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Travel . Write . Live
I follow my heart, and it usually leads me to
the airport.
About Me
Hi, I’m Elise. I am a California girl in Florida living out my dreams. I'm a dog mom, an auntie to four amazing nieces and nephews, a travel addict, a fitness lover, and a writer.
I worked in Entertainment for the Walt Disney Company for 15 years. I got hired as a performer/dancer at Disneyland in California when I was 18 years old, one month after I graduated from high school. Dancing down Main St. USA had been a dream of mine since I was a little girl, and I was thrilled to make my dream become a reality. I ventured to Florida, where I worked as a staging specialist/maintenance choreographer for parades and shows at Walt Disney World. I then took an Entertainment Manager position with Disney Cruise Line and loved life at sea! Back on land, I was Entertainment Manager at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Walt Disney World Resorts. Fun fact about me: I am a third generation Disney Cast Member. My grandfather was the director of the Disneyland Band, my dad was a drummer/performer in parades at Disneyland, and I followed in their footsteps.
I have always been a writer. From the first short story I wrote in elementary school, delving into poetry as a teenager, to my first blogs in 2016 when my mom died, it has always been something I have thoroughly enjoyed as a creative outlet and form of expression and communication. I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English from California State University Long Beach, and I taught high school English for 4 years after graduating from college. Currently, I am writing my first novel, and I am so excited about it! It was inspired by a recent trip to Portugal where I reignited my passion for writing and for life.
My number one passion in life is to travel and experience new places. It’s what I live for and it’s what makes blood pump through my veins. I knew that I couldn’t ever live a “traditional” life and "settle down." It just wasn’t in the cards for me. I crave adventure, change, fresh experiences, starting over in new places, learning foreign languages, eating amazing food that I can’t get at home, and meeting different people from all walks of life. Travel has the power to change us, inspire us, and ground us. I’ve been to some pretty amazing places already, but there are SO MANY MORE on my wish list. My very favorite place to be is heading to the airport excitedly clutching my passport.
Fitness plays a big role in my daily life. Growing up and through college I was dancing 7 days a week, but then after I stopped, my body didn’t like the change. I started looking for ways to be active that I really enjoyed, and I have since made those workouts a priority in my life. If you are going to have a habit, I think it might as well be a healthy one! Nothing else is better to balance my mind, body, and soul. My current obsession is Lagree Megaformer Pilates. It’s a truly transformative method of exercise, and I cannot get enough of it. I also enjoy traditional reformer Pilates, barre classes, spinning, and taking my little pup for walks.
There are also parts of my life that aren’t so pretty, but it is those scars that make us human right? A significant part my life changed 7 years ago when my beautiful mom Dee was the victim of a violent pre-meditated act of domestic violence. She was killed by her husband of 27 years (my step-father since I was 8 years old). It’s been an overwhelming situation for my siblings and I to deal with, but the silver lining of it all is that I’ve never been closer with my brother and sister.
T he love and support I have received (and continue to receive) from friends and family is truly humbling. Living with grief is not something I was ever prepared for and no-body really talks about it. So, I think it’s important to share my grief journey, because I know there is someone else out there dealing with this incredible burden. You are not alone my friends. The challenges we face in our lives strengthen us and shape us into the people we are today. There is not a lot we can do to control exactly what happens to us, but we can control the way that we respond, react, and rebound from those challenges.
So there you have it. All the things that make me, me. Welcome to my world, I’m glad you are here!
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