On The Road

...well, actually it is more like "On The Sea". Mrs. Doc and I will be experiencing the wonders of Alaska this next week. Look for periodic updates on Facebook or the occasional Tweet whenever we make landfall.

Wherever the Memorial Day holiday takes you, be it across the world, across the country, across the state, across town, or simply as far as your own back yard, please have a Magic Journey.

See you real soon!

Where In The World

It seems that taking a week off from Where In The World was half of what the doctor ordered. If you have been keeping up, you know that there were two photos that were out there. Now there is one. One, until I add a new one at the end of this post.

The steering wheel first appeared on April 18th, not only as a Where In The World segment, but also as a bit of a teaser for a new series called "Disney As Art." This past week we received this from Glenn Watts, "Is that the Disney Epcot Outpost delivery truck?" Well, Glenn, that is exactly what it is. It is the steering wheel found inside the truck setting outside the Refreshment Outpost between China and Germany. Congratulations Glenn!

So, one down. We'll let the "No. 1 Toys" stay out there for a while longer. But to keep it company, I give you this. Care for a bit of refreshment?

Disney World After Dark: A Tree - Part II

Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde calls it, "a technological marvel, but it's also a symbol of the beauty and diversity and the grandeur of our animal life on Earth. It's a celebration of our emotions about animals and their habitat."

I call it spectacular!

Where In The World: In Need of An Update

Good evening friends. This past Saturday has come and gone and The Disney Obsession didn't post a new installment in the Where In The World series. We felt that since many of our friends have spent the last few weeks either in Walt Disney World, travelling, or in one case, moving, we would let the current two photographs suffice for one more week. That gives everyone a few more days to take a look around your memories of the parks and discover where you would find these objects.

Now for some of you, the memories should be rather fresh.

More to follow...

P.s. Might I suggest you download "Live in NYC" by The Dana Fuchs Band and enjoy a wonderful Joplinesque vocalist.

Disney World After Dark: A Tree - Part I

This is the first of two Disney World After Dark installments that will feature the Tree of Life. The photograph featured above was taken at dusk. Next week we'll look at the Animal Kingdom icon at night.

For a little about the Tree of Life, let's read from The Imagineering Field Guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom.

"The Tree of Life is one of the most amazing pieces of art ever created by WDI. It's beautiful and meaningful, and captures the essence of this park at a glance. It's a poetic statement of the majesty of nature, the stunning diversity of animals, and our respect for our place in the world, and underscores the ideal that all of these elements can co-exist harmoniously. In our story, the animals are not carved into the surface - they're grown out from it. As one approaches the Tree and the animal forms begin to reveal themselves, it becomes clear that there is almost no tree at all. That tree is the animal kingdom."

More to follow...

Note: excerpt from The Imagineering Field Guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom, by The Imagineer's, pg. 34.

"Here Today"

I would like to share this one song with you from the Paul McCartney concert. It is a song Paul released in 1982 as a tribute to John Lennon. Of the song, Paul says, "I was one day just sitting quietly in this little room with my guitar and these chords started coming out and I started having these thoughts as if I was talking to myself to John about our relationship and stuff..."

"And if I say I really knew you well

What would your answer be.

If you were here today.

Ooh- ooh- ooh- here today.

"Well knowing you,

You’d probably laugh and say that we were worlds apart.

If you were here today.

Ooh- ooh- ooh- here today.

"But as for me,

I still remember how it was before.

And I am holding back the tears no more.

Ooh- ooh- ooh- I love you, ooh

"What about the time we met,

Well I suppose that you could say that we were playing hard to get.

Didn’t understand a thing.

But we could always sing.

"What about the night we cried,

Because there wasn’t any reason left to keep it all inside.

Never understood a word.

But you were always there with a smile.

"And if I say I really loved you

And was glad you came along.

"If you were here today.

Ooh- ooh- ooh- for you were in my song

Ooh- ooh- ooh- here today.”

Photo: Paul McCartney performing "Here Today", April 19, 2009

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today...

Well, actually, it is more like 7 days ago today.

If I had a bucket list, seeing one of the surviving Beatles in concert would have been on it. Moving forward, any list that I make will not include that item.

Last Sunday night Sir Paul McCartney, one half of one of the 20th Centuries most prolific song writing teams played the “The Joint” at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Casino and Resort. When tickets went on sale for the concert, they sold out in 7 seconds, making it that fastest sell-out in history.

I knew the concert would take place while we were in Vegas but held no hope of getting a ticket at something other than an exorbitant price. Yet, on Saturday morning last, a few tickets were released and I, along with my daughter and her boyfriend, were able to get tickets. Wow! Paul McCartney and Cirque du Soleil “Love” both in a little over 24 hours.

I will spare all the details of the show; suffice it to say that it was an emotional rollercoaster for me as I relived so many familiar songs from my childhood.

I must share two thought with you though. First, being able to stand with a crowd of people and sing songs like Drive My Car, Hey Jude, and Sgt. Pepper’s with the man that wrote them is an experience I will not forget. It will also be an experience that will be hard to best with any concert I attend from here on. Second, his tributes to my hero, John Lennon, and George Harrison were quite moving. I am happy, that after all these years, I can still shed a tear for the Eggman.

Thank you Mr. McCartney for the memories!

Another tribute to John, Give Peace A Chance

The set list...

Main Set: Drive My Car, Jet, Only Mama Knows, Flaming Pie, Let Me Roll It, Highway, Baby Face, The Long and Winding Road, My Love, Blackbird, Here Today, Dance Tonight, Calico Skies, Mrs. Vanderbilt, Eleanor Rigby, Sing the Changes, Band on the Run, Back in the USSR, Something, I've Got a Feeling, Paperback Writer, A Day in the Life, Give Peace a Chance, Let It Be, Live and Let Die, Hey Jude. 1st Encore: Can't Buy Me Love, Lady Madonna, I Saw Her Standing There. 2nd Encore: Yesterday, Helter Skelter, Get Back, Sgt. Pepper's (reprise), The End.

Tomorrow, I will share one last tribute to John.