It's that time of year again--the days are getting shorter, the mornings and evenings are getting cooler, there's football to watch, and suddenly both my DVRs are really full.

My fall television schedule is really ridiculous.  I think I'm up to 19 shows at last count--yes, 19 separate television shows, many of which fall on the same night.  But I can't help myself!  There is a lot of quality (and not-so-quality, but entertaining) television on these days, and I don't want to miss a single commercial block.  If I wasn’t supplementing my recordings with some downloads to watch on my iPhone, I think the DVRs would be packing their stuff and leaving me a Dear Jess note.

One of my most anticipated shows this season is J.J. Abrams' new sci-fi venture, Fringe. The pilot this last week definitely had me intrigued and ready to watch more.  The premise is apparently similar to The X-Files (which I didn't watch) and the pilot was pretty ballsy for network television.  I have to appreciate a show that wants to take risks.  Fringe stars Joshua Jackson, who I just can’t stop calling Pacey.

Another show I've been looking forward to is True Blood, the new HBO drama starring the ever-adorable Anna Paquin.  It's based off a series of books about a psychic Louisiana waitress who gets involved with vampires in her tiny town.  Yeah, I know, it sounds far-fetched, but I've read all eight books in the series so far, and they're highly entertaining.  The show is a lot more explicit than the books (thanks to Alan Ball at the helm, no doubt) but I really enjoyed the first episode.  It is staying very true to the plot of the first novel so far, which I appreciate.

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is a show that surprised me last season, which earned it a coveted place on the DVR.  I have never seen any of the Terminator movies all the way through, but I hear they’re making one with Christian Bale and I can guarantee I’ll be in the front row for that.  Sarah Connor has some great cast members, including one of my favorite young sci-fi actresses, Summer Glau (previously seen as River Tam in the short-lived but much loved Joss Whedon show Firefly) and Brian Austin Green, who is exhibiting the kind of acting we never got to see him showcase on the original 90210.  You know, the good kind.

I have quite a few standbys from previous seasons returning to the television lineup this year—Heroes, Gossip Girl, How I Met Your Mother, Grey's Anatomy (we broke up briefly over the whole Izzie-George storyline, but we're back together on a trial basis), Private Practice, Pushing Daisies, Dexter, Friday Night Lights, and more.

Oh, fall television.  I love you almost as much as Monday Night Football.

During Apple's last special event at WWDC in June, I was out of the office at a meeting on-site with a client.  I happened to have a break for lunch while the keynote was going on, so I hooked up my tiny 7" Eee PC to my Windows Mobile phone's data connection and logged into the liveblog on Gizmodo to see what was happening.  Like everyone else, I was crossing my fingers for the iPhone 3G.  I giddly watched the presentation while I balanced my Eee PC on my lap and tried to scarf down a sandwich from Blimpie's without spilling mustard everywhere when the new iPhone was revealed.

Tomorrow's big presentation (apparently called "Let's Rock") is thought to be another refresh of the iPod line, specifically a redesign of the popular iPod Nano.  Apparently joggers hate the shorter, squarish design of the newest Nano because it's hard to hold in their hand.  Many people were against the "Nano fatty" when early sketches were released prior to the announcement, including myself.  However, something magical happened when I saw the new Nano in person--I wanted it!  It was sleek, very small, and very shiny.  I ended up getting it for Christmas last year and it has been my favorite iPod yet.  I don't get the hate, honestly--if you jog with it, why are you holding it in your hand anyway?  Shouldn't you be using an armband?  I'd trip, fall and break my iPod if I carried it in my hand while running.

Some leaked photographs have shown that the Nano has grown again, this time sporting a bigger, longer screen and more vibrant colors.  It also appears to have a slight curve to the design, but that could be due to the way the pictures were taken.  The photos look legit, but we won't know if joggers across the country will rejoice until tomorrow.

Other rumors include iTunes 8, which will supposedly include new "Genius" smart playlists and maybe even a new subscription model.  There have even been hints that the iPhone 2.1 firmware may come out tomorrow as well.  I know thousands of iPhone owners (including myself!) are holding their collective breath waiting for the new firmware to patch up some security holes, add push notification, and finally add copy and paste functionality.  I have my fingers crossed for push notification--I hate that you can't run programs in the background, and if I can't leave Twitteriffic running, I need some way of knowing when I have a new reply in my timeline!

I think the idea of a subscription model for iTunes is very interesting.  I hate DRM, but the idea intrigues me.  I used to have Rhapsody and was very disappointed that their service didn't work with my iPod. I think that a subscription model would be a great way to try music out, and I'm sure Apple would make it very easy to permanently purchase the tracks that you like--maybe even with a discount, since you've already paid for the subscription.  On the other hand, the iTunes subscription model has been something that gets tossed into the rumor mill just about every time Apple makes a big announcement, so I'm not holding my breath.

Are you hoping for anything special from Steve tomorrow?  Tune in to the Internet at 12 PM central tomorrow to find out if your Apple dreams are coming true.

Whedon and friends conceived Dr. Horrible during the writer’s strike, when they grew frustrated by the work stoppage and set out to change the face of entertainment by circumventing “the system.”  It was a project made of a lot of heart, very little money, and as Joss puts it, “very mid-life-crisisy.”

Neil Patrick Harris stars as Dr. Horrible, an up-and-coming villain with his eyes on the big leagues—the Evil League of Evil.  Dr. Horrible plots his new world order via his video blog, while his real-life alter ego Billy pines for Penny (Felicia Day), the beautiful girl at the laundromat that he can’t work up the courage to talk to.  Standing in Dr. Horrible’s way—both personally and professionally—is Captain Hammer, the resident superhero, played by Whedon-favorite Nathan Fillion.  And just so you know…his fists?  They’re not the hammer.

The show—or “Internet miniseries event,” as Whedon refers to it—lives up to its name thanks to the catchy musical numbers interspersed throughout the action.  Everyone gets a tune, with many songs showcasing Harris’ impressive vocal chops and Day’s lovely soprano.  This is not Whedon’s first musical foray—he wrote a musical episode in season six of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” that has gained a wide cult following since the show went off the air, and he even penned the theme song to his short-lived hit show “Firefly.”  His songwriting is simple and effective, drawing cues from traditional musical theater and leaving you humming the songs hours after you’ve watched the show.

Dr. Horrible is available for download on iTunes and for streaming on Hulu.com According to the website, a DVD and cast recording CD will be forthcoming later this year.  For the latest news on all that is Horrible, visit the website at www.drhorrible.com or follow @drhorrible on www.twitter.com.

She & Him is comprised of Deschanel, who you may remember from films such as Almost Famous and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and M. Ward, who enjoys a successful solo singer-songwriter career in addition to his many collaborations with artists like Jenny Lewis, Norah Jones, and Bright Eyes. 

Volume One showcases Deschanel's pleasing, solid voice impeccably.  Her singing sounds to me like a genius mix of Neko Case's warm, reedy richness and Jenny Lewis' indie earnestness.  Her delivery is spot on for almost the whole album thanks to a little help from her acting skills—Deschanel effortlessly travels from song to song, really feeling them in the kind of old country way that would do Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn proud.  

I have to say that I was even more impressed by her songwriting skills than I was by her performance skills.  The single from Volume One, “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here,” is a particular favorite of mine, with charming, playful lyrics and a satisfyingly plinky old piano rollicking along with the driving alt-country guitar line.  The songs, written almost totally by Deschanel, sound like they've been pulled out of an AM radio time machine.  Old sounds can be new again, and Deschanel and Ward embrace that without making it schlocky and overdone.

“Change Is Hard” hits it out of the park for me simply with the inclusion of some gorgeous pedal steel—couple that with Deschanel's beautifully mournful performance and it was an instant four star track on my iPod.  “I Was Made For You” sounds like it came straight out of the 60s (a personal favorite music era) with poppy, surf-style guitar lines and bubble-gum girl group backing vocals.  

I was pretty skeptical when I first heard about this album, but I'm pleased to say that Deschanel and Ward have proved me wrong.  Some actresses should definitely be musicians, and Deschanel is one that I look forward to hearing more from.

Hideaway is another charming release from husband and wife duo Steven Tannen and Deb Talan.  That may sound patronizing, but it's not how I mean it. The album plays to their strengths--tight songwriting, beautifully layered harmonies, and the kind of sweet, introspective lyrics that tug at your heartstrings.  What they do is not groundbreaking, but it is infinitely satisfying.  I am a sucker for a well-written song that inspires me to feel something, and The Weepies do not let me down.

Hideaway, like the rest of The Weepies' catalog, is the kind of album that makes it hard for me to choose a favorite.  The first stand-out track, "Wish I Could Forget," has a catchy hook and upbeat feel--it's a song I find myself humming for hours after I listen to it.  The opening track "Can't Go Back Now" may be my favorite, however, setting the lilting, unique vocal harmonies and wistful lyrics against delicate acoustic guitars and a sparse arrangement.  “Antarctica” is another favorite of mine, featuring well-crafted, melancholy lyrics and soaring vocals.  

“How You Survived the War” is perhaps the most reminiscent of the stand-out tracks from Say I Am You—the vocals are incredibly tight, almost melted together so you cannot tell where Talan's voice ends and Tannen's voice begins. I really like the way The Weepies record their vocals as a whole. The lead vocals are usually double-tracked and meticulously layered with the harmonies, which can create a lovely effect reminiscent of Brian Wilson's vocals on Pet Sounds.

Say I Am You continues to be my favorite effort from The Weepies thus far, but I applaud the latest addition to their discography. If you're looking for a solid, enjoyable album, look no further than Hideaway.

I had a more difficult time than I anticipated getting back into hockey after the lockout.  The few seasons before that had been hard—the Cup had been snatched from our collective grasp by the New Jersey Devils, and the team never seemed to really recover after that.  The Stars racked up a few more division championships, but just couldn’t get past the conference semi-finals and go all the way. 

When the lockout happened and the season got canceled, I was so disappointed with the NHL in general I almost gave up.  But when the new season dawned, I just couldn’t help myself.  I couldn’t turn away from my team. 

I’ll admit, it took me a good two years to get back into rabid fan mode.  I was ashamed to admit that I didn’t know half the players on the ice at the beginning of last season.  The fire that I had seen in the Stars’ eye seemed dimmer, and I wondered if the hockey heyday in Dallas had been lost forever.  The sheer excitement of the 98-99 and 99-00 seasons was still fresh in my mind, and I was missing that feeling.  

It’s been almost 10 years since the Stars brought home the Cup, but this is the first year I’ve felt a glimmer of that excitement again.  The players have changed, I’m not really used to the new blue line rule, and I absolutely hate the overtime shootout, but I’m seeing the kind of team on the ice that I remember.  

When I look down onto the ice, it’s still weird for me to see the big “C” on Brenden Morrow’s jersey.  Part of me still expects Darien Hatcher to be wearing it, skating along like a bouncer on ice, ready to plow Jeremy Roenick into the boards and lead the team to victory.  Part of me still expects Darryl Sydor to be working with Sergei Zubov to kill off power plays.  Part of me still expects Eddie Belfour to be in goal.

There are new players that stand out to me now: Ribeiro, Miettenen, Lundqvist, Grossman, Richards, Daley, Ott.  Brenden Morrow has turned into one hell of a hard-hitting captain; he may be feet shorter than Hatcher and pounds lighter, but he’s out there checking Roenick into the boards with the best of them.  With the kind of game he has played throughout the playoffs, it seemed fitting that he would score the final goal to clinch the semi-finals against the Sharks.  It was an answer—to the refs, who recalled two of his goals in Game 5 and turned the game into a stunning Sharks win; to the Sharks, who had rallied back from a 3-0 deficit to push the series from a possible Stars sweep all the way to a Game 6; and to the fans, who chanted his name and cheered him to win.  

Marty Turco has turned into quite the goalie since I first saw him start for Dallas.  It was a joy to see him shake off his tendency to choke in the playoffs and be unshakeable in the crease.  The man stopped 61 goals in a battle that lasted the length of two regulation games.  He was tired, he was dehydrated, but he didn’t give up.  He took IV fluids after the second OT period and went right back out onto the ice to protect our goal until we could win.

The rally cry for this season’s playoffs is I Believe.  It’s all over the American Airlines Center, it’s all over the playoff promos, and it’s on every fan’s lips—including mine.  I believe in my team.  I believe we can win.  And I believe that this year’s success is only the beginning of yet another hockey heyday for Dallas.

Mountain Battles is the first post-Pixies reunion Breeders album, and the only one I’ve really enjoyed since 1993’s Last Splash.  I was pretty bummed out when The Breeders went on what I suspected might be a permanent hiatus after Deal’s twin sister Kelley was involved in a drug bust and carted off to rehab.   Even though Last Splash stayed in rotation on my CD player, The Breeders fell off my radar until a few years ago.  2002’s Title TK was only mediocre, but I had high hopes after Deal was reported to be writing new music and her sister rejoined the band.

Mountain Battles has a very spare, lo-fi feel to it that conjures up the earlier days of garage rock.  Kurt Cobain would have loved it, having been a big fan of Deal and her songwriting before his death in 1994.   I love it too, because it takes me back to the days when the label “alternative” really meant something and The Edge wasn’t owned by Clear Channel.

The opening track, “Overglazed,” lets Deal’s voice float over a driving guitar line and crashing drums in a catchy refrain.  It is surprisingly short, as are many of the songs on the album.  The longest cut is the title track, clocking in at just under four minutes and highlighting Deal’s voice over sparse, subdued instrumentals.  Most surprising is the track “Here No More,” a folksy acoustic tune with simple harmonies that sounds like it could have come straight out of the ‘60s.

The album still rocks, however, with tracks like “It’s the Love,” “Bang On,” and “German Studies.”  “Walk It Off” is probably my favorite song off the album, calling back to the sound that made The Breeders popular in the first place.

Overall, the album is eclectic and fun, with something to please both new fans and old.  Deal is on to something with this latest release—Mountain Battles brings in the darker feel of Title TK and combines it with some of the snappy, sarcastic flavor of Last Splash. It’s full of catchy hooks, transitions and guitar lines that sound like both the best of 1994 and the best of today.

I purchased the album off iTunes, where I received two exclusive bonus tracks, a digital CD booklet and a track-by-track video interview with Adam Duritz.  It is divided into two themed sections; Saturday Nights features a driven, harsher rock sound, while most of the songs in Sunday Mornings take on a dreamier, country-infused acoustic tone.  I think both themes suit the band very well, especially lead singer Duritz.   He can wail over a hard guitar line or gently croon along to a fingerpicked guitar with equal measures of success.  

For me, Counting Crows has always been a go-to band for the kind of evocative lyrics that I have always wished I could write.  I spent many nights in high school and college with my headphones strapped on, listening to August and Everything After and Recovering the Satellites on repeat, scribbling furiously in one of the notebooks I kept stacked around my room.  

Given my past with the band, I think I prefer the Sunday Mornings songs.  The lyrics are never more heart-wrenching when they're paired with a stripped-down instrumental, allowing Duritz' mournful voice to really shine.  The delicate acoustic guitar and piano on "Washington Square" marks the line in the sand between the album's themes, taking you from a late night rock concert to the slow, soft beginning of the morning after.

I do like the Saturday Nights tracks a lot, especially when I'm driving.  The fast drum intro and catchy guitar riff of the opening song "1492" is one that really wakes me up in the morning on my daily commute, while  "Los Angeles" has a very bluesy feel, reminiscent of Ryan Adams in a smoky club.  

The two themes could have made it sound schizophrenic, and thematic albums can be risky moves for artists.  (Tori Amos, I’m talking to you.)  But I think the varied pace of the album makes it a well-rounded, enjoyable listen.  Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings was a long time coming for Counting Crows fans, but I think it was worth the wait.