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

[rufustee]

Ahhh, Karen, I need a cheerleader! I wonder if I'd make a good linebacker???hmmmmm. Holding the line....

Don't we all need them! This weekend is our big scrapbook expo here in SLC and it makes me think of our time on the EB... The good memories....

 

[DizzneyDAnn]

Karen, my daughter Gracey and I did most of the little craft classes they had and each time they were held in the Animator's, I thought about making those little jewel thingies with you. I never did finish mine, either time! I shoulda just brought the first one and finished it rather than grabbing a new one! Now I have two unfinished bits of sparkle that will sit in my house FOREVER!

Off to bed. The girls have early morning seminary. Ouch!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Well if you Deanna might be there then Iowa is sounding better Actually it is a nice little town near a lovely lake and as you mention housing is sooooo much less expensive. What gets me about it is being 2 1/2 hours from an airport. It is just so isolated. I'm still rooting for the Germany thing (which we have wanted to do for a while and could have done 6 months ago had the boss who now let Dave go not stood in our way ). Do you have any idea what part of Iowa Scott is looknig at? Dave's thing would be in the Lake's area near Lake Okoboji (sp?)

 

[Scott H]

Hang in there you guys, I also believe that everthing happens for a reason.

 

[tig82174]

Greetings all......well it sounds to me like there's lots of stress going around and that means everyone needs another vacation....let's comandeer the Magic and head back across the big blue ocean!!

Anyhow....Jason and I are sure everyone will land on their feet and be better off than before. (I mean, really, Deanna has mothered about 851 children .....you don't survive that unless you're a strong and resourceful person.....so I have little doubt that'll serve you all well here, too!! ). Well wishes from us regardless, however!

 

[milestogo]

We are officially poor--my kids get free lunch! I actually think this is really funny. (Would be funnier if the future weren't so fuzzy...) All you have to do is say you have no income-true- and ta da!!!From spoiled Disney cruisers to free lunchers in a matter of weeks. (And please remember, we paid for the cruise a week before the lay off, within the no refund time period.)I'm going to substitute teach, so I can be home with the kids after school, and Scott is trying to fill in with consulting, but that is tenuous as companies are contracting with him, but they aren't booking. Everyone seems to be laying off everywhere. It's getting kinda scarey. I mean there seems to be a huge national financial mess on the horizen. Motorola laid off 4,000 in the first round, and starting today, 5,600 are being laid off in "Mobile Devices" alone, and there are more corporate-wide. That's a lot of families. The first round, of which Scott was at the end, got packages. There are rumors the rounds to come are just being shown the door with no help.

Hubbie just got upgraded to fly the 70 and 90 seat airplanes so you have been warned! He is now loose on the 50, 70 and 90 seater RJ's....

Good news for Alex, bad news for Scott and Dave.

So, here is my message for all of you job seekers....

Don't look for a job! Look for what you love and figure out how to make money doing it.

You've seen it a million times on Oprah and it is absolutely true! I started my first business when I was 18 and have had 4 since then. Many people have the idea that it takes a lot of money to start a business, but in many cases it doesn't. You will not be dependent on other people for your income or future. It gives you more independence than you have ever had in your life. Now, I'm well aware that being self employed is not for everyone, it takes discipline, motivation, and organizational skills... but many full time moms have turned into millionaires by starting something small at home in between making sandwiches. I have 4 businesses that I'm dying to start right now, but there aren't enough hours in the day to do everything I'm doing already. For 20 years, I've pushed every kid I know (no matter what they want to be) to take entreprenuer classes and now there are universities and high schools offering the lessons and even degrees. I'm going to be teaching a class to at home moms about this subject in my community center. The best time to start is right before you lose your job, while you have a job or the day you lose your job. I've watched 3 of my family members stay on unemployment and wait for years (one for a decade) while they wait for someone else to give them something they think they deserve. All three lost everything they had and their entire savings. I kept saying, Um you have plenty of talent here, start your own business. No, I can't do that it would take too much money and effort. I hit myself in the head and think, "you mean more effort than losing everthing and then working a job you hate and for people you loath?" Then they tell me I'm just lucky! No, I worked really hard and prepared for the opportunities that came my way. As you can see this is a subject I am passionate about... there IS something out there for everyone and it is waiting for you to reach out and take it. It is yours and you deserve it. Find what you love and make money doing it! Consulting is a huge and booming business (esp. in a down market) and could be the step Scott takes to changing his entire future. Go, Scott, go. Scary yes, but fear can be the best motivator in the world. That's my motivational speech for the day!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Scott and Erik--thanks for the support I thoruoughly believe that Dave is going to turn this situation into a MUCH better one than he has had so I am really only freaked out/worrie son rare occasions when I start trying to figure out what I can/can't sign kids up for, etc.

Kelly--great inspriatioanl speech Actaully, Dave LOVES what he does (I so don't get it, but he loves it) and with the exception of thios one icky boss has really, really liked hte companmy he works for and their policies and the vast majority of the personelle. His goal is to stick with this comapny he loves (which showed some ontegrity when they did not just let hte boss man hang DAvid out to try entirely) and he is only considering jobs he would A. like and B. report to people he respects who also report to people he respects. Maybe I'll follow your advice one of these days when the kids take up less of my time (oh yeah, and I LOVE homeschooling and being home with them--otherwise I owuldn't be here doing this).

 

[ssnyder]

If you recall Curt was laid off just before the final payment on the EB was due and that was he cancelled and I ended going by myself in a cat 12. It took six months but he has found a job he likes. He works from home, reports to Boston, and has a development team in Costa Rica. He is getting a bit of travel. So far, it hasn't been too much travel, but he is starting to rack up those frequent flyer miles. His company told him that when he makes a trip to Costa Rica that they expect me to go along.

I was laid off before Curt (same company). I am getting some consulting work. It's not what I love, but it pays some of the bills while I'm looking.

Anyway, everyone hang in there. Things do work out.

 

[milestogo]

Susie, You've found what you love, but it's not coming fast enough! Hang in there - you keep putting it out there and it will come to you.

Hadley, You are the perfect person to start your own home based business. You don't have to start it all at once, just ponder what you love and start it in your mind. I have a whole series of drug ed classes for home schooling parents and kids this year - too bad you're not closer. Maybe you would be my perfect consultant to test it for me long distance??? See this is where the big ideas come from! Actually, on this subject... last year I was at a conference with a woman who was a homeschool mom to 3 boys. She wrote a book called "1000 things to do in Southern CA with kids FOR FREE!"
She had been keeping a list of all the fun things that she and her other homeschool moms had been doing and put the lists into a book. Now she takes her kids and travels to the different conferences, talks about her book and packs every session with teachers and parents.... and sells a ton of books. She also sells them online. I bought the book and refer to it all the time. How's that for a great idea?

 

[rufustee]

We hope these pictures bring back Happy times for you all! Hugs from Utah!

P.S. I have to Thank Linda for showing how to post pictures. With that said Just remember this is my first post of pictures and I will figure out soon on how to make the pictures smaller for everyone.

 

[rufustee]

Alex and I just came home from watching the final dress rehearsal for the play "Paint Your Wagon." It opens here this Friday. The actors and the signing were GREAT! Just some minor technical issues need to be worked out. Its hard finding a place here that is open past 10pm for some pie and coffee...

 

[milestogo]

Did anyone see Dirty Sexy Money? It's cracking me up!

 

[tig82174]

Did anyone see Dirty Sexy Money? It's cracking me up!

No I didn't watch it...but Chris said he was going to watch it. Honestly I watch so much TV that I didn't think I could add another hour to my weekly schedule ....however, yesterday when I was getting my hair done (I got it all chopped off!!! Oh my goodness I'm a bit in shock over it actually....it was my idea but now that I've done it...I can't get used to it and I can't figure out what to do with it!!....the longest section of my hair deosn't even extend beyond my earlobes...so it's the shortest it's been in nearly 5 years!!!) Anyhow, I digress......while I was getting my hair done I read a back issue of The Advocate magazine and Billy Baldwin (the star of Dirty Sexy Money) was interviewed and talking about the story line....and mentioned that a major plot point is the fact that he is having an affair with a transgender woman (which I would find interesting anyway since we don't see al of the trans community represented on Television)....but that the character is played by a trans person (which is unusual, too, because usually they cast a biologically-gendered person in trans roles....i.e. Kathleen Turner playing Chandler's trans dad/mom on "Friends" and Felicity Huffman playing Brie in "TransAmerica")....and the trans person is being played by Candis Cane....and I KNOW HER!! She is from NYC and has been an activist and performance artist there forever! I had no idea she was involved so now I have to go online to watch the premier and set my DVR to tape yet ANOTHER weekly TV show!!!

 

[NHdisneylover]

OKay Erik, sorry I know this is not the point of your above post at all--BUT POST A PHOTO pronto please. I need to see the shortened hair

Kelly, feel free to send the drug program over for testing/feedback if you'd like. The only problem with taking feedback from me is (as you know I am sure) compared to most homeschooling parents (and most other parents actually as well) we are very liberal with what we expose our kids to/ talk with them about, etc. So I may say "great program" and you may run into 100 others who think it's TMI for young kids or some such (but I can try to comment about how I think others will react also--I'm pretty good at figuring things out). I will tell you I have not seen any drug prevention program marketed to the homeschool community and I have heard a fwe people wishing there was one so it may be a very good product to offer

 

[Scott H]

Erik, It will grow back mine is.

 

[padalyn]

Hello all!

It has been about 5 pages since I posted...what a busy time for me.

Erik - I would love to see the new haircut, I was shell shocked when I went from mid back to above the ears - took about a week for me to get used to not having to tie it down all the time!

For all the water fountains...I am SO jealous...my condo doesn't really allow for that type of thing, I love the sound of running water.

I missed everyone while at WDW in Sept - sorry that I did

I have just returned from the Adventures by Disney: Imperial Cities trip. I will post a few pictures in a couple of days (once I get them offloaded to the main computer)

we did a whirlwind tour...I think I need to go back to Vienna and Salzburg for a week each!

Things we saw/did
VIENNA:
>the stallions - Lippizanners (SP?) we saw the practice and did a tour of the stables - AMAZING!! There are brown ones!! they are good luck according to tradition
>the winter palace - oh my....1700 rooms !!??!?! the "matron" was Marie Threse and she had 16 eek: ) kids!!! WOW!!
>the summer palace - more amazing than the winter...7 levels of terraced gardens, albino donkey, camels, and more!! absolutely beautiful
>the Vienna zoo at night....baby panda was in seclusion with mom, but we saw dad!!
>the marzipan art...wow
>a marionette show then apple strudel demo...yum!

SALZBURG:
>this tiny city is so beautiful...I really loved the way one walks from courtyard to courtyard - through archways between the buildings - filled with tiny stores...love the shopping, but the dollar was horrible in exchange so I only bought a few things
>the inside of St. Ruperts Bascilica - oh my, oh my, oh my...I am not religious...but this place was magnificant!!!
>the fortress!!! so interesting, the history of this building was so intense and caught my attention for hours! they have just excavated an area to find the Roman ruins - the fort now is dated to before 500AD...
>the trick fountains...all the mechanics run by water power...the technology was so interesting!!!

CESKY KRUMLOV:
>this little jem is considered one of the oldest medieval towns in existance...the place is so interesting. We wandered around in the pouring rain for hours. Amber, garnet and moldavite all at very reasonable prices...of course I bought some!

PRAGUE (PRAHA):
>the old city/castle/fortress was so wonderful! we saw the "golden lane" where the soldiers lived just outside the original wall of the city...talk about tiny! the amour display was amazing - seems they believed in multitask weapons - we saw pistol/batlath/cudgle weapons as well as crossbow/pistol combos.

One week is not enough to see all there is to see! My only disappointment was our guides, they didn't seem to add to the tours...just parrot what the local guides said. The food was interesting - one meal had an awful option (I didn't order it - but Barbara did - she couldn't even eat one bite it was that nasty!) I found we did better when on our own for food - since we like to wander into small local places...but all in all a good trip!

 

[Scott H]

Rain and Wind has greeted us this morning, Temp is 36 and the wind is the same. Glad today is a rest day. Looks like the pups will get a trip to the store in the jeep or truck, they like that.

Spamalot was totally KEWL!!!!!!!

We went to the zoo as we are members of the Denver Zoo and it was KEWL!!! New baby Zebra, 4 days old. Looking forward to Christmas there, as we hear they do special lights and ice carvings for the season.

Did a 7 mile run yesterday, getting ready for the TOT 13K.

Ken have a great ride, hope your weather is good.

Time for stuff around the house today. Might make meatloaf, or chili, or veggie soup, or maybe a couple of things, guess “ two outta three ain’t bad” (get it Meatloaf) LOL sorry kinda early.

Enjoy the day,

 

[DizzneyDAnn]

Kelly, I truly believe you are right, and this is the direction we are headed. Scott is in the process of setting up an LLC and has done some consulting work already. The problem is, it is slow growing at the moment--of course, we've only been unemployed two months and were on vacation for one of those months! It is just scarey when your life is set up for a certain corporate income and you do the math and realize how much time you have before you run through your savings. We have mortgage and insurance....oy.

In one month, he has a consulting future with a reputable company and has been made a visiting professor at an eastern universty. He is also talking with other companies and will run public sessions, if all goes well with that plan. We need more actual bookings. Right now it looks good only on paper! I'm proud that he isn't sitting around, though!

He was a consultant for years before this past job, but he was gone 3 weeks a month, often in Asia, and I had babies at home. It was VERY stressful--that's why we opted for the regular job. I don't regret leaving consulting, because how can you say you regret more experience, but I sure wouldn't mind going back to it now! I actually prefer that lifestyle--way flexible!


Hadley, I don't want to say where for fear of jinxing it! He plans on negotiating with the company to consult occasionally (an actual benefit to the company as things stay fresh and current) and will keep his vacation days open, at least, for public sessions.

 

[DizzneyDAnn]

Hadley, I think if you don't expose your kids to a lot, teaching them the way YOU want them taught, someone else will teach them the way you DON'T want.

 

[padalyn]

I posted a very long post (repeatative I know) about our Adventures by Disney trip...here is the link:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1584227

we enjoyed the locations, didn't like the guides...more on the other post for those who are interested...

I will soon have the photos posted on photobucket from THIS trip (the Transatlantic) FINALLY!!!!!

I am still editing the video...gee what a process!

I will also get photos of Vienna, Salzburg, and Praha up soon...

hopefully people will enjoy them

Cayla