Waiting for a train to nowhere.

Day #13: Your least favorite song

Okay, I haven't posted for months. 'Nuff said.


"Love is a Song" from Bambi never really did anything for me.



Coming up, a few interesting topics, and perhaps a family update.

Day #12: Your favorite villain song

Here's three celebrating villainy. I think Oogie Boogie is probably the worst Disney villain out of the bunch, just for wanting to rid the world of Santa Clause for no good reason (well, he wanted to take over Halloweentown, so I guess that's a reason . . . )



Despite the sing-along-ability of the music, notice just how many acts of depravity the pirates are celebrating in song.



You may not recognize this final one. It was created for the movie that eventually became The Emperor's New Groove, originally titled Kingdom of the Son. Rather than kill Kuzco, Yzma's evil plan was to . . . well, the song explains it all.

Day #11: Your favorite love song

Another tough one to decide upon.

Based upon my first post in this series, I guess the following song was inevitable.



I also like these two.

Day #10: Your favorite song

I could not pick out a single song. Tough, get over it.

Actually, these are my favorite songs at the moment. I did pare these down from a larger list of about 20 songs and pieces of score. Maybe after I'm done I should do a song a day and explain why I like it.

No such luck today, though.

I grew up outside of a small town, and have seen things change. Even in the few years I've lived in my current town, I've seen a lot change just up and down the main street in town. There's something about small town life, and "Our Town" from Cars nails it on the head.



I didn't expect to like Meet the Robinsons. The ads seemed repetitive (I've got the caffeine patch), but I came out of a special preview moved almost to tears. I think "Little Wonders" by Rob Thomas had something to do with that.



Sorry, I don't mean to be so goopy and emotional. A big part of the reason I like these songs is that they register with me on a level I didn't anticipate. Jessie's sorrow over losing her best friend Emily echoed my sadness in realizing my childhood was far behind me (and Toy Story 3 reminded me of it that much more). Sara Mclachlin's "When She Loved Me" from Toy Story 2 again just hits that emotional spot.



Okay, enough for the mopey songs. I think Disney came back in a big way with Enchanted, and the broadway sensibilities of Alan Menken were perfect for this film. I struggled between So Close, Happy Working Song, and That's How You Know, and decided to go with the blockbuster. This song just feeds on itself and gets bigger and grander.



And let's try one that's not set in the 2000's, eh? The Jungle Book has always been one of my favorite Disney movies, and while "Wanna Be Like You" is much zanier, I prefer the laid back and mellow "Bear Necessities."



But even with this list, I've left out a lot of other favorites: Friend Like Me, Kiss the Girl, What's This, Why Should I Worry, Strangers Like Me, etc., not to mention theme park favorites like The Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room and Pirates of the Caribbean.


Honorable Mention:

Check out this shot by shot remake of A Goofy Movie's "After Today."

What's been going on here.

Perhaps, in addition to my postings about all things Disney, I could give an update about my family.

My daughter began Kindergarten in August. She's really been enjoying it, and has impressed her teacher. During our first parent teacher conference last month, I was told that my daughter had exceeded the testing requirements and was truly excelling in her development. She's really taken off.

My son is doing well, also. His vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds every day, and we are amazed at the different words he's using.

My wife recently started a new job, and my job is going well, also.

We're surprised that Halloween has gone right on by and we're now looking at Thanksgiving in just a couple of weeks, with Christmas soon to come.

In all, things are getting better. 2010's definitely been better for us than 2009, and 2011's looking to be a good year as well.

Day #9: Your favorite original character (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, etc.)

Who's got the sweetest disposition? One guess, that's who. Who'd never, ever start an argument? Who never shows a bit of temperament? Who's never wrong but always right? Who'd never dream of starting a fight? Who gets stuck with all the bad luck? No one - but Donald Duck!


Donald has always been a favorite of mine. As far as he's concerned, Donald always justifies himself in whatever action he takes, often to his own detriment.


The Duck first appeared in 1934's "The Wise Little Hen" as a supporting character who found excuses to not help the hen plant or harvest her corn, but was sure ready to help her eat it. He soon became a foil for Mickey Mouse, who began his own life as a bit of a rebel and not quite the corporate mascot he is today. Donald's personality was perfect to fill this change in Mickey's demeanor.


Ready to fight for his (perceived) rights at the drop of a hat, he often gets his comeuppance, but rarely learns his lesson. I've included one of my all time favorite shorts "Donald's Snow Fight," which happens to be one of the first Donald cartoons I remember watching (I've also included it to commemmorate the first big snowfall affecting many of my family members for this year). Enjoy, as Donald turns what could have been a fun few hours into the snow into an all out war with his nephews.

Tours Departing Daily

For your consideration.

Please check out toursdepartingdaily.com. This website provides stunning HDR images from Disneyland. Those who might follow my albums on Facebook and Flikr might understand why I like this site. He not only gets spectacular shots of the big attractions, but also finds the quiet and overlooked details which Disney places in the parks so well.

Day #8: Your favorite villain

My favorite villain is . . . Procrastination!!!

Sorry I've fallen so far out of step with updating my blog. I'm inspired by my friends and family who take the time to update on a daily basis, and I've got the time in the afternoons, when I'm not wrangling kids, to focus on blogging.
When I saw this topic, I really was not sure which villain to choose from (maybe that's the reason I took so long - yeah, that's the ticket). Maleficent and Chernabog make up the biggest of the baddies, and you can't argue with the too-close-to-real-life villany of Lady Tremaine, Cruella De Ville, MacLeach, and Madame Medusa. Jafar, Captain Hook, Yzma, Gaston, Hades, the Horned King, the Wicked Queen, Mad Madame Mim, Strombolli . . . nearly every Disney movie has a definable villian.

But who is the ultimate villain. Which one encompases the whole of the Disney pantheon of evil?

He had a pegleg once . . .


Pete, once known as Peg-Leg Pete, actually pre-dates Mickey. Pete, looking more like a bear, first appeared in Walt Disney's Alice Comedies, a series of mixed live action and animated shorts in which a little girl from the real world interacts with the cartoon world. Pete was also featured in Disney's Oswald cartoons as a major villain.

Pete terrorized Mickey as the owner of the steamboat in Steamboat Willy. He's been both a sheriff and outlaw. He's locked horns with Donald, Pluto, and Chip and Dale. Pete's turn as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come in "Mickey's Christmas Carol" was probably the first time I recognized his character, and as the spectral representation of death frightened this 7 year old.

Even some of his most recent turns have been interesting, as the harsh neighbor of Goofy on "Goof Troop." In one of his most diabolical schemes, he manages to turn the goof against his own son in "A Goofy Movie." Pete continues his villainy in the "Kingdom Hearts" video games, and has a role in the upcoming "Epic Mickey"


In all, Pete's been around the longest, and has been up against the best of them, yet he still keeps coming back for more.