I updated!! yea!!
Finally, huh? It's been almost a whole month! And guess what I did for each day that passed by? I wrote down what happened on a notepad so as not to forget...so get ready for a LONG entry! .....Just kidding! I definitely didn't have the time to do that.
The last I wrote I'd had those nasty little bloody noses. Thankfully I haven't had any more since then (knock on wood). Emily and Matt soon came down, and it was so good to see them...especially my schnook!I got to hang out with them 2 of the 3 days they were here, so it was really nice! But by the time they were leaving, I was starting to get this nasty cough. My parents were delayed in coming by a day, because my dad had to go to the ER due to a really bad stomach virus he had. So when they were here, he didn't get to do much, and I pretty much stayed in bed with him...we were the sickeys! I ended up missing more work! But I didn't really care...by this time I only had a couple weeks left at the Polynesian. The first day I saw my parents, my aunt, uncle, and cousins that live about 2 hours away from Disney, came for a couple days. So I got to see them, and they all got to meet Alan, so it was nice. It was SO great having so many of my family down here...but when they all left, I was pretty sad! :( I missed having them right there....especially for how sick I'd been, I'd missed my mom being there to take care of me.
New Years Eve I had to work. I got the late shift, of course!...2a.m. But Alan was working until 12:30 a.m., so it worked out. Around 11, one of my managers came up to me and asked when Alan was getting off, and I said 12:30/ He then told me that he would see into me leaving then as well. :) Alan and I both took breaks around 11:45 to go watch the fireworks at Magic Kingdom...which were pretty amazing!! And then I got the ER at 12:30!
From January 2-5, it was sad times. My friends who weren't extending left during these days. It felt so surreal. Especially when I walked into my room and saw Angela's mom helping her pack...it felt like yesterday that it was that first day when she and her mom were unpacking her stuff. Time flew by so fast , and now she and some of my other buddies were going home. It was so hard to say bye...it didn't feel like she was leaving, but when she wasn't there when I got home from work the next couple of days it finally hit me she was gone. When I had to say bye to Annie and Robbie, I just broke down. You meet these people, and encounter them pretty much everyday day you're here for 4 months, and then they leave...and you don't know the next time you'll see them.
So I finally changed apartments! I went from a 3 bedroom apartment on the first floor, to a one bedroom apartment on the third floor. Brittany and I arrived EARLY at housing the day it was time to move. so we could request living together. They said they had 1 and 2 bedroom apartments available, and they were they same price. Brittany and I didn't feel like taking the chance of rooming with 2 new girls that we didn't get along with, so we took the one bedroom...and we're roomies! It's such a cute little apartment...it feels more like my own, than when I was sharing one with 5 other girls! Moving all my stuff to a third floor room was just awesome, let me tell you. I was slowly getting over my sickness, so by the time everything was moved up, I was exhausted! I will admit that Alan did most of the moving for me...I couldn't carry some of that stuff up 3 flights. That night, Alan and I went to the old apartment to make sure I didn't leave anything...and for some reason I felt so sad. Before I couldn't wait to get out of that thing! But now...it felt like I was moving out for the first time. There were so many great memories in that place! Alan and I just sat on the couch (the place where we shared our first kiss!), and talked about all that had happened there...and then it was time to walk out that backdoor one last time.
In the next week I finished up at the Polynesian! It was pretty depressing going into work the last couple days, and Annie and Robbie not being there. The only CP's that were left were me and Alan. It was so great walking into that place for the last time I'd have to call it my work place. Though, it was sad to leave most of the people...especially Alan. It's been weird not to have him at my new job. And we don't see each other as often. At the beginning of my job change it seemed like all we would do was bicker with each other. And it was about stupid stuff. We came to realize that it was because we both hate change, and it was going to take time for us to get used to the fact we weren't going to have all that time together like we did before.
So my new job...this has been my first week into it by myself (I had a week of training prior), and I LOVE it!! It's so much different from my old job. I get to dress up in costume and make little kids, and big, happy. My first day on my own, I was Rafiki (my main character that I'll be is Pluto, but there are other characters that are in my height range that I might be every now and then). I was paired up with someone who was Timon, so that was cool. She'd been doing this for 2 and a half years! It was a lot of fun getting the kids to jump around like a monkey with me. And to hear little kids say, "Rafiki! You're my favorite from the Lion King!" It just makes me feel so unbelievably good to know I'm making some of these kids dreams come true. It definitely gets to you when you see the kids with Make A wish buttons on. You know that this child is dieing and I get to touch their life for about 5 minutes. This job is so much more rewarding than the last!
But I'm not going to lie...the costumes can get pretty hot!!...and it's January, mind you! When I was going through training, my first day out in costume I was Pluto, and boy do I sweat in that costume!! And you have to stand a certain way for your head to be looking directly at the guests. You also are supposed to get down at the level of little kids, so my back is killing me after each set. I'm also limited to 3 fingers with Pluto's hands, so I had to practice his signature often! During training we usually would have five sets during the day. A set usually lasts for 30 minutes (that's when you're out in the parks signing), and then you have 30 minutes where you're offset. When they told me that I'd be getting 30 minute breaks after each set I thought I was in heaven! I soon came to learn that those 30 minutes really turn into 10. By the time you get fully out of costume, you have about 10 mi8nutes to actually sit before getting back up and putting the costume back on. A normal day is about 7 sets, but my first day I had 9! And my that 5th set, I was putting on a wet costume...it can be pretty gross, but it's all worth it for the guests! I definitely shower like twice a day! And I work 11 hour days now, sometimes!
Training week was pretty fun! I trained with about 14 other people...and guess who one of them was?? PATRICK! I'd gotten lost my first day of training, so everyone was seated when I walked in. They all turned towards me as I opened the door and one of the first people I made eye contact with was him. During one of our breaks he came up to me and said, "Well isn't this a surprise! I hadn't heard that you'd gotten a part! Congratulations!" So we talked for a bit...just about where we're living now, and stuff like that. He never brought up the past, but throughout the week of training we were sort of distant. I guess it's good to know we're on ok terms now. But during training week, you learn the do's and don'ts of this job, and they also had training costumes that we got to practice in. One day you put on your character's head, hands, and feet to see what it feels like to be in them. You also practice signing autographs and posing for pictures. The next day you actually put on the full costume, and we did fake sets in the classroom, just to experience how it would feel to have the costume on for a certain period of time. They would have us march around like we were in a parade and dance around the room...I never thought I would be doing this for one of my jobs! I would look in the mirror, and see myself, and think, "Wow! I remember how excited I would get to see the characters when I came to Disney...and now I'm one of them!"
So, in a nutshell, that's what's been going on the past several weeks! I'm glad I finally got the time to update! I get 4 days off next week (I've never gotten that many before), so I think I may see an update in the near, near future!
The last I wrote I'd had those nasty little bloody noses. Thankfully I haven't had any more since then (knock on wood). Emily and Matt soon came down, and it was so good to see them...especially my schnook!I got to hang out with them 2 of the 3 days they were here, so it was really nice! But by the time they were leaving, I was starting to get this nasty cough. My parents were delayed in coming by a day, because my dad had to go to the ER due to a really bad stomach virus he had. So when they were here, he didn't get to do much, and I pretty much stayed in bed with him...we were the sickeys! I ended up missing more work! But I didn't really care...by this time I only had a couple weeks left at the Polynesian. The first day I saw my parents, my aunt, uncle, and cousins that live about 2 hours away from Disney, came for a couple days. So I got to see them, and they all got to meet Alan, so it was nice. It was SO great having so many of my family down here...but when they all left, I was pretty sad! :( I missed having them right there....especially for how sick I'd been, I'd missed my mom being there to take care of me.
New Years Eve I had to work. I got the late shift, of course!...2a.m. But Alan was working until 12:30 a.m., so it worked out. Around 11, one of my managers came up to me and asked when Alan was getting off, and I said 12:30/ He then told me that he would see into me leaving then as well. :) Alan and I both took breaks around 11:45 to go watch the fireworks at Magic Kingdom...which were pretty amazing!! And then I got the ER at 12:30!
From January 2-5, it was sad times. My friends who weren't extending left during these days. It felt so surreal. Especially when I walked into my room and saw Angela's mom helping her pack...it felt like yesterday that it was that first day when she and her mom were unpacking her stuff. Time flew by so fast , and now she and some of my other buddies were going home. It was so hard to say bye...it didn't feel like she was leaving, but when she wasn't there when I got home from work the next couple of days it finally hit me she was gone. When I had to say bye to Annie and Robbie, I just broke down. You meet these people, and encounter them pretty much everyday day you're here for 4 months, and then they leave...and you don't know the next time you'll see them.
So I finally changed apartments! I went from a 3 bedroom apartment on the first floor, to a one bedroom apartment on the third floor. Brittany and I arrived EARLY at housing the day it was time to move. so we could request living together. They said they had 1 and 2 bedroom apartments available, and they were they same price. Brittany and I didn't feel like taking the chance of rooming with 2 new girls that we didn't get along with, so we took the one bedroom...and we're roomies! It's such a cute little apartment...it feels more like my own, than when I was sharing one with 5 other girls! Moving all my stuff to a third floor room was just awesome, let me tell you. I was slowly getting over my sickness, so by the time everything was moved up, I was exhausted! I will admit that Alan did most of the moving for me...I couldn't carry some of that stuff up 3 flights. That night, Alan and I went to the old apartment to make sure I didn't leave anything...and for some reason I felt so sad. Before I couldn't wait to get out of that thing! But now...it felt like I was moving out for the first time. There were so many great memories in that place! Alan and I just sat on the couch (the place where we shared our first kiss!), and talked about all that had happened there...and then it was time to walk out that backdoor one last time.
In the next week I finished up at the Polynesian! It was pretty depressing going into work the last couple days, and Annie and Robbie not being there. The only CP's that were left were me and Alan. It was so great walking into that place for the last time I'd have to call it my work place. Though, it was sad to leave most of the people...especially Alan. It's been weird not to have him at my new job. And we don't see each other as often. At the beginning of my job change it seemed like all we would do was bicker with each other. And it was about stupid stuff. We came to realize that it was because we both hate change, and it was going to take time for us to get used to the fact we weren't going to have all that time together like we did before.
So my new job...this has been my first week into it by myself (I had a week of training prior), and I LOVE it!! It's so much different from my old job. I get to dress up in costume and make little kids, and big, happy. My first day on my own, I was Rafiki (my main character that I'll be is Pluto, but there are other characters that are in my height range that I might be every now and then). I was paired up with someone who was Timon, so that was cool. She'd been doing this for 2 and a half years! It was a lot of fun getting the kids to jump around like a monkey with me. And to hear little kids say, "Rafiki! You're my favorite from the Lion King!" It just makes me feel so unbelievably good to know I'm making some of these kids dreams come true. It definitely gets to you when you see the kids with Make A wish buttons on. You know that this child is dieing and I get to touch their life for about 5 minutes. This job is so much more rewarding than the last!
But I'm not going to lie...the costumes can get pretty hot!!...and it's January, mind you! When I was going through training, my first day out in costume I was Pluto, and boy do I sweat in that costume!! And you have to stand a certain way for your head to be looking directly at the guests. You also are supposed to get down at the level of little kids, so my back is killing me after each set. I'm also limited to 3 fingers with Pluto's hands, so I had to practice his signature often! During training we usually would have five sets during the day. A set usually lasts for 30 minutes (that's when you're out in the parks signing), and then you have 30 minutes where you're offset. When they told me that I'd be getting 30 minute breaks after each set I thought I was in heaven! I soon came to learn that those 30 minutes really turn into 10. By the time you get fully out of costume, you have about 10 mi8nutes to actually sit before getting back up and putting the costume back on. A normal day is about 7 sets, but my first day I had 9! And my that 5th set, I was putting on a wet costume...it can be pretty gross, but it's all worth it for the guests! I definitely shower like twice a day! And I work 11 hour days now, sometimes!
Training week was pretty fun! I trained with about 14 other people...and guess who one of them was?? PATRICK! I'd gotten lost my first day of training, so everyone was seated when I walked in. They all turned towards me as I opened the door and one of the first people I made eye contact with was him. During one of our breaks he came up to me and said, "Well isn't this a surprise! I hadn't heard that you'd gotten a part! Congratulations!" So we talked for a bit...just about where we're living now, and stuff like that. He never brought up the past, but throughout the week of training we were sort of distant. I guess it's good to know we're on ok terms now. But during training week, you learn the do's and don'ts of this job, and they also had training costumes that we got to practice in. One day you put on your character's head, hands, and feet to see what it feels like to be in them. You also practice signing autographs and posing for pictures. The next day you actually put on the full costume, and we did fake sets in the classroom, just to experience how it would feel to have the costume on for a certain period of time. They would have us march around like we were in a parade and dance around the room...I never thought I would be doing this for one of my jobs! I would look in the mirror, and see myself, and think, "Wow! I remember how excited I would get to see the characters when I came to Disney...and now I'm one of them!"
So, in a nutshell, that's what's been going on the past several weeks! I'm glad I finally got the time to update! I get 4 days off next week (I've never gotten that many before), so I think I may see an update in the near, near future!