Unlike most Americans, I am fortunate to have Song of the South in my film library. In Japan, it was released in the early ’90s on Laserdisc. Eighteen years ago when I lived in Seattle, I was able to acquire the film from the late great film collector, George Lasitos at Scarecrow Video. At the…
Recently there has been credible speculation that a new Disney feature is in work, tentatively titled “Saving Mr. Banks” starring Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Meryl Streep as Mary Poppins author, P.L. Travers. The script is about how Walt acquired the rights to the book for adaptation to the screen. Ironically, though the film…
The other week I had a chance to do something I haven’t done since 1992. I went to Walt Disney World by myself. That’s right. No wife. No kids. No taking my mother. Just me. The trip was an eye-opener for me and I learned some important lessons. Lesson #1: Butter up your spouse before…
I can not imagine my world without Mickey Mouse. He has been a part of my life since the age of 3 when I first lay eyes on him while in Walt Disney World for the first time, and I am privileged to have been able to pass the love for this amazing pop culture…
Learning and teaching the art of falling with style.
Previously I have written about my first race experiences here. Since then, I have gotten another three Disney 5Ks under my belt. I would like to talk about the most recent of these experiences, the Champion® 5K at Dick’s Sporting Goods Presents ESPN The Weekend (ESPN 5K for short). The race was held the first Saturday…
What happens when the honeymoon is over and reality sets in? When the realization strikes that he snores, she never puts the cap back on the toothpaste, and neither can agree on which way the toilet paper should unroll? What about the husband who feels neglected by his wife even though he works hard to…
In part I we discussed good mental health and your child on vacation. In part II we continue that discussion on the mental health benefits. Disney provides a safe environment filled with fantasy that sparks the imagination. Safety, high on the hierarchy of needs, can be reinforced on scary rides, thrill rides or by learning…
This is a two part series on developing your child’s good mental health while traveling to the Disney parks. Ever consider how a trip to a Disney Park can help develop your child’s good mental health? Traveling to a Disney park provides an excellent opportunity for parents and adults to help develop and fortify a…
A nurse named Shari changed my life. I was down and out and was completely in the “why me” phase. She told me that she was going to help me through, and, boy, did she ever deliver on that promise. Every day she helped me through the anger and cracked away at my hard exterior….
Those of you that have daughters may have noticed something – little girls are in quite a hurry to grow up. The very phrase “grown-up” or “big-girl” can motivate even the most stubborn little girl into action. Once they’re potty trained and sleeping in their big girl bed, we stop wanting them to be bigger;…
We have all heard the first 12 words of the song composed by Mack David, Al Hoffman, and Jerry Livingston for the Disney classic, Cinderella: “A dream is a wish your heart makes/When you’re fast asleep.” To some, those are just lyrics from a song, but for many–including myself–they hold a meaning that can’t be described…
In case you haven’t noticed, life is pretty complicated these days. It goes by fast, making us run after it, trying desperately to keep up. We turn to the experts for help, who tell us to simplify, de-clutter, refocus, spend quality time, look at the big picture, thin down, shape up, get outside, spend more,…
