The End of September Monday, September 22nd, 2003
On Monday afternoon at 1:00 I have my Disney college course (whoo hoo). It is called "Organizational Leadership." Unlike most of the students going to classes here at Vista Way, I, for some reason, seem to need to go to one of the other 2 apartment complexes housing Disney employees, whereas everyone else just needs to walk to a different on-site building to their class. So that sucks. I had never been there before. I didn't have to work at all that day. They like to give me Mondays off. Now, they have to give me that day off. The class was kinda slow. Every person had to be introduced and talk a little bit. They gave us time off for good behavior.

I got together with Jeremy after the class. We went to the gas station, bought frozen pizza and watched Big.

After that, we went back to my place, and from there we went to Downtown Disney and played around in there. Shopping with guys kinda sucks. They just kinda blow through there; they'll go in the store to glance around. Girls want to be more thorough. But I liked spending the time with Jeremy. He looked at all the menus on the restaurants there. Most of them are far out of his price range. I think he wants to go to the Rainforest Cafe. They have a Ghirardelli Chocolate place, with soda stand there. I had to look at the prices. They are expensive, but almost exactly what they are in SF. I didn't buy anything. I was tempted though. We walked thru PI, pretty much because we could; free PI night. I have an obnoxious stamp on my underarm saying, "You're an underaged loser!" (as if Jeremy doesn't remind me of that enough). It was only 9:00 when we were there. It was about as lively as funeral. We only stopped in the Cirque store on the other side of Downtown Disney, and then we went back.

Then we went swimming, I went back to his apartment for a bit. We watched, and discussed I Dream of Jeanie and Bewitched.

On my way out of Jeremy's, I saw Cara at the pool. She had been having some guy issues before I went to the pool. She (at the previous time) said, "I want a hug!" Erik hugged her. Then I hugged her and she yelled at me for not being a guy. (Well then, I know someone who does appreciate it when I hug him!). I told her when she had gotten to the pool that Jeremy had suggested that he hug her, knowing how much she likes him. Cara shuttered and said, "Ew! Gross!" I came back to my apartment. Jenny was watching Princess Diaries. It made me wish I was in San Francisco.

Tuesday, September 23rd, 2003
Work sucks, but work would suck no matter where I go. It seems like I complain a lot, but that's only because of the work itself. Some of it is interesting stuff. Work is work. I have a boyfriend, I have friends, and I have some extent of freedom. I'm at one of my favorite spots on earth. Life is not so bad. All I could ask is that there was an equivalent to Haight/Ashbury around.

It bothers me a bit that we all answer to a computer. The human assigners don't know what's going on until the computer tells us/them.

On Tuesday, I went to work at 12:45. I worked at the fry cart until 5:45. They gave me a break finally. I ate a Butterfinger for my "lunch." I worked on register at Rosie's during the Fantasmic! Rush. (Would rather do register than fill orders). I closed bussing. I got to clock out at 8:45. I was glad that I got to come home on the 9:00 bus.

I called my mom.

Julie and I walked to Chick-fill-a for dinner. Chick-fill-a closes at 10:00. So we ate at Wendy's and brought it back to the apartment.

Wednesday, September 24th, 2003
I drove to work on Wednesday. Mostly because I could, and I wanted to know what it was like to do it. I got to MGM several minutes early. I checked out some clean costumes. Then I played around a bit as a tourist. I bought a piece of vanilla and caramel fudge from my favorite store, Villains and Vogue. (Which reminds me, in a few days I can start listening to my soundtrack again to gear up for Halloween. I wonder what I will do on/for Halloween. Maybe I'll go see Alien. I've never seen it before). While in that store, I bought a set of Jack Skellington head lights. The guy in the store had them sent up to the front to be picked up at the end of the day.

I don't remember where all I worked. I just remember I worked at 4 different places. I know I worked at Fries, because I talked for a long time to the filler, Kris, who is on the high school program, about music. He got to go to the Kiss/Aerosmith concert in West Palm Beach. I think I did produce stocker for about 10 minutes. During my break I (finally) called central reservations and booked a room for Kelly for December. Right around Xmas time, don't know why I waited so long. Fortunately, they had a room. I requested she be in the Rock and Roll building, as she requested. After my break, I worked on register at Rosie's. There was a massive downpour with a lot of hard rain. People were huddled under the outside sign over the Carthay Circle Theater/Christmas Store across from Rosie's. 2 people who made it to Rosie's before the rain were trapped under the awning over our line. My last assignment that night was to fill orders at Turkey Legs, which is where I closed.

At some point during the day, I got on a trip that I wanted a quesedilla. Not a Taco Bell quesedilla, a Hooters quesedilla. Unfortunately, I get home at about 9:30 every night, so most people have eaten before then, ergo, no one was really interested in going with me. I think the last thing Stacey and Erik expected me to say when I walked in her door was, "Anyone wanna go to Hooters?!" (Uuuh, what?). Jenny went with me because she sorta knew where it was. Jeremy was invited, but was talking to his dad and asked me to pick him up some wings.

My mom sent me a package. A lot of it was stuff I asked for. There was my warm blanket, my sweatshirt, (it's raining. I wonder where my umbrella is), some posters (so now I have decoration in my room; Houses of the Holy album cover and Orlando Bloom as Legolas, plus I put the Jack lights up around the mirror). My bear, Bongo was in there (yay!). She also sent a package of Kit Kats and Reese's peanut butter cups to share with my roommates (or people who just seem like roommates. She also sent some of my videos, Yellow Submarine and Holy Grail. I showed Jeremy when he came over the videos in my room. Julie was laying on her bed. I showed him Monty Python. He said he'd never seen it. This to me was just shocking. So we decided we were going to watch it. We went back to his apartment. One of his roommates got really excited when he saw I brought it. Another one of his roommates said he'd never seen it either. I remember being shocked. Jeremy started to laugh at me. He liked some parts of the movie. But I don't think he will be quoting it anytime soon, as his other roommate did when I brought it over.

Thursday, September 25th, 2003
I had a long 10-hour day that day. I was tempted to call in sick. I got sorry self dressed, and on the bus anyway.

It was a horrid day at work. They made me produce stocker until my break at 4:10. The biggest problem with that job is that, unlike most other jobs at the Sunset Ranch, that is the one in which you are constantly busy; maybe they don't need a supply of anything restocked, but all the fruit cups and sodas have to be iced down so they constantly need new ice because they are melting all the time, and because they are constantly melting, there is always tons of water in them that needs to be sucked out with a machine every hour or 2, which is a difficult to steer, especially when it's full, and it has to be dumped out. Then they start to run low on soft pretzels so you have to make more. Then they need more fruit in the plastic boxes. The fry people assume you are their stocker also and they "need stuff" (great! I'll take care of it right after I get more Powerade, suck out the water out of the drink cart and take the pretzels out of the oven). Plus it was raining off and on while I was working. Stocker is another job where you are constantly outdoors. The girl who took over cashier at produce came in at about 1, and an hour or so later she says, "Man! I'm beat!" I have no other qualms with her. But I did want to smack her right then. (I been here almost all bloody morning lifting, carrying, pushing, moving, don't tell me you're beat!).

I almost fell flat on my back during stocking. I had to go out to the cooler to get a couple cases of bottled water. And the bottled water was stacked almost to the ceiling like a pyramid so a case kinda in the middle wasn't really accessible. So I climbed up this thing to pull down one from the top and as I was climbing down, I slipped and almost fell over. I didn't fall. I kept going and tried to get another box down. It’s silly the way girls trip. They could fall flat on their faces, get right back up before you even realize what's going on, and keep going like nothing happened.

After my break, they made me stocker again. At 6 they moved me to my closing position at Rosie's kitchen. I worked filling the orders at the Fantasmic! rush, which is a busy job. But the cooks prepared too much food, so by about 10 to 8, there were a lot of extra orders of hamburgers and stuff. So Jamie, a male coworker, and I went around to some of the guests in the area and told them to go get whatever free food they could at Rosie's, and wrote it off as Disney Magic.

I came home, Jeremy came over about 11. Kelly called. She's happy for me about my new guy.

It seems that with Jeremy, every time I start to think, but not share, something really nice about him, like how glad I am that he is holding me or whatever, he does something just to annoy me, like draw out the last syllable of my name; Amanduuuuuuuh. Of course now he knows I hate it, which makes him do it more often. Apparently, I'm fun to aggravate. (Now I feel very special). A guy at work, I don't remember which one, actually pronounced my name like that on Friday. I just thought, "Oh, man! This sucks!"

Friday, September 26th, 2003
I woke up on Friday morning around 11. I cleaned the bathroom.

It was raining just before I went to work. So I took an umbrella to work. Nothing has proven more effective at keeping away the rain than having an umbrella on my person or in my immediate possession. I went to work at 2. It was a weird day. I worked on Fries register for about a half hour, then they put me in my favorite position, or at least you'd think it, Produce Stocker! (Yaaaaay! Ev'rybody DANCE!!!!) I actually decided not to work so hard today. I did, however, have the unique challenge of getting plastic dome lids, like the ones on Slurpees and Icees, for the frozen lemonades. The thing about them is, we seem to run out of them always. They don't keep them stocked in the ice palace (it's a room where they keep all the plates and utensils, and also a couple big ol' ice machines. I don't know at what point they started calling it "The Ice Palace"), the ones they do have never seem to fit the cups, ergo, I need to search elsewhere for lids. Supposedly, they have them on the coffee carts. I went to the coffee cart by the Tower of Terror. It was closed. The other place they have them is "the boat." It's on the other side of a parade route. Guess what was happening when I was seeking out these stupid lids?! So I had to wait for the parade to go by. I finally went to the boat after the parade, got a bunch of packages of lids, and took them back to produce. Then I finally put away the strawberries that were sitting out for the last half hour. Then I got a love letter from Big Brother saying that I had to "Bump out."

We all have to attend a "What to do in an Emergency" Meeting. I hope we never have an emergency because I still don't know what I’m supposed to do. People will be asking me, "Where are we going?" "I don't know; you're sheep. I'm just another sheep with a nametag." The meeting was scheduled for one hour. It was only 25-30 minutes. We were specifically told not to come back. So a bunch of us all sat around in Take 5 until the hour was up.

I went to Produce side bussing after the meeting at 6:00. I don't mind bussing. The part I hate most about it is when people will leave all their crap on the table; not entirely finished hamburgers, turkey leg bones, paper cups 1/4 full of watered down Cokes. It's gross. How can people be so piggish as to not take care of their own garbage? It got to be 7:15, and I still hadn't had my break; I had received no message telling me to take it. I went to the assigner to inform him of this. He told me to go take it then and come back to close Rosie's at 8. I ate a Twix Peanut Butter on my break and called home. I only talked to my dad though; that is my dad failed to pass off the phone to my mom.

I came back and ate dinner. Cara wanted me to give her some of my food, so I did. For some reason she invited her latest potential interest over to my apartment. She wanted me, or someone, (Jacque was going out) to stay. I don't know why exactly. And, "If the boy calls, stay with me. You see him every night." (I see you every night, too). I knew I wouldn't see Jeremy for a while. I stuck around the apartment for a bit. The guy was very late. We started watching Sweet Home Alabama. But we ended up watching Lilo and Stitch.

Jeremy finally called at about 1:30. I went over to his apartment. In the living room of the apartment people were pissing and moaning about the crappy pay. I don't deny it's lousy. The rent they deduct is lousy. It averages out to about $1600 a month. They are saying the next group may not have to pay rent; apparently we are supposed to be sponsored by Disney's best friends, i.e. Coke. We went back to my apartment. I prayed Cara wasn't there. She wasn't. Jenny was up for some reason. Jeremy had brought over a frozen pizza. He and I stayed up till about 3 talking.

Saturday, September 27th, 2003
My dad called at some point early this morning. He and Mike were on their way to San Jose. Mom was disappointed she didn't get to talk to me the night before. So I was instructed to "call her and make it look like my idea."

He had to go to work at 5:30. I decided to go with him.

I went through the tunnels under Magic Kingdom. He put on his little outfit; it looks kinda like my outfit, the one that is the girl version of the Sunset Ranch uniforms. He thinks it makes him look gay. Since I know him, I don't think it does; if I were just going to happen to see him, without any prior knowledge of him, I wouldn't even give him a second thought. We parted ways eventually. He went to work. The first thing I did was go to Casey's, a baseball themed hot dog place across the way from where Jeremy works, and got an ice water. I took a sip out of it. For half a moment, I thought, "Wait! I can't drink this here." Followed by, "Oh wait! Yeah I can. I'm not working. I'm a guest." I went towards Adventureland with no purpose in mind.

I walked through Adventureland, thru the stores when I came to the Magic Carpets of Aladdin, and the Tiki Room building. The time-before-last when I vacationed in WDW, we brought Lucy, my aunt from Florida (for those of you playing along) with us to the Magic Kingdom one day. There are a bunch of yak-like head carvings on the top of the building. "Yak yak yak yak yak yak yak!" Everyone cracked up. We all remember it very well. She doesn't. I saw the Tiki Room today and thought about the Yaks. I had to call my mom. When she picked up the phone I said, "Yak yak yak...." it took her a moment but she quickly said, "Are you in Adventureland, by any chance?" I had a long conversation with her. I went back and got a pineapple whip; it's like frozen yogurt. It was very good. I was going to go on the Pirates, but didn't want to brave out the line. Went to the Aribbas Bros. crystal stand, where I got Kelly's birthday present, a glass slipper last year (crap! I forgot to go to the Jewelry store on Main Street to get that button because the stupid machine at MGM where I work and it's convenient is broken). I bought a tiny frosted glass Donald Duck figure on sale, minus Cast discount. I went to Frontierland. I almost bought fudge. But I will save it for my next trip to Villains and Vogue by where I work.

I went on the Haunted Mansion; always go on the Haunted Mansion. I started talking to a little girl in line behind me. She was commenting on how it was all fake (she must have been about 6 or 7) and how the ghost wasn't really going to go home with you. I got really disappointed that it was fake and that a ghost wasn't going with me. But she convinced me that having a ghost around would be pretty scary. I agreed. (I'm a Cast Member; this is how I get through my day, by talking to people).

After Haunted Mansion, I walked over to Pinocchio's Village Haus. Jenny works there. I hid behind a guy in line. I went up to her and said, "Did I miss the 3:00 parade?" (I love pretending to be a tourist, you can acceptably be a moron. The biggest problem I have with them is they move so bloody slow!). She was glad to see me. I took a picture of her on duty. I don't think she appreciated that too much. I bought a side order of fries. It was the cheapest thing on the menu other than brownies, which, if they are anything like the ones at Turkey Legs, are individually wrapped which is not cool.


I then walked over to Mickey's Philharmagic. I missed the Cast previews. I don't think it's officially open yet. But it was operating. It's a computer animated 3-D movie. The premise is this: Mickey is supposed to conduct a magical orchestra with the help of his sorcerer hat. However, Donald Duck steals the hat. The whole show is all the bad things that happen to Donald as a result of stealing the hat, and also him interwoven into musical scenes from other Disney movies as he attempts to get the hat back. He listens to Lummiere sing Be Our Guest, swims with Ariel as she sings, Part of that World, flies on a carpet during the Whole New World sequence of Aladdin. It was very good. Donald was in it more than Mickey. (Yessssss!). One of the things I really liked about it was it reused a lot of Clearance Nash (the original Donald voice) vocal tracks from the cartoons and movies vs. the new guy who isn't nearly as good and should stick to being his key animator. As you exit the show, there is a store to the right. (There is always a store). It is the best Disney store ever. I walked in and thought, "I'm in heaven!" It is almost entirely stuff with Donald Duck on it. I literally had to contain myself, I was so excited; wallets, license plate frames, shirts, hats, etc. I felt like someone had been reading my mind and finally got the message.

I decided at that time to make my way over to the bakery to go bug my boy. It was a mistake. I didn't count on Spectromagic, the light parade that goes right down Main Street. So of course there were a million people lined up all along the street where I needed to be. I practically had to walk through Tomorrowland just to get there. It was a mess. (This is why I hate parades). I did make it over there though. He was supposed to be on register. He wasn't around. I asked the dude at the register where he was. He told me he was being busser/stocker (aw! Poor guy!). I saw Jeremy come out from...wherever. I gesticulated to the guy at the register that he was there, and could he get Jeremy's attention. (He got the message). According to Jeremy (I asked later on), the register-guy (he looked like a College Programmer, or CP), said, "The lady standing over there in line in green is looking for you." (It always trips me out when people call me a lady in that way. It makes me feel old. Plus, I always think, "What lady? Oh, me. If you say so." Mostly because I think I'm too young to be a lady. I'm old enough to be a girl, but not a lady). I talked to Jeremy for a bit. They were swamped. I got a cupcake; can't go over there and not buy something; it wouldn’t look too good for Jeremy. I went up to the register that the guy who pointed me out was at. He didn't charge me the 12 cents sales tax on the cupcake. That was nice of him.


After that, I left him. I went into Tomorrowland. I went on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. While I was on it, the fireworks went off. I went on the Buzz Lightyear ride. You have to shoot at targets and get a score at how many targets you hit. I got a low-average score. That's actually a pretty cute ride. I then went on Space Mountain. That was OK. I had about 10 minutes before the park closed after that was done, so I went on it again. There are 2 separate tracks for Space Mountain, I got to ride both. I think the one on the right is the more thrilling. It seems to have more drops.

I went back to Main Street to tell Jeremy I was leaving. They were having Spectromagic again, which I failed to realize they might. I had to push through the crowds. A lady with an empty stroller kept hitting my heels saying, "Excuse me!" I felt like saying, "Just because you've got a stroller doesn't mean you are getting out of here any faster." I caught a glimpse of Jeremy in the ice cream parlor. He told me he was getting to leave in 20 minutes. I went back down into the tunnels by the men's locker room to wait for him. We rode the bus home together. His dad is in town, so he went over to see him after the bus got in to Vista.

Cara and Erik were in the apartment watching Footloose with Julie and Rachel when I got in. Cara was being abusive to Erik. Jeremy came over for about 15 minutes after being with his dad.

Sunday, September 28th, 2003
I had to go to work on Sunday. I decided to play there before work. I drove to MGM. About halfway between the Cast Member locker room/costuming/break room entrance and Crossroads I remembered I forgot my AMANDA nametag. I just hoped that at Sunset Ranch they had a nametag I could borrow. I looked down Hollywood Blvd, and saw it was really crowded. The first thing I did was go to Sunset Ranch and double check my schedule. It said I was supposed to be there at 2 (just wanted to be sure). I got a Fast Pass for the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. The first thing I actually did was go into the Indiana Jones store. There they had Raiders posters that I had been wanting for a really long time, but had always found too expensive. Plus I was looking for a bit more decoration for my room, other than just pretty boys. I went past a bunch of rides, but they all seemed to have long lines; that is, longer lines than I was willing to stand in.

I went in stores mostly. I went in Tattooine Traders. I saw Muppet Vision 3-D. My favorite part of that is the preshow where Rizzo the Rat dresses like Mickey Mouse. I went in Muppet Stuff (that's actually the name of the store) and got a poster from the Muppet Show that had all the major players on it.


I went down to the former NYC backlot. They are changing some of it to look like San Francisco and London. They have a sign pointing to Chinatown that is straight out of SF; I think they stole it off one of the street corners there. They have a sign by where the Chinese places are that says GRANT, white, and with font just like a SF street sign. I can't tell if it's good Imagineering or authentic. It was fun for me though. Not the same though. If they could just get a Haight/Ashbury crossroads and some brightly colored headshop-like places that would be even cooler. I went into the bookstore and bought a stick of pink rock candy.

I walked through the Animation Courtyard and past a guy who was airbrushing charactures. I always have wished I could airbrush well, like well enough to do one of those designs on the back of an RV or tank of a motorcycle. They don't teach a class on it at my school. Apparently, it's becoming obsolete when one can just pull up a necessary image off the computer. It seems like it would be easier to just airbrush something like a centerfold in a magazine. So I talked to the guy for a few minutes about airbrushing techniques.


I turned the corner and went on the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. I don't think I could ever get tired of that ride...unless every time I went on it they played the same song. This time they played a combination I hadn't heard before, I don't think; the first 3 songs off the Pump album, Young Lust, F.I.N.E., and Love in a Roller Coaster. It was goood.

I went to Villains and Vogue and got a piece of cookies and cream fudge. It was ok. I should've gotten peanut butter or vanilla and caramel.

I went across to the Carthay Circle Theater/Xmas store to see if Dawn was in there. She was, she remembered me this time. I had called my mom asking about this. Dawn drew for us Sleeping Beauty and Mickey Mouse. It was almost time for me to work, so on the off chance I might get a break relatively soon, I got a Fast Pass for the Tower of Terror. It was good from 3:55-4:55. Maybe they'd give me a break before 5.

I got dressed in Take 5. I clocked in at exactly 2. Agnes, my soon-to-be-former-manager, lent me one of her old nametags. So for the day, I was Agnes from Waterloo, IA. Because she's a manager, everyone knew I had borrowed the tag from her, so I got a lot of, "Hey, Agnes!" (Yeah, yeah, yeah). I went and worked Turkey Legs register. I met some people from Sacramento (people who I don't have to say, "Suburb of a suburb" to). She pulled out her driver's license for me to card her for beer. I wasn't going to card her, but I noticed she had a CA license. "Where in CA are you from?" "Sacramento." "Really? I'm from Granite Bay!" "Oh wow! That's close. How'd you end up here?"

My break came at 4:30. But not before burning my thumb on a customer's hot coffee. That actually happened because the guy asked for decaff coffee. As I was pouring it, he watched me. For some reason he thought I was getting regular, which it wasn't. He shouted from the window, "I said decaff!" I turned around to address him as I poured, "This is decaff." In taking my eyes off the cup, I burned my thumb. I think I am going to sue the company now.


Just in time to use that Tower of Terror Fast Pass. I quickly changed back into my tourist clothes, and got over to the Tower. I rode it. It was fun. I had just enough time to go back and change and clock back in.

They put me on Fries register. The way it works with being on register is, somehow the register gets the message from either Big Brother or the assigner that Amanda Harrington with the specific register number (so that all her receipts come out AMANDA L, because apparently the other Amanda down at the Ranch is also an AMANDA H) can log in to the computer. Unfortunately, this time it took awhile for the register to get that message and let me log in.

About 2 hours before closing they sent me to Turkey Legs kitchen where I wrapped turkey legs in aluminum foil, and made chili cheese dogs. They made way too many turkey legs. We gave a few away at the end of the night. I had to close the kitchen.

I changed back into tourist clothes, and went to my car and drove straight to Walmart to buy a few things and pick up that outstanding film, and drop off some more. It took forbloodyever to have some people pull my film envelope out of a drawer then ring it up. I also bought mostly drinks and Ben and Jerry's. When I brought my Starbucks bottled drinks home, both Cara and Jacque were like, "I want!" (No! My oversweet caffeine!). No one is allowed to touch my Ben and Jerry's; not Cara, not Jeremy. People are allowed to look on in envy but that's as far as it goes. (There are no B&J restaurants around here!).

When I came back from Walmart, Jacque, Jenny, Cara, and Julie were just about to play a game of Uno. I had them deal me in. Here in 1803 we have slightly different rules. If someone puts down a draw 2, the next player can draw 2, or put down another draw 2, in which case the next player has to draw 4, unless they can play a skip or reverse of the same color, in which case the next player picks up the however-many-cards. The first game was ok. It was a like normal game of Uno, the second game was worse. The third game was horrible. It took forever. The only reason it ended was because after over an hour, and only one person getting out, we were still playing, and could still have probably played for another hour. The other way we play, is by calling each other dirty names like "Crack whore," "Skank," or throwing around insults "Bite me!" That was great fun. Jeremy called at some point during all this to tell me he was down at the pool. He heard all the giggling. "What are you doing?" "Just playing Uno."

He was down at the pool. (After his call it was about that time I really wanted the game to end). I went swimming with him for about a half hour (till pool closing at 1).

Monday, September 29th, 2003
I got up at about 11:30 the next day. I had class at 1:00 at Chatham Square apartments.

Before going to class, I went to Walgreen’s and got a snack bag of Doritos, pens, highlighters, and a Vanilla Starbucks Frappaccino. I'm definitely not in yuppie country anymore. Jeremy had never even heard of a Frappaccino. I haven't even seen a store since about New Mexico. And here's the strangest part, they sell the bottled drinks here, they have all the flavors, except my favorite, Caramel. Why would you sell all the flavors except that one? It would be one thing to sell all, none, or only one maybe. But not all but the best one. Like I say, definitely not in uppity yuppie territory anymore.

I went to my Organizational Leadership class. I still haven't even ordered the book for my class yet. It wasn't too boring. I did pick off most of my fingernails though. I always do that when I get bored.

After class, I went to the Hallmark store. I have 2 birthdays coming up; Kelly's and Miho's (I haven't heard from Miho in awhile. She probably writes to my other e-mail). I was wondering what I was going to get Miho for her birthday. I had an epiphany yesterday. They have 2 different beanies from the Donald Duck 3-D movie (Philharmagic). One of them is one of Donald wearing the sorcerer hat (of course I want to get both for myself; I told my mom about the store, she asked how I felt about doing my own shopping). I think I will get her one of those plus a nametag like the Bruce one I want to get for Kelly. (For which I apparently have to go to Magic Kingdom for; not like I won't be going there to bug my guy in the near future).

When I got back, I changed into normal clothes and went to Epcot. I invited everyone to go with me, but they all had an excuse. So I went by myself.

On the bus there, I called my mom. She gave me reservation information for when they want to come in November. I need to make that ASAP. I want Jeremy to meet them. I don't know why. I don't need them passing judgment on him. My mom said the scary M-word about him. (I told him she said it. I didn't even have to say what the word was. I gathered from his reaction he knew what I was talking about. Fortunately, Jeremy and I share slightly similar positions on the M-thing). Apparently, "It's something every mother thinks about from the day their daughter is born." (Uuuuhh...what?! They don't think about them doing something like, oh, I don't know, preschool first?!). For one thing, I don't ever want to get married. Plus, I don't like to think too much past the end of next week, maybe the week after next. I have fantasies about the future and where I'll be in 5 years or whatever. Jeremy sometimes says to me, "Do you hope we stay together?" I hate it when he asks that. I want to answer honestly and realistically, but I also want to tell him what he wants to hear. He wants to hear, and I want to say, "Yes." I start thinking, How long can all this really last? What about January (which is what his mother was asking him. I think he said, "We're not thinking about that"). Right now, it's good. But I don't like thinking about the future. It's unknown and scary. I don't want to think about this ending. Just worry about what's going on now; get to work on time, do the best I can, do the class thing, hang out with friends and boyfriend. I'm too neurotic to start down that path. I don't think Jeremy knows how neurotic I can be.

I also told my mom Jeremy said that I was the sweetest girl he'd ever been with. I don't know what that means; I never thought of myself as sweet, he even calls me that, "Sweets," "Sweetheart" (aw! I have a pet name, how cute. And yet I'm not thinking, "Gag me!" what's up with that? Were I hearing it of someone else I would think that). I said, "I guess that doesn't say much for the girls you've been with, does it?" I have thought of many adjectives to describe myself, not all of them negative. Sweet just never occurred to me. My mom said, "What? Are you putting on an act?" (Love you too, mom). Well, I'm not complaining. It’s nice; someone cares about me.

I arrived at Epcot. I had to go in through the Cast entrance. I walked through the locker room. I walked behind the loop in Test Track. I heard and saw the cars zooming by. It didn't occur to me at the moment to take a picture. (Next time). I ended up in a gate next to Mexico between it and Norway.


I walked over to Test Track and waited almost no time for it. It was a fun ride. Nearly all of Future World was closed by this time. I was disappointed because I wanted to go in Cranium Command. That's kinda fun. I took a couple of pictures. I think I am going to start a series of pictures of interesting displays in stores.


I made my way over to World Showcase. I bought a Union Jack Mickey head antenna ball in England. At 7:00, I saw a band that I had read some about called Off Kilter. They are guys in kilts that sing traditional UK songs with an electric twist. The guys were kinda old. They were alright. I learned that electric guitars and bagpipes can go together in songs other than It's a Long Way to the Top (If you Want to Rock 'n' Roll) (good song, good album).


I went to France. The pastry shop was closed, much to my dismay. I went to Japan, the whole reason I came to Epcot. When I went with my mom, I saw some, what can best be compared to, black light posters of geishas and Japanese scenes. I thought I would wait to get them when I had the discount. (I almost forgot about the discount until the girl behind the counter saw the card in my open wallet and said, "Is that yours?"). I was pleased with that purchase. I got a side order of yakatori at the Japanese fast food place (I mean quick service location). It was just ok. The teriyaki skewers at Adventureland in Disneyland are much better. After that, I got a snow cone. I have learned that I can read some hiragana Japanese, but I'll be surprised if can understand the majority of it.

Around Germany, I saw fireworks from far across the water. I'm still trying to figure out where they came from. It didn't look like Fantasmic!, the best I can figure is Magic Kingdom. I walked through the China store, and I debated getting a pastry in Norway. I decided against it. I walked back over to Test Track and went on again in the final minutes before the park closing. The people running the ride tried to get everyone in the practically nonexistent line to sing the Mickey Mouse Club theme song, because "That's what we make everyone in the last 15 minutes of the park's opening do." I took a couple pictures on the ride. I hope they come out. One of them of a crashed car against a wall should.


After the ride, I went into Mouse Gear, the big ol' general Disney/Epcot merchandise store, and bought a (couple) pairs of Mickey Mouse earrings to wear to work as a reminder to take off my cartilage piercings, should I be wearing them. I took more pictures of fireworks from Illuminations, and a picture of the hand against the sphere in the entrance.

I waited after the park’s closing for the bus to come. It seemed to take forever. It was full of mostly foreign kids living at the Commons (another Disney apartment complex) doing the yearlong studying thing working at their respective country pavilion in World Showcase. They just got a new boatload of interns on the 16th of Sept. Now I don't feel quite so young and new-to-it-all anymore; knowing there are people newer than I.

Everyone wanted to see my new things. They all agreed that the Japanese black-light poster was pretty. (Someone told me today "pretty" was not a word that it seemed like I would use; maybe not in the context of myself but I think I'm allowed to think things are pretty. And that is not to say that I find myself unattractive or whatever). So now my room has decoration; the 3 posters, the Japanese thing, and the Jack Skellington lights.

Tuesday, September 30th, 2003
The next day, Jeremy had off, but he to be somewhere f'early in the morning. Cara and I had discussed going to a park. Julie happened to have the day off too, so she was invited. I wanted to invite Jeremy, but I know how well he and Cara get along. Fortunately, he wanted to hang out with his dad who was in town, which I am completely understanding of, and I am not so selfish that I won't be understanding of him wanting to see his dad that he hasn't seen in 4 months. Not that I could stop him either way. So it all worked out.

I drove us. I like driving, I drive a lot. I wore my tie-dyed Mickey ears (that they don't sell here anymore). We first went to Property Control. I had never been before. I'd only heard about it in stories and folk songs, about what a wonderful magical place it was. Property control is two things. In one building, like a warehouse, they sell, at 10% off, things that they can't sell in the parks, lost and found stuff, and stuff from hotel rooms and offices, like mattresses and computer screens. I only saw one thing there that I liked, a Sally marionette. It was still more than I wanted to pay; $22.50. We then went next door, which is a portable. It is a lot like a second hand store. Stuff is broken or somehow not fit for the paying public, so they try to unload it off Cast Members for 75% off. I ended up with 2 shirts, a black Rock 'n' Roller Coaster shirt (w/out the Aerosmith name on it, but a nice flaming guitar), and a tightish purple shirt with a star and the words "Rock Star" on it (Cara thinks I'm a rock star; actually she said, as I happened to be adorning a Led Zep shirt, I was "The Rocker Chick"), and a figure of Lock from Nightmare. I didn't think Property Control was all it was cracked up to be. It's like a Goodwill in that, if you dig long enough you might find something that's not too badly damaged, and just right.

We then drove to the Contemporary, where we rode the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. I pointed out where Jeremy works. He wasn't there then, obviously. But Cara laughed at his "Gay newsboy outfit."


I got my picture taken with Buzz Lightyear. We went on Alien Encounter because Cara wanted to (I didn't care either way). I bought more film for my camera.

We went on the Teacups because Julie wanted to. We got Fast Passes for Peter Pan's Flight, because Cara wanted to. I then insisted that while we wait for the time to come for the Fast Pass to be good we go on Philharmagic. Julie liked it, Cara really liked it (I always like it, that's my 2nd time). In the store, I got the Donald in the sorcerer hat for Miho, (and one for myself too; I couldn't resist). I also got a new wallet to replace my Mickey one that I’ve had for about 10 years. We then went on a quest for a soft pretzel stand that would accept credit cards (for Cara) but couldn't find any.


We rode Peter Pan's Flight. It is right across from where Jenny works, at Pinocchio's Village Haus. Despite Jenny's unpopularity, we went and saw her anyway. She was happy to see us. It was a good thing; it made her day, and didn't impose on us.

After the quest for the pretzel failed (not without picking up a frozen Coke along the way for herself, and me going into the candy store into Frontierland and getting a piece of peanut butter and chocolate fudge), we went to Splash Mountain, because Cara wanted to. There was the shortest line I've ever seen for any Splash Mountain anywhere (there wasn't one). I didn't really want to go, as you may recall my moisture issue. But I went anyway. I like Splash Mountain. I don't even have a problem with all the drops. I just don't like being wet. I fortunately didn't get that wet. I bought a button from the ride with Mickey on it on the way out of the vicinity. We didn't even venture into Adventureland.

We went to the Haunted Mansion, because I insisted. I have the whole ride memorized which I think might have annoyed Cara some, especially when I started actually singing Grimm Grinning Ghosts. The male Cast Member on the Haunted Mansion was torturing Cara. First, he was kinda following her as we passed by in the line, then as we started to go actually in the ride, he followed us for a little bit. Cara laughed at something. The guy said, "Is something funny?!" I cracked up. I love that ride. It's the one thing I always do when I go to Magic Kingdom, which is often, since I always go and visit my boy there.


We soon after left Magic Kingdom (it was going to close in an hour anyway), took the Monorail back to the Contemporary, and I drove us to MGM. I tried to get us in the Cast Member entrance, but the security guard wouldn't let us through. (I think my Mickey ears gave us away). I led us to work-- I mean the Sunset Ranch. There, Cara got her pretzel on her credit card. I said hi to the people I work with. I bought a frozen lemonade and a cheese pizza.


After that, we went on the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, which Cara had never ridden before. At first she was sure she didn't like it, and claims she screamed my name soon after being zoomed out from 0-65 (she'd never been on an upside-down coaster before. She asked, since the whole ride is more or less in the dark, "How will I know when I am upside down?" "You just will," I said). Cara, by the end, liked it so much she wanted to go on it again. So we did. The only problem was both times they played those 3 songs off the beginning of Pump that they played when I went before work the other day. I believe that if you get off, and get right back on, no waiting, you get the same song/song combo every time.

After that Cara wanted to try the Tower of Terror again. I think she liked it a little better than she did before. But not so much. In the very last part of the ride, you come to what looks like a basement. I noticed a ventriloquist’s dummy sitting in a chair. I recalled that there was an episode about a dummy that came to life in a Twilight Zone episode once. I started asking the ride operator if it was a specific reference to the show. He said probably, and that there were more references in the library (where they have the preshow on the TV). By the time we got off the Tower of Terror, the park was closed. One thing I know that annoys the people closing Scoops, the ice cream stand, with the glass windows, is people coming out of Fantasmic! wanting ice cream. I went up to the window, "Are you still open?" The person inside recognized me and said, "Noooo!" "But I want ice cream!" I whined. "Too bad! Do you want to help?" "No, that's OK."

On the way out, I double-checked my schedule, and I bought those blank, honorary cast member nametags. The lady in the store warned me that the machine still was not working. I knew this. The people at Magic Kingdom, who also have a machine that actually works, said they would engrave it for me. (When I finally did get them engraved, the Magic Kingdom person rolled their eyes when I told them the MGM engraving machine still was not working after about a month). That's OK though. I drove us home.

I tried to make reservations for my family. I called early enough, and they had the phone push button system up and working, but "all their computers were down." (So, why did they have the phones on implicating they could help me?).


Wednesday, October 1st, 2003
I put on my 32nd Birthday button, because it actually was the birthday. I got hung up on the phone talking to my dad which made me subsequently late for work.

I got to MGM at the time I was supposed to be in. I fortunately found a bike so that I could ride through the longest part of my sojourn to work, vs. walking. That cut several minutes out of my time. I walked to the computer, "Amanda, you're late," said the assigner. "Yeah, I know." I said, nothing more. I screwed up. I was a filler at Rosie's Cafe. I missed lunch. It was not stressful. I stood around mostly. Someone commented I wasn't smiling enough.

Today was one of the manager's last days, Agnes, the one whose nametag I borrowed. There was cake and ice cream in the prep kitchen backstage for her. I went and got some for myself and for the girl on register. I requested an ER, despite I was closing, if possible. I was not feeling well at all. I got my break at about 5:45. I didn't eat anything. After my break, I was on Produce Register. My plan after work all along had been to go to Gooding’s to cash last week's check, then to go to Walmart to pick up film and some stuff. I talked to Angie who was in the fry cart and offered her a ride home to Vista. She declined, feeling the extra trip might put me out. I later remembered I had to stop back at Vista anyway; I forgot my latest roll of film I wanted to drop off. Oh well. I closed Scoops, which is fine by me, as long as I don't have to do any actual scooping there, I'll be good.

On the way home, I called Stacey to see if anyone present was interested in going to Walmart. She said no. I went up to the employee locker room and changed into human clothes. I saw Angie waiting outside for the Special E bus back to Vista. I told her I had to go back to Vista anyway, and would she therefore take me up on that ride? She said ok. Bunches of other people I knew and were friendly with from work were sitting there. I felt bad about offering only the one person a ride home. "Toccarra?" "No thanks." "Thomas?" "OK!" "Danielle?" "Alright." Toccarra then said, "Well if all you guys are going, I want to go too." "It's cool, I've got 5 seatbelts." Thomas called shotgun and the 3 girls crammed in the back. It was fun. We all talked. And I think I helped to ease the burden of the special bus on the way home; they had 5 more available seats because of my hospitality.

Toccarra wanted to go to Walmart with me. And I picked up my latest roll of film. It has a bunch of pictures at night that didn't come out, and a bunch of other pictures of me in my outfit, at work.

When I came back, Jenny wanted to go get something to eat. We had discussed it a little bit, I kinda didn't want to go. But I had not eaten so I just kinda went along with it. It was OK. We ended up getting food for everyone else except Erik too.

That night was the first night since I've been with Jeremy that I didn't see him. He didn't even call. (At least if he did it was after 2:30). He was probably with his dad. Oh well. Erik and I stayed up talking about the bay area and bands. Stacey was laughing at us.

Thursday, October 2nd, 2003
The next morning I woke up feeling a lot better.

One thing I have found here is no one knows how to pronounce the word "Ghirardelli" (I can't spell it, but that's a whole different story). This is surprising to me. I guess it is a hard name, "Jeeradeli," "Haradeli," "Gaharadeli." But being from northern California, I'm the only one around here, with the exception of Erik who's also from the bay area, who knows how to say it right. Everyone else when I say it is like, "Oh, is that how you say it?"

I failed to look at my schedule for the next day the night before. So I was not sure what time I needed to be in at work the next day (I know, I screwed up. I didn't write it down. This is what I get; the bloody run around). I called the Disney World office a bunch of times. They connected me to the Sunshine Market at Epcot, and Merchandising, didn't know what the GT office was (swell). I finally got a push button system that could tell me when to be in by. Unfortunately, I was on my cell phone, and while people have decided to use as little actual human contact as possible when calling various places, they've also decided to over populate the world with cell phones that are not compatible with those devices. So I had to call at least 2 more times to get the right number.

I'm not so bitter about missing Aerosmith anymore. Kris, the one who went to the last show, told me they added a 2nd show on December 3, at the St. Pete Times Forum in downtown Tampa, which is not so far away. I will make a point of being there this time around.

On the night after the last time I updated, I closed bussing, meaning I was outside wiping down tables (better than a lot of other jobs; probably the best). Fantasmic! let out, so tons of people were making their way towards the exit. Between the Turkey Legs place, and an entrance to the tables, I saw a little blonde girl, about 9 or 10, just standing there, alone watching the people go by. (OK, that's kinda weird). I went up to her, along with a girl "working at Fantasmic" (meaning she's one of the ones who, before and after the show stands around selling either food or illuminated souvenirs); she was crying. She told me she was lost (and she was Norwegian). The Fantasmic! girl walked with her to guest services at the entrance. I stayed behind awaiting frantic parents. I never did see them. I hope everything turned out all right.

My parents are coming in November. I am excited about it. I really want them to see me working. It will have been about 2 and a half months since I saw them.

Friday, October 3rd, 2003
On Friday I got on the internet. I investigated ticket sales for Aerosmith. I discovered that they were going to go on sale the next morning. I started making plans to get my tukehs up early to get to the Ticketmaster outlet at a store called FYE at the Florida Mall.

I asked everyone if they were interested in going with me to the concert, including everyone in 1803, Cara, Jeremy, Erik, and Toccarra, and volunteered to drive them. Those that had the desire to go claimed they just couldn't come up with the funds for it. So, I figured I would just end up going by myself.

One thing that happened recently was I was filling orders at Rosie's. We often don't have an excess of trays that we put food on, to give to people, especially when we are busy. Some guy ordered about 7 different things (I had to fill an order of 10 cheeseburgers once; I can't imagine coming to Disney World with that many people as a family!). And so I brought all the stuff out to him on one tray. They guy said to me, "Next time bring 2 trays." (Next time, don't tell me how to do my bloody job, moron. As if there is really going to be a next time).


Saturday, October 4th, 2003
I went to the Florida Mall early the next day and camped out in front of the store for an hour in my costume. (I found out later I could have gotten termed for that, oh well. I wouldn't have done it if I'd known that). I got a ticket for myself for $45 +tax +"service charge" (a little thing Ticketmaster does because it can and because it more or less has a monopoly on the ticket market). Granted, that's for 2 killer bands, Kiss being the other, but still. Oh well. I saw a framed Aerosmith general seating ticket at the store at the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. $6.50! I saw that and thought, "Shouldn't there be a 4 or a 5 between that dollar sign and 6?" While I was at the mall I got my bangs cut too.

I have one day off next week, and it's the one for my class. Bloody swell.

They put me at Rosie's as a filler, then later a cashier. That means I actually have to work. I like being cash register at Rosie's a lot better. All you have to do is take the orders and the cash, and you sometimes get to talk to people. If you're a filler, that means you're actually getting all the crap that the people order. It's either incredibly busy with no time to breathe or boring, with 6 people standing around doing nothing. I always feel like Ben Stien in Ferris Beuller. People pick up their orders by numbers. So I always come to the window, especially when I start to get tired or come off an adrenline rush, "21?....21?..." ("Beuller?...Beuller?...") Then they had me close the Turkey Legs place (they like to have me closing there).

I went over to Jeremy's apartment for a little bit on Saturday night. After awhile, we decided to go swimming.

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