Sarah A. Russell

My Dream School!!!

2010-09-26T18:17:00.000-07:00

Alright this post is going to be short and sweet I have this amazing dream of going to get my Masters degree in Archeology curating at Leicester University in England. I want it so bad that it hurts!!!! Oh and when i'm there i happen to meet a wonderful English chap! ;)

Les Chefs de France

2010-09-07T19:19:00.000-07:00

Bonjour readers! Sorry that I haven’t written in a few months but I feel like I have no time anymore. I made it to Orlando. I have discovered a few things while being here. I have learned that Florida is HUMID and HOT. Coming from the amazing, beautiful, green, Oregon you can image a weather shock. Don’t worry I’m use to the heat now and don’t even notice the humidity.

I working at the Disney Hollywood Studios back lands merchandise. Which means I get to work at star tours gift shop. I can hear your jealousy; any way I promise to have pictures of my adventures here in Disneyworld, but that is for another blogging day. The other thing I have discovered is that my high school Spanish is coming in handy well the few phrases I know you wouldn’t believe the South Americans that go to Disney World.

The main thing I want to talk about is my father who is coming to visit me!!!! I’m really excited because being across the country I miss my family like crazy. So the plan is to go to Epcot and eat at the Les Chefs de France, in the French pavilion. It’s a fabulous restaurant that has the reviews going through the roof. I promise to take pictures. Anyway that’s all I have to report. I hope everyone is doing well or the three readers that read this!

When life gives you lemons you make lemonade! Don't resort to the rat poison.

2010-07-14T12:18:00.001-07:00

As finals come to a close i find that this time is the most stressful and you consider committing suicide. I'm taking a very hard class this semester its advanced writing in history. Seriously peeps this class is kicking my butt in fact i know for a fact that 20% of students who take this class will change to a different major. I have never before bonded with any class mates before i know every person’s name where there from and what topic their writing for our big paper final. We even joked around one day speaking of how our professor told us if we ever had health problems that he would work with us to pass the class. We then thought how he would take if we somehow mysteriously got rat poison in our system he would have to work with us??? Right. However Despite everything i press forward and i will admit i have enjoyed the class. Since tomorrow will be the marking point of a week left of classes it makes me ponder how fast college is going. Anyway this week has been super stressful for me so i have found a few keys to relieve my stress.

1. Listen to Bob Dylan he knows what he's talking about!!!

2. Eat. Eat a lot, food helps especially chocolate ice cream.

3. Clean. For some reason i always clean if the table is dusty i clean like mad.

4. Run, it seems like i run twice a day since I’m sick of studying it always seems like a good excuse.

5. Call your mom vent to her about what's going on.

6. DANCE no joke, get your roommates or just an i-pod and dance its surprising what dancing can do.

Well i can’t think of anything else but just remember never turn to the rat poison it’s not worth it. Nothing is as bad as it seems. You can get through anything and so what, you don't get an A in your class. It doesn't matter what your grade is as long as at the end of the day you can ask yourself have you learned anything?

It comes once a year!!!

2010-05-24T11:02:00.000-07:00

This time of year comes along that I suddenly scratch my head and wonder what happen to the year. It feels like yesterday I was having my 19^th birthday but I’m turning 20 so I am no longer a teenager which to be honesty when June 10^th hits I will wake up and say FINALLY! So here is a list of things that I would love! Don’t worry I will comment on each item and why I desire it. Right now as I making this list I’m listening to The Smiths Please, Please, Please let me get what I want.

I love Barbara Tuchman she is an amazing historian.

Sophie Kinsella is a funny British writer I've read many of her books and all of them have me laughing out loud.

I'm in love with this dress(song changed Ohh La La By the Ditty Bops) Free people is one of my favorite clothing stores!!!

Another store I adore is Anthropologie. This clutch is amazing!!!

I really really want this outfit including this necklace. Again anthropologie how you woe me!

You know your old when you want stuff for your apartment. Urban has amazing stuff when it comes to decor.

My Disney Dream

2010-05-07T23:52:00.000-07:00

Confession time! I’m super excited to do the Disney college program. I got my job titled when I was accepted and of course surprise I got Merchandise. If you don’t know I’ve been working with merchandise since well almost every job I’ve had was with merchandise. Anyway it turns out I won’t find out where I’ll be working at which park? What land? What am I going to wear? GEEEEEE, so I have been doing some research it turns out that there is over 30 different retail stores in just Magic Kingdom alone. So 4 parks around 30 stores sadly I won’t be working in Epcot like in Paris or Germany, they actually bring in international students from those countriesL. But do not fear I have picked a place that I would love love love to work the AGRABAH BAZAAR! Its Middle Eastern which most people know is a subject which I’ve been obsessed with since high school lately though it’s been India but that’s beside the point the point is that working here would totally be my dream come true. My crush on a cartoon character has been Aladdin, hello he can show me the world (so naturally working in his hood hopefully I can meet him). The Middle Eastern Market presents itself as a challenge because most people should know I love to sell and always exceeded in selling when I was working in retail. Lastly everyone cross your fingers and hope that my Disney dream comes true.

Hopefully my Aladdin will be a little different.

Disneyworld

2010-03-21T16:22:00.000-07:00

Disneyworld the happiest place on earth, now as some may know I’m going to be doing the Disney college program. Which has me doing a few things, first of all I’ll be working in merchandise, wearing an ugly outfit, get free admission to all the parks, get others that I love free admission and sweet discounts to hotels. Now this is how it works for those who would like to use my awesome discount. There are block out dates (these are dates I can’t get discounts or free admission for family) I don’t know what the dates are but I’m guessing the whole month of December, some dates in November and Halloween. Basically all major holidays, I will be finding out for sure in April, I can only get family in 6 times a year which means I can only get 3 people into a park for free 6 times. So if you’re interested please tell me. Down below I copied and pasted the page of discounts and policy’s. There are rules too or else I will not give discounts.
Rules:
1. You have to see me if you visit.
2. NO TAKING PICTURES OF ME IN MY COSTUME! It will be an ugly site.
3. You can’t act like you don’t know me if I come up to you in my costume.
4. Optional you must feed me at least once.
Other then that I hope mi familia will come and wish me luck so that I don’t get absolutely sick of Disney by the end!

Policy
It is the policy of the Company to allow eligible employees and retirees discounts at Disney-operated facilities. The employee discount is a privilege for eligible employees. The Company reserves the right to amend, supplement or rescind any policy or any provision reflected in this information, as the Company may deem appropriate in its sole and absolute discretion, whether or not in writing.
Violating the Discount Policy Abuse of the discount privilege may result in loss of the privilege as well as disciplinary action, not excluding termination. The list below represents only a small sample of the types of discounts available to Cast Members. A complete listing will be available to you on The Hub portal. Special discounts and promotions also are listed frequently in the Eyes & Ears newsletter.
Merchandise
Disney College Program participants receive a 20 percent discount during those periods when they are working for the Company
The discount may be used for purchases by eligible employees only.
You may purchase merchandise at a discount by presenting your valid employee identification card at the time of purchase.
Discount privileges may not be used to purchase merchandise with the intent to resell the merchandise at a profit, or to exchange or trade the merchandise for something of value.
Resorts
Walt Disney World® Your Other Guest Bedroom Cast Member Resort Discount Program
Cast Members may book rooms at a discount of up to 40 percent for their use or for friends and family at:
Walt Disney World® Resort
Disney's Vero Beach Resort
Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort
If the Cast Member stays in the room with their Guests, the discount could be up 50 percent.
As a reminder, Disney College Program participants will not be able to receive the discounted Cast Member Resort Rate until after they have checked in and completed their Traditions class.In addition, Cast Member discounts cannot be applied to existing resort reservations made through 407-W-DISNEY or waltdisneyworld.com.
Dining
2010 Cast Dining Discount
Walt Disney World Cast Members can book their dining reservations for Walt Disney World Resort restaurants online via The Hub. The online dining reservation system searches for the requested discount, location, date and time requested. If a discount is available (usually 20 percent), the type or percentage of discount will be displayed on the screen. If no discount is available, it will show other alternatives, which may include the original location requested without a discount. To give Cast Members a broader range of opportunities to take advantage of their Cast Dining Discount, Cast Dining Discount times and locations are updated in the system throughout the day.
A valid Walt Disney Company, ABC, or ESPN ID must be presented at the time of payment. At table service restaurants an 18% gratuity will be added to the bill automatically, calculated on the pre-discounted amount (20% gratuity will be calculated at Victoria & Albert's). The Cast Member must be present for the discount to be applied to the check, but does not have to pay the bill to be eligible for the discount. There is no limit to the number of Guests a Cast Member may have.
This offer does not include alcoholic beverages, lounges, pool bars, room service, quick service, food & beverage carts or other snack locations (unless otherwise listed on The Hub).
Walt Disney World Theme Park Admission & Tickets
Walt Disney World Cast Member IDYour Walt Disney World Cast Member ID allows you Theme park admission to the Magic Kingdom® Park, Epcot® Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park during regular operating hours when you are not scheduled to work.
Main Entrance PassCast Members will receive their Main Entrance Pass via mail two-four weeks after they have arrived. This pass admits the Cast Member and up to three (3) Guests into a theme park, and can be used up to six (6) times in a calendar year (as long as the Cast Member maintains an active status). Some restrictions including block-out dates do apply to use of this pass (the restrictions are available in the materials distributed with the pass).
We will provide you will more information upon your arrival, giving you the option to have it mailed to your Orlando address instead of your home address.
Block-out dates tend to surround major holiday periods. For an updated listing of block-out dates, please call 407-566-5675.
Additional Tickets
You have the ability to purchase Magic Your Way tickets at Company D stores, which are Cast Member-only stores, for a discounted rate.
Because ticket prices are subject to change, we are not able to specify exact discounted prices of Walt Disney World theme park tickets at this time.
You will have updated information regarding the current prices available to you once you arrive.
TEAM Discounts
The TEAM Discounts program turns Cast IDs into valuable discount tools at many local on and off-property businesses.
A complete listing of these businesses, restaurants, and hotels are available in the "TEAM Discounts" book available at all Company D locations. A listing is also available on The Hub portal.
Miscellaneous Discounts
DisneyQuest® Indoor Interactive Theme Park 50 percent discount on one-day admission Occasionally DisneyQuest will offer FREE admission to Cast Members
Miniature Golf 50 percent discount for a round of golf at Disney's Fantasia Gardens or Disney's Winter Summerland.

I Hate Science

2009-07-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

I hate science with a passion. I would like to stuff the subject in a box and beat it up. I can’t seem to get a good grade on any of the tests. I don’t know what to do I spend hours and hours on this stupid subject that tells me that my ancestors are monkeys. Or the fact that my first grandmother is a person named Lucy who is 3.5-4 feet tall, weighted 50lbs and had a brain capacity if 400cc. I personally don’t care really I don’t care. I also hate chemistry because of my Professor who talks to you as if you have a PhD in this bloody subject. Really when am I ever going to use or talk to people about William James, Earl Sutherland or the frog shocker Luigi Galvani. Personal I can honestly say I can care less about who was the first person to come up with how neurons work! By the way Aristotle had rarely anything right! BUT don’t get me wrong I grateful for the nerds of the world that take pleasure in this subject because without you nerds we wouldn’t have a lot of medicine and etc. In the beginning of the semester I pushed for an A now I’m happy to pass the flippin class and to get it over with. Thank heavens that my major has nothing to do with science and math. I guess in the end I should really say Thank you nerds for being who you are.

Ice Cream

2009-06-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

I believe in Ice Cream. Ice Cream, with its perfect texture, and its frozen, creamy, smooth combination, of vanilla, a crunch of chocolate sandwich cookies, and a hint of mint is my miracle solution to pain and heartbreak. The feel of ice cream goes through your whole body down to your toes. Ice cream does more then to provide you with a nice helping of rich creaminess, but it is an antidote to many of life’s little conflicts. Through the years of high school, from heart break to crazy situations, the end solution with my friends and I was eating from that magical carton. It helped all of us to let go of our aches and pains.
A perfect example that comes to mind was with my roommate Ally. We went to a school dance together with a group of guys. Strolling into that dance with those guys made us feel pretty cool. Suddenly, as if premature pumpkin timer went off, the guys disappeared one by one, but instead of leaving behind glass slippers, we discovered them with other girls. We attempted to not let it get us down, so we tried again, striking up conversation with a new set of boys. Things seemed to be going even better than the first time around. Then suddenly, that slow dance song came on and the awkwardness of, “so…ahem…gosh I really like this song…” ensured. Amazed that our hints were not working, we were even more astonished to witness them disappear and later reappear during that same slow song with two different gals. Ally and I each did our own silent personal assessments. Breath check, teeth check, hair check, everything seemed in place. After our twice over rejections we walked away feeling horrible. How could we have walked through those same doors feeling so triumphant and walk away feeling so defeated. We walked through the doors of our apartment feeling terrible when suddenly we were beckoned to the freezer by the two men that would never leave us, Ben and Jerry. We sat down in the carpet and started to eat the magical frozen delight. After more than a few bites, we slowly felt the coldness of the ice cream warm us up. We eventually found ourselves laughing at the events that had occurred that night.
In that image, two girls who were completely miserable did a 180 with just a few bites of ice cream. As a young girl, I still remember my older sisters coming home at night and going right to the freezer to pull out the ice cream. Now that I am getting older I realize that sometimes we need to get away from the world. Ice Cream creates an excuse for women to bond, dish on life and give you a feeling of not being alone. It’s a comfort. It’s as if Ice Cream creates a bubble around you and won’t let anything bad come near you for those few spoonfuls until you scrape the bottom of the carton.

3 lives saved

2009-06-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

I saved 3 lives yesterday by donating blood. As I walked around my campus I saw motivating signs to donate blood and heard the call so I marched up and signed up for 11:15 the 2nd of June to give blood and to save lives. Now I should give you a little history I have never given blood before but I do know how the American red cross came about in the Civil War a beautiful nurse named Clara Barton helped save lives soon after the war ended she set up the American Red cross the one thing that impressed me about her is after the horrific battles happened she went on the battle field and helped every man even if they were from the south or the north she didn’t look at sides she made a statement saying something to this effect “ I saw my brothers face on everyman on the ground.” Anyway before I gave my blood I drank hugh amounts of water like any other faithful donor. I Got all of my bearings and left for the Taylor building as I walked into the room and saw chairs that looked like lawn chairs by them women with white coats and the blood in which was being sucked into plastic bags. I walked up to the table with volunteers signed in went to a nurse who gave me a mini physical I then answered a series of questions this all ended in the fact that I was a healthy donor and ready to give my blood to save lives. I sat in the lawn chair looking at the two women who would stick me. There was one women who I believe was training the other women at this time I prayed that they would only have to put the needle in me once. She took my arm as I turned my head to find something that would distract me I then noticed this cute guy who also happened to be giving blood he looked at me and smiled I then felt a stabbing pain mixed with pressure on my left arm. The pain stopped and I got a feeling of irritation because I wanted the needle out of me I then say my own blood go in to the plastic bag. It was actually kind of cool I then spoke with the nurses talking about school and how I miss home. I do have to say I donate fast because it felt like a minute when that bag was filled. They got the needle out of me and patched me up I then walked over to where there was cookies and bottled water I was actually really excited for the cookies. I sat down and who happens to sit by me but the very cute guy he and I started to have a conversation different subjects there was also student volunteers that gave us different snacks and all that jazz. As I was talking to the cute guy I found that his name is Alex and that he served his mission in New York his major is Business etc. When he started talking about his job I started to notice that I that he had black spots on his face and that I felt that I was suddenly spinning. I stopped him and said that I was seeing black spots he looked at me like I was crazy and then BAM. I was out I was in darkness when I suddenly became aware I felt my body being carried to the ground and people talking to me I open my eyes and saw a big crowed around me two nurses asked my name and I said my name and they then asked me if I know where I’m at and I replied correctly and as I looked around I saw Alex kneeling by me looking very concerned :) . It was actually relatively EMBARRISING. I have never fainted in my life but of course it would be me it’s always me and not to mention I was the first person to faint and the blood drive has been going on since Monday well the moral of this story is I saved 3 lives, met a cute guy that I hope I never have to see again, and I’m locked and ready to sign up for the next blood drive.

Memories of the youngest child

2009-05-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

One thing that most people don’t know about me is that I’m the youngest of 4 and being youngest I’m 6 years apart from my brother 8 years apart from my sister and 10 years apart from my eldest sister. Looking back from my childhood I think of different times and events that has happened to me one of the times is when my family or as I should say the women in my family watched Strictly Ballroom all the time. If you haven’t seen this movie I would strongly in courage you to take heed to your local movie store and rent it but with caution by watching this movie you will get a strong urge to dance, a wonderful example of this is when my sisters and mother were watching it for the hundredth time, at the end of the movie as the credits were rolling Latin music would be playing and my wonderful mother started to dance and when my mother dances everyone dances. Katie started dancing with her hips. I was on the floor laughing and trying to dance(aka trying) and my dear sister Lauren was dancing with the television remote. Well we really started to get in it so much that Lauren without knowledge danced so hard with the remote she ended up smacking her head with it. What is that saying “it’s only funny in till someone gets hurt and then it’s hilarious.” Well as you can image we were laughing our heads off.

Another memory I have is with my brother John. I was in the 3rd grade when overalls were the big rage. When I was at that age I would always ponder to myself on how I could be cooler. John always gave me tips ideas anything that he thought would help me that includes giving me a candy War Head and timing me to see how long I could have one in my mouth before I spit it out. The one tip was in fashion he came up to me one day as I wore my overalls and said, “Sarah all of the girls in middle school wear overalls with one unbuckled.” Taking his advice right there and then I unbuckled one of the buttons he gave me a weird look and I checked myself out and found it was a horrible tip since my belly was sticking out and made me even more chubby. He then gave me his last fashion advice, well some look good and some don’t.”

With my sister Katie she was a wild girl in high school there was a time my parents were making all of kids fast on a Saturday night. I do like to make a statement that I was a young elementary school child and was easily persuaded. Back to the story Katie asked me if I wanted to go to Shari’s and get a brownie ice cream Sunday. I was excited of course but sweet me, reminded me sister that we were fasting so she told me to hang out downstairs and she told mom and dad they we were going to go rent some movies. So we were free to go and had the yummiest brownie Sunday but I started to feel so guilty that we lied to our parents so she threaded me that if she I don’t stop feeling guilty she was going to tell mom and dad that I ate ice cream when I was supposed to be fasting. I was scared out of my wits and kept quiet. Don’t get me wrong Katie is an amazing sister but when she was high school…. Let’s just say I have some interesting memories.

Lauren my eldest sister she took me everywhere when I was little I hung out with her friends Erica, Tina, Lee, Brad and Aubrey. She always took me to movies, BBQ’s; I think she even took me to some high school games. I felt like she always included me in everything when she showed me my first PG-13 movie and help translate Romeo and Juliet with my hugh crush Leo. One memory is when she got her first apartment and she let me spend the night we rented Pretty Women and went to Haggins to get candy she let me get anything I wanted I of course I picked a big bag of reeses peanut butter cups I thought I was so cool. She also made me yakisoba (yuckisoba as my dad calls it) with steak and chicken I was so excited. That small memory has always stuck with like little other ones like the time her old boyfriend made me a beautiful fairy costume or when we just got Lucy dog and I brought her over for a night at her apartment and a guy that she was dating came over too who I thought look like a serial killer so I wouldn’t let him touch my dog and I expressed my feelings to Lauren after he left. Or the time she was going to prom with her high school Boyfriend Lee and I thought she was so beautiful with her white dress. It’s interesting how time goes past. Soon I can envision my family having our first reunion with loud grandchildren some with red hair running around chasing the 5 dogs. Looking back and thinking on everything that has happen makes me see how blessed my family is and how it started with just two people.