Frist week of Work
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2003
Well, this was my first day of work. I wasn't nervous until I actually got there and just got paranoid about screwing up.
My dad drilled into my head that you should always get there 15 minutes early and leave 15 minutes late. However, they don't even like you clocking in 15 minutes before or after. So it doesn't matter.
My trainer was a lady named Joanne. The first thing we did was walk over to Toluca Turkey Legs. She showed me how to make a turkey sandwich and a chili cheese dog. While I was there, I poured soft drinks, wrapped the bottoms of turkey legs in aluminum foil, and made one sandwich. She let me try a little bit of the turkey leg that got cooked onto the pan. It tasted like corned beef.
A little while later we went over to Scoops. It's an ice cream place. It's nice because it's like working in a refrigerator. But the ice cream is sometimes difficult to scoop so it's hard on your wrist and back. I was there for a few minutes and they made me leave. I, and all the other trainees from yesterday had to go to a class on Bloodbourne Pathogens. The class was boring. The best part was we got to sit down in an air-conditioned meeting room for about an hour on cushy chairs. I went back to scoops. I worked there for a little while. I met a guy there I wanted to get to talk to more, but he left before I could talk to him much.
There were actually a lot of cute guys in the vicinity of my working place. I lost the nerve to talk to most of them or assumed they were busy. The good news is I�ve got a feeling I'll see them again.
After working at Scoops, Joanne said it was time to take a break. During training, they let us eat for free. The idea is that we try all the food, then if someone asks us, "What's it like?" we can tell them. Of course, I don't know what we're supposed to say if we honestly think it's bad. I only got a little bit of food. Joanne and I ate together and she got a lot and shared it with me. I got cookies and cream ice cream, a hot dog with cheese on it. Joanne let me try her pizza and her salad. They will give us free drinks the whole time we work there, not just training. I like that. I'm drinking water constantly.
We ate in the employee cafeteria, Take 5. It was interesting to be in there; all kinds of people. There were a lot of people who looked like me in their pastel thing, and my male counter parts, guys in red shirts with Toy Story characters all over them, hotel bellboys, guys in black shirts with neon pink designs on them, people in orange and blue outfits (I only thought the only place you would see complimentary colors on the same outfit was in sports uniforms. Turns out I was wrong). It�s just an interesting cross section.
It was here I met Carlos. He walked up and talked to Joanne. He was talking about how even though he got free drinks, sometimes he was too lazy to walk out to one of the stands to get one, if he forgot it, so he would pay to get one in Take 5. He seemed nice. Joanne introduced us. He told me he had a sister named Amanda.
When we got back to work we went to Eddie's. This place serves pizza, and salad. I served drinks here. The difference between this place, and all the others is before I was kind of in the background. This time, the drink machine was between 2 very open very large pick up windows. Even though the register near me wasn't open, people saw me and wanted to know things. Things like, "Where's the bathroom?" "What desserts do you have?" "Where are straws?" "Don't you have beer anywhere in this place?" I knew how to answer all but the first question. I soon learned (Stone building over there by the Tower of Terror). There were a lot of English people there. I flirted up one kid. He was cute, but young. There was an interesting exchange between the cashier and one English lady. She asked for chips. The cashier pulled out a bag of potato chips. She got very confused and said, "No, uh, I want the other things. Not crisps." The cashier didn't really get what was going on. I explained to the English lady, "Crisps are chips, chips are French fries, which are over there." I think she got it; the cashier didn't speak that kind of English.
The funniest thing that happened while working there, was a chick came up to me, and another guy was standing around there and said, "Do you have onions?" I said no. She said, "What?! This is Florida! Com'on!" and walked away in complete disbelief. I felt like saying, "Lady, we have oranges on the license plates, not onions!" A few minutes later, she came back and said, "What's her name?" (pointing with one finger! to the girl working the register). "I don't know her manager's name." "Oh, it's Maria." I said, remembering what her nametag said. "OK, thanks." She walked away bound and determined to rat out Maria for not having onions. "Maria" asked what that was all about. I told her that I told her her name. (I figured this lady would not win, she would leave in a few days and neither guest services, nor any manager would care). "What did you tell her my name was?" she asked. "Uh, Maria?" She laughed because she was just wearing a Maria nametag. Her real name was Stephanie. So now this stupid lady is going to rat some girl who doesn't exist. Stephanie was really mad about her, "God! I can't believe that! Why does she want to know my name?!"
I had to close Eddie's that night. It was more tedious than anything.
When I left it was 9:30. It was raining and occasionally lightning. The park was closed, Fantasmic! had long let out. But all the neon lights on all the buildings were still on. And the old music was still playing. It was very strange, almost disturbing. I've left parks when it's been late, or gotten there really early. But that was the most empty I�ve ever seen a Disney Park. I don't have to close again tonight. Tomorrow I don't have to be there until 2:00 and close.
I got a ton of bug bites on that walk through the other day. I'll never leave the house without wearing bug spray again. I wish those horny little love bugs would kill the mosquitoes like they are supposed to instead of having sex all the time; I don't think I have ever seen one alone.
I think the thing I hate most about my uniform (aside from the fact that every time I happen to see myself in the mirror I think, "Aw, crap!") is my visor. My bangs rub against my forehead. I need to do something about that.
Wednesday, September 4th, 2003
So, today. I barely made it on time (actually I was 1 minute late). I trained with a Puerto Rican lady named Maria. What we did in the morning was watched the condiment bar. She showed me where about a 100 different things were; I'll be surprised if i can remember where any of them are.
Two hours after I got there, they gave us our lunch hr. (They combine the 2 15 minute breaks and 30 minute lunch into an entire hour).
Then they put me in Rosie's Kitchen, which are hamburgers. I filled orders. Then I got to stand around outside the condiment cart again. There were a few highlights to my day. I saw one of the guys who lives in Kyle's apartment working at Rosie's, Steven, so we kinda talked for awhile.
I saw one guy walk up to Rosie's counter (while I was on condiment duty). He was very angry, and he said something along the lines of "Shit! Where's hot dogs?!" He was so angry and frustrated. The girl at the counter pointed him in the right direction towards hot dogs. However, it was so funny. I felt like going up to him and saying, "Dude, you're in Disney World. Relax. You're supposed to be having fun. We're here to help. It's ok." And I got a really cute little girl who was too short to reach up to the counter some catsup. I also talked to a girl who was about 9 from Ecuador, and an English kid.
They have gooood chocolate cake in MGM at Rosie�s. The salad is lame because it's kinda limp and brown. The burger is ok; it�s better than most fast food places. They let me go an hour early today. I am supposed to pick up my paycheck. I think it will be barely enough to buy a soda.
The questions I get asked the most are, "Where's the bathroom?" "Where can I get beer?" and "Where can I get ____? (your food here, usually hot dogs)"
There's a new 3-D show that's going to be opening in the Magic Kingdom. I am really excited about it. For one thing, I can go to the "Cast Preview" meaning i can ride it about 2 weeks before anyone else. For another thing, it stars Donald Duck. For another thing, they are going to have a store with all kinds of Donald Duck crap. (Whoo Hoo! 'Bout time!)
Kelly's going to be here in December. I've got to get her something for her birthday, It's a month away. They have some cool baby doll shirts that look like attraction poster for the Pirates of the Caribbean. (I hope when Haunted Mansion comes out they have a bunch of crap for that one too). They have a couple new and different shirts from the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, including a cool one with the guitar outside the ride, lit up with neon lights, and the word Aerosmith written underneath (I want that for myself). But, since she's going to get here, she can buy her own junk. So maybe, to buy her own junk, she could use a WDW gift certificate. But she'll probably forget it. I have been looking for a little something with the word "Bruce" on it. It's an inside joke that she's Bruce and I'm Capt. Jack. But apparently no one who comes to Disney World is named Bruce (I've seen about 3 guys named Bruce, but they were all Cast Members). So maybe I�ll get her a Mickey hat with Bruce embroidered on it, and a little something from the Aerosmith ride. I don't know.
Tomorrow, I don't have to be at work until 2. I am going to go to MGM at 9 with my costume and play and shop before work. How decadent.
When I was working condiments, there were all these lousy horny lovebugs having their orgies all over the table(s). Condiment duty is very boring. Every once in awhile you refill the straws, clean up where the guests slopped ketchup over their paper cups (in fairness to them, it is such a small target in which to get that stuff). So I killed off these obnoxious perverted bugs. The thing about them is that they are always having sex; some of those things are necrophiliacs! But they are very slow. Flies are gone before you can even make contact with them. I saws a few flies today. They were all alone. I honestly felt sorry them! Like, "Dude, I know how you feel." So that makes it really easy to catch them. I even caught a few right out of the air. It gave me something to do. They weren't here when I came to WDW last year.
I went to the spa this evening.
Here's all the things I don't get to do; eat in public, shop at the regular stores, use front entrance, use a non-Vista ATM, this is one of the reasons I say we are like props. Props don't do normal things like humans and other animals. Props serve people, just like us, we don't do normal things like eat. We show up about 5 minutes before the park opens, all smiles, and disappear into pixie dust 5 minutes after the park closes.
All the buildings in Disney World have lightning rods all over them. When you come, walk down Main Street or Sunset Blvd and look up at the shops and see what I mean, all those little things sticking up.
Friday, September 5th, 2003
Man, I had a gooooood day. No, really! Here's what happened. I woke up (naturally) at about 7:30, posted yesterday's entry, and then I went with a huge bag of stuff to MGM. I got there; I turned in 2 sets of costumes (I need to get 2 more tomorrow, maybe even 3 more). Then I went in to MGM to play.
First, I went into the very first store you come to, which is a movie memorabilia store. I saw some posters from the Herbie movies that my brother would like. I also asked how much Robert Plant's autograph goes for. I saw a record sleeve signed by U2's Bono that was getting at least a couple hundred dollars. The answer he gave me was encouraging, 2 or 3 hundred dollars. Although it needs to be framed which is expensive. But hey, it's still pretty good for an $8 buy off eBay.
I wanted to call my mom to ask if I should get one of those (surprisingly cheap original) posters for her to give to Mike. I called her, but my phone died practically before we could delve into conversation. I forgot about it, and shopped around some. My problem is I see about 4 or 5 shirts I want to get. I want them all. But, I can't afford them all at once. Maybe I can get one at a time, but not all...(I think I�ve seen at least) 5 at once.
I went over to the Tower of Terror (which takes place in the 1930's). It was only a 13-minute wait (meaning none). So I went on. I got to sit in the front row which means the best view with a lady named Nancy who was by herself and never ridden it before. It's a lot of fun. They used to just drop you once. Now they do it about 4 or 5 times. Plus, it's got cool special effects, all leading back to that macabre thing about me.
I bought some postcards that I intend to send to my teachers from the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster.
I called my mom collect again at a payphone. We talked for a long time. I asked her about stuff she wanted and stuff I could get because Mike might want it.
I walked over to the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. But it was closed and they wouldn't tell me when it would become operational. So I figured I would do something else, hoping it was up before I had to get ready for work again.
Instead, I rode the Great Movie Ride. That's actually a pretty cool ride, all those movies in there. Like a Fantasyland movie ride, but with technology like the American Adventure; realistic audio-animatronics of so many different movie stars, (I think all but Indiana Jone's Harrison Ford, Mary Poppin's Dick Van Dyke, and Julie Andrews, Alien's Sigourney Weaver, and cowboy Clint Eastwood are dead). I like the end the best. It's a large (too large to see) film (not animatronics) montage of different classic films. I try to name as many as I can.
I found some pins that look a little bit like the cast member pins (they are supposed to, 'cept mine's real). I of course looked for Bruce (because Mickey hats are $7.50! I thought $5 was a large over estimate) and didn't see it. They told me that, at no extra cost, they could put any name I wanted on one of those pins. I think that is what I will get Kelly for her birthday, telling her it's just to hold her over till she gets here. Then when she actually gets here, give her a gift certificate, let her buy her own stuff (when I'm not around on the discount), and she won't forget it in California.
By the time I got off the Great Movie Ride, and walked over to the tip board, the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster was up and running, and had only a 5 minute wait. I went back over to it. I got on it immediately. It was sooo good. One of the things that made it so, is they played Sweet Emotion, my 2nd favorite song. The Rock 'n' Roller Coaster was so good, and the line was so short, I went on it again...and again...and again...and again...and again...and again (for those of you attempting to play along, that's 7 times in a row). It was great! One time, I got to sit in the very front row; twice I sat in the back. Four times when I went on they played Sweet Emotion, once Walk This Way, and twice some song that I kinda like off of Pump whose name I can't remember, I just know it's not Young Lust, FINE, Love in an Elevator, Janie's Got a Gun, Dulcimer Stomp, Don't Get Mad Get Even, Monkey on my Back, What it Takes or The Other Side. So whichever one I didn't mention that's the one it was. I stopped in the store. I got a new shirt. It looks like the outside of the ride with the big ol� guitar lit up at night, and it says Aerosmith on it; they don't have any with them and the ride logo or whatever on it. I talked to a lot of different people when I went on that ride. I talked to a guy who never went on before, explained the Baby Switch to him, tried to calm people who were nervous for the first time down, an old lady sat next to me; I think I told everyone I met that I went on that thing 7 times in a row. That is my biggest accomplishment of the day (not getting quasi-competent on a cash register, not going down to the pool and talking to Kyle, who "wished water could be solid so that he could lay down on top of it on his crossed arms. I told him "he could, that's why they had flotation devices" "And do you have any?" "No...At least not any that you can use!" I was high fived for my wit). Doing this was also good for another reason. It really loosened me up before work. Whereas I often go and I am either nervous or tense or something negative, today I was in a really good mood when I got to work.
They have these Nutcracker ornaments at the Christmas store across from where I work where Disney characters are dressed like characters from the show. Explain to me how Mickey is the nutcracker, but Donald is the rat king? I understand that because Mickey is oh so perfect, "look at me, I'm Mr. corporate icon" and he gets to be the lead character, buuuuut wouldn't Mickey Mouse be a much better choice to play a rat? I actually bought a Sleeping Beauty ornament for my mom there. I presented my cast ID. She told me I was "sneaky" for pretending to be tourist, yet an employee.
I went to Take 5 and changed into my-- getup. I clocked in and started learning with an unofficial trainer, named Nick, on how to work a Disney Quick-service food and beverage cash register. It was kinda bad. I can do it, every time something new would come up, I needed to contact someone, and it took longer for the guest, which frustrated me, because I hate appearing inefficient, especially when there's a line.
I did have to do one other thing I've never done before, serve beer (which in this state I am old enough to do). Retrieving beer out of a tap, making it worthy to serve to the public is not as easy as it may seem; to serve beer from a tap is hard! It's like getting soda out of a fountain but worse. You know how you have to top off soda because the foam goes down? With beer, more than half of it is foam, and it takes forever for it to simmer down a little. A lot of wonderful beer goes down the drain trying to get rid of the head.
I talked to a lot of little kids. Most of them don't want to talk to me. They bury their faces in their mom's pelvis. A lot of guests were really supportive. I'm wearing a little tag that says pretty much, I'm in training; cut me some slack. I would get stressed about something, and a couple of people would be like, "It's ok, you're doing a good job."
I had to close up again tonight. That was OK. I had my camera that morning because I was playing tourist. The biggest reason I did it was because I wanted to remember being in WDW, late at night, and seeing no one there. It was pretty cool.
Stacey's friend Cara (it's care-uh, because she's not a car) was at the apartment when I walked in. The night before we had a debate about horrible uniforms. I argued mine was worse (I saw Stacey at work, it's not bad at all, especially by comparison). She laughed at me when I came in and said i looked like a candy striper. "Shut up," I said, which is what I say to anyone who sees me in my costume, whether they are going to comment or not.
Anyway, Cara invited me to go swimming with she and Stacey. Kyle, and Kyle's roommates, including Steven, who I work with, which is good for me because came out to the pool.
I thought I would give Louis one more chance to talk to me. Fortunately, I got a hold of him. So I'm glad about that, just making my day that much better.
Yesterday, they said on the news a hurricane was going to hit. When I was on my lunch hour, they were talking on the news about a hurricane a comin', Hurricane Henri (no, not Henry, On-Ree; it's French, as in Matisse) one of the head chicas, Sabrina, was hoping it would hit last night so we could close early, (she says we look like Easter eggs in outfits; I never thought of that, but she's right) which has been known to happen. It didn't of course. Last night at the pool it started sprinkling. People were debating about when they "heard" was going to hit. Some said midnight some said 1 am. It sounds like it's raining a lot right now. (Actually, it sounds like those ducks that live out there are being noisy). So I wonder what today at MGM is like. I have to be there at 11; ick. I don't have to open, which is good.
I should go publish. I have to be on the bus by 10:20 to be on time, or 10:40 to barely make it. So I'll probably go to the lab in my uniform.
I'm actually kinda bummed right now. I just happened to look down at my left hand and saw that the heart shaped amethyst out of my ring was missing. I have no idea where it is. I recall seeing it when I went swimming. But I haven not seen it since then. It could be anywhere. Now my finger feels naked.
Saturday, Sepetember 6th, 2003
It was raining when I got to work, which made it extra special, walking around backstage with my umbrella. My mom asked me in awe, "What is it like back there?!" "It's boring," I told her. I don't think she believes me. When you realize that nearly every building, with the exception of the Tower of Terror, is a facade, and that all the things are kept in beige buildings that look like shacks or warehouses from the outside it's not exciting at all.
I was "trained" on cash register at Rosie's Cafe. That meant that my trainer logged me in to the register, I figured it out pretty quick. I ran register all day. There were a few highlights of my day. The best thing that happened was, our condiment table is right outside to the left (pointing with annoying 2 fingered Disney point). It's covered with thing like the ones they have at craft fairs for booths (sorta). I watched a lady walk right into it. It was funny!
I like talking to little kids, especially the ones that order by themselves. They are cute. I met an aspiring WDW Cast Member yesterday. She was about 8. She had just gotten off the Tower of Terror and told me, "I wanna work at Disney World." "You do?!" I said, "Why do you wanna work in Disney World." (Don't dash the kid's hopes; give her something to dream about). "Because I think it would be fun." "You think it's fun working here?" "Yeah!" "Would you like to come back here and do my job?" "No." "Then what would you like to do?" "I wanna work on the Tower of Terror." "Me too." When she left with her food I told her good luck with her future career. I think about 1/3 the people are English; I hear more UK accents than American southern or any other American dialect.
I came home from work an hour and a half early, they gave me an ER (early release). I went a little crazy for awhile cause I felt I had nothing to do. Jacque was the only one here. I like her a little better than I used to. But it was just she. Stacey came back with Cara. I really like Cara. They invited Jacque and me to a movie with them (and Kyle too). We collectively decided we would go see SWAT at the AMC at Downtown Disney. For some reason, Cara had her camera over here and she was taking pictures of us. There was one of the 3 of us showing off in our tight shirts. Jenny wasn't home. We wanted to leave before she got back because Stacey was out of room in her car. I think Kyle went along for the movie. The 4 of us chicks were there to watch Colin Farrell sweat. (I'll take a side of him any day).
Jacque forgot her ATM card, so I covered her. We get a Cast discount. The movie was great! I was surprised. Aside from watching Colin train by himself to the Stone's Shattered (which reminds me, I've got to go to Strings at Downtown Disney one of these days and get my Keith Richards bobble head) it was a genuinely good movie. (And Colin is still very hot). Cara took pictures of us in the back seat of the car.
Cara, Jacque, and unfortunately Jenny and I are going to the Animal Kingdom. (Cara didn't want to go to Epcot or Magic Kingdom, I didn't want to go to MGM because the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is down until the 15th, and I was just at Epcot, Jacque likes the Animal Kingdom, where she works and wears an outfit worse than mine). I say unfortunately Jenny, because she's slightly abrasive. I like Jenny, but I would rather be with Stacey. Jenny seems kinda immature sometimes. She talks a lot. And it's hard to get a word in edgewise sometimes. I worry about her. She hasn't done enough living. I don't think I have either, but she really hasn't. She's really obsessed with money. She wants to work so many extra hours just to make money. I feel like, "Honey, you came to the wrong place!" If I wanted to make money, I would have stayed in CA, where I didn't have to pay rent, get a less menial job, that is about the equivalent of McDonald's, and make $6.75 instead of $6.00 an hour. She wants to work all kinds of extra hours just to make money. I feel like saying, "Dude, you are in Disney World, lighten up, find a guy, go a little crazy. Have some fun!"
I've been thinking about Louis, if he doesn't call by the time he said he would he can forget it, and I can delve into trying again. I don't think I want Mr. Right Now to be an incessant partier like Kyle. He could be an occasional, even weekly partier, maybe. But I don�t think he could be getting drunk every night. I need a guy who's not a flake. Nearly everyone is a flake. How often do people say they are going to call and never do? Too often in my case; not just guys. I've met very few non-flakes. I don't understand why it is that people say, "I will call you" or whatever and never do. Which is one reason I think I might have to be stuck "dealing." This blows.
I wish I were tall, blonde, skinny and gorgeous like Stacey. Not going to happen ever.
I talked to my mom last night. She said people from the waterpark where I worked called that day. Apparently, they were having a big party and could have used the extra help. My mom went off on them, "I thought she quit!" (I did). She talked about how I sat around all summer waiting for them to call. And for one thing, I was in Florida; for another thing, I was working in Disney World, (not your little rinky-dink, disorganized, dead-end, boring-as-alnything waterpark). Even if I were there, I wouldn't be there. I'd be in San Jose doing my college thing.
I wrote postcards to a few teachers yesterday. I was eating with 2 other people. Between the 3 of us, no one was sure how to spell "restaurant." I don't think I could live with myself if I misspelled such a common word on a postcard to a teacher; especially an English teacher and a college professor that believes you are in "good academic standing" (spell checkers on computers are wonderful).
It's not difficult when you work at a place like this to find guys, where no elligible guy is ugly; you won't find anyone totally broken out, deformed or who look like escapees from a burn warden. Plus, because of "The Disney Look" all the guys have to look good. Even when they're at home, they can't dye their hair green for one night or grow out a full beard in 2 days. But like I say, they are only vaguely aware of my existence.
Sunday, September 7th, 2003
(Sunset Ranch sounds like it could be the name of brothel, like Mustang Ranch)
I need to find a Wells Fargo.
I had Sunday off (yay!)
I woke up Sunday sounding more Janis Joplin-like than last posting, whenever that was.
Cara, Jacque, and I discussed going to the Animal Kingdom the night before we went. Jenny overheard (she was mad we went to see SWAT without her; she was working, what were we supposed to do?) our plans, "Oh, when are we leaving?" and that is how Jenny ended up going to the Animal Kingdom with us.
After I posted in my journal, the 4 of us went to the Animal Kingdom. Apparently, while I was gone, Jenny said to Jacque, "So, since it's just the 2 of us, can we go to a different park?" (Uuuuuh....what?!).
We got there and we we met characters in the entrance area of the park. The 4 of us got our pictures taken with Balloo, Chip and Dale, and Timon. Timon stole my sparkly glasses and was wearing them on his head. At one point Rafikki was chasing Chip around for cutting into a picture. It was one of those times you wished you had a video camera.
We went in there and walked around the entrance looking at the birds. Jenny and Cara walked ahead of Jacque and me almost the whole time; Cara's got long strides, and Jenny kept up with her and talked her ear off the whole time. Jacque, who works at the Animal Kingdom, and knows where she's going, walked behind with me and bitched out Jenny the whole time. We would go on rides, and Jacque, who had to learn all the stuff on her walk-thru (they told me a bunch of little stories and stuff on my MGM walk thru, some true, many not), tried to tell us stories about some of the rides and Jenny would always interrupt. Jacque would stop talking. I would encourage her to talk, if only to me.
We went on It's Tough to be a Bug which is a 3-D show starring some guys from Bugs Life. I love that ride. It makes me think of my best friend. She is afraid of bugs, especially spiders. When she and I went on it at California Adventure, I wet myself laughing at her pain.
We went and got something to drink. I got a brownie thing too, because I absolutely needed it.
Then we went to the Tarzan show. Julie, my immediate roommate, works in costuming at Animal Kingdom. She has to dress all the people in that show, including the Jane�s and the Tarzans and the Cheetah man. Julie told me about the Cheetah man. He is a (relatively) big guy. Julie described how hot he was, "And he's only I think 23, so he has potential..." (Hey good luck with that). But she was right, the Cheetah man is fun to look at. But she said all the guys in the cast were gay, including the many different Tarzans.
Then we went on Dinosaur. It's a lot like the Indiana Jones ride minus the fire, and the cool theme music. Jenny wanted to buy a picture of the 4 of us on the ride. The only problem is, there are 16 seats, and we filled 4 of them. We are going to go back sometime with a big group, fill all the seats, buy 1 picture, and make color photocopies on photo paper at Kinko's.
Then we went on the Primeval Whirl, which is a wild mouse coaster where the cars spin. The 4 of us all went in 1 car. It turned out to be a mistake because neither Jenny, Jacque nor I are small girls. So we were squished. It was so great, (or whatever) we went on again. Jacque and I rode together, and were squished. But the other girls were these tiny Asian things so we spun a lot faster.
Then the 3 of them went on the Kali River Rapids. It's a rapids ride, and I hate being wet and absolutely refused to go. Which made me the junk holder, which was just fine by me. Then we went to the safari. There are a lot of hot guys that work on that thing. It was fun.
All along we visited different people Jacque knew at different places. She showed us her place, Pizzafari. It's very colorful with a lot of murals on the walls. We went to a coffee cart, where a friend of hers gave us coffee frozen yogurt.
Somewhere around this time, Jenny absolutely decided she had to have a soda. She wandered off to get it before we could accompany her. Cara and I wanted to shop. We went into a couple stores. Jenny was lost and we never saw her again until we got home. The 3 of us pondered where she could be. But honestly didn't care, and spent the whole time complaining about her.
We decided we wanted to go to my favorite place, MGM, primarily to ride the Tower of Terror. We hopped a guest bus and went out there.
Somewhere along the way, I got separated from Cara, and Jacque at the ticket line. I got out on the other side by the big Mickey Crossroads sign, and they weren't there. (Oh, crap!). I know they wanted to buy something, but I didn't know exactly what or where. I know they both like me a lot better than Jenny. But I got worried about a few things. I got worried that they would not like me, I figured I was no better than Jenny and that I inconvenienced them and that they would hate me. Well, I figured they were going to end up at the Tower of Terror, so I ran down there past Sunset Ranch and hoped and waited. I freaked the whole time. I sat on the curb watching the passing crowd and waiting. They came eventually. They hugged me and exclaimed how worried they were about me and how happy they were to see me. So I was glad they weren't mad at me (I kept telling myself it was an accident, it happens sometimes), and I was really glad we met up.
I showed them around a bit. I went up to Rosie's Kitchen (where they only sell hamburgers), there was no line and said, "Excuse me! Where do I get a hamburger?!" They recognized me. I introduced my friends to my coworkers.
Cara had never ridden the Tower of Terror before. They both commented they could see me working there being macabre, deadpan, and Wednesday Adams all day. We rode it. I wore my mud flap girl necklace today. I noticed points of zero gravity when I saw my pendant floating up as I started to zoom downwards. I loved it (I always do). Cara hated it. She was really disturbed by it. I don't think she likes going fast very much. She wants to try it again later; just to be sure she hated it.
We stopped in the Christmas store inside the Carthay Circle Theater across from where I work. At some places, they sell hand-drawn sketches of Disney characters. When we were here last summer we bought 2 or 3. 1 or 2 of them was from a girl named Dawn. She was working then in the watch store. I talked a long time to Dawn last summer, about working for the company, drawing, doing movies in Florida, her autobiography. There was an artist working at the Christmas store, and I looked, and sure enough, it was Dawn. She was working. I told her I talked to her a bit last summer; I honestly didn't expect her to remember. But she did say I looked familiar. I told her i was out on the college program and working across the street. She said good luck. We both tried to remember what sketches we got from her. I'll have to call my mom and ask.
We went back to the front where I bought a poster from Sid's of Herbie Rides Again in Spanish for my mom to give to my brother. I hope it meets both of their approvals. It was surprisingly cheap for an old movie poster, $10 (before the discount).
We went back to the apartment where Jenny was waiting. No one wanted to be around her because we knew the question, "Where did you go?" would come up. No one wanted to be in the apartment with her. She wanted to go out to eat. I didn't really care what we did in terms of food. Everyone wanted to go over to Cara's apartment to escape. Cara doesn't live in our apartment, and the other 2 made up excuses. I somehow got caught back and couldn't think of an excuse. I called Cara's alone and said, rather cryptically, "I'm stuck! I need help!" Stacey came back. The 3 of us went to Taco Bell in part to appease Jenny. I catcalled all the shirts-and-skins on the basketball court outside our building. I drove and I played the first 3 songs on Pump (the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is closed until the 15th). I didn't really care what I did for food. It turned out at Taco Bell they wouldn't take plastic. Stacey paid for both of us. The guy behind the counter only purposely charged us for one of the 2 meals, which was very nice of him. Jenny started to walk up to the apartment, and Stacey and I were behind her. Just as she turned the last corner to get to the apt, the 2 of us ran like rabbits, took a long way around so as not to be seen to Cara's apt. We sat around there for a bit. Stacey and Jacque left after awhile. Cara and I talked for awhile. Stacey came back with my requested swimming stuff.
There is a guy at Kyle's apt is really hot. I want to know why it is not acceptable to tell guys, that you know the odds are not in your favor that you will ever be getting together with them, or even if there is a chance, that you think they are hot.
Jacque, Stacey, Cara and I went to the pool. It was cold. There was a guy there throwing a little football around to some girls. They couldn't throw. He was trying to keep us from getting splashed. We eventually went to the spa. There was a hot guy in the spa. I don't know who started talking to him. He was hot. All four of us were all talking to him. I was really trying to talk to him. He was from Gilroy at some point, wanting to go back there. But who can compete with the blonde haired, blue eyed, beautiful thing? Somehow he ended up talking only to Stacey and sorta Cara (I think that happened when Stacey said to me, "Move over!"), Jacque and I left to change, and shower. His name is Erik. I am friend of hot blonde girl.
I went through this insecure thing. I don't blame Stacey; she can't help the way she looks. I guess by that logic I can't "blame" myself entirely either. I won't deny I am jealous of her looks or the way she is somehow irresistible to guys. (I could blame every guy, but that's just stupid). I don't think she is even aware of it. I'm still trying to lose weight. Stupid ugly brown hair. Know how nice it would be to have a guy that is not either creepy or old hit on me? I can only think of twice in my life a guy who fit this description flirted with me. I'm sick of trying to be the initiator all the time. It sucks. I also want to know why it is that only the creepy old ones like me? I guess they look at me and figure they can't do any better in my age bracket. I wish someone's "great personality" or "sense of humor" or a thing like that was immediately apparent just by looking at them. I do reiterate that I am not taking guys seriously. This isn't about guys or dates. It's about my self-esteem. I just can't help but feel insecure, with my being overweight, and my crap-brown hair. Who could possibly find that attractive? I knew I was having too much fun, and feeling too happy with my life right this moment. It's like a caffeine high, eventually, you've gotta crash.
After the pool, I went to Cara's and watched the TV Tower of Terror movie. It was really bad.
I really like Cara. She and I always seem to be thinking the exact same thing at the exact same time. It's very strange.
Monday, September 8th, 2003
On Monday, I worked. The bus ride over was interesting. The driver played the Grease soundtrack along the way. When he put it on, everyone snickered and pretended they were too cool to sing along. When it came to Summer Lovin' a lot of people were singing.
When I got to work I found, but did not see, that there was a fire in the back of Rosie's Kitchen. It was shut down most of the day.
I worked in Fairfax Fries. They're the ones that serve McDonald's fries, not burgers ("No, just fries. Burgers are at the next thing over at Rosie's Kitchen.") So now I am completely qualified to make McDonald's fries. I worked in there from noon till about 2:40. At that time I got to go on break. I knew Stacey and Cara wanted to come to MGM. I invited them to come make fun of me in my lollypop outfit.
I got my break at around 2. They were supposed to leave at 2, so i figured they would be there soon. I went to the manager and asked for an ER; I wanted to leave early, but not give a bad impression. "When do you want to leave?" she asked. I didn't want to be a bother. So I just said I could stay as long as i was needed. "Do you want to go now?" "Uh, ok." So my day ended at about 2:30.
I changed out of my outfit. Went down to costuming and hoped to find some sort of a costume drop (which apparently does not exist) so that I didn't have to carry my Easter Egg costume all over. So I just delt with it. I called Stacey. Apparently Cara had just awakened. They came a few hours later.
In the meantime I shopped a bit; i keep telling myself I'll buy 1 shirt per theme park visit. Thus far i have visited theme parks on 3 occasions and gotten 1 shirt. I need to get on that. I also want to go out to property control and see what's out there. I bought a piece of peanut butter fudge in the candy/villains/Fantasmic/Nightmare store with my discount for lunch. It was good.
Outside was a show going on in the street. There was an actress, a gossip columnist, "Dainty Debbie," (one of those ironic names) a child star, and Debbie's housekeeper. The actress and the columnist were fighting because of stuff she printed about the actress, they were bribing Debbie with junk food to be a go-between, and later found out she was making up stuff about the 2 of them. Then the columnist and Debbie were fighting over the housekeeper for the same night. Later, I saw the actress walking down the street by herself and there was a teenage kid (another MGM actor) dropping a handkerchief and watching her bend down to get it. That's the kind of thing I would like to do. I would love to be one of these characters that gets to improv a bit, is not in fur, interact and screw with guests, and be completely over the top.
I went on the Tower of Terror. I got to be in the front row again. You watch the preshow in the library, where there is a TV. (I get a lot of time to think quietly on my job). It occurred to me that the hotel/story takes place in 1939. In 1939, TV had not been invented. So how can there be one in the library?
Cara and Stacey called right at the end of the ride. I tried to answer. It didn't work. I ran out of the Tower, and met up with them at the big hat. Cara was stoned on a bad combination and too many non-prescription painkillers and cold medications. She was almost completely out of it.
Cara didn't feel like going on the Tower of Terror, and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is closed (until the 20th now, instead of the 15th, oh well. Disney can't afford any more accidents at the moment). We went on the Great Movie Ride. There was no line. We went back out to the place I work, just so Stacey could see it. Stacey knows Steven, so i told her to go harass him where he works. He had just gone on break. So we went to Take 5, our cafeteria, backstage. We saw him there and chatted with him.
We then went to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. I didn't play along; cast members aren't allowed, so why bother. If you get up to a million points, you get a Disney Cruise for 4, including airfare. There are prizes at all the safe marks like on the TV show. I want a floor in my house like the one on the stage on the hot seat. That's trippy. You've probably seen it, but you don't comprehend it until you have to walk across it.
We walked around a bit more, and they wanted to leave (I wanted to go on Star Tours, but I guess I could theoretically do that on a lunch break, since I never seem to know what to do with myself, and I could probably walk on). We went back to the Chinese theater and the footprints in the cement in front. We left. We came back to the apt, I changed into a sexier top, and we went out for dinner. At one point, there were about 9 people attending. It came down to Stacey, Cara and I. Jenny didn't invite herself. All she does is sit around eating pizza.
After driving around for sometime, we ended up at Macaroni Grill. We had this really hot waiter. The 3 of us were drooling. (Cara pointed out that we were worse than guys. She's right). His name was Justin (he wrote his name on the table). The 3 of us doodled on the paper-covered table and wrote little non-dirty innuendoes on it. Cara and Stacey paid me cash and I paid on my card. I signed the receipt with little hearts on the I's in my name. We gave him a $10 tip on a $35 check. We ripped off a piece of the table paper and wrote our phone numbers in it. We haven't heard from him (as expected). He's probably jailbait.
I took Stacey home, and Cara and I went to the Boardwalk. While there, we could see some of the fireworks from Illuminations from Epcot on the other side of the hotel. We played a few games. I won a little pink Care Bear with a rainbow on its stomach. She won a little ugly blue and purple dog. We walked all around Stormalong Bay and the hotels there.
We left the Boardwalk, came back home and went swimming at the pool. Erik met us down there. They came back to my and Stacey's apt and watched Remember the Titans I started to watch, but knew I couldn't stay up. I went to bed at 12:30.
Tuesday, September 9th, 2003
On Tuesday, I went to work. I went to work at the fry place again. It was really boring. In the time I was there we had to throw out 3 batches of fries because no one was eating them. We are only allowed to keep them around for 7 minutes. Usually they're not around that long but every once in a while. I got my break at around 4.
Then they put me on bussing tables at the tables near the fry stand. Not only is no one here right now, no one is eating on that side of the area. So I bussed all the tables. Then I bussed them as people left them. I walked all around these tables I don't know how many times. It was boring and tiring. I got a lot of exercise walking around all those things. I talked to several different people, which is what kept me relatively sane. I stayed late sweeping tables. I have come to appreciate they would rather I was barely on time than late. The stupidest thing that happened that day is, my area was nearly empty, yet a family insisted on waiting for me to finish cleaning the one table I was working on at the time. I killed a lot of lovebugs.
I went home on the bus. Julie was at the transportation hub.
I came back to the apartment, changed and went over to Cara's. Erik was over there. We all went swimming. Erik probably likes Stacey (who doesn't?) but he was flirty with Cara. He just talked with me. I didn't really care.
Stacey and Cara left the pool early. For some reason, just Erik and I stayed at the spa. There was a bunch of other people in the spa. There was one dark-haired guy who was really cute sitting across from me. I don't think he even noticed me though. There was a conversation going on across the spa. This guy didn't say anything. I didn't feel bold enough to even say "hi." I figured I would never see him again and I should set my sights on someone else.
If you are ever looking for a place to come look at hotly guys, come to Disney World. I think the Young Hot Guys Union got together and decided to headquarter here.
I finally shut the air vent in my room. It's far more tolerable in here now.
Back to before I started working
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