Day 1462: Dig a Little Deeper

I originally wanted to title this post "Almost There," but after 1461 days of never repeating a blog post title, I didn't want to reuse one now, regardless of how well it portrays the theme of 2017 here on Everyday Disney. 

As of today, January 1, 2017, I will have been blogging for four years - with a lapse here and there. But with a little extra time over the next few weeks, years one through four will all read 365 blog posts each, with an extra one for 2016 because of that extra day thrown in there. That's a lot of writing, a lot of blogging, and a lot of my life, all captured here in the pages that make up Everyday Disney. In addition, I've posted thousands of pictures on Instagram, uploaded over a hundred videos to YouTube, and joined other internet content teams in the process. 

Let's flash back to January of 2013, when I wrote my very first posts here on Everyday Disney. I wondered back then if I'd be able to accomplish this crazy, ridiculous goal I'd come up with of writing everyday for an entire year, especially when I was only writing about one topic - and even if that topic was Disney. I still remember sitting in one of my high school's computer labs, typing away and designing the first elements of this blog. I was making decisions about my future back then, pretty much the same way I am now, only the decisions are a bit more drastic this time around. In 2013 it was what I wanted to major in, maybe worrying about who I would get as a roommate. Today it's a debate about what the rest of my life looks like, and no, I don't need to have it all figured out right now, but if there was one thing that helped me figure it all out back then, it was Everyday Disney. 

Which is why I see no reason this blog can't help me through the next big steps of my life too. Which means it's time for a new resolution, and this is where "Almost There" comes in. For years I've dreamed of applying for the Disney College Program, but even through my semesters at St. Norbert, it's been sort of a side thought, a fear and worry for the future. The future, it seems, is now here, and as I eagerly await for applications to open for the fall program, I grow anxious and excited. I am, to play on Princess and the Frog, "Almost There," and that means that now is the perfect time to focus back in on what helped get me to where I am today and solidify everything before I hopefully head off on a new adventure! 

So this year, my resolution is simple: I am going to write a blog, called Everyday Disney, which for 365 days, I will write a post a day, or at least put something on the blog in order to keep up with the days. 

Yes, yes, I know, you're not really supposed to repeat New Year's Resolutions, but the way I see it, I already know I can do this, but technically I haven't actually accomplished the goal. There's always been a week or so at the end of the year where I frantically attempt to make up any missing posts from the year, and this time, that just won't do. Fifteen hour days, six ensembles, twenty one credits be darned, I'm going to do this. I am going to write about Disney every day for the entirety of 2017, and I hope I'll continue to have you all, as always, to join me. 

So here's to 2017, and being "Almost There." Now's the time to "Dig a Little Deeper" and find what makes us truly happy, and then work maybe just a little harder to get there. 

Or we could start with some beignets. That could be fun too. 

Have a magical day and a happy new year! 

Day 701: 30 Days

Here we are again, at the one month mark before my next trip to Walt Disney World. It's been a really odd schedule for my family in recent years, with odd summer trips thrown in, and then that trip in March and the band trip in June. Normally we head down in November-January, but that hasn't happened for me since 2012. I guess that means I'm excited to head back in a month that I'm totally used to, even if it will be strange going so early in January. We're starting off 2015 with a bang I guess.

The funny thing is planning for this trip has been a big odd. We knew we were going in January before we even left in June, and then when we got back from the band trip, first Ashley joined on, followed by Megan, and now all six of us are headed down. It'll be a new experience for every single one of us, and I couldn't be more excited, hence the fact that I haven't stopped talking about it on the blog for months.

But it also means that waiting for this trip to get here has been a long wait. Countdowns started the second we got back in June, and with each passing day I can't decide if I get more homesick or excited. Granted, according to the order of Disney depression, right about now is when my homesickness gets pretty bad, at the six month point (we would have returned from Disney just under six months ago when I'm writing this). And editing excessive amounts of band trip video hasn't helped that homesickness either.

However, there are a few things that I'm really excited about on this trip, especially when it comes to sharing with my friends:

1. The Osborne Festival of Dancing Lights

I'm not sure why this is even here. I guess the last time we saw the lights they made a good enough impression for me to eagerly await a return trip to see them. As I blogged about over a year ago, I never really liked Hollywood Studios (even back when it was still MGM). Maybe it's because it's one of the Christmasy things we get a chance to do, even though it's the very, very end of the Christmas season (We're actually seeing them on the last day before they take them back down), or maybe it's just because it's something they had no chance at all to see in June, but it's still something I've talked endlessly about over the past few years. Who knows.

2. Dapper Day

Dapper Day usually occurs right when we're not in Florida, meaning that we don't really get a chance to participate. Oddly enough, however, it was my brother who brought the idea up to me a number of weeks ago, that we make our own Dapper Day during the trip. With a bit of careful fastpass arranging, I made it possible for us to dress a bit more dapper on a day in the middle of the trip. Have I spent a huge amount of time trying to figure out what it is that I'm going to wear on Dapper Day? Yeah, maybe I have, but it'll be worth it.

3. Food

We hit a few restaurants in June, but there are a ton that they've yet to experience, and I'm pretty excited about sharing some of them. For instance, there's still some first experiences Ashley and Megan have to have, such as their first character meal (we actually have two planned!), their first time at Garden Grill with the moving restaurant, and, of course, their first chance to experience a restaurant outside of the parks. Which leads us to the next thing...

4. Resorts

Disney World is home to so many different and completely unique resorts, of which I talk endlessly about. They've come to accept my lingo (OKW-Old Key West) as part of my language, and they make notes to remember what it is that I'm talking about when I use GF in a sentence about Disney (Grand Floridian). Luckily we have time planned in specifically to go and see some of the resorts, plus we get to stay at one that not even I've stayed at: Saratoga Springs!

5. First Plane Rides

Honestly, I hate planes. I had a bad experience a number of years ago (no, not a crash or anything like that. I was sick, it didn't end well), and so I get extremely anxious whenever I fly. I suppose I'll get used to it eventually, considering I'll probably fly more often in my future than I have so far in my life. However, I do, for some reason, like airports, and anxiety aside, I'm excited that I get to take two of my best friends on their very first plane ride, and in the case of Megan, I'm excited to show her MCO, which is yet another term she's come to understand. It was one of those Proud Moments of Lizzie's Life. And Ashley? Don't worry. You'll make it through the plane ride in one piece and we'll have a wonderful time at Disney!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on December 19 due to finals).

Day 441: St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! Am I wearing green? You better bet I am. I mean, one of my favorite actors is Irish, so it is an important holiday for me to pay attention to, right? I think so.

I guess there's not really all that much I can discuss about the holiday itself, since it's pretty boring around here, and it's not like I have a ton of people to celebrate with. It's mostly just me and twitter. Yep. I mean, then again there is this guy:

Ha! You all totally thought I was going to post a picture of Colin O'Donoghue. Nope! Meet Buckley, my little Irish dog that sits in my dorm room. He's pretty adorable, right? His full name, however, DOES have a lot to do with Colin and Once Upon A Time: Buckley Liam Jones. For those of you that don't know, Colin's dog is named Buckley, and Liam Jones is the name of Hook's brother on the show (we met him in Good Form...and then he died). Buckley here is 100% Irish, and 100% the cutest stuffed dog ever. 

Like seriously, he is. 

What else am I doing on this fine day? Well, I went to SNC even though we're on break and sat and downloaded Once Upon A Time, and then printed some stuff, grabbed a few things I forgot there on Friday, and finally went to pick up a last couple of things for my trip to Florida. 

Because yes, tomorrow (or tonight sort of rather), I will finally be leaving for home. We're leaving directly to drive to Milwaukee after the Seymour High School Band Concert tonight and we fly out very early tomorrow morning...so if you don't already follow me on Instagram and/or Twitter, now is the time to! Lots of pictures coming up and, of course, I'll have vlogs at some point between now and the next couple weeks (depends on how long it takes me to edit them, since I probably won't have time to edit them when I'm in Florida...but we'll see). 

The trip is only 5 days, but if you happen to see me when I'm down there, don't hesitate to say Hi!

And don't worry, as I am in airports over the next week or so I'm going to hopefully be working on updating the blog, since I'm really far behind again and that's drives me crazy! 

Have a magical day & Happy St. Patrick's Day! =)