3 Words: Chocolate Animal Crackers

3 words: Chocolate Animal Crackers. I have been obsessed with Chocolate Animal Crackers lately. I am not sure what is so fantastic about them but I can not resist them. I have been averaging about a bag a week since I've gotten to Florida. And when I say "bag", I mean those giant bags that Wal-Mart sells for a buck 98. You know the ones, you just can't beat that price! 16 crackers a serving, 26 servings a bag, 6 weeks... I've consumed an estimate of 2500 chocolate animal crackers since my southern bound journey began.

It used to be the original that I couldn't get enough of, but since I have been introduced to the chocolate, the original can not quench the animal cracker cravings. That is what they are, you know... Craving! I don't think it is a coincidence that the word CRACK is in the name.

Not that blogging about animal crackers is very exciting, but I am hoping that with my shame out in the open, maybe I can contain myself. This is my own version of AA, Animal crackers Anonymous. "My name is Jessi and I have a problem." I've decided that I will only allow myself to buy one bag a month. If you do that math, that is still about a serving every day, but I just can't quit the stuff cold turkey...

I'm going to Disney World

I mean, you kind of HAVE to go to Disney World. I live closer to Disney World now than I lived to Six Flags when I worked there. Naturally, I decided that "going to Disney World" will be one of my new pass times. Plus, I figure with all my friends and family visiting basically everyone would want to go when they come. Might as well save myself some time and money and just buy a pass.

So, I went there the other day to get myself all squared away. I was worried that they would give me a hard time because I wanted the Florida resident price but I don't have a Florida ID. No worries, it went off without a hitch and I am the proud owner of a Florida Resident Disney World Annual Pass (after just 12 easy payments-- I did the math, I will definitely get my money's worth!).

If you didn't catch it earlier, I went to Disney World alone. I've done plenty of things alone since arriving, and I don't have a problem flying solo. The fact that I don't have someone to tag along with hasn't stopped me before. In fact, moving to Florida was kind of to embrace the "I'm my own person" thing. And being at the parks alone didn't even really bother me. There were a couple of things though that were... weird. Like, when you walk up to the cast member at the front of the line and they ask how many in your party. You throw one finger up and then you try to decipher what the expression on their face means. They aren't really sad for you, I don't even know if I would say that they were judging, but you definitely get a look and a "do you mind sitting in a row of kids?". I suppose for the most part, people don't even notice that you are there alone. You are probably just with a gaggle of people but you decided you wanted to ride a ride that no one else wanted, or you wanted ice cream and everyone else went to get pretzels. The other strange moment was meal time. I was there for 9 hours, I kind of have to stop and eat. Well, it is VERY apparent that you are there alone when you are having dinner alone. I felt like Peter in Forgetting Sarah Marshall when the host was giving him a hard time about eating alone. "Will your wife be joining you?.. your girlfriend? You are just going to eat alone? Isn't that going to be boring?" But I persevered and ate an entire meal without someone even offering me a magazine to read...

So, I went to Disney World alone, I know I am not the first person. And in fact, I know I will do it again. I think I am going to go to Hollywood Studios one day this week and Animal Kingdom next week. But this experience was evidence that it is time for me to start working on my next (and probably most difficult) task of moving... making friends. It's either that, ooooooooor win the lottery and pay for all of my friends to move down here too. I am still doing calculations on which will be a more likely solution. Until then, looks like I'm going to Disney World!

Jesus, the Bellhop?!?

I've been going to this church since I've gotten down here. I just googled churches the first week I was here and thought I would work my way down the list until I found one I liked. I stopped after the first one.


At first glance, looked like any Catholic church. Pretty standard set up. Then mass began and I started to notice that things were... off. The priest has a sense of humor, that is for sure. He makes random jokes, lightens up the mood. He has a scottish or irish or something accent, but he speaks fluent spanish and sometimes slips into it. He kind of reminds me of a Spanish leprechaun or something. 


The front of the church has a "Last Supper" mural and at first I thought nothing of it. Then I started to really look at it. They have all sorts of people represented, pregnant lady, asian guy, I even think the two guys on the right are a bi-racial gay couple! Not exactly how the last supper went down in the bible. But I can get on board with that, I actually really dig the painting. And after I realized the uniqueness of the Last Supper in the front I started to take in the rest of my surroundings. They have several paintings throughout the church that represent the stations of the cross (I think that is what it is called). One with Jesus carrying the cross, another with Mary comforting him. And as I was scanning the different paintings, I came to one that literally made me laugh out loud. Again, if you weren't really paying attention, you would glance right past it without even noticing. But take a look and tell me if you are seeing what I am seeing. Because, what I am seeing is an old guy in a polo shirt holding up a set of dice to Jesus. Is that man inviting Jesus to a game of Yatzee? What is going on here and how does that fit into the story?!? And why is Jesus so uninterested? Does he prefer Scrabble?

Throughout the mass, they have different photos and verses projected up on screens on either side of the church. Sometimes, I look and wonder why they would pick the image they did but usually pretty standard stuff. Well, today they had a real treat. The photo was a man and wife with their young daughter. They were walking up the side of the road. About 10 feet ahead of them was Jesus, dressed in his usual Jesus fashion of robe, beard, and no shoes. In the picture you can definitely tell that he is walking with purpose,  like he has somewhere to be. All of this so far is acceptable and not completely out of the ordinary. Until I mention the luggage Jesus was carrying. He had two arm loads of suitcases, literally. Four pieces of luggage as he is huffing it up the road with this family walking behind him. Is that family making the Son of God carry their luggage?!? What, being the savior wasn't enough? Gotta make him your bellhop too?!?

I have to give this church props, because although I joke and the priest is a hoot, none of it has ever been disrespectful. I really like the church and the atmosphere of it all. When I stopped an usher today to take my picture and talk a little bit about the church, he said lots of people like the photos. I think it keeps your attention. If nothing else, it makes you want to go to church each Sunday just to see what Google images they were able to find this week. I have to be honest though, I'm not sure how they are going to top Jesus, the bellhop!