Lady and the Tramp

What's The Story:
The romantic tale of a sheltered uptown Cocker Spaniel dog and a streetwise downtown Mutt.

Memorable Quote:
Tramp: There's a great big hunk of world out there with no fence around it, where two dogs could find adventure and excitement, and beyond those distant hills who knows what wonderful experiences and its all ours for the taking.

** Extra Quote
Lady: We shouldn't
Tramp: I know that's what makes it fun

Lessons:
babies are trouble, but worth it.
When babies come women complement each other and men insult each other
Kindness doesn't depend on what side of the tracks you come from
Always keep your mind open for opportunity
Aunt Sarah's prejudice for dogs blinded her to the real threats to the baby.
Prejudice can often blind people to the real threats they face.

Main Challenges:
Serenade a dog?
Chase after Chickens (or other birds)


Attitude:
Kind, mischievous, adventurous, brave, determined, sweet, kind, cute, protective, innovative, innocent,

Challenges:
Try to interpret dogs like Tony

Hercules pictures

Princesses Don't Get Sick

You ever notice that Disney never shows anyone with a cold or virus, you want to know why? Because its disgusting. For the past few days I have been ill, tired and snotty. Try looking like a Greek Goddess while your body attacks you.

Half the things that come out of my mouth is gibberish and I think I am starting to hallucinate. Yes the common cold, the wonder of science and medicine. Yet no where that I can think of in the Disney vault does Snow White, Sleeping Beauty or Belle come down with this affliction. Imagine the tiara askew tissue shoved up the delicate royal nostrils or better yet, the use of the netti pot.

I suppose that most bodily functions are excluded from Disney animated features, you don't see Cinderella pulling over the pumpkin to go pee or Belle burp after her huge dinner. Surely no matter how fictional a character they are bound to become ill at some point. It seems to me that a true prince charming would hold back a princess' hair as she, well, rid her body of a virus. True romance is the partner who looks at the disheveled princess and still sees a princess not the bag of germs she currently is.

Being sick is not a pretty part of life, but its a part of life. In a few days when my nose stops running and my brain comes back down to earth I will forget all about being sick, and remember the princess that once was. For now, I will curl up on my couch, being simultaneously both hot and cold, as I have my delusional conversation with the Queen of England as she instructs me on the proper princess wave.

Hercules

What's The Story:
A son of a Greek god is kidnapped and made mortal. The only way to get back to mount Olympus, and his immortality, is to prove himself a hero.

Memorable Quote:
Zeus: Fine work, my boy! You've done it! You're a true hero.
Hera; Hercules' Mother: You were willing to give your life to rescue this young woman.
Zeus: For a true hero isn't measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart.

Lessons:
be careful who you trust
don't act without thinking,
sarcasm is fun
the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few
Don't give up

Main Challenges:
Goofy Olympics
Vase, tell a story with art


Attitude:
kind, strong, friendly, doesn't fit in, eager to please, longs to feel accepted,

Challenges:
Write something mundane in verse
find something heroic to do

To Sleep Perchance to Dream

Every once in a while I go for a walk with my ten year old son while dressed up. The fun of it is, that I get to see things through the eyes of a child. He's amazed by the attention I receive and asks a lot of questions about what is normal.

There are a few things that typically happen every time I go out, now that the weather is warmer I encounter much more people and so I get asked some form of this question “Are you going to a party?” or “What's the occasion?” Usually there are people who call out to me from cars or across the street, sometimes its just whistles or cat calls but today, it was “I love you!”and “I'll marry you!” That was different. Note to single girls apparently if you wear a princess costume it elicits proposals.

Anymore most of the reaction is positive, though there are about %5 of people who have rude comments to say, but if I see them more than once they tend to warm to my shenanigans, they expect me to be in costume and I have even overheard some of my previous opposition explaining what a strange girl like me is doing in a normal world like this.

To my ten year old son, my journey is the coolest thing that he's ever seen, he has even asked how he should live his life for a year. Its rather adorable. I have tried to explain that I am merely challenging myself using Disney as the foundation because it has a strong moral fibre and to seek out challenges is part of what helps our society evolve; obviously I get a blank stare.

There are always moments that make me remember why I am doing this; when strangers want to help me, like the ladies at the Little Red Mitten who carted out a spinning wheel for me just so I could get a shot of me being silly. When I am sitting at a little parkette and singing to a robin and it sings back to me. Yes folks, I finally got a bird to sing back to me.

Living my life Disney is not just about dressing up, or eating interesting food, or even about the challenges, its really about discovering what life has to offer. One of the greatest gifts in life is the moments when you feel the interwoven tapestry of life, when you become enlightened to the fact that we are all connected by the tiny stings of love, life and hope. I believe now more than ever that harmony and peace are attainable, but it must start within because peace begins within.

The Princess Shuffle

Sometimes I actually delude myself into believing that I am graceful. It happens, you're all dressed up in a ball gown, you're wearing a crown; those things are bound to make a woman think that she may actually be able to glide down stairs and be like butter sliding across the room. The logistics of wearing a ball gown and gliding is great on a dance floor or some other even footing.

What happens to me, what seems to always happen, is that the moment my mind thinks about how graceful I am, something happens to totally disprove that theory. Its like the universe is calling out to me. “Hey Robin, Cole Porter was right you should be a clown.” Perhaps its my big feet that should have been my first clue that grace was not my forte.

As I was gliding down the street this week, the toe of my shoe caught a tiny almost insignificant lip in the sidewalk causing my body to lurch forward hands out dress swirling in an obvious stumble. I did what any princess should do, I stuck the landing arms above my head in Mary Lou Retton style: minus the funky bowl cut hair.

Its not enough to trip, when one is going to awkwardly fumble in a big poofy dress there must always be an audience to enjoy said fumble. Of course there was a lovely assortment of people standing in a group, already curious about my crown and dress, so needless to say, I was a little embarrassed. So my arms go up in the air, I call out. “Nope, I'm good!” and I continue walking with a big silly grin on my face.

As far as I know there was only one person to see my misstep and she was doing the normal smile and head nod that says “I saw that, nice moves.” only she actually said that out loud. Really the nod would have been enough, I mean I really didn't need someone to call attention to me; as I walked downtown; in a gown, oh yeah and the crown. Never mind.

Sometimes its not about tripping and falling its about doing it with style. If there is one thing I can say about myself its that I have fallen a lot in my life, its not just about getting up again its about getting up with style. I have learned in my life that no matter how many times I have made missteps, it wouldn't be me unless I stuck the landing. Oh and jazz hands help too.

Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty

What's The Story: When a princess is born an evil sorceress becomes enraged because she was not invited to the festivities casts a spell on the baby that on her sixteenth birthday she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and fall into a deep sleep with only true love's kiss to wake her.

Memorable Quote:

Merryweather: I'd like to turn her into a fat ol' hop toad.
Fauna: Now, dear, that isn't a very nice thing to say.
Flora: Besides, we can't. You know our magic doesn't work that way.
Fauna: It can only do good, dear, to bring joy and happiness.
Merryweather: Well, THAT would make me happy.

Lessons:
People who are miserable like to make the people around them miserable too.
Don't get careless when you're hiding out from an evil sorceress
Hide your mistakes
Despite your fears sometimes you just have to over come them and take action

Main Challenges:
Turn bad things into good
Use bubbles like they are magic spells that turn bad things good

Attitude:
Happy, helpful, joyful, playful. Dancing, singing

Challenges:
go berry picking

Rescue Me!

When I think of the Rescuers Down Under I think about how ridiculous it is to think that two mice could travel from New York to Australia to save a kidnapped kid. This being the second Rescuers movie its not the first time they bent time to make you believe the impossible this time however they feature an impossibly large golden eagle which can fly with a kid on its back.

The Disney attention to detail was lacking in this movie however, what remains is the theme of all themes you are never too small to make a difference. I have often struggled with this idea. I believe that I can make a difference in the lives of those around me but there are times where it seems that the problem is insurmountable.

I have learned that over the past few months that I may not be able to stop global warming or bring about world peace, but I can effect change in people's moods. I may not be a superhero but I can help the environment and encourage others to do so too. It was a mouse that changed the life of Walt Disney, it was a mouse that inspired me to move on, to reach higher to become the best me I can be and its that same mouse that wakes me in the morning and says “Come on, lets bend the rules of reality today.”

Yes, the Rescuers Down Under does bend the rules of reality, but in doing so it raises the bar to what is possible. I, even in my most logical mind, can not be certain of what is impossible. I have grown up in amazing times where every year I am amazed by what was once considered impossible is now a part of everyday life. Yes, perhaps a couple of mice will never save a child's life but can a relatively insignificant person change the world?

Stay tuned and lets find out!

Its Just like a Boomerang to Leave

Sometimes I get a little too caught up in my day to day life and need to squeeze in my challenges, this week has been crazy so I have been scrambling for time to do my challenges. Spending time with an Australian lizard is no problem since my son has a bearded dragon. Talking to animals, that's kind of normal for me, and not much of a challenge except of course the fact that I don't seem to have the same rapport with animals that Disney characters do example: I tried to talk to a barking dog, reason with him but instead he just continued to bark his fool head off.

For my challenge of learning to throw a boomerang I started with buying one and asked around and did what any modern woman does when she wants to learn to do something new; I went on Youtube. I explored the internet to find out what would be the best way to throw a boomerang and have it return to me. I can easily throw a boomerang, its the act of getting it to return that makes me feel inadequate.

According to Youtube and the various other websites I researched the best way to throw a boomerang is to throw it at a 45 degree angle facing into the wind. So that it would arch and return in the wind. What a wonderful concept, it makes sense to my logical mind but this week for some reason every time I even think about tossing that darn boomerang any lick of breeze seems to suck out of the air and I am left with no return flights for my poor boomerang. If I weren't a logical woman I would think that the wind is out to sabotage my challenge.

I realize that sometimes conditions have to be perfect, sometimes we need all of life to be in alignment in order for miracles to occur. I have learned to go with the flow, its a hard lesson especially when inside my brain lies a drill Sargent that insists that life always go my way. (by the way, I have more colourful names picked out for said Sargent namely it starts with a B.) Ignoring the drill sargent I have to ask myself, so what if I can't do everything perfect, so what if I have to wait. Some of the greatest parts of this who journey is learning to just allow things to proceed however they will proceed.

I won't be undone by a lack of wind, so I picked up the boomerang and found the wind and just as I was about to throw it, the mild wind turned to a slight breeze. Just my luck? 'Alright lets do this' I thought. With a flick of my wrist I threw the boomerang and just as I suspected it sailed away with absolutely no promise of coming back.

I suppose I should be upset, but like with most challenges in life its not about perfect results, its about getting out there and trying something new. Now I have a boomerang and when the conditions are right I will try again and if it doesn't come back to me perhaps it never really did belong to me. Or was that if I love something set it free? No matter, if it doesn't come back, then I'll the adult thing and blame the boomerang.

Wrestling Crocs and Playing around- The Rescuers Down Under

The Rescuers Down Under

What's The Story: The RAS agents, Miss Bianca and Bernard, race to Australia to save a boy and a rare golden eagle from a murderous poacher who doesn't care about the laws.

Memorable Quote:
McLeach: I didn't make it all the way through third grade for nothing.

Lessons:
Sometimes trapped animals freak out when you try to help them
don't let someone know that you are on to them when you can get away
Just because you are small doesn't mean you can't be helpful

Main Challenges:
Toss a boomerang
Lizard time – spend some quality time with the lizard

Attitude:
Helpful, friendly,

Challenges:

Talk to Animals

Ruining My Fun

Okay so one of my challenges this week was a secret because I didn't want to give any warning that I was going to do it, I was supposed to hide everyone's left shoe. Unfortunately, some people have to ruin my fun. I first had to decide when to do it, obviously I would be up for divorce if I did so during the week when my husband had to go to work so I decided to wait until the week end. Could I find time to do this of course, but everyone had some important thing to do.

Last minute today on a Sunday, I hid everyone's left shoe, which would have been awesome only, we had a memorial to go to. Foiled again! So what would have been a really fun challenge ended up being lame. I will put a little dog ear in this challenge some time over the next year I will hide everyone's left shoe and it will be awesome. Lets see how many in my family actually read this!

Aloha Lilo

If I were to be totally honest with myself I think that Lilo hits a sore spot with me. I love the movie Lilo and Stitch but Lilo reminds me a lot of myself or at least me as a child. I see the way she is rejected by her peers and am instantly warped back into my childhood. I can recall the various Lilo like games I used to play and the mischievous and playful nature that is woven into the fabric of who I am.

The sore spot is that all that childhood wonder, joy and creativity went flitting away the moment I learned to be mindful of what other people thought of me. The moment I cared more about what other people thought of me then what I thought of myself is the moment I began to lose myself.

I get angry with myself that I actually chose to be miserable in order to fit in. The worst part is, that I never really fit in even when I was attempting to be “normal”. Shades of my true self always poked through and most often in times when they were most inappropriate. It was as though I had a “me” tick that blurted out thoughts that were so unusual to what people thought of me that my true self seemed phoney.

I became something that I wasn't, dark, mysterious, angry, yet accepted. I did drugs and drank since those are the only times in today's society, that one is permitted to be “wild”. When I quit drugs, the “wild” me was forced to take a back seat to the more “normal” socially acceptable version of me. Without the excuse of drugs to be myself, I became even more miserable, I no longer had an excuse to be me.

It may seem like this all comes easy to me but it doesn't. Like I wake up and feel at ease with baring my soul to the world. Its actually quite difficult to be yourself when you know that people are watching and judging. The thing is that I have called attention to myself and through my own doing have put myself on display for all to see. I have said that it is okay to be yourself but the truth is I am basing this opinion on faith not knowledge.

What I see is that the more I challenge myself the more I love myself. I have discovered through Disney that I am the happiest person that I know and that the true happiest place on Earth is within. Its not Disney/land/world that holds the magic, the magic is in the dream come alive. The magic is in the wishing and believing. I suppose that its time I forgive the woman who stole all my magic; myself.

Lilo and Stitch Pictures

 
 
 
 

Fantasia 2000 Photos missed costume is the Ballerina from the stedfast tin solder

I Come in Peace

I have been staring at a blank page for the past week, its not that I don't have things to say this week, I have plenty to say about Lilo and Stitch its just that I am having a hard time focusing what I want to say. Making my rounds this week was fun as usual, now that people are getting used to me there seems to be less antidotes to write about, either that or I just happened to go out on a perfect day with open minded people.

I hula-ed my way down the street making my usual stops spreading cheer as per usual. I stopped into a local tattoo parlour where they have a large cut out of Elvis and asked the lovely gentleman to photograph me. Okay, so that in itself is enjoyable to see young strapping lads with goofy grins on their faces as I requested that one of them photograph me with Elvis. They were very kind and actually quite encouraging of my nonsense.

I know its more entertaining to say that I was met with adversity and that I had to explain what i was doing wearing a grass skirt but quite frankly, I am getting exactly what I wanted. I am spreading the joy that I had first intended to do, the question becomes, now what? Now that I have gotten the attention, the question becomes what do I say.

I suppose what I want to say is aloha, and welcome to life, I'm so glad that you could join me. Now pay attention closely, life is beautiful, it is filled with wonder and the moment you take your eyes off of that wonder you create that which is not. All anger, struggle and hatred is a lie, the truth is love is our true nature. We must sway with the rhythms of life, and stop becoming so attached to the outcome of every situation. We must have faith, in humanity, in our highest vision of humanity, that we can not only achieve it but surpass it.

End Transmission.
Blank Page Filled.

Hula Moves Lilo and Stitch.AVI