Category: General

Yay Hours!

Well, the slump season is still here but, my hours are slowly starting to increase. I now have 39-40 hours again. Better than the minimum 30 but still not as nice as the 50 I had over the summer. Oh well, I’ll live. Tonight I am working 1800-0230 (That’s 6pm-2:30am for those non-military time people). It is a special event night called Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Park gets all decked out and the fun starts at 7. Not much else new to report. Candleight practice is going great and I can’t wait till the show in December. Tim is coming in this weekend and I may even get a chance to visit Eckerd on Thursday. Well, off to Epcot before work.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2004/10/yay-hours/

Hurricane Jeanne

hurricaneflag.gifWell, here comes another hurricane. Only the forth one to come passing through Florida in the last five weeks. Jeanne shouldn’t overstay her welcome like Frances did but we are all prepared in our apartment. I stocked up on some food for myself as did the others and we also got the key item to any hurricane ride out, beer. What else are you going to do when you are hunkered down in your apartment for a full day and you can’t leave? This also meens that we have yet another day with out pay to add to the other two left by Frances. This is not a fun summer in terms of making money with all these storms. Well, I am off to work for what little time I can get in today. Rumor has it that we will get released early to head home. Until then, updates may be offline for a few days if we lose internet again.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2004/09/hurricane-jeanne/

A Brief Update

well folks, I am still around. I have just been so busy with work and getting things done around town. I am off now on Mondays and Wednesdays it seems since I have Candlelight practice on either one of those nights depending on the week. Our internet is also dead so I have to make updates from either the Disney Learning Center or my P900. Anyways, I’m still here so updates will resume once my net is back.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2004/09/a-brief-update/

Whrilwind Trip Home

Well, I had a great weekend back home in Minnesota. I left Orlando on Thursday afternoon and arrived to Minneapolis shortly after seven in the evening. Mom and Dad picked me up from the airport and then we went to visit IKEA and then out to dinner at the Gold Nugget, a local burger place in Glen Lake. Ok as far as IKEA goes, this place ROCKS! I have been looking at some desks for my apartment for my laptop in the catalog and it was nice to finally get to see them in person. I will definitely be placing an order with them soon for one. Don’t know how else really to describe the place. It’s just a cool place to go shopping.

Friday I used to visit with former coworkers and teachers at Hopkins High School. First I went over to the district office to visit Pete who moved from the high school to a district position and he gave me a tour of the new district server room complete with the two XServes and XRaids that power the district. For those non-technology people, these are Apple’s cool new servers that are top of the line. I then went over to the high school to visit staff there and check out the new construction. Wow, this place has changed so much since I was there 5 years ago. The new addition makes the entrance and food court look like the airport! It is a change but it will be nice once it is done. After visiting with teachers, it was off to dinner with the Swanson side of the family and then back home to watch the Sward in the Stone with Dad for old times sake.

Saturday was my day reserved for hanging out with friends. I met up with Scott and then we went to a bar/grill in Uptown called The Independent. Anna and her boyfriend as well as Sam met up with us there and it was just a fun night of hanging out, chatting and enjoying the company of old friends. Sunday was just a nice relaxing day at home and then meeting up with the Webster side of the family for dinner. And that brings me to today.

This morning I had a chance to sleep in again and then I had to head up to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned and then I met up with Scott for lunch before returning home to finish packing and enjoying time with Camper before leaving again. Got to the airport early and found out that the flight I am on to go back to Orlando has a grand total of 35 people on it. Not too busy do to Ivan I guess. JK should be picking me up once I land so we will have to see.

In closing though, it was a nice break from the routine to visit home but at the same time, I am happy to be back where the magic lives. Have a good one.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2004/09/whrilwind-trip-home/

Frances Has Left the Building

Well, I was finally back to work today after two days being locked in my Apartment while Frances decided to visit the Orlando Area. We are lucky in the fact that we didn’t get too much damage. We had some minor leaks in our apartment but other than that we survived. I was actually so happy to drive to work today as I was so bored from being stuck inside the last few days. I can only watch so many DVDs, play so many games, and make so many phone calls. This will be a short work week for me this week since I lost Sunday and will be going home on Thursday so every little bit will count.

The park was absolutely dead today. I mean, I am talking 5 minutes or less wait on every ride including Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear! Oh well, I guess we will live despite a little bit of boredom at work. After work tonight though I met up with my friend Paul from Hopkins who is now working at the Haunted Mansion and we got some dinner before we parted our separate ways again for the evening. Right now though, I am waiting for some people from work to call me back when they get out of work and then Brandon should be over to pick up his stuff from the weekend since he spent the weekend here instead of at his place. That’s all for now folks.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2004/09/frances-has-left-the-building/

Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirates Life for Me

Ok so I got deployed for the last two days. Usually it is for a week but in my case, I was sent to Pirates of the Caribbean Merchandise for a grand total of two days. It’s fun to have experience else where but, I always feel glad to go back “home” to the Emporium. Pirates is a busy location much like the Emporium but, you don’t do the revenue the Emporium does. I had lots of small transactions instead of the bigger ones I am used to (don’t ask for more details please). So I will be turning in my pirate belt and socks for my suspenders and tie come Tuesday after today and tomorrow of being off.

In other news, Paul and his mom arrived yesterday and I got them checked in to the Pop Century Classic resort for the weekend. Paul starts on the WDW College Program on Monday and will be an attractions host at the Haunted Mansion. Today I visited JK at work at the Track and now I am just relaxing for a bit before I head over to the Magic Kingdom to meet up with Paul and his Mom. Only another week until I go home to Minneapolis! Yay!

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2004/08/yo-ho-yo-ho-a-pirates-life-for-me/

Goodbyes, Hurricane Aftermath and Work

Well, before I talk about Hurricane Charley, I need to first say good luck and goodbye for now to all my college program friends that have left or are leaving. Good luck and best wishes. Quoting Mickey Mouse, “See you real soon!” Now on with the storm. Walt Disney World Resort faired very well in the storm. We had no catastrophic damage and suffered mostly from damaged signs and uprooted trees. Someone from WDW Magic posted pictures here. We faired very well compared to some cast members that last their entire home to the storm like many here in Florida. That being said, let me now turn to work since both are connected. As those of you may know based on my previous post, i was on Ride-Out crew at Wilderness Lodge on Friday night. I worked on Saturday and even got extended since park hours were increased to meet the demand. Surprisingly, It is said that 70% of all cast members showed up. I think that shows dedication after a storm. Things are returning more to normal at work as well. Park is now closing at 9pm and soon it will be 8 and 8:30 closes. Rock on! I was off on Sunday so I got my hair cut on Main Street USA like usual from Mical and then I enjoyed my day off. I am now working the next 9 days until I get another one. Got to love overtime! Well, time to get some dinner and may be get ready to go out. Talk with you later.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2004/08/goodbyes-hurricane-aftermath-and-work/

Small Update

Wow, has it really been almost a week since I last posted? I guess so. Well, I have been busy as usual at work. We have been super busy the past couple of days and I have no reason why. No holiday and no special events; just people. I have been in the stockroom the last two days and will be back on registers and runner this week. Anna is coming in to town later this week for the weekend which I am really looking forward too and then as of this morning, it looks like I will then be deployed to Tomorrowland Merchandise for at least the next week. Lots of people starting to pack up here at Disney World and I am not talking the guests. Spring Advantage cast members are beginning to depart and new CPs will be arriving soon. Wow, it’s already been 2 months since i started. Seems a lot less though. Well, I need to get back to a paper of class. Catch you all around.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2004/07/small-update/

Still Here

Well, I finally have my day off. It was a rough end of the week last week. First, i found out we had to out one of our dogs down at home and then the next day, I find out that one of my close friends decided to take his own life. Ran some trips around town this morning and to the Mall at Millennia and now, I am just relaxing. No specific plans for tonight but, I am looking forward to just hanging out. Perhaps I will put in a DVD or something but I don’t know. It’s raining right now so that leaves out going to a park. Hmmmm…. what to do.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2004/07/still-here/

Goodbye Scott

ScottVollink.jpg
Scott William Vollink
October 14, 1981 to July 10, 2004

Scott, you became one of my closest friends over the past summer. I just can’t believe that you are gone. I was hoping to come visit you this coming year while you were at school. I guess that wont be happening now. You are now in good hands with the Lord. I’ll miss you.

Scott, I know you are gone but, I also know that you will always be with me and others in our hearts and memories. I think the below song from the Lion King Musical will always remind me that your passion and memory will always live on.

He Lives in You (Reprise)
The Lion King [Original Broadway Cast]

Ingonyama nengw’ enamabala

Night and the spirit of life calling mamela
And a voice just the fear of a child answers mamela

Ubu khosi bo khokho [This is the throne of our ancestors]

We ndodana ye sizwe sonke [Oh, son of the nation]

Wait, there’s no mountain too great
Hear the words and have faith
Have faith

He lives in you
He lives in me

He watches over
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you

He lives in you
He lives in me
He watches over
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you

He lives in you
He lives in you
He lives in you
He lives in you

He lives in you
He lives in me

He watches over
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you

He lives in you
He lives in me
He watches over
Everything we see
Into the water
Into the truth
In your reflection
He lives in you

Permanent link to this article: https://www.webbyaquatics.com/archives/2004/07/goodbye-scott/