I'm Goin' Ta Disneyland!

Okay, so I already went to Disneyland but thats not the point.

Anyway, Disneyland was awesome! Meagan, my totally awesome friend with a totally awesome Mommy, and I had a great and relaxing time and now you have the chance to enjoy it a little with us. How you ask? Close your eyes (well mentally, not physically because then you wouldn't be able to read nor see the pretty pictures) and pretend you are there with us in beautiful Anaheim, California at the Happiest Place on Earth where dreams come true.

Step 1: Starbucks

How anyone starts a day at 5:30am and doesn't have a little coffee in the morning is beyond me. If thats you, you are my hero.

Step 2: Drive

With Queen and Disney blasting the trip went by quickly.

Step 3: Find your hotel/hostel

Finding our hostel wasn't so quick. When we did finally find we parked and went into the lobby. The minute we stepped in we knew we were in trouble. The smell let little to be desired and the fact that the "clerk" didn't ask for ID was disconcerting but we shrugged it off and put our stuff in the room, making sure to take our valuables with us. Hey, it was cheap.

Step 4: Get to Disneyland, park and take the tram

All of which was fairly simple and didn't take too long.

Step 5: Buy your tickets

God loves us. We were planning on the tickets for two 2 Day Hopper tickets to cost us about $240. Turns out Meagan could upgrade her Annual Pass that was blacked out that day to one that was not for only $30. So our tickets ended up being only $150! We were excited because that meant we could buy more stuff. Haha!

Step 6: Enter the park



The Happiest Place on Earth!

Step 7: Get a Fast Pass for Splash Mountain
Because I am not waiting 60 minutes for a ride if I can avoid it and I certainly can.

Step 8: Ride Indiana Jones

What a great ride. Go Harrison Ford! This is also where we analyzed cooking shows and discovered some Southern CA slang like ta for to. Example: Going ta the beach dude. Instead of, Well friend, I am going to the beach. Gotta (see it there too?) love line conversation.

Step 9: Jungle Cruise

These guys are always funny with their inevitable puns about fake nature. Only at Disneyland.

Step 10: Take the Fast Pass to Splash Mountain only to have the ride have a "Log Jam" and be closed for an "indefinite period of time"

A risk you take with every ride. We Disneyland Veterans have learned these things. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

Step 11: The Haunted Mansion

Another awesome classic ride that has been redone a little since the last time I rode. My favorite part is still the dancing ghosts.

Step 12: Star Tours

One of my favorite rides only because it is such a classic. The gift shop afterwards is pretty awesome as well. Mr. Potato Head makes a pretty good Darth Vader.

Step 13: Go to the Mad Hatter and try on all the crazy hats
This is one of my favorite parts of Disneyland. We did it at Tokyo Disney and had a blast so Meagan and I decided to do it again. The results were just as fun.












Look familiar?

Step 14: Big Thunder Mountain

More classic Disney-ness. A Roller Coaster Type Ride in a "mountain" that whips you around a few times and then, ends. Good times.

Step 15: Pirates of the Caribbean

The redone ride is a lot more fun the older version. There are a few more dips and a nice scene where you actually get a little wet. It also helps that Johnny Depp is in it. As hard core Pirate fans Meagan and I felt obligated to ride. It was a tough job but we figured someone had to do it.

Step 16: Lunch!

Next to the Pirates ride there is a litte cafe called Cafe Orleans. It is massively overpriced and not very fancy but the Monte Cristo Sandwich they sell is amazing and rather famous at Disneyland. We bit the bullet and paid the $16 each for a sandwich and enjoyed as much as we could eat.

Step 17: Signature from Winnie the Pooh

Signatures are a very important part of the Disney experience. And Pooh is just totally awesome.

Step 18: Signature from Remy of Ratatouille

He was there and we figured "What the heck". Little booger tried to steal my pen.

Step 19: Jedi Training Academy



I'm not the bigger Star Wars fan but I do like the movies and Meagan is a hard core Star Wars fan so we watched the Jedi Training Academy. It was totally awesome. It was an interactive show. A few Jedi's came out and the main Jedi Master did a little karate style sword form that was very well done. Then they picked some young padawons to come on stage, about 20 or so. Then the kids were given a robe and a "training light saber" and taught a little drill. Then the fun began. Darth Vader and some Star Troopers came out followed by Darth Maul. Each kid then got to use their newly learned drill to fight either Darth Vader or Darth Maul. I was highly impressed at how well the kids did and that they behaved the entire time.
Its pretty amazing how little kids will listen to a guy with a microphone pretending to be a Jedi when they don't even listen to their own parents. Maybe parents should dress up in brown robes and carry around light sabers.

Step 20: Space Mountain

After waiting in line for about 45 minutes behind a very hyper group of Jr. Highers we made onto Space Mountain. I loved it! I hadn't been on any version of the ride for almost five years and I was surprised at how well done the ride was. It is entirely black with a few stars the entire ride, its fast and just loads of fun. I was so excited about it. Ya, excited.

Step 21: Watch the Parade



As we were walking towards the exit of Disneyland to go into California Adventure the parade started so we stopped to watch. The parades are always fun. There's just something cool seeing your childhood life size.

Step 22: The Animation Building in California Adventure

This is a very fun building. Inside they have giant screens all around the room showing scenes from classic Disney movies with the music and everything. There are several rooms inside the building. The first one we went into was the Turtle Talk With Crush from Finding Nemo. Another wonderful technological advance in entertainment. Everyone sits in a theater and has a conversation with an animated Crush on a screen a the front of the room. Crush asks questions and answers questions from the audience. It was pretty amazing. I'm assuming there was someone behind the small windows next to the screen that was operating the Crush and speaking for him. Must have been even coller for the little kids. They definitely enjoyed it.

Step 23: Dinner
At the Award Wiener in CA Adventure. Those Chili Dogs were seriously awesome.

Step 24: Eating Dinner while watching the Electrical Parade
We ended up sitting down to watch the parade while we finished up dinner and bought a little dessert from the candy shop. Chocolate covered pretzels shaped like Mickey Mouse. Heck yes.

Step 25: Ride the tram back to the parking garage to get Meagan's sweater

More fun times on the tram.

Step 26: Ride the tram back to the park

Step 27: Stay on the tram back to the parking garage because Meagan left her ticket in her other shorts...

Step 28: Back to the park for good this time!

Step 29: Wait in line at the Mad Hatter for Meagan to get her name stitched in her new Pirate Mickey Ears hat.
I love how they will stitch your name in your hat for free. A very good deal and great souvenir.

Step 30: The Matterhorn

Another classic ride that never fails to be worth the wait. We only waited about twenty minutes and it was worth it. Fun times with the Abominable Snowman.

Step 31: One more tram ride back to the parking garage

Step 32: Drive to the hostel

Step 33: Sleep.

And that's Day One!

Thanks Bill from Arkansas

I sold my camera on eBay! My only other experience with selling something on eBay didn't turn out so well so this time I was a little worried but I guess when you're selling a digital camera in its original box for only $50 someone out there will buy it. This time it was Bill from Arkansas.

Thank you Bill. You're camera should be arriving shortly.

Very Angry Cats...

Today we had to take the cats and Bubba to the vet to catch up on some shots and various other medications that had to do with mini turkey basters and cat noses.
Anyway, the first step in getting the cats to the vet was getting them in the car. To do that we had to get them in the cat carrier. To get them in the cat carrier we had to catch them.
And so our journey began.
We had the cat carrier open and ready for the cats and then had the cats, kind of. There was a little incident and Skit (the 11 1/2 lbs. orange tabby) got loose and ran into the master bedroom Mr. White Paws (the female mix) squirmed her way out of my grip and ran out the side door, into the background and then into the master bedroom. I chased her the entire way of course and closed the door behind us. After Skit was in the room I closed the other door leading to the hallway and we had them cornered.
Mommy and Melissa entered to assist and we figured we could coax the cats out from under the bed in a few minutes and be on our way.
We were wrong.
Very, very wrong.
The cats were just far enough under the couch to be out of reach so we had to resort to alternative measures. We pulled the California King mattress off the box spring and onto the floor/leaning on the small dresser. Mommy caught Mr. White Paws rather easily and stuck her in the carrier. Then Melissa prodded Skit with a random steel pole we found under the bed until he ran over under the part of the mattress that was propped up on the dresser and meowed incessantly while I tried to get my hands on him. When I wasn't looking he ran out from under the mattress and attempted to jump out a window we forgot was open but missed so he ran around the room, jumped off my back and under the bed again.
I got him to try and jump through the now closed window again and when he missed I grabbed him and stuck him in the cat carrier but he jumped at the right moment and ran under the bed again.
Mommy wanted to give up and just go without Skit but I hadn't been jumped on nor inhaled ten pounds of cat hair for nothing so I went for him again. I grabbed the pole and poked him until he ran into the bathroom where Melissa shut the door and grabbed him. Mommy got the idea of putting him in with a towel over him so he couldn't jump out again and it worked!
We had the cats in the carrier and we were ready to go. It was outrageously heavy but it worked.
They were not happy cats but we were some happy and very hairy people.

The Aftermath. Ya, very angry cats.

Dean's List

Yeah! I received a letter from Temple Japan the other day and it informed me I had made the Dean's List for Spring '07 (last semester). I was pretty excited, especially because it will look good for the University of Richmond when Temple sends them my updated transcripts I paid almost $20 for...

Anyway, just thought I'd share that.

Golf

"Golf is a good walk spoiled." Mark Twain

A good quote I saw on a tv commercial while watching the big golf tournament thingy with my parents on Father's Day. Actually it was more of me reading my book on the couch while my parents watched golf.

Whatever.

I Need You

I Need You

I've dug up miles and miles of sand
Searching for something I can't see
And I've just got bruised and battered hands
And a brand new void inside of me
Complete with walls I did create
From all the earth that I've displaced
A mess that I have made from what
I've just let pile and pile up
I have not been abandoned, no I have not been
Deserted and I have not been forgotten

I need you
I need you here
I need you now
I need security somehow
I need you
Like you would not believe
You're the only thing I want
Cause you're everything I need

Explore the cave that is my chest
A torch reveals there's nothing left
Your whispers echo off the walls
And you can hear my distant calls
The voice of who I used to be
Screaming out "someone, someone please
Please shine a light into the black
Wade through the depths and bring me back

I have not been abandoned, no I have not been
Deserted and I have not been forgotten

I need you
I need you here
I need you now
I need security somehow
I need you
Like you would not believe
You're the only thing I want
Cause you're everything I need

When my hopes seem to dangle
Somewhere just beyond my reach
You say you've heard my prayers
And read my words there on the beach

I need you
I need you here
I need you now
I need security somehow
I need you
Like you would not believe
You're the only thing I want
Cause you're everything I need
---Relient K

I've been feeling like this lately. This song and the entire CD (Five Score and Seven Years) has been an encouragement through not-so-easy times. God just continues to prove Himself and to be everything I need.

Taken from www.azlyrics.com.

Daddy's Day

Our Father's Day today was a good one. Mommy and I made baked beans, bratwurst and strawberry shortcake after I wrapped presents and then we had dinner. The cheesy brats were totally awesome and tasty. Then Daddy opened presents and loved them. I especially liked my card (that I bought today). It said, "Dad, I know you told me that hard work it a reward in itself... But now that I'm older I see that we both know thats a load of crap. Happy Father's Day!" I thought it was hilarious and so did Daddy. Good times.
Presents! Nothing big this year but it was fun. Mommy bought him a Steven King book, a hat and shirt set thingy, and a bottle opener (why I have no idea but whatever. From my sister and I he got a picture frame with a picture of us when we were about 10 and 6 years old. From Mommy and I he got a Travel Kit because of all the traveling he does for work now. It was in a baseball lunch box and included: a mix CD I made, Scooby Doo Band-Aids, a Q-Tip purse pak, Snickers bar, Wrigley's Doublemint Gum, and a nail kit. That was fun putting together and I think he enjoyed getting it.
After presents it was time for dessert! While listening to the mix CD we had out strawberry shortcake and talked about random things and took pictures of the puppy who is almost big enough to jump on the couch now.
Overall it was a pretty good Father's Day.
Happy Father's Day Daddy! I love you!

Daddy's hat was a little big...

Now a little too tight! I think he looks like Elmer Fudd...!

Mommy

Daddy and Bubba

Hahaha! Those ears...

He is so cute.

Suckiness

Okay, so when one of your friends does something thats really not cool and then you just happen to find out about and then you have to go talk to that person about it and its awkward and uncomfortable and wieird, I think that equals suckiness.
We'll leave the details out but just believe me.
At least I know that it will all be okay in the end. Go God.

Japanese Fonts

I was trying to find some new fonts for my Japanese text on my computer because, well, its just cool. I found this website: Wazu. There are some great fonts that are a lot of fun to play and I'm sure would be great for anyone who needs them for any reason that I can't think of at the moment. I also learned how to download these fonts and actually make the work. So for anyone who is as computer illiterate as I am, I thought I'd help you out.

First, click the link to download the font and follow the instructions. Download them to your Desktop.
Once the Download is complete, open My Computer, then Local Disk (C:).
Next open the WINDOWS file, then FONTS.
For this particular website the fonts are put in a file on your Desktop and named according to the font name. Open the font file and drag the contents in to the FONTS file.
And there you have it! I have no idea if this will be of any use to anyone but I'm bored.

Witness

"Witness" by Karen Hesse is a novel written as a collection of diary entries of the people in a small town in Vermont. The Ku Klux Klan moves into town and their lives are changed in a profound way. The insight and observations made by the 12 and 6 year old girls frightened me. The similarities between the Ku Klux Klan and the discrimination that occur today is way too similar.
An amazing story that took me about an hour and a half to read.
READ IT!

UR

This weekend I was attending the church's Women's Retreat at the Calvary Chapel Murrieta Bible College and Hot Springs. Because this was a reateat and I was reatreating I did not keep my cell phone on me at all times. Therefore I did not get my moms voice mail message yesterday until 11:00pm. Some of the ladies in my room were trying to sleep so I went into the bathroom area and began listening to the message. My mommy had called me to inform me that a package and letter came for me from the University of Richmond and that congratulations were in order.
I freaked out.
And I mean freaked out. I started jumping up and down and spinning in circles trying my hardest not to make any noise. It was a true and complete happy dance brought on by pure excitement and joy. Of course I failed miserably at the whole not making noise thing but it was okay because Terry and Regina were excited for me even if I did interupt their beauty sleep.
The rest of the night and so far all of today I've been pretty buzzed. Its a wierd sensation I can't really explain but I like it.
On another note, I had my orientation for Hollister today. Learned all the secret ins and outs and got to be at the mall before it opened which is pretty cool. Made me feel like I was in a movie. Good times and working will be nice. Especially the 40% and 20% discounts. Sweet!
Ya, still pretty buzzed so thats the best I can do right now.

The Killer Angels

I am currently three fourths of the way through an amazingly well written historical-fiction novel called The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. It is a story through the eyes of both the Union and Southern Army during the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War. Shaara gives a factual yet personal view of the battle itself as well as insight into the causes and effects of the Civil War.
There is a particular passage that had a personal meaning for me. (Keep in mind my entire family is from Virginia and fought in the Civil War on the side of the South and that my Grandmother married a preacher from Virginia.) "'Southern women like their men religious and a little mad. That's why they fall in love with preachers.'" (132) Spoken by one of the generals on the side of the South, General Longstreet, a wise and observant man.

Hollister Co.

Even though I have already expressed how much I hate working, I have a job! I went to a group interview at the Hollister Co. in our local mall and about two and a half hours later I received a call asking me if I wanted to accept the position. My response: to her, "That would be great!", to myself: "Heck yes!". I have orientation on Sunday and will begin working next week.
The interview was fairly easy. A few questions about what kind of wonderful people we all are and why we would make Hollister a better place. There were two other girls and three guys there. It will be interesting to see how many others got a call back. I have a feeling they have a rather high turn over rate seeing they have group interviews every Tuesday and Friday.
Anyway, I'm so happy to have finally found a job I will enjoy and benefit from. Almost like God knows what He's doing.
Yeah, clothing discounts!