The Battle For My Wallet IV: Return of the ZZUBs (Addendum, p.85; 07/12)

[Jake & Crew]

I instinctively reached into my wallet and threw a five spot into the street

first we

then we ponder:

And it made me at once sad and nostalgic. More than a little grateful as well. For what I’ve been given. For what I have. Yeah, sure, I miss some of what I lost. Who doesn’t? But I also know that I am shaped by those things. The losses, the hurts, the failures, the long hours stuck in my office, the birth date that never came. Those things are as much a part of me as meeting my wife, seeing my daughters being born, the times I’ve won, the times I've achieved something great, the times I’ve laughed so hard my cheeks froze. Being blessed. I don’t balance my life like a checkbook. I can’t tell you whether I’ve had more good days than bad. I can only tell you that I’ve had both. I had a really happy childhood and then that was ripped away from me when my mom and dad went their separate ways. I went on to marry a beautiful woman who makes me feel strong and respected. Would I love her any less if my parents hadn’t split on me? Probably not. But because of that, we are committed to protecting our marriage. We lost a child and then had a baby a year later. Would I love my little girl any less if we hadn’t lost Samuel the year before? Of course not. But I know I appreciate her life more. I’m less annoyed by the loss of sleep. I have a keener understanding of who God is and what it means to trust Him. I wouldn’t choose to have my parents divorce or to have missed knowing my son in this life, but I know that I’m a better man because of those experiences.

then you connect it for those us who know it is there but can not or will not do it:

There is no dark underside to the Carousel. No irony to speak of. It’s 25 minutes or so of the best parts of life in a family. The show lacks a conflict. The only conflict comes from sitting in a revolving theatre and reflecting on who you were when you first saw this show and what’s happened since then.

You connect the dots for those of us who have Disney humming under our lives like good elevator music or the unnoticed hmmmm of the computer we spend our waking hours in front of.

And that ZZUB is why we go to Canada with you and come back for more. You are the voice of the reason why the mouse will always win the battle. I surrender my wallet to the days that have been, would have been and will have been.

I'll stop the sap and let the critics reign.......

Thank you for a wonderful end to this day this mom wondered about the could have beens......

 

[M&M's]

Awesome. Just. Awe. Some.

You don't need me to tell you, but it appears that you are a great husband and a great father, and maybe, just maybe, a great person.

Way to be.




But you're not Ron.

 

[HaleyB]

You're not Ron!

 

[CampbellScot]

well my goodness, you were all sass this chapter!!! I was quite thrilled you didn't have to wrangle with the stupidity of Susie Helpershoes again!!! I go back and read that chapter on days I need a laugh. Never fails!!!

My step daughter is the very same way when it comes to actually TALKING to the characters...sometimes meeting your hero up close is too much to take in!! She has consistently said "Next year when I'm...whatever age she will be next year". This started when she was 3...we finally met Minnie Mouse last year...she's 8! Big Sister Zzub will get there...by the time Little Sister Faith Zzub is old enough to toddle her big sis will be a master at character hugs!!

Thank you for sharing so much of yourself...well maybe the Canada thing was a little TMI...but you know what I mean!!

Blessings to the Zzubs. I hope you had a wonderful Mother's day!!!

 

[alldiz]

Thanks ZZub....

you always make me laugh....

Also when I'm done reading your report.....it feels
like i read a self-help book....I get that warm and
fuzzy feeling....PRICELESS...
Kerri

 

[LaLa]

So I cut short the medal ceremony.

And just where exactly did sad medal ceremony take place? I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume it was Fantasyland.

And on the way, got stuck in a Simon & Garfunkel song.

At least you weren't stuck in a LLCoolJ song. Or Hanson. Or Berlin.

Which is better than getting stuck on a street with no name, or on a stairway to Heaven or living on a prayer, or forever young, or in the middle, or on a free bird, or in a long December, or in a month of Sundays or going to Graceland.

I gotta admit, this was pretty good. You didn't just bring one artist, you brough a ton of 'em. It's so 'We Are The World'!

It’s a Peter Pan hat. Haven’t you been paying attention?!

No.

Or borrow anyone's fanny pack. Perish the thought.

Don't knock it till you've tried it.

Except as soon as we got ourselves sitchiated, my wife leaned over to me and said, “you need to put that in your trip report.”

“Done and done.”

This sounds familiar.

As we stood in the Space Mountain dump arcade, I popped a piece of gum in my mouth and worked out a belch or two to relieve some of the pressure.

...two or three expressions of intestinal pressure later...

Sorry, it’s a reflex.

It’s not like I had to frantically search for a bathroom.

I’m not that guy.

Oh, I beg to differ. You're that guy allright. You're definitely that guy.

My daughter, however, told him to talk to the hand. The back of her hand.

I don't blame her. I would have too. Look at him. He refuses to grow up, he wears green tights and goes around crowing like a rooster all the time. If you were a little girl, would you really want him to step out of your TV and get all up in your grill? I think not.

ZZUB, once again you've shown why you can do this trip report thing like nobody else. All I can say is that this one rocked, my friend. Truly. The only problem is that now I feel the need to watch a certain scene from Benchwarmers again. No, not the Beef Stew one. The other one.

 

[DJR]

Don’t all conspiracies emanate from George Bush, Dick Cheney and the evil cabal they run out of the west wing.

If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.

Hey, I resemble that remark. And if you must know, yes they do.

It’s not like I had to frantically search for a bathroom.

Or a planter.

Or borrow anyone's fanny pack. Perish the thought.

Two or three expressions of intestinal pressure and one disdainful glance from a passing tourist later, we met up with the rest of our party and headed to the Puppies of Progress.

You really should see a gastroenterologist about your problem

To recap, incase you got lost: We were together. In a line. The VonShovesteins pushed their way into the middle of my family, elbowing my pregnant wife out of the way, sat themselves in seats I’m clearly trying to save and then had the audacity to suggest we should stay together.

I think we've run into them on a few of our trips. Good to see they haven't changed.

I was speechless. I was without speech.

But obviously not without words.

 

[UtahMama]

I love Ron Burgandy. And Airplane, ND, and Seinfeld. You have good taste!

Welp, you did it again! We all love your Trip Report!

So sorry about the RUDE peeps on the Puppies of Progress.
I think they need to just stay at Universal Studios or Sea World.

 

[cmp1111]

Nice!

 

[mikymouse]

She’s a word that rhymes with slut.

Cut, Gut, Hut, Mut, It must be Monday if I actually had to stop reading your trip report to ponder the possible combinations!

Soon enough, some clouds covered up Mainstreet and a storm began dumping rain. We moved back from the curb to the little scrap of awning in front of whichever store we were in front of. Mercifully, the parade finally ended and we sought refuge in the stores of Mallstreet USA.

Which is exactly the way Disney planned it.

I really do think they’re controlling the weather.

Exactly! This is exactly why your trip reports are so awesome your ability to explain what "we" are thinking during our Disney trips.

That my words can impact people for good.

They can and they do, my friend.

Hello Mrs. Z and girls! Baby MikyMouse has already moved up to level 2 in the huggies wear and looking much like a linebacker.... future Buckeye preparing to seek vengence for the 1994 citrus bowl. Go Bucks!

 

[nicolemarie]

My daughter loves Peter Pan...I promised her we’d catch the parade so she could see her man Peter Pan.

Something tells me you won't make such valiant efforts when "her man" doesn't wear tights and fly with fairies.

As I’ve previously written, the boat ride to the MK is fairly pleasant.

I'm gonna have to disagree with you here. No red letters, but "fairly pleasant" is inaccurate IMHO. Fairly slow. Fairly crowded. Fairly inefficient. That's how I'd describe it. But my parents loved it.

I looked at my watch and realized we had about 15 more minutes before the new/old parade was coming down Mainstreet.

15 minutes.

Time for a snack.

You know I'm taking HUGE notes about September. And this is particularly encouraging. Because 15 minutes isn't even close to enough time to get a snack in a busier season. It's time to pull out your angry eyes and dare the rookies to encroach on your parade-watching turf.

As the float was almost in front of us, I got Peter Pan’s attention and pointed down at my daughter in her Peter Pan hat. He followed my direction and met my daughter’s eyes. He smiled right at her and pointed at his hat to let her know he liked the one she was wearing.

She waved back huge.

Her man Pan had noticed her and gave her a big wave. The grin on her face was priceless.

That's very sweet. You're a good Disney Dad!

I politely asked them if they would mind moving so our family could sit together.

“Excuse me?” Mrs. VonShovestein asked as if I had just told her the pair of shoes she was holding were not on sale even though she found them on the sale rack.

”My family would like to sit together. Would you mind moving to the other side of me so we can all sit together?”

“Why should we move?”

“Because we’re sitting here and we would like to sit with the rest of our family.”

To which she uttered, “Well you should stay have stayed together then.” With that, they got up and moved.

Well, good for you! I always want to say something, but I chicken out at the last minute. What a couple of idiots those folks were.

Yeah, it would have been nice for my daughter to have taken her picture with Peter Pan. I suppose. But it wouldn’t have made our trip any more special. Do I regret planning our day around this meet and greet, racing to get there for her to refuse to talk to him after all?

Not one bit.

This is so true, ZZUB. We do plan our days at Disney around special things for our kids. Things they sometimes LOVE, and things that sometimes turn out to be so-so. But I agree with you. For once. It's the planning and the adventure that's a ton of fun. So what if it doesn't turn out like you thought?

This was another great installment. I love coming on here and seeing a new one by you. I'm guaranteed a good read.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.

NM

 

[lexmelinda]

And other bumper stickers which are no substitute for critical thinking.

I don't know...I think Republicans for Voldemort just about sums it up.

Great installment, ZZUB....I read it late last night while waiting up for my teenager...you'll be there soon enough. And I agree that we are the sum of our experiences...good and bad. At the end of the day I just rest assured that He can see the big picture and that He has a purpose for all that we experience...and I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[1000thhappyhaunt]

First I jumped to my feet. Did a backflip. And knocked over the flowers on the kitchen table.

Breaking the vase. And swearing. Loudly.

That was because this chapter was very very good.

One of your best. TFI.


Second I went to start dinner. Because dinner is something that just MUST be done.

And I listened to S & G. While thinking about reading your words. And what they taught me.

Plus... I had to think of a way to respond.

And... I also had to apologize to the cat.

For rubbing it backwards for about... a week.

It was worth it tho. NOPoodles.

For this chapter.


Thirdly... I came back.

To say this:

Hello, dorkness. My old friend.

I've come to talk with you again.


And... by that I mean: This chapter made me feel like I was right there with you. And your family. NOZZUB. And NOZZUB's family.

You're STILL a GREAT TRIPE REPORTER.

Even tho you have stomach issues.


RollTide. Melly.

 

[maxiesmom]

Great, as always, Zzub. And thanks for the reminder that getting there is the fun part. I needed that. You're not thinking of switching professions are you? Zzub the Life Counselor has a ring to it.

 

[Frickles]

Zzub!!! That chapter was pure sweetness because you tell a story like no one else can. I think I read it 78 times. I could have done without the belching description though. I haven't been back on the 'Puppies of Progress' in many years. You've actually made me look forward to seeing it when we go again.

I'm a math teacher...you didn't like math did you?

Oh Eeyorelover22, he does like math! In fact he likes it so much that he goes around telling people about their math mistakes on the Dis boards! He even gave a short math lesson to LaLa a few days ago. So don't fret!!

 

[samc]

Hello, dorkness. My old friend.

good one Mel

your installment was good too zzub!!!

 

[OhMari]

I've always been here, reading, moderating and I have tried posting a few times. Except when I press submit, I get thrown off, it is like an invisible force.
Your TR is like a good book I put down. When I come back it takes a few sentences to remember what the story is about.

I hope both of your dd's and your wife are doing well. As you know it isn't the first few weeks of no sleep, it is actually the next 20 years.

You just really dated yourself with "Free Bird"-1978 Lynard Skynard, unless you were just a cool kid in elementary school.

 

[Yzma and Kronk]

Zzub - another great chapter.

I'd quote and discuss a bunch of stuff - but I'm a skimmer and too lazy to go back to cut and paste quotes.

From TR's

But this particular gem caught my eye.

My wife thought the man in the gabardine suit was a spy. I said be careful his bow tie was really a camera.

Right on! DED! TFI! and all that goes with it!

Plus, who doesn't love The Sound of Silence and S&G!!

Your Peter Pan story made me think of this:

Time it was, and what a time it was, it was
A time of innocence, a time of confidences
Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph
Preserve your memories; they're all that's left you

Looking forward to the next.

Thanks Zzub!

 

[1000thhappyhaunt]

MY BUMP! MY BUMP!!!

My lovely lady BUMP!!!!


P.S. Waiting to print out and save the next horrible installment in your tripe. AKA: Needing alot of excess paperish crap to pack up some old dishes to take to our cottage for the summer.

 

[Montana Disney Fan]

Boy! This thing just keeps on going doesn't it?

P.S. Waiting to print out and save the next horrible installment in your tripe. AKA: Needing alot of excess paperish crap to pack up some old dishes to take to our cottage for the summer.

OMG!!! That is so funny. No wonder people like you.


Oh, and A LOT is two words.