Discovering Walt's Park

Back in 2003 Paula and I decided to make our first vacation with James & Michael, a trip to Walt Disney World. 

As soon as that decision was made I became obsessed with planning our trip. I ate, slept, and drank Walt Disney World for almost a year. 

By the time January 2004 came, I had packs of colored index cards to use as a guide for our day in each park. This was years before "Touring Plans", Lines or My Disney Experience apps were invented. The plans helped. It was a trip we still talk about 17 years later. 

Since that '03 trip I have been back to WDW 5 more times and with exception of my two solo trips, each have been planned as extensively as the first; sans the index cards. 

Despite being, a devoted WDW fan and getting to Orlando whenever I can, I've never had a real desire to visit the park that started it all; Disneyland.   

Now, as a "boomer" I grew up when Walt Disney was on TV every Sunday night.  My favorite episodes of "The Wonderful World Of Color" were those where Mr. Disney showed us behind the scenes of the latest attraction or event happening at his magic kingdom in California. There was no doubt that Disneyland and the attractions that were created for it, were Walt Disney's ideas come true. 

The episodes that featured The Enchanted Tiki Room and Pirates Of The Caribbean particularly fascinated me. 

But from my childhood days until recently, I've been convinced that a visit to "Walt's Park" all the way across the country would never be possible for me. 

So ironically as a defense mechanism  against continually wishing my "impossible dream" would come true, I totally dismissed any interest in Disneyland. 

I must point out that, ironically, dreams coming true is the theme of most Disney animated features, and the subtext of the building of Disneyland, itself.  

Over the last few years, the Walt Disney World podcasts I listen have become much more inclusive when it comes to the California resort.  

Many of the podcasters, most of whom are 10 times the WDW fan than I am, have become fans of Disneyland as well. 

Their visits to Anaheim have given them an appreciation for "Walt's Park" that, they say, completes them as a Disney Parks fan.  

Because I have gotten a lot of valuable information from them over the years, I was influenced by their opinions and began, considering the possibility of, one day, making a trip to Disneyland. 

As of August of last year, "one day" became a specific date on the calendar. 

This coming July, the National Color Street Conference is being held in Las Vegas. Of course, my wife is very interested in attending. Disneyland is only a 4 hour drive from Vegas. 

This means, if I go with her to the conference, I will be within a days drive of Anaheim. Which creates an obvious opportunity to make my first trip to Disneyland. 

Let me take you back, once again, to before our 2004 WDW vacation. At the time I approached this event as though it was the only chance I would ever get to go there. That's why I went so "all in" when it came to making sure that I made the most of every minute while there. 

I go into this Disneyland opportunity with the same mind set. Thus, I need to learn all I can about the park. This will be a bit of a job because, although I know a lot about the resort and it's role in Disney history, I know almost nothing about the logistics of visiting the area. Essentially, I am starting from scratch. 

I will begin with reading the 2020 edition of the Unofficial Guide To Disneyland I got for Christmas. Next I will search for info the Disneyland devoted websites and travel guides on the internet. 

Third, I will find some podcasts that focus exclusively on DLR (Disneyland Resort). 

Finally, I will seek to tap the knowledge of family, friends, and social media groups I'm a part of, who have visited Anaheim. Nothing is more valuable than someone who's been there and done that. 

If you have any favorite resources for learning about Disneyland, I would appreciate it if you would share them with me on my Facebook page or by pm. 

So, as I progress in this new aspect of my Disney education, I will be sharing what I learn in this blog. 

I go into this research project with one goal in mind. I want to do my best to make this chance to walk where Walt walked, a memory I will smile about for the rest of my days.   



  

  

M*A*S*H Encounter

Happy Monday Everyone. This post is for a few specific friends but I wanted to share it with all of you.

Sometimes in life we get unexpected opportunities that have significant meaning to you.

Last night, as I usually do on Sunday nights, at 9 o'clock I tuned into a Sirius XM radio program called "The Diner". Its a talk show hosted by Lou Simon where listeners call in to talk about their favorite music. Most of them are baby boomers like me who talk about songs from 50s thru the 80s but there's really no boundaries put on time frame or topics.

As a matter of fact the things discussed are sometimes unbelievably obscure or specific. For example, last night the topics were: bad or unnecessary rerecording of hit songs by other artists, songs that start with the artist singing right away, and hits that were recorded live in concert.

.

I tuned in to Sirius XM channel 106 on my I-pad, with the intention of calling in for the first time this year.

I dialed my phone and got put in queue to talk on the air. While on hold I got a pleasant surprise. Lou invited a couple of listeners as guests into his Los Angeles studio. One of them was Ken Levine.

Most of you won't recognize that name but chances are if you watched TV sit coms in the 70s and 80s you've seen his name in the opening credits many times.

He's written episodes for Cheers, Fraiser, Wings, Almost Perfect, The Jeffersons and more. But the show I know him from is M*A*S*H.

Anyone who knows me, knows that it's my all-time favorite TV show by far. I own the entire series on DVD and watch it almost every time I find it airing anywhere on TV.

Along with his co-writer, David Isaacs, he wrote and edited many of the episodes for M*A*S*H's 5th & 6th seasons. Among them are some of my all-time favorites: The Merchant of Korea, The Smell of Music, The Billfold Syndrome, A Night At Rosies and my #1 favorite episode, Patent 4077.

I enjoyed listening to Lou, Mr. Levine, and the other in studio guest, writer and Billboard chart expert, Fred Bronson talk among themselves and to other callers while I was on hold for a little over an hour. Finally it was my turn to talk on the air.

Now this might not be a big deal but it meant a lot to me. As soon as I got on the air I addressed Ken Levine. I thanked him for writing Patent 4077 and A Night At Rosies. He thanked me and added that he and Isaacs wrote the "Rosies" episode over a single weekend.

I then went on to talk about some of the music related things I had originally called about. But without a doubt the most memorable thing for me about this

conversation was the opportunity to talk with Ken Levine.

I also learned from the show that he has his own podcast called "Hollywood and Levine". I have already subscribed to it and look forward to hearing what one of TV's best comedy writers ever has to say. I'm following him on Twitter and Instagram as well.

This story isn't what I had initially written to publish in this post, but I just had to share it while it is still on my mind.

If you are a fellow fan of the "4077th" I know you appreciate my experience.

Thanks for taking the time to read the YNN blog. Next time I will share with you a new and latest endeavor in regard to yet another of my fandoms. See you then. Have a good week.

Be It Ever So Humble...

Hello again. Thanks for taking the time to read YNN blog. 

In my current situation, which I will expound on in a bit, I don't have anything very compelling to write about. So this post is rather pedestrian but it gives me some-thing to do. 

The title of this post is a reference to the fact that I've been in my house for 17 straight days. The last time I was outside was to see a movie on Christmas eve. It was only the 2nd time I'd been out since I found out I had a fractured foot on December 16.

The difficulty I had getting in and out of the house both times convinced Paula and me that I should just hold up in the house while I healed. Venturing out wasn't worth the risk of falling and sustaining further injury. So the next time I'll be going out into the world will be for my next doctor appointment on January 16. 

Unfortunately, about a week of my  housebound time was spent dealing with a stomach virus that put both of us down for the count. Paula got it first, the day after Christmas and I got it that Sunday. 

Getting around the house without putting weight on my left foot has been challenging. 

I have managed fairly well. I wouldn't be as mobile without the assistance of the scooter I got from Amazon.

The biggest challenges have been getting up and down the two steps into my office and getting a shower.  

I have been doing my best not to go "stir crazy." At times that has been difficult. I've been a little more moody than I usually am. The two things I've done the most to pass the time is streaming shows on my Firestick.  

I have watched The Imagineeing Story and The World According To Jeff Goldbloom on Disney+. I am in the middle of the 2nd season of the "Jack Ryan" on Amazon Prime. 

I watched film"The Irishman" as well as the current seasons of The Crown, Designated Survivor, Lost In Space, Toys That Made Us, and Movies That Made Us on Netflix.

The biggest unexpected pleasure I have watched was a Netflix documentary called "Jack of All Trades." It's about a man who starts out trying to discover why his baseball card collection has lost its value and ends up on a path that takes him face to face with his past. 
If you are someone who enjoyed collecting baseball cards as a kid, it's well worth the time to watch it. 

On cable TV I have been watching game shows on GSN, as well as The Price Is Right and Let's Make A Deal. In the afternoon my "go to" is reruns of MASH.  

In addition, I have been catching up on assembling some of the Lego sets I have queued up in the closet in my office. 

I'm not tackling the larger sets just the smaller ones that I can easily put together while in my recliner. My favorite so far is this one. 

Although I am limited, I do what I can do to help around the house. I manage to do some of the laundry and load the dishwasher. 

I've also kept myself busy wrapping up the things from last year. I edited and organized more than 2500 pictures from 2019. This included dating them and put them into folders by subject. 

Then I reviewed them and narrowed them down to the my favorite pictures of the year. I have chosen 22 of them that will, soon be displayed in the picture frame in our hallway.   

Still ahead of me in the next week is the sorting of all the statements, insurance EOBs, utility bills and other records from last year. 

I can't give you a true picture of what my "medical confinement" has been like without mentioning the role my wife has played. She has had to take on the logistics of our house that I usually take care of. They range from something as incidental as taking out the trash to as important as picking up groceries. In addition she has to help me get in and out of the shower. 

Balancing all that with her full time job and a very busy start to the year for her as Color Street stylist has been very stressful. But she has not complained about it at all. Like always, she adapts to whatever the situation and does what needs to be done. It's one of the things I love about her. I couldn't have made it through this broken foot thing without her.  

So with less than a week to go until I emerge from my confinement and head to the doctor, I am looking forward to getting this darn cast off my leg. 

It may take a few more weeks to get back to normal. But I'm hoping for at least a walking boot so I can at least get around the house and outside with no problem. 

Once I am "free" and can drive again, I don't know what I'm going to do first. But one thing's for sure I'm going to appreciate the ability to do it. 








  

19 For '19 Part 3

Hey everybody. Time to put the last brick in the wall that will serve as the memorial to the year 2019; at least from my perspective. Here are the top 7 memories from the year for me. 

7. Two Trips To St. Louis

In addition to spending time with our friends, Patty & Mark, in Branson during June, Paula and I made trips to visit them in St. Louis at both the start and end the year. 

On the 2nd weekend of February we headed to the "Gateway To The West" for our first visit of 2019. 

On Saturday afternoon, Mark and I went to the Enterprise Center to see the hockey game between the Predators and the Blues. 

Unfortunately, the Blues won 3-2. It was the 5th victory in the middle of what would be a 11 winning game streak. 

Nine months later, the weekend before Thanksgiving, once again, we crossed the "Might Missisip" to see our friends for the third time in 2019. 

This was a pretty quick trip but it took me to my favorite (non-Disney related) entertainment venue twice.

On Friday night we went to The Fox Theater to see the a capella group Straight No Chaser. 

The next afternoon we returned to The Fabulous Fox to enjoy a concert by Manheim Steamroller. 

Although it was in the middle of November, I consider that weekend the unofficial start of the 2019 Christmas season for us.

The details of the entire visit is in this post link:November Highlights

6. Water Day

Sometimes, the combination of spontaneity with a plan, make for a day that will be talked about for years to come. That may be the case for this instance. 

On Friday May 25, our grandchildren came to visit us. It was a beautiful, rather warm, afternoon. While we were playing with the kids outside, Aria suggested that we get some water balloons. 

Eventually, this led to my making a quick run to the local Dollar Store for some outdoor water play supplies and a memorable afternoon with the kids. The fun ranged from them breaking balloons over their Papa's head...

...to sitting in a make shift tub. 

It was just a few hours with some rather in expensive things bought at a Dollar Store but the memory of hanging with the kids in our front yard that day is priceless. 

5. James' Reboot

In terms of number of details, this is probably the shortest of all my memories. But please, please, please, do not let that diminish the degree of importance in regard to both looking back as well as forward. 

The reason for the brevity of words is that, while it's a top 5 memory, it's not my story to tell. 

In July, after a rough first half of the year, my son, James, made a decision that has turned his life around. 

There was, and still is, a very strong spiritual aspect to his "reboot". As 2019 came to an end he was in the "best place" he's been in for several years. 

That's about as much detail as I'm going to go into. 

Of all the memories on this list this is the one that, going forward, will without a doubt, have a "pebble in the pond" effect on both James and his family, and subsequently the rest of us. I mean that in a very optimistic positive way.  

Paula and I just want to convey to James how proud we are of him and the courage he's shown in making some difficult changes and that we love him very much.  

4. On The Road With Color Street

Seven times during the last five months of 2019, Paula and I set up her Color Street booth at 8 vendor events. 

Five were at 2 venues in nearby Bowling Green, 2 were in towns over an hour away, and one just half a mile away from our house. Each one was a unique learning experience. 

The first one was outdoors at the end of July in the middle of the hottest heat wave of the summer. The heat index was in triple digits. It made the first time effort exhausting. This is what the set up looked like that day.

 There are so many moments and memories connected to these vendor events. 

Sales and potential customer contacts were the primary reasons for setting up. But there were secondary benefits as well. Among them were learning to create a better booth and help customers more efficiently. A perfect example of that progress is a picture of the booth at the last event of the year on December 15. 

Paula's Nail Haven presence at vendor events has improved greatly in just 5 months. 

My favorite thing about the vendor events was working with my wife. The teamwork required to pull off any degree of success has transcended to the dynamics of our marriage.  I don't recommend doing this kind of thing for everyone. But for us it has had a positive effect on our relationship. 

I'll have more about how a product that's 95% dry nail polish has changed our lives later in this post.  

3. Fall Break In The Smokies

Four out of the last five years, Paula and I have spent time in the Smoky Mountains of east Tennessee. 

This year we went during the 2nd weekend of October along with James and Brandi. Some of Brandi's family was there too. It was the first time in 10 years we'd been there with more than just another couple. 

It was so great to be in our favorite vacation spot with our grand children. 

We went with them to the Pirates Voyage dinner show and treated them to a pirate makeover. 

Then we had the joy of watching them being enthralled by the show. 

We got to play miniature golf and went to The Island with them. Took them to the Frizzled Chicken Farmhouse to for breakfast as well.

In addition to all of that, I had the opportunity to visit the newest Gatlinburg attraction: The Sky Bridge. 

My in-depth report about our long weekend can be found in a 4 part YNN blog post series entitled "Fall Break Getaway."

The combination of the two things I just mentioned makes the October trip to the Smokies the 3rd best memory of 2019. 

2. SOKY's Got Talent

I don't know if this runner-up memory would have ever happened without my performing at the Edmonson County Library. It gave me the confidence to sign up to be part of the 2nd annual SOKY's Got Talent a fund raising competition for the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center.

I auditioned at SKYPac on July 20; the same day as Paula's first Color Street vendor event. 

Getting to perform on both the Capitol Arts theater and SKYPAC stages for the semi-finals and finals, respectively would have been enough for me. Winning the "Runner-Up" award within my age category was the cherry on top. 

I wrote posts about my progress and you can find them in this blog in the months of July, August, and September. 

The time and effort I put into my SOKY's Got Talent performances was the most intensely focused and creative effort I've made in a long time. 

If you had told me when I started that I would place in the competition it would have exceeded my expectations. 

I consider the overall experience my greatest personal accomplishment in 2019. It is a memory that, as I write this, inspires me to try again in 2020. And this time, be good enough to win.  

Well, I'm up to the thing that I consider the #1 on my list for 2019. Before I tell you what it is, I will tell you what it is not. It is not a single event or a road trip. It's not actually a memory. It is a turning point. 

The #1 thing I'll always remember about 

 2019 is...

1. Paula Starts A Business

Although I do remember the day in April when my wife told me that she was going to spend $150 to buy her Color Street starter kit and become a "stylist" I don't think I realized what she was telling me. 

I thought she was just going to "dabble" in selling the nail tabs enough to support her own interest; the way she'd been doing with Doterra oils for the last couple of years. 

But this was going to be more involved than what she had been doing with essential oils. It was going to be a means to prepare for our future.  

Over the next couple of months I would see her go into setting up her new business with commitment and intensity. 

Not ever having been involved in direct sales before she had to learn things from the ground up. She spent nearly every free minute at night and on the weekends watching and learning about things that she'd never done before. 

She was "living" outside her comfort zone but didn't let it get the best of her. She was in it for the "long haul"; determined to succeed from the start.  

Of course I wanted to support my wife in what was obviously something very important to her. 

I didn't really understand what this career as a stylist was all about but I volunteered to help in any way I could. 

This turned out to be a good choice. I became her shipping clerk and creative adviser. I helped her come up with her new and interesting ways to interact with her Facebook group. 

As I've already mentioned earlier in this countdown, I also became her helper for vendor events. 

I could go on and on with the details but I'm not sure they would convey just why I have made Paula's getting involved with Color Street my #1 take away from this past year.

Let me attempt to do that by telling you that, at the end of 2019 and going into 2020, Color Street has permeated our lives. It is everywhere for us. 

This means it effects something as minor as what's setting on the couch in our living room (nail sets that are yet to be added to the inventory) to major decisions such as how we are going to spend our vacation in 2020 (going to Las Vegas for the national conference?) and most things in between.   

I am impressed with the brand Paula has built over a short 8 months. Whenever I see evidence of it I am as proud of her as I can be. I admire her more than I can tell you.  

With that I must say that as I write this post, her efforts in 2019 are starting to show results. 

I will continue to do what I can to support her because with her determination and drive, there's no telling where Color Street will take us in 2020.   

So there you have my top 19 take aways from the last year of the 2nd decade of the 21st century. 

Thank you for taking this journey with me. Sometime I think taking a look back helps us gain a little perspective on what lies ahead. 

I look forward to sharing with you the adventures and stories of my life as 2020 plays out. That should start as soon as I get the darn cast off my foot. See you next time. God Bless. 

19 for '19 Part 2

Happy New Year everyone. Welcome to the first post of 2020. 
After spending several days dealing with the effects of a stomach bug, I have finally felt good enough to get back to writing more of my review of my 2019 memories. 

This post I will countdown from 13 to 8. Just a reminder, I wrote detailed posts about most of these memories. Feel free to go back and read them for yourself. 

13. Comedy Nights 

This memory is a combination of 3 different events that took place throughout the year. 

My trip to the Huckabee show wasn't the only time I went to see a stand up comic perform. 

The first week of May, Paula and I went to Zanie's in Nashville to see one of our favorite comics from the NBC show, America's Got Talent, Preacher Lawson.

The place was pretty crowded. For only the 2nd time ever we had to sit in the balcony. This was our view. 

 Preacher is a very funny comic and connects with his audience as a likable guy. That's a big part of his appeal. 

Three months later I found myself back at Zanies again. This time to attend the graduation performance of Rik Roberts latest class from his School of Laughs. 

I've attended several of these nights before but this one was unique in that I knew one of the performers, June Colson. 

June Colson, who I know from Oakland Baptist Church, has been pursing a career in stand up for a few years. This year she really took some big steps forward. Taking Rik's comedy classes was one of them. 

 She was very funny in her 5 minutes on stage. Her first ever club performance. 

June would go on to organize and produce her own comedy show at a local church in early October. 

She called it "Let There Be Laughter." I went to the show to both support June once again and see one of my very favorite stand ups, Robert G. Lee. 

Christy Conder was the opener, June was the featured comic and Robert G. Lee ended the show as the headliner.

I got to talk quite a bit with Mr. Lee after the show. It was a very enjoyable evening. 

The combination of these 3 comedy nights will be a memory of 2019 that will always make me smile. 

12. Ikea & Indy Dis Meet

This is one of two things on this list that have some negative memories connected to them. Overall though, the event was positive and is among my favorite memories of the year. 

On Friday September 20, I drove to Indianapolis, IN to attend the Indy Dis Meet the next day.

I went the day before so I could visit the local IKEA store. I went out of curiosity and to try the meatballs. They were pretty good and reasonably priced. 

An online hotel reservation mix up left me without a hotel room for the night. I ended up traveling around town a bit before finally getting a place to spend the night. Not a pleasant experience at all. 

The Dis Meet event itself was a lot of fun and I met a lot of new people.  

I covered the event in 3 posts back in September. Here's the links to those posts for the details. 
The IKEA Experience
Indy Hotel Hassel
2019 Indy Dis Meet

11. A Wedding In Branson, MO

Branson has been a place Paula and I have talked about going for several years now. 

This past June, we drove the 10 hours to the Ozarks to attend the wedding of the youngest daughter of our friends Patty & Mark Quigley.  

The wedding, reception and all the fun we had hanging out with our friends was well worth the trip. It was interesting to finally meet and get to know their family and friends as well. 

As far as really getting to enjoy Branson and all it has to offer was concerned it was way too short a visit. 

We weren't that impressed with the overall area. It seemed to get anywhere you had to walk up a hill. Not something you want to have to do on vacation. 

The best touristy things we did was go to the world's largest toy museum and to the Jim Stafford theater to see his show. 

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed that whole night. Experiencing Mr. Stafford's talents in person and meeting him was one of the best things that's happened in a while. 

10. August Trip To Orlando

I start my top 10 memories for 2019, with the most spontaneous vacation Paula and I have ever taken (other than our '06 trip to Walt Disney World with our granddaughter). We didn't make the decision to go until early July. It was actually 2 vacations and a business trip within a 5 day getaway. 

The first significant aspect of this drive was stopping in Georgia to spend the night at a hotel both coming and going. It was an experiment that has now changed the way we will approach such long trips. 

The main reason for this trip was for my wife to attend the Color Street national conference. She worked with such focus and excitement that entire weekend. 

The experience of being among thousands of people all over the top about Color Street was remarkable. 

The 3rd branch of this get away was my 2nd solo trip to Walt Disney World. 

On Friday August 16, after driving 250 miles and checking into our hotel, I went to the very first Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom. This was the first time I'd ever had the opportunity to be at the premier of any Disney event so I felt I had to go. 

Overall I had a good time but the combination of the long day and all the walking and standing required that goes with time in the Magic Kingdom took it's toll. 

By the time the end of the night came I was exhausted. The next day I went to Disney Springs but was once again barely able to walk around because I was so physically tired. 

This really put a damper on my zeal for Disney parks for a while. But in hindsight I realize that I can make changes and preparations that could make my next trip much better. And there's a good possibility that the next one may be to Disneyland. But only time will tell. 

The unique aspect and memory for me about this time in WDW was my first ever sighting of a couple of cats on Disney property. One at the Halloween Party...

and the other at Disney Springs.

Overall the trip to Orlando was a big success and a turning point in Paula's new career. More on that later. 

Of course, any time spent in Walt Disney World is better than just about anywhere else; even when you're exhausted.  

9. Ray Stevens' Cabaray Showroom

On October 25 I took my daughter-in-law Heather to see Ray Stevens perform at his private showroom in Nashville. 

Ever since the place opened in 2018 I wanted to go to this dinner show. I was lucky enough to find out that Heather is also a fan of Ray Stevens. So as an early Christmas present I took her to see the show. 

We had a good night out together. It was the first time we had ever done anything with just the two of us. Plus we got to meet Ray Stevens. Her first time and my 2nd. 

8. Edmonson County Library Show

Sometimes you never know where your memories are going to come from. Thus is the case with this 1st of a pair of top 10 memories that involve ventriloquism. 

Thanks to a friend's recommendation, in June, I was hired to present a vent show to launch the Edmonson County Library's summer reading program. 

While preparing for this show, I decided that I'd, not only take my granddaughter, Aria, with me but get her involved in the show. It was one of the best decisions I made all year. It was an amazing bonding experience for Aria and me. 

She had a great time. Some of my favorite pictures of the year were taken that day. Just look at the expression on her face. 

And in this one as well. 

Those two shots are why it's my #8 favorite memory of 2019. 

This brings me to the end of part 2 of my countdown. 

Once again, feel free to go back thru my posts to get all the details on these first 11 memories.

I will be back next time with the final 7. They will include: travels to the midwest and the mountains, a water day, an award winning performance. See you then.