May 12, 2007 -- Taking the Magic to the Mediterranean -- 14 day Repo Cruise!

[tig82174]

I'd like to know about the GSF too?????

We're arriving 5/8/07 staying at the all star movie - I was 2 points short to stay at OKW, so we decided to save our points for the following December. We'd like to see WDW for the Christmas decorations and festivities

No word yet on the GSF....maybe it's a secret society and if they tell us they have to kill us....so maybe I'd rather not know...at least not until after May *wink*

And yeah, despite all the plans coming up I'm already thinking about future use for DVC points and when we want to travel. We'd like to see the Xmas season stuff, too. So we'll probably try to manage at least a short trip in a December upcoming (although definitely not Dec. 2006). We have also never seen the California parks...so we plan to come over there and do them sometime in the near future, too. I was just reading online today that the first weekend in October are Pride days at the DisneyLand parks...so maybe we'll do that next year or the year after. We never go to the Pride days in Florida because they're the first weekend in June....and in general I think I'd rather be tortured than be at DisneyWorld in June (due to crowds, heat, etc. etc.)!! My other big goal is to do all the Disney parks worldwide. I hear great things about the the DisneySea park in Tokyo! Plus my brother and his wife are moving to Europe (Germany) in the spring so I promised them that sometime during their 3 year tour there we would come over and do EuroDisney with them.

 

[milestogo]

Hey Erik, I'll ask around and see if anyone I know has been to DL for pride days, see if I can find out anything about it since it was just a couple of weeks ago. Since you said so many nice things about the Wonder, we thought we'd take your advice and go to OKW for a week and then the 4 night in 12/07 while we are in the year of our annual passes. We probably won't buy annual passes too often at WDW since we buy them here. Although I don't know since listening to all you WDW people we've got the Orlando bug! We're really counting on a boat coming here and spending our points on it. Wishful dreams

 

[BobandLee]

OK....I'll be the "newbie" and ask....what, pray tell, is a Grass Skirt Fraternity?

O.k., you asked for it.....

 

[tig82174]

O.k., you asked for it.....

AAAAH....it's all so clear now

 

[milestogo]

That's a riot! Can't wait to see it in real life!! Do we bring our own skirts?

 

[BobandLee]

That's a riot! Can't wait to see it in real life!! Do we bring our own skirts?

Yeah, leis were provided the last time, but you do need your own skirt.

We had a great time with it.

 

[ssnyder]

I mentioned a few weeks ago about our company downsizing. I've decided that I don't want to remain with a company that is cutting back as far as they are planning to do. I also realized that I was delaying getting my resume out because I really wasn't that happy with what I was doing currently.

So.... After a lot of researching and soul searching, I decided to try for something that I really enjoy doing as a new career - traveling. I have been accepted into the program at ITMI (International Tour Management Institute). At the end of the program, I will graduate as a "Tour Director". This is the only program in the United States that trains tour directors. I am so excited. This is a two week intensive training program where they provide placement assistance after you have finished. They are doing a training program in LA (Hollywood area) during the first part of February and I am enrolled in it (most of the time they train in San Francisco). February is about the time I expect the transitioning period to end at my current company and I'm hoping they will offer me the severence package, especially if I agree to stay to help with the transitioning (I sort of have a key role in the IT department as I'm the only Oracle DBA and Unix systems administrator there).

At this time, I'm hoping that nothing will hinder our being on the May cruise. This partially depends on Curt's job positioning at the time. Keep your fingers crossed.

 

[tig82174]

I mentioned a few weeks ago about our company downsizing. I've decided that I don't want to remain with a company that is cutting back as far as they are planning to do. I also realized that I was delaying getting my resume out because I really wasn't that happy with what I was doing currently.

So.... After a lot of researching and soul searching, I decided to try for something that I really enjoy doing as a new career - traveling. I have been accepted into the program at ITMI (International Tour Management Institute). At the end of the program, I will graduate as a "Tour Director". This is the only program in the United States that trains tour directors. I am so excited. This is a two week intensive training program where they provide placement assistance after you have finished. They are doing a training program in LA (Hollywood area) during the first part of February and I am enrolled in it (most of the time they train in San Francisco). February is about the time I expect the transitioning period to end at my current company and I'm hoping they will offer me the severence package, especially if I agree to stay to help with the transitioning (I sort of have a key role in the IT department as I'm the only Oracle DBA and Unix systems administrator there).

At this time, I'm hoping that nothing will hinder our being on the May cruise. This partially depends on Curt's job positioning at the time. Keep your fingers crossed.

Well congrats on the major shift....that takes a TON of courage...but it sounds like it's a good change for you!

From the sounds of it, it seems maybe you and my DP, Jason, have something in common. He's a software engineer and works in development and support for a small company here that writes software used by companies that operate in "foreign trade zones" (truthfully I have NO idea what any of that means...LOL ....I'm SUCH a Public Health person that all that technical computer mumbo jumbo makes my eyes glaze over! ) and his company's primary platform is Oracle (so he has Oracle T-Shirts and hats and stuff...and at one point even taught a community college course on Oracle) but I know that he does something with Unix, as well, because there are books in our house called "Unix Systems".........so sounds like the two of you "speak the same language" a bit!

 

[ssnyder]

so sounds like the two of you "speak the same language" a bit!

I do "geek" pretty well. It sounds like Jason is more on the development side than on the systems side. Curt also does software development (and speaks Oracle and Unix), so the two of them should get along pretty well.

 

[milestogo]

Here's what I know about Oracle. It's a pretty building across from the hotel I stay at in Belmont, CA and one of my best friends was a VP there several years ago.


But Susie, My goodness that is a really excited move. I think it is so incredibly important to do what you love in life. And if you can make a living at it at the same time that's just a bonus. When the reward is intrinsic as well as extrinsic you've got the whole package.

My sister has been on several group tours and was interested in doing that job, but decided she didn't have it in her. She needs too much sleep.

 

[mom_rules]

Been away for a couple of weeks-just got back and catching up!

Congrats on the big jump firstly.

Plus I need to know about this grass skirt thing-tell me more please.

 

[Scott H]

From page 1 post five of the Sept 11 night cruise, Actually Bob and I did this on the Panama Canal Crusie, and the rest is history…..

Walk into the shrink wherever you are, wearing a grass skirt, just walk in, say, "Shrink, . . . this is what I am wearing to the Sept 17, sail-away party and tropical night on DCL", and walk out.

You know, if one person, just one person, shows up wearing a grass skirt, they may think he's really sick.

And if two people do it, they may think they just like each other.

And if three people do it! Can you imagine three people wearing grass skirts to the Sept 17 sail-away party and tropical night on DCL. They may think it's an organization!

And can you imagine fifty people I said FIFTY people wearing grass skirts to the Sept 17 sail-away party and tropical night on DCL, Friends, they may think it's a MOVEMENT, and that's what it is: THE GRASS SKIRT FRATERNITY MOVEMENT! . . . and all you gotta do to join is wear a grass skirt to the Sept 17 sail-away party and tropical night on DCL, .........With feelin'.

OK so I had a flash back, so here is the trivia question for you old boomers, from where did I get inspired for this banter to come from?

Lynn you can’t answer... Hint - A performer at the Flower Power Concerts at EPCOT.


Thanks for posting the photo Bob, and so it grows..... LOL

 

[ssnyder]

OK so I had a flash back, so here is the trivia question for you old boomers, from where did I get inspired for this banter to come from?

And they all moved away from him on the group W bench!

Arlo Guthrie - Alice's Restaurant.

 

[Scott H]

Yep, you also dated yourself but that is a good thing.

 

[milestogo]

What kind of future (almost) shrink am I if I think it's a healthy expression?

 

[ssnyder]

Yep, you also dated yourself but that is a good thing.

And when I met Curt, he was driving a VW minibus. Funny thing is that was only 16 years ago.

 

[EpcotKilterFan]

I got tagged!!!!

Thank you Tag Fairy!!!

I was in East Lansing Michigan at a conference the past few days. It poured rain there and at home. Came home to 5-7 inches of water in the basement!

But it could have been much worse.. this was rainwater.

Have a few pages to catch up on!

ScottH - I read on the other thread that you got a TREO! I have a Treo 650. Not sure what I would do without it. If you need any tips let me know, I have had mine since February.

Bob - Nice pic of the GSF! Gotta love them!

Susie- Good luck on that move! It really takes courage to take that step.

Hope all is well with everyone!

Debbie

 

[CSNYDER]

And when I met Curt, he was driving a VW minibus. Funny thing is that was only 16 years ago.

It was somewhat UNaffectionately known as the "VW Beast". When Susie and I met, it was as part of a computer society (think uber-geek). We did a take-off on Alice's restaurant that involved an e-mail packet being found at the bottom of a core dump. If you don't understand any of that, then I recommend JAJ (Just Ask Jason).

 

[ssnyder]

It was somewhat UNaffectionately known as the "VW Beast". When Susie and I met, it was as part of a computer society (think uber-geek). We did a take-off on Alice's restaurant that involved an e-mail packet being found at the bottom of a core dump. If you don't understand any of that, then I recommend JAJ (Just Ask Jason).

Was that the same conference where a group of us borrowed your VW van to pick up a keg of guinness, tried to tap it in the back of van, and it sprayed all over the ceiling?

 

[tig82174]

what is a tag fairy?