Day 3 of Disney Challenge /Apartment

ALMOST got all the boxes out of the way! Still need to find something to do with my DVDs and movies because we don't have an entertainment center yet so I have 3 boxes just lyin in my floor. I also have 2 boxes of picture frames I need to find places for. Weird thing about my pictures...I have some old pics in there. Of old people. People I don't talk to anymore, or haven't hung out with in a really long time. Now I have a strict policy for myself on my photo albums...never take a photo out. Even if it is of an ex and I kissing, I leave it in and just grimace when I look at it years later. How else are you going to remember those bad times you had? Or...some good times you don't want to think about anymore :-P So I'm trying to decide if I want to change my pictures at last....put in some new ones, of my new life here with the new people I have met/going to meet. Til then, I just keep looking at boxes piled in my bedroom. But hey, only 5! That's pretty good. I got my chest of drawers and my book shelf built, mom bought me a great jewelry organizer to hang on the door, I found a shoe organizer in my stuff that I hung on the other side of the door---its really feeling like home! And the living room/kitchen/dining room----ugh I don't ever wanna leave it! It's SOOO cozy! Jason really is a BEAUTIFUL interior decorator. I admit, I am tacky. T-A-C-K-Y. In my house you're going to find five different colors in the living room, my Disney and Harry Potter and Broadway stuff all over the house and please don't forget my huge gaudy Disney princess calendar on the door. :-D That's just how I am. But I love living in a place that's so cozy and beautiful. And today, we're going to start painting! Just the kitchen and 2 walls in the living room. I don't really love to paint but its going to be really pretty! 

 So, going back to the Disney Challenge (cause if I don't continue I will never get to 30 days :-P)Day #3: Your favorite heroine: Belle 

 AND

  Pocahontas

Yeah yeah so I cheated a little :-P I have two favorite heroines and both are amazing women who saved  lives. I love the later Disney characters who didn't necessarily sit around, dreaming of their prince. These women actually made things happen--or took the time to fall in love. So lets start with Belle.

 I believe I am the most like Belle, in personality and in looks. My dream is to be her one day at Disney. Every Disney personality test I take says I am most like Belle. She gets lost in her books, dreaming of new adventures but she will sacrifice all of those dreams to save someone she loves. She doesn't judge immediately, she sees what some others cannot. She fell in love with the Beast because of his heart, nevermind the looks. And she comes running into the castle to save her love after Gaston has locked her in a cellar. Her love breaks the spell and saves everyone in the castle. She has a really good heart and I have always tried to be a sweet person. So Belle is one of my favorite princesses and definitely my favorite heroine because her love saves the Beast and everyone else :-) 

Pocahontas: Gahh, where do I begin?! I wish Disney did more like this. Take a historical figure, sure you can twist it around a bit but keep that historical figure and make her into this beautiful heroine young girls can look up to. I don't think I even have to explain. She saved her people, she kept a war from happening, she saved the one she loved. She fell in love against all odds, and did say goodbye for the good of her people. Remember when every little girl was wearing her necklace and her red arm tattoo? I know I did for a long time, lol. I love the movie and it is such BEAUTIFUL music and animation! I really want to see it on stage one day :-) Suppose I will settle for the little show "Pocahontas and Friends" in Animal Kingdom. lol. 

 So I hear Jason getting up so we are probably going to go get paint and more things for the apartment. It is a beautiful 68 degrees here today, hope everyone has a magical day!

*faith*trust* and *pixie dust*

 <3

LOVING it!!!!

 Ok so I'm falling behind on my Disney 30 day challenge....good thing this isn't like a diet or something or I'd be screwed :-P

 So I have been in my apartment and in Florida for almost a week now. I am loving every minute of it. Florida is just amazing--the weather is gorgeous (I will probably start complaining when it hits 110 degree heat but right now I love it) there is SO much to do! So many new places to eat ((yeah, TRYING not to spend money eating out but theres so many wonderful places to try! :-) )) and being in a brand new place, just doing new things and hanging with new people is incredible.
 The apartment looks GORGEOUS. Having a roomie with taste and who knows how to decorate and build shit is awesome, lol. I feel quite useless but I hold something here or throw away something there. Oh wait, I vacuumed last night. I've done my womanly duty :-P But no, it really does look fantastic. And our screened in porch is to die for. I can't wait til we get furniture and can sit out there :-)
 Have not started work yet--we start in 6 days!!!! I hung out with 2 full time character performers last night and had a great time--they're both total sweethearts and a lot of fun. I whined and complained to them about not getting the BBB and they both said, just keep talking to ppl, make myself known, etc. So I'll try it. Til then I'll chill in Attractions, wherever they put me :-)

  ... well, I think thats it. We have been going nonstop since we got here, I think today I'll finish organizing my room and take it easy then might go out tonight. Thanks to Jason, I now have a chest of drawers for my clothes and a bookshelf for all my books :-) So i can finally get some of these boxes out of here! But the living room and kitchen look wonderful--will post pics soon!
 <3<3<3

I'm Here!

 Well, I can't stay for long but I wanted to do a quick update. Arrived at our apartment on Thursday and it was a BITCH moving all that stuff up the stairs. But we're settled in for the most part and have enjoyed showing our parents around. Evangeline (our cat) loves her new home :-)
 I love this place. It's so cute and a lot of space. There are three windows in the living room and the sunlight just pours in. We left snow in Memphis and got to 60 and 70 degree weather in Florida--its glorious!
 I am a bit nervous about how to pay for everything (rent, utilities, insurance, drivers license and Florida tags, groceries, etc) but I'm determined to make it work. And I start work at Disney in 10 days!!! :-D :-D

So anyway, that's my short post. I'm unpacking and finding places for stuff right now and am probably going to take a nap out on the screened in porch. Our parents leave tomorrow---it will be sooooooooo hard to say goodbye but I'm looking forward to venturing out into Kissimmee and seeing my new home :-)

 <3!

New Year/ Day 2..

Haha, yeah I didn't think this 30 day challenge would work out cause I can hardly get on the internet. But it's ok, I'm having fun! So day 2 is...

Day #2: Your favorite princess: Ariel
 ((Part of your World Reprise is like one of my favorite Disney songs of all time--so beautiful!))

 Well, this is kinda a repeat. Everything said about Ariel the first time goes for this answer too. lol. I think I was a mermaid in a past life...but I was involved in this really great project my senior year of college called "The Chance to Dream". The director took a small group of students (of very different backgrounds and social groups and such) and interviewed us for several weeks. It was mainly about our dreams, our future goals, our past, how we got into theatre, that sort of thing. She took our stories and made a script about it. It was SO much fun. We had to pair up and as we told our story, our partner had to come up with movements to help tell the story. Before our final presentation, we paired up with our partners and our partner had to tell our story (before we did) and tell what they like about it, etc. My partner was my good friend Jason (Gerhard) and he said the most awesome thing.
 "My favorite thing about AniKa is that she is always dreaming. We all think she's crazy and we all make fun of her but I envy her so much because she will never give up her dreams and will never really stay on land...she's always floating away, one way ot the other. I envy that".
 My story was about how my mom gave me a fin when I was really little and I didn't take it off for weeks. I walked around in it, and when I was at home, I "swam" through my carpet :-) As I grew up, my fin kind of disappeared for a bit as I learned to walk (wobbly, like Ariel) through life but sometimes I jump back in that water and my fin grows back. I love the metaphor we came up with and I LOVED the movements he did for my story, they were beautiful. So that's another thing about my favorite princess and about me :-)

 So HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2011, wow I feel old. lol. New Years was pretty laid back, actually. Not a big party, just a few close friends. We brought in the new year popping those confetti poppers and making a hell of a mess in the living room floor. But we had a great time. Nikki came into town for a few days and it was so wonderful to just catch up with her. I had dinner with a group from high school (middle school really!) and it was amazing to see how much has changed and how much we've grown up. 4 of us have tattoos, one is married, one is getting married, one is talking about kids, one is trying to get a job out of town....it's incredible.

 So, thinking about 2010. Some of my favorite memories....

--visiting Disneyworld with my best friend. (I took him for his birthday). We had so much fun and we both decided we had to work there.
--my first community theatre show. The Crucible--my favorite play of all time, I played an amazing role and learned so much. I had a blast. (and I got to hang every night! How cool is that, lol)
--The Shadowbox. The most fun role I have ever done, one I want to play again one day. I got to show the department I was not just a little innocent princess--I could play a freak if I wanted. lol
--Even though it was so hard and not a great memory, it's still memorable. Helping Jason. He had a major knee injury and surgery in December and he spent awhile on crutches and went to physical therapy. His confidence fell and he had a hard time being happy for awhile. I have to say, I did everything I could to be the best friend I could be and do think I succeeded. I made him laugh, we had some great times...that's all that matters. He overcame it with the help of his family but I think I had a small part in it too :-)
--Mertz Awards. I won "Most Improved in the Department". Whoa, such a huge honor for me. Even though it was just a department award, it was my peers that voted and thought I had improved!
--Summer Youth Conservatory at Playhouse on the Square. I was an assistant but loved every minute of it. Loved working with the kids and being around them when they became actors! It was incredible to watch the transformations!
--Going back to Orlando in August to search for an apartment. Jason and I had made the decision we were moving there and we were exploring the city for the first time. We also went to WWOHP. AMAZING!
--Getting accepted into the Disney College Program! And then getting a phone call from Jason saying he was acccepted too! We got our purple folders on the same day.
--John and Jen. Such an unbelievable experience. One that made me realize I loved directing and I would love to try it again one day. Such a proud moment for me when people I respected and loved came up to me and said it brought tears to their eyes or that I had a real talent for the art. I was so unbelievably proud of Jason and Christina. It was a beautiful show.
--Speaking of Christina, rooming with her. We didn't know each other extremely well but she became one of my closest friends and confidantes, as well as the best roomate I've ever had. We had our differences but overall, she was incredible. Lots of fun memories in the house :-)
--Going back to Orlando in October for a few days--spending time with some entertainment people and having a blast around the park. We had a great night at Cole's the night before we left, we all gathered at his house, ordered pizza and watched a Tinkerbell movie. Then we walked around his neighborhood and just talked. They were some incredible people and I can't wait to be able to have more nights like that.
--And finally, graduating college Magna Cum Laude. My mom and Jason were there to see me walk and I graduated with two of my close friends from high school. It was such a huge honor (neither of my parents have graduated, though Mom has 2 more classes!) and I'm glad I decided to walk.

 2010 has been a wonderful year. I can't wait to see what adventures 2011 will bring!

:-D

30 Day Disney Challenge: Day One

This might only work if I can get online everyday, huh? lol. Well, I wanted to participate in this but it won't be every day....just every day that I have internet and that I can get online to update this, haha. Anyway-

 I apologize for the angry post the other day. Today's post is going to be first number of the challenge and my explanation (or my attempt at an explanation) some characters WILL be repeats, I can tell you that right now :-)

Day One: Favorite Character

Ariel (The Little Mermaid) has been my favorite since I was a baby. I don't know how many copies of the movie my mom had to buy, I kept re-watching it over and over--I'd be in the bath tub and do the "Part of your world" part and splash water ALL over the floor. Even when I started to crawl, I dragged my legs behind me like a fin--soon, my mom bought me a fin I could put on and I refused to take it off. I walked around grocery stores with a fin on my legs. lol
  This is weird because I am most like Belle, in personality and in looks. I'm not a whole lot like Arel--except the whole "don't feel like I belong here" kind of thing. Wanting to be part of another world. I can definitely relate to that one. But I've never wanted to trade anying on my body just for a man :-P Never fallen in love at first sight either. Nevertheless, Ariel has always been my favorite (and I LOVE Jodi Benson's voice...I could listen to her day and night for the rest of my life and never get tired of it!)
My mom actually just gave me a singing Ariel doll for Christmas this year :-D I love it!

Coming in close 2nd to my favorite character is Flynn Ryder from the newest one, Tangled. He is charming and adorable and a sweetheart--and he makes the ultimate sacrifice. I mean, the heroes have rescued the damsels but damn, what he does! I bawled and melted at the same time :-) I'm sure I'll be putting him for my favorite hero later on in the countdown.

Anyway, that's it on my "Disney talk" for the day. lol--Hope everyone had a very merry Christmas! I'm excited for New Years--I have a good friend coming into town for a few days and I will be ringing in the new year with my best friend and some of my closest friends--and we'll be toasting to whatever is to come in 2011. 2 weeks until we leave for Florida!!!

:-D

til next time
 faith*trust*and pixie dust
<3<3<3

Hurt and Angry

So, I have something to say that I have needed to get off my chest. I kinda close down when it comes to emotions (sometimes) and I have the bad habit of just exploding, either in tears or in a stream of curse words.
 I am so angry at my father. And Dad, if you are reading this...I am MAD at you! I am angry and hurt. Do you realize that your only daughter graduated from college? And with honors?! I got a text from you the morning of my graduation, right after I walked and it was something stupid about how you lost your job again and you were back on the road. Guess what? I AM FREAKING PISSED. Aunt Gigi and Jen were the ONLY ones from my dad's side of the family who acknowdged my graduation. I am so extremely grateful for that. Seriously, I am not asking for money (although some finiancial assitance for your DAUGHTER would be much appreciated) but just a congratulations, even a card would be so nice! I know money is tight...so you can't send a 2 dollar card with a few simple words of pride in it??!

...My dad ruined my high school graduation. I'm sorry, it's true, he ruined it and I was crying the whole way home. ((for those who don't know the story, it's long so I'll just say he came into town for my ceremony with his mother and brother and he was supposed to take me to dinner after the ceremony)) After I walked, I called him and he was heading back home! I never even saw him.

My 21st birthday....I spent it in Chicago with my former roomie and our friend--for some reason I wanted to see Dad...he said he would take me to dinner. He showed up with a new girlfriend, I PAID for my own birthday lunch and then when we were supposed to spend the day together, he said he had to go home to finish LAUNDRY. OH-MY-GOD you selfish, selfish man!!!! I cried after he left and my friends did their best to cheer me up on my birthday.

Seriously Dad...I hope you're reading this. I have had an awful history with you...if you remember the letter I wrote to you when I was really young...you probably don't. You don't care about anything but yourself. So why would you read the writings of a 23 year old girl? Nevermind that I'm your only daughter.
 My mom and I drove up to Iowa to see my family this summer....thank God I had my cousins because I wouldn't have been able to last without them. This was my last chance to see everyone before I move to Florida. I wanted to spend time with Dad but he had to get back to clean his house!!!!

I know many of you are reading this and are probably wincing at the akward-ness this post brings up. I am sorry if you feel the tension. But I am sick of me asking Mom "is it wrong for me to be angry with him? Mom, do I have a right to feel hurt right now?" and her answer is always the same. "He's very childish and very selfish. He'll never grow up".

I am really hurt, Dad. I just graduated from college with Magna Cum Laude and I have a JOB right out of college--a lot of college grads can't say that and I can. I would think I would get some recognition from you. I know you say you are so proud of me--please show it.

Graduated!

 I meant to update right after my graduation but of course I have not had a lot of time. Exactly three weeks until we move into our new apartment! WHOA.

 So I graduated from college this past weekend. It still hasn't really hit me yet. I decided to walk at the last minute because....guess what....I graduated with honors! Magna Cum Laude :-D So I wanted to walk to get my honors cord. My mom and Jason were there. 2 of the most important people in my life, I'm so grateful they were there. They butchered my name of course but at least I walked and I did it. I finished. My mom wants to try to graduate next December so I am hoping to come back for that. I am the first of my immediate family to graduate from college. Again, WHOA. The ceremony was long and boring but we went to Chili's afterwards for lunch and then Mom threw me a party the next day. I didn't really stay out and party because 1) I'm not much of a partier and 2) Our kitten, Evie, had surgery and we wanted to keep a close eye on her. She's doing well, though and all ready to move into her new home soon :-) Of course, I have to leave my baby beagle Dixie Belle behind and its going to kill me but it is just not fair to take a dog to an apartment where I'll be working all the time. She'll be happier with my mom. Mom won't be but Dixie will :-)

So what else...I FINALLY started packing last night. One box down, a zillion to go! lol no I just need to clean my room and figure out what is going...I KNOW I have so much trash, I just can't make myself start packing. But I don't want to be scrambling to do it the night before we leave and have Jason all packed and waiting. haha, guess I'll get on that aftter Christmas.

So we got some good news....well, possible good news. Disney Casting called Jason and they had a little interview for another role he would be PERFECT for. We won't jinx it and tell everyone but you, blog followers, will be the first to know as soon as we know :-) lol. Now I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for GMR or TOT. or by miracle I can get BBB upon arrival (I know it won't happen but it doesn't hurt to wish does it :-P)

Anyway, thats about it...hope everyone has a completely wonderful Christmas and New Years!!
 until next time
faith*trust* and pixie dust
 <3!