jazzimm

I'm loving the "happy grumpy cat" entries! Well here's mine

I'm all signed up and very excited for Canada's Wonderland! It'll be my first year participating as well! Here is my page https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/JasmineSomers/CanadasWonderland2013

It should be international law that all of the locations across the planet with the most stunning views are topped with magnificent roller coasters. Think about how much better the world would be!

"Young Liars" by TV on the Radio

Here's my fifth tat, and most recent addition (only one week old today!!). I've gone through a lot lately, dealing with a pretty hard break-up with my former fiance... Only in the past month or so have I been able to realize the importance of being at peace with oneself (and with others and the world, if we want to dig that deep!). I've learned that my happiness relies pretty heavily on my ability to make peace with my situation, and so when I saw this dove by Picasso at an art exhibit I went to see recently, I knew it was exactly what I wanted. This, Picasso's Peace Dove, is my reminder to be at peace with myself and others - and to enjoy being a free bird!

I heard some theory on YouTube of all places that got me thinking. It was talking about how humans are the cancer of the Earth. It's true if you think about it from an outside perspective... if you were an alien or something looking at Earth from space, it would be this beautifully balanced mass of blue, green, and white, until you looked over New York City or Tokyo or something. You would stop and go "ew, what's that nasty, smelly, smoky brown mass? That looks like cancer, this planet must be sick!" And it's true, I think humans are the catalyst for the next major change on Earth. I don't think we'll be the end of the Earth. If you look at Earth's history, it is constantly destroying and rebuilding itself every few million or billion years, with meteor showers, ice ages, etc. It's a living organism that evolves and changes even when the organisms within it are wiped out. I think humans are the cancer of the Earth that will act as the catalyst for its next big change. Maybe we'll melt the polar ice caps and drown, and any survivors will die due to the chemicals in the air from the melting permafrost zones, but those new chemicals in the air and the majority of the continents being under water will create a new type of habitat for the next generation of Earth's inhabitants. Maybe I'm crazy, cynical, and a far-fetched kind of thinker, but it's a fun theory lol.

^ Funny coincidence, I am actually from Grand Cayman and also just got back from a trip there about a month ago, here's my photo evidence lol I like turtles!

So excited for this to be my first TPR event! Can't wait!

Lookin good.

Count me in if this happens! Also, Perfect.

Exactly. At any other park that DIDN'T just get a B&M hyper coaster as their last coaster, you wouldn't have questioned it, even at one of the CF parks who already have a Morgan hyper from 10 years ago, you wouldn't question it. But this...sure, it will be great for the park considering what they've gotten in the 10 years prior to Behemoth...it's just weird, that's all. Thank you! Perfectly put. I want to think it was planned to be at Wonderland since the beginning, but you can't help but wonder... why this park, right after Behemoth? Ahh well. It's going to be an awesome ride, I couldn't be more excited to get B&M's first giga, and it'll definitely alleviate a lot of the traffic from the Action Zone area and bring it over to Medieval Faire/International just for traffic heading to the new ride. It really was a good idea, good placing and balancing the traffic flow of the park, if you think about it that way. It also makes for an awesome "Welcome to Wonderland!" and the front gate!

Exactly, where the overbanked hamerhead is placed, on the "island" with the trees...makes it seem too me also that it was meant too go here and not another park. I agree completely. There is a very thin strip of grassy area that this fits perfectly on top of until it veers into the parking lot and to the front gate (which, again, fits perfectly into that grassy "island" area). Not to mention even where the station would be... everything fits like a glove. I mean, of course it went into the parking lot... where else would they fit a giga in that park? And turning around at the front gate? You know that had to be carefully planned. Perhaps it's time for people to just admit that their "sources" about the Knotts thing were just wrong.

So glad I wasn't the only one thinking this lol. I am also starting to sway towards the B&M Giga idea... too many rumours and coincidences (Giga caps, etc.). Also, it really is the only thing, to me, that would make sense with the teasers we have been given. If it were any of the other guesses - DM, Flyer, Invert, etc. why would it be "the one he's been waiting for" (haven't a lot of us been hoping and waiting to see if B&M would cross the 300ft threshold?) ... and the only coaster Gary Slade would want to ride in 2012? If it's not B&M's first giga, wouldn't the appropriate comment then be "this is going to be an awesome ride similar to a number of others around the world!!" I don't know, that's just my opinion. If I was Gary Slade, I wouldn't say something that outrageous for just another typical B&M. Nobody would ever listen to me again lol. But like I said, what do I know? It could be some other cool new B&M and not a Giga. I'm just going to wait it out, I guess

I don't know much about CF's buying patterns and whether or not this "never going to happen" thing is true, but I keep seeing people saying that... I personally think it's silly to say that we won't get a flyer so long as there's Time Warp at CW. Time Warp is a joke, and was a waste of money on Paramount's part, if you ask me (I think they should sell it and put something else there... anything... a flat ride or even a snack stand... or toilets). You never see the line even close to full, and it's certainly not one of those rides that people go "let's run to that one first!" when they enter the park. I think CW could still use a real flyer. And to say it's too "similar" is another thing you wouldn't catch me saying. Just take into consideration the footprint of this ride so far, and if it really is a B&M flyer... it would be completely different than Time Warp. It would be more like having a "thrill flyer" and a "family flyer". Anyways, I'm not saying I think it's going to be a flyer. I don't know that I want to throw any official guesses out yet... but I just don't think we should say "never" to any option right now. It could be anything! I'm just excited at all the potential possibilities!

Ok, so I posted this finding on CWMania a few days ago, and was ignored, so I thought I'd see if anyone here might have any ideas about what it was that I saw on my last visit to the park. I found blue spray paint on the far south end of the parking lot (behind Behemoth) which looked similar to photos I saw of orange spray paint in the parking lot north of the front gate, along with two wooden stakes painted a reddish orange (like the one seen at front gate) behind the fence in that area where there are some old trailers. I was just wondering if anyone might know why these would be way over there, or if they were there before and are unrelated. The photos can be seen here Wooden stake: I highly doubt the new coaster will be travelling that far, but I was just wondering if anyone might know what those were all about... map.bmp

I was messing around looking for bugs, and the only problem I found so far is that if I've clicked on one of the links such as "Rides & Attractions" or "Park Guide" on a specific park's page, and then hit the back button to go back to the park's page when I'm done, it skips right through the park's page and takes me back to the park index. It's not the end of the world, but could get a little frustrating if I am someone who wants to look through every one of those links before being finished with that park's page. I hope that made sense! My only other suggestion is to put the headings "TPR Rating" and "Member Rating" at the beginning of each letter category on the index, instead of just at the top, because if I didn't look at first and just clicked on a letter at the top of the page to jump to the "S" section, for example, I might not know which is which. Or if I'm browsing for a long time, I might forget which was on the right vs. left. Just another ease-of-use suggestion! Thanks to the TPR team for all your hard work, this is looking great!

^ lol yep! I did the same! I tried "My TPR account" first, and got mostly TPR results, so then I tried the "too fat to ride roller coaster" and that pretty much did it haha.

Now, I don't post much on here because I'm a quiet person in general and that's just my personality, but I think this whole thing is kind of childish. For me, the whole reason I read TPR is for the sense of humour, sarcasm, and fun. I'm a Canadian, and we're nothing if not good at making fun of ourselves lol, so why would I want to be a part of an online community if they can't do the same? I'm so sick of the whole world trying to be "politically correct" and I love that TPR isn't trying to be like that. I personally have thought of joining other enthusiast sites before, but upon reading their forums (including the one in question that is saying all these things about Robb and TPR), I really didn't get anything out of the "politically correct sunshine and daisies" mentality (and yes, that is the technical term for it) that they seem to have going on. It wasn't as much fun as what I found on TPR, so I just couldn't be bothered lol. I've nothing against anyone on those sites, and I agree that nobody should feel like they have to "choose sides"... though I do think that the unmentioned "other site" is the only one making anyone feel like they do have to choose sides like that. All I seem to be hearing here is that you're welcome at TPR as long as you aren't a d-bag or troll, and as long as you have a sense of humor. And that's A-OK with me!

I've been having some awesome luck lately! Well, I don't know if it's luck or something else, but I've had a great few weeks! I got an interview for a summer co-op placement that I'm very excited about! I got into a workshop that I wasn't sure if I'd get into which I'm also very excited about! AND my boyfriend surprised me and told me that he's taking me on a trip to Disney World!!!! I'm ecstatic!!!!!

^ My family and I went on a timeshare tour once because they gave us free tickets to Sea World if we went. So we did lol. Then they were mad when we left after they were stupid enough to give us the tickets as we walked in. Anyways, on that same trip (our most recent one), we stopped at WonderWorks in Orlando to see what it was all about. Basically, we got into the lobby, saw the prices and what the attractions were, and then walked out and went to Free - er - Sea World. That was a fun trip. Thanks for the great TR! Now I finally know what I wasn't really missing out on lol.

^ Exactly. CW is far from neglected. It just gets a different kind of attention because it has to attract a crowd in a different way than CP. CP is in the middle of nowhere, Ohio. So naturally, it takes a lot more flash (record breaking rides, lots of coasters, etc.) to attract people to go visit a park where there aren't a whole lot of other attractions in the area. Wonderland, on the other hand, is right beside Toronto, a very major city, so there is obviously a lot of local attendance. However, there is still a lot of competition in the area - a lot of other major attractions. They may not be theme parks, but there are still other (cheaper) options for people in the area, as well as tourists (CN Tower, Science Centre, museums, etc.). My own family (myself not included) decided to do all of those other options this year instead of going to CW, for about the price of admission to CW. So you can see how CW cannot be "neglected" as you suggest, because if there weren't new big attractions and reasons for locals to visit year after year after year, we simply wouldn't spend that money for the same thing we did last year. It may not be a big flashy roller coaster, but it might be the reason I buy a season pass next year, while I'm only going once this year. Not to mention, every time a new attraction is added and the park gets more attention, it encourages tourism in the area, thus, even more attendance. CW neglected? No. They are adding exactly what they need to in order to get local attendance back up after a lull. It's a sensible business decision, if you think about it. CP needs the bigger attraction, and CW is getting what it needs to get people back in the park. That's all we need, and as a CW guest, I am pleased. Like Robb said, we get a new addition almost every 2 years. Isn't that enough? Anyways, I'm excited for this ride, for no other reason than the fact that I have never been on anything like it. It looks like fun, and I'm excited to see how it fits into the park.

This thread intrigues me, as I used to be really bad with spending! Recently, I've turned things around and got back on the saving bandwagon, and my boyfriend and I are now planning on doing a 2011 TPR trip, if we can. I figure I might as well post my story in case I can help someone, and in case someone has some good advice for me. First off, I am a full time student in my second year of college/university here in Canada. While school doesn't cost as much here as it does in the US, I don't think we have as much as far as scholarships go. It seems we have more independent, smaller scholarships, and it is very difficult to find (let alone be awarded) a full scholarship. Last year I only managed to get about $1000 CAD in scholarships total. It was ridiculous. Anyways, I have monthly student loan payments for this reason. I also have my monthly cell phone bill, which is ridiculously high in Canada. Telephone companies here are thieves. Aside from that, though, I have little to complain about, as I still live with my parents and any money I spend outside of my bills is my own splurging, and I've recently realized that and made some changes. So here's how I'm budgeting. 1. For the past year or so, I've worked two jobs to keep up with my bills. My first tip is, as others have said, avoid credit cards! The main reason for my second job was just to pay off my Visa which, thank Jesus, is now finally paid off. I no longer carry the card with me, and luckily, I can't remember the number, so now I will only use it to pay for things like plane tickets when I have to, and only if I have the cash to pay it off immediately. 2. I'm actually considering leaving my second job (at Bath & Body Works in the mall) now because I realized that my main problem is what I like to call "binge shopping". I've never been a big label shopper or anything, but I'm one of those people who will buy a little something here or there after my shift at work while waiting for my ride or the bus. So my second rule for myself is no binge shopping! Only buy what you need, when you need it! (And as a side note, I've never seen any reason to pay more for brand clothing. It's all the same, and nobody really notices or cares.) 3. Eating out is a big money-waster! I developed a bad habit of eating out just because I was out, whether it be with friends or at work or what not. This petty spending actually adds up. All of those $7 meals or $2 coffee runs are unnecessary and costly in the long run. 4. Being healthy does not mean you have to spend extra. I no longer buy organics or anything like that, but I still cook healthy meals and I feel great. I also used to take expensive dance classes for fun and to stay fit, but I've realized that for the $10 student rate per year, I can just go to the gym at my college, enjoy the really great facilities and classes like yoga, step, spin, and rock climbing for a fraction of the cost. Nothing like being healthy and saving money doing it! 5. I'm learning to save smart! With every paycheck, I put 1/4 of it towards my line of credit so that I'm not panicking once a month about paying the bill, and that way I'm putting more towards it every month so that it's getting paid off a little bit faster. I also budget for my cell phone bill in each paycheck, and then whatever is left over, I immediately move into another account so that I don't touch it. We have really good tax-free savings accounts here to help your savings grow faster, so that helps too! Also, I'm trying a new thing where I'm trying to budget for anything extra for the month (groceries for lunch at work, etc.), and then I take that amount out in cash so that I won't spend more, since I know there is more on my debit card. I find that actually having a certain amount of money in hand helps me better curb my spending, rather than just running down my debit card because I can. 6. I have no interest in driving. If you ask me, a car is nothing but an expense from the second you get one, regardless of whether it's new, used, or inherited. My sister inherited my aunt's car when she moved, and it's nothing but expenses in gas, repairs, and oil and tire changes. I haven't even so much as gone to get my license yet. Maybe when I'm finished school. Until then, I'd much rather pay $20/month, take the bus, and just have to leave a little earlier in the morning. 7. Like I said, I'm doing this saving thing with my boyfriend, and we've both decided to stop other unnecessary spending, like DVDs, concerts, going to the movies, etc. We're both pretty active, outdoorsy people, so we like to do other (free) things instead. For example, we sometimes take this really nice 30 minute walk (hike) from a trail near my house to the lake nearby and just go swimming and picnic for the day, then walk home. There are other, inexpensive ways to enjoy your time Sorry if this was like an essay. I always have a lot to say haha. Anyways, any feedback is handy, and I hope I'm able to inspire some new ideas for others!

... there was Barack Obama - the donkey's old friend! They sat and reminisced about...

Jazz - I worked for a hotel for a long while and got alot of experience in the tourism industry. Our city has a Tourism and Leadership Council as well. I'd recommend starting there. Learning about different reservation systems and such really comes in handy as you move around in that field. David Thanks so much for the advice! It's much appreciated! In other news, I got a call today with a job offer for a Showroom Assistant position for a window place in town. It's actually a really great job, with hourly plus commission, and the hours are exactly what I was looking for and will work well with my school schedule in the fall. It's just the job I need to help me pay for and get through college. I'm still going to continue to look for tourism-related work for my co-op next summer, but until then I'm happy to say that I have a great job, and tomorrow I will be handing in my resignation as a dog groomer!

Here are my two latest additions. They both mean something important to me, but I'll spare you the explanation for the sharks and just say that it has a lot to do with my childhood and love for the ocean. The paw print is for my dog Luke, who passed away a few weeks ago. He was my best friend in the whole world, and I knew I had to get something for him. Now he still walks with me every day Here are my sharks! The biggest one needs to be touched up soon, but I still really like them. Here's Luke's paw print. It's on the outside of my ankle and it's still peeling, so that's why it might look kind of gross in the picture lol.