Diamonds

Disneyland is celebrating its 60th anniversary this July. They will be kicking off the celebration in May with a 24-hour Disney day and new parades, light shows, and other fun activities. They have started the decorating a bit early.

Sleeping Beauty's Castle is all decked out for the upcoming events, and it looks pretty amazing. It didn't photograph well, but the roof tiles are all covered in sparkly diamonds, as well as all the metal and diamond-looking trim. It's really quite beautiful in person!

Today, I visited Disneyland, specifically to do the Easter Egg Hunt challenge, but I should have known better than to wait until the last day. Unfortunately, they had already sold out of the maps and prizes. Instead of Egg hunting, my friend and I just had a regular Disney Day. Many of the past closures are re-opened, so we had fun running around figuring out what the changes were.

Of course, after having a big Disney day, and then Easter dinner with family, I'm wiped out. This entry is going to be short because I'm falling asleep as I'm typing this.

BEDA Tracker:

4/1/15

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4/5/15

Fan Fest

Today marked the beginning of baseball season in San Diego. My brother and I went to the Padres Fan Fest. (Well, my brother went to the whole thing. I just joined him later.) The Padres played an exhibition game against Diablos Rojos del Mexico.

We got to see some of the new players, and for the first season in a long time, what we saw looked pretty great. I'm really looking forward to see what they can do. The ended up trouncing Mexico. I felt bad for them, because they had more errors than hits, and no runs. Even still, it was a lot of fun when the Padres scored each of the eight runs.

The new HD scoreboard is kind of fantastic. Almost as sharp as watching the field itself. Possibly my favorite part, was the new between-inning entertainment: The Padres Boom Crew. They're basically a snare drum line that uses trash cans. They are awesome and add a lot of energy.

BEDA Tracker:

4/1/15

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4/4/15

Tiffany

This week's episode of The Goldbergs featured music and scenes from Tiffany's mall tour and nostalgia kicked me in the feels. I was am a massive Tiffany fan. I had all her tapes and I had posters on my wall of her. I didn't go anywhere without my walkman, and Tiffany was definitely one of the tapes I had at the ready. Sadly, I never got to see her sing live. Her mall tour never came near my city.

Of course, my generation loves a good comeback story. When I was in college at Sac State, Tiffany had released an album of new music and she came to perform. Obviously, I couldn't miss this opportunity. So, my friends and I showed up early and somehow ended up not just seeing Tiffany perform, but we also got to hang out with her for a bit. It was amazing. Unfortunately, I have no idea what happened to my pictures from that day. People in 2015 really do take for granted that cell phones can take hd digital photos. I do, however, have one awesome memento.

When I heard she would be there, I went to my cd collection and pulled out one of my favorites. And, because she's awesome, Tiffany gladly signed it. It's definitely one of my more prized possessions. It reminds me of one of my favorite moments.

BEDA Tracker:

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Time

Day two of my challenge hasn't gone quite like I hoped. My knee has been hurting all day, so I didn't walk. My doctor once told me that if something hurts, you shouldn't keep doing what makes it hurt, so I'm taking his advice and resting it. I really need to see a doctor about my current knee situation, but I'm worried they'll say I need surgery. I'm training for a 10K. Knee surgery would definitely set back my 10K training. I also haven't had time yet to get much reading, or knitting or crocheting in.

Setbacks will come, but I am fighting against the instinct to quit entirely. It's funny how fear/dislike of failure can make me want to avoid something entirely. But, I have been told I can be pretty stubborn, so I'm going to dig into that part of myself and keep going. I'll rest tonight and walk tomorrow night.

Another challenge I'm running up against with my challenges is time. I regularly watch a lot of TV shows. So many, that my DVR is in a constant state of flux; if I don't watch my shows, I run out of room for new shows -- A vicious cycle. But, my goals are definitely going to have an impact on my TV time. I'm going to have to let go of some shows. And somehow, re-train my brain to be happy about it.

I have practiced Lent for many years. Giving up things I enjoy isn't really a foreign concept to me. But, deciding which shows to back-burner is pretty painful.

There are a couple that are absolutely safe:
Agents of SHIELD
Arrow
The Flash
Broadchurch
Orphan Black
Scandal
Masterpiece
Young and Hungry
The Mindy Project
Elementary
Madam Secretary
Once Upon a Time ( I just can't give up on  this show)

Then, there are my on the fence shows:
Nashville
Chicago Fire
Gotham
Revenge
Secrets and Lies
Sleepy Hollow
Scorpion
The Black List
The Americans
Supernatural
Homeland
Pretty Little Liars


Shows with strike-through have now been deleted and canceled from my DVR subscriptions. But, I feel like I should probably decrease by a couple more shows. I just don't want to lose anything else. (Note, these are shows that are currently airing or I have stockpiled on my DVR. Shows not airing right now are out of sight, out of mind for the moment.)

Maybe, if I give up a couple more shows, I will have time to watch some of the massive amount of movies and shows I already own.

BEDA Tracker:

4/1/15

4/2/15

BEDA

April Fool's Day is a strange day where I spend most of the day (and the days surrounding it!) not believing anything I see or hear. But, my favorite part of this day is that it's the beginning of my favorite month.

BEDA means Blog Every Day in April. And, this afternoon I decided I was going to participate. So, here I am, with no preparation, writing a blog with an hour left in the first day. Seems like a good plan.

As this is the beginning of the challenge, I suppose it is appropriate to post my goals for the month. For some reason, they seem to be lofty and plentiful.

Goal 1 - Complete BEDA. I used to LiveJournal (that's right, LJ was my jam back in the day), so completing BEDA shouldn't be too hard...right?

Goal 2 - Knit and/or Crochet at least two projects that I actually care about. I've been in a bit of a slump lately, so this goal may be harder than it would have been in the past.

Goal 3 - The Piles.

These are The Piles. The one on the left is the pile of books I have started reading (or re-reading), but haven't finished. The one on the right is the pile of books I bought, but haven't read yet. Okay, technically that's just a couple of the books I own but haven't read yet. My big goal is to read them all, but for April, I'm just looking to finish one from each pile.

Goal 4 - I also decided today that I was going to participate in a 30-day Walk challenge. I figured it would be helpful because I'm training for a runDisney 10K. I did 2 miles tonight, so I'm on my way on that one.

So, those are my goals. And, it's almost midnight, so I need to get this posted.

BEDA Tracker:

4/1/15

runDisney

Neverland 5K Finish Line

Running is not something I ever wanted to do. Or even thought I could do. In fact, when one of my friends started running, I laughed in his face about how that would never be me. Then someone let me in on what was originally kind of a little-known fact. You can run in the happiest place on earth.

Now... I run Disney.

Okay, I'm not one of the amazing folks who run the big races. But, I do run the 5Ks. And I LOVE it.

Right off the bat, I'll tell you: They are more expensive than the usual runs you can participate in. And now, with runs trying to out-do each other with creative twists, like foam or powdered ink or obstacles, you can find fun (yes, actually fun!) runs all over, and many are cheaper.

BUT, they aren't Disney. For runDisney, you are running through the theme parks when they are closed. Not just the areas the normal folk get to go, either. Some of the courses bring you back stage and even underground.

Star Wars 5K Expo Exit

You start off your experience with the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo. This is where you'll go to pick up your race packet and shirt. This expo is also chock-full of booths and panels where you can buy things or learn about racing strategies and food concepts. And, sometimes they have autograph sessions with some of the celebrities that also runDisney.

On your race, you see many sights that you couldn't ordinarily see.

Disneyland Cast Members Lockers

Avengers 5K Logo projected on Radiator Springs

Tea Cups spinning while runners pass

Some of the biggest draws to the Disney races, are the character photo ops. Scattered throughout the course, you'll find characters waiting to pose for photos with the runners. Some of the better characters tend to get longer lines, so, if you are going to do a Disney race, choose the characters you wait for wisely.

Black Widow - Avengers 5K

Goofy & Pluto - Neverland 5K

In true Disney fashion, they celebrate everyone who runs. Not just the fastest. This photo is of the man who was the final finisher of the Star Wars 5K. They shot confetti and had a group of CMs and racers there to cheer him on!

Confetti Cannon for the Final Finisher - Star Wars 5K

There are photo opportunities all along the course. MarathonFoto will be taking pictures you can buy, but pretty much anywhere you go, you can take your own pictures.

Finish Line Photo - Star Wars 5K

The gear you get for a Disney race is pretty amazing. The shirts are always great (5Ks get tees, but all the longer races get tech shirts.) You also have the option to buy limited edition pin trading pins for the events. The pins are usually really great. And, everyone who finishes, gets a medal (rubber medallions for the 5K and Kids Races, metal medals for the longer races).

Race Gear - Star Wars 5K

And, after your races, you should definitely take a trip into the parks (once they open!). The characters really love to see your medals, and people will congratulate you all day.

If you're interested in running with runDisney, I suggest you go to the website and sign up to be notified when race registration goes live. They aren't a secret anymore and some sell out within hours. I'll be signing up for notice for the next race. And this time I'm going to go for a longer one.

I want some metal.

girls vs. toys

The above video received a hugely positive response from people who love the idea that girls are getting a toy line that strives to get girls involved in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields. But, with that enthusiasm comes the backlash.

I've seen arguments that the commercial is telling girls it is not okay to be into princesses and dolls.

But that's not true. If you *read the lyrics, or look at what they're doing, or what the girls are wearing, it seems like they are saying girls can be into princesses, dolls, tea parties, AND building awesome Rube Goldberg machines.

I believe this commercial is important. Because marketing toward girls is almost always different than it is toward boys. The same can be said for adults. For example, Skechers markets shoes for boys and men by showing them doing athletic, powerful, sporty things.

However, their marketing for girls and women is decidedly different.

The male ads say what is important is power...and adventure. The female ads say what is important is your appearance...and shopping.

Now, I'm not going to say Goldieblox is perfect. There's still a shocking amount of pink and purple in their product. Some day, people will start to realize that girls can like primary colors, too. But, at least they aren't as bad as Lego, who believe girls should only care about playing house with their Friends line (also pink and purple), instead of building Death Stars and Pirate Ships. Seriously. Look at the top results in a google image search for "Lego Girls" vs "Lego Boys" the color contrast is ridiculous.

Corporations are unnecessarily gendering toys, toiletries, and, as seen above, FOOD in order to make more money. And they've got a lot of people fooled. Girls don't need a special pink and purple version of every little thing. They just don't.

*The original version of the video had lyrics...they re-wrote Beastie Boys "Girls" but then got sued, and changed it.

Holiday Time at Disneyland, the Guided Tour

For the first time, I was able to participate in one of Disneyland's best traditions, a Guided Tour. The Guided Tours are awesome! They are a bit on the pricey side, which can deter most people, however, now that I've participated in one, I can officially say that they are worth it. You purchase tickets, and meet for your guided tour at the Guided Tour kiosk just next to Disneyland City Hall. Behind the kiosk is an area to gather before you begin your tour. I found the above Christmas tree tucked away. We took the Holiday Time at Disneyland Tour. It started at 12:10, and ended with the parade, which started at 3:00. It was an amazing experience. 

I didn't do much homework before we signed up for the tour, so I really didn't know what to expect. For one thing, I definitely didn't expect any park-hopping, but we jumped from Disneyland's Main Street right over to California Adventure. We learned a great deal about the decorations in California Adventure. My favorite bit of information at this point, was probably that the train that sits at the bottom of DCA's Buena Vista Street Tree is modeled after the train Walt Disney took from Missouri out to California. When will I learn to stop assuming Disney doesn't control every detail? In our brief visit to California Adventure, our tour stopped by Trolley Treats Candy for a delicious sample. The above is a marshmallow that was dipped in caramel, chocolate, and sprinkles with a hint of mint. Seriously yummy.

I knew about the Menorah in one of the windows on Main Street, but I had no idea there was a Mezuzah at Disneyland. One of the things I learned on the tour. They touched upon all the major holidays, not just Christmas.

For future reference, the Guided Tours are all led by Cast Members using little microphones that transmit into "radios" you wear around your neck. You can bring your own headphones to avoid using community ones. While you travel through the parks, you get a lot of stares from park-goers. And, if you pay attention, you can hear people complaining that you get to skip the lines or wondering what makes you so special that you have a tour guide.

Another great part of the Guided Tour experience is traveling with your group to the front of the lines. On the Holiday Time at Disneyland tour, you get to ride the three rides with holiday makeovers. We started with the Jingle Cruise, then went to The Haunted Mansion - Nightmare Before Christmas, and ended with It's a Small World Holidays. Skipping the lines was quite fun!

At the end of the tour, they sat us down in special seats so we could watch A Christmas Fantasy, the holiday parade. We had a really good view once the Small World line cleared out. Plus, getting actual seats for the parade was quite lovely. And, as an added treat, we were given hot cocoa in the Holiday Tumblers, and chocolate dipped gingerbread cookies, which, in true Disney fashion, were wearing Mickey ears, and delicious, of course!

While in our seats for the parade, they also gave us our Holiday Time in Disneyland 2014 pin-trading pin. It's a great pin that comes on a card with Walt in front of his own Christmas tree. All in all, I had a great time, learned a lot of stuff I hadn't known, and walked away with some great souvenirs.

I'm so glad I finally had the chance to take one of these awesome tours, and I can't wait to do another one! Now that Holiday Time is over, I'll look into some of the other tours!

With our awesome CM, Cassie!

Frozen Taking Over Disney California Adventure

Whether, you love it, hate it, or love to hate it, Frozen is here to stay. And, as it's one of the highest grossing films of all time, you can expect Disney to capitalize on it as long as they possibly can. So, it should come as no surprise that they have brought the child-favorite to the California parks. Anna, Elsa, and Olaf have been added to the Disneyland parades and many of the shops now have Frozen sections. In Downtown Disney, Olaf has an ice rink (during the holidays), and Anna and Elsa have a new boutique. But, the true changes have occurred in Disney California Adventure, where Frozen Fun now reigns supreme.

The first Frozen Fun offering is For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. This is, in my opinion, the best they have to offer. It's a 30-minute show that summarizes the movie and features clips of the sing-along version of the film and appearances from special guests. It is located in the theater Muppet Vision 3D was formerly held in, and some of the "4D" effects from the Muppets have been transitioned into the new Frozen show. Though the change was reported by Disney to be a temporary one, from what I can tell, this appears to be a permanent, or at least a long-term transformation. All traces of the Muppets are gone from the theater, and the Muppets Studio Store is now Wandering Oaken's Trading Post.

Chemo Cap

One of my projects for this round of Nerd Wars is this chemo cap. I had started it before this round, so it's going into my WIPs category. I made it for someone I know who has recently lost all her hair because of chemo.

The Eighth Doctor

I did a Swap with my Nerd Wars team, and the person I got to make something for loves The Eighth Doctor from Doctor Who.

So I made this:

Nerd Wars

For the past couple months, I've been in a competition on Ravelry, called Nerd Wars. It's tons of fun, but takes up a lot of my time. The competition basics: 3 month-long competitions with 5 projects each. You can knit, crochet, spin, or weave. While it's been challenging and time-consuming, I've discovered it is a great way to finish projects and meet new people. Here are some of the projects I've completed!

Tea Cozy for my Aunt

Baby Hat

Diamond Scarf

Jayne Cobb Hat Tea Cozy

My first ever Lace Shawl

Basket Weave Stitch Dishcloth

Waffle Stitch Scarf

The Wrong Side of the Scarf is Pretty

Remix

Changed up the blog a bit. It's a bit girly, but it'll do...for now.

How to Crochet Hearts

Stitches from the Heart, one of the charities I work with, gives out heart pins when they go to fairs and art shows. This is how to make those pins.

I modified the Big Tiny Heart pattern I found on the Julie-K website.

The first thing you'll need to know how to do is make a magic loop. Planet June has a great tutorial for this. It's technically not necessary to use the magic loop method. You could use a basic chain 4, join w/slip stitch to first chain. But it is much easier at the end, if you used a magic loop. If the Planet June page doesn't help enough, Bernat has a YouTube demonstration here.

Little Crochet Hearts Pattern:
Yarn: Whatever scraps you have laying around. Really. Any yarn will do.
Hook: I tend to use a hook 1 size bigger than the yarn calls for, but I crochet tightly.
Gauge not important for this project.

Stitch:
HDC: Half-Double Crochet
SLST: Slip Stitch

Start with a Magic Loop
Chain 2
8 HDC into loop
Join with SLST to the first HDC
5 HDC in the next HDC
HDC in the next 2 HDC
(HDC, chain 2, HDC) in the next HDC
HDC in the next 2 HDC
5 HDC in the next HDC
SLST into original chain, fasten off

Tug on the end from the center of the magic loop to tighten the circle. Pull the outside end downward. Double knot the two ends together tightly to shape the heart. Leave the ends long enough to tie another knot around the pin backing for stability.

I get my pin backs from Michaels and JoAnn. I open them to tie the ends to it while gluing. I use tacky glue, but hot glue also works. Once I've tied and glued the pins to the back, I cut the ends of the yarn so that it won't be visible when worn.