Originally Posted By TP2000 DBitz2, thank you so much for that update! That's pretty much what I had assumed was going on. But it's good to know Al is still involved in his updates, even if he's not personally pounding out the witty barbs and snarky asides himself right now. I wish him well. He seems to be a divisive figure, but I can't imagine how the last 15 years of Anaheim theme park drama would have played out without him. It would have been more boring, that's for sure. I will keep him in my prayers and thoughts. Or maybe I'll just raise a toast to him with a glass of Scotch. I need an excuse to bust out the Scotch, so I'll go with that.
Originally Posted By schnebs <<Didn't he used to be at Mouseplanet?>> He did, indeed - he was one of the co-founders, along with a couple of other people mentioned earlier in the thread.
Originally Posted By fabdisbabe "...his lunatic ex-wife" Wow, "lunatic" is a little harsh. Actually, it's "Asperger's (maybe that's what Brad meant with the TOO remark) with bipolar schizoaffective disorder". After I sold controlling interest in JHM to Jim and Nancy and moved back to Hawaii, I became more centered, and knew I had to get help because I couldn't subject my loved ones, especially my daughter, to my mental instability any longer. As you could probably tell, I'm vain, so it was an extremely hard thing to face up to. I was voluntarily hospitalized, and afterward spent a few years getting treatment, including drug therapy, group and individual therapy, and at last recourse, electro-convulsive therapy. While I'm vehemently against it being given to unwilling patients, to me it was a godsend. Well, my memory's shot, but maybe that's a good thing. I got myself back, eventually. I healed my relationships with my loved ones and with my Lord. I think prayer helped me more than anything else. I learned that the whole world wasn't against me, but rather that my illness had made me my own worst enemy. I try to read the things I wrote before, think about my actions as well as my words, and am deeply ashamed, but shame doesn't make things better. Like Walt said, "Keep moving forward". I sought to better myself. I took Honors writing, journalism, photography, and art classes, learned how to write about history, and graduated from college with a degree in Fine Arts at the age of 43. My relationships are better. I met a good man who is very supportive and we were married three years ago. He knows more about Disney than I do. My daughter is a confident and loving artist and college student. I'm also writing about Disney and theme parks again, for my own site, Pink Monorail and for Jim Hill Media as well. At this point, I'm past sticking my toe in the water and am probably knee-deep! I also don't use Fabulous Disney Babe any more, because in therapy I figured out that Fab is the manic, destructive part of my schizoaffective disorder(like schizophrenia, but non-violent), Michelle the depression. So I took the name Shelly. It's what my late brother used to call me, and every time I hear it, I get a little memory of him back, if that makes any sense. I use fabshelly now, and my last name is Valladolid. Jim's actually visiting right now for the Disneyland event Thursday. I stopped nagging him over the Which at the beginning of the sentence because it's just useless. But MAN does he have great stories...when he finishes them! So, yeah, now that I think about it, SPH, maybe "lunatic" does fit.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA WOW! Thanks for coming back and giving us your update. That was really brave of you. Welcome back.
Originally Posted By mawnck You have no idea who I am (and probably wouldn't remember if I told you), but welcome back anyway, Fab. Good to hear that things are on the right track for you.
Originally Posted By fabshelly Part of the reason I "came out" is because I can't fake remembering someone to save my life, mawnck. Thanks Jim!
Originally Posted By mawnck For what it's worth, I don't believe I was mawnck last time I heard from you. And I'll leave it at that.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "So, yeah, now that I think about it, SPH, maybe "lunatic" does fit." So, let's take a stab here. Do you recall why I refer to you as a lunatic?
Originally Posted By fabshelly Sorry, I don't. SPH. If you want to keep drama off the boards here - and I don't blame you if you want to - feel free to contact me via facebook or yahoo mail. It's the same name as I'm using here now.
Originally Posted By Hats and Wands >>I'm also writing about Disney and theme parks again, for my own site, Pink Monorail and for Jim Hill Media as well<< >>I use fabshelly now, and my last name is Valladolid<< Wow. It is good to hear from you again. We've never met, but I followed your posts from way back when. Liked how your quirky personality showed up in your articles/postings. Had always wondered why you dropped out of sight. Just thought life got in the way as it tends to do. Never thought your life had "drama" in a bad way & Jim just would mention you in passing, so had no clue. I just added your website to my "check every day" listing. Glad things are looking up for you. Thanks for letting us at LP catch up with you & now that you're now doing well. It was brave.
Originally Posted By xrayvision Ditto what Hats and Wands said to FabShelly. Glad you're doing better FabShelly! I'm sorry to read that Al is suffering from Parkinson's and not doing well. I've always enjoyed Al's articles, being entertained by reading some of the Disney Park rumors while accepting the info contained in the articles with a grain of salt (large grains of salt...lol). I'm a little confused though as to who wrote the most recent MiceAge article because on Facebook, they said that Al was the contributor. But on Podcast, I guess they said that Al is ill and is taking a break from Miceage (according to one of the above LP posts as I haven't listened to Podcast myself yet). So, I don't know who wrote the last article anymore.
Originally Posted By fabshelly Well, whether he makes the posts himself or not, his influence will be felt on MA/MC for a long time to come.
Originally Posted By Socrates My two drachmas worth -- Good to hear from you again, Fab! Socrates "The unexamined life is not worth living."
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones ***Actually, it's "Asperger's (maybe that's what Brad meant with the TOO remark) with bipolar schizoaffective disorder".*** Actually, that's every Disneyland fan ever.
Originally Posted By mstaft Shelly, its good to know what you are doing. You probably do not remember me, but you were kind enough to do me a huge favor years back by mailing me a CD. Always appreciated it and I read you regularly.
