(As part of the #31DaysofWriting Challenge, we are challenged to write every single day. Today, I'm going to cheat... well, sort of cheating... I took something that I wrote in 2011, and rewrote it, all about the trip that The Lovely Steph Leann & I took to Disneyland--not World, but Land. I thought it was still good material, having been a draft post since June of 2011... so with the re-write, it totally counts for the daily challenge!)
So back in May of 2011, The Lovely Steph Leann and I took a somewhat whirlwind trip (said me to her when we got back: "that was a whirlwind trip... but then again, they all are, aren't they?") to Anaheim, California, to Disneyland--now, this is before Campbell Isaiah came along, though he was actually in The Lovely Steph Leann's tummy (or uterus, if we want to be exact).
We had a few free passes (thanks to our friends The Halperts & the Clarks) to work with, passes that would expire on May 28th of 2011 if they were not used. We had a couple of Southwest flights to use, or they would expire, and we ended up using some Marriott points that The Lovely Steph Leann had accrued and saved over the years. So, we flew for free, stayed for free and went for free, which makes for a nice weekend... I'd love to tell you we saved loads of money, but we just turned around and spent that money on important things like blankets, pins, a Boo plush and way too expensive corn dogs and lobster. (but not together cause... well, eww).
We flew into LAX from Birmingham on a flight that left at 710 in the morning--Big Daddy Ron and Mama Ruthless picked us up at 545 and took us to The Birmingham International Airport & Package Store, and we were boarding within an hour of arrival. The flight landed in Phoenix, though we kept the same flight. (text from Hurricane Rhett, after I left a FB status that said "We are in Phoenix": "What, did you lose a bet"?) We did end up dashing off the plane, though, to grab some lunch at the Airport Wendys and then back on the plane were we discovered the joys of the two seats by the emergency exit.
If you are willing to take the burden of the lives of 200 people on your shoulders in the .04% that plane goes down, sit by the emergency exit. On our flight there (and the place back as well), there were two seats with extra leg room, instead of the cramped three seat row the rest of the plane dealt with. I understood the risk and the lives (or loss thereof) of the passengers on the plane was an acceptable risk for us to have a little breathing room.
We arrived at LAX around 1130 in the morning, but due to the time change in flying west, the whole trip took about five hours or so... we came off the plane and into the terminal, I looked around in wonder as I was now in Los Angeles, the City of Angels, LA, LaLaLand, Hollyweird... and it looked... it looked... well, like an airport terminal. Not an especially impressive one, at that.
After getting our luggage, we headed outside to catch a cab, which was a predetermined decision. We didn't really look at shuttles because we were told by numerous people that shuttles and cabs would be about the same price, and a shuttle would stop at several different locations while a cab would take us straight there--we were headed to the Marriott Towne Place Suites in Anaheim, about a half mile from the stadium were the Anaheim Angels play, and about two miles from Disneyland itself.
In not researching effectively like we should, we learned quickly two things when it comes to traveling via cab... first, its better to fly into a closer airport. LAX is about 35 miles from our hotel, while John Wayne Airport is only about 20 or so. Second, a shuttle is better. You pay one price, set, per person. This lesson was grounded into our brains as we watched the little fare meter tick up 30 cents at a time, every 1/9th of a mile. One-ninth of a mile. Thats about 3 bucks per mile. For 35 miles.
To make sure we weren't being hornswoggled, I pulled up the GPS on my iPhone and punched in the address and map from LAX to Towne Place... Valerty Kozhevnikov (I didn't make that name up, and had to look at it about nine times when I typed it into a comment on Facebook) followed pretty much the same route as listed on my GPS, and my man was flying through some of it. But nonentheless, the bill at the end, plus tip, topped out around $115. Valerty didn't smile one bit the entire ride, nor really even speak to us besides, "What izz you travel to?" at the beginning... until he was unloading our luggage. "You vacation?" Yes, going to Disneyland. "Yes, good place. You have much fun." Thank you sir. Here is your fare. "Thank you so much." Big smile, and he was gone.
It was kind of a neat ride though... not for the cab itself, but to pass by all these signs representing streets and neighborhoods I hear about in pop culture... Compton and Long Beach, together? Man, you know you in trouble.
Anyway, we checked in, it was a nice little room with a small living space (that we never sat in), a small kitchen (that we only used to keep a half full bottle of stale Coke and a partly sipped-out-of bottle of water cold), a bathroom that was functional and a bedroom that had a bed that was decently comfy enough for sleeping after walking a theme park...
...you have to understand something, though... if any of you were to call us from Disney World in Orlando, and say, "Hey, I'm standing facing Stitch's Great Escape, and I need to get to the Splash Mountain bathrooms... can you help me?" either me or The Lovely Steph Leann would quickly start in with, "Okay, so go left across the bridge and..." But at Disneyland? We have no clue. At Disney World, we can easily navigate from pretty much any of the resorts, choosing to either drive (which we do to most parks except for Magic Kingdom) or take a boat (which we would if we were staying at Wilderness Lodge) or a bus (which we do sometimes if we are going to Magic Kingdom) or a monorail (perfect for getting to the Grand Flo, the Temp or the Poly)...
But Anaheim is a whole different animal. Its a big ol' town nestled in a bigger ol' city, and unlike WDW, we were staying off-property, which means we were on our own when it came to getting around. We discoverd the ART, the Anaheim Resort Transit system and for $16 bucks each, we bought five day passes that would allow us rides to the park at :20 after the hour and from the park at :40 after the hour. Of course, this again is not what we are used to, because when we want to leave Hollywood Studios we... well, we leave. We catch the boat to Epcot, or the bus to our resort, or we just hop in the car. But suddenly we were on a time schedule to make sure we were in time to catch the bus to the park, or risk waiting another hour (or, heaven forbid, a cab ride), and we had to be back at the bus stop soon enough to catch the bus to the hotel, or risk being caught for another hour (or, heaven forbid, miss the last bus of the night and face a cab ride).
So, we get our luggage down, we get changed and take a little nap, and around 3pm (this is Pacific, ie, Cali time) we were up and getting ready for Disneyland. We were at the bus stop at 320, and the bus pulled up about ten minutes later, which would prove to be a habit for these ART rides.
Luckily, the bus stop is a mere three minute walk from the front gates of the park...
...but before I dive into our vacation, let me give you a little background on Disneyland, just so you'll know.
I'm a nut for Disney history, and much of this info comes from Neal Gabler's excellent Walt Disney bio called simply, "Walt Disney", and some of it comes from just reading various blogs and listening to Disney podcasts and the like. (ps... this is before I became a Disney Travel Specialist... want me to plan your trip? Gimme a call...)
Disneyland was a creation of Walt Disney, and legend has it that he was with his daughters one day in a park, and began to wonder why there wasn't a place for the whole family to go and have fun together. Though passed off as fact, even in Wikipedia, this has never been substantiated, and Neal Gabler writes in the aforementioned bio that a number of his fellow animators and employees would say that Walt all told them his idea in a different way, and few of their re-tellings has Walt saying nothing about his family at the park.
What started out as a small idea for a "Mickey Mouse Park" soon evolved into a much larger plan for a "Walt Disney Land", soon shortened to "Disney Land" and then "Disneyland", and construction started in 1954. The park opened for a "Press preview day" that invited the press and media, as well as celebrities from around the area and their families. What was supposed to be a stellar day was a nightmare for Disney. They were expecting around 10 to 12K people, but over 28,000 people showed up that day. The asphalt was still so new that ladies high heels were sinking into the ground, the plumber's strike in the area barely got the restrooms working and left them without working water fountains. The press saw this as a greedy attempt to sell more soda and reported it as such.
Since it was in July, it was hot, but the summer of 55 saw the temperature top 101 degrees, with vendors running out of food, attractions breaking down for part or all of the day, and even though only a certain number of tickets were given out, there were people with ladders propped up on the side of the wall offering anyone and everyone a chance to climb the ladder and get in for a few bucks. The celebrities that were scheduled to show up actually had a schedule, where their arrival times were staggered all day... and yet, they showed up pretty much all at once. July 17th, 1955 was called "Black Sunday" years later by Walt Disney and the company.
July 18th, however, could not have been smoother. Things were working, the water was on, the food was there and over 50,000 people came in on the official "Opening Day".
Disneyland opened with five lands: Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Frontierland and Main Street USA, then added three more lands in the coming years, that being New Orleans Square (1966), Bear Country, which then became Critter Country (1972) and Mickey's Toontown (1993). There was a "Holidayland" that opened in 1957, but it closed in 1961, and is considered the "lost land" in Disney lore.
Disneyland is tucked in the heart of Anaheim with a nearby park, California Adventure (and I do mean "nearby", as I counted 207 of my footsteps from one gate to the other), and when you pull up, you can see immediately some differences. Mostly that there is non-Disney businesses--hotels, restaurants, banks, touristy shops--tightly surrounding the parks. Walt would later lament the fact that he wasn't able to buy a lot of land in the area, which led to the flurry of places opening up and trying to capitalize on the Disneyland patrons. He felt that, if you can be on Dumbo's Flying Circus and look out and see a hotel sign, the fantasy, the illusion of imagination was ruined.
It was this thinking that led him to a Disneyland East, eventually called "The Florida Project"... buying enough land in Central Florida so once you entered the Walt Disney World, you could completely immerse yourself in the experience without outside distractions.
In 1991, an idea was floated around concerning a second park in California, notably "WestCOT", a California version of Epcot, but by 1995, those plans were all but abandoned. A new park was in the works, though, and in 1998, the parking lot for Disneyland was pulled up and turned into Disney's California Adventure, which opened in 2001.
DCA was one of Michael Eisner's last big accomplishments before his ouster in the early 2000s, though it had a rocky beginning. For one thing, many people felt the attractions and rides weren't up to normal Disney standards in both entertainment value and quality, with some critics calling the park "mediocre". Over time, however, Disney removed some failing attractions and added in new ones, like The Tower of Terror, and of course The World of Color, that has revived the park and peoples interest in it. Though coming in last in all of Disney's theme parks in the world rankings in 2009, it still finished as the 11th most visited park in the world.
In 2007, Disney announced a billion dollar renovation of the park which will included a new gateway, a transformation of part of the park to the 1930s style Hollywood, instillation of vintage red trolley cars, retheming Paradise Pier into a Victorian style turn of the century boardwalk park, and of course, the addition of Cars Land, starring McQueen, Mater and the gang.
So, there is your update.
(And this is where it ends, which is good, because I don't remember the day to day of the trip, just that we had a blast... thanks for reading)
Showing posts with label Disneyland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Disneyland. Show all posts
Friday, October 24, 2014
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
podcasts
Happy National Podcast Day. I had no clue this was Podcast Day until I saw a post from my buddy Clay Shaver, who posted something promoting some other podcasts on Facebook.
Since I left Starbucks a year ago... and wow, it's been almost 11 months... and have taken a desk job, I literally have anywhere from 7 to 9, sometimes 10 hours per day of time when I can listen to audiobooks and podcasts... if I don't, I might go crazy.
It makes me think back to those long days at Parisian Corp or NBC 13, when I sat at a desk, inputting data and such, and had nothing to think about but my own thoughts. A decade later, the 160g iPod is loaded with over 130 episodes of over 30 different podcasts. So in honor of National Podcast Day, I thought I'd give you a quick run down of the podcasts I listen to daily, or weekly...
First, shameless plug... check out The Deucecast Movie Picture Show, the movie podcast that I co-host with my pal Mikey and our Movie Padawan P!nky... give us a listen, we would appreciate it. If you like movies, I think you'd like our show...
Now, back to the lecture at hand...
These are in no particular order...
Talk Show/Social Commentary Podcasts...
The Rush Limbaugh Show... Yep. It's daily. And anyone who hates Rush has probably never listened to the show for more than an hour or so, then is told what to think by Jon Stewart or Anderson Cooper. But that's another story. (weekdays, an hour and 45 minutes to get through all three parts)
The Adam Carolla Show... Language is strong here, but it's usually very funny. Typically has actors and comedians as guests, but the show staff is also great. (weekdays, 90 minutes average)
Alison Rosen is Your New Best Friend... The gorgeous Alison is the "news girl" for Adam Carolla, and has her own show... the Monday show is her "interview" show, where she has deep conversations with other Hollywood types, while the Thursday show is a roundtable of personalities and Carolla show producers, and I, like many fans, find the Thursday show to be the best one. One of my top three shows. (Monday and Thursday, both shows run about 90 minutes)
Sorry Not Sorry... Comedian Jenna Kim Jones hosts this very clean, comical show with her husband, and at 30 minutes, its a great little conversation about life and her Mormon faith. (sporadic, about a 1/2 hour per episode)
SPORTS PODCASTS
ESPN's Pardon the Interruption... Usually the first 'cast of the day, it's the 20 minute replay from the previous episode of PTI with Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser (weekdays)
ESPN's Mike & Mike in the Morning... Its a "best of" show featuring the two Mikes--Golic and Greenberg--and taking 45-60 minutes of the best stuff from that morning's show (weekdays)
The BS Report with Bill Simmons... I've been a fan of Bill Simmons, the Sports Guy, for at least 12 years, back when he was simply The Boston Sports Guy. I usually enjoy this show, though when he dives into too much fantasy stuff, or pop culture stuff that I'm not into (like shows about Game of Thrones), I'll skip the episode. He's on suspension now, so what unfolds in a few weeks will be quite interesting... (a few times per week, usually an hour to 1:15 or so)
ESPN Championship Drive... It's the best college football podcast out there, discussing the previous weekend and the upcoming games as well (weekdays, 45-60 minutes)
The Dave Dameshek Show... The NFL Network's Dameshek is funny, if not a little annoying sometimes, but it's a great NFL recap and preview (twice a week, 45-60 minutes)
Mark Out Loud... Yep, its a wrestling show, but hosts Steve Glosson and Dave Jones are the best kind of hosts... they are fans first, and hosts second. (a few times per month, around 2 hours per episode)
The Steve Austin Podcast & Talk is Jericho... Two different shows, with Steven Austin and Chris Jericho hosting their respective podcasts. Both are funny, different styles, and usually have actors, musicians and many times, former wrestlers on their shows. Jericho's show with Edge and Paul Heyman (Episode #50) was hands down one of the best podcast episodes I've ever heard. Austin is Tuesday & Thursday, with Tuesday being the "clean show" and Thursday being the "unleashed (re: language filled) show... Jericho is Wednesday and Friday, and both are mostly family friendly. (Both shows run about an hour to an 1:15 each)
ENTERTAINMENT PODCASTS
Doug Loves Movies... Host Doug Benson, a complete stoner, hosts the game show podcast where various celebrities and comedians come on to play a round of "The Leonard Maltin Game", just one of several movie games. This is in my top three favorite shows. He also does "Doug Loves Minis", a quick 10-15 minute show with snippets from smaller games at comedy clubs. (once or twice per week, 60-90 minutes per show)
The Film Vault... One of the podcasts I've been listening to the longest, Bald Bryan Bishop, sound effect guy on the Adam Carolla Show, teams with Anderson Cowen, co-host of The After Disaster Podcast (which I've never listened to), and they do a great movie show with a theme, a top five and lots of language filled banter.
The Popcast... Jamie Golden of Jamie's Rabbits Blog and Knox McCoy team up to give an hour's worth of snark and wit in discussing Hollywood, television, trends and the goings on in the pop culturey world. I disagree with some of their choices, and fully endorse others... it's a show I wish I could be on! (weekly or so, an hour-ish)
TechnoRetro Dads... Family men and friends Shaz and Jedi Shua are the hosts of this wildly entertaining trip down nostalgic lane, in discussing lots of Star Wars and other geeky things. (weekly, 77 minutes per show)
Car Talk... Everyone knows about Car Talk, but what you may not know is, these guys retired some years ago. Yet, they've done enough material on their shows that the segments can be replayed without repeating, once a week for another 6 or 7 years. Highly entertaining. (Saturdays, 60 minutes per show)
Five Minutes With Dad... Dad Nick Pavlidis has his 5 year old son, Pavlos, on every week to talk about... whatever. Its short, its funny and it's really kinda sweet. (weekly, 5-10 minutes per episode.)
DISNEY PODCASTS
The Dis Unplugged... Probably the best show out there because of how simply unbiased it is. Host Pete Werner seems like he's a little angry all the time, but the rest of the cast balances him out. And on the panel is Jeni Lynn, and she's just delightful. With a different cast, they also have the Dis Unplugged Disneyland Edition and the Dis Unplugged Universal Show, both very informative and entertaining. (all during the week, each show runs about an hour or so)
Inside the Magic... Host Ricky Brigante brings this show every week like clockwork, first with Disney and area news, then many times interviews, trip reports, various reviews and so on, before wrapping it up with listener feedback. (Sunday nights, usually, about an hour long)
Disney Vault Talk... A premise I wish I had thought of. Steve Glosson (from the Mark Out Loud show, a member of the Geek Out Loud podcast lineup) and spunky Teresa Delgado started with Snow White, and each show is dedicated to the next Disney animated classic. Just finished with Make Mine Music, and Fun and Fancy Free is next... but half the show is reader emails, talking about Disney and so on--quite entertaining. (a few times per month, show runs around 2 hours)
Be Our Guest Podcast... Host Mike Rahmann and his co-horts Rikki and Pam dish up all the latest and greatest at Disney World in a fun little show, with the Wednesday show usually being just listener emails. (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 30-45 minutes each)
WDW Today... Another roundtable discussion, in the vein of Dis Unplugged, with a few long time Disney fans, including Len Testa, who co-wrote the Unofficial Guide to WDW that comes out every year (I have my copy already for 2015). (a few times per week, 30-45 minutes each)
WDW Radio... Host Lou Mongello is beloved among Disney fans, as his booming voice and strong personality lends itself to an entertaining show. He'll usually do one regular news show about the happenings at the parks, then other shows are topic-specific, from "best snacks at Epcot" to "the nooks and crannies of Hollywood Studios". (weekly or so, 30 minutes for regular shows, an hour or more for topical shows)
Skywalking Thru Neverland... Rich and Sarah, hubby and wife, take a geeked out look at Star Wars and Disney, and honestly, I could listen to Sarah laugh for hours. They are fun together. (weekly, 60-90 minutes shows)
ENCOURAGEMENT/BUSINESS/LEADERSHIP/FEEL GOODZ
The Remodeling Clay Podcast... Can't say enough about this dude. Weighed over 400 pounds, lost over half his body weight (he lost like, the Olsen twins, and some of another one) and is dedicated to helping people "Becoming the Best Version of You". Clay is a no-nonsense, yet still has some sarcastic fun, solid host. (1-2 times per week, 30-45 minute shows)
The Live Your List Podcast... Two guys who's passion is for your to live out your bucket list. They talk to authors and leaders from all fields on everything from time management to finding your passion. (1-2 times per week, 30 minutes usually)
The Dave Ramsey Show... You know who this is. And it's an hour from his daily show (daily, 45 minutes)
So there's my list. In the morning, I usually listen to ESPN PTI first... then, if it's Monday or Thursday, I listen to Alison Rosen. Rush Limbaugh is next... if a Doug Loves Movies is available, that's next up, but if not, I go to The Adam Carolla Show. I'll next take on Live Your List and Remodeling Clay, followed by Disney casts like Dis Unplugged, WDW Today, WDW News and a few others. After lunch, a sports block of Mike & Mike, Championship Drive and The BS Report. This will take me to mid-afternoon, then I listen to the podcasts I have left, including Dave Ramsey, Five Minutes with Dad, Y2J and Steve Austin, then anything else outstanding. That will get me home... and at night, I'll finish up any casts left, or dive into an audiobook when I'm doing dishes, running errands or the like.
What podcasts do I need to pick up, do you think?
Since I left Starbucks a year ago... and wow, it's been almost 11 months... and have taken a desk job, I literally have anywhere from 7 to 9, sometimes 10 hours per day of time when I can listen to audiobooks and podcasts... if I don't, I might go crazy.
 |
| The Non-Disney Podcasts that I listen to on a daily/weekly basis |
First, shameless plug... check out The Deucecast Movie Picture Show, the movie podcast that I co-host with my pal Mikey and our Movie Padawan P!nky... give us a listen, we would appreciate it. If you like movies, I think you'd like our show...
Now, back to the lecture at hand...
These are in no particular order...
Talk Show/Social Commentary Podcasts...
The Rush Limbaugh Show... Yep. It's daily. And anyone who hates Rush has probably never listened to the show for more than an hour or so, then is told what to think by Jon Stewart or Anderson Cooper. But that's another story. (weekdays, an hour and 45 minutes to get through all three parts)
The Adam Carolla Show... Language is strong here, but it's usually very funny. Typically has actors and comedians as guests, but the show staff is also great. (weekdays, 90 minutes average)
Alison Rosen is Your New Best Friend... The gorgeous Alison is the "news girl" for Adam Carolla, and has her own show... the Monday show is her "interview" show, where she has deep conversations with other Hollywood types, while the Thursday show is a roundtable of personalities and Carolla show producers, and I, like many fans, find the Thursday show to be the best one. One of my top three shows. (Monday and Thursday, both shows run about 90 minutes)
Sorry Not Sorry... Comedian Jenna Kim Jones hosts this very clean, comical show with her husband, and at 30 minutes, its a great little conversation about life and her Mormon faith. (sporadic, about a 1/2 hour per episode)
SPORTS PODCASTS
ESPN's Pardon the Interruption... Usually the first 'cast of the day, it's the 20 minute replay from the previous episode of PTI with Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser (weekdays)
ESPN's Mike & Mike in the Morning... Its a "best of" show featuring the two Mikes--Golic and Greenberg--and taking 45-60 minutes of the best stuff from that morning's show (weekdays)
The BS Report with Bill Simmons... I've been a fan of Bill Simmons, the Sports Guy, for at least 12 years, back when he was simply The Boston Sports Guy. I usually enjoy this show, though when he dives into too much fantasy stuff, or pop culture stuff that I'm not into (like shows about Game of Thrones), I'll skip the episode. He's on suspension now, so what unfolds in a few weeks will be quite interesting... (a few times per week, usually an hour to 1:15 or so)
ESPN Championship Drive... It's the best college football podcast out there, discussing the previous weekend and the upcoming games as well (weekdays, 45-60 minutes)
The Dave Dameshek Show... The NFL Network's Dameshek is funny, if not a little annoying sometimes, but it's a great NFL recap and preview (twice a week, 45-60 minutes)
Mark Out Loud... Yep, its a wrestling show, but hosts Steve Glosson and Dave Jones are the best kind of hosts... they are fans first, and hosts second. (a few times per month, around 2 hours per episode)
The Steve Austin Podcast & Talk is Jericho... Two different shows, with Steven Austin and Chris Jericho hosting their respective podcasts. Both are funny, different styles, and usually have actors, musicians and many times, former wrestlers on their shows. Jericho's show with Edge and Paul Heyman (Episode #50) was hands down one of the best podcast episodes I've ever heard. Austin is Tuesday & Thursday, with Tuesday being the "clean show" and Thursday being the "unleashed (re: language filled) show... Jericho is Wednesday and Friday, and both are mostly family friendly. (Both shows run about an hour to an 1:15 each)
ENTERTAINMENT PODCASTS
Doug Loves Movies... Host Doug Benson, a complete stoner, hosts the game show podcast where various celebrities and comedians come on to play a round of "The Leonard Maltin Game", just one of several movie games. This is in my top three favorite shows. He also does "Doug Loves Minis", a quick 10-15 minute show with snippets from smaller games at comedy clubs. (once or twice per week, 60-90 minutes per show)
The Film Vault... One of the podcasts I've been listening to the longest, Bald Bryan Bishop, sound effect guy on the Adam Carolla Show, teams with Anderson Cowen, co-host of The After Disaster Podcast (which I've never listened to), and they do a great movie show with a theme, a top five and lots of language filled banter.
The Popcast... Jamie Golden of Jamie's Rabbits Blog and Knox McCoy team up to give an hour's worth of snark and wit in discussing Hollywood, television, trends and the goings on in the pop culturey world. I disagree with some of their choices, and fully endorse others... it's a show I wish I could be on! (weekly or so, an hour-ish)
TechnoRetro Dads... Family men and friends Shaz and Jedi Shua are the hosts of this wildly entertaining trip down nostalgic lane, in discussing lots of Star Wars and other geeky things. (weekly, 77 minutes per show)
Car Talk... Everyone knows about Car Talk, but what you may not know is, these guys retired some years ago. Yet, they've done enough material on their shows that the segments can be replayed without repeating, once a week for another 6 or 7 years. Highly entertaining. (Saturdays, 60 minutes per show)
Five Minutes With Dad... Dad Nick Pavlidis has his 5 year old son, Pavlos, on every week to talk about... whatever. Its short, its funny and it's really kinda sweet. (weekly, 5-10 minutes per episode.)
DISNEY PODCASTS
The Dis Unplugged... Probably the best show out there because of how simply unbiased it is. Host Pete Werner seems like he's a little angry all the time, but the rest of the cast balances him out. And on the panel is Jeni Lynn, and she's just delightful. With a different cast, they also have the Dis Unplugged Disneyland Edition and the Dis Unplugged Universal Show, both very informative and entertaining. (all during the week, each show runs about an hour or so)
Disney Vault Talk... A premise I wish I had thought of. Steve Glosson (from the Mark Out Loud show, a member of the Geek Out Loud podcast lineup) and spunky Teresa Delgado started with Snow White, and each show is dedicated to the next Disney animated classic. Just finished with Make Mine Music, and Fun and Fancy Free is next... but half the show is reader emails, talking about Disney and so on--quite entertaining. (a few times per month, show runs around 2 hours)
Be Our Guest Podcast... Host Mike Rahmann and his co-horts Rikki and Pam dish up all the latest and greatest at Disney World in a fun little show, with the Wednesday show usually being just listener emails. (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 30-45 minutes each)
WDW Today... Another roundtable discussion, in the vein of Dis Unplugged, with a few long time Disney fans, including Len Testa, who co-wrote the Unofficial Guide to WDW that comes out every year (I have my copy already for 2015). (a few times per week, 30-45 minutes each)
WDW Radio... Host Lou Mongello is beloved among Disney fans, as his booming voice and strong personality lends itself to an entertaining show. He'll usually do one regular news show about the happenings at the parks, then other shows are topic-specific, from "best snacks at Epcot" to "the nooks and crannies of Hollywood Studios". (weekly or so, 30 minutes for regular shows, an hour or more for topical shows)
Skywalking Thru Neverland... Rich and Sarah, hubby and wife, take a geeked out look at Star Wars and Disney, and honestly, I could listen to Sarah laugh for hours. They are fun together. (weekly, 60-90 minutes shows)
ENCOURAGEMENT/BUSINESS/LEADERSHIP/FEEL GOODZ
The Remodeling Clay Podcast... Can't say enough about this dude. Weighed over 400 pounds, lost over half his body weight (he lost like, the Olsen twins, and some of another one) and is dedicated to helping people "Becoming the Best Version of You". Clay is a no-nonsense, yet still has some sarcastic fun, solid host. (1-2 times per week, 30-45 minute shows)
The Live Your List Podcast... Two guys who's passion is for your to live out your bucket list. They talk to authors and leaders from all fields on everything from time management to finding your passion. (1-2 times per week, 30 minutes usually)
The Dave Ramsey Show... You know who this is. And it's an hour from his daily show (daily, 45 minutes)
So there's my list. In the morning, I usually listen to ESPN PTI first... then, if it's Monday or Thursday, I listen to Alison Rosen. Rush Limbaugh is next... if a Doug Loves Movies is available, that's next up, but if not, I go to The Adam Carolla Show. I'll next take on Live Your List and Remodeling Clay, followed by Disney casts like Dis Unplugged, WDW Today, WDW News and a few others. After lunch, a sports block of Mike & Mike, Championship Drive and The BS Report. This will take me to mid-afternoon, then I listen to the podcasts I have left, including Dave Ramsey, Five Minutes with Dad, Y2J and Steve Austin, then anything else outstanding. That will get me home... and at night, I'll finish up any casts left, or dive into an audiobook when I'm doing dishes, running errands or the like.
What podcasts do I need to pick up, do you think?
Thursday, March 22, 2012
The 100 Coolest Things of 2011... #90 to 81
Let's continue our list of the Coolest 100 Things of the previous year... we've already looked at the 100th to 91st Coolest, so let's get to the next ten!#90... Coin Dozer
What a colossal waste of time! And I love it!
You know those time and money consuming carnival games where there is a pile of quarters sitting in front of a little wall that moves back and forth, and your job is to drop the quarter into the pile in the hopes that you place it in just such a way where the wall will push the quarters over the edge into the spot where you can reach in and grab them?
That's what this game is. As a matter of fact, that's all this game is. You are given a certain amount of coins, you aim and tap the screen, hoping the moving wall will knock more coins into your "prize pocket". Also, prizes randomly drop, like sunglasses and teddy bears and dice and plush puppies and so on... got a few minutes? Try Coin Dozer. I've made it to over 100 levels and... wait, should I admit this?
 |
| This guy is the real deal. And he's actually kinda cool, at least with his intentions. |
What a great, bizarre documentary. From IMDB:
'Superheroes' will introduce us to several of the country's most famous masked heroes including, Mr. Xtreme, a 33-year-old security guard officer by day, but a goon's worst nightmare by night. We'll follow Mr. Xtreme on his nightly patrols through the streets of San Diego, as he tries to stop evildoers and protect the innocent. We'll also meet the New York Initiative, a fantastic foursome of real life superheroes living together that tackle crime fighting, one Brooklyn borough at a time. Lead by Zimmer, we'll watch as they take to the streets and try to lure criminals out of hiding with their controversial Bait-Patrols. With over 300 registered superheroes in the United States, we'll definitively uncover the 'Real-Life Superhero' cultural phenomenon and discover what inspired these everyday citizens to take the law in to their own hands as they try to make the world a better and safer place for all.
In watching this movie, I just couldn't help being fascinated by these real-life superheroes. Even going into the film, I wanted to openly mock some of these guys, especially the guy living with his mother, but by the end of the movie, I was rooting for them, and thought it was awesome that these men and women saw a problem--crime in their area--and wanted to do something about it. And the documentary itself doesn't make fun of any of them... it simply tells their stories, letting them do much of the talking. Great, fun movie. And check out www.reallifesuperheroes.org while you are at it.
88... "The Rainmaker" by John Grisham
From 1995, back hen John Grisham was consistently good (The Firm, The Pelican Brief, A Time to Kill, etc) and before Grisham became a tool (or at least a known tool... did you know he hates fan mail? He hates people writing to him, and refuses to read anything, ever), "The Rainmaker" is a pretty good novel.
Rudy Baylor is a young lawyer who is on the verge of graduating law school, and the book chronicles first his efforts to find a law firm--there are issues with one after the other and his employment... second, an abused wife he meets and falls for in a hospital cafeteria... third, a case involving an old lady who becomes his landlord, and her will, plus the money grubbing family that wants it... and finally, making up the crux of the novel, a massive lawsuit against an insurance company, one that failed to provide health care to a family that resulted in the son becoming terminally ill--and eventually dying.
If it sounds like there are multiple subplots in this story, that's because there are. Grisham has a habit of unfurling a few stories at a time, locked around a major one, sometimes intertwining, sometimes not, but this one seems to work. There are a few loose ends that either he doesn't tie up satisfactorily, or even at all, but overall, it makes for a solid read. The characters are worth investing in, and though some of it was a little predictable, it still came together quite nicely.
The movie, however, not so much. After reading the book, I went out to Best Buy and found "The Rainmaker" on DVD in the $4.99 bin, and thought, "What the hey... why not?" and bought it. Released in 1997, it stars Matt Damon as the lawyer Rudy Baylor, Claire Danes as the embattled wife Kelly, Jon Voight as the defending attorney Leo Drummond, and Danny DeVito as Rudy's partner, Deck. Other names in the film include Mickey Rourke, Danny Glover, Virginia Madsen and Andy Shue.
I guess had I not finished the book the day before I watched the movie, it wouldn't have been so bad, but I was able to quickly figure out all the parts cut from the movie... heck, I was wondering how someone who hadn't read the book would even understand how one scene correlated to the next one as so many of the parts are tightly connected by stuff that didn't make the film.
It was well acted, but to me, not that great. There are a hundred good courtroom dramas out there that you can rely on rather than this one... even the movie adaptations of the books I mentioned above are much better.
#87... "I Need a Dollar" by Aloe Blacc
You may have seen it on HBO's "How to Make It In America"... or maybe on the Boost Wireless commercial... or Conan or Jimmy Fallon's shows... or maybe heard it in a Starbucks... truthfully, I don't know where I heard it... but its addicting.
I need a dollar, dollar, dollar's what I need... I need a dollar, dollar, dollar's what I need (hey hey).
Check it out on iTunes and see if you like it.
#86... "Zookeeper"
Okay, I'll admit... this is an incredibly stupid, dopey movie. The script is hokey... the acting is subpar... some of the jokes are flat... its got talking animals... its got talking animals... Sly Stallone IS a talking lion... but guess what? I enjoyed it.
I went into this movie with very low expectations, and those expectations were completely met, even surpassed. Understand--this is a fairly crappy movie. Its stupid. Its really stupid. So why is it on this list?
It has "guilty pleasure" potential. As in, I can imagine flipping through Starz in Black in March, and choosing between this and "The Departed" over on HBO, and since I am tired and just want something to be background noise, or just want something unencumbered by the thought process, then Kevin James wins. Try it out. If you let yourself, you might find yourself laughing a few times.
#85... Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
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| Taken as we walked into the attraction building |
That would be Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, the attraction based on the movie "The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad", and its a rollicking "dark ride" where you board a little car and then tour through the Toad Hall, Winkie's Pub, town hall and then, naturally, Hell.
At Magic Kingdom, the attraction closed in 1998 and was replaced by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Despite the many protests and calls for its return, the Disney Imagineers answered those calls... by placing a Mr. Toad gravestone statue in the pet cemetary outside of the Haunted Mansion. And in the Pooh ride itself, one of the opening scenes shows Mr. Toad handing a deed over to Owl.
Not one of my all time favorite rides, but I liked it nonetheless.
#84... "The Help"
What can I say? I liked this movie.
I won't spend too much time on the specifics of this movie, as we all kind of know by now its a group of black housekeepers in the early 60s who are interviewed for a book by a white reporter about their living standards and such.
The ensemble cast is outstanding, with Viola Davis as Abileen and Octavia Spencer as Minny (who won an Oscar a few weeks back for this role) as the main housekeepers in the group, Emma Stone with the jacked up curly hair as Skeeter, the reporter writer chick, and various good and bad "housewives", played by Jessica Chastain (who got an Supporting Actress nod), Ashley Johnson and a great villianous turn played by Bryce Dallas Howard.
Its a movie that was made for awards, tackling Civil Rights, though I think the subject of the movie is actually better than the movie itself... does that make any sense? Like, if you take Heath Ledger out of "Brokeback Mountain" and put in Natalie Portman instead, making it a hetero story and not a homo-story, I think "Brokeback Mountain" becomes a forgettable love story that gets very little notice. You can't say "take out the race aspect of 'The Help' and it becomes a forgettable story" because race is the story, but I think you get my point.
The movie is well acted, the script is well written, though I can't tell you how it compares to Kathryn Stockett's book (I started it, got bored and put it down... will eventually read the whole thing). Davis and Spencer are great in their roles and deserved their accolades, and as I mentioned, BDHoward is perfectly just mean, but I don't know that I really liked Emma Stone here--don't get me wrong, I dig some Emma, but still. All the white chicks smoke, as per the culture of the day, but when Emma did, I didn't buy it. Her curly hair was a little odd, and maybe she was a little mis-cast. Who else could have done it? I dunno. And maybe if I see it again, I'll completely go with Emma here.
Which presents the issue... I dont know that I necessarily want to see it again. Being featured on this countdown will tell you that I didn't think it was a bad film--nay, I thought it was a great movie, and I'm glad I saw it... but it didn't change my life, and when all is said and done, I don't know that it will be on my list of my Top 500 films of all time. And truthfully, if this is on Starz in Black (what else would it be on?) in late 2012, I might still watch something else... perhaps "Zookeeper".
#83... Jersey Mike's Subs
Man I love this place. Big, thick bread, they slice the meat right in front of you, the cheese is fresh, and the prices are reasonable. I do enjoy a Subway sandwich every now and then, but I do love to indulge in some Jersey Mike submarine sandwiches. Dig it.
#82... "Thor"
One of the many superhero movies I've seen in the last few years, and one of several that make this countdown for 2011... here's what I wrote on June 21st:
Its a great movie. Chris Helmsworth is fantastic as Thor, and Tom Hiddleston is perfect as the weaker, yet smarter Loki. The effects are quite stunning, with the color and splendor of Asgard, the superhero explosions and superpowers you'd expect to find in a super hero movie, and to top it all off, the story is solid too. Again, I wasn't expecting nearly as much as I got out of the movie.
Even Natalie Portman was good--yes, we know she's a good actress, yes, we know she won an Oscar for "Black Swan", but in movies that aren't serious, she tends to mail her performance in (see: prequels, Star Wars), but she actually isn't that bad. Of course, there is stuff at the end of the credits, so stick around for that...
(see the full review, plus more reviews on "Devil" and "Three Days of the Condor", by clicking here)
#81... Brava Rotisserie Grill
Sitting next to Publix on Valleydale Road is a Subway shop. Next to it used to be a Jungle Juice Smoothie place, but it now sits empty. Next to it is a UPS Store. And on the corner is used to be a coffee place called The Bean Hole... but no longer. Oh, nay nay.
Currently, there is a little chicken place called Brava, and its good food. Its great food. The chicken is grilled over a rotisserie with just the right amount of spice, while the fries are served with this awesome seasoning kind of stuff... each plate gets a piece of pita, with a little hummus and some dipping sauce, which is fantastic. I know that Hurricane Rhett doesn't like it much, but his wife Amarylis by Mornin (up from san antone) really loves it... which helps the cause of myself and The Lovely Steph Leann when we four are looking for an after-church lunch spot. (update: they are no longer open on Sundays. Frowny face)
I would say that I'll eat there tonight for dinner, but we had it last night... perhaps I'll hit Jersey Mike's.
Coming up... the financial gain of Hot Coffee... a Disney makeover... and Misery. And later... one of the best apps I've ever owned...
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The 100 to 91st Coolest Things of 2011
Feels like we were just here, doesn't it? I mean, with the coolest things of the year, right? About a week or two ago, we learned how Melanie rules, my car is awesome, iLove my iPhone and "Inception" makes my head spin in a good way...but THAT was 2010.
We just passed 2011. And in that year, cool things happen. Which means its time to start our new list! Now, perhaps we can finish it before December 29th of 2012, eh?
Quickly, though, for those of you who have never read this list before, its quite simply what I consider to be the coolest things of the past 12 months. For the most part, stuff that has made this list before won't make the list again, because otherwise, I'd have a rolling list year after year that includes the same things like "Star Wars" and "Shawshank" and "Toy Story Mania" and My Darling Wife and so on; rather, this is kind of "new things"--movies and shows I've never seen before this year, books I'd not read, experiences I'd not experienced, that sort of thing... and some of these things may have predated 2011, like a book that came out years ago, but it qualifies here if in fact I'd read it in 2011.
Enough chatter. Here are The 100 Coolest Things of 2011, starting at the top:
#100... Auburn Wins the National Title
Perhaps that heading should actually say "Cam Newton" wins the national title. There are two kinds of teams that win championships in college football... those with great teams, like the Alabama team that won it in 2009 (and subsequently, a few days ago for the 2011 season) and those with mediocre teams and one great, great player. Auburn was the latter. Cam Newton was electrifying... watching him run, watching him play was genius, probably a more trumped up version of watching a young Steve McNair at Alcorn State do magic in the air. They were known as the Cardiac Cats, because they had this habit of falling behind early, many times to lesser opponents, then roaring back... and when they fell behind to a perhaps superior opponent, the Crimson Tide, they managed to get a score in at halftime--my bro-in-law Tyler was high fiving his dad, Big Daddy Ron, excited, celebrating and saying, "Yeah! We are dominating!", while Ron simply smirked at the 20 point lead for the Tide saying, "This isn't enough. I'm worried." As well he should have been.
Anyway, it was kinda cool to see a program who hadn't won a title since '57 take it home, especially knowing its not likely to happen again. See, while Alabama... and yes, The Go Gator Nation... build great teams, teams ready to sustain a few years of hug success separated by a year or two of so-so 9 win seasons, Auburn is awaiting its next great player. Someday, perhaps.
Found on Twitter: Its great that Alabama sandwiched its titles around Auburn's title. Just like a good big brother should do.
#99... Got a "Pocket Full of Kryptonite", Ah...
The band is the Spin Doctors, the album is "Pocket Full of Kryponite", and the title is from a line in my favorite Spin Doctors tune, "Jimmy Olsen's Blues", one of my top 100 favorite songs of all time. I owned this CD, though I don't exactly remember where I got it--what I do know is, it was completely scratched up, so much so that I'd never heard the entire CD because from Track 4 (a song called "Forty or Fifty") on, it would skip.
So during The Great CD Purge in the Summer of 2011, the scratched CD was one that hit the bricks. I didn't mourn the loss of the album, yet I wish I had still owned it. So, imagine my joy one day in late 2011 when I was touring 2nd and Charles, a used book/music/movie/electronic/everything/anything store, and I came across a copy, a like-new copy of "Pocket Full of Krytonite". For like, $2.95. Done and done.
Now that I own it, though, I must make an ironic confession... its really not that good of an album. The two major singles, "Two Princes" (my senior cruise theme song) and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong", plus the aforementioned "Jimmy Olsen's Blues", are the best part of the album by far. Its not bad... but its not a great album. But I do own it, and its the symbolism that counts, right? Right.
#98... "Friends With Benefits"
Out of the three "friends who decided to hook up only as friends but somehow decided they liked each other" movies that came out within about 9 months of each other, this was by far and away my favorite.
Here's what I wrote on July 31st:
In my own (un)humble opinion, the far superior of the three films. The script is funny and light, and more real than the rest (the hilarity of the first hook up is a great example), the jokes are funny, and there is great on-screen chemistry between Mila and JT. You end up liking both characters a lot, and by the time you find out Dylan's story--father with the beginning stages of Alzheimers--it doesn't feel like a ploy to get you to like him because you already do. Jenna Elfman shows up as Dylan's sister and plays the part great (and cameos from Emma Stone, Andy Sandburg, Rashida Jones and Jason Segel are great too) and the whole romance is entirely believable this time around. I liked this film alot, and will probably be the only one of the three to appear on The 100 Coolest Things of 2011...
See... I knew.
#97... Colin Firth Wins the Oscar
Not much to say here, except that its always great when an actor who you know deserves to win an Oscar once in his career actually wins one, and its even greater when that Oscar is not considered by the masses to be a "lifetime" award, but a win for an actual singular performance... hence, Colin Firth wins Best Actor for his portrayal of the king in "The King's Speech", a great, great film.
Much like my excitement when my dear Kate Winslet won her award a few years back, The Lovely Steph Leann was beside herself when her man, Colin First, the president and namesake of The Colin Firth Club, took home the ultimate acting prize. Now, if only Amy Adams would win one for me, and Hugh Jackman for The Lovely Steph Leann.
#96... "My Strange Addiction"
Holy crap, have you seen this show? What a weird show.
Its one of those shows that the title gives you all you need to know... it documents real people who have real, strange addictions... like the chick who carries the urn with her late husbands ashes in it, everywhere she goes. Oh, and she likes to eat the ashes by licking her finger, sticking it in the urn, and licking them again.
Eating is a big deal... there's the chick who drinks bleach... and the chick who eats foam cushions... and the chick who is addicted to eating toilet paper.... and the chick who not only pulls her hair out, but eats the follicles... and the chick who eats dryer sheets. Lest you think that just the chicks have issues, which they do, there is the guy who likes to eat glass.
And of course, there is the dude who lives his private life as a baby, complete with diaper and giant crib... and the girl who wears a bunny suit everywhere she goes.... the chick who sleeps with her hair dryer... the list goes on.
What a weird show... weird, and yet a fascinating look at the human condition.
#95... Edge Bows Out
When my best mate Wookiee, Big Tom and myself ventured to Atlanta in April, we witnessed something that you will find ranking high, high on this list, that being WrestleMania. And in that event, we were able to see a legend wrestle in the opening match, successfully defending his World Heavyweight Title against Alberto del Rio. The match was decent, nothing to spectacular, but was cool to see the Rated R Superstar, the Ultimate Opportunist, that being Edge himself, take the squared circle.
We didn't know it would be his last match. Ever.
A week later, the following Monday, I'm at home in The Cabana, watching WWE Raw as I'm known each week, and Edge comes out. Typically, the guys come out and do a trash-talk routine, or discuss who they are feuding with and so on, maybe even call out someone from the back and do a one-on-one confrontation that always ends in them punching each other and knocking over a table. However, Edge took a different tone. He started out discussing the realities of wrestling, the dangers and the real-life toll it takes on people. He told us about the seriousness of a previous neck injury which resulted in the fusing of his cervical vertebrae, and the numbness he'd been feeling in the last few months. Then, he told us of the MRI he recently had and how he had, in the last week, been diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis. And finally, he said the real-life doctors would now no longer clear him to compete, as an injury to his spine at this point could result in partial- or full-paralysis... or even death.
You think you know me. Thank you, Edge.
And right there, Edge retired. Winner of a record 31 championships in his career, and it was all over... and it wasn't like he could come out of retirement and do a match here or there, like Kevin Nash or Booker T, or even do his patented moves randomly, like Shawn Michaels does with his Sweet Chin Music... no, for Edge, its over. He has made appearances here and there, but knowing that one missed fall, or one single move that didn't go quite right could kill you? Done.
I tip my hat to Adam Copeland... you haven't always been my favorite, but its been a joy watching you be a heel all these years.
#94... "Fast Five"
What an absolute piece of crap movie. A piece of crap movie that I love, one that months after I saw it, I pondered on how ridiculously stupid it was... but if ever there was a movie that lined up with the word "Craptacular", then this piece of glorious poop would be it.
I think we will look back in a few years at the crap that has come out, and rank "Fast Five" along side of "Con Air", "The Expendables" and "Armageddon" as the most beloved, improbable crap of our age. And its a darn sight better than The Rock's other movie this year, "Faster". Yeesh.
#93... "50/50"
I'm a fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogan, but I was still surprised about how good this movie was--and how great Seth Rogan is as Jo-Go-Lev's best buddy, when Jo-Go-Lev's Adam gets cancer and has to learn to deal with it. And the appearance of Anna Kendrick doesn't hurt in the least.
Here's what I had to say:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, in a fair world, would be sniffing an Oscar nomination, at the least a Golden Globe nod, because his performance is awesome. I love this guy in "Inception", as his character is one of the coolest cats out there, but he tops himself in "50/50". I enjoy Seth Rogen being goofy in any number of movies, but his semi-serious turn that he couldn't nail in "Funny People" is nailed here. Bryce Dallas Howard doesn't have a huge role, but does it right, while Anna Kendrick shines as Katherine, just like she does as Natalie in "Up In the Air", a movie which is quickly becoming one of my all time favorites. (note: "Up in the Air" currently ranks as my 14th favorite film of all time--d$)
Loved this film, one of the best I've seen this year... however, this movie is not for kids, as the language flows pervasive and free flowing, and there is a few uses of the Mary Jane plant... there is one sex scene, though you really don't see anything, and it ends a little different than you would think, almost in a sympathetic fashion. Its about an hour forty-five or so, maybe a little less, but it is paced really well and honestly, its one of those rare movies that I didn't want to end.
Read the entire review from September 29th by clicking here.
#92... The Aladdin Stage Show
Its no secret that one of my very favorite attractions at Walt Disney World is the "Finding Nemo: The Musical" show at Disney Animal Kingdom. Being fans of Broadway style shows, "Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular" was circled on our list of things to do when The Lovely Steph Leann and I went to Disneyland this past May.
Located in California Adventure, it takes place in the 2000 seat Hyperion Theater at the end of Hollywood Boulevard. The show itself is only similar to "Finding Nemo" in that its a musical stage show, but its great nonetheless. In the 45 minute show, many of the classic scenes and songs from the movie are recreated onstage, and they even move some of the action into the audience, like Aladdin's arrival in the song "Prince Ali". There are flying carpets, magic lamps, great special effects, a lovely Jasmine, a handsome Aladdin and a convincingly evil Jafar... but the crown jewel of the show, like the movie, is The Genie. Whether he's like that always, I cannot speak, but in the show we watched, the actor portraying Genie was brilliant.
If you are ever in the area and have a chance to check out Disneyland, or at least California Adventure, make this a must-do. We loved it.
#91... "Something Borrowed"
Yes, yes, its a total chick flick, and yes, it was blasted by critics, and yes, the heroine of the movie is the chick who actually does the home wrecking and man-stealing in the movie, but you know what? I liked it. Sue me.
Coming up: Getting the Help... Needing a dollar, dollar... and Gods of Thunder... and later, one of the best documentaries of the year is about... a coffee burn?
We just passed 2011. And in that year, cool things happen. Which means its time to start our new list! Now, perhaps we can finish it before December 29th of 2012, eh?
Quickly, though, for those of you who have never read this list before, its quite simply what I consider to be the coolest things of the past 12 months. For the most part, stuff that has made this list before won't make the list again, because otherwise, I'd have a rolling list year after year that includes the same things like "Star Wars" and "Shawshank" and "Toy Story Mania" and My Darling Wife and so on; rather, this is kind of "new things"--movies and shows I've never seen before this year, books I'd not read, experiences I'd not experienced, that sort of thing... and some of these things may have predated 2011, like a book that came out years ago, but it qualifies here if in fact I'd read it in 2011.
Enough chatter. Here are The 100 Coolest Things of 2011, starting at the top:
#100... Auburn Wins the National Title
Perhaps that heading should actually say "Cam Newton" wins the national title. There are two kinds of teams that win championships in college football... those with great teams, like the Alabama team that won it in 2009 (and subsequently, a few days ago for the 2011 season) and those with mediocre teams and one great, great player. Auburn was the latter. Cam Newton was electrifying... watching him run, watching him play was genius, probably a more trumped up version of watching a young Steve McNair at Alcorn State do magic in the air. They were known as the Cardiac Cats, because they had this habit of falling behind early, many times to lesser opponents, then roaring back... and when they fell behind to a perhaps superior opponent, the Crimson Tide, they managed to get a score in at halftime--my bro-in-law Tyler was high fiving his dad, Big Daddy Ron, excited, celebrating and saying, "Yeah! We are dominating!", while Ron simply smirked at the 20 point lead for the Tide saying, "This isn't enough. I'm worried." As well he should have been.
Anyway, it was kinda cool to see a program who hadn't won a title since '57 take it home, especially knowing its not likely to happen again. See, while Alabama... and yes, The Go Gator Nation... build great teams, teams ready to sustain a few years of hug success separated by a year or two of so-so 9 win seasons, Auburn is awaiting its next great player. Someday, perhaps.
Found on Twitter: Its great that Alabama sandwiched its titles around Auburn's title. Just like a good big brother should do.
#99... Got a "Pocket Full of Kryptonite", Ah...
The band is the Spin Doctors, the album is "Pocket Full of Kryponite", and the title is from a line in my favorite Spin Doctors tune, "Jimmy Olsen's Blues", one of my top 100 favorite songs of all time. I owned this CD, though I don't exactly remember where I got it--what I do know is, it was completely scratched up, so much so that I'd never heard the entire CD because from Track 4 (a song called "Forty or Fifty") on, it would skip.
So during The Great CD Purge in the Summer of 2011, the scratched CD was one that hit the bricks. I didn't mourn the loss of the album, yet I wish I had still owned it. So, imagine my joy one day in late 2011 when I was touring 2nd and Charles, a used book/music/movie/electronic/everything/anything store, and I came across a copy, a like-new copy of "Pocket Full of Krytonite". For like, $2.95. Done and done.
Now that I own it, though, I must make an ironic confession... its really not that good of an album. The two major singles, "Two Princes" (my senior cruise theme song) and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong", plus the aforementioned "Jimmy Olsen's Blues", are the best part of the album by far. Its not bad... but its not a great album. But I do own it, and its the symbolism that counts, right? Right.
#98... "Friends With Benefits"
Out of the three "friends who decided to hook up only as friends but somehow decided they liked each other" movies that came out within about 9 months of each other, this was by far and away my favorite.
Here's what I wrote on July 31st:
In my own (un)humble opinion, the far superior of the three films. The script is funny and light, and more real than the rest (the hilarity of the first hook up is a great example), the jokes are funny, and there is great on-screen chemistry between Mila and JT. You end up liking both characters a lot, and by the time you find out Dylan's story--father with the beginning stages of Alzheimers--it doesn't feel like a ploy to get you to like him because you already do. Jenna Elfman shows up as Dylan's sister and plays the part great (and cameos from Emma Stone, Andy Sandburg, Rashida Jones and Jason Segel are great too) and the whole romance is entirely believable this time around. I liked this film alot, and will probably be the only one of the three to appear on The 100 Coolest Things of 2011...
See... I knew.
 |
| Ladies and gentlemen, the President of The Colin Firth Club, The Lovely Steph Leann's Hollywood Boyfriend himself, Colin Firth. |
Not much to say here, except that its always great when an actor who you know deserves to win an Oscar once in his career actually wins one, and its even greater when that Oscar is not considered by the masses to be a "lifetime" award, but a win for an actual singular performance... hence, Colin Firth wins Best Actor for his portrayal of the king in "The King's Speech", a great, great film.
Much like my excitement when my dear Kate Winslet won her award a few years back, The Lovely Steph Leann was beside herself when her man, Colin First, the president and namesake of The Colin Firth Club, took home the ultimate acting prize. Now, if only Amy Adams would win one for me, and Hugh Jackman for The Lovely Steph Leann.
#96... "My Strange Addiction"
Holy crap, have you seen this show? What a weird show.
Its one of those shows that the title gives you all you need to know... it documents real people who have real, strange addictions... like the chick who carries the urn with her late husbands ashes in it, everywhere she goes. Oh, and she likes to eat the ashes by licking her finger, sticking it in the urn, and licking them again.
Eating is a big deal... there's the chick who drinks bleach... and the chick who eats foam cushions... and the chick who is addicted to eating toilet paper.... and the chick who not only pulls her hair out, but eats the follicles... and the chick who eats dryer sheets. Lest you think that just the chicks have issues, which they do, there is the guy who likes to eat glass.
And of course, there is the dude who lives his private life as a baby, complete with diaper and giant crib... and the girl who wears a bunny suit everywhere she goes.... the chick who sleeps with her hair dryer... the list goes on.
What a weird show... weird, and yet a fascinating look at the human condition.
#95... Edge Bows Out
When my best mate Wookiee, Big Tom and myself ventured to Atlanta in April, we witnessed something that you will find ranking high, high on this list, that being WrestleMania. And in that event, we were able to see a legend wrestle in the opening match, successfully defending his World Heavyweight Title against Alberto del Rio. The match was decent, nothing to spectacular, but was cool to see the Rated R Superstar, the Ultimate Opportunist, that being Edge himself, take the squared circle.
We didn't know it would be his last match. Ever.
A week later, the following Monday, I'm at home in The Cabana, watching WWE Raw as I'm known each week, and Edge comes out. Typically, the guys come out and do a trash-talk routine, or discuss who they are feuding with and so on, maybe even call out someone from the back and do a one-on-one confrontation that always ends in them punching each other and knocking over a table. However, Edge took a different tone. He started out discussing the realities of wrestling, the dangers and the real-life toll it takes on people. He told us about the seriousness of a previous neck injury which resulted in the fusing of his cervical vertebrae, and the numbness he'd been feeling in the last few months. Then, he told us of the MRI he recently had and how he had, in the last week, been diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis. And finally, he said the real-life doctors would now no longer clear him to compete, as an injury to his spine at this point could result in partial- or full-paralysis... or even death.
You think you know me. Thank you, Edge.
And right there, Edge retired. Winner of a record 31 championships in his career, and it was all over... and it wasn't like he could come out of retirement and do a match here or there, like Kevin Nash or Booker T, or even do his patented moves randomly, like Shawn Michaels does with his Sweet Chin Music... no, for Edge, its over. He has made appearances here and there, but knowing that one missed fall, or one single move that didn't go quite right could kill you? Done.
I tip my hat to Adam Copeland... you haven't always been my favorite, but its been a joy watching you be a heel all these years.
#94... "Fast Five"
What an absolute piece of crap movie. A piece of crap movie that I love, one that months after I saw it, I pondered on how ridiculously stupid it was... but if ever there was a movie that lined up with the word "Craptacular", then this piece of glorious poop would be it.
I think we will look back in a few years at the crap that has come out, and rank "Fast Five" along side of "Con Air", "The Expendables" and "Armageddon" as the most beloved, improbable crap of our age. And its a darn sight better than The Rock's other movie this year, "Faster". Yeesh.
#93... "50/50"
I'm a fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogan, but I was still surprised about how good this movie was--and how great Seth Rogan is as Jo-Go-Lev's best buddy, when Jo-Go-Lev's Adam gets cancer and has to learn to deal with it. And the appearance of Anna Kendrick doesn't hurt in the least.
Here's what I had to say:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, in a fair world, would be sniffing an Oscar nomination, at the least a Golden Globe nod, because his performance is awesome. I love this guy in "Inception", as his character is one of the coolest cats out there, but he tops himself in "50/50". I enjoy Seth Rogen being goofy in any number of movies, but his semi-serious turn that he couldn't nail in "Funny People" is nailed here. Bryce Dallas Howard doesn't have a huge role, but does it right, while Anna Kendrick shines as Katherine, just like she does as Natalie in "Up In the Air", a movie which is quickly becoming one of my all time favorites. (note: "Up in the Air" currently ranks as my 14th favorite film of all time--d$)
Loved this film, one of the best I've seen this year... however, this movie is not for kids, as the language flows pervasive and free flowing, and there is a few uses of the Mary Jane plant... there is one sex scene, though you really don't see anything, and it ends a little different than you would think, almost in a sympathetic fashion. Its about an hour forty-five or so, maybe a little less, but it is paced really well and honestly, its one of those rare movies that I didn't want to end.
Read the entire review from September 29th by clicking here.
Its no secret that one of my very favorite attractions at Walt Disney World is the "Finding Nemo: The Musical" show at Disney Animal Kingdom. Being fans of Broadway style shows, "Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular" was circled on our list of things to do when The Lovely Steph Leann and I went to Disneyland this past May.
Located in California Adventure, it takes place in the 2000 seat Hyperion Theater at the end of Hollywood Boulevard. The show itself is only similar to "Finding Nemo" in that its a musical stage show, but its great nonetheless. In the 45 minute show, many of the classic scenes and songs from the movie are recreated onstage, and they even move some of the action into the audience, like Aladdin's arrival in the song "Prince Ali". There are flying carpets, magic lamps, great special effects, a lovely Jasmine, a handsome Aladdin and a convincingly evil Jafar... but the crown jewel of the show, like the movie, is The Genie. Whether he's like that always, I cannot speak, but in the show we watched, the actor portraying Genie was brilliant.
If you are ever in the area and have a chance to check out Disneyland, or at least California Adventure, make this a must-do. We loved it.
#91... "Something Borrowed"
Yes, yes, its a total chick flick, and yes, it was blasted by critics, and yes, the heroine of the movie is the chick who actually does the home wrecking and man-stealing in the movie, but you know what? I liked it. Sue me.
Coming up: Getting the Help... Needing a dollar, dollar... and Gods of Thunder... and later, one of the best documentaries of the year is about... a coffee burn?
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