Greetings from Patterson Court

While I can't claim photo credit for the above shot (I used google!) this is a shining example of what my new apartment looks like. I live in Patterson Court, the newest Disney housing complex, and I love it. Once my roommates and myself get a little more settled in I'll post photos of the apartment.... it's kind of in complete chaos right now! There are six of us, three bedrooms, sandy colored walls with white trim... and PALM TREES outside my window (and a cow/horse, we're not quite sure).

I have five roommates. Ashley hails from Massachusetts, and we share a room. She played Daffy Duck at Six Flags, and she's a fire cracker! She'll be working at Frontierland Attractions in the Magic Kingdom.
Maggie grew up in New Jersey... where "we pump fists... not gas." She's legitimately NEVER pumped her own gasoline, which boggles my mind! It's amazing how different two towns a thousand miles apart can be! Her role is Quick Service Food and Beverage at the All-Stars Music resort.
Sara is from Mississippi, and Laura is from Tennessee, and they BOTH have the most adorable Southern accents you've ever heard in your life. Sara is working quick service food and beverage at Pinocchio Village Haus in Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland, and Laura will be working Main Street Operations at Magic Kingdom as well! (We're a MK heavy apartment.)
Mariela, from Puerto Rico, is on her second CP, and she'll be reprising her role as photopass in a new home park, represneting Patterson 6201 at Hollywood Studios.

My role in Disney's show (yes, that's what it's REALLY called. I don't get hired for a job, I am cast in a role) is working at Cinderella's Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom... which means I work at the site shown below...

It really doesn't get much more Disney than Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom!!

After a long, long, LONG day... I'm ready for bed in my new digs!

A bit of Florida madness!

My first photo from my big move! Aww ;)
I'm officially in Florida, slightly homeless and itching to unpack these bags containing my life for the next five months... but this hotel is pretty fab!

I left Fargo Thursday afternoon, and it was the hardest day I've had in a VERY long time. Saying goodbye was really tough, it felt like my heart was being pulled from my chest. As cheesy as it sounds, I did leave my heart back in North Dakota, but I have an amazing man to keep it safe for me until I come back to him ;). Ali's steadfast support and words of encouragement is something I am SO grateful for!

After gaining some of the energy I've lost over the past few days, I had the opportunity to explore Celebration, Florida (pictured above). This town is straight out of the Stepford Wives, a picturesque construction of small business and quaint little houses, each with a porch to encourage everyone to be good neighbors! This town is a vision of the Walt Disney Company to represent the quintessential American town, with family-values and safe neighborhoods. To put it lightly, if you don't mow your lawn, the city will do it for you and charge you a fee! Celebration also has one of the top ranked Thai food establishments (as ranked by the country of Thailand!) called Thai Thani, which was nothing short of fantastic.

After a power nap, I was able to take my first steps onto Disney property. This photo is one that ALL people end up taking a photo of when they drive into Disney World, but it's necessary! Where Dreams Come True!

Today's theme ended up being "Emily's Cultural Food Experience" and "The Aunties Contemplate Purchasing Child Leash for Emily." Thai for lunch, and Cuban at Bongos in Downtown Disney for dinner! The food was, once again, fantastic, and the service was phenomenal... if you're ever in the area I recommend hitting it up!

Not surprisingly, Downtown Disney (the only Disney property you can hit up free of charge) on a Saturday night was hoppin', and my mother, the aunties (Beep and Carol) and myself walked to the giant Disney store to start my search for Aladdin themed merchandise for my very own Prince Ali back home, (mine's WAY better than the original!). Apparently, this store and my subsequent escape from their line of sight brought about the discussion of whether or not they make child leashes large enough to fit my body to prevent future wanderings. Even at 21 they still worry about me being distracted by shiny toys just long enough to forever be seperated... thank god for cell phones!

Tomorrow is a gator cruise in the swamp followed by terrorizing Disney's Hollywood Studios, Helms' Women style! I'm meeting my roommate tomorrow evening, and check-in is early Monday!

And know wherever I am, I'm missing you!

Lucky

It's 2:49a on Wednesday, which means I leave tomorrow for my Disney internship, and if I were to say I have an overwhelming amount of thoughts and emotions cycling through my head on a constant loop... I'd be putting it lightly.

BUT that's not what I'm going to focus on. I'm not going to shine a spotlight on the amazing adventure to come, I'm not going to talk about how excited I am to embark on this new life chapter, and how thrilled I am to include you all in it... I'm going to talk about luck.

More specifically, I am so fucking lucky. Not only do I have the opportunity to experience this once in a lifetime opportunity in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, but my support system is amazing. I dare you to find a more solid base than mine. I have my family... my dad, my momma, and my spectacular older brother. I have a boyfriend, Ali, who stands by me and supports me, my friends who have all send me off with a smile, a hug, and words of encouragement... extended family, on top of my soon to be Disney family. I have never felt more gracious and appreciative in my life.

If I'm being honest, I'm 100% terrified of what's to come. I want my boyfriend, my family, my friends, to be there to hold my hand and reassure me that everything is going to be okay. I know I'm strong, but the thought of not being quite strong enough lingers in my mind. And then, amazingly enough, I think of all the spectacular people in ND/MN I'm saying "see you later" too, just for now, and I know I'll be okay.

How lucky am I to have what I have? I must have drawn the right cards from the deck, because even with how terrified I am of what lies ahead, I've never been more sure of myself and the choices I've made.

A fond farewell to Fargo, ND! I'll see you all in early October! Until then... keep logging on and reading my updates. I'll say hello to Tropical Storm EMILY when I land early Friday!

My Mother.

My mom is my best friend. I know a lot of people say that about their mothers, but it really holds true for my mom. For as long as I can remember, my mom has been my teacher, my advocate, always in my corner to remind me that I'm never to old to snuggle up and tell her what's wrong, but she's also never been afraid to give me a push to do what's right. My mother has always allowed me to make my own mistakes, never criticizing me for the poor choices I've made; instead, she uses them as an opportunity to help me learn, grow, and become the woman I am today. The things my mother have taught me are varied: from teaching me to ALWAYS decorate in odd numbers, teaching me that you should always use the bathroom before you put your snow pants on, how to check if spaghetti is cooked through (throw it against the wall) to things that are a bit deeper... such as always standing up for what you believe in, keeping family first, never regretting the choices you make, and learning from your mistakes. When I was trapped in an abusive relationship, my mother was there to ease my pain, get help, and remind me again and again that what happened was NOT my fault. When I was afraid to apply for an internship that would move me halfway across the country, she reminded me that no matter how far away I was, she and my dad would always be there for me, only a phone call away.

I know there is nothing I could ever do that would show my mother how much she means to me, and how thankful I am for having her in my life. There is no diamond large enough, no flower bright enough, no painting beautiful enough that could reflect the degree of gratitude I have for her. When I see my mother, I feel at home. When I see my mother, I feel safe. And when I see my mother, I know there is nothing that could replace her in my heart.

Perhaps most important of all, my mother has taught me that no matter what, I can always come home. Even though I'm an adult and living on my own, she calls me to tell me she loves me, that she's proud of who I am, and most of all I will NEVER be done learning from my mother. I know that every child on the planet thinks that their mother is God's gift to humanity, and the best mother on the planet, and I don't doubt that to them... she is. But to me, my mom is more than my mother, she's more than the person who taught me to tie my shoes and who sang me a lullaby when I was fussy... my mother is my pillar of strength, and I'm proud to be her daughter.

"Remember Beloved, God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked." -Ezekiel 18:23

Anyone who knows me can reaffirm the following statement: I am, in no way, shape, or form, a religious person. I do not attend church service, I don't receive any of the sacraments, I don't believe in organized religion, and I find the Church to be corrupt.  That being said, I do identify with Christianity (well, the idea of Christianity, not the practice) and I do consider myself a Christian, no matter how non-practicing I may be. 


I've been thinking on it, and everyone in this country and across the world is aware of what occurred on May 1st, 2011. After ten years of searching, the United States has finally won the world's longest game of hide and go seek. Call me a pessimist if you wish, but I truly never believed we'd find him. Ten years of searching through mountain caves and he winds up being at a compound worth millions of dollars in a Pakistani city. Who'd have thought?


As I read countless facebook status updates and received text messages celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden, I began to process my own emotions and gauge my reactions. How did this make me feel? I, for one, am not a supporter of the death penalty here or abroad. I realize that his death was the only guarantee of keeping the world safe from his terror. But I did not want to celebrate with the rest of the world. I felt relief that he is dead, and am proud of the SEALs that risked their lives in this operation, but I don't feel like celebrating death. That's what he did when the towers toppled over in a cloud of fire, smoke, and shards of glass, ending the lives of thousands. Do I want to be grouped into the same category as him? Not a chance in hell.


Am I sad that he's gone? Not in the slightest. He was a horrible, wicked person. He murdered thousands of people, and truth be told, he deserved what he had coming to him... but that idea does not make me smile, or make me want to cheer.... it makes me terribly sad for the world we live in.  Where death of another human being, no matter how wicked, brings rejoicing in the streets. 


I have to ask, after ten years, two wars, over 900,000 deaths, and over $1,000,000,000,000 dollars in expenses for the War on Terror in Afghanistan, Iraq, and around the globe, we've managed to catch our number one man. Is it worth it? That remains to be seen.


This man's death is the start to a multitude of possible consequences.

98 Days till the Big Move!

I'm officially in double digits! August 5th is only 98 days away. My program officially starts in 101 days, this time is flying by.


First things first, I received notification from Disney that I was not selected to be a Character Performer. I expected as such since there were so few slots and so many talented people that auditioned, and I'm ecstatic for any one who made the final cut :)


Onto happy news, I now have all of my apartment mates! All six of us in our three bedroom apartment, ha ha!
Mariela and Mereddy from sunny Puerto Rico, Maggie from New Jersey, Ashley from Massachusetts, Laura from Tennessee... and Emily from North Dakota, ha ha. I think I win for least exciting state representative for our living quarters! I have yet to communicate with Laura, but the other four ladies are very friendly and upbeat, and I am VERY excited to meet them all! It's bizarre, I'll be sharing my life with these people for five full months, I know they exist... but I have only met one of the people who is actually on my program from over 1,000 participants! (That being said, Logan is fantastic ha ha).


Non-Disney news! There is life outside of this whirlwind of Disney centered info, and I'm loving every minute. April is winding down... that means finals! Finals start next week, I only have three exams and I'm officially checked out ;) 
End of the month generally means MOVING time as well. I've started the lovely task of helping Ali move out of his place, packing and drinking Shandy, watching Netflix and eating a lot of pizza is sure to occupy the next couple days! I've also officially scheduled the check-out at my apartment for May 31st at 11:00AM, so the first of THREE (possibly four) moves in the next eight months is right around the corner. I'm dreading it... I have SO much stuff it's borderline ridiculous. 


I can say, with full confidence, that life is GOOD. Things have never been better for me, and I am so happy I'm thinking it might be contagious :)


Buffalo Wild Wings is... well, Buffalo Wild Wings. Good news is the patio is opening soon, which means summer will be here before I know it! Bad news is I should PROBABLY try and find a pair of bermudas so I don't roast to death if I have a patio shift, too bad they make me look ultra butch. There are worse things.


Good luck on the end of the semester, and if you're part of my ever-expanding Disney family, I'll see YOU in 101 days ;)

time keeps ticking on and on

Time keeps ticking on and on... days keep moving forward! First and foremost, I still have yet to hear back about the status of my audition. I caved in and called Disney Recruiting to inquire as to what this lack of response indicates, and the recruiter was very friendly, and was happy to inform me that if I haven't received a rejection letter yet... I'm still in the character pool! Getting a role in the Entertainment cast at Disney is a long shot, there were over 2,000 people that auditioned for about 200 roles. For those of you as bad at math as I am, that's a 10% acceptance rate. Not so great! BUT I've made it this far so I'm staying optimistic, and either way I'll be moving to Florida in 107 short days.


Speaking of 107 short days, I'm starting to formulate plans in my cute little noggin about what's going to go down in these upcoming weeks! For anyone that didn't know, my flight to Orlando is officially BOOKED, I'll be departing Friday, August 5th bright and early at 7:00AM and should arrive in sunny Florida right around 11:30AM Eastern time. 


Before that... the weekend prior to my departure I am trying to plan a "Disney Pub Crawl." Check back for details, that will be Saturday, July 28th. We'll see how sharp my theme planning skills are since I haven't thrown a theme party since the epic Harry Potter bash July 2010. 


Spring 2011 semester is wrapping up, finals are two weeks away, and things are coming to a close. I'm looking forward to the semester wrapping up, but the rate that these weeks are passing is kind of frightening. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited to start a new phase of my life in a brand new place, but things have been going very well for me here. Life is good, and it's hard to leave it behind.


Things in my life are fantastic, to say the least. I can honestly say I haven't been this happy in a very long time. This happiness doesn't depend on others, but some great new people around sure helps. I've been dating someone for two months now, and having him in my life is a breath of fresh air, a relief that I didn't even know I needed. Recently, I've realized that I've never been someone's one and only. There's always been another girl... whether it's a "best friend" that he can't seem to stop staring at, an ex-girlfriend who is still in the picture, or even someone that they end of sleeping with while I was with him... I've never been the only girl in someone's life. For the first time, I'm getting a taste of what that feels like, and it feels good. I'm still riding the wave, taking everything a day at a time, and it is the best high there is.


I'm still biding my time at Buffalo Wild Wings. I was close to walking out on a shift about two weeks ago, and while I'm aware that I only have three months to go until I move and finding a new job right now would be relatively pointless... some days I'm so tired of serving over-priced wings and nearly flat beer to ungrateful restaurant patrons I could just cry. It's a tough thing. I've been working there for two and a half years, and I still feel as under-appreciated as I did when I started. I realize that's the real world, but I just can't accept that "that's just the way it is." It's the way it is because people are too afraid to take a stand and have their voice be heard... probably because I, along with my coworkers, know that if we voice our complaints we risk losing our jobs. It's a slippery slope.


Hopefully I'll hear information