Yeah...uh...sorry about that. Things just kind of turned into a ghost town around here for the last two weeks, a bit too abruptly. Midterms have kind of owned my butt for a while, but now I can finally, and properly, put a bow on the 2007 Oscar season (great...since everyone else is WAY past that!)

Gerard's piece has finally landed, which gives his mini-reactions to the tech winners. Like me, Gerard has been dealing with higher education this season (and law school has to be a hell of a lot more difficult than graduate journalism), but I have to say thank you for his hard work in spotlighting those fields this year. And what a year it was for crafts categories. I found myself jealous at times of his beat this season, so much so that I had to poach the cinematographers for that "best shots of the year" piece a few weeks back. Hopefully Gerard will forgive me.

Most of my reactions landed at Red Carpet District, but two weeks later, I feel this strange void in Oscar history. I don't quite understand why. Maybe it was the strike or other factors, but 2007 felt like the year that just...happened. I touched on this a few days ago, but honestly, I can't put my finger on why. I was unhappy with some of the major winners, but that's never brought this feeling out before. The glut of coverage this year certainly added a numbing effect, though haven't we seen that coming? Maybe the Oscars are seeming more and more (personally speaking) like a pointless exercise, and therefore, the coverage isn't as satisfying as it once was.

I don't know. Not that that's gonna stop us from blabbering on about them.

With that in mind, I thought I'd note that next year's In Contention experience will be much more streamlined. Hopefully. I'm working on a few things here and there, brainstorming this and that, but mostly, I want to develop a lighter, swifter experience on the whole. So, on that note, I'm interested as to whether there are a few skillful souls out there who'd like to join as contributing bloggers here at the ole' homestead. If you think you'd be interested, send me a shout.

With that, I'm locking up the joint. Spring break is...well, now...and I have nothing on my mind but the white sands and deep blue waters of Kauai, so enjoy your time away from the fray. We'll be back in no time.

Jeez, that was a weird feeling. And is it just me, or does the 2007-08 Oscar season suddenly seem like a cypher, a ship that passed in the night while more pressing matters (the writers' strike, the election...personally speaking, GRAD SCHOOL) were at hand? Add the lowest-ratings-ever and the perception that the nominees were by and large unpopular (relatively speaking) and I have to say, this looks like it's going to be a black hole as far as I'm concerned in the Oscar landscape of recent times.

Strangely enough, 2007 was my favorite year for movies in nearly a decade.

ANYWAY, all that is the lead-up to say that I'm not QUITE done for the season. Poor Gerard has a wrap-up column that I've been dragging my feet in editing and turning around, and I haven't exactly given a proper send-off. I just needed some decompression, I suppose. Back with more later...