Category Archives: Everything Else

What I’m Thankful For

9 Comments Posted by on November 24, 2011

Today is very special for me, not just because it’s Thanksgiving, but because 10 years ago today, I got to marry the love of my life.

Kevin and I got married at the Redondo Beach Public Library–a historic library (no longer used as a library) overlooking the ocean.

It was pouring rain. And I mean POURING. We specifically, and as it turned out wisely, arranged an indoor wedding because I just KNEW it was going to rain. I was right. It was so bad–the venue had very limited parking so it was mandatory valet parking. My cousin pulled up and got out of the car only to have a huge gust of wind blow the car door shut. Running. He had to wait for AAA to get it open and accidentally missed the ceremony!

We also had a very special member of the wedding party.

That’s our little dog, Scout. We lost her last December when she was almost 15 years old. We still miss her.

But what an amazing day. Right as we walked down the aisle, the clouds broke and we had the most beautiful sunlit ocean in front of us.

The ceremony was just lovely.

We had our kiss and then our special family member.

The toasts were heartfelt, funny, and very moving.

Our first dance was choreographed because honestly, there’s nothing worse than a wedding dance of couples draped all over each other like drunkards stumbling home at midnight.

Then it was time for cake! We had a spice cake with an apple spice filling to follow the Fall theme.

I told Kevin if he shoved cake in my face I’d divorce him right then and there.

He chose the fake-out instead.

With the champagne toast

And then the party started

This is my mother, by the way:

We did take some time to be together

We were surrounded by a crowd of love

And we had some very special memories of people who have since passed away.

My uncle Tom and my Grandpa Rosiak, who is Theo’s namesake.

A polka with my beloved Grandpa Siok. He passed away a week after Theo was born, just long enough to see pictures of his great-grandson.

Congratulations abound

It was exhausting

And my feet hurt

But oh, so, so worth it.

Happy Anniversary, honey. I love you more and more with each passing day.

Everything Else

All the Pretty Little Ponies and General Thoughts

14 Comments Posted by on November 20, 2011

Hey everyone! Back when I posted about King Arthur Carrousel, which was actually one of my earliest MYWTM posts, I mentioned that all of the horses have names. Or maybe someone else mentioned it. Or something. Anyway, it was mentioned. Well I finally swung by City Hall and got the list. I was a bit disappointed with said list because I was expecting, I don’t know, some sort of way to tell each horse from the other, but hey, you work with what you got.

All the pretty little ponies

Because my cell phone picture is such high quality and the picture is sideways, I went ahead and re-created the list here just for you. I did it in a table and then posted it from Word, so if it’s all jacked up, then blame WordPress.

Alma Arabian Knight Avanti Baby
Belle Bruce Centurion Checkers
Checkers Jr. Champion Chodis Cinch
Copper Crown Jewel Crusader Dagger
Daisy Dante Duke Eagle Scout
Elinor Elroy Emerald Fern
Flourish Frenchy Galaxy Gypsy
Hal Ivy Jester Jingles
Kaleidoscope King Richard Lance Leprechaun
Lucifer’s Rose Lunatic National Velvet Patches
Pegasus Penny Queenie Rally
Red Devil Renaissance Sapphire Saxon
Screaming Eagle Sea Biscuit Sir Lancelot St. Patrick
Steamer Tartan Tassel Testy Pat
Thistle Tiny Topaz Tulip

Some of these names don’t sound very Disney to me–Red Devil? Lucifer’s Rose? Hal? Just kidding about Hal, by the way. And I did a Google search on “Chodis” and let me tell you, that was NOT what I was expecting (search result is rated R, parental consent is advised). But now if you’ve been burning with the questions of what the carrousel horses’ names are, there ya go.

UPDATE: Thank goodness for my sharp-eyed readers! Jamie says, “I think you may have received a typo on the list, I think the adult sounding horse is claudius. Check them out http://findingmickey.squarespace.com/king-arthurs-carrousel-horses.” And my god, I can’t TELL you how relieved I am that “Chodis” is incorrect. But then it makes me wonder, who would make that kind of typo? On purpose? Hmmm. Anyway, Claudius. Phew.

It’s been busy over here at Chez MYWTM. I have finally finished my critical thesis for my Master’s program and am just waiting for the final sign-off from my advisor before I can print and submit. Which cannot come a moment too soon. I have also been consuming mass quantities of Oreos (Oreos: The Official Snack Food of Shelby’s Thesis) and my waistline is probably going to be pretty happy that that’s over.

It’s holiday time at Disneyland–one of my favorite times of the year. I can’t wait to get into the park to start photographing all of the holiday decorations and attractions. Did I mention I love holiday time at Disneyland? Because I do. The “snow” after the fireworks show gets me choked up every time. However, the holidays also may mean a bit fewer posts here at MYWTM. Best thing to do is head over there —-> and subscribe to MYWTM with your email address. You’ll get a lovely little message every time I update and you can easily click on over to see all that MYWTM has to offer. Alternatively, or both, you can follow me on Facebook. I always update Facebook when there’s a new post.

I’m also a bit depressed to mention that I’m not going to make my initial goal of Doing Everything by the end of the year. I forgot to go on Splash Mountain when it was warm out and I’m not doing a water ride in the Fall/Winter, so…sorry. I also neglected to document the pre-holiday Haunted Mansion, and I’m sure there are other things I managed to miss along the way that I can’t do now.

There is some good news though–we have decided to renew our passes for another year, so MYWTM lives on!!! Next year I believe I will start reporting on the Mouse-Next-Door as well, so there will be lots of fun content in the upcoming months.

I hope all of you are getting ready for the joyous holiday season! Happy Turkey Day and Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Solstice, and of course, Festivus for the rest of us! Okay, I know the holiday greetings are a little premature, but I don’t want to forget them.

Everything Else, Fantasyland

Character Pictures

4 Comments Posted by on November 15, 2011

This is sort of one of those miscellaneous posts with pictures and stuff. With characters, to be specific.

Over at Mickey’s Halloween Party (which was awesome, btw) the lines for character pictures were abysmal. However, we did wait for Winnie the Pooh and it turned out that Rabbit was with him too. Pooh was wearing his Halloween costume.

Isn't it funny how a bear likes honey? Buzz buzz buzz, I wonder why he does.

I just love it when little kids hug the characters.

Usually the characters have a handler. The handler usually wears a button that says something like “Ask me about character pictures” or something. Which is kind of lame because if you see one they’re usually with a character, so it’s kind of self-explanatory about when they’re going to be out in the park.

Sometimes the characters, if they are popular ones, will have a Photopass photographer too. Either way, the handler or the Photopass photographer will take a picture with your own camera for you.

Occasionally a character will have neither a handler nor a Photopass photographer. In that case, you must rely on the help of strangers or just do a self-portrait.

I think this one turned out pretty good for a self-portrait.

I’m not sure why Gepetto was standing there all by himself, but there ya go.

Recently my friend and classmate Lyn came to visit from Albany, NY. We ended up running into a couple of characters and got some quick shots. We happened to stumble across some of the villains.

Jafar and the Evil Queen from Snow White

I have never seen Jafar out and about. And I’ll be honest with you–he was pretty creepy.

He's very tall

His face was molded into what I assume is supposed to be an impatient power-grabber, but it just actually looks weird. Plus there’s this mesh stuff where his neck is which does not in the least bit look like a neck. And he’s got fake fingers. He was pretty weird.

The Evil Queen from Snow White played to role to the hilt. She had noticed we were staring at her when she walked up, and when we went to get our picture she was like “Oh, so you’ve decided to take a picture with me after all of that staring” in a very haughty, evil queen kind of voice. Not gonna lie–I was a little scared myself.

Scary

When we went over to Toontown, the sign posted on Mickey’s house said the wait was 15 minutes. Since you finish Mickey’s house in his Movie Making Barn where you then get to meet Mickey and take a picture. We assumed 15 minutes was the wait to see Mickey. We were incorrect. It was actually more like 45 minutes. Bummer.

Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey

I’ve noticed that I tend to do this weird upper body lean thing in character and group pictures. Like I’m all “make sure everyone’s in the picture” so I’m leaning to do that, but nobody else is so I just look kind of weird. Whatever.

Anyway, a few hours after the above picture was taken, Mickey did a costume change and went over to the Mouse-Next-Door where we caught him again.

Captain Mickey

I actually deliberately stood up straight in that picture. And I look like a normal person!

Naturally I failed to bring my autograph book. I really kind of suck at getting autographs.

Characters, Everything Else

She lives!

2 Comments Posted by on November 9, 2011

Sort of. Sorry for letting this blog lie fallow here. We shot off to Vegas, also known as Disneyland for adults, for an early 10th anniversary celebration, and now I’m finishing up my critical thesis and other schoolwork due tomorrow, so I won’t get to a post for another day or so. Stay with me here–I don’t take very many blog vacations you know!

Everything Else

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