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!