Day 505: Which Disney Side?

2014 is the year of the Disney Side. Alright, so that's partially a lie already because in reality it started at the end of last year, but for the most part, right now it's a big thing. Later this week we have the 24 hour Disney Side party, and there's been stuff going around for months when it comes to the campaign as a whole. The question is, what really is our Disney Side? I mean, it's different for everyone.

At SNC this year, it's funny how you talk to people and when you mention Disney they just light up. "I LOVE DISNEY" they go and proceed to talk about their favorite movie and how they've watched it HUNDREDS of times. Now, while I may indeed have watched Lady & The Tramp, Beauty and the Beast and Tangled a ton of times, that's not the kind of Disney fan I am. I'm most certainly more of a parks person. So ask me a question about Aladdin or The Little Mermaid and I'll Flounder (hahahaha yes pun intended) around like any other person, but ask me something about the parks and I'll give you an hour lecture on the subject at hand.

But from there, our Disney sides get even more specific. Luckily, Disney has a quiz, or multiple quizzes I suppose, to tell us what kind of Disney Side we have, such as THIS QUIZ!

I actually took this quiz and THEN decided to do a blog post on it, so I already have my answer: "Disney Style. You have it. Yours is of the classic variety: you've been a Disney fan from the beginning, and you appreciate the dedication and idealism that goes into creating Disney magic. You probably stick to the traditional Mousketeers Mickey Ears when you're at Disneyland or Walt Disney World, and love nothing better than a classic Mickey Watch."

Gosh do they have me pegged, as I wear yet another of my Disney scarves and subconsciously sit wishing I had a Donald or Mickey watch. Maybe then I'd actually be able to know what time it is instead of checking my phone every five minutes. Well, then I'd just check my watch every five minutes, but that's beside the point.

So what's your Disney side? And I know there are other quizzes out there, so maybe we'll take one of those in the future. I mean, if you really think about it, we all have our own unique combination of Disney, and that's what's makes us all so special (and awesome).

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on May 21 due to Finals).

Day 504: The Most Magical Food

Sometimes Shovell and I just sit and surf the web, and sometimes one of us finds an awesome new Disney video that I just have to share on my blog. This is one of those times. This weekend she found a video about Disneyland Foods that you just have to try when visiting, so let's just stop and have some Disney food in our day...if only we could reach out and grab the food from our computer and eat it.

There's 11 different foods on this video, and I can honestly say that I haven't had all of them. In fact, the first three I haven't tried (I think I get off on the third one, the pickles though, because that was introduced after I was there!) But I also haven't had the corndogs or the Macaroon or the Gumbo or the Tigger Tails. But in my defense I've been to Disneyland for 6 days of my entire life, but I sense a challenge coming on here, right? I mean, it would certainly be fun to try them all on my next trip out to California (the Corndog is happening FOR SURE). Don't worry, I won't eat them all in one day, but it's going to happen, and as always, I'll have the vlog right along with me! 

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on May 21 due to Finals).

Day 503: SNC Graduation 1

It's funny, because in High School, by the time I actually graduated, I had already sat through three other graduations, and in college, I'll sit through three before my own as well. I mean, someone has to help play Pomp and Circumstance, right? At least in college we get paid for our work.

Either way, this past Sunday I sat through my first of four graduations here at St. Norbert, and not surprisingly, it was filled with weird and very random little Disney references. The Commencement speaker in particular was just amazing. His name was Chris Ayers, and he's a '97 St. Norbert College Alumni. I guess I don't even really have words, so you can watch his speech here: 

Chris is an artist that works out in California, and it was interesting because his career path seems very similar to how I want mine to go. Of course, I won't be drawing animals on my way out there, but it's still interesting to think about how when he went to school here, twenty years before me (I graduate in 2017), he had similar dreams as I do right now, which makes his speech that much more inspiring to me. 

But that wasn't the only Disney reference at Graduation. The class 2014 speaker ALSO mentioned Disney, using one of my absolute favorite quotes: "All our dreams can come true, if only we have the courage to pursue them." When she mentioned "As Walt Disney once said," I was like what in the world is going on? Is this graduation ceremony the one of my mind? I guess you could say that I really hope my college graduation is as good as the class of 2014's, which I'm sure it will be. However, that's a ways off still...not that time won't go quickly! 

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on May 21 due to finals).

Day 502: Knights on Broadway

Our college is a pretty awesome place, at least when we have time to enjoy things that aren't our homework or sleeping. So after finals were all finished, Shovell and I decided to take in a show, or rather a concert, put on by some of the fine musicians that go to school at our college. There's a group of 10 students that sing in something called Knights on Broadway (the name comes from the fact that we're the Green Knights). This particular year, they were singing a show they called "Let's go to the Movies," which, honestly, is like the perfect show for me. I love musicals, I love movies, I love music! BOOM!

The show was spectacular. I'm very glad I went to see it because really, it was two of the most enjoyable hours of the last few months for me (seriously...there's only four of them, and the other two were the finale of Once). There were songs from Grease and Mama Mia and so on and so forth, but by far my favorite section of the show was the Disney section. For a good while they sang numbers from some of the most famous Disney broadway musicals, such as Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. Let's just say I was sitting there basically freaking out.

And Shovell can attest to the fact that at the beginning of the show I really freaked out because they started with Hooray for Hollywood. But not just ANY version of Hooray for Hollywood. We're talking the EXACT VERSION THAT PLAYS IN THE GREAT MOVIE RIDE. Yes, I was actually failing around and half jumping out of my seat. It was interesting, and exciting and MADE MY LIFE.

So congrats to those involved on Knights on Broadway! Brian, you did a great job as Lumiere, and Lauren, GREAT ARIEL! Sadie, that Ursula was awesome, and everyone else, I LOVED IT ALL!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on May 22 due to finals). 

Day 501: IT IS FINISHED

It's honestly funny how quickly a year can pass by without you knowing it. Thinking back to 2013, I wasn't halfway done with a year on this blog yet, I was still in High School and I most certainly did not have a year of college under my belt. But now I do, and it's weird how much things change. How much you change.

I remember at the beginning of the year saying that I didn't want to change too much. I still wanted to have this blog, I wanted to keep my friends close, keep the high school band a part of my life, especially when it came to the Disney trip. I wanted to make new friends and everything at college, sure, but for the most part in my mind, it was just another year of school. How silly of me to think that it would work that way. People are always going to tell you (this is some advise for seniors in high school right here) that college is going to change you. You'll go in as one person, and after less than a year, you'll be someone totally different. You'll try to deny it with all your heart but don't, because you'll be a better person because of it.

But how exactly has my life changed in the last year? Some things are really obvious, like Once. A year ago it was just one of my favorite shows and now it makes up a good portion of my life. My friends and I refer to each other as "mates" now, and for some reason I've adapted "Bloody Hell" into my day to day language, plus I regularly send my friends memes or GIFs of Once characters basically explaining my life. They're entertaining to say the least. Like this one:

And while I love that one, it's not even my favorite of all of them. There are plenty more where that came from. Either way, I didn't expect to find stuff like that on my phone a year ago. Star Wars maybe, but not Once. Never Once. And now thanks to it I have a constant, something to always look forward to, new friends, and a lot of great memories. 

I went back and read a couple of posts from last year around this same time, specifically from graduation, and it's interesting because I guess I still kind of feel the same way I did then. I love college, don't get me wrong, but I miss my senior year a lot. I was very happy, surrounded by people I love and care about, and I'm never going to be able to repay for the wonderful opportunity I'm given right now, to be able to march with the band once again this summer. It means the world to me, especially when things just keep changing. I mean, moving into a room for a year and then moving out and then into a different room four months later just gets a bit overwhelming if you ask me. 

But that's how life is. It keeps changing, and all we can do is keep moving forward. 

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on May 22 due to finals).

Day 500: Guilty Pleasures

Day 18 of the Disney Photo Challenge: A picture of your favorite guilty Disney pleasure. 

Blast from the Past: 

Hmm...another difficult one! 

I'd have to say food there in general. I swear something happens when I get on that airplane. It's like my stomach expands or something. I can just eat NON STOP down there. Not sure why...it just is! I don't really come back having gained any weight either...must be all the walking. 

Anyway, my last trip I tried something new. I did an "Eat Around the World Adventure" where I went around World Showcase and ate something from every country. It was awesome, and I had things like crepes, creme brule, lamb, funnel cake, egg rolls, sushi and pasta. It was delicious! 

Food at Disney is pretty much always delicious...and there's no way I can avoid eating it. I'm just addicted. It's like me and Nacho cheese. And just addicted. It's like me and Nacho cheese. And just remember...I compare pretty much everything I eat to Disney. I have high standards. I'm not picky...I just enjoy really good food. But, Disney food has introduced me to things I'd never even think about eating if I hadn't gone. I mean...sushi? Would have never had it. Honey Sesame Chicken, or Asian Food in general...nope. German cuisine? HAHA...I may live in Wisconsin, but you've got to be kidding. The only thing that might have been possible would be Italian. But certainly never something from like...Norway or Morocco. 

Oh, and that picture...I call it the "what we really do at Dinner" picture. My Dad is taking pictures (obviously), I'm texting Megan about my milkshake (she picked out the flavor...cookies & creme...yummy!), Jonny is debating if he should eat his sandwich or his French Dictionary and my mom is the only one actually eating, just out of the picture here. It's what we do when we're not being forced to pose for a "restaurant picture."

Back to the Future: 

I honestly don't know.

I do love food. Very, very much so.

I think I'm going to have to say staying in the parks as late as possible though. I really have a problem with this. Like, I want to be like the last person in the park so I walk as slow as humanly possible out of each one. I'll station myself at the back of the park and then take the longest route possible without Cast Members stopping me, and if I'm in the Magic Kingdom I'll just take forever on Main Street. There's just something spectacular about an empty park at night.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on August 20).

Day 499: Top of the Line

Day 17 of the Disney Photo Challenge: A picture of your favorite Disney Character. 

Blast from the Past: 

I feel like I've answered this question before! 

The truth is...I have no favorite Disney character...because I love too many to pick an actual single favorite. So instead, I'll share one of my favorite pieces of art...Mickey Mouse made up of the other characters! It's such a great idea! 

Here are, though, a few of my favorites: Simba (The Lion King), Rapunzel (Tangled), The Tramp (Lady & the Tramp), Belle (Beauty & The Beast), Sebastian (Little Mermaid), Merida (Brave), Woody & Buzz (Toy Story), Dory (Finding Nemo), Donlad Duck, Mickey Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, Brer Rabbit, Fox & Bear (Song of the South/Splash Mountain), The Hitchhiking Ghosts (Haunted Mansion), Rover (Carousel of Progress/Pirates of the Caribbean), Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean), Pongo (101 Dalmatians), Mike (Monster's Inc.). 

There are tons more...but those are just a few of my favorites. If I really have to pick though, there's honestly no one quite like Mickey Mouse. 

Back to the Future: 

Funny how two years ago I couldn't pick just one and now I can. I mean, it's not that I don't have an extreme love of all the Disney characters, it's just I have one particular favorite now.

And if you don't know who it is, then that's just sad.

Ok, so maybe you can see the picture sitting right there and it's honestly not that much of a surprise, but yeah...I love Flynn Rider. Maybe it's because he's basically Han Solo, who is basically Killian Jones, and therefore all of my favorite characters are literally the same person, but hey, that's ok!

Flynn Rider Forever.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on August 20).