I Didn’t Sign Up for This

It’s the first week back at school.  The kids aren’t back yet, just the teachers and staff, so it’s all been meetings.  The first day, we had Barbara Coloroso come and speak on various topics including bullying, how to  manage children while keeping their dignity in tact, and other really helpful information.  She makes responding to unexpected and uncomfortable situations seems to easy and just common sense.  Little things, like teaching children to think for themselves instead of dictating their every little action.  She’s amazing, and I’m glad that I’ve gotten to hear her speak a couple times and do a workshop with her.  I really want to read one of her books.

I also did a workshop on mindfulness in the classroom.  In that workshop, we learned about self-care, did some meditation and discussed how to add it to our day with our kids, and made glitter calming jars.  The one we made was out of a mason jar, which makes me nervous because I can see it being thrown and broken, so I’ll make a new one out of a water bottle or something.  But it was also a really valuable workshop.

Yesterday, we went over what we learned at the PLC conference over the summer and got to work on a 15 day plan to implement that learning.  Also a good day.

And then, there was today.  A.L.I.C.E training.  Our active shooting training.  The day that the teaching us what we should do should someone come onto our campus and try to kill us and our children.

Needless to say, I was never looking forward to this day.  Especially after I started crying while doing the online portion of the training.  Especially since we were told they’d be shooting Nerf guns at us.  Especially since everyone I told that do said, “Oh, that sounds like fun,” as if I was going to be playing a game in the park with friends instead of being trained on how to respond if someone came into my class and tried to kill me and my children.

I’ve been so keyed up over the past few days, dreading this.  I was assured that we could opt out, but how do you face your colleagues knowing that you were too much of a special snowflake to do what everyone else did with seemingly little angst.  I mean… I knew I wasn’t going to do it.  I knew that, for my mental health, I had to.  Going through the practical demonstration part of the training would have resulted in a huge panic attack and probably a frantic phone call to my therapist, begging for her to fit me in.  Or, a massive panic attack followed by a massive migraine, rendering me incapacitated for the rest of the day.  And I have rehearsal tonight.

So, I didn’t sign the waiver and figured I was fine.

I was in tears two minutes into the lecture portion.  I’m not even sure if they’d started the video showing all the news feeds from the various shootings that have happened.  I did everything I could think to stop myself from crying: I did pattern breathing, counted down from five, ran lines, drank water, held my breath, whatever I could.

I couldn’t stop.

So now, I’m anxious about the training and humiliated in front of everyone.  And, I’m really wishing I hadn’t worn mascara.

They stopped the video and went onto the acronym (alert, lockdown, inform, counter, evacuate–not steps, just actions you might take).  Then we took a break; I ran lines, saw the trainers talking about me (I don’t think I’m being paranoid, they were looking at me) and calmed down.

Then we came back and they said they were going to play audio from one of the shootings.  I don’t remember if it was Columbine or Virginia Tech or what.  But a bunch of people were in the library, sheltering in place, on the phone with 911, who I guess I telling them to stay put.  14 dead, 10 injured (or maybe the other way around).

The was it.  I knew I couldn’t do it.  I knew, if I stayed, I would actually start thinking about how I should just kill myself because so many bad things happen in the world and so many people die and I’m listening to people die right now and I just can’t handle the pain and what’s the point anyway.

So, I left.

My principal found my in the bathroom trying to calm myself down.  She took me to where one of the trainers was sitting with another person who had left, and let me tell you, knowing I wasn’t alone made me feel so, so, so much better.  I ended up not having to go back in.  I didn’t have to witness the practical portion of the training.  The only fuzzy part was when they did some kind of lockdown drill in the room, shouting and blowing air horns and just confusion and chaos.  That got me crying again.  But everyone was very understanding and there was no shaming.  And what other people think about me leaving is not my business.  As the book I’m listening to today said, other people’s opinions of me are not my business.  So, yeah.

I did not sign up to be a teacher to practice getting shot at.  I did not sign up to be a teacher to get shot.  I know it’s reality and I am cognizant of that fact.  I have plans.  I will practice with my kids, even though it breaks my heart.

So, it’s over and done with, at least until next year.  I’m not sorry the district had the training, because our procedures were crap and going to get a lot more people killed.  So, it’s good they recognize that and are going to do something about it.  And I’m grateful for the trainers and their understanding and compassion.  They know that this is a crappy thing to have to train people for, and they do what they can to make it as easy on us as possible.

Now, it’s time to start looking forward to the first day of school.  I have all tomorrow to work on my room.  And then, Monday, the kids come.  And we’re off on a brand new year.

The Last Week

This was my last full week of vacation before heading back to work next week.  I get Monday off, and I intend to make the most of it (here I come, beach!).  This was a really good week.  I got a lot done.

Every day this week, I woke up around 5:30, which is really early for me.  I’ve always been a terrible sleeper, ever since I was a kid.  It takes me at least an hour to get to sleep, sometimes more.  For the longest time, I took sleeping pills, which I loved and would totally take again, but my doctor cut me off so I had to teach myself to sleep on my own.  Since taking the pills, I’ve been a little better at getting to sleep, but I still wake up multiple times during the night and never feel like I get any quality sleep until the morning.

I have trained myself–with my cat, Cobbler’s, help–to wake up around 6:00 every morning.  Even on the weekends.  But, when I don’t have to get up for work, I always go back to bed.  So, the past few weeks, I decided to see what would happen if I didn’t go back to bed, if I just got up and started my day instead.  How would I feel?

The answer is I felt great.  I feel awake and energized.  I feel like going to the gym and would get my workout done before nine, so I felt like I had the whole day to do whatever.  So, I decided to see what would happen if I pushed it back to 5:30.

I felt even better.  Now, I was getting to the gym and getting my workout done before eight.  And, since I like going to the movies early, that meant I could catch the first show and have the theater almost to myself (I go on Tuesdays, so the tickets are discounted, but if I continue doing this during the year, I’ll be able to get a discount price for early birds on the weekends).  Then, I have the rest of the day to read, watch YouTube, go somewhere, do something.  It’s been great.  And, for some reason, whether it be because I’m getting up early or just found the right rhythm for my body, I’ve been sleeping better than I usually do.

Now school is starting.  I’m planning on going to the gym before school, at least at first, just to see if I can make it.  This week will be a test run.  The gym opens at 5:30, which means I have to get up around 4:45 so I can write three pages in my journal, eat a snack, have some coffee, and go.  We’ll see how this works.

This week, I read the book No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You A Lifetime of Fitness by Michelle Segar, PhD.  In it she says that most people lose motivation to work out within six months, and that weight loss or good health tend not to motivate most people to work out in the long run.  Instead, finding exercises that you enjoy doing and recognizing benefits such as how you feel after you work out are more motivational.

So now, I’m left wondering: can I keep my goal of losing weight as long as I don’t tie to to exercise?  Because she also says that having a duel goal, such as “to feel good” and “to lose weight” also decreases motivation.  I want to keep motivated to work out for a lifetime.  And I can totally see how losing weight might be a discouraging goal or just not motivational.  I do feel really, really good after I exercise.  My trainer is creating a program for me with movements I really enjoy doing (except the ropes) and I feel so pumped when I’m done.  Maybe what I need to do is just put the losing weight goal on the back burner, or take it off entirely.  I don’t know.  Advice?

I did make progress on one goal: I applied for my passport.  Of course, I made a bigger deal than it needed to be about it.  I’d read online that not every location accepted personal checks or debit cards for the fees, so I got it in my mind that my location definitely didn’t.  I was going to get a money order, but I didn’t have the cash to do it at that moment (I’d assumed you could buy it with a card).  Luckily, before I went to get the money, I decided to just call the place, which, if you know me and know how much I HATE calling places, is a big deal.  It took four times before I got the right number, but I did it.  And, it turns out, they took debit cards, so easy peasy.  Once I went, the whole thing took about ten minutes.  So now, in four to six weeks, I’ll have my passport and be ready to change that goal to take a kayaking trip to see the killer whales.  I’ll be that much closer to my dream.

What have you gotten accomplished this week?

Goals and Achieving Them

These past few weeks, I’ve taken a look at my life and found areas that I want to change.  I’m sure I’m not alone in that,the wanting to change.  Part of changing is making goals, which I’ve done.  According to the book I’m listening to right now, “Stop Saying You’re Fine” by Mel Robbins, the other part is going public and asking for help.  She says to call the first three people on your contacts and do this, but I’m not quite there yet. Plus, the first three people in my contacts are businesses (yes, I’m aware that’s a cheating excuse).  So, here I am, about to publicly humiliate myself on my blog.  But who says change is easy?

Okay, my goals:

Goal 1: Get a passport.

This is actually part of a larger goal.  When I was in high school, I read a magazine about a trip you could take up in Johnston Strait, which is by Vancouver Island in British Columbia.  Basically, you for for about a week and kayak every day among the wildlife.  You get to see all kinds of things, including orcas, which is a huge dream of mine.  I’ve wanted to do this ever since.

So, I’m doing this next summer.  I know I said that I was going back to Disney World, but I’ve changed my mind.  Not because I don’t love Disney World (I do) or don’t want to go back (I really, really do), but I’ve decided it’s time to do the trip.

Plus, now is the perfect time because they have a new excursion called Whales, Wilderness, and Glamping.  Since I’ve been camping a sum total of 1 time and really like my creature comforts, this sounds like the perfect trip for me.  I want nothing more than to book the trip now, but they don’t have dates for next year yet.  So, in the meantime, small, manageable goals.  My passport.

Goal 2: A new apartment 

I have lived in the same apartment since I moved here, which was about 11 or 12 years ago.  For the most part, it’s been a good place to live.  It’s pretty quiet.  I’m right next to the laundry room.  If something goes wrong, maintenance fixes it really quickly.  The managers are nice.

However, there are some things that bug me.  My apartment doesn’t get any sun.  They tore up the pool two years ago and never fixed it.  Now, it’s a big hole in the ground with weeds growing around it.  It’s an eyesore, and I’m right next to it.  Plus, I want a bigger place.  I want a room for where I can have actual bookshelves and where my parents can stay when they come.  Also, it might be good for my cats to have an extra room to get away from each other (although, it’s funny; even though they only tolerate each other, they always seem to be in the same room together).  So, I want a bigger place.

I know where I want to move.  It’s just a matter of waiting for a two bedroom apartment to open up.  I’ll keep checking every day until it does.  (And, no, they don’t have a waiting list; it’s first come, first serve).

GOAL 3: Lose 10 – 20 pounds

This is fairly self-explanatory.  I’ve become lazy and unmotivated, and I’ve gained weight because of it.  Despite belonging to a gym, I make excuses not to go and that’s hurt me.  It doesn’t help I’m on medications that make you gain weight, either (although they are not the main problem).  So, I need to lose the weight.

So far, I’ve signed up for personal training at the gym and am taking steps to make myself go.  I’m taking photos of myself every week to track my progress.  I’ll weigh myself every week or so to see how I’m doing.

GOAL 4: Go the the gym at least 3 times a week

Obviously, to lose weight, I need to work out.  I’d like to say I’ll go every day, but realistically, three times a week is more attainable.  If I can’t go on a weekday, I’ve got two weekend days to catch up.

My plan right now is to go before school.  This will require me to get up at 5:00, be at the gym by 5:30 (when it opens), finish my workout by 6:30 and be out the door by 7:00. Somehow, I’ll eat breakfast in all that.  I’m thinking of getting a blender and making a smoothie to drink on my way to work.  Then, once I’m there, I’ll eat some oatmeal or something.  I’ve got a million excuses why it’s too hard to go before school, but I know that going after school is not working.  I need to change.  So far, I’ve trained myself to get up every day at 5:30 (without an alarm), so I think I’m in good shape.

GOAL 5: Finish my purple journal.

I’ve had that thing for forever.  I plan to finish it by writing three pages every morning (which is called “morning pages”).  I’ve done it every day for 2 week so far!

GOAL 6: Cook dinner 4 to 6 times a week.

Another reason I’ve gained weight is because I’ve been eating almost nothing but microwaved food for so long.  It’s just easier to pop something in the microwave and not have to worry about preparing it.  But not only is it unhealthy, but it’s more expensive.  So, I’m going to keep surfing the web for recipes and cook for myself.  Maybe at some point, I’ll even start meal prepping on Sunday so I don’t have to cook during the week, just reheat what’s already done.

So, those are my goals.  Now I turn to you for help.  Here are some questions I have for you, advice I need.

1. If you were me, what specific things would you do to get started, learn more, etc?
2. Do you have any books you recommend I read?  (Or websites I go to?)
3. Do you know anyone who could give me advice or counsel?

Please let me know in the comments, either here or elsewhere, if you have any answers.  Thanks for reading!

When Your Mouth and Brain Won’t Communicate with Each Other

Last night, I had the horrible feeling of when your brain and mouth won’t communicate with each other.  Sounds weird, but I swear that’s what happened.

I’m currently in a play called “Just Like Us”.  I am on stage for the full two hours, except for maybe 30 seconds when I get to leave to put some props down.  I know my lines.  I can recite them in the car as I drive or in the house as I walk around.  I am very confident in my lines.  Well.  As confident as one can be when faced with an audience and a bundle of nerves.  But, overall, I’ve very solid with the lines and feel good about my part.

And then last night happened.  I mean, overall, I wasn’t terrible.  I’m sure the audience didn’t notice too much, if anything.  After all, they don’t know the play.  But it was so frustrating.  The words would flash across my brain in the right order, and then my mouth would run off and say something else.  Or it would rush ahead and cut off an actor who was supposed to feed me my cue.  Once, my brain failed me and I went completely blank on a line.  Luckily, in that case, another actor jumped in and recused me, but it was frightening; I don’t often experience that.

I think the problem was I was getting a migraine.  Sometimes–not often, but sometimes–when I get one, my brain has trouble coming up with the words I want to say. Once in a staff meeting, I started talking only to find myself unable to speak because I couldn’t think of any words.  I finally was able to come up with enough to explain what was happening, but you can’t exactly be on stage and say to the audience, “I’m so sorry, I’m getting a migraine.  What I was supposed to say is this.”  It’s sink or swim, and I felt like I was drowning last night.

But, it’s over.  I’ll spend this week reviewing my lines so they’re solid in my brain.  I’ll hope my brain and mouth communicate with each other next performance.  And everything will be fine.

I hope.

WDW Day 5 The Magic Kindgom

My last day in the parks started early once again.  I had breakfast reservations for Cinderella’s Royal Table, which is inside the castle, a mind-boggling thing to someone who grew up with Sleeping Beauty Castle where there’s just a little walk through attraction inside it.  As soon as I heard about it, I knew I had to eat inside the castle.

I got to the park at 8 and my reservation was for 8:30, so the first thing I did was pick up my Sorcerer’s of the Kingdom cards.  This is an interactive game you get to play in the park during the day.  It’s so much fun.  You get 4 cards and a map of each land the game is played in.  I only played Main Street, but it was so much fun.  My mission was that Hades was recruiting villains, specifically Cruella DeVille, to steal some crystals and was setting off fireworks as a diversion.  I had to use my cards to stop them.  Basically what you do is go to a portal, which has a little lock under it.  It’s a window somewhere in the park, but when you scan your magic band, the window turns into a movie screen and a cartoon is played.  That cartoon explains the situation and then, after you defeat the bad guy, tells you where to go next.  The game is randomized, so no one playing follows the same path.  Every day is a new game with new cards.  I wish I had remembered to get cards the first day, too.  The whole game, every land, takes five hours; I’d totally play the whole game if I was a passholder.

After getting my cards and playing my first window, I headed to the castle:

I was ushered in right away and met Cinderella.

Then, I went upstairs into the room.  A few princess were already circulating and every time another came out, they made an announcement and everyone clapped.  They brought pastries, coffee and orange juice to my table, and I took some pictures:

I got cream cheese and apple stuffed french toast, which was good but way to rich.  I was only able to eat about half of it.

Then the waitress came over and gave me a magic wand that said “Cinderella’s Magic Table” and the announcer came on and had everyone wave their wands, say “bibbity-bobbity-boo” and make a wish.  This is when I started getting a little overwhelmed, because any group participation makes me cry, so I tried to calm down, but the waitress made sure I was making my wish.  After that, I concentrated very, very super hard on making my coffee to calm down, and was almost okay when Aurora came to my table.  She said hello, and I burst into  tears.

Oh.  My.  God.

So, now I’m in the middle of a restaurant, crying in front of a Disney princess and totally embarrassed, which made me cry even more.  I apologized and told here I was a little overwhelmed (understatement).  She was very kind and told me it was fine.  She signed my book and we took a picture together.

After that, I managed to calm down and met the other princesses without crying.  The only one I didn’t get a picture of was Snow White, and that’s because I tried to take a selfie rather than disturb other guests.  I don’t know how to take selfies.

Jasmine was the most fun, because she sat down at my table and we talked a little about monkeys.  She asked if I had any, so I told her I had two.  It was fun.

I hung out a little longer, but there were no more princesses and I was really full, so I eventually, reluctantly, left.

After that, I decided to head over to Space Mountain.  I had a FastPass at about 10 that I had traded for Buzz Lightyear, but decided I wanted to do it twice.  First, I ran into Merida, who asked if I was a wood carver because of my wand.  I assured her I wasn’t.

Then, I went on Space Mountain.  The first time was very uncomfortable because all the coffee and juice was making itself known, but the second was fun (even if my neck decided it was tired of roller coasters).

Totally not posed at all.

After that, I had to call my parking lot reservation people because I stupidly made my reservation ending for that day instead of the next and was afraid they’d tow my car.  After being reassured they wouldn’t, I headed to Pirates where I stood in front of the two worst Disney trivia players in history.  I wanted to answer the questions for them, but thought it would be rude to intrude on their games (plus, I was running lines).

I got in line for Haunted Mansion, only to realize I had a FastPass for it, so I shopped and took pictures of things.  Then I went on Small World, which is so weird because it’s not in it’s own huge building at the end of a long walkway but in the middle of Fanstasyland across from Peter Pan.  This time, I was caught by a cast member practicing my lines, and she cheered me on.  After then going on Haunted Mansion, I headed to Main Street and played a round of Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom where I defeated Cruella and saved the crystals.

Then, it was time for lunch at Be Our Guest in the Beast’s castle.  Perfect timing, too, because this is when it started raining.

It was beautiful inside the castle.  The lunch was delicious.  I didn’t get to eat in the West Wing, which made me sad, but I still got to see it and it was so cool.  I also got the Master’s Cupcake, which is topped with the grey stuff.  It was delicious.  It was just an amazing experience.  I’m so glad I got to do it, because getting that reservation (and Cinderella) is supposed to be really hard and I got both.  They totally made my day.

Next, I headed to Mickey’s PhillharMagic, which was an amazing 3D show about Donald stealing Mickey’s sorcerer’s hat and going through different worlds like Aladdin, under the sea, and… somewhere else.  There was no parade because of the rain, so I was sad about that.  I did the Little Mermaid ride which I’m still not a fan of, but it was something to do.  I saw Enchanted Tales with Belle, where kids are chosen to help tell the tale of the night Belle and the Beast fell in love.  They chose the little, cutest girl to be the Beast and it was adorable.  It made me cry, because that’s what I do, but it was a lot of fun.

Then, I went on Splash Mountain, where I was very happy to learn they had lap bars, because I’m always convinced I’m going to fly out of the log.

I have to say, I think this is the one ride I like better than Disneyland.  I’m not sure what it was, but it was just so much cuter than Disneyland somehow.  More Brer Rabbit, more Brer Fox.  It’s more colorful.  It’s just charming.

Next, I went on the train, and I’d originally planned to get off at Main Street and shop, but then I decided I wanted Dole Whip and it made more sense to do the circle tour and then walk back through Adventureland for it.  Also, pro-tip on places like Aloha Island or Sat’uli Canteen: use mobile ordering.  It cuts your wait time from twenty to thirty minutes to five, especially if you’re just getting a dessert.  And, you can use your dining plan when you mobile order AND it tells you how many credits you have left, which is how I found out I had an extra day of meals and snacks that I didn’t know about.  It’s just so convenient and easy that I’ll be doing a lot more mobile ordering next time I go to Disney World.

After my snack, I basically wandered around shopping.  I still had about four or five snack credits that I had to spend, plus I wanted to get souvenirs.  I went on Pirates a final time and then texted my sister, asking if I should get this:

By the time I made it up to the art shop on Main Street, I’d already decided to buy it.  Of course, I thought it was going to be this thin piece of wood I could slide into my suitcase, but they brought it out in a huge box wrapped in bubble wrap.  I am not patiently waiting for it to be shipped home.

I bought some pins, a Tale Spin mug, and a photo album for myself.  I ate dinner at Casey’s Corner, but either I wasn’t hungry, the corn dogs weren’t good, or I was sad that I was leaving.  I shopped some more and then decided it was time to leave because I had to get up at 2:45 the next day to catch the “Tragic” Express back to the airport at 3:40.

I packed up and took a few pictures of the room:

All my stuff seemed to have doubled.  My suitcase was 8 pounds overweight, but it passed when I took the souvenirs out.  Still, I got a “heavy” tag on my suitcase, which didn’t happen on the way to WDW.

I woke up way too early the next day, finished packing, and headed out.  I took a few more pictures of the hotel:

And then it was all aboard the Magic Express and back to the airport.  And, thus, my fabulous vacation was over.

I had such a magical time.  Even the days it was raining, it was perfect.  I want to go back again next year.  It might be possible.  We’ll see.

WDW Day 4: Animal Kingdom

Day 4 started bright and early at 6:30.  I dressed in my second favorite dress, the Lion King dress, ate a Mickey waffle, then waited nearly 30 minutes for the bus to show up.  I’d planned to get to Animal Kingdom right at 8, but didn’t get there until about 8:30.  No matter.

First stop, after some pictures, was Pandora.

The land was beautiful and mysterious.  It even had a “plant” you could touch and its heart would start beating, like in the movie (I think; I wasn’t paying attention when I rewatched the movie the other day).  I went on the Na’vi River Journey, which is a little boat ride through the nighttime world of Pandora.  It was very beautiful, but not worth the wait times it gets to.  It’s maybe a 15 minute wait time, maybe 30, but not more than that.  Still, it was very pretty.

Next, headed to Kali River Rapids, but it was broken, so I decided to do Expedition Everest, the roller coaster.  It was totally awesome!  The only sort of downer the first time I road it was the guy next to me felt like he had to explain everything that was going to happen on the ride, which I really didn’t need.  But, whatever, it was still so cool.  I ended up going on that ride 5 times during the day.  Thank goodness for the single rider line.

 

This was maybe the third or fourth time I rode it.

Next up was Killmanjaro Safaris, which is the tour through their wilderness area.  We saw lots of animals, like giraffes, hippos, lions, elephants, ostriches, and various kinds of cattle.

I wish I had gone it again, after/while it was raining.  It would have been a different experience.

Next, I took the Wildlife express train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch.  There I learned how to turn my “backyard” into a wildlife haven (I don’t have a backyard, and no amount of explaining the I didn’t would deter the guide), got to see a zoologist or veterinarian treat some kind of pig, tried to pet some goats who all took a lunch break when I got to the affection station, and started to earn my Wilderness Explorer badges.  Wilderness Explorers are based on the movie “Up”.  You get a little book and go around to various stations scattered throughout the park where you do activities and earn badges.  I earned 17 out of 30.  Some of the stations I couldn’t find (like the ones in Dino Land USA) and some I just didn’t think to get to.  I’ll have to remember to take my book back next time I go so I can get more badges.

The badge that cracked me up was the Animal Nutrition Badge.  On the page, there’s a picture of a person feeding a baby bear.  The badge guide asked if I would feed the bear.  When I said no, she asked why not.  I said because feeding wild animals domesticates them and gets them used to interacting with humans and dependent on them and less able to survive on their own in the wild.  She got a little frustrate with me and told me that it was because it makes them sick.  So, oops.

Next, I watched a little show where they introduced various wild animals:

But the important part about the show was that instead of sawdust or wood chips, the area was covered in blue chips, which only means anything if you work at Gab, but it cracked me up.

After that, I met Rafiki

Then I got lunch in Africa, got my picture taken:

 

And then the thunderstorm hit.  It was a huge one.  Lightning and thunder were going off almost simultaneously.  I got my poncho on, but once again my feet and head were soaked.  Everything shut down, so after getting a few more Wilderness Explorer badges, I tried to go see the Festival of the Lion King, but it was packed.  I heard that Dinosaur in Dino Land was open, so I trudged around the park until I found it.  It’s a cute little ride that’s like Indiana Jones at Disneyland, only with dinosaurs.

I got more badges.  I went on Kali River Rapids, where I did not get soaked, and Expedition Everest a few more times. I looked for more Wilderness Explorer badges and came across Launchpad McQuack and Uncle Scrooge while I did:

I went back to Pandora and got cake at the Sat’uli Canteen.  Basically, I just wandered around until my fastpass for Avatar Flight of Passage at 5:40.  And then, I went on that ride.

Oh my God, that ride is AMAZING.  It’s Soarin’ on crack.  I almost didn’t do it because they give you a card before you’re allowed to go into the show part of the queue that tells you if you’re afraid of heights or prone to motion sickness, etc, you should not ride the ride.  And I am afraid of heights, but I also had to know what the ride was.  I knew it was mostly visual, so if it was too much I could just close my eyes, but except for the beginning when they flashed some strobe lights at you, it was fine.

The ride is that you are linked to an avatar and get to ride a banshee through Pandora.  You’re on this little seat that straps you in, and you have 3D glasses.  Then, the screen is revealed and it’s a huge concave deal.  You fly through the air, dipping and soaring and just going all over the place.  There are a lot of near misses, but they were fun rather than scary.  My favorite part was the fact you can feel the banshee breathing between your legs; it’s such a wonderful detail.  It made me cry, because that’s what I do.  I honestly think that if you’re with someone or have a good book or audio book, it’s totally worth the 2 hour wait.  I wish I had done it first thing in the morning before the wait got that long, but a) I didn’t think it’d be worth it and b) the scary hype around it frightened me off.

After that, I got dinner at Yak & Yeti, went on Expedition Everest a couple more times, then called it a night.  When I go back to WDW, I’ll go to Animal Kingdom on one of the first few days so I have enough energy to stay for the night show.  Despite the constant rain, I had a lot of fun.  This was my third favorite park.

WDW Day 3 Epcot

My third day at Walt Disney World started way too early.  I woke up at 5:30 and couldn’t get back to sleep.  I was achy and sore and a little cranky, so I ended up soaking in the bath, which helped with the soreness.   I still couldn’t sleep after, so I dressed, got breakfast, and eventually got my bus to go to Epcot.

So, this was the only day I didn’t have a touring plan.  There was so much that I wanted to see, the plan I tried to make had me bouncing all over the World Pavilion, seeing each one for about two minutes.  So, I decided to wing it.  I’d decided that the first thing I’d do was head to Soarin’, because I didn’t have a FastPass+ for it.  Unfortunately, that was every else’s plan, too.  It also took me awhile to figure out where it was, because my map reading skills suck, but I eventually found it and, upon looking at the line, decided to try The Land first.

That ride should not be as good as it is.  The Land is a little boat ride that takes you through how plants are grown and best practices of growing things.  It sounds boring, but it totally isn’t.  You get to go “backstage” and see their greenhouse and things that they grow to use as food in the parks.  You see inside a lab.  There’s a scary fish farm (I’m not a huge fan of large amounts of fish all together).  It was very cool.

After that, the line to Soarin’ was manageable.  Now, I love the ride, but I am a huge chicken and HATE being on the top row.  I know it’s the best row because people’s feet aren’t in your way, but, honestly, I find those feet comforting.  Plus, take off freaks me out.  So, of course, I was top row middle section.  Once again, I know I could have asked to get in another row, but I hate being that person.

(Actually, pretty much on every ride I went on, I was either in the front or the back.  I wonder if cast members wanted to make my solo experience special and gave me the best seats, or it was a coincidence.  I like to think it was the former).

After Soarin’, which was wonderful, I headed for Journey into Imagination with Figment, because after seeing Figment for years, I had to go on an actual ride with him.  The ride was… interesting.  The story is Dr. Nigel Channing (Eric Idle) is giving you a tour of the Imagination Institute, but Figment hijacks the car and takes you for a surreal journey through imagination instead.  It was cute.  The only thing I didn’t like was the bad smell room, but I plugged my nose and didn’t smell anything anyway.  I guess it was supposed to smell like skunk.

Next, I wen to The Seas with Nemo and Friends, which I had a FastPass for.  The standby line was only 10 minutes, so I felt like I’d wasted my FastPass, but Epcot has a Tiered FastPass system and certain rides, like Frozen Ever After and Test Track are on the same tier, so you can’t get both.  So, I chose Nemo.  I’m pretty sure it was the same ride as the submarines at Disneyland, only you’re on an ominmover like Haunted Mansion instead of inside a submarine.  This actually works out better for me, since I really don’t like the submarines anymore and have to use the Marine Observation Outpost, which is for guests with disabilities.  You go into a room and get to see the ride without having to get into a sub.  Anyway, back to Epcot, the coolest thing was the last room looked out through one of the aquarium tanks in their aquarium, and Nemo, Dory, Marlin, etc. were projected onto the tank so it looked like they were really in the ocean

After that, I headed to Future World West to ride  Test Track.  I didn’t get to design my car because I did single rider and the line moved me right past the design computer.  The ride itself is lots of fun.  Our car went over 60 mph and it was a rush.  Then, Spaceship Earth, which is inside the big silver ball.  I almost didn’t go on it because they warn you that if you don’t like confined spaces or the dark, you shouldn’t ride, but I decided to be brave and it was fine.  I never felt claustrophobic.

Next, I got my picture taken in front of a fountain:

By that time, the World Pavilion was open, so I went there.  I’d gotten a snack before I went, so I thought I’d be fine, but once I was through the Canada Pavilion, I was hot and cranky and didn’t want to anything.  I realized I needed to get food and sit in the shade (it was so hot), so I started looking for something to eat.  But I didn’t want anything in the United Kingdom and France, so finally I headed to Morocco, which is where I’d planned to eat anyway.  I got my food, sipped my soda, thought about calling my parents, because I was getting homesick but decided I was too cranky, and just tried to calm down.  Once the food hit my bloodstream and I started feeling better, I decided to explore Morocco.

Then, I met Princess Jasmine:

I poked around Morocco a little bit more, then decided to head back to France to meet Belle.  First, I got my picture taken from the world’s surliest Disney photographer:

Then I found Belle:

After that, I decided to head back to the United Kingdom and meet Alice, who I’d passed on my way through but was too cranky to stop and meet.

My backpack was an Alice in Wonderland backpack.  She said she’d never seen so much of herself.

I went shopping after that and found a very cute Tinker Bell magnet.    Then, I wandered through the pavilions.  It was okay, but because I wasn’t hungry so I couldn’t eat around the world, don’t drink so couldn’t drink around the world, and didn’t get a passport so couldn’t get it signed by people (which I should have even thought it’s for kids), it was a little boring.  I’m not good at shopping for things at theme parks; I always talk myself out of getting stuff.  So, I was a little bored.

At the American Pavilion, I went into the American Adventure show, which is hosted by Mark Twain and Ben Franklin.  Man, Disney can make anamatronics do anything, it seems… except believably shake hands, apparently.  It was a good show, but the dark and the air conditioning and the sitting down made it very hard to stay awake.

After that, I forced myself to get a snack (because I just kept not eating) and got an I am Root Beer float at the Guardian’s of the Galaxy section of America.  Then, I headed through Italy and Germany to China to meet Mulan.

She asked if I’d faced any battles since coming from California, and I said I’d avoided them.  Then she asked if I was prepared for the weather battle that was coming and if i had my rain shield and rain sword.  I did, but that’s when I started to get worried because I was 100% convinced my dress would be see through if I got it wet.  Luckily, rain never came that day.

After that, I headed back to America to see the Guardians of the Galaxy-Awesome Mix Live!  That was so much fun.  I only got a few pictures because I thought they weren’t coming out.  It’s probably for the best, because I took over 300 pictures this trip and don’t have enough room for them all in my photo album.

After that, I went to Norway and met Anna and Elsa, which didn’t have as long a wait as I’d expected.

I had Disney Bound as Elsa, which is where you wear and outfit inspired by a character.  In addition to the blue dress, I was wearing snowflake earring and a snowflake necklace.  Elsa totally knew what I was doing and told me it looked like I had ice powers, so we cast a spell together.

After that, I went to Mexico for dinner (delicious) and went on Frozen Ever After.  That was when I was about at my saturation point, but I had to go on the Grand Fiesta Tour staring the Three Caballeros, because it’s one of my favorite tracts on my Everything Disney playlist.  But, after that, I was done.  I couldn’t even look at the beautiful Coco display.  Didn’t want my picture in front of Spaceship Earth.  I definitely didn’t want ot stay for the night show, IllumiNations. Didn’t want anything.

So, I headed back to my hotel, called my parents, and then went swimming.  It was the exactly what I needed.  Just a chance to relax and cool down and be away from the madness.

Epcot was fun, but unlike the other parks where I’m fine on my own, I think I needed a friend to make the experience better.  There was just too much walking around and looking at things, which is boring without a friend.  I’d totally do it again, but, yeah. Epcot: more fun with someone else.

WDW Day 2: Magic Kingdom

Day 2 of my Walt Disney World adventure started even earlier than the day before.  I woke up at 6 and happily skipped to the Sassagoula Food Factory for breakfast.  Once there, I found out that they didn’t serve breakfast until 7 and I could either have a pastry, that I’d burn through before I even reached the park, or could wait.  I opted to wait.  I got coffee and then walked around and took a few pictures of the hotel.

I stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter, which is designed to look like the French Quarter in New Orleans.  Since New Orleans Square is my favorite land at Disneyland, I knew it’d be a good fit, and it totally was.

So, I got breakfast, got the bus, and took off for the Magic Kingdom.  I made my way down Main Street and made it to the castle just in time to see the ending of the opening show:

Next, it was back up to the front of the park to meet Tinker Bell.  I just have to take a moment to say how much I love the characters.  They are so good.  I am incredibly tongue tide when it comes to meeting people, even Disney characters (especially Disney characters).  I generally like to hang back and let whoever I’m with do the talking.  Only, I was by myself.  But the characters just talk for you.  Tinker Bell told me she liked my hair because it was a pixie cut, asked how I was liking my first visit, and generally made it really easy to be there meeting her.  All of them do that.  They are amazing at their jobs and I am so, so impressed.

After that, I headed to Tomorrowland to ride Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin.  And, you know what?  I didn’t have any fun.  I don’t know what it was, because I’ve always liked the ride at Disneyland.  I don’t know if it was slower or being alone wasn’t fun.  I couldn’t figure out which red dot was mine so I got an incredibly low score.  The spinning mechanism was really slow on mine and didn’t react when I wanted it to.  I just underwhelmed me.  I mean, look at my face:

So, after I was done, I swapped out the FastPass+I had made for the ride on Saturday for another Space Mountain FastPass.  I just wasn’t impressed.

I got my picture taken:

And then went to Fantasyland to meet Tiana and Rapunzel.

After that, I went on Peter Pan’s Flight. The queue for that is so cool.  There’s a wall that projects shadows on it, like hanging bells or butterflies.  It also projects the shadows of the people standing in front of it, and you can reach up and have your shadow ring the bells or let a butterfly land on your hand.  It’s amazing.

Next was three of my favorite rides anywhere, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, and Pirates.  Once again, because of my touring plan, I never waited in line longer than thirty minutes.  However, the wait did do gave me time to run lines for the play I’m in, so I looked like a crazy person standing there, talking to myself, but it can’t be helped.  I had to learn those lines somehow because we open on the 13 and I was missing a week of rehearsals.  For some reason, Pirates was the best place for me to practice.  Over the course of the trip, I went on it 3 times and really leaned a good chunk of my lines.

After that, it was nearly 11 and I was starving.  Luckily, my touring plan had me at lunch then anyway, so it worked out perfectly.  I had tacos at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe and, because I was on the dining plan, I was able to treat myself to a frozen lemonade slushy as a drink, which I wouldn’t do if I had to pay cash for my meals.  But, coke or lemonade, it was the same dining credit.  Very cool!

Next, I hiked across the park for Space Mountain, which I was very nervous for. See, at Disneyland, I have this system: I always sit on the right side of the car because it tilts to the left more than the right.  But at Magic Kingdom, it’s a single seat, three to a car.  So, I couldn’t do my usual trick.  And, it was a tight squeeze with my backpack.  But, I ended up loving the ride.  It was so much fun.  Different than ours, and just as fun.

I look so nervous!  They take your picture at the beginning of the ride instead of the end.  I still was convinced my backpack was going to fall out of the car.

Next, I went to the Enchanted Tiki Room, which I’d been really looking forward to.  I’ve been listening to my All Things Disney playlist a lot since January and the Tiki Room is one of my favorite songs.

Next was Big Thunder and the PeopleMover,where I took a ton of pictures, mostly of the Astro Orbitor, for some reason.  It was just so pretty:

I hung out in Tomorrowland a little bit after that. I stopped Syndrom’s super-killing machine, whose name I forget:

I did the Incredibles Dance Party, which was fun until most everyone cleared out and it was just me and a bunch of kids and I felt embarrassed.  And then I did Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which was really cute and fun, but I wouldn’t wait longer than 30 minutes for it.  The wait times are incredibly long and the ride is pretty short.  I did enjoy it, but I am glad I had a fastpass for it.

Also, that woman next to me cut in line.  I don’t know if she even had a FastPass.  All I know is, she ducked under the ropes, looked around like she was looking for her party, and then just stayed in line.  So, this picture will always be me on the Mine Train next to that woman who cut in line.

After that, I went back to the hotel for a rest.  I was so hot and sweaty, I decided I had to change. Luckily, I had just the dress for the occasion:

That is my super special Hunchback of Notre Dame dress that I was afraid I wouldn’t get to wear.  I love that dress so much.

Mostly, I wandered around and looked at things.  I dropped by the Little Mermaid Ride, but the line was too long.  I did get my picture outside of the ride, though:

I got another FastPass for Big Thunder and I after that I got a Dole Whip.  By that time, it was almost time to get a place for fireworks.  I went back to Main Street, figuring I’d get a place about halfway down the street with an okay view of the castle.  But, they said there were spots in front of the castle, so I followed directions and this was my view:

So, the castle blocked most of the big fireworks, but that didn’t matter.  The castle acts like a giant movie screen with projections being flashed on it.  For example, Quasimodo climbs up the castle to the top turret and rings the bell, and Merida shoots off an arrow which becomes a firework.  It’s amazing; you can see it here if you’re interested.

I wandered some more after.  I went on the Mad Tea Party, sometime I haven’t done in years.  Got my picture taken a few more times:

And, eventually, I went back to the hotel.  It was a super fantastic day.

Next up, Epcot.

Walt Disney World Trip Day 1: Hollywood Studios

I am back from my fabulous Walt Disney World trip and it was so, so much fun!  Everything went better than I could have hoped for.  I’m already trying to figure out when I can go again and do it even better than this time (although, I can’t see how that could happen).  It was so much fun, I can’t even find the words.

So, day one I went to Hollywood Studios.  I had chosen to go there because I got in really late the night before (after midnight, and I was up at five to get to my plane) and I’d heard that Hollywood Studios was a park you could go to later in the day and still get to do everything.  My plan was to get there around ten.

Cut to the actual day, and I’m literally bouncing out of bed at 6:30, ready to go.  I got my breakfast (where I had a bit of trouble because I was charged for a resort mug even though I was supposed to get it with the dining plan, but I got that all sorted out eventually), got to the bus terminal right when the bus was pulling up, and headed to the park.  I actually got there before they started letting people in and was only a few people behind in line for the … I don’t know what they’re called.  They’re not turnstiles, because you just scan you band, place your finger on the scanner, and then walk in.  So, I guess entrance.

(Sorry for the mistiness; it took me awhile to remember to wipe the lens before taking the picture.  It’s so humid in Florida!)

The let us in, and I got to wander around a bit, taking things in.  I got my picture taken:

And I got my First Visit Button:

Then, the park officially opened.  My touring plan didn’t start until 10, so I decided to head towards Star Tours, which is one of my favorite rides ever.

I was able to walk right on the ride with no waiting.  And then, I got chosen as the rebel spy!!!  (For those of you who haven’t been on the ride, the cast members choose one of the riders to be the “rebel spy” that needs to be protected.  You get your picture taken and then it’s flashed on the screen when, in my case, Darth Vader stopped the ship and demanded the rebel spy be turned over.)  I have to admit, I tried very hard to be chosen.  When I sat down and buckled in, I sat and looked at the camera for a very long time.  Even so, I was surprised and almost didn’t recognize myself because a) I wasn’t wearing my glasses and am not used to what I look like and, b) the contacts prescription is a few years out of date and the picture was blurry.  But, I recognized the pattern on the Stitch dress and was very, very happy.

Next, I headed over to Toy Story, which was the first stop on my touring plan.  Quick note about my touring plan: the people who wrote “The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World” (which is a great book) have a website .  It gives all kinds of information, like how crowded the parks will be on any given day and descriptions of rides, but they also have a program that will generate a plan for you to follow that will save time in lines.  It costs about $15 (less if you bought the book), but it’s so, so worth the money.  I never waited in line longer than 30 minutes the entire time I was there. (Well, once, but the ride broke down while I was waiting, so it doesn’t count).  When you purchase the plan, you get to input your FastPass+ for each ride, schedule breaks, schedule lunch, etc, and it gives you a guide to follow.  I used it religiously for Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom, day 1, and I loved it. So, if you ever go, I highly recommend it.

Anyway, I went to Toy Story Mania.  Posted wait time was 55 minutes, but it only took about thirty.

Next, because I was ahead on my touring plan, I stopped by to see Buzz and Woody.  Now, when I had woken up that morning, I had seen it was Stitch Day, but didn’t know why.  Woody really liked my Stitch dress, so I told him it was Stitch Day, and the CM in charge of the meet in greet told him that it was because it was 6/26 or 626 day and Stitch was experiment 626.  That blew both our minds.

After that, I headed back to the main street, Hollywood Boulevard, for the March of the First order.  I was sitting there and a cast member came over and told me that if she were me, she’d move over to sit right next to the trash can.  But that was just her.  So, I moved over.

They stopped right in front of me.  It was so cool.

Next, I went to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, which was the ride I was most worried about.

I’m not a huge roller coaster fan, and I generally avoid anything that goes upside down.  But I also trust Disney.  So, I did it:

Of course, I was seated in the back car, which, if you’re afraid of roller coasters, is the last place you want to be.  I know I could have said something, but I hate being a bother and everything went so fast.  I may have said a bad word and the little boy in back may have seen me say it and laughed at me.  There were some tears when the ride was over and I was trembling out of control.  But I did it.  When I said I couldn’t believe I did it, the guy next to me said he was proud of me.  I am glad I did it, it was fun.  But that’s totally a picture of me being terrified out of my mind.

I stopped off for a PowerAde because I was getting dehydrated and they gave it to me for free because I was my first visit.  That made me feel really special and I love that Disney World does that for its guests.  But I also started feeling guilty because now that’s 2 cast members who went above and beyond for me, and I hadn’t gotten any names to give compliments at Guest Relations or twitter (which I guess is now a thing).  Mea culpa.

Next, I went to Indian Jones Stunt Spectacular:

It was cool.  There were some technical difficulties, which slowed things down (a gun stopped working and we just sat there watching the actors talk to each other for about five minutes), but the stunts were great.

I ate lunch at the ABC Commissary, which I got a delicious salad and used my first meal plan.  I’m going to miss having a magic band that takes care of all my purchases.  It made things so easy.

I went back to Star Tours and used my fast pass.  Then, I know I went off plan.  I think what happened next was my Memory Maker broke down and put a water mark on all my pictures.  So, I went to guest relations for help.  They couldn’t figure out what was wrong, so they gave me a card to call the Photopass people.  And that’s when it started raining, and, let me tell you, Florida thunderstorms don’t screw around.  It went from clear to pouring down sheets of rain in seconds.  I was in at gift store sorting out my problem with about a hundred other people.  Once the Photopass thing was solved (I had to sign out of the My Disney Experience app and sign back in), I hung out for about ten more minutes.  Then, I got tired of waiting and decided to brave the elements in my poncho.

Well, my dress and backpack stayed relatively dry, but everything else was soaked.  Water was about ankle deep, the wind was wild, lightning flashed every few seconds and thunder followed withing seconds.  I started heading towards Star Tours, but the wind and rain were coming from that direction and pushed me back. So, I headed over to Tower of Terror.  I had a fast pass for 3:40, and it was about 3:25.  There was no line, so they just let me in.  Me, and a few other diehards:

After that, the rain had slowed, so I went to see Beauty and the Beast-Live on Stage.  The actors were really good, but the show itself was okay; not nearly as good as the one at Disneyland all those years ago.  Then, I went to the Star Wars Launch Bay.

It started off with a documentary about Star Wars and its fandom, which made me cry because all documentaries make me cry.  So, I’m surrounded by Star Wars stuff, already in a state of heightened emotion because I’m at Disney World, and now I’ve just seen a documentary, and that’s my only excuse for freakin’ tearing up when I met Kylo Ren, who I just sort of like.  It’s not like meeting Darth Vader or Darth Maul.  But, whatever:

He said he sensed a spark in me and that he could teach me to use it.  I just sort of smiled stupidly.

But then, I  met Chewbacca and that was so cool:

And, luckily, there was no line for BB-8.

Then, I went to Walt Disney Presents, which is a little museum of Walt Disney history.  It was nice and I enjoyed seeing it.  I got to see the first few minutes of Incredible 2, which I haven’t seen yet.  And I bought a stuffed Rocket doll that I’ve been wanting forever and finally decided to go for it.

I went to dinner at the Backstage Diner, and then on to For the First Time in Forever:  A Frozen Sing Along Celebration.  It was so much fun.  If I lived in Florida and had an annual pass, I’d be going to this every weekend.  It was funny and fun and spectacular.  You’d think a retelling of Frozen would be boring, but the “historians’ made it funny and fast paced.  And the sing along parts were fun, too.  I mean, it made me cry, because that’s what I do, but it was fun.  I also met an off duty cast member named Coral, who was really nice and welcoming.  We talked about Disneyland and Disney World and the show and I told her about the Festival of Fools and it was nice..

Next, I went on Toy Story again and beat my previous score.  Then, I met Star Lord and Baby Groot.

It was funny because Star Lord was “relieved” to see Rocket, but it seemed like Groot could really see him and react to him.

Last, I went to their theater to see Fantasmic.  It was delayed because another thunderstorm started, but it eventually played.  I liked it okay, but it just wasn’t as good as Disneyland’s.  There was a long mist screen part where it just flashed various Disney Characters in bubbles that went on way too long.  Instead of Peter Pan (now Pirates of the Caribbean), it’s Pocahontas, which had some very cool stunts, but it didn’t excite me all that much.  And the emotional climax where Sorcerer Mickey comes out and everyone cheers and I start crying–because that’s what I do–didn’t happen.  It was just regular Mickey and no one cheered and it didn’t make me cry.  But I still liked the show.  However, next time, I’ll skip it so I can see the Star Wars Galactic Fireworks (if they’re still there), which I skipped this time.

So, overall, it was the BEST DAY EVER and I had so much fun.  Everything went perfectly, even the storm and walking around in squelchy shoes for the rest of the day.  It was the perfect beginning to my vacation.

4 More Days!!

There are four more days left of this school year and I am… hanging in there the best I can.  This week was interesting because we did all the traditional last week of school activities.  Tuesday, we the school talent show, which took an hour and a half.  Then, we had to go back to class and teach.  Which was hard.  Hard for me and hard for the students.  Thursday was the final awards ceremony which was also well over an hour.  And then today we had the school carnival which is an hour of playing games outside before heading back in and having to maintain some semblance of normalcy.

It’s been rough.  If my motivation to be there is low, I know the kids are worse.  All I can think of is Disney World and how I am SO CLOSE to getting to go.  But I have to do teacher things like report cards and cleaning my room.  Luckily, I am done with report cards, I’ve made all the copies I need for next week, and my room is decent.  There’s still some stuff that needs to come down, but that’s mostly just student work and anchor charts.  Student work will start coming down next week and anchor charts will come down Wednesday or Thursday (the last day!!).

Today, the last hour of school, we did painting.  I broke out the water colors and let them do whatever they wanted (provided it was school appropriate).  Once again, some of the kids were done in fifteen minutes while others took the whole time.  Luckily, I got some magnetic shapes from Toys R Us over the weekend, so the students who were done could do some engineering.  I was impressed with the results:

I also had one really beautiful painting (I mean, they were all good paintings; this one just really impressed me):

Sorry it’s sideways.

So, next week, we’re making our Important Book, which is a class book I make every year where every kid gets to write what’s important about them, as well as their favorite things.  We’ll do some math mystery pages where we try to solve where… some sort of gremlins hid something?  I don’t remember.  But it’s fun.  And I’m going to make them read the last story in the reading anthology, learn some vocabulary and high frequency words, and maybe do some writing.  We’ll get through this.

Four more days.  Also, 24 days.