Mar 6–Mar 12, 2011

Another week in the books – I can’t believe it’s already mid-March.  I could swear I was just celebrating Christmas and the New Year!  As I grow older, time seems to move faster and faster.  Time slips away from me – living, working, playing.  And this week I experienced a very nice balance of work and life.

As always, work was busy this week.  I originally had taken an overdue holiday so I could have 3 days off but that was not to be for me.  Due to extenuating circumstances, I had to “bank” my holiday again (for use at a later time) and work the entire 5 day work week.  However, it was a lovely and varied week of work.  On Tuesday, I made sure James made a ‘guest’ appearance in my new show.  Several of his friends came out to see it.  It was a really moving moment and a lovely tribute to our friend.  I will always carry that memory with me.

In addition to MMY this week, I also got to ‘refresh’ on Disney Channel Rocks and Disney Dance Crew in preparation for my scheduled shift on Sunday.  I loved being back on the Pier and in the Backlot!  As much as I love my current Disneyland status, I miss my DCA shows – the cast, the crew, the shows themselves.  Hopefully I won’t have to go another 2 months before getting to make another guest appearance.  Speaking of being away – I also miss my Jedi cast & crew.  But this week, I had the opportunity to lead a meeting with half of the cast.  It was just a couple of hours but they are a great bunch too!  Starting at the end of the month, I will see a few of them on a more regular basis because I’ll be playing on the Jedi softball team again! Super excited!!!

For the life portion of my week… it was my little sister Karen’s birthday week!  One of the reason we bought the season tickets for OCPAC was because of Wicked.  And the fact it was playing the day  before her birthday was icing on the cake.  We made it a girl’s night out event.  Mom, Karen, Jamie (Karen’s BFF), and myself met for dinner at the Olive Garden before the show – Sarah joined us straight from work for the show.  After I got off work, I drove over & picked up Mom from her job.  Since we were early for dinner, we stopped at Costco and did a bit of shopping before heading to the restaurant.  Karen and Jamie got stuck in a bit of traffic but eventually made it to dinner.  We ate way to many breadsticks and had enough meal leftover for lunch the next day – yum!  And no matter how we plan to have enough time, we always seem to get the waiter who just disappears as we are ready to wrap things up and pay our check.  Ah well…best laid plans and all…

Then it was on to the show.  We made it with just enough time to purchase the requisite magnet and hit the ladies room before taking our seats.  This was the first show in the two years I’ve been a season ticket holder, in which there were no empty seats.  We usually sneak forward a few rows but we actually had to sit in our assigned seats for a change.  We enjoyed a lovely production of Wicked and Sarah & I knew two people in the company from their days at Disney!  Mom & Karen had never seen it and it was joy to share this experience with them.  Overall, it was a lovely celebration for the ‘small child’ :)

Saturday was also a very fun filled day – in short (because you’ll get to read all about it in my 12 on 12 post) I got hang with family, including cousin Barbara, shop a bit more for a sofa, and play at the Park in the afternoon/evening.  Needless to say, I was exhausted when I arrived home that night.  But before bed there was one last task to complete – changing all the clocks ahead 1 hour for Daylight Savings.  I am not a fan of ‘spring forward’ and losing that hour.  Alas, I got all but two clocks changed and hit the hay because the new week was going to start with a bang early the next morning!

Feb 27–Mar 5, 2011

It was a week of ups and downs for me.  I started the week with the Academy Awards on Sunday night.  I always enjoy the event, it’s just fun.  I’d only seen a few of the nominees but still got a kick out of everything.  However, no sooner had the broadcast begun than my upstairs neighbors began banging – a rhythmic banging, over and over.  After 10 minutes of nonstop banging I thought I was going to lose my mind.  I called my Mom and was venting to her – after another 10 minutes (20 total) she convinced me to go upstairs and inquire.  Turns out my neighbors were “breading steak” – and they still needed another 5 minutes – I’ve never breaded steak that way!  I suppose to each their own.  Their response was “oh I guess that would be annoying to hear”.  Uh-huh!  Thankfully they did eventually stop and I was able to catch up with the ceremony due to the awesome technology of pausing live television! 

Work was the usual this week.  Nothing too out of the ordinary.  I had another work meeting after a shift one night – things are still developing.  More later.

On Wednesday, life took a definite down turn, made all the more intense by my present mood (see previous post if you are adventurous).  I learned my friend and former colleague, James Gattuso, had a heart attack and passed away on Monday – he was 41.  I learned a great deal from him in our shared years at Disney.  We traded books, laughs, and a desire to travel more (which we never did together).  Thursday after work, a few of us gathered at a mutual friend’s house to talk and remember James.  And on Tuesday, I’ll be having my own honorary memorial at the Resort.  His official memorial will be March 20th.  The world truly lost a good man and he will be missed.  He will always be remembered on Fantasmic as the guy who said we should “pray for spiders on the stage right path”!  He meant to type spray but missed and sent out the “prayer” out to all involved with Fantasmic! 

It was definitely a reminder to not put off seeing friends and telling loved ones what they mean in my life.  I’d spoken to him in August and we said we should get together soon.  And suddenly it’s March and I’ve missed my chance.

Friday I got to spend an evening out with Mom.  Rock of Ages the Musical was in town and I’d gotten us tickets.  She and I used to go to our classic rock concerts at least once a year.  Unfortunately tickets are just too expensive these days – we liked it when they hadn’t had a resurgence in popularity!  The show is set in the mid-to-late 80’s and features songs from all our favorites (Journey, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Styx) and my beloved Hair Metal bands (Warrant, Damn Yankees, Whitesnake, Poison, etc).  We had such a fantastic time! 

Before the show we met at South Coast Plaza and did some shopping at Crate & Barrel.  Mom had a gift certificate/credit to use.  It was fun wandering and figuring out what she could use and/or want.  She ended up with a bowl, a serving casserole & stand, a couple of pastry tools, a pepper grinder, and a few crème Brule bowls.  Not a bad score at all!  Then we moseyed next door to Pottery Barn to look at the sofa I’m considering purchasing and the fabric choices. 

After shopping it was time for dinner.  We choose TGIFriday’s because it was close & neither of us had been there too recently.  Of course we completely forgot it was a Friday night – needless to say the 90 minutes we thought we had to enjoy a leisurely meal and walk to the theater didn’t quite pan out.  We got our food with about 15 minutes to eat it before we had to dash out.  We arrived at the theater as they were ringing the 5 minute bell and sat in the seats just minutes before curtain.  But oh, what laughs we enjoyed.  It was one of those “leave the theater at the end of the night with your cheeks hurting because you’ve been smiling & laughing so much” shows.

I was fairly unproductive on Saturday – just hung around the house reading (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – finished it too!) & vegging in front of the television.  That evening I drove out to Corona for Ashna & Preston Horman’s housewarming/Carter’s 1st birthday celebration.  It was lovely and their home is quite nice – it’ll definitely be a place they can grow their family.  On my way home I stopped at Target and picked up some cheap furniture – a side table, a small coffee table, a small storage ottoman, and 2 throw pillows (plus groceries the bill was still under $100).  They’ll do until I can afford to purchase the good stuff!  I ended my week putting together my newly acquired furniture.  

12 on 12 February

I was afraid this 12 on 12 would be quite similar to January in that I was scheduled for the exact same shift.  A few things, however, were different; and I tried to get photos of different points of interest. 

Like most days, I began my waking up process by sitting down at the computer and catching up on my email & social applications.  FarmVille recently introduced the greenhouse where you can create hybrid seeds.  I am currently combining jalepeno and peppers to create fire peppers!  :) 

Then it was time for breakfast - turkey bacon and an egg rolled into a flour tortilla.  Yum!

 This is my "lost kitchen" - when I moved back to CA from UT in 1996, I packed all these kitchen supplies.  Since I moving back in my the folks, I didn't need them right away.  However, when I did move back out I could not find these to save my life.  Now that my parents are putting the house on the market, I needed to move all my storage totes to my own place.  And wa-la... kitchen found!  Of course I'd replaced most of this already so now I have lots of extras!

 This is another of the childhood totes.  As you can see, a loved Cabbage Patch doll along with some Young Women crafts are stored here.  This is also where I found my ACT scores from 1992.  English - 26, Math - 28, Reading (Soc Science/Arts/Lit) - 29, Science - 29; for a Composite of 28 (out of 36).  I was in the 94% range.

This is work - well, where my office space is located anyway.  As you are driving I-5 through Anaheim you see a big green building - it's yellow on the other side! :)  This is the view from the parking structure 4th floor where I parked.  It's a really long building, probably at least 2 football field lengths from end to end. 

This is the entrance to the row of cubicles where I am temporarily assigned - 326A.  I share with a friend of mine - he's permanent at one end of the cube; I'm at the other.  This is the beginning of the Entertainment Dept - we continue on for at least a football field length on one side of the building. 

One of the six elevators in the building - heading to the 3rd floor.  On a night where I'm scheduled for MMY/Remember, I will go up and down the elevator, to and from my desk, 4-5 times to attend to several meetings and pre-show checks.  Sometimes I will fore-go the elevator and use the stairs. 

Dinner - leftover Hamburger Helper and a Diet Coke.  I had already finished my left over enchildas from my birthday dinner :( so this is what I could scrounge together that day.  Nothing very exciting.  

The book I was planning on starting during my dinner break.  Unfortunately that night we were having some technical difficulties so my break was cut short & I didn't actually get past the first chapter.  

Once again, the view from where I sit for fireworks.  I thought my actual camera would produce a better shot but since I didn't want to draw attention to myself (we're not supposed to take pics while backstage) and since I was so far away anyway that a flash wouldn't help... well, it's not so much better than my phone camera.  But it's still one of the coolest places to see the show!


This is Richard - he's a pyro guy!  We call him Skittles - long story!  He's one of several pyro personnel on the show - great guy and great to work with!  I am so very lucky to be privileged to work with such talented and amazing people.

This is Pete - he's a FSO (Fire Safety Officer) with the Disneyland Fire Department.  Pete's great - always good to have around.  This is where we stand for the MMY portion of the evening after fireworks.  But he's also up on the roof with me as well.  The FSO can make or break your show - if he says "stop" we gotta stop :) 





So that's my 12 on 12 for February.  It's a little tricky taking pictures of my work life as "they" are quite strict in their policy of no backstage pictures.  I try to 'sneak' in shots that don't give away anything.  I think I did a pretty decent job.  No secrets to reveal here, just a day in the life of me!

1986 Spring

I am 11 years old and getting ready to graduate from the Merrie Miss level at church.  I don't remember much about the gathering.  Obviously my parents got me a corsage & attended.  It was at the home of one of our leaders, the Bergers.  I'm sure people spoke and there were likely refreshments involved. 

Strangely enough, I remember more of an activity that took place at the Berger's somewhere around the same time.  Our leader at the time, Sister Reynolds was teaching us how to make & decorate a cake shaped like a bunny.  To this day, I remember how 2 rounds turned into a bunny!  There was also much jumping on the Berger's trampoline this day.  Which for me, was good fun because I didn't have one! 

Sadly, I do not remember all the girls in this photo - I do remember some of them.  Amazing how most of your friends from your youth gradually disappear from your life.  Thankfully, some remain - in however small a portion of your life.  It's nice to have someone in your life who remembers your awkward stage & your feathered hair & your awful fashion sense!

Music

I love music! I can't imagine life without music. I can't think of a day when I don't listen to music - I wake up to it, I drive to it, I often walk to it, I work to it - it penetrates every aspect of my life. And the truly great thing is the variety of music I enjoy, from Gaelic Storm (Irish folk/pop) to Trans-Siberian Orchestra (Christmas rock) to Three Dog Night to Bon Jovi and on and on.

During a break the other day at work, I stepped outside on the streets of Hollywood at DCA to listen to the Delta Daddios (4 piece a cappella group). I remembered how much I loved the sound of a good a cappella sound. I came home & pulled up The Nylons on my iPod to continue the theme. I'm jealous of those that are able to use their voice as an instrument.

Then today, I got to work at the Jedi Training Academy & thoroughly enjoy the music of John Williams. It's so amazing the themes he is able to create and the emotions he can invoke with his instrumentation & composition.

And continuing the idea of marking time - music is similar to sports which I mused about previously. I hear Neil Diamond and am instantly transported to thoughts of Mom and summer vacation. We used to listen to the Hot August Night album as she took her turn driving. I loved to sit up front & listen with her. Toto makes me think of my sisters & I in the upper part of the camper singing our hearts out as we passed the time on the road. Guns n' Roses takes me to my teenage years & Motley Crue to my pre-game pump up sessions.

I am so grateful to be blessed with the ability to hear. Music takes me places & colors my life in so many ways.