iPod Shuffling

I am blantantly going to rip off a game from Chance's blog for tonight's posting. There are few reasons for this. The first is that I am exhausted from my trip. Secondly, the creative juices were spent on other writings this evening. (I very much enjoyed what I was writing.) Third, I promised a post tonight and I don't want to break a promise to my (few) loyal readers. Finally, it is actually a cool idea and will probably be used again in the future.


So here is the iPod shuffle game. The idea is to hit shuffle and write something about whatever song comes up. So in following with Chance's formula...let's do 5 songs.


Rhythm Is Gonna Get You by Gloria Estefan - This song still kinda scares me. I am not entirely sure why it is on my iPod. It doesn't have a great beat or anything and like I said, it kinda freaks me out. I always picture King Kong when I hear this.


Jesus Of Suburbia by Green Day - (Already blogged about this song.) I like this song a little more every time I hear it. It is so long that I never get to the end of it. This song makes me feel less alone. Sometimes it is hard to feel a connection to Christ because let's face it, we have nothing in common. Yet this song makes me feel like in spite of all of this...Jesus is alive in the modern world and that is a nice feeling.


The Armed Forces Medley performed by the CG Band - If ever there was any doubt about what a geek I am...there shouldn't be now. Yes this is actually on my iPod. What can I say, it makes me smile every time I hear it.


Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits - So I think that I bought this song by mistake. I am pretty certain that I had never heard this song until it came one day at work and I thought "What the hell is this?" That minor detail aside, I have grown to like it. I imagine that it is a spontaneous dancing song. You know...like maybe out in the sticks under the moon light. (Tick checking must be included though.) I do wonder what I meant to buy when I clicked on this.


Get Off by Foxy - This song reminds me of every high school dance I ever attended but particularly sophomore homecoming because of the school bus thing. This song prompts memories of Adam S and Wes G doing the worm as we all cheered in a circle. It prompts memories of us girls dressed in insanely priced gowns and jewerly foolishly borrowed from our moms, doing that ridiculous hand pump in the air. The DJ always saved this song to right after the queen and king were announced as way to shake of the "romantic glow" and to get the non-winners back on the dance floor. Good times.


So I actually enjoyed this. Next will be the Wikipedia game that Victor posted about last week.


I will be closing the blog for another few days as I recover from my surgery. Hopefully all will go well and I will back by the end of the weekend. In the event that it takes longer than a few days, here are a few thoughts that I want to leave you with.


1.) Tom Brady is a crybaby and a faker. The boot was a publicity stunt/scare tactic that was no doubt engineered by Emperor Belichick.

2.) Friendly phone calls/texts/emails will be appreciated since I will be watching depressing TV because it will hurt to laugh. (I learned my lesson the last time with Jackass 2.)

3.) Congrats to Chance for getting his teaching contract!

4.) Congrats to Todd on the news of baby #3! I hope you have a girl. 8>)

5.) The PATS SUCK and I sincerely hope that they get their asses handed to them on Sunday. 23-17 sounds pretty damn good to me Plaxico!


In the event that it goes really badly...Todd has been tasked with carrying on the Millie Blog in my absense.

I'll Take POTPOURRI for $___ Alex

So most Jeopardy fans know that that their beloved POTPOURRI category is made up of clues that fail to get picked in previous games. You see, they are good clues but one clue cannot make up a category on its own. Luckily the kind folks at Jeopardy decided to given the abandoned clues a second chance with the POTPOURRI Category. Here is my take on POTPOURRI with some of my favorite random quotes and moments from Pop Culture for your enjoyment. Hell...if you are incredibly bored, you can even guess where they are from. They are not hard, especially if you cheat and pull them into your search engine.

$200 - "Billy Bob cried because he is a bit of a crier. Tweeder drank beer because well...Tweeder drinks beer." How awesome of closing line is that? It wasn't the final line but it is in the final speech of _____. I choose to stop there because to finish the line would require me to explain why it is inaccurate.

$400 - "I never believe that things they happen for a reason and they never go as planned. I wanted to thank you for a vision that was lost that you returned but you've passed, do you understand?" This is a line from an underrated and strange song. It is strange because I instantly loved it for its raw vulnerability as well as for its content. It is creepy in a weird ex-boyfriend stalker way but on the other hand...how fine is the line between love and obsession anyway?

$600 - "I wish I could fly from this building, from this wall. And if I should try, would you catch me if I fall?" A line from another underrated song. When I heard it I thought it must be some kind of love song. Then I listened and closer and realized that it is being sung from the perspective of a window washer. How brilliant!

$800-

"What do we study here?"

"The way of the fist SIR."

"And what way is that?"

"Strike hard, strike first, no mercy SIR!"

This is one my of my all time favorite lines to borrow for my own purposes. It isn't always relevant but it is always good for a laugh.

$1000

"Sweep the Leg Johnny."

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, Sensi"

"No Mercy"

Also another classic scene. I often tell Dino to Sweep the Leg. I don't know if it helps.

Final Jeopardy - Make your wager.

"I've seen my hopes and dreams a lying on the ground." So this song was forever damaged but its unfortunate use in a widely popular film. I enjoy it, but I get the chills every time I listen to it.

Well I am on the road again so there will be no postings for a few days as I venture to Portland, OR for what should be an interesting few days. Even though I have given the same presentation at least a dozen times...I find myself quite nervous. Perhaps it is the fact that I have yet to mend the three year feud that has existed between the folks in Portland and my office. Perhaps it is the fact that I have begun to question the number of friendly faces that I can expect in the audience. Or perhaps it is simply that my confidence in general has dropped to a surprising level and therefore I am nervous about everything.

Whatever the reason, things will play out as they will. So what if I never make peace with Portland...or if I completely screw up my presentation or if I say or do the wrong thing. Of course I care but the fact is that I am pretty certain that I know how this trip is going to end and there is little that I can do about it.

See you on Wednesday folks.

You Can Try To Stop My Dancing Feet But I Just Cannot Stand Still

At the risk of sounding completely insane...I Can Hear the Bells. I actually hear them chime.

No not in the Hairspray way...but this post is inspired by the movie Hairspray. Clearly...I have what many perceive to be an unhealthy obsession with music. Much like JD on Scrubs...I often feel like my life is being narrated. The difference is that unlike JD...mine is narrated by music vice insanity. There is a constant soundtrack going through the mind of Millie and to be honest I think that it is actually pretty damn awesome. Almost every situation is followed by internal monologue of "Oh...this is just like ____" or "So this is what ____ was singing about."...followed by finding the song on my iPod or by me singing the song in my head.

But the crazy train doesn't stop there. If you follow me into Facebook...(which I haven't found much time for lately...sorry!)...you know that one of my favorite groups is "Yes I Do Wish My Life Was Musical!". The only reason for this is because I would love to be able to break into song without people thinking that I am completely loony tunes...as they do now when I randomly start singing whatever pops into my silly little brain. So here is my tribute to musicals...and the songs that they have given to me. I love and sing them often.

I Enjoy Being A Girl - OK so this song is only a favorite because it reminds of who I was once was. I no longer "Sit on the telephone for hours with a pound and half of cream upon my face" but there was a time when I did. There was a time when I was "Happy to know that whistle's meant for me." So yeah...I still love this song. I don't sing it very often but it brings a smile to my face whenever I do.

Cabaret - This song is guaranteed to cheer you up on even the worst of days. It has also proven to be quite effective in cheering up other people having a rough day...probably because I look and sound ridiculous when I sing it. It has a great message because honestly..."What good is sitting alone in your room"?

All That Jazz - Have I told that you I LOVE Chicago? The play and the movie of course. So anything from Chicago is worthy of singing but it doesn't get any better than All That Jazz. It always seems to be on the drunken karaoke list.

You Must Love Me - This is the only slow song on this list because they are just too hard to sing. It is such an emotional and relate able song that it is sometimes hard to listen to. Many a diva has sang this song...but Madonna owned it in the film version of Evita.

Johanna - I will admit it...I wish that this song was about me. I guess Millie just doesn't have the same ring as Johanna does. It is such a sweet song of longing. What can I say? I have always been a foolish romantic...which is probably why I often disappointed.

His Name is Lancelot - Is there a better play than Spamalot? This song is so funny that it is impossible not to smile the entire time you are listening to it. So it doesn't actually have anything to with me and there is no way to relate it to my life...but I still love it.

Always Look On the Bright Side of Life - Spamalot is so damn awesome that two songs make the list. This is another song that is impossible not to smile while singing. It's not that you want to sing this song...it's that you need to sing this song.

You Can't Stop the Beat - It is hard to say what my favorite song from Hairspray is...but this is the most fun song so let's go with it. I often sing this song when I am feeling like a need a little boast during the day. I'm not sure why this song inspires me to try harder or keep up with whatever is annoying me but that's okay. I think that somewhere deep in my wacky mind I honestly believe that as long as I can still sing and dance that everything is okay...in spite of the chaos that I can't seem to shake.

Music Makes the People Come Together

So with music in its current state...a good song seems to be becoming a rare occurrence. Well shockingly enough...there are a few new songs out right now that don't suck. So here they are for your downloading pleasure.

Won't Go Home Without You by Maroon 5 - Now this is the kind of song that Adam Levine should be singing as he doesn't sound like he is trying to be something that he is not. He sounds like a passionate man who is going to get the woman he wants. It has a strong opening line with "I asked her to stay but she wouldn't listen." Okay...I'll keep listening and find out why. Well the song never answers that but it is pretty awesome anyway. By the deep yearning that is conveyed in his voice...I sense that the love that he is singing about is forbidden. The best line(s) of the song is not the opening line but the first and second lines of the chorus. "Its not over tonight, just give me one more chance to make it right. I may not make it through the night but I won't go home without you." Its a great song...pretty hot too.

Shadow of the Day by Linkin Park - Let me start by saying that I don't know if I get the song. I know how I am perceiving the song...but I am not positive that it is how the boys in Linkin Park intended for it to be. Nevertheless...it is a haunting song. I heard it and downloaded it immediately, though it is kind of hard to listen to. I can listen to it just fine in the office or in the car. But when it came on while I was trying to fall asleep last night, I got the chills and had to change it. The line "And the sun will set for you" tells me that clearly someone is dying...but there seems to be more complex than that. So download it and see if I am reading too much into it.

Into the Night by Santana featuring Chad Kroger - First...both artists are hit or miss with me. I either love their music or it annoys me immensely. So this song had double the pressure on it...as together they could have managed to create the world's most annoying song. Luckily they did not. I love this song. It has a very upbeat song that I thoroughly enjoying dancing in the shower to. I suspect that the woman that they are singing of came unexpectedly into the man's life and the passion between them was too great to ignore. The line that gets me is "Like a piece of the puzzle that falls into place, you can tell how we feel from the look on our faces." Let's hope not but hey...dance on right? Oh..and did I mention that Carlos plays the guitar like a madman in this song? It is amazing.

And to further prove that these songs are awesome...I will share with you two songs that were released this week...leaving those of us with any musical taste to say "WTF?"

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008 by Michael Jackson featuring Akon - Once again...I either love what either artist releases or absolutely hate it. I took a chance and downloaded this one and I am a little more disappointed each time I hear it. First off...it should be listed as being by Akon featuring Michael because Akon sings most of the song. He puts no creative spin on it...makes no attempt to make it his own. He sounds like someone trying to sing at a karaoke bar (I have watched way too much AI...as I am starting to sound like Simon). I expected better. Secondly...I am not convinced that Akon and Michael were actually anywhere near one another when this song was produced. Michael sounds exactly the same as he did when he released this song like 20 years ago. WTF?

Dance Like There Is No Tomorrow by Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson - OK seriously...was this really necessary. Both are millioaires thanks to Idol and this still felt like they had to do a song together? Worst of all...the response on iTunes is remarkable positive. To again quote Simon "Has America gone deaf?" I think the song is terrible. Of course...singing was never Paula's strong point anyway so WTF am I surprised?

Eli....Use The Force

So allow me to be blunt...short of the Eagles...any football team playing against the New England Patriots would be cast in the role of the Good Guys. I could very easily write this about the Peyton and the Colts (though it wouldn't be in the Superbowl) or Brett and the Packers, hell even Romo and the Cowboys. Unless you have also given into the Dark Side...you will look good compared to the Patriots. Keep that mind as you read on.

So here is the deal with the Giants...and why they deserve to win the Superbowl:

- They are not lead by a Sith Lord.

- Unlike said Sith Lord, Giants Head Coach Coughlin was not caught cheating by taping an opponents signals. What makes this worse by the way...is the fact that it was done against a former ally. WTF Bill?
- New York has had no joy sports wise in far too many years.
- Michael Strahan deserves to go out on a high note.
- The Giants Quarterback seems to have a shred of decency...Tom...you can take that as you wish.

So let's talk about Eli...one more time.

If Belichick is the Emperor and Brady is Anakin/Vader...that would make Eli the Luke of this series. (For the record...Peyton is Yoda....as when he is on his game...he is unstoppable but when he isn't, he lets less than worthy foes escape his grips... I.E. the Chargers.) Anyway...I compare Eli to Luke for a couple of reasons.

-The first is that fact that he is the same mix of arrogance and instability that Luke was in the beginning. Both men seem to go from bad ass to crybaby in .002 seconds when they don't get their way. Much like when Luke was crybaby over his ship crashing in Dagabah, Eli often seems to lose control when things are not going his way. Well...he used to...as of late he seems to have gotten his head together....much like Luke by Return of the Jedi.

-I compare him to Luke because both seem to have impossibly big shoes to fill. Hello...how much have Luke panicked when he realized that his Father was Vader. Not saying that Archie Manning is similar to Vader...since he seems to be a decent guy. I'm just saying that both paternal figures must have a cast one hell of shadow over their budding offspring. Oh...and Eli also has to contend with the whole Peyton thing. Let's face it...Yoda would have whooped Luke's ass any day of the week...as I suspect that bigger and better Peyton would do to Eli. Of course since Peyton and Colt's choked in the playoffs....we'll never know.

-Finally...much like Luke and his buddies...Eli and the Giants are our last hope of stopping the evil empire. Think about it...if the Patriots manage to conclude their perfect season with a Superbowl win...they will forever be THE powerhouse in football that will never die. Twenty years from now...we will still be doomed to talk and be in awe of the bloody Patriots. Belichick will be even more feared...and Brady will become even more of an arrogant jerk. There will be no saving Tom once he is truly gone over to the Dark Side. The glory and power that will come from leading his team to 19-0 will ruin any hope of Tom being saved. But if Eli and the Giants pull together and stop the evil empire...there is hope. Sure the Pats had a perfect regular season...but that won't matter if they don't win the Superbowl. If the Pats lose the Superbowl it will prove that while the power of the Dark Side is strong...in the end good will always prevail. And honestly folks...isn't that what we all want to believe anyway?

So there it is...the Giants must win the Superbowl. As I said last night...it is more than just football.

The Dark Side

So a lot of hype is being made about The Patriots. Anyone who knows me is already well aware of my feelings towards the team. My upcoming move to the northeast has not changed my feelings on the matter. The fact is...I despise the New England Patriots so very much. I will not deny that they are an amazing team...but to embrace them seems a little like embracing a rattlesnake. As a former long-time Yankee fan, my sporting soul cannot trade one evil organization for another...else I will become beyond redemption.

I have been sitting on a picture of Bill Belichick as Darth Vader for about two weeks...assuming that it would make it into my blog at some point. Yet after reading my pop culture geek/hero Andrew's blog I became enlightened...Belichick is not Vader...he is the Emperor.

I cannot help but be creeped out when I see him...and that started way before the Emperor revelation. The fact that he quietly yields so much power over a bunch of grown-ass men is oddly unsettling. The fact that so many people turn a blind eye to the cult-like way in which he runs his team in beyond my understanding. It is way too similar to the way that the Jedi and the Republic failed to notice that Palpatine was actually a Sith Lord. Chills run up my spine every time the camera pans to Belichick after a win as every time he has the same smug smirk on his face...as if he knew what the outcome would be. It is not confidence mind you... as it is the same smirk that Darth Sideous had as he corrupted Anakin into destroying the Jedi and when he lied about Anakin killing Padme.

Andrew made an argument about Emperor Belichick...I mean Coach Belichick might have had a hand in the whole Randy Moss saga. It is unlikely...much like the whole L Ron Hubbard being Suri's dad rumor...but on the other hand...neither theory seems to absolutely ring false. What if Belichick was behind the scandal...setting up Randy as way to get him to comply? Sure...that is would a stretch for the average coach but Belichick has proven that he is anything but average.

Poor Tom Brady is a lot like Anakin Skywalker. He has been manipulated into thinking that Bill's way is the only way. ("Only a Sith deals in absolutes" right?) Am I the only one who finds it incredibly unsettling that Tom starts damn near ever sentence with "Coach says..."? Seriously, there is no way that this guy actually believes every word that comes out of Belichick's mouth...is there? Sounds more like brainwashing than coaching to me. It almost makes me feel sorry for Tom...almost.

In the past few years Tom Brady has gone from a lovable good ole boy to an arrogant jerk. There is no way that I would stand out in the cold, purposely miss a bus just to talk to him for a few more minutes or stand out in the freezing cold to watch him play football. You know why...because he is nothing special. He does not send chills down my spine...or excite me with the mere sound of his voice. He actually annoys the shit out of me because he seems to think that he has this effect on everyone. There is a scene in The Simpsons Episode #343 in which Tom Brady rides around on a segway scooter and says "Everyone sucks but me. Oh yeah...cheer for Tom. Give all your love to Tom." This seems to be his attitude on and off the field. He has gone from talented though somewhat lost little Padwan to a arrogant Sith lord wannabe. Much like Anakin...I don't think that Tom is beyond hope. To quote Padme, "There is good in him still...I know there is." In order for Tom to redeem himself...he must break free of the evil emperor's hold and go play for a team like the Rams or the Dolphins.

Much like in the Star Wars saga...what started off as something good has been corrupted into something evil. I love a dynasty team as much as the next person...but in this case it just feels morally wrong to buy into this one.

Think about it...and check back tomorrow when I compare Eli and Giants to the Jedi...as clearly this year's Superbowl is about more than just football...it is a battle of good verses evil.

Heath Ledger 1979 - 2008

So there are a few downsides to being a pop culture fanatic...and the biggest one is that it creates a false feeling of a relationship with the members of the pop culture community. I am not so crazy that I actually believe that I have any real connection with celebrities...but on the other hand...their presence is often more reliable than people in real life. The characters they play are always available to make you laugh or cry. They can bring you a brief sense of happiness that is sometimes hard to come by. (Surprise Texting/emails aside of course, which never fail to make me smile.) My point is that when you are borderline obsessed with pop culture like I am...it makes it all the more difficult to hear when someone from the crowd passes away.

I was bummed when I heard about Brad Renfro...but boy does this one hurt. Not to knock Brad Renfro...as I was crushing hard on him after his portrayal of Michael in Sleepers. But he pretty much disappeared and therefore victim of out of sight...out of mind.

Heath Ledger was has always been one of my favorites. Even his bad movies weren't really that bad. Oh how I crushed on him after seeing him in 10 Things I Hate About You. He was awesome in The Patriot. (Not to be confused with the Patriots who suck. More on them and their evil rise to power tomorrow.) A Knights Tale was okay but still not bad. I didn't actually see Lords of Dogtown but at some point I might as I heard it was pretty good. I don't really remember him from Monster's Ball but that isn't his fault...as I tried to block out most of that movie. He was excellent in The Order, which is saying something considering that the movie itself was pretty lousy. And of course we all know that he was damn near perfect in Casanova and Brokeback Mountain.

My only real point of tonight's posting is to say that it is truly sad that Heath has passed away at such a young age. I wanted to say this before the official COD is released because I don't want think about that...as any actor will tell you that they want to be remember for their craft and not their death. His death is tragic for a number of reasons....and he will be missed.

Bringing It Home - The Best and Worst of Football Done Hollywood Style

In realizing that there are two long weeks before the Superbowl...I know now that there is no way that I will be able to keep up with the Football Movie Mania. There are more than enough movies that I could discuss but I just don't have the attention span to keep it for two more weeks. (My mind is wandering so much for other reasons that when I throw work into the mix...football just doesn't stand a chance.) So let's close it out with a final list of the best and the worst football movies.

Let's start with the rest of the best:

Rudy - This is a no brainer. When you think football movies...you think Rudy. Long before Sean Astin was Sam...he was Rudy and we loved him. I question the sanity of anyone who says that they didn't like this movie. Sure after you have seen it a couple of times you tend to find it more cheesy than inspirational...but the fact is that you know you loved it the first time you saw it. The fact that it is based on a true story just makes it better.

The Longest Yard - I am talking about the first one...the 1974 version. The reason that I like this movie is because it manages to make you feel like you are rooting for the good guys even though the good guys are in prison. Burt Reynolds was pretty cool before he turned into the press slapping weirdo that most of my generation knows him as.

Jerry Maguire - This movie barely makes the cut...as it wasn't a football movie. It is a great movie that has football in it. I think that there is only about ten minutes total pigskin action throughout the entire film...but it is still awesome. Cuba Gooding JR has never given a finer performance than he did as Rob Tidwell...and I doubt that he ever will. Even if you are a total football bonehead, you had to love the scene where he wakes up from after taking a tough hit and flips out to the crowd. It still makes me tear up, even though I have scene the movie more times that should be allowed. (I kid you not...I could probably recite the entire movie if needed.)

We Are Marshall - Another movie that is based off a real story...We Are Marshall is another triumph over misery film that you can't help but get caught up in.

Brian's Song - Again I am talking about the original movie. The new one sucked and I hope whoever signed off on it was fired. Anyway...this is another movie that still moves me to tears as it celebrates a friendship forged on the field that carries into real life. I have seen many a big bad football jock moved to tears over this movie...though I won't mention any names. I think it is because anyone who has played football knows that the type of friendship it forms for teammates and therefore can imagine supporting teammate/friend through the good times and the bad.

Honorable Mention: Invincible as it was a good film but I just couldn't buy off on Marky Mark in the lead role.

And here is my list of the rest of the worst football movies:

The Longest Yard - This time I am talking about the Adam Sandler version. When did Adam become such a movie whore that he no longer cared about making a decent flick? Sure he was never a really that respectable of an actor...but at least in this Happy Gilmore days he made us laugh. I actually walked out on this movie.

The Gridiron Gang - The Rock is one bad ass dude. I know that he is trying to show a sensitive side but it just doesn't work. This movie tried too hard to win over the audience and ended up annoying almost everyone who saw it. What can I say...he is the victim of typecasting.

The Waterboy - Adam Sandler makes his second appearance on the terrible football movie list and it is because Adam Sandler is not a football player. He might have been able to be the kicker but let's face it...he was not made for the field. He would have been torn up by even the most mediocre high school defense. I know that there were a lot of people out there who liked this movie and I just don't get it. Name one funny scene...just one and I'll back off.

Any Given Sunday - Was there a point to this movie? If so...I missed it. I will admit that the football scenes were decent but the storyline was underdeveloped and Cameron Diaz gave her worst performance with the exception of The Sweetest Thing. There is only one good thing that came out of this movie and that is the quote "On any given Sunday you're gonna win or you're lose. The point is - can you win or lose like a man?" This is an awesome quote...but not enough to get it off the worst list.

The Program - I know that college football has it's share of problems but if one team is having all of the ones exploited in this movie...the problem is the school and not the sport. Fire the athletic director, the entire coaching staff and kick out the trouble makers and start fresh. Problem solved.

Honorable Mention: The Game Plan - The only reason that this movie didn't make the actual worst list is because it is a kid's movie and that by definition means that it will not kick ass. Nevertheless...I think that everyone who was ever played football, watched football, or in any way felt any affection to the sport died a little when this movie was made. The fact that I have even seen it is a testament to the level of pop geek that I am.