Eager To Start

In six days, I will start traditions at Walt Disney World.  I'm so eager to start that I haven't been this excited since I got the job at SeaWorld operating a ride.

I've also got concerns as I don't want to leave SeaWorld nor do I want to be at Disney temporarily.  I know the day will come though where I have to make a decision.  It will come down to how I feel overall and where I could grow the most.  As long as I leave on good terms, I see no reason why I wouldn't be able to come back in the future.  I'm not leaving any time soon nor plan on leaving either one.  I just like to think ahead of the possibilities. 

At SeaWorld, I will grow in learning show operations and how the different season's operate.  At Walt Disney World, I will be "wet behind the ears" as they say.  I still have traditions to go to and learn about Disney's past as a company.  There will be so much to learn from the culture to operations of the park.  I have a basic understanding now on operating a theme park but Disney is a different type of beast that must be handled in a much different way.  Anyone with common sense can tell this just by their constant attendance year round.   

Well wish me luck in traditions and hopefully my face won't hurt afterwards from all the smiling I'll be doing by finally being onboard with Disney. 

Fresh New Look

After five months of letting my hair grow out, I finally cut it all off.  I'm back to my original style.  I received several compliments saying I looked better and more professional.  I was even told I was starting to look like a hippy.  I didn't take any offense to it but I did think it was funny. 

The overall idea was to show that I had changed and was looking for a new image of myself.  What I learned from it is that my outer image doesn't need to change, its the inside that needs a makeover.  I've been working on my skills as I have been told by friends on things they have seen that need improvement to become what I want myself to be. 

Now I know what really needs to happen and just have to stay committed to this change which will result in a brighter future.

I Can Not Wear My Hat

SeaWorld issues out hats that you're able to wear while working.  Unfortunately, I'm not so lucky at Walt Disney World.  For the people that know me, I'm always wearing a hat.  Only time I don't wear a hat is if I'm asleep or taking a shower.  On occasional formal events, I'll spend the time to fix up my hair but that's about it.

Since I've moved to Florida, I decided to let my hair grow out and see how it goes.  I've always had it short all around.  I would a three on the top and a two on the sides faded in.  Now my hair is about three inches long!  I'm not even sure what to do with it at this point.  I think I'm just going to go to my hair salon and say impress me.  Bamboo Salon in Lake Buena Vista, FL does most of the Disney Cast haircuts and she will know the rules as far as the hair goes.

Below you can kind of get an idea of the difference.

                          December 2012 with my wife, Colleen                 November 2013 

One Year and One Month Later...

Who ever knew, I'd receive that email that I had been waiting for, ever since before I even moved to Florida.  The email that explained they had a job opportunity available immediately in the one place you can truly experience magic.  This one place where as soon as you arrive, all of your everyday worries just disappeared.  This one place that I'm describing is Walt Disney World.

They had always told me that patience pays off and boy did it in a big way.  I was told when I first started applying that its hard to get in.  I had been discouraged time after time from multiple tries to get just an interview but I finally made it through.  I left Texas on hopes and dreams just like a teenager running off to join the circus.  One could say that I'm the modern day circus boy.  Leaving family, friends, and everything else behind to start a new chapter in my life, it was at this point in my life that I decided it was either all or nothing.  I decided to go for the gold and fight my way here.

You could say I'm still fighting my way through as I'm not where I want to be.  I've simply made a step to a brighter future.  I'm fixing my mistakes one at a time as I make each step and make sure that I've learned from my past mistakes.  Student loan debt, entrepreneural debt, and stupid teenager costly mistakes now are all that burden me and my future.  Now that I hold my two jobs at two of the finest companies in my opinion, I can start repairing my life and looking towards a very bright future.

So here's to you, my past.  Thank you for teaching me to be strong and to be patient.  Its only taken seven years since I left the nest of my hometown but things are looking up finally for me.

And here's to you, my future.  You're looking brighter than ever.  I'm in a full sprint to the finish line and I'm going to take the first place prize with my head held high.