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! (^-^)

Packing My Life Away...

Kassie & I got a Storage Unit together

It is so sad how often I am having to pack my life away!!

1/3 of my Book Collection!

From moving home to college, dorm room to dorm room , then to my apartment, and now to Disney. Sure, it's always super exciting: moving into a new place and meeting new people, BUT, that also means I have to lose so much of my things along the way! While I've been at UNT, most of my things sat alone at my mom's place, but before I moved into my apartment, everything got packed up and moved with me to Denton. I was so excited, especially because I finally had my manga collection with me! But now that I'm moving to Florida, with small living spaces, I am having to pack my life away.. Again..!

...My 189 Manga off to Storage...

The only things that I plan to take with me to Florida, are the basics of clothing and shoes, my Poke'mon: Princess Debut Fanfiction, a small collection of movies and books, and that is basically IT. I even had to narrow-down my huge stuffed animal collection to only 16... 16!! It's gonna be so strange not having them with me! I had to pack away my Manga... again... &&&& my VHS collection, but even more important- my Harry Potter books!! ( ; __ ; )

My Giant Collection of Stuffed Animals!

It's so sad that I'm not going to have all of my things, and I am also so worried about leaving them behind... but, like I said, it's super exciting as well. Besides, it's always fun to reminisce about the past. Although I will be having to leave a bit of myself behind, I think I'm even more excited for what's coming... I'm moving to Florida and I'll be living and working at the most Magical Place on Earth! I'm sure I'll be too busy either working or having fun roaming throughout the parks and having adventures with my roomies to even worry about my things! So, here's to moving on towards a new and exciting future!!

My 1st Play & My Box of FFA Memorabilia

So Long Subway...

~*April 26th*~

I remember posting 3 years ago when I got my first job at Subway. I was quite excited. Since I had never had a job before, I was looking forward to "joining the workforce." I can definitely say that I learned a lot, good and bad, and I am appreciative of my time there, but I also know for sure that I will never work there again... 

I began my time at Subway under a wonderful manager named Kati. She ran the store properly and all of us employees worked well together. She was great with students and working around our class schedule, and was easy to give permission for holiday leave. I was always confident when I left for the summer or the winter holidays and I knew that I would have my job upon my return. 

About 2years after joining her crew, Kati left and we got a new manager. Justin, who had worked alongside us for years, was absolutely not a good manager. He was hardly ever at work, the store turned into a mess, he never did inventory, and he just did not care about getting the employees to work together. The only good thing about having such an awful manager was the fact that he actually allowed us to take food... Oftentimes, the employees would come in randomly and make themselves a sandwich, grab some cookies, a drink, and whatever else. It was nice not having to pay for food... But at the same time, he kept us understaffed. All last Fall I was stuck closing alone, for hours, and was usually not out of the store until 2-3AM. We also looked into the computer and it seemed that he was changing our hours so that we were getting paid less- as soon as I found that I out, I was preparing myself to quit... for weeks and weeks I was wanting to put in my 2weeks, but I needed a job... I was definitely looking for another job, and was just waiting to hear back, but I never did...

Back in February, I believe, Justin got a new job (thank goodness). He was leaving and we were getting a new manager: Kati's younger sister, Heather. She seemed cool, and was ready to take charge and bring the store back to what it was. For the next few months, Heather was getting on us closers making sure that everything was done properly; however, she didn't seem to want to help us out either. We would tell her what we needed, a second closer, but she never obliged. I was forced to close alone for months, taking care of rush-hours by myself, being left hanging by co-workers, but she never seemed to care much. I don't know if it was because she was young and inexperienced (she's only 19), but after several closings that lasted till 4AM, I was on the hunt for a new job again. But Heather got there 1st..! Before I got the chance to put in my 2-weeks, I got a call from Heather (the day after another late close) with a message stating that "my services were no longer required." On one hand, I was ecstatic at the fact that I no longer worked for Subway, but on the other hand, I was worried about my finances. Subway was the only place I was receiving money. 

Luckily, due to the fact that I was "fired" without notice, and without any means, I had never gotten a complaint or anything, I had all the legal rights of getting unemployment. My mom helped me figure things out, and it's only because of the money I'm receiving from them, that I have a place to stay. I'm still having to donate at BioLife twice a week, and am looking for a job for the rest of the summer, but it looks like I'll be alright. I have no worries. Thanks to my wonderful mother, and my philosophy to never worry about what I can't control, I know that everything will work out. I'll be at Disney in August, living my dream, I just have to pull through till then. 

I enjoyed my job OVERALL, but that could also just stem from the fact that it was my FIRST job ever. It may have just been a dumb minimum wage job, but I actually learned a lot in these 3years and I made a ton of friends! Here's to never working there again and to moving onto the future!! 

PS. Although I believe Subway is far too overpriced, I don't think I'll ever get sick of the food..! 

Samurai 7 #tbt...

~* July 18th- 20th *~

I feel that this year was one of the most chill and relaxing cons I have ever attended. I was bouncing from panel to panel and was fortunate enough to meet so many fantastic people, but I never felt rushed or frazzled. And during any downtime, I would just slip off to the hotel room and watch tv or take a nap. It was so nice to just spend time with great friends and enjoy the event.

As always, my favorite panels were the VA panels- no matter what we talk about, I just love listening to their stories. It's always inspirational. It's these people that remind me every year how much I want to fight for my dreams of becoming an actress! (^-^) 

As usual, I had by Alice costume as well as my Pooh Bear Kigurumi! It's my goal to have a real cosplay for next year!! I will! (*o*)

As a sort of, Veteran Con-Goer, I've stopped taking a million pictures of everything & everyone. However, when I see something amazing, like a beautiful Malon Cosplayer, I couldn't resist the urge to talk to her! I loved the detail that went into her cosplay- she even had real milk! 

And then I met an awesome Sandy Claws who even went out of their way to wear stilts for their cosplay!

And lastly, this gem of a cosplay! The detail that goes into cosplay is fantastic!! This person's Majora's Mask was absolutely beautiful! 

But the best part about attending conventions, especially for a collector like myself, is being able to find things like this!! X/1999 (also known as X) is a 90s series by my favorite Mangakas, CLAMP. Although it's common knowledge to never buy products on the 1st day, when I found this at the FUNimation booth, and only 2minutes walking around, I had to have it!!! It was only $15, and you can't find this really anywhere, normally!! What a fantastic find!

I'm so fortunate to have such wonderful friends, like the Harkiewiczes, who share my love for the wonderful world of Anime. It's sad that since graduating high school we never see each other, but at least we have San Japan every year! I can't wait to see them at the next con! 

DCP Bucket List...

It's slowly getting closer and closer to August, so naturally I'm all over the place preparing for the big move! While looking on the Disney College Program's Blog, I found a post that included a lot of really good ideas for things to do while at the program! Most of them I already planned on doing (like eating the Kitchen Sink), but just seeing this gets me even more excited for the program to begin!! Ah! It needs to be August already!!

"1. Are you up for a challenge? Try the four park challenge in 24 hours. Visit each park and go on at least one attraction in each land.

2. Spend an entire day, open to close, at each of the parks. This will give you the opportunity to go on each ride, see every show and taste a variety of menu offerings.

3. Have at least one character dining experience.

4. Visit a moderate or deluxe Disney resort for marshmallow-roasting and a movie under the stars.

5. Go to the Magic Kingdom Park for the opening Welcome Show.

6. Watch the Wishes fireworks from inside the Magic Kingdom Park, either from one of the rides or while standing in front of the castle.

7. Go hunting for hidden Mickeys – they’re everywhere!

8. Go to the Beaches & Cream Soda Shop at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and try the “Kitchen Sink Challenge”.

9. Join at least one Disney VoluntEARS event. Bi-weekly trips to the Give Kids the World Village are a great way to get involved. You can sign up through the Disney Service Center.

10. Sign up for Magic Backstage events; a cast member-exclusive.

11. Sign up for at least one class or seminar offered to Disney Internships and Programs participants. World of Culture is one of the seminars that you can sign up for through the Disney Service Center.

12. Head over to Mickey’s Retreat, Walt Disney World’s private cast member recreation area, for some fun in the sun.

13. Eat around the world at Epcot, and if you’re 21 years old (or older) you can responsibly try drinks around the world too.

14. Go on a Disney cruise. You’ll get to see Mickey and his friends in their cruise attire, plus take advantage of discounted cast member rates.

15. Meet all the characters, or at least your favorites.

16. Participate in at least one Disney marathon or half-marathon.

17. Attend as many Housing events as possible.

18. Go see the Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

19. Get selected to be the Rebel Spy on Star Tours, located at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

20. Try every soft drink at Club Cool in Epcot.

21. Of course, get your picture taken with both Mickey and Minnie Mouse together.

22. Eat a turkey leg. My personal favorite snack!

23. Eat a dole whip. (Almost everyone else’s favorite snack!)

24. Go to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge at night and you’ll get to see some amazing animals with high-tech night-vision goggles.

25. On rainy days, explore the Resort Hotels. Each Resort has its own unique theme; this includes a variety of decorations and dining experiences.

26. See all of the parades and shows at each Disney Theme Park.

27. Learn about the people behind the names on the windows of Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom Park.

28. Set up at least one meet-and-greet if you’re looking to further your career with The Walt Disney Company.

29. Make sure to take lots of pictures! You’ll never forget the time you spent here on the program, but looking back at the pictures you took will always keep those magical memories fresh.

30. Most importantly, have fun! This program will be one of the best times of your life; I know it was for me!"

Here's the link to this post- they're always posting new things for everyone and really useful tips for those participating in the program, so take a look! 

https://disneyprogramsblog.com/get-started-on-your-disney-college-program-bucket-list-today/

Shine Bright, Kaleido Star...

~*Friday, April 17th*~

As I've mentioned, this past Spring semester I took a Movement II class & it was absolutely amazing! I had been wanting to take this class since my first year at UNT and it was so worth the wait! We got to learn and do so many things that I never had done before- I'm going to miss it so much! 

The circus day was really what I was looking forward to all semester! As many people know, I absolutely love Acrobatics, Circus Skills, Stunts, and everything in-bewteen. I couldn't wait to get to work on the silks!! (*w*)

1st Attempt at Inverting

This wonderful place is known as The Lone Star Circus (http://www.lonestarcircus.com), located here in the DFW area. The space is shared with a Gymnastics studio and they each have classes for children and adults. If ever given the opportunity, everyone should visit!

Starlet Mattie 

We began the day with a Trampoline Warm-Up. With very little trampoline experience under my belt, after the few minutes we spent in various trampoline circuits, I was already exhausted..! After the trampoline we were allowed to play in the foam pit! It was a lot of fun, but once you went in, it was quite the struggle to swim out! I have videos from both the trampoline and the foam-pit, and when I get the chance, I would love to share them!

Strike a Pose!

Finally we began work on the silks. We were each separated to our own silks and then taught the basics of wrapping our hands, where to hold our arms, and being able to support ourselves. We worked on Inversions, various Poses, and how to Climb. 

A Whole New World

Being inverted was surprisingly very comfortable and quite relaxing- easily my favorite. The different poses were fun to work and beautiful to watch; however, climbing was so not... I just could not do it! (>_<) With no abdominal or upper arm strength, I got no where, haha. But it was awesome to see some of the others reach the top! 

Flawless David 

After we had learned all that was necessary, our instructor let us go free! As long as we stayed on the circus half of the space, we could play with anything. Besides silks, there were trapeze, an aerial hoop and a  couple of tightropes. Of course, since this was a place for beginners to learn, everything was close to the ground for safety purposes, but it was still so much fun!!

Angelic Sahara

Needless to say, I was extremely sore throughout the next week! The pain was so worth it, though. Before the end of the year we visited one more time (post soon to come), and although I was still unable to climb very far, I had a blast! My new summer goal: make it to the top of the silk!! I absolutely can not wait till I can go back to play! (^-^)

I'm a Kaleido Star

I've always been in love with circus skills since I first watched Kaleido Star so many years ago. I've always dreamed of getting to do the things Sora did and to play on the trapeze and everything else, and finally I have! Just goes to show: if you work hard and never give up, Dreams Do Come True! <3