A Disnerd Birthday Adventure, part 3: Fashion & Fun

Fashion
I was absolutely GIDDY that the vast majority of my party guests showed up in Disney-inspired outfits as requested. Yes, I indicated that it was not optional, but I kind of expected that some people wouldn't take me seriously. But to my delight, most of my friends participated... or maybe I should say...humored me.

First, my fabulous outfit. :) As you might have guessed, I was Flynn Rider! It's not so much Flynn as it is the actor Zachary Levi that I love. But it seemed appropriate to wear this for my birthday! The teal blouse (Old Navy) and skinny jeans (ModCloth) are both new. So, not quite an outfit on a budget, but I decided they were my birthday gift to myself. Everyone's allowed an exception when they're having an epic birthday.

And here are some of the other fabulous outfits! Click on the pictures to view bigger and read captions.

Thanks to Abi for these photos!

Thanks to Allison for these photos!

Not pictured: Carolyn as Cruella deVil & Amy as Goofy.

After the votes came in, Tiana (Rapunzel), Stephanie (Snow White), Elizabeth (Eeyore) and Kylene (Maleficent) went home as reigning Disnerd Fashionistas! Seriously though, I was super impressed by everyone's outfits. From Cassie's snake skin shoes (Jafar) to Laura's fishscale nails (Ariel), everyone did a great job! I hope you had fun because I sure did!

We also had other fun Disney-themed activities to complete the epic awesomeness. A huge shout-out to Kylene and Mimi for organizing!

Matching Game
Mimi led an icebreaker type game where each of us had a sticker on our back, with either a Disney hero/heroine, villain or a sidekick on it. We had to figure out who we were and then find our partner by asking each other yes or no questions. This was a great way for all my guests to meet each other, since I had friends from different areas of my life. Let it be noted that I was the first person to figure out my sticker (Pinocchio) and my partner (Abi - Jiminy Cricket)! I knew exactly who I was when I asked, "Am I human?" and someone answered, "Um...well it depends." :)

I have no idea what face I am making in the picture on the right.

Karaoke!
Later on in the evening I broke out the Disney karaoke. This may have been my favorite part of the night. I found a whole bunch of karaoke videos on YouTube that I compiled into a playlist. I hooked up my laptop to my TV and we had a whole hour of Disney karaoke songs! It was both heartwarming and slightly disturbing that everyone knew all the words to every song. (I knew I wasn't the only one!) Disney songs work well for karaoke because you are allowed to be both dramatic and silly. Plus, most of the songs are within my vocal range.

why do i look so earnest? and yes, that is a Disney Princess microphone (that someone gave me a while back)

I took a couple videos but this is by far my favorite. Drew totally embraced his Gaston-ness in this clip:

Who What Where
Kylene organized our last game, and by then we were down to about a dozen people. This is when things really got crazy (aren't you all wishing you had stayed longer? haha). We played a Disney version of "Who What Where". It's sort of like Pictionary but a little more involved. In each round we had to pick out pieces of paper with a "Who" - all Disney characters, a "What" and a "Where." Then we had to draw that scene. As you might imagine, hilarity ensued. See if you can guess some of these masterpieces (answers at the end of this post):

my drawing

Laura S's drawing

Amy's drawing

Christopher's drawing

All in all, this was probably the best birthday party I have ever had. I throw a good party, if I say so myself. ;) But it wouldn't have been possible without the help of so many friends, and for everyone who came to celebrate with me. I felt incredibly blessed and cared for that night. It was the perfect way to ring in my 30th year and cap off this crazy Disnerd Adventure! Thanks for being a party of my epic day!

I've got at least 2 more posts coming before I say goodbye, so stay tuned!


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Who What Where answers: (1) Aladdin break dancing in a tent (2) Cheshire Cat bowling in Madison (3) Ursula segue-ing on a mountain (4) Cogsworth pole vaulting in a cave

Top 10 obscure Disney baby names (BOYS)

Well, I guess Matt and Sarah decided not to go for any of my suggestions in naming their daughter.

Whatever. I'm over it.

I'm making a new list, of boy names. Maybe someone else will appreciate my brilliant advice! Actually, I don't know anyone who is having a boy. My sister is preggers, but they're waiting to find out the gender. If it is a boy, I think they have some great options here. Seriously.

1. Ichabod, main character in The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad
Why it works: Despite what the name might connote (socially awkward guy with a big nose - that's what I think of, at least), Disney's Ichabod Crane was quite the ladies' man. Until he was driven mad by the Headless Hunter, that is.
Suggested nicknames - Ick, Icky, Ickers

2. Mowgli, main character in The Jungle Book
Why it works: Ten bucks your kid will be the only one with this name in his class. Just make sure he wears more than red underwear.
Suggested nicknames - Mo, Mowgs, Glee-meister

3. Basil, main character in The Great Mouse Detective
Why it works: British names are automatically cool. Plus, he'd be named after an herb. Yum.
Suggested nicknames - Baz, Bazzie, Sherlock

4. Phoebus, love interest in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Why it works: If you give him this name, your son will most likely grow some awesome facial hair one day.
Suggested nicknames - Pheebs, Pheebers, Bus

5. Clayton, villain in Tarzan
Why it works: When he's not busy hunting apes, he'll be playing tennis at the country club and wearing lots of argyle sweaters.
Suggested nicknames: Clay, Clay-boy

6. Kronk, villain's sidekick in Emperor's New Groove
Why it works: Um, because he's AWESOME.
Suggested nicknames: Kronkie, Kronkers, K

7. Milo, main character in Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Why it works: I think this is a legitimately cute name.
Suggested nicknames: Miles, Lo-Lo, Michael J. Fox

8. Koda, younger bear in Brother Bear
Why it works: Doesn't the name just sound cuddly and cute?
Suggested nicknames: Kody, Kodes, Kody-Bear

9. Pascal, chameleon in Tangled
Why it works: Have you seen Tangled?
Suggested nicknames: Pascie, Cal

10. Maximus, horse in Tangled
Why it works: Have you seen Tangled?
Suggested nicknames: Max, horsie

#41: Passion Over Glory

Atlantis: the Lost Empire, 2001
watched July 1, 2012

Atlantis, like Emperor's New Groove, stands apart from Disney's typical fare, delving into new genres: action and science fiction. It's probably also the darkest film we've seen since The Black Cauldron. Within the first half hour, the majority of a 200-person crew aboard the ship are killed en route, leaving only a handful of them to brave the rest of the journey.

Also, there are a lot of caves. Dark ones.

While the numerous action sequences are quite a contrast from the colorful musical numbers of past films, the story still retains some familiar "Disney-esque" elements, such as the quirky main character who doesn't fit in. Add the orphan factor and aspirations to discover "a whole new world" (aka lost civilization), and Milo Thatch comfortably takes his seat at the Disney hero table. (There were times during the movie that I wanted to burst out singing "Go the Distance" or "Reflection". But I guess that's kind of all the time.)

And it's the nerdy linguist's path to self discovery that carries an otherwise convoluted story along. There's a reason why Disney keeps coming back to these characters who search for meaning in life. It's undoubtedly the main question at large among all of humankind.

In Milo's case, he isn't so much seeking his calling; he already knows what he's passionate about. Perhaps this comes from already being an adult (an anomaly among a mostly teenaged hero list.) But he still has yet to reach the ultimate goal of finding the mysterious island of Atlantis.

Milo experiences both ridicule and loneliness as he pursues his passion. Spending his days in a hot, dusty boiler room, he lives a fairly unglamorous life in order to research, study and (unsuccessfully) persuade others to support his mission. Even when a crew is assembled and they begin the journey under the sea, the others on the team mostly laugh at his enthusiasm. Some even have impure motives and are only in it for financial gain.

When all of his work pays off and they reach Atlantis, it is the moment we think Milo will at last be recompensed. The naysayers will finally be proven wrong. He will become famous for discovering the ancient thought-to-be-myth civilization. Glory and prestige will be guaranteed.

Here we expect the moral of the story: Don't give up on your dreams, one day you will be a star! And that's certainly the resounding message we hear elsewhere in culture.

But Milo demonstrates another alternative. He realizes that his dream to find Atlantis also includes a deep commitment to the Atlanteans themselves. So he chooses to give up the glory, fame and success that would certainly be his upon return to the world above water. Instead, he stays in Atlantis, in order to help preserve their dying civilization. (I suppose the beautiful Kida may have also motivated that decision. But still.)

Passion requires sacrifice. It leads to loneliness, ridicule, and leaving behind your desire for comfort, respect, or glory. It means giving up everything in order to save a dying people. When we choose passion over glory, we follow the One made the ultimate sacrifice, and whose passion saved us all.

Disney Princess Week

I'm a little disappointed I missed the opportunity to blog during most of Disney Princess Week. But there are still two days left, so I thought I'd share some of the more interesting or funny princess-related things I've found or that I've been sent since this whole Disnerd project began.

Princesses as Sailor Scouts

photo credit: findlaydonnan.wordpress.com

If you aren't familiar with Sailor Moon and pals, then you may not get why this is pretty much the coolest thing ever. Especially because I was a huge Sailor Moon fan in 8th grade, and because my favorite scout, Sailor Mercury, is depicted as Mulan!

"Real" Disney Princesses (& other female characters)

photo credit: jirkavinse.wordpress.com

I find these illustrations very intriguing because they make you realize how caricatured these female characters are. Which, to be fair, makes sense, considering they are drawings. Still though, just because the original characters are drawn doesn't mean they have nothing to say about body image. I find it particularly interesting that the faces which look most different from the cartoon versions are Mulan, the only Asian/Chinese girl, and Tiana, the only Black girl.

Princesses in period garb

photo credit: Claire Hummel at shoomlah.com

Thank you to Veronica for sending me this! These really cool illustrations depicting the princesses in more intricately styled clothing (and more cleavage, in some cases) make me a little jealous. Not because of the cleavage, but because I lack illustration skills!

Princesses as villains

I apologize to whoever created this; I cannot remember where I found it.

This was a great idea. I think Pocahontas as Governor Ratcliffe looks the most ridiculous. And Aurora as Malificent looks rather fabulous, actually. We're just missing Tiana as Dr. Facilier and Rapunzel as Mother Gothel. I'll bet that means this is a few years old.

Hipster princesses

thanks to Liz, Stacey and a few others I can't remember who sent me this. I don't know its origin.

Apparently there's this whole hipster princesses movement that I was unaware of! I guess I could say I was a Disnerd, before it was even a term. So does that make me a Disney hipster?  For more Disney princess hipster memes, check out the original Little Mermaid ones, and another collection of even more.

photo credit: viria13.deviantart.com

Here's one more hipster princess illustration. I'm kind of loving Snow White and Tiana's outfits. Also, did you spot the one non-Disney princess? Thanks to the friends (sorry I can't remember who) who sent me this.

Disney Housewives


Lastly, a Saturday Night Live video sketch. It's hilarious. Enough said. Thanks to Pete for sending it!