Old Long Syne

In all honesty, I'm terribly sad to see 2011 pass away. There has been no greater year in my entire life than this one. All my education combined could never amount to the things I have learned on my own, and from others this year. This past year has been very nostalgic for me, and I will never forget it.




"Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne?"


Ever since I've first heard this song, I've pondered the lyrics and what they meant. Should an old acquaintance be forgot? Should we not remember them? It never made sense to me. But the truth is, we don't remember every little thing we did each year. I know I don't. Perhaps that's why this song is for New Year's, because that previous year was your acquaintance, and now this acquaintance has passed on.


Truth is, there are things this past year that have happened that I will never forget. I thank God everyday for this year-long journey. Some of my adventures have included 4 Disney trips, getting to tour the Walt Disney Studios and Archives, the D23 Convention, and changing jobs.


I thank God everyday for the incredible people I have had the privilege of meeting this past year. From my brother, to incredible co-workers who I've built a life-long relationship with, to those of you online who I have yet to meet. I don't think I've ever been closer to friends until now. You guys know who you are, and thank you for inspiring me and being by my side. There is nothing more meaningful to me than that.


This year, I have learned so much about God. I realized that in previous years I wasn't trusting him completely, and looking back I now see how much I doubted. After some hardcore prayer sessions, and after he answered some of my requests in the most obvious of ways that totally had me dumb-founded, He taught me not to doubt, and to trust with all my heart. I don't think there is a more powerful message and feeling then that. I thank Christ everyday for what he has done for me. I truly do not deserve it.





As much as I'm going to miss 2011, I look forward to 2012. I have some really big plans that I can't wait to share with you guys. I'm running after my dreams now, and for the first time ever, they seem to be in reach. I plan on changing for the better this year, and being more family/friend oriented. After all, they are the ones who've got my back and are there when I need them.
I've always said that my New Year's Resolution was to not make a New Year's Resolution, because no one keeps them. This year I'm changing that. This year's Resolution isn't to go on a diet, or stop drinking soda. It's deeper than that. I'm going to shape my life to be the man God wanted me to be. It's all for him.



So, should old acquaintances be forgot? I don't think so. I think they should be forever alive in our memories. However, this version of the song was not the original version. This song is so much more than acquaintances, and remembering them. Perhaps the original version by James Watson, which was written in 1711, will make more sense to you. It did to me.


Before I say goodbye, I want to wish you a very happy New Years. Thank you for everything- I look forward to new adventures in 2012.

 -------------------------------------------------------

Should Old Acquaintance be forgot,
and never thought upon;
The flames of Love extinguished,
and fully past and gone:
Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold,
that loving Breast of thine;
That thou canst never once reflect
on Old long syne.

CHORUS:

On Old long syne my Jo,
in Old long syne,
That thou canst never once reflect,
on Old long syne.

My Heart is ravisht with delight,
when thee I think upon;
All Grief and Sorrow takes the flight,
and speedily is gone;
The bright resemblance of thy Face,
so fills this, Heart of mine;
That Force nor Fate can me displease,
for Old long syne.

CHORUS

Since thoughts of thee doth banish grief,
when from thee I am gone;
will not thy presence yield relief,
to this sad Heart of mine:
Why doth thy presence me defeat,
with excellence divine?
Especially when I reflect
on Old long syne

Merry Christmas

I hope you all have a very merry Christmas and Christmas Eve. Remember that it's all for Jesus.

Wishing you the best and safe holiday,
And as always, thanks for reading The Random Post.

-Austen

The Power of Mickey Mouse

Maleficent had no chance of beating Mickey in Fantasmic!, his power and imagination really has no limits. I'm reading the book "How to be like Walt", and in this particular chapter it talks about Mickey Mouse. Us Disney fans know the story of how Mickey was created, but they don't realize how his popularity spread so incredibly fast and far. Here are a few paragraphs from the book, explaining this powerful mouse: 



"President Franklin D. Roosevelt admired the spirit and resourcefulness of Mickey Mouse, and ordered that the cartoons be shown at the White House. England's King George V demanded that Mickey Mouse cartoons accompany every film shown at Buckingham Palace. Mickey brought cheer and hope to a world falling under the shadow of the Great Depression. His relentless optimism, so much like Walt's, was good medicine for an ailing society.
Mickey's last black-and-white cartoon (Mickey's Kangaroo) and his first color cartoon (The Band Concert) premiered in 1935. That year, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade featured a fifty-foot tall Mickey Mouse-and Walt received a special medal from the League of Nations, recognizing Mickey as "A symbol of universal good will." To top it off, 1935 was the year Adolf Hitler banned Mickey Mouse cartoons from German theaters.
Later, during World War II, Mickey Mouse encouraged Americans to support the war effort by purchasing War Bonds. During the London blitz, English children were issued gas masks with pictures of Mickey on them. The terror of the bombing raids was made more bearable because the Mouse was there. When Allied forces prepared to storm the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944, soldiers were given a password by which all friendly forces would be recognized: 'Mickey Mouse'".




"Mickey Mouse to me is the symbol of independence. Born of necessity, the little fellow literally freed us of immediate worry." -Walt Disney