Wednesday Giggles

So for those of you that abstain from pop culture and/or live under a rock this Beyonce video is a) awesome and b) has been lampooned a # of times because c) its truly iconic of the lady and Fosse. I was kind of obsessed with it for a few days.

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It was so iconic that it made its way to SNL and landed Justin Timberlake and Andy Samburg in black leotards and heals. I laughed heartily.



But nothing could have prepared me for what happened at Disneyland last week with me, Rosie, Nicole and Kevin


Single Br'er from Elizabeth Long on Vimeo.

Checking In

So I've been a neglectful blogger this last week. I apologize. I've had a lot of stuff going on.

Laurcita and I were partying like the rockstars we are in Phoenix for the first half of the week. I took off on Friday and spend the weekend there. I needed a quiet place to be that was a bit out of the way and Phoenix seemed like the perfect remedy. I got to have 3 whole days of quiet to myself and I mostly worked in her lovely place.

My amazing cousin Rich and his wife were well. They just moved and kind of hate their new place but it was super awesome wonderful to see them. The last night before I left Laur and I took a crazy escapade to go meet her college roommate who was in town for the FBR Open. We went to this insane, remote place called the Greasewood Flats. It was an old school biker bar/cowboy hang out that was down an unpaved path, past the peak that looks like Old Man Coyote at dusk and then some. The 49ers built this place, so says my amazingly expert opinion, and hence has been improved by 150 years of monsoon seasons and raccoon scratches. The bulk of the place was outside. We had a fire in a carved out oil barrel, a redneck wind chime of empty beer cans strung up in the tree, donkey's braying in a choral 20' from us, and a burger so rare I'm pretty sure I heard it moo back at me. Needless to say it was awesome.

I came back home on Wednesday afternoon and went to the temple that night which was a much needed kind of lovely. I happened upon the same session as the extensive Santa Monica 3rd Single's ward so it was a 200 person strong session and most of the gentleman attending were available. No, no #s given or taken but I'm just going to say, there might have been a bit of winking and over the shoulder smirking going on. Yay for awkward temple flirting.

In terms of my forgotten Wednesday Giggles, fear not. What I found the funniest thing this week was a bit on Best Week Ever that was their version of how the 911 call from Former French President Jacque Chirac must have gone when he was mauled by his clinically depressed poodle.

No joke.

I looked and looked for the video but alas - there isn't any obliging YouTubed footage. The best the only way I could share this with you is if you subscribe to the Best Week Ever podcast, download Jan 23rd's full episode and go to minute 12:00. Its a lot of work - I know. But it's worth it.

I love the French but I laugh at them because, well - they're French. Lovely but a bit prickly and - well - French. It's almost as good as "I am Le Tired"

I haven't shirked Friday Awesome either. I lifted this off a friend's gmail status. It was by far the coolest thing I'd seen this week. I've lost far too much time on this already but I found it a lovely meditation.

Thursday was nothing but refreshing. I got to reconnect with my amazing old friend Shelly. It was one of those close down a coffee house talk till its too cold outside and you know that you absolutely have to go to sleep or you'll be a wreck the next day kind of thing. I love her. She is a reminder of my better parts and good times. I'm glad we've kept track of each other.

Thursday I also got wind from Nicole, the bringer of the glad tidings of Penzance Joy, that she has an in with both the curator of the Norton Simon and Huntington Library.

THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY and THE NORTON SIMON

So naturally my first question was "Can she get me an interview??!" There is a faint possibility of a smidgen of a shadow of a chance that I might get a few minutes with a big decision maker and shot at my DREAM JOB. I've never really let myself think along these lines before but in actuality it has been a (not so) unspoken (not so) secret wish to make a life and career at either one of these places. Especially the Huntington. So if you could be kind enough to keep me and that faint possibility of that chance in your prayers I would really appreciate it. I know all I need is 5 minutes. 5 minutes with the right person has changed the course of the world more than once and I certainly think it could change mine.

Faith and prayers should always go rewarded so this is my solemn promise to you that if this works out I will invite you all to my cultural and meticulously decorated loft in Pasadena for a lovely dinner party like only an employee of the Huntington could throw. Wouldn't that be amazing? I think so. There will be smug cheeses, conceited chocolate souffles, hearty scones and pheasant. :D


Friday was spent at Disneyland with my Nicole, Rosie and a new comer Kevin. We spent 4 hours in Critter Country and had an absolute blast. Kevin is in pretty good with the character population at The Park so Rosie got some serious attention and we got some epic shots and video with Pooh, Tigger and Br'er Bear.

And let me tell you something - the world is just more fun with a kid. I've theorized about this before. But seriously, Disneyland especially is magical and amazing with an 8 year old, and especially one that I adore as much as Rosie. I told Nicole that if anything happens to both her and Taylor I get Rosie. I'm throwing my hat in right now. Forget grandparents and stuff. She's mine. We belong together.

Friday was also epic because I got a little email from a local radio station here called KROQ announcing that plans had firmed up for a little shin dig that goes on out in this little town called Coachella. It's just a small gathering of a few musically inclined people to strum their sheep's guts a bit in ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST AMAZING MUSIC EVENTS OF THE YEAR EVERY YEAR!

Laur and I have been throwing around the idea of going for a while. Since Palm Springs actually, and we wisely booked a hotel and waited to see the line up but when I opened up this email and saw the line up I got continually more and more out of breath. By the end of reading day two's line up I grabbed my phone, sent a holy moly text to Laur, and within 2 minutes got an equally breathless phone call and we essentially gushed for about 5 minutes about how we are TOTALLY going this year between a good amount of "ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh" etc.

You look at this line up and tell me your heart doesn't skip a few beats:
The countdown to this event and actually being there will be the subject of many blogs to come so I won't delve into my beyond-real giddiness for this right now. Just know that its coming and it's something I'm going to check off my bucket list. I'll probably get a few things checked off that weekend actually. *wink wink*

Saturday was another day of friends and fun. NaToya and I went sniffing for some good Greek food and found a great cafe in Sierra Madre that captured our hearts and then we saw the Dark Knight on IMAX (all I have to say is Christian+a suit+dismantling a gun+not breaking a stride = unmitigated hotness) with Lauren K (different Lauren) and Hannah.

I made an appearance at a birthday party with blow up twister, cardboard tiaras and a plethora of Twinkies. I watched a horrible UFC fight (BJ let all of us down), got hit on by a healthy portion of very nice guys, went to The Grove, talked, caught up with, laughed and was amazed by another set of friends that I absolutely adore, went to Katy's house for ice cream at 2 am and called it a day.

I have a lot of thoughts about this week but I'm quite tuckered from just recounting everything. I'll elaborate this week kay? Cause there was much context to everything. Lots of thoughts, but for another time.

T minus 75 days

Weekend Report

My weekend report. No SNL cast members wandering around... sorry.

My weekend got started a little early when I got called into the Conference room at work on Friday morning and got laid off.

I'm OK. I'm super OK actually. I've been needing to leave this job for a while. It was eating my soul one tedious hour and mouse click at a time. I wasn't happy and it showed. It was a pleasant job in all the exterior ways; I liked my coworkers, my immediate supervisor was cool, it was a fairly healthy environment, they pay was fair. I was just trapped in a cell gray cubicle starring at a computer screen all day and it was killing me. I should have left a while ago and I had plans to start looking for a job in my field in Jan, I just get this two week vacation till then.

The only way I can think of describing the situation is like being in a relationship with a guy that's not bad, hes just boring and doesn't make you happy, he doesn't make you mad either but you're just not happy, but hes a decent guy so there's not justifiable reason to break up with him so you don't and then one day he breaks up with you and its all you can do to not give him a high 5. That's about where I'm at.

And to celebrate that night my awesome friend Molly and I went to Disneyland. We had actually planned it for a while, it just fell that way and it was perfect.

Disneyland at Christmas is one of my all time favorite things. Ever. Seriously. I know I'm a bit prone to hyperbole but I mean this. Fewer things bring me more joy than snow on Main Street, peppermint bark from the Candy Palace, the fireworks and a mickey eared Santa hat. It's the stuff of dreams.

I'm attempting to be a better record keeper so here are some pics of the night. I hadn't seen the castle with all the Christmas lights before and it took my breath away. Its the centerpiece of the whole park and it was amazing.



We came in on the monorail from Downtown Disney and swooped by this and I was a bunch of smashed cheeks and a nose pressed against the window. I can't get over how the sight of Small World at Christmas never ceases to amaze me. I've worked at Disneyland and been there as a guest more times that I think I could possibly remember and it still knocks me over. Every single time.



I adore this mammoth tree. It always reminds me of Mickey's Christmas Carol, all of Main Street does, but this tree is the perfect size to make you feel like a kid again.



The presents are huge. The ornaments are huge. This was my attempt at a scale shot. The ornaments are seriously as big as my head. It didn't quite work but I think I look pretty dang cute.



The moon was super close that night and this was a shot I took looking straight up. I thought it was pretty fancy. Maybe there's a photographer in my yet.



And this is me being and ABSOLUTE DORK watching the fireworks and thinking I can sing, watch fireworks, film, and stay warm all at the same time. I failed at a few of them, guess which ones....



Saturday was a trip down to San Diego to visit my friend NaToya and meet Patrick for the Snow Patrol concert that night at the House of Blues. The drive down the 5 was epic. The storm was blowing in so we actually had weather. Amazing! I know. I was so distracted by the sky the whole way down I think it bordered on a driving hazard. At one point there was this cloud break over the ocean and a few brilliant circles of light landed on the water and it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. I had to pull over and snap some real pics. It was so strangely hopeful to me. My mind was weighing down a bit with what was coming in the next few weeks and then I saw this and immediately felt better. It was a lovely Christmas present from Heavenly Father.


At the concert that night after we stood in line for nearly 2 hours we got in and the crowd that had gathered was some the the biggest mix of people I've seen any place ever. There were middle aged business men and over caffeinated and annoying 18 year old blonds like the one seen here. She would have given Tigger a run for his money with how she was bouncing every which way and flagrantly flapping this silly sign that said "I sang with you last time" like the band would recognize and/or remember her... honestly. At one point she ended up directly in front of Patrick and he politely said "What does your sign say?" so that she would put it down to show him but it didn't work for very long.


This band is amazing. I fully endorse and recommend their new album and any concert of theirs that you can get into. Yay for Northern Ireland Celtic men. They're just these instinctual artists and performers. I fell in love about 8 times that night with both Gary and Nathan, like every girl at a concert should.




Here's a snippet of Crack the Shutters *swoon*.
This song is so amazingly romantic I can barely stand it.

Pavlov's Army

We've all had some insane jobs. Some we talk about, some we laugh about, and some we shamefully admit to. It's just part of growing up. On a recent trip to Target I realized how much of some of my past jobs haven't left me. Even now that I'm a supposed grown up and stuff.

Whenever I'm at the frozen yogurt machine at Souplantation I still find my 21 Choices training kicking in and my peaks are still very peaky.

I still face the bills in my wallet like the ODV (Out Door Vending) Nazi at the LA County Fair made us do before us exhausted troop of sunburned band kids could go home.

When I pick up a shirt off of a table at a store I still refold it and size it like my years working on Main Street at Disneyland indoctrinated me to do.

Most of my time served in the retail penal colony was served there. Yes - I've worked at Disneyland. Yes I still go as a guest and it still feels magical and I agree, The Disney Co. is the Great and Spacious Building.

I really liked working at Disneyland. Aside of feeling married to my availability form, being grossly underpaid, and the sore face muscles from smiling (per our instructions to be happy) it was very very fun. No day was ever the same and I adored that. One day usually felt like a week because of the variety of things that went down in 8 hours there. There were always some kind of emergency or Pass Holder Insanity (PHI on the radio) to mitigate, and all that we needed to handle "with discretion". Or the awesomely sweet moments with children who still believed and were looking for their friend Cinderella. They always got first priority and I always volunteered to take the picture. It was all amazing.

Merchandise was way more fun than almost any other division. But one thing about "being Merch" that was almost enviable was the capacity we had to put our hands on just about anything in the known universe with a few phone calls if a guest needed it.

Squirting nickels - we got em.
14k gold mickey mouse lipstick cases, check.
Velveteen pirate's cape - check.
Campfire chili and fried chicken, - yes,
Rag-Time dancing shoes - got those too.
Glow in the dark lipstick - let me check with Fantasmic
Topiary Alice in Wonderland figures - straight back and to the left
Moroccan Mint tea - across the street at Markethouse

It was amazing if you kept your eyes half shut to the frequently intoxicated management, the local gay couple having a shout out backstage (daily occurrence) and the constant smell of gun powder, ammonia and melted ice cream wherever guests weren't (IE-backstage).

But this kind of we-have-everything-in-the-world-and-you-need-to-put-it-away was strangely one of my favorite aspects of the job and I got the most battle experience in the biggest jungle of Disney memorabilia of them all - The Emporium.



My favorite part of Emporium duty was go backs. Partly because I wasn't tied to a register or to a table to keep straight, or beanie babies to straighten up over and over again. I got to put back the boxes and boxes of random stuff that collected behind the registers and scour the store for out of place items. It was like one giant, lolly pop, twisty pencil puzzle with an Aaron Copland soundtrack.

It sounds tedious but I really loved it. Not only did it pacify my slight OCD tendencies to straighten things but it allowed me to get lost in my head a little bit. When I saw something that was out of place I would wonder "Now how did that happen? Why would someone abandon a crystal Sleeping Beauty Castle figurine for an Ariel tank top? Did Ariel mean more to her growing up? Was she a red head and identify more with her? Was she clumsy and afraid she might break the castle before she got to the car?" and so on and so forth. I would imagine conversations people had with each other. Mostly made up the precious conversation snippets I would pick up from other people in the store. The funniest ones we between parents and children about appropriate souvenirs:

"I know you love Goofy - but I don't $75 love Goofy and neither should you"
"If I was Snow White I would sing a song and make every squirrel here come and bite you"
"It just seems kind of wrong to put Tinkerbell on a 3x shirt - I mean - what are people thinking?"
"You don't need a Tigger key chain. You don't even have keys."

I would politely offer help or insight when I could but most of the time I was in my own head. And today when I was picking up salad dressing and candles at Target on my lunch I noticed a pair of socks, a can opener and bar of soap on the crystal light isle. Instinct kicked in and I reminded myself that I didn't work there and it wasn't my responsibility to keep Target go-back free. But I did find myself constructing a scenario where those things being there would have made sense. How pink lemonade crystal light might have reminded that particular shopper that it was their best friend's favorite and that his can opener, navy blue socks and back up bar of Ivory were at his house so he didn't need to get them here.

And after laughing at myself for a second I realized that I did that a lot and then asked why and I found myself in my Main Street costume and oval name tag holding my box of go backs with "Meet me in St Louis" in the background. It was a pretty enlightening 45 seconds in the grocery isle of Target. And this, consequently led me to marvel at the little quirks I still have that are just residue from my past jobs and how everyone must have them. So now I'm curious - what are some of your habits, dear reader, that you've adopted (willingly or unwillingly) from your past?