Halloween was like any other day here, although we did see a few costumes.  I'm ready for Halloween to be over tho, since it's been Halloween for about 2 months already.  I did have some Food and Wine beers as I headed around the promenade after work.

As I was leaving work last night they were handing out mickey rice krispie treats - it was delicious and so cute!

Friday I went again to the Poly beach to watch Hallowishes, but this time I had company - Olivia from the boats wanted to come too.  We went into the Lassen Gallery after the fireworks, and we saw that one of their artists had been out painting, so cool!  If I were rich, I would have a whole room in my house devoted to this guy's Disney paintings.

Thursday I sat down to enjoy my dinner, and noticed the new pattern in the zen garden.

On Wednesday I was hanging with the mariachis after the violin lesson, and so I got lots of special attention when I stayed to watch them.

Tuesday I worked in American Gardens Theater at the Billy Ocean concert, and then headed to the Polynesian to watch Hallowishes.  James ripping out of his shirt, because there were no regular sizes left (I'm in a 2xS myself)

I also got my first Guest Service Fanatic card, for wheeling someone down to first aid.

Finale of Hallowishes with perimeter fireworks.

Monday I went to the Magic Kingdom after my class just to ride Small World, since it's newly reopened.

I could not believe how clean it looked.

Sunday Mom and Dad were still here, and we went to Epcot to enjoy Food and Wine.  I had the pork stuffed cabbage with Dad in Poland since it was sort of like sarma.

And Saturday I caught Night Ranger with them (woo hair metal) and then grabbed some food and wine fun on my way out.  The best drink I've ever had, along with a pretty delicious medianoche sandwich.

Today was a special day off to go to Mickey's Not So Scary with the parents and sister and her boyfriend.  It was super much fun to go again, and I got to do a few more things that I missed last time.  Hallowishes is my favorite thing ever now, and I'm going to try to watch it a few more times before it's over from the Poly beach, because it truly is spectacular.

Thursday I worked, but I finally took a picture of my new nametag - I got it a few days before.  Yay Spanish!  Gracias a Senora Atencio por todo.  "Todos me dicen el negro, llorona, negro pero carinoso..."

Wednesday was a work day until 1:30 in the am, but for lunch I had to go to the Portabello Yacht Club for the meatball bar.  I had heard the review on WDW Radio, and immediately had to try it.  It really was as good as they said, and as cheap, as I tried every one for $8, and I would have been fully satisfied with two or three.

Tuesday I was going to go to the class about Francis Ford Coppola's winery, but it was full, so instead I took the time to enjoy Kim Possible.  It really made me more aware of the details around me, and I plan on playing the rest of the missions.  I have so far completed the UK and France.

On Monday I had my second Traditions class, and I was nearly late - apparently the K bus has a new schedule, which since I never ride it I had no idea, and the bus got us to Chatham at about 2 minutes before class instead of 15 as expected.  The Australian chick on the bus with me and I ran from security, leaving us both out of breath, and her phone broken, my high heels in hand.  At least we made it on time.  This is our class activity, which I crapped up with my innovation - my archway was grabbed by Sebastian the crab.  Damn crabs, messing up everything.  We were far from winning anyway, one group's idea was significantly superior.

Then I headed straight over to Epcot to catch Expose, as it was the only show of theirs that I would be able to catch.  Another gorgeous sunset, this time over by the South African kiosk where I grabbed a small dinner.  I finally figured out how to capture the colors on the Kodak too - nighttime setting!

Definitely don't remember their music at all, although one of the singers looked super familiar.

Sunday Ace from upstairs wanted to go to Epcot to experience Food and Wine, and I told him I'd go with him before work.  He was just wonderfully astounded by being in the parks, and so it was a really fun day, to see things like they were new again.  Here he is with Chip and Dale.

We stopped to watch the Jammitors, who are for the moment the Jammin Chefs.

And we also got to see Rapunzel and her dude (what is his name?!?) over by the Millennium Village.  New hot character ahoy!

On Saturday, I got off work early enough to catch another Eat to the Beat concert.  Earlier in the day I had asked a few people on my boat who Howard Jones was, as I couldn't remember anything of his.  One of them played a song from his phone, and it sounded vaguely familiar in a generic 80s pop way.  Well, once I was at the concert I recognized nearly all of his songs, and there was one in particular that used to be a favorite of my sister's back in the late 80s, Everlasting Love.  Here he is rockin out the synth.

Today I had a great day at work, and it started before I even clocked in.  As I was walking to the International Gateway, I saw that Pochohontas had no one to talk to, so I ducked back into our cast area, took off my captain's shirt, and got this picture with her!

After meeting her, I totally think I could be friends with her.

Yesterday we received the White Glove Award for all of our crazy cleaning!  The apartment looks about 10 times better than it did when we moved in, so it was totally worth it.  Thusly, I had to have some of the chocolates in celebration...it's a good thing that I normally forget how much I like Ferrero Rocher, because they are amazing and I think we could have totally polished off the box last night.  As it is, the first layer is gone today.

On Wednesday night I worked from 4 to 1:30 am...it was a poorly scheduled 8 hour day, and so my lunch break started right before Illuminations.  I was too lazy to take off the costume, so I didn't have my camera with me, but I ended up chatting with a lovely couple.  Here's a shot from the night before instead.  Also, if you saw me that day, I was Olivia, and I went to school somewhere close to Pittsburgh.

Today I went to Cast Connection with Laura, and then cleaned for awhile, but then headed out to the parks to play a bit.  I started at MK, because it's easier to get home from Epcot, and also because MNSSHP was going to close the park to me at 7.  I caught several musical acts out

and realized that the lines were crazy short.  I worked my way around the park starting from Adventureland.  Me on Prince Charming's Carrousel.

After working my way through, I headed to Epcot at about 6:30.  I got to see lots of the sunset, and finally take pictures since I wasn't in costume this time.  This is the first time that I've actually thought that the stuff behind Spaceship Earth in front of the Fountain of Nations was pretty.

And this is my biggest surprise of the Food and Wine so far - the escargot was the best I have ever had, and I want to have it again.  Amazing, perfect really.

And of course I watched Illuminations again.  I finally got a good picture of the lasers.

Monday is basically a day off, but I now have my class.  It was a lot of fun, and I'm excited about it.  I'm particularly excited about the days we're in the parks, mostly because we get to dress like regular guests and I won't have to do the Disney Look crap on my day off. Anywho, after class I basically went straight to Epcot to catch today's performers, Air Supply.  Didn't know what I'd remember, but again a great show and I knew a lot of their songs.  The lead singer was a super showman, in the greatest 80s sensibility.

On Sunday I was out with new work friend Joey - he is a terrible influence, so here's where we ended up at the end of the night.  My first pizza all summer.  Delicious, but totally not worth it when I gained two pounds back.

On Saturday I headed out straight after work to catch the Eat to the Beat concert, which was Taylor Hicks that night.  I bought some Japanese ribettes on my way and was intent on not spilling the teriyaki sauce all over myself, so I nearly missed my roommates coming the other way.  They had also come to see the concert and were going for a beer, so we grabbed that just in time to get great seats to the concert.

Taylor Hicks, who did all covers and one military song that was a total bummer, which also included the flute player doing Dixieland as an ending.  I don't think that people realize that it's a distinctly unpatriotic song.  However, his voice was great and it was a good performance, so so far only disappointment was Sugar Ray, which is too bad.

And then, since we were there, we watched Illuminations before heading home.

Friday I tried a few new things at Food and Wine, but it was on my lunch break when I also jetted to see Sugar Ray, so I forgot my camera.  I'm going to take pictures of them later.

So you might think to yourself "why post a picture of a sunhat?"  First off, why not?  It's an authentic costume piece from Disney's Hollywood Studios.  Secondly, this hat has a funny story from my roommate to go along with it that I just heard, and had to come down to the learning center to get on the interwebs.  Avery was washing dishes (ew) about 3 weeks ago, and her hat fell off in the dirty dishwater.  Double ew.  She was not about to put it back on her head like that, so she hung it up to hopefully dry out as she finished her shift.  Of course you know where this story goes, she forgets it at the end of a long night and leaves it behind.  She realizes the next day and tries to find it, to no avail.  She's been looking for it ever since, knowing that Disney is about to charge her to replace it, and getting constant reminders that it's still missing.  No one has turned it in, it's just gone.  Tonight as she gets off work her manager calls her over and rather than being in trouble, as she first guessed, her manager has a funny story for her.  Turns out the hat was "found" on the roof of the produce cart.  Someone finally turned it in after finding it on top of a building.  Yay!  Hat found, crisis averted.  Of course the question now being...who thought it was funny to put a sunhat on top of the produce shop?  And did they finally tire of the joke, or did someone else find it?  A mystery indeed.

Yesterday I spent some time at the pool, after going to see Easy A with my roommate (a great film, btw) before heading into work.  The plus side of those 1:30 am closings is that you don't start until the evening.  I got to swim, and then enjoy the sunshine while I finally finished The Shining.  I'm glad I picked it up, I'm finally enjoying Stephen King because of it.  Anywho, the flowers are in bloom here, and I saw these pretty little white ones all over on my way back to the apartment.  There's also hibiscus and lots of other blooms out, although it is starting to get chilly at night on the boats.

And on Tuesday I had a lesson with the mariachi which contained a real breakthrough for him, so I feel like I'm actually helping, which is good.  I spent the day waiting for that and cleaning, and then after my roommates were going to the Alehouse, so I wasn't able to get to a park like I had planned.  So instead, on my way home, I stopped at Downtown Disney.  It was a little cold (I know, I know!) to be walking around much, so I spent some time in WOD looking at Halloween stuff.  I found some cute things I hadn't seen elsewhere (I haven't honestly been shopping much, waiting for the significant discount later) and I really appreciated the displays!

So today was my Saturday, and the first part was a wash of laundry, cleaning, repairmen and trying to get out the door.  Once I made it to Epcot tho, I went into the Wonders of Life Pavilion and explored until my coworker Davy called.  We rode Mission Space, which he used to work, so that was a lot of fun.  Then we rode Spaceship Earth with the narration in Japanese, and we got a better animation not understanding the questions.  Then we saw Captain EO before heading out to the American Gardens Theater to catch Kool and the Gang.  The Kodak pavilion looked amazing on the way.

Again, I didn't realize how many of their songs I actually knew, and they put on an awesome show.

We caught both their 6:30 and 7:45 show, and then stuck around for Illuminations.

Yesterday, I met with Laura and Tony for some Food and Wine time before I had to work at 6.  I got to really slow down and enjoy it with them.

Saturday was a fun day as well.  I met with Lou Mongello from WDW Radio at his Meet of the Month - I have wanted to do this for a long time, ever since I won the prize package from him for his Adventureland contest.

It did make for a long day tho, as I was there at about 10am, and didn't start work until 1:45.  Then after I got done I speed walked to the American Gardens Theater to catch Taylor Dayne, since it was the only show I wasn't working during.  She was great, but my pictures didn't turn out terribly well (I walked in just before the concert started, so I was pretty far back) so instead here's a picture from Illuminations, which I watched from the Odyssey.  I had a nice view of the pyro barge, I think.

Then Friday was the first official day of Food and Wine, so a few of my roommates wanted to go.  We spent most of our time in the Welcome Center, which I was super psyched about, since it was in the old Wonders of Life pavilion, and I haven't been in there in years.

We saw Keegan from Food Network Challenge - he was about to give a presentation with his wife.  Apparently they're from Colorado, which I didn't know, so people back home should go try D-bar desserts in Denver.

Then I boogied out to make it to work on time, stopping to get my first real food, the sea scallops at New Zealand.  I've had many other selections now, but New Zealand is still the winner in my book, at least of the relatively-healthy entrees.

Yum!