Come on and love me now.

Carnival, The Cardigans

The Shangai park will rival Disneyland in Hong Kong, but is opposed by local villagers

Mickey Mouse has met an unexpected obstacle on his chirpy march to bring Walt Disney’s consumer culture into China — ancestor worship.

Amid rice fields and bamboo groves south of Shanghai, hundreds of villagers are resisting plans to dig up family graves in order to make way for the first Disneyland in mainland China.

“It’s harder than persuading them to move out of their homes,” lamented one of three local officials charged with the task.

“A house just equals money but to disturb the forefathers is a trauma for generations.”

Officials are using tact and cajolery to avoid spoiling the news that more than £2 billion is to be lavished on what Disney calls “a Magic Kingdom theme park with characteristics tailored to the Shanghai region”.

There is already a storm of controversy over the decision to let Disney into China, with critics tearing into the project in official newspapers and on the internet. Some have denounced the insidious influence of Hollywood. Others say the state is wasting money on a bad investment.

Mickey and his friends will be socially divisive, according to one writer in the Workers’ Daily newspaper. “Rich and poor kids alike enjoy Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, but only the rich kids can afford a ticket so it will be a paradise for them and heartbreaking for the poor,” the writer said.

Many contributors to the websites of Chinese television and the People’s Daily complain that Disney fare is an insult to China’s ancient culture. One commentator went so far as to predict that Disney’s seductive array of characters would destroy the nascent Chinese cartoon industry.

Typical comments republished by the state news agency, Xinhua, labelled Disneyland and its products as “valueless” and “destined to turn us Chinese into consumer fetishists and cultural slaves”.

Such elitist concerns are remote from the folk in this cluster of rural villages, where generations went on working the land while the dynamic metropolis of Shanghai surged up over the last century, just 30 miles to the north.

Most people in Zhaohang could hardly believe their luck when the Shanghai government announced on November 4 that it had reached a joint venture deal with the famously hard bargainers from Disney to build the theme park in their area.

“I’m looking forward to moving for free into a new modern apartment and being able to go to the cinema or karaoke any time I like,” said a 25-year-old mother named Guo, cradling her one-year-old boy, “and when he’s bigger it’ll amuse my son.”

Two men called Zhao were standing outside their farmhouse, awaiting government valuers who will determine how much compensation about 4,000 people will receive in addition to their free homes.

The younger Zhao, 27, muttered that the amount they would be offered would be too low, but officials will have the last word since all land in China belongs to the state and may only be leased.

The elder Zhao, 60, was troubled by more than money and house moving. “They came round more than a month ago to tell us that we had to dig up our ancestors’ bones,” he said. “It’s difficult, because our forefathers have been sleeping under the earth for so long that it is cruel to awaken them.”

All over the countryside the deceased rest in peace near the fields and fishponds they tended in life, their graves chosen according to feng shui, the traditional art of geomancy, for harmonious concord with the winds and waters.

Officials want to transfer the remains to a public cemetery near Shanghai’s ultra-modern Pudong airport, where millions of visitors are expected to arrive en route to Disneyland when it opens in 2014.

It will be another flourish for China’s commercial capital as it rushes to outshine its rivals in Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Local reports suggest that the park will offer the lowest Disneyland admission prices anywhere. Yet it ought to make a profit because there are now millions of people enjoying incomes of more than £5,000 a year in the booming coastal region.

That income level is roughly where Japan was when it hosted the 1964 Olympics and showed off its economic miracle at Expo ’70 in Osaka.

For China, the 2008 Olympics and Expo 2010 in Shanghai mark similar strides towards greatness.

President Barack Obama dropped into Shanghai last week to lend his support and, for the city’s leaders, Disneyland is the icing on the fairy cake.

Young people in the villages that will vanish can hardly wait to move out, driven by a restless urge to travel and spend that has more than doubled domestic tourism over the past decade.

Yet the impact of modernity on places like Zhaohang and on people like the elder Zhao is so stark that even officialdom is trying its best to ease the transition.

“We have to handle this very carefully,” explained an official who was talking to old people in a community hall.

“They all believe that the ancestors’ graves are determined by feng shui and will influence the fortunes of their descendants.”

So far the local government has won over only 50 out of 1,000 families, said an official, who added that it “did not want to spoil the atmosphere”.

All names of villagers in this article have been changed to protect them.

___________

Full article and photo: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6926942.ece

Adam Lambert did his best impression of Britney Spears and Madonna as he stunned the audience and the millions watching the American Music Awards live on ABC last night with his version of “For Your Entertainment.”

I didn’t watch, but apparently Lambert simulated oral sex with a male dancer, kissed keyboardist Tommy Ratliff, grabbed his crotch and finally, flipped off the crowd.

Sounds like I didn’t miss much

So…ABC…I wonder how “Disney Friendly” this performance was!

From the New York Daily News:

A hip-thrusting Lambert continued to raise eyebrows by grasping the head of a male backup dancer and pulling him into his gyrating crotch, a move the ABC network choose to cut audio from for some unknown reason.

The shock-and-awe continued with the singer getting his privates grabbed by a tutu-wearing female dancer, as well as him snapping the bikini area of another female’s costume.

If viewer’s mouths weren’t open in shock yet, Lambert had more to come.

Following a quick recovery from a tumble across some scaffolding, Lambert took a break from singing to forcefully play tonsil hockey with a male keyboardist from his band.

With a look of defiance on his face, the singer proceeded to end his jaw-dropping set with the high-pitched wail he became most known for during his “Idol” days.

Marking his satisfaction from his performance, Lambert tweeted after the show, “All hail freedom of expression and artistic integrity. fans: I adore u.”

From Reuters:

Millions of viewers saw Lambert simulate oral sex with a back-up dancer, plant a passionate kiss on the mouth of a male keyboard player and gesture to the audience with his middle finger during the closing act of the live music awards show.

Broadcaster ABC cut away from one moment in which Lambert rubbed his crotch for its U.S. West Coast version that aired later on Sunday evening. But by then, the singer’s racy rendition of his debut single “For Your Entertainment” was already on its way to becoming the talking point of the show.

“Female performers have been doing this for years — pushing the envelope about sexuality — and the minute a man does it, everybody freaks out,” said Lambert, who publicly declared he was gay after “American Idol” ended in May.

“We’re in 2009; it’s time to take risks, be a little more brave, time to open people’s eyes and if it offends them, then maybe I’m not for them. My goal was not to piss people off, it was to promote freedom of expression and artistic freedom,” the singer, 27, told Rolling Stone magazine after Sunday’s show.

This week it’s typical for people to express thankfulness for their family, friends, jobs, and health. And I’m very, very grateful for each of those things. But this year I’m also counting the smaller blessings that make life a bit easier or a lot more fun. James reminds us that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

So thanks, God, for…..

….waffles

….the first glimpse of a new plant sprouting above the dirt

….old books bound in cloth

….Mad Men and The Office and Glee

….hair dye

….iPods

….the smell of sawdust, permanent markers and gasoline (am I the only one who loves these?)

….pasta. Okay, all carbs.

….blog comments that make me think or make me smile

….rain

….massages

….laughing with old friends

….Pomeranian puppies

….antique stores

….sleeping with the windows open

….hot water bottles

….losing two pounds without trying

….babies with sumo-wrestler-chubby legs

….the first cup of coffee in the morning

….receving an actual letter in the mail

….Sesame Street 1976-1983

….the old Electric Light parade at Disneyland

….that “just one more chapter” feeling when reading a great book

….hitting send to deliver a huge completed project

….endorphins after a workout

….old cathedrals

….Van Gogh paintings

….drifting off to sleep

….the color green

….the grey tshirt I’ve had since 1993

….the Charlie Brown Christmas special

….peonies

….beans and rice and tacos and guacamole and diet coke

….dusk

….Sunday afternoons

….singing difficult music with a good choir

….the diamond ring my grandma left me

….making lists

Just got back from Disneyland with grandson and nephew. I love seeing some place through a child’s eyes, but nowhere better than the magic kingdom. This was my first time to see it with the Christmas decorations. No words can describe the magic and sense of awe of being there at this very special time of the year.

Hoping everyone has very Happy Holidays.

Jill James

Disneyland today!

It was really fun. I picked my aunt and some cousins up at 9am in Anaheim from the train station. On the train platform, we saw this random purse sitting there so my aunt picked it up to take it to the conductor or security because obviously someone had left it, and then this random woman has the nerve to jump out of the train and yell ” Give me my purse! I need that”, PSHHH! Bitch! As if we were trying to steal your purse and obviously you didn’t need it THAT much if you left it on a train platform! Psh, so then we went to park, but we ended up parking in this weird lot a long way from the park called Pumbaa, it was bizarre, I’d never seen it before. I usually park in the multi level structure off the 5 FWY. So then, we’re waiting for the pseudo tram aka grayline bus, and there’s this family with like 6 kids and 2 parents, two of the kids are in a stroller and the family is getting ready to board the bus. Apparently, the lady didn’t think to collapse the stroller and round of the kids until the bus door as open and everyone behind her was getting impatient. This is why I hate theme parks, and were not even in it yet, this is just the parking. So anyways one of my cousins was celebrating his birthday, so he got in free, the other 4 of us bought tickets previously so the ticket thing went relatively quick. We headed to Tomorrowland and hit up Space Mountain for fastpasses then went to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, a shooting game. It was really fun, i got 2nd in the whole group, the winner was the birthday boy. Next we went over to Adventureland and went on the Tiki Room, a classic. Afterwards, we walked into New Orleans Square, and a new show, Tiana’s Showboat Review was on. Disney’s new black princess, Tiana, and her gang were on that big white showboat singing songs. The show only lasts about 10 minutes, but it’s worth every minute. I enjoyed it. Next, we went to Haunted Mansion, all Nightmare Before Christmas-ed out! It was exciting to say the least. Then we went to Hungry Bear Restraunt and got burgers, mediocre at best.  After we ate we headed over to the teacups, not a good idea after eating, but I made it out alive. Next we went on Space Mountain, great as usual! After that we kind of winged it and walked around a bit. We looked at alot of the really nice decorations for Christmas hit up It’s A Small World, Pirates of the Carribean and Big Thunder Mountain. Word to the wise:  if you ever go to Disneyland, on the culinary front, make sure to try — Bengal BBQ Kabobs, Corn on the Cob, Churros (of course), and the Cinnamon Tea Latte in the store with the coffee on Main  Street.I had alot of fun though!

But, the last 2 times I went to Disneyland was with HIM, so I found myself like “oh i remember when we were sitting right there…” or “that was so fun when we…” so I was kind of sad a little. But spending time with family really helps, so most of the day I was really happy and just immersed in love of family. I’m still having a hard time avoiding calling him because I always want to call him. And it sucks…I just hope he comes back soon

Anyways I hope everyone had a good night & weekend.
Also thanks to everyone who reads my blog.
Check out my blogfriend’s blog this is the URL: thegirlinthepurplepantyhose.wordpress.com

The best time of year to visit Disneyland is during the Christmas Holiday season. It all begins in October with the transformation of the Haunted Mansion, for which they call the Haunted Mansion Holiday.

This year, 2009, Disneyland decided to add another attraction to the Halloween celebration. Space Mountain. So for 45 days it was called the Ghost Galaxy. They created a new soundtrack, and had projected images of a burning skelton on the walls. It was awesome.

Now they are in the Christmas celebration time. With all of the holiday decorations, including the 75 foot high tree on Main Street. They have also decided to create a new fireworks show for this season. And, as usual, they have the snow on main street falling from the roof tops after the fireworks show.

There was talk earlier about making changes to the Tower of Terror attraction at DCA, but we didn’t see anything different than normal. I think it was scary enough to go along with the Halloween theme.

Thanksgiving is approaching soon, and Disneyland will be very busy. I’ve seen it before, closing the gates by noon due to over-crowding. The local Fire Dept shuts them down until enough guests have exited the park’s gates to allow more in. What a mad-house.

Well, that’s enough of the yapping…..Let’s go to Disneyland….

Disney's California Adventure

We had the wonderful opportunity to spend the day at Disneyland today and experience all the new attractions that Christmas time brings to Disneyland (as well as some completely BRAND NEW).  We began the day by going to California Adventure and walking around to enjoy the decorations, grab a coffee and hot coco at Boudin’s, and ride on California Screamin’! Great way to wake up in the morning.  We then trekked over to the main Disneyland park to catch one of the first shows from the *NEW* Disney Princess, Tiana on the showboat on the river.  The show was spectacular and got everyone excited for the upcoming ‘Princess and the Frog’ movie!

Princess Tiana and the Frog Prince

After watching that show, we hopped on the Haunted Mansion, which is always decorated completely holiday themed out and SPOOKTACULAR!! There were many shrill screams heard throughout the ride as well as an intense search for hidden Mickey’s. After being scared enough for a while, we headed on over to It’s a Small World which was completely redone to show the holiday spirit, and was enjoyed by all.  My favorite new part in the ride was the gorgeous different Christmas Trees in the different ‘countries’ throughout the ride.  The attention to detail was amazing, and we couldn’t help turning our head back and forth to try to catch all the details on each side of the slow boat ride!

It's a Small World Holiday

The night ended with the most fabulous display of fireworks I’ve ever seen (Disney seriously tops themselves every time I go) and a flurry of snow on Mainstreet!!!!  It was truly a magical night, absolutely perfect.  I CANNOT wait to go back and experience it all again!!!

Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle and Fireworks!

Today was a busy day guys

I woke up and told my mom I would make her bacon, but then I went in my room and fell asleep. Failure. I ended up sleeping for 3 hours. When I woke up I ate these things called Bogels from Panera Bread. By the way, Panera Bread is delicious ; I went yesterday and got a sandwich, broccoli cheese soup and an apple, delicious! When I was there I bought Bogels, these mini but up bagels with cinnamon on them. I melted butter and dipped them in that and ate them. I thought they were going to be delicious, but at best they were mediocre. So i scarfed a cranberry bliss bar. Mission accomplished.

After that worked on this mural project for my design class on three artists Ken Twitchell, Judy Baca, and George Yepes, interesting i guess, tedious though. I was in and out of doing chores, cleaning & the laundry. At lunch I made a salad! It was delicious. For diner my mom made Apples with Sausage and corn. It was good.

Going to Disneyland tomorrow! So I probably won’t update until Monday.

Hope everyone had a good weekend.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves.”
– 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Uno de los proyectos más ambiciosos que hizo consolidar a Disney como un Imperio fue el proyecto y apertura del parque de atracciones Disneyland, además de convertirse en una de las decidiones más importantes y rentables que tuvo Walt Disney a lo largo de su carrera en Hollywood.  Más ambicioso, din duda, que el primer corto de animación sonoro y más rentable que el primer largometraje de animación de la historia del cine y, desde luego, mucho más importante que cualquier otra actividad que el Estudio hubiera producido a lo largo de sus treinta año de su vida. El parque de atracciones de Disneyland es, hoy por hoy, el mayor y más fantástico mausoleo que un artista se haya hecho a sí mismo a lo largo de todos los tiempos.

“La idea de Disneyland es muy sencilla. Será un lugar en donde la gente pueda hallar la alegría e instrucción. Será un sitio en donde padres e hijos puedan compartir horas de gozo en mutua compañía; en donde nuestros maestros y alumnos descubran mejores medios de comprenderse y educarse. Disfruneyland tendrá algo de feria, de exposición, de campo de recreo, de centro comunitario, será un espectáculo de belleza y de magi. Está repleto de los logros, las alegrías y las esperanzas del mundo que nos rodea. Nos recordará aquellas maravillas y nos enseñará a hacerlas parte de nuestra vida”.

WALT DISNEY

CB=Cara’s Birthday. We managed the stretch the celebration out for the better part of a week!

On the day of, our little family of four drove over Disneyland way. We couldn’t stay (Todd had to work), but as Annual Passholders, we wanted to pick up the gift card that Cara was eligible for as part of their birthday offering this year.

I was SO proud of my big girl. She and I went into the park, and I told her in advance that she’d be able to pick one small gift to spend her $62 on, and with the rest of the money, we were going to buy some toys to donate to needy families this Christmas. She picked up a little wallet and brush, asked if she could have both of those little tokens (how could I say no to that?) and then happily selected two really nice toys that are now awaiting donation in our garage.

After that, it was the ultimate breakfast treat–pancakes at the IHOP across the street. That’s usually a daddy-only treat, but I was lucky enough to tag along.

After Todd dropped us off at home, we spent the day playing with her new toy (the nifty princess castle above!) and then had some dinner with Grandma and Grandaddy. A lovely, low-key day!

Everyone once in a while we get to be involved in some really cool projects here at Yamaha. Not that every day is not fun of course.. as it is. We do get a “Case of Mondays” just like everyone else. Sometime it’s a job, other times it’s an overload of fun. We have paperwork; budgets to prepare; plans to write; and stuff follow through on of course. That is the gig but we are very happy to be involved in something we love to do. It is not hard to lose site of the fact that not everyone in this world is fortunate enough do what they love to do every day of the year. All of us here on the percussion team are lucky to part of part of a strong brand and great products all the while working with extremely talented people and artists. But these extra projects are like gravy and make it seem all worthwhile. This one is neat.

Yamaha and Disneyland have this corporate relationship going back three to four years now. Yamaha is the official musical instrument supplier of Disneyland in Anaheim, California…. the “Happiest Place on Earth.” There have been cross-promotions that have worked well over this since we started this relationship.

What is really special is when we get to help the folks over at Disney put a new act into the park. Their production folks and Imagineers will have an idea for some new musical production and they come to Yamaha asking if this can be done from an instrument perspective. We always try to find a way to make it happen.

So we’ve been working with the folks over in music production as they prep for their Holiday celebrations. They have a Holiday Brass Band that will be rooming the park playing holiday music for all the guests. It’s a brass quintet of sorts except with a sax player and a drummer. The drummer needed room to walk round the park, hold some sleigh bells and perhaps a triangle, some cymbals, snare drum and whatever else they carry.

Our idea was simple: use existing products and adapt as best we can to make it work. Here’s what we did.

We took a Stage Custom Birch drum set snare drum and made it so we could mount a marching snare drum carrier to it using an ET-CLIP. This adapter is used on the Field-Corps marching snare drum. Then we took three floor tom mounts, the RK-FT, and mounted those to the front of the snare drum.

Now here is gets really cool. The woodwinds department has this fantastic Atelier located in our Buena Park office. It’s kind of like a skunk works for wind instruments. These folks have the ability to make any fine tuning adjustments for mostly professionals players either in LA of when they come through LA. They have the same sort of office in New York on 5th Avenue. So went to them to see if they can help and they were more than happy to lend a hand.

It’s fairly basic. All we needed was to just drill the drums. The percussion team just had no tools to do these ourselves. Hey were just percussion guys and not familiar with your ways of tools and drills and stuff. They have everything. Jeff Peterson, a sort of Benjamin Franklin master craftsman for wind instruments, helped me out. It no time we had the ET-CLIP and the three mounts on the drum. The mounts are to hold a very short cymbal arms and maybe woodblock or jam block. And the drummer can carry it around the park with no issue.

If you happen to go to the park this holiday season and see this group, let me know what you think.

Disneyland is bringing back its “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” show, complete with a brand-new, state-of-the-art animatronic figure.  Here’s a sneak peek.

This attraction has such a long history that it’s become a cultural artifact in its own right.  It debuted at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, opened at Disneyland the next year, closed in 1973 to make way for a film about Walt Disney, reopened in 1975 as a combination tribute to Walt and Lincoln show, got a new animatronic figure in 1984 and a new storyline in 2001, closed again in 2005 to house a Disneyland retrospective, and re-opens with this third-generation Abe figure next month.  Whew!

I was just reading The Disney Way and I was absolutely blown away by the way Walt Disney intuitively knew how to bring out the best in his people. No need for an MBA or a “Managing Corporate Creativity” class. He already knew how to engage his people to create magic and dreams for children and adults alike all around the world.

Dream

“A dream is a wish your heart makes.” Jimmy Cricket

No matter what race or religion, a large part of the human experience is about dreams and hope. People can die for their dreams and visions. That’s how powerful a dream can be. For that very reason, Walt Disney had insisted that the Disney castle be built first during Disneyland’s early days because he knew that this castle would play an integral part in rallying his people around the vision of Disneyland. He also encouraged his people (from janitors to artists to management) to share any ideas they had openly and many of Disney’s best ideas came from various people throughout the organization. Most of all, he reminded his people of their higher purpose to spread happiness, joy and magic to everybody who visited Disneyland in search of hope and comfort. Essentially, he reminded his people to never stop dreaming.

Believe

Another thing that amazed me about Walt Disney was his farsightedness in building a strong culture that only recently, corporations are starting to see the merits of – a positive “I can” attitude, an unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction, the power of teamwork and industry partnerships.

Dare

After Pinocchio had already been completed halfway, Disney decided that the cricket was too much like a cricket and too unlike a human being. In other words, it needed to be more human-like and endearing. Although canning the project halfway would entail huge costs, Walt Disney was so convicted that the cricket needed to be more endearing that he took the bold step to demand that the project be revamped. You can call him a madman or a relentless perfectionist, but at the end of the day, it’s impossible to deny the fact that Walt Disney was courageous in the name of creativity.

Do

It’s one thing to have all the exceptional ideas and another thing to actually realize these ideas. Many ideators are not very good executors but Walt Disney was a genius in both conceptualizing and executing.

A detail- oriented person, he also cared so much about ensuring that visitors to Disneyland experienced magic and joy that he often went down to Disneyland to experience the place as a visitor, and to look for opportunities to make Disneyland more magical for every visitor.

He also believed strongly in equipping, developing and training his people. That’s how the Disney University came about -  to train everybody in Disney from janitors to directors in customer service and the Disney culture. In fact, when a young boy hired to play Tom Sawyer had behaved rudely towards some visitors, instead of reprimanding the boy, Walt Disney chided himself for not training the boy sufficiently. After the incident, he ensured that the boy received further training and eventually, the boy went on to be an outstanding Disney employee.

That’s the magic behind Disney, an amazing vision that continues to enthrall the hearts of everybody worldwide : Dream Dare Believe Do. If only the managements of all companies today are as enlightened as Walt Disney and if only we are able to practise this mantra in our lives, we’d probably have witnessed a lot more magic in the world around us.

Enjoying the teacup ride with niece at Disneyland, 1999

Well, I could go on forever about things I like about California. But I’m going to tie it up for now with five more. Here goes:

– San Francisco: I never lived in the northern part of the state, but I traveled to this memorable city three times. Unfortunately, I did not take any pics, but the images in my mind are terrific. Riding cable cars, eating from sourdough bread bowls at Fisherman’s Wharf and viewing the architecture at the top of Nob Hill are events not to be missed. This is a city that everyone needs to visit at least once.

– Shopping malls: No better place to part with money. Venues such as South Coast Plaza, the Irvine Spectrum and Fashion Valley have all the major stores and some specific to the area. The most unique to me is Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego, whose parking area is labeled by fruits, not letters and numbers. Probably still some shoppers wandering around in there from the grand opening.

– Golf courses: A direct result of the weather. You are never more than a 9-iron away from quality links. They range from the famous (Torrey Pines in San Diego, site of several major tourneys) to the regular, dog-eared muni. Hey, the adventures include animals. Once in Bonita, a duck started nibbling on my golf bag as I waited to tee off. And in Chula Vista, a crab dug his claws into my index finger when I reached for my ball in a dry creek bed after an errant shot.

–Freeways: Equally loved and cursed by the locals, these are indispensable to life in SoCal. They have names as well as numbers — the San Diego Freeway, aka I-5, extends all the way to LA. And there are names that strike terror — the Orange Crush, the El Toro Y. But roll down the top on a convertible and drive along one, and you’ll be hooked, too.

– Theme parks: The best known, of course, is the D-word in Anaheim where Goofy, Snow White and the world’s most famous mouse live. But there’s also the sister park, California Adventure, as well as others. In Santa Monica, there’s an amusement park on the pier. In San Diego, there’s the San Diego Zoo and Sea World. This entry seems like the perfect one to tie things up with. “C” you real soon. “Y?” Because we LIKE you.

Killer whale Shamu poses for fans at Sea World in San Diego, 1991

Here is a small collection of random pictures that don’t belong in any specific category. Some photos are taken in summer 08 and some on my 18th birthday.

They are a collection of memories.

]]> http://ravrodriguez.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/hong-kong-disneyland-ocean-park-tour/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:23:33 +0000 Ray Anthony http://ravrodriguez.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/hong-kong-disneyland-ocean-park-tour/

I will be starting a series of blogs regarding my family’s tour last November 4-7, 2009 at the Queen’s former territory-Hong Kong. The possible order of my blogs is as follows:

1. Getting a updated passport at DFA, Manila

2. Preparing for the trip

3.Early morning going to NAIA

4. Arriving at HK International Airport

5. Travel to Kowloon-Park Hotel

6. First Lunch-Mcdonalds

7. The Peak Tower

8. Night Market

9. Avenue of the Stars

10. TSL Jewelry

11. Hong Kong Disneyland-The Rides

12. HK Disneyland Fireworks

13. Breakfast 3rd Day

14. Ocean Park Part 1

15. Ocean Park Part 2

16. Symphony of Lights

17.  Space & Art Museum

18. Breakfast 4th Day

19. Science Museum

20. Last Day Lunch

21.History Museum

22. Travel back to HK Airport

23. Dinner at HK Airport

24. Trip back to NAIA

(and George’s)

Dear Stacey,

Your birthday is getting closer!

Present this voucher, along with valid identification, including proof of birth date, to redeem free admission to one Disneyland® Resort Theme Park in California on your birthday.

We look forward to welcoming you on December 01, 2009. Best wishes for a very happy birthday!

©Disney

So since the last times I blogged, I have done nothing. I was forced to eat the Beast Stew. It was horrible. I took a relaxing bath. I’ve been eating healthy or not at all, and I’ve lost like 5lbs already, not alot ALOT, but still…I was thinking about how there are kids in the world, not even kids, just people in general who wish that they were fat, people who wish their mother would tell them “you shouldn’t eat so much”, so that gives me a different perspective on my whole situation.

Anyways, this weekend is going to be fun. My cousins are coming over and we’re all going to Disneyland for my cousin’s birthday. I’ve been to Disneyland 2 times since August, both with “GUY”, so this is going to be different. I really like Disneyland, its like a real life fantasy, or oxymoron. When I’m there all my troubles go away, I just forget about them. Hopefully I don’t get too depressed while there, the last time I was there was for his birthday and we had a really good time. I was so happy to see his eyes light up the way they did and see the smile on his face, and just knowing that I took a part in putting that there. It was one of the best weekends of my life, honestly. I also remember that Sunday night, when I broke down crying when I had to drop him off at the airport to go back to his house. I could barely get out of the airport drop off area. I was a mess. The way I see it, this can go one of two ways, I will either forget all about everything and just have fun with my family or I might get hung up on the time me and him spent there…Who knows.

Remember in elementary or even middle school when you liked someone and you told them and they told their friends and their friends laughed at you about it…? Well thats kind of what I feel like. I thought his friends liked me, but its like the teenage girl syndrome, one doesn’t like you, all turns against you. I remember all the times I had something to say in the middle to conversations with his friends, but I held back. I remember when I thought that I looked like shit, so I wouldn’t hang out with them…But now I realize they don’t care what I have to say, they don’t care if I look like shit, all they know is I hurt their friend, and that to them…I don’t know. I kind of feel like now, I don’t even want to go back into a relationship with him, because of the awkwardness of it all. I’m always around…on weekends, then for me to disappear for months, and then maybe, possibly reappear…its all a mess.

So I was watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians: The Wedding, and they did the peak&pit of their day, and I thought it was a cute concept that would come across particularly well on a blog. So here goes.

Peak: Going to Piano & drowning in the music
Pit: Roast Beast Stew.

Thanks for reading guys.

Disney’s most memorable characters scatter the river of Disneyland, instantly bringing back the days of Disney club on Sunday mornings. Where are you Aladdin?

Author: Shelby
Source: articlesbase.com

With Disney always accretion its repertoire of parks and attractions, it is difficult to accumulate up with them! This overview gives a quick attending at some of the accepted Disney parks. Epcot Center: The Epcot Center is disconnected into two capital sections, the Approaching World and the World Showcase. The Approaching World appearance affected attractions that focus on addition and the future, and there are abounding options for ball and shows with this theme. The World Showcase has pavilions announcement eleven altered countries.

Anniversary pavilion showcases the, disney acting auditions, ability and cuisine from anniversary country. There are opportunities for arcade and added attractions at the pavilions as well. A few of the countries included are Morocco, Norway, China, and Mexico. The Epcot Center allows you aggrandize your horizons! You can try getting a racecar driver, go through a amplitude training lab, and fly through the Acuteness Institute. Disney Beastly Chance Park: This Walt Disney esplanade is altered in its mission.

Not alone does this esplanade aim to affect acuteness and ball in its visitors, it aswell strives for superior beastly affliction and research. There are abounding affairs to apprentice about animals, with 1,700 animals beyond the park’s 500 acres! The altered areas of this esplanade cover Africa, Camp Minnie-Mickey, Asia, and Dinoland. These areas activity educational opportunities to see animals up-close, and occasionally even pet them! Disney’s Hollywood Studios: This activity esplanade takes you out from the amphitheater and into the scene, acceptance visitors to acquaintance behind-the-scenes activity from their admired movies.

All attractions are based on box appointment superstars, and there are affairs in the esplanade to accommodated superstars, like your admired princesses. One of, disney acting auditions, the accepted attractions at this esplanade is the American Idol Experience, which lets visitors acquaintance the action of American Idol firsthand. Disneyland Resort: The Disneyland Resorts accept the iconic alcazar in the background. Bring your little angel in her Sleeping Beauty dress, and let her acquaintance her fairytale firsthand! You can appointment Mickey Mouse at his house, acquaintance the archetypal ride “It’s, disney acting auditions, a Small World,” and go on an chance with Indiana Jones.

You can get the autograph, disney acting auditions, of your admired princesses and added Disney characters throughout the park. There is a affected allocation to these resorts, disney acting auditions, as well, alms a hands-on addition area. With tea cups, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and added rides staring favorites like Pinocchio, this esplanade is abiding to amuse any Disney fan. There are best arcade areas, common parades, and firework shows as well. Downtown Disney: Downtown Disney is a arcade and bistro acquaintance just alfresco of the Disneyland resorts.

Parking and access to this allure are free! There are reside dancers and musicians assuming throughout Downtown Disney. This is a fun abode to airing through and boutique in the evening.

Shelby Strong is an at home mom of 3 kids. She enjoys running an online store called My Cute Dressups where she sells Cinderella Dresses, and other princess costumes like Sleeping Beauty dresses, Snow White costumes, princess accessories, boy costumes and more.