The Magic Kingdom Candy Cane Garden

During the Christmas season, the Magic Kingdom has a Candy Cane Garden near the entrance where all of these larger than life candy's decorate the area. This is a photo showing a handful of the red and white candies on a stick.

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Christmas Toy Soldier at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

This is one of the Toy Soldiers on Main Street, USA that the Magic Kingdom puts on display during the Christmas season. I set up this shot to have the Toy Soldier in focus with all of the Christmas decorations of Main Street in the background along with Cinderella's Castle.

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Gary Clark Jr. - When My Train Pulls In

Un-fucking-real. Gary Clark Jr. has some absolutely insane guitar playing skills. And some insane song-writing skills. This song will blow you away. Just listen to it.

Andy Allo - People Pleaser

People Pleaser by HolyRiver9

Man, Prince can be a maddening guy to be a fan of. He has this new hot protege, with a new single, and a new album out, and he pulls all the videos from Youtube. So, I found this one on Dailymotion. This is Andy Allo. She has a new album out called Superconductor, and this is the first single off of it and it's called People Pleaser. I haven't picked up the album yet, but this song is better than anything Prince has put out himself recently. There is also a video of her performance on the Jimmy Kimmel show, and it's on youtube! I'll post it here for your viewing pleasure.

Dave Matthews Band - If Only

Every time this song comes on, and I hear that beginning guitar riff, I just get a big smile. Not just on my face, but my entire soul, my entire being smiles. This song is just beautiful and magical and I can't stop listening to it.

Van Halen - Big River

This is where the music business is screwing up. Big name artist from the 80's keep releasing some kick ass material, and it gets ZERO airplay or recognition. This here is one of my favorite cuts off of Van Halen's 2012 album "A Different Kind of Truth". This band hasn't lost a step. Eddie still can write some kick ass rock music, and he can still rip in on his guitar. And the music biz will gladly play Owl City instead of this? Come on, stop bitching about poor record sales until you start pushing GOOD music again.

Haley Reinhart - Undone

I don't know much about this girl, except that she was on American Idol, and that she has now had a couple of songs on the radio that don't sound like the typical cheesy pop fluff. I'm digging this track of hers.

Bruno Mars - Locked Out of Heaven

Holy cow does this song ever kick ass! I loved it on the first listen, even with the song sounding very much like something The Police would have done back in the '80's. And since that first listen, this song just keeps getting better and better every time I listen to it, even as it creeps up the play charts and gets played all the time on the radio. I have also seen Bruno perform this song on a handful of TV shows, and along with this show, it is very refreshing to see a current artist able to put together a live band, and to have his songs sound just as good live as they do recorded, which is something 98% of today's pop artists simply cannot do. Gotta give it up to Bruno, he is very rapidly rising up my favorite artists list.

P!nk - Try

I just posted another video where the song was awesome and the video absolute rubbish. This song, is a pretty good song, and the video kicks ass. P!nk doesn't do the typical dance moves, she does some classically trained moves, and some moves that take some incredible body strength and control. You have to give her a lot of credit, she does things her own way. It is still pop music, but there is nothing cheesy about her music or video performances.

Journey - Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

I'm not exactly breaking any news when I say this, but Journey's "Seperate Ways (Worlds Apart)" is one of the best rock and roll songs ever, and also one of the worst music videos ever. As epic as the song is, the video is just as cheesy.

John Lennon - Imagine

While it is a very subjective subject, one could easily say John Lennon's "Imagine" is one of the best songs ever written. So simple, so beautiful, so powerful, and so so true.

Wendy & Lisa - Waterfall

It was a sad day when I had heard Prince was dumping Wendy and Lisa along with his Revolution band. It was a much happier day when I heard Wendy & Lisa's first single "Waterfall" for the first time. This song has remained timeless, and is something you just cant sit still to. The guitar work in the song is something I have always loved as well. Wendy has just a dirty sound to her guitar that is quite addictive, and the guitar solo is absolutely perfect.

Christopher Cross - Sailing

This has always been one of my all-time favorite songs, and for many years, I would always say it WAS my favorite. It just a song that really does take you away, and let you find yourself again. Just close your eyes and listen, and wake up in a better frame of mind.

Magic Kingdom Christmas Fireworks.

This is part of the finale of the Wishes fireworks during the Christmas season. Cinderella's Castle is all lit up with it's Ice Christmas lights, and the fireworks are all wonderfully colorful behind the castle. I had never seen the castle bathed in white light AND the Christmas Ice lights before. It sent chills down my body seeing how beautiful it looked in person. And I must say, the little kid in the bottom left corner of the photo with her Mickey ears on totally makes the pic.

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Main Street, USA Mickey Mouse Christmas Wreath

This photo features one of the Mickey Mouse Christmas Wreaths that decorate Main Street USA during the Christmas Season.

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Adrian Peterson vs. Peyton Manning

There is a lot of talk around the NFL regarding the MVP and Comeback Player of the Year awards, and almost all of that talk centers around the same two players. Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson.

First off, let me say that what these two are doing is truly fantastic and worthy of all the talk they are getting. And secondly, I will state that since I am a Minnesotan, a Vikings fan, and an Adrian Peterson fan, this might be a little biased, but I have always been a fan of Manning too, so I will hopefully prove that I am not just your typical rube.

Let's first talk about the Comeback Player of the Year award. So far, through the first 14 games each has played this year, both players are putting up some of the best numbers in their career. Peyton has come back from an injury that sapped the strength out of his throwing arm, yet he is posting numbers that rival his two best seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. 2004 was obviously his best year, with 2005 being easily his 2nd best year, and this year he is performing just as well as he did in back '05. Granted, Peyton's main strength is his mind, and as long as he keeps putting in the film study and game study that he is a legend for, he will always be a phenomenal quarterback in this league. But having lost his arm strength, and to come back after a full season away and perform like his 2nd best season ever is truly remarkable. Now, for Adrian, he only missed 1 full game last year. And like Peyton losing his arm strength, he had his knee blown up, and you'd have to say a running back tearing up his knee is similar to a QB losing his arm strength in how it affects both of them. And where Peyton is putting up numbers that rival his 2nd best season ever, Adrian is throwing down perhaps the best season ever by a running-back. He is currently ahead of the pace Eric Dickerson set in his record breaking season way back in 1984. Now, the medical field in all of it's advancing technologies has made it possible where tearing up a knee usually only takes about 9-months to come back from. However, most athletes say it still takes an additional year to start feeling like their original selves again. Adrian has said screw that additional year and is making his previous seasons (which have been excellent) look pedestrian. Both players have very similar stories here, which is why this is such a highly debated topic in the NFL. With everything said above, I'm going to have to say I'd give the Comeback Player award to Peyton this year, simply for the reason that he had to sit out a full season.

Now lets talk about the MVP award. Peyton went to the Denver Broncos during the off-season. A team that won it's division last season with Tim Tebow at quarterback. Let's let that sink in for a bit. The Broncos were good enough last year to win their division with Tim Tebow at quarterback, a guy that can't even unseat Mark Sanchez. Adrian Peterson is the ONLY option on the Vikings. Every defensive coordinator, every opposing defensive player, every fan at the stadium, every fan with their ass glued to their couch knows Peterson is going to be handed the ball. And he is still putting up the best season in NFL history. You take Manning off the Broncos, they are still the AFC West Division Champs. You take Adrian Peterson off the Vikings, and they are looking for their 3rd win instead of exceeding all expectation laid upon the team heading into the season. As tough as a decision the Comeback Player award is, the MVP award HAS top go to Adrian Peterson this year.

Christmas Decor at Animal Kingdom Theme Park

This is a photo I took while at Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom theme park. It features the Christmas decor along one of the dining establishments in the park.

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A Viking Warrior Christmas

I'm not sure how I noticed this shot, but as I walked around the Norway area of Epcot, I managed to catch the view of the Viking warrior statue as it peered through the opening in a Christmas display.

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Hollywood Studios Christmas

I took this photo as I walked along the walking path between Epcot and Hollywood Studios. It is a very eye pleasing scene with the Chinese Theater, the Sorcerer's Hat, the Mickey Mouse Icon, the Christmas Tree, and the Mouse Ears water tower.

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The Reflective Christmas Tree at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Taking the walking path from Epcot to Hollywood Studios is not only a very nice and relaxing walk, it also give you the chance to see this beautiful sight of Hollywood Studios and it's Christmas tree, it's Sorcerer's Hat, and the original Mickey Mouse icon.

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Walt Disney World Christmas Trees

This photo features two of the Christmas trees that are outside of the entrance by the Main Street Train Station. The colorful Christmas trees and the iconic Train Station lit up make a very eye catching photograph.

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3:30 AM at the Main Street Train Station

I left the Magic Kingdom at 3:30 am the first day I was in the parks. Made for a very long and enjoyable day. This photo captures the Christmas decor and the Train Station Clock as I left the Magic Kingdom and took the walk over to the Bay Lake Tower.

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The Beginning of Main Street, USA

Christmas time at the Magic Kingdom always feel a little more magical than it does even on a normal day. The decorations and music are always perfect for this special time of year. This photo catches part of that magic looking at the beginning of Main Street, USA as it heads away from the Main Street Train Station.

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Main Street Christmas Time

Staying at the Magic Kingdom until after 3:00 AM gives some great opportunities to see the park as it empties out. This photo was taken at about 3:20 AM looking down Main Street USA towards Cinderella's Castle as the entire scene is brilliantly lit up with Christmas Cheer. The Toy Soldiers stand at attention, the Christmas wreaths span the street, and the castle is bathed in a beautiful purple light.

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3:15 AM Christmas Night on Main Street

Leaving the Magic Kingdom after 3:00 AM on a Sunday Night/Monday Morning is a very magical feeling that is felt even more-so when the Christmas decorations are up, and the Christmas music is playing. It was very serene taking this photo on an empty Main Street looking towards the beautiful purple Cinderella's Castle with its Christmas Ice lights.

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Christmas Castle and Magic Kingdom Wreaths

This photo is a close up focusing on Cinderella's Castle with some of the Magic Kingdom Main Street Christmas wreaths in the foreground. The castle is lit up with it's Christmas Ice lights in a beautiful teal color in this photo.

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Teal and Purple Cinderella's Castle

The Christmas lights that Walt Disney World puts on Cinderella's Castle are a spectacularly beautiful sight to see, and a difficult thing to capture that beauty in photos. This photo here is of this Christmas castle as it is lit up in teal and purple lights. Clicking on the image will allow you to see it in a larger size, and give you the chance to share it with your friends and family.

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Christmas Night on Main Street, USA

At Walt Disney World, they do Christmas right. Here is a night time photo looking down Main Street, USA towards the Train Station at the Magic Kingdom with all the Christmas lights lit up.

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Walt, Mickey, and Main St. in Christmas

I took this photo while standing in front of Cinderella's Castle looking down Main Street, USA. The view of the Partners Statue looking down Main Street towards the Train Station with all the Christmas decor is a very beautiful sight to see. You can click on the image to view it larger on my photography website.

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Disney Christmas Decor

Now that it is the Christmas season, wouldn't it be nice to be able to decorate your house with some of the magical images of the Christmas season at Walt Disney World? Well now you can, for as little as $1. You can simply download any of my images from Walt Disney World and use them as your computers wallpaper, use them in a screen saver, or print them out and hang on your wall. What's a better way to enjoy the Christmas season than to enjoy it with some of the magical Walt Disney World Christmas images? To see the festive and beautiful pictures I have available, just click here to go to my William Drew Photography Disney Christmas page. Thank you, and Merry Christmas!

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Nighttime Lamp and Castle

While walking behind Cinderella's Castle, I caught a look of how this lamp looked against the brilliantly lit castle with it's Christmas Ice lighting.

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The Evolution of the Forward Pass

The Minnesota Vikings are doing something that has not been done in the NFL for a long, ne, for a very VERY long time. They have forgotten how to effectively use the forward pass. The Vikings possess arguably the best running back the league has seen over the past decade. Defenses will put 8 or 9 guys up near the line ("in the box" if I was to use NFL-speak) to try and stop Peterson to no avail. The advantages that gives the Vikings to complete a forward pass is one that no other team in the league gets. With that many guys focused on stopping the run, that leaves two, maybe three guys to cover our wide receivers. This is something that should be absolutely easy to take advantage of. And for some reason, the Vikings are unable to do so. Adrian Peterson rushed for over 200 yards in the first three quarters of the game against the Green Bay Packers, and in those first three quarters, they had managed to put up an anti-prolific 53 yards passing.

Insert migraine headache here.

There are a vast majority of people putting the blame of this on Christian Ponders shoulderpad covered shoulders. And that just isn't fair. I am not saying Christian is doing a good job, by any means. But for this to be going as bad as it is, it takes an entire team to be this bad at throwing a ball down the field. It has become painfully obvious that the Vikings possess both the best WR in the game in Percy Harvin (who has missed the last few games), and the absolute worst collection of WR's the league has seen since, well, maybe ever. The Vikings Wide Receivers constantly get the benefit of one-on-one coverage, and they are unable to ever get open. And the few times they do get open, they manage to drop a pass Ponder puts right in their hands or on their numbers (maybe Ponders tendency to be inaccurate in his other passes catches them off guard when he does hit them in their hands?). Then there is also Bill Musgrave, the offensive coordinator for the Vikings. This guy has got to be able to find a way to be able to get ONE receiver open on a play once or twice a game, no? Send the receivers in motion, run them off picks, something has got to pop into his head to take advantage of our receivers getting to find an open spot when only two defenders are worried about them. And then there is Leslie Frasier. Over-all, I think he has done a very good job at moving the team forward this year. The Vikings are a MUCH better team this year. Yes, there have been a few disappointing losses, games that maybe we could have won if we had done something on one or two plays in the game. But the fact we are competitive a year after winning just 3 games is a fantastic improvement. But Fraiser has to be more willing to sit Ponder down when his passes are obviously not working. I am also not here to say that Joe Webb is the answer. He is even less accurate in his passing than Ponder is. So, even though I wish we'd see Webb on the field once in a while to spice things up with that insane athletic ability Webb has, he is not the answer at QB. But throw him in there once in a while when Ponder is struggling.

I still think Ponder can be a decent QB in this league. Yes, there are QB's that are coming in and doing wonderful things in their first year or two in the league now, but that is not something every QB will do. A couple guys named Eli Manning and Alex Smith struggled mightily their first two-three years and they have proven to be pretty good quarter-backs now (ok, yes, Smith has been replaced as a starter. That wasn't due to him not performing, but to his backups stellar play).

So, yes, the Vikings currently possess the worst passing attack the NFL has seen in a very long time. And the fact they are as inept as they are with entire defensive teams focusing on stopping Adrian Peterson exasperates the problem. I think too many people are putting the problem solely on Ponder. I'm blaming this display of fucktitude on Ponder, the offensive line, the wide receivers, Bill Musgrave, and on Leslie Frasier. The entire group should be embarrased (and thankfully it sounds like they are).

Mickey Christmas Ornament

The row of Mickey Mouse Christmas ornaments on the shelves at the World of Disney store at Downtown Disney was too colorful to pass up taking a photo of.

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Mickey Mouse Christmas Fountain at Downtown Disney

This is one of the fountains at Downtown Disney, and the Christmas decorations for it were to simply adorn the Mickey Mouse plant with a Santa hat. And it works perfectly.

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Magical American Christmas

In this photo, I captured the Christmas tree that is out in front of the Contemporary Resort, as well as it's American flag, and in the background you can see Cinderella's Castle from the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

Span-less in Minnesota

Terry Ryan of the Minnesota Twins has just pulled the trigger on his first trade since officially reclaiming the title of Twins GM again. He has sent the Twins starting center fielder, Denard Span, to the Washington Nationals for a very young, low minor league pitcher named Alex Meyer. From what I have been reading around the web, it seems like most writers feel the Twins made the right move, and most rubes are blasting the team. I very much agree with the writers on this trade. Ok, yes, this trade does absolutely nothing to fix the major issue of the 2013 pitching staff for the Twins. Unless, of course, you consider that the salary Span was getting paid can now go towards a free agent pitcher, or even get piled onto the amount the Twins have available to pile onto a free agent pitcher in an attempt to get a higher grade pitcher. I have no idea if that is going to happen, but I do know the Twins do not need to spend that money on another outfielder as they already have a replacement in Ben Revere (who is actually a better center fielder, but not quite as good with the bat yet). The exciting part about this trade, in my opinion, is how this stacks the Twins rotation in 2-3 years. Obviously anything can happen between now and then, but Meyer is a potential top of the rotation pitcher, where he should be joined by current Twin Kyle Gibson. It could potentially be the first time in decades when the Twins could illegitimately have 2 top of the rotation pitchers. Add in Scott Diamond as a very solid #3 and that could hopefully be 3 guys that can take the Twins a long ways for many years to come.

Contemporary Resort Christmas Tree

This photo features the Christmas tree that is out side of the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World in Florida. You can click on the image to view it larger.

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Magic Kingdom Christmas

I took this photo while standing by where the boats dock at the Transportation and Ticket Center at Walt Disney World in Florida. This photo features the Main St. Train Station, Cinderella's Castle lit up with it's Christmas Ice lights, and in the lower right side of the photo, the new Beast's Castle in the new Fantasyland area.

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Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

This is a short video I shot at Hollywood Studios of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. This clip features the song Christmas is Starting Now by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

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Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child of Mine

I love this song so much, it is the ring tone on my phone. "Sweet Child O' Mine" is a rock song by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, and the third from their 1987 debut studio album, Appetite for Destruction. Released on August 17, 1988, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart,[1] becoming the band's first and only number-one single in the U.S. It reached number six on the UK Singles Chart, when re-released in 1989.

Lead guitarist Slash has been quoted as having a disdain for the song due to its roots as simply a "string skipping" exercise and a joke at the time. In a VH1 special, it was stated that Slash played the riff in a jam session as a joke. Drummer Steven Adler and Slash were warming up and Slash began to play a "circus" melody while making faces at Steven. Rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin asked Slash to play it again. Meanwhile lead singer Axl Rose was upstairs in his room and heard the 'jam session' going on downstairs and couldn't help but write lyrics. He based it on his girlfriend Erin Everly. With Steven's added drum part, Izzy's chords and Duff McKagan's bassline the harmony became the core of the song. Originally, there was a third verse to the song. However, this verse was later cut from recording as the band's producer, Mike Clink, felt the song would carry on for too long. The final dramatic breakdown was not added until Clink suggested the band add one. They agreed, but weren't sure what to do. Axl started saying to himself, "Where do we go? Where do we go now?" Clink suggested that he sing that, and "Sweet Child o' Mine" was born. In an interview with Hit Parader magazine in 1988, Duff McKagan noted:
"The thing about 'Sweet Child o' Mine,' it was written in five minutes. It was one of those songs, only three chords. You know that guitar lick Slash does at the beginning? It was kinda like a joke because we thought, 'What is this song? It's gonna be nothing, it'll be filler on the record.' And except that vocal-wise, it's very sweet and sincere, Slash was just fuckin' around when he first wrote that lick.”

Prince - Let's Go Crazy Extended Version

Prince - Let's Go Crazy - Vidéo Dailymotion

Click the link above to watch the video for one of my all time favorite songs. I freakin LOVE the extended version of this song.

"Let's Go Crazy" is a 1984 song by Prince and The Revolution, from the album, Purple Rain. It was the opening track on both the album, and the film Purple Rain. "Let's Go Crazy" is one of Prince's most popular songs, and is almost always a staple for concert performances, often segueing into other hits. When released as a single, the song became Prince's second number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and also topped the two component charts, the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[2] and Hot Dance Club Play charts,[3] as well as becoming a UK Top 10 hit. The B-side was the lyrically controversial "Erotic City". In the UK, the song was released as a double A-side with "Take Me with U". Common to much of Prince's writing the song is thought to be exhortation to follow Christian ethics, with the "De-elevator" of the lyrics being a metaphor for the Devil. The extended "Special Dance Mix" of the song was performed in a slightly edited version in the film Purple Rain. It contains a longer instrumental section in the middle, including a solo on an apparently out-of-tune piano and some muddled lyrics, repeating the track's introduction.

In 2007, Stephanie Lenz, a writer and editor from Gallitzin, Pennsylvania made a home video of her 13-month-old son dancing to "Let's Go Crazy" and posted a 29-second video on the video-sharing site YouTube. Four months after the video was originally uploaded, Universal Music Group, which owned the copyrights to the song, ordered YouTube to remove the video enforcing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Later in August 2008, U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel of San Jose, California ruled that copyright holders cannot order a deletion of an online file without determining whether that posting reflected "fair use" of the copyrighted material. Lenz notified YouTube immediately that her video was within the scope of fair use, and demanded that it be restored. YouTube complied after six weeks—not two weeks, as required by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act—to see whether Universal planned to sue Lenz for infringement. Lenz then sued Universal Music in California for her legal costs, claiming the music company had acted in bad faith by ordering removal of a video that represented fair use of the song.

The Minnesota Twins have played the song when a Twins player hits a home run since they moved to Target Field in 2010. Likely a nod to Prince's Minnesota roots

Jack White - Sixteen Saltines

"Sixteen Saltines" is the second single on Jack White's 2012 solo album Blunderbuss. It was when White first played this song on Saturday Night Live that the album had a surge in popularity.

Celebrate the Magic Video

I just spent Thanksgiving week at Walt Disney World with my camera, and for the first time I utilized it's video capabilities. This video here is one I shot of their new castle projection show called Celebrate the Magic. It's a 10-minute video, and it is truly amazing how they are able to project shows like this on the castle that make it seem to come alive.

Celebrate the Magic is a new nighttime spectacular at the Magic Kingdom park of Walt Disney World, that premiered on November 13, 2012. It replaces the The Magic, the Memories and You display, a similar show that ran at the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland from January 2011 to September 4, 2012. Celebrate the Magic takes place on Cinderella Castle and includes a contemporary musical score, pixel accurate projection mappings, pyrotechnics and lighting.

Tinker Bell introduces the show as she appears flying over the castle's turrets. The castle is transformed into a paper canvas as Walt Disney appears sketching Mickey Mouse in his iconic Steamboat Willie appearance. Tinkerbell enchants a paintbrush, which then becomes the host of the show. A kaleidoscope featuring images of Mickey, Donald Duck and Goofy are projected followed soon after by short clips from Cinderella, Pinocchio and The Princess and the Frog. The show then progresses into longer, classic scenes from Disney films, including; Alice in Wonderland, Dumbo, Wreck-it Ralph, The Lion King, The Jungle Book, Toy Story, Pirates of the Caribbean and Brave. The show's climax features a fast-paced montage of characters and scenes from such other Disney films as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Mulan, Bambi, Sleeping Beauty, Pocahontas, The Sword in the Stone, Up, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Hercules, 101 Dalmatians and Tangled. During the montage Walt Disney appears again, via archival footage, reciting one of his most famous quotes; "I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse". The show then proceeds into a synchronized fireworks finale.

Similar to its predecessor, Celebrate the Magic will showcase sequences from that will be appropriately themed to seasonal parts of the year. The show premiered with the original Christmas segment from The Magic, the Memories and You. The summer months will show films such as The Little Mermaid and Lilo & Stitch, in addition to segments featuring Disney Princesses for Valentine's Day and Disney Villains for Halloween are also planned to be shown.

I Almost Died.

So, I almost died Monday night. Not in the “I laughed so hard I almost died” way, or the “OMG, my fart smelled so bad I almost died” way. In the “my heart almost stopped beating and I turned purple” way. There was an issue with carbon monoxide at my job, and I took the brunt of it head on. At one point, during the night, I started feeling light headed, and a little fatigued. My thoughts then were I hadn’t had anything to eat in almost 8 hours and had been working hard for most of those hours. I was finished with my work, and was starting to bring all my equipment back to the van that was in the loading dock. Each trip I took out there, I’d come back in feeling more and more light headed and fatigued. I drank a glass of water a couple of times, and it made me feel better, and that just reinforced my thought that I was feeling that way just out of sheer hunger. The last task I had to do was roll up the 300+ feet of hose onto the storage wheel in the back of the van. As I was doing so, everything started getting worse and worse. My heart was beating ungodly fast. My arms felt fatigued like I had just done a crap load of curls in the gym. My vision was getting blurry. I stopped rolling the hose for a while trying to catch my breath and slow down my heart. Now, I was doing this job alone, but there were two people “watching” me as this was in a high-security building and they had to be in the same room as me the whole night. At this time I was at the back of my work van, they were at the opposite end of the loading dock. I started trying to roll up more hose, and the dizziness, the lightheaded feeling, my heart racing so damn fast, all my limbs going numb, my vision going blurry. I realized that I was going to black out, and turned to start walking to the door, thinking some fresh air would help (again, I was still thinking this was all hunger related, little did I know how much I really really needed that fresh air). But as I turned, I realized there was no way I could walk that far. I was that weak, that dizzy, that close to blacking out. I turned the other way, thinking I could walk to the other side of the van and get the attention of the other two guys. Everything was shutting down so fast on me at this point. I was slipping under so fast. There was nothing I could do except completely understand how fast I was slipping. Everything was going dark. It was literally the scariest feeling I have ever had in my life. I managed to yell out one of the names of the other two guys. They both came over. I could only make out the shadow figure of one of them coming around the van, even though it was a situation I should have seen him clearly. I don’t remember anything after that. By the time the 2nd guy came around, he said I was purple, and my eyes were rolling back in my head. I was still standing somehow. The first guy sat me down on the back of the van. The 2nd guy got me back on my feet and started slapping my chest to get me going. They got me outside and that is when I “came too” again. We were right across the street from the hospital, so after I got some of my strength back we walked over there, and that is when the other two realized they were lightheaded and dizzy too. I know, probably should have called 911, but we were all a wee bit messed up at this point. The hospital got me back to a bed right away. Got me on some oxygen. Drew some blood to test it for how much carbon monoxide I had taken in and other tests. Gave me an EKG. When they drew the blood, it was probably 90-minutes after I blacked out and turned purple. When they gave me the results, they told me a normal person has a CO rating of 2-4 in their blood. A smoker has around 11-14. I was at 23. TWENTY THREE!!! They upped the oxygen, and kept me around for a few more hours before doing another blood test. They were debating putting me in a hyperbolic chamber, and some other measures to get me back to normal. At 3 AM my level had dropped down to 6. I was cleared to go home. And home is where I am sitting right now, lucky to be here. Lucky to feel zero effects of the day. If I hadn’t managed to call out to the guys that were watching me, there is no way I’d be sitting here typing this. I’d be dead. If my company had their crap together, they would have called in ahead of time that I would be there, and those two guys wouldn’t have been there TO come save me as I would have been cleared to be there alone. It all happened so fast. I still have no recollection of the one guy slapping my chest, or how they got me outside. I’m just so very thankful that I am still here with all of you, because it very easily could have turned out much much different. I am alive.

Epcot's Illuminations Photography

This photo of Illuminations was shot while standing on the 2nd floor balcony at Teppan Edo restaurant in the Japan Pavilion. Illuminations is a fireworks and water fountain show at Walt Disney Worlds Epcot theme park.

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William Drew Photography

Mackinac Bridge Postcard

This is a beautiful, post-card worthy photo of the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan.

William Drew Photography

Beauty on a Bridge

Standing on the new Lowry Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis that spans the Mississippi river, I took this photo of another photographer who happens to be very beautiful.

William Drew Photography

Wishes Fireworks from the Transportation and Ticket Center

I have always spent my first night at Disney World watching (and photographing) the Wishes fireworks from the Transportation and Ticket Center across the Seven Seas Lagoon from Magic Kingdom. They have the music playing at the TTC, so you get the full effect of watching the fireworks and hearing the soundtrack. And, to be honest, it is the best place to get the full effect of all of the fireworks.

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William Drew Photography

Bruno Mars - Locked out of Heaven

The fact this new Bruno Mars song evokes thoughts of early Police songs is a good thing in my book. This song totally kicks ass and Bruno is rapidly building an excellent library of songs. "Locked Out of Heaven" is the first single from his upcoming album Unorthodox Jukebox. In the recently released video, Mars and his band belt out the upbeat track in a dingy club, but the real attraction here are the grainy visuals filmed in fake fuzziness, giving the clip a retro feel. Unorthodox Jukebox is set for release on December 11th.

Guns N' Roses - November Rain

This is another of my all time favorite songs. "November Rain" is a power ballad by American rock band Guns N' Roses, written by lead singer Axl Rose and released as a single in June 1992. It appears on the album Use Your Illusion I. It features a sweeping orchestral backing and is one of Guns N' Roses' longest songs.

According to Tracii Guns, former L.A. Guns guitarist and founding member, Rose had been working on the song since at least 1983. In an interview, he said the following about "November Rain": "When we were doing that EP for L.A. Guns, like '83? He was playing "November Rain" on piano. The guitar solo is amazing. Way back then. It was the only thing he knew how to play, but it was his. He'd go, "Someday this song is gonna be really cool." And I'd go, "It's cool now." "But it's not done", he used to say. And, anytime we'd be at a hotel or anywhere, there'd be a piano; he'd just kinda play that music. And I'd go, "When are you gonna finish that already?" And he'd go, "I don't know what to do with it.”

Another Panama City Beach Sunset

I took this sunset photo while standing on the beach in Panama City Beach, Florida. I was out in front of the Long Beach Resort condo's. It is now my favorite of the sunset photos I have taken through the years.

Baby Blue Cinderella's Castle

This is one of my favorite photos of Cinderellas Castle as it is bathed in baby-blue light, highlighted by the bright red bush in front of it.

Minneapolis Reflection

I took this photo of the Minneapolis skyline while standing on the new Lowry Avenue Bridge that spans the Mississippi river. The beautiful skyline is reflected perfectly in the river in this photo.

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William Drew Photography

Panama City Beach Sunset

A beautiful sunset bathed in red light is what I was able to photograph on this day in Panama City Beach, Florida.

Steamboat Willy Mickey Mouse

I took this photo during the Fantasmic show at Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios theme park. Actually, when I took this photo, the park was still called MGM Studios. The photo features the Steamboat Willy version of Mickey Mouse, so he is driving the steamboat and appears to be in black and white.

Lowry Avenue Bridge with Reflection

This is a very beautiful photo of the newly completed Lowry Avenue bridge that spans the Mississippi river in north Minneapolis. The lights in the arch change color for different events or holidays, so I will have to come back and get photos of the different colors in the future. You can click on the image to view it larger, and click the "like" button to share it with your friend!

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William Drew Photography

Lightning Strike and Lowry Bridge

The city of Minneapolis recently completed construction on a new Lowry Street Bridge that spans the Mississippi River in northeast Minneapolis. This bridge is certainly an eye catcher. As I was out photographing it, a very brief and small thunderstorm passed just north of us, which put the storm directly in the background of the bridge I was shooting. This shot captures one of those lightning strikes.

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William Drew Photography

O' Christmas Tree

During the Christmas Wishes fireworks show at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom theme park, they bathe Cinderella's Castle in green and make the fireworks resemble a Christmas tree.

Beacon Lit on the Split Rock Lighthouse

This is one of my photographs of the Split Rock Lighthouse as the beacon was lit. Tonight, they are lighting the beacon for the anniversary of the Edmond Fitzgerald sinking. I would love to make the trip up there to photograph it again, but the weather will be unsavory for taking photos for those of us that don't have weather proof camera gear.

Gorilla Watching Honey Boo Boo

I'm not sure what TV shows they play for the Gorilla's at Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom, but this guy sure looks upset at what he is watching. And yes, I know there is no TV there, just having fun.

Gorilla Scream

Actually, this silverback gorilla was caught in the middle of a big yawn.

Minnesota State Fair Midway

While I love visiting the Minnesota State Fair every year (multiple times each year), it is not exactly the most beautiful of places. But in this photo I did manage to find some beauty. This photo features the Midway area of the fair, where all the carnies gather. The giant swing ride featured in this photo is not at the fair anymore. But the look of this photo, with the very colorful dusk sky in the background is a very beautiful site to look at.

The Beautiful City of Minneapolis

This just might be one of the most beautiful photos of this beautiful city of Minneapolis. I took this photo from the west bank by the University of Minnesota Campus, looking over the Mississippi river, and the 35W bridge. I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful dusk sky as a back drop.

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William Drew Photography

Fall Colors at Jay Cooke State Park

A colorful and vibrant photo showcasing the beauty of fall in Minnesota. I captured this shot at the Jay Cooke State Park in northern Minnesota. The reflection is captured in the St. Louis River that eventually runs into Lake Superior. Jay Cooke State Park is a Minnesota state park located about ten miles (16 km) southwest of Duluth, just outside the small town of Thomson. Jay Cooke is situated on the St. Louis River, which enters into Lake Superior through the Duluth/Superior Harbor, so it is considered by many to be the southernmost of the Lake Superior State Parks. The St. Louis River is a river in the U.S. states of Minnesota and Wisconsin that flows into Lake Superior. The largest U.S. river to flow into the lake, it is 179 miles (288 kilometers) in length and starts near Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. The river's watershed is 3634 square miles (9412 km2) in area. Near the Twin Ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin, the river becomes a freshwater estuary.

Disney's Boardwalk and Lighthouse

I took this photo while taking a nice little walk around the Boardwalk area at Walt Disney World. It features the lighthouse from the Yacht & Beach Club Resorts and has the Boardwalk area in the background. The palm trees in the foreground add to the beauty of this shot and makes it one of my favorites.

You can click on the image to see a larger version of it.
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William Drew Photography