Oscar's Injustice

I think I am the most disinterested as I have ever been in this year's Academy Awards. I have seen none of the Best Picture contenders and am actually only interested in changing that fact for 4 of them. That, plus my being buried under schoolwork, plus my having only just returned from Vegas (more on that later) only yesterday, PLUS the outright snubbing of Deathly Hallows Part 2 equals a very uninformed Lauren filling out this year's RHI ballot. I am absolutely incensed that DH2 received only three nominations and, only in the technical fields at that. I know the Academy is a bunch of old, white dudes but if LOTR's final film can win 900,000 awards, including Best Picture, why can't Harry?! I am gobsmacked at its exclusion from any 'big' awards. It was the best-reviewed film of 2011 (according to Rotten Tomatoes) and had a pretty heavy 'For Your Consideration' push around the beginning of the year. Plus, the franchise has been nominated only 9 times over the first 7 films and has won ZERO Oscars thus far. Nada. Zilch. Bupkis. Inconceivable!!! The film should have garnered at least a pity nomination! Though such a thing wouldn't have even been necessary for anyone who saw the movie and watch Alan Rickman give such a fantastic performance as Severus Snape.

(S P O I L E R  A L E R T: Do NOT - I repeat, do NOT - watch this video [or read the small print below it] if you haven't yet finished the franchise, either books or movies-wise. That means you, Blackards.)



Dan once said in an interview that he, too, felt Alan should have been nominated, as he had the undesirable task of embodying a moment so beloved and imagined in the minds of millions of readers but that he did so brilliantly. And I agree 100%.

Dan thinks DH2 was snubbed because it was "too commercial" and maybe that's true. But I think the Academy writes it off as a children's story and just doesn't think about it at all. Which is a pity. Because the movies were (and are!) absolutely amazing and I think Dan should have at least had the courtesy of being nominated for carrying such a massive franchise on his young shoulders. The man became an excellent actor throughout his work in the films and he helped make them as wonderful as they are. His work should have been acknowledged in some way. And so while I think Rise of the Planet of the Apes may very well take the little bald man on Sunday night for Best Visual Effects, Robert and I stand by our man. Because Harry Potter will only be gone once those of us are no longer loyal to him.


And, now that I have stepped off my soapbox, here is this year's completed RHI ballot.

Wish us luck!

Say...

That Robert Half guy's voice sounds awfully familiar... and sexy to boot. ;o)

Oscar Ballot Predictions: 2011 Edition

We're goin' off the reservation this year, people!!! We haven't won an RHI pool for the past couple years so this year I tried my best not to get bogged down in awards won and whatnot and just tried to go with my gut. Although, as always, in those categories for which I have two top contenders Robert places the deciding vote. If I'm completely honest, I have to say I don't think we have a winning ballot this year but at least it was less stressful filling it out. ;o) Wish us luck!

2010 Oscar Follow-Up

Well, you can pretty much refer to last year's wrap-up post and you'll get a feel for how I felt about last night's ceremony. It was long. It was boring (though I liked Steve and Alec as hosts well enough. They weren't super hilarious but they did make me chuckle here and there). There was no prospect of hot men. And I lost the RHI pool AGAIN. I came in third. THIRD!!!! It was my poorest showing in recent memory. So poor, in fact, that I'm not even going to waste my time scanning and uploading the scored ballot. I missed nine categories!! (And no, not because I picked Avatar for everything. In fact, I only picked Avatar for 4 categories, 3 of which it actually won. I have some skill, people.) Disgraceful!!!! Seriously. And many of my misses really stung because there were several categories where I waffled between two options and picked the one that didn't win. Annoying! Next year I should just close my eyes and throw darts.

Since I am typing this up during my 'official' break time, it's going to be short and sweet. Here are a few good links to tide you over in lieu of my biting commentary:

MSN Best and Worst

Television Without Pity Best and Worst

Thank you, TWoP. In their very first slide they said "...we still held out hope that there'd be one or two big upsets somewhere. And we suppose there were -- in Best Foreign Language film (El Secreto de Sus Ojos beat The White Ribbon) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Precious over the expected Up in the Air)." THANK YOU! A small slice of vindi-cay-shee-own. (That would be 'vindication' in non-King of Queens speak.) I think Maria* thought I was a wackaloon because I picked Up in the Air for Best Adapted Screenplay but I'm telling you - the thing was a lock according to every major media outlet!!! And The White Ribbon was supposed to win a couple of awards, not totally flame out! Very upsetting. Why oh why oh why do I bother to do any research at all. I am my own worst enemy.

EW.com's 16 Best Oscar Moments


* Maria was kind enough to come over and watch the Oscars with me while Robert is out of town. It's no fun shouting at stupid, ugly and/or boring people on TV alone! So it was nice to have company. :o) Plus, she thought the same stuff was boring as I did so I didn't have to sit through the boring writing categories this year (Robert!).

Oscar Ballot

I know, I know, I'm posting this uber-late this year but here you are - this year's Oscar ballot complete with (Robert's and) my winner predictions:

It IS officially Robert's ballot so he does actually get input; if I'm torn between two contenders, I let him be the deciding vote. Of course, he takes my opinion very seriously so I have a lot of influence but still... ;o) I'm not super confident about this year's pool - I don't have a good feeling about winning - but I'm also not super jazzed about the Oscars this year (see?! Turning 30 has drained the fun from my life!!) so I won't be TOO, too crushed to lose. Crushed but not too crushed.

Wish us (me) luck!!!

Bowling for Bucks

RHI offers its employees several opportunities each year to do something with Junior Achievement. Robert, of course, almost always participates. Last month RHI partnered with JA for a bowl-a-thon and Robert did his part by bowling an abysmal 88, I believe.* ;o) Still, it was for a good cause so his humiliation was all worth it!

Amanda, a fellow Corp Comm Manager; Reesa, Robert's boss; and some lady I don't know. Robert looks quite handsome in this photo, I think.

Quite the dapper bowler.

* RHI only had their lanes for two hours, during which Robert and his fellow Halfers were able to bowl only 1 1/2 games. I have no idea what his 1/2-score was, but I think it was something in the 60s. He's convinced he would've redeemed himself at least a little had he been able to finish.

RHI Get Together

Robert is on the Fun Committee in his department and occasionally they like to get together outside of work to hang out. This past Saturday Leah (we went to her wedding last year) hosted a BBQ at her place in Hayward. They live right off Carlos Bee Blvd - I could've walked to my office from their house! I would never do that of course... I'm just saying that I could. It's close. Anyway, Leah and Quentin host a lot of family parties at their place and it shows - they are excellent hosts! The set-up, the food, the accents are all top-notch. I was quite jealous. (I was also never as ashamed of my cluttered and undecorated condo as I was when I stepped into their house. I'm sure we'll host a shindig sometime or another but, yeesh, we'll have to do some major redecorating and redesigning before we do!) We basically just hung out, ate, and played Rock Band which, I must say, puffed Robert and me up a bit - everyone there played on easy. Easy! Woof. We looked awesome by comparison. It was pretty sweet. :o)

The table set-up - four tables, two chairs and 6 benches, I believe. It was great!

The view of Hayward from their back porch

Robert and I were the only guests to try out the trampoline. We are waaaaay too out of shape - we got hot and tired and had to quit pretty quickly.

Robert and Alison

Quentin is a photographer and so he and Leah have converted their garage into a sort of photo studio (hence the hat Robert is sporting- it's a prop. Just be glad he's not wearing the boa). I've never played Rock Band so loudly - it was awesome!! Much more fun.

And here are just a couple of funny videos Quentin showed us while we were there. (There are a lot more of the Billy Mays spoofs if you're interested.) I thought the Sony bit was hilarious!

Ahoy, Matey

Robert told me he had a work lunch today (some quarterly something-or-other, I don't remember. I probably nodded politely and promptly forgot!) and yet just a few moments ago he sent me this:

I didn't realize Robert's employer was such a fan of Talk Like a Pirate Day!

(I had a work lunch today, too. Hats and eye patches were not distributed. I work for the State... I'm lucky we got plates!)

Here's a more "serious" Robert: