61 Books of 2016...

As I mentioned previously, I am very proud of the number of books I managed to read last year. 61 Books! I love to read all sorts of genres, although I have my favorites and certainly a preferred type, I've learned. Of course, I love my series like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, and I'm very happy that I was finally able to start re-reading the Magic Tree House Series, even if it is for children. I was able to get my hands on several Sherlock Holmes stories, picked up new series and authors I hadn't heard of before, and I started reading new and old Manga series, as well as picking up a few lesser known plays in order to feed my Theatre brain. I've learned that I'm not a fan of Romance novels, I got bored every time I walked through the section, and (surprise, surprise) I love Murder Mystery Thrillers..!
Although I can just post a list of all the books I read last year, as I started at the beginning of last year, I'd really like to post about each of them separately (the series, at least), and if they have a movie counterpart, how do they compare?? It may take awhile, especially with all of my current reading list, but I'd love to get it done!

2016 Reading List:

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan
Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
Stuart Little by E.B. White
When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicket
The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends by Shannon Hale
Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne
The Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson
The Knight at Dawn by Mary Pope Osborne
Divergent by Veronica Roth
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
PJO: The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan
Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osbourne
The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
Pirates Past Noon by Mary Pope Osbourne
EAH: The Unfairest of Them All by Shannon Hale
The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
Ghoulfriends Forever by Gitty Daneskvari
Night of the Ninjas by Mary Pope Osbourne
Afternoon on the Amazon by Mary Pope Osbourne
Ever After High: A Wonderlandiful World by Shannon Hale
Flawless by Sara Shepard
Shouldn't You Be In School? by Lemony Snicket
EAH: Once Upon a Time by Shannon Hale
Fooly Cooly 1-3 by Yoji Enokido
The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
Ace Attorney: Miles Edgeworth 1-4 by Kenji Kuroda
Gilgamesh translated by Stephen Mitchell
Attack on Titan: No Regrets 1-2 by Gun Snark
Why Is This Night Different from All Other Nights? by Lemony Snicket
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Big Hero 6 Manga 1-2 by Haruki Ueno
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Sunset of the Sabertooth by Mary Pope Osbourne
The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
Children by A.R. Gurney
Is It Wrong to try to Pick Up Girls in A Dungeon 1-3 by Fujino Omori
Richard Cory by A.R. Gurney
The Middle Ages by A.R. Gurney
Idol Dreams 1-2 by Arina Tanemura
D. Gray-Man 1-2 by Katsura Hoshino
How to Be a Pirate by Cressida Cowell

#ThrowbackThursday

I've made a few posts in the past with the #TBT tag, and I'm really wanting to bring that initiative back. I'm hoping that by posting at least every Thursday, perhaps I'll actually keep up with my blogging. There's also, obviously, a lot that has happened in the past year that I would love to talk about, so #tbt is quite appropriate. Just as I try to post every Wednesday for #WaltWednesday on my other Social Media, I really hope this time it sticks!

16 Going On 17...

It's another year & here I go making empty promises to myself...
The first promise?? That I'll blog more... lol We'll see..! 
I was looking back on last year's New Year's post and I do have to say that I'm pretty proud of myself! A lot of people are saying that 2016 was a terrible year all-around, but I don't know. A lot happened. From Elections to Tragedies to deaths, but personally, I had a pretty fantastic year! 
My List for 2016, and I have to say, I did a pretty good job...
**
Read More!
Watch More Movies!
Catch up on Shows!!
Practice Japanese!
&&&& Spanish...!
Work on Poke'mon: Princess Debut!
Keep up with a Workout Routine!
Eat Healthy!
Get out of "Family Debt" (>v<)
Meet all the Disney & Universal Characters!
Actually GO SHOPPING!?
Hang out with Friends & Family/ Stop being a HERMIT!
**
At the beginning of 2016, I wasn't sure how I would be taking care of myself in the months to come. I was having to ask my family for money because I didn't have a job. Come mid-February, however, and had 2 jobs! Soon I was back working with Disney and starting a new job at Universal Orlando! I've made so many fantastic friends and have somehow been able to keep up with those across the big pond. I started attending auditions! Sure, I'm a long way from being an actual entertainer, but at least I'm working on it! I've been pretty good at taking care of myself- for the most part... I've even gotten out of the house and have hung out with my friends! Yay for fighting my inner introvert! One of my dearest friends asked me to be a Bridesmaid in her wedding &&& my mother got engaged! But oddly enough what I'm most proud of: I read 61 books!! I don't think I've read that many books in a good while..! I made sure to work on my shows (I doubt I'll ever actually be caught up on ALL of them), and I made sure to watch more movies as well. With so much good happening in my life, I can't help but have hope for the New Year! 

One thing I did have to sacrifice in order to accomplish a lot of what I did last year was any time for myself. Instead of resting or taking care of myself, I was forcing myself to work everyday and save money for future expenses. It upsets me that although I'm constantly working, I'm always broke and never have money, or simply TIME, for myself. At the start of this New Year, that's going to be my main focus. 

For 2017 I want to pamper myself- take care of myself- enjoy my time. 
I've made list of random purchases I plan to "splurge" on, since I never do that. My "Gift to Self" List.
And by taking care of myself,that also means getting my hair & nails & body taken care of regularly! (I even have a small collection of bath bombs that I am stoked to finally try out! *w*)
I may be starting this year out broke (what's new?), but at least I'm not in "Family Debt" anymore! I want to work a lot so I can have some actual spending money, but find that perfect balance between Work & Rest.From 2016 I plan to continue leaning towards Clean Eating Habits & Working Out.
Spend time out and about, hang out with my friends.
Explore Orlando/ Florida! Who knows how long I'll be here??
Continue to attend Auditions. Be confidant. Never Give Up!
Continue my Reading List that is ever-growing!!
Work on my Shows and watch more Movies.
Visit the parks and events, obviously!
And definitely work on my Languages! That is one thing I failed on this past year and would like to focus on this time around.
And, of course, continue to slowly work my Poke'mon: Princess Debut! I've let it go these past few months, but I thoroughly enjoy my time writing, so hopefully I'll be able to stick to it.

There's certainly a lot happening in these next few months for me: moving to a new apartment, family visits, birthday... I have to be careful not to fall into what I know best: working all the time and never taking care of myself. I want this year to be different. I don't want to have to worry about how I'm going to pay for rent, worrying about hanging with my friends because I don't have the time or money. My absolute main focus this year will be to find that Happy Medium between Work and Rest. Last year I made a lot of progress in my "New Year's Resolutions," and I know this year I will as well. 

REVIEW: The Lightning Thief

   As a huge fan of the Percy Jackson series, it's only natural that I'd feel the desire to re-read the books every now-and-then. Plus, I have to keep myself fresh since Riordan is still releasing books! I finally just finished The Blood of Olympus and am SO pumped for Trials of Apollo to come out this summer!!
   This time, after reading the books, I decided to re-watch the movie. I remember seeing The Lightning Thief in theaters when it came out back in 2010. I didn't like it. After re-watching it, the book fresh in my mind... I still didn't like it. Yes, I'm biased having read the whole series, but even if I hadn't read it, I don't think I would have cared much for it... Simply put, The Lightning Thief movie just doesn't have any real depth..!

   Let's start at the beginning: you see Zeus and Poseidon arguing over this missing bolt, and that was the first wrong thing! The whole point of a book or film is to learn along with the characters! If you just hand everything to your audience, there's nothing left for us to figure out. There was no mystery! From the very beginning you already know that Percy is Poseidon's son... The WHOLE POINT of the first, like, 5 chapters is the mystery about WHO Percy's godly parent is! Also, the audience is supposed to follow alongside Percy as he grows and learns about his special powers, in the movie he pretty much has got everything figured out already. How boring.
   And speaking of characters... Am I the only one that is still annoyed that everyone is high school age when they're supposed to be 12??? The whole point of them being in middle school is because that's the world renowned age group of awkwardness! You're no longer a kid, your suddenly starting to notice the opposite sex, you feel like you don't fit in anywhere- which is pretty much the whole story of Percy Jackson, just with all the Greek Mythology mixed in...
   On top of that, we have the lack of character development. Percy never had to wonder and worry about being claimed (not that "being claimed" was ever mentioned in the movie anyways), Chiron sent him directly to the Poseidon cabin. Whatever happened to him being the new kid?? ((And about the cabins- why did we never see any of the others?? Luke has a random tent to himself- where's the rest of Hermes Cabin???)) Grover, in the movie, starts out as this overly confident, mature, cool-kid satyr who's the center of the party; however, the real Grover is nothing like that. Grover is supposed to start out as a pitiful, crybaby, kid who's unsure of himself and eventually grows into a self-assured grown satyr with a searcher's license and an adorable romance. Annabeth, on the other hand, is pretty much herself except with a lot more of the bitchy attitude from the get-go. In the book, Annabeth is a love-sick girl who acts confident but is really trying to find her way in the real world. She's high-strung, adorable, highly intelligent, and not very much like her film counterpart. And, of course, I have to say it: WHY WASN'T SHE BLONDE??? And the worse part? If you decide to make Annabeth brunette in the first film, don't change it for the second one! You've already made the mistake, now you're just making it worse...!

   I also didn't like how different they made the world, either. Don't get me wrong, the art and graphics were amazing, especially Olympus and The Underworld, but what about the spectacular world of the Greek gods in Western civilization? In Rick Riordan's world, what makes this story so appealing is the idea that the Greek gods and monsters and myths could be lurking right around the corner. How the simplest things like a fast food chain, a mattress store, or the Empire State Building could be connected to a whole other world. But in the movie, everything relatively "normal" was just glossed over. Finding their way into Hades had to be complicated and secretive- why couldn't they just find themselves to the rundown LA music studio??
   And let's not forget the whole plot change..! Ares had no part in the movie, and I actually loved the badass Ares we meet in the book! Especially how Percy wins their little scuffle at the end- how do you think he becomes famous in the camp?? Well, besides the whole returning the lightning bolt, thing... Hermes is also missing. The kindly cousin who gives Percy a push every now-and-then, and truly feels for his lost son, Luke. And Luke... He genuinely has a strong dark purpose for wanting to overthrow Olympus, but in the film he sounds just like any run-of-the-mill bad guy. So you have to ask, where is Kronos??? The main baddee calling the shots from Tartarus, the one pulling the strings through everyone's nightmares?? Way to kill the story...
  And the last thing I have to mention: the learning aspect of it all. One of the major pulls of every Riordan series is getting to learn. Throughout the book Percy meets various monsters and gods, he ventures to all sorts of places throughout the world, meeting heroes and villains of myth. But that's not the case in the film. We don't have Annabeth giving us a history lesson every time we meet a new monster, or Grover and Chiron teaching us about the gods and their part in the world we live in today.
   I don't want to say that the movie was bad, but it definitely wasn't good. And it certainly didn't live up to the book. All they did was make an action movie, geared towards teens and young-adults, with the cool addition of Greek Mythology... And Riodan's books are so much more than that. You can't have a decent film without heart, and honestly, that's exactly what it was lacking.  

REVIEW: Coraline

   Many years ago I watched for the very first time a dark and spooky film, advertised for children. Ever from that first moment until now, I still think calling this movie a "Children's Movie" is quite a stretch. Coraline is a fantastically creepy movie with humor, adventures, beautiful art, and a totally spooktacular soundtrack.

   Suzette loved the movie so much my niece was even named Coraline. Of course, she's a positively bright princess, so I guess she's not doing too well living up to the name; however, our very own little Coraline loves the movie she was named after just as much as we do.
   Many years after first discovering the movie, Coraline, I finally got my hands on the book! To anyone who hasn't read the book, be warned, it's just as dark and demented as the film..! Personally, I think the book was even more creepy. With the book you get more details on Coraline's creepy adventure. There's also not as much comedy relief. I didn't know before diving into the book, but the character Wybie from the movie, doesn't even exist. I also would have to say that the movie has a lot more colors and happier scenes compared to the dark and danky book format. There's just a lot more creepiness as a whole in the original...

   Now, don't get me wrong, I loved the book! It was definitely thrilling, and the art fantastically gruesome; however, the movie was still equally as fun. I finished the book in one day, that's how easy of a read it was, and I would totally purchase it for my collection someday.
   I also have to give a hand out to the director, Henry Selick, and writers of the Coraline film, though. With the little that the original book gave, they were able to create a whole new world of magic and wonder, surprisingly bigger than Neil Gaiman could have imagined.

2016 New Year's Resolutions... Except, not..?

And here we are again- a new year! Ok, it's actually the middle of February, but it still feels like 2015 was only yesterday..! Does that mean that I have to make a million promises to myself that a may, or may not stick to??? No... I haven't really made a "New Year's Resolution" thing in a long while... I have set goals for myself, goals that I make sure are very general and are normal everyday things that I either already do, or want to do more of...? With setting general goals like these, it never feels like do-or-die whether they become fulfilled, which makes it much more likely to accomplish since I won't feel stressed about it. These are all goals that I want to work on in order to improve myself, just for me, and no one else...

And so, here is my 2016 Goals:

Read More!
Watch More Movies!
Catch up on Shows!!
Practice Japanese!
&&&& Spanish...!
Work on Poke'mon: Princess Debut!
Keep up with a Workout Routine!
Eat Healthy!
Get out of "Family Debt" (>v<)
Meet all the Disney & Universal Characters!
Actually GO SHOPPING!?
Hang out with Friends & Family/ Stop being a HERMIT!

And lastly, get into the Disney Entertainment Industry!

Another Kind of Magic...

Today I had my first day of Orientation for Universal Orlando!

It’s definitely strange having to wake up early and actually being around people for 8+ hours out of my day, haha, but I guess I’ll just have to readjust to it…! #IntrovertProblems (-u-)
Of course, since it was only the first day, we had to cover all of the basics. We did the usual new hire paperwork, payroll, benefits, taxes & all that good stuff. And don’t forget about learning about Safety! Surprisingly, this whole section, though, was a lot of fun! Rather than sitting in front of a computer reading about hazardous chemicals, or playing games about safety awareness, Universal took it to a whole new level. They mashed up a bunch of clips from their movies like The Mummy or The Nutty Professor, and re-dubbed the characters to say all this random safety information. What made it great, though, was the fact that Universal was able to make fun of themselves. They know that learning Safety Critical information is boring, so why not make it fun and entertaining?? And so, with the help of the Mighty Safety Man! we covered a whole 45minutes “Safety Begins With You” lecture without ever being bored.
The best part of today was definitely getting to walk back-stage. We only took a trip to the Backlot Bistro for lunch, but I couldn’t help but stare with amazement at all the witches and wizards passing me by! And did I mention we got to walk under the Hogwarts Express??? I was having so many Fangirl Moments- it was great! It’s too bad we’re not allowed any photos, I wish people could see all of the amazing things I get to witness on a daily basis..!
Another big part of today, I thought, was differentiating between the cultures of being a Disney Cast Member and a Universal Studios Team Member. Now, if I didn’t love both companies and theme parks EQUALLY I wouldn’t be working there. I even said it during my interview- I have to be in a work environment that I enjoy..! And I really do! Yes, you’re working for the busiest theme parks in the world & you have to deal with crazy/ incompetent/ rude guests quite often &&& the weather can be grueling in Florida &&&&&& sometimes the pay and/ or hours just plain suck- but so what??? Personally, the Magical Moments are what make it all worth it. Whether it’s having a wonderful experience with a guest or getting to learn about the wonderful things happening back-stage and within the company before anyone else- I absolutely have loved “working for the mouse,” and I’m certain I’m going to love working for Universal as well..!
As for learning to differentiate between the two- I’m sure more will come to light once I actually start working for Universal, but here’s some of what I’ve noticed.

Favorite Things About Working for Disney:
Free entry into all 4Major Theme Parks plus 3Water Parks as well as Guest Resorts.
FREE PARKING
Great Cast Member Discounts on Merch as well as Full Service Restaurants.
9/10 You get to interact with some of the coolest/ nicest Cast Members in the World.
Most of the Managers I know are very helpful and great to their Cast Members.
Parties in the Tunnel!
And Disney gives us Free Food a lot, haha! At least for Fantasyland Attractions!
Peer Recognition! (It’s great when you get it, but really sad when you KNOW you’re a fanfuckingtastic worker, but no one actually recognizes you…!)
That warm fuzzy feeling when you get to make a family vacation even more magical
Being with my people!! WE ALL LOVE DISNEY & RANDOMLY BREAK OUT INTO SONG & DANCE!
It’s Disney!! ‘Nuf Said!!!
What I Greatly Dislike About Working for Disney:
Block-Out Dates for Cast Members!! (>_<)
Having to pay extra for the Hard Ticketed Events..!
The company is so large there’s often miscommunication between departments.
Sometimes I feel that Disney can be a bit too-faced (sorry! I still love you!)
Favorite Things About Working for Universal (so far):
Free Entry into both Universal Orlando and Island of Adventures as well as Sea World Orlando and Busch Gardens pluuuus discounted tickets at Wet ’n Wild.
NO BLOCK OUT DATES FOR UNIVERSAL!!
FREE ENTRY FOR HARD TICKETED EVENTS!
FREE PARKING @ Universal
Greeeeaaat Team Member Discounts on Merch as well as Full Service Restaurants &&& QUICK SERVICE! (FUCK YA!)
9/10 You get to interact with some of the coolest/ nicest Team Members in the World.
So far the Management Team seem great and very helpful/ reliable to their new members!
They hold an Annual Team Member Survey just to hear what we have to say
There’s a Party Trolley?? That’s cool!
They even celebrate Mardi Gras! Awesome!
They gave me a free lunch today, so that counts! Haha..!
On top of getting recognized by your fellow Team Members at your specific location, you get to gloat about your success with a photo in the UO Newsletter &&& a personalized parking spot (if you get recognized for the month)!
PLUS, all of your recognition can actually be redeemed for real money! Now that’s what I’m talking about!
We’re all Nerds Here! While Disney has it’s fair share of Magic, I love to let my inner nerd out! Bring on the MARVEL Universe & the Harry Potter Wonderment!!!
Dislikes of Working for Universal:
Weeeell, I can’t exactly put anything here yet since I’ve only been to 1day of orientation, but I’m sure it’s going to be similar… Dumb Guest Interactions, dealing with Florida weather… Who knows..??

It may actually be because I actually worked at Disney for 6months and I am so ready to take on a new challenge, but I still love it! I wouldn’t be going back if I didn’t! That’s another thing! I hate that people complain about Disney so much! If you hate it so much, then fucking leave! I don’t wanna hear your nonsense! When you work for a theme park, especially for a place like Universal or Disney, you HAVE to be happy! Be grateful that you fucking have a job & more importantly, show that you LOVE your job! You may be having a crappy day, whether because of something personal or something work related, but that has nothing to do with the Guests. I hate when I’m working with someone who has nothing good to say about their job. Do you not realize how many thousands of people would kill for an opportunity like this??? I know I greatly appreciate my job- both of them! And I’m so glad that I’m getting to live out my dreams.
Mom keeps telling me how proud she is of me, which is the mom thing to do, of course. But what she added to that really warmed my heart. “Most people work all their lives wishing to find their dream job. And you did it right out of college.” I never thought about it until she told me, but it’s so true. I know so many people, my mother included, who are only finding their dream job in the later years of their life. So many people who say they have regrets for not pursuing their dreams… And maybe that’s why I’m so adamant about chasing my own. I know I must sound like a silly little girl, but I truly believe in chasing your dreams and following your heart. (Obviously, that’s the Disney Kid in me!) But then again, if I didn’t think like that not only would I not be a Theatre Major, or an Actress pursuing an almost impossible dream, but I wouldn’t be where I am right now.
I had dreamed of someday visiting Japan ever since I was in the 5th grade- summer 2012, I made that dream come true. The Disney College Program became a dream of mine way back during my Junior Year of High School- 5years later, I made it happen. Auditioning for FUNimation, working with renowned Anime Voice Actors- all dreams and goals I made for myself years and years ago and somehow, it all came true. Even getting to work for Universal! Although I never actually said I wanted to, I’ve wished to be a wizard since forever, and now I’ll be helping make the Wizarding World of Harry Potter come to life! There’s just so much I want to do with my life, so many goals and so many dreams… I am so grateful that at such a young age I’m already getting to see the fruit of my labors and I am more than happy to be, as my family has often told me, a “role model” for my younger brothers and cousins. 2015 was such a Magical Year and 2016 looks like it’s going to be quite an Adventure..!

Happy Chinese New Year! 

Here’s to my year- The Year of the Fire Monkey!

And although I know most people don’t believe in the pseudoscience of Astrology or the sacred power of the Chinese New Year, but when it’s so accurate to my current life situation so much of the time, how can I not believe?? And so, I leave you with a little Monkey Wisdom:
“With the right blend of optimism, playfulness, dedication, and passion, you can experience amazing achievements in every area of life.” 

MARVEL- Phase 1...

Because I obviously don't already have a million things going on in my life right now, I decided to work on not only watching all of the Disney Productions of the past, pluuuuus the Studio Ghibli films, why not also re-watch some MARVEL movies???
I've been re-watching some of the series that I already own like the Spider-Man and X-Men movies, but of course I had to add in the Phases as well! So, of course, we're gonna start with Phase 1 and continue on until I catch up to where we are right now!
SOOOooooo excited for Phase 3 to begin- WHOOO!!!!! (*w*)

Phase 1-

Iron Man

The Incredible Hulk

Iron Man 2

Thor

Captain America: The First Avenger

The Avengers

Phase 2-

Iron Man 3

Thor: The Dark World

Captain America: Winter Soldier

Guardians of the Galaxy

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Ant-Man

Studio Ghibli... Miyazaki's World...

Along with my goal of watching all and every Disney production, I decided to go ahead and join this with the Studio Ghibli films. Of course, as we all know, Ghibli became so very well known due to the various Hayao Miyazaki stories- even though there are others out there- but here is the listing of all his works so far, in order! AND SO- let us begin another series of movies to spend all my time on, haha! (^-^)

Castle in the Sky

Grave if the Fireflies

My Neighbor Totoro

Kiki's Delivery Service

Only Yesterday

Porco Rosso

Pom Poko

Whisper of the Heart

Princess Mononoke

My Neighbors the Yamadas

Spirited Away

The Cat Returns

Howl's Moving Castle

Tales from Earthsea

Ponyo

Arrietty

From Up On Poppy Hill

The Wind Rises

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

When Marnie was There

It All Started With A Mouse...

We've all heard this saying and it's something that definitely has inspired me in my everyday life. When I look at the empire that Disney has become since Walt's humble beginnings, it not only makes me appreciate what I have in life, but it gives me hope to pursue my own impossible dreams.
I grew up watching Disney movies and I watched all of the television shows. Even today, I make sure to keep an eye out for the latest Pixar Release, and I'm always up-to-date on the newest Disney Princesses coming to join the family. The wonderful world of Disney has always been near and dear to my heart, and now that I work for the company, it's even more-so. I am honored to call the Magic Kingdom my Home.
I'd like to admit that I've fallen head-over-heels for the Disney Company and as such, I've decided to take it upon myself and learn all there is to know about it. After reading my Disney Biography last year, I wanted to watch all of the original Disney Creations and really get a sense of the Disney History. And so, I began a list... And somehow, someway, I will watch every single one of Disney's works- even those Silly Symphonies that came before Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs! And the television shows that no one even knows about?? Yup, I'm gonna watch those too! Who knows how long it'll take, haha, but I'll get it done! After all, when I set my mind on something, I make it happen, no matter what. Walt was the one that taught me that...!

Sucking Up Your Wi-Fi...

First off:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Well, surprise-surprise, I haven't posted in over a month... (-u-) I did mention how my computer's charger was left back in Texas (because I'm brilliant), so I wouldn't be able to post regularly. BUT, I got a new computer! Well, a barely even used computer, that is. You see, last year my mother bought herself a MacBook Air for her birthday, buuuut she hardly ever used it. SO, we decided that it would be best to give it to someone who would actually make use of it! And, boy, do I..! Too bad we don't have Wi-Fi...
Kassie & I moved into a new apartment with our new roommate. We have no furniture, no cable, no Wi-Fi... You know, you're typical adult living. So now I have a computer, but no internet to connect to, haha... I now spend hours at a time at Starbucks sucking up their Wi-Fi...!
Anyhoos, now that I have a computer I'll be able and make regular posts! And, for the moment, looooots of free time (living that unemployed life)! I have so many posts to catch up on! From the holidays, to my days at Disney, & the College Program in general! Plus my birthday, the time when my family came to visit, and several postings on the books and movies I've been into! Can't wait to get back to work on my postings! (^-^)

Journey to Disney...

~*August 6th- August 10th*~

And so my magical journey to the wonderful world of disney begins!

Road tripping with my family- moving to a new and unfamiliar home- it felt a lot like that time 4years ago when I was leaving for college. Buuuut I was obviously much more excited for this new chapter in my life...! (^w^)
The trip from San Antonio to Orlando was definitely a long one (over 20hours), but it was lots of fun. In our car we packed my mother, her boyfriend (Carlos), Carlos' daughter (Gabby), my brother (Nicky), Coraline, Kassie, and me. And thanks to technology today, I played Harvest Moon practically the whole way, haha! (( I was having withdrawals after Nicky had to take it away from me!))

What made coming to Disney even more exciting (if that's even possible) was knowing how many friends I was going to have while here! Not only would I have the opportunity to meet people from all over the US as well as the WORLD, but there just happened to be a lot of people coming from UNT! One in particular, Darian, has been a friend of mine for years and I was so excited to see him! Although he's still undecided on what he wants to do with his life, I'm always glad to hear how much fun he's having.

Besides hanging with all of the amazing peoples around me, I always love spending time with my mom and everyone. We hung out with family living here in Florida and just chilled out. Of course, when it comes to family there's always drama, but when I was with my mom and everyone was the most fun.

Everyday that I am here at Disney, making magic for all of the little ones I miss my family and even moreso- my Cora! <3 nbsp="" p="">

I can't wait till they come to visit me! I Love my family so much and miss them everyday. The few days we spent together at the start of my program were easily my favorite. I love it here at Disney, but I wish there was a way to have them experiencing it all with me. 

Sick Days...

I've been at Disney for more than 2months now!
I work almost everyday, and when I'm not working I try to relax and maybe watch shows and movies.  Before I had zero dollars to my name every week I would usually spend a day off at one of the parks... Sadly, with bills and old debts needing to be paid off, I have no moneys practically ever! (>x<;) SO, I've been spending every day off inside, in my apartment, where I'm not tempted to spend money that I don't have, haha.
I've gotten accustomed to my simple daily routine: chill and hang out, maybe clean, then drive off to work in the afternoon. Work for 8hrs, then it's back home for bed. These past two weeks, however, have been a little different. Why? Because I've been SICK!! It's been the most annoying thing!
Now, Lisette never gets sick, and when I do, it's only for a few days. I'll feel like total crap one day, but I'd be done with it real quick, no problem! This time around, I've been sick for 2 WEEKS! At first it was just a cough, then I had headaches and a fever... I would be freezing under all my layers and blankets even though my body was so warm... Sometimes I would feel lightheaded and dizzy- eventually, I looked it all up and realized I had a stupid fucking COLD. Just in its strongest form. For the 1st week I was surviving on water, tea with honey, and few hours of sleep due to nighttime coughing fits. But the best part?? I still had to work..! Of course, it was my choice to not call-in, but I needed the money!! And, of course, during the time of me being sick, I'm working 10/12hours everyday! ( ; _ ; ) Just a few days ago I got the worst symptom: my hearing has gone wonky. Basically, my left ear has been like it has water in it (technically excess air) and there's nothing I can do about it... I can hear, just not as well as I should...
So that's been me these past couple weeks... Just dealing with life, struggling through the dumbest thing ever: BEING SICK. It's been so fucking annoying... I don't know how people do this on a normal basis... On the bright side, I don't feel as awful as I did, so hopefully that means it's almost passed. I also learned how to make homemade chicken soup from scratch, so that's cool..! (-u-)

Do You Wanna Play A Game...?

~*SPOILER ALERT*~

SAW~ 
The Saw Franchise is horror film series that has been a bit of a controversy. Some say it's a psychological masterpiece and others claim it's just gory torture porn; however, I'd have to say that I actually like it. Of course, blood and gore has never bothered me, on the contrary, I find it very entertaining if done properly.... What does that say about me?????

So, I decided to have the Saw Franchise be my main series for the Halloween Challenge this year! One of my roommates is quite obsessed with the series, haha, and she owns them so it was perfect. The 1st movie I had seen several times before so it nothing was much of a surprise. I really quite liked this original film and would have to say it's easily my favorite of them all. It had clean story-telling, intense plot twists, and lots of fun and mind-boggling traps and surprises. In the end when John gets up off the bathroom floor??? Ugh... So great... Honestly, if they had ended the series right there I would have been happy, but of course there had to be more. (-u-) Rating: 9/10

Saw II~
And so, after the original was such a success, the Saw Franchise continued to release a new movie every October for the next 6years. 9 times out of 10 a sequel is a vast disappointment compared to the original, but that wasn't the case for this one. The traps only got better, there was lots of character development, and vastly more clever twists and turns, reveals, and drama throughout the film. Before sitting and actually "watching-watching" this movie, I had remembered seeing bits and pieces, and anyone who knows even the least bit about the Saw movies knows about Amanda. I love her character development throughout the series and her reveal in this movie! And even more-so, I love that we got to see a bit of John Kramer's, aka "Jigsaw's," backstory. John's reasoning for creating traps and for putting these people through death trials is slightly revealed: he wants to spend the rest of his remaining life testing others, putting them through these experiences so that they will appreciate their lives more. The twist at the end of this one, though!! Poor Detective Eric Matthews! If he had only listened and played the game!!! (>-<) Rating: 8/10

Saw III~
I love how more complex the story is becoming, along with the traps and games themselves, but this is also when things start to get slightly confusing... Our main game player, Jeff, has an actually sad backstory with having lost his son and all those in the traps had some part to play in his death. And so, on one hand you have the choice of forgiving these people or to take your revenge for your child... Which would you choose??? Several times I wondered that myself, and that's exactly the point of these movies. Jeff wasn't as interesting as his backstory was, though. He was just too predictable and kind of annoying because of it- he makes it to the trap, sees who it is, decides to let them die only to attempt to save them last minute and basically fails... dumb... especially when he does it every time... The worst part of the movie?? The ending. When both John AND Amanda DIE!! They were my favorite characters! (I knew that John died somewhere in the series but I didn't know Amanda had as well, so that sucked). And so the plot thickens! Jigsaw and his murderous protege are dead! Or are they?? Will the games continue?? Of course they will, after all there are more movies, but what exactly does that mean??? Guess I have to watch the next one to find out! Rating: 7/10

Saw IV~
Although this movie had some of the craziest traps it was definitely my least favorite of the movies. Things are getting more and more twisted and complicated, which means it's more confusing and kind of hard to follow at times. And, surprise, John has a widow! We meet Jill Tuck and learn more about Jigsaw's past and how became who he is/ was. Part of what makes this film (as well as the whole series) confusing is the addition of multiple characters within John Kramer's puzzle, meaning the audience has the keep track of EVERYONE that has come in and out of the story since the 1st film. As for this particular movie; however, the main problem was the timeline. You begin at John's autopsy, but in the end it's revealed that that scene actually takes place after the movie and that the 4th and 3rd movie (chronologically) are happening at the same time. FBI Agent Peter Strahm who has been investigating the Jigsaw murders throughout the movie happens upon the sickroom. Here he finds Jeff, the player from the last movie, and shoots him. In the other part of the story we lose 2 characters from the past movies- Eric Matthews (Saw II) who was revealed to be alive, and SWAT Lieutenant Daniel Riggs (Saw III) who is the main player in this film. And, of course, Jigsaw's apprentice is revealed to be Detective Mark Hoffman who was playing as a victim this whole film. And so, Jigsaw's legacy will carry on! So, ya. My least favorite of all the Saw films. There was a lot of story development and plot twists, but I feel that it was a bit too jumbled together to really comprehend in one sitting. It took me watching the following movies and a long talk with my roommate about the storyline to really understand what was happening... Rating: 6/7

Saw V~
This 5th installment was nice to have follow the 4th mainly because it helped clear a lot of the muddle and confusion that the last movie caused. As is the norm of the Saw franchise, we have multiple games playing at once on different plains. The main story's game involves a group playing in a sort of deathly obstacle course dungeon- in order to beat the game they must complete each room's task, and although it seems like only 1 person can survive, it is eventually revealed that the point was to work together. Since they practically killed themselves off. In the other half of the story, it's a battle between Hoffman (the new Jigsaw) and Strahm (FBI Agent from Saw IV). In the beginning of this film, Strahm ignores his audiocassette and is abducted and put in a trap. To Hoffman's surprise (he had claimed to the police that he was the only survivor), Strahm beat his trap and taken to the hospital. By this point, Hoffman is suspected as a Jigsaw accomplice and is taken off the case, and Strahm determinedly investigates on his own. Throughout this movie we find out how and why Hoffman was taken as John Kramer's apprentice and the parts he played in all of the previous traps. In the end, Strahm confronts Hoffman and sets off his own death trap. Hoffman successfully turned the investigation to focus on Strahm, kills him to hide his identity, and escapes to carry on Jigsaw's legacy. Rating: 6/7 

Saw VI~
I feel that this film kind of brought back some of that excitement and great story-telling that came with the original Saw. It was a lot more clean and not jumbled up or confusing like the previous 2. The traps were also more elaborate with multiple dimensions, thrilling and still mind-boggling. Took me back to thinking, "What would I do?" William Easton, head of a health insurance company, Umbrella Health, was our main game player and a really great character. Unlike most of the players in the past, Easton actually tried desperately to save the people in the traps and felt remorse when someone died. Now that is how a real live person would most likely be if this would happen to them. I loved him. In the end it is revealed that, although he went throughout this whole game, it wasn't really about him. As the executive of Umbrella Health, he made the decisions on who to cover and who not to cover. That's why he was there in the 1st place (he rejected John's plan for an experimental procedure). Throughout the years he chose who lived and who died, including the husband and father of Pamela and Brent who had been observing his game. In the end, they were to choose whether William should live or die and Brent chose the latter. But, wait, there's more! While all this is happening, Hoffman is aiding in the Jigsaw case against Strahm. FBI Agent Dan Erickson is leading the investigation alongside Agent Lindsay Perez (from Saw IV), who was presumed dead. Jill, last film, was also given a box in John's will. In the box are envelopes with the last few targets to be tested. Hoffman runs the games while Jill keeps quiet. In flashbacks, we learn of Amanda's involvement of Jill's miscarriage (also revealed in the previous film), Hoffman had known and used this knowledge to blackmail Amanda. THIS was why she failed her test waaaay back in the 3rd movie... So that was annoying since she was one of my favorite characters! Damn you, Hoffman. In the end, we see that Jill had kept an envelope for herself with John's final wish- for Jill to test Hoffman. She ambushes him, places him in a new bear trap and leaves him to die; however, we see that he releases himself... Damn, Hoffman is a badass... No matter how much I don't like him, I can't deny it, haha..! Hoffman is alive and he's after Jill! Who's stronger?? The ex-wife of Jigsaw with nothing to lose or the new calculating and homicidal game master in a psychotic break ??? Rating: 7/10 

Saw 3D: The Final Chapter~
The last movie! The final chapter! The 7th installment of the Saw Franchise! Which means everything has to tie up nicely! I had high expectations and it actually wasn't bad..! This film takes place after the 6th movie- Hoffman is hunting Jill for his revenge and she seeks help from Matt Gibson an internal affairs officer. Jill tells Gibson of Hoffman's involvement in the Jigsaw case and agrees to cooperate with their investigation in exchange for their protection. Meanwhile, Bobby Dagen, a man who falsely claims to be a Jigsaw Survivor writes a book about his "enlightenment" thanks to Jigsaw and becomes a celebrity. He is soon abducted and put in a real jigsaw game where he must save his wife, Joyce. Dagen tries desperately to save his friends from their traps but fails- he eventually reaches his wife where he is forced to reenact the trap he had falsified for fame: he must put hook through his pectoral muscles and hoist himself up to deactivate her trap. Dagen comes very close to saving them both but in the last second his body gives out and Joyce is burned alive. While Dagen's game is in-play, Hoffman is sending Gibson clues and tips- he wants to help him find the game in exchange for Jill. While Gibson is killed in pursuit of Hoffman, and his SWAT Team is killed within the game-site, Hoffman infiltrates the police station. He murders everyone in his path, hunts down Jill, and subdues. Hoffman pulls out the original reverse bear trap from the 1st film and connects it to Jill. Jill comes-to just in time for the trap to activate and kill her. (Goddamn! I am so happy we finally got to see the reverse bear trap in action!!!) In the end, Hoffman returns to his workstation and burns it down. He is walking out, the building ablaze behind him, when he is ambushed by a trio wearing pig masks. The group leader reveals himself to be Dr. Gordon. The original game player! The 1st movie's protagonist! He was thought to be dead- surprise! We see early on in this film that he survived his game and has been living quietly, keeping to himself. And guess what- After John nursed him back to health, Gordon chose to assist in the traps in secret. He was instructed to watch over Jill and to act if anything were to happen to her. Dr. Gordon takes Hoffman to the bathroom, chains him up, throws the saw out, and leaves him to die. "Game Over."
My only main complaint would be Jill's character. Rather than continue to develop as she had these past two films, she seemed to backtrack. Before she was against John and the things he believed and all that he'd done, and now she was all for it?? The best part of this final film is how everything ties up in a nice little bow and how we get to go full circle. From bringing back Dr. Gordon, finally activating the reverse bear trap, and closing out in the 1st trap- the bathroom. Very well done and very much appreciated by this audience member. Rating: 8/10

As for the the Saw Franchise, in general, I really like it! Of course, I am biased towards the psychological thrillers, and anything that really makes you think. I'm also not bothered by blood and gore, so I really found most of the traps intriguing- especially knowing that they were, for the most part, actually functional. If you were strapped in to one, you would actually die. Every time a new trap was shown I always thought how I would survive, would I even have the nerve to try?? As mentioned, I felt that the stories kind of got jumbled up and quite confusing throughout the middle portion. There were too many characters to keep track of, the timelines were blending too much and muddling things, and I really feel like it wasn't much of the Saw that it had been. Eventually, we found our way back to the essence of "Saw," and that was why I could watch and fully appreciate the final films. I'm glad I finally watched the whole series and would definitely recommend them to others- as long as you have a strong stomach. (^-^)

Favorite Traps:
Saw~ The Reverse Beartrap~ This is one trap I feel like could have possibly actually won... The whole 60seconds thing would have gotten my, maybe, but I would have fucking tried my hardest. I liked how simple it was of a trap, more about the psychological weight of having to kill the other person in the room. I'm glad Amanda survived!
Saw II~ Eric's Test~ Thankfully, Wiki considers the test to be a trap, which it totally is, so I choose this one! Mainly because I didn't like any of the others! (-__-) They were all very intense and none of which I honestly think I would have been able to survive. Eric's Test, however, was simple (although I failed) and gave us a really great and dramatic reveal!
Saw III~ The Angel~ If this trap was actually able to be won, I would have been able to do it. Sticking my hand in that fucking acid would have been awful, but I would have done it! It sucks that Amanda killed Allison Kerry, even though she had won, but the trap was really pretty...?????
I do have to do a shoutout to The Rack, though. It was the craziest of the movie, I think, the most intense and twisted(ha) of them all. Doubt I would have survived... (-u-)
Saw IV~ The Ice Block Trap~ Duh, is that even a question? This trap was really elaborate (as most of them in this film), and looked really great. And Detective Mathew's death in the end was crazy awesome! (Sorry not sorry). What sucks about it, though, is the fact that you can't survive it, you can only hope that Officer Rigg doesn't come in before the timer ends and ruin your only chance of survival..! Oh, wait... (-_-;)
Saw V~ The Jars~ For the simple fact that I could easily survive this one. Someone bash the fucking jars, we'll look for the keys, and everyone pile into the tunnel- easy! A lot of the traps in this film were nicely set up and I liked to watch them be put into action.
A shoutout is definitely necessary for The Cube Trap. I absolutely KNOW I would have died. Said so while I even watched... this trap was simple in design and beautifully filmed. And kudos to Strahm for fucking being clever enough to survive it! Talk about thinking outside the box... ha... But I couldn't do it. I never would have thought about doing a tracheotomy on myself. Nope. I would have died.
Saw VI~ The Oxygen Crusher~ Another one chosen plainly because it's one I know I could have survived. I know I could hold my breath a long time already, and since my "opponent" would have been a smoker- yep, I would have survived..!
However, The Boiler Maze and The Carousel Room are definitely my favorites for design. The setup was elaborate and fantastic and the scenes intense- I really liked them both.
Saw 3D~ "Speak No Evil"~ Ok, I don't know if it's actually called that, but it was my favorite. Also, the scene was funny. I was right there with Dagen, if she would have just stayed quiet! I'm pretty positive that I would have been able to survive it! I also loved the concept of the traps representing the Three Wise Monkeys!

My Kimmie...

I've learned something about myself: I suck at making friends.

I mean, I'm a talker, and I can get along with anybody, but real friends? Like, best-best friends?? That's hard. 

I remember when I was younger I went through multiple "best friends," and back then, they meant everything to me. Sadly, due to family moves or changing schools, every one of my "best friends" became just normal friends. After years of being attached at the hip, my best friend(s) and I were forced to be separated. Now that I'm older, I have a lot of friends- just look at my FaceBook! Over 600 friends??? Wow, that's nice, too bad that's all they are... FaceBook friends... The people I'm closest to, honestly, would be my family- so would that mean my sister, Suzette, is my bestest friend?? Ya, I can definitely see that..! I would also like to consider Kassie one of my closest friends, we're so alike and into the same things, it's always fun to hang out with her! But, there are many times when I feel like we're so different... Different values, different ways of thinking... Then there's DATP. A group of wonderful friends who I know I can spill my guts to, no matter what, and they would still love me. We've been friends for years and years and I don't know what I would do without them- easily a group of my best-best friends. What I love about them most is how versatile we all are. We're all growed up and living our lives, but we still love and cherish one another as if nothing has changed since high school. Actually, I think it's because we're all apart now that we'r closer. It's definitely different. And, no offense, I do sometimes feel separate from them because of our distance- but can a group of friends really be considered a person's "best friend"? 

You see it all the time in television and movies: two best friends hanging out, doing everything together, talking into the wee hours of the morning. That's the relationship I've always wanted and never had. For a time, before I graduated high school, I felt a close relationship to Sam- the youngest of my dear Harkiewiczes. There was a short while when I felt that maybe Sam was my best-best friend, but as time went on and our paths grew apart, I realized that wasn't the case. I still love my Harkiewiczes, and I always make time for them when I visit home (and I am so proud of all that they have done individually), but it seemed that I was still looking for that special friendship.

I know this sounds lame, honestly it sounds like a desperate/ thirsty desire for one's "true love," and that's kind of how it feels. But I'm not gonna lie: I think having that special person in your life, your absolute best friend, is more important than that. Maybe it's because I've never been in love, so I don't know what I'm talking about, but a best-best friend is that special person you can always depend on and will always be by your side. They're just like family, who love you unconditionally, but aren't forced to do so. That's what a best friend is.

I don't know how this turned into a sort of love letter, best friend hunt fairytale, haha, but here's where I meant to get to 30min ago when I started this post. Basically, I think I finally found my best-best friend and now we're being separated... Again... That's how it always ends up, but I think I'm ok with it. When I was younger, I hated having to switch schools and leave my best friend behind- we never had a means to stay in communication. Now that I'm older, however, I'm in control of who/ how I communicate with people. Even if I move away from my best friend, we can still text/ call/ FB, whatever- there's no way we can lose communication. 

As for the person, her name is Kim. Oddly enough, we didn't really talk much when we first met. It wasn't anything dumb like having sparks flying when we first met, or anything, we hardly even knew each other. We were in band together and we sometimes saw each other in the AG Barns. The only reason I knew her was because she was friends with my friends. Eventually, she started dating Nate (one of my best friends at the time from Middle School) and that's how we really got to know each other. Since we had mutual friends, we saw a lot of each other, that was it. Junior year of High School we were in the same production: Alice in Wonderland. After being in the show together we actually became friends rather than just acquaintances. I even helped her practice for Drum Major auditions- I think that's when we started to really hang out on our own. Senior year of high school we saw a lot of each other. We were actually in the same band and spent a lot of time together. One day, near the end of the year, she noticed I was wearing a UNT wristband. That was when we realized that were going to the same university. The story gets pretty simple from here: we ended up rooming together at UNT. It was great because we found out we were a lot alike, from our sleeping habits, exercise routines, hobbies. She was still dating Nate at the time, who I eventually learned was a real whiny-baby. Within the next year she broke it off with Nate (we don't really talk about him anymore)... Kim helped me land my first job at Subway and eventually we both started in Herbalife. For two years Kim even spent Thanksgiving with me and my family. As the years progressed, we grew a little apart. She dropped school for a short time for work while I stuck to it; however, this last year kind of changed things. Maybe it was because it was my senior year and my departure was upon us, we became even closer. Anytime something big was happening in her life, things she felt she couldn't tell anyone else, I was the one she called. I think it was the first time this happened that I started to realize that maybe Kim was my best friend. I never really put much thought into it until then. We had an understanding- like with DATP- it didn't matter how often we spent time together, when were with each other, everything was the same. It was as if we were picking up a game from a save point. Kim knows me better than most people, and I feel like I can say/ do whatever I want around her without being judged. She helps me make good decisions (haha) and I help her keep a level head. I know it sounds like I'm saying we're a married couple or something, but that's what happens when you're best-best friends..! I mean, "Our Song" is, after all, Love Is An Open Door from Frozen, so there you have it. (-u-)

Anyways, I had to say goodbye to my best friend. On my last day in Denton, I went to visit her at work, just a mandatory farewell, but when I went in to give her a hug, she started crying. That just killed me. It was like I was saying goodbye to my Mom on my first day of college. Kim started saying how she didn't want to see me go and that she hated that I was leaving her for Disney... that's when I started tearing up... Damn it, Kim! 

It's been interesting not having Kim to hang out with whenever I feel like it, but we still talk several times a week, which is more than I do with others, so that's saying something. Our paths may be far apart from each other, but we're both working equally as hard to keep our friendship alive, and I think that's how I know. I finally have someone I can write to and tell anything to. A best-best friend I know will always be there for me, and that's fine with me. (^-^)

I Put A Spell On You...

It's definitely been a good while since I've posted anything- half of the reason is because I've been so busy since I arrived in Florida, and the other half is because I have limited use of my computer..! The sad truth is that one of the boxes that got left behind in Texas, it turns out, had my computer charger!! I feel so dumb, having left it behind, but there's really nothing I can do about it from here..! So, I've been having to manage by borrowing limited charger use from my roommates, but until something gets figured out (or I decide to use the computer lab), my posts are gonna be kind of limited as well...
Anyhoos, I've been living in Florida and working at Walt Disney World for almost 2months now!! It's been full of all kinds of fun & exciting adventures- I've taken tons of photos, met lots of people, worked a whole lot, and done a whole lot of nothing/ relaxing/ randomness... so it's been nice... This post, however, isn't going to be about catching up on my life at the moment. If it wasn't obvious from the post title, it's that time of year again: when I feel the need to watch a horror/ halloween movie everyday!! 31days of Halloween Movies has begun!!!!
In honor of Magic Kingdom's Not-So-Scary Halloween parties (which includes a horrifically fabulous performance by the Sanderson Sisters) the 1st movie I decided to watch this Halloween season was Hocus Pocus! It, along with The Nightmare Before Christmas, are the only movies I watch every year during October- last year it was one of the last and this year it was the first! Maybe it's because they're Disney movies, or because I love the classic- yet original- storylines, but I just love these movies! Hocus Pocus is always a fun treat to watch and it still cracks me up every time!! It's hilarious, corny, fun, cute, and soooo 90's! Plus, Jason Marsden is the voice of Thackery Binx who is also played by a baby-faced Sean Murray (McGee from NCIS! ^-^ )!! No matter how old I get I will always love this movie! And for all you youngins that have never seen Hocus Pocus- WATCH IT!!!

Happy October!! Let the Festivities Begin!!

Rating: 10/10

San Japan 8Bit...

~*July 31st- August 2nd*~

Another year, another Anime Convention! 

Like every other summer, I attended San Japan this year along with my dear Harkiewiczes! I always love having this time to spend with them, especially since I never see them. Once upon a time we were so close, and I don't wanna lose that. This year, as always, was fun & exciting and came with some amazing surprises!

Firstly- I COSPLAYED!! FINALLY!!! Kassie made me a Sakura cosplay and it was so cute! Ok, it was slightly incomplete, but I still loved it!! I was flipping out because I kept seeing Cardcaptor Sakura merchandise! It was the perfect year to cosplay as Sakura, haha! 

And I wasn't the only one! My Harkiewiczes all cosplayed, too! Sarah and James were Harley and the Joker- they were perfect! But they kept getting stopped for photos, haha. I mean, that's great except when we're trying to get places..! (-u-;) And Sam was, of course, our resident Poison Ivy! And Kassie, who joined us for the 1st time at San Japan, was my Syaoran! Sadly, we were unable to get a photo together since she spent most of her time volunteering with the staff. 

The 2nd exciting thing that happened this year: Kieran was here again! She's such a crazy cool chick, and I love her nerd rock music. If you haven't listened to her music yet, do it! 

Along these lines: after 2 years away, I participated in the San Japan Idol again! Made it to the finals with my Japanese performance of "Let It Go" (Of course I sang Disney ;p). But the compliment I got from Kieran during my audition, man... She told me straight-up that I had passed, no need to wait for a deliberation. "I'm literally shaking- I got chills!" Oh my goodness!! I can't believe this fantastic woman told me that! Now, performing for 1 or 2 people- no problem! But in front of an audience??? You'd be surprised how nerve-wracking that is!! I messed up on my final note in the finals- SO BADLY- but I had a fantastic time on stage. I can't wait till the next year! I want to keep performing until I'm actually comfortable!! Practice makes perfect!! 

The next amazing surprise was these fanfuckingTASTIC finds!!! As always, I spent the 1st two days walking around, trying to figure out which plushy I would buy- it would be between a Sakura plush or an Eevee one (they were everywhere!). HOWEVER, I found THIS jewel!!! A CONAN PLUSH!! Just... WHAT???? Everyone knows I fucking LOVE Detective Conan, and I have never seen a Conan plush before! And there were 2! There was one with him in a detective's costume and then this normal Conan- I NEEDED HIM!! Once he was bought, I couldn't stop hugging him..! (>w<)

The Meowstic I helped Nicky buy for me (because he's such a sweetheart) and the 4th Season of Case Closed was given to me for FREE from a friend! He won it in a game, didn't know the show and just offered it up- "Fuck ya I want it!"

Of course, I always attend the Voice Actor panels and this year San Japan had a great group! From left to right: Jessica Calvello (Hange Zoe from Shingeki no Kyojin), Brett Weaver (Gunther Schultz from Shingeki no Kyojin), Lisa Ortiz (Lina Inverse from Slayers/ Tony Tony Chopper from 4Kids' One Piece), Steve Blum (Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop/ Guilmon from Digimon Tamers), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex). All wonderfully talented, sweet people with crazy fun personalities.

Now, the Voice Actor panels are always my favorite. I always get inspired just sitting there listening to their stories, taking in all their tips, and learning through observation and what-not; however, this year I met fucking Steve Blum! He's practically one of the royals of the voice over world! I've been a fan of his for yeeeaaars- since I 1st watched Cowboy Bebop! And I have always wanted to meet him & I finally did!! Talk about starstruck! Definitely a highlight of my weekend!! (>//<)

My absolute favorite surprise this year, though, was getting to take Nicky to his 1st ever convention!!! I always said I would and for his birthday this year I promised him that he would come. I was really worried that I wouldn't have the money for both of our tickets, but it all worked out and I was able to take him!! I had so much fun exploring with my little brother and it made my heart so happy just to see how excited he was (TvT). I'm so proud of this kid- I can't believe he's in high school already!! Can't wait to take him again next year!! 

I've been attending Anime conventions for 10years now. Man that makes me feel old, haha. And no matter how many times I go, or where it takes place, I am still amazed by the talented and kind-hearted people I meet. I love attending conventions and will continue to do so for as long as I am able!! Conventions are an amazing place where you can bring out your weird and no one judges you. And even more-so, there's usually people more crazy than you are, haha! 

Oh, but wait, there's more: JAMES PROPOSED TO SARAH!!!!!! They are so adorable and nerdy together and James is an absolute sweetheart. I'm so happy for them!! Who knows when the wedding will be, but you know I'll be there! And now I'm off to Florida! I'm gonna miss these girls so muuuuch!! Till next year, my dear Harkiewiczes!!! (\TvT/)

Wally-World...

~*July 2nd- July 26th*~

After hunting down a job for weeks and weeks, I was finally hired into the Walmart family! Ok, ok, I know, everyone has a lot of bad things to say about the company, self included, but I actually liked it a lot. Not to mention, it was frustrating knowing that I had worked for Subway for 3years with crappy pay, hours, and management; meanwhile, Walmart was paying me well enough for my work, had better and more convenient hours, and all my managers and co-workers were great. All-in-all, I was very grateful to have gotten the job, plus it was super easy. I worked Maintenance, so all I had to do was clean! Sure, sometimes it was frustrating sometimes having to pick up after customers, but I knew that in the end, I just had to bare with it for a month. Come the end of July, I would be heading out to Disney! Here's to giving things a chance! (^-^)