner-up in Canadian Idol Season 2), but her songs didn't put me to sleep. Maybe I should have listened to Patti LaBelle's Greatest Hits CD?

I finally fell asleep just before three in the morning. As in, 3 AM.

Guess what time I have to wake up?

Five o'clock in the morning.

And what was my day like?

Before I showered, I drank hot chocolate - which should have been coffee. Heck, I'll take black coffee or espresso. The cold shower helped a little bit to keep me awake. In the bus, I tried to keep my brain busy by reading Anna Karenina. At least, that worked. On the SkyTrain, I read - skimmed, actually - the new and improved 24 hours free newspaper. While waiting for the 116 bus, I started the crossword. Pretty normal stuff.

Instead of the normal stuff that I did, I wanted to go back to bed.

Anyway, at work, I keyed five invoices in the system. I also finished the revenue accruals for the Helifor manday billings and for Myra Falls, which I could have billed if I only received all the backups for the manday counts summary for the period ending June 22/07!

But all I wanted to do was sleep.

Well, I managed to last the day without actually falling asleep involuntarily.

I need to make sure this doesn't happen again. Ever again.