Off to the Same Start

So we're getting all settled here in Orlando . . . three weeks in and I have to say, it's a little weird being back.  The apartment complex we moved in to is seriously right in the middle of the area ( i.e.  it literally sits right on the WDW property line) we were most familiar with before so there hasn't been a lot of "learning the area" stuff to do.  Things have changed, but a lot of the stuff that was here five years ago is still here.  It's a little trippy to see how much is the same . . . but on the other hand we've kind of just slipped right back in.  Like we were gone on a ridiculously extended vacation and now we've finally come home and everything is familiar and homey because that's what this place has always been.  It's hot, and I'm learning again how to breather underwater.  Seriously, I was doing some major gasping for breath unloading the cars when we got here, but it wasn't from the exertion.  It's honestly not that much hotter here than it is in Logan this time of year (although I hear that's not quite the case this year).  I never understood the whole "it's not the heat, it's the humidity" thing you hear people say all the time until I lived here last time, but now . . . I understand!

The good news - we're pretty much set up in our teeny little place (which actually isn't that much smaller, it just seems that way because we went down a bedroom), and set up pretty well too thanks to room renovations at a few hotels.  We have a lamp that used to be in the rooms at the Polynesian, a work desk for Luke that was in the Grand Floridian, and a TV table (probably) from the Yacht Club.  The bad news - we have everything but a couch.  And sitting on the floor just gets old after a while, you know?  But overall we've got a lovely little set up here and as soon as we get a couch and are truly done moving in we'll do another video tour and put it on facebook with the others. (sad news for those who have been enthusiastically following our apartment tours: this counter is un-swim-able.  believe me, I'm feeling the tragedy as much as you)

In other news, I'm still job hunting.  Kind of wasn't expecting that.  I was planning on going to Disney Casting after we got here, but it turns out Disney's gone pretty much internet-applications-only, just like pretty much everyone else on the planet.  So I applied online a couple of days before we left thinking I could have an interview almost as soon as we got here and with my full rehire status I'd have nothing to worry about, even if all they had to start with was part time or something.  So then we get to San Antonio and while it is currently home to one freaking adorable nephew I have another reason to say nothing good ever happens in San Antonio.  I got an email saying I'd qualified for an internet interview, which it turned out was just code for one of those stupid Meyers-Brigg-ish personality tests that EVERYONE AND THEIR FREAKING DOG has made part of their application process.  And apparently there is just something fundamentally wrong with my personality because as soon as I finished it the "thanks but no thanks, you suck" page came up.  Phrased, you know, more diplomatically than that.  And now, a month later, I'm past all the emotional breakdowns and ranting and raging and all that fun stuff and just kind of numb to it all (except for noticing that now the internet ad I get the most is the "Come apply at Disney World! Now Hiring!" one.  Thanks, targeted advertising!  You suck too!) so I'll just say this: for the last five years I thought my biggest problem was location and that Logan just wasn't a place to get a job unless your fifth great-grandparents crossed the plains in the wagon behind the hiring person's fourth great-grandparents - and judging by the way I got the one job I did, that's partly true (and because it worked once I will always have mixed feelings about such nepotism).  But judging by the fact that the only three interviews I got were from applications that didn't have a personality test . . . clearly I'm the biggest part of the problem here.  And after five years of making cracks about how I'm apparently unhire-able to have it proved to actually be true . . . ouch.  That stings a bit.  But hey, when your problem is a personality so apparently awful you can't even get passed from the computer to a human being - what can you do?

So that was the raging (although it would have been much longer a few weeks ago).  As for the ranting - when you leave Disney on good terms - which we both did - they tell you that you have full rehire status and make it sound like you'll be welcomed back with open arms anytime.  Maybe that was the case a long time ago.  But while one would think the fact that one worked there before and left on good terms would be like a Get Out of Personality Test Free card . . . yeah, no.  Rehire status turns out to be completely worthless unless you can get past the personality test.  Which five years of both answering honestly and trying every method known to man of answering "correctly" has proven I can't do.  So it's essentially as though I've never worked there before.  Yay.

So then I applied at this company that does in-room babysitting at hotels all over the area and childcare for local conventions and weddings and such.  Supposedly this is a pretty legit company.  Like, if you want an evening out without the kids on your vacation these people are the ones Disney refers you to.  And there's no personality test with their application!  So I send one off a couple days after we get here . . . and for all I know that application went to Pluto.  You download it, fill it out, and send it to their HR person who, the first time I called after not getting even an acknowledgment of receiving the email, was on vacation but going to be back in two days.  Fast forward a week and still no word and another call and now the HR person "is not in today, hasn't been in for a while, and there's no telling when they'll be back in."  Long story short . . . another bust.  I keep getting a different story from these people.  So we are oh-for-two.  Business as usual, really.  Remember how I was saying it sort of feels like we never left?  As far as job hunting goes, it feels like nothing has changed except the location.  And the fact that we haven't exhausted all our connections here yet (although we are moving down the list more rapidly than I thought we would).

There is a skylight in this tunnel though - this is the first summer where Luke's had this job.  So it's not like we're in the same situation we've been in previous summers after my paychecks dry up.  True, we won't be booking any spur of the moment "just because we can" cruises anytime soon - but it's also not like we're in danger of getting evicted from the apartment we just moved into either.  This isn't a frantic, urgent job hunt . . . just an obnoxious one.  Which is a faint light, but it's the most I've had five years so I'll take it.

But even as frustrating as the whole still-freaking-job hunting thing is, it's good to be back.  We've seriously eaten at Earl of Sandwich, like four (five?) times.  And Cici's twice.  And found a Christmas tree ornament that seriously made my year (suffice it to say that if you aren't following me on instagram you should be, lol).  And spent a fortune mentally shopping for Rogan because there is sooooooooooo much cute baby/toddler stuff . . . let's just say that when I do finally get a job that kid is getting seriously spoiled.  And spent an afternoon at Magic Kingdom mind boggled over all the changes (dear Disney: would it kill you to spend as much time/money/attention to detail on the BLT as you did on the freaking Rapunzel bathrooms?).  And eaten a ridiculous amount of grilled onions from the Pecos Bill's fixins' bar (thanks Sarah!!). And made two trips to Ikea because it's not a three hour drive just to get there.  And had dessert at Ghiradelli's three (four?) times.  And spent hours . . . a lot of time . . . combing over the Orlando groupon page looking at all the things we have to do.  Some that I've had on my list for years, some neither of us even knew existed.  And let's just say I honestly have no idea how I've resisted this one for as long as I have!

All in all I'd have to say this whole moving thing gets a solid A-.  Now everybody just needs to start visiting. :-)


P. ost  S. cript
Totally doing my best to channel Princess Unikitty these days.  On many levels.