summer

My summer consists of two weeks.

I've left my beloved California for a while. A short while, I hope. The drive from Southern California to Salt Lake city was something that requires physical therapy and a detox afterwards (thanks to the two 5-hour energy drinks that I took after only three hours of sleep before my 12 hr drive... NEVER again!). Those drinks are Satan. Took me almost three days to recover.

But I had a nice short visit with my Aunt, who's too much fun and her daughters that are too gorgeous. Plus they live such adventurous lives. I've always felt like the ugly duckling around them. But we had fun chatting and committing to perilous activities such as coughing ourselves down the world's largest zip line at the Olympic Park in Park City Utah. I can't go into too much detail there because I have blocked most out from sheer terror but I do remember that I almost cried, I was hysterical before the release and when we stopped, I was so shaky I had to walk it off. But it was completely worth it to see what I had conquered... And also to see my cousin dangling from her seat when she forgot to take off her seatbelt before she got out! Haha! Love her.

So after my short visit to SLC, I flew to Seattle to spend time with my mother before flying to Texas next week to visit the other parents. It's so warm and green here. I forgot why I loved it here other than the people. Seattle will always be my hometown and a part of my heart will always be here but now California feels like home and I'm homesick.

I have forgotten that familiar ache in my right shoulder from carrying a camera around all day.

fact

I feel like this when I think about:

packing

moving

having to do homework again

rexburg

flying

last minute errands that I always forget

stupid mistakes I've made

dumb comments that came out wrong

having to say goodbye for a while

having to be an adult

spending money

not having money

not being able to go to Disneyland any time I want

going to the dentist

going back to school with very few friends

everyone getting married (?!)

showers (I know this sounds gross, but I'm getting tired of showering. It takes too much time and I have way too much hair now. Plus then I have to blow dry it and then I'm all hot and sweaty again... I just can't win)

and cats... I really don't like cats

oh. my. business.

I just died. I literally died. This is hilarious. This girl ALMOST has it right, but at the same time, it's totally wrong.

Watch it. Love it.

Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.

i need

I about died when I saw this. It's a broach but I think I'd turn it into a necklace. It was shown to me by my friend on Etsy.com (click HERE). But it looks just like my Pippin!

now it's time to say good bye, to all our company...

Well my College Program is over. It has been so much fun and the best by far. It's really made a lasting impression and I've come out with so much more than I've expected.

I've made a lot of connections within the company, and I've come to the conclusion that this is the company that I'd like to fortify my career with. I'm here to stay.

Well sort of. I've still got to go back to school and finish my degree, but once I graduate, I'll be back down here as soon as possible. I've been talking a lot about the possibility of becoming a trainer. It's step one of my goal of getting in a high leadership position. But I've got a lot of options, and it's one of the things I love about this company; there are a lot of options, and as long as you prove that you've got the drive to pursue them, people will help you out to achieve them.

But until I can pursue those goals, I've got to become CT (Cast Temporary), which means I'm going Seasonal for a while. I'll only work major holidays while I'm going to school so it will keep my job. But tomorrow is my last day before I go back to school.

I hate saying goodbye to so many people. I keep reassuring them that I'm coming back, but it's still hard. After seeing so many of these amazing people everyday, it's going to be a huge culture shock to not be surrounded by them any more.

I don't like to think about it.

So tomorrow I say good bye to Bugs Land. But only for a little while.

another day at disneyland

Today was my first time working World of Color guest control. I've been scheduled for it many other times but luckily I've always gotten out of it. As a cast member you learn to dread WoC. It's pretty much one of the most stressful environments and a lot of the time, the people aren't happy and they KNOW it's all your fault.

I was working in the blue section at the very head of the que helping quests with disabilities into their waiting area. A little black girl and her mother were at the very front of the line behind me. Every now and then she'd ask me random (but very important, in her mind) questions. And between her questions I'd find time to help other guests...

Miss Need-to-know: Do you know Mickey Mouse?

H: Yes I do, he tells me where to work. That was cute, but not an uncommon question from a child. Then the big one hits...

Miss NTK: Well do you know Jesus?

H: ... crickets chirp... well, yes I do. I hear he's a really nice guy... The mom is just looking at me

Miss NTK: He lives in Heaven you know. Up there. She points to the sky.

H: I do know that. Yes.

Miss NTK: But you can't see him. The Egyptians say that they can see their God but that's not right.

H: Ohhhh... You're very smart. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY?! The mom's just watching me and I'm just shocked!

Miss NTK: You know, you should really buy "The Ten Commandments for Kids". It tells you all you need to know.

H: Well... Thanks, Sweetheart. That's very helpful. At this point I'm just trying desperately to find a topic of conversation that I'm more comfortable. I mean, I'm not uncomfortable in my faith, I just am not entirely comfortable about being proselyted by a 7-year-old

i need

I really need this.

It's a book about the Beatles (duh, Holly...). I saw it at Barnes and Noble (may they rest in peace) about a month ago. It's basically a timeline of their history but it also comes with clip outs and fun ticket replicas and all kinds of fun mementos.

I want it really bad. My birthday's coming up, so I can't buy anything fun for myself for the next month or so. Although I don't expect to get it, it's pretty much a law that's been ingrained in my brain from my mother growing up.

i am a Lady

Something I've had to get used to about California is the blunt stares.

When the men here look at you... they look at you. And they don't try and hide it. In fact, they want you to know they're looking at you.

I makes me sick.

In fact it really just pisses me off.

Who do you think you are to be looking at me like that?! I'm not a pair of legs walking around. I am a Lady! And you will treat me as such... you perv!

Well today it was kind of warm. And so I was wearing shorts as I went to the grocery store. And from the time it took me to pull in the parking lot, get out of my car and walk the way through the lot to the door, these two hispanic construction workers were eye-ballin' me.

I could feel the rage mounting. With each step I took, I felt my teeth clench and my fists balling. I wanted to sock them in the face!

And then do you know what happened?! Do you know what this sweaty mustach-clad piece of slime did?! He had the nerve to hock a luggie right as he was watching me walk by. Well... I lost it.

I stopped right in my tracks before entering the store and started yelling at him: "Oh no! There is NO WAY that you can be looking at me like that and then just spit on the ground right in front of me! I'll have you know that I am an educated, working woman and I am too smart to be stupid enough to go for the likes of you. Does that ever work for you?! Checking out women like they are pieces of meat? Doesn't look like it! You know what? This is just stupid!"

I was just SO MAD!! And he just sat there watching me with his eyes huge! His buddy next to him was completely frozen. Once I'd had my crazy-person rant, I stormed into the grocery store. It wasn't until I was buying my groceries that I even realized what had happened. What was I thinking?! I have no idea. But at least those guys weren't outside when I left. Who knows what might have happened...

I am woman. Hear me roar!

good night

Wow.

The fireworks were immensely stressful tonight. Mainly because we were surrounded by three different families from three different cultures and none of those cultures understood getting off my back. At one point i turned to the French African guy behind me who kept hitting me in the head with his cam-recorder and asked him in french to stop but when he asked me "quoi?" ("what?") I started speaking to him in english but with a french accent: "pleeze, I cannut see eph the cam-are-a ez en mai face!" I can't even explain why. I felt like an idiot as soon as I turned around and realized what just happened. But seriously... personal space is bilingual.

But I had a great time with K and S. They are amazing Disney freaks. That's right. They are my people.

photobooth madness!!

I got this app called PhotoBooth.

It's amazing. Totally addicting. I recommend it.

When I'm involved with a man, we never wear matching shirts.

Please do the same. You look like fools.

simply having a wonderful disney time

So today is the first day in a very long time that we (S., K., and I) have had the same days off. So today we donned our matching Disney shirts and flew with pixie dust on our heels to the happiest place on earth.

I love it here.

It's crazy.

serious thought

I read a poem today called "Our Baby Girl" by an anonymous author.

It was horribly depressing.

It was all about the life of this one girl through the perspective of her parents and how she learned all of the traits of a terrible marriage from the example of her parents:

"look at our baby girl.

she learned to take a hit from a man.

by her mother.

so proud."

... I do not recommend this poem.

It really got me to thinking. I have learned a lot of really great things about marriage, from the couples so close to me in my life. Although I'm not married, and I wasn't raised by a successful marriage, I still had parents and people who showed me the good to look for as I get older.

From my parents I learned: marriage is more than just about two people

My sister and her husband: to trust each other and grow as one person

My brother and his wife: to be best friends and affection

My Dad and his wife: to go on adventures and have each other's back in stressful times

Lisa and her husband: to be proud of your family

Shelley and Dan: to love each other's family unconditionally. You can't love someone unless you love where/who they came from

M. and B.: to be young and look for the future

I'm SO not married. Not even close. But I've noticed that no there's no such thing as a perfect mold for marriage. I've sure seen a lot of different shapes of marriages. And I've noticed that there really isn't one kind that's made for everyone. You just need to know what you want and what you don't want. I'm not looking to get married tomorrow, but at least I know an idea of what to look for.

photo thoughts

That looks like too much work

I wish the Space Needle was still Orange

I would love this

Genius! I'm saving this idea

My future child

I will never wear a swimmer's cap, but these are awesome

This is for you Lyss

I would love a print of this

Disney Science

I would share the same sentiments

When I saw this photo, I literally died of uncontrollable laughter for quite a while. It was a ridiculous fit

I love the look of these solid colors