Disco is dead

It has been a long time since my last American Idol recap. Thankfully, in that time, we finally got rid of Sanjaya as well as some other less than stellar contestants. However, one thing that remains is the lame theme week. What makes the producers think that anyone wants to hear disco songs in 2007? The final four-Melinda, Blake, LaKisha, and Jordin-sang from the songbook of Barry Gibb this evening. Now while I must admit that I am a fan of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack as well as a few other selected Bee Gees tunes, tonight's song choices (and performances for the most part) were peculiar to say the least. I thought that Blake was horrible, and his once cool beatboxing has become annoying. My personal fave, LaKisha, was lambasted by the judges, even though I have to give her credit for at least singing a song we have all heard before ("Staying Alive"). Jordin did a great job on her first song, but I agree with Simon that her second performance was like something out of the Miss Teen U.S.A. pageant. Even Melinda was off her game tonight. What a disappointment. Hopefully next week will be better and LaKisha will somehow survive.

Call Me Irresponsible

That is not only what I have been lately regarding this blog, but also the title of Michael Buble's new album that came out this week (in the words of Emeril, run-don't walk-to the store to get yourself a few hundred copies). Anyway, I have so much to catch you up on. I have actually tried to log in a few times to update you on my la vida loca but was locked out of this account until today. Anyway, I was a traveling fool during the month of April. I was lucky enough to go with the U of M baseball team on TWO road trips (one to New Orleans and another to exotic Cape Girardeau, MO) in which my overall record is 4-1. It was a lot of fun and I actually did get to provide a little academic assistance to some of the guys.

This past weekend, I went to Savannah, GA for my cousin Chrissy's wedding. I had an absolute blast! Savannah is a beautiful city-if you have the means, I highly recommend visiting "the Lady of the South". It was great to hang out with my sister, her BFF, and the parentals. I also got to spend some quality time with my aunt, uncle, and even a little bit with the bride. Her wedding was awesome-great food, gorgeous scenery, and oh yeah, an open bar! I also got some quality flirting in with-you might want to sit down for this-a Cardinals fan. Yes, a good time was had by all. :)

This coming weekend is the Beale Street Music Fest, a 3-game baseball series vs. UCF, and graduation weekend all rolled into one. It could get crazy here in Memphis. Take care and have fun!

STOP THE INSANITY!!!

America, please hear my cry for help. For the love of God, stop voting for Sanjaya!!! I don't know how much longer I can watch if this keeps up. American Idol is supposed to be a singing competition, and right now it's a laughing stock. Last week, Stephanie got voted off, so now Sanjaya is actually going to be on tour and get paid to sing. We will have to listen to him muddle through the group numbers on the remaining shows. I never thought I'd long for the days of Scott Savol and Jasmine Trias... Thank goodness baseball season is only a week away. I need a distraction (and some Advil)!

America, you've gotta be kidding me

OK America-I'm starting to get fed up. First, you put Sanjaya in the Top 12 finalists of this season's American Idol. Now you've allowed him to survive another week! Do you realize that if you don't vote him off next week, people will be paying to see him on tour? This is a travesty. Please stop encouraging the morons who run votefortheworst.com and try voting for the contestants who actually have talent.

As for the remaining 10 contestants, I am a big fan of LaKisha and Melinda. Stephanie and Jordin are also very good. Blake the beatboxer is entertaining at times, but his voice is not as strong as the divas'. Chris Sligh has his moments (love the sarcasm, buddy), and sometimes Phil can wail. The rest of the group does not impress me. Haley should not have even made it this far, and Gina basically just screams. As for Chris Richardson, I have already grown tired of his Justin Timberlake-wannabe antics. It's going to take a lot to top last season (miss ya already, Taylor).

Dreams really do come true

I am psyched to report that Jennifer Hudson won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress tonight. She really deserves this award for her moving portryal of Effie White in "Dreamgirls". I couldn't be happier for her. I have been a fan since she belted her way through Season 3 of American Idol (and was wrongfully voted off much too soon). Jennifer had star quality even back then, but now no one can deny that she has arrived. If you haven't seen "Dreamgirls" yet, please do yourself a favor and buy a ticket as soon as possible. It is one of the best movies I have seen in quite awhile and the soundtrack is amazing. Jennifer will blow you away.

By the way, American Idol's Season 6 premieres tomorrow night at 7 pm Central on Fox. Don't miss it. Personally, I'm not a fan of the trainwrecks, but I will tune in to catch a glimpse of the people who actually have some talent.

One week until my release

I only have to survive one more week of work and then I get to go home for the holidays. HOORAH! I'm not a big fan of finals week. First, there's the stress of bad grades coming back. Second, there's not a whole hell of a lot to do around the office. If my students haven't figured out how to pass their classes by now, there's not much I can do to help them at this late date. Third, every department decides to have a Christmas party, so there's a lot of forced bonding. I'm certainly not complaining that cookies are readily available; however, I don't think that I should have to socialize with total strangers in order to get my sugar fix. Anyway, I am definitely looking forward to spending some quality time with the fam. Christmas is my favorite time of year. Happy Holidays to all of my loyal readers out there! Hope you enjoy your break. Take care and best wishes in 2007. :)

Expressing my inner band geek

I just got back from the annual free holiday concert performed by different ensembles from the School of Music at the University of Memphis. It always puts me in a festive mood, but this year I have one complaint. How can you put on an entire concert without a single clarinet? Normally the orchestra performs, but this year they got the shaft. I had to sit through several brass ensembles, but with the exception of a few saxophones, the woodwinds were banned from the proceedings altogether. That is a serious oversight. However, I did enjoy the concert as a whole and the performance of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" by the soloist was Whitney Houston-esque. Hope you are enjoying the holiday season so far. Happy ho-ho-ho to you!

My Boys

Sorry for the long break-I had to get my pout on due to the unfortunate results of the World Series. However, I'm back and ready to talk baseball again. It looks like the execs at TBS have been tapping my phone because there is a new show on called "My Boys" which parallels my life (Tues. 9 pm Central). It's about this young lady named PJ who works at the Chicago Sun-Times as a sportswriter covering the Cubs. All of her best buds are guys and she loves to drink beer, play poker, and talk sports with them. The quote of the night was when she told this guy she was into, "You wanna see my baseball card collection? It's in my bedroom." How funny is that? And I just took the Guy's Girl or Girly Girl quiz on TBS.com and here's my result: Boy's Best Friend. You've got the full game package on satellite (check) and a fridge full of cold beers (check). Cleats are kind of like heels, right? They make you taller.

Holy cow-if someone isn't bugging my apartment, then there must be other ladies out there who are just like me. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with being true to yourself, even if that means you come across as a sports obsessed tomboy to the opposite sex. The problem is that often sassy singles such as myself get stuck in the friend zone, which can be compared to the Bermuda Triangle. If any of you ladies out there know how to escape this abyss, please clue me in. In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy an ice cold Coors Light and a ballgame with my guy friends. One of these days, some man is finally going to "get" me and he will be in for a real treat. :)

You cut me to the core, Cardinals

I cannot believe that the St. Louis Cardinals are the 2006 World Champions. YUCK! How can a team that was 2 games over .500 (and got swept TWICE by the Cubs, I might add) win the ring? Hopefully it's not a sign of the apocalypse. The only explanation I can come up with is that the baseball gods are trying to motivate the Cubbies to win it all in 2007. Their two most hated rivals won the championship in back-to-back years, so maybe this was the only way that management would finally get the kick in the ass they need to put a winner on the field. This is how I rationalize the victory of evil over good so that I can sleep at night. If you don't hear from me for awhile, it is because I had to relocate to Canada due to the constant ribbing I'm sure to receive starting tomorrow. I like hockey, so maybe it will work out. They do have a great national anthem over there. "O Canada. Our home and native land. True patriot love in all thy sons command..."

Don't forget the Motor City...

I am so glad that my picks were totally off for the playoffs. I got every series wrong except the Mets beating the Dodgers, so I wouldn't ask for my advice the next time you're picking lottery numbers. This is it-the Fall Classic. The Detroit Tigers vs. the St. Louis Cardinals. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which team I want to win the ring. I don't want to live in a world where the Cards are the world champs, so I hope that the Tigers won't break my heart. Pudge and company-please get it done. I've never met a Tigers fan that I didn't like, but I sure as hell know plenty of Cardinals fans who could use a good bitchslap. And considering I'm living in enemy territory and haven't been quiet about my hatred for their ballclub, I would never hear the end of it should the unthinkable happen. Oh baseball gods, haven't us Cubs fans been through enough?!? Please give the loyal Detroit Tigers fans the title and I will promise to be an even better baseball fan in 2007.

(Can't) Wait 'til next year

As expected, Dusty Baker was relieved of his managerial duties today. This move was necessary as the Cubs have gotten progressively worse over the past 3 seasons. A 66-96 record should not get your contract renewed. In Dusty's defense, he did not have any control over the plethora of injuries that have befallen the North Siders over the last 2 years. However, the key is that he did not motivate his players to overcome adversity. More importantly, Dusty had no clue how to properly use the bullpen (in the immortal words of Kenny Rogers, you've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em). His management of the pitching staff was pitiful on a good day. In addition, the Cubs have not played fundamental baseball during his regime, especially with regards to properly running the bases and executing basic plays they should have learned in Little League...

I can only hope and pray that the new manager will lay down the law and bring a winning attitude to the franchise. Former Cub Joe Girardi is the right man at the right time. It would be in the best interests of the Tribune Company to hire the probable NL Manager of the Year and turn the Cubbies around. Will we need some new players? Hell yeah! Should we count on the services of Kerry Wood and Mark Prior in the rotation again without acquiring some top of the line starters? Hell no! Let's learn from the mistakes of the past 98 years and stop being "the doormat of the National League." Wouldn't it be nice to be a winner instead of a laughingstock? Can I get an amen?!? I'm already looking forward to next season because it can't get much worse than this one. We're closing in on a century of futility-let's reverse the curse! None of us are getting any younger, and I want to celebrate a World Series victory while I can still party like a rock star. GO CUBS IN '07!!!

My playoff predictions

Even though I have gypsy blood, I'm not usually the best at predicting the future. However, I'm going to look into my crystal ball anyway and reveal my picks for each postseason series:

American League Division Series

New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers-I'd love to go with the sentimental favorite and say that the Tigers will win this series. But, with apologies to my friend Jessie from the Detroit area, I begrudgingly choose the Yankees. This pains me deeply as I absolutely despise the Bronx Bombers. However, considering the Tigers blew their division lead today and have been in a freefall for over a month, I think the Yankees will emerge victorious and advance to the World Series. YUCK!

Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland A's- To me, this series is pretty much a toss-up. The Twins are hot right now, but the A's have better starting pitching. I'm going to choose the Twins on a virtual coin flip. It would be a nice tribute to Kirby Puckett for Minnesota to win this series.

National League Division Series

New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers-On paper, this looks like the most exciting match-up. I have a feeling this series will last 5 games. Although I'm pulling for the Dodgers with former Cubbies Maddux and Garciaparra on their roster, I think the Mets are the better team. However, the fact that Pedro can't pitch will make this battle all the more intriguing. I'm going with the Mets, hoping that my dad and Ron Santo won't hate me for being disloyal to the '69 Cubs.

San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals-Talk about a Cubs fan's worst postseason nightmare. BLECH! The Padres should sweep, considering the Cards almost blew it down the stretch. I can't stand either of these clubs and will probably not tune into this series out of pure bitterness.

My World Series prediction: Yankees over Mets in 6 (although I'd much rather see a Tigers-Dodgers match-up)

I'll be back tomorrow with much more baseball banter as the Cubs will announce the future of Dusty Baker/resignation of team president Andy MacPhail. This off-season is going to be interesting to say the least...

A nice little Saturday

Today has been a great day. I decided to spend some quality time with myself instead of suffering through the maddening traffic surrounding the Memphis-UT football game/Mid South Fair. What an excellent choice. First, I got my hair done, which is almost always a pleasant experience. Then, I ventured to the mall where I decided to update my fall wardrobe. I found a great pair of brown loafers on sale as well as a gift set of Miracle So Magic!, which included bath gel, lotion, and lip gloss for just a bit more than the perfume itself usually costs. Next, I scoured Macy's for pants and shirts that I can wear when the temperature actually dips below 90 degrees again. I found all kinds of bargains and saved an additional 20% because I used a one-day shopping pass. Sometimes it's good to be me. :) And I got home just in time to see my beloved alma mater Illinois actually win a Big Ten football game. GO ILLINI! Hope you are enjoying your weekend as much as I am. If you need another reason to smile, check out this adorable video of Michael Buble' and Tony Bennett singing "Just in Time" on the Today show this week: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3041478/. Isn't it precious?

Push for the pennant

As you are probably already aware, the Cubbies have pretty much been out of the race since May. However, I am still interested in the 2006 playoff contenders since I'm a huge fan of baseball in general. The happiest news I received today was that the White Sox are now officially eliminated from postseason play. Can I get an amen? :) I've had enough of the obnoxious South Siders' bragging. This year, there will be a new World Champion. We can only hope it won't be from one of the evil New York teams.

In case you haven't been keeping up with the standings, there are still some teams who haven't clinched their division or the Wild Card yet. The most exciting race in my humble opinion is that of the NL Wild Card. I'm rooting hard core for the Phillies since my friend Carol is a huge fan and because chicks dig the long ball (thanks, Ryan Howard). As for the NL Central, the Cards have been slipping as of late and actually have a chance to blow their division lead. For the rest of this week, it's root, root, root for the Astros. The AL and NL West are also not decided, but I don't know too many people who care. My hope is that the Dodgers somehow manage to win the division and the Padres collapse so that they won't make the playoffs at all. You may think that I am still bitter about the 1984 playoffs, and you would be right. I cannot and will not ever forgive the San Diego organization for causing me unbelievable heartache at such a tender age... Stay tuned next week for my playoff predictions after all of the spots have been decided.

Rock on!

Two weeks ago, I finally broke down and bought an iPod. At the time, it was the biggest one on the market. Then last week, Apple suddenly decided to release an 80 GB version for $50 cheaper. Not cool. However, I have embraced my beautiful, black 60 GB model named Willie Mays Hayes. I just didn't realize how much personal attention an iPod needs. It takes a lot of time to load all of my CD's onto this thing (I currently have 1800 songs in my library and it can hold a whopping 15,000). You also have to make sure your iPod is dressed and protected from the elements. Luckily, my mom and sister have had one for about a year, so they were able to guide me to the iFrogz website to design a custom case: http://ifrogz.com/ . Mine is blue and red with a baseball wheel cover (shocking, I know).

If it takes this much work to maintain a portable electronic device, then I certainly don't think having children is in the cards for me... However, I have enjoyed shopping for Pod gifts like TV shows and games (Pac-Man!). Apple has created a monster because they recently added movies to their iTunes store as well. It looks like I won't be bored the next time I get stuck in an airport. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking up one of these wonderful toys for yourself.

Never forget the lessons learned on 9/11

Here is a great article from Fox Sports regarding the changing role of sports in our lives after 9/11/01: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5953886

I used to be guilty of thinking that how the Cubs were playing was the most important thing in the world. Since that fateful day, I no longer allow a baseball game to carry so much significance in my life (with the exception of the 2003 playoffs, of course). Now, I always try to remember to tell people how much I care about them, just in case tomorrow never comes.

This past weekend, I had the privilege of attending the dedication of the new baseball field at St. Bonaventure University. This was one of the coolest events I have ever experienced. Words cannot describe the impact it had on me. It's not every day that you can see hundreds of people who shared a common experience reunite and reconnect with former teammates, coaches, and staff members. I truly cherish all of the friends that I made at Bona's, and hope that I will be able to attend Baseball Alumni Weekend for many years to come. The events of 9/11 had a tremendous impact on me personally, and I will never forget the lessons learned nor the bond I share with these special people in Western New York.

For Pete's sake, Red Sox-please win tomorrow!

Today was a great day for this baseball fan. First, the Cubbies came back to beat the Cardinals in the 10th inning 5-4. Second, the Reds won, so now they are only 2.5 games back. Awesome! Finally, I just read that Peter Gammons went to the Yankees-Red Sox game:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2554773

However, it cannot be good for his health to see his favorite team lose to the Evil Empire 13-5. Therefore, please pull off a victory tomorrow night, Boston. Baseball fans everywhere want our beloved Peter to get back to his old self again. Falling further out of the Wild Card race is not going to help his road to recovery. Thank you for your support, Big Papi and company. Good luck and God speed.

What kind of soul are you?

You Are a Newborn Soul

You are tolerant, accepting, and willing to give anyone a chance. On the flip side, you're easy to read and easily influenced by others. You have a fresh perspective on life, and you can be very creative. Noconformist and nontraditional, you've never met anyone who's like you. Inventive and artistic, you like to be a trendsetter. You have an upbeat spirit and you like almost everything. You make friends easily and often have long standing friendships. Implusive and trusting, you fall in love a little too easily. Souls you are most compatible with: Bright Star Soul and Dreaming Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

If I Can Dream

There seems to be a misconception out there that the only two topics I care to discuss are baseball and pop culture. If you look at my blog description, I can understand why you might get that impression. However, I am in fact much deeper than that (please don't confuse my lighthearted nature with being shallow). One thing that deeply troubles me is the constant threat of terrorism against the citizens of the United States. Thank God the latest attempt was thwarted, but unlike many other Americans, I have not forgotten about the horrors of 9-11. As an eternal optimist, I would like to believe that someday conditions will improve and that eventually we will achieve world peace. The following song by Elvis Presley gives me hope and comfort during these trying times:

If I Can Dream-

Elvis Presley

There must be lights burning brighter somewhere

Got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue

If I can dream of a better land

Where all my brothers walk hand in hand

Tell me why, oh why, oh why can't my dream come true

There must be peace and understanding sometime

Strong winds of promise that will blow away

All the doubt and fear

If I can dream of a warmer sun

Where hope keeps shining on everyone

Tell me why, oh why, oh why won't that sun appear

We're lost in a cloud

With too much rain

We're trapped in a world

That's troubled with pain

But as long as a man

Has the strength to dream

He can redeem his soul and fly

Deep in my heart there's a trembling question

Still I am sure that the answer gonna come somehow

Out there in the dark, there's a beckoning candle

And while I can think, while I can talk

While I can stand, while I can walk

While I can dream, please let my dream

Come true, right now

Let it come true right now

Oh yeah

My Five Factor Personality Profile

***Your Five Factor Personality Profile***

Extroversion:

You have high extroversion.
You are outgoing and engaging, with both strangers and friends.
You truly enjoy being with people and bring energy into any situation.
Enthusiastic and fun, you're the first to say "let's go!"

Conscientiousness:

You have medium conscientiousness.
You're generally good at balancing work and play.
When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done.
But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it. (that's for sure)

Agreeableness:

You have high agreeableness.
You are easy to get along with, and you value harmony highly.
Helpful and generous, you are willing to compromise with almost anyone.
You give people the benefit of the doubt and don't mind giving someone a second chance.

Neuroticism:

You have low neuroticism.
You are very emotionally stable and mentally together.
Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly.
Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure.

Openness to experience:

Your openness to new experiences is high.
In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas.
You'll try almost anything interesting, and you're constantly pushing your own limits.
A great connoisseur of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.


The Five Factor Personality Test:

http://www.blogthings.com/thefivefactorpersonalitytest/