Same Dance, Different Song

I think.
I finished Day 3 of work today at DAK and it's pretty much been amazing.  I wasn't sure how I would feel, having had the last five months off from work, but I really feel like I never left and picked up right where I left off.  I found myself thinking today that I feel like I can see more now than last time. I mean, I see more photo opportunities. Before, I would see the full timers moving around and grabbing these pictures from all sorts of angles, but not doing that myself. Yesterday I was behind the characters, in front of them, zooming in and taking pictures of just faces, just lots of different angles that I didn't do before at EPCOT. At the same time, I'm more conscious of what angles to avoid. Also what's in the background (signs, trash cans, etc). I feel like it's really coming together. :)
So I had Daklimation on.... what day is it? lol Saturday! I had Daklimation on Saturday and it went from 8:30-12:30 (exactly). I then had 30 minutes to eat lunch, run to base, change, and clock in for work. I was not happy with this short of a change over, but it worked out in the end (sometimes, that's all you can ask for). I then worked from 1-7pm in Camp Minnie Mickey. The first character I pulled was actually Daisy!! I had only ever worked with her once at EPCOT so I was super excited for this chance, and sure enough, she was amazing. At 2, she left and Donald came out and was really on it. I eventually worked with Goofy, who I absolutely fell in love with. He was such a charmer that day! I shot just over 1,000 photos that day. Yesterday (Sunday) I was with Minnie for my first two sets, before ending with Donald, and I shot apprx 1,200 photos. Today I was back in camp from 10-5:15 and actually got to start the day with my two favorite nuts, Chip and Dale!! I LOVED working with them at Studios last year, and I can happily say, they were just as crazy in DAK as at Studios! I laughed sooo much! I was able to work with a cool Attendant named Brian, and together we were cracking up with C&D. At one point I looked though my lens to see Chip holding a guys arm straight out and gnawing on it like a corn on the cobb.  I yelled out, "Chip! What are you doing, you can't eat him!!" Chip (still holding the guys arm out) pointed to the guys shirt, which read, "HERSHEY." I responded, "Chip, that's a shirt! He's not ACTUALLY a Hershey bar!" Chip then pantomimed unwrapping a bar of chocolate and pretended to eat it. I reassured Chip again that the guy was indeed, not made of chocolate. Chip spent the rest of the morning gnawing on guests that came up and I would have to yell at him. Chip also tried to escape a couple times today, to go harass Donald who had come out to mingle. I yelled out, "Brian! Chip's trying to escape!" and Brian went running over to grab Chip and shove him back towards his area. Dale thought he could succeed by putting a kids autograph book over his eyes, and side stepped his way towards Donald, but Brian was smarter than that and caught on quick.
After lunch I actually got to spend the whole afternoon with Pocahontas, who just recently was assigned a Photopass member. This was amazing, as I really haven't had much experience working with characters who can actually talk back. I had two shifts (I think) with Belle in France, but that was it. Pocahontas was AMAZING!! I feel like she and I really got a system down, and I could tell when she was going to give someone an extra special hug and was able to really take some fabulous photos. There was one girl who came through today that I think had cerebral palsy. She was in a wheel chair and spoke only Spanish, but her mom was able to translate for her. Pocahontas spent quite a while withe her talking and just really being down on her level. I was able to capture this great moment when Pocahontas leaned in and kissed the girl on the cheek (which she NEVER does) and the little girls face was just lit up with such joy. I really can't believe that I get to experience these moments and capture them for families. (It's also amazing I don't cry more, lol). I ended the day just under 1,000 photos.
I'm off Tuesday and Wednesday, and Thursday I'm in DAK south, which is the bridge area, entrance and Boat Dock (where Pooh and friends are found). I'm the only CP so far at DAK, but I've heard talk that we should be getting some more in February (which is really right around the corner). I'm really going to be spoiled as since I'm fully trained, and the new cp's won't have character training for a while, I'll probably end up with most of their shifts. Once they're trained, I'm going to be really sad to not have as many character shifts, lol.