The legend of the phoenix

Over the last few weeks I've found myself facing many situations, adventures and dilemmas that have truly brought me to this open minded conclusion.

we all view life differently and accept certain ideas as our own from the people who surround us as well as how we grow up, to transform into the people we are today. I've accepted the idea that I view life as a movie, a series of movies that have plots, story lines, music, characters, such as the protagonists, and antagonists where the chapters of my life have pinnacles, conclusions, and resolutions.

As the years go by, the plots grow and become more detailed as characters are left in previous stories and may or may not make an reappearance in later stories, But there's one story that's lasted for almost 4 years.

My story with Disney World.

It was a journey of growing, discovering myself and maturing into something better. My hopes for Disney World began with one goal, to find out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. As the years went by, other dreams began to grow and cloud some of my vision, but after much debate the time has finally come.

My 23rd birthday was a sign for change, new beginnings and new horizons. I'm a firm believer of the legend of the phoenix, where all endings start again with new beginnings. Holding on to a past doesn't leave room for a brighter future and as my time with the Walt Disney Company has come to a close, its now the chance to allow myself to discover, learn and experience so much more.

friends and family kept reminding me that the company will always be there, but that's not what I found hard to part with. It's the co workers that turned into friends and family, its the memories that we created, and the moments we shared that I will truly miss because in this never ending story, we are all continuing our journey through life, creating our own chapters and stories to look back on.

I'm forever grateful for the amazing people I had the pleasure of stumbling upon over the last four years of my life with the Walt Disney Company both positively and negatively, because without the negative moments, we can't truly appreciate positive parts as well.

Now lets continue this journey in the real world, a bigger playground for the open minded people who share the love I have for life as much as all of you <3

this isn't goodbye, but a see ya later Disney......

and thank you for helping me mature into where I am. 

I love you all!

and as far as what I want to do for the rest of my life?

 I decided I ultimately wanna be happy. Life is about being happy.

5 Days till Disney World

Since graduating high school in 2009, I found myself lost, thrown out in “the real world” searching for what would make me happy. I left Illinois State after my freshman year on a mission to find out what I wanted to major in. After successfully completing 3 internships with the Walt Disney Company and traveling across the U.S and Abroad to other countries, I’ve been fortunate in becoming cultured by some of the most amazing people from all over the world. I’ve attended several colleges in the hope of finding myself.

I now have my Associates Degree and am ready to continue my life pursuing one thing: To be happy.

Don’t conform to what society has deemed “normal” for the masses. Find you’re path and create your own story. Don’t live out other people’s dreams, follow your own and remember the biggest enemy of all is yourself. Once you accept happiness within yourself….. the world becomes your playground.

Illinois State, I’m coming back for you …..and couldn’t be happier

Now in the last week since graduating I've finished paying off our room for EDC Las Vegas, paid my entire credit card bill, got an 88 on my final, booked several flights to Vegas and Florida, and now in less than 5 days I'll be on my way to Disney World one last time as a Seasonal cast member. Over the years I thought about how cool it would be to celebrate my birthday at Disney with some of my closest friends and for my farewell celebration I get that wish!!

It's been one heck of a journey, but one last adventure with the mouse is a must. It's crazy how fast time can go by and to think my first program was almost 4 years ago.... 

guess I should start packing slowly ...

Can't wait to see all of Disney Family ;)

here's a few photos from recent adventures over the last couple weeks

The Seasonal Disney Cast Member :: The Next Chapter

Today's beautiful weather is a sign of new beginnings. The spring flowers, and trees blooming, gives us hope for another hot summer right around the corner.

It's May 3rd, a month away from my 23rd birthday and needless to say I'm speechless. It's almost 1 year since I left my 2nd Disney College Program and began my seasonal position with the company that has opened up so many doors in my life as well as memories with friends that I consider family from all over the world.

The seasonal status is no joke for people who live out of state from Disney World. Its difficult and challenging and I've come to a lot of realizations. Some friends come and go in your life whether they start new adventures, new chapters of their life, whether it be another job, getting married, going to school or wherever life may take them.

Today's the day I decided to make my announcement. After a lot of debating, lots of opinions and talks with some of my closest friends and family, I ultimately had a choice I needed to make. I wanna finish school, I wanna travel the world, I wanna learn SO much about cultures and ideas pertaining to this world we live in and I feel like I'm being held back by my seasonal position for the company.

I've been on the bubble for so long that I ultimately decided I'm gonna drop status. Keeping seasonal is no benefit to me as my status was directed towards benefiting Disney and working right now on top of school in the fall. I have no time to travel and that's what I want more than anything right now. It's holding me back having to go down there frequently and I feel as though my true friends/acquaintances have shown their colors. When I graduate from Illinois State I'll reapply/audition depending on where I stand, and if no other big boy jobs catch my eye.

At the end of the month I'll find myself visiting Disney one last time. The visit is more on the leisure end then work, although I will be picking up a couple shifts from May 28-June 5th roughly so I can celebrate my Birthday with my Disney family for the FIRST TIME (Epcot I'm coming for you).

It's sad and not easy for me, but Disney "will always be there" and I've accepted it a year later from my departure. My youth and good spirit is not gonna be at this age forever and I wanna utilize it to learn more about myself and life. I'm too young to let my youth get taken away from a company that doesn't truly care about me. They mainly want me for my youth, energy and happiness (kinda like a Dementor, YEA I SAID IT) until the next big thing can replace me......

I ultimately have to think of it that way to keep my head straight on my decision rather than keeping my seasonal status.

This isn't a jab at any one specific cast members or group of cast members who have made a decision different from mine, but its rather whats best for me. It's a chapter of my life I will NEVER forget and I love every single one of the people I've crossed paths over the last few years because of that company. Whether it was a small conversation, and positive or even negative influence in my life these things happen and have brought me to where I am now and I couldn't be anymore greatful.

I'll see you all at the end of the month, but until then...... 

Have a magical day :' )

Sink or Swim :: The last two months

For the last two months I've been stressed with managing my life. From school and work, to my personal life and family I keep coming closer and closer to the conclusion that there's simply not enough time in each day to get to where I need to be.

After three years of serving at TGI Fridays both full time and on a seasonal basis due to my leave of absence for the internships I held with Disney, I felt that I out grew the environment that helped be develop my serving skills for the last few years and it was time to move on to a new if not better fit for me to continue learning and growing my resume over time. While struggling to maintain my new serving position at White Chocolate and maintaining my serving position at fridays and seasonal down at Disney I found myself more and more limited on time for my personal  life, school and my family... due to my poor planning I unfortunately had to miss my Mom and nieces birthday (although I made my mom an awesome cake, and niece her own personal Olaf )

It's impossible to maintain more than two jobs and school without sacrificing another essential part of your life. I wasn't happy, I was fatigue and always tired and not serving to my potential. So after finishing my training and feeling comfortable enough to take the leap and dive in, I placed my respectful two week notice in at Fridays and was ready to continue my new position at White Chocolate full time.

As if one challenge wasn't hard enough, that's when things started to get interesting. Barely surviving the transition of jobs and maintaining school, I had to report an identity theft for 600$ in my name for fraudulent activity on an online tire store and I receive my first statement from my student loans letting me know to start making payments on them as soon as possible when I was under the impression that because I was in school I was be differed the payments and accruing interest. I missed the fine print that it excluded less than part time students as I only have one class to meet the transfer requirements into Illinois State Universities School of Business program. So as a "strategy" my dad would put it (I say cheating the system), I applied for some credit cards.... not to go on a shopping spree but to do a balance transfer. By me transferring more than half of my student loan into this account I was able to eliminiate the interest accruing with a catch. After 18 month period of no interest, it rises from the original 3.5 % to a 13.99%.

With a new well paying job, budget plan I developed for the next 7 month period, I would not only be able to pay off the total amount on the student loan, but also attend EDC Las Vegas, Electric Forest, and Tomorrowworld and receive Two free round trip flights through southwest between the two cards I applied for. Developing a credit line over the last three years has allowed me to manage my life better and its finally coming together. With a nice credit line, school and my new job here, I'm so happy to see myself making huge progress with everything!1 ^_^

Allowing myself more time now to manage the areas of my life that fell short, I'm now full on track for school this spring. After graduating from Triton College this May with an Associates in Science,  I will be making my way to Illinois State Universities School of Business, pursuing a Marketing degree as I've just received my ACCEPTANCE LETTER :' )

and the cherry on top of this hard working last two months ? I almost have 1000$ saved up to invest into a secure mutual fund AND I only need 14.08 hours to maintain my seasonal status for Walt Disney World  until July AND my old friend Keith from the Disney EDM family was able to see me after missing a flight in Chicago to New Orleans :)))))

"Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life" 

2014 is MY YEAR!