Idol does not become him

So Philip won Idol.  That's the 5th white guy with a guitar in a row.  It's okay though.  He done good.  He done so good that he gave up halfway through his coronation song and just wept, looked super awkward, and then walked off stage, looking like he was just voted off, and sought solace in the arms of his family.  His family did their best to shield him from his celebration and adoring fans, but those camera men are ninjas.  It took FOREVER for Idol to finally realize that the show was over.  A completely uncomfortable moment, courtesy of reality television.  Thanks, Idol.  For the millionth time, you remind us how little you care about your contestants and viewers.  But who am I kidding?  I'll watch next year.  It's got me, and it's got me for good.

 
The finale was mostly crazy, with too many women in catsuits and leg cutouts and dancing and non-singing and hollerating and poorly rehearsed medleys and bad duets.  Basically, the same as last year, only with Neil Diamond.  They did manage to make fun of Randy in a funny, clever, entertaining, good humored way.  It's shockingly good.  That's how low my expectations are for this ridiculously addictive terrible television show.  It just hurts so good.

Steven was excited about the victory, as Philip is the first Idol he's liked.  It took almost 5 years, but Steven has finally admitted his deepest darkest guilty pleasure.  He loves frat rock.  He hid it under the layers of Joanna Newsom and Adam Green and Bjork, but secretly, his heart beats for OAR and 311 and DMB, just like everyone else.  Oh, and Carly Rae Jepsen.  He literally can't hold a conversation with me if that song is on the radio.  He's adorable.

Idol is about a million times more entertaining if you also follow the recaps.  I discover new ones every year, and they're always terrific.  It's such a huge ratings monster that all the major publications have to cover it, but they still operate on such a silly and cheap scale (Randy Jackson, terrible set pieces, vague "themes", same songs over and over) that there is plenty for the critical and articulate recapper to eviscerate.  My favorites are Annie Barrett at EW, Jay Caspian Kang at Grantland, Dave Holmes at Vulture and Michael Slezak's web series Idology at TVLine.  It's the real reason Steven still watches the non-Philip parts of the show with me.

In my mind, Joshua won after this performance in top 5 week.  So let's just pretend this was the coronation song and go to bed happy.  Take it away, sweet little Ledet.

I'll probably sneak some more Idol videos in via links throughout summer blog posts, but this is my last Idol-centric blog post of 2012.  Thanks and you're welcome.  Miller - out.

Idol and music and videos and blogging!

I haven't posted about Idol this year.  That. is. tragic.  My favorite got third, as usual.  He's amazing.  Proof:

The final two this year are Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips.  Jessica is classic Idol (huge voice, tiny person), Phillip is new age Idol (harmless cutie pie white guy).  The show desperately needs balladeer Jessica to win, but Phillip is on a hot streak right now.  Proof:

And he was definitely the best tonight.  Much like Jessica's "save" earlier this season, I say the producers call it in Jessica's favor to save face and give the top 5 record deals.  The stakes really aren't that high on the 12th go-round.  Everyone wins at this stage.

It is nice to see that my music is finally becoming mainstream.  I don't mean that to sound like that Cake song, just that I like that whiny, quiet, singer/songwriter music is now found on Top 40 radio.  Thanks, Adele.

Speaking of awesome music, let's share some more videos, yes?  How about California hipster rock group Dawes?  Yummy.

Or did you know that Regina has a new album coming out next Tuesday?  You can stream her album for free on NPR all week. 

If you follow me on Twitter (ksusue) then you love me and know how much I love last year's 3rd place Idol finisher, Haley Reinhart.  Seriously, buy the album and Listen Up!.

 

Last but not least, this song is getting me through the long summer workdays.  I love my job, but I love my husband more.  As it should be. 

Happy listening!  Remember to laugh and watch more TV.  Always.

2011: A very, very good year

In 2011 I:

-finished grad school
-married a super cool dude
-became a Miller
-planned a wedding and survived
-met and fell in love with Katie Lobmeyer
-discovered and devoured Dexter, Breaking Bad, Homeland, The Wire, Happy Endings, Cougar Town, Community and New Girl
-saw Black Swan and scarred my soul
-broke up with Miranda July, just a little bit, after watching The Future
-watched K-State win 10 regular season football games
-went to New Orleans and St. Louis for the first time
-moved back into my favorite apartment
-ate an enormous amount of chinese food
-developed a healthy addiction to sweet tea
-still managed to lose 15 pounds
-maintained a steady relationship with the natatorium (see: previous line)
-let Jason Katims make me cry. Consistently.
-was blown away by Haley Reinhart and that stupid, stupid show
-helped a zillion people graduate
-discovered Spencer Hall and his amazing EDSBS site and alphabetical column

It was a ridiculously good year for me. And then, in the last week of this stellar 2011, I was offered my very first library job. The adventure begins January 23rd. 2012 better bring it.

Pre-season picks

Hey guess what? It's still not football season. I've been doing research to try to satisfy my cravings, but it's futile. Here are my expert predictions, for those of you who have real lives that don't revolve around college football season. They could turn out to be terrible underperformers like Frank Murphy, Brandon Harold, and Marcus Watts: the later years. But for now, they're the highest of my hopes.

DEFENSE

We's gonna get you... just, maybe, don't move so fast all the time.

#27, Cornerback: David Garrett

What's a defensive player doing playing receiver? Thanks, other guys.

David's my favorite defensive player this year. He's small. He's mighty. He's undersized and extra motivated. Basically, he's the K-State special of the year. Only Snyder would give him a chance and only Snyder could get him to be so productive. Though I don't put much stock in silly David Ubben, he chose Garrett as our only representative on this list. So, there's that. Also, can you believe Herbie's prediction about Tuggle? He's not even a fan and he's still drinking the Blinn Co. kool-aid. It's enough to make me wonder...

#12, Safety: Ty Zimmerman

Junction City native, coach's son, eager to please with great instincts. His big game last year was against Texas, where he picked off Garrett Gilbert twice. Since then, you can find two jerseys in town - #8 and #12. He's still learning, but he never makes the same mistake twice. I like watching him grow up play by play. His family should help keep him from the sophomore slump and I'm hoping he's even more surprising this year. He can't hit like Cooper, but he's got a little Canty in him.

#4, Middle Linebacker: Arthur Brown

I'm buying the hype. For starters, the bar is set so low for the K-State run defense. Arthur has the speed and the size and the football IQ to create immediate improvement. Dude is silly fast. I'm not sure if he's the leader he needs to be to keep the unit together, but he'll at least incite some fire on the line. Coach likes him, I like him. Also, this video sure makes both of the brothers look pretty damn cool.

#3, Cornerback: Allen Chapman

I have no idea if Allen will be any good. The cornerback position is supposedly the most competitive on the team and on the first depth chart he was falling behind. That aside, his teammates call him Bubba and his middle name is Furious. You've got to have faith in a name like that. Now wait a second. Stop, think, and get a good clear picture in your mind of what you think Bubba Furious looks like. Were you right? About any of it?

OFFENSE

Yes I know, Daniel Thomas is gone. We have a new #8 this year, but I doubt we'll see anything as cool as this for awhile.

#28, Running Back: Robert Rose

He's the little one. Yes, the really little one.

I hope this kid plays, because he is absolutely my favorite offensive player this year. I love tiny running backs. Coach is still being coy about him, but I like this comparison. Realistically, he's third string, but I think the position will have a lot of rotation this year to keep lines guessing. He's a William Powell story, though a little less tragic. His trainer is Mario Smith, which means we have a new reason to watch this clip again. How can you not cheer for a tiny running back? Tiny running backs and giant fullbacks. It's classic Big 8 football.

#7, QB1: Collin Klein

An obvious choice, but he's just such a good guy. He even understands the importance of clean room/dirty room coaching. His main strength should be his leadership, which might just be enough to keep Bryce in check. His option read was terrific last year - the biggest question is whether he can utilize all those wide receivers Michael Smith has coached up.

#37, Fullback: Braden Wilson

Rock Cartwright (real) and Tim Riggins (fictional) are two of my favorite football players of all time. The fullback position is such a physical, dominating surprise. You either get a huge block or a crazy run or you have no idea they exist. Braden is an NFL caliber fullback that has earned huge praise from Snyder. Now that Daniel Thomas is gone and Snyder is busy teaching Bryce Brown humility, Braden should get the carries and the notice he deserves. Oh, and he's from Smith Center. He's Bill Snyder football.

#16, Wide Receiver: Tyler Lockett

All the receivers look great, and I doubt Tyler will get much playing time, unless we have the same injury problems as last year. I'd love to see Tyler emerge as our go-to return guy on special teams, but he could be a couple of years away from that. My sentimental heart can't not put him on my list. I'm sure he'll be the number I look for the most, even if he turns in a quiet freshman season. It'll be exciting to see if it turns out more like his Daddy or his Uncle. Oh, and does anyone else remember this? I'm surprised Tyler was allowed to play after that.

Is it too early to get excited for the other #4? Probably. But this is encouraging.

Final Prediction: I think we win 10 games this year, but we'll need the bowl game to do it. Yup. I'm adopting the Steven Miller philosophy of reckless optimism. Why not?

Goodness, I love that tunnel.

Playing favorites

My top 5 indulgences:

1. Getting my hair cut at Gaia

It's completely extravagant. First you get a five minute scalp massage. Then they wash your hair in fancy Aveda shampoo. Then after the shampoo they wrap a hot wet towel around your head. Then they cut your hair and fix it fancy with tons of product. Then they even put powder on your face and gloss or chapstick your lips for you. It's amazing. Crystal has been my hairdresser at Gaia for the past two years and she is the most normal, down to earth, regular person. Her hair is always the same, she's never wearing heels and I don't even think she wears make-up. She's awesome. And it's worth it.

2. Lunch at Houlihan's

This one is pretty simple. At lunch, they bring you fresh, hot, chocolate chip cookies. Regardless of what you order. And if you go with Steven, you get to eat both of the cookies because he can't have dairy. Sure, it's probably triple the calories of your entire meal but again, totally worth it.

3. HBO

I canceled Netflix this week. Steven finally convinced me that while we have HBO, we don't really need Netflix. I got HBO because of the HBO Go app that lets you watch entire seasons of old and new HBO shows. I've been meaning to see all of The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Deadwood, The Wire, Treme, Boardwalk Empire, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Big Love anyway. Now I get it whenever I want it, no rental required. But he's right. There's no reason to pay for Netflix when all I'm streaming is HBO shows right now. I can't believe it finally came to this. Feels like the end of an era. Now the Wii is even more ignored.

4. Sweatpants

Since I started working full-time (it's been 3 years now. How can that BE?) I've developed a deep affinity for sweatpants. I own one pair of jeans that fits and one pair that fits for a night out. The rest of my pants are sweatpants. Different lengths, different colors, different weights. And the one that rules them all is my gray pair of super soft, incredibly comfy Gap Outlet Gap Body gray sweatpants. I think I might cry if I lost them. I hate washing them, because laundry should always be done in sweatpants, and you should always wear your comfiest pants. Even now, in the middle of a heatwave, we keep the AC high enough that I can wear them when I come home from work. And I do! Immediately! I remember thinking it was odd that Mom changed clothes every day right after work. Dad never changed. I never changed after school. But now I get it. After spending all day in panty hose, dresses, skirts, khakis, there is nothing better then changing into your lounge clothes and just leaving all of the workday behind. Everyone should own a truly wonderful pair of sweatpants.

5. The Cabin

The cabin is the best week of the year, every year. It has it all. More chips than you could ever eat. More pop than you should ever consume. There's awesome sister giggle time. There's adorable nieces. There's quality time with Dad. There's Matthew's biscuits and gravy. There's sausage and sauerkraut. There's hammock naps and sky chairs and fluffy recliners and Brennen music. There's card games and dominoes and puzzles and reading aloud. There's sunrises and sunsets and rain and fresh air and you get to wear your sweatpants all week long. It is extravagance in the best possible way.

How are you doing?

I ran into a former colleague on campus today and she asked me how I was doing. Not in a general way, but in a pointed, concerned, how are you doing? I wanted to tell her the truth. I wanted to say:

"Great! I've been watching Million Dollar Decorators and Dexter and I just love it. Don't you wish real life was more like that?"

or

"Fantastic! I've been drinking more water and eating bananas and taking probiotics and I feel better than ever. Thank you so much for noticing!"

or

"Stressed. I tried to order my personalized playing cards for the wedding from The Knot wedding shop, but then I miscalculated the discount so I tried to add 10 more decks to the order and then miscalculated it again and wanted to go back down to the original order and now the original charge isn't showing up in my online banking and their customer service hours are in PST time which I think is Pacific which I can never figure out except it's really late because when we play UCLA in football the game doesn't start until 10. Y'know?"

or

"Indecisive. I'm putting together my wedding registry and can't quite picture every room in my future home so I just keep registering for different types of the same thing in different colors just in case. Also, do you think I'll ever need a ramekin?"

But instead I just said that I finished grad school. It's really the perfect response. Specific, current, academic, and a complete thought that needs no supporting details to make sense. How are you? Fine, I finished grad school. Congratulations! Good seeing you. Exit.

I can't say that I wished more people truly told me how they were. My friends, yes. Family, bring it on. Funny strangers, absolutely. Students, waiters, janitors, landlords - keep it to yourself. But it would be nice to run into these former colleagues and get a 30 second snap shot of their actual lives and thoughts and activities that day. We pass each other so formally now, in between meetings on campus or in the food court at the union. It would be so great if we could just dial back in to those times we used to work together, and pick up as if no time had passed. What's the point of building a network if they all just become awkward acquaintances?

I suppose I should really spear head this movement by acting on this impulse instead of cowardly posting about it after the fact. I guess I could say that this blog is the first attempt at leading this movement because it has become its own sort of awkward acquaintance over the past year. Let the truth stand in this blog, a symbol for what is and what should never be. (Yes, that was a reference to the Zeppelin song recently covered by Haley Reinhart on American Idol. Yes, you are correct in thinking that she is amazing and you should set up a Google Alert for her.... now).

In the spirit of saying exactly what's on my mind, here's a countdown of things I'm looking forward to. You're welcome to join me in anticipation.

20 days until the season 4 premiere of Breaking Bad on AMC
25 days until we visit the Coffindaffers in St. Louis
33 days until we leave for the cabin
68 days until kick-off
4 months and 7 days until the wedding
4 months and 9 days until the honeymoon

Oh, and I'm not sure if you caught on to this yet, but I did in fact finish grad school. I'm all done. Forever and ever and ever amen. Bring on watermelon for dinner and TV on DVD marathons. It's summer and I've earned it.

Home

Last year Steven and I spent Memorial Day weekend painting our house. Remember that? We spent all weekend cleaning walls, tarping furniture, listening to Harry Potter on CD and stressing ourselves out over purple and orange walls and buying the right paintbrushes. And now, a year later, we spent our Memorial Day packing up that enormous house to move back into the apartment I lived in when we first met.

It's a good thing. A very good thing.

The Hillcrest house was my first house. I learned a lot about my preferences from that house. For one, I think I prefer pastel paint colors. And Steven DEFINITELY prefers pastels. Second, I hate wood floors. This is odd, because I love the details of old houses, and pretty nearly every house that I've liked on the outside has wood floors on the inside. I hate wood floors so much that I completely understand people who put carpet down over wood floors. They just get so dirty. All the time. You have to dust every day. And your feet are cold. And you spend all this time looking for giant rugs to put over your beautiful dirty wood floor. And you have to have more than a stick vacuum that has no attachments to clean anything other than wood floors.

Like I said, it's a good thing.

Moving back to the Pierre house appeals to me on a lot of different levels. First, the nostalgia and sentimentality of the situation is just perfect. I wrote a journal entry my first (first) night in the Pierre house and it was all about hope and wonder about what that apartment and year would bring me. And I was right to feel a sense of "big" coming. That was the year I graduated from college (early) and met Steven. I only got to live in the Pierre house for 6 months because of the early graduation decision and I hated leaving. The first place I moved after the Pierre house turned out to be full of mold. Remember that one? We walked by it on our way to Orange Leaf last night and saw this happy sign:



To live here this year, the year I get to marry Steven and finish my Masters degree and watch K-State go to a BCS bowl again (Brown brothers!) is the best possible scenario that I could have imagined.

It's good to be home.