New Blog

It's been such a long time, that I doubt anyone will see this... BUT on the off chance that you do... I have a new, somewhat Disney-related blog. It has nothing to do with the CP, but is about chronicling my races and training for races at Disney World (and hopefully Disneyland next year).

Just thought I'd pop by here and post the link, just in case. :)

http://wdwrunner.blogspot.com/

I know, I know. It's been forever.

Trust me on this one, I have a really good reason for not posting. As in- I'm not in Florida anymore. I haven't been for I think over a month now. And it's hard to write this post because I feel like I'm letting all 54 of you down. But I really had to think about what was best for me in this case, so here I sit in pollen-infested Georgia. (Seriously, our pollen count is out of control.) 

I feel like I should explain why I left, especially because I don't want all of the future CPs to freak out. :) The CP is awesome and you're going to love it. It's going to be hard sometimes and it's going to suck sometimes because that's how life is, but you're going to have the time of your life. 

Leaving was literally one of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my entire life. I really enjoyed my time there and I haven't had a day go by that I haven't felt sad that I had to leave. Self-terming isn't exactly going out in a blaze of glory and it doesn't bode well for ever wanting to work for the company again. On top of that, I was building some pretty awesome relationships with awesome people and I miss them terribly. So if I feel like this, why did I leave? Because despite all of that, I still needed to leave. I have a lot of underlying personal issues. I've been through a lot in my life and I haven't dealt with any of it at any point. It's been storing up, dragging me down, and interfering with my quality of life. 

I'm now at home working for ChaCha still, waiting to work at camp this summer (my favorite place on the planet), and going to counseling. It's the best I've felt in a long time. And while I'm sad that I'm not in Florida (frequently) I don't regret my decision. I wouldn't be able to be on the path to healing that I'm on now, and I wouldn't trade that. 

Thanks to all of you for sharing in my Disney journey with me. If you'd like to continue on with me in my not-so-Disney journey, I have a non-Disney blog that was deleted but that I've decided to bring back. You can find it here. 

I don't expect everyone to understand why I had to leave, but I hope you can at least respect it. :) 

What's next? Camp. Job. School of some kind (culinary? medical?). Maybe I'll just go ahead and become the next president or something. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog and supporting me. I love you all.

<3

Blog post here.

There will be one shortly. I know I'm slacking. In my defense I've tried to update twice and the internet has eaten my post. I'm in the process of writing one currently but I'm going to Walmart now so you'll have to wait.  

So, I should be doing something more productive (like cleaning out my trunk so my family's luggage will fit in it or packing my bag for the hotel with them) but I bad because I said I would update after Walmart that night and I didn't. So much to catch up on. After my last post I went to work until 6:30 and then headed back home to Georgia. By the time I actually got on the road it was almost 7:30 which put me back home at almost 2:30 (yes, in the morning) because the drive took me EXACTLY 7 hours. I was personally impressed. I gave my dog a spaz attack because apparently she thought she'd never see me again and I'd like to say I went to bed, but I took advantage of having good internet at home to watch the episode of LOST I had missed. I woke up on Sunday and went down to the  Georgia World Congress Center to help set up with PCC and whatnot and hung out with my family and other cool people I hadn't seen in a long time. Some of them in a VERY long time (Bethany!!!). Monday I woke up early and went to hang out with Cheriiise at Starbucks because I love her and because I miss doing that. I waited until her shift ended and we went and exchanged some of my jeans at the mall and then went to my house and colored Disney Princess pictures while watching the worst (BEST) Hallmark movie, Elevator Girl. Then I went to see my grandmother and I also went to see my daddy. I went home to grab the rest of my stuff and head back down to Orrrlando but my sister convinced me to go to Target with her so I may or may not have gotten on the road at 9:30 (therefore putting me home at 4:30). So while the trip home pretty much drained me of all energy I've ever had, it was worth it and I got a lot done/got to see a lot of people while I was home. 

Later that week, on Thursday and Friday (or Friday and Saturday?) I had GAMES TRAINING! They finally rescheduled it (if you remember correctly, my trainer called in sick- if you don't remember correctly, you don't win a prize... okay you don't win one anyway) and it was a blast. I don't understand why so many people complain about it. Yes, you're outside (but I like that part) and yes you're spieling (I like that part, too) but you get to see people and talk to people and NOT listen to the music inside of Chester and Hester's. I've only worked in games for like an hour since my training but I hope to be out there more soon. 

Monday was my day off and I spent the first half of the day basking in the sun on the balcony (okay not really basking I was wearing jeans) and playing guitar while trying to decide if I'm going to audition for Night of Stars. The second half of the day I went to Hollywood Studios with my Boo Boo Bear (Christine) and we were total tourists complete with matching t-shirts (that we bought) and Mickey ice creams (which I've been wanting for like 3 weeks now). It was fun and something that I really needed. Tuesday I woke up with a fever and called in because an 11 hour shift in the rain didn't really seem like the thing to fix that. Yesterday I didn't feel great but I had no fever so I rocked my 9 hour photo shift like a pro (or like a crazy person... example: I was playing with two of our toy dinosaurs and making them roar at each other and fight/eat each other until I realized guests could see me). 

Today I'm picking my family up at the airport which means I need to clean out my car which means I need to go. I'll leave you with my favorite game spiel.

"Come on over to BrontoScore! Just one voucher for one try, two vouchers for three tries. Yes, that's right come test your BrontoScore and aim for the stars!"

<3

Best. Day. Ever.

I had an AMAZING day today. I got to start work at Nemo Cart (which I LOVE) which just started a list of awesome things.

1. Shortly after I started I was talking to a guest while he waited for his wife to go to the bathroom and also exchange a pair of flip flops. He asked where my college was located and I said Georgia. He talked about how when they were driving down from Virginia they loved how beautiful the snow in Georgia was. I told him that I was sad that I had missed it. About five minutes later he came up to me with his camera and scrolled through all the pictures he took of the Georgia snow so I could see them. :)

2. I like to hold Bruce. You know, from Finding Nemo? We have a talking one and he's my favorite way to Merchantain. A little boy came over with his dad and I asked him if he would say hello to Bruce because I had heard that Bruce could talk but I wasn't sure. He waved and said "Hi, Bruce." at which point I hit Bruce's fin so that he would say "G'day, mate. My name's Bruce." The boy was pretty excited and then proceeded to tell me his name and talk to me for a few minutes. I got to see him again after he got out of the show and when he saw me he smiled and waved. It was awesome. 

3. I smiled and said good morning to a cast member walking by to either go on break or get a new assignment. (I later found out his name is Walt. AWESOME.) He smiled, said good morning back, and kept walking. Later on as he was coming back out, when he walked by he slipped a piece of candy in my hand. :)

4. There's a steel drum/Caribbean sounding/awesome band that plays next to the Theater in the Wild (they're really fun and wonderful so you should try to see them sometime). They started playing and since I was already holding Bruce I decided I would dance with him. Well, Bruce is a great dancer and was twirling me and dipping me and all sorts of fun things. I looked up and a family was laughing and dancing as well. Another family was videoing me. Glad I'll be made fun of by them for years to come. :) But yeah. The good part of this one was A. that it was fun, B. that little kids kept joining in by dancing in the line for Nemo.

Lots of other great things happened today but those are my favorite. I was inside on register at Chester's for the rest of the day, so that wasn't quiiite as awesome but it was still fun. It was also relatively busy so my day went by very quickly. Tomorrow I work from 10:45-6:30 and then I'm driving HOME. Yay!!!!

Have a fun Friday night!

<3

I'm Going Home.

Next weekend I get to go home for PCC and I'm SO excited. I realized yesterday on my break that I would be able to and had a small dance party moment. I have Sunday and Monday off and church is at 6 on Sunday night, so it's perfect. I'm planning on leaving Saturday night after work (I'll get home around 1), helping out with/attending church on Sunday, hanging out with Cherise on Monday morning and heading back down on Monday around 3. I'm thrilled. I love it down here, but I can't wait to see my family... including my dog. I can't wait to be at PCC again. I feel like I'ved missed so much and that's one of the main things that I hate that I'm missing out on down here. Now I get to be a part of it again, if only for one weekend. I mean, I know I'm still a part of it down here, but it's different. 

So, I was supposed to start my games training yesterday, right? WRONG. My trainer called in sick. Now my training has been rescheduled. It's okay though because I only had a six hour shift yesterday and I only have a six hour shift today as well because of it. Yes, please. Yesterday was a great day (minus the very beginning). I got to work right at 7:45 because I started at 8 and I wanted to be there early since it was training. I thought it was strange that my trainer wasn't already there but I clocked in and put my stuff in my locker and whatnot. I continued to stand there and around 7:55 logged on to get my assignment for the day even though I knew it would say "Enjoy your training!" (which it did). I continued to stand there until around 8:10 when one of my managers informed me that I'd be thrown into the rotation for the day because my trainer called in sick, therefore my training would be completely rescheduled. Not a problem because since I was there so early I got check that each cash drawer had the correct amount of money and then be one of the two people walking them to all the registers in the store, carts, and at Photo. That took until 9:30 which was sweeeeet. It was really busy yesterday. Dinosaur had the longest wait it's had this year so far apparently. I believe it was 75 minutes which is really crazy considering how uncrowded we've been since I've been here. It's supposed to be crowded again today, what with it being President's Day and all. I had the early shift yesterday so I didn't see it as much, but I'm 12:30-6:30 today so I'm pretty sure I'll definitely experience some of the madness. 

Alright. It's time for me to get ready for work. Woohoo.

Have an excellent start to your week! 

<3

I love my job.

Dude. I really do. Even though my fingers were so cold this morning at Nemo Cart this morning that they were bright red and I couldn't count money. Even though I had to work right up until 7:30 because the store was still crazy even though we closed at 7. All I could think about today was how much I love my job. I love waving to kids and making them smile. I REALLY love when they have cute face paint and I can talk about it or when they bring money up to buy an item on their own. I love talking to adults about where they're visiting from and how much fun they're having. I love talking to the cheerleaders this week (and I loved the dancers last week) about their competition and what it's taken them to get here. Guest interaction is the highlight of my day. That's about all I have for now. :) 

Oh. And this... Check out my new sweatshirt. I'm in love with it. 

Have a good weekend! 

<3

Sick. :(

So Wednesday I worked from 1:30 to 10 (magic hours- otherwise AK would never be open that late) and I wasn't feeling that great. I was pumped though because I was working Dino Photo and that's a BLAST. You either work gallery which is basically gift shop merch or you work photo which is where you help guests find their photos, print them out, and sell them. I spent the majority of the day on photo which is just awesome. By the end of the night I was hurting in the health department though. My Thursday shift was supposed to be from 7:00-3:30 and dude, as much as I wanted to end my program with a clean record card, I called in. I knew I wouldn't have another day off until next Wednesday and I knew if I took a day to take care of myself it would be better in the long run than exhausting myself while trying to get well. It was a good plan until I got to work today (technically yesterday) and ended up working 4 hours at a cart in 40 degree rain. My super nice manager realized how long I had been out there and switched me out so I could be inside. She also tried to get me an ER (didn't work but it's cool I only had an hour left of my shift) and told me that I didn't have to take over my register until I felt dry and warm (that didn't happen either I just sucked it up, ha). 

Dino Cart is everyone's least favorite. I always get sent there. I spent 3 hours there today. I personally love it. For a location point of reference, it's the cart at the entrance to Dinoland- right after you come across the bridge from Discovery Island, across from Trilo-Bites (the turkey leg stand), before the dinosaur skeleton bridge, right on the part of the path that leads to the Theater in the Wild (where the Nemo show is held). It's usually very slow, but I like it because it's so easy to greet guests. At this cart you will without fail answer how to get to the park exit about every 5 minutes and direct people to Asia and Nemo almost just as much. You will also direct people to Dinosaur, Festival of the Lion King (quite a trek), and Kilimanjaro Safaris (I just feel bad giving directions to that one... "Yeah... Pretty much it's the farthest thing away from you right now. Good luck."). The only downside to Dino Cart for me is that you can smell the turkey legs and Flametree. AND dude if the wind blows the right way, you can smell the food all the way from Asia. It's torture when you're waiting for your lunch break. 

When I got home I took a ridiculously hot shower to warm up my frozen toes and fingers (still cold after my 20 minute drive with my heat blasting) and pretty much bummed around until the opening ceremony for the Olympics came on. I watched the majority of it with just one of my roommates and eventually all of the others trickled home. I love the Olympics so much. :)

Now I'm off to bed. I work tomorrow from 11-7:30 which isn't bad at all. I think we close at 7 so it's not even hardcore closing hours. I'm definitely wearing leggings under my dino pants tomorrow. :) 

Have a good night, friends!

<3

EDIT: I forgot. It snowed 4 inches in my hometown today. Of course I missed it. :( Oh well. At least I saw some snow this year before I left. :)