DISHING WITH MARK AND CARRIE
Nephew of the Week: Matt “Chops” Mallernee
He is one of the funniest people we know. With his dry, down-to-earth sense of humor, he will have you laughing right away. Working as the bar manager at Hamburger Mary’s in Ybor, Matt sees everything.
A World Without Walt?
I was thinking, what would the world be like today if there wasn’t a man named Walt Disney? This inquiry comes about because of the annual Gay Days in Orlando that happened this past weekend. What would the world be without that creative genius?
This past weekend had over 350,000 GLBT tourists at Disney World, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Sea World, Universal Studios and Orlando’s tourist areas alone. That didn’t include the infamous Parliament House events! Other gay events are also held around the world on Disney properties in Tokyo, Japan; Paris, France; and Buena Vista, California.
Walt was a remarkable pioneer, visionary, artist, screenwriter and genius “entertainment marketeer.” He promoted expanding one’s imagination, whether you are young or old, and he shared youthful ideas from older stories in his animated created films. Now, the $54 billion corporation is a common name worldwide with theme parks in Japan, France, Hong Kong and the American Disney parks in California and Florida.
Headquarters for the theme park empire and motion picture studios are located in Buena Vista, California. There’s more about the mouse man in his Wikipedia biography. But one thing is for certain, we love the enchanted glimmering centerpiece Cinderella’s Castle, trips through Tomorrowland and the old Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.
Most of us have seen a Walt Disney movie as children, most of us have been entranced with being a happy Disney Mousketeer, many of us want to explore a fantasyland of unimaginable sorts and sing the many favorite movie songs from “The Lion King”, “Frozen”, “Mary Poppins”, “Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs” and others. Mark watches “Mary Poppins” at least once a year!
Yes, the kids come in droves to the theme parks and they are of all ages. I just couldn’t imagine today’s world without one man named Walt Disney.
Genealogy
I just love Ancestry.com and the Internet today! This week I discovered two fun things. On Ancestry.com I found a person who was the descendant of my great-great aunt. There were photos of her! How very cool was that? Then on Facebook at “Romanian Genealogy Society” I asked a question about a food called “coliva.” Up popped recipes telling me how to make it, but 
there were also interesting stories to go with them. This is known as the food of the dead. It is a traditional dessert served after the funeral service. Today on Amazon.com I ordered “wheat berries” and will try to make coliva and remember my grandmother.
You Just Can’t Make This Stuff Up!
We have this friend who is very loud, especially when he is having cocktails. One day I was 
bartending and he was having a great time. After several drinks he closed his tab. Then, he decides to stay for just one more. Thank goodness he was not driving. I ran his credit card again for $5. He signed the bottom of the ticket, then shoved it back and said, “You fill in the tip. Give yourself what you think you’re worth!”
Tea Cup calmly smiled and started to write $2 but instead wrote $2,000. Then he wrote $2,000 tip on his copy and handed it back without saying anything. (He actually really charged $2 to the credit card.) The next day, our friend calls Tea Cup’s cell phone and says, “Uh, I was just looking at my receipts from yesterday…”
Before he could say another word, Tea Cup cut him off and said, “Sorry, I can’t talk right now. I’m busy buying a new TV.” Then he hung up. We still laugh about this. LOL LOL
