all my ipod needs is a pop-up menu

Someone PLEASE tell me why it is so hard to do the following on my otherwise handy iPod:

1. while listening to an album or playlist, switch from shuffle to regular play mode. Currently takes the following:
   1. click and hold center button to get to main menu
   2. scroll to settings and click
   3. scroll to shuffle and click to the desired mode
2. when enjoying a song in a playlist or shuffle play mode, to start listening to that album or artist instead of the playlist. Currently takes the following:
   
   1. click and hold center button to get to main menu
   2. click music
   3. click album / artist
   4. scroll to selection
   5. click play to pause playlist
   6. click play to play album / artist
3. clear the on the go playlist
   1. click and hold center button to get to main menu from wherever
   2. click music
   3. click playlist
   4. scroll to on-the-go and click
   5. scroll to end and select clear

Wouldn't all of these tasks be reduced to one or two clicks with the addition of a pop-up menu? Hold the center key til a pop-up menu appears, then scroll to shuffle or regular mode option and click. Or scroll to "play album" or "play artist" options? Or to "add to playlist" or "clear playlist"? Or, for that matter, the options you currently click multiple times to get to, like rating a song or viewing other views of the song, could also be handled in the same pop-up. Make that pop-up menu contextual and it means even less scrolling?

Seems simple 'nuff... You've been cited Steve!