Go Ahead and Look Back

"Don't look back"

                    "Focus on what's ahead"

                                     "Keep your eyes on what's in front of you"

... all good and motivational quotes, but I am here to tell you.... You should stop and look back. 

A few years ago, I was very heavy and out of shape (I still am, but it was worse then). A good friend invited me walk with her around her neighborhood. Her neighborhood was in a rural area, where the roads were winding and full of small hills. Still, I agreed to walk with her. I love challenges and I loved having a supportive friend. We started out at a good pace, on a mostly level road. We had walked about a half of a mile and then we turned onto a road that was a steady climb upward. 

I thought I was dying. With every step I lost another breath. I was leaving a trail of sweat behind me. My clothes looked as if I had just been caught in a rain storm.  My calves were aching and my feet were on fire. I was so close to telling her that I couldn't go on any longer... as soon as I can catch a breath again, I'm telling her that I'm turning around. It was about that time that she stopped and told me to stop there. I was confused, but happy to oblige and I needed a break.

She said, "Turn around. Look back to where we started."

I turned and looked back at the long road behind us. The slow decline back to the level road that lead back to her house. We had climbed the majority of the hill and were near the top already. 

She said, "Look how far you've come already. And we're only half way there! See... you can do this."

A moment ago, I was ready to give up, to give in, and throw in the metaphorical towel. (If I had had a towel, it would have been drenched with sweat, I can tell you that for certain.) But, her words, and the view before me gave me a new surge of energy and a sense of accomplishment.  And I wasn't even done yet! 

I kept that moment in my heart and I have kept that in practice. When I feel like I can't go on, when I feel like giving up, or giving in... I look back.

I look back to where I started. 

I look at the struggles I went through. 

I look at the battles I fought and won. 

I look at the places where I fell on my face and stood back up.

I look at the battles I'd lost and the new path they set me upon. 

And I look at how far back in the past they are, and where I stand today. 

Then I feel renewed. I feel better. 

Look at what I've accomplished. 

Look at what I've overcome. 

Look how far I've come. 

That's when I say... I can't give up now. I'm almost there. I'm ready to climb again. I'm ready to fight for my dreams. I'm ready for this. It's Game Time... LET'S DO THIS!!! 

So, I am here to tell you... It's okay to look back. 

In fact, you should take the time to look back. Just don't dwell there. 

Look back at what you've overcome already, and use that as fuel to continue on. 

Don't give up until you Look Back at what you've accomplished. 

As Joe Dirt said, "You gotta keep on, keepin' on." 

 

The Magic of Christmas

Like many people this time of year, I immerse myself in Christmas. My tree and decorations are brought out the day after Thanksgiving. I start watching Christmas movies and I integrate Christmas music into my shuffle. I love Christmas. Many people do.

It's a 'magical time of year' they say, when people are charitable, forgiving, and kind. A time when people display good will towards their fellow man. A time when people look each other in the eye and greet each other. But why does it only happen this time of year?  I think I know the answer.

Any other time of year, if I want to hear a positive song about Jesus, or God, I have to tune to the Christian radio stations. There are many movies about being positive, helpful, and kind. But those types of movies aren't always filling up my television channels. In the non-magical time of year, if a grouch came into town to try to ruin a celebration, there would not be a redemption story for him or her. The story's protagonist would overcome and succeed and that grouchy antagonist would be taken care of, and be taken out of the story, or painted as a loser and exiled. But during Christmastime, he or she is brought in, and saved from their grouchiness.

The evolution of Christmas is extremely interesting, and the History Channel does a fantastic job of explaining it. I highly suggest playing around on their website and learning about Christmas's origins. They even break it down to show the origins of each part of Christmas; the trees, carols, Rudolph, Santa, etc. Click Here--> History of Christmas <--to go to their site.

During Christmas, we honor St. Nicholas... good ol' Saint Nick. Nowadays, we have a very different idea of what he looks like, from what he would have actually looked like. He was a real dude. Saint Nicholas of Myra was a Christian monk who lived in the 3rd Century A.D. He is the patron saint of children, as well as sailors, wolves, pawnbrokers, and others. One of the many folk legends that surround him is that he donated money to a father who had been in such dire straits that he had had to sell his daughters into slavery. As years passed and the folk legends spread into Europe, his stories was twisted into more grandiose tales.  The language of the Netherlands turned his name to Sinterklaas, and his tale became one of a man, dressed in red clerics, who arrived every December 6th, to bring gifts or coal-lumps to children's homes.

December has always been a celebrated month, long before Mary, Jesus' mother, was ever a spark of a thought in her mothers' mind. The winter solstice was viewed as a celebration of death and rebirth, since the cold harsh winter weather kills off the crops and vegetation, but welcomes in the spring and the rebirth of life. After the shortest winter days, they celebrated the return of the Sun. As time passed and the Christian faith spread, Pope Julius I adopted December 25 as a Christian celebration in an attempt to adapt and sort of absorb the pagan celebrations. This was a way of increasing the popularity of the Christmas celebrations.

Christmas had fallen by the wayside, however, for many of the 17th and 18th century Americans. But it made a comeback in the 19th century when an author, Charles Dickens, wrote a book about the importance of charity and goodwill toward humankind called A Christmas Carol. The book gained in popularity and so did the holiday.

Speaking of carols, some of the songs that we sing today have been sung for centuries. The whole tradition really started with Latin hymns, which progressed to music for nativity plays, and continued on. Many carols are about winter, or secular themes, but there are a great number of carols that are centered around the story of Jesus. The truth can be said that all carols carry a message of positivity, hope, happiness, and love. And this is the time of year that these songs are played on the most popular radio stations, pumped through the stores P.A. systems, and featured in commercials and movies.

So, my unqualified opinion is that the magic of Christmas lies in the fact that this is the only time of year that America, as a whole, listens to songs about Jesus, and sings along.  This is the time of year that America, and the world, watch movies that remind us to be positive, kind, and generous. This is the time of year that the world is reminded continuously of a little baby boy was born, so that we could live an eternal life in heaven.

Could it be that Christmas is magical because of the spirit within us, comes to life, and our souls rejoice, as we unconsciously worship our Lord as we sing along to...Silent Night? O Holy Night? The First Noel? Do You Hear What I Hear? What Child Is This? Angels We Have Heard On High! Hark, The Harold Angels Sing!

What are your favorite Christmas traditions?

What about your favorite Christmas carol?

Do you have a favorite Christmas movie?

Let Go But Hang On

I awoke the other morning when my heartbeat accelerated and I began to panic. You see, I was having a crazy dream.

I found myself standing near the edge of a huge canyon. It was extremely wide and deep.  In fact, it looked quite similar to Snake River Gorge in Twin Falls, Idaho...  that's the one that Evil Knievel attempted to jump in 1974 without success. Although, I am certain that the one in my dream was much taller, deeper and scarier.

As I gazed out across the canyon, I saw folks on the other side, cheering. They were saying "you can do it, come on". There were a few folks with me on my side of the canyon; but one by one they were grabbing onto a bar, that was hooked to a rope, which was hooked to another rope. I'm telling you that these people were zip-lining across the canyon, with no harnesses, no safety nets. They were just grabbing the bar and hanging on. It was like a handle bar you would see on a kiddie swing set zip-line. Like the handle bar from a bicycle, sliding down a rope. In fact, you know what... I believe Kevin McAllister did just that, across his backyard, in Home Alone.


So it came down to me and another dude who were left standing on our side. He nudged me forward toward the zip-line bar. I freaked out. I turned to run but he put his arm out to stop me.  I dropped to my knees, grasping at the sand and gravel to try to somehow get a tight grip on the earth as I cried out "No, no, I can't, I can't do it."

He knelt beside me, put his hand on my shoulder and gently said "Yes. You can. You need to." It seems as though he knew that if he left before I did, that I would never go. I looked back again at the vast expanse of canyon and the people on the other side who were still cheering for me. I whispered with uncertainty, "no, I can't". So, he got up and went to the edge.  He looked back to me once more... maybe I might change my mind? He grabbed on, and jumped.

I was left alone. Left behind. I inched my way towards the edge. I held my breath as he slide across the rope, until he finally made it to the other side. I was so happy for him and the others. They were supportive, high fiving each other and hugging. Behind me, was nothing but desert. No one around.

I knew that I needed to go. I needed to let go of my fear. My fear was that I would lose my grip, and that I didn't have the strength to hold on... that halfway through I would fall. My fear was that I would fail. There is where I woke from that dream. While I was in that half asleep/half awake state of mind, I tried to process everything that just happened.

A little background info on me: I am an adult college student. I've worked a day job for 18 years, and now I am studying my heart out to try to gain a career. I want to live the remainder of my years living out my passions and loving the work that I do. I am about halfway through with school, and have already started to think about what direction I will go after graduation. Will I succeed?

I am not studying psychology, but I think... I mean... I'm guessing... that the canyon is a symbol somehow. That the other side of the canyon is where success lies for me.  That the zip-line is my track to get there... and I need to let go of my fear of falling (failing) and trust in my strength, trust in my ability to hold on. I need to trust myself.

I am not encouraging zip-lining canyons without a harness, but I am encouraging you to be bigger than your fear. Don't let fear keep you from succeeding.


Let Go...


                ...but Hang On...


                                        ...and you will get there.

It Happened Last Night... with Ludo

My dog Ludo came to the house at 7 months old, when my then roommate brought him home to keep him from going to the pound. She tried to find him a home several times, but it never really worked out. Apparently, he was not treated very well, and he is very shy and untrusting of people. I even tried to find him a home. And, I thought that I had found one for him back in my home state of Florida, but before I could take him there, he and I had a loving moment and he became my dog forever. (To be clear, he is my second dog, I can't deny my beautiful Dixie girl).

The moment?  Well, I came home one day before the roomie did, and I noticed that he was limping a bit. I saw that one of his claws was missing. Poor little guy. So I took him in the bathroom and gently cleaned his paw up.  It was just me and him in there, and he leaned against me and wrapped his little head around my shoulder like he was hugging me. He trusted me. I fell in love.

That was three years ago. He trusts me so much now that he is quite relaxed around me. Sometimes he can even be a little bit of a bratty thing. I still get those sweet loving moments with him. But, sometimes I get those moments like, "Come on, Mom, get with the times!"

I've had to give him some Benedryl over the last few days, which means that Dixie and Ludo have been getting to eat hot dog pieces. Yummy yummy hot dog, doing a good job of disguising the medicine.

Ludo sleeps next to me every night. Sometimes to the point of pushing me off the bed! Ludo likes to roll around in his sleep, and sometimes sleeps on his back. Last night, Ludo was turned so that his face was away from me and his tail was near my pillow. When he decided to roll onto his back, he basically stuck his paw in my face. So I reached out and pushed his leg back down, making him roll back onto his side.

I looked over at him. His little head popped up and looking back at me with this look on his face. A look like "Really, bitch? Really?" I just laughed. But he got me back for it just a few minutes later, with a hot dog fart. Hot dog farts smell like hot dogs, with an added flair. As if some of the sauerkraut on a hot dog cart, fell into the hot dog juice while it was still hot enough to give off steam, but approaching lukewarm status. Then juice sloshed around a little, and some of it splashed up into your nostril as the steam covered your face. Yeah, like that.

Hot dog farts are NOT fun when they are in your face. Trust me on that one. But I still love the little guy.



Ludo, my little lovey bratty farty boy.

Homework: Final Paper, Disney in Russia

Disney in Russia 

The Soviet nation of Russia was first introduced to Disney’s animated characters back in 1931, when Moscow hosted the Festival of American Cartoons. [8a] Though, it was sixty years later, after the fall of the communist party in 1991, when Russia was introduced to democratic politics and free market economies. With the lack of a communist government in charge, Russia became a newly developing economy, despite the fact that it is over one thousand years old. [2] It is because of the potential for economic growth combined with the increase of the population’s purchasing power that The Walt Disney Company has focused much of their energy into establishing a foundation for long-term growth in newly emerging markets like Russia’s.[3] The nation of Russia is, literally, the largest country in the world with the ninth largest population. At 17,075,200 square kilometers (that is over 7 million more square kilometers than the second largest, Canada), it holds a mere 144 million people. [1] To the Walt Disney Company, they are extremely important people.

The Walt Disney Company frequently uses smart business strategies for reaching global markets such as Strategic Alliances, Foreign Outsourcing, Licensing, and Direct Investment. [3] Over the last ninety years, Disney has grown from a small cartoon studio in the United States to a worldwide brand name, something that could only seemingly be done with help from a little magic. However, it isn’t magic; it is just smart strategic action. “When pursuing new markets, Disney typically focuses first on introducing the channel to deliver its brand directly to people’s homes. Then it uses that base to sell theme park vacations and merchandise” (Brooks Barnes) [4]. Broadcasting their specialized Disney channel to households in the developing markets such as Russia, allows Disney to advertise their brand name and expand their presence in the country.

Disney’s first successful entry into Russia came in 2006, with the opening of The Walt Disney Company CIS, which is a company that works on the production and distribution of films, stage productions, licensed products, distribution of consumer goods, publishing, online and digital gaming, and destination vacations. [8b] Though that does seem like a lot, Disney never stopped pursuing an opportunity for a television channel and network Russia.

Of course, as an American company, Disney faced many barriers to trade when entering Russia, and they have developed a need to adapt to the sociocultural, economic differences, and legal differences, as well as political differences there. [3] This is especially true when the government blocked Disney’s original attempt in 2008 at a partnership with Media-One-Holdings Limited, a Russian media company.  However, in 2011, Disney was able to enter into a strategic alliance by acquiring 49% of the broadcast channel SevenTV, which is estimated to reach more than 75% of Russia’s measured television audience. The channel, SevenTV, which was airing old Soviet films at the time of Disney’s acquisition, will remain majority owned by the fast growing media company, UTH Russia. [4]

This localization strategy of aligning with an existing, developing channel, is seen in the programming lineup of the new rebranded channel (from SevenTV to Disney Channel), which shows a mix of Disney’s signature children’s show as well as original Russian content. The channel is set to reach approximately 40 million households out of a population of 140 million people. Although the acquirement of SevenTV is considered a small audience share in Russian television and advertising, Disney knows that this will provide them with the infrastructure to build a national network in Russia. This deal also signaled a new approach for Disney Channel, which had always been part of a paid-tv service (non-basic channel), since they launched this channel in Russia as part of a free network of programming. [4] This is a smart tactic by Disney, because according to the Geert-Hofstede cultural model of Russia, there is a large gap in the financial power of this country. Two-thirds of this country’s financial power lies in one city, Moscow, causing the rest of the country to struggle financially. So offering free programming is a smart move by Disney for a guarantee that they will have their name, their brand, and their presence known throughout the entire country. [9]

              

The Walt Disney Company holds itself and its affiliates at a high standard. It expects all to be highly responsible for its employees, their families, and to society. [8] In Russia, the social policy of Disney is in tune with the national projects that are implemented by the Government of the Russian Federation, such as Education and Health. Disney has also been actively involved in supporting children’s organizations, particularly hospitals and charities. [8c]  In December 2007, on the New Year’s Eve, Mickey Mouse, as part of the Disney Russia Team, invited children with special needs from all over the country to come to the Bolshoi Theater. The children were invited to meet their favorite characters and to watch “The Nutcracker” ballet, starting an annual tradition in which the Disney Team in Russia hosts a theatrical event that leaves a lasting impression on young Russian Disney fans. [8d] This is yet another smart move by Disney. In Geert-Hofstede’s cultural dimension of masculinity vs. feminism, Russians are shown to be collective society, and view caring for others as an extremely important quality. [9]

Disney is well aware of the Russian culture, and so, as part of their 2012 Season of Giving the Disney team in Russia hosted an event at the newly opened Rossia Theater in Moscow. More than 1200 children, including orphans, children with disabilities, and children with life-threatening medical conditions were invited to a special performance of one of their newest Disney experiences, a stage performance of The Little Mermaid musical. [5] In 2013, Disney worked with the Saint Petersburg Theatre of Musical Comedy to develop a special performance of Aladdin. In reference to this specialized performance, Marina Zhigalov-Ozkan, the managing director for Disney in Russia, stated, “We are committed to creating shows specially designed for Russian audiences, and Aladdin is another example of that commitment.” [6]

For Autism Awareness Day, the Disney Team in Russia worked with charities and Russian talent to create a special performance of “Beauty and the Beast” for children within the autism spectrum. The performance, which was part of the international campaign known as “Light It Up Blue”, was altered for the audiences’ sensitivity to lights and sounds.  In fact, the Disney Team in Russia has a consistent habit of giving away the first run of tickets to every show, to children with special needs, so that they can be the first audience to see the premiere of the Disney movies and stage productions. Additionally, The Walt Disney Company CIS in Russia hosts an annual global event that they call “VoluntEARS Day”, where the employees go to orphanages and hospitals to help bring gifts and play with the children, while also helping with restoration needs and redecorating. [8c, 8d]

Even though the Walt Disney Company has been present in Russia through various aspects since 2006, [8a] they had always viewed their position there as just a small ‘toehold’, but the acquisition of SevenTV in 2012 gave them an important ‘foothold’ where, according to Disney’s CEO Robert A. Iger, “We can now grow more robustly.” [4] Truthfully, they have been growing robustly since 2006. The Walt Disney Company CIS in Russia in involved in filmmaking, publishing, theatrical performances, internet portal/content, online games, mobile applications, and licensed consumer products. In the area of filmmaking, the Disney Company in Russia does not only provide the best of Disney’s famous films, but is also engaged in the outsourcing for the production of local films as well (under the Disney brand). The first Russian Disney movie was released in 2009 and was titled “The Book of Masters”.  This film was based on Russian folk tales, and was the first film to be wholly produced and filmed in Russia. [8b]

In the spring of 2014, The Disney Company CIS in Russia launched its first large-scale multimedia project title “Happiness Is…”. The project was aimed at the development of national cinema by supporting the country’s film directors and screenwriters.  The project consisted of four creative outlets, two of which were specifically for professionals (young directors and screenwriters), the other two were open for all Disney fans. All who entered the event had a chance to participate in the creation of seven short stories, united by one theme… happiness. [8b] This is a new concept to many of the older generations in Russia. According to the Geert-Hofstead model of cultural dimensions, where one of the highest scores falls in the Power Distance category. [9] This basically means that the most powerful people in Russia are very distant from the bulk of society. There is a large gap between the less powerful and more powerful people in Russia. 

As far as future charitable endeavors, the Disney Team in Russia has recently announced its plans to add a third city to the 2015 Holiday events. [8d] The past events have always been held in the two most populous Russian cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg, but this year, a third city has been added, Rostov-on-Don. On November 27, 2015, thousands of children with special needs will be invited to the Rostov State musical theater to watch the Nutcracker, and meet with their favorite characters. Then on December 18^th, children with special needs from other areas of the country will be treated to a special showing of “Aladdin”.  Coming in 2016, as The Disney Russia team celebrates its Tenth anniversary, they will invite more than ten thousand children from different regions of the country to be the guests of a charitable event. The team is pleased as always, that their efforts are supported by the administration of the President of the Russian Federation. [8d ]  

Igor Shchegolev, Russia’s minister of communications and mass media, has been quoted in saying that he hoped the partnership with Disney would be “a positive start up” in Russia’s media industry as Russia is interested in cultivating its own entertainment industry and viewed Disney as an important source of expertise.[4] This is an important bit of information for The Walt Disney Company, and their potential for direct investments in the future. Since they view Disney as a successful company, they must also see their partnership with Disney as low-risk. Russia is not a country that enjoys risk-taking, as shown in their score of the Geert-Hofstede model of Uncertainty Avoidance. [9] Disney is definitely a company that has proven their continuity and long lasting success more than once.

As you can see, the Walt Disney Company’s pursuit of emerging markets is much like the easy, yet powerful stroke of an artist. Slowly and steadily, they make their mark as they expand their presence. By working closely within the communities to transition into the culture, Disney is able to grow significantly through strategic alliances, foreign outsourcing, licensing, and direct investments.   Perhaps in the future, Disney will be able to directly invest in a theme park, resort, or land adventure of its own to advertise to the residents of Russia. For now, Disney continues to build its presence through its Disney team; outsourcing the producing films, licensing consumer goods, interactive play, and creating strategic alliances with the television and theatrical company performances. The magic of Disney cannot be contained.

Cited Websites:

[1]   Minniwatts Marketing Group, 20-Sept-2015, http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats8.htm

[2]   Wikipedia, last update 31-Oct-2015,  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia

[3]   Menegazzi-Caseiro, Bianca, 11-Feb-2012, https://sites.google.com/a/email.vccs.edu/bus100bmenegazzi/strategies-for-reaching-global-markets

[4]   Barnes, Brook NY TIMES, 27-Oct-2011 http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/disney-channel-to-be-introduced-in-russia/

[5]   Gill, David, Disney Company Event Blog, 7-Dec-2012 https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/blog/disney-hosts-charity-event-special-viewing-little-mermaid-musical-russia

[6]   Gill, David, Disney Company Event Blog, 25-Feb-2013 https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/blog/international-roundup-winter-highlights-europe

[7]   The Walt Disney Company Website https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about-disney/disney-around-the-world

[8]   The Walt Disney Company CIS Russia Website  http://waltdisney.ru/

a.       About the History of the CIS company in Russia http://waltdisney.ru/about/russia/

b.      Business Segments http://waltdisney.ru/business/

c.       The Company ‘s involvement in Society http://waltdisney.ru/society/

d.      Latest News of the Company’s events http://waltdisney.ru/press/

[9]   Geert Hofstede Cultural Analysis of Russia http://geert-hofstede.com/russia.html

Homework: Disney's Entry Strategy into Russia

Write a one to two page analysis on the company of your choice and their selected entry strategy or strategies into the country of your choice.  What method(s) do they use?  Have they been successful using these methods?  Is there discussion surrounding their future strategies?  .

             When asked to summarize the best argument for his campaign plan, the character of George W. Bush, played by Will Ferrell on a Saturday Night Live comedy sketch, answered with “Strategery”.  If basic strategy is a look at how managers are moving forward towards the company’s goals, we can only imagine then, that strategery must mean a more artful and magical approach to those strategic actions. The Walt Disney Company is all about “Strategery” in their business plans when it comes to expanding into rising global markets such as Russia.

The Walt Disney Company frequently uses strategies for reaching global markets such as Foreign Outsourcing, Licensing, and Direct Investment. ^[1] Over the last ninety years, Disney has grown from a small cartoon studio in the United States to a worldwide brand name, something that could only seemingly be done with help from a little magic. However, it isn’t magic, it is just smart strategic action. “When pursuing new markets, Disney typically focuses first on introducing the channel to deliver its brand directly to people’s homes. Then it uses that base to sell theme park vacations and merchandise” (Brooks Barnes). Broadcasting their specialized Disney channel to households in the developing markets such as Russia, allows Disney to advertise their brand name and expand their presence in the country.

Since 2009, Disney has focused much of their broadcasting energy into establishing these foundations for long-term growth in these emerging markets mainly because of that market’s economic growth combined with the growth of that population’s purchasing power. Of course, as an American company, they face many barriers to trade, and have developed a need to adapt to the sociocultural, economic differences, and legal differences, as well as political differences. ^[2]  This is especially true in Russia, where the government blocked Disney’s original attempt at a partnership with Media-One-Holdings Limited, a Russian media company, in 2008.  However, in 2011, Disney was able to enter into a strategic alliance by acquiring 49% of the broadcast channel SevenTV, which is estimated to reach more than 75% of Russia’s measured television audience. SevenTV will remain majority owned by UTH Russia, a fast growing media company. ^[3]

            This localization strategy is seen in the programming lineup of the new rebranded channel (from SevenTV to Disney Channel), which shows a mix of Disney’s signature children’s show as well as original Russian content. The channel currently shows older Soviet films, and is set to reach approximately 40 million households out of a population of 140 million people. Although the acquirement of SevenTV is considered a small audience share in Russian television and advertising, Disney knows that this will provide them with the infrastructure to build a national network in Russia. This deal also signaled a new approach for Disney Channel, which had always been part of a paid-tv service (non-basic channel), since they launched this channel in Russia as part of a free network of programming. ^[3]

            Since the rebranding of SevenTV into The Disney Channel in 2012, Disney has expanded in Russia through various outlets. As part of their 2012 Season of Giving (charitable events which occur around the holiday season) the Disney team in Russia hosted an event at the newly opened Rossia Theater in Moscow. More than 1200 children, including orphans, children with disabilities, and children with life-threatening medical conditions were invited to a special performance of one of their newest Disney experiences, a stage performance of The Little Mermaid musical. ^[4] In 2013, Disney worked with the Saint Petersburg Theatre of Musical Comedy to develop a special performance of Aladdin. In reference to this specialized performance, the managing director for Disney is Russia stated, “We are commited to creating shows specially designed for Russian audiences, and Aladdin is another example of that commitment.” ^[5] Even though the Walt Disney Company has been present in Russia through various aspects since 2006, ^[6] they had always viewed their position there as just a small ‘toehold’, but the acquisition of SevenTV in 2012 gave them an important ‘foothold’ where, according to Disney’s CEO Robert A. Iger, “We can now grow more robustly.” ^[2] And grow you shall.

            As you can see, The Walt Disney Companies pursuit of emerging markets is much like the easy, yet powerful, stroke of an artist. Slowly and steadily, they make their mark and expand their presence. By working closely within the communities to transition into the culture, Disney is able to grow significantly by using the Stratergeries of alliances, localization, foreign outsourcing, licensing, and direct investments. Спасибо (spasibo/thank you) Mickey Mouse.

Cited Websites:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategery

[1]    https://sites.google.com/a/email.vccs.edu/bus100bmenegazzi/strategies-for-reaching-global-markets

[2]    http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/disney-channel-to-be-introduced-in-russia/

[3]    http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/95a09354-00a4-11e1-930b-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3pJRsXwFx

[4]    https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/blog/disney-hosts-charity-event-special-viewing-little-mermaid-musical-russia

[5]    https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/blog/international-roundup-winter-highlights-europe

[6]    https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about-disney/disney-around-the-world

Homework: Russia by Geert-Hofstede Standards

My Interpretation of the Geert-Hofstede Model of Russia.
It is probably completely wrong, and I am sorry to all the Russians if it is, but I had to pick a country for this homework assignment. So here is what I wrote:

Cultural Analysis Based on the Geert-Hofstede Dimensions:  Russia

                I have a very limited knowledge of Russia. I am also unfamiliar with the Geert-Hofstede Cultural Analysis. In my simple little life, I have never considered learning about either of these things, much less combining the knowledge of the two… until now. The first step was to find Russia in the Hofstede Cultural Analysis tool online, where the dimensions graph shows a wide range in the dimensions spectrum. Russia scores quite high in Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Long Term Orientation. However, they score very low in Individualism, Masculinity, and Indulgence. I am already intrigued that there doesn’t seem to be a middle ground in this country.

                By 1991, the Communist Party governments had collapsed, opening up the countries that were formally Communistic to free market economies and introducing them to democratic politics. While these countries, including Russia, offer a variety of opportunities for exports and investments, they remain largely underdeveloped even today. Russia is, literally, the largest country in the world at 17,075,200 square kilometers (that is over 7 million more square kilometers than the second largest, Canada). Yet, despite its size, the majority of foreign investments are concentrated in the capital city of Moscow. Because the majority of the power lies in one city, Russia scores a 93 on the “Power Distance” scale of cultural dimension. Moscow also controls the majority of the financial potential. It is easy to understand then why the income distribution in the Russian society is extremely uneven. In a country with a high score in power distance, subordinates are expected to do as they are told, and to be obedient, so it is important for parents to teach their children how to obey and respect authority and elders.                 One would expect, when visiting the country, to see both well-behaved children, and well-behaved adults.

                In a society where the power distance is so large, it would not be ideal to stand out from the crowd as an individual, which is why Russia scores a low 39 in Individualism. Something that I found extremely interesting in the information provided by Geert-Hofstede.com’s analysis of Russia, is that their collectivism is even evident in their language. “If Russians plan to go out with their friends they would literally say ‘We with friends’ instead of ‘I am my friends’.” There is a benefit to this frame of mind, in that, developing authentic relationships with others aids in open communication and successful negotiations.

                In the subject of Masculinity vs Feminism, Russia is driven by quality of life, and caring for others, thus leaning toward the feminist side of the scale. I was quite surprised by this result shown in their score of 36. With the large number on the Power Distance scale, and the majority of financial control being centered around one city, I would have guessed that ‘caring for others’ would not have been a priority. However, because of their collectivism, and desire for authentic relationships, I can see how they would place a high importance on caring for others, and having a more equality type behavior amongst peers.

                Uncertainty Avoidance is a must in Mother Russia. There is no one person, or one country that can predict the future, and Russia is uncomfortable with that. The highest score that Russia holds in the Hofstede model is in Uncertainty Avoidance, with a score of 95. Perplexing and unknown situations are threats to Russians. In business, Russians prefer to have “context and background information” (Hofstede online analysis) in a presentation or negotiation. This score comes as less of a surprise to me because it seems to be a reflection of the combined mentality of the previous three categories; power distance (obedience), collectivism (relationship building), and feminism (caring for others). Russians, apparently, prefer to have set rules and boundaries, as well as and a sense of group safety.

                Continuing in this thought pattern, Russia scores its lowest score in the category of Indulgence. With a score of 20, I am beginning to see that Russians would feel that indulging themselves would not be a good thing.  They are restrained by the accepted ‘norms’ of their society, and feel a need to have rules, and leaders with dominance, therefore, indulging yourself in leisurely activities or giving in to your desires would be frowned upon. Not to mention that you would stand out from the crowd, which is a no-no in a collective society.

                Finally, in the category of Long-term vs. Short-term Orientation, Russia lands on the higher side of the middle ground. At 81, Russians have the ability to adapt and adjust their traditions with the passing of time. My opinion is that they would need to be both practical and sensible in their society, since the past twenty or so years have caused them to redevelop their governmental and political standards.  I also see that, with their desire to avoid risk, they would place a high importance on perseverance and frugality, also known as low-indulgence.

I am excited to learn more about the Russian community and culture. 

Go here for more info:   http://geert-hofstede.com/russia.html 

Inaugural CMA Awards Show

Tonight is the 49th Annual CMA (Country Music Association) Awards Show... It is definitely one of my favorite award shows to watch.

Lets start with, I grew up with country music and I thoroughly enjoy every bit of it. Add to that, I think Brad Paisley is freakin' hilarious. He is, in my opinion, one of the best awards show hosts. Then wrap it all up with a fancy bow that says, tonight Fall Out Boy is going to perform there!
Woot Woot!! I've got the DVR Set!

Now, since I share the initials CMA, I generally refer to this show as MY awards show.  "Hey, you gonna watch my award show tonight? No?  Well, you're gonna miss out, cause it's gonna be good!"

With that in mind, I thought, why not... so I have decided to list my own categories and winners for MY own, personal, C.M.A. Awards. So, without further ado...   Do do do dooooooooooo

"Welcome friends to the Inaugural Listing of my personal C.M.A. Awards...It has been a crazy year ya'll. It really has. Ups and downs, and spin arounds of all kinds. Through it all we've managed to keep the laughter going. So it's not a surprise that our first category of the night is...

The Memory with the Most Laughs"...  Nominees include:  My sister screaming angrily at me "Fine, I love you, now put Mom on the phone!",  Playing Cards Against Humanity for the first time, and finally Playing Cards Against Humanity with my Mother who kept using phallic themed cards and grossing my sister out. And the Award goes to.... Playing Cards Against Humanity with my Mother who kept playing phallic themed cards to gross my sister out.   Who doesn't love it when their sibling is bested by their parents!  Such as awesome memory, I could hardly breathe from laughing hysterically.

Best Movie that I Saw in the Theater this year goes to...the ONLY movie I saw in the theater this year.  SPY with Melissa McCarthy.  Good job, girl.  I was not disappointed in the least.  You are wonderful and inspirational, and hilarious.

The Class at College I liked the most this past year...Nominees include, International Business Strategy, Marketing, and Principles of Management...the Award goes to Marketing! Professor Barnstrator knew how to deliver the jokes.  He was cynical in the most entertaining way. And I learned things, actual things!  Second place runner up is International Business Strategy, loved that Professor as well.

Funniest Conversation this year, its hard to pin this down! Nominees include: the naming of my own personal NSA Agent. (Hi NSADave!), the Willy Wonka and the evil Oompa Loompa discussion, and catching up with my Aunt & Uncle that I hadn't seen in years by bonding over stand up comedians.... And this was a very very close call, but I have to give it up to the naming of NSADave. It just wouldn't be right if I didn't acknowledge him.  #nsadaveisimportant

The Genre That I Explode Into Song the Most In:  country? rock? oldies? ....  80's Hair Band Classic Rock... because, you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone!

Favorite Man Behind the Movies...   Edward Kitsis?  Adam Horowitz?  Garry Marshall?   No, no, no, those are all fantastic choices, but No....  The Award goes to Mel Brooks, yes, the award goes to Yogurt the wise, Yogurt the all powerful. Yogurt the Magnificent!... even if he is just plain yogurt!

Talk Show I'd Like to be a Guest On:  The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, actually any talk show with Jimmy Fallon, I just want to make him laugh and forget what he was talking about...  :-)

Cindy's Celebrity Crush....  I think anyone that knows me personally already knows the answer to this. There are 3 Awards in this category.... the Winner wins because he's just plain dorky, loves his family, helps out the kiddies, and oddly weirdly kinda reminds me of my dad: Chris Evans.  The 1st runner-up, for being an adorably sexy goofball: Bradley Cooper, and in third place, Most of the Cast of the Vikings, because you're just dang hot & sexy. Yep. You are.

Favorite TV Show:  Once Upon A Time, duh.

Celebrity Couple that I'd Most Like to Be Adopted By:  Chris Pratt & Anna Faris.  Not sure how that would work though, but they seem like fun parents, so hey... they win.

Choice of Last Meal's If I Was Ever On Death Row:  full thanksgiving meal.  I'm going out in a tryptophan coma.

Pro I Would Want If I Were On Dancing With The Stars:  This is tough, because he isn't my #1 favorite, but I think he comes up with really awesome routines that sometimes get overlooked or overshadowed, so he wins this round:  Val C.

YouTube Videos I Am Currently Enjoying:  David Armand miming to songs.  I can't stop watching.

Yeah, these categories are totally random because I literally, just decided to write this post about 20 minutes ago, and this is what I could come up with in that short time.

Maybe next year the categories will be better and have more rhyme and reason to them.

Tune in to the real Country Music Awards tonight... I promise it'll have some good stuff!

My Once Upon A Time Family Tree

My two favorite writers are Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz.  My love for their style of writing began with the show LOST, where I was dedicated to taking the journey with the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815.  So when I heard that these two were involved in a new show called Once Upon A Time, I was already a fan before the first show ever aired.  Here is another link to info about the show, just in case: Once Upon A Time.

I have been 'hooked' on this show since episode one. So, when I started back into college and the Computer Applications professor asked us to create a detailed and complex Power Point slide show on any subject of our choosing, I decided to talk about the most detailed and complex show that I know. In case you are wondering, I got an "A" on my slide show and presentation, Ah-thank you.

And here we are, Sunday 10/11, tonight is the airing of episode 3 of season 5. And it just keeps getting better and better. I thought that this Sunday I would write about the show, since I am trying to become a more dedicated blogger, and since there may be some folks out there who still haven't watched the show, or may still be a little lost about how they interconnect with each other.  So,I am including a picture of one of my slides, where I put together a little family tree.

Season one opens with Henry Mills on the search for his birth mother, Emma Swan.  Henry is the adopted son of Regina Mills, the mayor of Storybrooke, Maine. Henry, on a greyhound bus headed for Boston, to find Emma, holds a book of fairy tales. Henry is convinced that the people of his hometown are actually fairy tale characters, who were cursed and sent to our realm, in the small Maine town, with no memories of their former lives.  He believes that Emma, his birth mother, is the key to breaking this curse. He also believes that his adoptive mother, who has raised him since birth, is the Evil Queen who enacted this curse. He is right, about all of it. In fact the only two characters who were not affected by the curse were the Evil Queen, who enacted the curse, and Mr. Gold, the pawnbroker, who created the curse back in the Enchanted Forest, where he went by his real name, Rumpelstiltskin.

Over the course of season one, and into season two, we learn more about each characters' backstory, and their inner struggles. What I love about this show/story is that the villains, are not really completely mean people, but rather, they are misunderstood or have just been overwhelmed by their pains and struggles, and they are left feeling hopeless.  And that is the recurring notion of the show... HOPE. We all crave it, we all need it... Hope.

Henry's birth mother, Emma, brings him back to Storybrooke to return him to his proper home with his adoptive mother, but something piques her curiosity and she ends up staying in town. She spends the night at Granny's bed and breakfast. She eventually becomes the town's sheriff, and begins to believe that Henry is correct about the curse. She starts to believe that the town's people could actually be lost fairy tale characters. Her belief starts the ball rolling, and when she kisses Henry on the forehead and tells him that she loves him, the curse is broken (true love's kiss). P.S. I love that twist that they used for true love's kiss, instead of a man and woman as is usually shown, they chose the love of a mother to her child... that is true love!

After the curse breaks and everyone remembers who they are, there is some strife, and a bit of chaos. But in all of this, we find out that Emma's birth parents are Snow White & Prince Charming. Which means that her Step-Grandmother is the Evil Queen, who is the adoptive mother of her biological son. Can we say, crazy complicated! In later season's it is discovered that the mother of the Evil Queen is Cora, who is also Wonderland's Queen of Hearts.  It is also shown that Cora's first born child, was a little girl that Cora did not want to keep because it would hinder her chances at marrying into royalty. So instead of loving her baby girl, Cora sent her off to another realm, Oz. That little girl grew up jealous of her younger sister (who was kept and raised by mom), and eventually turned green from all that envy... that little girl grew up in Oz and became The Wicked Witch of the West, also known as Zelena.

Coming back to Rumpelstiltskin, in learning his backstory, we see that at one time, he was a normal, timid guy with a wife and son. He was drafted to fight in the Ogre Wars, but believed that he would perish there and never see his son again. So he broke his ankle on purpose, in order to avoid the war. His wife, Milah, considered him a coward for this and left him, and their son. Rumpel raised his son, Baelfire, as a single dad, until it came time for Baelfire to be drafted off to fight in the Ogre Wars. Rumpel would not have it, and instead he summoned the Dark One (the one who possesses the strongest of dark magic) and killed him, thus becoming the Dark One himself. He did all of this in order to save his son from going to the Ogre Wars. Baelfire wanted his father to give up that Dark power, and escape with him into another realm. But when they stood before the open portal, Rumpel let go of Baelfire, and stayed in the Enchanted Forest, choosing power over his own son.

Baelfire ended up in London, where he met the Darlings (Wendy, Michael, and John). He was happy living there and loved that family dearly. So when the shadow of Peter Pan came to take one of the boys away to live in Neverland, Baelfire took that boys place. He knew that the shadow was not friendly, and that being taken from family was not a good thing. So the shadow carried Baelfire to Neverland, where he lived with Peter Pan, but continued to look for a way back to the Darlings. He found his way of escape by way of the Jolly Roger, where he met Captain Hook, a.k.a. Killian Jones.

As it turns out, when Milah, Baelfire's mother, left him and his father, she went to a tavern, where she met and fell in love with Killian Jones. Her love was reciprocated and her and Killian were quite happy together, until the Dark One found them. When Rumpelstiltskin found Milah, he ripped her heart from her chest and killed her. Killian drew his sword, and lost the fight to the Dark One, and his hand as well, thus creating a metaphorical "crocodile" out of Rumpelstiltskin. Losing his hand, Killian replaced it with a hook, and became the Captain Hook that we all know and love, battling Peter Pan and his lost boys in Neverland.  So when Baelfire ends up on Hook's ship, he takes the boy in, knowing that he was Milah's son.

Eventually Baelfire ends up in our world again. He is now a man, using the name Neal Cassidy, he meets a young woman named Emma Swan and they fall in love. They are partners in crime, literally. They rob stores and houses together. One night, Neal is greeted by another man, on a motorcycle, who tells him that he knows his real name (Baelfire). The mystery man later turns out to be Pinocchio, but since he is not in the family tree, I am not going into detail about him. So, the mystery man tells Baelfire about the curse, and about Emma, and that as long as she is with Baelfire/Neal, she will never believe, and the curse will never be broken.  So Neal leaves her behind after a heist, where she is caught and sent to jail.  She gives birth to Henry while in jail, and immediately gives him up for adoption, believing that it is the best thing that she can do for him, in order for him to have his best chance.

So now we know that Henry's biological parents are Emma and Neal (Baelfire). His maternal grandparents are Snow White & Prince Charming. Henry's Paternal grandparents are Rumpelstiltskin and Milah. His maternal Great-Grandmother is also his adoptive mother, Regina Mills a.k.a. the Evil Queen. His great-great-grandmother (maternal) is Cora, the Queen of Hearts. The love of Rumpelstiltskin's life (after Milah) is Belle. Belle's father made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin (he loves making deals) and since "All magic comes with a price, dearie", he was supposed to spend the rest of his life as a servant in Rumple's castle. However, Belle chooses to go in his place... thus creating a "Beast" out of Rumpelstiltskin. This dude covers alot of villain territory! But Belle sees through his rough exterior and loves the man behind the beast. She brings the man to life under the villainous shell and softens his heart. Oh, and also, as you can see from the slide, the father of Rumpelstiltskin is Peter Pan.

My favorite season so far was season 3, in Neverland. The most evil of all the villains up to that point was Peter Pan. He was not the adorable little ever-youthful boy of the stories we grew up on. Instead he was capturing young boys and taking them from their loving homes, in order to keep himself young forever. His entire goal was to capture his great grandson, Henry, to steal his heart and keep himself alive and young. The entire season is summed up by telling you that Rumpelstiltskin's father created Neverland in his imagination, and chose youth over his child, abandoning Rumpelstiltskin forever. Do you see a pattern here from the dark evil ones, choosing power, youth, and riches instead of loving their children? Now in Rumpel's defense, he regretted his choice to let go of Baelfire (or "Bae" as he called him) from the moment the portal closed, and he had spent all of the time in between searching for him.  In fact, it is because of Rumple's search for Bae that the family is reunited in season two. Rumple asks Emma to help him track down his son, Baelfire (a name she never knew) in New York City. She goes with him, and Henry tags along, and when she finds Baelfire she is blindsided by the fact that he is Neal, her lost love, and Henry's father. So, now, by the end of the season, Rumpelstiltskin makes good on his bad decision and sacrifices himself to save his son, Bae, and newly discovered grandson, Henry, from his father, Peter Pan, or so we thought. Turns out he did kill Peter Pan, but Rumple didn't actually die, he just went off into some other portal/capsule thing.

Emma revealed back in Neverland that she was still deeply in love with Neal, but she was hesitant to open her heart to him again, because of her history of being abandoned and hurt by those she loves. Nonetheless, she, Henry, and Neal are enjoying their short time together as a family before Zelena, the Wicked Witch of the West becomes the new threat to Storybrooke (Season 4's villain). Because of Zelena, it is discovered that Rumple is not actually dead, and that he has the answers to defeating her. Rumple can come back to life, if someone else is sacrificed in his place (that is a VERY simplified way of saying that part of the story). Neal is the guy for the job.  He is saving his family, Emma and Henry, by dying to bring back his father, to defeat Zelena. And this is where I admit to you that I had tears streaming down my face when Neal died. .... Ugh, it's still too soon to talk about it.  I miss that man, every new episode, I think "Neal should be there to see that".

Well, that is the immediate family of Henry Mills.  If you have never watched any of this show, I fully recommend it. I love these writers, and their ways of twisting stories and pulling apart the knotted strings little by little until the story-line is revealed. Hats off to you Adam and Edward, its a great story. I can't wait to see where else it goes!

I (heart) Monstober

http://disneychannel.disney.com/monstober

Each October turns into "Monstober" on the Disney Channel...

...and
           I.
                 Love.
                            It.

Thank you Disney Channel for starting the Halloween festivities at the beginning of the month.

Yes, I am one of those people who love Halloween and is ready to start celebrating on October 1st (or sooner)! To be fair, On November 1, I am ready for Thanksgiving. Then, the day after Thanksgiving, I pull out the Christmas decorations. What can I say, I like to celebrate things.  Yep, I also start a birthday countdown every year in my birth month. I don't necessarily love to grow older, but I certainly love to have a party!

Monstober this year actually started on Oct. 2nd with a Crossover event, where characters from one show make guest appearances on another show. And this is where I will tell you that, as someone that enjoys writing and appreciates the way a story (any story) is told... I seriously love the crossover events. I think it is fantastic how they intertwine all of the shows into, basically one long show.

The Central Park Spooktacular is the central theme to all of the crossover shows this year, and Disney planted a "masked man" at the spooktacular. He appeared in all of the shows at some point or another.  The idea was for the viewers to keep count of how many times he appeared, then submit your answer online for a chance to win two tickets to a Disney Cruise. I did not participate, but I liked the idea of that.  I am sure it kept the kids (and kids-at-heart) focused on the shows.  I know what you're thinking "Cindy, you are a kid at heart, you were focused on the shows."  Yes, I am and I was, but I was also reading from my Global Business Today book and prepping for a new college class, so I didn't bother counting the masked man's appearances. But, I did enjoy every show.

Thank you Disney, for every year's Monstober!

Cara & Kyle and GAME NIGHT

Cara & Kyle, best friends, invite their friends over to Kyle's apartment for a game night. 

Friends that showed up: Byron, Susan, and Kevin
Didn't make it: Kevin's husband Giovanni (aka Gio)

Scene is set in Kyle's apartment... 
Opens with everyone gathered in the kitchen and around the kitchen table. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Susan: "Kyle that dinner was delicious. I am so glad that you guys decided to have us over."

Kyle: "You are so very welcome. It was so easy and simple. I found the recipes and ideas in last month's Sandra Lee Magazine... I forget the name of her magazine. Maybe that is the name... anyway, she has awesome ideas, I love her."

Cara: "He isn't lying, I think he secretly pretends to be her when he is cooking. I swear that I can hear him talking to the invisible cameras."

Kyle: "First of all, I don't do that. And secondly, how could you hear anything? You don't live with me!"

Cara: "I live next door, I can hear you through the walls."

Kyle: "Mmm, yes, that works both ways by the way."

Cara: "Woo-uh-ohhhh"

Byron: "Well, I agree with Susan, this is awesome. What games do you have for us on this 'Game Night'?"

Cara: "We have a few different ideas, but we don't have an even number of players since Giovanni isn't here?"

Kyle & Susan: "Yeah, Kevin, where is Gio? ... JINX."

Kevin: "He was called in just as we were heading out the door.  Apparently the A/C went down at the hospital. My husband, the HVAC hero." (takes a sip of drink) "Actually, he is really good at what he does, which is why they like to call him in, and they pay him extremely well."

Kyle: "I would hope so. Someone has to fund your lavish tastes!"

[laughter]

Cara: "Well, why don't we play our own version of 'Who's Line is it Anyway?' and do some silly improv things?"

All at once: Kevin: (sighs) "I guess."  Byron: "Sounds good"  Susan: "Yeah, that should be fun"
Kyle (trailing behind the others) : "You're going down, Cara"

All look at Kyle, Cara gets him the stink eye. Laughter from the others.

Cara: "We need a host and judge. Who wants to be the Drew Carey?"

Kevin: "Me. Me. Give that microphone slash gavel to me. I'll be more than happy to judge you all." (puts emphasis on the word all as he points at them one by one)

Cara: "Well, okay then. (pulling up info online) So, here is a list of the games from that show, and you just pick a game and then pick which of us you want to play that game."

(everyone settling down in the living room on the couches and chairs)

Kevin: "Alright, let's see here... ummm... okay, let's start by pinning our wonderful hosts Kyle and Cara against each other with.... which game... hmmm, how about 90 Second Alphabet, whatever you say has to start with the next letter in the alphabet from what was used previously, and so on and so forth. Starting with the letter G... you have 90 seconds... and go."

Kyle: "Girl, what's up?"

Cara: "How you doin'?"

Kyle: "I asked you first."

Cara: "Jiminy Crickets, calm down!"

Kyle: "Kyle. My name is Kyle!"

Cara: "Like you would let me forget."

Kyle: (pauses) "Mimosa?"

Cara: (snickers) "No thank you!"

Kyle: "Ooooo-kay"

Cara: (stares at Kyle and shouts) "Pink parachutes and pickles!"

Kyle: (makes a face and shrugs shoulders) "Que pasa"

Cara: "Roasted red peppers"

Kyle: "Stop saying weird things!"

Cara: "That's what she said."

Kyle: "Ummmmm, does Umm count?"

Cara: "Vernacular."

Kyle: "What kind of word is that?"

Cara: "Xavier is the last name of the leader of the X-men."

Kyle: "You are so weird."

Cara: "Zippers zip and zappers zap."

Kyle: "Are we almost done?"

Cara: "Betcha by golly wow!"

Kyle: "Cara is ca-razy"

Cara: "Dern tootin'"

Kyle: "Exactly"

Cara: "Fuck yeah!"

Kyle: "Goodness that language!"

Kevin: "And you are back at G, so you're done. Thank goodness, Cara, that was awful... all the points go to Kyle!"

Cara:  "Oh come on! That is stinkin' hard to keep a conversation going with some of those letters."

Susan: "Cara, it was awful, but it was awfully hilarious"

Byron: "I quite enjoyed it."

Cara: "Well, good, Kevin, make Susan and Byron go next!"

Kevin: "Alright, and they will be playing.... Song Titles... you can only speak in song titles! But before they start we need to write down ideas for the next game... scenes from a hat. So everyone grab a pen and paper and write down some goofy idea for a scene and then Byron and Susan will have a song title conversation!"

--end of scene... so far--

It's Sunday Again

It's Sunday again, ya'll...  I have so much reading to do for my college classes, but I just can't seem to motivate myself to stay focused on it.  In my Old Testament Survey class I need to read selected chapters from Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  They are all great books, but long! And while most of the stories within them are...well, EPIC ... there are also some parts that are sooooo boring. Since I don't have to work tomorrow (since tomorrow is Labor Day) I will spend the majority of tomorrow reading.

My other class is HR Management, and thankfully I only need to read two chapters of that book. I am going to wait to read those two on Tuesday or Wednesday night.  You see, class in on Thursday, and we will take a quiz on the chapters read, so I would rather wait to have them fresher in my mind when I take the quiz. Strategic reading. Yes, I will call it strategic reading. It's not laziness.... really. 

Speaking of laziness, I finally caught up on the Jim Gaffigan Show episodes that I had in my DVR.  I really love that guy, he is just naturally funny. Its a gift. I have to admit, the show is not quite as funny as his stand up routine.  But, to be fair, the whole point of a stand up routine is to keep people laughing through the set, whereas a television show is made to entertain with a story line and offer up the occasional laugh. His show does what it is supposed to. 

And now I am catching up on Modern Family, even though I should be reading. This is another show that makes me laugh continually. What dynamic personalities on this show. It really is a great show, and now I must go so I can finish watching the episodes!  

Talk to ya later!!! 

Cara & Kyle on a Lunch Break

[warning: Language & Adult topic]

Cara & Kyle at Lunch - Sitting in the cafeteria at work, best friends Cara & Kyle have a complete and totally random conversation.  Kyle is looking through his phone at his social network newsfeed. 

[Kyle]: So, Netflix is bringing out all the things that my nephew Dave wants to watch next month…(pauses to read more)… oooh, and Reading Rainbow!

[Cara]: (sings) Butterfly in the sky!

[Kyle]: That boy is going to watch Reading Rainbow or I'm going to throw their big ass plasma TV out the window.

[Cara]: (keeps singing) It can go twice as high!

[Kyle]: I like Reading Rainbow. But oh my gosh, I wish Netflix had Mr. Rogers.

[Cara]: Well, you know… when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.

[Kyle]: (looks up from phone) Umm, isn't that from Cinderella? I’m talking about Reading Rainbow and Mr. Rogers. Are you even listening?

[Cara]: I am listening. I’m telling you to wish for it! And I thought that song was from Pinocchio. Yeah, it is. Jiminy cricket sings it. Cinderella sings "A dream is a wish your heart makes". Anyway, you can wish for Mr. Rogers to be on Netflix, just like you wish he would come into your dreams at night.

[Kyle]: More like Steve Rogers in my bedroom.

[Cara]: I told you I don’t share. You can’t have Cpt. Steve Rogers. He is all mine.

[Kyle]: Mm-hmm, right.  Well, anyway… Going back to the Disney thing, I found out recently that my sister-in-law won't let the kids watch Dumbo because she is afraid of the pink elephants.

[Cara]: (stops humming and stares at Kyle) Hmm, that’s interesting. What about the Heffalumps and Woozles, do they scare her too?

[Kyle]: No, she likes that one.

[Cara]: What!? That…   that makes NO sense to me. Pink Elephants – No. Heffalumps, Woozles – Okay.

[Kyle]: Yep. And the kids dig the song.  Dave marches around the house going (stands up to act it out) 'HEFFALUMPS AND WOOZLES, DOO DOOT DOO DOO DOOT DOO'

Cara laughs hard and loudly. 

[Kyle]: Yeah, personally, I don't think that the elephants are especially egregious.

[Cara]: Well, I mean, basically the animators just grabbed a different crayon. In real life, it’d be just like, spreading body paint on an animal. Seriously, the Oompa Loompas are way more sinister if you ask me.

[Kyle]: Oh yeah, the Oompa Loompas are psychopaths. Hey, check out this kid that just got turned into a blueberry because she's a glutton. We'll sing a song, then juice her ass.

[Cara]: And hey, Let’s make sure the song let’s her how much she deserves it all because she likes chewing gum (sings) "like a co-ow does...."

[Kyle]: Yeah, stick it to her.

[Cara]: ....hey how about this fat kid clogging up our chocolate lines....

[Kyle]: Let's hope he drowns in it.

[Cara]: But hey, people will think we are nice if we speak in rhyme... like poets.

[Kyle]: (snapping fingers like a beatnik poet)  He goes up. UP THE PIPE.

[Cara]: The brown river pipe. (pauses in revelation) Oh my gosh… The Oompa Loompas are gay.

[Kyle]: Haha, And serial killers!!! They sing a song about a little girl being incinerated.

[Cara]: Those sadistic fuckers.

[Kyle]: Yup. But then again, their leader, Willy Wonka... he isn't quite right either.

[Cara]: Willy Wonka is a pedophile… He likes to Wonk little willies. (pinches Kyle) WONK! (pinches again) Wonk wonk!

[Kyle]: GOOD DAY, SIR! (throws napkin down)

[Cara]: (loudly, like a fog horn) WOOOOOOOOOOO-oooooooooooooonnnnnkkkkkkkkkkk.

(People at nearby tables stop and stare at the foghorn noise, but continue with their own business as Cara and Kyle laugh hysterically)

[Kyle]: You really shouldn't wonk at work.

[Cara]: (laughs then sings to the tune of whistle while you work) Wonk it while you work fap fap fap-fap fap fap fap!

[Kyle]: I will look for your post tomorrow on Reddit; “The Time I Fucked Up” by wonking at work.

[Cara]: I'm sure there's more than one of those.

[Kyle]: Probably. We better get back to work before our bosses Wonk our paychecks.

[Cara]: Are we still going to dinner tonight? 

[Kyle]: As long as you promise not to wonk any willies.

[Cara]: Okay, but if Steve Rogers shows up, all promises are null and void. 

[Kyle]: Agreed! 

They pick up their lunch contents and trash and leave to return to their offices.