In more than a few columns over the years I’ve written about my lack of interest when it comes to watching sporting events, but give me an awards show in the entertainment world, and I’m in. Particularly if it’s the granddaddy of them all: The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars.

Thanks to my grandmother who introduced me to the classics at a young age, I became a huge movie buff early on, and a fan of the Oscars as well. Initially I’d watch them for the glitz and glam, having no real knowledge of the nominees since I hadn’t seen any of the movies yet. But when I got older and started going to the theatre with my friends and seeing every movie I could, the Oscars became utterly fascinating to me.

Many of my friends were also big movie buffs and in our twenties it was not unusual for us to have seen almost all the Oscar-nominated movies before even sitting down to watch the awards. This complicated office pools, making it both easier and harder at the same time. Easier because we had a better idea of what was going on, but also harder because we’d feel compelled to vote for the ones we were rooting for instead of the ones we thought would win.

“Let’s have two separate forms this year,” I once suggested. “One for predictions and one for personal choices.” The idea was liked by everyone and adopted by the clan.

If it sounds like I hung out with a bunch of geeks, let me just say in their defense, they were all less geeky than I was. I used to tape the award shows on my VHS video recorder and save each show and actually re-watch them like those weirdos that watch old football and hockey games. I also used to read books about Oscar trivia dating back to the beginning when the very first Best Picture was awarded to “Wings” in 1929 and only 270 people attended the small private brunch. The ceremonies have changed and improved in thousands of ways since that first one.

Back then, armed with years of watching the Oscars and reading about its history, I knew so much about the movies that I could win just about any trivia contest there was. But that was then and this is now, and I’ve lost my geeky edge thanks to my kids.

After having my first child 11 years ago, I still loved watching the big ceremony on TV, but I was no longer up-to-date with all the movies that were nominated, and I didn’t care. In fact, I became so picky about how I spent my time that I didn’t even consider viewing some of the Oscar-nominated movies. Especially if they had violence in them. As soon as I became a mother I could no longer watch blood and guts, horror flicks or most action movies. I hadn’t realized how many movies were violent until I could no longer tolerate them.

Thankfully the movies nominated this year don’t seem that way, but as per usual for my last decade, I’ve only seen a handful of them.

Yet that doesn’t matter in the least. On Feb. 26 I’ll be watching like I do every year and wondering what I always wonder: why didn’t the funniest movie of the year get nominated? They really need to add a best comedy category.

To see other ways they can improve according to me, please watch my “Top Ten Tips for a Better Oscars” video at LoriWelbourne.com.