Day 1160: Sentimentality

I'm not an overly sentimental person, or at least, I try not to be. I definitely collect things, but that's usually based on a specific theme or something, not the simple fact that I want to keep something because there's a memory associated with it. However, like all people, I do have a few times I do get a bit sentimental, like when I return to the exact location where I talked to Colin O'Donoghue on the phone.

I forget sometimes just how lucky I was to have that experience. I've literally talked to one of my favorite actors on the phone because I drove four and a half hours to see his new movie. It's one of the most obnoxious and fangirly things I've done in my life, and I don't regret one bit of it. Unfortunately, due to the loss of friends that I would have, at one point, considered family, it's a bit of a bittersweet memory. I try to block out certain parts of that weekend, which I'm still sure was one of the greatest weekends of my entire life.

You all remember the weekend I'm talking about, when I drove to the Twin Cities for the Twin Cities Film Festival, where Colin O'Donoghue's new film The Dust Storm had its world premiere. When I found out about the showing, I made a joke that turned into a full blown road trip, and between talking to Colin on the phone, meeting the cast and crew of the film, and basically becoming the talk of the festival that night, it's not a weekend I'll soon forget, at least not completely. 

That's why, when I found out I'd be returning to the Twin Cities for the National Sigma Tau Delta English Convention, I knew I had to find a way to return to the theater and the exact spot where all of this took place. Of course, I ended up finding a way to see a film while I was there too! It just happened to be opening weekend for Zootopia, so after a Gala Dinner at the Convention, a friend and I hurried over to the theater for a late showing of the movie, and again, the Shops at West End made my day. 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1158: Travel Life

I've discovered over the last 20 years that I really just enjoy traveling...sort of. 

I love seeing new places, and I honestly don't think there's anything that can quite match the feeling of staying in a fancy hotel for a few days, especially if that hotel has a skyline right out your window. The weekend I spent in the Twin Cities this spring really allowed me to travel, partially at least, by myself for the first time, and while it was probably the longest, most exhausting five days of my life, I did a lot, I saw a lot, and I loved it all a lot. 

Since I didn't have a ton of time to be on social media, and I wanted to spend some of the time off my phone other than using it to take pictures, I instead kept my followers, family, and friends updated with what I was doing through a series of pictures on Twitter I titled "Travel Life." I tried to capture some of the things that felt distinctly like the fancy convention, traveling student I thought I was. I mean, anyone can take a fancy picture of their Starbucks...but to me it also represents the casual morning I spent getting ready for Day One of the convention, starting off by heading downstairs in my PJs to the in-hotel Starbucks. 

One of the greatest parts about traveling is the opportunity you have to explore local sights, which I tried to do a bit of after driving back and forth between the convention and a performance at home. Really, the weekend gave me a real taste of what it's like to be a performer in the professional world, where you'll end up going from city to city within a day. The great part is that you get to see things like Minnehaha Falls, which I eagerly sought out. And of course, I headed back to the exact spot where I talked to Colin O'Donoghue on the phone...for sentimental purposes, of course. 

I also managed to sneak in a showing of Zootopia on opening weekend, despite all the traveling I did, and since I made it back to the Twin Cities safe and sound, and because I was getting really hungry after an afternoon of sight seeing and shopping, I headed to a local restaurant, called Crave I believe, to treat myself to sushi. Because Treat Yo Self.

As evening set in one night, I had to get ready for a Gala Dinner, despite the fact that I'd already curled and recurled my hair a couple of times and then put it up in a bun and drove more than nine hours in less than 24 hours. I had to catch another picture of the skyline, but then it was back inside to actually figure out what to do with my hair and makeup. 

The last morning of our trip to the Twin Cities brought us to a little French Bakery for breakfast, where I had some spectacular tea to start my day, and then it was packing up for yet another four and a half hour drive home. On this particular trip I was pretty proud of my packing skills, fitting everything I needed for five days back and forth into my small suitcase and a bag. It certainly made life easier when I was trying to be in two places at once. 

All in all, I drove almost 1200 miles in five days (and three fourths of that was in 36 hours). It was exhausting, that's for sure, but I think I really proved to myself and everyone else that I was capable of managing a difficult situation (like being in two different states for two different important events within hours of each other), and of traveling like I've never traveled before. 

Does this make me ready for another road trip this summer? You bet it does! 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on June 14).

Day 1094: 2015

Usually on this blog post I go back and count all the words and the top searches for the year, but that sounds like entirely too much work at this point. After all, I can probably tell you flat out what some of the top things I talked about this year, and since GIFs were such a huge part of the year too, I figured we might as well share those topics through GIFs! It's like killing two birds with one stone!

Star Wars

I think it's safe to say that Star Wars was a HUGE topic this year, what with The Force Awakens premiering on December 18. With that premiere, the entire world exploded with Star Wars, and I couldn't have been happier. After all, I'm an avid Star Wars fan, and this new film gave me the perfect opportunity to get right back into the series at hyperspeed! 

Spaceship Earth

I talk about Spaceship Earth a ridiculous amount, but that's to be expected when it's your favorite Disney attraction. Honestly, I have no idea how many times I've been on it, although I definitely estimate it at over 150 times. Regardless, I'm pretty sure I could just sit and watch this GIF all day long. 

Disneyland

With my trip to Disneyland in August, I definitely talked about the original park more than usual. Plus, on top of my trip, there was also the 60th Anniversary, which certainly accounts for something too. And you know what, while I love Walt Disney World, I really love Disneyland too, and I can't wait to plan a trip back.

Colin O'Donoghue

Considering the fact that I love Colin enough to drive four and a half hours to go to the premiere of his new movie, I doubt it's any surprise that he ends up on this life. In addition to his spectacular acting on Once Upon A Time, you have to also account for the fact that he one upped his 2014 Happy Birthday tweet with a phone call. I may have forgotten my own name, but that's not what matters here. 

Once Upon A Time

And speaking of Once Upon A Time, that probably continues to be one of my most talked about things as well. After all, it accounts for a good half of the Sundays in the year, and the other half I just spend waiting for OUAT to come back. 

College

I don't have an actual GIF for this, but I think this one will do rather nicely. After all, Han here perfectly demonstrates what most of the college experience is like! From final exams, back to studying, classes, long hours, homework, multiple meetings per day, concerts, computer problems, and a lack of sleep, by the time you finish each semester you definitely feel like you can take on a whole galaxy. 

Walt Disney World

Aside from Spaceship Earth and Disneyland, my home of Walt Disney World is always a popular topic around here, especially with two trips in 2015 and one coming up super soon in 2016. 

And you know what, as we approach a new year, everyone is going to ask you one question: 

To which you reply:

But actually, 2016 might just be the best year yet. 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 31).

Day 1093: Lucky 15: Part 2

It's time again to share some of my all time favorite posts from Everyday Disney, which I do every half year! Of course, you can always head back and see my favorite posts from 2013 (Part 1 | Part 2) and 2014 (Part 1 | Part 2), as well as the first half of 2015, which you can find HERE!

Sunday, July 19, 2015: Day 930: Bedtime Story

Spaceship Earth related things appear on my blog pretty often, but as I went back through my blog posts from the last half of the year, I couldn't help but pause at this one. I still miss the old version of Spaceship Earth, and wish more than anything to head on it again, but I suppose this commercial will have to do for now! 

Friday, August 28, 2015: Day 970: A House for the Town

I'm always proud of the Disney that makes its way into my on campus housing, and this year, with extra space, a little bit of extra Disney appeared all over the place. I'm pretty darn proud of how it all turned out, especially our kitchen, which features what I like to call "The Kitchen Kabaret Pals." 

Sunday, September 27, 2015: Day 1000: One Thousand

How can I not be proud of the fact that my blog, which started out as a New Year's Resolution in 2013, hit 1000 posts this year. After all, this is the biggest milestone we'll hit in a long while, and the fact that I'm still doing this gives me hope and reassurance that something with Disney is indeed what I want to do with the rest of my life! 

Saturday, October 24, 2015: Day 1027: Talking to a Hero

How can I not have one of the greatest days of my life on this list?!? Talking to Colin O'Donoghue on the phone is EASILY one of the highlights of 2015 for me, and that means that the corresponding blog post HAS to be on this list! Just look at how happy I was! 

Sunday, November 15, 2015: Day 1049: Fandom Life

There are few posts that are a more accurate representation of my life than this one on being a part of a fandom. After all, between Star Wars, Disney, and Once Upon A Time, fandoms have pretty much taken over my life. But that's alright, because it's actually a pretty great life to have! 

Sunday, December 20, 2015: Day 1084: A New Favorite

The Force Awakens brought a ton of Star Wars into all of our lives this holiday season, and now I'm faced with the difficult task of picking a new favorite character. With so many options, such as Kylo Ren, BB-8, Finn, Rey, and Poe, there's a new character for every new and old Star Wars fan alike. Although, I think I stand with my original decision...Poe is my new favorite. Sorry everyone else, but the pilot wins again. 

Wednesday, October 7, 2015: Day 1010: The ABCs of ABC

One of the posts that I definitely had the most fun creating this half of 2015 was this post on the ABCs of ABC, featuring some of our favorite ABC shows, such as Once Upon A Time, How to Get Away with Murder, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D! 

Despite the fact that the end of the year left me really far behind here on Everyday Disney, which resulted in me making up a ton of posts that I missed due to school work, there were certainly a few awesome posts, weren't there? As always, I can't wait to see what the next six months bring...and how many GIFs of Harrison Ford and Colin O'Donoghue somehow work their way in. 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 31).

Day 1077: Am I The Interesting One?

We all know that I work really hard to keep my Ego in check. As a music major, and especially as a saxophone player, it's pretty easy for things to get a little over the top. But lately I've been trying to figure something out, and the more I think about it, the weirder it gets.

It all started when we were writing biographies for our classmates for Literary Theory and Writing. Instead of writing a biography for ourselves, especially when we already have an introduction that does almost the same thing, we wrote them for other people, which led to asking a bunch of questions and so on and so forth. Anyway, as I talked with my partner about my background and my goals and such, I realized that maybe, just maybe, I'm kind of interesting.

I don't really consider myself to be an interesting person. In fact, I figure I'm relatively ordinary. I grew up in a small town, I look forward to my coffee every morning, and spend most of my late nights at my desk working (although I would give anything for a Netflix binge and some pizza, especially pleasing if I can eat said pizza without my lactose intolerance getting in the way). As the saying goes, I put my pants on one leg at a time, just like anyone else.

But is my "ordinary" actually something the rest of the world considers extraordinary? Gosh, now I'm really starting to sound egotistical.

And then I had a discussion with one of my friends about people we know from high school, and as other went on about this friend doing this and that, I realized that I have very few friends who seem to be off doing really awesome things. But we all have friends like that on Facebook. And that's when it hit me: am I  the one off doing really awesome things? After all, in the matter of one year I've continued with a third year of straight blogging, started a roughly successful YouTube channel, met the creators of The Dust Storm, talked with Colin O'Donoghue on the phone, met my favorite saxophone player (again), went to Disney World twice and Disneyland once, met a bunch of my favorite YouTubers, and managed to balance it all alongside a busy college schedule. Of course, the fact that I plan on moving to a different state so I can pursue my dream of working for Disney doesn't hurt the whole "I'm interesting" thing either, but boy does it seem weird to be calling myself interesting.

After all, when everything boils down, I'm just another average Colin O'Donoghue and Harrison Ford fangirl who loves Star Wars and everything Disney and would give anything for a giant plate of homemade spaghetti and meatballs.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on December 22).

Day 1052: Keep on Spinning

Boy, it's been a while.

I just figured I should throw in a post and let you all know that I am indeed still in the land of the living, despite the fact that I'm downridden with homework and preparations for a recital this Friday. However, I'm also happy about the fact that I have three main priorities for over Thanksgiving Break next week, and one of those goals is to catch up around here.

So what's happened in the past month that I've let Everyday Disney sit in the dark? If you haven't been following me on Instagram or Twitter, here's a few updates:

1. I talked to Colin O'Donoghue on the phone a while back, which will have it's own blog posts (yes posts) on days 1027 and 1028 (October 24 and 25, respectively). It's a VERY long story, but if you want more information RIGHT NOW, you can check out my video on the topic:

2. School has been INSANE. Literally, so much has gone on with my recital that it's put me pretty far behind in many areas beyond Everyday Disney. So don't feel too bad that there's been a lack of blog posts, because my English Blog for class feels the exact same way.

3. I've had a lot of coffee. No idea why this was worth noting, but it's true. 

4. There's a bunch of videos on my YouTube channel. Yes, even if I've been slacking here, I've somehow managed to keep up with my weekly videos on YouTube. In addition to the video above there's one on pumpkin carving, another on being youself, and several vlogs that are all just waiting to be watched! 

Other than that, there isn't really much else to say. I spend most of my days working, whether that be in class, for one of my two jobs, practicing for my recital, volunteering for something, or simply trying to get some small amount of sleep (ok, I've been binge-watching Psych too), and as much as it frustrates me, when life gets really busy, Everyday Disney gets the short stick. 

That'll hopefully be over soon though, as from here on out I'm hoping to continue forward so I don't get any further behind than I already am. So as I make up the missing posts from the last month, I'll also continue forward day by day as usual. Is that a good idea with how long I'm currently spending on work at the moment? Probably not, but let me tell you...it's good to be back.

Have a magical day everyone! 

Day 1049: Fandom Life

As a member of the internet and social media, I'm always seeing posts that note "what a time to be alive," and it's occurred to me recently that now, right now, is a wonderful time to be alive, at least in regards to the live of being a fan. Suddenly it's become kind of "cool" to be a part of a fandom, whether it be Star Wars, Disney, a television show, or something else entirely. In fact, it's gotten to the point where I think most of us wonder what people without a fandom do with their freetime.

Honestly, picking a fandom to be a part of isn't even that hard, unless you're trying to stay away from all negativity. There's plenty of that on the internet wherever you go, and while some fandoms are worse than others, every one of them has a few rotten eggs. But seriously, all you have to do to become a part of a fandom is like something, and usually that means becoming absolutely obsessed with something.

It starts out relatively simple, like when I began watching Star Wars. You watch the movie with the smallest amount of interest and enjoyment, and then suddenly something clicks. For me, it was the moment a certain space scoundrel came on screen and I realized that it was indeed Indiana Jones. Boy, I'd been missing out on an entire childhood of Harrison Ford and I had no idea.

And so, you begin to watch (and rewatch) the movie over and over again. With a TV show you end up buying a season pass on iTunes so you can watch the film immediately the next day and every day after that until another episode appears. Maybe you start DisneyBounding your favorite characters, and tweeting the cast and crew. You join internet groups, maybe you create a fan page (or a giant blog dedicated to your fandom), and eventually things just start to get a bit out of control. 

You attend a fan convention, maybe something as big as Comic Con or D23 Expo, or something smaller that simply embodies your fandom. And when you can't go to the conventions because you spent too much money on fan merchandise, you stalk the internet waiting for any possible news. And speaking of fan merchandise, things just sort of start to pop up in your room, especially after people figure out that a gift featuring your favorite character would work perfectly for an occasion. 

And before you know what happened, you're a part of a fandom. You've made friends and learned everything you possibly can about the show or movie: all the head-cannons and real plotlines and accepted truths. You spend the majority of your day thinking about the fandom, and drawings in the columns of your notebooks relate your love of the scoundrel that stole your heart.  

Previously, at this point you'd try to hide your love of the fandom. Kept it completely under wraps for fear of someone finding out you actually have a shrine to a character in your bedroom. But that's a world that exists no more. Now you can be proud of your fandom and the happiness it brings you! 

What fandoms are you a part of!?! Let me know in the comments! 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 30).

Day 1032: I Know You

When you get to 1000 blog posts that are all supposed to be different, things start to get a little messy, which is why I've started doing some Throwback Thursday posts, where I go back and revisit posts from previous years. After all, I've changed over the past two years, and so have you and so has the world, so it only makes sense.

For instance, back on Day 667: Through Association, I talked about how in sociology I learned about the six degrees of separation and the theory that everyone is six or fewer steps away from anyone else int he world. At the time, I mentioned that I was about three degrees away from Colin O'Donoghue, although now I suppose I'm closer to one (although I can't remember if one means I personally know them or if I know someone who knows them). Either way, I do know someone who knows Colin, and I have talked to him personally, so I guess three is an outdated number. I haven't gotten any closer to Harrison Ford though

And that's the funny thing about connections. I've certainly learned in the past few years that it's all about who know you. In fact, a friend of mine knows people who worked on Glee, and when I attended the Twin Cities Film Festival I met tons of people who know Colin, including a few who were quite interested in me and the work I hope to do in the future. This next summer I hope to work at a national youth convention that happens to be taking place at Walt Disney World, and there too I'm working my way in through connections.

I also talked, on Day 667, about bringing Disney into the lives of people even when I'm not there, and I hope that's something that's continued. Actually, the other day a friend of mine tweeted me to tell me they were watching Star Wars, and I absolutely get comments about how people thought of me in reference to other Disney circumstances. And you know what, if my label forever ends up being "That Crazy Disney Girl," I guess I'll do just fine.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on December 31).

Day 1028: Still Not Over It

I don't think one blog post is quite enough to describe just how amazing it was to attend the Twin Cities Film Fest. As I said in my video, a lot of what happened is something I want to kind of keep to myself, just to savor that memory forever. There are, however, a few things that I'd love to share! Like extra pictures! 

You know, the life of this college student is pretty weird. I may not be super famous...but going from volunteer work in the morning to a movie premiere and a red carpet at night was pretty awesome. And you know what, I've done a lot of thinking since TCFF, and the more I've thought about it, the more I realize that I really fit in there. I felt kind of like I was with my people, and I'd be more than happy to spend the rest of my days at events like that. Maybe someday. 

We were pretty packed into my car for the drive to the Twin Cities, which, according to pretty much everyone, was impressive for us to do. But then again, I have a bunch of friends in the OUAT fandom, and I sort of felt like it was my turn. I had an obligation to go and support Colin in this film. The fact that he said thank you to ME when we talked on the phone pretty much made everything worth it. Correction, him watching my periscope made it worth it (because yes, that happened too). 

Pictures that showcase we did indeed make it to our hotel. The entirety of the time before the movie I was basically alternating between pacing, shaking, and freaking out completely. At that point we had no idea if Colin might be there, so here I was, completely oblivious to the fact that in just a few short hours, I would talk to Colin on the phone. 

A trip wouldn't be complete without a stop at an Irish pub...which may or may not have given us some extra luck on the trip. Regardless, the food was great, and since it was right at our hotel, we didn't even have to travel too far! 

You'll hear more about my outfit for the night in a blog post later, but now that I stop and look at it...wow, you guys were all right. I really like my shoes. Haha, regardless, look at how great my roommates and I all look on that red carpet! 

A lead actor like Colin has to have a lead actress to make the film complete, right? Meet Kristin, the lead actress of The Dust Storm. She was AMAZING in the film, and such a wonderful person to be around. Gosh...a few months ago I was fawning over the trailer for the film and here I am, standing right next to one of the lead characters! BRILLIANT I TELL YOU, BRILLIANT! 

Oh yes, I may have forgotten to mention that for one night, we became the college students who went to a club...for a film festival after party. Oh, and while at that party, we could basically have been considered famous. Talk of the night? That's the only way I roll. 

And there you have it, a bit more of an inside look at my trip to the Twin Cities to see The Dust Storm. I honestly have to say that I owe a lot of it to my roommates, who, for some reason I'll never quite understand, were totally on board with driving four and a half hours to see my favorite actor in a film they'd pretty much never heard of. So huge props to them. 

Oh...and just in case you didn't believe me about periscope...

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 1...because college).