Yeti

Yupp, I decided to go there. You know, the abominable snowman or the Meh-Teh? Yeah, they're all kinda the same thing. Big, white, monstery things. Specifically they're said to inhabit the Himalayas but I've seen one, and I've never been off the continent. What about you? Have you seen a Yeti? I can share my story about seeing the Yeti if you'd like.

(If you don't care, disregard the next little bit. Otherwise, carry on)

So, I went with my family and we took this sort of slow pace up to the top of the mountain, seeing some stalactites and stalagmites on the way up, and ice and stuff. Then we started heading down, and it was dark. We're rushing down the inside of a mountain by this point, in the dark and cold, and then we see eyes. We get separated from the people slightly ahead of us, and then it comes. There's this Yeti looming over us screeching, and we whiz past it and it's gone. That's my only encounter with a Yeti, and if you haven't guess, it was on an attraction. A specific attraction, actually: The Matterhorn Bobsleds in Disneyland Park.

I honestly don't remember much about the first time I went on this ride (I was 12, okay?) but I do remember that it was darn cold. And the Yeti scared the beegezus out of me; it was big and lit with strobe lights and it was terribly loud and sprung upon you. It was terrifying to my 12 year old self for a few seconds, until we were whipped around a corner and I was laughing again. The second time I was on that ride it was just funny (I was nearly 17 by this point, and was on a trip with my school. Everything is much more awesome when you go with your friends!) and enjoyable, although the person I was riding in the sled with was slightly uncomfortable about the situation.. He wasn't thrilled about sitting behind me in the sled. Oh well, not my fault! The third time I went on the ride I was 18 and with my family and the sled was a little squishy, but otherwise the ride was still fun. This time we went on it at like, 11:30pm and the park was nearly empty. It was so much fun, and the Yeti was probably the highlight of that trip. With the complete darkness brought on by the absence of the sun the strobes surrounding the Yeti were just that much more epic, and the glowing lights were even more penetrating. The general feeling of surreal surroundings was increased by the strobes hitting the white walls and 'ice' and creating a glimmering, beautiful effect set off totally by this hulking ape-like cryptid.

I would compare and contrast Yeti sightings to further this blog post, but to be honest I'm only really interested in the Yeti I've seen. The myth is always fun to hear and it something to listen to and all, but I've never been faced with anything to prove the existence of a Yeti, and so I will continue to believe that they only exist in things such as Disney rides, stories, and as people spotting Spirit Bears and being totally off track in thinking that they appear ape-like. Giant white apes are on the list of things I would believe in, but abominable snowmen are not.

** Oh my gosh guys, I can`t believe after I finish this post off (very shortly) There`s only one left to write! This month has flown by, and this summer is just getting ready to pick up. I realize these blogs haven't been the most amazing things ever, but I'm enjoying myself. If you want quality writing, check out my papers or turn to someone else's blog; this one's for fun, freedom, and venting. However, it's not over yet! So, while I leave you to mull over my random musings (I've just realized I could have done this whole blog and referred only to things Disney, which would have been SO much fun!... Maybe next time), I'm off to enjoy my new Summertime Rooibos tea (which is essentially strawberry-rhubarb tea and tastes like warm ice cream, or pie. I call it 'magic tea' or 'crack tea' because of its addictiveness) and enjoy my evening. Lots of love! <3

Disney and Dreams

Come on, you knew it had to be coming (especially if you actually know me!), and here it is. Today I want to talk about Disney. Not necessarily the man himself (although he and his family did amazing things), but my relationship with Disney (again, not the man!), and why it is as it is. For me Disney is a beacon of hope and dreams. They're about dreams and dreaming, and they are always making someone's dreams come true. Disney is the symbol of hope and cheer on a gloomy day, or the thing that can pull me out of a slump. I find myself dreaming about Disneyland and reliving the wonderful memories I've had there when the going gets tough, and this helps me to push forwards because I realize that though those memories are in the past, there is plenty of time left to find new sources of wonderful memories.

Disney also represents to me youth, childhood, and play. It doesn't matter how old you are, when you start talking about Disney memories of when you were younger come up (often in association with the movies), and as you get older you get more into the mechanics of Disney (or at least I did!) and how it all works. For example, I now know some facts about the actual location of the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland that I wouldn't have dreamed of knowing when I was younger, but this has ruined nothing for me. Actually, it has made me admire even more the abilities of the Disney Corporation, and want to learn more. The diversity of jobs that Disney offers and the opportunities that they offer seem to have no limits; Disney owns multiple corporations (including ABC television - or they're highly affiliated, I'm not sure which is proper to say) and outlets, and as they evolve they seem to gather more ground. Not only do they have their parks, television channels, and merchandise (including movies, clothing, etc), but they are slowly adding to their web domains. For example (and this is where my Disney nerdiness comes out) I follow Disney on both Facebook and Twitter, and also read their blogs (of which there seems to be more than one). They have several different websites for different things, and because of their fan base even sites not affiliated with Disney contain tons of information about Disney. They've grown to be accessible almost anywhere, and they're still growing.

And all this came out because one man had a dream. I don't admire Disney because they've grown and taken over so many different mediums, but because of the dream aspect. I'm a dreamer, always have been, and because of this I feel like I can connect with Disney. My dreams are different (I'm not thinking up movie ideas and such), but they're there and they're magical. Disney is similar - it's there and it's magical, and "it all started with a Mouse".. Or an idea, which evolved.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Disney isn't just a company and mass producer, it's a way of viewing life. I realize we can't walk around with our heads in the clouds, but without a dream, where would we be? Personally, I'd be pushing groceries for the rest of my life, possibly miserable, and not nearly as happy as I currently am. There are three steps that I see in life, and these three steps are always evolving: Dream it, Believe it, Achieve it.

Start with a dream or a goal, believe in yourself and your abilities, and apply yourself. Then, with perseverance and hard work, you will be able to achieve your goals. Or if you don't, you'll be able to say that you tried your hardest. Remember though, we're not out of time until the end of our lives, and there is still always time to dream.