Saturday, March 8, 2008

Every Minute From This Minute Now

Anyone who has been to the movies over the past two months has no doubt seen the preview for the upcoming movie Stop-Loss. Being that the preview made me cry, I will no doubt go see it even though Ryan Phillipe's accent makes me want to throw thing. I don't necessarily like the plot of the movie but there is a love story and if all else sucks...you can't go wrong with Channing Tatum. But that is not my point.

The preview features two songs. Bodies by Drowning Pool which someone like me cannot get away with listening to...and Open Up Your Eyes by Snow Patrol.

I have never been a fan of Snow Patrol and therefore didn't even know who was singing the song that hooked me immediately. I didn't worry though...because Ask Yahoo would be able to provide the answer and sure enough...within 24 hours of hearing that song, it was on the Millie iPod.

Its lyrics are haunting and romantic. I have been listening very closely to it and I think that I like it a little bit more each time. It is song about love standing up for love. It is not entirely realistic but that is okay. Romance rarely is.

The opening line is a winner in my opinion. It is exactly what an opening line should be. "All this feels strange and untrue and I won't waste a minute without you." How hot is that? It also happens to be the last line of the song which strangely enough I really like. The fact that they start and end with the same line makes it even hotter. This guy is not going to be without his love anymore...

The next part of the song that gets to me is the line "Get up, get out, get away from these liars, cause they don't get your soul or your fire." First let me say that I don't think that we are all surrounded by liars. The thing is that I know that I am surrounded by people who don't really know me but might think they do. It is a lie that they believe and that I allow them to believe because I don't let just anybody into my wacky little world. The belief that there is one person who has could venture into the inner workings in my brain and appreciate it in all of its insanity is an overwhelming thought. So when I hear this line, I believe that somewhere out there is someone who does get my soul and my fire, there is someone who is completely honest with me and therefore I can be completely honest with in return... and that is an intoxicating thought. It goes on to the line "Take my hand, knot your fingers through mine." That is only symbolic because I hear that is that same special someone is rescuing the damsel in distress. You know what a sucker I am for that sort of thing.

But here it is...here is the line that seals the deal. Here is the line that made me fall in love with the song. The line is "I want so much to open your eyes cause I need you to look into mine." It would require an amazing amount of trust to allow someone to "open your eyes". I think it is because we are often scared of what we will see. To find someone that special would be worth risking much for. It is extremely rare to find someone who is willing to take the time to open another's eyes to new things, to train them, and nurture them. What a feat it would be to look into someones eyes and see the same thing is in your own.

The song often repeats the line "Tell me that you'll open your eyes." I hear that is that someone asking the other for complete trust. To be willing to blindly follow and to be open to whatever he has to show and teach her. To demonstrate completely loyalty and to follow with no hesitation.

There is only one promise throughout the song that is that in the end, eyes will be open. There is no promise of forever, just that there will change. As I said before, to take that chance would be risky but honestly...one would be crazy not to.

Forgive the delay in the posting...as well as the writing itself. I have spent the past three hours writing papers for school. I thought that it would be easy to write a 1,500 word essay on why Jon Bon Jovi is a prime example of the American Dream but I was sorely mistaken. So if this post seems dragged out it is only because I have been dragging words out all evening. The good news is that I am done with homework for the weekend and therefore free to focus on other, more fun tasks.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Mirror Mirror on the wall...who is the Master of It All?























I have been asked this question at least a dozen times before and the answer usually depends on my mood. If I had to pick...would be Derek Jeter or Jon Bon Jovi? It is actually tough choice to be honest. Here is why:

Let's start with Jon. I have been been crushing on Jon since I was five years old. I am willing to bet that he is the only man in life (be that as it may) who has never hurt me, pissed me off, or upset me in any way. Fierce loyalty that has only grown with time makes it hard to choose anyone over him...even though I know that it is only hypothetically.


Pros:
- Incredibly good looking and only seems to be getting better looking with time.
- Incredible voice, especially when singing ballads which I am powerless against.
- Believes in magic and makes me want to believe too.
- Oh that smile!
- Nice guy.
- Tight Jeans....'nuff said.

Cons:
- He is like twice my age.
- Groupies
- Way too much chest hair

So let's move on to Derek. If I could only watch one athlete for the rest of my life...it would be Derek. Since the first time I saw him, Derek has been on "my list". To sum it up...Derek Jeter has got to be one of the best looking men to ever walk the face of the earth.

Pros:
- Painfully good looking.
- Athletic which leads to...
- Stamina (I would assume anyway)
- Also a nice guy
- Charity Buff
- Goal Oriented
- Likes to sing and dance when no one is looking...which is part of my daily routine.
- Did not say no when I told him that I wanted to marry him. (Didn't say yes but hey...it was just round one.)
- Makes me forget how much I hate A-Rod.
- Has two amazing cologne lines which means that he will always smell nice.
- Oh that smile. It has got to be one the greatest smiles of all time.
- Him in baseball pants. Hell, him in uniform in general. He has been quoted that he hopes he wears his Yankee jersey forever. I hope that too...but I wouldn't mind if he took it off and threw it on my floor. (Okay Dino and Newman...I said it. I told you that I would and now I sound even more crazy than normal! But a dare is a dare I suppose.)
- His eyes...oh his eyes.

Cons:
- Unsure...but there must be something if he is still single. Unless of course you want to play into my grand delusions that he is saving himself for me.

So based off of sheer numbers...it would appear that Derek would be the winner. It would be nice to have a night with Jon but in the end...Derek would be the one to spend forever with.


However...since this is all hypothetical...let's go for broke. Sure it would be nice to have Jon for the night and Derek for life...but there is still one better. If I had my way, I would throw in my own candidate...and he would be my ultimate pick....Strider.

Yes Strider. Be for a night or forever and any amount of time in between...my pick would be Strider. I would do anything just to please him and keep him. My reasons are my own but it is something that I am certain of. I would pick him over Derek and Jon every time.

So there you have it...Strider is the Master of It All.


La La land is fun...you should visit me there sometime.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Au Revoir Brett Favre

Well it is final. One of the greatest athletes ever is officially retiring from the greatest sport in the world.

I am a little bummed but not too much and that is surprising. I mean, Brett is by far one of the best to ever play the game and I should be bummed that I will never again get to the see legend play. But I am not crushed. Oh well.

It is not like the league is going to be hurting for quarterback entertainment. I still have Peyton Manning to adore, Eli Manning to be fascinated by, Tony Romo to laugh at, Tom Brady to despise while secretly feeling sorry for (it is not easy to be controlled by pure evil), and Donovan McNabb to hate with the same intensity as I hate A-Rod. So I am pretty well set for quarterback entertainment for the upcoming season.

I think that we all took Brett for granted. I mean, he has been on top of the sport for years and we all just got used to it. He was consistently good and so he wasn't anything special. It is kind of sad actually....considering that the records that he set are pretty damn awesome. But short of the Cheese Heads, I don't know if any other football fans are saddened by this announcement.

I hope that we see Brett again, be it as a coach or commentator (seems that they will hire anyone these days) or even on Dancing With the Stars. Brett is the model "Good Ole Boy" and I hope that he enjoys the retirement that he has most definitely earned.

--And because I cannot resist pointing it out...today Brett was quoted saying " To go the Superbowl and lose would almost be worse than anything else. Anything less than a Superbowl win would be unsuccessful." I point this out because this was one of two reasons that I didn't want the Packers to go to the Superbowl back in February. I knew that Brett would have been haunted by a lose in the big game. So to all the haters who gave me shit about that statement back then...well you know...

http://thegeekthatismillie.blogspot.com/2008/01/not-total-loss.html

We'll Miss You Brett...it just might take a few years for us to realize it!


Monday, March 3, 2008

Gotta Live My Life Like I Ain't Got Nothing But This Roll Of The Dice

It's Monday so you know what that means...another dose of Monday Night Shuffle. Let's get started.


Someday I'll Be Saturday Night by Bon Jovi (136) - Though not one of the greater Bon Jovi songs, it is always good for singing. I sometimes use it to brighten my mood when I am having a rough day. It is sure to work because even though some of lyrics are sad, it is still an encouraging song. More importantly, it is Bon Jovi song which means that it is better than most of the shit out there anyway. As cheesy as it sounds, I do believe that someday I'll be Saturday night. I don't know what exactly that will entail, but it is something to look forward to. "It may not be tomorrow but baby that's OK,I ain't going down, gonna find a way." I have said it before and will say it again, there is no problem in the world that cannot be solved by listening to Bon Jovi. Oh and 16 days to go...I can't wait!

Flake by Jack Johnson (94) - So this is the song that started me on my Jack Johnson kick. Almost six years later, I still love his music. In spite of the fact that the lyrics don't lend themselves to it, this is a song that I enjoy kicking back to. If you listen to lyrics (which of course I almost always do!), you will find that this is actually a slightly depressing song. Yet the simple, rhythmic beat just makes me want to chill out friends and drink Sangria. It must be the Hawaiian influence in the song. The line: "Just like a tree down by the water, baby, I shall not move even after all the silly things you do."

Sunday Morning by Maroon 5 (88) - Another great song for chilling out to. I have great memories of singing this song with family and a few good friends beside my grandpa's pool in Santa Fe 3 (?) summers ago. This is the type of song that Adam Levine was meant to sing. Songs About Jane has got to be one of the best albums released in this decade. I really need to get back out to Santa Fe soon. The line: "And I would gladly hit the road, get up and go if I knew that someday it would bring me back to you."

Three Little Birds by Bob Marley (183) - It must be time to go hit the karaoke bars because every song seems to makes me want to sing. I would never sing this song unless dared to but boy do I love singing it on my own when no one is around to hear me butcher it. I have actually found myself listening to this song a lot more than usual lately. No matter how stressed out I am this song always calms me down. I am not a big fan of reggae, but there is something about this song that cannot be denied. "Every little thing's gonna be alright." indeed. What a great tune.

Star Mile by Joshua Radin (97) - Joshua Radin cannot sing nor write a bad song. It is almost creepy because he always sings to be singing the secrets of my heart. I am seriously bummed that I did not make the journey to Spokane to see him in concert but oh well. I have been listening to Joshua a lot as I try to fall asleep, which has been good and bad. I try to focus on the lyrics and think of the memories that they bring back. I think that is why I am not sleeping. His songs are a road map to my heart, and that is scary....as I suspect that this might be my kryptonite. The line: "Look down from your tower on high and take in the night, look her right in the eye, she'll listen." There is so much that I long to hear, but no matter how hard one tries, one cannot hear what is never said.

Well that's it for the night. All except for another pic from My MC & Me.

Accepting My Fate


So my conviction is wavering. My strength is fading. More importantly, my anger is subsiding. I am danger of forgiving....and it pisses me off.
I suppose it is unavoidable. It always happens right around this time of year. I am always experiencing serious sports withdrawal, and most years I begin to eagerly anticipate the start of the baseball season. In years past I have always already purchased new Yankee gear in preparation for the new season. This year I am at a loss.
There are only two pieces of Yankee gear remaining in my closet, the authentic Derek Jeter home jersey and the Derek Jeter batting practice jersey. (As I stated before, in spite of everything my support of Derek is strong.) Truth be told, I made almost $200.00 selling all of my Yankee gear on Ebay since my December temper tantrum when I swore off my lifelong team. It felt liberating at the time, yet today I am sad.
I went to the mall today and saw all of the baseball gear out on full display. Sure, most of it was Mariner's gear, but there was an ample supply of Yankee and Red Sox merchandise to be purchased in almost every sports store. In spite of everything, the desire to support my Bronx Bombers was still there. Under all of the anger and disappointment that they have caused me as of late, I found that it was almost impossible to walk away.
Isn't this always the case? I know that they will only hurt me again. I know that they will disappoint me again. I also know that I am lying to myself when I say that I am only using them as a means to get by until football season starts again. To go back to something that I know is bad for me makes me crazy...and completely female. It is in my DNA to be so stupid.
I managed to leave without buying anything, but I think that it is a losing battle. My pledge to be a Red Sox fan is unfounded. As angry as I am at my Yankees...I still love them, which of course means that by default...I hate the Red Sox.

What does it all mean? I don't know for sure but I think that it means that I have forgiven my Yankees. I think that I will return to my status as a loyal fan. It will be hard, but I think that it is possible for me to hate A-Rod and still love the Yankees. We shall see. There is no real loss in watching the Yankees...and we all know why. So in the end...I suppose it wouldn't hurt to give them one more try.

What can I say? I am weak.

Here is another pic from the My MC & Me collection.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Happy Birthday Rat!

Speaking of sisters...Happy Birthday to mine.

To steal from a cheesy greeting car, I am blessed that you are both my sister and my best friend.

Saturday Night At The Movies

In spite of what the critics have said, The Boleyn Girl is not a bad movie. It is not as good as the book...but still pretty good.

I had my doubts going into the movie, as let's face it...in what world would any guy ever pick Natalie Portman over Scarlett Johansson? (Not saying that Natalie is anything but a beautiful woman but it seems that almost every guy in the world is lusting after Scarlett at the moment.) So I had my doubts about the casting. Not about Eric Bana of course but we will get to that in a moment.

Yet it worked. Scarlett was perfect in role as Mary. Perhaps it was the absence of bright red lipstick that she never without in real life, but she managed to pull off the role as the sweet Mary. And Natalie was perfect as Anne. She managed to pull off of coldness and ruthlessness that her character needed so that it made sense. Dino and I believed it anyway.

I did not buy Jim Sturgess as George, nor did I buy Eddie Redmayne as William Stafford but neither fact mattered. Their screen time was limited and besides...Eric Bana was perfect as King Henry.

He managed to be completely desirable and despicable at the same time. He absolutely made the movie. If King Henry looked anything like Eric Bana, no wonder he was able to get so many women to ruin their lives from him. Of course the crown helped but the good lucks couldn't have hurt.

As I watched the movie, I couldn't help but feel badly for both women. More so for Mary and than for Anne but still, I felt for both of them. It is not easy to be a woman in love with a man who is far greater than she.

The movie did not follow the book completely but it was close. It left out a lot of stuff, but I am sure that it had to for time. It didn't go completely off track and I was grateful for that. I would have been super pissed if Anne would have walked away in the end. I suppose that the fact that it would have gone against documented history is what probably prevented that from happening but I had my doubts for a minute.

I don't know that I would recommend paying full price to see this movie. It has a love story for the women and scandal for the men yet it is missing the "WOW!" factor. It didn't spend enough time developing the love story between either of the sisters and Henry, nor did go into enough depth of the scandals to make it fun. Maybe save it for DVD night on the couch.

Finally, enjoy another pic from the My MC & Me collection.