Some events this morning made me take a step back for a few moments and just reflect on life. It sounds totally corny, but its true. So I opened a little window here and I’m just going to let my fingers fly across this keyboard. I should probably warn you that I’m in a odd mood (at least for me) so the words to follow may be overly mushy and filled with an almost naively positive outlook.

On May 15 I will be celebrating my 24th year on the earth, and the beginning of my third year with the mouse. As I’ve said so many times before, my life now is a night-and-day difference from both what it used to be, and what I pictured it to be when I was young. Well… scratch that, it’s exactly how I hoped it would be when I was young, but very different from those ‘adjusted’ dreams that everyone settles with when they realize that life can be hard.

My Life:
Everything I do is shared with a really wonderful girl. Janey and I both have a different story about how we met, and we are both sure we’re right… but we also both have fairly un-reliable long term memories. Who knows if we will ever remember the real chain of events that brought us together. I can only say that if those events hadn’t happened in just the way they actually did, I would be an empty shell. She’s the reason I work hard, she’s the reason I want to be better, she’s just my reason.

My Family:
I miss my family very much. Being 600 miles away from them isn’t easy at all. We still have a great relationship, but phone conversations don’t have the same feeling. I’m so thankful for every one of them, and I appreciate every bit of attention that any one of them has every paid me. Little brothers are a pain, and sons who don’t follow rules are embarrassing and frustrating. But in the end we all come together with no hard feelings. We are a safety net for each other that I think all of us have landed in at least once.

My parents led us by example to invite others into the family. When I was growing up, friends and loved ones were always welcome to visit, and there was always enough food for them to stay for a bite to eat. Even now with all the husbands and kids and other relationships, my family never ceases to amaze me. There’s more people to keep track of, in more places then ever, but we still feel close. It’s nice.

My Job:
I love what I do. I love who I do it for. And I really really love why I do it. And to be completely honest, I can say those things about every single position I have held since making the move to Disney. I have loved them all for different reasons, but in the end it comes down to those three points. If it were somehow possible, I would work every day in a new spot somewhere around the parks. I care a great deal about every guest that visits us here, and I love to help make those great stories that they will tell their friends when they get home. I’m as geeky and passionate about the magic now as I have ever been. I am the eternal optimist when it comes to the mouse, though I’m very quick to point out where we can improve. There is a laundry list of people that I have met in my time here that I couldn’t have dreamed. Everything from composers who have touched my life with their music, to performers who made memories for me when I visited Disneyland as a kid. It’s pretty amazing just how small a world it really is.

What I actually do for a living now is easy to explain, but sometimes hard to understand. I create/develop/plan/execute unique entertainment events. Everything from a birthday party with 5 guests, to a multi day event for thousands. I never do ‘cookie-cutter’ events, rather I create new stories and experiences for everyone that comes to visit. It’s more fun then any person should be allowed to have on a daily basis. It’s a dream come true just to be here, but to have landed in a perfect seat for me. There are so many more things I would like to try though… stay tuned for more on that. 🙂

I guess that’s enough for now… Thanks for reading.