Lindsay Lohan -- Please Invite Me to the Oscars!!!

Lindsay Lohan says she regrets all the dumb crap that derailed her career and turned her life into a disaster ... but now Lindsay says she wants to be taken seriously again ... so she can finally score an invite to the Oscars.

Lohan sat down with Matt Lauer on the "Today" show to talk about her "comeback" ... both professionally and personally.

Lohan explained, "I regret the choices that I've made ... but I’m grateful for where I am today because of them, because ... I don’t need to see any more negative stuff, I don't need to put myself in those places anymore."

Lindsay also talked about her time at the morgue -- telling Matt it's been a positive learning experience that's helping her in the long run.