The Power of Matching T-shirts: TR is over!~ 9/20

[willwriteforears]

Post the First: Prelude

This is the way my vacation ended
This is the way my vacation ended
This is the way my vacation ended
Not with a bang but a whimper.

Or not a whimper, actually, but a shriek and a dead bird.

Let me back up and qualify. The trip at the World did not involve a dead bird. In fact, our very last morning at the parks included a baby duck sighting. It followed its mother around Adventureland while guests (yours truly included) whipped out their cameras to take pictures, since it was a baby duck at the World and therefore cuter than baby ducks elsewhere. It's a strange phenomenon I will call Magical Duckling Cuteness (MDC). MDC worked on me as I ate my final Dole Whip with DF1, Nevi, and DF2, Melneth. It wiped away the horror at having witnessed the mangy-looking Country Bears sing incomprehensible songs (a mistake on our last day, but alas, we'd missed it during our first Magic Kingdom day, and it was on the Unofficial Guide Touring Plan). MDC was the proverbial cherry on the ooey-gooey, so-sweet-you-could-almost-puke-and-be-happy-doing it sundae that is is a trip to the World. MDC was an excellent way to end the World portion of a trip. I highly recommend it. You might want to consider finding a duck egg and incubator and then time the hatching just right so you can experience MDC too. It is that spectacular.

But I do not consider any vacation truly ended until I'm home in my apartment. I stretch out the warm fuzzies of a vacation to last me through goodbyes and security at the airport, during the flight, and during the drive back to my abode*. It helps sustain me despite the cries of anguish at having to return to work.

So: My vacations do not end until I'm home again. And really, I also employ my silly-puttyish vacation-extending skills to say that if I was off work that day, it's still vacation until I wake up the next morning. Thus, I was still awash in Disney-joy and MDC, if bittersweet Disney-joy and MDC, as I lugged my suitcase and backpack to my second-level walk-up. I shuffled things around until I could fit my key in the lock, opened the door, and spied a dark shape on the entryway beside my bike.

Huh, thought I, Didn't I leave things more cleaned up than that? I like coming home to a clean apartment... I turned on the light to see the carcass of a dead bird, its wings splayed out and its legs raised in the air. I shrieked, made incoherent noises, and my brain kept babbling "That's not magical! That's not magical!"

Nor were the droppings in my laundry room magical. The bird carcass, in its pre-carcass state, must have come in through my laundry vent and relieved its bowels all over my laundry room before fluttering about and deciding that my bike, would provide it final comfort as it expired. I suppose it might have mistaken the handlebars, or perhaps the pedals, as wings.

So that was the end of my vacation. Dead Bird in Apartment Grossness (DBAG) terminated it prematurely, robbing me of those final hours when I might have dreamed of smiling characters and Cast Members and a final trip on the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. But I began with DBAG because I'm sure this Trip Report will help me regain the feelings of happiness and joy, and that the MDC will come rolling right back as I recall everything DF1, DF2, and I experienced. And since DBAG is out of the way, the warm fuzzies and MDC and its friends can have full reign. Warm fuzzies love an audience, so I hope you'll join me.

Next up: The proper beginning, complete with proper introductions and other proper things.


*Unless it was a bad vacation involving illness or theft or emergency surgery or crashes on deserted islands with mysterious shadow-beasts or other unpleasant things. But such was not the case this time. Plus, it was the World. 'Nuf said.

For all your clicka-clicka indexing needs
Post the second: The Proper Bits
1: Wed, May 28, Part 1: It Actually Begins, or Readysteadygo
A minor correction
Mini-update: More on Gus and the ninja debate
2: Wed, May 28, Part 2: We're in Orlando; where are the parks?
3: Thurs, May 29, Part 1: Kicks 'n' Giggles (minus the kicks)
Mini-update: Nevi on the red-headed boy
4: Thurs, May 29 Part 2: Yetis, Paper Straws, and Matching T-Shirt Power Cop-out
5: Thurs, May 29 Part 3: Yes, Virginia, Matching T-shirts Do Have Power
6: Thurs, May 29, Part 4: The End of Day 2 Is Nigh
Mini-update: Melneth on the Parade
The Last Starfighter--er, I mean, The Last Parade Pix
7: Fri, May 30 Part 1: Once Soarin', Twice Shy
8: Fri, May 30, Part 2: King Austin Powers and the Knight(s) of the Round Table
9: Fri, May 30 Part 3: The Many Unnecessary and Impractical Uses of Velcro!
Mini-Update: Melneth defends her photography prowess; Comedy Warehouse
10: Sat, May 31 Part 1: Gratuitous Videos and Singing Dolls
11: Sat, May 31 Part 2: Ghosts and Cruises and Pirates, Oh My!
Mini-update: Melneth corrects my faulty HM memory
12: Sat May 31 Part 3: The Joys of Animatronic Naptime and Some Other Stuff
13: Sat, May 31 Part 4: Pirates and Princesses by Any Other Name...
14: Sat May 31 Part 5: Wanderlust
Mini-update: Mini-update: Stuff I forgot about MPPP, as presented by Melneth
15: Sun, June 1: Quest Forth, Young Maidens!
16: Mon, June 2 Part 1: The One Without a Snazzy Title
17: Mon, June 2 Part 2: It's Just a Little Crush
18: Mon, June 2 Part 3: Maria and the Non-Secret Soceity Illuminati
19: Tues, June 3 Part 1: The Matching T-shirts' Last Hurrah
20: Tues, June 3 Part 2: Let the Rain Come Down (But Only Because We Have To)
21: Tues, June 3 Part 3: Lasers + Hydraulics = Total Awesomeness
22: Wed, June 4: Partings
Final Musings

 

[Lady Lallie]

First off, I love your title. You know I have a weakness for t-shirts and your title just made me giddy with excitement.

Second, you just crack me up. That's all there is to it. You writing = Laughter for LL. I can not WAIT for more.

How horrifying for you to find DBAG on your arrival home. I don't think I could have handled that.

 

[mom2disprincesses]

I'm in...can't wait to read more.

 

[willwriteforears]

First off, I love your title. You know I have a weakness for t-shirts and your title just made me giddy with excitement.

Second, you just crack me up. That's all there is to it. You writing = Laughter for LL. I can not WAIT for more.

How horrifying for you to find DBAG on your arrival home. I don't think I could have handled that.

Welcome, LL! Thanks for the compliment on my writing. I'm really looking forward to writing the TR since, you know, stuff happened, and it's a lot easier to write about genuine activities.

And yes, DBAG was very horrifying. I thought it best not to go into the details about the disposal of the bird corpse. *shudder*

I'm in...can't wait to read more.

Hello, mom2disprincesses! I'm pretty sure I've seen you on the PTR board or the regular TR board. somewhere, anyway. Welcome!

And sadly, work shows many signs of picking up again and staying picked-up for the foreseeable future, so things here will be a little slow-going. I hope to post chappies at least once a week, however.

 

[Princesskeyblade]

I'm in for the report!

Ewww to the bird sighting thought!!!

 

[willwriteforears]

I'm in for the report!

Ooh, the popcorn's been brought out! Pressure's on.

Welcome, PKB!

 

[TarzansKat]

Excellent beginning. DH and I have our own bird story in our apartment, but alas, I shall not hijack. Boy, nothing like a dead bird to bring you back to the harsh realities of life, eh?

I can't wait to hear about the trip.

 

[willwriteforears]

Excellent beginning. DH and I have our own bird story in our apartment, but alas, I shall not hijack. Boy, nothing like a dead bird to bring you back to the harsh realities of life, eh?

I can't wait to hear about the trip.

Thanks, TK! Yes, dead birds are very harsh-reality-inducing. Bird-free for six days and counting, so hopefully that was the end of it.

 

[If U Had Wings]

So glad you started the trip report. Can't wait to hear all about it.

I would have been so horrified to come home to that. What an awful thing to come home to!

 

[willwriteforears]

Okay, I spent a bit of time debating if I should first explain the title, or present our dramatis personae (have to get my English degree in there somewhere). Which can I make more interesting? Which is the most likely to capture the attention of short-attention-span DISers who like matching T-shirts or doctors or less-educated people and decide to stop by?

The sad truth, people, is that background info usually isn't all that interesting. I'd give you permission to skip to the next post, in which the vacation will actually begin, but since that hasn't been written yet, you're stuck. Assuming you've lost the ability to click out of Internet windows, that is, or to look away from your computer screen.

So, semi-captive-but-not-really audience, I will first explain the title of my PTR.

Astute readers will note that my first post included neither matching T-shirts nor mention of doctors. That is because I came up with the title last, since one's title is one's main means of marketing a thread. Well, that and networking. But you're bored already, so I'm moving on.

First, the T-shirts: Yes, I ordered matching T-shirts made for the trip, primarily after reading through the Year of a Million Dreams -- anyone else gotten something yet? thread. Quite a few people talked about wearing matching T-shirts and getting stuff. Oh, it wasn't necessarily official YOMD dreams, since the official dreams are awarded randomly*, but stuff was given. And I like stuff. Enough to wear a matching T-shirt. So I had them made for...

[Dramatis Personae]
Myself, also called Jiri. By day, I am an editor at an educational publishing company. By night, I am the terror that flaps--

Oh wait. That's not it.

By night, if a phone booth in which to change had been handy, I'm--

Oops, not it, either.

By night, I'm a wannabe novelist with an English bachelor's degree and one semester of a creative writing MFA.

So now not only are you bored, you're disillusioned. Dang it, if only you had the power to close out this particular Internet window.

In addition to myself, T-shirts were made for DF1, whom I will call Nevi, and DF2, whom I will call Melneth. The three of us met in undergrad in Texas and roomed together junior and senior years. We had great fun watching Mystery Science Theater 3000 and mocking b-movies. Unfortunately, Nevi and I also on occasion mocked our college's musical productions, which Melneth may not have disliked so much if we hadn't done it during the performance.

But anyhoo, Nevi and Melneth went on from undergrad to vet school and medical school, respectively. I went on from undergrad back home to Colorado to nurse my wounds after being rejected from all the creative writing programs I'd applied to and prepare myself to apply again in another year. Which I did, while Nevi and Melneth learned stuff and I worked as an editorial assistant. During the second round of apps, I had more than my choice of MFA programs to attend, and wound up in Chicago. Where I stayed for a single semester, while Nevi and Melneth continued to apply themselves as sage learners, and then got depressed at the amount of debt I was accumulating for a degree that really isn't all that marketable. So I returned to my home state of Colorado and took up the mantle of editor, which I have worn now for a little over two years.

Nevi and Melneth both graduated from their programs this past May, and since we like to have reunions every year, we picked (cough, or I picked and they agreed with very little arm-pulling) WDW as a sort of "Yay! Nevi and Melneth graduated and are still willing to do stuff with their less-educated friend!" huzzah.

So they got T-shirts that looked like this:

and this:

While my T-shirt instead looked like this:

Note the "editor" instead of "dr." I even considered abbreviating "editor" to "ed.," but "ed." just isn't as snazzy as "dr." If it weren't for the fact that I'm taller than both Nevi and Melneth, and the oldest, I might feel inadequate.

Well, hopefully you have regained the ability to use your mouse or touchpad (or even pencil head, as my dad prefers) and can now navigate somewhere else, because that's the end of Post the Second.

Next up: Things actually get interesting. (Hopes you, at least, says I.)

*OR SO WE THINK! If any conspiracy theorists are reading, have at it.

 

[TarzansKat]

Excellent!

More information about the trip!

I require details, details, details.

Now that I know who the players are, it's time to get on to the first act.

Seriously, I love your writing style.

Please sir, can I have some more? :::said with huge orphan eyes:::

 

[Lady Lallie]

Man, do I love tshirts. I have promised myself after the Wedding, I will be making some/ordering some/any possible means that I must endure to have tshirts for our trip.

I can't wait to hear more! I am also wondering how long it will take you to write this TR, it's going to be one of those deliciously long ones, I can just feel it, that makes you giddy with excitement when you see a new chapter. :::Sigh::: I can't freaking wait!

 

[willwriteforears]

Excellent!

More information about the trip!

I require details, details, details.

Now that I know who the players are, it's time to get on to the first act.

So you've cottoned on to my delaying tactics, have you? Curses!

Well, in honor of one of Dave Eggers' superb A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, which includes the fabbiest piece of written procrastination ever, here is a drawing of a stapler*:

Seriously, I love your writing style.

Please sir, can I have some more? :::said with huge orphan eyes:::

*scuffing feet* Aw, shucks. Thanks!

Postage (the Internet board variety, not the USPSian kind) is mitigated by my attempt to get my novel-in-progress to the point where I can submit it places, so my original goal was to add one real post to the TR once a week. But I'll see what I can do about upping the figure.

Man, do I love tshirts. I have promised myself after the Wedding, I will be making some/ordering some/any possible means that I must endure to have tshirts for our trip.

Yes, you should so that you may revel in T-shirt awesomeness! Despite the relatively late selection of the TR title, the T-shirts will feature in future posts, I promise.

I must admit, I kinda wish I'd heard about zazzle before I designed our t's. I think our shirts could've been even awesomer.

Oh well. There's always Lapu Lapu Fabby Fest 2009!

I am also wondering how long it will take you to write this TR, it's going to be one of those deliciously long ones, I can just feel it, that makes you giddy with excitement when you see a new chapter. :::Sigh::: I can't freaking wait!

Deliciously long? Them's Juicy Fruit standards!

...Unless I made up that Juicy Fruit ever had a slogan about being deliciously long lasting. I actually can't find anything about it on Google. But we'll say I'm right, so I repeat: Them's Juicy Fruit standards! I'll see if I can meet 'em.

*No, I did not draw the stapler. If I had, it would've looked more like a camel. Or something equally non-stapler-like.

 

[Charleston Princess]

I'm here and already rolling on the floor with laughter!!! (That's me rolling on the floor -- only my head really isn't that big and I am not jaundiced. Nor do I wear nurse shoes from the 1950s.)

How horrific to come home to DBAG! Ewww!

And I will just say that the T.S. Eliot reference at the beginning -- pure genius!

 

[mom2disprincesses]

love update part deux! i actually WAS wondering what the title was all about...so thanks for clearing that up! I ,too, have an eng lit degree and often wonder what in the world did i go to school for well now i can pass on my love of literature to my DD's. I haven't met a bookstore I passed on yet!


looking forward to part 3...next week right?

 

[willwriteforears]

I'm here and already rolling on the floor with laughter!!! (That's me rolling on the floor -- only my head really isn't that big and I am not jaundiced. Nor do I wear nurse shoes from the 1950s.)

DED!

And I will just say that the T.S. Eliot reference at the beginning -- pure genius!

Thank you, thank you very much! I was hoping someone would catch that.

love update part deux! i actually WAS wondering what the title was all about...so thanks for clearing that up! I ,too, have an eng lit degree and often wonder what in the world did i go to school for well now i can pass on my love of literature to my DD's. I haven't met a bookstore I passed on yet!

I'm right with you on the bookstores.

Neither of my parents went to school for literature, though my mom's undergrad was education with an English minor/focus. But they did read to me every night growing up, which I think helps to instill a love of reading.

'Course, they read to my brother every night, too, but his "love of reading" transmogrified into a love of video games. Now he reads "only when he has time" on vacation.

looking forward to part 3...next week right?

Actually, I was going to see about getting an update in during the week. If it happens, it'll most likely be this evening or tomorrow evening, with a slight chance for Wednesday (now I sound like LL and her weather reports! ) Thurs and Fri would definitely be out for updates, though.

Aaaannnd I'll see about including pictures. I have permission from Melneth to show pictures of us, though she'd prefer to black out our faces if I'm that photo-editing savvy. Still waiting to hear from Nevi about what she thinks; she doesn't check email as often. I may have to call her to whine--er, present my case.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Lady Lallie]

Actually, I was going to see about getting an update in during the week. If it happens, it'll most likely be this evening or tomorrow evening, with a slight chance for Wednesday (now I sound like LL and her weather reports! ) Thurs and Fri would definitely be out for updates, though.

Happy to hear the weather girl in me is spreading to you.

Aaaannnd I'll see about including pictures. I have permission from Melneth to show pictures of us, though she'd prefer to black out our faces if I'm that photo-editing savvy. Still waiting to hear from Nevi about what she thinks; she doesn't check email as often. I may have to call her to whine--er, present my case.

Thanks for reading!

It's really easy to edit the photo in photobucket to black out faces, fyi. Plus, you can save a copy of it so you don't lose the orginal.

 

[RachelNinja]

I ... Love ... Your ... Writing.

 

[willwriteforears]

Happy to hear the weather girl in me is spreading to you.

Ah yes. I stand in front of a green screen, waving in the direction of the top left corner: "And a stream of posting will head in from the northeast, with a sprinkling of throughout..."

It's really easy to edit the photo in photobucket to black out faces, fyi. Plus, you can save a copy of it so you don't lose the orginal.

Yeah, after all the effort I put into making the stupid pencil graphic for my T-shirt, I figure I won't have too many problems. And I've already burned my trip pix to a CD, so even if I forget to save copies I still have the originals.

I ... Love ... Your ... Writing.

Thanks!

And seeing the Ninja in your username, I have a question for you that has plagued Nevi, Melneth, and I since our trip to San Diego last fall, when it first came up (well, it's plagued me, anyway, since they ganged up against me). Do ninjas ride bicycles while ninja-ing? I concur with Nevi and Melneth that ninjas are capable of riding bicycles, but since the entire point of being a ninja is stealth, I maintained that ninjas would not ride bicycles. At least, I couldn't envision a ninja bearing down on his (or her) enemy on a bicycle, one hand on the handlebar and the other swinging nunchukus. Particularly if the bicycle had a bell. Thoughts?

And I'll open up the question to all, actually, since I think my next chapter will have to wait till tomorrow.

Last, to the lurking lurkers who lurk (yes, I will put in an application at the Department of Redundancy Department): I see you! Drop a line! Boost my ego by helping to up my post count! I'm a reciprocator, so I do my best to visit the threads of all who come.

 

[Lady Lallie]

Ah yes. I stand in front of a green screen, waving in the direction of the top left corner: "And a stream of posting will head in from the northeast, with a sprinkling of throughout..."

That made me laugh...out loud.