Here comes the monorail!
© Copyright 2010 Tink *~*~*
I’m a total geek when it comes to trying to take photos of the monorail at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT theme park. The tracks dip enticingly into the park before taking passengers on their merry way, and there are various places to stand around and wait for it to go by so you can get the perfect shot. And I do! Stand around, I mean. I’ve get to get the perfect shot 
Here’s one from last year’s Flower and Garden Festival. That’s the Test Track building behind the monorail, and the butterfly tent to the left. Can you see the “hidden” Mickey? I’ll give you a hint – this is Ruby Tuesday, when we post things that are RED. See it now? Good! Can’t wait to get there – 3 more sleeps!
Is there a particular Disney thing that turns YOU into a geek? I’d love to hear about it – consider the “comments” section your confessional
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Chinese Zodiac: the final chapter!
© Copyright 2008 Tink *~*~*
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We’re in the home stretch with the photos I took of the Chinese zodiac animals at Epcot a couple of years ago. Every time I look at these, all I can think of is how ingenious the person was who thought of it, and how much time and painstaking effort went into the details.
This concludes our series about the Chinese zodiac. Kung Hei Fat Choi! And I hope everyone had a great Valentine’s Day weekend, too <3
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Chinese Zodiac Critters, Chapter 3
© Copyright 2008 Tink *~*~*
I’m watching the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games from Vancouver, Canada. There was a part earlier where the totems of the indigenous peoples of Canada were represented – whale, salmon wolf, GIANT bear. They lit up the arena like constellations. And I noted there was not a lot of crossover between the mythological creatures of North America and those of China. And yet, without much in common, they’re still about to play together for a couple of weeks. Rock on, Olympics!
Famous people born in the Year of the Monkey: Ashley Judd, Jack “Chicken Soup For The Soul” Canfield, Lisa Marie Presley.
Famous people born in the Year of the Sheep: Jane Austen, Michelangelo, Mark Twain
Famous people born in the Year of the Rooster: Eric Clapton, Somerset Maugham, Van Morrison
Happy Critturday!
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Tales from the Mickey Mouse shopping bag
© Copyright 2008 Tink *~*~*
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I’ve been trying very hard to remember to bring my own shopping bags with me whenever I go out for groceries and such. It hasn’t been easy – I’m sure there are a few of you out there who are in the same boat. You earnestly went out and bought those cloth-like bags, vowing you would never use plastic ever again. And then you forget all about them until you are at the check out. Oops, they’re on the kitchen counter / hanging on a hook installed on the door from the laundry room to the garage / on the front seat of the car. See? I’ve been there, I know! 
Well on Saturday, I actually remembered the bag. It’s a red bag with Mickey Mouse on it – got it at the Disney store a few years back. It just so happened that a few of the things I bought on Saturday were red too, so I decided that this week’s Ruby Tuesday should be all about “Tales form the Mickey Mouse shopping bag”. Here’s some of the stuff that went into it.
The biggest surprise of the day was finding my favorite John Frieda shampoo in Walgreens. For months, all I’ve seen on the shelves in any store was the brunette formula and the blonde formula – never the redhead formula! It just mysteriously vanished from the shelves in Target, CVS, Walgreens and any number of other stores. I recently had sort of an emergency with my dwindling supply of this stuff – I had shampoo but was out of conditioner. I actually looked for it on Amazon, and lo and behold, there it was – John Frieda Radiant Red Conditioner
Moving on – also in Walgreens I found these small packets of Wildly Cherry M&Ms near the checkout. I’d tried them before and I loved them, but I am a bit frustrated that they don’t come in a larger bag. Maybe that’s a good thing… I haven’t stopped to calculate how long I have to spend on the treadmill to burn off a pack of these babies, but I am most assuredly better off with the small pack than the big bag! Into the Mickey bag went three little packages of them. I shall hoard them carefully so not as to upset the delicate balance of calories in vs. calories burnt.
Here we are in my local Publix supermarket, where I encountered the weirdest find of the day. These blushing beauties are called Saturn peaches. I have no idea what possessed someone to breed peaches that are reminiscent of the pushed-in face of a King Charles spaniel, and even less of a clue as to why they are dubbed “Saturn”. They do not look even remotely like Saturn. I find them to be singularly unattractive, and that somehow equates to “not very tasty” in my mind, so I actually passed on purchasing any. However, their ruddy little cheeks provided an irresistable photo opportunity, so I snapped away at them for the blog.
Last but not least – Valentine’s day is just around the corner, and the stores have been amply stocked since practically the day after Christmas will all sorts of Valentine goodness. Russel Stover has some cute little heart shaped candy boxes this year, with fun images on them. The dragon image attracted me because of my recent foray into the Chinese zodiac (Chinese New Year falls on Valentine’s Day this year). I think I saw these on the shelf in Walgreen’s too, but I was a good girl and didn’t buy any. I’m not really in the mood to tack on any miles to my daily treadmill sentence and in enough trouble already, what with the M&Ms
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Can you name the film in which Disney’s OTHER red-headed mermaid appeared?
© Copyright 2008 Tink *~*~*
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I was at McT’s Tavern on Sanibel Island yesterday, and decided to check at Foursquare. However, Foursquare was not already listing McT’s in their list of venues, so I had to create it. For that, I needed something that had McT’s street address printed on it. My friend Gary went and fetched a take-out menu from somewhere, and that was when I noticed the red-haired mermaid. I’ve seen the mermaid painted on the walls inside McT’s but I guess it just didn’t register that she had red hair until I saw the take-out menu. Of course, this brought to mind another, rather more famous red-headed mermaid.
Anyone who was even remotely alive in the 80s is aware of Disney’s big blockbuster animated film, The Little Mermaid
Can you name the film in which Disney’s OTHER red-headed mermaid appeared?
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Castle Dream Lights in the Magic Kingdom
© Copyright 2008 Tink *~*~*
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Hong Kong. Tokyo. Paris. Orlando. Anaheim. Everywhere there’s a collection of Disney theme parks, there’s also a castle. The one in Orlando is Cinderella’s Castle; her tale is told in the form of mosaic tile murals covering the walls of the castle archway. Cinderella’s Castle houses a restaurant, a beauty salon and even overnight accommodations for some lucky guests who are periodically chosen at random for a castle sleep-over in the newly built luxury suite. The castle also provides entertainment. Characters romp and sing on the outdoor stage just beyond the park’s hub, and at night fireworks dance high in the skies above the castles turrets and towers.
Also at night, the castle is lit in brilliant colors that morph and change with such elegance, one can remain seated for hours just staring at the transformation. As if the castle were not pretty enough on a normal night, imagine how it looks during the holiday season with over 200,000 LED lights simulating a sparkling coating of ice. A brief stage show provides a magical lead-in for the transformation. Several Disney characters have gathered and are attempting to decide how the castle should be decorated for the holidays, and ultimately agree that since it is her home, Cinderella should be the one to decide.
When consulted, Cinderella proclaims her wish to see the castle dressed for the holidays with all the shine and twinkle of her own glass slipper. Her Fairy Godmother comes along to see that it happens, recruiting the audience to help Cinderella’s wish come true. For the remainder of the night, the castle appears to be encased in ice (or perhaps a sugar-frosting, as I’ve observed before).
For those who want to know more about Cinderella’s Castle at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, just visit Wikipedia or AllEars.Net to get more details.
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Red for luck and love at Disney
© Copyright 2008 Tink *~*~*
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In Chinese culture, the color red is symbolic of luck, happiness and high energy (fire, in Chinese metaphysics). I don’t know if Mary “The Teach” at Work Of The Poet knew it when she launched her Ruby Tuesday meme, but she has given us a weekly opportunity to immerse ourselves in the positive energy of red. Thanks, Mary
The Chinese New Year is coming up. Can you believe it? This year, Chinese New Year falls on the same day as a Western holiday that is also associated with the color red – February 14th, Valentine’s Day! I have the feeling Valentine’s Day will be amazing this year. Imagine the influence that the luck, happiness and fire of the Chinese New Year could have on the love of Valentine’s Day. It truly boggles the mind!
In 2007 at Walt Disney World, I came upon these effigies of the 12 animals represented in the Chinese zodiac. They are a kind of a 3-D decoupage, with decorative patterns constructed of small seeds, nuts and beans glued to them. The animals are arranged beautifully on red pedestals scattered around the pond at the Chinese pavilion in EPCOT. 2007 was the Year of the Pig, which is the final year in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.
The first year in the Chinese zodiac cycle is the Year of the Rat. I was born in a Rat year, which I have known since about 7th grade, when Benji Gong who lived around the corner from us informed me of such. For all of these years, I never knew what a terrible thing it is to be born in the Year of the Rat. There’s a fable about how the Zodiac came about. The animals could not decide who should go first in the cycle. So God said there was to be a race to the other side of the river, and whatever place you got in the race, that’s the place you would get in the cycle.
So the animals all ran down to the river and raced to see who could get across first, but unbeknownst to anyone, the rat hitched a ride across by climbing on the back of the ox. Just as the ox was going to beat everyone to the other side of the river first, the rat suddenly leaped off his back and landed there first. That was sort of crafty and sneaky and rat-like of him, don’t you think? I don’t think I like being born in the Year of the Rat!
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“Chinese Princess Minnie” – ???
© Copyright 2008 Tink *~*~*
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Night was falling on the Magic Kingdom, and I was browsing in the Art of Disney store on Main Street USA, amusing myself until it was time to take up a position for the fireworks. I came upon this odd statue of Minnie Mouse. I’m not sure who she’s supposed to be dressed like, but it seemed to me she’s supposed to be some sort of Chinese princess.
If anyone knows what this “Chinese Princess Minnie” is all about, please enlighten me!
The style felt very familiar to me, and it wasn’t until I’d been home several weeks and was staring at this photo that I realized why she felt familiar. Here’s a little collections of photos I’ve taken of what the style of this statue reminds me of – the Chinese Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
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My Mobile Adventures *~*~* – Top 20 Posts of 2009
© Copyright 2008 Tink *~*~*
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Now that 2010 is almost upon us, it’s time to do a 2009 “Best Of” post. I get a kick out of “fun facts”, so this year I’m taking a statistical point of view. Let’s see what 2009 held!
My Mobile Adventures *~*~* Top 20 Posts of 2009
Posts are ranked according to how many visits they received during the 12-month period ranging from 12/29/2008 – 12/29/2009. Data gathered and presented by the Wordpress Stats plugin.
- Lego Sculpture at Downtown Disney: The Dragon
- Colorful birds from Orlando, Florida
- Disney’s Ladies in RED
- My Top 5 FUNky Facts About Pelicans
- “The Rocks”, Sanibel Island
- More Disney Characters in RED
- 7 Things To Do In Walt Disney World On Halloween (except THAT!)
- “There once was a man from Nantucket…”
- Yet More Disney Characters Who Wear RED
- My “favorite” Disney red-head
- A Disney Dance of the Hours
- Of Mice and Mutts
- Lighthouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- The Empress Lilly, Downtown Disney
- Critters on the Castle: Kaa
- Sanibel Island beach birds
- Frog metamorphosis at Disney
- About
- Dancing mushrooms from Disney’s Fantasia
- Mickey Mouse Chillaxin’ In Paradise
IN WITH THE OLD
Among my Top 20 Posts of 2009 are four posts which were originally published during 2008.
- 100% of these posts contain Disney-related content
- 50% of these posts were created for the Ruby Tuesday meme, and deal with the topic of Disney characters who wear the color red.
- Dark horse: my “About” page somehow squeaked into the Top 20. Who knew, huh?
SPEAKING OF MEMES…
- The Ruby Tuesday meme, created and managed by Mary The Teach, is responsible for prompting 35% of my Top 20 posts. The runners up are:
- Camera Critters (Saturdays, 23%)
- The Wednesday Trifecta (22%)
- The Monday Trifecta at 9%
– of the three memes in which I’ve participated in on Wednesdays, Site Meter indicates that it is Outdoor Wednesday, created and managed by Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer, that brings the most visitors.
– Well, it’s actually a bi-fecta now, one of the memes having fallen prey to blogger burnout. None of them stands out as bringing in more traffic than the others.
THE MORAL OF THE STORY: since I’ve been cutting back on meme participation – it was starting to feel like a “gotta” instead of a “wanna” – I should probably concentrate on my Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday memes, if I want to maintain decent levels of traffic.
SPEAKING OF SITE METER…
Lots of interesting information about your audience and how they get to your blog each day can be had from Site Meter.
- Even though I do get a lot of traffic from the photo meme sites themselves, the vast majority of my traffic comes from Google searches. The memes just seem to provide an excellent prompt for what people are searching for.
- I seem to have hit the nail on the head with several of my post titles in the Top 20. There are many, MANY searches for phrases like “facts about pelicans” and “Disney red characters”.
- I get a chuckle every time I see that someone has searched on “there once was a man from Nantucket…”
- Site Meter tells me that I get a lot more visits on the days I mobile blog than I do when I create meme-related posts that are not mobile blogged. This is especially true when I mobile blog from Disney. Visits on mobile blogging days tend to be from fewer unique visitors, yet those unique visitors show up multiple times throughout the day to check for updates. Each post has fewer visitors but collectively they add up for the day to be many more visits than on a regular blogging day.
THE MORAL OF THE STORY: Services such as Site Meter can provide valuable insight into who your audience is, where they come from, why they’re visiting and why they return. Add to this a little intelligent SEO in post titles and repeat traffic ensues.
EFFORT COUNTS… sort of!
It was a difficult year in my day job. I was thrust into something completely new and different and it was a tough row to hoe, for a while there. As the year wore on, my job became more and more carnivorous, devouring my life.
Here we can see that as the year wore on, less and less posts were making it into the Top 20 for the year. 40% of the Top 20 were posted in the first quarter of the year; 30% in the 2nd quarter and 10% in the 3rd quarter. The 4th quarter is not represented at all.There are a couple of reasons for this:
- That’s the way it goes when you’re in corporate finance; the last quarter of the fiscal year is challenging and doesn’t leave much time or frankly energy for other endeavors.
- But to be fair, the posts from the previous quarters and even the previous year have been hanging around longer and had a longer time to rack up search engine traffic.
- Had I been able to put more effort into blogging as the year wore on – posting every day, visiting other blogs – I might have been able to do better, but realistically, this sort of measurement over a finite period of time renders more recent posts chronologically challenged.
Now here’s something weird. Despite the traffic appearing to slow down, the number of subscribers I have has been steadily increasing all year. Take a look at these numbers from Feedburner -
Despite not having the personal bandwidth necessary to visit other bloggers as much as I’d like to, I was still able to do a few things to gain exposure:
- TweetMeme – I put the retweet button on my posts, and occasionally, someone actually pushes it!
- TwitterFeed – I signed up for this and now every post I make is automatically tweeted
- PicATheme – “elite” group of photobloggers/meme participants who posted to a group blog (group has since folded). While I was contributing there, I noticed some visitors who followed my link from there
- WaltDisneyBoards.com – my feed automatically posts there to my very own forum. I get exposure, the owner gets Disney-related content. The fact that it is a forum means I can have conversations with the folks there; a busy thread will draw more and more people in, to see what the buzz is about, and many of them end up clicking through to the blog. If you are a Disney fan, I strongly suggest you check the place out. You will find a nice bunch of folks there to chat with about your favorite obsession.
- Facebook – My Mobile Adventures *~*~* launched a fan page at the beginning of August. At this time, I’m not auto-posting there but I want to do that in the future. So far, I have about 70 fans; I have to assume there is some cross-over from my subscriber base, but a lot of them are real life friends and relatives who were not really aware that I blogged until I created the fan page and sent them an invite. So I gained a few subscribers there as well.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Distribute your feed and mention your URL via multiple means. It all adds up to more exposure, more requests for the feed – more subscribers!
CONCLUSION
These are very modest numbers I’ve been describing. Had I not a day job, I would have the time and the energy to devote to creating more valuable content and publicizing the blog more widely, including those all-important fellow blogger connections. However, modest or not, I think the numbers show that taking action makes a positive impact.
- There are many venues in which to take such actions – Twitter, Facebook, forums are all good places to promote what you’ve got to offer.
- Use metrics tools like Site Meter and a stats plugin to observe and measure – what’s working, what’s not working, what’s standing still. The numbers tell a story!
- Use SEO techniques to attract search engine traffic – name your photos and construct your post titles with SEO in mind.
Even a blog that is “just for fun” can enjoy some success and steady improvement when a few simple actions are taken. I’m looking forward to more of the same in 2010, and I’m also looking forward to hearing about YOUR blogging insights.
Happy New Year!
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Model trains at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn
© Copyright 2008 Tink *~*~*
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There’s a big gingerbread house set up in the lobby of Disney’s Boardwalk Inn during the holiday season, and this train circles ’round the base of it. Each of the cars represents a place on the Boardwalk, like the Atlantic Dance Hall or a restaurant, etc. In the background, you can hear one of those old-timey guys singing “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas”, like Bing Crosby or maybe Dean Martin (actually, I think it IS Dean Martin – does anyone else think so?). The poinsettia are red, likewise some of the signage on the train cars (such as The Flying Fish) – and of course, the caboose is red, too!
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