Quick Five Year Reflection

On June 2, 2004, I started working for the Mouse. Five years ago today. It's been an incredibly eye-opening journey: from my decision to accept an internship in Walt Disney World during my senior year at a New England school, my move from Massachusetts to Florida a week after graduating college with roughly $96 to my name (see previous post), my success in landing a job with the word "writer" in the title, the friendships that simultaneously opened my heart and regrounded me in my values, to meeting the man I'm going to marry in less than five months.

When I came to Florida in 2004 on a seven month internship, I was insecure and still going through the "what am I going to do with my life?" phase. At the time, I was still convinced I was going to be a big-name screenwriter and graduate top of my class at USC's Film School; Disney was just going to be a stepping-stone for me. Surely, I would meet someone in Florida who would connect me to the glitz and glamour of the life of a Hollywood screenwriter. I was naive to the extreme. Instead, I found a culture of dream-making, a tapestry of people from all over the world united for a single cause: to work at the happiest place on earth. We didn't make much money starting out, but it didn't matter. We were creating memories for families--memories I could pratically sing out loud, because I, too, experienced the wonder of Walt while growing up. I wanted each family, particularly each child, to experience what I still vividly remember as the best part of my childhood.

This is where I belong, even if my magic-making is now done from an office cubicle. But the documents I currently write are similar to the ones that enabled me, five years ago, to learn the operation I immediately loved. I'm thankful for being given the opportunity to find myself within this Company, and I hope the next five years are equally as memorable.

Pictures from 2004