Photo Magic…Disney Style.

Here’s little bit more of Photo Magic…

Took my favorite photos to make a Disney Collage…

Epcot Memories…

Studios Memories…

and a Special Mickey & Walt …

at the four Parks.

one of my favorites.

Liked it so much,

I put it onto a T-Shirt!

Look close and you may even find a hidden “Ricky”

yep… Ricky… I’m in there somewhere!

 

Pleasing Others....

PART ONE: Pleasing others... wow... now there's a loaded comment. Why is it that most times, some people seem to put so much pressure on themselves to please others. Now for the most part, most friends accept you for who you are... and if they don't... well... faced it... you don't want them for friends anyway. But family is a different story, and in most cases you either accept them for who they are or just don't care to make anything more of it beyond forced family gatherings. Hi, how are you, ( I really don't care anyway), and your obligation is done!  Now for the situation... a child is grown up and out on their own, doing well by any ones standards. What I have the hardest time understanding is why one person (lets say a parent) wants to force their values and beliefs on a grown up child ( that time has come and gone, you had your chance and either did it successfully or not), and if the child doesn't think like them, than they won't get any approval from them. HELLO.... their "approval". SORRY... if the approval of one person is dependant upon the other accepting the first persons values and beliefs... somebody needs to realize their own self worth and not think that they need to conform to anybody Else's values on order to be accepted as a responsible grown up. I see this mostly with grown up, out on their own kids... young adults... that feel a need to get the approval of a parent. The flip side is, the parent isn't satisfied to just give advise, but expects that advise to be taken, or approval is withheld, or at least in some part. Vicious cycle that seems to never end. The grown up children, aggravate themselves seeking 100% approval and acceptance that will usually never come, fighting with the two sides of trying to lead their own life, and conforming to the wishes of a parent from whom they might only get conditional approval. It's a grown up world out there... self esteem and self worth needs to come from within, and not from someone that not only seeks to force their beliefs on others in general, but also to the point of cruelty... on their grown up children who are doing good for themselves by every one's standards as a whole. Set YOUR standards and goals high, work hard to achieve them, live your life as to YOUR beliefs and convictions... take pride in what YOU accomplish... and while we all enjoy a word of praise for others, especially those closest to us, YOUR happiness should not be dependant on their approval of what you are or are not doing to live YOUR life by THEIR standards.  SHAKE IT OFF! Draw the line on what you are willing to accept. Accept advise... okay... but not criticism and disapproval when I decide not to take your advise. STOP aggravating yourself trying to please someone that can't be pleased anyway, and for all practical purposes, will not be satisfied unless they continue to try to control your life. SHAKE IT OFF ! ... and stand up to not accepting it anymore! If they get the message, things will get better if you hold your ground. If they don't get the message... well... there's always the family gathering... Hi, how are you, ( I really don't care anyway) and your obligation is done! Be happy with WHO YOU ARE by YOUR standards, not someone Else's.

SO WHAT FIGURES? Well. I figure last person to read this is the person that needs it the most. I further conclude that if they do read it, they will think it applies to someone else, and if they do by some chance think it applies to them, will not be able to take the advise… so why do I waste my time… ya just never know… just might help them or perhaps someone else… so even given a remote possibility of helping someone, anyone… my efforts were not a waste of time!

PART TWO: Plain and simple... You have YOUR values, beliefs, and convictions... and I have MINE. If the two are the same at some point, we will have some common ground. If we have differences, and everyone does, I will respect yours, and you need to respect mine. Please don't try being the politician that simply wants to endlessly express their beliefs until I come to accept them... IT AIN'T HAPPENING! We can disagree, you get your supporting statement, I get mine, never the two will meet... move on! If I don't ask ( and I won't ) don't keep trying to convince me that what you believe is better.... Especially when it involves politics... neither party is worth a salt... neither can work with the other, and neither has the least bit of interest in the working guy other then to keep him merrily working his life away so he continues to support the system so that they can continue to practice their own greed and steal whatever they can... for as long as they can. That's American society as a whole. 

PART THREE:  Thanks goodness for good friends that accept you for who you are, don't force their values or beliefs on you, enjoy likes that you share with them, and don't let differences get in the way of being friends. Amen to that!

Well... maybe this hits a sore spot with some... and if it did... perhaps it needed to hit a spot to encourage a bit of reflection into ones self. Sometimes I just write about things that I just can not understand when the solution seems so simple. Sometimes it's in response to something I heard, read, or seem on Tv... now there's a wide open source for topics. Like the $1.3 million tax payer dollars they are spending to debate what the blood alcohol level of airplane pilots should be... DAH ... HOW ABOUT ZERO!!! ... and put that $1.3 million to a better use! What in the name of God is wrong with our political leaders, judges, and congress? and will it ever END? Guess Common Sense can not compete with hidden agendas and greed.

Those dreams… so what do they mean?

So what about those dreams… you know… the funny kinda weird ones. This time I was running to find something or someone. I was in a city, but no cars anywhere… everyone was on foot. So I’m running, running, and running all night. ( does this really count as exercise? … I feel tired ). So I’m a special Policeman of some sort ( so special I didn’t have a car obliviously ), trying to catch someone all night. The whole city was extremely crowded, people walking everywhere. As I ran through the crowds I held my radio out by my outstretched arm, facing forward, it was my siren too, so everyone got out of my way and made a path. Running, running, running. Somehow ended up in a zoo… but there were no cages… the animals were just out everywhere… and the animals started to talk to me… OMG… I could hear them and understand what they were saying. They were surprised too… a human that could hear them and understand them…. what a revelation. The monkeys, or maybe small gorillas seemed to know the information I wanted… come on… are you going to tell me or not? After kidding around for a while they finally told me the statue knew the way. So I asked the statue which way to go… the monkeys laughed hysterically… stupid human, statues can’t talk… he’s pointing the way… see! So on I went… just the way the statue was pointing… running, running, running… all night long ( should have burned at least 4000 calories by now)… radio siren clearing my way. Than I ran around the corner… and everyone was gone… no one was anywhere. On every corner was that same statue & the same monkeys. Monkeys laughing while the statue pointed the way… and the night went on… and on. Never found what I was looking for… and than I woke up. Wow! So does anyone know what this all means? Splain it to me Lucy!  So, wanta take a stab at it? Do it via email or Facebook. PS… if you see those monkeys… do yourself a favor… Do Not Listen to Them! 

Back in Time…

Do you want to play a game?

Guess where this is from…

think hard…

( just take a moment on each photo )

next clue…..

the sooner you get it, the more points you get…

another clue….

this should give it away…

( at least for the guys )

got it yet???

looking familiar…

a closer look…

this should surely do it…

1960’s ….

if you don’t know by now…

guess you were not that big a fan…

or you’re too young…

So they’re bring back

Hawaii Five – O

this fall on CBS…

if it’s anywhere as good as the original series

they’ll have a hit!

Disney and Reality… the Lines are Blurring.

Disney is all about Fantasy… make believe… Wishes & Dreams… and takes you to make believe places that excite all your senses… sight, sounds, smells, taste, and, even though not a sense… your imagination! Your Imagination and the feeling of euphoria that surrounds you and pushes you into sensory overload. Why do so many come to Disney to have this feeling… why do so many return time & time again to experience it all over again. After all it’s only make believe… right? Has the day to day life, and the world gotten so demanding that we all need an escape? ( yes we do! )… and has everyone always been excited about imagination… wishes… and dreaming (I hope so)… and the good news is… Disney can take us all there so easily. And, at what point does fantasy, as you experience it all over and over again, drift into your life and become part of your reality. If you are lucky, your imagination, wishes, and dreaming is part of your reality. It takes you to places outside your day to day life and give you a mini escape to another place… so at least in some part… dreaming and letting your imagination run free is part of your being and your reality. So when you go to Disney, the stage is set to let you freely go into a fantasy world of make believe, imagination, dreams and wishes. If you are one of the lucky ones that not only has the freedom to go there for extended visits… but also have the imagination and the freedom of spirit to let dreams and wishes turn into flights of fantasy as you experience all that Disney has to offer…wow… I guess you can count yourself fortunate.  When you get to live there and experience Disney anytime you want, for months on end, and have a feeling that your imagination is soaring you into magic and dreams and wishes… a euphoric escape… well… fantasy and make believe merge and become a bigger part of your reality. Both feet on the ground, but still emotionally flying high. 

[ And what really is reality… for most of us, the greater part of our life is working 40+ hours at a job, another 20+ hours at home, dealing with day to day stress and rationalizing  that we are all happy working hard for what we think is our happy life… supporting the house, the car, and the family… not to mention supporting our government and everyone that thinks that welfare is a career.  When & how did society convince us that all that work, worry, and stress was what we need to do to survive be happy… but that’s another topic to explore later. ]

So can too much imagination, dreaming, and fantasy become too much a part of your reality and well-being. I think, so long as you depart and land with both feet mentally & emotionally on the ground… Go for It! Enjoy it! … and have a imagination to take yourself to a fantasy make believe world as often as you like. Its a frame of mind, euphoric, emotionally stimulating, stress relieving, and the more time spent there, so much the better… you will no doubt feel better both emotionally & physically, and will probably live  longer more happy life… and what could be wrong with that? And you’ll always get your feet firmly back in reality when the park closes. A healthily reality is more or less a good perception of how we experience day to day life, perception is a frame of mind, and more or less a perception that includes a bit of magic and make believe, mixed with some flights of fantasy… well… I think I’ll make the choice to stick with my sometimes make believe world and escape to new places in my imagination sparked by Disney Magic. Oh look… there goes Mickey. Funny how we all pose with the Disney Characters as if they were real… you know it’s really not Cinderella… right? … but who wants to think like that! Anyway… the only one that’s positively real is Tinkerbell…. right? See… I knew it!  

Magic Kingdom Collage

Just a few of my favorite things….

Thirty plus photos all in one… Walt’s Train station, Main Street, Haunted Mansion, Tiki Room, Splash Mountain, Crystal Place, and many more… see anything you recognize? Lots of your favorite things. So how many do you see?

So if you like it… just click on “Cool” or “Interesting” at the bottom… Thanks 

A Day to Never Forget!

In everyone’s lifetime, there is always events that will be remembered forever. The longer you live, the more events you will experience. Most will be remembered for something that was incredibly horrible. Some tragedy that not only took lives, but did it such a incomprehensible way. For this generation, September 11th will always be one of those days. Regardless of your political beliefs, or religious beliefs, and however you might spin the reasons or causes for this attack on innocent lives, one fact is absolutely clear… this was an act by cowards that would rather wage war on helpless innocent civilians rather than on governments, it’s officials, or it’s military. All acts of war are started by Governments or religious factions for whatever political or military agenda they have, and other governments or their military are generally the targets. Cowards that attack civilians as the one and only primary target not only will never achieve their objective of having the people influence their government into a political decision favorable to the attackers , but will only enrage the civilian population to encourage and support their own governments political and military policies and retaliations against the attackers. Intimidation attacks may work on helpless people of a helpless government, neither applies to Americans. We have our own moral reasons not to like what our own government is doing or not doing (but that’s another entry)… no other group, especially cowards, is going to intimidate us to influence our government for their benefit… it could only have the reverse effect. Their efforts and cowardly acts are wasted on  us. History has shown that from the American revolution to Pearl Harbor to 911… Americans will stick together in an unwavering spirit to overcome all those that attack our freedom and prosperity. Tragedy is a rally call, and the more atrocious the tragedy, the more intense the call to rally. Remember 911 always. It was the most tragic cowardly act ever perpetrated on the American People, never to be forgotten, and in our hearts & souls, will never to be completely avenged, until the cowardly leaders and all their followers are judged, condemned, and paid the price in full for their acts. This is our resolve… just the opposite of what they hoped to achieve. Remember 911 today… moments of silence… by a strong American Spirit that can never be change by anyone for any reason.  Remember…

                        

Spooky Plans

Spooky Plans are finalized for a Not So Scary Halloween Party…

Beware of Hitch-Hiking Ghosts…

(another one of my photo collages)

Trick or Treat… I Think Not…

An Apple for you dearie?

Spooktacular Fun!

Going in with Friends

Tuesday October 26th

Halloween at it Finest!

Photo Collage of the week.

Another Fun with Photo’s Collage…

as in… these are a few of my favorite things….

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Breathtakingly beautiful Lodge surrounded by safari animals

that are right outside your window…

Here’s some photo’s from around the Lodge.

Some of my collages have a “Hidden Ricky”

yes… “Hidden Ricky”… not Mickey.

or sometimes they have friends somewhere in the collage…

hey, there’s Bob & Donna taking pictures of the animals.

 

 

Pyramid Power

Yep… there’s something to be said for pyramid power. Since I first saw it, I was drawn to it. Special and unique. Over the years I have been to Myrtle Beach several times… and one of my favorite places to visit is Hard Rock Cafe at Broadway at the Beach. The food is good, but the atmosphere and decor is great. Not so much for all the Hard Rock Music memorabilia, but for the Egyptian decor. Probably as close as I’ll ever get to Egypt and the real pyramids.

Have been to several Hard Rock Cafe’s…

but this one is my favorite one.

Still remember one special meal there…

My first visit to Myrtle beach with Shelly…

I got he “Heavy Metal” hot wings…

they came out steaming and sizzling like fajitas…

just the steam would take your breath away!

Hot, spicy, but very flavorful,

make our lips turn white…

bring tears to your eyes…

and tongue go numb…

best I ever had.

But don’t expect to ever get them there again…

they changed the recipe, or the cook,

never to be found again.

But it did create a unique memory!

and so does the the HRC Pyramid!

But there is another favorite place for Great Wings…

Cheeseburger in Paradise…

been in several, all good,

including the one in Myrtle Beach…

but my favorite one is near Destin, Florida.

Always great service and great food…

Especially the wings.

Ever notice how a lot of great memories center around food!

Just happens that way!

Don't smoke, don't drink, cut back on sugar & salt,

cut back on red meat,

cut back on fried foods,

cut back on cake, cookies, candy,

but I won't give up my wings!

Viva... Hot Wings!