Sandra is getting her big paycheck by the end of the week rather than by the end of April. This changes the posibilities for our Disneyland trip GREATLY.

Before it looked like this:

We might get to go at the end of April. Maybe. It depended on whether or not Sandra got her check at all and whether or not they were going to put a freeze on taking leave over the spring, which they had been kind of threatening to do.

And now it looks like this:

We could go next month, towards the end of January. Or we could go at the end of April, after Sandra gets her OTHER checks (she’s got two more on the way).

Either way, we’re fucking going for sure now. We just have to decide it we want to do a basic trip (fly down, stay in a cheap hotel across the street, fly home) in January or a big, elaborate driving road trip where we stay at the Disneyland Hotel, drive to Vegas (maybe) and then drive up to see my family for a week.

Here’s the breakdown of pros and cons as I see them:

January trip

PROS:

It’s sooner, obviously. That’s a huge bonus. We need it sooner than later. Last year was the shittiest year of our lives, for both of us.

Our best Disneyland trip was in January. It’s cool in Orange County but not cold. Sandra’s weak Canadian blood cannot handle heat.

It’ll be far less crowded in January.

They usually have pretty big sales at travel agencies right after Christmas. We could probably go fairly cheaply.

CONS:

It won’t be the big, spectacular Disneyland trip we keep saying we’re going to take and then never do. It will be, most likely, just like every other DIsneyland trip we’ve taken. Still good, but not THE BEST TRIP EVER.

The Haunted Mansion will be closed while they take down the Nightmare Before Christmas stuff. And we likes us some Haunted Mansion.

It could rain. Last time we went in January, one day it rained so hard and heavy that it was pretty much impossible to enjoy the park that day. If it’s going to rain in Disneyland, it will probably be in January.

We won’t get to spend a week with my family. When we were planning the driving trip, we planned on stopping at my mom’s house on the way back for a week or so. I would have to insist that I get some sort of trip after if we go in January, but I have no idea when I’d be able to do that.

 

April trip

PROS:

It will be the big, spectacular trip. three weeks or so, driving down, shopping, eating garbage, spending all kinds of much needed quality time together. Driving around Southern California, checking out George AFB (which I’ve wanted to do for a LONG time) where I grew up, which is now abandoned and a ghost town and possibly going to Vegas for a day or two.

Spending time with my family.

Staying at the Disneyland Hotel, which is something we’ve both wanted to do since we were little, but could never afford.

We always do better with something to look forward to.

CONS:

It’s farther away. Like, four and a half months away. We need SOMETHING soon.

There’s the possibility of that vacation leave freeze with Sandra’s work. That would potentially kill an April trip dead in the water. We don’t know if it’s going to happen or not. At first they said it would and now they’re saying it might not. If we opt not to go in January and then in April they say that she CAN’T go, then we’d be screwed until the fall, because going in the Summer would be out.

It will be warmer and possibly to warm for Sandra. Probably not, but it could happen.

It will be busier. Disneyland is best with as few other people at the park.

So it’s a sooner, sure thing, but not as grand a trip and not having specific plans to see my family (which I very badly need) vs a later, more extravagant trip that is potentially more crowded and warmer, and a far less sure thing.

I’m leaning towards the April. As badly as I want to go as soon as possible, I think that the build up to something huge and awesome will be good for us. It will force us to save money and try and get at least a little bit in shape. A week in Disneyland is a lot of fucking work, physically, and I could stand to get myself used to the exercise. Hell, I could potentially lose a grip of weight in four and a half months. That wouldn’t be a bad thing.

I dunno though. Give me your input! Thoughts, suggestions, show ideas.

Okay, so not so much “deleted” as I’d like to shoot it and then not use it. It was never actually in the script. In fact, I just wrote it about five minutes ago. I just want to have it. I couldn’t use it anyway, since it’s like, a total rip off from The Devil’s Rejects anyway. But whatever. Here it is.

INT. CAR – NIGHT

Vickie drives and looks frazzled. Danny and Charlie sit in
the backseat. Danny stares blankly through the window.
Charlie is unconscious, a bloody bullet hole in the center of
her forehead.

Charlie stirs awake. She puts her hand to her head as though
she has a headache.

                    CHARLIE
          Where are we?

                    DANNY
          In the car.

Charlie looks frustrated.

                    CHARLIE
          I know that, dork. Where ARE we
          though?

Danny shrugs.

                    DANNY
          L.A. I guess.

Charlie looks at her like she’s retarded.

                    VICKIE
          We’re in Orange County.

Charlie is still trying to wake up.

                    CHARLE
          Why the fuck are we in Orange
          County?

                    VICKIE
          We’re going to Big Bear.

                    CHARLIE
          Orange County isn’t on the way to
          Big Bear.

                    VICKIE
          I know that, bitch. I’m taking a
          longer way.

                    CHARLIE
          No shit. What the fuck is in Big
          Bear?

                    VICKIE
          Salome.

Charlie looks highly offended by this.

                    CHARLIE
          Fuck that!

                    VICKIE
          Look, if you have any better
          suggestions, I’m listening.

Charlie looks out the window, still somewhat groggy.

                    CHARLIE
          Wait, where exactly are we?

                    VICKIE
          I told you, Orange County.

                    CHARLIE
          Anaheim?

                    VICKIE
          Yes.

Charlie looks at Danny, her eyes wide and her mouth in a
tight little “o” shape. Danny bites her lip.

                    CHARLIE
          What road are we on?

Vickie closes her eyes briefly, frustrated.

                    VICKIE
          Harbor.

Charlie’s mouth drops open and Danny starts to fidget,
excited.

                    CHARLIE
          So… we’re headed, what… north?

Vickie is starting to look less frustrated and more angry.

                    VICKIE
          Yes, fucking north.

                    CHARLIE
          Towards the five.

There’s a long pause.

                    VICKIE
          Yeah.

Danny and Charlie look even more excited.

                    CHARLIE
          That’s… interesting. You know the
          five doesn’t go anywhere near Big
          Bear.

                    VICKIE
          I didn’t say I was getting onto the
          five. I told you, I’m taking
          another fucking way.

                    CHARLIE
          I see. You know, I was thinking…

                    VICKIE
          No.

                    CHARLIE
          What?

                    VICKIE
          Absolutely fucking not. No way.

Charlie suddenly yells.

                    CHARLIE
          OH COME ON!! DON’T BE A FUCKING
          BITCH!

                    VICKIE
          No fucking way! It isn’t going to
          happen! Not in a million fucking
          years!

                    CHARLIE
          You’re not the fucking boss of us!

                    VICKIE
          I’m driving! It’s my car and I’m
          driving! I’m the fucking boss.

                    CHARLIE
          Fuck you! You stole this car!

                    VICKIE
          Exactly! It’s a stolen fucking car
          and there’s a fucking dead body in
          the trunk and you’ve got a fucking
          bullet hole in your forehead! It
          aint gonna happen!

                    CHARLIE
          I’ll jump the fuck out of this car,
          I swear.

                    VICKIE
          Do it, I don’t care. I’m not
          stopping.

                    DANNY
          Oh my god… That’s The Matterhorn.

Danny points through the window and Charlie starts to almost
look frantic.

                    CHARLIE
          It’s only 8:30! The park’s still
          open for another three and a half
          hours! COME ON!

                    DANNY
          COME ON!

                    VICKIE
          I said no.

Charlie kicks the back of Vickie’s seat.

                    CHARLIE
          Come on! It’s RIGHT THERE!

                    VICKIE
          I said no.

                                                 CUT TO:

INT. CAR – NIGHT

Vickie drives, looking defeated and smoldering. Charlie and
Danny sit in the back. Charlie wears Mickey Mouse Ears and
Danny eats Cotton Candy.

                    CHARLIE
          Disneyland fucking rules.

Danny nods, eating her cotton candy.

No time. We’re leaving in like, fifteen minutes or something.

Quick recap of things I wanted to post about but didn’t get time to before now.

Watched Bug (comes out Tuesday on DVD)

It was fantastic! Great characters. Interesting metaphors. Good stuff. Harry Conic Jr is the fucking Man. If they ever (god forbid) decide to try and do another X-Men movie, he is the perfect guy to play Gambit. Not that they should do another X-Men movie… or put a lame ass character like Gambit in a movie. I’m just saying is all.

Watched Knocked Up. It was also fantastic. Way better than I expected. I wish all romantic comedies could be good like this instead of pandering crap like they usually are. I was surprised that they worked the close up birth shots into the movie. Not that I was bothered by it, I just didn’t expect it.

I just heard Sandra say “I’m ready!” from the bathroom where she’s been dicking around with her hair and make up and shit for the last hour. So I guess that means it’s time to go now!

Back in a week!

Sandra got our flights upgraded to first class. FLYING IN STYLE BEEYOTCH!

I’m not 100% sure that any of you can fully appreciate just how fucking excited I am.