Weekends! Well, I don’t work at CPS anymore. YAY! Let me say that again… YAY!!!!!!!! Basically it sort of feels like weekends all the time for me now. I don’t really ever have to get up on time, though I try to, to support Adam who still has to. It’s pretty awesome. But, weekends are still better than weekdays, because Adam is home, and that’s my favorite thing. We usually aren’t home on the weekends anymore, we sort of… need to get out sometimes.

Memory. Adam’s sucks. Yeah, I’m glad he went to the doctor to make sure there was nothing physically wrong, but… it still sucks even though there isn’t anything wrong. I think we’ve got a pretty good plan though. I don’t love the fact that Adam is constantly looking at his phone, but he has been doing a lot better since its constantly reminding him what I was hoping he’d do. I feel bad sometimes. Adam is always doing chores and things for me… I don’t think he ever really asks me to do stuff. I don’t “forget” things like he does because there is nothing he expects me to do. My life is so damn easy guys, my only problem is feeling guilty about how awesome things are for me. So, all in all, memory isn’t really much of an issue any more. Sometimes I freak out if he forgets something, but I think that’s more related to me being randomly sensitive sometimes. This typically occurs when I’m hungry. Anyone who’s dated or married me seems to figure that out right quick.

Heather. Wait… that’s me… this is all about me…

Adam. Adam said that he was the luckiest guy on Earth. I feel the same. I really do. I don’t really know what else to say about you best friend. Nothing but cliché’s come to mind. Ummm… you accept my flaws… you make me want to be a better person… blah blah… You got it right when you said it’s hard to write about me. I think you know how I feel. I’m right where I want to be because I found you. I still feel like it isn’t real sometimes. I always thought you were the coolest guy at the theater, too cool to even hang out with me in fact. But then… you married me. Damn. What a life.

Job. So, I have a new job now. Well, not exactly new, I’ve had it for a while now, but now it’s the only one I have. It’s boring, but I still get really into it when I’m talking about it, just like every other job I guess. I work for Adam’s dad, and that’s pretty much the sweetest thing ever. Again, the only part that doesn’t rock is that I feel guilty for being home in my jammies all the time. I try to help out at home by doing the laundry and stuff, but Adam never holds me to that… so I do a lot of napping and drinking tea. Adam works really hard. He always talks about how he doesn’t want a real job or career or anything, but now he’s the one that works two jobs and brings in all the dough. I’ll repay him sometime. I’m not sure how yet… but it’ll come.

Pets. So ummm… 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 rats and a snake. I like saying that when people ask. So really only the rats, one dog, and the snake are ours. Paisley is the best dog. She’s super aggressive, and sort of wants to bite us sometimes… but I love her so much. Bringing her home didn’t really feel like a decision. It just sort of happened, thanks to Sharon and Ann… and many others at the CPS office. She has actually gotten a little bigger than when we brought her home. I didn’t really want to accept that before, but I’ll admit it now. She’s still a forever puppy though. I really hope we stick to the plan and train her better. I don’t want her to end up unruly and unlikeable like her sister Bailey. Now Bailey, she isn’t ours… but I think we may end up adopting her. We’ll see on that one. The cats… hmmm… I don’t see them much. Again… not ours. I decided they deserved to have names though, since they haven’t for so long. So I named them Freckles and Norma. I haven’t spent enough time with them to really be able to tell you much about them. We’ll see if we end up adopting them too. Now, the rats… I really feel like we need to do something about Sara. Her tumor is so big. I was thinking that it wasn’t cruel that we aren’t putting her down because that’s not what you would do if a human had a tumor… but then Adam reminded me we shouldn’t be putting human traits on animals… that’s what Inside of a Dog has been saying too… I really like that book by the way. It’s by Alexandra Horowitz and its awesome. I haven’t finished it yet, but I hopefully will soon. I want to read more… but I do actually have to work like half a day every day so I haven’t quite been reading as much as I wanted. Maybe I’ll come with a better plan for that. I’m sort of addicted to plans if you didn’t already know that. It helps with the OCD… or is a result of the OCD… one of the two.

Team Willis. I’m a real live member of this team, and it’s the best. I don’t know where I would be without Adam’s family. They’ve been the biggest support to me. I never really felt the need to get a tattoo, but if Team Willis gets one, I’ll be down. Something tells me we’ll just keep talking about that though… and maybe never do it. I guess we’ll see.

Health. Right now, Adam is writing a workout program for me. I’m really hoping to get into better shape. I’m also trying to keep my cholesterol down. I really would like to live forever, and so I have to take care of my body and I really haven’t been doing the best job of that. I don’t think I’ve been doing the worst job, but I’m certainly not nearly as healthy as I should be. I can’t really be physically active very long without getting completely out of breath. I hate exercise for this reason. So, Adam is writing this program for me. It’s called The Zombie Apocalypse Workout. I’m kind of a weirdo depressed geek… I really like imagining what some kind of chaotic event would be like and I always think it would be fun. Adam doesn’t like to play this game with me. He’s too realistic. I tried to teach him how to play a while ago, but I don’t think he really enjoyed it. He always thinks about how things would really be and how we would probably die and everything… My imaginary versions are usually way better. They typically involve me and Adam and our close family and friends building some kind of elaborate fort and defending it and foraging for food and things. Everyone always has a job… its good times. Anyway, so Adam is incorporating that fun fantasy I like to think about into a workout program to make it seem fun. He’s also going really super slow… so that I don’t give up. He doesn’t even make me feel bad about how pathetically small he had to start. He’s the best. So today my workout consisted of walking to the end of the block maybe like half a mile total, maybe a little more, I don’t know. Then, I had to do ski jumps… which were silly, and as a grand finale: one real push up, not on my knees. He increases my workout a little every day and hopefully he’ll have me fit enough to jog in the marathons he wants to do this year. I really want to do the color run and the Disneyland fun run with him, but it’s going to take a lot more than one push up to get me there. Hopefully I can stick to it. I sort of gave up on my bodybugg. Once I get frustrated with something and erase it from my calendar… its pretty much done with. By the way, anyone want to buy a slightly chewed on by Paisley bodybugg with a small strap?

Harry Potter. So, I never really got super into this like a lot of people. I was really sad when it was over though, at first. It kind of felt like I was being forced to grow up a little. I realized how long that had been around. We were so young when it started, and now its over. Anyway, I felt that way for like a month after the last movie. I’m over it now though. Adam keeps getting into other young adult things… like the Hunger Games and stuff… I’m just not programmed to let myself want to get into that I guess.

Soda. Adam does drink too much soda. He keeps telling me that the artificial sweeteners don’t cause cancer or anything, something still tells me it would be better if he drank less though. I’m not anti-development or anything. I think its super awesome that we have zero calorie sweeteners and I really don’t think that everything that is older is better or anything like that… I just think plain water somehow has to be better for you. I drink a lot of tea instead. There’s a lot more variety with that, and its closer to being natural, though probably only in thought. I bet some of the teas I have are pretty far from natural too… and for the kicker… I usually put artificial sweetener in mine too. Not always though! Just… most of the time… like… almost every time. Whatever. Tea is awesome. Shout out to Handmade teas for keeping me in constant supply of new kinds and awesome spices and things. Do people still do shout outs? Did I officially prove how uncool I am?

The Netherlands. So, our trip was AWESOME. For realsies. Most importantly though, I think its just nice to know that I have more family out there… especially as far away as they are. Sometimes I get to feeling so detached from the world and society in general. Knowing that I have people that are technically related to me, and know my address and send me cards and things makes me feel a lot more connected. Also, they are totally rad people. I hope to someday know somebody and somehow feel connected to so many more people. Like, maybe one from every country. I would really like to go to every country just once. That’s a dream I’ll probably never realize, but I would sure love it. Anyway, Jennifer and Eddy had a baby… Isabella. She’s cute. They and the rest of the family might be coming in a couple of years. I can’t wait. Hopefully we’ll still be in this house so they’ll have lots of room, also, I really like this house, even though it isn’t ours. Maybe someday we’ll have a real place of our own. I don’t care so much about ownership… but you can’t really do certain things without owning a place. That goal is a long way off though. We’ll come back to that when some of this other stuff gets sorted out.

Disneyland. So. we have annual passes. I’m really happy that Adam gets to go more. He really doesn’t seem to be getting bored of it at all. I hope someday he can work there. Even if its not forever, I’d like to see him get to do that at least for a while. Something tells me I won’t want to stay in one place forever though. I really like travelling, even if I don’t do it much. I also like Disneyland a lot, not as much as Adam, but a lot. I was really surprised at myself the first time we went during “Christmastime”. I just started crying. It was strange. I think I do that in general sometimes though… just cry for no reason. I predicted that would happen after I left CPS. I didn’t feel anything when I worked there. Well, I felt a little, but not nearly as much as you’d think, so now it’s coming out in inappropriate ways. It’s ok though. I don’t mind a random cry every now and then. Especially if it is at Disneyland.

Politics. Umm… I don’t really talk about politics a lot. I don’t feel smart enough. I feel like I don’t really like a lot about the way things are, but I’m far from having a solution… and I enjoy spending my time thinking about other things. I don’t mind hearing Adam talk about them. I enjoy participating in those conversations a little, but I still don’t feel I have much to contribute. At the same time though… sometimes I think about running for some kind of public office… I probably won’t ever though. I don’t think really its something I’d like or would be good at. I just think about it…

So… I guess that’s it for now. I guess we do these once a year huh? I can manage that.

I’ll let Adam pick a picture for me… he has access to all of those.

My video should be this one though:

Guest post by Heather Willis (@msheatherface)

Watch this:

That’s right… Disneyland is staying open for 24 hours straight! From 6am on February 29th to 6am on March 1st. And guess what… we’re going! I’m taking three vacation days (it’s on a Wednesday) and we’re gonna do it! Well… we’ll probably go back to the room a couple times, but we’re gonna try and be there as much as we can. What I’m most excited about is being at Disneyland from midnight to 6am. It’s going to be so wonderful.

Oh boy! Time for the second annual State of the Adam! I feel like last time went really well. It was a nice little snapshot of what was going on in my life and my head. Time to do it again! Okie dokie. Let’s jump right into it.

• Heather. Best part of my life. By Far. I mean… pretty much none of the stuff below even matters in comparison. And you know what… that’s all I’m going to say about her. I am not confident enough in my writing skills to properly convey my true feelings and she deserves nothing less than my true feelings. Actually, I will say this: Heather is my best friend and she makes me smile. I love you, Heather.
• Memory. From last year’s SOTA: “Mine sucks. I’m sure I’ve mentioned it before, but I have terribly bad memory. Now that I have insurance, I plan on going to some kind of doctor for this.” Well… I did. Actually… I went to a neurologist! I know it may seem a bit rash, but it was really affecting my day to day life in a truly frustrating way. So yeah… I went… and… nothing is wrong with me. The neurologist gave me a bunch of tests, asked me a bunch of questions, and eventually came to the conclusion that there really isn’t anything physically wrong with me. Basically, I have a crappy memory and I have to deal with it. There’s no medicine or herbs that will help. If only life were that easy. Oh wait! I do think he said I could go to a cognitive therapist, but I’m not too keen on that. Actually, the best tool for helping me remember things nowadays is my iPhone. The “Reminders” app combined with Siri is so damn helpful.
• Jobs. Instead of talking about my current jobs, I’d like to discuss the kind of job I would like to have. Well… besides no job. I do not define myself by the job I have. People like that freak me out. I define myself by how much fun I have and how much love surrounds me. Anyway! The problem is… I have to have a job. I need money. So, why don’t I just find a job I like? Well… that’s impossible (with one magical exception). Why? Well… having a job is the same as going to school for me. There is something in my brain chemistry that just makes me hate being at work or being at school. I can be working with something I really like (the internet) or learning about something I really enjoy (science), but I will always get into a horribly depressed funk. How do I avoid this? There are two ways. One way is to have a job that requires no real thinking. My least favorite part of my current jobs is how much thought I have to put into what I do. I don’t like spending my brain power on work (I know this doesn’t make sense). What I want is a job that I cannot take home. One that anyone can do. That’s why I loved stocking shit at Walmart and selling tickets at a movie theater. Super easy and mindless. Go to work, do your job, and leave. Repeat. Working at In and Out would be awesome! I know… high aspirations, right? Yep. Okay. So, the second way is to work at Disneyland. I don’t care what it is I am doing as long as I work there. I’d even be cool with California Adventure! Or any of the Disney hotels! Man… Adam Willis, janitor at Disneyland. Music to my ears!
• Pets. So, last year I said I was getting rats. I got them. They’re awesome. But I really don’t care too much about them anymore. Why? I’ll tell you why… PAISLEY!!! We got a dog! And she’s amazing! Heather brought her home from the CPS parking lot. She was lethargic, skinny, and completely covered in ticks! It was the saddest thing ever. Over 1000 bucks later… she’s doing great! I really hate saying this, but I like her more than Matilda. I know! Blasphemy! It is true though. And! Since the ticks sucked out so much blood, she probably isn’t going to grow to full size! SHE’S GOING TO BE A PUPPY FOREVER! I know… best thing ever. Also… still have Monte. But he sucks.
• Team Willis. What can I say… I love my family. I mean… I better! I see them all the god damn time. We just went on an epic Disneyland adventure. It was legendary (definitely started watching How I Met Your Mother). Really though… don’t have a lot to say. Everything is going really well in Willisland. We’re all happy and getting along well. We go have drinks together most Friday nights and will go get the occasional dinner. So yeah. All is well.
• Health. I was at 190 last year… now… I’m at about 175. I know it’s only 15 pounds, but I’m still damn proud of myself. I started using MyFitnessPal.com (MFP) as well as the Couch-to-5K system. Both the website and the system have amazing iPhone apps that I use quite often. I use MFP to track my calories, fitness, and weight on a daily basis. I’ve really been doing a lot better with making good food choices because of it. I do c25k at least three times a week. My endurance is getting really great and I should be able to to a 5k easily in just a few weeks. In fact! There is a Family Fun Run 5k at Disneyland in September!!! Definitely doing it. Definitely.
• Arizona. Hate it.
• California. Love it. I really want to move to California. I always have, but now that I’ve gotten a small taste of what it’s like to actually live there my desire has only increased (thanks, Nicole and Donnie!!!). Also… my favorite place in the world just happens to be in California. Weird…
• Disneyland. Heather and I now have Premium Annual Passes. What does that mean? We can go to Disneyland WHENEVER THE FUCK WE WANT. And boy have we! We’ve gone a couple times already (we began our year of magic in late October) and have two more trips planned for the next month alone! Also. Let me just say that I love Disneyland more than I ever have. I could simply list off all of the great things I love about it and its amazing creator, but that wouldn’t really explain why I feel the way I do. It’s really just the feeling it evokes in me. It’s good. Like… pure good. And yes… I do realize that it’s a business and it overcharges and can, at times, be one of the more crass areas of consumerism. Doesn’t matter. Just because I understand the science behind love (it’s all just chemicals) it doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it or base my life around it. No matter what happens to Disneyland, it will always be special because of the man who imagined it and what he represents.
• Politics. From last year: “I’m a far left liberal who hates Republicans. Conservative ideals and free market stuff is fine and dandy, but Republicans are ASSHOLES. The party is full of stupid, piece of shit, mean spirited, ignorant, racist, bigoted, sexist, pathetic, worthless, assholes. Democrats are weak and not actually liberal, but they are no where near as bad as their counterparts.” That’s still the case. I actually started a secret political blog so I had a place to discuss politics besides here. I think I got about 20 posts published before I got burned out. Politics really is draining for someone who prides themself on striving to be as rational as a flawed human possibly can be. As a whole, politics are vile. I mean… truly vile. All politicians are corrupt in one way or another, and all pundits are egotistical sensationalists. Of course, there are still some genuine journalists and economists out there who truly care about the advancement of the human race and can put aside their personal biases (as best as anyone can… we’re all human) to report on and discuss what really matters in a factual, intelligent manner. Those people are awesome. I hope to one day be one of those people. I’m not there yet, but I’m working at it. It is called political science for a reason. Science is never fully and completely understood. It is always evolving. Anything can be disproven if there is enough reason to disprove it. Nothing is entirely black or white. While some things (like gravity) seem to be completely indisputable, true scientists are always open to new discoveries and ways of thinking. This is the kind of mind set I wish more political scientists had. Both sides, liberal and conservative, are guilty of rigid dogmatism. It’s fine to have a strong belief in something, but closing your mind to even the slightest possibility of being wrong is unintelligent and, in some cases, dangerous for the future of our society and even our planet.
• Scooter. I bought a scooter! That’s it over to the right! His name is Rufio. Rufio. Ru. Fi. Ohhhhh. It was pretty cheap. 1500 bucks. Brand new. Why? It’s Chinese. It’s kind of a piece of crap. It breaks a lot, and the gas gauge doesn’t work. But I don’t care. I love it. It’s so damn fun to ride. It’s like a roller coaster you can control! It’s like a super fast bike you can ride on the street! Also… the gas mileage is amazing and repairs are super cheap. I’m actually learning how to fix things myself so I never have to take it in to the shop again. Still not sure if I would ever upgrade to an actual motorcycle. I took an Intro to Motorcycles class before I got the scooter, and I really didn’t like the shifting you have to do on motorcycles. Scooters are automatic. Twist the throttle. Go. It’s that easy. But seriously… it’s so fun! Fuck cars. They’re so damn boring.
• Music. I’ve been getting into a lot of new music lately. One new group that I have somehow managed to not get into up until now is Erasure. So, there’s this iPhone app called Robot Unicorn Attack. It features a ridiculously fabulous song called Always. Well… that song is by Erasure. I liked it, but I assumed it was some goofy one hit wonder song, so I never considered actually checking out the band that sings it. Time passed and one day I noticed Erasure was going to be playing in Los Angeles. I thought it would be funny to check it out and Heather agreed. Holy shit it was amazing. I listened to most of their songs for the very first time about a week before we actually went. They have so many great songs! And they’ve done a bunch of ABBA covers! Anyway. Check them out. They rock. Other new music I discovered… Gotye and Kimbra. They’re two different artists, but they sing together on one track (Somebody That I Used To Know) that is, quite possibly, the greatest song ever written (besides Gemini (Birthday Song) by Why?, of course). I have embedded the video below as it is one of my favorite things ever. The song and the video match up perfectly and Gotye and Kimbra have this electric chemistry that gives you chills.

Well. There you have it. My life as of right now. There’s a whole lot more going on, but I thought this would be a good enough summation for now.

tl;dr… I FUCKING LOVE YOU!

First up… um… yeah… over to the right… that’s a My Little Pony… and that My Little Pony… is me. And no… I am most definitely NOT a brony. Someone Tweeted a link to General Zoi’s Pony Creator and I just couldn’t resist. I know… I’m weak. Hey! You know what… whatever! I like my pony! He’s fucking awesome! Deal with it.

Moving on! Disneyland. Wow. Heather and I have been to my favorite place in the world twice in the last month! And we’re going back with Team Willis in three weeks! And then again in January with The Bartlemans! Ah! I love having an annual pass. So much. So very much. And Star Tours! Holy Cow! What an experience! I loved the original, but this new version is just beyond anything I ever expected. It’s so good, I don’t even mind that it (sometimes) involves a pod race or even a visit to Naboo! I was really skeptical about the overhaul (I’m lookin’ right at you, Mr. Lucas… idiot), but Disney Imagineering has created one of the greatest attractions ever.

And speaking of Star Wars! Watch this!

I love ATATs…

Christmas! Ah! It’s officially Christmastime and I love it. 99.9 KEZ has been playing Christmas music nonstop for a few weeks now and people are slowly but surely putting up their decorations. Stores have already detonated their Christmastime explosives and are covered from floor to ceiling in greens and reds and silvers and wreaths and toys and trees and fruitcakes and pies and ornaments and lights and so much happiness! Yippie!

What else? Oh yeah! Rufio, my scooter, is fucking broken again! Well, not broken to the point of not working, but he’s making noises he shouldn’t be making. Let’s just say he is definitely not feeling bangarang. Hopefully I’ll be able to take it in tomorrow so I can start riding it to work again. Cars are damn boring.

Also… Heather and I are watching the Twilight movies. Yeah. They’re just as bad as everyone says. Silver lining: Jacob’s abs. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Also… there’s a new podcast that you should check out: Ellipsis with Ella Morton.

Well, there’s much more I could write about, but I’m done for now.

Don’t forget…

I love you.

AHHHHH!!! YIPPIE! HUZZAH! W00T! WAHOOO!!!

What’s my favorite place in the whole god damn world? Disneyland. Where am I going to be in five days? Disneyland. To say that the previous two questions and subsequent answers make me happy would be a tremendous understatement. I have not been to Disneyland for almost two years. Think about that. Me. Disneyland. Apart since December 2009. NOT. FUCKING. OK.

Also… speaking of Disneyland… you know that stupid Arizona sign you see as you enter this terrible state from beautiful California? This is how I see it in my mind every time:

Cannot WAIT for this weekend!

I recognized the art style immediately. This doodle honors the amazing artist, Mary Blair. She obviously didn’t draw this (she’s dead), but it is definitely something she would have drawn. That doodle making dude at Google did a fabulous job. If the style of her art seems familiar at all, it’s probably because she was the designer for It’s a Small World. That unique look is distinctly Mary Blair. In addition to It’s a Small World, she was also involved in the art direction for Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Song of the South and Cinderella.

I really do love her art, and I won’t lie… I teared up when I saw the above image this morning.

Thanks, Mary. You’re the bee’s knees!

1. Walt Disney’s Disneyland Dedication – Walt Disney
2. Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) – Backstreet Boys
3. Disney Medley – Disneyland Band
4. The Raiders March [From Raiders of the Lost Ark] – John Williams
5. The Firebird (L’oiseau de Feu): VI. Finale – Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky
6. Flight to Neverland [From Hook] – John Williams
7. Summer Overture [from Requiem for a Dream] – Clint Mansell
8. Married Life [From Up] – Michael Giacchino
9. Star Wars (Main Title) [From Star Wars] – John Williams
10. Bastian’s Happy Flight – The NeverEnding Story
11. Somewhere in My Memory [From Home Alone] – John Williams
12. A Little Respect – Erasure
13. Jurassic Park (Theme) [From Jurassic Park] – John Williams
14. Space Mountain [Old] – A Musical History of Disneyland
15. There’s No Place Like Home [From LOST Season 4] – Michael Giacchino
16. Singin’ In the Rain – Gene Fucking Kelly
17. Space Mountain [New] – A Musical History of Disneyland
18. Flying Theme [From from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial] – John Williams
19. It’s Not Easy – Pete’s Dragon
20. The Edge of Glory – Dreamy Nick Pitera

I know… genius. You’re welcome.

Well. I like Disneyland. I’ll write about that. So, we technically have Premium Annual Passes to Disneyland. Right now. Yeah. Like… we could go whenever we want. The thing is… they’re just paid-for PAP vouchers. The year of unlimited Disneyland fun hasn’t started yet. It starts the day we go. Which isn’t until December. Blah. It’s okay. I’ll live. That doesn’t mean I don’t think about those ready to be redeemed vouchers every fucking day. When I’m having a shitty day at work (which is just about every day) all I can think about is the fact that I could be in Disneyland in a mere 6 hours. And when we actually redeem the passes and start the year… fuck. I don’t know how I’m going to stop myself from begging Heather to go every damn weekend. It’s been so long since I’ve been. I am having some serious withdrawals. We did stop by Downtown Disney a few months ago, but that was only a temporary fix. I need the real shit! I need more of this:

Surround yourself with magic as you fly, dance and dive into classic Disneyland park attractions. Leave the controller behind as you interact with over 40 beloved Disney characters and experience magical moments beyond your imagination.

Okay, Disneyland PR!

Here’s GKTW in a nutshell (courtesy of Wikipedia):

Give Kids The World Village is a nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, Florida for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Children between the ages of 3 and 18 who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness by a licensed doctor are eligible for a GKTW Wish. One of over 250 wish-granting organizations worldwide coordinates transportation to Central Florida, while Give Kids The World provides accommodations at its resort, meals for a week-long vacation, and donated admission tickets to local attractions including Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld, and Universal Orlando Resort.

There’s also a great virtual tour on YouTube that I highly recommend. In addition, Give Kids the World has their own Youtube account as well as Twitter and Facebook profiles.

So yeah… I’m sure you can see why I love this organization so much. Of course, it’s amazing to give kids who are going through a horrible time in their lives a free trip to Disney World, but it does have the potential to be a stressful situation. As much as Disney tries to be accessible for those with special needs, it’s still not perfect. And even if it was, the general public still has a problem dealing with those of us who are not “normal”. Those who are in wheel chairs or look different or who consistently require medical equipment or walk different or even sound different are still looked at and treated by many people as though they are aliens.

This is why the Give Kids the World Village is so important and wonderful. It’s a place where these kids can feel normal in a society that doesn’t treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve. It’s run by people whose only mission is to help these kids and their families have the best vacation they’ve ever had, and the numerous rides and activities have all been made with accessibility in mind.

One of the things that really impresses me about GKTW is the consistent amount of volunteers they attract:

Give Kids The World depends on volunteers, known as our Angels, to fulfill over 1,200 volunteer shifts every week. With countless hours and generous hearts, volunteers of many ages, talents and abilities assist the Village by maintaining our operations and completing special projects that ensure each family has a perfect guest experience.

1200 volunteer shifts a week is really impressive for a non-profit. Although… who wouldn’t want to spend some time making sick children smile???

Also… the founder of Give Kids the World, Henri Landwirth, is a truly beautiful human being. You can read his bio at the GKTW site, but here’s a snippet:

Like the special children Give Kids The World serves, its founder, Henri Landwirth, knows all to well what it is like to give up his childhood. Born in Antwerp, Belgium, on March 7, 1927, Henri and his family were separated and became prisoners in the Nazi death and labor camps during WWII. Henri spent the years between the ages of 13 and 18 in camps including Auschwitz and Matthausen. By war’s end, both of his parents had been killed, but miraculously Henri and his twin sister, Margot, survived and were reunited. Henri worked his way to America on a freight ship, arriving in New York City with $20 in his pocket and little knowledge of the English language; soon after he was drafted to serve in the Army.

Seriously… go to the site and read the rest of his story. I was in tears by the end of it.

Again… I love this program with all my heart. I LOVE IT! Do you love it, too? You do? Awesome! What’s that? You want you know how you can help support this very worthy charity? Well… it’s easy! You can donate directly, purchase some stuff from their online store, or, if you happen to be in the area, you can donate some of your time at the village. I’ve bought some stuff and given some moneys, but I can’t wait until Heather and I finally take our Disney World trip so I can get to the village and help out in person.

Oh yeah… and if you’re at all concerned about how GKTW spends your money, you can check out their BBB and / or Charity Navigator assessments.

P.S. Feel like crying? Watch this YouTube video of one child’s trip to Disney World and Universal Studios while staying at the Give Kids the World Village.

Yeah… we went to Flagstaff. It was awesome.

…Disneyland! I think it’ll be fun!

‎”Birthers aren’t satisfied because no matter how many documents Barack Obama releases it will never be enough, because there isn’t a document in the world that will turn him white.” – Barbara Morrill

Hey, birthers… SIT. AND. SPIN.

In other news…

I have officially started our “Let’s Get Some Disneyland Premium Annual Passes for Heather and Adam” savings fund. On the 25th of every month, I will be withdrawing one hundred and sixty dollars cash from our bank account and depositing it into a secret, Disneyland-themed money holding vessel in my office at home (please don’t steal it). By December, we will have more than enough for both of us to get passes! The excess money will probably be used to buy food (Blue Bayou!) and souvenirs (pins!). There really is a great big beautiful tomorrow!

In other news…

I deleted both my Yelp and Linkedin accounts yesterday! I deleted Linkedin because I don’t have any desire whatsoever to make business connections or be involved in the business world. Linkedin is for grown ups, and I ain’t a grown up! I deleted Yelp because I am trying to severe as many ties to the internet as possible. This blog, Facebook, Twitter, and some of the photo sharing sites are about all I want. I love me some internets, but real life is much more fun. I’d rather ride Splash Mountain IRL than watch a ride through video… like this one!

I miss Disneyland.

I guess while I’m here in this god forsaken shit hole of a state I should do my best to stay positive and have fun! Hmmm… concerts are fun! What’s this? The Decemberists are coming to Mesa?

brb!!!

Bam. Tickets purchased. Got some damn good seats, too!

Oh yeah… sooo… back to Disneyland. Heather helped me remember that working there would be my dream job. I keep forgetting that. I mean… it sucks… because the chances of us living close to or in (!!!) Anaheim are pretty slim. But one can dream. Right, Walt? I know it’s not the most ambitious career goal, but that’s just who I am. Honestly… I could work at the ticket booth for the rest of my life and be happy. It is possibly one of the only jobs that I would actually enjoy having.

California! So the friends we were going to stay with had a family emergency, so we no longer have a place to stay. But wait… what’s this? A reservation for the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach???

Yes, indeed! We are staying at a lovely four star hotel that is within walking distance of the Ocean!

Whoopee!

Hell yeah!

Music! So I came up with a genius idea on Twitter the other day:

I want to save up a bunch of money and go to every single music festival I can in one year. In an RV!!! Oh god! Yes!

April 1, 2011 10:36 am via HootSuiteReplyRetweetFavorite

@AdamVonWillis

Adam Willis

How fun would that be?!?! I’ll tell you: SO FUN! It would cost quite a bit of money, but with some intelligent and diligent saving, I know we could do it. Coachella, Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, Lollapalooza, Sasquatch, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Summerfest, etc!

Also… Heather and I are going to California this weekend, and for some reason I just can’t get this song out of my head… weird!

We aren’t going to Disneyland (sad face!), but we are staying with Nicole and Donnie (smiley face!). It also happens to be our one year wedding anniversary! We’re gonna have fun fun fun!

In other news! The Sea Monkeys are still dead. What a bummer. I could just use my unused Sea Monkey starter kit that I have at home (cuz I’m cool like that), but this was my most successful batch ever! I want them back! What to do? To the official Sea Monkey FAQ!

All my Sea-Monkeys have died! How can I bring them back to life?
There are still many unhatched Sea-Monkey eggs on the bottom of your tank.
DO NOT POUR OUT THE WATER.
Try this first:
Aerate your tank for about 1 1/2 weeks.
Look closely as you should see new baby Sea-Monkeys appear.

I aerated my tank for over a week and new Sea-Monkeys did not hatch, what do I do now?
Allow all of the water in your tank to evaporate (this may take several weeks).
Add fresh bottled or distilled water and 1 package of Water Purifier. Stir.
Wait a few days and you should see new Sea-Monkey babies!

Huzzah! They’re the cockroaches of the desktop pets world!

Disneyland! In my post yesterday, I expressed my desire to live about 400 miles to the West of my current residence. In that post, I said that Disneyland was not a huge part of that desire. This is true. But… I still love Disneyland. It’s on my mind every single day. If I could go every day, I would. There’s not really any other place like that. I guess it’s silly to be so attached to one place, but I don’t care. I like it. It’s a bummer that I don’t get to visit it too often. I like all the other vacations we take in between our Disneyland trips, but they’re just not as fulfilling.

I’ll walk right out into a brand new day
Insane and rising in my own weird way
I don’t want to be the bad guy
I don’t want to do your sleepwalk dance anymore

Can’t stop listening to Santa Monica today. Feelin’ a pretty intense connection to the lyrics.

Blah.

Doesn’t that just look perfect? Wouldn’t it be nice, indeed…

We can live beside the ocean
Leave the fire behind
Swim out past the breakers
Watch the world die

I don’t know why I can’t stop dreaming of living there, but I can’t. I do think I’m glorifying it a bit too much, but even if it turns out to be 1/4th as amazing as I think it is… I would love it. And no… this is not because Disneyland happens to be in Southern California. It helps… but it really isn’t a big part of it. It was at first, but not now.

Oh well. I’m thinking we’re stuck in Arizona for a long while, so I better get used to it. Fucking debt. I know we’ll get out of here eventually. Just not sure when eventually is. Until then… I’ll have our (few and far between) Disneyland trips and these wonderful songs to hold me over…

Oh look… an interview!

Besides being a fellow Disneyland fanatic… who are you?
I’m Nicole Mojan Pirshafiey and I’m totally not worthy to be interviewed by you! I feel like a rock star…which I most certainly am I not. There’s a host of labels that apply to me (see: writer, geek, cackler, adventurer, LGBT ally, Tina Fey wannabe, Lea Michele doppelganger, Whedon acolyte, singing Disney Princess when in the Cone of Silence that is my car and/or shower…), but rock star’s not one of them. Well, maybe Rock Band star applies. I can shred some skins and axes as long as they’re linked to my precious 360.

You semi-recently moved from the worst state in America to Southern California… why?
Because I’m not a masochistic! Honestly, I found myself getting too comfortable in the stability of my life in Phoenix, and when I realized there was nothing tying me down to stop me from returning to my home state, I did. I’d been dying to move back to California for a plethora of reasons: to pursue a career in writing, to get out of the toxic political situation in Phoenix, to be close to my family, and mostly because I’m head over heels in love with southern California. The biggest factor that justified the move were our career goals, though; my boyfriend Donnie and I are aspiring television writers, and we knew that if we stayed in Phoenix we’d never be able to break in. So, we saved up and gave ourselves a year to get ready for the move, and now we’re thrilled to be CA residents.

What’s your favorite part of living in California so far?
Ah, finally an easy question: PROXIMITY TO DISNEYLAND! I’m less than 30 minutes away from D-Land…same with the beach, downtown LA (with traffic!), Hollywood, and mountains that are literally covered in snow right now, it’s amazing. Honorable mentions go to the following nominees: the diversity of the residents here, the overwhelming variety of arts and cultural events in my new town, not needing an air conditioner, and constantly meeting amazing writers and actors who are fightin’ the good creative fight with me.

Besides answering silly interview questions, what kind of writing do you enjoy most?
I don’t care if I’m writing a blog, a script, or a rent check as long as I get to infuse it with some kind of comedy (which is hilarious considering I’ve been hired to write a gritty, tawdry pilot that’s heavy on the drama and lean on the chuckles). That being said, I’m happiest when I’m writing relationship-based comedic screenplays. Not necessarily rom-coms, mind you…I’m working on an adventure comedy about two sisters right now that’s kind of my favorite thing ever.

I know this is mean, but… Han Solo or Indiana Jones?
Answering this question is going to turn this computer into a horcrux because it’s going to split my soul asunder. It’s like the sequel to Sophie’s Choice, I hate this! Okay, if I HAVE to pick, I’d go with Indy, but only because I could never steal Leia’s man.

Thank you. I understand how difficult that question must have been for you. Moving on to someone a little less sexy… what is your honest opinion of the tween sensation, Justin Bieber?
Honestly, up until last night I blew him off as a fad we’re all just waiting to pass…but then I saw a preview of his movie, it was footage of him as a toddler laying some preternaturally amazing beats on a kitchen chair, and I was impressed enough to Google him, which only impressed me more. He’s a friggin’ prodigy, this kid! I’m way impressed by his ear for music, even though I find his voice and persona completely ridiculous.

Politics! Mubarak just stepped down. How do you feel about that?
I’m extremely interested to see how the citizens of Egypt step up and how the different factions will deal with the power play that’s bound to start now. It’s like they threw the political basketball up in the air and we’re not sure which team is going to get possession. I’m nervous because a similar scenario was established when the Shah stepped down and I’d hate to see the wrong party come to power the way it did in Iran. Although, if they hadn’t come to power, my dad wouldn’t have moved to the US and I never would have been born, so silver lining: Iranian turmoil is justified because I’m alive. EGOGASM!

What’s your favorite thing to eat at Disneyland?
EVERYTHING. Once I enter the park, I have insatiable hunger and I want to shove churros and corn dogs and pineapple whips down my gullet. Top favorite, though? I’ll have to go with the gumbo at the Cafe Orleans if I’m at D-Land, or candy corn if I’m at DCA. Weird, right?

Almost done! Who are some of your favorite television and/or movie writers?
JOSSSSSSSSS WHEEEEEEEDON! Scout’s honor, I fully intended to go to law school until I saw his movies and tv shows, he’s an inspiration. The man is a master of storytelling, dialogue, characters, the whole shabang. I’m in lesbians with him. He’s also a huge feminist and atheist, what’s not to love? His whole crew of writers are fabulous: any show that has writing credits by Jane Espenson, David Fury, Marti Noxon, Drew Greenburg, Drew Goddard, David Greenwalt, Stephen S. DeKnight, any of those guys? Watch it immediately.

I’m also a ginormous fan of Bryan Fuller (Wonderfalls/Pushing Daisies), Tina Fey (duh), and Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant. I also love anything Orci & Kurtzman touch, and Aaron Sorkin is a genius. My all time favorite screenwriter is William Goldman, the man is a legend and I’m obsessed with him. To be able to deliver the best fairyrtale adventure film (Princess Bride) AND the best western of all time (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) is amazing. He’s legen…wait for it…DARY. LEGENDARY.

How’d you feel about the ending of LOST?
I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it. What I’m most impressed with is that they didn’t give us any straight answers, that all our theorizing and interpretations can still work because they never came out and said,”okay, this is what so and so meant when he said this, or this is what X was a metaphor for.” We all wanted answers, but we would have been way more pissed if we’d gotten them. My 25 page research paper I wrote about Lost during season 2? Still holds up, all things considered. So, brava, Lost writers. Bravissima!

Last question: What is your favorite Pixar movie?
The Incredibles! I know, strange choice, but it’s seriously one of my favorite movies ever. The art design is so dreamy and the dialogue is so sassy. Any movie with super heroes, a 60s spy movie vibe, and Edna Mode can do no wrong. But no capes. NO CAPES.

And that’s the video she wanted me to share. I must say… it’s fabulous. Good choice.

Would you like to know more about Nicole? You can (and should) follow her on Twitter. She’s also got a fantastic blog that is infinitely better than this one.

First off… tomorrow is Yelp’s Ultimate Science Fair at the Arizona Science Center! Heather, my mom, my dad, and my uncle are all going. This is the biggest Yelp event of the year, and it looks like it is going to be mind blowing.

Next up is the Girl Talk concert in a few weeks. I only recently discovered him, but I really love his mashups and have read nothing but amazing things about his live performances.

In April, Heather and I will be seeing the Grammy Award-winning Arcade Fire. FUCK YEAH! I was lucky in getting our amazing tickets as the band tweeted a special presale announcement one day early. This is why I love Twitter.

In May, the East Valley Team Willis Battalion will depart on a grand Las Vegas adventure! As we are the classiest of families, we will be staying at the luxurious Hooters Hotel and Casino.

While there, we will be seeing the cast of Glee live in concert!

A mere week after getting back from Vegas, Heather and I will be getting on a plane and going to the Netherlands! We’re going for the wedding of one of Heather’s relatives, and I could not be more excited!

And then… a week after we get back from Holland, the East Valley Team Willis Battalion will be seeing Les Misérables at Gammage. This’ll be my first time seeing it live, and I am really looking forward to it.

I’m sure there will be more fun adventures between Les Mis and December, but the next planned adventure is a Team Willis Disneyland Christmastime Spectacular!

So yeah… I guess life ain’t so bad.

Second interview time! You know her… you love her… it’s Heather!!!!!

Here we go!

Besides being the wife of the one and only Adam Willis… who are you?
Oh no! Sneak attack.

That’s too hard of a question.

I’m still working on figuring that out. I don’t know who I am exactly.

Is that a good enough answer?

I’m someone who’s afraid her husband will reject her interview response. Waaaaaah!

Response accepted! Next question: Why the heck do you like Garden State so much?
1. Natalie Portman
2. Zach Braff
3. Zach Braff
4. Zach Braff
5. Sarsgaard

I loved the trailer and it was the first movie I remember deciding I wanted to see and liked all on my own not because someone else suggested it. The movie just made sense to me and made me feel connected to it and myself through the whole thing. Then, I watched it with you and it made me feel connected to you too.

Also, because you have to have a favorite movie for secret questions about yourself on the interwebs and I started with that one and didn’t want to change it and confuse myself later.

And, I said it was the first movie I remember REALLY liking as a post 13 year old girl and I don’t like changing my opinions because I hate to seem wishy washy.

What kind of video games do you enjoy, and who is your favorite video game character?
I enjoy rpg’s that are “pastel” as I like to call them. They involve quests that typically entail flower gathering or hole digging. My favorite video game character is probably yoshi as he’s the character that gives me the most joy when he appears in a game. I am pretty fond of yarn style kirby though too. He’s significantly innocent and fun loving and is full of surprises!

Wait, I changed my mind again, damn, I am wishy washy.

EPONA!!!!!!

What is your favorite part of a vacation to Disneyland?
My favorite part of a vacation to disneyland is holding your hand and seeing you smile.

Which class did you enjoy most during all of your years in the education system?
Wow. Another hard one.

The classes that I actually remember learning something in and using information from now were botany, social psychology, and motivation and learning or something like that.

I learned a bit that I use now in psychological testing but that class was BORING at the time.

Which did I ENJOY most?

Probably Lucas and Spielberg, since we literally watched movies everyday and I actually enjoyed and was proud of the papers I wrote.

I liked learning about The Beatles in popular rock music: The Beatles. But the class was so easy I didn’t even have to listen to hardly any music so it wasn’t really that enjoyable.

Too hard, huh? Fine. What’s your favorite color?
That is hard!

I used to like red and I feel really guilty about it now but I think yellow is my favorite. I hate to abandon red…

Yes, that’s why those were our wedding colors.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
First I wanted to be a farmer, then I became more realistic and settled on veterinarian like every other 3rd grade girl. In junior high I discovered what I really wanted was to be an actress. After not being selected for advanced drama in 8th grade I gave up my dreams and settled on becoming a psychologist because Danielle told me I was a good listener and at the time I didn’t believe in medication so psychiatry was out. After learning that I hated the DSM I forgot about having a private practice and settled on social services. We’ll see where I end up from here.

I went a little further than “when I was a child”. Its been a slow transition all the way, plus I’m still sort of a child inside now anyway.

What is it about the DSM that you hate so much?
I wouldn’t say that I currently hate it “so much”. There was a time though. Now that I work for CPS I’ve learned a bit more about its uses and how its not completely arbitrary. I definitely would’t want to dedicate my career to it though. It was really hard for me to understand how psychologists were attempting to make the practice more scientific. I think I get it now, the DSM just has a long way to go. Psychology is relatively new in how scientifically worthy it is. Its just really difficult to quantify the human experience which is what the DSM has to do. I think I’m starting to get it though. Maybe this has something to do with having actually met a real live psychologist and seeing how she works. Now that I’m understanding the science behind it I accept it more. I guess what I should have said was that I learned I didn’t want to be a psychologist anymore because of how cut and dry the labels are and how I wasn’t interested in being the one to spend all day testing and giving labels. I do see now that there is more of an art to it. Science will just have to catch up to the art and somehow quantify what I see psychologists actually doing. At the time though, yeah, I just thought it was a dumb book that did a bad job of labeling people in a way that would stick with them forever. Things will get better though. In the mean time though, I’ll stick with my decision not to have my own practice. I guess now its because I don’t want to profit from people’s problems as I’ve heard it put. You should probably edit this part… BOOOORING.

What are some words that you find interesting or exciting?
My favorite word is asunder. I believe that’s the correct spelling.

Which music group or artist has had the biggest effect on your life?
Well, the Beatles are my favorite, and they’ve certainly affected my life, but I can’t think of too many specific examples of why or how.

In all honesty the band that had the biggest effect on my life was the Sneakers for obvious reasons I think.

The Sneakers having existed was sort of the precursor to me having a life that could be affected.

So who are these Sneakers you speak of?
The Sneakers are the band my dad was in up until I was born. They got back together for a little while when I was 12 or so.

I listened to the music of course as a kid, but it wasn’t just that. I did learn a lot about my dad through the music, but really it was a lot more than that. My best friend growing up was the daughter of the lead guitarist of the band. That certainly wouldn’t have happened without that connection. The band also had a huge effect on my dad’s personality, which steered the way he raised me and my brothers.

There’s so much more to it than this, but I could write a whole book on how the band steered the outcome of my life so I’ll leave it at that.

How do you feel about human cloning?
I think its worth it to find out if we can, as it may prove useful or necessary. It will have to be regulated in a major way though. Right now there are too many people already.

How would you feel if it was revealed that Raël has been telling the truth this whole time?
I would be surprised, and a little excited. I would hope that I could go to their planet with you. No work!

Penultimate question! Who is your favorite Boy Meets World character?
Corey.

Topanga’s great and all but Corey is just too damn wholesome not to pick.

Final question! What is your favorite Pixar movie?
Wall-e.

When asked for a video that perfectly sums up the entirety of her being, Heather responded with:

“Um. Do brodyquest.”

I love you, Heather. Leather.

LET THE INTERVIEW BEGIN!!!

Who are you?
Who am I? I am Scott. I currently drive a semi to make money. I am 29, almost 30 and have lived in Arizona for almost 13 years. I have lived previously in North Carolina where I grew up and I was born in Florida. I love to write, take photographs and enjoy things like music.

What is your honest opinion of Disneyland?
Disneyland. My honest opinion is I like it, even though I’ve only been there one time so far (last year). It was really fun. I have been to Disney World many more times since I was born in Florida and only lived an hour and a half away. But, I love Disneyland (and World) because they are such magical places.

What’s a place (city, park, business, restaurant, attraction, etc) you will never get sick of visiting?
If I could say one place, it is obviously Liberty Market in Gilbert. There are a lot of reasons why. One is the people. Another is the fact is that it is one of those places where I can let my mind unwind itself. Sitting at the E61 coffee bar is one of those places where I can think even if it is loud and busy, I am at peace there and they have great coffee too. And of course, the food is brilliant.

What’s your opinion of America as a whole?
Hmm, now that’s a tough one. I like America and I love the fact I am an American. Is this country perfect? No. The best? Maybe. It is a good country and a truly unique one. It’s a vast one with lots of variety, not only in landscape, but in its people and its culture. That’s what I like. And yes, as much as I travel, a lot of it does seem the same, there is a ton of variety to explore here. America is great for that. We may make horrible mistakes in policies towards others and we do, but it is run by humans, we can only do so much.

How does your current job (trucker) compare to delivering pizzas in Chandler?
It really only compares in one way: customer service. Trucking is sort of like delivering pizza in it is driving although on a MUCH larger scale with crazier hours and I’m gone for much longer periods of time and I haul a larger variety of items.

What’s your favorite past or present LEGO theme?
The original Space Police, the one with the translucent orange windows.

How big of an effect has music had on who you are?
Music has had a big effect on who I am. This is because it affects me a lot too. Music is a large part of my life, it is my identity, a true reflection of who I am. I can honestly put myself in any kind of a mood just by listening to music. I can also remember distinct feelings/places from listening to music too. I can honestly put myself in those places whenever a particular song is playing. It has also grown with me too, that’s what I like about it, it can grow and change with me.

How do you feel about listening to music live vs listening to a studio recording? Are there any concerts you’ve been to that have had a big impact on you?
Another excellent question. I do prefer live music as much as I can, although I don’t go to as many concerts as before. The reason why is that you actually get to see it all in action. The performance, the emotion. It really is so much more than what listening to what was recorded in different pieces at different times in a studio then pasted together to make a recording. The concert I felt the most emotion at was honestly seeing Coldplay. I am not sure why and I can’t quite put my finger on the reason but it just felt different. And the other concert that was like that was seeing Radiohead. That was in San Diego in 2006. Quite an amazing show. It was incredible because of the setting. It was at Embacadero Park and the sun was setting and they also had a launch from nearby Vanderburg Air Force Base of a rocket. It was really neat. One of the best times I’ve ever spent being around music.

Who are a few under-appreciated bands or artists that you think more people should check out?
Hm, that’s kind of a hard one. I will always say Starflyer 59 because it really is just one guy, Jason Martin, and whomever he picks to play on his most recent record. And the guy has a day job too. (He drives a semi. Really.) Plus, he’s been around a long time, making really great music in a lot of underrepresented genres like shoegazer in his earlier years to now where he emulating the music he loved growing up like Morrissey. His music is just amazing.

Have you had any experience with creating music? If not, do you have the desire to?
No, I have not. I have learned both the piano and guitar, but I no real desire to create music. I’d rather enjoy it. That being said, I wish I could, but more from the side of say an engineer or producer because I do like how a song is built and constructed together. I also did consider going to school for that, but nowadays people just make home recordings on their computer and mix it themselves and sometimes it sounds almost professional enough. May not be as good, but who cares anymore right? Or so it seems.

You’ve been a great sport! Here is your last, and most important, question: What is your favorite Pixar movie?
My favorite is A Bug’s Life.

After the interview, I asked Scott for a favorite video of his. He responded, “Beck‘s video for Deadweight, which was produced by one of my favorite people in film, Michel Gondry.”

You can also check out his blog, RANTS AND RAVES, or view 365 pictures from around the country that he took as part of his Picture A Day Flickr series.

Anyway. I don’t think I’ll be going back to my favorite place in the world until next December because of our trip to the Netherlands next summer. Don’t get me wrong, I really do want to go to Europe. I’m super stoked. Super. Stoked. But I cannot deny that it does make me sad that it’s been so long since I’ve been to Disneyland. I’m glad I have Heather. If I was single and hadn’t been for this long, I would probably end up having an aneurysm or literally melting into a gelatinous puddle of sadness.

At least I have my pictures!

Happy times! If you knew where we were in the picture on the left just by looking at what was behind us, you win and are eternally awesome!

Ahhhh!!! My two favorite things! Wooden bears and Heather!

Oh man… Monte. Fucking. Cristo. Get in my god damned belly right now, you beautifully fattening hunk of deliciousness. Just looking at pictures of it make me drool.

“To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past… and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America… with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” – Walter Elias Disney, July 17, 1955

Thanks Walt, Thalt.

The conservative media is at it again. What is it that they have done? Well… I’ll let Media Matters do the explaining:

Right-wing media figures have seized on a Wired article about the classified Iraq war documents recently released by WikiLeaks.com to desperately claim “Bush was right” that Saddam Hussein had a stockpile of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). In fact, the Wired article reported the documents did not “reveal evidence of some massive WMD program by the Saddam Hussein regime,” but rather remnants of the stockpiles largely destroyed during the Gulf War.

Yep. WMDs. Wow. Once again… pathetic. Read the article for many examples of this outrageously stupid and dishonest claim.

Okay! Screw politics! Fun times! Look at the below picture:

What do you see? Wait. No. Actually… what don’t you see? That’s right… the Maliboomer! Ha! It’s dead and gone! Goodbye, tacky and cheap carnival ride… Hello, improved theming! Huzzah!

Hey look… it’s the fucking amazing Dave Grohl playing with eternally badass Tenacious D at BlizzCon 2010. Rock and Roll, motherfucker!

I love this man.

I can’t decide what my favorite South Park reference is: the Underpants Gnomes or Man Bear Pig.

Decisions…

Also… I really really really want to go to this. Drool…

Can’t wait for Tron… gonna be so good.