Woops.. this was from 2 days ago haha

I've never noticed how inconvenient food is... I've grown to love apples a lot. Especially because I can get them for a quarter each. yay. I had today off, and it was kind of wasted. I got grocery shopping done and I got a new key made for my apartment, but I haven't gone to the gym (still might), I got up at noon, and I haven't been drinking enough water. So that's kind of a bummer. Playing guitar here is great. A couple of my roommates make me play in the living room so they can listen rather than letting me hide and play in my closet (which is what I did the first few times haha). I'm getting less and less tired at work, which is great, because I have started to be productive at home. I also want to keep a personal journal in addition to doing this blog. The best part of this week has been keeping up my reading- Kevin gave me a book called Common Sense 101 for Christmas, and it's basically an introduction to the writing of G.K. Chesterton.  I'm already so excited about this book, and I've only read a few chapters. There's a lot of growing to do while I'm here, and I'm just so excited that there's potential to grow in so many parts of my life... and I plan on one of those areas being my knowledge of this author :) I guess that's all I really have to report on... it's one of those things where I could write about a lot of stuff, but I'm not sure what would be worth writing down? So yeah.

Ow.

Everything hurts. Day was no fun. Need food. Want junk food. Must eat healthy. < 3 word sentences.  Love them. Need ibprofen.  [Insert witty comment]. Bye.

Time to grow up...?

"Oh the cleverness of me." I resonated with that line in particular when of my my roommates and I watched Peter Pan the other day. He wasn't clever at all, you see, in the instance it was used. I watched this movie on Saturday. On Friday- one of my days off- I deemed it prudent to sleep in until 11 because I stayed up too late the night before. Come Friday night, I am not tired. I am simply not tired. I laid awake in bed from 10:30 until 2:30 trying to sleep, but my body was not cooperating. Next morning, my alarm goes off at 6. I realize that the night before, I set my alarm too early- I really didn't have to wake up until 6:30. So I reset my alarm-- but on my computer this time. In my sleep-deprived, drunken-esque stupor, I close the monitor on my laptop. It's a conclusion motion. My thoughts were probably somewhere along the lines of: "Okay, alarm reset, oh the cleverness of me, I'm mature doing mature tasks like setting more sensible alarms, ho ho! *closes laptop*" Then I woke up at 8:45, feeling intensely groggy and with a massive headache. I called in one of my sick days. I woke up again at 10, and felt worlds and worlds better, and kept myself busy for the rest of the day. I spent my 3 days off doing many grown-up things, not anticipating all of the factors that really go into living in a "grown-up" world. I suppose that living at home for so long has made me slightly sheltered, even though I definitely came to Florida thinking I was at least somewhat near adequately prepared. I mean... I did laundry! Still, this is only the first mistake I've made while being here, and I don't plan on repeating it. My room is clean, my pictures are hung, I put up a new shower curtain, and I went to the gym in addition to working today. You know that really determined look Popeye gets after eating his huge can of spinach? Yeah? Well that's me. I'm ready to take on anything. Also, my little sister said she felt great about her audition for James Madison, I'm LOVING the Chesterton book the boyfriend gave me for Christmas, (while on that subject) the boyfriend had a great weekend at conference, and I found my way back to base from the boat dock at animal kingdom. The grown-up world has joy in it, too :) Oh and did I mention that I ate oreos with peanut butter tonight? Because I totally did.

Here you go

Work is hard. Work is fun, but it is very, very hard.
Lugging around 60 extra pounds for a cumulative five hours every day guarantees sore feet, an aching back, a huge appetite, a border-line gluttonous need for water, and an abysmal headache. Yet, it is the most rewarding job I have ever had. I am already excited for the five months ahead, knowing that my body will soon adjust to the long hours and physical strain. Also, being a roommate is hard. It is exciting, it is fun, it is love and happiness, but it is also very, very hard. Trying to take care of my girls because it's my maternal instinct kicked into high gear means that my roommate and I have trouble agreeing to cook for others while trying to make them understand that they need to pitch in food isn't an easy task. Still, I look forward to the months ahead because I've never felt so enveloped in a small community so quickly, and I already feel so incredibly close to these girls. We just made chocolate pancakes and french toast together. I'm so excited-- I think I'm going to my first visit in the parks tomorrow! Then again, that's if I can move in the morning. I'm not sure what my physical limit is, but I feel like I'm approaching it.

I feel like my day was all summed up in one encounter that happened in my 5th shift:
I had already eaten lunch two shifts before, and I only had two left before I could go home. My body was aching from the weight, and my head was pounding from my constricted headgear. I determinedly gallumped down to my greeting spot while repeating to myself "two more shifts, two more shifts...". It was halfway through my shift, and for some reason, I was having a lot of trouble gripping pens. I was having more and more trouble shaking off this frustration. Either the autograph book would be upside down, or the pen wouldn't be open, or the book would be on a used page, or the kid didn't understand that he had to hand me the items. I was spent. With every occurrence, I was becoming more aggravated. This aggravation was making me even hotter than I already was in my stuffy costume, and exaggerated every uncomfortable feeling. Itches were itchier, aches were achier, and my desire to just stop moving was growing. Then, this little girl who barely cleared my waist came up to me with her pink feathery pen and held out her book and pen for me. I grasped for the two and realized that my grip on the pen was awkward. While trying to switch it around, I dropped the beautiful pen onto the wet, dirty ground. I was so upset that I don't think I even stayed in character. Normally, I try to pick it up myself, but I just looked at it. Then, the little girl scooped down and picked up her beautiful pen, held it up to me, and said "It's okay, here you go," and kissed me on my nose before handing me her pretty, pink pen. After successfully signing her book and taking a picture, I gave her the most genuine hug I think I have given while I've been in Florida. My life is a compilation of analogies, and this one is perfect. Life is frustrating, life is hard, but there's always someone to offer consolation, encouragement, and help: "It's okay, here you go." I'm lucky enough to be basically surrounded by those people. So... thank you :) I'm pretty sure you all know who you are.

It's so happy I could die!

Today was so happy. There was just so much happy everywhere. Let me list the happy for you.

1. I finished training today
2. All of our trainers (especially the group's favorite) told us how proud of us they were
3. I only got one question wrong on my final exam, and I aced the autograph portion
4. It was our first apartment birthday, and we made her a cake and brownies and I got a bunch of characters to sign her birthday card. She cried :) but HAPPY tears!
5. I'm finding it easier and easier to get along with people I meet.
6. I got to help make some serious magic today.
7. Only one more day until I get my first day off!
8. My fellow role-mates and I are planning a get together where we go to the parks on our day off and then go to this dinner/show thing called "Arabian Nights"
9. The girl role-mates and I came home from work in my car and got lost... but it was a bonding experience, so it qualifies for happy haha.
10. My shower was awesome. Don't know why, it was just particularly awesome.
11. Kevin is finally headed home, which makes him happy. Therefore, I am happy, too :) (even though him flying makes me nervous because people I care about in potentially dangerous situations makes me nervous, even though I know I'm just paranoid)
12. I got to have a conversation on facebook with my beautiful sister, Emily. It was lovely, and I've missed her.
13. I can feel myself getting stronger from lugging around 60 some-odd pounds every day.
14. My sleep schedule? Yeah, basically got that now.
15. Oh and Kevin's and my 1 month was yesterday... yay!!! *girly squeak or something like that*
16. I finally picked a day to see my Uncle Chuck before he leaves Orlando, can't wait!
17. It rained today, and I love huge storms. They're awesome in Florida.
18. I got a really great lesson in from the homily at mass the other day, and my favorite trainer recommended another Catholic Church in the area-- I can't wait to check it out.

yeah :) must sleep now, 9.75 hours of excitement tomorrow. wooooooo

Juxtaposition and inner conflict and stuff.

Third day living in the happiest place on earth. I have to admit, they really don't joke around with that. I love it here! The hole in my heart where my family would be sometimes aches, but is more often than not filled with the happiness that my roommates give me. I absolutely adore them. Here's a rundown on these girls who I spent the evening with: Ashley is a cute blonde who I think is a hopeless romantic under cover. Brandi is a cute little brunette who is a hopeless romantic absolutely NOT undercover. Her roommate, Shannon, is down to earth and very smart, while also easily the most comfortable presence in the apartment. Duh, Mallory is awesome. I've said that. Michelle is intensely sarcastic, which is a refreshing change to all of the perkiness that surrounds us in the parks. Jess is the bubbly mama, while also being a little sister. She is the one that gave me nyquil the other day and subtly continues to have an eye on all of us, I think. Her boyfriend, Corey, is over a lot. His roommate is one of the friends I've made outside the apartment, another character performer named Dylan. Class today was really long, and I realized once we started walking around that wearing heels again was not a wise decision. The footwear forecast for tomorrow? Sneakers. Lovely, padded, close-toed sneakers. It sounds like bliss.

Tonight was a great bonding night for the apartment. I made pasta for the girls and Corey, and Mallory made garlic bread. After that, Mallory used the rest of our cookie dough to make cookies for us as we watched the Frog Prince. It was so good! It was also cool to watch something that the company I work for made- just a special feeling. About 20 minutes in, our new neighbors knocked on our door. They were all very fun and energetic, and they're coming to see the fireworks show with us on Saturday night. It was kind of awkward because we were going around saying our roles, and a theatre major from upstairs heard that I was a CP and started talking about how she worked so hard at the audition and how it would have helped out her degree and everything if she had made it into that role... and I just stood there muttering, "Uh... I was in colorguard in marching band?" "I braided my hair and the lady said it looked nice?" "You're teeth are too straight?" (Just kidding about that last one). Anyways, we all ended up getting along very well, and I'm excited to get to know them better.

I keep showing off pictures of my family to everyone, and I really miss them a lot. If my phone was working, I really would like to call them... and I feel like living in a new place without cell phone access is a little dangerous... so if you a) see mama and papa Rowson on a regular basis b) will be seeing them soon, or c) ARE, in fact, mama or papa Rowson, could you please find some way for the phone company to be contacted so I can... you know... use my phone? That would be much appreciated :) Also, I'm hypersensitive to couple-y things everywhere. Sad face. Love being here, love people there, but wait I love people here, too? And good ol' Fairfax is awesome...
Sigh.
First day of training tomorrow, so I'd better get some sleep!

Nyquil

Well, today started out with mass confusion. I woke up at ten and then I don't remember anything else but waking up again at 12. My roommate and I both caught some kind of bug (probably the stress bug) and decided that hot ramen would be a good breakfast choice. After a long, hot shower, we decided to go exploring. There's this wonderful rec area for cast-mates called "mickey's retreat" that we walked to that has pools, tennis courts, beach volleyball courts, ping pong tables, pool tables, and this beautiful lake with paddle-boats, canoes and kayaks. I have a feeling I will be spending a lot of my free time there. Tomorrow I have "traditions" class at 12:45, so I'll definitely wake up in time haha.

The craziest feeling that I have had thus far is looking at my roommates and realizing that I will become incredibly close with these girls. Normally, when you meet a friend, you never know how close you will end up being. Meeting a roommate, the closeness, even if bred purely from proximity, is inevitable. I already really like these girls. I feel like I've known Mallory, my roommate for much longer than 2 days.  I also have come to understand the value of cookies. Everyone likes cookies. Mallory and I ran to publix and got some cookie dough for dessert after one of our other roommates, Jessica's, parents bought us pizza for dinner. Cookies and pizza brought us together and kept up conversation between the 8 of us until it was flowing naturally. Jessica also gave me nyquil to help me sleep (which I can feel kicking in at the moment) and I really don't like nyquil all that much because it usually tastes awful and you have to drink something super sugary to get the taste out. This nyquil was in pill form, though. Why am I talking so much about nyquil? Because analogies are my life, and that nyquil is a good representation of how this apartment feels. I thought it was going to be dreadful, because, in general, leaving my family for anything is really hard for me. In spite of my expectations, however, the warmness of people has broken the mold and I expect to find myself sleeping soundly with this thought (and nyquil) in mind.

 my lovely momma on the trip down :) 

first sighting of my new state of residence!

Lobby of the orlando basilica, so cool. I lit a candle there for my family, and then one for Kevin.

A lovely view of the little body of water in Celebration, Florida.

I felt like a total tourist taking this picture haha.

My new baby cousin, he's so precious! His name is Nathan, and he's my new best friend.

Isn't my roommate the cutest? 

The beautiful lake at Mickey's Retreat.