New York, New York

My time in Disney has ended. Just 4 days ago, and im already missing it... the place, the lifestyle, the people. Since then i have been in New York, and experiencing a great 'environment shock' from how different NY is from orlando, or even Singapore. Especially during that unforgettable moment of coming up from the subway into Times Square, was when the greatest shock set in.
It is such an unimaginably bustling city that Singapore cant compare to.

During my time in NY, we have covered quite a number of places, just barely enough to cover the cost of the $130 New York Pass. they include:

Empire state building observatory - on a balcony 82 storeys above, i witnessed a beautiful view of the whole New York city (and beyond) at night. while day time would have been better for landmark and activity watching, the night view is beautifully dazzling with city lights.

Rockefeller tower - similar to the observatory, i went up the Rockefeller tower for a good view of NYC.

NBC studios tour - held at the Rockefeller tower, we were brought on a short tour of the NBC studios, with explaination of filming processes and the complications involved.

Musuem of natural history - the scene of 'night at the museum', but couldnt find any of the display pieces that were in the show. the place looks similar, but the movie clearly had their own studio with their own art pieces for it.

Metropolitan museum of art - featuring ancient artifacts from civilations all over the world.

Museum of modern art - modern art displays. mostly boring, but some were interesting stuff

Museum of sex - save the explaination. it got quite pornographic sometimes.

Madame Tussauds wax museum - really cool museum... it had life size wax figures of hundreds of celebrities and famous figures, which all looked extremely real. good place to take photos and have fun.

Da Vinci's workshop - all the art pieces and sketches he made, depicted in greater clarity.

Circle line cruise - cruising along the manhattan river, going past the Statue of Liberty and under bridges. What would have been a fantastic photo taking experience, our experience was so spoiled by the heavy rain that greatly reduced visibility and disallowed us to stop at Liberty Island.

Bronx Zoo - A really, really pitiful experience. A world accclaimed zoo as advertised, turned out to be like a cold deserted park, featuring a few inactive animals, barren trees, frozen pools, and closed shops everywhere. Imagine what would happen if Disney Animal Kingdom became that cold...

Those were just the attractions we visited using our NY pass to gain free entry. Central park, Battery park and the area around Times Square are among the other places visited.
Tomorrow is heading off to San Francisco! I would think, the sights are even better there!

It's a wrap!

My program in Disneyworld has officially come to an end.
the last day of work is over. goodbyes have been said, pictures taken, namecards and signatures exchanged, lots of tears shed (though none from me)
everything we need here bought, thankfully all attractions covered
now the biggest task ahead and still left undone is.. packing up.

As i speak.. or write, i am in the midst of packing up, and so is everyone in the apartment. the whole apartment is in an awful mess, with everything being flushed out of the drawers and onto the floor abd tables. hard to imagine, in a few hours time it would be all cleared up, and the warzone becoming a nice, neat apartment again.

Meanwhile the reality still hasnt much sank into me that in several more hours time, i would be out of this place and never returning again, as far as i can see. The same scenario as when i was leaving to come here. Perhaps when i return after my 2 weeks of holidaying, it would seem like just one long dream.
Away from all my friends here, away from Patterson Court and the other housing properties, away from Magic Kingdom, hollywood studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom. Away from Pecos Bills. not that i really liked the place - the environment isnt good, neither is the food, there is not one good manager, just 1 good coordinator, and the policies & practices there portray lack of reasoning and concern for cast members. Only the cast members there are good... well of course!

I dont feel ready to go. But time doesnt wait for me, and when the time is up, ill just have to be out of here whether im ready or not.
So off to packing i go ... and soon i will be home!

A very late first post of the year

A (very belated) happy new year to all! it has to be so belated cause there was no chance before that to do it on this blog. yes i admit it is due to laziness, cant be botheredness, forgetfulness and tiredness in combination to not having the time.

Above is the video of the 2010 New Year countdown event at the Magic Kingdom, featuring a totally awesome fireworks spectacular "fantasy in the sky". Yes, thats where i spent the first hour of the year. Of course, i was working the whole day on the last day of 2009, but i purposely arranged that i would be able to see and video tape the fireworks. Noodle station changed my schedule to work till 12.30 without my permission, but i cleared it up with the manager who then let me off at 11.30, just having enough time to get to Main Street with camera ready, and so happens also bumping into a group of colleagues. it was a real worthwhile choice to cross the new year that way ~ the only bad part is that it was so overcrowded along the whole main street, and i could hardly get a good view with my camera without being blocked by tall people in front wearing those stupid party hats. oh i was so pissed when they started blowing the horns and waving those hats in front of my camera while taping the fireworks!

It was a mad 2 weeks of work, totalling 69 hours on christmas week, followed by 80 hours on new years week. but right after that, it took a steep dive down to 32 in the next week. that went further lower to 25 when i called-in one day to go to play. I totally lost my mood to work right after new year's week. a 180 degrees turn - from maximising my hours, taking every chance of extension and searching the hub every now and then for extra shifts to fill up every hour available; to not even thinking about extending, and even calling in for one day.

Everyone else had the same absence of mood for work, i could see. and it was totally understandable - a batch of cast members ended their program on jan 2; immediately after new year week, followed by a larger batch on jan 8. quite a number of good friends left on that day, including my housemate cum colleague, Yasuhito. Who would want to work at this kind of time, when things are so soon coming to an end? Those who were leaving spent the last week (and perhaps some time during New year week too) playing and hanging out all they could, while they still could. And those who arent leaving yet, like me, spent the time accompanying them, while we still could. might as well treat it as our final chances to play too ~ for my turn to leave aint far away at all either.

It was quite an emotional time spending those last moments with the departing folk. we said we would visit each other in each other's countries, but i challenge that to come to pass. even maintaining regular contact is doubtful, from prior experience. Really, it seemed like their departure was separation for good.

Now, i am faced with a terrifying fact - i have only 9 days remaining here, and my very last off day is over. from now till the end, i am working every day. that leaves me with not much remaining opportunity at all to play and hang out, considering that the massive task of PACKING UP still remains undone, to be juggled within these work days. oh my, what a doomed state im in... it all seems too late now. Lord help me...