Everyone has goals January 1st

But it's February 1st when you really see who is sticking to them...come March? There isn't a soul left at the gym.  Not that that is everyone's goal - but quite a few people.

This week is exam week, which of course is also known as brain-drain-find-anything-to-distract-you-from-finals week.  I've been finding inspiration in places I never thought I would lately and I'm excited.  There are some great things coming up and some great things that have just past and I hope to share them.  My blogging skills have been quite horrible, but through my english class this semester I've really started to love writing again.  That being said I'm going to try my best to do my best at this blogging business. But I'm not going to organize and be crazy, i'm going to take baby steps and go from there :)

A lot has changed in the past few months. I, as well as my group of friends, are all adjusting to a new normal - a new way of being and living that no one would have suspected just months ago.  I have had incredible amounts of kindness extended towards me and have been blown away by a powerful love. I have learned so much about hardship and relationships and friendship and honesty and true happiness.  I have learned a ton in both class and life.

I will be in Canada a week tomorrow for quite a while and hope to get this place up to scruff.  I am so excited to see my family, my friends, my puppies and my home.

I'm going to leave you today with this quote, which has been playing on my heart a lot these past few days :

There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad and focus on the good. So love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living!

Edited:

I'm back! and it's the same day and I'm still thinking about the same thing - goals.  I just looked through my old bucket list and many of them still hold true - unfortunately.  I would love to pay off my debt, but I haven't yet.  I got caught up in the incredible life of Disney CRPs once again, and didn't save. I would love to run the Disney Marathon, and this time with my training buddy we plan to accomplish that - January 2014! I have a lot of different goals now as well though.  Many revolve around school, career, self improvement, health and family.

Everyone starts their goals in January.  Who wants to cut out alcohol or cookies right before Christmas? Not this girl! So we shall see.

I've always been a planner and a lot of that is taking place lately.  I am starting to focus on healthy breakfasts to power me up for the day, and getting to bed earlier so when those AM workouts begin it won't be such an intense turn around. One thing is for sure - having someone at my side through the entire thing is going to be incredible motivation and help when I don't want to go for a run or I really want ketchup chips!

Okay, to be honest, I don't think ketchup chips are going to get cut.  They are such an anomaly since moving here. However we have been sharing the same bag for like 2 weeks now and it's not gone - if that's not will power I don't know what is.

We also have talked a lot about the importance of home cooked, healthy meals.  The produce section is going to be my eternal best friend, and we're going to see how long we can go without those middle aisles of the grocery store!

I have a lot to save for, and even more to pay off. When you think about a future you don't want to be dragging along extra baggage that it is possible to be rid of just through hard work and smart spending.

My goals haven't changed but my motivations are stronger and based on more than just myself.

Health.
Happiness.
Financial Stability.
Graduation.
Career.

Although career starts before graduation occurs.  In April. The end of April? ASAP!

Not working for a year because of visa requirements? That, my friends, is an entire post of it's own.

Up next: My Disney Christmas Extravaganza...

Week long Update!

After Food Core Cafe Chelsea, Tamara, Linsey and I went to Magic Kingdom!

On our way to the monorail!

Chelsea and Tamara were stoked on the tiaras. 

Rode Splash Mountain!

Last two rows...I was pretending to sleep...sooo funny. I know. 

We decided this is quite possibly the cutest way to draw flowers ever.

The next day (Thursday) was my first day in the restaurant! It was nerve racking, but I got bombarded by familiar faces (especially in the kitchen) and it was nice to see so many people remembered me! Kind of overwhelming actually.  I feel a bit of pressure to remember everything and preform exceptionally well.  I'm trying to work hard and learn my menu well.  Things were a little different with the restaurant turning signature.

Like lapping napkins.  I can't lie. Laying a napkin on a middle aged man's lap is awkward.  Yup.

It's good though, we spiel paintings by The Group of 7 on our way down into the restaurant and then get to practise spieling desserts as we have a table with them displayed now.  Then we go to the table and let the guests know a fact about the province they're sitting in, and lap their napkins (read: awkward)

With training there are 4 positions inside (well kind of only 3) and then 3 positions outside.  I started my training inside the restaurant.  My first day was PM seating, then Stocker training then I had two days off!

The responsibility of the stocker is to make sure there is bread and cutlery all the time for the servers and to bus tables and help out where ever you can.  As well as stock the side plates and wine glasses in the side stations, rotate the white wine and stock the red wines.  It sounds pretty simple and most people thing it's the easiest shift but I feel like I'm running around the whole shift bussing and setting tables, doing bread, running cutlery, or doing something.  Maybe I just need practise lol. Last time I was here it was a shift everyone dreaded because you had to work hard (there's the laziness of my friends haha) where as now people are totally relaxed about it. Differences :)
Speaking of my days off...
I went to Epcot with my friend Meaghan, her roommates (from Mexican and Norway..soooo awesome!) as well as Laura and her boyfriend Troy who were visiting from Canada (Laura was on my last contract!).  It was super fun! We walked onto the Mexican Boat Ride (my favourite!) and listened to these guys...

The picture is a bit blurry but they mariachi band is SO good!

We also walked onto the Norway boat ride which was sweet! We did Soarin and test track as well! We had lunch at Le Cellier for the first time since coming down and it was of course really good! I had a mixed greens salad, gnocchi and a creme brulee although I could only eat about half of each course. So much food!!

After the rides I went to Hollywood Studios to meet Linsey for her birthday!! We had dinner at the Brown Derby (appies and dessert! So much food today!) but it was really nice and yummy!

Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee with a Dark Chocolate Dipped Biscotti

Bumbleberry Cobbler

Can you guess which of these desserts is mine? haha. I LOVE creme brulee. After dinner we watched Fantasmic which is Linsey's favourite show and we had great seats right up front in the middle. It's such an emotional little show! Really gets you! haha. It was such a great day! So jam packed with awesomeness!

I had Sunday off as well and after doing some chores around the house (laundry mainly) I ventured to this place:

Everest!

Animal Kingdom!!!! I LOVE Animal Kingdom.  It doesn't have as many thrilling rides etc as the other parks but it's so gorgeous and peaceful.  I went and studied my menu for a bit at a table surrounded by trees and water (trying to create a homelike environment in Central Florida haha) and then decided to hop on the Safari for a quick spin.
So glad I did!

Black Rhino bum!

Black Rhino taking a mud bath!

Hungry Hungry Hippos!

I can never remember their names..but their horns are filled with honeycomb
and actually not super heavy. They help them cool off somehow I think...

Giraffes going in for dinner!

Cool twisty horns!

I LOVE elephants!!!!!

I even MORE LOVE baby Elephants! (Good english there eh?)

This little guy was on the road and made us stop safari!

White Rhino! 

After Animal Kingdom closed I bussed to Magic Kingdom to do something I only do alone...

Grand Floridian Stop Over! Big band playing over the lobby

Huge chandelier! So gorgeous!

.....Watch the Hall of Presidents.  It is slightly embarassing enjoying this show so much when I am not American.
Here is why I love this show:
-The audio animatronics are incredible.  Abe Lincoln actually stands up, talks, gestures with this speech and sits back down.  All the presidents are introduced and nod, and then as they are being introduced all the other presidents turn to look at them, look as though they're making comments to one another, it's crazy impressive.
-Barack Obama.  He gives a speak at the end that is all about hope, coming together and truly being a group of people working together for the betterment of all the people, not just the rich and privileged.
-The Overall Message.  Yes this show is about American Pride.  However it's also about the roots of the creation of a government. The leaders who are showcased such as George Washington, Abe Lincoln and Barack Obama all speak messages of being one of the people, of working together for everyone, of being equal, tolerant and hopeful. I cannot stand the American Adventure show at Epcot, will never go in it again, and want to gag the whole time, as its a false glorified version of their history that focusses on their greatness and power and ignores their faults.  I would watch the Hall of Presidents continuously for 5 days straight instead of watching the American Adventure show once. Now that that rant is over...
So yes, I went to Magic Kingdom just to watch the Hall of Presidents. It shows the bad with the good as how you deal with things is how you form a real nation. Plus B-Obama is just generally awesome.

Castle Shot!

A Custodian Cast Member made this Goofy with rain water!!! SOOOO impressive and cool!
I'd heard they did this but had never gotten to see one :) Yay! Magical Moment!

Leaving Magic Kingdom I wanted to try and find something for another birthday coming up and headed to Epcot!

Must do Spaceship Earth Shot

Chelsea likes Hello Kitty so I was trying to find something for her at the department store in the Japan Pavilion.  I didn't like anything really so just gave her my original idea instead...which you'll hear about in December...yup, a ways off! haha

Epcot sunset!

I was craving a pretzel since I arrived (I have a gross love for pretzels in any form) and thought Germany would be the perfect place to get one.   Unfortunately it was super dry and not very yummy.  I'm willing to try one more sometime, but not soon.  Instead I got what is kind of a snow cone from Japan instead. And it was SO GOOD! It's called Kaki-Gori and you get to pick the flavour (I got rainbow) and it's fruity juice but didn't taste like normal topping syrup. It was less sugary and just yummy! And the ice didn't clump into a big chuck which made it perfect!

I made my way home after this and went out with Chelsea to celebrate her birthday at TGIFridays! We just had a chill meal and chat. It was fun :P)

Monday I was trained on AM seater.  It's a lot like dinner seating however you don't lap napkins and we have a different table setting and different desserts. That night I went to Canadian Girls which went out to a bar called Sun on the Beach.  It was fun, there was lots of dancing and Backstreet Boys.... haha.

Tuesday was my last training shift in the restaurant and I was trained on Greeter.  Much like it sounds you greet people into the restaurant.  It's a pretty chill position and besides the fact that you're standing in 90 degree weather in polyester black pants and a long sleeved totally buttoned shirt it's fun.  The part that sucks is telling guests continuously that we are full! They look so disappointed and it feels like I've crushed their hopes and dreams...continuously all night! Sometimes they got upset at you as well, saying that they paid a ton to be there, that their kids are so tired and starving etc... makes you feel bad but there isn't anything you can do as the greeter.  No decisions are made by us.  Most people are super nice about it and understanding though so that's good. And the few times we can take walk ins makes you feel so good!

After my Greeter shift, I had to have 4 shifts proving I could do the 4 positions I've been trained on.  I have done my prove it greeter, PM seater and stocker shifts and tomorrow I have my prove it AM seater shift.  Then Tuesday I'll start training outside on the popcorn cart!

Yesterday and today were my days off this week! Yesterday was one of the most fun days yet!

Gabrielle & Camille!

We started bright and early with Wine Class at 9am with Janice.  She taught us quite a lot about tasting profiles on our popular wines and we got to do a tasting! Then we ate lunch at Le Cellier (I know, no more meals out until I spiel!) which was delicious and so fun! They marked that it was an anniversay so JS said he was having one with himself, which landed him an Anniversary celebration plate and both of us some champagne! At lunch with was JS, Camille, Gabrielle, Kyle, Tamara and I! Wade served us in the very middle of the restaurant, good times! So much laughing.

Happy Anniversary!!

Anniversary Champagne

After lunch we headed to Typhoon Lagoon!!!! So much fun! Tamara, Linsey and I headed over and had a blast on the raft water slides and in the wave pool.  It took us about two hours on the bus though because we took a really bad route! haha. After Typhoon Lagoon we met up with Chelsea at the Beach Club for ice cream at Beaches and Cream. I don't know what happened but I started feeling SO sick as soon as we went in and watching the guy make the sundaes made me sick! I definitely didn't have one, although Tamara and Linsey did, Chelsea and I shared onion rings which made me feel better. I think it was because I ate my left over lunch after it had been sitting in the sun for a few hours....whooops!

After Beaches and Cream we made our way over to Downtown Disney where Gabrielle joined us (after sitting at the bus stop for an hour poor girl!) and we had Earl of Sandwich.

Earl of Sandwich is the greatest sandwich known to man.

It's so good.

If you haven't had Earl of Sandwich stop reading, google your closest Earl and go there immediately.

It's that good!
hehehe

I couldn't finish so got to have some left overs today (well refrigerated, don't worry!) We got home and headed to Gabrielle's to hang out for a while before coming home and hanging out at Meaghan's.

Long day but soooo much fun!!! Today I'm taking it easy a bit as I have some chores to do and a big exciting surprise that I can't tell until tomorrow!!!!

Sorry for such a long post!! Hope you're fully caught up and I didn't over share! haha And if Vanessa ever reads this...HI!!! ;)

Disney University Food Core Cafe

Yesterday morning we had a Food Core training course at Disney University.  It was another very early morning and to be honest about 95% of the class had difficulty staying awake.  It was also mainly about Food Safety which is an online course that usually you would take yourself.  I think being able to click through the slides myself and do the little activities would have kept my eyes wider awake.
Tamara and I got to left class early because we had already done the majority of the e-learning classes.  We also got given work shoes during this class.  I hope they are comfortable and don't ruin my feet as my real work shoes (SAS shoes) are the most comfortable shoes on the planet and I wish we could wear them. Oh well!
After class Tamara went home to do some chores/shopping and I waited for Chelsea to finish.  We ended up popping over to Magic Kingdom and grabbed burritos for lunch! If you know me, you know how much I LOVE burritos! It was yummy but huge!
We came home and as my Italian roommate moved out two days ago they changed our locks and I had to get a new key.  After a wee nap (okay, I napped for two hours...and it was beautiful) we went back to Magic Kingdom! We started off with some dinner at Pinocchio's Haus (kids meals!) then cruising the Caribbean with Jack Sparrow followed by a huge drop into a briar patch.  We then rode through a haunted mansion, boated with children of the world, went to the 'opry' with our avourite Disney characters and finished off with ice cream on Main Street! (Tofutti for this kid!) It was pretty darn fun!

Today I had a much needed glorious sleep in.  I've been up before 6:30 all week and doing things all day so it felt amazing to sleep in.  Today is my first seating shift in Le Cellier and I'm pretty nervous about being in there again.  Should be interesting. I'm going to whip up a smoothie and some flash cards before catching the bus!

Traditions

On Friday night before Traditions I got asked to go to Rascal Flatts!!

Justin Moore, Easton Corbin and Sara Evans opened for them!!

Ashley, Candice, Wade and Brittany

It was at an amphitheatre..and hot!

The Band!

  Kaity, one of the super nice girls who greeted us before the throw in got really sick on Friday and couldn't go.  She was kind enough to think of me as a replacement and I'm very glad she did.  It really sucked because I don't want to gain from her being sick but I was really excited to get the chance to go! It was so much fun! I also appreciate Kaity's kindness, she could have offered so many other people but thought of me, and that really does a lot to make someone feel more wanted/welcomed into the pavilion.

 It was super fun!!

On Saturday we had Traditions class.  It is a long day.  You start out with a union talk, and they don't tell you that it actually costs money, and that you get to have union representation whether you pay them or not... My aunties will be very unpleased that I said this...however think of the extra nearly $500.00 that I'm saving..especially because I'm not going to do anything dumb enough to need the union for.  If I were a full time actual cast member I would join for sure, but being only on the visa they can't really help you out on a lot of things, and the ones they can they will anyways.  Plus you don't get to vote or make any decisions for/with the union so there you go.

 

After the union 'chat' Traditions actually starts. I won't tell you all about it, but in general it's a look at the Disney culture, the Disney 4 keys, the Disney basics and the traditions of the company.  You also get a super cool tour of the Utiladors under the Magic Kingdom as well as get to have lunch in the Mousecateria...where Snow White, or Cinderella's step sisters, or the Fairy Godmother might be having lunch as well!!! It's so unbelievably cool to see them having lunch in the same place as you. Yup, I'm a geek!

Mickey Mouse himself even delivered our name tags to us!! We got our cast member IDs which we clock in and out of work with, as well as get into the Parks with! Yay!

That being said, we went home, had some dinner and headed to Magic Kingdom!!! It was so exciting! 

We rode Pirates of the Caribbean and then watched part of the Electrical Parade, Wishes and ended by riding Space Mountain.  We had the most hilarious photo and it kinda still makes me laugh 2 days later. hahaha.

Getting home was a bit of a mess though! The monorail wasn't working so the ferry was crazy packed, so we devised a plan to go to Pop Century and take the cast bus from there. However the pop century line was then huge! So we hoped into the Caribbean Beach bus line (which is on the same cast bus line...confusing eh?) and after about an hour made it home!
Phew!

We had Sunday off as well so after a quick trip to the doctor (when I say quick I mean about 3 hours all together) (I had an inflamed eyelid..whoops!) we went to Hollywood Studios!!

Extreme Stunt Show!

This plane flew Disney executives from coast to coast..including my Rosen professor
Ron Logan!!

 We were also in the Backlot Tour Pre-show!! Chelsea and I decided to ask how you got to do it, and she said you ask me! and Bam! We were in! It was pretty funny, I was the ship captain, Chelsea and Linsey swabbed the decks and Tamara was the mechanic.  If you've seen the show you know what I'm talking about...if you haven't I'll try to steal some pictures off Brett!  Basically they show you what it's like to shoot a scene and then play it back with all the effects etc.  We were under attack!

After Hollywood Studios Tamara headed back home for a relaxing evening and the rest of us headed to Epcot for dinner! Originally we were going to do Marrakesh the restaurant in the Morocco pavilion but decided Mexico instead.  It was so yummy...but then we found out we didn't get a cast discount! Doh!

Good thing I had water and vegetables ;)

We also stayed and watched Illuminations as it was Brett's first time at the parks! Also I love Illuminations..but you know that! 

Vegan Cupcake Tops!

 Yesterday we had Discovery Day at Epcot where you learn about the park, it's history, Walt's original idea and how it became what it is today.  Then we had a Le Cellier/Canada tour with DJ our Trainer.  After this Chelsea and I went to Downtown Disney to visit Babycakes the vegan bakery!! It was pretty exciting! We both got just a cupcake top (hers was red velvet, mine was blondie) and they were good!

We originally had thought about ice cream but after the sweetness of the cupcake top we couldn't do it.  We grabbed some Earl of Sandwich (SOOOOO YUMMMY!) and caught the bus to Ft. Wilderness!!! They have a sing-a-long campfire with Chip and Dale here nightly!!! We missed the sing-a-long part of the evening (whoops!) but made it to watch a large chuck of 'The Rescuers Down Under'! Right before it ended the fireworks were about to start so we bussed/jogged down to the lakeside to listen to and watch Wishes!!

After the fireworks we got a private boat ride over to the Contemporary! We had to wait out in the water a bit because the Pirates Fireworks cruise was just about to dock...and meet Peter Pan!!!
And since we were right behind them...we got to see Peter too!!!

Today was more e-learning at Epcot and then the afternoon was spent going over things with Janice, one of our Le Cellier managers.  I'm about to go for a run and then who knows! ttfn!