Crashing Out

 Something that deserves a post of it's own... how each family handles stress and conflict.

Both NN and I crash out... and crash out hard.  Ruining the experience for the family for a short period of time, whether justified or not.

Momma, also crashed out, but it took her all of 5 minutes to snap out of it, and reset herself.  Very little damage done.

But the greatest of all... is Sweet SW.  In spite of all the stress, the lack of sleep, the hunger, the cold, the waiting, the "name your triggers", he was happy go lucky the entire trip.  He is the true champion in this family.  Bah-B applauds you!!!

Happiest Place on Earth

For 3 days... the traditional Happiest Place on Earth (HPOE) needs to take a backseat and yield to the original, undisputed Happiest Place on Earth.  I'm talking about... Disneyland and Disney's California Adventures.

Earlier this year... there was a Costco had a 3 day hopper deal, including Lightning Lane.  And since the kids get all of Thanksgiving week off, we finally scratched their itch.

The last time we were at Disney was New Year's Eve 2021 (blogged here). I didn't think we'll be back so soon... but every chance I got, every corner I turned, every line were were stuck in, I would say, "This is likely the last time it'll be the 4 of us on a Disneyland trip.  Next time... there might be an extra S.O.  Or maybe you'll go with your friends, without us."  I wasn't as poignant as I thought... cuz it's just a fact of life.  And oh btw... we'll be hitting Disney Japan and Disney Sea together, next year, in Japan.  Heh...

We wanted to do things differently this time... and let the kids' plan the rope drop.  They did SOME research!  They watched the youtube vlogs... and went on chatGPT... but when it came down to execution, NN said it straight up, "It's too stressful."  Mama was a trooper... handling the Disney app like a maestro.  In our 3 days... the only ride that was near 45 minutes wait was Peter Pan, which doesn't have a Lightning Lane, and we were duped.  

Some triumphs: 

• First night arrival... SW and I hit the gym together.  It was as close as working out together as we got.  He was too focused too much on running than wanting to pump any iron.  But you can tell he kept observing me on the elliptical and me on the machines. 
• Waking up at the crack of dawn... and getting to Rise with only a 30 minute wait.  
• Oversleeping on day 2... and being about 100 deep for DAC.  Upon the gates opening, the kids bursted to the front and got to the 30 minute standby crowd.  Joyce and I ended up going on single rider... but we were in the same car... and we walked out around the same time!  
• Day 3... when were were nearly done with everything... and rode rides more than once already... we started getting autographs and pics with Avenger characters.  Heh.... 
• We found the 2 + 1 refillable soda stations at DCA and DL and went to town... to a point where we were sick of carbonated fructose... but we kept drinking and got soooo sick
• Not expecting to... but eating a turkey leg on Thanksgiving night
• EEYORE!!! (heh)

Some lows:

• Pay for parking at Downtown Disney!!! I thought it was fully validated. Hrmph!!!
• NN losing my charger holder.... aye.... which led to...
• Being ditched and me sitting by myself on Main Street all by myself while experiencing 2021's "Magical Moment" of White Christmas
• Getting soaked on Tiana's Splash Mountain... which re-exasperated SW's cough... aye...
• Being part of a Disney social experiment where they suddenly lower the standby time of a ride... just to see how people will rush to that ride... only to say the ride is "Temporarily Out of Order" to see how many people will still wait.  I swear... all of Disneyland is a huge social experiment
• Having to lose my set of allen wrench at security... argh!!! 

Rope Drop Tricks of DL and DCA:

• when lining up to get into DL (after going through security), look for the line that ends where the columns hold up the monorail.  For some reason... people don't know that's a line.  And amazingly... that one line usually splits into two ticket counters vs the standard line that only has one
• if you wake up a little late... and you're going from the bus drop off point to security... veer towards the far left.  And once you get to the front, go all the way to the left.  It's a little more walking...but people are lazy and rather stay on the right hand side and slowly make their way in
• but if you're early... you're forced to stay to the right
• if you're early to DL... you get to choose between Rise or Indy (Frontierland vs Adventureland).  If you choose Frontierland to go towards Galaxy's Edge.... and you're waiting for the cast members to open the rope... stay on the far right.  There's a lot more room to run before you bottleneck
• Refill stations in DCA with an official Disney cup: Pym Labs at Avengers Campus and Pizza and Pasta by Pixar Pier. Plaza Inn at DL. 
• For the highly desired rides... like Rise or Indy or Space or GOG... there's an initial surge.  Then about an hour after the park opens, there's a generic dip.  You can take your chance and go Stand By instead of wasting a Lightning Lane
• Watch videos on "stacking" if you don't mind always being on your app
• Mobile order ahead.... don't go to a restaurant and wait in line.  People are... shall we say... slow.
• There are a bunch of hotels along Harbor Blvd that are really walkable.  Think about paying a little more to avoid paying for parking... but avoid the high price gouge at the DL hotels.  We stayed at Anaheim Majestic Gardens which was a 25 minute walk, but a 5 minute shuttle ride.  And the rooms are huge and spacious.

The Disney Magic moment.  Whether it's a cruise, Disney World, Disneyland, they said there's always "a magical moment."  I kinda have 1.5 moments....  

The first official magic moment was in Disney California Adventures Radiator Springs.  While standing in Single Rider line with Joyce... and seeing our kids about 15 feet away in the Standby Line... I remembered back 12 years ago when SW was 2 and NN was 4, I took NN with me on this ride.  She had no idea it was a thrill ride... and she was genuinely scared and even mad at me for doing that to her.  Then in 2021... for whatever reason... we were in line.. the ride broke... and the wait ended up being nearly 3 hours. SW stood in line and watched the entire She-Ra on Netflix.  It was the most miserable wait I've ever been in.  And now in 2025.... we're back in line and speeding through it... but this time, we're split up.  

The half magic moment came on Thanksgiving Night... during dinner.  I was going to just get some chicken.. .but turns out the place I went also sold the turkey leg.  I had to get that too.  Altogether... $30.  I meet up with the fam and they bought two pastas and a slice of pizza.  Not cheap... but it was a lot of food.  I sat there... spearing away at the pesto rigatoni.... thinking, "I can afford all this and not bat an eye.  I'm soooo thankful."

See you Tokyo!!! 

Universal Studios

I don't even remember the last time I was at Universal.  I vaguely remember seeing Backdraft on the Studio Tour.  I also recall seeing Waterworld.  And I have spots of images of being on the ET ride where they say your name upon ending the ride... cuz I was surprised technology was able to do that.  No matter... this time at Universal.... it was a whole new experience.

We paid for early park admittance and got to Super Mario world right away... and upon coming out of the tunnel and seeing the world... it was utterly breath-taking.  Things that a little boy that tried to play Super Mario Bros only dream of.  From the sliding shell... to the spinning coins... to the "?" blocks.... and piranha plant.  Every last detail was impeccable.  On the flip side... with all the hoopla about the Mario Kart ride... it was very, very meh.  We got in so early... we actually rode it twice.  And on the 2nd time... I was soooo bored I just wanted it to end.   After it ended... we explored the rest of the Lower Lot.  And each ride... was also truly inspiring.  Jurassic World.  Mummy.  Transformer.  

It inspired to the kids to want to watch the movies to fully appreciate the immersion.  

When we got to the upper lot... we hit Hogsmeade right away.  And just like Super Mario world, it did not disappointed.  Too bad I'm not a Harry Potter fan.  I know just enough to get by... but I'm sure there were a lot of hidden jokes and innuendos that true fans would geek out on.  The two rides, were night and day.  One ride was so thrilling... it got me sick.  I don't recommend it.  The other coaster ride was so short... I laughed out loud and how short and stupid it was.  

I kind of got motion sickness from Mummy and the Quidditch ride... so I spent most of the time walking around with NN.  Including Springfield... which was, once again, extremely immersive and tear-jerking.  But alas... I'm not a Simpson fan... or a Secret Life of Pets fan... or Minions fan.  These were all great franchises... that I'm but a casual fan for.

And I come too realize... that inspite of Universal's heavy investment in the various rides and lands... and detailed design and attention to detail.... all their rides were nothing but AR and video simulations with some water to get the 4D experience.  You look around, there are hardly any kids there.  It's not catered for families.  

Lastly... the Studio Tour... the one constant that has been part of Universal all these years... down to the jumping shark... was so sleeping inducing and deflating.  Universal turns out, is nothing more than a traveling county fair under the sheepskin of the movies and glitz.  There is no soul.  Definitely no magic.  Will I come back....? Probably when we have grandkids.  

Legend of 5 Kernels

 Just realized that I've started a new tradition of blogging about the 5 kernels the past 5-6 years.  In a way, it helps with the Looking Back posts.... but it also detracts from it.  So with that... I'm going to leverage this post to add 5 things that won't make it onto the Looking Back top 10 and keep it to my 2018 criteria:

My criteria.... "I am thankful for..."
1) yourself
2) your family
3) your church
4) your country

5) other

1) I wake up (almost) every day with the love of my life

2) The two kids... continue to be best of friends

3) NV has taken us in and adopted us

4) In spite of all the hate... it's still the best place to live

5) Juli (RIP)

Next one up...

At SW's tournaments the past two weeks... you can clearly see the importance of the "next one up" mentality.  Their team's middle block is a rookie to the sport.  He's tall and athletic but not even close to being a volleyball player.  He goes to every practice... works hard... goes to every tournament... cheers for his team... but gets zero playing time.  Up until... the starting middle gets hurt and it's next man up.  All that hardwork as paid off.  All that sitting and observing... is coming into fruition. Always be ready.  The coach can call your number at any time.

On the flipside... SW has been the starting lib all season.  To a point where the backup lib gets zero playtime.  It's not every fair.  We feel bad for their parents who has to go watch their kid ride the bench every single tournament.  And then this weekend... the script was flipped.  SW starting crashing out.  Whether it's because he was sick or because the other team exploited him.  He was just not there.  Not passing it.  Not digging it.  Not playing up to par.  And he finally got subbed out... and not subbed back in.  

That's the way life rolls sometimes.  Ride your rapids and there'll smooth waters ahead.  Or beware of the smooth waters cuz it could be a water fall around the river bend. 

Getaway Position

 Pet-peeve #86 - Backing into a parking space aka the getaway position

It absolutely kills me when I'm following someone in a parking lot... they move forward... only to stop, and go into reverse, trying to back into a spot.  Why can't they just pull in like everyone else??? Cuz this 30 seconds of effort will make your exit easier?? I mean... it does... but at what price?

Especially... those at Costco that back-in.  Now they have to leave the cart at the front of the car... carry the load to the back of the car.  It's more work!!

Especially... when people that park normally now have to walk and avoid / bump into your side mirrors.

At one point... I think California didn't even allow cars parked in the getaway position. Oh how I want that law to be re-enacted. 

還是覺得你就好?!

3 months ago... I blogged about "the split." And then today... when we watched Sherlock Holmes the High School Play... SW and XXXXX were sitting together, on their own.  What happened?!?!?!? 

Ohhhh my booooy!!! WOOT WOOT!!!

Why so serious??

An off the cuff comment about SW running for StuCo... and how he would flourish because he's very nonchalant actually became prophetic.  Later in the evening, we played Scattegories.  First of all... I crushed the entire family.  I may not be the fastest.  I may not have the best reaction time.  I suck at Clue, Catan, and other board games.  But when it comes to non-sensical creativity, I'm still king.  SW.... who has really come into his own... is actually moving up the ranks into 3rd if not 2nd.  In a family of 4.... if you come in 3rd or 4th... face it... you're coming in last.

At the end... it was boys vs girls... and while the boys were goofing around and having fun, the girls got pissed off at us for not being serious and worst off... winning.  We weren't cheating or anything... it's just how the chips fell.  Sigh... it's just a game? Why so serious?? (Says the dad who crashes out every time the Niners play)

World War II Museum

 Took another trip to New Orleans... this time, I landed during daylight so I took the opportunity to visit the world renowned World War II Museum.  It's an American made museum, told through the perspective of American, so a lot of the stuff are "skewed.  There are 5 major wings with many subwings.  In the two hours there, I barely had enough time to finish the Pacific Campaign.  Had to skip some stuff to rush through the Europe Campaign.  Didn't even get to see the Special Exhibits of Life in the US.  Or the aftermath of the war.  

I got to the part of Japan invading China... starting with Manchuria... and then invading Nanking.  I was completely devastated.  My heart sank.  After all these years, the wounds are still fresh, or they were ripped open again.  I started welling up.  My people... my ancestors... tortured.  Murdered. Raped.  The women.  The children.  The innocent.  I didn't know how to process those feelings.  The only way to snap out of it... was ironically... another atrocity.  Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  No... it was not right.  Vengeance isn't the answer.  I share zero joy at the destruction and death of the innocence.  

With about 15 minutes left before closing... I rushed through the Europe Campaign.  If one thinks the Pacific Campaign featured the greatest evil known to the modern world at the time... then you only need to look to Europe to see its twin sister.  How can there be two such powers... horrendous hordes... existing at the same time... and fighting on the same side.  One of the most hated symbols known to man... the swatstika... was sprinkled on all the maps and displays.  Poland.  France.  Sicily. One country after another fell to the Third Reich.  And then... the exhibit that had a warning sign prior to entering, "WARNING.  GRAPHIC IMAGES AHEAD."  The Holocaust.  Glimpses of hope... when you have stories of Anne Frank.  The Liberation.  Stories of faith and religion. 

Two hours is not nearly enough for the WWII museum.  Maybe a day.  A week.  A lifetime. I walked out of that museum... in tears... shaken.  Praying.  Needing the peace of Jesus.  The world needs Jesus.  Back then.  Now.  And forever more.   

Trifecta

Warriors lost to a gimpy Pacers... back to back. 

Blue Jays lost to hated (yet respectable) Dodgers in 7... in extras... on moments after moments of pure sports insanity.

TKA Varsity Volleyball won league... made it to round 1 of CCS... and lost 18-16 on the 5th set.  

Excruciating way to end a Saturday.  Thankfully... it's end of Daylight savings.  Will get an extra hour of shut-eye tomorrow.