Wednesday, February 16, 2011

30 Days of Disney: Day Four

Day 4: Favorite Prince

Oh, dear. This is where it goes bad. I LOVE the Disney princes. What girl didn't crush on at least one of them in her childhood. I was and am no different. In fact, I still crush hard on the princes. Especially when I am lucky enough to meet them in the parks and they are just as *charming* in person.

The prince I've loved longest is Prince Phillip. He's a dragon slaying, serenade singing, all around great dancer. He's that boy next door you don't mind bringing to meet your mama. He fights for his princess, which is rare in Disney fables, and he is victorious and has one of the best kiss scenes in Disney history. I've wanted my own Prince Philip for ages.

Recently, though, I've fallen for Disney's newest Prince: Prince Naveen. He's very charismatic in the film, and the character in the parks just sealed the deal. I've become a Naveen stalker! The newer Princess films gives the princes more personality, so we really get to know Naveen through the course of the movie. He's a flirt, a playboy really, and yet he does have a soft side. He's very romantic when he's not trying to be, and through it all he's a good guy.

So I have two favorites. The more modern Naveen and the saintly Phillip. Mmm-mmm Good! ;)

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Youngest Yukon Quest Champion Crowned Tonight

Youngest musher to FINISH the Iditarod just became the youngest musher to WIN the Yukon Quest Alaska's other long distance insanely intense sled dog race.

Who's the new champion you ask? Dallas Seavey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So excited! But now I need to go to bed, I stayed up way past my bedtime for this, and I don't even get to watch it unfold. Dallas was quoted at the finishline saying "I thought this was just a training run!"

You're just training yourself for how to be a champion! Congrats, Bubba!

30 Days of Disney: Day Three

Day 3: Favorite Heroine

When Pirates of the Caribbean opened in 2003, I was not expecting much. I mean, this was the company that was running their franchise into the ground with stupid half hearted films for the last near decade. The only saving grace Disney had at that point was Pixar, and they were on the verge of losing that company, until they held the Toy Story characters hostage.

Then Jerry Bruckheimer signed up to produce a film based on one of Walt Disney's park rides... Pirates. Who doesn't love pirates? Who'd he hire? Hollywood... "weird" Johnny Depp... Who's career was anything but big money maker. He was an odd duck type actor, in the same sort of vein as Tim Burton, how on earth was he ever going to be able to play a straight on Disney character?

Well, he didn't.

But that's not what the prompt was about. But I think you can figure out where I'm going with this. Elizabeth Swann is probably my favorite female Disney character we have to date (topping even Mary Poppins. I know, blasphemy!). I especially like her in the first film. The film itself was a welcome surprise, but each character brought something to the table. Elizabeth was someone I think every girl could relate to. She was part princess (or, well, governor's daughter) and part pirate. She could doll up for any occassion and yet share a drink and a laugh with the guys. I totally identified with her not wanting to just fit into the social norms of the day and marry the first guy who came calling - no matter what life he could afford her.

So here's to the Pirate Princess of the Caribbean, may she always keep Will's heart (if not I know a lot of girls willing to take over for her).

Drink up, me hearties! Yo ho!

Monday, February 14, 2011

30 Days of Disney: Day Two

Day 2: Favorite Princess

Everyone, say it with me: Princess Aurora. Known best just as Sleeping Beauty, I actually prefer her peasant name of Briar Rose. Aurora is Disney's second princess (Snow White, of course, being the first). I love just about everything in that movie, and the princess is no exception. I love the fact that she doesn't mouth off or run away or defy authority - sure she DREAMS about meeting someone, and she DOES dance with Phillip, but she doesn't go out of her way to break the rules... she's not happy with them, but what can she do?

I'm not sure exactly what it is about her that I love, but I always come back to her even after my mini obsessions with Belle and Jazzy when the movies first came out (actually the only princess I didn't like, and still don't, is Ariel).

So here's to the girl with hair as bright and golden as the sun, and lips the shame the red, red rose...

Princess Aurora outside her Castle, Feb. 2011

Sunday, February 13, 2011

30 Days of Disney: Day One

Day 1: Favorite Character

Oh, this is simple enough. From the time I can remember it's always been about Donald Duck. Sure, every little kid that grows up with Disney knows the Mickey Mouse Club Theme (I even taught it to Haille Rae) and so you're immediately brainwashed to believe it's all about the Mouse, but it didn't work that long on me. Part of it may be due to the fact that my mom's youngest brother sounds JUST LIKE HIM when he talks to little kids. Haille kept calling him Uncle Donald Duck the entire week we were at their house for Judy's wedding. He's just way talented in that way.

So it may be genetics, but Donald Duck has always been my favorite. I'm very much like him, too, very quick to anger... very proud... very full of myself... ha ha! After all I have this blog that almost no one reads, right? Why? Because I like talking about myself. Duh. It's all about me... or, in this case, the Duck.

Tonichelle & Donald Duck Disneyland 2011

30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day Thirty!

Day 30: Why Do You Love Figure Skating?

That's the big question, isn't it? Originally it was because I liked to be entertained. I grew up during the "golden era" of North American figure skating. There were professional competitions and shows just about every weekend on TV (especially after 1994) and with skaters like Scott Hamilton and Kurt Browning and Viktor Petrenko... well... those events were never boring.

In high school I fell in love with competitive figure skating because I loved the on the edge of your seat moments of finding out, after a great night of skating, who would come away with gold. There was a rush.

But really what has always been the reason? The skaters themselves. Like any sports fan I become invested in teh personal stories of the athletes themselves. It started with my obsession with Scott Hamilton, and through him I connected his friends on the ice and learned more about them - normally on my way to learn what they really thought about my favorite skater. In high school I began work on fan sites and official sites and connected with some of the up and coming stars that are now, mostly, professional skaters (insanity!). I was emotionally invested in their competitions, their success, their failures...

It's the human aspect that keeps me tuning in, even when I'm bored to tears with the 5 million Carmens and 20billion swan lakes. It's that part of skating that makes it mroe than just baby ballerinas and jumping beans.

It's the skaters themselves that make skating great.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

formspring.me

Ask me anything http://formspring.me/tonichelle

Who are you cheering for for the Iditarod?

First and foremost Mitch and Dallas Seavey - but don't let them know that! Since I have a knack for jinxing my favorite athletes/teams, I've been forbidden to cheer for them... but I can't help it. Dallas is really on the upswing the last couple of years, and he's been labelled as one of the race's next big stars, so I have a lot of faith in his team and their ability.

I also have a soft spot for John Baker and Martin Buser... Then there's Sebastian Schnuelle, Hans Gatt and Hugh Neff.... yeah I have quite a few I'm cheering for... (Newton and Wattie are fan favorites, and mine!)

But, really, as long as Lance Mackey's team is in the mix I think we know who the champion will be... they're an amazing combination, don't know what he's doing that gets teh wins, but whatever it is, I've no doubt he'll continue that magic.

Ask me anything

New 30 Days after the last one...

The skating one ends tomorrow, so to keep myself blogging I'm going to do this one I just found. 30 Days of Disney! score! (Yeah, you're not excited, so what, it's my blog.)

Here's the run down

Day #1: Your favorite character


Day #2: Your favorite princess

Day #3: Your favorite heroine

Day #4: Your favorite prince

Day #5: Your favorite hero

Day #6: Your favorite animal

Day #7: Your favorite sidekick

Day #8: Your favorite villain

Day #9: Your favorite original character (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, etc.)

Day #10: Your favorite song

Day #11: Your favorite love song

Day #12: Your favorite villain song

Day #13: Your least favorite song

Day #14: Your favorite kiss

Day #15: The first movie you saw

Day #16: Your favorite classic

Day #17: Your least favorite classic

Day #18: Your favorite Pixar film

Day #19: Your least favorite Pixar film

Day #20: Favorite sequel

Day #21: An overrated movie

Day #22: An underrated movie

Day #23: A movie that makes you laugh

Day #24: A movie that makes you cry

Day #25: Your favorite scene from your favorite movie

Day #26: Saddest death

Day #27: Your favorite quote

Day #28: Your favorite Disney animated TV series

Day #29: Your least favorite Disney animated TV series

Day #30: Your favorite live action Disney Film

30 Days of [Figure] Skating: Day Twenty-Nine

Day 29: Favorite Skater of All Time

She's back! I will update on the trip eventually.... I hope... but for now I've got two more days of skating meme before Iditarod, work, and photo editting take over my life! LOL

Anyway, back on topic. Favorite skater of all time is going to be Scott Hamilton. Pretty sure I've said that several times throughout the 30 day meme (which has spanned over two months now, but oh well.) Without Scott i'd not have fallen in love with the sport of figure skating. Sure, I put skaters above him - now - in terms of skill and what not, but Scott will always hold that special spot in my heart. He was my hero growing up, and someone I continue to follow and get excited for when he's in the news doing something good. I pray for him, and send him well wishes and support/encouragement, and go totally fan girl when I am in the stands and he's commentating.

I've gushed on him earlier in this little meme thing, so I won't rehash all of that, but for me Scott Hamilton is figure skating. His name is the first that comes to mind when someone begins talking about the sport.