The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[seahawk7]

And, I'll leave y'all with a Christmas song...

I forgot, I like this one.

 

[seahawk7]

I'm still a bit bad.. but slowly recovering.

weak after emptying the entire contents of my body x_X

Drink a lot of Gatorade to replace your electrolytes.

 

[seahawk7]

Thanks. It was far from what I endured growing up and later in the Church though.

Yeah, I'm one of those that was raised Catholic, I will always be Catholic. When we moved from the City to the suburbs there was some great debate with our then current priest on helping me get into the closer school that was filled mid year, my Dad had given money and construction services to the Parish. The priest told my Dad why should he, he wouldn't be a contributing member of his Parish any more. I guess my Dad had a shouting match with the dude then. When I went to school in the morning we were sat in a circle to pray for his soul. God must have decided it was his time to leave earth, he died of a massive heart attack after his conversation with my Dad. Dad became non practicing.

Me, my own moment came when I found out by the media that 2 priests in a row with the ick stink of child abuse were transferred to our Parish in our little Hamlet. One removed by the police, the 2nd one. I'm as jaded as my Dad became.

I hear you.

 

[seahawk7]

I don't like I could go to Disney 2-3 times a year. A week is enough. And I don't even pay for it all. Just the plane ticket, alcohol and parks tickets. Parents have DVC which I will never buy myself. I would rather see the world. One can ride the rides for so long and not get bored with them.

What if Disney World WS in England...?

 

[seahawk7]

I've got parents (well really, a father) who refuse to travel outside of the US, and at this point, I can't afford to go just myself. I've mentioned that I've been to other areas of the country though, including California and Hawaii.

I can't say that I've ever gone on a trip and done every single thing on that trip. Back in June, we did four days, and we did Blizzard Beach, Epcot, MK (for 7DMT) and DHS. In August, we're there for two and a half weeks, but most of that time is spent at the pool, so we'll only go in the parks for a few hours in the evening. In August, we spent the day we got there and the day we left in the parks all day. I went to DHS by myself one day, my brother and I went to MK one day (because my Sheldon-like brother wanted to ride CofP again after it broke down the night before), and we went to AK one day. My parents and brother did Blizzard Beach one day (I wasn't feeling well, so I hung back at the resort pool) but left because it was so crowded. And my brother and I did one partial day at Disney Quest.

This past January trip was neat because 1. it was without my parents and 2. We usually don't go in early January, so when I went, it was the first time I got to see all the holiday decorations, including that gorgeous castle with gorgeous castle with the ice. I also saw Beauty and the Beast for the first time in years. But even over 9 days, we still did not do everything.

This January, we will go back and do stuff we missed in August and do longer park days. But then we'll miss out on Splash Mountain and some others that will be being refurbished, so we'll hit those again in August.

I can't say I ever get tired of going or wish that we were going elsewhere. I've got a brother on the autism spectrum, so Disney is one place that he can enjoy to the fullest. But I also just really enjoy every trip. I love just being there. I have such fun every time.

I totally agree with you. I think it's awesome how your family does WDW.

 

[seahawk7]

I wonder how many more people I can pi$$ off today?

Son #1 - "I need your car" - No, you were late for school yesterday, so no car for 3 days
"Give me money" - No, I paid $1500 for your New York trip last week, and you don't get any more until Friday.
($$ BTW is predicated on his attending school. Call it a bribe.)
He then proceded to harrass and berate me for half an hour.
Guess what, I stuck to my guns. No car. No cash. Just lots of BS being awful to me.

Bro #2 called late last night and said he was cancelling his 10:00 a.m. app't for this morning.
I tried to talk him into going. If anyone needs to see a shrink, it's him!
Anyway, he didn't respond to any of my texts last night or today, didn't actually cancel the app't (slept all day instead), and then phones me at 4:30, demanding I change my FB profile pic.

By now, I'm already pi$$y, so I said, "Whatever. Did you re-schedule?"

Get this, he didn't go to the app't because:
a) He hasn't had a shower in over a week (So, take one!)
b) He has no clean clothes (I'm sure the shrink doesn't care, plus you know ... washing machines ....)
c) He's just not up to it (Seriously, how can any of us help you, if you won't even take the little steps to help yourself?)

And, he didn't reschedule ... because he doesn't have their number. Says he has to wait for the office to call him.

I did however, change my profile pic, to one that doesn't include Tammy. I'm not totally heartless.
@JenniferS - making friends everywhere.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

We use to go to Mexico frequently years ago. I never felt Canada as a vacation destination, similar enough to what I am use to and all our ships came through there so it was always work related.

Friends of my parents took their kids to Niagra Falls on the Canadian side a few years ago. Kids were most excited about the very nice hotel room in Toronto that they booked.

 

[JenniferS]

Friends of my parents took their kids to Niagra Falls on the Canadian side a few years ago. Kids were most excited about the very nice hotel room in Toronto that they booked.

The American-side view of the Falls is vastly inferior to the view from the Canadian side.
Well worth the price and aggravation of having to get a passport.

Plus, any cash you win in the Fallsview Casino is tax-free; as are all lottery winnings.
So, if you do head on up this way, be sure to pick up some 6/49 and Super 7 lottery tickets.

P.S. - We don't have amortized payments vs lump sum options. If you win $50 million, you get $50 million.
And if you get $50 million, I am claiming a 2% referral fee. Please.
And thank you.

 

[JenniferS]

SIL/BFF was over tonight for our regular Wednesday night Survivor and tea evening.
She confirmed that she and Bro #2 are indeed, kaput.

I am sad for everyone involved. Hopefully they make a clean, semi-amicable break, and are both able to move on with their lives, without hurting each other any more. Fingers crossed. Prayers being said.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I don't like I could go to Disney 2-3 times a year. A week is enough. And I don't even pay for it all. Just the plane ticket, alcohol and parks tickets. Parents have DVC which I will never buy myself. I would rather see the world. One can ride the rides for so long and not get bored with them.

Also, just a comment on that article you posted, that blogger is not wrong about MBs and to some degree spontaneity, but the whole article isn't really logical and just comes across as whiny and selfish. First of all, on MBs, why is she complaining? They had no issues with MBs. You can still request RFID room keys if you don't want to wear a MB, but they are more convenient. Just not worth what Disney paid for the system. They're not without issues, but they do have a positive side, one she conveniently ignores.

She said she felt stressed. If she had picked up a guidebook, particularly the Unofficial Guide to WDW, she would have been better able to plan and work her way around the park. I very much doubt her claim about going "three dozen times" because someone who has gone that many times will know what they are doing and will not let the new system make them feel stressed. They will know the parks well enough to know how to plan it out. She sounds like she doesn't want to plan. Well guess what? DL doesn't have MBs or MM+ or any of that stuff, and dinner reservations can be made closer to the time of your visit. But you still have to have a gameplan before you enter the park. This person just sounded like she was on vacation and didn't want to have to think. And if she wanted to be more spontaneous, you can do that in low season. The fact that she didn't plan on her family eating and then blamed the system is ridiculous. On the old FP system, you would still have a set time if you grabbed your FPs earlier in the day, so plan your meals accordingly.

And the complaint about crowds is absolutely absurd. They are trying to prevent guests from stopping and leaving ginormous spaces. You don't have to be on top of another guest sitting there. It is to prevent guests from stopping in the middle of the row. And again, they say the same thing in DL. Her complaint is silly and comes across as selfish.

And perhaps the most laughable complaint is germs on the interactive screens. Really? There are germs everywhere, including handrails, which kids touch and even put their mouths on. That's what happens when you have several thousand guests coming through a park every day. It's called Hand Sanitizer. Or soap and water. They can be found in every bathroom.

She's not entirely wrong about MBs and FP+, but it sounds more like a complaining article than a balanced viewpoint with both positive and negative aspects.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

The American-side view of the Falls is vastly inferior to the view from the Canadian side.
Well worth the price and aggravation of having to get a passport.

Plus, any cash you win in the Fallsview Casino is tax-free; as are all lottery winnings.
So, if you do head on up this way, be sure to pick up some 6/49 and Super 7 lottery tickets.

P.S. - We don't have amortized payments vs lump sum options. If you win $50 million, you get $50 million.
And if you get $50 million, I am claiming a 2% referral fee. Please.
And thank you.

Actually, I don't gamble. Not a good idea; gambling addiction runs in my family. My grandmother gambled away so much of her money that when she died, my grandfather was in a lot of debt. My uncle has also struggled with it, as has my aunt (both her children). So...not something I plan on trying. Ever. My mom said the same thing. Some of my relatives do it with no trouble. They go out to Vegas, they don't gamble more than they have, and they know when to stop. But unfortunately, just too much of a history there for me to feel comfortable doing any kind of gambling, except for the kind you do using a computer and fake money. So I am sorry to say, no 2% fee for you!

As for Niagra Falls...the kids who I'm talking about were about 13 and 9 at the time. Just not good ages for them to really appreciate Niagra Falls. They would be better off taking them at 17 and 13 instead, or just the parents going themselves. The kids really want to do WDW again (they haven't been since they went with us in 2010), but the dad keeps picking other spots. They go on enough vacations, usually where he wants to go, that it puzzles me a bit as to why he won't taken one vacation to WDW for his kids. I mean, when I graduated high school, my dad really wanted to do another long Hawaii trip, but my brother and I wanted to go to Disneyland, so we compromised and did half the time at DL and half in Hawaii. So it just puzzles me as to why their dad won't take their input on vacations. He says, "There are other places to see in this world besides Disney World." My dad had a smart response that I won't repeat here.

As for me, I haven't thought about Niagra Falls as a vacation yet. Maybe when I'm older, but I'll consider doing both sides. Maybe do it when the Orioles are visiting Toronto and go see a baseball game too...

 

[JenniferS]

Actually, I don't gamble. Not a good idea; gambling addiction runs in my family. My grandmother gambled away so much of her money that when she died, my grandfather was in a lot of debt. My uncle has also struggled with it, as has my aunt (both her children). So...not something I plan on trying. Ever. My mom said the same thing. Some of my relatives do it with no trouble. They go out to Vegas, they don't gamble more than they have, and they know when to stop. But unfortunately, just too much of a history there for me to feel comfortable doing any kind of gambling, except for the kind you do using a computer and fake money. So I am sorry to say, no 2% fee for you!

As for Niagra Falls...the kids who I'm talking about were about 13 and 9 at the time. Just not good ages for them to really appreciate Niagra Falls. They would be better off taking them at 17 and 13 instead, or just the parents going themselves. The kids really want to do WDW again (they haven't been since they went with us in 2010), but the dad keeps picking other spots. They go on enough vacations, usually where he wants to go, that it puzzles me a bit as to why he won't taken one vacation to WDW for his kids. I mean, when I graduated high school, my dad really wanted to do another long Hawaii trip, but my brother and I wanted to go to Disneyland, so we compromised and did half the time at DL and half in Hawaii. So it just puzzles me as to why their dad won't take their input on vacations. He says, "There are other places to see in this world besides Disney World." My dad had a smart response that I won't repeat here.

As for me, I haven't thought about Niagra Falls as a vacation yet. Maybe when I'm older, but I'll consider doing both sides. Maybe do it when the Orioles are visiting Toronto and go see a baseball game too...

Call me first. I'll join you. My cousin is a scalper - I can get us great tickets.
Then, dinner @ Gretzky's ....
P.S. - It's not Niagra (like Viagra), but Niagara.

P.P.S. - I'm not much of a gambler either. Unlike other family members, I don't have an issue with it. I'm just too cheap. $20 is my limit. The second I'm up, I cash out; or more likely, when it's gone, it's gone. I seldom go more than once every five years or so.
Lottery tickets, I only buy when the jackpot is $30 mill or more. Half the time, I don't even bother to check them. I used to just give them to my dad, and say, "Check 'em. You get half."

 

[MinnieM123]

My ultimate favorite Christmas movie is on, The Polar Express.

My ultimate favorite Christmas movie is "A Christmas Carol" with Reginald Owen and June Lockhart (1938, black and white). In second place, is the Alastair Sim version (1951, black and white). Note: in the UK, they released it as "Scrooge" but here in the U.S., it was named "A Christmas Carol". Oddly enough, I also liked the Mr. Magoo cartoon version of this story as well!

 

[MinnieM123]

If any of you are up now, I believe the launch of the Orion unmanned spacecraft is set for 7:05 AM (EST) from Cape Canaveral. I won't get to see it as I'll be out the door in a few minutes, but I'm sure the news channels will carry it "live" if you're interested.

 

[JenniferS]

If any of you are up now, I believe the launch of the Orion unmanned spacecraft is set for 7:05 AM (EST) from Cape Canaveral. I won't get to see it as I'll be out the door in a few minutes, but I'm sure the news channels will carry it "live" if you're interested.

Darn. If I had only read this 4 minutes earlier, instead of playing my new game first thing.

 

[Wrangler-Rick]

If any of you are up now, I believe the launch of the Orion unmanned spacecraft is set for 7:05 AM (EST) from Cape Canaveral. I won't get to see it as I'll be out the door in a few minutes, but I'm sure the news channels will carry it "live" if you're interested.

Darn, I missed it too!!!!

 

[MOXOMUMD]

They never show The Santa Clause anymore, the original one, not the dumb 3rd one. I don't really know my favorite Christmas movie. I love those old 70's hour specials like Frosty and Rudolph, etc. I saw It's a Wonderful Life for the first time last year and I liked that.

Unless you count Love Actually as a Christmas movie. Then Love Actually it is.

It's been on the past two days.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

The American-side view of the Falls is vastly inferior to the view from the Canadian side.
Well worth the price and aggravation of having to get a passport.

Plus, any cash you win in the Fallsview Casino is tax-free; as are all lottery winnings.
So, if you do head on up this way, be sure to pick up some 6/49 and Super 7 lottery tickets.

P.S. - We don't have amortized payments vs lump sum options. If you win $50 million, you get $50 million.
And if you get $50 million, I am claiming a 2% referral fee. Please.
And thank you.

Im doing all my passport stuff today. I need it to get off the cruise ship for our shore excursions. I see a trip to Canada in the future though.

 

[JenniferS]

Darn, I missed it too!!!!

Turns out - no.
It's been delayed twice due to wind.
The window of opportunity closes at 9:44 this morning.

If you hurry, you can still catch it.
Me, I'm going back to bed.

 

[JenniferS]

Im doing all my passport stuff today. I need it to get off the cruise ship for our shore excursions. I see a trip to Canada in the future though.

Same offer as for @StarWarsGirl95.