Off-Topic Thursday: My Top 10 Favorite Blogs
As we round out 2012, I thought it might be fun to share with you my Top 10 favorite blogs with you. I hope enjoy them.
* Babes in Disneyland – Yes, I write or this one, but I was a fan and a reader long before I became a contributor. Lots of great information about Disneyland, Disney merchandise, and other Disney entertainment. There’s even been some occasional features about Walt Disney World, and Vy (one of my fellow contributors) has been doing a wonderful series about her recent trip to Disneyland Paris. Lisa also has some exclusive videos.
* Dean Gaschler: Main Street U.S.A. Memories – A special thank you to Debbie Robertson from Making Magic and Memories and the Be Our Guest podcast for introducing me to Dean. He was a guest on my Stories of the Magic podcast, and has some wonderful stories from his 21 years working at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. He shared some of those on the podcast, and continues to share them on this blog. He told me that he’s working on a book to collect these stories, and let me tell you, when it comes out I’ll be first in line to get one!
* Tales of a Disneyland Cast Member – Danielle has also been a guest on my podcast. In fact, she was my first guest. He experience is at the Disneyland Resort and is a shorter time, but she has a love for Disney–especially Walt’s original Magic Kingdom–that shines through. She and Dean both also have a faith that is so encouraging.
* Disney Parks Blog – There’s no way I could do a top 10 and leave off the official blog for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. For the most current (official) updates, behind-the-scenes videos, surprise meet-ups, and more, make this one a daily visit!
* SamLand: One man’s observations about the worlds of Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Fantasy – Sam Gennawey has a love for Disney, an interest in Disney history, and a background in urban design that makes his blog a must-read for people who are interested in why Disney parks work the way they do. Sam also has a book out called Walt and the Promise of Progress City, “…an amazing new book that explores how Walt Disney–the master of fiction–was determined to bring new life to the non-fiction world of city design and development and, in doing so, fundamentally improve the Great American way of life.” (I quote from the Amazon description because it’s so accurate and I couldn’t say it any better.)
* SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment – I love SeaWorld, and this blog keeps me connected. Most of all, SeaWorld works tirelessly in the areas of marine animal conservation, protection, rescue and rehabilitation. The blog features frequent stories on these, so if you want to see a company that is truly working to make th world a better place, look no further.
* Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff writes one of the funniest blogs I’ve ever read–and many of the posts are funny because there is so much truth to them. If you’re a Christian but you can manage to recognize satire when you see it and you don’t take yourself too seriously, you’ll enjoy this blog. Jon also write about “closing the gap between your day job and your dream job” with the same humor, insight, and wisdom (mostly from experience), so poke around his site for that, too.
* See Jen Write – Jennifer Taylor Johnson has guest posted twice on Faith and the Magic Kingdom. What I said of here then is just as true now, and is perhaps the best way to introduce you to her blog. “Jen and I used to work together, and now she’s doing some incredible work with business and ministries, helping them communicate their message in a compelling way. Read more from her at See Jen Write, which never fails to encourage, inspire, entertain, and/or challenge me.”
* Reflections by Ken – Ken Samples is on staff at Reasons to Believe, and his podcast (Straight Thinking) is my favorite of theirs. That podcast, “Highlights the importance of the life of the Christian mind and evaluates critical issues in light of the historic Christian worldview,” and his blog does the same. Whether a brief quote or an in-depth article, Ken keeps me thinking and makes me a better Christian by being a more thoughtful Christian. As a theologian and philosopher, he can deal with complex subjects and deep issues, but he does so in a way that is accessible by the “average” person, and I admire that.
* John Maxwell on Leadership – Whenever I try to understand how comprehend how to present an inherently Christian message in a secular environment, John Maxwell serves as my example. His posts on leadership strongly reflect his faith, without being “religious” or “holier than thou.” His posts are practical, grounded, and motivating–all of which are often sadly lacking in other places.
Question: That’s my list. What’s on yours? Talk about it in the comments below, or on our Facebook page.
Randy Crane is passionate about helping Christians, especially those with a Disney affinity, to discover and connect to their GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE AND VALUE, to build their lives to achieve TRUE SUCCESS AND MEANING, and to POSITIVELY IMPACT their world. For more than two decades, Randy has been leading individuals and teams into a greater joy and child-like appreciation of the world around them, equipping them to reach beyond what they have previously experienced and build a God-given identity and purpose. Ready to experience that for yourself? Tell us where to send SIX free videos all created to help answer the 3 questions you need to experience PEACE, FREEDOM, and PURPOSE!