Universal Studios - HOLLLLYYWOOOOODDD

We had every intention to get up early and get to the park early, take a break mid-day to catch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and then leave at a decent hour. As you will see - things that we plan don't usually work out.

So off we go - after a quick stop at Starbucks - to Universal we go. The day progressed rather well. When we first got there we went to the Blast Zone where they have air powered guns that you can shoot nerf balls. Let me tell you - we had so much fun in there. Its deceiving that its only for kids - but let some adults loose in there and you can cause some serious damage. I'm still looking for the one person that hit me square in the eye-bastard. We ended up walking all over the place (twice) and came across the person dressed up as Spiderman. Jacob saw him from a distance and wanted to go up to see him - until he got close and realized that was not such a good idea. He chicked out and had a nice little conversation with the web-slinger from behind my legs (important for later). Saw some people I used to work with - a little shout out to Mario and Eddie. We hit Waterworld and then the Marvel Mania store - I think the store was what impressed Jacob the most. I don't think he knew one place had so much Spiderman stuff. And then he saw it - the penny pressing machine. He immediately picked Spiderman and got himself the penny. We made our way to The Animal Show and he sat there, holding his new penny souvenir in his hand. At some point before or during the show he announced that he was going to give the penny to Spiderman. It was now approximately 4:30pm and Shannon and I are wiped out..and I mean W-I-P-E-D out! We started to walk towards Back to the Future and ran into Ossie who was the park manager at the time. Jacob was telling his new buddy about how he was going to give the penny to Spiderman, how he saw the Animal Show and the monkey was there, and how he saw Waterworld and...blah blah blah. If you know my kid - that boy can ramble on - I wonder where he gets it from?!!? ANYWAYS - so Ossie, the cool cat that he is, calls the Entertainment office and finds out that Spiderman will be at the Marvel Mania store at 5:30pm. It is now 4:45pm. Damn. So Jacob is pumped but has no concept of time. Shannon and I, on the other hand, have a great concept of time and how this was a whole 45 minutes away. He didnt want to do anything but look for Spiderman. So off we went, looking for Spidey. Into all the stores - nothing. In shaded areas with places to sit and lay down - nothing. I looked at my phone and announced to Shannon that it was 5:02pm - she had laid down on the planter wall and I was just sitting there with Jacob "waiting" for Spiderman to come by. People kept coming by...the sun was still beating down on us....nothing. Checked my phone again - 5:04pm - NOOOOO!!!! We went into another store and tried to kill more time. I got Jacob to try to find a keychain with his name on it and that occupied him for quite a long time since they werent in alphabetical order. Yeah me and my deceitful ways! Then he found the candy corner and the tootsie rolls. He wanted them - he wanted them NOW! Damn kid - relax. This tiny little bag of about 12 rolls for $3! I dont think so. Then he goes into rationalizing with me. We dont have to go to Waterworld (again) if I buy him the candy. I say no - I tell him that I can get him three times as many candies at Walmart for a cheaper price. No dice. He tells me that if I buy him the candy - we dont have to see Waterworld or wait for Spiderman. HOLD THE PHONE. I check my phone for the time - its 5:20pm. 10 minutes! We are going to wait 10 freaking for the webbed one - if not for Jacob but for Shannon and myself (because damn that suit is tight and the boy works out!). I crumble over the tootsie rolls and we head over to Marvel Mania to wait for Spidey.

Now my friends - you may or may not think that I exaggerate about my child and my adventures. I (luckily) have a witness that this indeed happened, I swear to you its all true, mark my words.

Waiting for Spiderman, Jacob gets ancy and buys another penny with the Green Goblin on it and we are just killing time until we can go home. We are totally done after this. Shannon stands up and sees Spiderman had gotten ambushed by a mob over by the Carnival games. So we grab Jacob and go (sweet sweet home, here I come). We get there and we tell Jacob, "Now is your chance, go give him the penny." Jacob looks at me and says "No, you do it." WTF?!! I tell him "No, you started it, you finish it - just go up to him and give it to him" And he gives me this "I'm scared" look on his face - I tell him everything is ok and just go up there and give to him. Then he says "I'll have Auntie Shannon do it" Shannon says the same thing - then my child does something that I swear was so unexpected. He says "Fine then! I'll throw it". True to his word - he chucks it at Spiderman. I think it hit him in the head and some parent saw it and handed it back to us. Shannon and I were in shock. I mean funny shock. Shannon gets down and asks Jacob if she goes with him if he'll go - he says no, what if she carries him - no, well maybe. So she picks him up and takes him over to see Spiderman.




So he's there with Spiderman and his eyes are closed.




Then he warms up to Spidey and opens his eyes.








Finally the drama with Spiderman is over. Yeah!! So out of the park we go. We head to Jamba Juice and call my friend Stephanie to thank her for the tickets since she totally hooked us up with comp passes. She's in her office and tells us to go upstairs to say hi. Reluctantly (only because we are tired) we go. Jacob informs Stephanie of his day and runs over and finds Ossie in his cubicle and tells him all about Spiderman and how he talked to him and EVERYTHING! Waterworld mean time is going off and we have a pretty great view of it from Stephanie's desk. While we are watching that, we start talking about the Animal Show and Jacob is RAVING about the monkey and how funny he was and so Stephanie calls to see if we can go backstage and see the animals. They said yes, after this show is over (in about 15 minutes) and she asks if we want to go see Louie the Orangutan in the back. Shannon and I are all over it and have found our second wind. Now when I say second wind - I mean that Shanonn and I are fixing our hair and she's reapplying her make up, for an orangutan! Jacob isnt too jazzed about it but he will warm up to the idea, we are sure of it. So back into the park we go. We get there and Jacob catches the heebie jeebies from The Green Goblin. The show lets out and we go in. Now, I dont know about Shannon, but I felt like one of those snotty rich people that goes into a store after closing to be able to do their shopping in peace. It was so funny. So out comes Harry the Orangutan and I go down to sit with him. Let me tell you - I've always had this secret little fantasy to do something like this and it totally lived up to the hype.






This is Harry and Me



I love this picture - it looks like I'm touching him inappropriately.






Shannon and Harry






Harry's turn to get fresh with Shannon








And where is Jacob you might ask?






Not wanting to have anything to do with it.










We had so much fun and we have Stephanie to thank for it. THANKS GIRL YOU TOTALLY ROCK!!!