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Showing posts from October, 2012

Day 305 of 365

I just realized that in 60 days, I will have been blogging my life journey for a year... I will complete my goal and then I decide what I will do next. Not that I am wishing away this year but what will next year hold for me? I have come through so much this year... Being open and honest with myself and family and friends over my past... The journey it took to get me to now... My ups and downs at work, home and life.... Not long a go a leader asked why I blog my life like I do... I explained, at first it was a personal challenge for myself... To learn more about me... Now it's more than that... I believe that we all go through things for a reason and sometimes it's so we, ourselves, learn something and sometimes it's so that someone else can learn from it... Like they relate to the situation or they are given the courage to be honest with their self about things.... So I will continue for the next 60 days and see what happens on Day 61... Love, peace and we w

Day 304 of 365

Joshee is doing much better and is on the road to recovery. She is weeks behind the others but I feel will catch up quickly as we, as the doctor put it, "get more groceries in her." My mom is amazing. She has been working so hard with the kittens, keeping up with them while I work, feeding them, cleaning up after them, loving on them, cleaning up after them, feeding them some more and even more cleaning. I can't tell you how many towels, sheets and rugs she has had to wash, but I can tell you this. She is amazing. Today she had to feed Joshee every two hours, clean up after her when she messed and snuggled on her in her free time... Thank you Mom for everything you do and then some. Sometimes I feel like I don't say it enough. So very often we have special people in our lives and I often wonder, do they truly know just how special they are... If you have someone like that, don't wait, tell them at every opportunity you have to let them know, just what they mea

Day 303 of 365

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What am amazing adventure we had today... Mom and I joined BFF and ventured into the New Yet to Be Opened Area of Fantasyland... We traveled back in time to visit Belle in the Beast's castle when her and the Beast fell in love. Then we dove far under the Sea to visit Ariel. When BFF had to go to work, Mom and I had the opportunity to eat in the Beast's castle. While in line we ran into one of my Core family members and her husband, so the four of us ate together in the Rose Room just off the main ballroom in the castle. Following dessert we ventured into the West Wing... Before finishing our tour of the expansion we stopped by Gaston's tavern in time to see the proprietor himself and try some of Lefou's Brew...Delicious! Upon leaving the Kingdom that is magical, we headed to the Val Mall and discussed the issues poor Joshy has been having and we decided that we needed to take him to the vet. So we called and they were able to get in right away this afternoon. So we we

Day 302 of 365

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I heard a great tidbit tonight and it really struck a chord with me and now as I sit here and meditate on it, it brings even more into what the preacher meant that said it. I don't have the exact quote but what he was talking about was that we need to quit using the negative "I am's" in our lives and start using the positive. The negatives like: I am stupid, I am never going to meet anyone, I am never going to amount to anything, I am Fat, I am ugly, I am never going to be out of debt... We need to start being more positive with our self speak... I am making great changes in my life, I am doing great things with my life, I am getting healthy, I am making good choices, I am smart and probably the biggest one I AM BEAUTIFUL... When we speak the negatives we allow the hurt, the loneliness and the sadness into our lives... If we are always telling ourselves that I am a failure, i won't amount to anything, do you believe you will try harder to over come that? N

Day 301 of 365

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When you wish upon a star Makes no difference who you are Anything your heart desires Will come to you If your heart is in your dream No request is too extreme When you wish upon a star As dreamers do Fate is kind She brings to those to love The sweet fulfillment of Their secret longing Like a bolt out of the blue Fate steps in and sees you through When you wish upon a star Your dreams come true It's amazing when I look back to just 5 years ago and remember things I did as I planned for the new move to Florida. One thing that came to mind as Mom and I were walking last night is house hunting. As soon as I decided I wanted to move here to work for the big D, I started looking online for apartments and other possibilities for me to live in. I even went as far as looking at modular homes where my BFF lived. There was one house I pegged as my "dream" home. It was a light yellow double wide on Arrow, cost $55,000. It would be perfect, but unfortunately the price tag wasn&

Day 300 of 365

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We almost had a cell phone blog tonight... Watching Triple D and the electric went out... Just as mom found the electric company number the lights came back on... I believe this just says it all for me today... Love, peace and it's worth it... Musicsongbird

Day 299 of 365

Crazy day at work, really made me realize how much a COT has to go through sometimes to get things done right... It can be stressful at times but in the end, it's all about getting the cast trained to share the magic... I had a great time being a big kid tonight with my BFF. We went to Disney Quest, and what it is is a giant indoor amusement park of sorts. They have video games and virtual reality games and animation classes and it's just hours of fun packed into 5 floors. Tonight just reminded me why playing is such an important part of our lives... We spend our entire childhood playing and using our imaginations and then we become teenagers and then twenty somethings and than thirty and so on until we meet the end of our days... It's just so sad to see people that forget how to play. You can tell who they are, they are the ones that walk around with a bitter outlook on life and the world around them. Last night my youngest nephew paid me the hugest compliment... He

Day 298 of 365

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Long ago in a town far far away, a most wonderful event occurred... a young man and woman, after years of trying welcomed a sweet baby girl into the world.... ME! That's right, it is my birthday today and it was quite magical! I began the day finding a lovely letter written to me by my Mom telling just how much she loves me and how proud she is of me. I also was greeted at work by many wishes of a happy day and a few boisterous serenades of Happy Birthday to you!!! Alas, I also had to wish a See You Real Soon to one of my favorite Norwegian trainers and received a lovely gift for myself and my mentor to hang in our office. It made me proud to be a Disney Trainer. To top off my evening I was able to have dinner with my Mom and my BFF at the Grand Floridian Cafe. It was delicious and I enjoyed trying the new restaurant very much. I had a burger with Lobster on it... and had my favorite dessert of all time as my "birthday cake", Boston Creme Pie... Love, peace

Day 297 of 365

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I think I was having a hard time seeing the good through all of the frustration when it came to potty training the kittens... But a friends posting on FB book made me reevaluate everything we are going through right now. He has had a less than stellar day with his Debit card being compromised and charged against his knowledge, a company he did some work for paid him incorrectly and a head hunter gave him the wrong information on an interview causing him to miss the interview. The thing that made me stop and take notice is that through it all he is determined to keep looking for the good that is still out there for him. I know things look a little #$^tty for Mom and right now, but in the end we are preparing these sweet kittens for future homes. Love , peace and stay positive... Musicsongbird

Day 296 of 365

All the hard work my acupuncturist did on my back today may have been undone in the 3 minutes it took us to round up the kittens, which hence forth shall be known as Minions, and put them into the small bathroom for their second evening of extreme potty training.  Except this evening they will be Mommy free. We are hoping they will do a better job using the liter box if their Mom doesn't use it also. I pray this works, and I also pray that loving families will want to give these beautiful Minions (kittens) a home... Well, I typed too soon, because Mommy is with her Minions. A good friend once told me that when I write something I meant it and so just go on from there. So that is what I am trying to do... Something happened at Mom's Dr. visit today and we brought it up to our acupuncturist and she said something pretty enlightening. Now a days or maybe it has truly been always, when you go to the doctor you tell them what is wrong and then they try and fix it, right? Well,

Day 295 of 365

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I heard a very interesting quote tonight... You Either Evolve or Evaporate ... -Usher What they meant by it is that if you don't allow yourself to be a part of evolution you will disappear... They weren't speaking of the scientific evolution... What I got from it is that as things change, in your personal life, your work life, your friendships/relationships if you don't allow things in your life to change then you won't move forward. That in a sense you will disappear into the past. Had I not embraced or excepted the hard times in my life, the loss of my childhood innocence, the loss of my father... I would have disappeared. Now, had I not learned to embrace the single me, I would be miserable. Just because I embrace it, doesn't mean it isn't going to change, it just means I am content getting to learn more about myself, what makes me tick and what makes me happy. What brings me peace and truly learning to love the person I am. Then, once I have done thos

Day 294 of 365

It's not fun getting sick, especially when it's your first day back at work after a vacation, but dang if that didn't happen to me today. I did make it until 11:00am but I am still suffering from a headache and I think the bed is calling me again. The highlight of being sick though, is Mom taking care of me. I don't know how I survived without Mom for the 3 years I was here without her. Here's to feeling better...nite all Love, peace and feeling better... Musicsongbird

Day 293 of 365

I am finally home and even though I had an amazing time with Mom in New Bern, North Carolina over the past week, I am ready to be back to reality. I experienced some great places and made some memories that will last a lifetime. I am so thankful for the time I got to spend with my mom, my aunt and my uncle. A friend of mine paid me a HUGE compliment about the changes I have been making in my life and it made me smile... It's nice when people let you know that they see your changes... But sometimes its fun for the changes to catch them by surprise. ;) As the year is rapidly coming to an end, lets see what other changes can happen... Love, peace and let it happen... Musicsongbird

Day 292 of 365

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Wow, I can't believe how fast this year is flying by and looking back I can't believe how much I feel I have changed by taking the time to get to know who I am and seeing what I am truly capable of. I believe everyone can benefit by stopping and taking stock of their life... whether that is by talking to a therapist, writing in a journal or blog... Challenging yourself to improve one aspect of your life and seeing it through... Then when you start seeing and appreciating that change in yourself, so will others... Love, peace and take time... Musicsongbird

Day 291 of 365

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What a great day! About a month ago I googled cupcakes and found this company called The Wild Cupcake and so I visited their website, which in turn brought me to their Facebook page and I started following it in my news feed. About a week and a half ago, Nicole, the owner of The Wild Cupcake announced she was going to be on Cup Cake Wars this past Sunday. Due to circumstances with family I was unable to watch but I was able to view the repeat on Tuesday evening... Of course because of FB I knew Nicole had wowed the judges with no criticisms and came home as the winner. Well, as luck would have it, Nicole and I were in the same place at the same time today and I was able to meet and talk with her and sample a few of her delicious cupcakes! She shared with me that she has only really been baking cupcakes for a little over 18 months, which is astonishing to hear when you see, smell and taste her different flavor combinations. It just proves that when you are passionate about something i

Day 290 of 365

What I am Learning... I am not big on politics. I know who I like and who I feel has the countries best interest in mind and I vote for them... But this year, more than ever I believe it is important to hear what both sides have to say and weigh them as they are... I don't want to base my vote solely on one issue, like so many people I know are planning on doing... I can understand where some people might vote for the candidate that is Pro Life or Pro Choice, but to make that the sole reason for your decision is irresponsible... An informed voter looks at all of the sides and makes their decision based on the candidate as a whole, not because they say they are Pro-Gay Marriage or that they are going to cut Planned Parenthood Funding... You need to weigh the pros and cons of each candidate and then decide. Probably the two most important things I learned this evening from watching my first ever Presidential Debate is this: When you are in a debate, listen to what your oppone

Day 289 of 365

The older I get the more I feel that I missed out on learning some things when I was younger...Like maybe I didn't apply myself to things like I should have... Like this year I learned there is not only a city called Luxembourg, but there is also a country by the name as well, it's next to Belgium. I learned that there is not just one national language in India. There are something like 52 separate Indian Languages, not dialects. On the personal front I learned this week that my Dad loved Musicals and that he was in the church choir before we moved from Wisconsin when I was a baby. I remember when I was younger, like 20 something years ago, my Mom would tape record my grandparents reminiscing about when they were younger and what it was like growing up for them and how they met and those sorts of stories. Now I think I want to do the same thing. I think with the way things have changed so much technology wise just since I was in Junior High, when we typed programming messag

Day 288 of 365

I learned a hard lesson tonight for myself even if know one else realized it from the outside looking in... I was talking with a family member about how I used to be very close with one of my nieces and how I helped raise her and now because different circumstances we rarely speak. In fact the last time I heard from her is when I was home for my reunion and I saw her. The situation with her really reminded me tonight how I myself have fallen short when it comes to keeping up with my Aunts and Uncles and even when my grandparents were alive.  I know I can't replace the time lost but I can continue from where I am now. The grave is too late to say you want more time. This also goes for Aunts and Uncles and Grandparents or even brothers and sisters or sons and daughters that don't keep in touch like they should. We should all make a point of trying to be a better family member.  Love, peace and let them know you care... Musicsongbird

Day 287 of 365

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I really enjoy going through my news feed on FB and seeing all of the crazy posts people put up. Sometimes they make me laugh, sometimes they make me sad and sometimes they inspire. One such post did that today or better yet it reminded me of what I have been working at this past year. In the past, so very often I heard myself say how much I hated my life. That I wish I could run away and hide, that I was just not happy with where I was at... Something I have learned over the past 5 years of being at Disney and being on my own for the first 3, is that I would often rely on others to tell me what was best for me. I would get so wrapped up in what others were telling me I should do with my life, that I wasn't making the choices for me, but I was making them based on what others wanted for me. Does that make sense? In one situation I had a leader trying to push me into a role I didn't have the desire to do, and I had almost agreed and moved forward into it, but another opportu

Day 286 of 365

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Sometimes people say stupid things. I mean, I say stupid things all the time. But the stupid things I am referring to are the hurtful, stupid things. The things people say that normally you could brush off, but when you are feeling vulnerable they really hit home.  There are days that I am feeling down and I am just wanting to feel better about myself and someone makes a wise crack about my size and all it does is push me farther into my downward spiral for the day. Then I start feeling bad about myself and my situation and I just want to run away and hide. This is when I have good friends that I can call and tell them how I am feeling and they are there to pick me up and stand up for me and make me smile and remind me that when someone has to pick on someone else's insecurities it just means that that person really doesn't think much of them self and the only way they can feel better is by tearing someone else down. What a sad existence that must be. So remember, the n

Day 285 of 365

My appogies for any typos. I am.blogging from my.phone for the next week. My feet and ankles are swollen from my journey but it was worth it. If you skip out on something becuase you are afraid what might happen, then you can miss out on somethung incredible. Love, peace and enjoy the journey... Musicsongbird

Day 284 of 365

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Five years ago today I was over a thousand miles away from my family, living in my first apartment, just me and Belle (my cat) getting ready to go to bed in anticipation for my first day at my new job at Walt Disney World. I wish I had blogged back then and documented what I was feeling, because five years later I am five years older obviously and I don't always remember things like I used to, even though the BFF will say differently. I can say, that looking back on these past five years I have had a tremendous time. I have been places I never thought I would get to go here, like to the top of the Aquarium at The Seas with Nemo or the up on the roof of the Ice Cream Shop on Main Street to watch Wishes. I seen cast members celebrate their 1st Anniversary with Disney and also their 30th. I sang in the Candle Light Procession standing directly behind one of my Christian Music Idols, Steven Curtis Chapman. But these are just a few of the highlights I have experienced in my first five

Day 283 of 365

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Sometimes in life you have to do things that you may not agree with, like at work for example. You may not agree with a policy or a particular procedure, but if you love what you do or you don't feel you have the option to move onto something else you have follow it. I have experienced this recently and I learned something very important that I will remember for a long time. As a great Cuban said once, "It is what it is." You may not always like the way things are done but some things are out of your control and you need to try and expect them for what they are, so... Love, peace and keep calm... Musicsongbird

Day 282 of 365

Do you know how lucky I am? Every once in awhile my Mom will say my name, and of course I reply, "what?" and her response is, "nothing, sometimes I just like saying your name." Up until now I have thought, "oh my goodness you drive me nuts sometimes, but then I realized, I shouldn't feel that way.  I feel so blessed to have my Mom with me. To be able to spend time with her. To have her to take care of me when I am sick and I can take care of her when she is sick as well.  Mom, in case I haven't told you lately...I'm really blessed to have you in my life...Love you... Love, peace and blessed... Musicsongbird

Day 281 of 365

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Today was a day of firsts for me in my new position... My first Sunday as a COT... Created my first (2) schedules for new cast members without any help... My first time screwing up my Tower's schedule template... My first time fixing my Tower's schedule template... I look forward to each new day to see what it will bring, what I will learn to do and what not to do in my new adventure. Isn't this how we should look at life? We should look forward to each new day and choose to keep a positive attitude. We don't know what tomorrow brings, because if we did, we would all be lottery winners... Life is like running into a large flock of birds, you don't know if you are going to be pooped on, but you know it's going to be an exciting time... So run in and hope for the best! Love, peace and choose a positive disposition... Musicsongbird

Day 280 of 365

Thank you for all of the thoughts and prayers for sweet Zazzy. She is doing really well tonight. Running around and playing and eating like a kitten should... On my way home this evening I stopped at a local chain grocery store, where shopping is a pleasure. They pride themselves on friendly service and they are one of the few grocery chains I know of that still offer to take your bags out to your car. Tonight I only purchased three small items and the young woman bagging up my groceries took hold of my cart with my bag inside and began to push it towards the exit. I told her that it wasn't necessary but she insisted and she stated, "it's a part of my job." As we were walking out she explained to me that most people turn down the offer, so she has just begun pushing the cart out so that the customer will allow her to do her job. After we arrived at my car I thanked her for her assistance and I headed towards home. Years ago, people were happy to have someone hel

Day 279 of 365

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It is so heartbreaking to see one of the kittens sick and knowing there isn't much I can do. They are just like a child, they want to sleep they are weak and they have sad eyes. It tears my heart apart. I am so scared but at the same time, if God wants the kitten there is nothing I can do to change things. I have to put my faith in God that everything will work together towards His purpose. Please pray for this sweet baby... Love, peace and your prayers are appreciated... Musicsongbird

Day 278 of 365

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I am so happy to say, two out of the four kittens have successfully used the litter box! So sound the trumpets! It's scary because as each day goes by I love each one of them more and more, but I also know that having this many cats in the house is expensive but it also makes me look like the crazy cat lady. Maybe I am and that's OK as long as I can take care of them, but I would much rather see them go to happy loving families. Everyone deserves a happy family, even a sweet pet. For some, family means parents and siblings and for some it means great friends making up a fantastic family. No matter what we all deserve that love, happiness and acceptance that a family can bring. So thank God for the "family or families" you have in your life. Love, peace and family... Musicsongbird

Day 277 of 365

It is official, I have assessed and I am now a COT. Ok, I was already a COT but I am done with the assessment stuff. So very excited still about this amazing opportunity to broaden my horizon and learn some new things and still be a part of training. What could make this day even better? Yes, I had another cupcake! LOL! Yummy for my tummy but bad for the waist line. One of my co-workers is using the trailer as guinea pigs for her cupcake creations. Today, yellow cake, cream cheese icing and guava filling. Delicious! I am learning so much this week and I know I have a ton more to learn but I am so happy. I am truly looking forward to helping develop our new trainers and learning more about my new area and building relationships with my fellow cast members. What I hope to gain from this is a better understanding of our cultural representative program... mentoring my new trainers in hopes that they too can live out their Disney Dreams... Making a difference in not only my new area, bu

Day 276 of 365

Talk about a nite of brain farts... I just can't seem to focus. I call it kitten confusion. The kittens are so cute that I can't focus on what I want to write about. Mom and I are trying to litter box train the babies and it is very hard, because the minute they wake up or finish eating we have to put them in the litter box. So, you can probably see why I have a lack of focus.  Plus, I have survived another day of COT training. Today I got to do a little more on the computer, I visited one of my locations, I got to attend my first official Taco Tuesday, did some mind numbing e-learning and I had yet another cupcake. :) Sorry, I had another Kitten break. Zazzy had to have her turn in the litter box. She scratched once, but nothing... I will keep trying. I think it is easier to teach a toddler to go on the potty than a kitten, that's for sure.  I remember having kittens when I was little, in fact we had two mommas that had litters around the same time, but I don

Day 275 of 365

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Today I started my new Chapter in my Disney Career. Today was my first day of on the Job Training as a Coordinator of Training at Epcot. Many people I work with don't understand the difference between a Core and a COT, so here it is. As a Core trainer, my job responsibilities were to train new Cast coming into Epcot in Merchandise locations throughout the park. We also assist with keeping the current cast trained when there are updates to the areas, or State Mandated Regulatory.  As a Coordinator of Training, I schedule the Area Trainers or the Core Trainers and their trainees for their on the job training. I also track what e-learning is due for my area. I partner with my Area to ensure all of our cast are trained properly and also to help find new trainers for the area as well; among other things.  Some friends have asked if I will miss training? Maybe, but I will still be training in other ways. I will still facilitate classes for safety on occasion and new trainer cl