Watching A Christmas Fantasy Parade at Disneyland

Last month I visited Disneyland at the start of the Holiday season and watched A Christmas Fantasy Parade.  It's really cute.  I watched the parade right in front of It's a Small World, which is decorated for the season, and when the parade was over the line for that ride was short, which is rare.  

Fantasyland is a good place to watch the parade, not as crowded, though Main Street U.S.A. is my ultimate favorite place to watch parades.  Classic.

Christmas is in a few days, but there's still time to catch the festivities.

The Holiday celebrations at Disneyland and California Adventure are going through January 6th, 2019.

 You can't have a Christmas parade without Santa Clause. :0)

Mary Poppins Returns, mini movie review

Rating: B-

In 1964, over 50 years ago, magic happened.  Walt Disney released Mary Poppins, starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.  Everyone was charmed, it seemed, everyone except P.L. Travers, the author of the book in which Mary Poppins is based.  She didn't care how her vision was portrayed on screen.  Reading through her book I can see how she may have been disgruntled, seeing the changes, the change of tone, but still, even so, the screen version of Mary Poppins is a delight that's held up for decades.  I was enchanted with this movie as a child and still respect its masterpiece.

Now, in 2018, we find Mary again in Mary Poppins Returns.

The Bank children are grown.  Time has passed.  Yet there are still cherry trees down Cherry-Tree Lane, and at Number 17 Michael, a widow, is worried about losing his childhood home where he and his children reside.  Jane often comes to visit. The 1930 Great Slump, what we call The Great Depression, has begun.  Many are suffering.  Many are scared.  Michael's so lost in worry he's lost the magic he once knew.

Mary Poppins comes to save the Banks, and with her she's brought magic and light.

Watching Mary Poppins Returns it's hard not to compare this new movie with its original.  It's a good movie.  A fun movie.  There's heart.  I might have cried a time or two.  This new movie wants you to remember the original.  Truly, if you have children who haven't seen the first, show them that jewel before taking them to see Mary Poppins Returns, as the two movies are tied.

Though, the more I've thought of this movie, as I saw it a few weeks ago at a special screening for D23 members, there was a nagging feeling I couldn't shake.  What was bugging me?  Then I realized, what bothered me with Star Wars: The Force Awakens was bothering me with Mary Poppins Returns.  Though a sequel, this movie at times felt like a remake with scenes hearkening to the first.  And like Star Wars: A Hope vs. The Force Awakens, the formula between Mary Poppins and Mary Poppins Returns are very similar.  Side walk chalk art vs the Royal Doulton Bowl.  Laughing gas vs Topsy-turvy.  (And I still wish that bowl had a proper resolution like in the book Mary Poppins Comes Back, because there's no further mention and that Topsy-turvy scene feels pointless by movies end, besides acting as a filler.)  Overall, Mary Poppins got the Star Wars treatment.  Safe.  Don't break what works.  Though I like this movie more than the latest Star Wars outings.  But it brings up the fact that Disney has a rehashing problem.  Everything seems to be rehashed these days.  They're losing their originality.

The music in Mary Poppins Returns is nice, though not up to the original.  The new music takes itself too seriously, no strong catchy choruses.  I'm not saying the music is bad as there's still some highlights.  In the first Mary Poppins the brilliance of the Sherman brothers shine.  They were genius.  While writing this review I've been listening to their music, admiring the simpleness of tune.  Strong phrases.  Chim-Chim-Cheri, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Feed the Birds, Jolly Holiday, Spoonful of Sugar, Let's Go Fly a Kite.  All I have to do is say those titles, and those titles are the song.  The whole of their song.  It's beautiful.  Mary Poppins Returns doesn't have the strength of those songs.

With all this said, Mary Poppins Returns is still a good movie and family film.

MPAA: Rated PG for some mild thematic elements and brief action.
 

Nostalgic Over Little Caesars Pizza

So . . . this is either the most beautiful thing you've seen all day, or you find it a little disgusting.  I haven't had Caesars Pizza in such a long time.  While out Christmas shopping I smelt it while going into a store and had to buy one.  Totally impulsive, but for memories sake I had to splurge the $5.

Every week, with my brothers, we would get a Caesars Pizza and watch Stargate SG1/Atlantis.  It was such a fun tradition.  I miss those shows and I miss our pizza nights.  Good times.

Kinda funny how a smell or a taste can take you back in time.

Congrats on Adulting, a Presumed Trophy for Millennials

I was at Target this afternoon and saw this trophy.  At first I wondered why Target was selling these, until I read what it said: "Congrats on Adulting".  Honestly I did laugh.  Then I rolled my eyes.  Then I laughed again.  A trophy for those who get participation awards, to go along with Monopoly for Millennials.

Growing up in the early 80's, and graduating High School class of 2000, I get lumped into the Millennial generation, though I still argue my age group falls into a micro-generation, lost in between X and Y.  The Xennial.  A little bit analog; a little bit digital.  I was a kid before the internet caught on and everyone had cell phones.  In a way I'm glad for it.  Technology is a help but a hindrance, and it's nice unplugging to get back to basics.

Even so, I'm still technically a Millennial, the generation that gets teased.  We're such easy targets.  But I don't take it personally.  I like a good laugh.

Mickey Mouse Memories Come to a Close, and Disney Wisdom Gets Ready to Launch Next Year

This is the last month for Mickey Mouse Memories, a year long celebration the Disney Store did to celebrate Mickey for his 90th year.  Each month a different Mickey was sold with a decade theme.  I found out about this collection in May, just in time for the Mickey Mouse May 1950's atomic plush.  It's still my favorite.

The Mickey Mouse Memories set came with a plush, mug and pins, all sold separately.  I didn't collect any of the mugs, managed four plushes (May, October, November, and December), and seven pin sets (January, April, May, September, October, November, and December).

This morning I woke up around 1:30 am to get the plush and pins online.  The system was being super slow, spin-wheel of doom, but after 30 minutes the order went through.  Then I got to the mall by 7:00 am with my Mom and got a couple more plushes and pins, so this early morning purchase will be Christmas presents. 

As of this morning the plushes, pins, and mugs were still available.  And it wasn't too crazy at the mall.  Not too bad at all.

 

I love the quote on the bottom of Mickey's foot.

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." ~ Walt Disney

Only the first and last Mickey in the series got Disney quotes on his foot.

 Really beautiful pins.

And we got a free gift!  Only available at the store.

Playing card sized cards with each of this years Mickey's.

 If you turn the cards over and put them together they show next years theme.

 Disney Wisdom.

Each month, on the third Saturday, there will be a plush, pin, mug, and journal.

 I'm interested in the pins and journal.

 Dumbo is pretty cute, don't know if I'll get him, but I'm interested in Mushu.

 June is the hardest quote to read.

There was speculation that 2019 would be Minnie Mouse, but I like the Disney Wisdom idea.  I won't be getting all of them, though I do want all the pins.

Pin collecting is my favorite.

Seeing My Grandpa's Updated AncestryDNA Region Results Has Me Dreaming of Ireland

(Last September in the Wicklow Mountains, Ireland)

A few months ago there was an update to AncestryDNA results.  They always send the message that our DNA doesn't change, but their information, samples, algorithms, etc, get better.  My percentages changed: 55% Ireland & Scotland, 37% England, Wales & Northwestern Europe, 4% Sweden, 2% Norway, 2% Germanic Europe.  So I think this means I'm 55% Celtic and 37% Anglo Saxon.  Could be wrong.

I was excited to see what my maternal Grandparent results had changed to, did it better match what I know from research?  My Grandma A: 50% England, Wales & Northwestern Europe, 31% Germanic Europe, 15% Ireland & Scotland, 4% Norway.  All her Iberian Peninsula, which was about 14%, gone.  My Grandpa R: 90% Ireland & Scotland, 8% England, Wales & Northwestern Europe, and 2% Norway.  His 90% Ireland and Scotland are no surprise.

Then yesterday I got an email that said AncestryDNA has 150 new regions, 92 regions in Ireland.

I had to see what Irish regions my family taps into.

 

I personally only tap into one: East Cork & Waterford.  I might have to collect more crystal. :0)

 

My Mom taps into four: South West Munster, East Cork & Waterford, East Cork, and Iveragh Peninsula.  My Aunt Tam taps into those four plus North Munster.

 Then I looked up my Grandpa.  9 whole regions, all in the South of Ireland: South West Munster, Iveragh Peninsula, Beara Peninsula, East Cork & Waterford, North Munster, East Cork, West Cork, Killarney, and East Beara Peninsula.  The Mahoney's, in which I'm connected, originate in the south of Ireland, so these results match that.  My Mahoney line dead ends in Newfoundland, so having this regional confirmation is nice.  My O'Neil line dead ends in Maine, USA, though the clan history is more north Ireland.  The other Irish family names in my line aren't prominent enough to have a coat of arms or clan history.

 This is exciting, because the two times I've visited Ireland it was this region, and it felt like home.  It was wonderful.  Beautiful landscapes and very nice people.  Now I want to return and see so many places, mainly the Ring of Kerry, but traveling up the coast from Cork to Waterford would be fun as well.

Okay, I just want to go back to Ireland.

The Power of Faith

"Hope on. Journey on. Honestly acknowledge your questions and your concerns, but first and forever fan the flame of your faith, because all things are possible to them that believe."

~ Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, from "Lord, I Believe" 

A truly powerful talk.

I've been thinking a lot recently about faith and the World.

And I've been thinking a lot recently about light waves, or more specifically the Electromagnetic spectrum. 

We're suppose to believe what we see, right?  Seeing is believing.

And all we can see, what's been seen for centuries, is apart of the visible light spectrum, the classic colors of the rainbow.  That's all we've known.  Yet it wasn't until the 1800's when William Herschel discovered infrared and  Johann Ritter found ultraviolet. Parts of the light spectrum beyond what we can see, yet bees use ultraviolet sight to find flowers.  So, did ultraviolet just come into being in the 1800's because that's when we found out about it, or has this form of light always existed?  It's always been around.

After the discovery of infrared and ultraviolet came microwaves and x-rays and radio waves.  Waves you can hear.  Waves that allow you to see bone.  Finally gamma rays were discovered in the early 1900's, the last part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

But sometimes I wonder if this spectrum is finished.  Are there other waves we've yet to discover?  Are there other waves of light that are experienced in ways beyond sight?

And where does faith come in?  

Do I need a hard defined spectrum of some sort, "spiritual promptings exists at so and so megahertz", to believe promptings of the spirit to be real?  No, I don't.  What I've felt exceeds anything the scientific community tells me.

One of the greatest trials of faith I've experienced was when I tried to get into the music program at Brigham Young University, Provo, auditioning for the classical voice department.  At the time I was attending Utah Valley State College, now a university, and was going to wait a year to finish my general eds and get an associates.  But when my Mom and I were driving by BYU one early Winter day, we both felt, at the same time, an overwhelming feeling that I couldn't wait, I had to transfer as soon as I could.

After some research I found out that the music auditions were at the end of January, so I had about a month or so to prepare.  And I had to be academically accepted by BYU as well, which I doubted would happen.  I didn't feel smart enough to get into BYU.

Long/short of it.  I auditioned.  Cried after the audition because I thought I messed up, and failed the listening portion by a single point, only to learn I didn't have to take the auditory test due to the fact I completed two semesters of music theory at UVSC.  Got accepted by BYU.  Earned a 1/2 tuition academic scholarship.  And then . . . around March or so I found out I was on the waiting list for the school of music.  I emailed and was told if I didn't hear anything by April/May, to assume I wasn't accepted.

What was I to do?  What was I to say?  I knew I needed to go to BYU, because I felt the spirit so strongly.  What should I study?  I didn't hear anything from the music department, so I signed up for English courses.  The whole Summer passed, I did telemarketing to earn money, and it broke my heart every time I told someone I was going to major in English instead of Music.

The only thing that kept me going and focused, and that I was on the right path, was when I prayed sometime in the middle of Summer.  I pleaded to God, begging to know if I was doing the right thing.  I loved UVSC.  I wanted to go to BYU, but was intimidated.  Then, as I was praying about English, I couldn't say the word in my mind.  I didn't even try to speak it.  I couldn't.  And then, all of a sudden, with my eyes closed, I felt the most amazing feeling of love pour over me.  It was sudden and powerful.  So overwhelming that it felt like I was bathed in light.  That's the only way I can describe this feeling, it was the most exquisite outpouring of love and light.  All my fears were calmed and I felt peace. 

Then, a week before the Fall semester started, a FedEx guy knocked on the front door, handed me a large expedited envelope to sign for, where I found a smaller envelope inside, return address: BYU School of Music.  Shaking I opened the letter, my acceptance into the School of Music, voice department showing in bold letters.  I had 24 hours to accept, or it was going to the next person on the waiting list.  That day I headed to campus, accepted my entry into the music program, met a councilor, changed my schedule, and marveled over the power of faith.

I know God lives.  I have a testimony in the power of the Holy Ghost.  And during this Christmas season I celebrate our Savoir and Redeemer.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

My New Favorite "Get Away From The Crowds" Spot at Disneyland, and another place to see the Galaxy's Edge contruction

I love Disneyland.  It seems no matter how many times I visit it just never gets old.  But, as much as I love this place, crowds are synonymous with all Disney parks.  Every now and then it's nice, while in the parks, to get away and take in what Disney does best: atmosphere.  When you enter Disneyland you truly are transported, and there's so many ways to escape.  And there's also little nooks and crannies to explore.

I found a new favorite place at Disneyland to go to when I want to get away from the crowds, sit down, kick my feet up, and enjoy a break: The Hungry Bear Restaurant in Critter Country.

The restaurant itself is standard burger fare.  Regardless, if you need a place to sit there's plenty of seating upstairs and down, much of which is in the shade.

I grabbed a far spot on the top deck looking over the Rivers of America.  This spot is far enough away that you can't hear people in the main parts of Critter Country.  You can hear nature bird effects for the river, a native American flute, the Columbia sailing ship passing by, those exploring Tom Sawyer Island, and the passing train.  It's away from everything, yet it feels like you're in the middle of the magic.  If Walt Disney was alive I think he would enjoy this little nook.

For now this restaurant is quiet.  I wonder what it will be like when Star Wars Galaxy's Edge opens, as Critter Country is one of the entry points into this new land opening up next year.  By the way, you can get a view of the construction for Galaxy's Edge at the restaurant.

Want to know one of the best ways to see Galaxy's Edge?  Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, right when you take the first big drop at the top.  You see the new land in full panorama, and man is it big.

Watching Columbia pass by.

I grabbed a drink and a ginger bread cookie inspired by the Haunted Mansion.  The day before I tried getting a ginger bread cookie at the Beauty of the Beast restaurant in Fantasyland, Red Rose Taverne, but it was sold out.  Holiday Ginger Bread cookies sale out early.  You can also try the "grey stuff" at Red Rose as well, which is interesting with fruit stuff in the middle.

View of the river from the top deck.