November 30, 2012: Rolling down the Mighty Mississippi

Tomorrow, we have the Kentucky Colonel’s Sixth Grade Showcase, an opportunity for our sixth grade students to show just how smart they really are. Year before last, our students placed third, last year they placed second and this year we hope to equal or excel that. Whatever happens, we have an excellent complement of sixth grade students who have worked hard for us all year and we wish them all the best in Saturday’s competition.

Now, on with the excuses:

In 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in his beloved state of Missouri. Clemens grew up on and around the mighty Mississippi River where he picked up the pen name Mark Twain. One of my favorite books of all time is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Both Huck Finn and Mark Twain are iconic characters essential to American culture and literature. There are a host of Mark Twain related attractions at Walt Disney World and other Disney Parks. At the Magic Kingdom, Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America, at EPCOT, Twain helps narrate the American Adventure with the assistance of Benjamin Franklin and either makes a fitting excuse for visiting the World on Mr. Twain’s birthday.

Take the raft to Tom Sawyer Island

Bring back the paintbrushes

Hopefully the paintbrushes are back.

Robert Guillaume was born on this date in 1927. My first memories of Guillaume are from the insane television series Soap. If you’ve never seen the show, take time to check it out. But in a more direct tie to Disney, Guillaume was the voice of Rafiki in The Lion King and related releases. “Follow old Rafiki, he knows the way.” And you should definitely get to the Animal Kingdom where you can enjoy Rafiki in the Lion King Musical over at Camp Minnie Mickey or Rafiki’s Planet Watch where you can check our all sorts of animals to enjoy or even pet.

Remember, your best excuse is always: waiting for your dreams to come true.