Three guesses as to what my favorite TV channel was, growing up.
Don’t worry, I can wait.
………..
Finished? Well, what do you think?
If you said C-Span, or ESPN, or… CBS, lol, guess what: you’re wrong. I mean, not that you did but… lol.
Yeah, it was Disney.
Surprise, surprise, I was a Disney addict when I was a kid. I LOVED Disney, growing up. And me being me, I think you can assume to know what that means. Yeah, it means that Disney was my go-to channel for… pretty much everything. And yes, I got somewhat obsessed with it, at times. Somewhat. Well, you know. It’s ME, lol.
So, I loved Disney channel. I watched it, religiously. Loved it. Saw everything on it and I do mean everything. As a kid, I used to embarrass myself trying out those exercise moves on that Mousercise program, haha. Remember that? Seriously, like I actually used to try that stuff to get my day going, lolllll. I mean, it was fun, right? So why not?
And before school of course there was Mickey Mouse Club. And before we veer off on a tangent here, yes, I had a crush on the girls on the show. Britney, especially, IIRC. But I’m not going there, right now. Kinda.
But yes, I watched MMC. And I don’t remember much of it but I would assume I watched it because of Christina Aguilera, Justin, and the rest, some of whom like Britney and Cristina would become major fixtures AGAIN in my life, later on, especially during college, much to my incredible surprise. And yes I wanted a part on the show, too. Of course, I remember fantasizing about it, too, performing and singing with the cast members.
I also was a Nick kid. I watched Fraggle Rock, of course. I mean, who didn’t? And Pinwheel. But that was mostly, I think, when Disney was in reruns. And that one show, where the mannequins came to life? What was that? Ok, just googled it. Today’s Special. Yeah that show was… weird, but fun.
And I remember Robo Story, one of the all time great kid’s shows. That one was a pleasure to watch, and seeing it now (you can watch it on youtube) I can see that OTHERS in this world liked it, too. Looking at you here, Lucas. And the guys who made Futurama, and Samurai Jack. And probably a billion other Sci-Fi franchises. Honestly, guys, you should credit your sources. It’s the right thing to do, you know?
But still, back to Disney. Disney kicked ass. My favorite toy growing up was a Mickey Mouse doll that I called “Micka Mouse”, lol. I still have him. I remember cuddling with him for hours on the weekends before breakfast. Shades of what I do with my girlfriends, yeah? And I had a backup Mickey in case something happened to the first one, and a “Mortimer Mouse”. My sister had a Minnie.
I cuddled with poor Mickey so much I rubbed much of him off on me, lol. But still, I will never get rid of him, no not ever. So I loved Disney. I remember watching Alice in Wonderland so much I memorized the movie. I think my parents had it on tape. Thinking now, it doesn’t make sense that Disney would show that one every single day, lol. And I watched I’m sure pretty much all of the Disney animated films up to that point at least once, and probably a lot more than once, honestly.
I used to watch Road to Avonlea with Sarah Polley on Disney. Avonlea was the first non-cartoon show I ever watched continuous. Disney started airing it in my area about when I was like 10. I used to think I was so “adult” I guess, watching it, since it wasn’t a cartoon, lol. As you can imagine, I was utterly captivated by Sarah (who would again, re-enter my life in a major way during college, and even moreso afterwards, oddly enough). But yes I watched it for Sarah- and the plots, and sets, and everything else; it was truly a great show. And thinking now, perhaps this is why one of my familiars (described here, years ago) is the spirit of a ten year old girl named Sara. Hmmmn.
But Road to Avonlea was so huge with me. I remember being astonished that someone my age actually had their own TV show, and that it was as good as that one. LOL.
But, I’m digressing.
What was I talking about? Oh, Disney. Right. So, I loved Disney. My summer days consisted of playing outside, Disney channel, and nintendo, and the martial arts. It was so fun. A great time to be alive. I used to play outside every night, all the time, without fail, until no light remained. Where I live I would stay out until the lightning bugs came by. Those kinda freaked me out and I went back in, lol. I loved the twilights of those days. I would be out there every day playing and just gazing at the horizons in wonder. So much fun. So incredible, my childhood was.
Hmmn. I’m getting old, aren’t I?
Well, back to Disney. I always kinda knew that Disney would come back, into my life somehow. I guess I kinda figured that it would be like, I’d have a kid, and he/she would probably watch Disney, like I did, lol. I never knew, never understood, that it would be like it evolved to be. I never would have guessed in a thousand years that I would get involved with the Muskateers personally, years after the fact. I mean, never, ever would I have guessed such a thing would even be possible.
I mean I remember my teen years, where I had a fascination / crush on Annette Funicello. Seriously, lol. I used to watch her movies on AMC and yes, the whole “ex-Disney” was the major reason I loved her, and not, say, some other classic actress. And I used to think, back then, how magical it would be to be with a Disney chick, and how much fun it would be. Like, I could grill them about… Disney, their childhoods, and how magical and fun I thought they must have been. I mean, I REALLY drank the Disney kool-aid, haha.
I visited Disney world twice, with my parents. Saw everything I could, remember most of it, and still have the pictures, and the mementos. I remember visiting a shop as a little kid and buying with my very own money a gold-plated Mickey Mouse pen. Which is still in my drawer, of course. It doesn’t write anymore and the gold plating has flaked off in parts but it’s still there, along with my daily diary of the vacation. I stayed in the Dolphin and Swan hotels. I remember those little butter pats, lol. You know, the ones with the dolphins and swans on them? Do they still serve those? I hope they do.
Hmmn. You know- I’d like to go back, one day. After all this COVID stuff, I mean. Not now. And maybe after I’m off the drugs, and have fixed all of my many other problems. And after I get some money, and… ah, fuck it. Whatever. I mean, I wouldn’t like it as much now, anyhow. Right? Yeah.
So… well… now we get into relationship stuff, and that is like a dozen novels. But I mean it’s like, Disney kinda… changed me, when I was young. Opened my mind in certain ways, made me a different person. It was because of Disney, I think, that I didn’t shut out the possibility of magic. Alice in Wonderland was my favorite movie, you know? So even during my teen years I was like… magic, yeah, why not? Why not try? I mean when everyone else I know thought it was stupid, I didn’t. I never forgot the lessons Disney taught me I suppose.
And I guess I always knew that I would need to karmicly “give back” to Disney when I had the chance. So, I did.
I did, many times over, dozens, millions of times over. My life has been… unique. It’s been one hell of a ride.
Well, I’m stopping here, for now. But you can rest assured that there will be more to come on this subject.