You're Welcome for Splash Mountain

Did you ever come across something so unbelievably weird, thinking there's no way it could be possibly true, just to find out it's all connected in ways you never thought imaginable? Yeah, that just happened to me.

So I am playing around with the apps on my tablet and go to my seldom used Flickr. Nothing serious, just looking at pics of steam trains while watching old episodes of Community. So, on a lark, I type in Phenix City, AL (my hometown) into the search just to see some pics of familiar places.

That's when I came across this:

This is a site marker on the PC side of the Chattahoochee River, looking across to the old textile mills in Columbus, GA. When I found a close up of the marker I was stunned. See if it hits you as you read what it says.

The Trickster Rabbit? Wait a minute...Tarbaby? Are you freaking kidding me? Uncle Remus stories?!?

That's right. Uncle Remus. As in Song of the South Uncle Remus. Old Mr. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah himself. That Trickster Rabbit sounds familiar doesn't it? Brer Rabbit! And the Tarbaby too. Well if you have been lucky enough to actually see the movie that is.

So if you follow along the wibbly wobbly timeline, my hometown of Phenix City, AL is basically responsible for Splash Mountain.

Yeah, you're welcome.

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Weekend Update

 

Audio/Video/Telly

 

 Doctor Who - The Crimson Horror. It seems the Doctor is taking Clara places to find out what the deal is with her. Back to Victorian England and Jenny, Madame Vastra and Strax join in this episode. Now they want to know what the deal is with this girl that is and isn't Clara at the same time. No answers were revealed though. The end part with the photos was very cool though. That's all I'm saying.

 Community - Abed had worked out everyone's "origin story" so he could do a "prequel" episode about how they all ended up at Greendale. Lots of cool connecting the dots.

New Girl - The gang has a contest over who has the worst "deflowering" story. Funny stuff and so many one liners I might have to go back and watch it again. Oh and Jess and Nick finally do it.

Big Bang Theory - Sheldon almost kills one of his childhood idols. Howard and Bernadette babysit Raj's dog. That man is becoming what I warned you about in my post about online dating.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - I had watched some of this before but I got recently inspired to dive back into it. I love because it's so non-PC that it's "Mac". Yeah I'm trying to start a catchphrase there. So far it's included racial stereotypes, gay men, welfare, crack, terrorists, the handicapped, and Nazi's. And that's only the first six episodes. Yeah.

Game of Thrones - Several episodes in now and the only interesting thing going on is Khaleesi and her dragon army. I like the redhead chick north of the wall though. I was slightly creeped out by the soldier having his nipple cut off.

Movies - Nothing serious this week, just Iron Man 3. Lots of action. That man has a lot of iron man suits at his disposal. Pepper kicks ass, but I felt the movie was dragged down by the kid Tony befriends. Lots of great zingers from Robert Downey Jr. as expected. Oh, and he doesn't have the temperament to be that kind of doctor. LOL.

Sports

Braves - Started the week by winning the first two games against the Nationals, only to end up with a split by losing the next two. On next to play the Mets. Lost on Friday followed by a rain out on Saturday. Beat the crap out of them Sunday in which Tim Hudson, from my home town of Phenix City, AL, won game #201 in his career. Their record is now 18-12, still good enough for first place.

P.S. And do not forget to recommend this blog continues.

PAC Introductions

For the non-Disney people out there, here is some inside info on some of the little things that go on behind the scenes. The first time you work a PAC (parade audience control) shift, or if you're wearing a red "earning your ears" tag, you have to stand up in the pre-parade meeting and tell the group three things: your name, where you're from, and your favorite Disney character. I'm sure all of my friends remember the first time they had to stand up.

Now I've worked for the Mouse two different times, about 15 years apart. So I thought I would have a little fun this time. By time they got to me most people weren't paying attention anymore so I stood up in the meeting and said:

"Hi, I'm Von. I live in a van down by the river and my favorite Disney character is Scooby Doo". Then I sat down really fast while the fake claps started and then stopped quickly. Wait, what? The ones who knew me already were expecting something like that so they made me do it again. This time I embellished it.

"Hi, my name is Larry "The Von" Blocker. I come from a small hamlet in Alabama on the western bank of the Chattahoochee River named Phenix City. The spelling on my name tag is correct. We do not use the "O" because we believe it symbolizes nothingness. My favorite Disney character, and my future wife, is the beautiful, the sexy, Maleficent."

I wasn't allowed to talk at any meetings after that...

 

P.S. And do not forget to recommend this blog continues.