The 5oz Foodie

As a wise person said, "Today is the last day of 2012... Don't look at what you haven't accomplished, but what you have accomplished... And celebrate!!!!!!" That wise person...me... There are so many things I had hoped to accomplish in this past year, like cleaning my room... That have not been accomplished and as this year comes to an end I could focus on those things, but instead I am thinking about the things I was able to do this year... I am getting my mental health under control... I am feeling better about myself... I was able to complete my first Temporary Assignment as a Coordinator of Training and there are many more things that I can focus on... So to all that have seen me through the past 366 days, thank you... My journey is only beginning... Love, peace and Happy New Year and I did it!!! Musicsongbird

The end of the year is quickly coming to an end and things at work couldn't be crazier!!! Am I stressed? Not a chance... I am having fun helping with new things and having some new experiences and I am ready for the new year!!! New Year, New beginnings... Several people have already told me I need to continue blogging and I have to admit, I think my life would be empty without it... It has been very therapeutic and it has allowed me to get my feelings out and my thoughts straight... So, I know the blogging is going to continue just not quite sure what it will looks like but the Skinny girl will return for another year!!! Love, peace and getting my thoughts straight... Musicsongbird

I can't believe this year is quickly coming to a close... We have survived so much this year... Hurricane's, the Mayan Apocalypse, Miley half shaving her head and Snooky having a baby... But I have done so many new things that I can now mark off of my Bucket list... Let's see what those things are... 1. I ate at a raw bar...oysters on the half shell!!! Yummy!!! 2. I received my first real massage! 3. I got a hidden Mickey tattoo... 4. I went to my 1st midnight showing of a movie... Snow White and the Huntsmen 5. I changed clothes outside in a public place... :D 6. I saw World of Color at Disney's California Adventure!!! 7. I went BLONDE!!!! 8. I got acupuncture and I liked it so much I kept going!!! 9. I did my 1st Jaeger Bomb... and my 2nd through 5th :D 10. I competed in my 1st 5K race!!! There are several other things I want to do next year and the list keeps growing...My bucket list isn't a mission to see what all I can do before I kick the bucket, but to see

So I just realized as I was counting down to the 31st, my blog has been wrong for the past 363 days... We had a leap day this year... So my blog should have been out of 366... So the title should be Day 363 of 365 366... So for the final 3 blogs of the year it will be corrected... As BFF and I were driving back home tonight, I did a lot of thinking... Thinking about my life and everything that I have gone through in the past year and the things that finally came out in my quest to get mentally healthy... I now realize something huge... If I were 100% mentally healthy, I wouldn't be at my heaviest like I am now... I am still using food as a barrier or protector from everything else... Thus my fat has become a kind of protection, but in reality it has become a weapon, against myself... I haven't had this much pain on a daily basis in my entire life... My hands go numb, as I am typing this I am having pain in my finger joints... I have began snoring badly, which was never an i

So, disclaimer: blogging from phone and hands,r goimg numb bad... It's so nice ti spend time with family, especially family u get to choose... This is my 6th Christmas in Florida and my 6th one with my borrowed family... Now, dont get me wrong, I love my family dearly and I miss our holiday celebrations, but my borrowed family has included me in so much of,their lives throughout the years and I am eternally greatful... When people ask who I am going to visit, I tell them, my family... I tell everyone I have 11 nieces and nephews... 1 great niece, 3 nephews and 2 nieces from my oldest brother, 1 niece and 1 nephew from my middle brother and 2 nephews and 1 niece from my borrowed family... I am so incredibly blessed to be included in all of their lives... love, peace and family love... musicsongbird

I had the opportunity to work in the Showcase today and did I have a great day or what? I got rained on but it didn't dampen my spirits! I laughed and sang, making up my own version of Beyonce's Single Ladies, called Soggy Ladies... It just felt so good to be alive... I know I have said it before, but I finally feel like I am getting my joy back!!! I am feeling motivated to do more than just sit on the couch and play on Facebook... Tonight I put my new mini cupcake maker to the test... I made a bunch of mini cupcakes to take to see family tomorrow... I learned a really cool trick from the Mini maker... If you spray the cupcake wrappers with cooking spray before filling them, the wrapper releases perfectly after they have been baked... I am not completely innocent of staying off FB tonight because I found this hilarious post and it totally reminded myself of me, and not because Tink is on it... Love, peace and a pocketful of crazy... Musicsongbird

Christmas gifts have been unwrapped and half the candy from the stocking devoured, the tour of Christmas lights complete... Now it's time to rest... Until Thursday when I get to do it all again!!! I had the great joy in spending part of Christmas in Christmas, Florida today! Not much there but very friendly people... I love taking the little hour long drives to different places that I have never been, just to explore... As I look back on the adventures of this past year I have gone from Coast to Coast, not only here in Florida but also in the United States... We took a day trip to Cocoa and traveled Highway A1A then jumped Coasts and traveled to Camarillo, California... We made the trip to Madeira Beach and again back to Cocoa... I also went home to St. Louis and up to Illinois to see my family and friends... Then off to North Carolina, South Carolina and Savannah to get a gift for a friend... What a year of exploring I have done and I am not quite finished... Who knows where t

What a great day... I spent the morning preparing for this evening... Wrapping presents for Mom and BFF... Then ran a few errands with Mom, then took a long winters nap (really only an hour)... About that time I finished wrapping two additional gifts and then the BFF came over and we all watched, "The Year there almost Wasn't a Santa." Something like that, the one with the Meiser brothers... Followed by mini corn dogs and PRESENTS!!!! I loved watching Mom's face as she opened her gifts from BFF and I and the kittens...I especially loved watching the kittens jump and play in the wrapping paper on the floor... I think my favorite gift was a hand made one I received from BFF... It's the handmade ones that always mean the most because it wasn't just handmade, it was heart made as well... Following gifts we all went to the candle light service at Church, dinner at Denny's (a Christmas Eve tradition) and driving through Celebration to look at lights...

Once upon there was a little boy visiting a magical land of exotic people and foods... He carried with him a book, not just any book but a special book that allowed him go travel between towns in the Land... As he met new people he learned of their languages and culture and  he captured all of this in his special book... Along his travels in all of the excitement, his special book slipped from his grasp and was thought to be lost... The next morning while out wondering the land, two friends happened along a pile of rubbish in the road... At first glance there was nothing special but hiding in the rubbish they saw something strange... As they looked closer they spotted a well worn book... As they opened it they saw photos and short letters... It was all neatly written and when they flipped to the back they saw a name...Not only a name, but a location and a photo of the owner of the book... Immediately they followed the pages of the book, traveling everywhere the books owner had trav

I remember it like it was yesterday... Going out and playing with the guests... Laughing and joking and dancing to the music in my head... Sharing the magic and wonder of the Disney dreams we all share... Playing with a rubber snake and having guests ask if it's real... And then when they ask, "is it real?" I would reply, "real fake..." and we would all laugh... But wait... that wasn't five years ago... That was today... I haven't laughed and played like that with my trainee in a long time... We danced and sang songs and yes I really did play with a giant rubber python...Then as we closed down the village, Illuminations began and I saw the excitement and dreams in the eyes of my trainee... It is so awesome to get to see something new through the eyes of someone else... It's like experiencing it again for the first time... Today was just another reminder that I am doing the right thing with my life right now and the break I had was what I needed t

It is really starting to feel like Christmas... The weather is currently 47 degrees and dropping... This will be my sixth Christmas here in Florida and it still feels weird to celebrate when it's shorts weather, or it was until a few days ago...Even though we are surrounded by Christmas, especially at work, it is still hard to feel it when you are so far from home... So thank you Lord for the colder temperatures and the freedom to celebrate your son's birth... I feel so blessed to be able celebrate each day with my Mom and my BFF... Don't wait until it's a holiday to tell the ones you love that you love them... I received some sad news this week, a friend from home, that I used to sing with in our church praise team, passed away unexpectedly... My heart and prayers go out to his son and daughter and his wonderful wife... I look forward to the day when we get to perform in the ultimate praise and worship concert for the ages together Greg... Love, peace and prais

Today at the pin cushion appointment I was asked to think about what I want to do for myself next year... I have been battling my weight since I was young and this year was no different... I started off the year wanting to focus on losing weight with this blog and I ended up focusing on my mental and emotional health, which turned out to be quite the journey, but I am now better for it... So now I must really take the next week to decide what I want for my goals for next year... Not a resolution but a goal, like my blog every day for a year goal... will I make it??? I still have 10 more nights of blogs to write... Only time will tell... and as long as I am talking about the blog, I have to decide if it will continue or if it will end with the old year (2012)... So one thing I know I need to work on next year is not injuring myself quite so often... Tonight I took Mom down to Celebration to see it Snoap on main street and I dropped her off and then parked way over by the school a

Sometimes we just need a break from the things we love doing, so that we can continue to love them... I am not saying I am giving up on being a COT, but I don't know how long it will be until my next opportunity... Because it is a seniority based role and not a merit based one, I could be waiting awhile... So after returning to training this passed week I have decided that I do truly love training... Today I spent the day with our newest International Management Intern... She was so delightful to get to know and introduce to the cast... I am really looking forward to training her again on Sunday and then watch her develop as a leader over the next year or longer... Every road we take in life leads us to a new adventure... Some times the road is bumpy and has hairpin turns, but if it didn't we would never have to hold on, and where would be the adventure??? So for this detour I have taken I am going to grab my road trip snacks, air up my tires and buckle my seat belt bec

Perception is so hard to get around... We can't always know how someone else will perceive our actions... The definition of perception is: immediate or intuitive recognition... So, if I ask my Mom how long it takes to bake cookies and she responds 8-10 minutes... My perception is that in 8-10 minutes I should have hot cookies out of the oven... When in reality it could take a lot longer to get them... She needs to assemble her ingredients, does she have everything she needs? She needs to combine the ingredient and pre-heat the oven...Then she will need to put them on the cookie sheets to bake... Once all that is complete then it may be an additional 8-10 minutes before the cookies come out of the oven... So was she wrong to say it will take 8-10 minutes to bake some cookies? Well, no, she was simply answering the question I had asked her... But if we ask that question and then it takes her almost an hour to bake the cookies, who is in the wrong??? If I wanted more specific info

While I was working today I noticed a tattoo on a guest's wrist that read Believe... I told her how much I liked it and she told me that she almost died this year... Of course I was a little shocked by her admission but she added, she got that tattoo as a reminder to never stop believing... She didn't say what she believed in but I am believing that she meant in the saving grace of God... I believe she meant she was given another chance to live... That God had a greater purpose for her... It reminded me that even in the hardest times we should never give up Believing in God... He is there even when it seems like all is lost... Our nation just went through another tragedy this past week when we lost the lives of 20 young children and six of their teachers... It is hard to watch the footage and not get angry at the media for what they are doing... One family in particular touched my heart greatly and that was the family of Emilie Parker... Her Aunt and then Father spoke with s

I love the nights where you get together with friends and laugh and joke and eat yummy treats.... Oh and do it all in the name of Christmas... Tonight Mom and I went to my friends home for their annual Christmas get together and it was so enjoyable... My friend and his sweet Mom were the perfect hosts... This is the time to celebrate and give thanks for our friends and loved ones... It's a time to forgive one another  for the wrongs that may have happened over the year and we never truly forgave them... The New Year is coming and we all need to start fresh...I don't like making resolutions, because when we people resolve to do something, they usually resolve to forget what they wanted to resolve in the first place...I believe the new year is an opportunity to make better choices in our lives and to grow in ourselves.... Let's resolve not to make anymore resolutions and to just make better choices for ourselves in the New Year... Love, peace and say no to resolutions...

Today was my first day back as a Core Trainer, and I trained in International Gateway... I have to admit I was a little anxious about training again... But I have to say, I moved back into it with no problems... I laughed and danced and joked and I think I trained a little too... My new Cast member and I had a great time...As long as I am in my trainer role I will continue to do the best I can for my team and my new cast.... All of my friends have been so supportive and I thank them for their continued support...I also know that when the right role comes along it will be amazing... There is something that is bringing me down right now, but in those infamous words of that great Cuban, "It is what it is", and I really can't do anything to change it, so I will just have to let it happen and keep moving forward... As a famous warthog once said, "You have to put your behind, in the past..." In the light if eternity, it won't even matter, but right now it still

This morning our country faced another tragedy... 28 people lots their lives and we are all in shock, and we are mourning and questioning why someone could do something so heinous... It tears us all apart to know that the children lost will never grow up, will never attend High School, never travel the world... But they are all safe in the arms of Jesus now and we can take comfort in knowing that... It will take time for wounds to heal but I pray for that healing for all of the families effected and I pray for our country during this loss... Musicsongbird

When did it become so offensive to say Merry Christmas? Everywhere we have been shopping this week I try to say Merry Christmas, because it's that time of year and I have never heard so many people stutter and stammer and avoid saying it as much as I have this year. I have friends that are of different religions but they don't have a problem with people telling them Merry Christmas... That's why when I walked into J.C.Penney tonight and saw this I was elated.... Here is a company that doesn't post season's greetings or Happy Holidays but tells it like it is... From AllThingsChristmas.com The term Merry Christmas doesn’t have any religious bias and is often used by people of all races and religious backgrounds, during Christmas time. It reflects that messages of love, joy and well wishes can be communicated irrespective of belief systems. It’s a greeting that makes total strangers make instant connection. It’s a message that dissolves anger. It’s a message th

Sometimes I think God has to slap me up side the head when He wants me to get something, or to share it... Sunday morning I wasn't feeling well enough to go to church with Mom and so I turned on First Baptist Orlando... Pastor David preached about how so very often we have a tendency to blame others for our problems and how others see us... We blame our parents, our friends, our job, our circumstances and even God, but we never want to take the blame for ourselves... This evening, again, I found this post by a friend and it spoke volumes.... I know people that have felt that it's not their fault for the situation they are in... They had big dreams, once upon a time, but now they are blaming their home life from when they were younger, that they aren't living out those dreams...They don't take responsibility for the choices they made when they were younger and the choices they are making now... They still want to blame someone else for the way they are living... But

I love playing rob your neighbor at Christmas parties... Today our team in the trailer at work kicked off our Christmas celebration by playing said game... The price limit was $25 maximum and their were presents of all shapes and sizes...It's fun to look over the wrapped gifts and plan your attack... Throughout the game we laughed, we took presents from each other and did I say we laughed? In the end I came out pretty well but I realized something... The true joy of the game was laughing and joking and having a good time with the people I was with... Being co-workers there are times when we don't all get along, but for an hour there were no arguments, no stressful work related issues, no training schedules to be made, no call ins to face... We just had fun... And I hope that everyone in the room feels the same way I do... Love, peace and the simple joys of life... Musicsongbird

It's almost here... That special time of year I look forward too but my hips do not... Christmas Cookie overload!!!! Even though we discuss it off and on all year by BFF and I always end up making our cookies at the last possible minute... Maybe it's because we are brilliant, and realize the less time they are in our homes, then there is less of a chance we will indulge in them. I think it's because we forget and then at the last minute we are like, where did time go!!! AHHHHHH!!!!!! So it looks like it will end up being next week when we will get to baking.... So Mom and I were watching a show on the cooking channel tonight and Giada was using unsalted butter and Mom always uses salted butter and so we learned something interesting tonight... For all of you getting ready to do your holiday baking, here is the difference between salted and unsalted butter... Yes, one thing is that one has salt and the other doesn't but salt is used as a preservative, so the butter has

Just two weeks until the Big day is here! Christmas!!!!! And what would be the Christmas holiday season without Epcot's annual Wreath Decorating contest... Last year our Core Team won like 3 out of the 4 categories I would be happy just having people like it... Last year the wreath was made out of recycled gift cards, this year we recycled something else... The only hint I will give is that it has something to do with what our team puts up with a lot of... Putting together the wreath was fun but I did burn myself while putting it together... Even if we don't win this year, I am glad our team could once again work together to collect the items needed to put this wreath together... I know I have said it before but it bares repeating... No matter where the road takes the ten of us from the Core team, I know we will always be there for each other, to laugh with and to cry and especially to celebrate!!!! Love, peace and Recycled Christmas Wreaths... Musicsongbird

Today ended my first TA as a Coordinator of Training for Walt Disney World... I am already scheduled to train this coming weekend and I have mixed emotions about returning to my Core Trainer position... I now know where my next is with Disney and once again it is a waiting game... I have two meet and greets with Training Managers on Monday, so hopefully something good will come out of them... Because of the Union presence at Disney, getting position like Coordinator of training isn't as easy as, a position opens, you apply, interview and then you are promoted... Nope, because it is an hourly role, you take an assessment, you put your resume on file along with your preferences of where you would like to work and then you wait... What I mean by wait, is that you wait to hit the top 15 list that is pulled... The top 15 is listed by seniority so even if you are amazing at what you do, someone else that is less qualified can receive the position, simply because you have less seniority

Today is a day that will live in infamy... 71 years ago, the United States was attacked by Japan without warning...  In just 110 minutes time the following things happened:  - 2,335 US Servicemen lost their lives  - 68 US Civilians lost their lives  - 65 Japanese fighters lost their lives  - 1,143 Servicemen were wounded  - 35 US Civilians were wounded - The Arizona  exploded when a bomb breached it's forward ammunition hold               - Approximately 1,100 Servicemen died on board - After being torpedoed, the Oklahoma  listed so badly it turned upside down - USS Utah  was sturck on the port side but what was believed to be 3 torpedos and was sunk. It was later rolled over to clear the channel but was left on the bottom - 21 Ships of the US Fleet were either sunk or damaged - 188 US Aircraft were destroyed, 159 damaged, the majority were hit before they could take off We must never forget...

What a magical evening... I love the sights, sounds and smells of the holiday season.., Mom and I traveled to Hollywood to see the Osbourne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.... Over 6 million lights dancing to fun and nostalgic Christmas hits... The weather was perfect, just ripe for snow... Yes, I said snow or as we here in Central Florida call it, snoap...  What I love most is seeing my Mom's eyes light up as the lights twinkled and danced... I have seen the lights at Hollywood Studios for the past 6 Christmases and it never gets old to see the joy it brings to my Mom...Another reminder of what this time of year is supposed to be about... 1. giving of your time 2. sharing with others 3. finding joy in the smallest things... love, peace and the list goes on... Musicsongbird

It's been a long and exhausting day today, but I have never felt more rewarded after a day at work... I got to continue my volunteering with Toys for Tots... All of the toys aren't in yet, but before I finished my volunteering shift we hit our goal for Epcot and surpassed it... One of the areas donated more than 50% of the toys and what is even more remarkable is that the cast from that area isn't even from the United States... Before they began their jobs at Disney, they had no knowledge of Toys for Tots, in fact in their country, toy drives like these aren't the norm... From what I was told, their leader took a group of volunteers to assist the Marine Corps with family sign ups so that the cast could see and understand who the toys would be going to... The cast were so touched by their experience that they started collecting toys like crazy... It's been a hard for me to get into the Christmas spirit this year...well not so much hard as it's had ups and do

Today, I had the opportunity to assist our recognition leader at Epcot, with the packing of the Toys that were donated by the Epcot Cast for Toys for Tots... We counted and boxed up the donations, loaded up the van and took them to the drop off location.... It amazed me to hear that Epcot always has the most donations on property, but it also made me sad to know that with over 60,000 cast members here in Florida, we don't really get a ton of toys... I think so many people think, toys are expensive, I don't make a ton of money and why should I spend my money on a toy for someone I don't know... OK, I can appreciate people feeling that way, but after counting hundreds of toys today I remembered back to my childhood.... A childhood where a trip to Ben Franklin's got us penny candy and a "cheap toy". Kids don't look for labels, they look for a fun toy that will allow them to use their imagination and when that happens, the sky is the limit... I was truly i

I love tinkering and taking things apart... Today I got to take apart the vacuum cleaner to replace the belt... I was never taught how to do these things by Dad or Brothers, I just read the directions and went from there... I would love to be able to build something on my own... I have my own drill, well actually I think it's both Mom and mine, but it's a power drill none the less... I want to build something from start to finish and see it through...  My Dad was good at building things like Shelves and he cut out and painted the wonderful snow family we have in our front yard for the winter season... He also built my most favorite Christmas decoration... Santa kneeling at Baby Jesus's manger... I would also love to learn how to change the oil on my car... Not that I would do it, I would miss my friends at Pep Boys. ;-) Now I just need to find someone to teach me... Love, peace and Any Volunteers??? Musicsongbird

It is so crazy that Christmas is only three weeks away... This is the first year that I have almost all of my Christmas shopping done before December. Only a few more gifts to buy and I will be set. I have even started wrapping presents... Now if only the house were done and decorated... Normally I cover the Christmas tree in ornaments and ribbon but this year it's going to be simple... Covered in Red, gold and white ball ornaments, white Poinsettia flowers and white lights... The meaning of these decorations at Christmas: The Color Red : symbolizing the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for all... The Fir Tree or Evergreen : shows light and life and the needles point to heaven... The Candle or the lights on the Tree : a mirror of starlight, our thanks for the Star of Bethlehem... The Story of the Poinsettia "Christmas Star" :  The Mexican legend is told that a child with no means has to take a gift to a Christmas eve church service.  Being penniless, the child picked

We watched a great mushy Christmas love story tonight, and there was this great advice the father gave his daughter about finding the right one... He said, "There are a lot of people you can live with, but there is only one person you can't live with out." It's sad that more people don't believe that. I have friends that have spent their adult lives jumping from one relationship to the next, not taking the time to get to know the person before "getting to know" the person. They are more worried if they are physically compatible before knowing if the rest of their lives are... Maybe I have read to many Christian romances or watched too many Lifetime or Hallmark Channel movies but I truly believe that when you meet that one person you can't live without, your world changes... You can't get through your day without thinking of that person, you don't remember what your life was like before you met them and you don't know what you would do

With all of the insanity of the TA and then no TA, this is the first time I have realized that I will survive if a new role takes me away from Epcot... Five years ago when I started, I never could have imagined considering going to work at the Magic Kingdom, but now the only thing that matters to me, is not where I will go but when I will go...  Taking my replacement around and introducing him to his new area today, made me realize how more I don't want to leave this role... How I want to be a part of the training journey by helping develop new trainers and being the encourager of the existing ones... Whether its in Merchandise or another line of business... Before I got off the bus at the Magic Kingdom tunnel yesterday, my tummy was flipping and I was anxious, because the fear of change was screaming loud in my head... However, as I walked down through the tunnel towards the training office where my meet and greet was, I realized that this was the first steps down a new pat

For someone that doesn't suffer from depression, they will never truly understand how you can go from being happy to sad in a matter of minutes, even when you are on medication... There wasn't anything anyone said or did, because depression doesn't work that way… For me it is a chemical imbalance and any shifts in diet or how I am physically feeling can cause a shift… Even though I have been through therapy, doesn’t mean I don’t still struggle from time to time… Some days I get up and I am sad and on the surface I have no idea why, there is probably an underlying reason, but I just can’t see it at the time and sometimes I never know even after the fact… I guess I am writing this because I am going through one of these roller coasters again tonight… Sometimes they just come out of nowhere, sometimes it happens after something disappoints me, but none the less it’s no fun… My only saving grace this evening is that a FB friend posted they were listening to the Gaithe

Another day is coming to an end... I put up the Christmas tree but that is as far as I got... As I was trying to figure out where and how I was going to plug in the lights, I was overwhelmed but a feeling of sadness and I just couldn't go forward... I turned off the lights, closed the door to the lanai and came inside... I don't know what the sadness was from but I know that the time I spent with my mom, just watching a cheesy Christmas movie was time well spent... Just like in the movie, you work to live you don't live to work because you only get one chance at the life you have and the grave is too late to apologize for time missed out... It doesn't matter how much money you have saved up for a "rainy day," what matters is that you have those people that matter the most to you, with you when that rainy day comes... love, peace and don't forget you umbrella... Musicsongbird

I had the opportunity to present a mini SIM class at one of our merchandise today and the Safety Manager for Epcot Merchandise and Entertainment was there. When we were finished I had the opportunity to speak with her, as this was our first meeting, and she very complimentary of my presentation. It was a nice pick me up. I didn't know what was going to come out of my mouth for this presentation. We weren't given a whole lot of direction on what the area wanted so I had to wing it, and I wasn't sure how I was coming across. Now that I have one day down the next two should be a piece of cake. And today I did something that I normally have a hard time doing... I said thank you, when I was complimented... baby steps... Love, peace and baby steps... Musicsongbird

I choose to be a victor... Life is full of unexpected twists and turns... We can chose to be a victim or a victor... Being a victor doesn't mean always succeeding in what you try, it means trying to begin with... If we never try something we won't know if it is possible... If I had not taken the step to moving down to Florida, I never would be working for my dream company...  So many people I know have missed out on amazing opportunities because of fear of failure... I have had so many people apologize to me lately about my TA ending, but there is no reason to be sorry... I have done what I set out to do when I got this TA. To change the mind of the area, on how they felt about our training team... When situations happen before you are involved and it makes it difficult to see a positive future and everyone is watching to see what you are going to do to make things better, you can do one of two things... You can blame the person before you for what they did and focus

The smell of Christmas is in the air... I spent the afternoon putting up our outside Christmas display and it is almost complete... I love this time of year, not just because it is celebrating Christs birth, but it's the time of year when people young and old make an effort to be nicer to others and to do more for others less fortunate... It's a little sad that people don't do more all year round but at least they make an effort during the Christmas holiday season... At work I have the pleasure of heading up our toy collection in the trailer for Toys for Tots... So far the box is pretty empty, but I am hoping that people added a few toys to the black Friday purchases and are bringing them in this week... I am vowing to not go out to eat for lunch for the next two weeks so I can purchase a few new and unwrapped toys to donate... If everyone in our trailer brought in just 1 toy, including our core teams, we would collect over 37 toys... That would be amazing! Let's al

Another end to a magical week... Preparing for the transition back to my Core Trainer life in two weeks... I am so glad it is my weekend... Really looking forward to relaxing a bit and putting up the Christmas decorations!!!! The count down has begun... Love, peace and say no to things fried in grease... Musicsongbird

I started feeling a little introspective this evening... I went and saw the amazing Holiday edition of Illuminations with my BFF... It was very reminiscent of one of our first trips to WDW over 12 years ago...I have come so far in that time and I have over come so many things to get where I am now... As we were driving home I was trying to explain to him, the emotions I feel often.... I'm not saying I don't feel happy or sad, but very often I feel hollow... In this past year I have uncovered so many things about my past and unleashed it all and emotionally and mentally withdrew it from my core... When you have that much fear and hate trapped inside you for so long, it leaves a huge hole when it's gone... Now it needs to be refilled with most importantly, God's love, but also with love for myself and a feeling of safety and well being...Once a survivor, always a survivor... I can't go back and change what happened... Look what happened when Marty McFly went back

What a magically fun day... My Co-workers came together and had an impromptu breakfast, seeing Santa arrive at Macy's to kick off the holiday, 99 cent turkey dinner, a cast preview trip on the newly reimagined Test Track and then an amazing Thanksgiving Dinner at my BFF's with Mom. I am so thankful that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and for my Mom and her being here with me, and for BFF being here to take care of us and for my wonderful family. I am so thankful for the opportunities I have experienced since moving here and I know this TA is just the beginning. Even though it is ending in a little over 2 weeks, I know I have learned a lot of things that are going to help me in my next TA, when it comes. I am focused and I am ready... The coolest thing that has happened since I found out that my TA is ending, is that some of my current co-workers are genuinely sad that this TA is ending. Love, peace and Big things are coming... Musicsongbird

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the US. It is so interesting to have cast members and friends from the other side of the world and watch them as they experience this holiday that means nothing to them like it does for us. But what does it really mean for us? Is it a day for giving thanks for our families? yes Is it a day we celebrate because the Pilgrims and Indians had a dinner together? yes, that's what we learned in Elementary School and from Charlie Brown and Snoopy... But why are we giving thanks? Well, I believe we should be giving thanks every day for our families and friends and everything we have... But Thanksgiving is in memory of the ones that risked their lives to escape the religious tyranny of the King of England and their survival in the new country... So, as we give thanks around the dinner table tomorrow, remember those that crossed the Ocean all of those years ago, so that we might be free... Love, peace and I am thankful... Musicsongbird

We are just days away from the kick off to the Christmas Holiday season... Black Friday!!! It's sad that the largest shopping day of the year has become more important than giving thanks for the life and freedoms we have... I remember growing up and there being Blue Laws... Basically blue laws kept everything running Monday through Saturday, so that we all could rest on Sunday... The idea was that you stay home and spend time with your family... Now days, families rarely sit down to have a meal together... The thing that saddens me most this year, is that all of these shopping places are open on Thanksgiving, so once again family time is avoided... Mom said she wishes I was off Friday so we could go somewhere at Midnight... So I asked her, where would we go? She said, I don't know? What would we buy? I guess nothing, she replied. We have already finished our Christmas shopping... So instead of me taking off for us to go no where at Midnight Thursday, we worked together to

We are just 41 days from the end of the year and I am already thinking about what will become of my blog in the new year... Will it roll into the new year and continue the path it is on, or will it evolve into something more? Or maybe it will end all together... I admit there are nights that I just don't want to write or I don't really know what I have in me to write... Something important I have learned this year is that even though I say this blog is for me and my feelings and my beliefs; people that read think I should be mindful of what I write, that if it isn't a topic that everyone would agree with, that I shouldn't write about it... Well guess what? It's my blog and I will write what is on my heart and my mind and if someone doesn't agree with it, who asked you to read it? The other thing I learned is that, people must think really highly about themselves... Why do I say that? Because I have had people get upset with me, because they believe that I

Some nights it is just night to sit and listen to the quiet of the evening...Turn off the TV, turn off the noise of the day...My mind has calmed down some from this past week... So much to take in and try and figure out... I am definitely more accepting of what has happened with my job, each day gets easier to look forward toward the next opportunity... It is hard knowing I will going back to being a Core but by the end of the three weeks, I am sure I will be fine... I would be lying to everyone else and myself if I said I am not as passionate about the actual training piece as I once was, but I believe it will revive itself when the time comes... I do know for a fact that I love being a COT, so choosing this path at Disney is the right one... I am glad to know I won't have to wait another 3 years to hit a list... Now it's just a matter of being patient and waiting for the opportunity to arise and present itself... I had one of my trainers send me an email and she told me i

Yesterday I found out that my TA as a COT is coming to an end. My predecessor has been reinstated and will beginning their new role tomorrow at one of the resorts and the person that was in that position will be coming to Epcot. I have three more weeks before I return to the wonderful world of Core Training. It has been an amazing 2 month learning experience that I am sad to see end. Thankfully I won't be leaving Epcot,since it is my home and thankfully I will still be working with my area, just on the training level. I assure d them that I would still stay on top of what is happening in the area. My training team in the area is sad to see me go, but I believe they are all hoping that another opportunity comes my way. In a perfect world it would be returning to them as their COT and I won't say that isn't possible, because, Praise God, nothing is impossible. So, for the next three weeks I will continue to do my job to the best of my ability and pray that my next opportu

Sometimes we are put through things in life, not to punish us, but to help us grow... I know the trails of this past year have helped me to grow into the person I am now... My BFF tells me on a pretty regular basis how proud he is of me for going through what I have gone through and he has seen me grow and change... It's nice to hear that he is supporting me and he can see a difference in me...Sometimes the person that has the hardest time seeing changes in me is myself... That's why I am glad that I can look back on my blog throughout this past year and remind myself that I have come a long way... Are there going to be times in the future that I am down or I want to run and hide like in the past? Of course there are, but maybe the pain won't get carried beyond that time like it has in the past... There are many people that are in my life that I think would benefit from writing down their own feelings, not necessarily in a blog like I have done but in a journal, so they

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!!!! The weather has taken a turn for the cooler temperatures today... 63 brrrrrr....  It was one of those days that's kinda blah and over cast, sprinkles hanging on throughout and you just want to curl up with your warm blanket on the couch, have a nice spot of tea or hot cocoa and maybe take a little nap with the cats... But I didn't get to do any of that...Instead I got to have an adventure at my favorite job in the world... I dared to go where only CP's and ICP's dare to go...Vista Way...and I lived to tell about it... Actually I was a part of the team that welcomed the new International College Program arrivals from Brazil! It was really fun and quite exciting for me... This is what be with training is all about! Getting to greet those first cast members that are coming through our doors and let them know we are one big happy dysfunctional family here! Love, peace and share the love... Musicsongbird

I have been sitting playing some mindless game on FB, wiping away tears, trying to decide in my head home I am going to write how I am feeling right now... Hurt is definitely the big one... Used is another one... unappreciated is the other one... For the past two years I have helped on a major event and for the past two years I was forgotten when the rest of the team was recognized for it... yes last year I received a "special" certificate made by the team but I still wasn't a part of the rest of the festivities that followed the end of the event. It really makes you think twice about the next time you are asked to help with something... I was OK until another co-worker asked where I was this afternoon and I said I was at my desk... They said, "You weren't at the event?" and I said "I wasn't invited." She was shocked and my hurt became real and all I could do was fake a smile when some of the team walked into the room immediately following

There is nothing better than getting together with good friends and having a laugh filled dinner. Our current team has been a strong ten for over a year and now three of us have found positions that are moving us out of our Core team, myself to a COT role, Baby Boy to a leadership role and now Mama V to concierge... It is sad and sometimes scary to move on but the best thing is nothing will change our friendship... I wish nothing but the best for each and every member of my core family... We learn something new from each road we take in life and from each person we meet along the way... Some are there for direction and some are there until the journey ends... Love, peace and enjoy the journey... Musicsongbird

The count down to Christmas has begun. We have watched four Lifetime Christmas Movies, so I am really getting in the Christmas Spirit. Yesterday I helped Mom touch up on the Snow Family my dad made back when I was in High School. There is a little Snow person representing three of my nieces and nephews, One representing me (Squirt Frosty), one representing my dad and one representing my Mom. They bring back great memories... That's another great part of the holidays, reminiscing and spending time with the ones you love and making new memories... Love, peace and let the Holidays begin.... Musicsongbird

Today we recognize our Veteran's and we give thanks to them... Love your country and live with pride And don't forget those who died America can't you see All gave some and some gave all And some stood through for the red, white and blue And some had to fall And if you ever think of me Think of all your liberties and recall Some gave all -Billy Ray Cyrus We must never forget...This Saturday we celebrated 237 years of the US Marine Core...We must never forget... On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the German's signed the Armistice, ending World War 1. One year later, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11, 1919, a Holiday, celebrated as Armistice Day. On June 1, 1954, the Holiday was renamed Veteran's Day by Congress, and this is the holiday we celebrate today.  Tonight we watched a special about Veteran's Day and I learned something that I will carry forward. After every war the men and women are welcomed home with arms

I did it!!!! I completed my first 5K! It was so fun. I couldn't have done it without my sponsor (you know who you are) and my walking partner, Vicki, we were able to complete the course in 49 minutes, our time from the starting line, 1:01 hours from the actual start of the race. I have to say the first mile was the hardest, but once we saw that first mile marker we were cruising. When people say Run Disney does it best, they weren't kidding. Along the route there were characters like, Baloo and Santa Goofy, Parade performers and petting zoo animals... It was fun to see Animal Kingdom from a different perspective... I am already thinking about the next one, but I did learn some important things for the next time... I need to drink lots of water leading up to the race, even when it's cold you can still still get dehydrated, so water will travel with me... Walking is fun and I need to do it more, even if the weather is less than ideal... I wish I could say I was great

Tomorrow morning is my first 5K and I am not nervous, I am actually pretty excited to get to tackle this... I will be running, lol just kidding I will be quickly walking along side one of my friends, with my Mom waiting for us at the finish line cheering us all of the way... I will do my best no matter what, no matter how cold it may be, we are going to keep pluggin along... well, my pillow is calling... Love, peace and on your mark get set... Musicsongbird

When it feels like you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot in the end and hang on... God didn't promise us life would be easy, but He did promise He would be there every step of the way... Right now I feel like I am at the end of my rope with Belle (my oldest cat)... She is not happy with the rest of the cats being here and she is letting me know by pooping everywhere but her litter box...I have tried everything short of getting rid of the other cats... I am trying to spend more time with her, but the minute I am gone she is acting like she has never met a litter box in her life... I am too tired to think about all of this now, I just want to sleep... I pray it will all be better tomorrow and I pray she doesn't poop on the bed in the middle of the night...again... Love, peace and a poop free night... Musicsongbird

Some times in life when everything is overwhelming and it seems like everyone is standing there with their hand out either wanting your money or your time or both, all you can do is stop... take a breath.... and trust that God will see you through... When the world feels like it is crashing down around you... stop... take a breath.... and trust that God will see you through... When things don't go your way...friends disappoint you...you get passed over for a promotion... your cat poops on your bed (again) and (again)...stop... take a breath.... and trust that God will see you through... Proverbs 3:5-6 , “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths .” Love, peace and Trust that God will see you through... Musicsongbird

What a crazy year this has been and it isn't over until the last vote is counted... I have something to admit and I can't believe I am say it, but after voting in my 6th Presidential Election I think it is time to say it... This is the first time I feel completely confident in who I voted for... I even watched one of the debates, which i never would have done in the past... I have learned another important thing this year... I am far from keeping myself well informed of things around our world... If the media would chill on things, I believe more people would be more educated about who or what they are voting for or against... Most people rely strictly on the political ads or which party the person is a member for their "knowledge" on the candidates, instead of looking at what the person has done... What they stand for, if they were in the position before or a similar one then what they did for us to make our country better... If I am going to vote then I can't

What's the difference between needing and wanting... So often we say things like I so need a drink, I need a hug, I need chocolate... When we use the phrase need it's a very emotion filled request... It is filling a hole or a gap in our lives... When we say we want something, we may not have a rational explanation for wanting it or we will have a very definite reason for wanting it... I want the report on my desk by 5... I want pizza for dinner... So the big question remains.... Do we always want what we need and do we always need what we want... Love, peace and finding a happy medium... Musicsongbird

For the past two Sundays, Mom and I have tuned into the OWN network and have watched Oprah's life classes with Pastor Joel Olsteen.  I don't know much about the Olsteen's other than their church being a mega-church but I will tell you this... Mom and I have both gotten something out of what he and Oprah were discussing. Tonight they spoke about Dreaming Big and it must be a God thing totally because this week, one of my e-learning's I had to complete was about making goals and how to attain them. Many of the things people wrote in about on the Life Class really hit home for me... So very often I get into these negative thought patterns about myself and the minute you out those things out there they are going to come looking for you... So I am now trying not to use the negative speak with myself and I am also thinking and praying about my next dream or goal. In this year I have been able to reach so many goals for myself and I know it is possible if I don't give