The 5oz Foodie

What an epic day... This morning I drug myself out of bed and got dressed in my costume and headed to Epcot on my day off to be a part of a monumental photo. We all gathered together to take the photo for Epcot's upcoming 30th Anniversary. First they brought all of the cast that had worked there since opening day, October 1, 1982. In total there was probably about 57 original cast members that were there for the photo with Mickey, Minnie, Erin Youngs (Epcot VP) and Meg Crofton (WDW President). Following that photo they began adding the additional cast in, or us, to take the park wide picture. It was fun, because they called up our group first to go up on the fountain stage and fill in with the cast already there. Once the stage was packed with cast, they snapped the shot of us from an overhead camera, high a top a crane. It was so cool. Later that morning, I attended my first Cast appreciation party ever at Disney. Yes, I know in October I will be celebrating 5 years, but it was ...

What a great night! Pizza, Smirnoff, Celebrity Taboo and a gaggle of friends makes for one fun evening! It's funny because the majority of us met at work and now; like magic we are friends. This is the group I can trust, the ones that care about me and I care about them. We were short a few from the group tonight, but these are the few, the strong...my crazy friends. These are the ones here in Florida that I appreciate the most and I know they appreciate me, no matter how crazy I can get. I am so blessed to have each and everyone of them in my life. I also know if something happens and one of us is disappointed by the other, that we still love each other enough to know that whatever happened wasn't intentional and they will forgive us (or us them) and it will be OK. Remember, we become like the people we hangout, so be wise in your choice of friend. If they are people the are unhappy and miserable, than you will find yourself in the same predicament. But id they are happy...

I need to stop picking up my worries after I lay them down. I waste so much time worrying about what could happen, instead of just letting it happen. Be anxious for nothing ... not what could happen, what may happen or what what may not happen.... but in everything ... that means what ever you do... by prayer and petition ... speak you requests or meditate on them... with Thanksgiving ... give thanks no matter what the outcome... present your requests to God ...(Philippians 4:6) take them to Him. This is one of my favorite verses and I haven't thought about it much lately and I should. I have had this knotting  and twisting inside me giving a lot of sorrow lately and I know it is anxiety. I look at my bank account and I get anxious, I look at the non-moving scale and get anxious, I look at the calendar and get anxious, I hear my internal clock and get anxious. But if I truly believe those words, I need to lay down those anxieties and have a little faith that God can handle i...

I love when I am given the opportunity to change someone's opinion about something when there first impression isn't necessarily a good one.  It reminds me of how important it is that we treat new people the same way we treat old friends. I was training a new cast member the past two days and they had a rough start on their first day; I had them on day 3. The impression that she had of the company after an encounter with a leader was not a positive one. They had asked the leader for some information on different roles in the company and let's just say they were less than positive with them, which  left a very bad impression about this job she had taken on. When they relayed the information to myself and my co-trainer we were both shocked and we assured them that we would make it right. This new Cast member has never stepped on D property before starting their program and has worked for a few other very notable companies, so to say they were disappointed and a little tempt...

As I was browsing through my friends posts tonight I ran across this incredible list. It denotes what defines a successful person versus an unsuccessful person and I think it really hit the nail on the head for me. I am going to print this out and carry it with me and use it as an encourager for me fellow cast. I think it's a nice reminder of the things we want to strive for especially those of us that are aiming for success in our lives. Now, when I refer to success I mean a happy life. It doesn't necessarily mean that I will be rich or have all the "finer" things in life. What we all truly need in life isn't always what you can buy. Obviously we need food and shelter, that is a given but we also need people to love us, and if someone says they don't need love, then they don't love themselves; and love doesn't need to come from a boyfriend or girlfriend or a spouse. It can be the love of your family or your friends as well. Love doesn't mean y...

Pregnant Cat Update: So Sammi stayed over last night on the lanai and she will be staying again tonight and probably through the rest of her pregnancy and the weeks following. It's nice to have another cat in the house, one that Gabriel can love on since Belle is not a very good sister to him most of the time. The bad thing about Sammi is that I am afraid we are getting very attached to her... I realized today that others may forget to show appreciation for our team, but I can show my appreciation I feel for them... Even if we have no one else to show us support we can continue to support each other. Today my former trainee shared her experience about when she first started with my current trainee. She was so passionate speaking about what she learned from me that day and that made me feel better after the past few weeks I have had. She told her how she really learned about the Basics by watching my interactions with the Guests and how my Disney references really brought th...

So Sammi is getting very close to her due date. Her little tummy is getting rounder and she is becoming more attached to us everyday. She is even dares to go near the Queen bee, Belle. Mom started out letting her in the house, calling the time play dates, however, these "play dates" are becoming longer and longer. Tonight she has been in the house for over 4 hours and I know last night she was unhappy to go back outside so we will see what happens tonight. Today I got to play COT (Coordinator of Training) in the office. I answered phones and checked training grids and helped cast members that were late for my safety class get everything straightened out. I loved it! If I knew I wouldn't get in trouble I would have fixed issues on the grids, like the fact that someone, who will remain nameless, has been changing the font to mess with the COT in charge of the Cores. It was nice for myself and another member of our core team to be recognized by one of the COTs working toda...

Have you ever woken up in the morning and just felt sad? I know that there is something going on down deep but it just doesn't want to be known or named and thus I am feeling blue... I am sure there are people that are new to reading my blog and probably think, man this girl is all over the place, one day happy the next day sad but that's what you get when you meet me except most people looking at me wouldn't see the sadness. I know some people that have no poker face and you can read every emotion they are feeling, their face gives them away every time. Not me... It's not like I am a puddle of tears right now, so I don't want any well meaning family members calling...I am just feeling like something or someone is missing right now. Maybe I will find it in my dreams... love, peace and finding happiness Musicsongbird What I am listening to: Home by Philip Phillips Hold on, to me as we go As we roll down this unfamiliar road And although this wave is s...

OK, so I have been off FB since the beginning of the month and I am back again. What can I say, I couldn't stay away... Obviously by my blogs this week, I have really been struggling with stressing about things at work and I know that the stress has not been good for me at all. I am beginning to see that the stress could be my Migraine trigger and I need to learn to de-stress better. I spend entire to much time worrying in my life about what others are going to say or do. I need to spend that time on myself. On taking time for me and making me the priority. It's funny that a year ago I was going through this same stuff with my life coach. She was having me write down what I was doing for myself each day. It could be something as simple as taking time to read a book or crafting. Apparently I needed a reminder of this. So I am giving myself some time to Sparkle. I don't mean that I am going to show off but to allow myself the time to do something for me. Blogging just i...

It was a very quick and early start to the day, after closing last night I was back in bright and early with a tinge of headache due my lack of sleep. Before I knew it we were three hours into the shift and heading to lunch with a migraine brewing on the horizon. I took what pills were available and consumed caffeine but to no avail the headache would not subside. Thankfully one of my team members was available to take over and I had to leave my trainees in her capable hands. It makes me sad when this happens that I don't get to complete my training. However, before I left I was able to give each of them a fanatic card. They both have learned so much in the past 24 hours and I love seeing the magic come alive in the new cast. I know they will both be stellar cast members, along with the others I have trained in the past week. Believe it or not, before leaving today I was thinking how much easier my life would be if I were, say a character attendant. I would be paid more and I wou...

I am seeing the positive experiences I have had in the past two weeks doing these crazy turn around shifts. I have had a great time with our new cast members, despite the lack of sleep. I am realizing my body can't handle this as well as it used to. The worst thing that happened tonight, even worse than the fact that I must be up at 5:30am to get ready for my day, is that my trainee called me Ma'am at the end on the night. I know in the South it is a respect thing, but it aged me or sobered me up or something. I went from a 20 something like my trainees to the almost 40, trainer that I am. I will just except it as southern respect and not as a sign that I am getting older. Love, peace and age gracefully... Musicsongbird

I have been having a rough few weeks. Lots of drama at work and it's been weighing me down and it all came to a eruption point today. It is so hard when you feel like everything you have to say is unimportant, like no matter what opinion you voice is only going to be shot down. Sometimes it is hard for others looking in to understand why you are so passionate about something. To some, your passion seems ridiculous or over the top; while some see it as a distraction from their own agendas. The thing I need to remember is that when I clock out at the end of the day, I need to leave that passion in my locker at work and not carry it home with me. To not let the struggles I am facing at work effect my home life. I am only an hourly worker and don't get paid once I see Mickey at the end of the day. (No Mickey No Money) I need to remember that everything in life happens for a reason, the experiences we have are all building us into a stronger more well rounded individual and i...

For those of you that are friends with me on FB, you may have noticed that my profile is visible again. I am posting my blog on my page again, but I am not using it for anything else. I heard from several friends that they were sad not to see it posted so I decided to start making it available to them through FB. ( So, Pumkin, you can read it again. ;) I have to say what a blessing this blog has been to me. The opportunity to speak my mind and heart has really helped me learn a lot about myself. For a long time I haven't liked the road I have been on. It's been a road covered in pains from the past, emotional eating, poor self image, poor self worth... Now, i am trying to change it around. Start paving a new road. I am walking at least 3 days a week outside of work, more some weeks, but you have to start somewhere. I began documenting my food intake again. It is clinically proven that people that journal their food intake lose more than people who don't. Don't ...

Tonight was Hallmark Movie Night with my Mom and during the course of the movie she asked me if I had walked today, and I answered honestly. Yes, I walked back and forth between Mouse Gear and the trailer three times; of course she meant here at home, and I did not. I know she is afraid that I will end up failing, but if I did, which I won't be, it would not be her failure it would be mine. I know she wants the best for me and I want the best for myself as well, but it is my battle, not hers.  My best friend treats me that way as well. That if I fail it is some reflection on him, but I am the one that chooses whether I walk or not, or if I eat a fatty cheeseburger or nachos or chocolate. They can't see it as their mistakes that they made when I am the one that, in their eyes, failed.  I believe so many of us go through those feelings with people we love and care about. Maybe if I had been a better parent my child wouldn't have turned to alcohol and drugs. Maybe if ...

Mom and I went on a 1 tank road trip today to Lake Wales. It's a smallish town about an hour away, that is home to Florida Natural Orange Juice and Boc Tower and Gardens. Since the OJ visitor center was closed for the summer, we explored the Historic District and then spent a few hours at Boc Tower. The grounds are kept pristine and nature is alive all around you. They must be extremely fond of the squirrel population because there are feeders for them everywhere. The quietness of it all is so relaxing, it's an escape from the noise of our daily lives. Every thirty minutes the Tower rings forth with beautiful music. The tower is a carillon consisting of 60 bells. Concerts are given at 1pm and 3pm daily. It is so beautiful to hear as you are walking through the many lush gardens. This is a place I want to return to again and again. With the changing of the seasons, the gardens will change and I have heard Christmas is an amazing time to go. The quote, "Make you the ...

I'm starting to feel like me again. It has been a crazy week, month, summer and I am starting to feel comfortable in my skin again. I am starting to make more healthy choices for myself both physically and mentally. If you aren't mentally ready to do something like eat better or exercise everyday, you won't be able to do it. So very often I thought I was ready to really focus and work hard towards my weight loss goals but then something would happen and I would miss a day or eat a really fattening thing and I would mentally sabotage myself and I would give up. This time I have to believe that it will be the last time I start again. I can't start over, because if I did that I would have to go back in time and since Marty McFly isn't sitting outside my house in a Delorean, I am pretty sure I have to start from where I am and keep moving forward. It's funny because that phrase about keep moving forward, is from a quote by Walt Disney and they used it in "M...

 When I finally woke up this morning after a refreshing 11.5 hour slumber I was ready to take on the world. Now almost 16 hours later I am ready to retaliate to my bed once again. I love the saying "Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional," because this is my thought process in a nut shell. We spend our whole youth always wanting to be older and our whole adult life wishing we could still be young, Age is just a number, it's not a sentence to boredom. My sweet mother is almost 70, Mom forgive me, but she doesn't act it. She doesn't just sit around the house waiting for the end to come. She is outside enjoying life, digging in the garden helping make the world a more beautiful place. She works out on the Wii Fit to get herself into shape. She still prefers writing letters or sending cards instead of spending emails. I want to be like her when I grow up. :) Most people at work have no idea how old I am, because of my vest for fun and magic they assume...

I am so exhausted that I don't know which way is up right now.  It has been a whirlwind 24 hours. Closing then opening with an amazing trainee who emanated Disney magic. I was calling her Mini Me. I will be checking up on her over the year, I look forward to seeing her develop as a cast member. That is what is so awesome about my job, encouraging others to be all they can be. I am quickly losing focus so I will wrap this up. Late night last, early morning this morning....= exhausted me. :) I hope you all have a magical night and stay tuned for more tomorrow. Love, peace and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Musicsongbird

What a crazy day. I woke up with a migraine in the making so instead of hitting the streets for my morning walk, I hit the couch after taking migraine meds chased with some ice coffee for the extra caffeine to battle the monster. As the morning wore on I did laundry so I wouldn't have to go to work naked, you are quite welcome Epcot, and then made delicious stir fry for lunch. When I go to the area where I would be training at work, I had sweat pouring down my face which prompted one of the managers to mix up a fresh batch of yellow powerade, yummy, to help replenish my electrolytes. Once I was feeling less overwhelmed my trainee and I headed off to train. The rest of the day went by without much incident and we were rewarded with a Cupid Shuffle bonus at closing. We got to dance our booties off for the remaining Guests in Club Cool, and I am pretty sure it will end up on You Tube because we were just that good. :) After all the cleaning was done at Club Cool we went ...

Live Your Passion..... This is the theme for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.... What a great inspirational theme. Isn't that what you hope for every Olympic athlete? That they are living out their passion and that is why they are there. Isn't that why we are here? To Live our Passion? Today my leader commended our Team for being Passionate about what we do... I have learned over the past few years of my life that it's not just about going to work and earning a paycheck. It's about wanting to be there and for me produce a product that the world wants. For my job it is smiles, and laughter, magic and wonder. If I believe the magic is real than so will my trainees, and if my trainees believe it is real, than so will our Guests. We all need to find our Passion in our lives, that thing that we love and live it out loud... Love, peace and find your passion... Musicsongbird

So, Team TLC has a new member. Team TLC you ask? Well, that is my 5K team. My friend registered to do the 5K with me in November and Team TLC is born! Even though Mom can't do the 5K she is my coach and head cheerleader, when I got home tonight I tried to make excuses for not walking and she pushed me out the door. So again THANK YOU MOM!!! When I first started as a trainer, my COT mentor and I were walking through the cast service center and tons of cast members were saying hello to her and hugging her and all kept thinking is, "some day I want to be known like that." Well, I can say that that wish has definitely come true and I realized something about that wish. It is one thing to wish to be known by a bunch a people, it's another to be known because you have made a difference to them. Looking back on that day with my Mentor I can see the admiration those cast members had for her because she is passionate about what she does and she will do whatever she can to he...

I successfully completed walking 1.16 miles in 15 minutes this evening. It felt good to get out and walk. Normally after a fun-filled day of hanging with my bff I just want to sit and relax and get ready for bed, but the minute I walked in the door I realized that we were so busy painting at his house today, that I forgot to walk. So, I changed into my workout gear, slipped into my walking shoes and put in my ear buds without a glance back. When I got home my Mom told me she had spoken to my oldest brother today and he had asked about my 5K preparations and of course Mom was honest and told him that there really hadn't been any until yesterday. Being my older brother he told her he was afraid to say anything, but you know what, it would be OK if he did. There is 10 years difference between us and like all siblings we have had our ups and downs; also with that much space between us in age that can cause issues too. I haven't really said this to anyone, but the main reason I...

With only 93 days remaining until my first 5K, I have officially begun my training. I want to thank my benefactor once again, for believing in me, my Mom for verbally motivating me and my BFF for encouraging me to get off my ever widening rear end tonight to get walking. We went over to Celebration to walk the trails and made it a mile before we were called on account of rain, but mostly lightning. I'm afraid of lightning. Then unbeknownst to my BFF, I went to the gym and walked an additional 24 minutes on the treadmill, sorry BFF please don't be upset with me; and I have decided that I do not enjoy walking on the treadmill and prefer to sweat my butt off walking in the heat, or freezing it off in the cold. So my plan for tomorrow morning is to get up and walk again, and the next day and the next day and the next day; until I can average a 16 minute mile or less. I am not a runner but who knows, maybe I will work my way up to it. Love, peace and walking your buns off......

It's good to be patient I have found. Because when I am patient other amazing things get a chance to happen.  Like I have said to myself before, if I am too worried about what my happen, I miss out on what is happening. Tonight I had a great time training a new emerging leader in my home location. I had the privilege of taking her onto the Stage in front of the fountain and getting to do the big wave goodnight. I love seeing the look on the face of my trainee as well as seeing all of the happy faces waving back at us. It's a time my trainee can look back on and know they were part of something pretty special. Moving on to a new position doesn't mean I am wishing away what I have, it's wanting to be in a position where I can do even more for the new cast coming in so that magical moments like the one we had tonight can happen more often. Love, peace and magic is real... Musicsongbird

Sometimes all you can do is wait... As I was waling through one of the infamous cavernous tunnels at work today with a friend, she told me again how much she believes I am wasting my talents by working at a trainer. She sees me leading others and using my creativity to help do other things. I told her thank you, but she stated that I didn't believe her but I really should. The thing is I do believe her and I thanked her again for the kind words and support. I understand what she is saying, however the role I want is a waiting list away; seniority based not merit based.  Because of this, it can be frustrating at times for myself and others, however, I am learning to be patient, obviously there is something I still haven't learned yet in the role I am in. In fact, today I was doing a trainer shadow and came to the realization that my job isn't just about being a trainer...It's also about being a motivator and an encourager at times. That's the thing we don't a...

Tonight I had the opportunity to join with some of my Team to celebrate the life of my friends Grandfather. I have been to many funerals and memorial services and one thing rings true, hugs are great and tears help cleanse, but laughter truly is the best medicine. Who better to laugh and cry with, than your friends and family. Tonight I confessed to a few members of my team "family", that since moving to Florida I never thought I would find a truly close group of friends, but these wonderful group I am with now are some of the best friends I could ask for. When one of us is sick, we send messages of healing, when one loses a family member, we are there to offer a shoulder to cry on. We are there to celebrate together to fight for something together. We are more than a team, we are a family. A bit dysfunctional at times, but never the less...a family. Love, peace and family Musicsongbird In Memory of T. Smith    ;-) Silver wings  Shining in the sunlight  Roar...

“Because The People Who Are Crazy Enough To Think They Can Change The World, Are The Ones Who Actually Do.” - Steve Jobs I remember when I was younger and all I dreamed about was wanting to grow up and be a mom and a wife and a singer. I wanted to change the world through my music. But what I have realized is that I have changed the world for myself and others in a different way. I have changed others lives through my enthusiasm for life, through my willingness to be a shoulder or an ear. By being a helping hand. By sharing my life's experiences. I didn't do something extraordinary like, inventing the light bulb, or the mp3, or the internet. I have changed the world for being me and learning to be true to who I am.  When I was in Junior High & High School my friends parents would ask me if I took my batteries out at night to recharge them, my ex-sister-in-law nicknamed me Spaz, but now people are entertained and excited by my crazy antics at work and are concerne...

We have a little Mommy to be by the name of Sammi, that we have made friends with on our street. She is very sweet and friendly. Her leg is giving her a little trouble so she limps a bit, but she is being well taken care of. We feed her and who we presume is the baby Daddy, we call him Smokey. Tonight Mom was finally able to get her to come up and let her pet her. Oh I think I forgot to mention that Sammi and Smokey are cats. :)  Sammi is still fairly young and we hope everything goes OK for her. She is so sweet and loving once she gets over being skittish. A co-worker couldn't believe I will be 39 this year. She kept telling me I look like I am in my late 20's early 30's. I said thank you and I think that my youthful attitude towards life and my child like quality. When you act young and you stay relatively stress free you can hold on to that youthful look. That and I have good genes. ;) Love, peace and try to be stress free!!! Musicsongbird

My heart was sad today, a good friend of mine lost her Grandfather unexpectedly. It made me realize so many people don't know how to react in situations like this. When I first received the news I sent my friend a text letting her know I was so sorry for her loss and I was thinking about her; the typical thing we all say. Then I text her a bit later asking for her to let me know when the service was going to be. After speaking with another friend of mine I decided to let our team know what was happening. As I began to write the email I decided that I remember what it felt like in the hours after losing my Dad and then my grandmother and how it comforted me to hear from my friends. So I picked up the phone and called her. Sometimes as the friend it is our job to help our friends grieve. Very often some people need to be told that it is OK to be sad or mad or to share their memories and even laugh.  Be the friend you would want if you were in the same situation. Love, peace and...

This is the first year I remember really making an effort to watch the Summer Olympics, as I may have mentioned before. Most years I would purposefully avoid watching NBC but I have watched quite a few events.  This year has been extremely exciting, watching Phelps and Lochte compete, the US Women's Gymnastic Team top the podium, along with seeing the amazing performances of the others that have gotten Team USA to 37 medals, 18 gold, so far in these games. GO USA GO!!! Alright, so many people have been questioning why I am removing myself from Facebook. First of all it is not a publicity stunt. Since I am not famous and I don't really make any money off this blog, that theory is just crazy and weird. To be perfectly honest, I spend entirely too much time worrying about other people's lives and should I "like" that person's post but not that one and how much sharing is too much sharing and am I sending too many game requests? I already have a hard enough ti...

Sometimes when you hold things in for too long they begin to destroy you from the inside, tearing apart the true person within. When you get the bad out you allow more room for the good so the next time the bad comes around the good can say, "sorry there is no room for you, so move on." I'm a visual/kinesthetic person; I learn best when I can see it and than do it. So, imagine a drawing of a person with a hole where their stomach would be. That's what I was like after therapy. I was able to dig deep and get all of the junk from inside me out. All the pain and hurt and trauma that had buried itself deep inside was pulled out; leaving me with a huge hole. Instead of filling it with all positive things I let negative feelings begin to harbor in that place and I began to bury hurt feelings, self pity and sorrow there once again. Then I revert back to that hurt little girl and I become dependent of others for happiness instead of on the One I can always rely on. After ...