Spring Break stories
#1
I'm typing this from my room at the Beach Club Villa at the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida. I'm sipping ice water from a wine glass and considering getting malt beverages from the main floor store.

I live in a three-bedroom palace. My roommate's taking the smaller suite while I've got the master suite. (I'm expecting company for the weekend, you see. ;)) I even get a balcony across from EPCOT and Magic Kingdom--free admission for the nightly fireworks shows!

It's a late spring break but it's a good spring break. Anybody else have any good spring break stories? Any exotic locales or fun trips?
UPDATE: Spamblaster.
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#2
Count Duckula,Mar 22 2005, 07:43 PM Wrote:I'm typing this from my room at the Beach Club Villa at the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida. I'm sipping ice water from a wine glass and considering getting malt beverages from the main floor store.

I live in a three-bedroom palace. My roommate's taking the smaller suite while I've got the master suite. (I'm expecting company for the weekend, you see. ;)) I even get a balcony across from EPCOT and Magic Kingdom--free admission for the nightly fireworks shows!

It's a late spring break but it's a good spring break. Anybody else have any good spring break stories? Any exotic locales or fun trips?
[right][snapback]71569[/snapback][/right]

I've taken two train trips to California to see my uncle. I probably should go see more of the country, since there were some very cool areas in the western part. On these trips, there have been a few drug busts, and some other interesting things, although I wasn't really paying attention so didn't notice them until my mom said something.

On one trip I learned about "Flovia". Two of my uncle's friends would go around to places pretending to be from other countries and not speak english well, to see what would happen. One of the times they made up a country, since if they used a real country they might run into someone actually from the country, so couldn't fool around anymore. At the restaurant they pretend to be from "Flovai" with one pretending not to know english, and the other translating. The way the told it, after the waiter hears the "foreign language":

Waiter: where are you guys from?

#1: we're from Flovia
Waiter: where's that?

It's in eastern europe.

Later, after ordering toast:

Waiter: Would you like honey or jam on the toast?

person 1 to person 2: heh no Duchen?

person 2: heh
person 1 ("translating"): jam, please

waiter: How did you say jam?

person 1: "heh"
Waiter: Interesting.

The two people didn't go to the restaurant again so they wouldn't run into the waiter who learned "flovian".
I may be dead, but I'm not old (source: see lavcat)

The gloves come off, I'm playing hardball. It's fourth and 15 and you're looking at a full-court press. (Frank Drebin in The Naked Gun)

Some people in forums do the next best thing to listening to themselves talk, writing and reading what they write (source, my brother)
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#3
Count Duckula,Mar 22 2005, 07:43 PM Wrote:I'm typing this from my room at the Beach Club Villa at the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida. I'm sipping ice water from a wine glass and considering getting malt beverages from the main floor store.

I live in a three-bedroom palace. My roommate's taking the smaller suite while I've got the master suite. (I'm expecting company for the weekend, you see. ;)) I even get a balcony across from EPCOT and Magic Kingdom--free admission for the nightly fireworks shows!

It's a late spring break but it's a good spring break. Anybody else have any good spring break stories? Any exotic locales or fun trips?
[right][snapback]71569[/snapback][/right]

I spent my spring break in sunny Corpus Christi last week. Well, I live here. Lots of folks come down here for spring break on the beach. Of course, last week from Tuesday through Thrusday it was chilly and windy, a bit rainy. Local news showed movie theatres as spring break sites, and my daughter ended up on TV for about 4 seconds as she went into the theatre with my wife. This week is of course three days straight of balmy weather, kids back in school, me back at work. Nice timing, Mother Nature . . . NOT!

I cleaned out the garage, fixed cars, fixed furniture, fixed toilets, fixed windows, fixed blinds . . . and did some much needed spring cleaning. (Throwing out things that have been festering for some years, collecting dust.)

And, played plenty of LOTR Risk with my son, watched two of my daughter's high school softball games. Finished Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose. My son went to a local hockey game.

Can anyone stand the excitement of middle aged spring break?

Occhi
Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the Men 'O War!
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete
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#4
Occhidiangela,Mar 23 2005, 02:13 PM Wrote:Can anyone stand the excitement of middle aged spring break?
[right][snapback]71634[/snapback][/right]

Before this year, my spring breaks involved crashing at home for a week, doing laundry and chores and the like. Or visiting grandparents.

I'm a spoiled rotten senior. Next week I go to the Tennessee Mountain Writers' [url=http://"http://www.tmwi.org/tmwi/2005conf.html]annual conference[/url] in Oak Ridge. Visit my grandparents, go nuts with other writers, excuse to miss class, etc.

This is my reward for a 15-page paper on Christianity's contribution to the Roman empire. >_<
UPDATE: Spamblaster.
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#5
Minionman,Mar 23 2005, 04:00 AM Wrote:On these trips, there have been a few drug busts, and some other interesting things, although I wasn't really paying attention so didn't notice them until my mom said something.

"Oh look, honey, those people are getting busted for the kilo of weed in their luggage. And look out the window--cows!"

Quote:On one trip I learned about "Flovia".&nbsp; Two of my uncle's friends would go around to places pretending to be from other countries and not speak english well, to see what would happen.
[right][snapback]71593[/snapback][/right]

I've heard so many different languages at Disney and so many English dialects. There's a shuttle driver from Barbados who impersonates Mickey Mouse--with the accent! It's wild!

I'm also having great fun translating Disney's hyper-polite Japanese. They address guests in their pamphlets in a form so close to archaic, it's scary. And there's a sign in the bathroom that says, among other things, Yookoso!
UPDATE: Spamblaster.
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#6
Count Duckula,Mar 22 2005, 08:43 PM Wrote:[right][snapback]71569[/snapback][/right]

Hi Ducky !

This is not on your topic, but I am curious about something. I have questions about Disney World. :ph34r:

When I was last there, the staff very firmly declined to answer these questions. The best I got was "I cannot answer that question." :P

Why are there no mosquitos there? It is built in the middle of a swamp! Just how much do they spray, and what?

Those beautiful nightly fireworks.... What does that do to the wildlife in the lagoon when that stuff falls in it every single night?

Laundry. Those thousands of hotel rooms generate one pile of daily laundry. What provision for the water cleaning to avoid algae bloom that follows all those phosphates in the laundry detergent is made? Where?

If you decide to pursue these burning questions, let me know what kind of responses you get. B)
And you may call it righteousness
When civility survives,
But I've had dinner with the Devil and
I know nice from right.

From Dinner with the Devil, by Big Rude Jake


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#7
Count Duckula,Mar 23 2005, 09:31 AM Wrote:Before this year, my spring breaks involved crashing at home for a week, doing laundry and chores and the like. Or visiting grandparents.

I'm a spoiled rotten senior. Next week I go to the Tennessee Mountain Writers' [url=http://"http://www.tmwi.org/tmwi/2005conf.html]annual conference[/url] in Oak Ridge. Visit my grandparents, go nuts with other writers, excuse to miss class, etc.

This is my reward for a 15-page paper on Christianity's contribution to the Roman empire. >_<
[right][snapback]71644[/snapback][/right]

That paper I would like to read. You have it in an emailable form?

Occhi
Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the Men 'O War!
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete
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#8
Occhidiangela,Mar 23 2005, 05:03 PM Wrote:That paper I would like to read.&nbsp; You have it in an emailable form?
[right][snapback]71658[/snapback][/right]

I have everything except the paper...which isn't written yet. :o Bibliography, outline, etc. That's my midterm and final exam for European Empires. The paper's gonna focus on why Diocletian persecuted the Christians and the very next emperor, Constantine, made Christianity the empire's religion and banned all the pagan ones.

I never knew that would interest anyone. :blink:

Right now I'm spending my time finishing creative writing projects, a couple jewelry projects, and deciding where to eat lunch out of the 60+ restaurants around here.
UPDATE: Spamblaster.
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#9
Count Duckula,Mar 22 2005, 08:43 PM Wrote:It's a late spring break but it's a good spring break. Anybody else have any good spring break stories? Any exotic locales or fun trips?

My Spring Break (when I had one) was usually taken up with bus trips to New York, Storrs CT, or the RAC (Rutgers Athletic Center) for the mens of womens Big East Tournament (as part of the pep band). I'd then spend most of the actual spring break making up classwork and reading that I'd missed from the trips. The Hotel Pennsylvania is a nice place to stay if you're into odd decor and strangely shaped rooms.

I did have the great fortune of attending an episode of SNL on one of the trips to NYC. One of my former fraternity brothers was working as an intern on the show at the time and got a few of us into floor seats (not the side they sometimes show during the monologue, but the other side where all the seats are level on the floor). Actually, come to think of it, that was the only enjoyable time I had on anything like "spring break" during my college career.
ah bah-bah-bah-bah-bah-bah-bob
dyah ah dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-dah-dth
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
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#10
Count Duckula,Mar 23 2005, 01:49 PM Wrote:I have everything except the paper...which isn't written yet.&nbsp; :o Bibliography, outline, etc. That's my midterm and final exam for European Empires. The paper's gonna focus on why Diocletian persecuted the Christians and the very next emperor, Constantine, made Christianity the empire's religion and banned all the pagan ones.

I never knew that would interest anyone.&nbsp; :blink:

Right now I'm spending my time finishing creative writing projects, a couple jewelry projects, and deciding where to eat lunch out of the 60+ restaurants around here.
[right][snapback]71670[/snapback][/right]

Well, whenever you have it typed up, I would like to read it also!

I <3 history. :) If it isn't too much trouble to email it to me, that is.
WWBBD?
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#11
Count Duckula,Mar 23 2005, 12:49 PM Wrote:I have everything except the paper...which isn't written yet.&nbsp; :o Bibliography, outline, etc. That's my midterm and final exam for European Empires. The paper's gonna focus on why Diocletian persecuted the Christians and the very next emperor, Constantine, made Christianity the empire's religion and banned all the pagan ones.

I never knew that would interest anyone.&nbsp; :blink:

Right now I'm spending my time finishing creative writing projects, a couple jewelry projects, and deciding where to eat lunch out of the 60+ restaurants around here.
[right][snapback]71670[/snapback][/right]

Having read Constantine's Sword by James Caroll, a liberal writer who attended divinity school but turned in his mitre so he could marry and raise a family, I am interested in a variety of viewpoints on the relationships between The Church and Governments. Given our nation's founding principles, it has intrigued me most of my life.

My two offspring, soon to be 13 and 16, ask lots of interesting questions on religion, and government. Would love to see what you arrive at. Each persons's synthesis, I have found, regardless of my overall agreement or disagreement, offers me insights worth harvesting. :D

If you did not read Caroll's book, and have an interests in the topic beyond " I gotta do it to get credit this year" I recommend it strongly. A bit longish, and a bit introspective on the authors part, but a very interesting treatment of where Christianity and the Hebrews parted company, and why he feels they need to reconcile more thoroughly after two millenia of putting up with each other with some distaste, and occasionally worse.

Occhi
Cry 'Havoc' and let slip the Men 'O War!
In War, the outcome is never final. --Carl von Clausewitz--
Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum
John 11:35 - consider why.
In Memory of Pete
Reply
#12
Occhidiangela,Mar 23 2005, 08:13 AM Wrote:Can anyone stand the excitement of middle aged spring break?
[right][snapback]71634[/snapback][/right]

Most spring breaks are actually sort of like that, sitting at home doing stuff, except those few trips.
I may be dead, but I'm not old (source: see lavcat)

The gloves come off, I'm playing hardball. It's fourth and 15 and you're looking at a full-court press. (Frank Drebin in The Naked Gun)

Some people in forums do the next best thing to listening to themselves talk, writing and reading what they write (source, my brother)
Reply
#13
Actually, being a former employee (or cast member as it were) I can actually help out with this.

ShadowHM,Mar 23 2005, 11:46 AM Wrote:Why are there no mosquitos there?&nbsp; It is built in the middle of a swamp!&nbsp; Just how much do they spray, and what?

THe spray trucks go by nightly all over property, and many of the normal residental areas in central florida as well. Not sure on what kind of pesticide cocktail they use, but it does work somewhat. Not only that, but there are quite a few "natural" pest-prevention methods that have been implimented: bats, birds, and other insects that feed on mosquitoes and things of that nature.

Quote:Those beautiful nightly fireworks....&nbsp; &nbsp; What does that do to the wildlife in the lagoon when that stuff falls in it every single night?

There really isnt that much in the way of debris from the shells they use. Not to mention that every night the different lakes/lagoons/bodies of water are trouled(spelling is probally way off on that one) and cleaned. Landscaping and keeping things clean is one of the things that they still do take seriously.

Quote:Laundry.&nbsp; Those thousands of hotel rooms generate one pile of daily laundry.&nbsp; What provision for the water cleaning to avoid algae bloom that follows all those phosphates in the laundry detergent is made?&nbsp; Where?
[right][snapback]71649[/snapback][/right]

Heh, this one is fairly simple: theres is a full water-treatment facility on property. Actually I believe there is everything on property that could ever be nessicary to run things as an independant operation, though I do not know if thats including long-term energy. Also, hotel laundry is not the only thing that Disney has to take care of. Disney takes care of all cleaning and repair of uniforms (ie: Costumes) for all of the cast members.

Well, hope that helped some, let me know if ya need anything else.
"You can build a perfect machine out of imperfect parts."
-Urza

He's an old-fashioned Amish cyborg with no name. She's a virginal nymphomaniac fairy princess married to the Mob. Together, they fight crime!

The Blizzcon Class Discussion:
Crowd: "Our qq's will blot out the sun"
Warlocks: "Then we will pewpew in the shade"
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#14
Thanks, Urza :)

Those questions niggled at the back of my head as I wandered the grounds.

Edited to take negative thoughts out of a thread dedicated to fun activities. :blush:
And you may call it righteousness
When civility survives,
But I've had dinner with the Devil and
I know nice from right.

From Dinner with the Devil, by Big Rude Jake


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#15
What a disappointment! I saw the name of the originator of this thread and thought (for an all-too-brief) moment that my favourite Ducky had returned to us!

Oh, well, thanks anyway to the troll who made me think of her again!
And you may call it righteousness
When civility survives,
But I've had dinner with the Devil and
I know nice from right.

From Dinner with the Devil, by Big Rude Jake


Reply
#16
Quote:What a disappointment! I saw the name of the originator of this thread and thought (for an all-too-brief) moment that my favourite Ducky had returned to us!
I thought the exact same thing.
"What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch?"

-W.C. Fields
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#17
Quote:I thought the exact same thing.
me too.:(
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#18
Quote:me too.:(

Guess who else?

While I'm really more of a Lurker than a poster I miss a lot of the people that used to be (more) active. Nowadays it's all just Kandrathe vs. Jester in various forms:P.

take care
Tarabulus
"I'm a cynical optimistic realist. I have hopes. I suspect they are all in vain. I find a lot of humor in that." -Pete

I'll remember you.
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#19
Hi,

Quote:Guess who else?
Since I got directly to the last (spam) post from the main forums screen, I didn't see that Count Duckula had originated the thread lo those many years ago.

Quote:While I'm really more of a Lurker than a poster I miss a lot of the people that used to be (more) active.
As do I. Seems that most of the still active people would rather play than post. Imagine that on a game based site :whistling:

Quote:Nowadays it's all just Kandrathe vs. Jester in various forms:P.
Well, I guess that makes it fair and balanced :lol:

Actually, I enjoy their debates. They often bring up points I'd never think of, and often force me to revise my opinion. I just wish more people would participate.

--Pete

How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?

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#20
Quote:Actually, I enjoy their debates. They often bring up points I'd never think of, and often force me to revise my opinion. I just wish more people would participate.
If they ever discussed anything I considered remotely interesting, I would.;)
"What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch?"

-W.C. Fields
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