Another season of So You Think You Can Dance begins, and this time they've re-introduced some All-Stars. I'm most excited to see Pasha and Allison back. Below is a Samba that features Pasha. Before, I felt disappointed when he went gratuitously shirtless, but since he's not "competing" this season (and the shirt looked like it was getting in his way), I'm perfectly fine this time. Anyways, enjoy!

SYTYCD, Season 7, Week 1
Music: "Work" (Freemason remix) by Kelly Rowland
Choreographer: Jason Gilkison
Style: Samba
Dancers:
      Cristina Santana, Anya Garnis (all-star), Pasha Kovalev! (all-star)

Video clip:

MUSIC: "Halfway Gone" by Lifehouse (and performed by BradInTampa)

"Halfway Gone"
by Lifehouse
Lyrics:

You were always hard to hold
So letting go ain’t easy
I’m hanging on but growing cold
While my mind is leaving

Talk, talk is cheap
Give me a word you can keep
Cause you’re halfway gone and I’m on my way
And I’m feeling, feelin' feelin' this way
Cause I’m halfway in but don’t take too long
Cause I’m halfway gone, I’m halfway gone
You got one foot out the door
And choking on the other
Always think there's something more
It's just around the corner

Talk, talk is cheap
Give me a word you can keep
Cause I’m halfway gone and I’m on my way
And I’m feeling, feelin' feelin' this way
Cause you’re halfway in but don’t take too long
Cause I’m halfway gone, I’m halfway gone

If you want me out, then I’m on my way
And I’m feeling, feelin' feelin' this way
Cause you’re halfway in, but don’t take too long
Cause I’m halfway gone, I’m halfway gone (wohoww wohoww)
I’m halfway gone, I’m halfway gone (wohoww wohoww)

Now I’m halfway gone, I’m halfway gone
Don’t take too long, don’t take too long
Cause I’m on my way
If you take too long
Cause I’m halfway gone and I’m on my way
And I’m feeling, feelin' I'm feelin' this way
Cause you’re halfway in but don’t take too long
Cause I’m halfway gone, I’m halfway gone

If you want me out, then I’m on my way
And I’m feeling, feelin' feelin' this way
Cause you’re halfway in, but don't take too long
Cause I’m halfway gone, I’m halfway gone (wohoww wohoww)
Cause I’m halfway gone, and I’m halfway gone (wohoww wohoww)
Cause I’m halfway gone, yeah I’m halfway gone

[And here's the cover of "Halfway Gone" by BradInTampa. I actually heard the song first from Brad -- a great song for him. And it was actually another Lifehouse cover that I discovered him.]

MUSIC: "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum

[I love this song. The song is very structured, and the chorus is quite catching. Both lead singers do fantastic, but I find the guy's voice particularly sexy. I had to look him up, and he honestly didn't disappoint -- he looks like Ryan Reynolds and Ryan Gosling's love child. Seriously. Add to that all the longing and vulnerability in the song, and I'm recruited to Team Lady A.

Speaking of ladies... I bought this song on iTunes along with Lady Gaga's "Telephone" feat. Beyonce, and I do have to mention that I've been playing the two songs on a loop in the car, and though one's country and the other is dance, they're quite complementary (each with their intros and outros). Anyways, enjoy!]

"Need You Now"
by Lady Antebellum
Lyrics:

Picture perfect memories scattered all around the floor.
Reaching for the phone 'cuz I can't fight it anymore.
And I wonder if I ever cross your mind.
For me it happens all the time.
It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now.
Said I wouldn't call but I lost all control and I need you now.
And I don't know how I can do without.
I just need you now.

Another shot of whiskey, can't stopping looking at the door.
Wishing you'd come sweeping in the way you did before.
And I wonder if I ever cross your mind.
For me it happens all the time.
It's a quarter after one, I'm a little drunk and I need you now.
Said I wouldn't call but I lost all control and I need you now.
And I don't know how I can do without.
I just need you now.

Oh whoa
Yes I'd rather hurt than feel nothing at all.
It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need you now.
And I said I wouldn't call but I'm a little drunk
and I need you now.
Well I don't know how I can do without.
I just need you now
I just need you now.
Oh baby I need you now.

Official Music Video:

MOVIE: A Single Man "George and Jim Meet"

[I can't remember whether or not I wrote up my visit to the Enzian to watch A Single Man a couple/few weeks ago (I could simply search my blog for it, but I'm about ready to head to work). Anyways, I loved the movie -- a definite must for a gay man's movie collection. No, there's nothing explicit, but just the style and mentality of the film... Anyways, the scene where George and Jim meet, I think, is one of the sweetest I've seen, and I am glad to have found the clip of it on YouTube (Thank you Weinstein Company). Enjoy. And Congratulations to Colin Firth on his much-deserved Oscar nomination!]

"George and Jim Meet"
from A Single Man

MUSIC: "Nothing But A Miracle" by Diane Birch

"Nothing But A Miracle"
by Diane BirchOn Jimmy Kimmel Live:

LINK to acoustic performance: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9w9lm_diane-birch-nothing-but-a-miracle_music

Official Music Video and Lyrics after the jump...

Official Music Video:


Lyrics:

Gettin' tired of living
Living for a moment
Gettin' tired of hanging on the line
Wake up every morning
And I pull back the curtain
Wonder if it's gonna rain or shine

Gettin' tired of thinking
Gettin' so tired of begging
Gettin' tired of forgetting
That there's two of us
I'm getting so tired of loving a man
that just don't give a damn

Just tell me
Tell baby why I'm holding on
When your lovin's long gone
I got a good mind
So, why don't you tell me why
I can't say goodbye
Just tell me baby, why I've been holding on
For so long
And nothing but a miracle is gonna bring ya back
Bring ya back to me now

I gotta get myself together
Gotta stop telling myself that I can do no better
Gotta go out and maybe start meeting some new people
I gotta go out and buy myself one of those little black dresses
Cause I'm so tired of this t-shirt
I'm so tired of cryin' off all my make-up

Gettin' just so tired of waking up
With a lonely heart
I'm getting so tired of giving a damn
About an absent-hearted man

Just tell me
Tell baby why I'm holding on
When your love is long gone
I got a good mind
So, why don't you tell me why
I can't say goodbye
Just tell me baby why I've been holding on
For so long
And nothin' but a miracle is going to bring it back
Bring you back to me now

Oh, I can see it
(Coming down the shadows)
Coming down the shadows
I can see it
It's coming through
It's coming through the windows

Oh, I can see it
(Coming down the ceiling)
I can see it coming down the ceiling
I can't escape it
(Can't escape the feeling)
I can't escape it
Can't escape the feeling

Tell me, yeah
Why I'm holding on
When your love is long gone
I got a good mind
So, why don't you tell me why
I can't say goodbye
Just tell me baby why I've been holding on
For so long
And nothing but a miracle is gonna to bring it back
Bring ya back to me now

Oh, nothing but a miracle
Is gonna bring you back to me now

MOVIE: The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker (Imdb|RT) has been getting a lot of Oscar buzz, a significant feat noting that this was an early-release. It nearly swept AwardsDaily’s First Half Awards, so I had to check it out.
...
I didn't know anything about the film going in, except that it had something to do with bombs and the Iraq war. And I'm not too keen about war films... I'm jumpy and don't like surprise deaths -- when I watch the television show 24, I go on Wikipedia first to see who, if anyone, dies in the episode I'm about to watch. So for the first half of The Hurt Locker, I had my hands over my ears and squinted my eyes, bracing myself for the gore I expect audience expect... but I found out that this wasn't one of those movies -- there really wasn't as much dying than I imagined, and I could be coerced into watching it again to take in a lot of the film's other elements. Though a lot of the suspense would be gone for me -- and there was a lot of suspense.

The movie didn't have a "storyline" per se but was a series of events that gives audiences glimpses of a bomb tech Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner from ABC's The Unusuals). There were a surprising number of big names in the film -- David Morse, Ralph Fiennes, Guy Pierce, Evangeline Lilly -- but each played a very small supporting role; I found this to be refreshing. I read on the movie's imdb trivia page that Colin Firth was first considered for the lead, but I think the role would be too similar to his role in Tigerland and his "star-power" would bring on a different and incorrect feel to the picture. Jeremy Renner gave a great performance and is a lock for the Best Actor shortlist come Oscar time. The director, Kathryn Bigelow is also getting big props and should also see her name there. The film is currently leading the pack. I was really glad to have gone to see the film. It was very well-done.

Trailer:

Stills: Copyright © Summit Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

MUSIC: "In Step" by FrankMusik

[I first saw this video on the Bravehound website many months ago. And I've come back to it during my search for the "Glory Afternoon" tracks. I'm surprise I didn't post this before. It's a simple but cool, talented video, and it's eye candy for the straight guys who visit my blog. (are there any?)]

"In Step"
by FrankMusik
...(click on for the lyrics)

Lyrics:

Never took a scene check
Never were a reject
Honey lookin perfect
Now you aren't so in step
in step
in step
in step

You had your photograph, in a magazine
Such a pretty boy, only nineteen
But now your twenty-three and it's all gone now
you ain't all that, you wanna be somehow

Maybe it was only a dream!
You just thought you could be anything that you wanted to be
Sadly, it all went wrong so

Never took a scene check
Never were a reject
Honey lookin perfect
Now you aren't so in step
in step
in step
in step

Still just go to the same old clubs
But the new kids have got one above
Music tastes change like the wind
You're doin now what's already been

And you still think that you're so it
Cause you know so and so, and you made a hit
But you can't hear it being played
Cause you my friend have had your day

Never took a scene check
Never were a reject
Honey lookin perfect
Now you aren't so in step
in step
in step
in step

MUSIC: "Glory Afternoon" by DJ Bravehound

Here is "Glory Afternoon", the latest mix from the gorgeous technophile DJ Bravehound:

bravehound – glory afternoon.mp3
(to download, right-click and choose save. Apple users control-click and choose download.)

The mix features:

Robyn / Frankmusik / La Roux / Röyksopp / M.I.A. / Sophie Ellis Bextor / Santogold / Basement Jaxx / Black Eyed Peas / Imogen Heap / Lykke Li / The Killers / U2

(song list after the bump)
...

[times are approximate]

(0:00 - 7:22) Sophie Ellis Bextor - "Heartbreak"
(7:22 - 11:23) Röyksopp - "The Girl and the Robot"
(11:23 - 15:34) Black Eyed Peas - "Boom Boom Pow"
(15:34 - 18:39) N.A.S.A. ft. Spank Rock, M.I.A, Santigold, Nick Zinner - "Whachadoin"
(18:39 - 23:21) La Roux - "Bulletproof"
(23:21 - 28:18) Frankmusik - "3 Little Words"
(28:18 - 34:02) Robyn - "Dream On"
(34:02 - 37:29) Basement Jaxx - "Raindrops"
(37:29 - 42:13) Imogen Heap - "Hide & Seek"
(42:13 - 46:26) Lykke Li - "Little Bit"
(46:26 - 53:59) The Killers - "Spaceman"
(53:59 - 60:27) U2 - "With Or Without You"

It took a while to figure all of the songs -- especially "Whatchadoin" -- but I'm happy. It's a really good mix that really sets the scene. Give it a listen! :)

GYM: Full House

Volleyball was really good tonight. Even though I was very tired from work, the exercise was refreshing and it was a very worthwhile time. There was some sort of a tempo training class that ran over a little into the scheduled volleyball session at 8:00pm, and at the onset there were over a couple dozen people who showed up -- about a dozen HS-aged kids -- and a mix of usual suspects and new faces.

We let the HS kids play a set (played for points), then they left and we took to the courts. There were about 18 of us, so we had two six-person teams play for points then rotated in the third team. Then we got down to about 14 for the rest of the time and just rotated one person in per side without keeping points

I feel like I'm doing better, now that I'm more comfortable with digging/setting and that everyone's gotten used to me hustling to get some of the balls. My service still needs improvement. I'm also starting to get used to people's playing styles -- we're all getting familiar with each other's personalities (not a bad thing).

And there were quite a number of new faces. With that, came our first big exchanging of names: Susan, Cara, Pat, Kirk, Jack, JOsh, Dan, Eric, Ben, Cedric... (there's more but I don't remember). Going into this sports venture, I had a policy of not getting this close to the other players. But after a couple months, how could we not? And it actually didn't feel that bad -- just like when Jaye Tyler told her sister "I love you" (Wonderfalls). I do have to say that we had an attractive group, and it was pretty fantastic.

The only bother of the evening was a guy who was trying to play basketball between our volleyball points. It was inappropriate and kind of dangerous, not to mention disrespectful. I wondered if he would ever ask himself whether or not it was really worth it?. The silver lining of this nuisance was that on my way out for the night, I reported it to management and was able to get some [shameless-on-my-part] positive reinforcement. (hey, I wanted to test out my new haircut... I think I'm ready for this weekend)

Anyways, I was able to run to and from the gym without stopping and at a good pace -- it was the endorphins from a very encouraging evening.

Now I'm going to shower, have some dinner, pay some bills, start packing for this weekend, and then call it a night. :)

VIDEO: Shaun Smith on Britain's Got Talent

"Ain’t No Sunshine"
by Bill Withers
sung by Shaun Smith from Litchfield Staffordshire
on Britain's Got Talent
-----
UPDATE:
Here's his interview video

DISNEY: Resorts and MiniGolf

Today, I went resort hopping and mini-golfing with my friends Christopher and Sherri. We had originally planned the trip to visit the Muppet Exhibit at the Orange County Regional History Museum and to play miniature golf at Winter Summerland, but the two were on complete opposite sides of Orlando, so we decided on the miniature golf and also decided to do some MK resort hopping in order to soak up more of the Disney spirit.

We started the day with some extra sleep. I managed to get a few things done at the house before Christopher and Sherri came and picked me up at 10:00am. We weren't going into any of the parks, so there was no need to rush, and that was nice. However, we faced the matter of deciding whether to do mini-golf first or resorts first. We flipped a coin then decided on resorts first.

We free-parked at the Ticket and Transportation Center (*yay annual pass!*). We didn't even need the parking lot tram. We first took the ferry boat over to the front gates of Magic Kingdom on our way to the Contemporary. And since it was an absolutely beautiful day, we took the walkway to the resort. I got some nice ground shots of the Bay Lake Towers en route, though the best photos came from when we went around to the back of the resort -- the BLT looks cut off (cool!).

From there, we rode the resort monorail to the Polynesian -- Stitch's home -- where we took some pictures with the O'hana signage and took a short break in the lobby. Then we headed out to the volcano pool and then down the walkway towards the Grand Floridian.

We walked by the Wedding Pavilion where Christopher and Sherri shared a nice moment -- their anniversary is coming up -- and I took some photos of them -- my first stint as a Disney PhotoPass wedding photographer. Again, it was a lovely, sunny day with a light breeze. And the walk was quite serene.

We arrived at the Grand Floridian and walked upstairs for a rest in front of the Citrico's entrance. We noshed on some packed snacks, and I admired how this resort had really good lighting. It really is a classy place.

We took the resort monorail back to the Magic Kingdom then got in queue for a small boat to the Wilderness Lodge Resort. We ended up on a good-sized "small" boat. We rode up front (I'm the king of the world!) and there was a CD there with us who was play-throwing his little boy off the boat (awww...).

At the Wilderness Lodge, we walked by the geyser (not active while we were there) and watched some of the pool lifeguards play a wilderness version of musical chairs with the little kids -- it was quite cool because ties were broken using the back-together rock-paper-scissors method -- organized and effective (well done).

By this time, we were all hungry and went over to the Roaring Fork and picked up some more substantial food -- Christopher and Sherri got sandwiches (Ham and Tillamook Cheddar, Smoked Turkey and Brie) while I went for the pepperoni flatbread pizza and chocolate silk soymilk.

After that, we headed to the lobby, which was grand but, as I really noticed this time, dark... so dark... and noisy -- and a contrast to the Grand Floridian. Anyways, we checked out the shop, where I searched for the resort's bear mascot, which was cute and surprisingly soft. I will probably get one if/when they go on sale.

Anyways, we went to the bus stop and took the one to Blizzard Beach, which is adjacent to Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course, our next stop. I was particularly excited about this since it'd be my first time there. On the way there, a red car coming off an exit ramp nearly ran into the bus. I watched the whole thing but didn't really make any noise to alert the driver, who quickly saw the point of my interest and laid on the horn, averting a possible car-wreck pic... (this is probably a morbid sign of my personality... *shrug*).

Anywho, we got to Blizzard Beach/Winter Summerland alright and it seemed to be a quaint operation -- tucked under a small collection of trees -- an intimate shade. Anyways, Winter Summerland offered two 18-hole courses -- one was the Snow (Winter) Course and the other was the Sand (Summer) Course. We did both.

Neither course was all too challenging. Winter Summerland is geared towards little kids and families, and we had a lot of fun. The theming was fantastic, and I liked how both courses kinda mirrored each other. There were some unique holes, like the spitting fish on the sand side. My favorite hole, in name and accompanying poem, was "Squirty the Snowman" (seriously, Snow Course hole 13):

"Squirty the Snowman
Is a Jolly Happy Soul
He loves to cool off golfers
Who putt into this hole"

Anyways, It was 5:55pm when we finished up with the mini golf and headed towards the buses. We noticed that the Blizzard Beach parking lot was quite empty, and so we checked the signs, which made note that the last buses leave an hour after the water park closes, which happened to be 5pm... we are getting on the next bus to anywhere! And surely and thankfully, one final fleet of buses did come to pick up all remaining guests.

Now seasoned veterans of the Disney transportation system, Christopher, Sherri, and I got on the bus to the Grand Floridian, where we were going to transfer to the resort monorail, which was going to take us to the TTC parking lot. As we made our way through the lobby of the Grand Floridian, there was a man in a concert suit playing on the grand piano, and it was really cute when a little girl dressed up as Belle walked up to the side of the piano for a closer look.

Christopher, Sherri, and I took the birdcage elevator up to the second floor and listened to the pianist. The music was relaxing, and I was being taken in. I enjoyed watching the pianist play, and a couple times, he looked up directly at me and clearly smiled. My heart skipped a few beats. The music finished, and we continued on our way, happy with that magical feeling.

We were able to ride in the nose of the monorail for nearly all the resort circuit. I'm glad that things worked out and that they were able to have that experience. Sherri really enjoyed it, and the joy in her face was fantastic.

After we got back to Melbourne, I played host for dinner -- frozen dinner kit (yeah, Sherri and I made Christopher do the cooking). I wanted to introduce them to Wonderfalls, one of my all-time favorite tv shows. We watched the first two episodes (Wax Lion and Pink Flamingos), and they loved it *yay!*. Then we called it a night. I can't believe that we have to go back to work tomorrow, and it's a long week. I'm hoping to get a lot accomplished (God knows I'll needs it).

Anyways, it was a fantastic day. I really like Christopher and Sherri because they're people I feel comfortable with. They're nice and encouraging in the positive way. And I enjoy their company.

Pictures from our resort hopping can be found after the itinerary. The Winter Summerland pictures will be found in upcoming posts.
-----
Here's what we did this visit:

TICKET & TRANSPORTATION CENTER (MINNIE 41)

FERRY BOAT (Richard F. Irvine) to MAGIC KINGDOM

Walked to CONTEMPORARY RESORT

Resort MONORAIL to POLYNESIAN RESORT

Walked to GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT

Resort MONORAIL to MAGIC KINGDOM

BOAT (Mermaid 1) to WILDERNESS LODGE

BUS to BLIZZARD BEACH

Walked to WINTER SUMMERLAND MINIATURE GOLF
- Snow Course
- Sand Course

BUS to GRAND FLORIDIAN

Resort MONORAIL (Nose!) to TTC

-----
Kermit & Stitch w/apple sauce & a rice crispy treat, respectivelyPolynesian pic from the Ferry boatSpace Mountain with its top cut open?On the walkway to the ContemporaryLooks cut off (cool!)Kermit & Stitch w/Uncle Christopher & Auntie SherriRiding the monorailO'hana means FamilyWe couldn't resistHappy AnniversaryAt the Grand FloridianOn the Mermaid I to the lodgeSandwiches and Pizza with a Wilderness flairLodge Sheriff I <3 the resort bearWelcome to Winter SummerlandSanta!I want to go there.One last restWe chose the nose! :)Sherri's holding onto Christopher's head-----(Special Bonus pic)

GORGEOUS: Erwan LeCorre

"His name is Erwan Le Corre, a 37-year-old Frenchman who may rank as one of the most all-around physically fit men on the planet."

Link: Men's Health Article "Fitness To Survive In The Wild"

(Watch this in HD.)

You're Welcome

Link: more pictures of Erwan LeCorre on MovNat.com

DISNEY: ESPN the 5K

It was after the race and the breakfast, and since I was already there...

When I got into DHS, it was only about 9:30am, so it wasn't too late for a TSMM FP -- I got 1:10pm-2:10pm (not bad); the SB line was at only 50 mins, and FP hadn't even started yet, so I was in. I started talking with the family from Louisiana behind me and paired up with their teenage son, saying that I'd sacrifice myself to get him a PR. We managed to get almost all of the easter eggs -- we got the barn, rainbow, tank! [which shoots out 5000pt gold-numbered plates], aliens, and should of gotten the targets. I had the trigger-speed advantage so I did end up with the higher score and 2nd highest of the day so far! (-- I could've easily taken first if I had really gone for the big points *shrug*.

Anyways, afterwards, instead of heading left, towards the Animation Courtyard, I headed over to the Streets of America and sat in and watched the High School Musical 3 show, and it was really great. The big blue sky backdrop was refreshing, and I really liked the girl in the ruffle skirt and long white socks -- her expressions came across beautifully. And the performers looked like a fun group.

Next, I booked it to the 11:00am AIE (first show of the day) and barely got a seat at the far-right end of a mid-row, which actually wasn't a bad view -- I could see the stage and the back screen without straining. Tom had just finished the warm-up, and the host was the same lady (I like her). Here's the line-up of performers:

  1. Alida Sanner -- Best of Both Worlds
  2. Perry Wilson -- Sweet Home Alabama
  3. Courtney Jans -- Hope You Dance

The girls were good and the guy was funny (I'm sensing a pattern). I voted for Courtney because she went for and got the big notes, and she won (pimp spot). The other two also did well, so it was a good show overall.

Asides from redeeming my TSMM FP, the only other thing that I wanted to see was live Inside ESPN broadcast (yes, because of John Anderson) but that was at 12:30pm, so I had to fill time. I decided to check out another ESPN-related show -- the 11:30am show of Dream Job the Experience, where three guests try their hand at color commentary given a shot sheet. Three sports celebrities would give their critique of the performances, and in the end, the winner would take home one of the oil-less infrared turkey fryers that was being demonstrated at the ESPN Sports Zone. The show gave me more insight to the ESPN production, and was another good example of how Toastmasters can help (I seriously need to get working on my last two speeches). Anyways, there was still a little more time to kill before Inside ESPN, so I rode The Great Movie Ride (it's been a while), and the CM was actually really good this time.

Okay, time for Inside ESPN, and I watched the entire show (JA was nice as always... very steady). And during the show Stuart Scott, his co-anchor, gave a demonstration of the difference between just reading a shot sheet and doing it again this time injecting some of his flair -- I just finished watching something similar (cool!) -- and what a difference personality makes. Anyways, their guest for the show was Kurt Warner, from the Phoenix Cardinals (and the 2009 Super Bowl). He seems like a very nice and well-spoken guy, but one of the anchors did bring up his strong Christianity. I'm not that religious, and it did seem out of place, but I was able to tolerate it -- though, when the overhead camera panned out, I saw a guy in a green jersey give the two thumbs down (Ha!).

After the show, I didn't wait for JA at the side of the stage (I am not a stalker). I just went over to Pixar Place to grab a Sprite (my throat was feeling a bit torn up for some reason) and to wait for my TSMM FP window -- about 10 minutes; it was a nice pause in the day. I talked with a couple from West Virginia behind me in line, and they made the trip over for the wife's birthday (leap day); they did the "Buy 4, Get 3 Free" special and opted for the Birthday FastPass, which they let me take a picture of. I ended up riding with another single-rider, and we didn't get any of the easter eggs :( but I somehow still managed 204,900 points (imagine if we had gotten the rainbow balloons and/or bin monster! *meh*).

After that, I was very tired but did want another autograph pad, so I headed down Sunset and to the ESPN Sports Zone. On the way back, I saw that the RnR SR line was inside the door, so I made a detour and rode it before heading to the exit. I was satisfied with this weekend's visits to the parks and honored my promise to myself to get home early.

The trip back into the parks after the race and breakfast wasn't as super-exciting as yesterday, but it was still very good. I really appreciate Disney putting together these special events. As much as we tend to downplay the idea, it really is important to find things to celebrate because you never know what opportunities will find you.

Pictures from the post-race/breakfast DHS visit can be found after the agenda:
-----
Here's what I did this visit:

DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS (STAGE 41) 5:45am
- 7:00am ESPN the Weekend 5K
  - #376 MARCOS WARD, 29M ROCKLEDGE, FL
  - chip 22:59, clock 23:01
  - overall 83/1450, male 71/753, age 15/120

WALK to the SWAN RESORT
- Garden Grove (Breakfast Buffet)

FRIENDSHIP BOAT to DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
- [Toy Story Midway Mania FP]
- Toy Story Midway Mania SB 50/40mins (barn, rainbow, tank!, alien [, targets]; 230,400; 2nd overall!)
- 10:30am High School Musical 3: Senior Year
- 11:00am The American Idol Experience
- 11:30am Dream Job the Experience
- The Great Movie Ride
- 12:30pm Inside ESPN (John Anderson and Kurt Werner)
- Hey Howdy Hey Take Away (Sprite)
- Toy Story Midway Mania FP (no eggs; 204,900; no longer on the board; meh)
- ESPN Sports Zone
- Rock 'n' Rollercoaster SR

[HOME 3:30pm]
-----

#2!Right Here! Right Now!The sign got changed back.Courtney's moving onCalling it as it is.John Anderson!Kurt Warner from the Phoenix Cardinalslook at the shape of the ice!204,900 w/o opening any eggsYep, I left my key in the lock again...

DISNEY: John Anderson!

I went to Disney on Friday, but I think I would've taken a Melbourne Day if I hadn't signed up for the Annual Passholder's preview of the KP WS game -- I have so much to catch up on -- but I'm very glad that I did go. It was a beautiful day, and touring the parks without much pressure allowed me the chance to be very flexible and allows some fortunate surprises find me.

My KP reservation was for 11:00am, so left the house at 9:15am. The drive was easy, and an hour later, I was at Epcot. I headed to Innoventions West to play a game of Where's the Fire? before heading out to the Odyssey Center bridge KP station, where I exchanged my confirmation slip for a mission ticket. I had to get to Italy quickly but soon after boarding a World Showcase Friendship boats, discovered that it was visiting every port except for the one that I wanted -- oh well, I enjoyed the ride. I checked in at Italy and told the KP CM to send me to whichever country needed my help the most, and she sent me to... Japan!

The game was pretty much the same as last week -- three missions then the conclusion -- but what was different was what came after... instead of a mission to drop off the Kimmunicator, Kim Possible reminded me that there are villains in some other countries and asked if I wanted to help her out. Cool! So I opted to help Germany, then China, and then Norway before I got hungry (the other countries will just have to wait).

At the end of my Norway mission, I met a KP CM coming by to collect the Kimmunicators. I talked with her about the KP upgrades among other things -- and she mentioned how they recently retrieved one from Downtown Disney (yikes!). Anyways, I asked to watch her collect the Kimmunicators, and she let me. Even though it was simply a bag in a trunk, I found it really interesting.

KP done, I rode Maelstrom since there was no line. I really do love the end film because I suppose that it's what I imagined Vancouver to be like (when in actuality, the city more resembles the Reflections of China film...).

Where to eat? I stopped by Cool Club for drinks then went onto the Land Pavilion. I picked up the delicious 1/2 rotisserie chicken (w/mashed potatoes and salad) from Seasons, and the eating area was PACKED. Anyways, the food was satisfying. And afterwards, I started towards the park exit. I took the shortcut through Innoventions and took a picture with the firetruck, which was novel but fun.

If I decided to then head into town, I don't know what I would've done, so I decided to hit another park. I did want to check out the new street party at Magic Kingdom, but the next showtime was 5:45pm, and it was only 1:30pm. What about some American Idol? To DHS!

When I got there, ESPN the Weekend was on its way. I didn't expect for the festivities to be be in full swing already. The ESPN Hot Set Stage was in front of the Sorcerer's Hat, and there was a live broadcast in progress. I walked right past it and checked out TSMM's wait time (100 min SB). I went back to the Hat and realized that THE John Anderson was on stage!

Soonthereafter, there was a motorcade for some notable athletes (*shrug*), though I was distracted by Mr. Host of ABC's Wipeout. Yeah, I'm deeply and heavily star-struck when the right person comes along. I waited along the side of the stage, and a moment later, John Anderson emerged and walked my way!!! The feeling was Unreal, and I was glad that I took a pen from the car and put in a fresh pair of batteries in the camera. I asked himto sign my ESPN Weekend guide -- JA: "Since I'm not the guy on the left, I must be the mouse." -- then asked for a picture with him. And for the rest of the day grinning from ear to ear! I also got "John's dad" to sign the program guide, and he was a nice happy guy with a good son.

Anyways, it wasn't too long before the 3:00pm Pixar Block Party Bash, so I sent back to the corner of Hollywood and Sunset to wait. I gave away my last ball (i.e., Nerf ball), so it be nice to have one of my own again, but I really didn't matter to me since I got my picture taken with John Anderson! The crowd for the parade was big and their energy was actually pretty good. My two favorite PBPB CMs were near in front of me so that was another pleasant surprise. I wasn't near any of the Nerf balls tossed out and didn't get one, but I did enjoy seeing other guests with them.

Afterwards, I headed down Sunset to the ESPN Sport Zone behind RnR where guests were able to test their sports skills (baseball, football, basketball, soccer, tennis, field hockey, and even BMX) for FREE! There was also live radio broadcasts, an oil-less infrared turkey frying demonstration, and a paint-by-color display sponsored by Sharpie. (guess which one of those I did... (they let me keep the marker!)). Anyways, there were also a CM passing out lanyards with an autograph pad and pen (which could've helped earlier but it's'allgood.).

I then headed to 4:00pm AIE with enough time to catch the voting demo by my favorite Tom. This show had the same host as last Friday's grand finale (I like her and her sci-fi eyes), and as far as the performers, here was the lineup:

  1. Katie Montgomery -- Independence Day
  2. Daniel Kachel -- Our Song
  3. Becca Jo Cross -- Alone

The girls were good and the guy was funny, and I voted for Katie, but Becca Jo won -- again with the pimp spot, but she did have the mix of voice and personality. She also had an oddly-suggestive exchange with the "Randy" host, who somehow made the comment that "Everything's better with chocolate on top..."; there was a brief awkward pause, at which I just had to put a hand over my eyes. Ha!

With that, I headed out of the parks and took a bus to the TTC, and subsequent monorail to Magic Kingdom.

There wasn't so much time before the 5:45pm Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! Street Party, but there was enough to go around to Fantasyland to take some pictures. The MISICISP is a new event that takes place in the Hub in front of Cinderella's House Castle. I've never seen a Hub party before, and at first it seemed a bit odd, but I remembered pictures of celebrations at the other Disney parks around the world.

Anyways, each of the four MISICISP floats were in the shape of a big wrapped gift box, and they traveled up Main Street USA and make a round of the Hub. Then they stopped, and the top of each of the gift box opened to reveal a special character -- Genie from Aladdin, Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast, Mad Hatter from Alice In Wonderland, and Sebastian from The Little Mermaid.

The MC invited the crowd to join them in the streets to dance -- "We want everyone to dance!" and [not be like Sebastian] "We don't want any crabs!" ... HA! Maybe it was the MC's chiding, maybe it was the backdrop, maybe it was the energy release the kids and parents needed... but whatever it was, it worked. The guest participation was amazing! Great Job Disney!

After the street party, much of the crowd was heading out of the park. That was too much of a crowd for my tastes, so I went to Tomorrowland for a MILF instead. It seemed like B Team cast because the segments were shorter and seemed inexplicably "new"er but at least they didn't mistake a Swedish dude for a lady. And it was still fun, and I was relieved that I didn't make the big screen this time. I headed out of the park soonthereafter and took couple monorails back to Epcot and headed onto downtown.

I can't imagine that I almost skipped this visit to the parks -- the upgrades to the Kim Possible game, seeing my favorite Pixar performers, checking out MK's new street party, and getting my picture with John Anderson (I'm still smiling!). It was a quite fantastic day, and everything seemed to have fallen into place. Plus I can tell that my mindset for these park visits is getting more sane, and it's without loss of any magic. It was a fantastic visit.

Pictures from the trip, below:
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Here's what I did this visit:

EPCOT CENTER (JOURNEY 9) 10:15am
- Innoventions West: Where's The Fire? (Findmores. Won.)
- 11:00am Odyssey KP Station (Kim Possible is now on the park map!)
- Friendship boat (Mex, Can, Mor)
- Italy KP Station (?... Japan!)
- KP Japan:The Baby Bebe (fire, wind, water, baby)
- KP Germany:The Pretzel Predicament (town, nutcracker, steins, clock)
- KP China:Jade Monkey Business (lion, hotel, zodiac, monkey)
- KP Norway:Fur Sure (flag, kings, marathon, smoke, magazine, fashion show, drop)
- Maelstrom + film
- Coca-Cola's Cool Club
- The Land: Sunshine Seasons Food Fair (1/2 rotisserrie chicken)
- Liberty Mutual Firetruck picture

BUS to DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

- 2:00pm ESPN Hot Set Sorcerer Hat Stage
- Picture with THE John Anderson! (*swoon!*)
- 3:00pm Block Party Bash
- ESPN Sports Zone
- 4:00pm American Idol Experience
"Everything's better with chocolate on top..."

BUS to TTC

MONORAIL (gray) to MAGIC KINGDOM

- 5:45pm Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! Street Party
"We want everyone to dance! We don't want any crabs..."
- Monsters Inc Laugh Floor

MONORAIL (green) to TTC

MONORAIL (black) to EPCOT CENTER
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Pictures of me taking a picture of the picture of me and the CM taking a picture of me taking a picture of me (or something like that)Celebrate Today display in MouseGearsSeasons Food PicBeautiful SignageMore John Anderson picsMy Favorite PBPB performers
(girl on left & guy in center)I did most of the orange in the top-left.The winner is Becca JoStitch and CinderellaMickey and Minnie Moves It!Baloo Celebrates It!The Moon and Venus
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For those who don't know who John Anderson is:

ESPN's Sports Center

ABC's Wipeout

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And here are scans of KP on the Epcot maps & times: