"It's kind of fun to do the impossible."

Walt Disney. I think I might be in love with him. Hey there, blog-friends. I must apologize for my prolonged absence, but life has been so terribly diverting, I lost track of chronicling my adventures, and I do apologize!

I have, of course, been spending the majority of my time at work, getting to know my coworkers and becoming more skilled and experienced in my area, all while being just as endearing as humanly possible. It's been fun, but exhausting at the same time. However, I think I may finally have the balance down between work and play. I'm getting better at making sure that I'm doing both.

Recently I've taken in quite a few movies at the local theater, enjoyed the parks - especially Star Wars weekends at Hollywood Studios, took a rather spontaneous trip to Daytona Beach, pretended to live in Ikea, and tomorrow we're heading to New Smyrna to celebrate my roommate's birthday. We're really starting to learn how to do it all here.

I took two seminar classes during the Spring semester, one on Disney Heritage and one on the life of a Disney  show, and I truly loved them both. They were really excellent opportunities to just broaden my experiential knowledge and to get exposure to things in Disney that I love. This summer, I'm taking an actual collegiate course with papers, tests, the whole kit and caboodle - even homework! But, it's all about self marketing, how to build your own brand, how to interview and really just present yourself in the best possible light so as to excel when entering the job market and chasing down your dream job. It's been incredibly entertaining thus far, my teacher has an enormous amount of energy and so it's a pleasure to be in class, even if it is for four hours at a time. I'm learning a lot about myself, some of which I like and some of which I work on, so it's personally beneficial, as well as academically.

I'm starting to think about school again - it'll be here before I know it, because we're on the short side of the Disney scale now. I've been here for just over four months and have just about two left. It's hard to imagine leaving, but it was hard to imagine living here. I'll adjust, but everyday I'm more sure that I'll be down here just as often as I can be during the next several years. I may be physically far, but Disney will truly never be far from my heart.

Trivia time! I'm currently falling back in love with the movie Pete's Dragon, so today's Disney trivia is from that. The movie was originally intended to be a musical. Al Kasha and Joel Hiershorn were hired to write "Candle on the Water" and it was so well received, the studio kept them on and made the movie into the musical delight that it is today. And now you know. (and if you've never seen Pete's Dragon, for shame, go rent it immediately - it's a heartwarming one with some good old fashion slapstick humor)

Just another day in paradise.

Hullo all,

It's another beautiful day her at Disney World. By that I mean we're under a tornado warning, the rain is simply terrifying, and the gusts of wind can literally knock me off my feet. But, none of that really matters when you're curled up on the couch watching Tangled! I couldn't have been happier to see it, honestly. There's something so wonderful about a Disney Princess movie, especially one with such a good message to young girls. People spend the whole movie after Rapunzel's hair, and in the end, it turns out that she's wonderful and beautiful and just who she should be, even without her special hair. Something we all should remember, really.

Other news from the Disney front - apparently April is come and visit Becca month! I've got best friends, camp loves, and even my family coming down to celebrate the wonder that is Disney and, of course, to visit me. It's supposed to clear up nicely once March is all said and done, so after this week things really ought to be swell. I'm really excited to have some familiar faces coming to see me - it'll be a nice change of pace.

On a closing note - there's something to be said for a job wherein you get to interact with lots of people for limited amounts of time. You really develop a knack for knowing how people are going to act and behave and sometimes it's pleasant, and sometimes it's really disappointing. But that's humanity sometimes, and all in all I'm still amazed by just how wonderful people can be.

Trivia time! In the spirit of the theme, of course, some Rapunzel trivia. That girl's got a LOT of hair that does some rather incredible stuff during the film, but just how much hair does Rapunzel have? According to the sources that be, Rapunzel has 70 feet of animated, glowing, magical hair. Now you know!

There's a Big, Bright, Beautiful Tomorrow, shining at the end of every day.

It's nice to be acknowledged, even when it's by surprise. I go to work and try to do my best everyday, and honestly, cheesy at it sounds, that's enough for me. But there's something to be said for being acknowledged by your managers.

This week I got handpicked to co-create a liaison position at work with another girl and I could not be more pleased. When my manager pulled me aside to let me know this she also informed me that the managers had met to throw names around and one hundred percent, without a moment's hesitation - I was in. I feel pretty special, to be honest. I am super self conscious now, because I want to keep being impressive to my managers, but I have to be careful to take a deep breath and calm down - they loved me just the way I am, no need to go trying to be a superhero. They like me real. It's a good thing to hear, and it only confirms that this is where I've been looking for all along.

Fun fact for the day - The Carousel of Progress, which originated at the 1964 World's Fair as one of the four pavilions designed by Disney and his team is considered to be one of the more outdated rides in the Magic Kingdom. Some question it's purpose in the park - but more than anything else in the entirety of Walt Disney World, the Carousel of Progress is nostalgic. It is the single, only attraction in the park that Walt himself has ridden in. Granted, it's been a few years since those days, but that's a trait that's not true of anything else in the Florida properties, and so it's something that we hold incredibly dear.

Bubbles.

I'm pretty much accustom to living in bubbles. From a small home town, to a small university, to a summer camp, back to the small university, to a land all its own here at Disney. You forget that there's a world out there that exists independently of what seems so crucial to those in the bubble with you. My biggest problem though is that I get so caught up in whichever bubble I'm currently in that I forget about the other bubbles. Places where I've found a home, found my place, found the truest of friends, and found places that are mine. It's something that a treasure, which is why I'm always surprised when I stop one day and realize that it's been ages since I've texted a best friend, or called my grandparents, or even just dropped a facebook message to let someone know that I still think about them all the time.

I'm sorry. I'm the kind of person who lives where they are. I'm not very good at touching base regularly or keeping in the loop when I'm so far out of it. I forget that there are reasons that people are so incredibly important to me, so it's nice to have those days where the universe comes together with the answers to help you out and to get you back on track with life.

Life here is fabulous, don't misunderstand - I'm so incredibly grateful for what I'm doing here, what I'm learning, and the experiences that are changing my life daily - but it's moments like this when I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Fun fact for the day, boys and girls, did you know that Jiminy Cricket is composed of 27 individual colors in order to give him depth and a uniquely tangible quality? Well, you do now!

And the world spins backward on its axis...

I haven't been going to church here in Orlando. It's been a bit of a social experiment of my own invention. My logic is that after nineteen years of almost continuous church, a break may not be a bad thing. However, here I am just over seven weeks into my program and the biggest of stumbling blocks took out my well laid experiment.

Ash Wednesday.

I know, for most it's the beginning of Lent, but past that there's not a deep tie, but I think that of all of the church holidays - Christmas and Easter included - Ash Wednesday is the one that is most important to me. It's the one church holiday that is about vulnerability and reality and imperfection and stripping away all of the nonsense in a way that no other church holiday is. I like that. Then again, I like the aspect of being vulnerable in church. I think that's a place that should always be safe - it's not always true, but it should be. So, being all by myself, away from my nuclear family, my church family, my school family...it was much tougher than I had anticipated. 

All that said, I do love Disney. It's more removed that I thought it would be. I was used to the Valpo bubble, but the Disney bubble is even more impenetrable. It's crazy.

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Another day here at Disney World. Finally, things are starting to feel normal here. What I mean by that is that working at Disney, wearing the silly costume, living in an apartment with five other girls, celebrating days off like they're vacations...this is my life. It's incredible and I really could not be more grateful. Of course, there is some work involved, and naturally there are days when I'm not as happy as I want to be, but when those days come knocking I know that I've got friends and a magical place where I can just go and find my happiness. It's pretty wonderful.

I finally got trained in another location at work so now I'm qualified to work two different jobs, and I'm really excited about having the reach and the skill to spread my abilities. I'm just excited.

Trivia of the day! Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom is the only one of the four "fantasylands" that does not have Pinocchio's Daring Journey in the Dark ride. Now you know!

Slowly Getting Brainwashed...

It's becoming more and more a part of my life...I love being at Disney. This is a wonderful place. I love my roommates, I love my job, I love my coworkers, I love my perks, I love my WHOLE LIFE! (see Jessica's Daily Affirmation on youtube if that didn't make sense) I am so pleased. I reached a new level of love today though. I realized that it was payday and immediately headed over to Downtown Disney to gather some of those "make your own" vinylmation characters. Basically, they're blank Mickey Mouses that you can decorate as you so choose. I totally stole this idea from one of my coworkers, but I colored one to look like an Auto Plaza cast member (in those cute yellow stripes) and one like a Park Greeter cast member. Their names are Otto and Parker respectively (you know you're jealous). I'm fairly pleased.

Fun  Disney FACT time! Toontown is closing (SAD FACE!) on the eleventh of this month in order to make space for the newest coolest thing - Fantasyland's expansion. It's gonna have all of the bells and whistles...literally. No really, Belle's castle is going up, along with her village, a tavern for Gaston, and a giftshop AND the Seven Dwarfs (insert whistled tune here) are getting a new place with a state of the art suspended train that responds to every twist and turn. ALL good things to come! So, come visit me...when I'm back here in 2013 when it looks like this project'll start wrapping up then. Loves to all!

Coloring-time in the life of me.

So, living at Disney World is fun. Who knew? Oh wait, everyone saw that coming? Yes. Indeed. We went to Typhoon Lagoon and had a super fun time. It was actually pretty cool, coming from me with the whole lots of people in bathing suits awkward, it worked out. Lots of slides and rides and stuff to enjoy.

Work is good too, which is awesome. I'm really enjoying what I'm doing...though I am spending a lot of time very disoriented. My days are sorted into working and not. Weekends and weekdays don't really register anymore. Life is strange here, but some things hold true no matter how weird the world. For example, make overs always seem to happen to my face - and here is no exception. We were watching the singalong version of Grease and the inevitable happened...someone looked at me and was like, "Becca...you look kind of like Sandy before her makeover...I wonder what you'd look like made over." So we busted out the curling iron, the teasing comb, the hairspray, and buckets of makeup and a new face was born. Life is fun sometimes, I think.

Disney trivia time! Question: What is one thing you are forbidden to bring into the Animal Kingdom?

Answer: Balloons. They're unsafe for our pretty animals. And now you know.

Days off are the greatest thing ever invented. I've spent the last two days playing to my hearts content in both Hollywood Studios and in the Animal Kingdom. I've started to hold on to my maps and I'm checking off things as I accomplish them. I've only got a few things left in Hollywood Studios and I managed to do about half of the attractions/shows in Animal Kingdom and that's just today. My goal for my time here is to ride every ride, and see every show in every park. I feel like this is an entirely attainable goal. I'm really enjoying myself. I got to do a lot of shopping, put together a care package for my family, and have just had time to breathe and enjoy my opportunities. I feel very lucky.

Fun fact - Animation Academy, in Disney's Hollywood Studio is one of the most wonderful finds of all time. In fifteen minutes, an artist will coax a class of budding talent through a rough sketch of a character. It's great, and coming from a girl with no talent with a pencil, I have one good looking Minnie Mouse displayed on my wall. It's worth the visit, without a doubt.

Mousekateering

Here I am, in the happiest place on earth. It is odd, the things you can learn though - here's some of the enlightenment I've gathered since arriving in the land of the Mouse.

1. Reality is relative. I couldn't tell you what is going on in the world, because my reality is not the exterior world. Here, my concerns involve apartments, schedules, bus routes, training, shoes, and getting enough sleep.
2. Everything wonderful has a downside, too. Contrary to what I think I expected, not everything here comes with Mouse ears attached. I should have been prepared for that, I suppose - I mean, I've been here just on vacation and that's been true. There are always moments when you're smile fades, I just have to remember why I'm here, what I'm doing, and try to find that sparkle.
3. "On time" is relative. If the bus "comes" at 6:50am, you'd best be there at least fifteen minutes early, and be prepared to see it ten minutes after it's supposed to be there. Don't schedule yourself too closely because the day that you do, the buses will be running late and you will be out of luck.
4. Pack mentality is easy to fall into, and very difficult to evade. With five other girls in the apartment, once three or four girls are on board with an idea, everyone else just falls into the pack.
5. Everything is an adventure - so be ready. You never know when you're about to speed walk a park, take in a fireworks show, hustle to CiCi's for $3 buffet night, watch a movie with the roomies, see a celebrity, hit the gym, get on a ride, or learn something new. Through the moments of elation, disappointment, confusion, enlightenment, joy, purpose, understanding, trepidation, and passion - at the end of the day, it's Disney, and I can't imagine a better place to be.

Fun Fact! Magic Kingdom and all of it's parking lots could fit inside of the Kilamanjaro Safari in Animal Kingdom. Go figure.

Greetings from the happiest place on earth!

Here I am, in my three bedroom apartment, with four of my five roommates, taking advantage of the lull in our day and eating breakfast, watching house, and catching up with the outside world before heading off to my next Mousekateering adventure. It's been a whirlwind few days, standing in endless lines, signing my name to a million things, moving into an apartment, getting situated, hanging out with the roomies and just generally adapting to life here in the happiest place on earth. I'm loving this so very much.

Disney fun fact for today - did you know that Walt Disney won more Oscars than any other one person has? The man had 32 to his name, all told. What a champ.

I just want to see the floating lanterns gleam!

So tomorrow is the big day. I have been waiting for this my whole life and tomorrow it will be time!! Mom and I creeped on what could be my future home, and I was in love, dazzled by the light, insert silly cliches here, but it's all so incredibly true. I hope that you are excited, I know that I am. So incredibly excited. My life, Disney, my life, Disney, about to be the same thing? I am so ready. I'll keep you posted on how wonderful Disney life is.

Until my next installment, here's some trivia: did you know that some of the bigger restaurants with the bigger kitchens are dual leveled? Indeed they are, there's a prep kitchen on the tunnel level and a cooking kitchen on the main level. Now you know. :)

Even my Insomnia has Mouse Ears

Just another day in the life of a would-be princess, I suppose. But boy, getting ready for the biggest adventure of my life so far is tough. I’ve made a lot of check lists, edited them, rewritten them, made more lists, and completely started over. I keep waking up in the middle of the night terrified that I’m going to show up dressed wrong and that I will be sent home from Disney without even starting. Mouse ears are all over my life. Which, I suppose, is the point – and it’s good to start acclimating to that now. Because once life truly starts and I am working full time and studying and living in the happiest place on earth, then I had better love those mouse ears something fierce.

I am nervous, but I am genuinely excited. I think this is going to be quite the adventure.

Trivia? Question: Where was Minnie Mouse when she made her film debut?

Answer: The same place she’s always been, right along side Mickey. Minnie was seen costarring in Plane Crazy, the first animated short to star Mickey. This short and the Gallopin’ Gaucho preceded the most famous of Mickey Mouse shorts, Steamboat Willie.