Happiness Is A Journey.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

What a powerful statement. Happiness is a journey. Have you ever thought about that? Or maybe you've had the thought of, "I'll be happy when..." or "I'd be happy if..." I'm sure you have. We all have. It's such an easy thought to have. We all want happiness out of life, but for some reason we do whatever we can to put it off for later. I am pleased to say that I am making every effort to not live that way. I want to enjoy the journey. I've already had so many journeys in my 21 years that it's difficult to imagine what could possibly come next, or what the destination could be. And that's the greatest part. In my life, I have had so many amazing opportunities. I truly have an amazing life, and I know I'm so lucky for everything I've been through. I'm especially lucky for all the people in my life. I don't know what I would do without the support system I have been blessed with. They are all a huge part of the happiness I have in my life. So my challenge to the world is this: Take a moment to appreciate one thing you have in your life. Then find something else to be happy about. And keep finding things to be happy about until all the bad things seem a little smaller.

I say all this for many reasons. The main reason is that I was really upset earlier today at how disgustingly humid this place is. Seriously. It's awful. It made me envious of the 106 degree day everyone back home was enduring. Which is silly. It's just weather.  So I went to Target and got some Fall decorations and a couple pumpkin scented candles and decided autumn would now be upon us, at least inside of The Blue House. And guess what? Now The Blue House smells fantastic and I feel a little better. It's still disgusting outside, but there will come a day when it isn't. I'm lucky enough to have air conditioning and running water. Those two things alone put me well above the poverty line in the world. It's a good life, people. If you're able to read this, you are more fortunate than the majority of the world because A, you can read, and B, you have internet access and are able to see this blog. Appreciate the life you've been given. I know I do. And I appreciate you, whoever you may be, for taking the time out of your day or night to read this.

People always wonder what I'm doing here in Florida, besides having one of the strangest, coolest, most rewarding jobs ever. It's kind of funny; my life here isn't all that different from my life back home. You know, once you set aside the whole job thing. And the fact that my playground is Disney World. Or that I'm 21 and refer to anything as my "playground." And the fact that at The Blue House, we look for any excuse to decorate using Disney anything. Oh wait, that's the same as home. Anyway. I work 5 or 6 days a week. When I'm not working, I'm probably watching Netflix, hanging out with my wonderful friends, watching Netflix with my friends, or making a trip to Target. If you didn't know, that's almost exactly what I did back home. Sure, the friends are different and this Target is a lot farther away, and when I want a dose of Disney Magic, I can have the real thing instead of driving 30 minutes to visit The Disney Store in the mall. But other than that, it's the same. It's just a different version of the same life. It's a challenge to find time to spend time with my friends considering how different our schedules are, but we make it work. It's always nice when the girls of The Blue House can all be in the same place at once. And we have been blessed with a few great friends since we all moved back to Florida.

All of this aside, it is very strange to compare my life to the lives of other people my age. So many of the people I graduated high school with are in such a different place than I am. Most of them have graduated college or are in their senior year of college. Some are married. Some have a baby. Some have multiple children. I have two pumpkin candles, every Disney movie I've ever considered a classic, a large collection of Minnie ears, and a photo album on my phone entitled "Neverland" that is made up of 125 pictures of Tinker Bell. I promise I'm not obsessed with her. My friends just enjoy following her around with a camera. And I'm glad they do.

On that note, Tinker Bell is one of the greatest things to ever happen to me. I have loved every moment with her so far and look forward to spending more time with her in the future. I love my other character friends just as much I did before, but Tinker Bell is so different from them. It takes so much extra thinking for me to spend time with her. At the same time though, it feels completely natural, like I have been friends with her forever. I look forward to the adventures she and I will have together.

For now, I'm going to find some Minnie ears to match my outfits for this weekend because my mom is coming to see me! I am so excited to see her and my aunts, Jane and Sarah, this weekend! We are going to have a great time! On top of that, since school has started, park attendance and wait times have dropped immensely! See you soon, Expedition Everest! I just hope I remember to get some pictures while they're here!

Happiness is a journey, not a destination. So enjoy the journey.

Debut Day!

Hey there, mainlanders! Guess what?! I finally got to hang out with Tinker Bell! And let me just say, it was one of the best days I've ever had. I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be. It's amazing how quickly Tink took over for me and started telling people all about her adventures and her fairy friends. Basically, the day was just a lot of fun. I've dreamed for years about what that day would be like and it finally happened. It truly was everything I hoped it could be.

This little pixie wasn't very talkative, but when her mom said, "Tell Tinker Bell who you were for Halloween!" She replied by pointing and saying, "My mommy!" Her mom corrected her and said, "No, silly! You were Tinker Bell!" So she and Tink got to talk about being a Tinker Fairy and how rare of a talent they are! She came back later to have Tink sign her autograph. When she was meeting Cinderella, she kept looking over at Tinker Bell and pointing. Too. Cute!

A lot of friends came to visit Tink yesterday, which made it extra special! She basically spent an hour and a half having a photo shoot. Some of these friends even brought her some lost things! One friend brought her some pumpkin bread from Starbucks because pumpkin muffins are Tink's favorite!

Tink loves showing off her wings! She had them washed so they would be extra sparkly on the mainland.

This mainlander spent some time with me this weekend and before he went back home to Texas, he decided to come meet Tink. After all, she is a very rare talent and who knows how often she'll be fluttering around the mainland?

This pixie is responsible for a lot of these wonderful photos. (She's also great friends with Princess Sofia and was spending the day with her when I got all those hilarious pictures a few weeks ago.)

One of my roommates made the journey over to Epcot after working all morning to meet Tinker Bell! 

This mainlander stopped by Epcot on his way to Magic Kingdom to say a quick hello to Tink!

This sweet pixie is very dear to me! We were introduced back home because of our interests with Disney and now we both work for this wonderful company! I'm so glad she was able to meet Tink on this special day!

This little sparrow man thought he was smooth, but Tink was not buying it.

Tink loves looking for lost things. It's one of her favorite things to do! Lost things are just human things that she collects and then uses later to fix or invent things in Pixie Hollow! All day long, she told the mainlanders that she was here looking for a stretchy thingy to hold together the paint sprayer she was making to paint the flowers. At the end of the day, she told another pixie about this. About five minutes later, the little girl ran back up to Tinker Bell, holding out a hair tie/rubberband/ponytail/whatever you want to call it. She brought Tink the stretchy thingy she needed! And with that, it was time for Tink to fly back to Pixie Hollow to put that stretchy thingy to good use! Don't worry, though. I hear on Saturday, Tink is going to invite some special mainlanders through a portal to Pixie Hollow! 

Fly with you later!

Bangarang

This has been an eventful week! I suppose the biggest thing I want to talk about is the passing of Robin Williams.

I've never met Robin Williams. I have never seen his stand-up comedy acts. I've never seen half of his movies. Until today, I don't even think I had seen Hook in its entirety. I didn't know anything about his family or his life. That doesn't mean he didn't matter. Or that his passing isn't sad. The biggest impact he had on my life was bringing the Genie to life in the movie Aladdin. I watch Aladdin every couple weeks. It is one of my favorite movies. As I have grown from a child into an adult, I have learned to appreciate the brilliance he had in that role. Over the course of the last few days, I have witnessed the Disney Cast Members uniting to grieve together. Several performers asked to speak to a manager on Tuesday in an effort to get the Genie to do a meet and greet in Magic Kingdom. I don't think it worked, but I know they tried. The Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It, Sreet Party is a sort of parade that stops and turns into a short dance party. Genie is a part of this celebration. On Tuesday, there was little dancing as most guests were hugging the Genie from all sides. Quotes by Robin Williams and photos of the Genie are popping up all over Disney property in the various entertainment break rooms. A lot of Cast Members feel like they lost a family member or a dear friend. It is very sad the way his life came to a close, but it has given so many people a reason to remember all of the happy moments he gave them. This is definitely one of those, "I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when..." moments. I was in the Animal Kingdom performer warm-up room, waiting to clock out, and talking with other performers when someone announced that Robin Williams had died. I do hope people continue to focus on the positivity and laughter he brought to the world and respect that his family needs to time grieve without ridicule.

Keep looking up, friends.

I am very pleased to announce that I am approved to be friends with Wendy! I didn't tell many people that it was a possibility in an effort to not get my hopes up too high. I finally got the news yesterday and I am very excited! She and I won't get to hang out for a while, but to know that it is going to happen at all is a big deal! I also learned that I [should] be hanging out with Tink here in a couple weeks! I guess Peter Pan is going to become my favorite story. I had my parade orientation last Saturday. I learned so many interesting things about all the work that goes into Disney's parades. Now that I've been through the class, I can hang out with Mickey, Minnie, and Pinocchio in Disney's Electrical Parade that happens after dark in the Magic Kingdom. After I spend a few days getting to know Tink, I will also be able to hang out with her in that same parade! I can't wait.

I don't really have much else to report. That was the big news I've been waiting to share. I've said it several times since I've been here and I will say it again: I am being given so many wonderful opportunities this time around. I can't wait to see what else is in store.

"Carpe Diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary." -Robin Williams, Dead Poet's Society

Hats and Headbands.

Hello again! I've been very fortunate since I moved back to Florida. I've already had a lot of great opportunities come my way. I'm working a ton, but having so much fun in the process. I really need to try updating my blog more often so I don't have to come up with several weeks' worth of events to document.

I don't have a picture for this, but I was hanging out with Mickey Mouse in Animal Kingdom. A family of 10 came to meet Mickey and Minnie, and our attendant warned us that it was kind of a rowdy group. The three boys, around ages 8-12, came to Mickey first. They were not speaking English, so I didn't pay much attention, just waited for the moment when we would take the picture. Then I heard the oldest boy tell the middle boy, (in Spanish) "You need to speak English. Mickey does not understand Spanish." That's when the light bulb came on and my attention was pulled. I started listening to the boy. He told Mickey hello and then introduced every one of his family members. He told Mickey everyone's name and their relation to him. (Grandma, older brother, sister, etc.) Since Mickey finally understood what was going on, he nodded along and acknowledged everything the boy was saying. After the pictures, the boy realized Minnie Mouse was there as well. He asked Mickey if he loved Minnie or if she was his friend. Mickey made a heart with his hands and pointed to Minnie. The boy laughed and hugged Minnie. While he had his arms around Minnie, he looked over at Mickey and said that he was going to have Minnie Mouse for his new girlfriend. Mickey laughed and then let the boy know he had his eyes on him. This entire interaction happened in Spanish. It was such a fun experience. I've never understood someone speaking another language so clearly. It still makes me happy when I think about it.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to be a part of the Dinoland Dance Party at Animal Kingdom as a Party Activator. This just means I got to wear normal [ish] clothes, talk to guests, and help get the dance party going! It was weird being able to interact with guests in this way, but also so much fun! I have another dance party scheduled for next week. This one is part of the Frozen Summer Fun event at Disney's Hollywood Studios! I'll be hanging out with Minnie Mouse that night. I'm excited! This will be my first dance party hanging out with a character! I'm so glad to make my debut with Minnie Mouse!

I also got to dress up as a blueberry last week! Not an actual blueberry, of course. I had a spare shift, which basically means I was an extra for the day in case any of Mickey's friends couldn't come to work. So I got to put on a Character Attendant costume and my name tag! I spent a little while with Snow White, but there wasn't much for me to do there. I ended up venturing over to Mary Poppins and Mr. Penguin and helping out their attendant! It was actually really fun. It may sound weird, but it was nice to have people call me by my name for a change. I met a lot of European dads who share my name. So that was weird. And people said thank you for the strangest things. There was one family in particular. The mom had her hands full with shopping bags, her purse, an open pen, two pen caps, and a camera. After the autograph books were signed, she offered to take the books and the second pen from her two children. I grabbed the books and pen before she had a chance and said I would hold them while she took the pictures. She looked confused, like nobody had ever done that for her before. I then told her I would take the pen caps and other pen to so she would have an easier time with the camera. Again, she looked stunned. She said to me, "Wait, really?" Confused, I replied, "Yes. Of course. My hands are free." She handed over the pen and caps and thanked me. She then told me that was very kind of me. I didn't and still don't really understand. Truly, all I did was close the books and the pens and hold them for about 30 seconds, but she was so appreciative.

My roommate, Carly, found a little cat on our porch during a rainstorm a couple weeks ago. It was late at night and pouring, so of course she wouldn't leave. I checked her body and ears for fleas and when I didn't find any, we took her inside to sleep. She ended up spending about a week with us before we found her real home. We named her "Penny" for the time being and had lots of fun with her before she returned home!

I have Parade Orientation tomorrow morning, which is the first step to being in parades! I'm pretty excited about that. I still have no idea when I'll be meeting Tinker Bell. I'm starting to wonder if it will ever happen! I do know Tink isn't lacking in friends right now, and Halloween is the priority at the moment. But hopefully she and I will hang out soon! The rest of these photos are just things that happened that I can't give much of an explanation for.

I watched the Flag Retreat at Magic Kingdom!

I fell in love with Olaf. He is a love expert, after all.

I spent a day with Minnie Mouse in her dressing room at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

I met Buzz Lightyear and said goodbye to one of his really good friends!

I went to Cocoa Beach with Brittany, Justin, and Jered!

I hung out with Minnie Mouse at Adventurer's Outpost in Animal Kingdom where we had some very special visitors!

I got to meet Jack and Sally! Jack taught me how to scare so I could take that talent back to my "rats" at Character Spot and Sally told me I was "Boo-tiful."

I spent time at Downtown Disney with my precious roommates and their friends before the twins returned home for a visit!

Today is my only day off this week. I have Parade Orientation in the morning, followed by a 65 hour work week beginning Sunday. I'm going to be exhausted! Woo! I am absolutely loving my time here in Florida. I miss my friends and family back home though. Hopefully the Fall brings some time for visits here or there! 

Lastly, my sweet, best friend, Emma sent me a care package this week with lots of pictures and my favorite chips. The best part, though, is that I now have this photo of me being.... well... me.

Make Magic, Everyone!

Sofia the First!

Last Friday, I went to Disney's Hollywood Studios with Carly and Justin. We had a really fun day experiencing the new Frozen attractions and meeting characters. Rather than write about the entire day right this second, I'm going to go through my experience meeting Sofia the First. I am going to tell this story with pictures because A) I have pictures and B) it's funny. We're just going to pretend the quotes I offer for Sofia are what she was actually thinking. It's funnier that way.

Let me begin the story with this: Justin, Carly, and I were leaving the backstage cafeteria area after having lunch. We had just become visible to guests when we saw Princess Sofia walking toward us. We all said hi to Sofia when all of a sudden, she nearly knocked me over hugging me. Clearly, Sofia was happy to see me. She didn't really let go of me, so I walked backstage with her. I could already tell she was spending the day with my friend, Dal. I walked with Sofia until we were out of guest sight and promised I would come visit her later.

3 hours later....

Justin, Carly, and I all waited in line with the little girls between the ages of 2 and 6 to meet Princess Sofia. After about 20 minutes, it was my turn.

Sofia: Oh my goodness! It's Ashley again!

Sofia: We should hug!

Sofia: Yes. Hugs are good!

"Sofia, you look beautiful! I love your dress."

Sofia: Too much praise!

Sofia: Oh wait, I am happy to see you.

"I really love your dress."

Sofia: We're talking about my dress still?

Sofia: Honey, stop worrying about my dress.

Sofia: Seriously. Like, you're making this really awkward.

"Just a little awkward."

"Maybe I could borrow your dress. Do you have an extra?"

Sofia: Girl.

Sofia: Seriously.

Sofia: Enough with the dress. I can't deal with you.

Sofia: Why does she insist on talking about my dress?

Sofia: She just goes, "talk, talk, talk, talk," like a little parrot.

Sofia: No more talking.

Sofia: Maybe if we hug, you'll be less awkward.

Sofia: There you go.

Sofia: Let's take a picture. Stand like this!

Sofia: Cheese!

Cheese!

Sofia: Why are you still saying cheese?

Sofia: Hug again because you're still being awkward!

Sofia: You're just SO awkward!

Sofia: But it's okay because I love you.

Sofia: See? With my heart!

Sofia: Hi friends!

Sofia: Bye bye, awkward nugget!