Why I'm a Disney Girl

I like Disney. I've taken a Disney Cruise and I've been to Walt Disney World. In fact, Disneyland in California is on my to-do list for late 2012. (They're opening a new Cars themed park area there.) But I'm no princess.

I'm certainly no Cinderella. Though we have the work ethic in common... LOL, I haven't been to a ball in ages. I don't have any really special shoes and I don't have any mean step-sisters.

Belle, is my 6 year-old's favourite princess. She's lovely in that yellow dress (and I look terrible in yellow), but we've never even seen Beauty and the Beast, so I can't be Belle.

Sleeping Beauty... nope. I get five or six hours sleep a night. I'm more likely to be steam-rolled or woken by a crying child or a barking dog than a kiss.

Jasmine. Hmm, I really don't know much about her but I've never worn mid-riff shirts or been on a magic carpet. I just can't relate.

Snow White is considered one of the original princesses. She is worshipped by the seven dwarfs, so that's pretty nice for her. They seem to look out for her. It is one of my favourite movies and I can whistle while I work, so there are some similarities. I have won trivia contests by naming the seven dwarfs.... Sleepy, Happy, Grumpy, Dopey, Sneezy, Bashful and Doc... and I DO wear a Grumpy t-shirt to bed, but still no. I'm no Snow White.

There are some "new princesses" or wannabes, but I don't count them. Tiana? Rapunzel? Those movies are still too new to be classics or universally known.

Why do I love Disney? As an organization they prove there is still magic. So many things are instant, and "good enough" and generic and discount now-a-days, but Disney is still first class. They hold themselves to a higher standard. They endeavour to put a smile on every child and every adult's face. They make movies you can take your kids to. Movies like Cars, that I could see over and over and over with my kids and still enjoy.

Disney is preserving that little bit of 'kid' in all of us. Yes, their marketing, their merchandising, their parks and their offerings are scientific. They have studied the consumer and refined their organization to deliver what we expect and when we expect it, but with a dash of magic.

I will not forget how my kids absolutely lit up to see Chip and Dale characters in the park. The smiles were pure and genuine.  On every corner there were characters the kids recognized and wanted to meet. They were always greeted with open arms and animated joy.  My kids loved the characters. Genuinely loved it.

For me, the magic touched my heart when I stood on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom and saw THE CASTLE for the first time in real life. There it was, the castle from every Sunday night at 6PM on TV. I grew up on Disney movies on Sunday nights after dinner. If our family had a tradition, that was it.

I stood in awe of the castle, its iconic form, in 3D just as it was in 2D at the beginning of every Disney feature. It brought tears to my eyes. I never saw it in person or visited a Disney Park as a child, but was absolutely moved and satisfied to be able to bring my own children to the place I'd dreamt about. Even as an adult seeing the castle, just the castle, moved me and stirred happy emotions.

Disney represents quality to me. It represents dreams and it represents magic. Corny as some of it is, as predictable as their movies can be, it sets the standard and has spanned generations. And while I am surely no princess, I am a fan and will continue to enjoy each and every Disney moment I can share with my kids. Disney has the magic I just can't create on my own.

Time of my life

The Black Eyed Peas sang about it. So did Jennifer Warren. But have I had it?  "The time of my life?" I hope not. What then, would there be, to look forward to?

My son, 5, asked in essence, the same question of me tonight, "Mom, what was your best day ever?" I told him that it was the day he was born. I thought that was the answer he wanted to hear, and there was a lot of truth to that of course. He and I were alone in the room at the time and I thought it was the best answer given our private moment.  His birth was touch-and-go at times, and very frightful. His heart stopped beating and I was beside myself with panic. The only thing I wanted at that moment was a healthy, breathing, living child. A wish I was granted. He's fine of course and thank God for that. Had the outcome been different it surely would have been the worst day of my life. So I will eternally be grateful for the gift of his life.

But, I do believe the song lyric, "time of my life" eludes to something less monumental, and more spontaneously joyful. I haven't won the lotto. And though it would be exciting, I don't think that would be the time of my life. As I understand it, holding the winning ticket can be extremely stressful. The burden of winning, the bombardment of requests, the public notoriety, the change in lifestyle, all truly stressful circumstances.

People often say their wedding was the best day of their lives. Really? I say they're lying or weirdos. Weddings are uber-stressful. Something always goes wrong. The caterer messes up, your brother gets slobbery drunk, you rip your dress, a ghost tries to shove you out a window on your wedding night... you know, wedding stuff. The outcome is great. I got lucky, married a great guy, got a few good pictures and no one was scarred for life by the events of the day. Time of my life? Nah.
Vacations are good. Bargains are good. But no Columbia jacket at half price could ever be "the time of my life."

Winning the Superbowl? Well that will never happen. An Olympic gold medal... not until "jumping to conclusions" becomes a sanctioned event.

Was there ever a moment in my life that was perfect? Probably not. Oh, but I've had some great times! I think the best times and the best memories are made in the spontaneity. Running through the rain, with my husband, on a secret get-away trip and dashing into a jewellery store to get out of a downpour... and then him buying a string of pearls for me. That is a precious memory. We were soaked to the skin, laughing and shaking our heads that we were in that predicament and loving every second of it. The pearls, are merely a physical momento... a tangible something that I have to remind me of that special spontaneous event we shared.

Then there was the moment when I was with my kids, and we saw THE CASTLE. Disney's castle at the Magic Kingdom. It was the first time for each of us. It was awe inspiring to see it. I was taken a back by the fact that the TV beginning to all the Sunday night dinner movies of my childhood was there in living colour. The line drawing of a castle at the beginning to all Disney motion pictures was there and REAL. That was a "moment" for me. And to see my kids' faces completely light up with joy, rounded out the experience. Cliche, yes, but genuinely a dream come true to be able to see Walt Disney World and to be able to take my kids to it.

The time of my life? It's yet to come. And that's totally the reason to get up every day and try new things, and try to hope for the best. You just never know if the next best thing is just around the corner.