December

Since I blog so often, I'll just title these by the month now. ha. It's been a crazy month! Started with a terrific trip to Disney with my parents and niece along for the ride. We stayed for the first time at our new Disney Vacation Club property - Saratoga Springs. Much bigger accomodations than the normal rooms you get elsewhere. We're going to enjoy that little investment, I believe. Main thing I came back with from that is it's a lot more fun when others are making decisions. But I'm ok with leading the troops there. Looking forward to going back for a couple of nights in May with the Duncans.

Then, I had to get prepared for a trip to London with a team from work. It was a one day meeting we put on over there but we were lucky to get there a day early so we could do some sightseeing. It'd been 16 years since I'd been there on campaigns out of Harding so it was neat to see it again, with a bit more money in my pocket this time. A great trip, both adventure-wise and then business-wise. Bad thing is I missed Emmy's Christmas program and her leading a prayer at the little party afterwards. Heather's pretty good at taking care of them when I'm gone...thankfully.

Christmas is history. Now for 2009. I turn 39 in March. Yikes! Time is flying. Looking forward to a prosperous, healthy and happy new year. Need to work on healthier.....

Cheers!

thanksgiving

It's been a while. What keeps me busy is what blesses me most. Heather and I both like to stay inside. We're not the type that always needs to be around other people..doing things. We have to make ourselves get together with friends sometimes. But as it gets colder, and now with two little ones running around the house, cabin fever can start to set in. The next 2 months will be eventful. Thanksgiving in Missouri, the next week at Disneyworld, back in a week, then off to London for a 3 night 4 day work thing. Then, back a week and Christmas.

I'm fortunate to have a job. I think the next year will be a difficult one for many people. I'm very thankful to God about how things have worked out career-wise. I shake my head wondering how a guy who couldn't pass the CPA exam ended up selling services to fortune 1000 companies and getting to go to London. I believe you make your own luck, but life is full of it..both good and bad.

Always remember...there's something around the next corner. Don't necessarily plan for it, but be prepared for it, by accepting it as the next phase in this crazy thing called life. And when I don't feel like I'm doing anything to promote my God and savior to others, I look at the sweet faces of Emmy and Eli (especially when they're asleep) and realize I'm doing something for God with the two of them. Love em dearly. Can't get enough of them. And yeah, I get a big kick out of my son looking just like me.

Ramblings for the day. I'll post about our trip to Florida. I'm praying for good weather and health, for those going and those not.

Have a blessed week...

sidetrack

Enjoyed church this morning, more than I seem to have in a while, which I'd like to say is due to getting 2 kids ready to go in the morning and dealing with the grind. But that would be what we call an excuse, now wouldn't it? My buddy Phillip led worship and included an oldie "His Grace Reaches Me." Don't know the last time I sang that but my mood lifted the instant I saw it on the program. Love the new praise songs but an oldie every now and then seems to lift my old soul.

My sister also recently mentioned the difference between a winter christian and a summer one. I know which category I fall in. That's been on my mind a lot lately too. And, one of the stories in the lesson this morning was about Peter walking on water. I thought it even before Tim mentioned it in the sermon. We concentrate on the fact that Peter's faith began to waiver, therefore he sank. But what was he thinking stepping off a boat in the first place! What trust. Wish I had that kind of trust.

It was a good day today. We got a new used golf cart and Emmy just loves riding around in it. She was good today about taking a nap so we took her out for dinner and ice cream. I'm creating a monster on the ice cream front I'm afraid. We also had a wonderful night last night with the neighbors in a little block party. We do love where we live. If we could only find a yard.....

One last thing..back to Disney. We're a little over a month away from our December trip with my parents and my niece Madison. We can't wait. We also recently made our reservations for a trip in May with the Duncans. That will be a blast...2 of the days will be at Vero Beach, then over to Orlando for 2 nights at the Boardwalk Villas and a day at the park.

Life is good...as long as I don't check my 401K! That will come around too.

And yes, mom...Grandpa was a democrat. But he was an old democrat. Not sure if he'd be one today.

Just so you know...

Walt Disney was a Republican.

Walt and dogs

As a follow up to yesterday's post on Arthur, I did want to make mention that Walt loved dogs as well. There are many stories that evidence this fact, none more interesting than when he bought his wife Lillian a chow one Christmas and had her in a box with a ribbon around it. Yes, just like the scene in Lady and the Tramp, which he resurrected to commemorate that moment. You had Pluto and his traditional non-speaking role and Goofy, who for some reason, got a voice....but is still a dog. Haven't come across the reason for that really, other than the fact that Pluto is Mickey's dog and was first to make an appearance and is therefore a secondary character. Goofy was a primary character so I guess they needed to give him a speaking role. Pluto got the short end of that thrown stick!

You see dogs all throughout Disney movies, from Lady and the Tramp, to the Shaggy DA, The Fox and the Hound, Old Yeller (we're feeling that one right now), 101 Dalmations. Can you think of any others??

Peace to all
Scott

Arthur

A very heavy heart while I write this. Arthur was Heather's dog when I met her and he came with the package deal. He had seen her through some rough times so I knew I was getting both of them. Over the years though, I became to think of his as mine as much as Heather did. We kind of had a shtick in our household and I was the one that always acted like...why do we have a dog? But, I'm confessing today. It was all an act. I loved that dog and have tears in my eyes right now thinking about it. I miss him. Yes, part of it is from seeing the love of my life hurting....but it's more selfish than that, to be honest. He was a wonderful dog, always ready for love and scratches, very obedient, was great with our kids and was always so happy to see us. Yeah, he shed and was at your feet while you ate, but that's what dogs do and I'd give anything to clean up that hair and see him at my feet. I was out of town yesterday when he took a turn and didn't get to say goodbye. I'm so glad Heather had the special time with him before she took him in. She was very brave and I'm so proud of her.

We're dealing with quietness and reminders today. I've already noticed an emptiness. Too quiet. We lost a part of the history of Heather and Scott.

Emily says Arthur's in heaven, and we know he is, but I think she thinks it's only a temporary visit, which is fine. I'm glad she knew him. And I look forward to telling her and Eli about this wonderful dog that I got as a bonus.

Arthur, I would take back all the times I scolded you if I could. I know you loved me...hope you know I loved you too.

Pleasure Island

A couple of things going on at the World to discuss. The second will follow in another post. You may have heard that Pleasure Island is closing the dance clubs. There were reasons they were put there in the first place (economic) and there are reasons they're being removed (economic). What you probably don't know is that Pleasure Island was conceived and opened on 1987 and replaced the Disney Marketplace that was there since opening day in 1971. It even had a backstory that since has been almost completely lost. Yes, Merriweather Adam Pleasure, also known as the "Funmeister", used to own the land and made several different products in buildings on the land. He was then lost at sea on one of his adventures and his two sons took over and through mismanagement and the typical things that sons do when things are handed to them, it went into decay. It was then wiped off the map during Hurricane Connie, in the 50's....the same hurricane that created Typhoon Lagoon. Yes, backstories all must tie in. Disney discovered the remains and brought the compound back..only what was originally built was then transformed into eateries and such that lost the backstory. By the way, I get this stuff from a guy that knows way too much about Disney, Wade Sampson, over on Mouseplanet.com. Anyway, new stores and restaurants will be going in..more money to be made. I'm glad I own that one share of Disney stock.

Plans are in place for our trip in December. Plane and park tickets bought, dinner reservations made. Looking forward to the first DVC trip.

love up

June 12th!

Mom, since you're the only person reading this anymore....

Zippadeedoodah, Zippadeeay,
Today's my mother's birthday
Plenty of sunshine's headin' your way
Zippadeedoodah, Zippadeeay

You're the best mom on the planet,
It's the truth, it's actual, everything is satisfactual

Zippadeedoodah, Zippadeeay,
Wonderful feeling..wonderful day!!

Happy Birthday, Mom.

epiphany?

I may have had one today driving home from work. There was a commercial on and a song played in the background that sounded like music that's background for one of the events that Disney puts on. You know..pulls at the heart-string and gets stuck in your head. The American pavilion has one of those in it's show - "America, spread your golden wings..." And it hit me.

I'm not a guy you can pigeonhole. I like numbers but do well managing people, giving sales presentations, thinking strategically. At work I get to all of those things right now so feel very fulfilled. I'm also not right-brained or left-brained..I'm kind of middle-brained. I like the typical "guy stuff", like sports, working in the yard, playing poker with the boys. But, I like watching HGTV with my wife, doing chores around the house, shopping, reading books in funny voices to my little girl. So, how does that relate to Disney? Well, are there many guys out there that are true red-blooded men who would admit they like Disney like I do? I must be a little light in the loafers??? Nope...not it.

I love history...love it. I love nostalgia. I've said on this post I'm an old soul and was born in the wrong decade - frontier land, liberty square. I yearn for a simpler time, slowing things down, sitting on the front porch talking politics, listening to a ballgame on the radio - main street. By the way, I love baseball on tv, but if you have a chance to listen to a good baseball broadcaster, do it. I loved growing up to Jack Buck and the Cardinals. Ok, I digress. I love the future too and the prospects it holds - Tomorrowland. I'm fascinated by science - Epcot. I love parades and love music, all kinds. I love traveling and you can kind of get a bit of that at Epcot. I love Walt's story..someone who made it on their own. Nothing was given to him. I love kids and the parks are full of them - fantasyland. I love watching their faces and just trying to feel what they're feeling while there. I could go on and on.

This post is for those of you who have thought Scott was losing any of his love for things Disney. I haven't. I'm just a lazy blogger. And for those of you who might thing the DVC is a bad investment...well, keep searching for those deals out there. In 10 years, you won't get the deal I have. That one's for you, Duncans.

Parades

I have to admit that I love a parade. I think part of it is because parades are pure Americana to me. The Colonials were having parades down the streets during the fight for independence and we've been having them ever since. We may not have invented them, but a good parade can be a blast (pause here to chuckle at the thought of Shriners throwing candy, which they can't even do anymore).

Comcast OnDemand has a Disney section...yes, they do. And my wife found it. I didn't. I watched a piece on there the other night that showed what all goes into a Disney parade and I got a new appreciation for what they do. Obviously, for it to be Disney, it has to be almost perfect and those cast members in them are not paid much...AND they have to wear these costumes in Florida and California heat. I'm a sweater...come from a long line of sweaters...wouldn't make it as a parade person.

If you have On-Demand, check it out. It's under an obscure section called "searchlight", then "travel & leisure", then Disney/Making the Magic. You follow this poor guy trying to make it as a parade cast member and see what it takes to put one of these together. Maybe you'll have a new appreciation next time you see one at Disney.

Love up...2 posts in 2 days...I'm on a roll baby

Welll...

what do you know. HE LIVES!!

Ok, lots has happened since I last posted. George Bush became President, we moved from horse drawn carriages to cars....ok, not that long.

Here's what's going on in MillerDisneyville. We are now Disney Vacation Club members. I think it scares my wife to death. I think she thinks we'll only be visiting the parks for the rest of our lives. She's mistaken but I guess I'll need to prove that to her. Our first trip is the week after Thanksgiving with my parents. One of the reasons we did this is so we can take people and I can be a "guide"...if they want me to be of course.

The last of the Nine Old Men, Ollie Johnson, died. The Nine Old Men were Walt's main animators during the Disney golden years and basically wrote the book on animation AND did a lot to help create Disneyland for Walt. Marc Davis, another of the group, was instrumental as an imagineer in putting together many of the rides and such. So, that's a sad chapter to end for Disney historians. Kind of the last link to Walt and those magical times.

Life is good. Starting to travel again which isn't the best but I'm racking up some good travel rewards. We're using 2 free flights for the Disney trip and I have 140,000 Marriott points. Have no idea when I'll get to use those. Maybe find a nice Marriott by a beach somewhere...don't tell my wife.

Love up everyone!

My new, little Mouseketeer

Eli Scott has arrived. He showed up on Wednesday morning, March 19 at 7:55 am and weighed 9 lbs 8 oz. and was 21 inches long. My little mouseketeer. Heather has called him "Brother Bear" (because he does have a bit (ok, a lot) of dark baby fur and a head full of black hair) trying to keep the Disney thing going. It's a fun time at the house these days. We're dealing with sleep deprivation but it's definitely worth it. We were driving around yesterday and today with all 4 of us in the car and I thought how cool it was to have a full family in the minivan. I'm a lucky man. A great wife who's a wonderful mom, a great little girl who's so excited to be a big sister and now a son who I can teach how to fish and hit a baseball...not that Emmy won't want to learn that too. I see many Disney trips in the future. Maybe Disney will ask us to model for them. They always show a family with a girl and a boy and they build the rooms for a family of four.

**Now for a shout out to you C-section moms... As the nurses were working on Eli after he was born, I stole a look over at the table where they were working on Heather. I saw a lot of stuff; stuff that had to be put back in. I didn't get queasy, but I do have a new appreciation for recovery and for Percoset.

Also, a thanks out to Mom and Dad for their help..and for my 80+ old Grandma for mopping our floors.

back to posting a bit more often now that I have some new experiences to share...

101 dalmations, over 6 million spots

We bought 101 Dalmations this week and watched it tonight with Emmy. She likes Lucky the best because we bought her a little stuffed dalmation at the Disney store and I told her that was his name. It was fun watching it with her.

Did you know Walt didn't like this movie, from a stylistic standpoint. He loved the story by Dodie Smith but didn't like the look of the story and was pretty vocal about it. I think more than anything he was bemoaning the passing of an era. Up to then, and most recently Sleeping Beauty in 1959, each animated cell was hand painted. This created the vibrant, smooth lines you see in all of the Disney classics until then. This process was labor intensive and expensive. Ub Iwerks, Walt's earliest collaborator and animator of the original Mickey Mouse, came up with a technique using Xerox to copy cells onto each other and add color without painting in by hand. Much cheaper, but put many cell painters out of a job and drastically changed the look of animation. You'll see it if you compare 101 to, say, Cinderella. All animated movies from that point forward utilized this Xerox technique, until Pixar came along. It was the end of an era and I think Walt realized it.

101 is a very contemporary, stylish piece. If you buy it, be sure and check out the second disc that details much of what I've said here and really gives a lot of credit to Milt Kahl, Marc Davis, and Ken Anderson...Disney legends of animation.

There's a lot of snow in 101, and there's a lot of snow coming down outside. It's MARCH, for goodness sakes! Maybe we'll animate a snowman tomorrow.

Dad Part II

I'm getting excited about having a son. We're due in just a couple of weeks and we've been working on the nursery. No, nothing Disney. Lots of Baseball stuff though. St. Louis Cardinals baseball is another love of mine, along with history. So, we're combining those 2 things with a bit of a vintage baseball theme going. If anyone has "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" sung in lullaby, let me know. My dad coached me in baseball when I was little and those are some of the best, most vivid memories I have of my childhood. I can't wait to do that with my son...and my daughter, for that matter. My daughter has my heart. My son will have my name and I know I'll relive my childhood through him. I've been told watching him will awaken long-forgotten memories. That will be cool. Can't wait to see you Eli!

By the way, first trip to Disneyworld was when I was 14, in 1984 with my family. I remember it well...I remember how hot it was (middle of the summer). That was a great vacation..didn't have many that long or expensive. I'm not sure how mom and dad paid for that. Do you think my kids will be there a few times before they're 14? Emmy's already been 3 times and she just turned 3!

Have a good one everybody!

what's next

just fyi...we've put in a bid for a resale Disney Vacation Club "property". It's not real property as this is Disney's version of the timeshare but there are good deals out there as the economy pushes folks into financial issues and they want to sell their interest. Also, Disney is not buying these back as much now as they have their own to sell. We plan on taking family and friends over the years so be nice to us!! Other than owning stock, it's the only way to "own" part of the magic....

anything in particular anyone wants to know about? It's been awhile since I posted, I know.

Pinocchio

February 7, 1940..what, 68 years ago tomorrow, Pinocchio opened at the Roxy Theatre. Walt and his animators, not to mention animators and critics since, consider Pinocchio Walt's best picture from a technical aspect. It's detail and first feature use of the multi-plane camera gave the picture more vividness and depth than any disney feature before or since. Based off an old Italian story, Pinocchio had to "grow" into the picture it became. Did you know in the original story, Jiminy Cricket is a background character that ends getting squished by Pinocchio? So Walt came up with the idea of him being Pinocchio's conscience. Walt was keenly aware of needing the audience to gain sympathy for the main character and by using Jiminy, you could see and hear the battle going on over right and wrong in Pinocchio's little wooden head.

There are interesting side stories about how they came up with Jiminy's look and name...for another time (thank you Ward Kimball, one of the famed "Nine Old Men"). You may wonder why I'm focusing on the cricket. Well, at Disneyland's animation building down in the "Sorcerer's Workshop", you can take a test to see which Disney character you most resemble. Yep, mine was Jiminy. Maybe Heather will share hers in a response. Can anyone guess?

Pinocchio didn't really make money for Disney until it was re-released years later. You see, much of Snow White's revenue was made in Europe. Well, in late 1940, there was a bit of a disruption going on in Europe, so Pinocchio didn't make it over there. Maybe Hitler should have seen the picture. Maybe it would have awakened his inner Jiminy Cricket.

And yes, Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney comes from Pinocchio. I'm waiting for this one on dvd by the way.....

Epcot

MAD...know you don't like Epcot, and I'm not so sure that Walt wouldn't be right there with you. We'll never know, I guess.

Walt had pushed the envelope of modern culture several times in his career and after the success of Disneyland, Walt had a crazy idea. What if he could create a model city where everything was intertwined perfectly...residential, retail, commercial? It would look like a hub with monorails running back and forth to the city center. It would be clean. It would stretch the mindset of how city planners thought cities should look. It would be the highlight at the new property in Florida. Walt had visions of Epcot while laying in the hospital close to death.

After his death, there was a pause in the Florida project, but Roy soon picked it up and pledged to finish WDW (which he did). Epcot, however was a problem. The Disney Imagineers just couldn't see Walt's vision and couldn't justify it economically. See, Walt didn't worry about economics much. He could make things work by sheer force of will. Now, who knows if Walt would have had to back off his plans. It would have been a first. We'll never know, but what Epcot DID become is still a point of controversy. It does have the World Showcase, which was discussed as part of another project, and does incorporate the "World's Fair" look that Walt loved so much. And, it involves rides and showcases of technology, but that feels a bit too much like big advertisements if you ask me. They've tried to revive it with a couple of high thrill rides, but it does have to grow on you. As a kid, I hated the World Showcase, but now find it one of the best things about Disneyworld. Dining there is pretty cool.

Epcot, the Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow...a name that doesn't fit what the park actually is.

The Palm Tree

Another story behind the story...

Disneyland was built on an orange grove (Orange county, CA, get it?). Some questioned "Why is he building this way out here? It takes half an hour to get here from the city". But Walt knew that being close to Interstate 5 and between LA and San Diego, development would come his way. His only mistake was not buying more land, even though he really couldn't...he was over-extended as it was.

Anyway, the Dominguez family that owned 10 acres of the orange grove land had 2 requests when they sold to Walt. Their son, Ron, needed a job and there was a palm tree that they requested stay put. Many had been wed under that tree and it was very special to them. Walt honored both requests.

Ron Dominguez started working in 1955 as a ticket taker and retired in 1994 as an executive at the park. His name is on a window on main street. By the way, those names up there are all Disney legends, which you can find listed if you google "disney legends".

That palm tree, just outside where the Dominguez home once stood (just outside of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride), is...yes, still there. I saw it last time I visited. It's a majestic palm tree located just outside the Indiana Jones ride and Tarzan's Treehouse in Adventureland. If you're ever there, ask a cast member where the Dominguez palm tree is. Then, go take a picture under it and tell people something they probably don't know.

The lull

Oh, it's been awhile..don't know if anyone's still out there but yeah, the Oswald story was probably getting a little old. Just haven't been that inspired, I guess. I'm looking for inspiration in a bottle..anyone have any? We're excited about the little one on the way. Many have asked if he's being named after Walt. No, he's not. True, Walt's middle name was Elias and true, Walt's father was Elias, but that's not the reason. We like the name Eli and are following a weird tradition by naming our child something we'll only call them when we're upset with them. Emmy knows it when I say "Emily....."

We're thinking about the Disney Vacation Club someday. There's been talk there but we figure it best to wait until next year before getting serious. We will be taking a trip after Thanksgiving with my parents and staying at the Polynesian resort. Love the Polynesian but haven't stayed there. It's close in case we need to bring the little guy back to the room. Emmy will almost be 4...perfect, if you ask me.

Last thing...I have one share of Disney stock, a gift from my wife a few years ago. The certificate is framed in my office at work. The cool thing is being a shareholder (of one share mind you), I get Disney's annual report, which is pretty cool. It's coming soon...waiting for it in the mail!

Disney quote: "You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyways."