Shakespeare meets Tim Rice and Elton John

What do you get when you mix a Shakespeare classic with Tim Rice and Elton John?

One of the top Disney movies of all time! (complete with Broadway musical)

In case you were unaware: June, 2014 marks the 20th anniversary for The Lion King! If you are not a fan of this movie, I just don't know how you live with yourself.

Seriously.

Okay, not seriously.

But still.

Dang.

I decided to redo The Lion King meme from the previous collection that I discussed in my last post as my... anniversary? birthday? I don't know - as my gift to Lion King for reaching this wonderful mile stone.

The original meme stated that The Lion King taught children to run away from their problems.

Which I, of course, completely disagree with. If you only watch the first half of the movie, that may indeed be the impression that you get. But the whole plot leads up to Simba realizing that running from your problems doesn't do any good. For crying out loud - HIS DEAD FATHER COMES TO HIM IN A CLOUD AND TELLS HIM TO GET HIS ACT TOGETHER AND GO BACK.

Admit it: you still get chills when you hear James Earl Jones tell Matthew Broderick to "remember who you are..."

I don't know... I feel like Disney really hit home with this one. It's not that hakuna matata is bad. I think we all need to remember to not get wound up too tightly in life. In fact, I plan on taking the next couple days to practice this hakuna matata philosophy myself.

But the whole point of the movie is showing that TOO MUCH of that can be detrimental to our well being, as well as those we care about. Simba goes back. Why? Because he got some sense knocked into him, thanks to his childhood best friend, a crazy monkey and his deceased father.

The Lion King taught me there is more to me than what I see when I look at my reflection.

"You see? He lives in you."

You can take this to mean whatever you want. As a member of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I'm going to take it to mean that we all have a more divine identity than what we usually settle for. We've been given this life as an opportunity. How many of us really take advantage of that and do something worthwhile with it?

Disney didn't teach me to run away from my problems. It taught me that running away doesn't do anything. If something in the past is unresolved, rest assured that it will eventually catch up to you. So don't give it the upper hand. Learn from it. Go back. Take care of your responsibilities. Remember, you are more than what you have become.

We all have someone we are meant to be. And, the truth is, even with all the crap in the world, the person that is most likely to keep you from that, is you.

And... My Mama Bear Side Comes Out...

HI!!

So, I realize that it's been, like, over a year since I've really updated this at all... Basically, now you guys know what reading my journal used to be like. In fact, I think it's going to be hilarious when years from now my great-great-granddaughter finds one of my earlier journals and thinks "Yay! This will be so interesting!" And then finds out that up until college I really only used my journal as a check-point.

October 3rd, 2003

I guess I should write in here since it's been over a year... 

Still alive. Now in 6th grade. Yep... Ok, till next time!

February 15, 2006

Oh look at that! How the time flies... Note to future prosperity: 

Junior High Valentine's Day dances are about the most

 awkward thing ever. Do not attend.

May 20, 2010

Oh by the way, I'm graduating in like 2 weeks!

Anyway, you guys get the drift. Sorry for turning this blog into just another diary sitting in my room collecting dust. Today, however, the dust is brushed aside and the book is opened once again! Not necessarily because I have so much more time to devote to it now than in the past year (although that is most definitely true), but more so because I came across something the other week (Disney-related, obviously) that I haven't been able to shake, so I figured I might as well use this as my ranting ground.

I came across a collection of life lessons learned from Disney movies in the form of memes. I won't say they were all bad; some I thought were rather clever. But, as a whole, I felt that the collection was uncouth and base (I've placed it here -  just for you; cause I know you're curious now).

 I realize this is coming from me and anyone that knows me knows that I'm probably overly defensive of certain things at times. But there are just certain things you don't mess with!! And Disney is one of them!!! I realize that not everyone sees Disney as cute and childlike as I do. But I really do associate Disney with childhood (my childhood, to be more precise) and innocence and so when I saw these memes, I was kind of disgusted, to be completely honest. I'm not saying there are not innuendos throughout (probably) every Disney movie. What I'm saying is that those are NOT the life lessons. And I feel bad for the person whose comprehension can only go that deep.

I realize the memes were made to be a joke;  to be someone's attempt at generating more likes and views on the internet. And, to their credit, I'm sure they did exactly that. But it's been almost 3 weeks and I still can't stop thinking about how ridiculous those memes are. So, I'm using them as my motivation to get back into updating this. I plan on taking each one and making my own life lesson meme from it. You may think I'm thinking WAY too much into this (which, is probably true - thank you for your concern), in which case, feel free to ignore the next dozen or so posts throughout the coming months.

But, this is for every hardcore Disney fan out there that has trouble looking at Disney movies through such a distorted, tinted window.

Stay tuned for the alternate ending to Walt Taught Me: Life Lessons from Disney Movies in Memes...