Disney Professional Internships - Dashboard

Disney Careers has come out with an amazing video that explains their dashboard and application process. Check-it out:

I like what he mentions at the end - there are a lot of people applying to these positions. They can't take everyone. Be proud of how far in the process you make it. Even if you don't get the position, you learned something and it will strengthen your chance of getting a position in the future. 

20,000!!!!

My little blog has hit 20,000 page views!!

Does Saying Sorry Make it all Better?

Growing up, anytime I did something that was not approved of by the adult supervisors in my life, I was punished. In order to finish the punishment I had to tell the adult that I was sorry and that I would never do it again. If I did do it again, the punishment was more severe and continued to be until I stopped the behavior.

Fast-forward to today and this rule no longer applies. Apparently when you are an adult, you can misbehave and its okay because they are "family" or we have to accept them for who they are. Why is it that others get to misbehave, but I have to follow the rules? Now I am not talking about major offenses, that is what HR and the police are for. I am talking about the little things that we all got in trouble for when we were children: saying a bad word, hurting someone's feelings, etc. This seems to be very true for those who are related to me by blood.

I did not choose them, they were automatically assigned to me upon my birth. Because of this, they seem to have the right to treat me less than I deserve. Now don't misunderstand me, I am not saying that I want a pony and they aren't giving me one. I mean simple respect - I ask for nothing more and I will accept nothing less (M*A*S*H* quote) Apparently, many people in my family don't understand this. They believe it is okay to treat me poorly and get away with it. Then when I say something, they will apologize and all is forgiven.

But it doesn't make it all better. The actual problem is not addressed and therefore is not solved. After a while, the word sorry begins to lose all meaning. If you don't change your ways, then how can I trust that you truly are sorry? 

I posed this after an argument with a family member who I used to be close to and all they could say was "I'm sorry, I don't know what to do" - over and over again. I was crying and in pain and all they cared about was themselves. Afterwards, I stopped talking to this individual. Since they didn't know how to not hurt me again, I decided to steer clear of them. When you know you are going to get hurt, why would you stay in the situation?

Many people have told me that I should make up with them. Believe me, I want to. But knowing that they care more about staying the same than trying to fix what went wrong between us, shows me that I can't. I will always be here, but I refuse to be beaten up for standing up for myself. 

Please don't let anyone tell you that you deserve less, or worse "it's okay, because you are better off than other people". Bad is bad, no matter the severity and no one deserves to be treated poorly. 

SeaWorld Orlando Internship Spring 2013 - Antarctica

I have been in my internship at SeaWorld for over 6 weeks now and the adventures keep coming. I never know what the day is going to bring:

Breakfast TV, a morning show in Canada, broadcast live from Discovery Cove and I got to see all of the action. The picture here  is from the new area - Fresh Water Oasis - called Marmoset Island. Guests can swim around the island while Marmoset Monkeys play on the island. Once its warmer I am definitely taking Damon here!

The following week I got to do the coolest event to date: The construction tour of Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin. It was a hectic couple of days pulling the event together, but the end result was amazing! The tour was a hit and I got to see the new area for the first time :-)

On the tour it was announced that Antarctica would be opening on May 24, 2013 - which is now less than 90 days away! A lot of work to get done and I cannot wait to do it.

Friday, March 1, I got to go to the 5th birthday celebration on Aquatica. Despite the fact that it was cold there was a good turn-out and everyone was having fun. My favorite part was watching the children stalk the cake table, waiting for their piece.

What will next week bring? I have no idea - but I can't wait to find out!

Sea World Internship - Spring 2013: 5 Weeks In!

Is that right!?! 6 weeks in??? It seems like I just started this internship and so much has happened:

• Written many blogs on InsideSeaWorld.com and InsideConservation.com
• Lots of research
• Lots of filming for major media outlets
• And the best... 

I helped arrange a tour of the Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin construction site. Major media and bloggers came out for the first, official look of the new area.  

The walkway in Antarctica

Attraction Entrance

Penguin Carvings

I love this internship. I am learning so much and I have so many opportunities to try many different things and gain many experiences. What will I do next? Who knows :)

SeaWorld Orlando Internship Spring 2013 - Week 2

I love this saying. When I started doing what made me happy, I started achieving dreams and goals that I never thought possible.

I have been at SeaWorld for two weeks now! I have done so much that it doesn't seem like two weeks - it seems more like a month :D I am really getting to be hands on with project and I am meeting lots of people. Next week is more adventures and I cannot wait.

We got everything finished with selling our house and we close in three weeks. Which means that we are spending our extra minutes packing and cleaning the house. I cannot wait to move to the new place and not have to pack any more.

On top of that, my new business website launched this week: omgletsconnect.com . It is absolutely amazing and already getting some hits! I am so proud and excited to be starting this new venture.

With all of these amazing events - it makes some of the past hard to deal with. A family member who hurt me last year is in town. This individual called me two days prior to their arrival and wanted me to come visit them. They stated that they did not have the opportunity to let me know earlier of their trip. This statement is utter nonsense - I happen to know that this individual had been planning this trip for a few months and spoke about it openly with other family members. This demonstrates this persons total lack of respect for me. This person did the exact same thing last year - which shows that they have not learned their lesson. I refuse to be associated with people who would opening disrespect me, not apologize, and think that I would stick around for them to continue to hurt me. I deserve better than this.

Case in point - my dad could not understand why I was taking this stand until recently. My mom gave him an ultimatum to get a job. So he did. Two days in - he hated the job. He learned through me that SeaWorld was hosting a hiring event. Anyone who knows my dad, knows he is a people person. SeaWorld is an amazing place for him to interact with people. So he took a chance - skipped work and tried out for SeaWorld. And guess what!?! He got a job! He is so excited and giddy about starting. When mom found out, she was livid. She and visiting family member decided to do a solo weekend and exclude him. For the first time he realized how poorly he was being treated and that it wasn't right. No one deserves to be treated like a second class citizen. Even if you disagree with them, respect still needs to be there.



I am so proud of him for standing up for himself. It is one of the hardest things to do, but once you do it, the weight of the world will lift off of your shoulders. We all deserve better than to be with people who pull us down. Remember, just because someone else gave up on their dreams doesn't mean that you should. When they are speaking to you, it is not about you - its about them. They are jealous that someone talked them out of their goals/dreams.

Exciting News - New Adventures Ahead

Moving! (Photo credit: enigmabadger)

I have been posting that Damon and I are embarking on many new adventures this year. These include the new internship and starting a business. There is another adventure we have been working on that I am excited to tell you all about:

We are Moving!

That's right! We are moving. This idea started while we were on vacation. We were having such a great time exploring the country and not having to take care of the house that it got us thinking: We don't get to take as many adventure because we are having to take care of the house every weekend. It is a lot of time, effort, and money to maintain such a big and amazing house. 

Surprise! (Photo credit: Greencolander)

When we got back from vacation, there was a lot to do. We spent the next several days having to clean the house and take care of the lawn, since it had not been done in a while. This solidified our idea of selling the house. It will be someone else's dream home. 

This week we put the house on the market and within four days we received a full, cash offer! They are a family of five who are moving from France. The mother is an interior designer and is looking forward to moving in and putting her own stamp on the house. We love that this new family is going to love and enjoy this house as much as us.

Canada (Photo credit: palindrome6996)

While I am sad to be closing this chapter is our lives, I am also really excited for what lies ahead. With more time and more money, we are planning a trip to Canada this year and hoping to go to Europe next year. Life is too short to be wasting so much time in a house that we cannot fully enjoy. Especially when there is such an amazing world out there to explore.