All Kinds Of People

I kinda wish there were more than 24 hours in a day.

I got to do glow yesterday. It turned out wonderfully because I sold a LOT more than they expected. The negative was that I was $10 short because I sold an item for ten dollars that was actually fifteen. And I sold two of them. Oopsy. They were happy with me anyway though because I did so much better than expected.

Triplets came into my store the day before yesterday. I had all of them autograph Mickey's autograph book. I'm pretty sure they were identical but didn't ask. They were five and absolutely adorable. Their names were something like Alexis, Alana, and Alyssa. So cute!

This guy came into the store yesterday who had some weird Arabic/Russian/Chinese looking writing on his shirt. I asked him what it meant and he told me he didn't know. So I told him it said, "Blob a doop er micka whop boop a doop" or something like that. He corrected me saying the end was "boop a deep" instead of doop. I apologized for my folly and he went on his way chuckling. As I returned to stand by the lady doing sales with me she said quietly, "I didn't know you spoke Russian!" to which I laughed and told her I didn't, I had made it up. "Well that was awfully rude of him to correct you then, wasn't it?!" I just laughed. I think she totally missed the sarcasm memo. Ah well.

I've learned a lot about people since coming here. And a lot about parenting. A friend and I were talking just the other day about how if you want to learn about different parenting styles and techniques, just observe at Disney World. I see so many variations of parenting it's insane.

Like the mom last week who was telling her kid to get in the stroller. "Get in the stroller or I will run you over with it!" Or the parent who, while walking through a gift shop, if their kid shows even the slightest interest in an object they will buy said object for the child.

I had a guy last night when I was on glow cart come up to me just as I was leaving. He asked if I was still open and I told him yes. He bought two glow necklaces for his two girls and as he was getting ready to leave two things happened. One girl started to look at the Cinderella light up toy and his wife came up from behind with a little boy saying, "Um, honey you have three children, remember? Aren't you going to get our son something?" So the dad proceeded to buy the boy a toy as well as the Cinderella toy the girl was looking at. Then the second daughter showed interest in the light up princess wand. As the dad paid for that toy he told me, "I'll give you an extra five if you just get out of here!" Pretty funny actually, but he dropped a total of $45 right there for toy that, had I said I was closed, he never would have gotten.

Not that I judge parents. I really try not too. Most parents I totally respect and look up to unless they're literally cussing at their kids or something. It was late at night and that dad I met probably just didn't want to deal with more tears or something.

When I take pictures is when I meet that hugest variety of people. I had a family from France, who, when I took their picture they all just stared blank faced at the camera not smiling at all. I took the picture, let them see it, asked if it was okay, and when they all nodded (still blank faced) I went ahead and did it. Weird...

Other families with small children sometimes insist that their kids give perfect adult like smiles sitting perfectly with hands in laps. I've seen parents threaten spankings, as well as promises for ice cream and even money for being good and smiling. Other parents don't even try. "She never smiles, that's just her personality" they say as I have a picture of the kid grimacing or just staring.

My mom's idea of playing "Simon Says" works like a charm almost every time. However usually the kids old enough to play that are old enough to smile on their own too. I've had some parents amazed by me though that I got their kid to smile sometimes whether it's from Simon Says or me just being a gooftard. That always makes me feel better.

Some families come in and when I try to pose them for a picture they think "No, my way of posing will be better" so they do their own thing after I tell them it won't work. It just about never works and then they have to end up posing the way I told them anyway and we waste tons of time. Why do people even do that? There are strict rules we have to follow with our Disney pictures to make sure the standards are still good. Some people don't understand why and when we explain they complain.

"We can't put six people in that photo because it will get too crowded and not look professional. You can choose from these photos over here though."

"But I like that one, and what if we think it looks professional?"

"It doesn't matter what you think because what you think is wrong."

Okay, so we don't really say that to the guests but you get the idea.

I have a lot more to say but I'm bored of updating this now. So sorry for the abrupt stop. But hey, at least it's an update. :)