- I did my best to help the whole Paypal-screwing-over-Regretsy debacle go viral on Twitter - which it did - and I'm happy to report that hell STILL hath no fury like the wrath of the Internet unleashed en masse on corporate bozos. Really, it's a feel-good story all round. (Well, unless you're Paypal. Ha!) You can find all the details over on Regretsy, if you missed the drama.
- Yesterday The Bloggess said she loved me. And my life was made complete.
- The past two nights John and I have been taking advantage of the only reason to live in Orlando: Disney World. Tuesday night we went to the Christmas party at Magic Kingdom, where we drank hot chocolate and cursed the fact that it was 78 frickin' degrees outside. Seriously. How am I supposed to get in the Christmas spirit wearing a t-shirt and flip-flops? I WANT TO WEAR MY SILLY WINTER HATS, DANG IT. Harrumph.
[insert everyone else on the planet yelling at me that it's negative three thousand degrees where they are right now]
Anyway, the good news is I took over 700 pictures of all the holiday goodness, cried over the Toy Soldiers in the parade (I dunno why - they just make me all nostalgic and misty-eyed), squealed like a little kid over the miniature white ponies pulling Cinderella's carriage, and generally skipped about like a 6-year-old all night.
Evidence:
Well, of the parade, that is. Not me skipping like a 6-year old. (I'll leave that to your oh-so-fertile imaginations.)
[sniffle]
OMG PONIES!
And out of 100 blurry photos, I somehow managed to snag this one clear shot of Cindy & the prince through the carriage window:
And out of 100 blurry photos, I somehow managed to snag this one clear shot of Cindy & the prince through the carriage window:
[through gritted teeth] "The hand stays on YOUR side, buster."
- In "work" related news, since I'm still - STILL - trying to catch up on posts and e-mails and all the media obligations that go along with a book launch, I've finally realized that something has to go, and that something has to be e-mail. I just spend way too much time on it, and always to the detriment of both blogs and life in general.
So, from now on, please understand if your e-mails to me go unanswered. That doesn't mean stop sending them, of course - my gosh, I love reading your e-mails - it just means I'll have a HUGE burden lifted if I know you guys aren't expecting a reply. (And I'll have more time for actual blogging.) Is that cool? Yes? Please?
- Oh, and I finally updated the Epbot FAQ page about why I never post pictures of myself online. You know, since now I *have* posted pictures of myself online.
- And finally, no one has to get me anything for the holidays, because tonight at Epcot I traded with a cast member for THE BEST PIN IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD.
It looks like this:
Squeeeee!!
I'm not much of a pin trader - more of a dabbler, really - but there's no way I can resist this new "Nerds" set. Check it out:
(Actually, half these guys are looking more hipster than nerd, don't you think?)
Anyway, so, obviously, Donald is the best. But I'll be looking for Mickey and Minnie and Goofy, too. (The whole set is a whopping $30 at the parks, which is why I like to trade older pins for them: cheaper *and* more fun.)
Oh, and just in case you haven't had enough Disney yet, I uploaded some pretty castle photos like this over on Flickr:
Best. Christmas lights. EVER.
Plus my favorite shots of the fireworks:
And the special holiday edition of the new castle projection show, which is ahhhh-mazing.
John even scored a little video of the Christmas part of the show, so I'll try to upload that soon.
In the meantime, you can see the rest of my photos here.
Weirdly I was at Disneyland last week and saw your dopelganger. I almost went up and asked if it was you but since it clearly wasn't I'm glad I didn't make a fool of myself that way.
ReplyDeleteI did make a fool of myself by skiping around the park with my brand new Kermit Mickey ears that my awesom SIL bought me though. I make no apologies. It was a skipping kinda day.
I SO want the Donald pin! Plus, it was always nice to get a reply to email but definitely drop that if it will make your life easier Jen. The Disney pics are awesome and maybe one day I'll get to that side of the country to compare World with Land. Now I'm off to figure out where I can get me a nerdy Donald!
ReplyDeleteRe temperature- just pretend you are in the Southern hemisphere. Tradition Christmas weather for me (Australia) means t-shirt and shorts. Although every now and then with Melbourne weather it can also mean cool and raining. But only once have we nearly had a white Christmas in my memory (big hail storms will do that!)
ReplyDeleteLiving here in California, I understand your excitement over going to Disney World. I've had a Annual Pass to Disneyland forever!(I live about 12 miles from the "Happiest Place on Earth") But, I must say that your castle is bigger than ours! (Having a bad case of castle envy here.) Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteHi! This isn't really about this post (which is amazing! Epbot always makes my day a little better! Or a lot better, depending on how my day's going!), but thought you might like to know that according to the "all-important" fashion people ... orange is the official color of 2012!
ReplyDeleteAlthough they don't call it orange. It's Tangerine Tango.
www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/category.aspx?ca=88
Love the MVMCP photos Jen. Every one of them is outstanding. And the castle with the gingerbread projection...swoon!
ReplyDeleteHehe, the toy soldiers are a little creepy, they remind me of a Dr. Who villain.
ReplyDeleteI live about an hour away from Orlando, and I haven't been to Disney in the two years I've lived here. The last time we went was for our honeymoon three years ago. We have an annual pass to Universal since the husband likes it more, but I think we may need to take our kid to Disney for the Christmas lights.
ReplyDeleteAnd by "the kid", I really mean "me".
I despise the weather being so warm this time of year. Granted, it got down to 40 last night.
We drove up from Ft. Lauderdale to go to MVMCP for the first time this year and agree that it was beyond faaaabulous!!! Your pics are awesome, as always - mine turned out horribly.....and don't feel bad, I teared up during the parade and my teens laughed at me! We splurged on a major purchase and bought the monorail, castle, Contemporary Resort, and Spaceship Earth to put under the Christmas tree. ...not as gifts, but as models. Other people put gifts or toy trains under their tree. Not me. I want WDW!!!!
ReplyDeleteOn a side note - and I know this is a CW thing - I was reading some random article on the internets last week and they talked about when WDW built THE Epcot (Spaceship Earth). I immediately thought of emailing you and telling you we needed to head to the bunker. As always, I'll be bringing brownies! If I can find it again, I'll email it......
Kimberly, was it on Cracked.com, the articles about the original designs buildings?? I've read it too and immediately think of cake wrecks and epbot. The original plan for epcot would actually have been a big enough bunker for all of us!
ReplyDeleteHere's the link: http://www.cracked.com/article_19570_6-insane-early-drafts-iconic-buildings.html
Ps: im so, so sorry, but i sucks at html. =( I'll try to refind that post of yours about links...
You personally replied to ALL your emails? My goodness...I wish I'd emailed you about something random before you decided to stop answering them - I would have if I'd known I would have gotten one back. :) But...I'd definitely rather read more blog posts!
ReplyDeletemy nephew and his family are down there this week. They too went to the MVMCP this week. ( not sure what day) Love your photos!!
ReplyDeleteYour post makes me want to plan my next trip to Disney, even though it's only been 5 weeks since my last trip. What's going on with the EPBOT Disney scavenger hunt planning? Is that still going to happen? (please say yes!)
ReplyDelete@ Michelle - I don't usually reply to *every* e-mail (some don't seem to warrant it), but I've always tried to answer most of the others. Eventually. (As those who've gotten replies 3 weeks later can attest. Ha!)
ReplyDeleteOMG!!!!! Love the toy soldiers. The way they clomp down main street!!! I know where my love of them stems from.... In the 80's Emmanuel Lewis danced to Footloose with them. Youtube prolly has it... Seriously, check it out.
ReplyDeleteWhoooa. I've never been to Disney world in the winter, I've only taken summer trips. I think I have some convincing to do.
ReplyDeleteAwesome pictures! I can't wait for the day I can finally afford to go to Disney World!
ReplyDeleteAlso, it's only in the forties where I am....I think. Maybe it's in the thirties by now. Either way, I don't find it to be actual coat weather yet, hoodies all the way.
Whoa. Just got back right this second from the MK to see Wishes and the MSEP, and saw this. I've been wearing my Carrot Jockey Button all over the parks in the futile hope I might run into you. SO close and yet so far...
ReplyDeleteAlso, it was kinda chilly out there today. Nice hat weather!
That Donald is pretty cute, but I want the Goofy nerd with the braces giving a "Live long and prosper" greeting.:-)
ReplyDeleteOMG...love, love, love the Gingerbread Castle
ReplyDeleteOK! I found the link to Footloose.. (i'm back home now, not on my phone)
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/6RGK710v9v0
It's awesome.. I watched it and forgot how awesome it is, cause it goes from Footloose to a Disney medley and the toy soldiers start tap dancing.. yeah.. it's from WDW's 15th Birthday special, so it's 25 years old, and that means I would have been 8... prime age for cementing a love for 7ft tall toy soldiers!
I ooooh-ed and aaaaaah-ed out loud at those castle pics, making my husband run in to see what I was doing. He did the same when I showed him!
ReplyDeleteI must go there post haste.
ZOMG! My daughter's roller derby league is named NERDY, so anything nerd related right now is off the hook. She (and her coaches)would love, love, love that pin set. Too cool!
ReplyDeleteAwesome pics! I live vicariously through you since I haven't yet been to any Disney park. Perhaps some day.
ReplyDeleteI have the Nerd Goofy Vinylmation sitting on my desk as I read this. I prefer Goofy because I'm about as coordinated as he is. ;-)
ReplyDelete(Ok, now I just need to press the Submit button and ... yaaaaaaa-hoo-hoo-hooey!!)
I'm actually glad to hear that you are going to relax on the email answering. Nice as it is to get an answer to an email, I'd far rather know that you are not being stressed by the pressure of responding.
ReplyDeleteAnd if it means we all get to enjoy more Epbot, thats just win-win, right?
I think the Chip and Dale pins are my favorite. So cute!! And my gosh, those pics of the castle are AMAZING! I love the gingerbread house and the lights. Gosh, wish I lived closer to Disney and could enjoy stuff like that (I'm from S.D.)
ReplyDeleteAnd absolutely don't feel bad about having to give up emailing everyone. You sure don't need to overwork yourself like that. It's totally cool.
Merry Christmas, and enjoy your warmer weather. We have already had negative degree days up here. Though it does make the hot chocolate taste better. :-)
I suspect those ponies are actually Shetlands, they are far too big to be miniature horses--which, by the way, if you want some cute overload google "minature horse" :-) (example: riding small and such a little foal! )
ReplyDeleteHi Jen,
ReplyDeleteAs a Canadian I have to say that although I envy you your ability to wear t-shirts and flip-flops in December, I can't say that I would give up my white Christmas for it. I totally understand that it would be hard to get into the spirit of the season without the beautiful white stuff on the ground. now if only it would disappear by New Years!
we went to the Disneyworld halloween party this year- the christmas one sounds even more amazing!
ReplyDeleteIt's in the 70s here, too, so I feel your pain. It's no fun Christmas shopping in shorts. Thank you for posting the Disney photos! I know it was hot, but those icicle lights are making me feel cooler and jollier already!
ReplyDeleteThank you!!!
So. My boyfriend is planning on attending MMI in Orlando in the next year or two.
ReplyDeleteI hope to spend a lot of time down there with him, if not just move down there..
CANNOT WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS IN THE MAGIC KINGDOM!!!!!!!!!!
AGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, I'm in the Southern hermisphere. I feel your pain.
ReplyDeleteWhat I wouldn't give for a wintery, snowy Christmas.
Regretsy, the Bloggess AND you in one post? I think I can die happy now!! I do love it when my favourite things collide!
ReplyDeleteI actually just got back from Disney World myself- we were at the Christmas party on Wednesday. We ended up picking the coldest night of the week to go- I think it dropped into the 40's that night- but it did feel more Christmasy. And talk about short lines for the rides! That castle projection show was amazing- so much better than I thought it would be. For a second, I honestly thought that turret was blasting off into space. Glad to hear you enjoyed it too! :)
ReplyDeleteSince you aren't checking your email, I just wanted to let you know that you're all over Pinterest
ReplyDelete@ anony - Believe me, I'll never stop checking/reading my e-mail! I'm just cutting back on responding to them all.
ReplyDeleteBut thanks - I love pinterest. ;
Wow - that last picture looks just like gingerbread. Amazing!
ReplyDeleteLurker coming out of the shadows because after reading this post I had to share this beautiful picture of the Disney World castle. It's a sparkling picture! Literally!
ReplyDeletehttp://fromme-toyou.tumblr.com/post/13979013802/magic-cinderella-castle-magic-kingdom-walt
Seeing all your Disney pictures has made me super excited! I am going to Disney for the first time in June and taking my girls. I think I am way more excited than they are! As for the nerdy pins I am bidding on ebay as we speak. I just wish people would quit outbidding me :)
ReplyDeleteYou should take a trip over to the Fort Wilderness Campground at Disney, and see how the campers decorate their sites. They put a lot of the Disney decorations to shame. You can park in the Ft Wilderness lot, then take a campground bus down to the settlement. Most of the bigger displays are down in that area. Also ask the bus drivers where the best sites are located. Christmas.
ReplyDelete