Wishful Wednesdays

See... this is why I have a prompt! A week of no posts and now I am back!

This week I wish...

Both our families lived closer. I enjoyed visiting the inlaws in SC and I am missing my own parents too!

That groceries were not so pricey. Gah. Same goes for gas.

That tonight at rehearsal everyone is on top of things. It is scary to take four days off with less than two weeks before the show!!!

The show goes well. Crunch time ya'll!

Super Ty still gets his miracle. Please pray for them.

To go to a Renn Fest. Man I miss those... NC you are letting me down there! Maryland had a killer one!

To go apple and pumpkin picking. 

I lived close enough to Disney to still work there. It is Food and Wine Fest time in EPCOT and the pictures on Facebook are killing me.

My blog had more going on. It is lovely that google is bringing people based on my Dos and Donts for a Marine Corps Ball entry, it is getting to be that time of year! I am glad it helps people though.

And last but not least...

I wish the beautiful weather would hang around. I can do 70s and sunny!

Big or small, silly or serious.... What are you wishing for this week??

Nostalgic Illuminations

When I miss Ryan I tend to get really nostalgic... looking at old pictures and doing silly things like that. So I instantly knew what song I wanted to do for this week's link up, Illuminations - Reflections of Earth. It is the soundtrack to the fireworks show at EPCOT.

Newer readers to my blog may not know this but I worked at Walt Disney World as a college program intern for about six months after I graduated college. Ryan was in Iraq for most of it and it was my ultimate distraction. At the time, my blog was actually named Disney and Deployed... if you cannot tell I have a thing for alliteration! I fell in love with Disney (again) and I absolutely loved working there. I would tell Ryan all the time how much I loved it, I worked in EPCOT as a presenter at Innoventions and part of my night duties was crowd control for Illuminations. So I got to be in front of the rope (awesome on the nights it was not windy and you came away with ash all over you) and talk to people from all over the world. Plus the people I worked with were so fun and unbelievably awesome.





All of these factors and my unhealthy love of fireworks all added to the story of why Ryan decided to pop the question during Illuminations!

If you ever want to read the story of our proposal (it is actually kinda funny and very typical of my husband and I), feel free, but just know I will always love this music. My friend Jenny got me the CD for Christmas and during the cocktail hour of our wedding this song played over the loudspeakers from my ipod... and my friends from Disney who came to the wedding may or may not have made fun of me for it! Ryan came home early from Iraq and decided to visit me with my family for some Disney fun. He proposed the day after he arrived.







Around the 9:00 minute mark is when Ryan got down on one knee (:

Guest Post

Before I forget to post... while Nicole is enjoying DISNEY WORLD (so jealous!) I did a guest post for her. Check it out and let me know what you think! As some of you know I worked there while Ryan was in Iraq, so Disney holds a very special place in my heart <3



Oh, and hey new followers!!! So glad you've joined in!

Friday Fun

I hung out last night with my friend Jenny, who was in town looking at Grad Schools. I met Jenny when we worked in Disney together and since she lives in Utah it was so great to see her again! It has been about ten months. We went to my favorite Greek restaurant on King St and despite the torrential downpour it was wonderful. The owner and waiters were dancing to the live music, the food was great, plates were broken on the floor, and the owner gave everyone a free glass of dessert wine! YUM.

Ryan has duty tonight :( Boo. Hanging out with Cat after I get my nails done after work. Whew what a sentence. I haven't seen Cat since June! Not cool.

I am so excited for the weekend! No big plans, just general weekend awesomeness and hopefully sun. It is sunny today but SO windy! Oy!


It is Friday! That means it is the MilSpouse weekly round up and Friday Fill In!



1. What is the silliest get-up you have ever worn outside of a Halloween party?

I am an actor by training/trade so I have had a LOT of those...




Just for an example! I have also worn a mascot costume for a minor league baseball team in NJ... hot! Plus my costume for Disney was kinda laughable!


2. What is something that you gave up in order to live the military lifestyle?

I gave it up willingly, but I guess you could say working for Walt Disney World. It was a great job and I loved it, but I do love Ryan more.

3. If money wasn’t a factor and you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? And why?

Ireland comes to mind first because I want to see the entire country, the moors and the rolling expanse of green and the cliffs... everything. Especially Skerries, where my family is from. I'd also like to go on an African safari and see a wild giraffe!

4. If you were going to join the military, what branch would you join? Or which MOS/rating would you choose?

Between my Poppy and husband I would want to say USMC and do intel or something cool, but I know physically I never would qualify. I teased Ryan recently and said I wanted to join the Coast Guard and his eyes bugged out a little.

5. What is your favorite thing to make for dinner?

I love making chicken fried steak as a special treat. But for a normal dinner I love my stuffed baked mushroom chicken. It is delicious!



And don't forget to join the MilSpouse Weekly Roundup!!! This week it is hosted by Mrs G.I. Joe at ACU's, Stiletto Shoes and Pretty Pink Tutu's!







Don't forget to enter my 100 Follower Give Away! Which is now true because I got my 100th follower!!! Welcome!! Contest ends Monday so keep spreading the word!!

Ramble

I have to stop being so cranky. I actually heard I was responding to some of the things Ryan was saying to me and it was no bueno. I know I am just restless since I don't really have an adult job yet and I am completely lacking female companionship around these parts. All my girl friends who did live in DC either moved or are away for the summer. I want to see Sex and the City 2 but even I know better than to subject my husband to that!

I am also worried about working at the summer camp. I have to be there at 8am and have basically an hour commute via the beltway. I do NOT do mornings well. So to be up that early then herding six year olds/first graders until 4pm is looking a bit intimidating. Plus the show I am stage managing for the Fringe Festival has some night rehearsals and shows that will take me from camp right to there and I will have a late night followed by a very early morning..... eek.

Ryan and I went to order his new wedding band today. It should be in by June 30th or sooner. Hoping sooner. And we went to Red Robin for the first time as we had seen the commercials for forever and never had actually eaten at one! It was pretty good! Kind of like a combination Fudrucker's/Fridays. But in the car we had a long talk. I told him as happy as I am here with him I do miss Disney. I miss the people, the friends I had that were so close by, the job, and of course the place itself. He totally got it. He knows I wouldn't trade what I have with him for anything but he also knows how much that job and place meant to me. Especially since I have friends who still work there adn friends who are going back for Professional Internships or even are still working there and I constantly see it on facebook I just really miss it. A lot.

I am very lucky. For many reasons. Also because twice in my life I have had a job I sincerely loved. I loved working in the scene shop in college. Building sets, painting, electric work... I think I learned more there in the four years I was there than I did in a classroom. Easily. And then there was Disney. Now I am scrambling to find a job for fall and worried about the summer camp and I cannot shake this feeling of dread for the career spectrum of my life. I am also even semi afraid to audition for a show again. I haven't ever really done a professional DC audition. What if I cannot act anymore? Or never could? What if I suck and never work in the industry I have pledged two decades of my life to?

UGH.

Sorry for the ranty/rambly post. I don't mean to be such a Debbie Downer, but if I can't do it here... then what is the point? Thanks for reading faithful followers. Just some awesome alliteration to alleviate Allie's angst.

I Saw Fireworks...

So I am just going to give an exciting highlight and then talk more about my family being here later...

Ryan arrived a day early and the next day I had to work. So he accompanied me to EPCOT where I work and spent the day seeing my shows, meeting my friends and co-workers, and basically walking around the park for six hours. In the world showcase he managed to get dinner reservations in the nice restaurant in Italy so after I got off of work we walked over and had a fabulous dinner together. I had spinach canneloni and we split a cannoli for dessert and had wine and a bellini and it was just delicious!

I love fireworks, especially Illuminations. I always said working the crowd control is one of the best parts of my job. I always ranted and raved about it so Ryan really wanted to see the show. A friend of mine, Marianne from Brazil, from Guest Relations was monitoring the VIP area near Italy so I went to say hi. I introduced her to Ryan and she let us under the rope! It was so sweet, especially since I still had no idea what was to come. Illuminations is in three parts and towards the end of the first part Ryan starts trying to talk to me.

So I swatted him and told him to pay attention, he was missing the show! I still had no idea. So he was quiet for a bit and then the globe came out and he was fidgeting and kept trying to talk to me but then stopping. Then the fireworks started again and he hugged me from behind, and it was quite cold so it felt great for many reasons! Ryan then tried to say something in my ear but I couldn't hear him over the fireworks. Again I told him to shush and watch the show! Suddenly he loudly said, "Hey!" and finally got my attention. I was getting annoyed so I replied, "WHAT?!" pretty loudly. He then reached into his pocket and got down on one knee and I saw him say "Will you marry me?" with fireworks exploding overhead.



I gasped and my hands flew to my mouth, I was so shocked! I honestly did not see it coming. We had talked about getting engaged for awhile as you know but I was so surprised. Tears were flowing and I was in shock as people around us started pointing and talking and then I realized I needed to answer! So I just started nodding my head yes over and over again as he slid the ring on my finger. There may have been tears. Everyone around us started cheering and clapping, someone even dropped their cup of wine as they started they were so excited. We hugged and kissed and missed the rest of Illuminations, but it's ok...

We saw it again two days later.

It was amazing...

The Ring:

Just one more day...

I need to make it through one more day!! Ryan lands at 10:30pm tomorrow night and I cannot wait. My family gets here the next night. I have been looking forward to this for so long I cannot believe it is almost here. But time is dragging right now... ugh so close!!!

Class
Work
Sleep
Work
RYAN

Oh... and today is 19 months we've been together (:

Thanksgiving and the Future

I hope you all had a fantastic holiday!


So my mom found out Ryan and his friend Garrett weren't going home for Thanksgiving because South Carolina and Nebraska are kind of far... so that is how my boyfriend and one of his best friends ended up in New Jersey with my family for Thanksgiving with me in Disney!!! I was kind of jealous.


Garrett, Ryan, Jill and Derek (cousins), and my brother Stefan in front at my Babci and Poppy's for Thanksgiving

But apparently Ryan asked my parents' permission to marry me while he was there. How do I know that? Because he was nervous about it and told me! Haha. He also let me know that he had been looking at rings since he was in Iraq. He found a diamond and the perfect setting and looked every day for six weeks when he got back.... and he had to tell me THAT because it is so perfect.

Oh my god.

EEE!

Of course no one will tell me how the talk went. My mom pretends to know nothing and I can't ask my dad as I am not supposed to know and Ryan suddenly doesn't want to share! But apparently it "went well". Definitely a good thing. Now that I know that though I want to know when it will happen! And how! And where! I want it to happen so soon but I don't want to know the details and watch it ends up being a long ways away and he just took advantage of the fact that he could talk to my parents without me there. I don't know. Ack.

So now on to our favorite F-Word... the Future.

Ryan and I planned to move in together in DC when I left Disney. Well, I haven't saved as much money as I hoped and I am not having any luck finding jobs so it may not happen. Ryan "splitting" the rent went from 50-50ish to me paying most of it and him helping with other bills. With the money how it is right now I can't do that. So the only solution seems to be me moving home (ugh) again to NJ and working multiple jobs there to save money. It is just so frustrating. I cry over it constantly just because that's how my body reacts to stress. Which sucks.

I just love working at Disney. And if we're going to be apart, again, until February/May/August I wish I could just stay here and work. But I can't. Beneifts and more money and all. Ugh. I don't want to move home. And work in crappy jobs I hate. As I can't find anything, I am terrified I am just going to go back to Kohls and I don't think I can handle it.

I just don't know.

Can I fast forward please?

Reunited!!

Ok sorry this took me so long to get to! But this is how my weekend with the love of my life went!

So I woke up at about 4:30am and was in the car by 5am with Don, Patrick, and Karli who all came to see me off. I was on the plane by 7:20am and in DC by 9:30am!!! As soon as I stepped outside of Regan Airport I was cold!!!!! It was FREEZING! My poor Florida body was in shock! I got on the metro platform and I knew I was in for it when it came to how cold it was. I took the metro to Union Station and I met Cat, which was awesome. It was sooo good to see her again too. We had breakfast together and then we went to the Smithsonian and the Mall (and our tree!) for awhile and just caught up before Ryan could get up to DC.

Ryan texted me that he was on his way and we agreed to meet at the Eastern Market Metro Stop... doesn't sound too exciting, but that was where we had our first kiss over a year and a half ago! So our first kiss after the deployment was in the same spot. And it was a long one. I literally jumped at him and just hugged him for so long, it was wonderful.

We got on the metro and went back to Union Station so I could get my suitcase from the baggage storage area and then we went out to Branch Ave (at the very end of the Green Line) where we stayed.

I was so nervous about seeing Ryan, and being with him again. It had been a long time since we had seen one another... hell we didn't even talk on the phone that often while he was gone. He was in Iraq, he had a lot go on... I moved to Florida, we had grown and changed, and I was terrified that we might not click like we used to or something would be different. But we were wonderful. I was still a little nervous when we were together but that all fell away.

The first night we hung out around the hotel... and the only place nearby to eat (we were carless remember) was Red Lobster, so we walked there and had dinner. The next day we slept in and it took us awhile to get going because Ryan wasn't feeling the best. I walked to the gas station and got him medicine (had to force him to take it!) and then we went out into DC. We hung out in Georgetown since it was Halloween, had this wonderful dinner at Clydes where we talked about a LOT of things (ie the future, plans, ideas, hopes, what's going to happen...) and then we went and saw Couple's Retreat. I already saw it but it was funny and worth seeing again. Ryan got pretty sick so we just went back after that. He had a fever that night and wasn't doing well, but his fever broke in the night while I was taking care of him.

The next day I got sick.

So we were both sick!

You take someone from the hot dry heat of Iraq and someone from the hot humidity of Florida and put them in the cold dampness of DC in November, of course they'll both get sick!!!

So we were both drugged and struggling for a few days. Sunday we went back to my campus and went to church at the Basilica and then I saw some of my friends on campus. After that we went to Chinatown and got Ryan a cellphone charger but I was pretty sick at that point so we went back. It was my turn to have the awful fever so we just watched tv and I was miserable in a ball under the covers. (But we watched UP when he was sick and The Ugly Truth when I was, so we got some movies in! And I think Jumanji was in there somewhere too....)

Monday I was a little better. We went down to the Mall and saw some of the monuments and met my friend Kristin briefly before having a nice dinner at Jaleo in Chinatown. We were walking around after that and all these guys were scalpling tickets outside the Verizon Center. We were tired of being asked so we finally caved and asked what the tickets were for, turns out Bruce Springsteen and the E St Band were there! Guess who ended up at the concert?

That would be us!!!

It was fun, and I know Ryan wasn't a huge fan so it meant a lot to me for us to go. After we went back to the hotel and then it was suddenly our last day. We took a long metro ride to Virigina and went to IHOP for breakfast, I didn't eat much since I was still sick, but I was getting there. Then we sat on the National Mall and talked for hours until it was time to go to the airport. We had dinner at Fridays in the airport and then I had to say goodbye again. Leaving him at security physically hurt, I cried the entire way through. Then I was suddenly on the plane and back in Florida.


I also finally quit smoking. Being sick prompted it and then I just didn't want to anymore. It has officially been six days. And I am still sort of sick. I finally have a voice again but it comes and goes. Not good when you talk for a living.

Since our visit we text constantly and we talk on the phone every night, usually for an hour or more. Last night was two and a half hours.

We're planning on moving in together after I finish here in Disney. Ryan thinks he will end up in DC until at least August (*fingers crossed*) so we'll get an apartment together. I just have to ask my Dad first... eek. My mom is cool with it though.

Talk of an engagement and rings has also come up.

Multiple times.

Whew. Ok, all written! Thanks for keeping up with me and this deployment saga. I cannot believe we made it through our first deployment. Yes it was shorter than expected but we still did it and so far we're still going strong, if not stronger than before. I love him so much, he is worth every bit of this.

Semper Fi readers, Semper Fi.

Allie = Wimp

So a big group of people from work really wanted to go to Universal Studios tonight for Haunted Horror Nights. I am a wimp. Totally. I will admit it fully without a problem. I said no, declined, said no, fought it, and then found myself in a car on my way there somehow. Ugh. It was a huge group of people and I got sort of in on the excitement but as we got closer I realized what the hell I was getting myself into. It is all based on scary movies this year, 'Ripped from the Silver Screen'. So Chucky, Saw, Dracula, Wolfman... etc. Did I mention I hate scary movies?

So we walk through Universal City Walk toward the entrance to the park, and I freeze. I couldn't do it. I saw people walking outside in like a bizarre bellboy/girl (like old school movie ushers) dead people make up and outfits. Plus a giant movie screen with scary movie stuff playing... and I can't do it. I found myself shaking and nearly hyperventilating. Don and Christine weren't thrilled about going either so the three of us backed out last second and just hung out at City Walk for an hour or so and then came home. So glad about that decision. We found a map and saw to get to any of the FOUR (yea, four) rides that were open you had to at least go to one scare zone. It was mainly about haunted houses, not my thing.

I have to say, after being in the cleanliness and magicalness of Disney, Universal seems so skanky in comparison! And with the clubs in the area and the drunk people going around and the look of everything... I am biased, but I like Disney much better.

The last time I went to a Haunted House was in high school. We did a haunted hay ride which freaked me out, then we had to go through a corn maze to get to the haunted house. I didn't know the corn maze was haunted. So when things and things with chainsaws started chasing me I started running, even through the walls and out to the outside. There I had an asthma attack and had to be put on oxygen. THAT was fun. But I didn't have to go in the Haunted House!

We're going back to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party tomorrow. MUCH more my speed!


ONE WEEK!

Hey Jealousy?

So I know one of the biggest issues Ryan and I have in our relationship is the issue of jealousy. His ex was not the nicest person and really hurt his ability to fully trust in others. She basically left him for one of his best friends. Now the problem is, I always have been one to have a big mixed group of friends. I usually have a big mix of guys and girls that I hang out with and that has always been a sore spot for Ryan in our relationship.


Graduation Party

Whether it was me playing video games at my friend Brian's house, hanging out with Nate, Jeff, and Dave from my theatre school when I am home in NJ, or hanging out with Don and Patrick in Disney... we have had pretty decetly sized fights about all of them. I would never do anything to hurt Ryan, I love him and want to spend the rest of my life with him. I have friends who are guys because, well let's face it, they are usually awesome to hang with, are honest (not catty at any rate), know sports, and are easy to talk to. Girls are much more complicated! I bond really well with one or two girls and get super close, but in big groups I do have my guy friends.


Team Bro-Womance at Disney Cast Quest

Now when I hang out with Don and Patrick here for example, usually it is in a group. 9 times out of 10 it is in a big group. Patrick and Don have a huge "bro-mance", they remind me of Ryan and his room mate Josh in a lot of ways, and Karli and I have the designated "wo-mance" (not as catchy but it works!). Usually the four of us hang out together. Karli's boyfriend Bryce is giving her the same flak Ryan is giving me which makes me feel a bit better, but not much. Patrick is dating Jenny, Don is on-off with Sara... and Karli and I are taken! What is wrong with the four of us being friends?? We work the same venues at work, we have fun together, and it breaks up the monotiny of the day in Innoventions.


The Love of my Life

So I haven't had a phone call from Ryan in nearly a month, and before today our longest talk in a week was maybe 10 minutes. Today he spent an hour of precious internet time (Al Asad sucks for that) arguing with me about being friends with guys! This isn't third grade, boys and girls don't have to be separate from coodies contamination and just because you are male and female does not mean sex has to be involved for any sort of connection to be possible.

These guys are my friends. Nothing more.

1. I have Ryan, I love him and want to spend the rest of my life with him. That trumps anything anyone else could throw at me.
2. Not attracted to them. I love them dearly, but these guys become like my brothers. I have three already, I don't mind having more pseudo-ones in the mix.
3. If anyone, and I mean anyone, was disrespectful to me or my relationship I'd kick them in the balls so hard they'd come out of their noses.

The guys hear me talk about Ryan all the time. They want to see him when he comes down here. It is no secret. I have always been upfront and honest with Ryan in our relationship, and I think that is what makes all the difference.

He eventually backed off and apologized. I did too. I know it bothers him, but I don't seek out guys to befriend on purpose or anything. They are just my friends. Plain and simple. And usually when he DOES meet them he gets along great with them. Example given being my graduation party when Ryan went off with Jeff, Nate, and Dave on a cigarette run to a store 2 minutes away and we're gone for nearly 45 minutes. They got along great.

Sorry for the venting today, I was just frustrated that the hour and a half we had to talk this morning had almost an hour wasted on a pointless fight we've had many times before. Of course it ends up ok in the end, but I hate fighting with Ryan over anything and it is frustrating with him so far away. He will be back soon and I know we will be just fine. In 10 days I will tackle him, I swear I will!

I know he wants to be here with me and experiencing Disney with me like my friends here get to... and he will once he goes on leave. I told him he has to trust me. He said he did, it was the other guys he didn't trust. I said it doesn't really work that way, you have to trust my ability to choose my friends and the people I associate with, if they weren't good people, they wouldn't be in my life. Wow, this came out to be a much longer entry than I intended. Props if you read it!

It is all about the trust baby.

SOON!

He will be home in SO SOON. It is basically 99.99% official. I cannot wait. I am just waiting to hear from him to confirm that he wants me in Quantico on the day and I will be there. It has been three days now since we spoke so I am dying to hear from him for the all clear go ahead. Something tells me this week will be impossibly long but I will get through it. Cross your fingers Disney gets me off work for a few days. Especially with that unfortunate sick day under my belt...

Note to self: Find a doctor and get an appointment for Monday. Gall bladder you will NOT win!

Wish me luck readers. This deployment is winding down!

I know I am supposed to ignore the news...

But this one caught my eye...it is about possibly sending more troops to Afghanistan in the next year. Anywhere between 10,000 and 80,000. 80frickenthousand. That is insane.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091014/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/bc_us_us_afghanistan

Especially the last paragraph:

"An Army brigade generally has between 3,500 and 5,000 soldiers, while a Marine expeditionary brigade could be built up to about 17,000 troops. However, sending a high number of forces would put more stress on troops who are already stretched thin from fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, and likely would reduce the time they would get at home between deployments."

Oh God I hope not.


I talked to Ryan for nearly three hours this morning. We did fight for part of it unfortunately. He is upset Disney will only give me four, maybe five days off for me to come see him. I thought it was a good thing they were willing to give me that many in a row at ALL and he thinks it is not enough. So a fight naturally ensued. But we worked it out.

And we talked about possibly getting an apartment together when he gets back (: Try living together and all. Once I am done with Disney that is. I have an audition on October 29th which will decide if I stay here longer, if not back to DC possibly? Or California? Not sure where Ryan will be stationed, but the chances of me going with him are pretty darn high. I cannot wait to fall asleep next to him each night and wake up next to him each morning. Just to see him anytime day or night, it will be so so amazing....

Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo Deployments!

I saw that bumper sticker on a fellow Marine girl's site and I had to use it. Because it is so true. I don't know if I have really talked about how much Ryan being deployed is really awful. Yes I have complained a little and said they suck, but I never took the time to put an emotional thought or feeling behind it, suddenly I kind of feel the need to try.

To sum it up, they suck. Easy assumption and oh so true. Having the person you love the most be so far away is heartbreaking. For about fourteen months I was so spoiled. I could call him whenever I wanted, yes if he was working I would miss him, but I could leave a voicemail. Or even text him. We had a nightly phone call before we went to sleep at night. Nearly every weekend and holiday we spent together. Sometimes even during the week if I didn't have class or he got off work early we'd have that time together. I could fall asleep in his arms, not have to rely on my stuffed dog in one of his old tshirts to have the smell slowly fading away from it. I hate that I cannot talk to him unless he can contact me, and if I am working or out with friends I feel so awful to miss him. I see couples around Disney all the time, holding hands or kissing or just waiting in line together and I get so jealous I swear my eyes turn green. I constantly worry about him and his safety. Any song I hear I can think of him, any movie or tv show we ever watched together makes my heart hurt, There are so many things I just want to tell him as they happen or just hear his opinion on. Days sometimes seem endlessly long because I cannot stop thinking about him or missing him.

My mom told me for years the right guy would come along for me. I went on a few dates, had a bad botched relationship in high school that was barely a blip on the radar, and had a few meaningless hookups... but never met the right guy. I began to honestly think he may not be out there for me, at least night at this point in my life. So I stopped looking. I usually hate it when my Mom is right, but this time was worth it. The instant I stopped caring so much and fretting about being single Ryan walked into my life. Since then he went from being that cute guy at the drama party I had never seen before to the guy I love and want to spend the rest of my life with. It is amazing the difference a year can make. I never imagined I would meet someone like Ryan and fall in love so deeply, but I did. And that made him going on this deployment all the more difficult.

I think I have been overly stressing lately for a lot of things. I have tried to thinking beyond Disney. The only reason I will probably stay longer is if I get offered a role in entertainment, but those auditions apparently are not until November. So I can't really plan. With Ryan coming home early I am trying to figure out the future, but it is so overwhelming. Health insurance, benefits, car insurance, rent, jobs, money... I wanted to crawl under my bed and cry. I have been trying to save money here but with my pay not so great it has been hard. I wanted to have a nest egg after this, but it isn't looking likely.

Ryan said I am enough, my love and me is all he needs. But I don't think I can go into a future with him with nothing. It doesn't seem fair. He should not have to support me as well as himself. And that is stressing me out. I cannot look for a new job in DC, since I don't even know where I will be yet. What if Ryan gets stationed in California and I move with him and then he gets deployed again and I am left all alone there?

No wonder I have a headache. Thanks for reading the rambling if anyone did. It's appreciated!

Going to the gym...

I have not gone to the gym religiously.... ever. I was never one of those girls to love working out, go running, or anything like that. I'd prefer a nice bike ride or a hike. I'd rather spend the day building a big set in a theatre lifting platforms and moving lights. I never found running in place to be a worthwhile activity. And whoever the hell thought lifting big heavy things in sets and repetition would be fun is just insane. Long story short, I hate working out.

So why the hell am I doing it around four days a week?

Because earlier this summer I mused out loud, "Hm, maybe when I go to Disney I will start going to the gym." And Ryan overheard it. So in Iraq he started working out. And eating healthy. He is doing it in the desert, I should be able to do it here, right? Long story short my lazy ass is in the gym now.

We have bickered about it, talked about it, and now I am going. Like I said, I hate working out. But I love Ryan, so I am doing it.

Luckily my apartment is the closest possible one to the gym or it would never happen.

I am up to 15 minutes a day on the elliptical (not a lot I know, but like I said, moving in place? Not my idea of fun) and I do some free weights and machines with exercises my suddenly all healthy lean, mean, fighting machine boyfriend recommended. I figured I could fudge my way around for a few months and gradually work up to it, but now with Ryan coming home so soon (YAY) I really need to stick with it. And eat healthy.

We'll ignore the chicken fingers and fries I had for dinner. It will be our little secret, ok?

AMAZING

Yes! Some of you lovely ladies guessed it........... THEY'RE COMING HOME EARLY!!! I am so flippin' excited I do not know what to do with myself!

He called me yesterday and I was in tears on the phone since I was so happy! Since the dates are not perfectly exact, just a small range, I can't request off of work yet. So I am going to go talk to my managers today to give them a heads up and also email the Professor of my upcoming entertainment class and say there is a probably conflict with one of the dates and if it is ok to miss it. It is a pretty darn good excuse in my book!

I am so happy. I just cannot believe he is coming home!

<3

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party!

Ok instead of doing a daily update I decided to do a highlight entry of sorts. I can just say work has been going well, I started training on a new venue , Don't Waste It, and the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival started. AMAZING. I love the food (and drink!) plus I got to sit front row of a Big Bad Voodoo Daddies concert, for free! No complaints here. As you can see from the title of my blog, the focus is on Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party!



The Halloween Party was a lot of fun. I went with my room mate Amanda and some of her friends from work and some other people. Most people were dressed up which totally added to the experience. The people I went with were in the Peter Pan theme, we had 2 Tinkerbells, 2 Captain Hooks, 2 Indians, and a tick tock crocodile. Me and another guy Ron missed the memo, so I was a Roarin' 20s Flapper and he wore his family's kilt since he is Scottish. We still all had a blast!



I went trick-or-treating in Dsiney World!!!! I got lots of free candy, my face painted for free, saw the fireworks and the parade which was awesome. I got my picture taken with Woody and Bullseye, his horse, from Toy Story; Captain Hook and Smee; and with the Mad Hatter. The Mad Hatter totally danced with me in the 20s era way which was awesome. We also went on the Haunted Mansion, since it was appropriate for Halloween, and on Stitch's escape before we went to the fireworks and parade.


Still rumors of an early homecoming but nothing definite yet. I miss Ryan so so much. I really want to see him so badly it actually hurts. I started going to the gym (ick) since Ryan kind of goaded me into it. I got to talk to him on the phone and we had a pretty serious talk about future sort of things. I want to audition with the CPs in November to try and get into entertainment down here or try and maybe go full time for a bit to save money (shame about the hiring full time freeze for now) but Ryan was like, "Do you really want to spend a whole year apart?" if I extended til June. If we can make Iraq and Florida work we can make Florida and anywhere work in my opinion, but he seemed a little unsure which kind of worries me. I know if I wanted to stay down here we would be ok and make it work but what if he ends up in California? I just don't know. I want to be with him more than anything, but does that mean not following this job for now? I have a lot to think about over the next few months. I know entertainment is so competitive, so I may be worrying for nothing, but I am a worrier so I am still worrying.

Especially since he asked me (just a thought, in his words) if I prefered a ring to be a surprise or to pick out my own. Naturally I said a surprise! (:

All for now. More training tomorrow!

Back a few days...

So Monday my room mate Kayla and I went to Typhoon Lagoon, the water park. We went on all the slides and swam in the wave pool and MAN that was a workout. Swimming against those waves and floating in the deep water made my arms and legs almost hurt from all the effort! After that we went and got Halloween costumes so we can go to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Kayla is going as a flower child/hippie and I am going as a 20s flapper girl. I will have to post pictures of it later..

BECAUSE I got another camera. Yea, sadly, my camera officially bit the bullet. I was not happy since it is the one Ryan gave me for our one year anniversary. I used my Disney discount and I got a discount using my visa so yay for saving money. Then I walk out of the store and I check the reciept and I realize I was charged $2.13 for the camera. Yea, very wrong. So being that I am me I go back in the store and say I think he rang me up wrong. Sure enough.... basically the man thanked me profusely and said he would have lost his job and not many people would do that blah blah blah. I couldn't walk away with something like that! No way. Who could!??! Well, I am sure people could but I defintiely couldn't.

So we got dinner and then went grocery shopping, I did laundry, and then we started cleaning. We have our first apartment inspection Tuesday. I now know how Ryan felt the night before field day! But when I was taking the garbage out to the dumpsters I tripped over a parking cement thing and literally tore off the tip of my big toe. It hurt so much. It is all bandaged up and throbbing. No fun.. At all.

I am working all the rest of this week. Seven days straight. So yay for lots of hours and money, but it is pretty exhausting. I worked 11-19:30 Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday 9:30-17:30. Friday and Saturday are shorter days, like 13:30-17:30 or so, then Monday is a whammy... my first twelve hour shift! Eek! I will be there from 8:45-21:30 then have Tuesday and Wednesday off. Is it bad I am looking forward to those already? (:

There is this sweet little old man at work who is literally the Innoventions Grandpa.... Grandpa Gordon. I've talked to him a few times, and today we sat and talked about Guardian Angels. He said if I lay in bed at night, quiet with no distractions or cellphones or tv, and just pray and ask my guardian angel to tell me their name, it will come to me. He said maybe not right away, but within 24 hours or so a name will pop into your head and you will just know. His is Abraham, and he prays with him and talks to him all the time. Everyone needs a guardian angel, Ryan is my guardian angel in camis, but I think I may try tonight and see. I was touched he told me about all that, Grandpa Gordon mentioned he has not told many people about that, but he knew it would mean something to me and felt like I should know.

My friend DeiTos (Kristin) emailed me saying she, Heather, and possibly Jason may come visit me soon. That is pretty exciting for me, I hope they do. I would love to have people around from school to hang out with. It is a plan in the works so we shall see.

What else? Not much truth be told. Oh! We got the white glove award for our inspection!!! Basically we were one of the rare few to get a high pass and our apartment got a huge box of ferrero roche chocolates and our picture taken in front of the door to be in the office. Sadly I was at work when this happened so I am the only room mate not in the picture. Damnit. But yay for us being overly neat/good cleaners. I literally put my blood sweat and tears into this, my toe still hurts like hell. Especially after being in work shoes and on my feet all day. It is not too happy with me at all.

Plus we also had a "suspicious object" found on a bus so all bus services were suspended while they checked it out. Nothing was wrong but we had a lot of irate guests who were stranded places. That one was on the news.

Tuesday at work I also got very sick. Chills, achy, fever, so needless to say they sent me home. After two hours into a ten hour shift. I didn't ask, I was told to leave! So I went home and slept. A lot. I read Ryan's poems before I go to sleep every night so I did that and it made me really miss him.

After, on Wednesday, I felt better so I returned to work. Worked Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and now it is Saturday. Oh, last night a group of about seven of us went and saw The Informant, a movie with Matt Damon. It was funny, but it got to be so confusing near the end. I was so confused I really had no idea what was going on. The business lingo was way above my head. It was about price fixing and embezzlement and I totally missed it. And of course after the previews and before the movie when it is dead silent and dark in the theatre I sneeze causing everyone to laugh and shout bless you at me. Oy. I was kind of embarassed for that, especially since the first bless you came from the back of the theatre and I had no idea who that was. But it was cool to hang out with people from work again and not be in a work setting!

I am feeling better today, managed to eat normally and finally feel close to myself again. I think today after work I will do my first gym venture! I finally feel up to it, so wish me luck. Ok, done being long winded now.

Busy Little Worker Bee

People always want to know, when is the best time to come to Disney World? NOW. After Labor Day and before Halloween. The parks have people, but the crowds are so small! On a peak busy day EPCOT gets between 45,000 and 50,000 people, last thursday we had 13,000. A few days later we had 16,000. Like I said, you want to plan a future vacation? Do it in mid-late September!

So Friday... Guess what?? I got Ryan's letter! Or should I say letters! Oh they were wonderful, he is such an amazing writer and I cried reading them. He is a gifted poet and I read them all the time. They are now safely in my pillowcase so I can feel him there with me whenever I sleep. Corny or not as that is to do so I know it will make it super easy to dream of him that way. I miss him so much sometimes I can't even breathe, it hurts more than I can put into words. When my room mate Kayla texted me at work saying his letter arrived I literally jumped up and down. I was so excited to get home and read it and I literally ran up the stairs and into my apartment and tore into the envelope. I cuddled up in my not so comfy chair in my not so comfy costume and read it before doing anything else.

Friday at work I was kind of an idiot. So I get to work with about half an hour to spare and I go to clock in and the computer says, "It is too early to clock in for your 13:30 assignment." I mixed up Friday and Saturday's schedule! I didn't have to be in until 1:30! UGH. Luckily they needed help and they just let me clock in early and have a few more hours on my pay. I just felt bad because it meant I could have talked to you longer this morning! Damn damn damn. This morning was soooo busy too. EPCOT had what we call Extra Magic Hours tonight. Basically if you stay at a Disney Resort you can stay at the park after it "closes" at 9pm and stay til midnight or so. Basically we had a lot more people in the park than earlier this week. Usually we have a show going on (we can sit 30) and a show waiting... sometimes stragglers will come in and we will say the next show is in fifteen minutes and they leave and come back. Today we had a show in, 2 full shows in line, and stragglers waiting for a third! I like my show... but I would not wait 45 minutes to see it. Sorry! It isn't that amazing. Then of course this afternoon when I got back from my break, round the time I was supposed to come in at, it was normal once more. Typical.

Rumor alert! We have the possibility of an early homecoming!!! Some other girlfriends and wives were saying their guys all are sending their winter gear back now so they won't be needing it because they are coming home. Some are sold on October, but Ryan himself mentioned November/December isn't impossible. Oh. My. God. That would be amazing!! If they do not get another mission after this one they should be home. Keep your fingers crossed! I am still thinking February and trying to tune them out, but it is hard!!!! I feel so out numbered. Heck I know half the guys could even come back and Ryan might still be there. I would be pissed if that happened. I miss him so much.

AND Ryan finally got my pacakges! It only took them two months to get there. And one is still on the way, apparently. But yay! And the cake in a jar was good when it reached him. Small blessings.

Ok, I have to pause with this weekend. This is a long entry any way, so more to come....

Good Day

So today at work was actually pretty fun. Most of the CPs (College Program Kids) had "training" on our schedules. Reading that we all wondered what the heck it was for. Training turned out to be a bit Welcome Party in the Odyssey Building, complete with Pirate theme! We all trooped over together and Innoventions got our own table which had tons of pirate booty. We got CP cups, a treasure pouch and map, tiny plastic gems and compasses, candy, mardi gras beads, chips, cookies, and lemonade. It was pretty cool. Then the Vice President of EPCOT came and talked to us as did all the General Managers for the park. We got to see the upper echelon of it all basically.

They played this one game, Walk the Plank, and if you paid attention to the random facts on the screen while the General Managers were talking you got prizes. I got selected to play and I actually won an awesome book called Legends in Imagineering... all stories about the parks being built and rides and the ideas, I am kind of excited to read it. Then anyone who had a September Birthday got a prize, so I got a Disney mesh blue bag and a Pirate Princess Key Chain.

After that I had literally three hours of my shift left, plus 2 15 minute breaks. Sweet deal, having a six hour shift with two and a half hours being a Pirate Party! I did two shows then cleaned up. Karli and I planned to go on Soarin' after work since I never rode it, and it turns out a lot of CPs were heading there too. Usually it has an hour and a half wait, the eight of us got on in ten minutes. It was such a fricken cool ride. Would it be that cool after an hour and a half wait? Probably not as much, but I really liked it! We had the center front seats of the center glider too, so good views. And we saw the hidden Mickey! (It is on the golf ball that flies at the screen for those of you interested)

When we were done there we all ended up at IHOP. It was nice talking to CPs outside of work and bonding and having fun. They realized that I snort when I laugh so a few of them have a goal to get me to snort as much as possible by January. I feel like I am settling in and getting to know people! Karli and I were the only "new girls" in the group, everyone else had been there a few months already on the Fall Advantage program, so it was nice to be included.

They want to go play mini-golf tomorrow (or putt putt I think they called it?) but I have Illuminations duty and don't get off til 9:30pm so I may not be able to join them. But it is coll I was invited.

Ryan said he sent me a letter, haven't gotten it yet sadly. I did get a package from my mom, an American Flag decorated bear in camis, Julia Child's Cookbook (SWEET), and a ribbon magnet I ordered for my car (it is dress blues in ribbon form and says Keep my Marine Safe).

All for now... I hope tomorrow is good too!