They're gonna be the main event, like no fam was before!...

I promise I haven’t gotten eaten by Tic Toc Croc! (name that movie) But time sure has been flying. I can’t believe that March is almost over and April is almost here. That means May is right after that then I go home… and then there’s CAMP!!!! aaaand back to school (but that will be fun and I am excited about going back to the good ole Dub).

Where do I begin again? First, sorry about not posting regularly at all… Sherri is really showing me up with her blogging skills. I feel like Spain is way more interesting than Disney though. I’m not going to say that I’m going to try and start posting regularly, because really there isn’t all that much to post about working for Disney. There’s work, then being at the apartment, going to the parks on about a weekly basis, and the ever approaching visit of the Dysfunctional Family. Yes, you read that right, we are having all out Dysfunctional Family Reunion. Disney isn’t going to know what hit them. Hehehe.

Living on my own is turning out to be ok. I just wish I had roommates that were a bit more courteous about keeping the place clean and thinking about other’s sleeping habits… but what can you do? I’ve said for a while that I eventually want to live out on my own by myself, and I still want to do that because of the freedom and independence, but also just to figure out what I like and don’t like. For instance, I have learned that I don’t like Ramen EVERYWHRE in the kitchen (like spilled in the microwave, raw noodles on the counter, and on the floor). I also have learned that I like my clothes to be folded and hung up. Simple things like that, ya know?

Oh! I do have a brand new roommate. Her name is Peach and she’s from Thailand. That’s about all I know about her so far. She also has a friend that came with her whose name I don’t have any clue how to pronounce, but it translates to Butter in English. I think I’ll just call her Butter. I sure hope she doesn’t mind. She’s been doing a lot of welcome stuff and Traditions class and all that fun stuff that I had to do when I first got here. Then there’s jetlag. She got here 9am Sunday morning and has been going to bed a lot earlier than I do, granted my schedule has changed soooo much since I started working here.

Work, work, work. What to say about work? Well it has definitely been educational, in a lot of different ways. Mostly though, I have come to the realization that I am a bigger nerd and know-it-all than I thought. Also, working for a company that employs 60,000+ people teaches you that there are always those who are going to think they do their job better than anyone else and you’re just there to fill in when they have the day off. It’s ok though, I’m sure you are all nodding and laughing when you read that I just realized that I’m a huge know-it-all, because you have known this since I was born, or from the moment you met me… and I’m ok with that, it’s a part of who I am. I think it might be hereditary! 

Some fun and positive things about work:
1. I met a guy, his name is Matt. He’s really fun and sweet and loves Jesus. More on him later ;)
2. I can tell lots of jokes when I’m spieling.* yes they are corny, but they make people laugh when they are so so so tired from walking around the parks all day. I get some complements too. A lot of people tell me that I’m like the Jungle Cruise Skippers (even a former Skipper told me that), if you don’t know what that is, either google it, or ask and I’ll explain later. One old man tried to give me $5, but I graciously denied (we’re not allowed to accept tips). I just do it because I like to make everyone chortle when they’re half asleep… and they gave me a mike—bad idea! haha
3. I have learned more about… the physical part of relationships… from those in my area that are much older than the CPs.* Way more than I did in health class in high school (and just to be clear, not in a practical sense of learning, nor from Matt). The break room is an interesting and sometimes scary place for a girl from small town North Carolina. I tell my CP friends that they are worse than we are all the time…
4. I think part of the reason I like this job is because I have a servant’s heart. I love to make people happy and especially kids. How is it God always shows us what we least expect in the most surprising ways? It’s not about the recognition, but the smiles in my opinion because happy little Princesses and Space Rangers make me so smiley. Making a kid’s day Magical… that’s my “Disney Dream.”

More about Matt now. He’s 23 and did the career start program is 2006 (like the CP, but for people who just graduated high school. After that he moved back home (to El Cerrito which is on the other side of the San Francisco bay) for a while and worked for Starbucks (yummmmm, I know the Mama Mafia likes the sound of that). Then he decided to come back and work for Disney again after about a year (if I am remembering correctly). We started dating in February  He likes me and I like him. He treats me like a princess… He gets to meet/experience a lot of the Dysfunctional Family next week. I feel like they’re going to become a new attraction at Hollywood Studios or something, actually maybe Animal Kingdom. And that’s all I have to say about that right now. (name that movie)

One thing that I do regret about my program thus far is not finding a church or small group get plugged into. I just work so late all the time that there is no way I could be coherent on a Sunday morning. I have looked for and found virtually nothing around Kissimmee/Orlando that is for college aged kids. :’(

I did mention that camp is right around the corner. Which I am soooooooooooo very excited about. I have been hired as a Residential Senior Counselor! YAY!!! And I get to be a counselor for a certain retreat that is in July… also very excited about that :D Pray for camp and me. It’s going to be different this year and so am I, but definitely in a “God’s gonna rock my heart” kinda way… and more importantly the camper’s hearts!

Alrighty folks, it’s 2:30am and if I’m going to get some sun tomorrow I need to be getting some sleep. My roommates have quieted down now, so maybe they went to sleep too? Who really knows, I love ‘em though, crazy and all.

Hope you have a Magical Day!!! Lots of love coming to you from Sunny Florida!

PS--name the movie that the title of this post came from, bonus points if you're specific




*spieling: telling people how to get out of the parking lot, what to do if they can’t find their car, and what parking lot(s) we are currently going to/at. I had to figure out some way to make it more fun.
*CPs (College Program): those who participate in the Disney College Program. synonym: close park, CPs are often given the latest shifts because the Florida retirees have to make it do dinner by 4:30pm (hints why I am writing this at 2:30am on my day off).