Day 44: Well Captain, it's nice to see you smiling again.-- Mr. Smee

Well Captain, it's nice to see you smiling again.-- Mr. Smee, Peter Pan

In a change of pace, today's quote comes to us from one of the Villain Sidekicks. Mr. Smee tells Captain Hook this just after he knocks Hook back into the stool and footbath, which Hook ends up unknowingly smiling from his raging Smee-induced headache.

Though Mr. Smee is just a sidekick and Capt. Hook's first mate, he seems to view Hook as his friend not his employer. In the movie, Hook is constantly mad and frustrated that he can't get a hook on Peter Pan and it shows through his violent outbursts and facial features. There are less than a handful of times where Hook smiles, namely when he is trying to fool Tink into giving up the info he wants and the other when it's pure accidental thanks to Smee's bungling. Though completely unintentional and the real reason not being known to Smee, he seems to take great pleasure in seeing Hook smiling again and goes on talking to him like a friend with the ship's gossip. This goes to show that even in the movies, a smile changes the entire scene and mood, just like in real life. 

I've got to admit, when I first chose this quote I did not realize just how hard of a time I would have writing about it, which is why I've had to put my DisneyQuotes project on hold. I just didn't have the right words since there are many diffrent angles I could take this in. Plus, lately I've been having trouble smiling myself because of the stresses of life and other things, especially as of late because I'm not hitting my goals when I want even though I know in time I will if I keep working at it (like my first 365 project). Yet no matter what I have going on behind the scenes, when I step outside my door I always try to smile because I know how helpful seeing a smiling person can be even when I don't feel like smiling myself. I've come to realize making people smile and happy, no matter how silly I may look in doing it, makes me feel really happy and want to smile more. 

I think people in general don't like to see frowny faces or sad faces because they become sad even if they don't know the reason for the frowny face they become sad too. People seem to like smiles more than sad faces because it puts them in a better mood. Though we go through life being trained to smile for everything, it's ok to still be sad or frown too.  So don't feel like you have to always smile, just know that it's ok to show a sad face when things are bothering you too. Sometimes what we show on our faces says a lot more than what we speak with our voices. Just always know if you feel like there's no one that will ever understand what you're going through, somewhere on this earth is someone going through the same emotions (and possibly circumstances) you are so you're not alone. Never be afraid to reach out and talk to someone. You never know what may come of it: you could get the help you need to regain your smile and the other person may be able to use their experiances as an example or even end up helping them move on and smile again as well. 

Always remember a smile, even a forced smile, goes a long way and Keep Cooking with Character!

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Day 43: It's just like I've always dreamed it would be!-- Wendy Darling

"It's just like I've always dreamed it would be!"-- Wendy Darling, Peter Pan

After Peter Pan has them land on a cloud overlooking Neverland, Wendy says this line.

Have you ever wanted to go somewhere so bad you started to dream of what it would be like or dream of things you'd want to do while there? Perhaps, in this modern day and age, you looked up your dream vacation and began to plan where you'd stay or what you'd do. Then once you get there it either is better than what you've dreamed or your worst nightmare because of false advertising, or just how you dreamed.

Let's take my first trip to Walt Disney World as an example. I've been a huge Disney fan for as long as I can remember and grew up watching The Disney Channel (it was one of our approved "don't need an adult to watch" channels as kids). When I was in 5th Grade, I wanted to become a Disney Animator if I couldn't be a stay at home mom like my mom was with me and my little sister. So I did everything to learn how the animators draw, the history of Disney, everything I could get my hands on Disney wise I absorbed it, and stayed up on more than one occasion past my bedtime watching Vault Disney where they'd play old Disneyland and The Mickey Mouse Club episodes from 12a-2a, before the channel went off air til 5a (which I wish they'd bring back!!!!). A few years later in 1997, I got accepted into The Animation Class at The Disney Institute. It was a 1 day class that took place on Christmas Day. I cannot tell you how happy I was when my parents told me that I was entered in and accepted to that class for my Christmas Present that year. 15-year-old me was so happy words cannot explain.

We went as a family down to Walt Disney World for the first time in our popup Coleman camper. Our expectations were high: we were going to Walt Disney World after all. We expected temps to be in the 80s with lots of sun, Cinderella's Castle looking as majestic as ever, EPCOT full of discoveries and edu-tainment, and lots of movie magic at Disney's MGM Studios. What we got was tons of rain, so much so it flooded our K.O.A. campsite and we had to move within the first two days, and COLD. Even though we're from North Central Arkansas and used to colder winters, it took us by surprise because we did not expect sunny Central Florida to get up to only the high 40s/low 50s during the day! So we all ended up buying sweatshirts at WDW on the first day we went. We also did not expect to see Cinderella's Castle dressed up like a PeptoBismol Pink birthday cake for Magic Kingdom's 25th anniversary. Boy did that disappoint the purists in our family (me and Mom)! We were not expecting to see that gaudy god-awful looking castle! Huge hint to Disney if they are reading this: for the love of all things Mickey please DO NOT DO THAT AGAIN and bring back Vault Disney and EPCOT's Dancing Arches! We still got our obligatory pictures in front of the castle but it sure was NOT what we wanted for our first trip to Magic Kingdom. Those were the biggest let downs of our first trip.

As for the going above and beyond part, the cast members were all wonderful, one cast member went so far as to change her nametag to Grace the next time we saw her to check in for our Castle meal because my cousin who was with us thought her name was Grace because she was so "graceful"! I loved seeing The Christmas Parade at Magic Kingdom, seeing the characters, riding the rides, getting my first taste of theme-park freedom when my family went on Pirates of The Caribbean and I did not ride (yay for being old enough, though I didn't stray far). One of our biggest family highlights was getting to eat at Cinderella's Royal Table, even though it was fully booked. There was one family who cancelled and we got a window seat! We also loved The Candlelight Processional and The Dancing Arches over the bridge from Future World and The World Showcase. The video below is not my own and is a full copy of the show that was the same in 1997 as in 2008.

We also re-fell in love with The Osbourne Family Lights, which we got to see once in Little Rock before the whole fiasco between The Osbournes and The State of Arkansas took place and Disney intervened to bring it to Walt Disney World (which again needs to be brought back).

 Yet of all the wonderful family time we had, my most vivid memories stem from when we went through The Magic of Disney Animation tour at Disney's MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) and my Animation Class at The Disney Institute. Mom and me did the walk-through Animation tour while my little sister and dad did one of the bigger thrill rides. She had such a hard time keeping me up with the group because I just wanted to sit and watch the animators work on Mulan and Tarzan in "The Fishbowl" as the animators there loved to call it and then again to watch the animator draw a character right in front of us and ask questions directly in the next room. I went through that tour at least twice that day. Thankfully my mom was very patient knowing how much I love Disney Animation and knew I wouldn't get another chance to go for a long time (which ended up being 3 years later for my H.S. Graduation present); so she tagged along. For the Disney Institute class, it was just me alone. So while I was in that my mom, dad and sister went and saw the alligators and some other scenery before they got me. My class was from 9-5 and there was at least 30 of us high schoolers in the room. My most favorite part was coloring in an actual Disney Animation Cel with the same paint the people I idolized used. I still have that picture of Rolly and Patch infront of a dog bowl. While I could have been a traditionalist and painted them their normal colors, I decided to color them in a patchwork style, each pup was painted with different colors. If I can find it I'll post it here. If not, just imagine the pups getting into many paint cans like they did the ashes during the movie (I'm pretty sure that was my logic back then).  I also got a little flip book to practice my animation skills. I still have that book too. I do wish they would bring that class and the Magic of Animation Tour but sadly that won't happen since both buildings have been closed. I also loved getting to learn how to draw the Disney characters and bought some How-To-Draw Disney character books, which I still have and cherish.

So while our first impressions of Walt Disney World were dampened by the weather and that PeptoBismol monstrosity they called Cinderella's Castle, all of the good things that came from it, like my sister and me actually agreeing and not fighting as siblings do and having many firsts, overshadowed the bad that we had happen. Even though it didn't turn out how we dreamed, it turned out better inspite of everything.

Until next time, Keep Cooking With Character!

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Day 42: All this has happened before. And it will all happen again.-- The Narrator

All this has happened before. And it will all happen again.-- The Narrator, Peter Pan

The opening lines to any movie, play or book have the ability to set the tone for anything we watch, hear or read. This line is no different. It sets the stage that perhaps may trigger some memories for some people, like they too have experienced it in some form in the past.

Life is very much like this line. Every day we follow schedules. We eat, sleep, work and play each day. Then the next day we do the same thing. Though it may not be with the same food, sleep times or co-workers, it's still a repeat of what was done yesterday in its most basic form. Have you ever done something in life that you feel like you've done before or had a sense of de ja vu? Perhaps you have and you did it in a dream that came to life and that's why you can't pin it.

Our dreams are like this as well. I think everyone dreams, even if they don't think they do they do, they just don't remember them. I'm no dream expert but I've had my own fair share of recurring dreams. Some are wonderful that I love to dream about: like being a successful vlogger, being surrounded with a lot of children who all call me mommy or having that perfect Disney dream wedding. Other dreams I have could take a flying leap into the darkest abyss because they are terrifying nightmares. I much prefer to have my dreams on the happy side, since I tend to be in a happier mood when I dream happy dreams and can remember them. I also hope those good dreams become in a reality, so when they come true, this quote will then come to pass as well.

History has a way of repeating itself too.  You just have to look into the history books for examples. People don't like being ruled a certain way; they rise up and overthrow their ruler (be it a royal, dictator, president, ect.); then make their own rules. Eventually the cycle will restart sometime in the future. All it takes is one person to decide they don't like something, then they work to make that change happen, and hopefully it would be for the better. Sometimes it's for the worst, but then eventually gets better when others realize it doesn't work. For the rules that don't work or the ones that people don't like, they also could get changed without changing the ruler of the land. Then the cycle begins again.

I could go on and on about how this quote is so relatable but I'll just let you think on how it affects you and your lives. Sometimes by reflecting on things, we become better people and the cycle in its basic form begins again. So until next time Keep Cooking With Character!

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Day 48: Your Mother and Mine

This song is one of the lesser-known songs in Peter Pan, yet it's one of the sweetest and most truthful. Just after Peter is honored by Tiger Lilly's tribe, Michael asks if Wendy is their mother, and she reminds him he has a mother in London and sings him this sweet lullaby to get him to sleep. It also gets the other Lost Boys and Mr. Smee to remember their mothers, much to Peter's annoyance. 

This is my favorite song out of all the Peter Pan songs because it shows what a real mother is like. It also hits home for me because I am adopted and proud of it. Though Wendy uses the term "real mother" to mean someone who's flesh and blood not imaginary or a "dream mother", it has another meaning that I hold dear. To me a "real mother" is exactly how Wendy describes one in the song, and she does not have to be biologically related to you to be one.  I like to say I'm lucky that I have two: a birth mother and my real mother who raised me and I call Mom. My biggest pet peeve to being adopted is when people use the term "real mother" when they ask me if I want to find my birth mother. I always have to correct them and say I found my real mother when she adopted me but yes I would like to find my birth mother when given the chance if only to find out my heritage and their medical background, anything else would be icing on the cake (especially if I can be lucky and both my families get along great!). 

 My real mother is a wonderful woman who has made so many sacrifices for me and my little (also adopted) sister over the years and fits this song to the letter. She always makes sure we never have to do without anything and always makes sure we know she loves us so much, even if she doesn't always like some of the scrapes we've gotten ourselves into. I cannot begin to describe just how wonderful she is. She's one of those mothers that even our friends call "mom", because of how awesome she is. I hope that when I start to have kids, I can be just as good to my own children as she was to us growing up. I have so many wonderful memories I could fill a few books, like the time she chaperoned my 6th grade class to Space Camp, all the times she chaperoned our classes to Silver Dollar City, our first trip to Walt Disney World, all the times she let me be in the kitchen with her to learn how to cook, our trips to visit far-away relatives I could go on and on. She also told me my favorite bedtime story whenever I asked as a child. You would think it would be something like "Grover's Ice Cream Stand" from my SesemeStreet bedtime book or a Bible story like The Nativity. It's acutally none of the "normal" bedtime stories. It was always the story of how she got me; mom and dad prayed almost 11 years for God to give them a baby because mom can't have children and then finally one day while mom was at work her friend who was a nurse at the hospital called and said they had a baby girl ready for them to pick up (I would always ask if she was me and she would always reassure me I was), then they picked me up, took me home and thanked God for answering their prayers. After my little sister was born she added the point that two years later, their prayers were answered again and God gave me a little sister.  It's a story I'll always cherish because she made me feel so loved and wanted and that my birth family loved me enough to want to give me a better life, which I have gotten and can't thank both my familiies enough for. I know I cannot wait to have children to pass that story onto them.  As a child, her simple bedtime story made it easy to understand what being adopted meant. As an adult, knowing how the adoption process works, I'm even more grateful to them for the sacrifices I know they had to have made just to get me.  So to me this song speaks about my mom, and always will.  I cannot thank her enough for everything she's done for me!

So until next time, remember to thank your mothers and remind them how much you love them and Keep Cooking With Character!

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Day 47: You can fly!

In a small twist, this week there will be 2 DisneyQuotesSongs. This song introduces The Darling Children (and us) to how Peter Pan flies and how they can visit his home in Never Land. This is also one of the most popular and used songs from the film. 

To be honest I was never a fan of the song for the longest time because of the song's pacing and how it made me want to fly too. Yet once I was older, took a second look at the lyrics and a music appreciation course, it made me start to like the song a little more because of the picture-writing they do in it with the way the sounds make you feel like you're flying.  As for the lyrics, not only do they paint a picture, they also show how easy it is to fly.  There's lots of ways we can fly, by plane, by pixie dust, by super powers. Yet the easiest way to fly doesn't require any of that, just our imaginations, thoughts, and deeds. 

Have you ever gotten the feeling like you were on Cloud 9 or been so happy you could fly if you had the ability to do it? For example, whenever I get a blog post idea and it's just too perfect it makes me so happy I could fly, the next post will be a great example. Sometimes its just as simple as making someone else happy, whether it's giving them a gift or just making them smile, it makes me that happy. It doesn't take much to get that feeling. It can happen even on the darkest of days when you don't feel like flying but sinking. Just that one moment, that little spark, can bring you back from the depths and back to your happy place where you belong. 

So until next time, always remember what makes your heart soar like you're doused with Pixie Dust and Keep Cooking With Character!

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Day 46: You know, I have the strangest feeling that I've seen that ship before.-- George Darling

You know, I have the strangest feeling that I've seen that ship before.-- George Darling, Peter Pan

At the end of the movie, George spies Captain Hook's ship flying off in the distance and he questions what he's seeing, since he grew up into a no-nonsense, no-fluff-and-stuff practical man who believed fairy tales weren't real and could never happen. 

Could it be that seeing Captain Hook's ship flying reminded him of when he was a little boy playing pirates and being told stories of Peter Pan? In the beginning of the movie, the narrator says that the story which unfolded had happened before and it will happen again. It makes me wonder if George experianced the same thing as a child, but his own father snuffed out those childhood adventures and memories as he tried so hard to do with Wendy, John and Michael, but could not. Over 40 years later, Wendy's own daughter, Jane, has her own adventures in the sequel "Return to Neverland", thus proving the narrator right in a way. 

Have you ever had a moment when you've experianced something, or met someone you were sure you had met before but couldn't put your finger on where or when? It happens to me quite often, even though I can never explain it. Being the dreamer that I am, I like to chalk it to my dreams coming to life, which often puts a smile on my face when it's from a good dream! So if you feel like it happens to you, you're not alone!

Have you ever come across a "George Darling", someone who doesn't believe dreams can come true or that children should be allowed to have wild dreams or play "Peter Pan and the Pirates" or some other childhood game? I've got to admit that is the reason why George Darling is my least-liked character of the movie; I even like Hook, the villian, better than George. I think it stems from the fact that George is constantly trying to get his children to grow up too fast, even for Victorian England, and is constantly trying to squish their childish dreams and games. I've never liked people who try to get children to grow up too fast and get them to stop playing/use their imaginations. 

I'm a firm believer that children should be allowed to play both indoors and out, as we used to as kids, indulging in fantasies of being a knight in a castle saving the princess or being a monkey in a jungle. Some of my favorite childhood memories came from playtime. One of my favorites was when I would babysit this one girl (who became a friend of mine) and we would pretend we were the Power Rangers. She always was Kimberly because she loved pink and her gymnastics and I was always Billy because of my glasses and being older. It didn't matter to us I was a girl and Billy was a boy; he was always my favorite, even when the heartthrob Tommy came into the picture. We spent hours down at the dried creek on her farm fighting putties, summoning the Zords, such fun times til her mom called us in for dinner. Another was when I would be at my Grammie's house, she had these felt puppets in her sunroom which was a playroom for us. I would take two chairs and stretch a blanket over them to make a stage. Then I would put on the most wonderful puppet shows for her. I pretended the puppets were visiting The Neighborhood of Make-Believe, they were characters from The Bible, they were going on the most fantastic adventures. During Christmas, my dad would sometimes build his trainset that he had when he was a child, it's 60 something years old now, and I would imagine all the townspeople going to all the little shops and the barns he has for it. Because of it's age, I was never really allowed to build it until I was in my later teens. I was always to "Look with my eyes, not with my hands". Looking back and building it myself, I fully understand why! So many little pieces.  I know not every child is blessed with the wonderful childhood I had, though I wish they had. 

Whenever I work, I see a lot of children, both young and old, dressed up as characters like Cinderella, Elsa, Anna and Elena or wearing character shirts like Mickey Mouse and Transformers or wearing Hogwarts attire like House Robes or Hermione's Yule Ball dress. Every chance I get I acknowledge them as the characters or Houses I see, even on their shirts, because I know from experiance how wonderful it felt as a child when an adult jumped right in with whatever adventure I was having. Sometimes from the kids I get "Im not Chase. I'm Brandon." to which I'll say "Well you must be! He's on your shirt!" which gets a giggle, or for the girls dressed as Disney Royalty "I'm not Elsa I'm Anna"; which gets "well you must be Elsa because you're wearing her dress." Though if a mom or dad says no sugary drinks or treats for them, I will side with the parent and let the kids know that mommy/daddy are buying so they set those rules, which gets a grateful look that someone's siding with them in an understanding way/voice of experiance and the kids try even harder (usually to no luck). Even I know what limits and lines to draw. Still, I want those kids to have at least one tiny memory of an adult who beleived their make-believe world is actually real. It might not seem like much to the adults, but to kids it's everything. 

So until next time: indulge in imaginations and Keep Cooking with Character!

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