Day 9: Why I would work for Starbucks September 28, 2009

Ok so we all know I am working a part time job at Disney.  But I am really poor and I am trying to find another part time job.

One of the first places I applied to was to the two Starbucks shops by my apartment. I have always wanted to work for Starbucks and I wasn’t sure why. It was just one of those urges you get when you really want to do something.

Well, I was sitting in Starbucks today, reading a book and drinking my grande non fat caramel macchiato, and it occured to me why I wanted to work for Starbucks. There are many reasons why a person would want to work for Starbucks. If you are part time they give you all these cool benefits like health care and tuition reimbursement. But that doesn’t appeal to me. I mean it does, but that’s not what was drawing me to this company or shop.

Coffee brings people together. Coffee makes your day better. Almost every time you walk into Starbucks or drive thru, the barista is friendly. I have run into some really grumpy baristas, but that is besides the point. If you go into the same Starbucks enough times they learn your name, what you do, and exactly how you want your coffee, latte, mocha, frap, whatever. Baristas at Starbucks are great! They usually have a lot of fun and are easy to relate to. Occasionally you run into some Starbucks shops that just have unhappy employees, but that’s something that needs to be taken up with a manager. Coffee with a smile makes people feel better. Besides, for coffee lovers, just being able to get your coffee or beverage is an amazing part of your day. You might really need a coffee pick me up.

So that’s why I would work for Starbucks. I have applied and I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be part of a Starbucks team but like the rest of the world, they really aren’t hiring. I really wish they were though.

Day 8: Bills September 27, 2009

Eventually, on your quest to reach your dream/ dream job, you have to face real life. Real life is hard. It can be really really hard.

My first set of bills started to come in yesterday. I sat down and started writing them, making sure I would have enough money. I have enough money, but barely. This means I will have to start dipping into my savings. Especially since I will have to start paying back my school loans in November. I don’t think that I am ready for all of this, but I’m going to have to be.

It’s not that I haven’t been searching for a job. I totally have. I have even been sending resumes everywhere, but it’s hard. Things will be better once I go through with my Part Time transfer. Hopefully in working at MK I will get to know more people who can help me reach my goal of management or entertainment work. For now, it’s a hard thing.

Best thing is to never give up. I am going to help out over at the club house and close for a few nights. That should get me some extra cash or a small break on my rent. I’m not sure yet, I have to go over and talk to them tomorrow. Always good to keep your head high and your sights long.

P.S. I went to a church today. It was cool, but small and that’s different from what I am used to. I am going to check out a different one next week and see which one I prefer.

Day 6 & 7: Remember why you started September 27, 2009

So yesterday I was busy. I was busy remembering why I wanted to follow this dream in the first place. I took some time to visit the Magic Kingdom and to go to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Today I was just lazy. I hang out around the complex and had some very stimulating conversations in the clubhouse about Film and Government/Socialism. It was interesting. Apparently I did learn a lot in school.

But these two days have proved to be a good learning/stepping stone for me.

The first thing I learned was that it is good to remember why you started chasing your dream in the first place. I was able to see this during my time at the Magic Kingdom. Kids and adults were just amazed at what happens. Of course, you get those few people who are grumpy, mean, and rude, but for the most part everything just wanted to have an awesome time. If someone can put a smile on their faces, it makes me smile. As I like to say, I’m in the business of smiles. Also, Disney is in the Entertainment business. I LOVE entertaining people. It is so much fun and it brings so much joy to others.

One of my life goals is to be a part of something bigger than myself. Disney helps me do that, but I can’t work in attractions my entire life. I was meant to do more. I wish I could help Disney as a company remember that it all started with a dream. Disney is supposed to be in the business of Dreams and they seem to be forgetting that. We all forget about what business we are in sometimes.

I also learned that you can learn a LOT from others. If we all just took the time to listen to one another and to hear their point of view on things, we may find the answers to a lot of big questions. It is so awesome to have stimulating conversations. I am going to strive to have one every day.

Day 5: Finding Passions September 25, 2009

Today was a great day. I was able to get a few things finished before having to spend the rest of the night in the apartment.

I cleaned and did some job hunting. I also went over to Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival. It was awesome. It was a nice relaxing day and then it rained so I came back and spent the night in the apartment.

I was able to talk to a good friend of mine. She is amazing and I hope that she gets a professional internship with Disney because she deserves it. Also, because she is thinking of living with me, which would help me out A LOT with bills!

Tonight while I was alone something wonderful happened. My voice finally returned. I have been sick and sans voice for almost a week. I have suffered sounding like a man…which is not cool being that I am a girl. I even had to cancel a Disney interview because of it. But tonight I was able to SING! So I spent a good hour or two rediscovering my passion to sing. I went through half of my voice lesson binder and I think my voice teachers would be proud of me. The sound that came out of me tonight was one of much practice and focus. If only I could show someone this beautiful passion of mine. I guess I will have to wait to be discovered. Is that how people make a living on singing? Not only was I singing the best I have in a long time, I was feeling it too. There was emotion in my voice, the emotion that my teachers have been trying to instill in me. For each song there was meaning and life to the words. I LOVED it!!

So find your passions and pursue them. You don’t have to make a career out of them, but keep up with them. They will help to make you happy in life.

Day 4: It could get boring September 24, 2009

So today was a rough day. I found out that I didn’t have to go into work today so I had the day to myself. Sure I got some things done, but for the most part it was boring.

Waiting for the job of your dreams may get boring, but don’t let that stop you from going. One suggestion I have is to find ways to do what you love. If you love to write, then keep a journal, go outside and write about a certain spot you visited or something you saw, maybe write a story. If you are like me and like to work with cameras then go outside and take some still shots or record yourself doing things like fake reporting or something of the sort. If you like working with you numbers then, well that’s not really my area of expertise so I’m not sure what you should do in your spare time.

However, it is good to have a few lazy days. I believe they are good for the health. You need days to get yourself organized, clean, read a book, etc.

Remember that you should always be looking for connections. You could find one on a website or just walking around your living area. You could run into by accident in the grocery store. But you should always have your eyes and ears open for people that may be able to help you.

Sorry that today’s lesson is kind of boring. It’s just a boring day. I also was just writing my article for the Orlando Examiner so I am bit tired in the writing department. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Day 3: Do not get discouraged! September 23, 2009

So I haven’t heard anything from Mr. Ashe, the man I was told to send my resume to. I have decided to give it a week before emailing him again. But this lesson today is a good one. Discouragement.

I find that it is very easy to get discouraged. Now, more than ever, it is a good idea to teach ourselves to hold our heads high. Having and upbeat and positive attitude throughout your day, no matter what is going on, will help you have a positive attitude in all situations.

For example, today they asked me to come into work. Since I am broke and have lots of bills to pay I literally jumped out of bed, freshened up, packed lunch and headed to work. Now would be a good time to mention that I am sick with a nasty congestion. My voice comes and goes and I have coughing fits. It has made me tired and sometimes cranky. To put it simple, my couch and I have been good friends for the past few days. But I went to work anyway. I had to remind myself to stay positive and cheerful and so I did. Lots of other people were down, but I had already made up my mind to stay cheerful. Which is why the no response thing isn’t bothering me too much.

I have dedicated my night to watching youtube videos of my favorite Broadway singers, singing songs that you normally wouldn’t hear them sing.

Adam Pascal ~What I Did For Love

John Tartaglia ~ Disney Whore

etc.

I also got some cool news in the mail. I had sent away for information about Full Sail University. A University that specializes in show production, video production, film, video games, basically a school for creative arts and media. It is very interesting and I am considering going to see the campus. I am hoping that I can find a job that will help with tuition reimbursement and be able to go. It looks interesting.

I am dreading my bills coming in at the end of the week and having to pay them later this week. But this is life and this is life trying to make your dreams come true. It may mean living on the rough side for a bit, but I’m prepared.

“Always look on the bright side of life” ~ Monty Python

Day 2: Follow Your Heart To Pursue Your Dreams September 21, 2009

Hey All!

Today is Day 2 in my 365 days of Following Your Dreams blog! An Amazing Series of events have happened to me.

As I have stated one of my passions is video production. I love the idea of entertaining people through videos. There’s something about creating a commercial that will catch people’s eyes or shooting an interview promoting a new film or TV show. I love being able to hold a camera and just record. It’s actually a lot of fun. I have a creative mind so it works.

Today, while I was at the outlets filling out applications for a part time job a thought occurred to me. Why not go over to Downtown Disney and try to apply at some of the restaurants there because they are not staffed through Disney. So I walked over and got the same response from most of the restaurants, “we’re not hiring right now.” I am beginning to resent that phrase. I decided to walk around and just enjoy the beginning of the afternoon before it got too hot. I was walking past Ghirardelli Chocolate when I was stopped. Then I noticed that I was stopped because there was filming going on. So I asked the man who had stopped me if this was something that occurred through Disney. He replied yes and he gave me the name of the production company and the name of the man in charge of the broadcast production area of Disney. I was Thrilled! I walked around for a little and then ran to my car, drove home (Happily singing Shania Twain’s UP) and emailed this man right away.

The response: They are always interested in part time cast members who have production knowledge. This made me extremely excited and I am off to send my resume to their Resource Manager.

Lesson: When you are feeling compelled about something, follow that feeling. It will most likely lead you to something that may change your course forever!

NEVER STOP BELIEVING IN YOUR DREAMS!

365 Days of Chasing Dreams: Day 1 September 21, 2009

Hello All and Welcome!

My name is Lauren and I graduated from Penn State University in May 2009. After earning my degree in Telecommunications (focus in Broadcast/Video production) and a fascinating minor in Theatre, I have begun the search for a “real life” career. After an entire summer of applying to small production companies who weren’t even looking for new hires, sending resumes to television stations that were laying off, and working long days at a local diner, I have decided to take things into my own hands and move to sunny Orlando, Florida.

WHY The Move? Yes, it is true that I didn’t have to pay nearly as much as I am paying now in rent while living with my parents and I had all the comforts of people I love and a nice home, but I didn’t have a job. I also wasn’t finding a bite, or rather a bite that I knew would make me happy. I would rather be happy starting out in my career life, then miserable. I moved to Orlando because of Walt Disney World. I had completed their College Program during the Fall of 2008 and was welcomed back as a seasonal employee this past summer. More importantly, I knew I would absolutely LOVE my job. It meant making sacrifices and they weren’t easy ones to make. I miss home very very much. Fall and Winter don’t exist here in Florida.

THE JOB: Why not start at entry level and work your way up? Well, I thought about that. I applied for some entry level jobs filing tapes at TV studios and got no reply. Now wait a minute, I was a great student who ended up with a 3.40 GPA (pretty good), I interned with WPSU Sports and the Big Ten Network and a small video production company, not to mention was an employee of the Walt Disney World Company. Why wasn’t I getting any interviews? Why was my field so hard to break into? And as a girl, too. How many women cameramen do you see? Exactly. Anyways, since I had done the College Program before, I knew I would love working for Disney again.

WHY Do i Love It? Because it’s fun. I get to wear silly looking costumes and make people’s day brighter. I get to play a role in something bigger than I am. I have the power to make magic happen and watch dreams come true. I have the best job in the world. Sure it pays next to nothing and I’m living alone in a place I cannot afford. Sure I am having to dig a little into my savings and eat less lavish food. Sure it’s HARD, but no one ever said it was going to be easy.

I decided to make this blog because not enough people follow their dreams. Too many of us settle for what is “ok” for us. We stop chasing when we are comfortable. Most people don’t like to face trying times. We are comfortable working in tiny cubicles at a job we hate because it allows us to have money. The world is all about money. I know this because the company I am working for has decided that money is more important than Magic. What this company doesn’t understand is that The Company itself was BUILT on Magic and Dreams. Companies lose sight of their goals too, because most companies lessen their product because it gives them more money.

My question to you is WHY? Why do we settle for less?

I’m not going to be able to make it more than a year working for dirt with no benefits. So we’ll give this a shot. I challenge you to follow me as I embark on a journey to follow my dreams. What are my dreams you may ask? I’m not entirely sure that I know. However, I do know that I like to entertain people. I love making people smile, I like to sing and dance and be crazy. I like watching people’s dreams come true and hope that my dreams come true as well. I know that I love Disney and would love to work for them in any way that I can. Which is why I am starting small. I also dream that I meet Prince Charming and have a family, but we will cross that bridge when we get to it. My Dream is to be Successful doing what I love to do.

I hope along the way I can inspire you to somehow follow your dreams as well.

Same Blog, New Cause September 13, 2009

Hey Gang!

I know I haven’t been writing in here lately. I hope to change that, but I have been busy moving on with life Post Grad. It’s hard because the job market in my field isn’t doing well. So I have moved to Florida and am working part time for Disney in hopes of going full time and into something more important like management or entertainment.

Anyways the real meaning of this post to let you guys know that I have changed my Social Vibe cause. While I still support To Write Love On Her Arms and think that you all should support it too, I have decided to change my cause to the American Diabetes Association cause. This cause is near and dear to my heart for many reasons, the main on being that my dad has been in the struggle with Diabetes since the age of 21. He’s now well into his 40s (sorry dad) and has a pump, but he still crashes. Lately, he took a really hard crash and it really hit home for us as a family. It’s scary when someone you know turns into a different person because their sugar is too low.  My dad, usually a stern but fun guy, gets really giddy and way out of whack. You know when something is up. My dad has not only be in battle with Diabetes but also with Cushings Disease. We are very lucky to have him with us each and every day and I hope that he is alive for many more years to come. Right now, while they are finding a cure, we have to support them in their search. We have to support the advancement of medicine and research. We have to support the families of those who are battling diabetes as well and those who are struggling themselves. So please take the time to visit click the like on the side and support this awesome cause.

Also, it doesn’t hurt to become aware of Diabetes so be sure to check out the ADA’s website! http://www.diabetes.org/

Thank you so much guys for helping me help this amazing cause (as all the causes on Social Vibe are)!

~~Lauren~~