If I don't blog for the next two weeks, you now know why

The new schedules were posted today, so now I know how much I have to relish few remaining moments of this night and every moment I have off tomorrow, because Tuesday is the first day of an ELEVEN DAY WORK WEEK. That's right - I work eleven days IN A ROW with nary a day off. Most days are just normal 8 hours shifts, but I have a 12 hour shift in there along with a couple of 10 hour shifts, so now would be a perfect time for you to go "awww" over how cute I was a few posts back when I mentioned how I was worried that I wouldn't get enough hours working at DAK due to the fact that they're only open something like three hours a day. That's just adorable.

I find these ridiculous hours incredibly ironic too, given the fact that apart from Easter week during my previous Disney College Program, I never worked more than 5 days in a row (that one holiday week was 6 days in a row with three consecutive days being 13 hour shifts). And that was when I worked in Magic Kingdom! It's the most popular park, it's open twice as long as DAK (the least popular park), yet never did I have such a packed schedule back then! And here we are in one of the deadest months of the year for Disney, and so far I've had 6 days of work, one day off, 5 days of work, two days off, and now eleven days of work. And what day do I have off following those 11 days? A Saturday. SATURDAY! The busiest day in all the parks! The one day you'd think they would need me! The one day CPs NEVER get off! WHERE IS THE LOGIC, DISNEY?! I DO NOT COMPREHEND.

Bright side - at least the overtime will be nice. Plain ol' minimum wage kinda sucks.

(Pssst, I just heard my roommate open up her 38th Mtn. Dew of the day. She always starts one right before she goes to bed so that she has something to quench her thirst when she randomly wakes up in the middle of the night. I'm gonna guess it's her teeth screaming in agony as they rot away that cause her to stir.

Oh, and speaking of roommates, the other girls have all recently come forward to say that they don't like my roommate either. They've even stood up for me a time or two when she was being, well, herself. So...there's that. That's good.)

[Insert appropriate segue here, because I can't think of it]

I had to run to Wal-Mart the other day for a few things, and as I was pulling in to the store, I saw a homeless guy in the median begging for something (I don't know what, exactly - his back was to me so I couldn't see his sign - but I'm gonna assume it was something along the lines of a yacht or a spray tan or something like that. Wait, no. I mean spare change and food. Yeah, typical homeless request stuff). So I figured I'd do something nice and buy him a sandwich from the deli and hand it to him on my way out. And that's just what I did - I ran into Wal-Mart, I got what I needed, got a sandwich for the guy, and got in my car. I was in and out in less than 10 minutes. Bing, bang, boom. So as I'm pulling up to the median, ready to do my good deed for the day, what do I see? I'll tell you what I see. I SEE A LACK OF A HOMELESS MAN, THAT'S WHAT I SEE. Come on now, poor guy - you can't stay homeless for TEN MINUTES? Nope, he just HAD to go and get himself a job or something.

Lame.

I ended up eating his sandwich for dinner last night. It was good and all, but I felt a bit chump-ish for eating something I meant to give away. Oh well. What can you do, eh?

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 11) - Sortakinda

--1--

I know it's Monday. I get that. I'm not crazy. Well, I'm not crazy for this particular faux pas. But I do have 7 things to talk about, and I know I won't have time to write them all in separate posts throughout the week because, well, let's just say that I now remember why I never blogged during my last Disney College Program (despite meaning to, and I later regretted that I didn't write down all the also stories I knew I'd eventually forget and totally did) - THERE IS NO TIME.

--2--

I got Expedition Everest, and in the options available in the Asia area of Disney's Animal Kingdom (aka DAK), that was definitely my first choice. So far, everyone I've met is pretty awesome and laid back, moreso than the people I worked with at Splash Mountain last time. Not that people were horrible or mean on Splash, but, well, some people were more prone to scaring me than others simply because I have the emotional resilience of a newborn turtle. I'm sensitive, see. But most people at Everest seem friendly enough, so everything's good so far. There is one downside though - I'm pretty sure DAK isn't even in Florida. It's the farthest away of all the locations I could possibly work on property, coming in at about a 20-25 minute drive from my apartment depending on how the traffic is and how much I drive over the speed limit. But on top of that, I have about a MILE walk from the cast parking lot to Everest, so I have to add that into my commute time as well. The first two days of work, I had to go in on the Africa side of the park, and since the entire path to that side is backstage, they provide bicycles - DAKcycles, actually - for Cast Members to use to get to from the parking lot to work. The first day I rode one while wearing a skirt, and I felt like a giddy high schooler on the way to a sock-hop in the 1950s (the bikes are a bit on the old-fashioned side). The next day I was in costume, but still - there was something so appealing about getting to ride a bike backstage of DISNEY WORLD. But since the only way to get to the Asia side is to actually walk through the park for part of the way, we don't get bikes. We have to walk the ENTIRE WAY. Lame.

Anyway, I've worked the past 6 days in a row (and I only have this one day off this week), that's pretty much why I am pressed for time to blog, because 1) this particular post was started at 11:00 this morning, and we're rolling in at close to 9PM here at time of hitting the publish button because it takes me THAT LONG to write these darn things and 2) I've had to get all my school work done within those few hours in between shifts and sleeping and fighting with my roommate, which brings me to...

--3--

I'm really not going to go into too much detail about the little tiffs my roommate and I have had, because they really are over the dumbest stuff and it's outrageously boring to recount, but let's just say that while part of it is a misunderstanding, it's also mostly her inability to be considerate of the needs of others (for one, I had to invest in ear plugs and a sleep mask). Now I can tolerate an inconsiderate person so long as they have a good personality, and I can also tolerate an annoying personality so long as they are considerate and kind to others, but I CANNOT tolerate both an inconsiderate person with an annoying personality, and that is what I'm dealing with here. YOU ASK TOO MUCH OF ME, UNIVERSE. IT CANNOT BE DONE.

As for the other roommate I mentioned in my last post, while I don't see much of her, I feel a bit scared of her when she's around, simply because she's got one of those personalities (whereas I've got one of these personalities) where her attitude is equal to or greater than that of a spurned woman on Jerry Springer, and God help me to not do anything that might piss her off. The other three girls are all very nice, and we get along well, although one mentioned she had an abortion last year, and while I am staunchly pro-life, I try not to judge people who have had them; however, her lackadaisical and shoulder-shrug attitude towards it was a bit off-putting for me. And for the most part, all the girls enjoy partying and talking about sex, which really is not me. They played the "Are you a Virgin? How many times have you done it? Where was the craziest place?" game, and let's just say I was the only one who didn't make it past the first question. Again, not that I have an issue with any of them going beyond that, it's just that they all have very different lifestyles and priorities from me, and when they're all together, I really don't fit in with them (though I do well with the three girls when it's just a one-on-one thing). So between all that and my actual roommate whom I really can't stand, I've decided to put in a request to move as soon as I am allowed to (which is a week from Wednesday). I'm considering asking for a "wellness" apartment, which means that it's mostly people who are under 21 and thus no alcohol is allowed, and maybe I'll get people who are less prone to partying, but at the same time, I worry that that's a naive expectation because since when has being under 21 prevented anyone from partying? It worked out that way pretty well last time I was here and under 21 - I loved, loved, LOVED my roommates. But do I actually think I can be so lucky a second time around? It is a gamble.

--4--

Okay, here's the part in the post where I come across as a total hypocrite, because I totally went out to a bar last night. Though when I say "bar," I'm talking about a dueling piano bar at Disney's Boardwalk resort, so it's not exactly one of the hard core clubbing places where everyone has anonymous sex in the bathrooms in between snorts of cocaine (that's what goes on, right? Or am I just stereotyping?). One of my roommates from last time moved down here about a year and a half ago, so she invited me out to meet some of her friends (about 40 of them, which is just about the worst way for me to meet people because I don't like people when they come in throngs), but it wasn't too bad. It was more about singing and mingling than about the drinking, and that's the way it should be, in my opinion. Of course, I'm so unaware of the bar scene, that 1) I had to ask the girl next to me if I'm supposed to tip the bartender, 2) I just spelled "bartender" as two separate words: "bar tender" which took me a minute to realize was totally wrong, and 3) I had to ask others what they were drinking and go with that because I don't know the names of any drinks other than water, milk, and apple juice. I ended up getting something blue, which was quite good, but apparently that was all it took for me to loose my sense of frugality because everyone around me was drinking from a small souvenir pail and I had just enough of a slight buzz that I suddenly HAD. TO. HAVE. ONE. It cost me 12 dollars (including tip! because you have to tip them! I know this now!), and I couldn't even drink a 1/3 of it because the pink drink inside of it wasn't that great. Tasted like grown-up kool-aid, which really shouldn't have surprised me seeing as how it was called SoCo Cool Aid, but WHO KNEW?

And once my buzz wore off, I realized that I just spent $12 dollars on a cheap plastic pail - THIS cheap plastic pail:

- and what on earth am I gonna do with it? Make mini sand castles (as opposed to the life-size sand castles you see so often)? Fail at saving someone from a sinking row boat? Put it in an armoire amongst my Swarovski crystals and decorative paper weights? Put more money in it and light it on fire every time I consider going out again (since that's essentially what I did with my money last night)?

THIS is why I never drink. I'm cheap, drinking is expensive, and I'm inclined to make personally-uncharacteristic impulsive purchases while under the influence. So if you ever want me to go out and have a drink or two with you, you better be prepared to pay for me because I'm not gonna pay for me anymore. I'd rather spend my money on an Epcot t-shirt. Or ice cream. Or pizza. Or anything else an 8 year old boy would like. Because that's what I am. An 8 year old boy.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm in the middle of building a K'Nex motorcycle/spaceship hybrid.

--5--

Guess what I'm buying tomorrow?!

Ta-da!!!!!!!!!

Oh, how excited I am to own this so I can watch "Waters of Mars" and "End of Time" and sob for hours and hours on end.

Also, none of my roommates are nerds like me. They were all cheerleaders and popular tomboys and princesses back in high school, so they don't get why I love Disney, why I listen to classical music, and why I watch terrible/wonderful Sci-Fi. And I don't get why they don't, because opinions, shmopinions. CLEARLY I am on the side of good taste in these instances. Clearly.

--6--

I know I said this in my last post, but oh my gosh I MISS MY DOG. I don' t know how I can accurately get across the level of heartbreak I have right now over her, but I feel like I left my child behind, because guess what? SHE IS MY CHILD, AND I LEFT HER BEHIND.

Here's one of the last picture I took of Skittles and myself:


And then here's a picture my mom sent me of Skittles in a brand new sweater she got for her because she was always shivering in the house:

My poor baby. :'(

--7--

Okay, I can't end on something sad, so here's something that makes me happy:


Good night. Gotta be up at 5 in the morning.

Just FYI

Quick Takes Friday will appear tomorrow. On Monday. Which is so, so wrong. And I feel kinda dirty for it, but I figure it's better than nothing. Especially now that I realize I have a fan (singular) who misses them.

So...stay tuned.

Peace.

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 10)

--1--

I didn't mean to stop doing these 7 quick takes things, but I honestly have just been pressed for time since the holidays. I'm not gonna go into it, because none of it is interesting - it's all the usual like school, work, moving, etc. and I nearly bored myself to sleep just typing that - but I just want you to know I didn't forget about you, my loyal, imaginary fan(s?). (My delusion, it's endearing). And if I ever skip these again or go on a sudden, unannounced blogging hiatus, I promise you there is a very good reason as to why. Usually. And I'll always come back. Eventually.

--2--

I just got down to Florida a couple of days ago, though it feels like more like a week from all the cattle herding they put us through during the check-in process. I got my location assignment - Animal Kingdom Asia Attractions, which will be either Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids, Flights of Wonder, or Maharajah Jungle Trek. Kinda hoping for one of the first two, but eh, we'll see. I find out tomorrow which one I'll officially be placed at.

Honestly, I had my heart set on Test Track. I knew the odds were slim that I'd just randomly be placed there, but man, is that ever where I wanted to be. But who knows, I might fall in love with wherever I'm put tomorrow. I hope I do.

--3--

I'm living in the newest apartment complexes, which is quite the step up from last time. These weren't even built during my last program, and back then I was in the oldest complex. It wasn't too bad, though. And while these are far nicer (we have a balcony! I LOVE balconies!), the rooms are a good deal smaller, and the closets are about HALF the size. Lame. I had so much extra room in my closet last time that I brought EXTRA clothes this time, and guess what? Now they're all shoved and stored under my bed. Eye roll.

Also, each bedroom (it's a 3-bedroom apartment, and I have 5 roommates) has it's own bathroom in it, as opposed to the place I was in last time where the bathroom wasn't attached and we had to share it with one of the other rooms. But I actually wish the bathroom wasn't in our room, because while the shower and toilet are behind a door, the sink is basically right here in the open and so who ever gets up first can't help but wake the other person up just by turning on the bathroom light and especially when blowdrying her hair. And while I'm normally a very perky morning person, I am only so when I wake up on my terms. If someone disturbs me before I need to be awake, GOD HELP THEM because I will have a conniption in my delirious, half-awake, hulk-like state of mind and kill them with my uglydoll (Babo) who sleeps next to my in lieu of my dog. It's nearly like a split personality thing, because I can hear the sane part of my brain saying, "Calm the hell down, Natalie," but my sane side is no match for my crazy, sleepy-time side which completely takes over. Honestly - I will hurt you. And I really won't care.

--4--

I miss my dog. :'(

--5--

So far, my roommates and I get along pretty well, and while most of them are really nice and I don't have anything bad to say about them, they are falling SPECTACULARLY short of my roommates from my last DCP. I particularly loved 3 of them and miss two of them like crazy (one has since moved down here, and she's who I stayed with the night before I had to check in). They were hilarious, super friendly, and we just clicked in that very special, non-gay way where it's like you feel like you've known each other forever. Plus, they were all such Disney fans, and so I always had someone to go to the parks with.

As for this time, most of the girls are down here just because they needed a job. Not a single one of them has gone to any of the parks yet (save me, of course). One of the girls (who has got a huge attitude problem and is already planning on lying about having asthma so she won't have to work outside shifts in her Merchandise role)(who also skipped our mandatory housing meeting the first night)(and keep in mind that this is her second program too, and she is voluntarily doing it again) saw me putting up my Tomorrowland poster and came in and said:

"Why are you putting a picture up of the spawn of satan?"

"Aw, you don't like Tomorrowland?"

"No, I don't like Magic Kingdom."

"Well, I've got this EPCOT blanket here, is that better?"

"Ugh, I hate EPCOT too."

"Um, what do you like about Disney?"

"They got these mini doughnuts at Typhoon Lagoon - I like those."

"That's it? Why did you come back if you hate it so much?"

"I hated Philly."

So there you have it folks - the one redeeming quality of Walt Disney World Resort is the mini doughnuts.

Not only that, but she told a story about the last time she was here and someone took one of her bottles of water without asking, so she put a note on the fridge saying, "Whoever stole my f***ing water bottle better f***ing replace it by 9pm tonight." And apparently it was replaced on time, but she didn't even drink it until 3 weeks later. Listen, I get that it sucks when someone takes something of your without asking, but lose the outrage and attitude when it's something you obviously didn't need, mmmk? A simple, "Please ask next time," or "Please don't touch my food," is probably all that's needed in that situation.

OH! And ALSO, we're constantly told that if you don't show up for your last day of work, you're terminated and won't be allowed back in the future. Well this girl didn't go to her last TWO days of work - didn't even call to say she wasn't coming, she simply didn't show up (on New Year's Eve and Day of ALL days) - and she still was allowed to come back. And given her stories of how she acted on her job here, I have no idea how she even made it all the way through her first DCP let alone how she was invited back for a second.

--6--

I've really got to wrap this up, because I'm exhausted and have an early day of training tomorrow. Wish me luck.

--7--

No seriously. I really miss my dog. :''''''(

Quicky

We're discussing trends in my online customer service class, and one of my classmates chose bad grammar and vocabulary as his topic (I chose roller coasters because I'm obsessive and I sometimes wonder how close to Asperger's I really am because, also - my social skills (scary stuff), but I digress). He talked about how "text talk" ("lol" "brb" "wtf" "bbq" etc.) and how, according to an article, today's teenagers have a vocabulary of about 800 words compared to the 10,000 they had before the advent of the Internet (is that true? anyone know for sure?) (have I done enough asides yet? Have I lost you?). Anyway, some other student responded with "Only 800 words? That sounds like the vocabulary of a small child, or a highly trained German shepherd," which is, eh, a solid B+, suburban neighborhood stand-up joke. Bravo, good for him. But then the teacher - THE TEACHER - responded with...

(...are you ready for this...)
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"LMAO!"

Anyone know what the trend is in irony?