Day 723: Michael Jackson

Considering the fact that I've been blogging for quite some time and just recently posted that one about the music (as in two blog posts ago), I'm still listening to Michael Jackson music. And by Michael Jackson music, I mean I have "We Are Here To Change The World" on repeat at the current moment. I doubt it's going to change until after this blog post is finished for sure either.

Here's a bit of an ironic story for you though:

Back when Michael Jackson was alive, I really wasn't a fan. Granted, I didn't really even know about Captain EO back in those days and up until his death, I didn't even really know much about him. So when he died, I wasn't super affected. It was the return of Captain EO to the Disney Parks that MADE me a Michael Jackson fan though, and while I'm not a fan of Captain EO itself (I don't really like the simulator feel), I am a fan of the film itself and the music. Plus I can do a pretty darn good moonwalk, so there's that.

However, there's one other thing that really made me a Michael Jackson fan. A few years ago I read from "From Dreamer to Dreamfinder," the book by Ron Schneider, and I loved it. More importantly, in that book there's a section where he mentions that Michael Jackson loved coming to Disney World, and in particular he loved the Imagination Garden at Epcot.

It just so happens that this same garden is one of my personal favorite places at Epcot. It's beautiful and calm and you can't get over catching those jumping fountains. When I read in the book that this was MJ's favorite location, I just kind of felt a little bit of a connection there, and it led to me loving Captain EO and MJ himself more than I ever had before.

So let's just all watch this and listen to the song a million more times:

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on December 29 due to Holidays and Computer Issues).

Day 468: Picturing Joy

Today, since I had a bit of free time at home and trying to read fairy tales just wasn't working for me, I finally went through the rest of the pictures from my most recent trip to Walt Disney World. See, I have the pictures from my phone, and then the hours of video from the video camera, but then there are the pictures my mom took, as well as a few from my brother.

Personally, these are always some of my favorite pictures, because it's like a Behind the Scenes kind of thing. I'm always so focused on videoing and doing what I need to get done that sometimes we miss what's actually going on otherwise. Generally without us knowing, mom takes pictures of us doing stuff like that, videoing or playing around, and I thought I'd share a few of my favorites!

The last couple in particular really stood out to me. They're both taken in the Imagination Garden that doubles as the exit for Captain EO. For those that know their Disney history, you may remember that this happened to be Michael Jackson's favorite location at Walt Disney World, and for those who have just visited, it's where the jumping fountains sit. That's what we're doing in the pictures, trying to catch the fountains. 

One of my friends commented on them on Facebook, about how we just have these looks of joy on our face, and I have to agree. I actually posted the last one on Facebook ahead of all the rest, just because it is one of my favorite pictures of all time when it comes to Disney trips. Just because in that picture we are 100% ourselves. We grew up with Disney, and that picture shows that no matter how old we get, and after 24 trips for me, I still love Disney as much as I did the first time, or when I was a kid rather. I don't really remember my first trip. 

Here are a couple of my photopass pictures as well: 

I happen to really like the top one. It's funny because that picture was really spontaneous for us. We normally don't use PhotoPass all the time, but it was after midnight as we were on our way out of Magic Kingdom and the street was pretty empty and we just decided to go for it. Good thing we did because I just love the picture. 

Overall, I guess this tells me something. I can't wait for the Band Trip this June, when I get to have experiences like this with my best friends. That's going to be an awesome experience. In fact, I gave Megan a mission already. I told her she needs to take pictures like what my mom does, of us doing the different stuff even if we aren't posing or looking directly at the camera. Because honest I think a lot of the time I love those candid pictures more than anything else. 

Have a magical day!