Blind Pianist. Sounds Plausible

Many people take piano lessons when they are young. I know I did. I spent almost six years in piano and still can not play to save my life. However some kids can play really well, and a few of them are incredibly talented. Such as Maria-Theresa von Paradis, who was not only an amazing pianist but was also blind. She is portrayed in a novella called Pianist in the Dark by Michéle Halberstadt. Maria-Theresa can not see but is one of the best pianist of her age. However her parents take her to an experimental therapy to try and regain her sight. What follows is something that can only be described as Dark Romantic style writing, showing that only disaster will follow if people strive for perfection. I read Pianist in the Dark in about two hours, probably less, but it was perfect. Short but well written with a clear moral and fantastic imagery. I loved it. 

Land of the Free Home of the Brave

I was born in the United States of America, and like most Americas some of my recent family are immigrants. My Grandma Great Grandma and Grandpa on my mothers side all immigrated to the USA after World War II. My fathers side immigrated a lot farther back, the first recorded ancestor is John Rouse who came to America in 1717 from Germany, and was sold into indentured servitude by the captain of his ship.

Living in the United States I feel like I have grown up taking for granted many important things. Although rights are not 100% equal for women, it is a lot better here then some places. Our government isn't perfect, but when is one? You can not please everyone, and it is hard to find a balance. Not to say that I think that things are fine here, and I agree that we need to strive for better, but honestly many citizens should look around the rest of the world and realize that we are doing pretty well over here. I would change a few things, but change is coming and hopefully soon everyone really will be equal. When our constitution was written, the meaning of all men are created equal was that all white land owning men were created equal. But over the years, and after a few bloody and unfortunate wars, equality has spread. And in the next decade I hope to see the United States prosper and give everyone the inalienable rights to Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. It is what our country was founded upon and we need to strive harder to make those dreams a full and incontestable reality.

The Happiest Place on Earth

When I was a little girl, my family went to Disney World. I was five, and it was myself, my mother, my father, my Grandma Luna, and my Uncle Dave. Dave isn't really my uncle, but he and my father have been friends since far before I came along. And somehow I just got into the habit of calling him Uncle Dave.

I grew up in with Disney cartoons, far before the age of Miley Cyrus and before the world figured out that all the Disney girls ended up with drug addictions and alcohol problems. On the family trip to Yosemite, also with my Grandma Luna, we listened to the Little Mermaid soundtrack so many times that to this day I know it by heart. And much to my fathers dislike he does too. But by far Beauty and the Beast was my favorite princess. She was strong, smart and beautiful. And unlike the rest of them she didn't need a prince to save her. Not that five year old me really thought about that aspect of it all, but she was my favorite. When I was two I sat through Beauty and the Beast on Broadway, much to the amazement of my family, and when I was three I was her for Halloween. Going to Disney World she was the princess I wanted to see most.

This year my family went to Disney World again, this time it was just me, my mom and dad, and my baby sister. We went to a few parks, but over all I loved going to Disney World. As soon as I got on the parking lot tram I reverted back to my five year old self. It was lovely. We road splash mountain and space mountain, two things that I never thought I would do in a million years.


We went to the Hall of Presidents, and like a said earlier road the buzz light year ride and lot totally and were stuck for something like ten or twenty minuets. My dads game maxed out in fact, just proving that he loves gaming more then he is willing to admit.

I even got to see Belle, although it was not as magical as I remembered.

Me and Belle

My family and I also saw the daily flag retreat, which I had learned about a few days before from some of my friends at Soldiers Angels. The color guard played and the flag was lowered and given to a veteran, one of the more touching parts of the day.

All of our Heros should be honored like this

The fire works were one of the more amazing parts of the night, the way the fire works lit up the nights sky and played in time with some of my favorite Disney songs. It was magical, incredibly magical.

I also learned from a few people working there about internships offered at the parks. You stay in dorms, although the price is taken out of your pay, and even earn college credit for it amazingly enough. The people I talked to really seemed to love it, in fact one of them was on an extension of her second internship. People come from colleges all over the world and you end up meeting loads of people around your age from ever corner of the globe and have the opportunity to work in every aspect of the park, from maintenance to food to shops to character work. It sounds like the experience of a life time.

Welcome Home

On the first full day of our stay in Orlando, my family went to Universal. I was the last one up but the first one out the door, dressed in my robes and ready to go! I was filled with the same anticipation I normally have on the drive to camp, but we were lucky to go when we did. The lines were long but they would be twice as long during the summer. We got into the parks and headed over to one of the parks, Universal, figuring that it was where the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was. My Dad bought the tickets and we went into the park before we figured out that the Wizarding World was in Islands of Adventure, the other park. Luckily Guests Services helped us out with our tickets and we were all set to go.

Let me explain for anyone who has never been to Universal how the layout works. Universal as a whole is in three parts. Two parks and then a whole bunch of shops and even a movie theater. There are some hotels sprinkled in there somewhere. But you do have to pay two admissions to get in if you want to go to both parks. Or screwed up and bought the wrong tickets...

Eventually we walked over to Harry Potter world and my baby sister and I practically ran to the entrance. We ate at the Three Broomsticks that day for lunch. The food was really good for theme park food, and the butter beer was just how I thought it would be. It tasted like cream soda and happiness. Afterwards we headed over to the Forbidden Journey ride, where my baby sister decided that she didn't want to wait in the long line, and neither did the rest of my family.

That was fine with  me, I just headed over to the singles line and ended up meeting a really cool family from Puerto Rico. The ride itself was so real, I felt like I was flying and was totally swept into the ride. It was a dream come true for a Harry Potter fanatic for life like myself.

I met my family outside of the ride and my mom and baby sister went to Seussland and my dad and I waited in line for the wand experience. The line was about 40 minuets, but the woman running the cue said that it normally is about two and a half hours. We were at the front of the line for our session and were positioned right by the latter where Ollivander walks down and because of that, and the fact I was in robes I was chosen to do the wand picking, and had the wand pick me. It was reed with a core of dragon heart string meaning that I was passionate and a good leader. The wand picking felt incredibly real and magical.

After the wand picking I took off my robes and spent the rest of the day with a friend and his mother inside Islands of Adventure. He was on a college tour and spent the night over at Universal before flying home. We did the Forbidden Journey ride again and a few others, including the gigantic Hulk roller coaster. It was scary and exhilarating.

Tune in next time to hear about my family going to the happiest place on earth, Lego Land, and Epcot. Have y'all gone to any of these parks? Do you have a zany story to tell? If so, share it in the comments! Especially if the wand chose you. In that case I want to know what wand and what it means.

I wanna be a starship ranger!

My family and I are currently stuck on the buzz light year ride at Disney World! It's been about 10 minuets. Pictures to follow.

I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here!

We made it! Two planes and a layover in Atlanta later and my family has made it to Orlando! A few months ago my mom got a call from someone and if my mom and dad went and looked at time shares for an hour or two we would get a cheap stay at the Hilton Parc Soleil. Before I go on about the hotel, let me say that the Hilton in no way paid me to write this. But hey, if they ever want to send me somewhere I would be totally up for that. Of course the opinions and emotions expressed in my blog are always my own, you can send me anywhere in the world but that doesn't guarantee I'll like it.

Anyway the room we are staying at is amazing. Full kitchen, bath AND shower, and even a washer and dryer. My baby sister and I love it here. We got to the hotel about a half hour before the pool closed and everyone threw on their swim suits and went for a swim. Baby sister and I swam in the pool and my mom and dad chilled in the hot tub like real adults.

Most of my family vacations are to visit family, which is always wonderful but sometimes its nice to get away. We went to the beach this summer, just the four of us and went out and swam and just bonded. We aren't always on the same page, and vacations can be stressful sometimes, but its really nice for us all to get away together and enjoy being together. I have found that my family tends to fight less when we are out of state.

I Can Trace Everything Back to Harry Potter

Everything in my life can be traced back to Harry Potter. My mom started reading them to me when I was five, and to this day I have an intense fear of snakes and spiders from the second book.

When the theme park opened I was elated. Sadly there was never time to go. Until now. Its the semester break at my school and my family is going to Orlando. We are leaving today, in about an hour actually, and I have no idea if the hotel we are staying at has Internet, so chances are I won't be blogging for the next few days. However I will be tweeting @livingmylife96.

When I come back I'll have lots of fun stories to share, so stay tuned!