Day 1642: Oral Surgery

Don't get too freaked out about the title of this blog post, I promise it's not as bad as it sounds (although if I'm being honest, it's not like it was a walk in the park either). 

As some of you may know (although probably not), when I was somewhere around age 12, my brother cut me off while we were outside riding our bikes. My front tire hit his back tire, and so I went flying, hitting my front teeth square on the pavement and cracking them completely in half (along with a bit of a third tooth). I had double root canals the next morning and have had crowns on my front teeth ever since. 

Which means that since the above experience, I've never really been a huge fan of dentists or dental work (even though my dentists are lovely people). Unfortunately, over the past few months, I've been dealing with some significant pain above one of my front teeth, and when I brought it up to my dentist at a tooth cleaning a few weeks ago, they took some X-Rays only to find that, yep, I'd need surgery. 

So in to the oral surgeon's I went on Wednesday, much to my dismay, and along with fixing the issue in the roof of my mouth, they went ahead and took out my wisdom teeth as well (which were causing entirely different issues). I'm pretty thankful that they did it all in one sitting, just because it meant I only had to go under anesthesia once, but at the same time, I've now got several areas of heeling going on in my mouth. Really fun, huh? 

Therefore, my days have been spent sitting on my couch with ice on my face on and off, watching mostly TLC because I typically don't have to pay attention to it to know what's going on (plus, sometimes watching the drama of women trying to find their wedding dress is the prefect distraction when your face is numb). I've been existing mostly on a diet of broth, jello, and sweet potatoes with the occasional ice cream alternative (yay lactose intolerance) or smoothie...meaning that I'm incredibly hungry for literally anything other than what it is I'm actually allowed to eat. 

However, the healing process seems to be going well. I do occasionally feel a bit off, but for the most part I'm doing alright, as long as I take it easy and don't over-exert myself. It does give me plenty of time to plan blog posts and DCP Roommate gifts and work on other projects that I've been putting off for weeks though, which is probably good for all of you! I did just want to give everyone an update on how I'm doing and give more excuses as to why there aren't blog posts popping up continuously on the blog! I'll be back to work full-time soon though...and then it'll be off to New York for a week soon too! 

Now, if only I could figure out what I really want to put on my DCP Bucket List...

Have a magical day! 

Day 1641: A Different Kind of Blog

There are days like today every so often, when I'm hopelessly drowning in blog posts and I get a little frustrated with the kind of blog I write. Not only am I a topic-specific blog, but I'm a daily topic-specific blog, and I've worked very hard over the past few years to avoid repeating myself over and over again. It's hard, especially when I get behind, to think of original ideas that fit within the guidelines I've created for myself, and even when I'm totally caught up and I only have to come up with one blog topic a day instead of twelve, it's still frequently difficult to find something I feel people might want to read about in relation to Disney. 

But then there's also the realization that Everyday Disney isn't even your typical Disney blog. Many Disney blogs out there focus on news or tips and tricks for your Disney vacation, and while I myself subscribe to many of those blogs, I find myself jealous of how easy it must be to come up with continuous content in those cases. Here, I post once a day, and only once a day. If it's 3pm and suddenly Disney announces that they're closing Epcot permanently, but I already had a blog post up at 11 am, we're waiting until tomorrow to talk about it. Here, I find little bits of Disney in the outside world and bring them to life through blog posts. The problem is, sometimes the outside world doesn't directly line up with the Disney universe. Here, I strive to make the ordinary feel a little less ordinary and a little more magical, but sometimes one has to accept that, perhaps, a reader won't be interested in hearing about how salt can be related to The Magic Kingdom. 

Not every post on Everyday Disney is a prime example of the Disney magic either. Some are more about me than the parks and films. Some take place at a Disney Park and others don't. Some fit right in with what the other blogs are talking about and some fall completely off the beaten path. In other words, and not to toot my own horn here, I'm not sure there's another blog out there quite like Everyday Disney. It's a personal blog and a news blog and a special interest blog and a daily blog and more all rolled into one. 

Everyday Disney, like the Disney Parks themselves, is always evolving, and as we get closer and closer to year 5, it's time to really see what we can do. I've covered the basics, we've gone in-depth on the traditional, and now it's time to dig a little deeper to see what it is we're missing. So with new series like DCP Wednesdays, A to Z Disney, 50 States, and Random Disney Things, let's get exploring and keep going, because Adventure is Out There, and now it's time to find it. 

Have a magical day! 

P.S. - Think of this blog post as a sort of new Mission Statement for Everyday Disney. With a list of 314 blog post topics to work on over the next few months, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed, and then I realized that it's time for a new mission in addition to a new look. So for the rest of 2017, the theme here at Everyday Disney is "Dig a Little Deeper," which is ironic considering it's same theme of the first blog post I wrote for the year, and it's time to find out who we are and what we're missing! 

Day 1635: Big News!

If you haven't already watched the above video, I'm going to need you to do that now! After all, it's been torture not letting the cat out of the bag for the majority of the world these past three months, but I've finally gotten around to making the announcement video you can see above. 

If you've already watched it (or are like me and are horrible at following direction), I'll just say it now: I've accepted a role as a PhotoPass Photographer with the Disney College Program in Orlando, Florida starting this fall, and I couldn't be more excited about this new adventure!!! 

It's certainly not that I didn't want to say anything, but that I sort of struggled with how to say it, especially since an opportunity like this comes with a few strings attached. I've spent the last few months rearranging my life and getting things in order so I can move to Orlando in less than two months, which meant changing my contracts regarding YouTube videos, redesigning Everyday Disney, and reexamining everything I've been working on for the past 4+ years. All in all, I needed time to figure things out, especially since I was accepted at the height of the stress in my final semester of college, and there was hardly time for sleep, much less creating a new logo for my blog. 

To give you a brief rundown, I'll be starting my Disney College Program experience on August 7, and I'll be in Orlando until at least January 4. As I mentioned, I'll be a PhotoPass Photographer, and while I won't know my location until August, there's still a lot to talk about and a lot to get done between now and then, which is why every Wednesday I'll be writing a post focusing specifically on the Disney College Program, just to catch all of you up on my experiences so far. I'm also in the planning stages of a new YouTube series about DCP, and I'm ready to jump head first into this new adventure. 

If you have questions about the DCP, write them in the comments below, and you might see your question in a future blog post! 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1632: Looking Ahead

Out with the old and in with the new. That's what they say, about change when we don't necessarily want to change, right? I'm a creature of habit, no doubt about it, and the past year and a half is a perfect example of that. I'm not particularly fond of new situations, I find myself irked when things don't go the way they always do, and when everything boils down, I'd likely be perfectly fine if things never changed, at least in some facets of life. A significant portion of me wishes I could maintain the life I've been living at St. Norbert College for not just the past year, but the past four. It was easy, it was comfortable, and above all else, it felt normal. 

And yet, I came to the conclusion on a plane ride back from Florida almost a year ago that my life is anything but normal. This is no ordinary life I'm living, not with the constant trips to Walt Disney World and the other traveling I do all over the country. Most aren't writing a blog and filming YouTube videos in addition to their schoolwork, only a few people are members of Knights on Broadway, performing more shows per year than most other ensembles on campus, and as far as I know, most don't have plans like I do for after graduation. 

What am I doing now that I've graduated you ask? That, my dear readers, will remain under wraps for a few more days until my official announcement on Friday, an announcement a very long time in coming, but for now you can plainly see the changes that have overcome Everyday Disney in the last 24 hours. I was already debating a rebrand of the blog a year ago, but wasn't at a point where I felt it was right. Now, with my special announcement and the upcoming five year anniversary of the blog, as much as my habit-wanting self tried to argue to keep things the same, I felt it was time for a change. 

As some of you may know, Everyday Disney hasn't really changed much in the past four and a half year, aside from the fact that I've found myself incredibly behind in my daily posts from the last year. In fact, below you can see a screenshot of what Everyday Disney looked like way back in the day, and then a screenshot of what it looked like with the 2015 redesign: 

As you can see, the colors and overall look of the blog have changed since it's beginnings in 2013, but since the 2015 remodel, things have remained the same, and even then it was just a re-do of that original design. 

Which meant that with everything going on, I figured that Everyday Disney wasn't just in need of a new mission and purpose, but was in need of a whole new look as well. Hence the new design (and logo!) for Everyday Disney. Over the next few months there will be plenty of changes, but more on all of that Friday. Trust me though, this announcement will change everything I've known and everything Everyday Disney is about, and in the long run, a new normal will form the same way it did when I moved to college four years ago. The point is, things do change, and I'm fairly certain my life has a long way to go before it resembles any kind of ordinary, but for now, it's time to keep moving forward and look ahead, because the journey is just beginning. 

Have a magical day!

Day 1512: A Significant Moment

It's time for another blog post focused on my Creative Writing Seminar, although since I haven't had a chance to write another blog post since the last piece focusing on the class, it's almost as though no time has passed at all. Regardless, this week we've been challenged to discuss an important moment in our writing history, and, for me at least, there are few moments that could top the stirrings of Everyday Disney back in late 2012.

Prior to January 2013, and really prior to later that year, blogging had never been my strong suit. The most I'd written in the blog post category could be found in the expectations section of any number of high school syllabi, and that meant that even the first few months of constant blogging were pretty rough, although that's not why starting Everyday Disney takes the cake on my list of significant writing moments.

Like many of my peers, I can definitely recall moments as a kid where I'd make little books out of blank paper and a few staples or where I'd seek out a spare notebook from the depths of my basement to scribble in. I'd typically write stories about dogs, probably from the dog's point of view, but what can I say? I watched a lot of Air Bud as a kid...and I really wanted a dog. I suppose one could suggest that these early days were important because it gave me an opportunity to explore my imagination, but in the overall scheme of things, that just wasn't the most significant part of my writing journey, and that's okay.

Fast forward to my high school years, where, amongst all that horrible blogging, I discovered not particularly that I liked writing as much as it just came naturally to me. I can still recall sitting in an Intro to Business class, of all places, happily typing away at a paper or letter we had to write for an assignment, and my friends, who sat on either side of me, commenting on just how quickly I was moving along. I figured they just meant my typing, because I've always been notoriously fast and loud at typing, but in reality they were talking about the actual writing I was doing. In a trend that would continue throughout the remainder of my high school years, where my peers would struggle with what to say on an in-class essay or any essay in general, I'd quite contently work my way down each page, writing, writing, and writing some more.

By the start of my senior year, I was locked in an internal debate about what I'd major in when I headed to college the following fall. I knew I was good at writing, and I knew I liked writing, but I also knew that music would be a good fit for me, and history was constantly knocking at the door as well. But trying to achieve a triple major sounded like a horrible idea, so I did the best I could and dropped the official major for History in favor of focusing on English and Music. That decision wouldn't have come, however, without Everyday Disney.

To this day, I'm not entirely sure what I was thinking in the last few weeks of 2012 that made me so eager to write a blog post a day for an entire year. It was a lot of work, I'd be going through a lot of changes, the internet at my house was slower than a turtle on a bad day, and I had no prior experience with blogging. Little did I know that there was one day to fix at least a few of those problems. Blogging every day was, at first, really difficult and taxing. It still is on some days, especially now as I head into the fifth year and frequently struggle with coming up with brand new topics that I have yet to cover, but the more I blogged, the easier it became. Because of the consistency of writing a daily blog, I was able to keep writing even when it seemed like my muse was floating away, and that's a lesson you can only learn through continuous writing. You have to push through it, and I wouldn't know that without my daily blog. In addition, I've gained writing experience, found a voice of my own, expanded my vocabulary, learned what it means to write professionally on a regular basis, meet deadlines, and continue to pump enthusiasm into posts even when you're writing them at 11 pm on a Monday night and all you want to do is go to bed.

Was Everyday Disney the only important moment in my writing journey? Goodness no, and to be honest it doesn't have all that much to do with creative writing specifically, because there are plenty of other elements at play there, but when it comes to my writing as a whole, I'm incredibly thankful that 17-year-old me decided to start a daily blog about Disney...even if I'm behind for what seems to be the hundredth time.

Until tomorrow...or the next Creative Writing Seminar blog post,

Have a magical day!

Day 1468: Pushed Back

In 31 trips to Walt Disney World, I've only really been drastically delayed once. It was the middle of July and we were heading down to Walt Disney World to celebrate my birthday and high school graduation, and a round of severe thunderstorms left us at home instead. We were able to get out the next morning, thankfully, but other than that, the most I've really been delayed that I can remember is a few hours. 

That streak is changing this trip though, as I was initially going to be heading down to Florida early Tuesday morning, with plans of Epcot and Spaceship Earth and dinner at Nine Dragons all set to go. Wednesday would bring an all time favorite that I never seem to miss: Afternoon Tea, and from there I'd spend my afternoon with the Disney princesses at Magic Kingdom. But I won't be flying out early Tuesday morning, and I won't be flying out Wednesday morning either. Instead, my flight to Florida, with a side trip to Dallas to change planes, will be Wednesday night, and luckily I was able to change my reservation for Afternoon Tea to another day. 

Due to a death in my family, I'll be here in Wisconsin for the funeral in a couple of days, but that's alright. In fact, I could have been in Florida and may have had to find my way back, but I no longer have to worry about that. Yes, I'll have a couple less days at Walt Disney World, but it'll still be waiting for me on Wednesday night and the rest of the week. I'll still get to attend the Epcot International Festival of the Arts and the Carrie Fisher Tribute. I'll still get to do all those wonderful things and still be here with my family, and if I'm being honest, there's no greater gift than that. 

Have a magical day! 

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 1461: What's There to Say?

2016 was pretty much a terrible year for everyone it seems. If you look around for more than a few minutes on Twitter you'll know very quickly just how awful the last 12 months were for a lot of people. We've lost so many legends this year, we elected a new president that split the country in a brand new way, and in general, 2016 was a flop. Which means that 2017 can only be better, right? 

For me, 2016 was a year of change and learning. I started it in one of the darkest places I've ever been, struggling with who to trust, where I was going to live, and feeling betrayed by the people I once called my friends. Luckily, moving out and across campus into a different apartment was the start of something great in my life. I strengthened the relationships that remained, gained a new and wonderful roommate, found comfort and happiness with new friends, and really learned who I am and who I want to be. As the year went on, I took risks too. I ended up attending an international conference in the Twin Cities, drove all the way to Colorado and back, traveled to Walt Disney World by myself for the first time (and for another conference!), joined a new group on campus that I never believed I could be a part of, and really began to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life once I leave the security of college. 

At the beginning of 2016, I made a resolution to, instead of taking on something new, focus on finding balance in my life that allows for growth. I honestly think I found that this year, although there's absolutely still room for improvement, and Everyday Disney is an example of that in itself. But even if I haven't quite figured out the full balance of time in my schedule, I feel like I've found balance in myself. The people I surround myself with now care about me for who I am and definitely don't ask me to change. I don't feel as though I'm split into multiple parts the same way I was last year, and most importantly, I feel confident in what I am capable of. 

Normally at this point in the end of the year blog post I'd go on some ramble about how many words I wrote this year, but since a good portion of the year has yet to be completed, that seems sort of irrelevant, so perhaps we'll save that for a later date. For now, we'll just keep steaming ahead into 2017 and new adventures, because something tells me that this next year could be one of the most interesting yet. 

Have a magical day!

Day 1451: Out of Touch

I must say that this semester has been an absolute whirlwind. With five classes, six ensembles, three jobs, three honor society presidencies, volunteer work, Bible study, homework, writing for The Odyssey Online, practicing, and time with family and friends, I've been lucky to eat two meals a day and sleep more than five or six hours. That being said, it's probably pretty obvious that Everyday Disney is a bit behind. It's not for lack of thought, but simply lack of time and energy to write anything more than I had to. Two of my classes were English courses, meaning they were writing intensive, and that's just scratching the surface. 

But to be honest, I've missed writing for this blog. I've fallen drastically behind in everything Disney related actually, and it almost feels like something's missing. I've seen the movies, which will have reviews up soon, and I've definitely been planning here and there for my upcoming trip in January, but overall, I'm behind. Even when I'm not actively writing for the blog, I'm usually going through the Disney news in my feed, but I haven't even done that. 

Which would be why I'm spending an obnoxious amount of time going way back through my feed trying desperately to figure out what I've missed over the past few months. Aside from the big news like the announcement of the Epcot International Festival of the Arts, the premieres of Rogue One and Moana, and the good old Christmas at Disney Announcements, what's really been going on? 

I hate feeling out of touch, and right now, that's where I am. But the good news is that the semester is over, and now I have the rest of the year and into next year to catch things back up around here. Whether or not Everyday Disney will be back to 100% before the end of the year, I'm not too sure, but it will be soon, and as we head into the new year, and the fifth year of Everyday Disney, I'm going to turn back to my roots, because now that I have my life somewhat figured out and back on track, I think it's about time to return to the blog, because I've missed it, and I've missed talking to all of you! 

Get ready for lots of updates here at Everyday Disney and on my YouTube channel, where new vlogs will be appearing soon! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1380: How Time Flies

It feels like just the other day I was starting the semester, or even better, just the other day that I was in Florida for National Youth Event at the end of July, and here I am now having completed another trip last week. 

But the world (and work) must go on, and I've found myself once again falling victim to the lapse in blog posts, which is a constant strain since I'm always aware of the fact that even when my homework is done and the latest vlog is edited, my music is practiced and plants watered, there's still something I need to be doing. Problem is, I'm usually too tired to sit down and write one blog post, much less the 50+ that are now missing from Everyday Disney. 

It probably doesn't help that I've been writing other places too, and most of my free time these days, what little there is, is spent sleeping, actually eating a meal, or with my friends. It's a constant balance, but at the same time, being at Disney last week reminded me that I sort of miss writing for this blog. It was easy, exciting, and while occasionally a lot of work, still just as, if not more fulfilling than some of the other work I do during the week. 

This does put me in sort of a pickle though. I hate not having my blog up to date, but the thought of postponing work on Everyday Disney until next January or later seems appalling, especially with the prospect of applying for the Disney College Program in a few short months. And truth be told, Everyday Disney got me through my last major transition in life - high school into college - and moving ahead without it feels absolutely wrong. 

So I'm exploring new ideas about what to blog about, sort of like the scientists in Living With the Land are exploring new ways to grow crops, or Walt Disney Imagineering is exploring new attraction ideas for the parks. There are a lot of days to fill, but luckily there's one thing we aren't running short on, and that's Disney. 

Dual blog posts begin tomorrow, with a current post and a make-up post every day of the week! 

Have a magical day!  

Day 1283: Disney Cave

Since I spend most of my days writing this summer, I tend to migrate around my apartment. I try to leave the bedroom for sleeping, but that doesn't mean I'm without options. Actually, I have four great spots to do my work right in my apartment, and each has it's own bit of Disney associated with it! 

First, there's my desk, which you've already been introduced to and is pretty self explanatory. I love to sit here when I really need to get things done, but otherwise I'll usually be somewhere else. Most of the time I end up sitting on our couch, which is really pretty comfortable. Plus, the coffee table right in front of it gives me plenty of space to spread out if I need to! 

Then there's the other, less common options of the kitchen counter and balcony. The counter is a part of the kitchen, and honestly is usually piled with dishes, especially if I've been baking. It is where I sat for pretty much the entire first two weeks of living here though. The balcony reminds me a bit of Old Key West, and as I continue to watch the various old videos, I've come to find that I apparently really liked the idea of sitting and eating outside as a kid. That balcony seemed awesome to a young Lizzie. 

Outside of the apartment, I'll head to the library on our campus a lot, which is where I sit to upload videos. There's also a local coffee shop called Luna that I frequent these days, and because it's only a couple blocks from my apartment, it's not hard to walk there. And then, as always, there's the music lobby, which I haven't been to much this summer. That'll have to change! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1280: 2016: The Beginning

Halfway through the year and you know what that means: it's time for a look back at the fix six months of 2016 and some of my favorite blog posts! To see favorites posts from previous years, just click the following links: 2013 (Part 1 | Part 2), 2014 (Part 1 | Part 2), and 2015 (Part 1 | Part 2). Now, onto January! 

Friday, January 15, 2016: Day 1110: Never Tell Me the Odds

My trip in January with Frank was filled with adventures, but none quite as grand as our Four Parks, One Day Challenge, which then led us straight into an attempt to see all the Walt Disney World fireworks in one night. Needless to say, we somehow managed to accomplish both, and while we definitely went home at the end of the day completely exhausted, it was so worth it. 

Friday, February 5, 2016: Day 1131: Santa Fe

A definite highlight of the spring semester was heading with my parents and Shovell to see Newsies at our local theater. We'd been waiting for what seemed like forever to see this show, and it definitely didn't disappoint! 

Thursday, March 3, 2016: Day 1158: Travel Life

While I wouldn't recommend trying to be in two states at the same time, the weekend I spent going back and forth between the Twin Cities and home was actually one of the best experiences I've had so far. It was a chance for me to expand academically, travel alone for the first time, make new friends, and explore a city different from my own! 

Wednesday, April 6, 2016: Day 1192: Disney By the Numbers: Epcot

In an attempt to explore a new graphics editing website I came across, I did a bit of research to come up with Epcot By the Numbers, including a few different numerical facts about the park, like how many triangles are really on Spaceship Earth, and how many attractions are listed on the park map! 

Tuesday, May 24, 2016: Day 1240: Pressed Pennies

I definitely have some of the greatest friends in the entire world, as is showcased through this blog post from May, when they finally completed a project they've been working on for over a year and a half: this beautiful pressed penny Mickey Mouse! 

Wednesday, June 22, 2016: Day 1269: Macaroons

When it comes to making Disney recipes, I think I just took things to the next level, at least with my own skills. I'd never made macarons before, but Disney inspired me enough to try and create some of my own. I've made some another time since this blog post, but I think these were better, so we'll just not talk about those other ones. 

And there you have it, the first half of 2016. Since I got rather behind I don't really have any bonus posts to share, but keep an eye on things for the second half of the year because we've still got a long way to go until 2017! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1274: Adulting

If you're a part of my generation right now, you've probably been struggling with adulting just like the rest of us. If you have no idea what adulting really is, just think of all the chores adults are responsible for that children may not be. I'm talking like making dinner, doing the dishes, watering the plants, getting all the work done, and so on and so forth. The little jobs we actually need to do to survive. 

My laptop, HAL9000, which you've all heard plenty about over the past couple of years, died last week, which led to me waiting for a new laptop, affectionately named Lafayette (yes after the historical figure now prominent in Hamilton). Having a laptop that actually works and stays on for more than 15 minutes at a time is a huge relief, mostly because it means I can finally get work done. HAL dying, however, has created an additional list of blog posts that should have been done a week ago, especially problematic since I'm struggling to catch things up as it is. Plus, I'm leaving on a week and a half long trip to Colorado in just 10 days, so I have to plan for that as well. Long story short, with everything piling up that I have to get done, the realization that adulting is hard is more prominent than ever. 

Luckily, on the other hand, I have Lafayette, and Frank got me that awesome new mug in the picture above to help keep me company while I spend constant days blogging. Even the addition of a new mug like that is enough to help keep me going with these blog posts and videos, especially since there's so many exciting things happening in July! 

I do think I could do without another set of dishes from dinner later tonight though...

Have a magical day! 

Day 1270: A Day in the [Regular] Life

I've fallen into some sort of a routine these days, relishing in some of the summer sun while also spending most of my day inside at my couch or desk or counter writing blog posts, editing videos, and transferring tapes. Honestly, it's enough to keep me busy, but it does get sort of redundant. Still, it just goes to show how different my life at home is in comparison to when I'm on a trip somewhere. 

Here at home, I start my morning in any number of ways. Sometimes I'll head out for a run, which I'm trying to do more of, and sometimes it'll just start with breakfast and an episode of The Office or some other Netflix show that I happen to be watching. For breakfast I'll invest in some greek yogurt with fresh fruit, or maybe some cereal or a smoothie. And when I'm on the go somewhere right away, I'll be sure to grab a package of applesauce that I can eat on the move. From there, if I've gone for a run, I'll take a shower quick and then get ready for the day, and by the time I'm finished with all of that I'm usually ready to tackle some writing. 

Sometimes "writing" will mean video editing, or brainstorming for new blog posts and videos that I can work on in the future. It's usually something to do with Everyday Disney or the YouTube Channel, but once and a while I do have other work to get done, especially regarding upcoming trips and my soon-to-start last year of college. 

I take a break at one to eat lunch with my roommate, since that's when she has off of work and returns to our apartment. That gives us both a break that's just under an hour before heading back to work. By the time she returns to our apartment again at 4:30, I try to have whatever work I'm doing finished, although that's not always the case. Sometimes I'll end up writing until late at night, or I'll spend the evening transferring another of our home videos. And every once and a while I'll be lucky enough to sit out on our balcony and read a book or watch a movie with my friends. 

And that's about it really, because after that I watch another episode or two of The Office before heading to bed. Not nearly as interesting as when I go to the Disney Parks, and hardly as interesting as during the school year: although this is much less stressful. 

Have a magical day!

Day 1255: Watch and Subscribe

It's only been about a year since I really got serious about my YouTube channel, and it's been less than a year since I attended the D23 Expo and was encouraged by several people to sign with Maker Studios. I'm pretty sure it was the odd situation that provided one of my earlier vlogs with thousands of views that got me to continue filming what seems like every second of my Disney trips, and to bring the camera into my own world back home as well. I suppose, however, that it was the addition of a digital camera that really kicked things off, and the journey since then has certainly been a wild one.

And yet, throughout most of that time, I've known that what I really needed was a channel trailer. YouTube launched the system and idea quite some time ago, and despite the fact that I've been aware of the necessity, I never got around to creating one for myself, and none of my other videos really describe everything that my channel is made of. I knew right away that if I wanted a channel trailer, I was going to have to make one from scratch.

The process proved to be quite difficult, and for months I've just pushed it off as something I'll get to later, but now that we're at the start of yet another summer, and my one and only goal over these next few months is to throw myself into the Disney World a little further, I figured there's no time like the present. Over the past few weeks I've slowly been compiling ideas for a channel trailer, and once I found the right music and picked the right opening, the rest of the editing passed by like a dream.

Having finally finished my channel trailer, I figured it would be a great time to throw in a bit of extra promotion for my YouTube Channel here. There are new videos every Friday, alternating Disney Park Vlogs and various other Disney Videos, many of which are often posted here on the blog. I'm really excited about the videos that are yet to come this year and this summer, as I'm already hard at work preparing the video list and scripts so I can film on my next trip to Florida as well as at other locations throughout the next few months.

Remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel for weekly Disney videos, and here's a toast to a whole new summer of fun!

Have a magical day!

Day 1252: Tropical Storm Colin

As it turns out, it doesn't matter if I'm in Florida or Wisconsin, because the storms and the rain seem to follow me wherever I go. I suppose I feel some comfort in the fact that it's not just storming wherever I am though, because while it was storming at home for me, Florida is also preparing for a storm.

Down south, a tropical storm off the East Coast showed progress as it approached Florida and Georgia, and my Dad had to call and tell me the name because he knew I would appreciate it: Colin. I guessed it before he even told me (because I happened to know that the previous storm name started with a B), but I definitely still enjoyed the fact that it was a name that I could relate to. Of course, tropical storm Colin brought plenty of rain to Florida, and from the pictures I saw, there was definitely enough of it to go around.

Back at home, we were heading back to my new apartment when dark clouds approached and the wind started to pick up. My brother, who was back at home, actually called us to tell us to get inside because of the wind, and if you don't believe me, here's a picture he took of our backyard during the storm:

And for us in general, it actually caused a bit of damage, which doesn't usually happen for us during storms. According to my parents (I haven't been home since the storm), there were quite a few branches down, and some of them were rather large: 

Some of that above picture is a bush, but a lot of it is also a branch that fell partly onto our garage. Everything is alright though, as there wasn't any damage...at least to our house. The tree didn't fare as well. 

All in all though, it's just been raining a lot since I got home from Florida, and it really reminds me everytime of the downpours that occurred while I was on vacation. It just never seems to stop, and it pops up randomly in the middle of the afternoon too. If I wanted to be in Florida I would have stayed in Florida (I really should have), but I don't think Mother Nature fully understands that. 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1228: Working Travels

When I'm traveling, blogging ins't always the easiest thing to do. Sometimes I'll be at conventions, and when I go to Florida I don't even take my laptop along anymore. I never get around to using it anyway, and that means it just takes up unnecessary space in my luggage. So if I want to blog on the go, in that case, I have to use my iPad instead, which definitely ins't the most efficient way of writing. 

However, while on vacation or traveling anywhere, I'm always at work for Everyday Disney, gathering topics, seeing movies, filming vlogs, writing and filming video scripts, seeing new things, completing challenges, and taking just about every picture under the sun. In fact, the way I travel now is pretty drastically different from how I've traveled the rest of my life. Now it's definitely more about what I can do for Everyday Disney or my YouTube channel than just experiencing things, mostly because I've learned over time that sharing the adventures is way more fun than keeping them to myself! 

And actually, sometimes, traveling makes work much more difficult. Since I only have a select amount of time in the Disney Parks, I have a lot to get done in a short amount of time. That's pretty different in comparison to the amount of time I can take to do things when I'm just sitting at home. Plus, when I return I always have to make up for lost time and add blog posts that go along with my latest trip, and then there's vlogs to edit, and the list goes on and on. 

So while there may not be blog posts while I'm away, just remember that I'm always off working on something. I'm just lucky because what I'm working on just also happens to be what I love to do. 

Have a magical day!

Day 1225: The Ins and Outs

Finals week is upon us and I don't think I've ever known so much about music history. 

Unfortunately, four of my five finals are falling on the same day, which isn't really a situation I'd like to find myself in. Plus, they're all early in the week, which gives me less time to study. What this leaves me with is a ton of studying to do with not a lot of time, so I've been listening to my fair share of Disney music to keep me sane. 

It seems that as the years go on, things get both harder and busier...which probably isn't surprising considering the fact that, theoretically, junior year should be harder than freshman year. The great part about it though is that it almost motivates me more...to a point. Because I have so much more going on, my will to prove that I can handle it all increases, meaning that I study a little harder to achieve that 4.0 and spend a bit of extra time making sure everything is in order for the end of the year meetings across campus.

Although it doesn't give me much more time to blog...

Have a magical day!

Day 1221: Brace Yourselves: Summer is Coming

The view outside my window is looking more green everyday...not to mention warmer. It's really nice, considering the fact that it's been absolutely freezing the entire spring semester, but it also means that our favorite time of year is almost here: summer! 

There's a lot in store for Everyday Disney over the summer. Most importantly, we'll catch everything up again. It's a long process, and with how this semester went I'll have my work cut out for me, but we'll get there eventually. There will be new YouTube videos every Friday and Noon, alternating between vlogs and other videos, and as always I'll be posting new pictures on Instagram. 

But the most exciting part of this summer would be the trips! Later this month I'll be heading down to Walt Disney World with my mom for a trip, and when I get back I'll be moving into our new apartment. Following that there's just over a month before Megan and I depart on a giant Road Trip Adventure to Colorado that will have plenty of Disney thrown in. Then, a week after returning from that trip I'll be headed to Florida again for a Youth Convention that I'm really excited about. 

All in all, it's going to be a busy summer, so brace yourselves!

Have a magical day!

Day 1211: So Far

Every so often I have this overwhelming feeling of "Wow, we've been here a long time." It's Day 1211. It's been three and a half years almost. That's insane. I never expected this to last beyond year one, and now we're in Year Four. Just...where did all the time go? And what in the world actually filled up three years of blog posts? So let's take a look back at what we've talked about so far: 

We've talked about our Fears and we've seen Dreams Come True. We talked about our love of PUSH and Morris Mulch before they left us, and discovered that Disney Music is often inspired by other compositions. We went to Disneyland and Disney World alike, and The Muppets did too, and also to the Twin Cities to talk to Colin O'Donoghue and Chicago to see the Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives. 

We saw Musicals, Shared our Ears, and even had Waffles with Walt. We touched on some hard hitting topics, like Air Cooling, Awkward Thanksgivings, and what we find on a cake, learned about the Hatbox Ghost, Fairy Tales, and took more than a few pictures. You can't forget the time we spent a day like Captain Hook either, or how we lived through New Park Maps and Dorm Rooms. Lots and Lots of Dorm Rooms. 

With movies, we talked about Silent Star Wars and my love of Han Solo. We watched Non-Disney movies like How to Train Your Dragon and Pearl Harbor and related them back to films like Cinderella. There were DCOMs and Dapper Days and Bathsoaps and Memes. And if that wasn't enough we went to MathMagic Land and Minecraft too! 

So I guess you could say that in 1211 Days, we've done a lot of stuff. But we're just getting started, because with Disney, there will never be enough. 

Have a magical day!