In the past 72 hours I have spent around $200.00 on dvds at Best Buy. A number of television series were on sale last week and more went on sale today. What did I get for $200.00 bucks?

• South Park (season one) - South Park has been on my wish list for awhile. When I saw them of sale for $19.99 last week and then $14.99 this week I couldn't past them up.
• South Park (season two)
• South Park (season three)
• South Park (season four)
• South Park (season five)
• Picket Fences (season one) - I have been waiting for this to go on sale forever it seems. ($16.99)
  
• The X Files (season five) - I have been a fan of The X Files from day one, but for some reason I still don't own all of the seasons yet. I have four more seasons to go.
• Carnivale (season one) - When a HBO show you like is on sale for $19.99, buy it! This dvd is normally around $55.00.
• Carnivale (season two)
• Flight of the Conchords (season one) - On sale for $17.99
  
• News Radio (season five) - I have seasons one thru four of the show and originally I said I wasn't going to buy season five because the show wasn't really funny after Phil Hartman passed away. However, I realized the smart Matthew aka Smatthew aka Flowers for Matthew episode was in season five. I love that episode. Since it was on sale I had to get it. ($19.99)

My total was only $190.69!! I really have a hard time passing up sales when television series are involved. The store has a number of shows on sale for $16.99 and a number HBO shows are also on sale for a good price. My dvd collection as of today totals 820 titles. Oh my!

I'm so glad the days of camping out for tickets are gone. I woke up this morning around 9:00am and made a couple of phone calls. At 9:45 I went to Comcasttix.com to set up an account. When tickets went on sale at 10:00am I was able to get two tickets in my favorite section in a matter of seconds. Yes good tickets are $350.00 a pop, but I've been a fan for 18 years so it's money well spent.

I'm sure everyone is happy that the 3 month long writer strike has come to an end.

The letter posted on United Hollywood from the WGA presidents:

To Our Fellow Members:

On Tuesday, members of the Writers Guilds East and West voted by a 92.5% margin to lift the restraining order that was invoked on November 5th. The strike is over.

Writing can resume immediately. If you were employed when the strike began, you should plan to report to work on Wednesday. If you're not employed at an office or other work site, call or e-mail your employer that you are resuming work. If you have been told not to report to work or resume your services, we recommend that you still notify your employer in writing of your availability to do so. Questions concerning return-to-work issues should be directed to the WGAW legal department at 323.782.4521 or the WGAE's assistant executive director Ann Toback at 212-767-7823.

The decision to begin this strike was not taken lightly and was only made after no other reasonable alternative was possible. We are profoundly aware of the economic loss these fourteen weeks have created not only for our members but so many other colleagues who work in the television and motion picture industries. Nonetheless, with the establishment of the WGA jurisdiction over new media and residual formulas based on distributor's gross revenue (among other gains) we are confident that the results are a significant achievement not only for ourselves but the entire creative community, now and in the future.

We hope to build upon the extraordinary energy, ingenuity, and solidarity that were generated by your hard work during the strike.

Over the next weeks and months, we will be in touch with you to discuss and develop ways we can use our unprecedented unity to make our two guilds stronger and more effective than ever.

Now that the strike has ended, there remains the vote to ratify the new contract. Ballots and information on the new deal, both pro and con, will be mailed to you shortly. You will be able to return those ballots via mail or at a membership meeting to be held Monday, February 25th, 2008, at times and locations to be determined.

Thank you for making it possible. As ever, we are all in this together.

Best,

Patric M. Verrone
President, WGAW

Michael Winship
President, WGAE

Well my friends can go back to work. The talks of new projects for my brother hopefully will resume in the near future. No more stupid shows like American Gladitors being added to the schedule (hopefully). The sun is starting to come out. I'm happy again. It's time to make another trip to Los Angeles.

is all of the videos being made about and supporting the strike. Here is one of my favorites. I couldn't stop laughing when I watched it. Enjoy.

This is my first blog of 2008. Lets look back quickly at the year 2007 in my world of video games and television.

Video Games

Favorite Game of 2007: Rock Band

• I love this game. I can't stop playing. My friends come over to play and they don't leave until 3am.

Excepted Favorite of 2008: Grand Theft Auto IV

• I should have playing this game last year. I hope the release delay is worth the wait.

The highlights of my 2007 in terms of video games would have to be the three midnight game launches I attended for Halo 3, Guitar Hero 3 and Rock Band. All of which had tournaments. I had a blast at all three and got very little sleep.

Television

Favorite new show of the 2006-2007 television season: 30 Rock

• I really don't understand why this show has low ratings. The show is one of the funniest shows on the air. It's Arrested Development all over again. I hope 30 Rock has more than three seasons.

Favorite new show of the 2007-2008 television season (so far): Pushing Daisies

• So far so good plus the show does well in the ratings. I only wish Wonderfalls had this shows successes.

The highlights of 2007 in terms of television by far for me was meeting many of the cast and crew of Gilmore Girls and hanging with them for two days (see entry). It ended being the shows last season which makes me even more grateful for that opportunity. I also ended becoming friends with the director who now invites me to the set of whatever show she is working on when I'm in town. She is a really nice woman and she has been in the business for a long time just see for yourself.

My Autograph Collection

I was looking at some of my old blog entries and realized I haven't updated my autograph collection list since 2005. So here is an update. All of the autographs I have listed were obtained in person. If there is a number next to person it means I have obtained their autograph a number times. Most of the autograph are from meeting actors and writers at Comic-Con. The Megan Mullally autograph I obtained on the set of the Will & Grace after attending two tapings. The Lauren Graham and Jackson Douglas autographs I obtained on the set of Gilmore Girls. The names listed below in red are the new autographs I have added.

Buffy & Angel Autographs

• Nicholas Brendon (Xander)
• George Hertzberg (Adam) - 2X
• Juile Benz (Darla) - 2X
• Clare Kramer (Glory) - 2X
• Amber Benson (Tara) - 4X
• Danny Strong (Jonathan)
• Robia LaMorte (Jenny Calendar)
• Tom Lenk (Andrew)
• Adam Busch (Warren)
• James C. Leary (Clem)
• Iyari Limon (Kennedy)
• Mark Lutz (Groosalugg)
• Eliza Dushku (Faith)
• Jonathan Woodward (Knox)
• Joss Whedon (writer & creator)
• David Fury (writer)
• Jeffrey Bell (writer & show runner) - 2X
• Steven S. DeKnight (writer)
• Elizabeth Craft (writer)
• Sarah Fain (writer)
• Ben Edlund (writer)

Firefly Autographs

• Ron Glass (Book)
• Adam Balwin (Jayne)

Alias Autographs

• Greg Grunberg (Weiss)
• Ron Rifkin (Sloane)
• JJ Abrams (creator) - 2X

Dead Like Me Autographs

• Jasmine Guy (Roxy)
• Ellen Muth (George)
• Callum Blue (Mason)

The Simpsons Autographs

• Matt Groening (writer & creator)
• David Silverman (director)
• Bill Oakley (writer)

Will & Grace Autographs

• Megan Mullally (Karen) - 3X

Gilmore Girls Autographs

• Lauren Graham (Lorelai)
• Jackson Douglas (Jackson)
• Arielle Kebbel (Lindsay)

Veronica Mars Autographs

• Jason Dohring (Logan)
• Michael Muhney (Sheriff Lamb)
• Enrico Colantoni (Keith Mars)
• Rob Thomas (writer & creator)

Battlestar Galactica Autographs

• Aaron Douglas (Chief Galen Tyrol)

Other Autographs

• Eva Mendes
• Corey Feldman
• Amber Tamblyn
• Rosario Dawson

For years my favorite autograph has been my Megan Mullally autograph. She was really nice and I have met her three times. However after meeting Lauren Graham last year, I have to admit that her autograph is now my favorite. She was someone I really wanted to meet. Thank god she was as nice as I hoped she would be. So...who would I like to meet next? I definitely have to say Tina Fey.

A New List

Over the years I have taken pictures with many of the famous people I have met, so last year I finally decided to put together a really nice photo album for all of my pictures. Below is a list of the people in my album. This list is slighty different because I don't always get a persons autograph when I meet them but I will take a picture with them. Pictures are better anyway. Right?

• Lauren Graham
• Melissa McCarthy
• Jackson Douglas
• Bradley Whitford
• Timothy Busfield
• Rosario Dawson
• Megan Mullally
• Michael Muhney
• Aaron Douglas
• Juile Benz
• Clare Kramer
• Amber Benson
• Danny Strong
• Robia LaMorte
• Tom Lenk
• Adam Busch
• James C. Leary
• Iyari Limon
• Mark Lutz
• George Hertzberg
• Greg Grunberg
• Ron Rifkin
• JJ Abrams
• Corey Feldman
• Arielle Kebbel
• Matt Groening
• Ron Glass
• Adam Balwin
• Matt Groening

That's it for now. I'll go back to writing about WGA strike next week. Oh and Happy New Year!