Laun-duress

Sound: roommates & friends in kitchen

Just thought I'd offer an update. Mostly because it's midnight and I don't know if I'm going to be able to get to bed with everyone up. And I feel like I should update more often, keep them nice and decent sized instead of updating each month with one loooooooooong post or something, you know? I mean, my life is a little more interesting...

A few high lights of my week:
I saw Princess Aurora give a little boy a big kiss [lipstick on his cheeks and everything]
Hung out at Hollywood Studios with Adam [introduced him to another awwwwesome part of the park]
Joking with guests who saw me before and after costuming
Shopping in Japan! [too much stuff, I swear]

I also spent some time running around Epcot to meet all the characters. I really wanted to meet them all but with so little time left, I think I have to cut it a bit short and just meet my favorites- which will now be over at Magic Kingdom. Peter Pan, Rapunzel & Ariel. Gotta work fast!

But otherwise things are good. I'm making a list of great foods and recipes I want to try this summer. My mom's trying to get me into Utah to find a job there [she just doesn't want me home, probably, which in fact Mike over at work, practically a stranger, was telling me all morning the other week, haha...], so I'll be doing that all of May.

Anything else? I don't even know.
I'm signed up for classes in Southern Utah University. Didn't see that one coming.

AND I AM LEAVING FLORIDA IN ELEVEN DAYS.
I don't know how this happened.
I'll be that girl in a corner rocking back and forth all night in the airport.

While it's been such a tough experience, it's still been a great one and I really don't know how to progress with myself on how much I've changed and where I'm taking my life. It's just weird, trying to find a transition but still not falling back into what you used to do/be. It's going to be hard, especially going straight home. To go from working about 40 hours a week [and spending about 8 hours on a bus a week], to doing close to nothing is a little scary for me.

Feel free to provide any ideas.

My only plans:
1. Try cooking 10-15 new recipes
2. Learn to juggle
3. Buy shoes and paint like R2-D2
4. Get a job

Trying to decide if I should start packing for home.
....Nah. I still have over a week. Anything could happen. I can do it later.
Mwuah!

Newbies

Sound: The Incredibles dvd (Pixar & Disney)

As much as I happen to be a writer, I sort of suck at writing a blog. Who knew?

What's up: I leave in 15 days to go back to California. Well, I fly out on the 12th morning and arrive in later afternoon. Apparently Jordyn and her boyfriend Eddie are supposed to pick me up- with chocolate- and then go clubbing. But like most of the time, I really don't think that's going to hold up ;)

I'm trying to get in as much as work as possible however since Test Track is closed down, those workers need work somewhere and they're taking over the Seas meaning I get barely 30 hours a week. But hey, that leaves me time to work on my to-do list of Disney things whilst being here. After all, who knows? I may never return, you know.

I have to do every ride [except Toy Story Mania. The wait is usually 80 minutes and though it's fun, I'm not going to wait that long], meet every character, and check out a few resorts as well as the water parks. I'm doing decently, you could say. Tomorrow, I'm going to Typhoon Lagoon since I don't think I'll be reaching Blizzard Beach at all. Melissa and Aimee should be there from work so I won't even do it all alone for once!

Quite a feat, being able to actually hang out with someone. The majority of the time, they are working. The rest of the time, they find excuses not to be there (which I suppose is all right, it is better than literally being told "hey no you are weird and I don't need extra awkward time with you."), or something. However! Last week I did chance an evening with Rhiannon. We met up at Epcot and wandered around the World Showcase for dinner. I tried the ginger-caramel ice cream from China and the fish & chips from London. Both were fantastic!

 (^Sorry the picture isn't so good, I didn't feel like using my flash. But they had 'newspaper wrappings' which were pretty cool!^)

Other things? Hmmm....
Oh really, now, how could I forget??
CONCERT TIME!!!!!

The Maine!

Before, were the Arkells from Canada and Lydia from Australia (both absolutely incredible. If you do not know all three bands, it is good time you DID.)

My feet were killing me. I'd already had to deal with witches and tweens which is never thrilling for someone of my stature, hair coloring, or attitude. But I was in the second row (most of the time) right in front of Garrett Nickelsen {handsome man w/ bass} and Jared Monaco {not pictured} for the entirety. For their last song, "Don't Give Up On Us" the girl in front of me left and the other fan girls were kind enough to leave that spot open for me. Of course, there was another panel in front for photographers and a high bar to keep us back- which I rested my arms and chin on being that short.

But still. It was WONDERFUL. I even got to meet ^Jared^: I waited forever in the sea of elbowing fans and their pushy mothers until I breached the frontlines and a girl eventually pointed me out to him. He apologized profusely and asked me how I was. I was great, and so was he, especially after I complimented him on his incredible shredding [YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT], and told him I'd waited three years to get a bear hug from him (because really, bear hugs from lovely boys are perfection in a moment), so he grabbed in a quick hug, and it was worth the wait. I got a picture and his autograph, and ran out [so many girls, I feel like they're just staring me down, waiting for me to disappear].

And Garrett! He's always been my favorite. The nerd of the group, so obviously we're meant to be. He's usually in stripes something else equally gorgeous, and just well, yes. Anyways, I dived into the group with a little more vigor and I got close, to the inner circle just as one of the managers, I don't think it was Peter but someone else who's awesome that I just don't really know, said he's got ten minutes left.
So Gary told everyone and said he'd get to as many as possible. [The band, on their own, stays out long as possible for their fans. But in certain venues, they can't go out or stay long. This time, HoB was in Downtown Disney thus Disney property which closes down about midnight meaning they had to be gone by them.] Anyways, he took a picture or two then sort of swiped my hand with his opened permanent marker during one and started apologizing, saying he was a butthead [among other things]. After a few more pictures, he said he'd realized I'd been waiting there patiently and noticed I wasn't going that crazy but said I should get in and all, and kept apologizing because he remembered I was the one he swiped with the marker. I told him his skills of the evening had definitely made up for that, grabbed a quick picture and autograph, and headed out.

REVELATION:
Haribo gummy bears are a lot of people's favorite. Even mine. But guess what, they also have gummy alphabets, gummy cherries, and gummy cola. I didn't think I'd like the cola so much but guess what.

I ate them all within the span of about two-three years. Which, if you know me, doesn't happen often. (I like to make the good things last) This also leaves me wondering if I dare get some more. Plus, I haven't tried the alphabet. Or the cherries. I've never even seen anything by Haribo besides the gummy bears back home, so I sort of feel compelled to get everything here.

Oh, did I mention I'm signed up for classes at Southern Utah University? Never saw that one coming, eh? To be honest, I don't really know what I'm doing there. Mostly because I don't know where I want to go with myself/life just yet. But ta-da!



                                                           ~COMING SOON~      
Summer 2012: learning to cook, doing something fun, moving to Cedar, finding a job, being lonely all over, and then reuniting with dear ol' KATIE.

Rising

Sound: Supernatural [season 6 finally!]

Oddity of the week: At work I ran into Rebecca Kittleson and her new husband! The ride stalled for a moment and they were the second ones ready in line! It was so BIZARRE! It was a fun little moment and I had no idea what to think or even say, it was so crazy.
Sometimes being here feels like a strange dream. I'm so far away from everything I've ever known even though this has become something of a home to me. All the same, I feel almost detached from my normal world. I'm living at Disney World after all.

Tuesday, my day off. Thank goodness. I slept maybe three hours though, no idea why I couldn't sleep in. So I sat around, trying to read, for a while. Then I made mashed potatoes and chicken nuggets and headed out. Little Disney shopping and here I am again to post for you!

My Easter Breakfast: I wanted to do pancakes, hashbrowns and sausages but because of the timing I did this instead:

Anyways, it was Easter and I wanted to do an Easter post but I was tired because I didn't get the day off, as hard as I tried. So many people called out, I didn't want to leave the workforce hanging and be mean... Although there were some holiday activities for kids, the day after had nearly twice the crowd which we thought was odd.

I put out some little cookies and chocolate eggs for my roommates- received some adorable bags from Mandy [and her lovely mother] a few days before.

We were given little treats for "surviving spring break" by our managers which kept us up with some energy. Then Joe brought in jelly bellies AND malt eggs which I was super excited about. [Added with caffeine (because who knew vanilla coke had caffeine? I DIDN'T)- not that I'm complaining because I kept my coworkers amused by walking in little circles and trying to swim along with the guests to get them into the shells all night on Monday]

Plus my mommy sent me stuff! It arrived Saturday but because of my schedule I wasn't able to pick it up until yesterday morning. But worth the wait with all the goodies!

Back to Sunday. It was a bit of a dull day, to be honest. A little frustrating more than most with some guests, but it's okay because we can laugh it off afterwards on the bus home and getting the rest we need, we can still work that Disney magic!

So there's this thing called Goofy's Mystery Tour. This is a scavenger hunt held each year at one of the parks for cast members. Three coworkers needed another player and it's the day before I leave so I'm signing up for it as the last fun thing I'll do here. We're signing up today! Hooray!

After all, I only have 4.5 weeks left! Then I'll be back in California- and may never return again.

So I've been working on a to-do list. Do every ride at least three times, visit the resorts, get pictures and autographs with as many characters as possible, etc. Plus I still  have a certificate for two guests on a Magic Kingdom tour which I really want to do. That, and see an east coast sunrise. Then I'll call it good! :D Next Thursday I intend on going to a resort after Animal Kingdom with a few friends for dinner and movie which should be fun.

SPEAKING OF MOVIES
I finally went and saw The Hunger Games! I had a free movie pass so I figured why not? Wandered over to Downtown Disney and was strongly tempted:

When you go inside you get a piece of free chocolate, yum! Always lovely, right?? They have little lunch boxes I was so tempted to get. I mean, a lunch box AND it's filled with chocolates. Who could complain?

Basin is so cute! All these fun soaps and suds for the baths! Fun colors! And then this of course~

If you know me at all, you know I definitely stalled in there for a good bit of time. But eventually I did get a move on. I arrived at the theaters still thirty minutes waaaay too early. I picked up my ticket, treated myself to some frozen yogurt and sat down outside my theatre to enjoy it for a while.

Definitely a good, fun movie. I jumped, laughed, almost cried...

It was dark by the time it was finished, and I headed back towards the buses. It was a pretty good walk and I got to see the evening there. All the fun lights and colors, the adults drinking and having a good time...  after a little while, I thought it was strange. And I couldn't decide if any of those people were actually truly happy with themselves.

To conclude, I keep trying to find myself but the thing is you, you're not hidden away in a hole or anything. You're clay that you need to sculpt. Now I've got that steady foundation thanks to my family and childhood and now, I need to start finishing up because it's time to jump in the kiln or something and start painting over.

If that made any sense.

But yeah. I hope you all had a good Easter. I'll be spending the evening watching more Supernatural with some chocolate milk.

Catching Something

Sound: 'The Dark Crystal' movie

Hey, Hey, Hey! It's been a while!

What have I missed? A lot! I can't even keep track now.

Probably the main history to catch up on would be the family fun! I begged a coworker for a ride to their hotel last Monday night to see them into the place, arriving just a few minutes before them. I was tired, having decided to wear contacts [I need to stop because they just stress me out and my eyes have become more sensitive or something], and still in my work pants which my sisters had fun mocking.

The next day, TUESDAY I had off to be with them, seeing them again early in the morning [earlier for them because of the time change, haha] at EPCOT. (Which, by the way, stands for "Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow") The line was pretty long but we got in at about 10AM. We nabbed a few pictures of the globe and headed in. We hit up Future World, grabbing a few fast passes and such for fun. I ended up leaving them a little after noon to get to my Leadership class, which took us around the Magic Kingdom that day.

Which was fun. Personally, it really had nothing to do with Leadership, this "storytelling" segment, but I loved it all the same. We learned some about Liberty Square and a few tecniques used around Main Street which was pretty awesome. But it was really hot out, ugh. (Luckily I never got burned!) I returned and we headed around the World Showcase.

We had a little too much fun in there and spent the evening there. We ate the Chinese place, and grabbed a snack or too in Norway. Lots of pictures were taken and we got to goof around a little and went a little crazy shopping in Japan.

To WEDNESDAY! I had to work that day, so the family came to Epcot so I could get them in, and then they were headed over to the Magic Kingdom. That is the most crowded of the parks at all times and the hours sort of bite, which is pretty sad for the cast members working there.
                    --It's smaller than Disneyland with fewer rides and all, so they came back to Epcot for the night, to get pastries in France and they got to see me at work! That was pretty neat :)


THURSDAY was Hollywood Studios! Definitely fun! Lots of pictures of course. I brought an Arizona- Watermelon and that got carried around for a while before we actually drank it. Anyways, we first planned out the shows we would see- because that's a big part of the park and there's a few that only play a few times. So we planned that out and went to Rockin Rollercoaster which became a new family favorite!

We hit up Tower of Terror- ridiculous lines compared to Disneyland, haha- and then onto Beauty and the Beast on stage. Gaston is definitely the best part of the play, I'm afraid to say. They stretch out every word of Bell's and it's a little annoying. And they could probably do something new with the Beast's costume and so on. Just thoughts. But the dancing was great!
They loved Indiana Jones Stunt Show. And the Lights, Motors, Action too!
Never got a chance on Toy Story Mania- fast passes out by noon and the line was never shorter than 80 minutes.

It was pretty fun, though! My feet were killing me never having too much to rest, but still fun. I bought a poster I'll show soon as well as a mug [I love mugs! I'm starting a wonderful collection seeing as I've bought about five since I've been here], of Walt and Mickey on Main St.


FRIDAY I had to work, but they came to Epcot and then headed over to the Animal Kingdom. A favorite was The Lion King, A Celebration Of Life which was pretty neat but my favorite was Finding Nemo the Musical. All the same, my family had fun on Expedition Everest and more!
My dad had lovingly given me money for lunch so I went to Sunshine Seasons for a rueben panini I'd never had before, which was pretty tasty!

However they did come back for the evening, because I was off at ten, and they got to see me do a show [thanks to my lovely manager, Marta, she let me get into theatre a bit early], and then explored some more. After I got off, I met with them for Mission: Space again and I got an eclair filled with chocolate. YUM!
We tried to hit up Japan again but apparently it closed early so we went to Germany to get a few more goodies!

SATURDAY I had off and everyone was tired. None of my family has to be on their feet all day or anything and four days is a lot. As for me, I usually have a few days off to recover and my time off all week had been spent with them. So when I got to the Animal Kingdom to see them, I was exhausted.
I didn't even stay there, because my family wanted to buy some things all over. There was so much confusion with the buses as well. We got to Downtown Disney eventually, hit a few shops before finding everything we needed. Then finally onto Epcot [tried to Hollywood Studios but that didn't work just yet] and that's where it got fun.

I was getting lunch in Mexico with my sisters and mom when it started to pour like crazy. A lot harder than it usually hits- and a little bit chillier! We were finishing up and eventually decided to try and go. We were at the doors to leave the inside space and the water was coming through the doors and it was just insane!

We ran anyways.

I was soaked in seconds. Wearing flat sandals, I decided it would be best to take them off as to not slip or anything and continued running. Once wet, it was pretty fine and I didn't really care. I waded through a lot of water, anyways.

It only got chilly once I got inside Japan where the boys were. I put my shoes back on and the laughing stopped because I was busy rinsing out the water from my shirt. We grabbed a few more things and then headed off.  Jenessa and mom went to get funnel cakes and then I ended up dragging the others around to find cheaper hot cocoa out of the world showcase and over at the Electric Umbrella.

It was there, I received a "magical moment" which was pretty sweet though admittedly strange because I feel I should be giving them now that I work with Disney. The kind man was either a manager or surveyor, I wasn't too sure. But he came around where I was huddling with my hot cocoa in my hands by the family and he said he'd received a call from his boss to give something to the cutest girl he saw of the day and he told me he'd seen me first and gave me a little medal Mickey pin!

Too cute. Definitely keeping that and I have been slowly starting my own pin collection. The main part slowing me down is obviously that I'm never really going to do anything with my pins... I just love them! Is that enough?


ANYWAYS. We went back to France and took a ferry over to Hollywood studios for a last family picture and to buy a few last things. Everyone got sweatshirts [except me because I couldn't decide but I was allowed to wear Jakob's new one for a while since I was shivering], and they had gotten all of the desired souvenirs.
It got warm enough soon to get some ice cream and then- since everyone was exhausted and Jenessa was really cranky, they were going to head out back to the hotel. And I was completely exhausted still so I wasn't going to exactly complain.
We hugged, said our goodbyes, and parted ways. I was still at the bus stop when I saw them on the bus leaving.

I'm assuming they're all safe now. No, I'm kidding, I know y'all are good.

Anyways, today is my day off and I'm just going to sit around because I haven't been able to do just that for a while! Tomorrow I'll probably go see the Hunger Games by myself or something. I'll make pancakes in a little and start on a Supernatural spree.

All is well! Hopefully I'll have something more creative to talk about next time ;)