Wow, memories in the making!

So day two at Disney is complete...today was even more fun, I must say. It was more meetings and videos and procedure discussion type stuff, for the most part, but it was cool because it was all of this food handling business, so I looked smart because I knew a bunch of it and I played the part of eager nerd student. I fit well into that role, really...can't imagine why ;) But at least we knew each other a little bit. Things got narrower as we went from yesterday's bunch of twenty-five or so, to around ten or eleven today, and then just four of us at the end of the day (those who are in "DL ODV" or Disneyland Outdoor vending), and then down to two for training the next few days...so it weeds out some fun neighbors and some people I'm not sad to part with...no offense, of course. But I'm okay not working side by side with Mr. Awkward who kept whining today, or Debbie Downer who overheard me mention that I just finished my credential and said "Oh, teaching...no jobs in that field these days" (I could practically hear the distinct "wha-whaaaa").
At any rate, I found out a little bit more about my role today. Tomorrow begins "OTJ" or On the Job Training, where I'll learn all of the tricks of my little trade. Today I got my "costume" for this basic thing, and then after Wednesday (twenty plus hours of training) I'll get to fly solo for reals, and then I get another costume. It looks like this will be a fun red plaid shirt and brown pants, because I'm starting off in Critter Country. Kind of a random tucked away spot, and not the cutest outfit, but at least I'm by Winnie the Pooh and Splash Mountain!
I still cannot believe I'm doing this. Sometimes it feels like overload and there is just so much I still want and need to learn about my job and Disneyland and everything, but it's so fun to listen in on all of the other cast members chatting, and try to see what is in store for me. And to soak in all of the park magic. I mean, everything is so precise and exact down to the letter, in order to preserve the integrity of the magic and "show." It's all about show, from the costuming and decor to the things we say in each land...it's ridiculous, but it's a really fun kind of ridiculous! Just to walk around and see rows and rows of random costumes, or be in the break room and see Tinkerbell in her sweats and green skirt, or take stock of all the tidbits I never realized before...so stinkin' COOL!!! I'll keep you posted :) ENjoy

Making the magic happen...day one

Well,
I just got done with my first big day of training- eight hours of cheesy videos, protocol, Disney standards guidelines, and "coaching" in the Disney way. Pretty intense stuff, but it was just a thrill to know that I'm going to be a part of this! We took a little tour of the park as part of our training, and that was pretty darn exciting. It was crowded, but we got some inside trivia on things, and I kept looking at all the vendors thinking "ooh, that's going to be me!"
There's still a lot I have to learn about my job and all. Tomorrow is more training, then we move into on the job training, and eventually to real work. Well, Disneyland work, that is! And I did learn a bit more about perks...I can get in to any park, any time, with my employee ID. That means Disneyland, Florida, Hong Kong, everything- except for tokyo, because I guess Japanese people don't want us or something. Then I'm getting this special main entrance ticket where I can sign in up to three other people with me! I only get to use it sixteen times a year, but hey, that's still pretty sweet. I get 20% off merchandise and 10 off food, and I also get sweet deals at hotels, and even on other parks in Southern California! Woohoo...I am officially hooked up.
I will keep posting the latest on my adventures, but I think those are the juiciest details so far. Let me know if you need a sign in! :) Talk to you soon.

Disney dreams come true! :)

Well, it has been a long and trying semester of student teaching. I have had fifth graders cuss me out, throw desks at me, criticize my breast size, and blatantly disobey…and I have had a master teacher who yelled constantly at both the students and me. This while at the same time hearing naught but doom and gloom for the looks of the job market in the teaching profession. All in all I finished up feeling quite discouraged, incompetent, and drained. But I must say that these past couple of weeks have been quite enlightening and refreshing. I volunteered at a huge book fair and earned a bunch of free books, I am taking a great class with a bunch of reading and prayer, and I finally came to a point of peace with the fact that my life is in limbo and I am not sure where I’ll be or what I’ll be doing come next year.
And, as often happens when things grow out of control and you at last release and trust that God knows what He is doing, He worked a couple of things out. For one thing, I got a job! Well, not a teaching job, but a summer one. After scouring the surrounding area of my La Habra home and applying at every restaurant and coffee shop I could find, and turning up pretty much zilch, I at last got in for an interview yesterday…at the happiest place on earth. It was a long and annoying road from the online application I filled out months ago to the actual visit to the Disney Casting Center, but I did it, and decided that whatever happened would be what God wanted. The long road continued through the interview process, as I filled out more paperwork, then waited, then went into a room with a bunch of candidates and watched a little video, then took another computer-based questionnaire with a bunch of situational and “strongly agree/agree/neutral/disagree/strongly disagree” questions, then waited some more…then finally went to talk to a real live person. But talking to the live person was great. For one thing, he interviewed me at the same time as another guy, which I thought at first was a bit odd. But it turned out to be quite a good thing because this other kid was a slightly scruffy around the ears, inexperienced, fresh out of high school, “Disneyland sounded cool” applicant. Needless to say, it made me look pretty good in comparison. I had thought up some great classic interview responses ahead of time and I made sure to throw in plenty of buzzwords emphasizing my commitment to customer service and desire to create a memorable guest experience and serve others, and I guess it sounded good, because the interviewer dismissed scruffy dude and then talked to me alone. Well, he let me know what positions were available and then gave me a role description, and then he went to get a bunch more paperwork. Then I started wondering what was going on, and began to realize I pretty much had a job. I went back today to finish up all of the paper nonsense, and I think the excitement factor is at last settling in as it becomes real. I got my dream job! I am working at stinkin’ Disneyland, a place that I love and adore and have had such positive happy connections to my entire life! I am going to go behind the scenes and see Minnie walking around with her mouse head off! (and hopefully not discover that my paranoia about it being a hairy man inside is true…) I am going to be an official cast member! I am going to make the magic happen! WOW!!!!
So details, details, you may ask. I don’t know all of them just yet. I am working in foods, which was my preference all along, and I think my official title is “outdoor vendor.” What this means is that I get to be the person who pushes around the little cart selling ice cream or popcorn or pretzels or giant turkey legs or churros, as well as the person who walks around before the parade selling glow sticks and ridiculously priced light-up roses! And as it turns out this sounds quite perfect. I will get variety, since I’ll get to work at both parks and various locations and with various products. I get to lift things and push things and stand for long periods, which my active compulsive little self will just adore, and I get to cook up products and clean my little cart and sniff cleaning products (I mean, use cleaning products…safely). I get to wear a money belt and think quickly, doing calculations in my head so that I give the proper change to the hairy-arm-pitted French lady with three screaming kids and five Mickey-shaped ice cream bars. I get to be busy and crazy, and then when nobody wants a hot churro on a 100 degree day, I get to sit and sniff the cinnamon all by myself, people watching and laughing at the temper tantrums and crazy couples. I get to be a lizard and soak up the sun outside while everyone complains about the heat, and then I get to sell them a nice frozen banana. This is so COOL!!! I go in next weekend to do my orientation, which is an eight-hour Saturday of explanations and tours and rules, followed by another eight-hour day learning about my specific area. And at this point I’m sure I’ll get plenty more details and figure scheduling and what not. But at least it’s paid. Speaking of which, that is another cool element…I will make $9.46 an hour to start, which is more than I have ever made before! I mean, I am a part of a union now and I am subject to the strict rules and codes of Disney, and I pretty much am owned by a giant rat for the next three months (and continuing holiday times if I want), available 24/7 if they want me. But hey, it’s DISNEYLAND!!! Heeheeehee, hurray.
There you have it. It’s still sinking in, and there’s still plenty to think about and deal with, but I decided I will probably get a lot of interesting and fun experiences with this gig, so I might as well re-open the blog page. But I must say recounting the tales of balloon sales will be a good deal more pleasant than describing crusty brown bath towels and bloody toe nails…so read if you like, and enjoy the story of behind the scenes Disney. Well, as much as I am permitted to share, that is. Disney is quite hush-hush about behind the scenes. I love you all! Thanks for your interest and support!

I'm FREE!!!

So this morning I officially bid a fond farewell to the time capsule, and oh is it a glorious thing! The past week or so has been particularly exasperating, preparing me quite well for my departure. Goodness I can hardly record how many times I had to grit my teeth and remind myself of the dwindling countdown just to keep from becoming guilty of geriatricide. But I am done, packed, out, and ready for a new stage in life!!!!!! More details to come...

my side of the tale...

What a day…
So I had some up and down emotions, because I found the school where I am to begin my student teaching, and it is literally right down the block from Grandma and Grandpa. Which makes me second guess my decision to move out and ponder if God is trying to tell me something. But then I hung out with my new room mates a little bit, and it was so tremendously refreshing. I continue to be so ecstatic and grateful, and I truly do think it will probably be healthy for me to move away.
Then tonight, heehee, this is a fun story. I came home kind of late and greeted Grandpa, but I think Grandma was in the bedroom. So I went up and was putting my things away, when I hear her screeching out and asking him if I’d come home. Then she was asking him something else about me, and of course he didn’t hear. So she repeated her mumbling query and he still couldn’t understand, and I heard her muttering and grumbling about him. By this time I was down the stairs and right behind her, and finally got fed up. I literally shouted “I’M RIGHT HERE WHAT DO YOU WANT WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ASK?!?” And I think she just about crapped her pants. She made some excuse about not knowing if I was home or something, and said that I scared her. But I think I got the point of frustration across, and it was actually quite gratifying. And the look on Grandpa’s face was just priceless. He had this little grin that would have made any suffering worth it. I’ll be sad to leave him alone to her again…but still good?

Upcoming escape...

Oh, poor little Grandpa…
I heard him muttering and grumbling about Grandma some more today, and it just makes me so tickled when he does that. I mean, it’s very sad, but goodness knows he deserves to grouch. The poor guy just tries to be the sacrificing servant that he is, and all he gets is whining from “I don’t know what I want for breakfast…you can’t expect me to be hungry right when I get up in the morning. Soon you’ll be wanting me to eat when I’m still in bed” in the morning to “don’t you want some ice cream” (which means “you’d better get me some ice cream—now) at night, and whatever the Lord has blessed me to escape from in between. Not to mention her recent cold has left her hacking and moaning and groaning. Grandpa gets sick, and he just suffers in silence and gets shakier and swaying. Grandma gets the tiniest bug and it’s “hack! Horck! Haaccchk! Mooan, groooaaan, snarrfle snuff.” I had half a thought today that nobody would blame him if he just bumped her off, but he’s just too nice for that I suppose.
In other news, this all reminds me how glad I am that I’m moving. Of course I feel sad because Grandpa will lose his only little ally (I’ll have to come visit frequently, I am sure) and I’ll lose free groceries and the Food Network, and have more of a commute for student teaching. But being home made me think how delightful it will be to be away from them entirely. And now I have an uplifting hope every time I have to use her shower, as I’m gingerly lifting the shower seat out and then carefully using the claw to pick out the brown stained washcloths strewn about, before stepping onto the germ-infested rubber cloth and brushing the spiders off of the tub wall so I can “clean” myself. Or when I impale my toe on forsaken toothpicks and pills. Or when I come home to stares and interrogations and random comments. I have grown somewhat accustomed to these things by now, but it will nonetheless be an absolute thrill and joy and blessing from the heavens above to escape them. I just keep thinking back to Allie first describing the apartment, and then to my initial visits there. One time I spent the night and we sat around the table chatting and sipping tea, and then I slept on the couch, and I was just so content and at peace with those nice friends and clean space. And I cannot believe that it will be my home. I’ll get my own little gate opener thing, perhaps, and I can bake Allie’s favorite cookies right there in our kitchen, and I can truly come and go as I please. I know there will be plenty of challenges to deal with, still, and the monetary cost will be much greater. And I’ll still need to communicate, and practice responsibility, and clean (well, that’s not a problem) and share space. But oh, I’ll be with wonderful girls! And I’m going to teach in fifth grade! And I won’t be stared at all the time. So I think I am quite pleased :)

Exciting News update!!!!!

Wooooooohoooooooo!!!!!!! Hip hip hurray and oh happy happy day! :) :) :)
So I returned from another cross country meet to the usual routine: Grandma critiquing my laundry load and asking random senseless questions and telling me about the grocery shopping of the day. She really wasn’t all that bad. In fact I got quite a little crack-up as she started telling me about an eighty-year-old lady at her church. She was describing how every time you saw this woman she’d tell the same stories, and how she wore diapers and wouldn’t wear pants and sometimes you could see her slip peeking out from her dress. And this is coming from the woman whose unbuttoned blouse exposes the blessing of a bra which is the only barrier between the world’s view and the sagging octogenarian breasts beneath, as she finishes recounting anecdotes of my youth which I have heard about a dozen times a week….ah, Grandma…but I have new hope, because….
I’m escaping!!! It’s so amazing I find it hard to believe, but I think I have decided. I had my misgivings because, after all, Grandpa sure appreciates me and it’s nice to have a rent-free place with food and laundry and space and coziness. But after weighing those costs against my sanity, relationships, and responsibility-accumulation, I think ultimately leaving won’t be so bad. So here’s the deal:
A dear, wonderful friend who I have known since the sixth grade and been a joy and guide to me throughout my Biola experience, and is finishing her student teaching right now, has been living in a cozy little apartment in La Habra this semester with three other young ladies. However, long story short one of the girls is leaving, which means an open spot will need to be filled. I’ve been to the apartment several times and it’s really great, and I know a bit about the logistics of how things run there (though there will be plenty to arrange still). But I have been invited to join the remaining three, all of which majored in teaching at Biola and the one I’ll be in a room with is going to be student teaching at the same time I am. She also happens to be one of the most genuine, caring, amazing people I’ve ever known. So I get to live with girls—my own age—that don’t hate me and abuse me! With no bloody toenails all over the bathroom floor or grouchy glares perpetually eyeing me or toothpicks on the ground to impale my toes on…oh I am pretty darn thrilled here. I haven’t told her the news, yet, but the more I think about it the more excited I get. It really makes things endurable these days. More details will come I’m sure, but for now I’m heading outta here! Thank you, Allison!!!! :)