Minutes – DEV JTDave

Love Songs on the KOST with Karen Sharp

Posted on July 24, 2020 by DTavresDEV

Working on MouseMingle has been such an honor and an adventure. So was being a Disneyland Tour Guide. Both MouseMingle.com and Disneyland have been magical experiences for me, and have brought more meaning to my heart and my life than I can explain. For many people, music is one of those things that can bring meaning to their lives, and envelope you in a whole new world. It could be a single song that brings back old memories or helps you create new ones, or it could be music that immerses you in your surroundings (ahem, Disney Parks, ahem) – and when it comes to love and emotion, Disney music can be one of the most powerful soundtracks to your life.

In Southern California, there’s a well-known radio host (and program) that has been on the air for many, many years (and now the internet.) Karen Sharp is the sweet, loving voice of “Love Songs on the KOST” on KOST 103.5 FM, where she takes requests, shares caller’s memories, sends out messages of love, and even some marriage proposals. Over the years, Karen Sharp has been heard by hundreds-of-millions of people who treasure, crave, and love… love songs… and music meant to make people happy. And… Karen was also a Disneyland Tour Guide.

I was cruising facebook, and ran across a social post from Karen, asking people what they would quit their job to do… I’ve seen her questions before, but was never compelled to call in… but this time I had to call in and talk about leaving my safe, fancy job to start, and work on, MouseMingle – and just a couple of the delightful experiences I’ve had so far.

It was very nice to briefly chat with Karen, a Southern California legend, and help spread the word about the dating site for Disney, Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel fans.

I hope anyone who reads this will help MouseMingle continue to grow, and to help more people find their Mickey or Minnie, Leia or Han, Tiana or Naveen, or their Beauty or Beast.

In the meantime, listen to MouseMingle’s Love Songs on Spotify.

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Founder, MouseMingle

Long Distance Date Ideas

Posted on May 18, 2020 by DTavresDEV

Of the couples we know about who have gotten married after meeting on MouseMingle, most of them didn’t live close enough to each other to easily meet up for dinner or a movie without some planning. As is the way of online dating for some people… you never know where you’ll find your Mickey or Minnie. Which brings up an interested conundrum… how do you ‘date’ long distance?

Movie Phone Dates

For some, dinner and a movie is a good first (or second) date, as you get to talk over food, then enjoy a movie together (or vice-versa.) For others, a movie requires that you not talk, which means you don’t get to know each other through conversation. And when you’re just getting to know someone on MouseMingle, but they’re hours (or a plane ride) away, a “movie phone date” might be just the ticket! Assuming you’re both Disney+ subscribers, find a movie you’ve both seen, set a date, then call each other and sync up the time code (one of you deftly using the pause button) so you’re watching the movie at the same time. And, sitting at home, you can both talk over the movie (because you’ve both already seen it,) and you other moviegoers in the theater won’t be shushing you. It’s a fun and easy way to share a movie if you aren’t nearby – with the added benefit of getting to know someone new.

Video Call Dates

Google Duo is a video call mobile app (Android | Apple) that allows an iPhone user to do a video call with an Android user. Since Apple users can only use facetime with other Apple users, Google came up with a cross-platform tool that works for everyone… especially MouseMinglers. Once you get past the initial winks and messages, it’s time to make a phone call and get to know the person. But then what? If you’re too far apart in distance and can’t meet up on a whim after work, open Duo and call your Donald or Daisy and go grocery shopping ‘together’ or just run some errands. If one of you lives near a Disney Park, one of you might even share The Dapper Dans doing some barbershop singing, or watch a parade together. Yeah, you might need a portable battery pack if you’re going to spend several hours on a video call while in the Park, but it could be a lot of fun. Shucks, maybe you just find a bench and watch the sunset(s) together.

Favorite Disney Trivia

We’re all experts on at least one Disney, Star Wars, Pixar, or Marvel movie…or Disney music… or Disney character… or just Disney stuff in general. Write 10 of your own movie trivia questions – things you’ve noticed in the movie, or the words to the songs (that you know you sing loudly in the car,) or character traits you picked up on… even if you think the other person won’t know the answers… They’ll get to learn a lot more about your favorite movie, and they could become an expert themselves. You can do this over txt or email, and draw it out a bit, trading off each question. Then when you’re done, do the movie phone date where you both watch the movie on your own couch while you’ve got your earbuds in, and talking about all your favorite parts of the movie.

Collaborative photo album

Google Photos has a feature where you create an album, then give someone else access to put photos in the same album – and you get notified when the other person adds something. So, setup a shared album, then each of you add a photo every day of what you’re doing… or cooking… or the chores you’re doing… or things that inspire you… or screenshots of your favorite movies. Anything that sparks the same kind of fun and interaction you might have if you were together. This could give you the chance to see through the other person’s eyes. And, if it turns out you’ve found your Princess Leia or Han Solo, that album can be a photo story of your early dating.

A Christmas (Party) Story…

Posted on December 24, 2019 by DTavresDEV

I recently went to my Aunt’s annual Christmas party, that I’ve gone to for many years. This year, I got there a little late and most of the other party guests were already there, visiting and catching up, sharing stories from the past year, as most of these people are friends of my Aunt and Uncle and don’t usually see each other outside of this party. As I entered, I saw several of their friends gathered together where one friend, Daren, was telling a story. He saw me come in and immediately halted the discussion.

I’ve known Daren for 25+ years, as he’s a life-long friend of my Uncle. We’ve gotten together socially outside of the Christmas party, and he’s even helped a little with MouseMingle in the past, so he knows plenty about the site. He said he had to share this story with the group…

Daren told us that the previous week he had gone to his family’s annual Christmas party, and that evening, saw his autistic cousin around the house with a woman he didn’t know. He asked his aunt who the woman was, and she said it was his girlfriend. Daren had known his cousin for many years, and didn’t expect that his cousin would find someone, due to his disorder. He asked his aunt for more details, and she said they had met on a dating site for Disney fans. Daren’s ears instantly perked up, and he enthusiastically asked, “Was it MouseMingle.com?” His aunt said she didn’t know, so Daren urgently went through the house track down his cousin.

Sure enough, his cousin confirmed that they had met on MouseMingle. Daren told his cousin that he and I were friends, and the cousin excitedly asked, “So you know Dave Tavres?” Daren was initially surprised that his cousin knew my name, then found out that he had read about me launching the site.

Of course I love all things Disney, and I love people, and I love that people are making special connections through MouseMingle… but I don’t often hear about those connections… although I’d love to hear from more people. But, when people in my ‘close-outer circle’ end up having personal connections to the site – without being told, it’s pretty amazing to me. It made my night, and it once again reaffirmed that MouseMingle.com is a good thing that can help people with all kinds of backgrounds and experiences find their Mickey or Minnie. And, as we all know… “it’s a small world” after all.

Founder, MouseMingle

I talk to Jenny McCarthy about MouseMingle

Posted on October 22, 2019 by DTavresDEV

MouseMingle is such a fun idea, and it’s even more fun (for me) when people want to talk about the site. This past week, I was contacted by the senior producer of the Jenny McCarthy Show, asking if I’d go on air with Jenny to talk about MouseMingle. Uh… yeah!

I’ve been lucky enough to do a few phone interviews about MouseMingle over the years, and I know they are just a few minutes long… but often, they’re “early in the morning” – and Jenny does her show in New York – so jump to west coast time, and it’s early for me. I’d like to think I’m pretty peppy and outgoing, but feel like I wasn’t quite as awake as I could have been while chatting with her. It was still fun and easy to talk about MouseMingle though.

One of Jenny’s producers, Nicole, is recently single and she’s a big Disney fan. So Jenny asked if there was a dating site for Disney fans… and they found MouseMingle.com! Nicole joined and has been sending and getting winks – although Nicole thinks “winks” should be “pixie dust” (and I kinda like that idea… adding to the list of things to add/change/update for the future.) They did tell me that they’ve been talking about the site for a couple weeks, and Jenny told me that they’d keep updating her listeners on Nicole’s progress with the site.

I hope Nicole finds her Mickey in New York and has a magical experience like so many others who have met and started dating from the site. If you’re in New York (or know a guy in his mid-20s in New York,) help spread the word about MouseMingle to help Nicole and the other hundreds-of-thousands of Disney, Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel fans out there who want the same magic in their relationship.

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Founder, MouseMingle

Where’s the MouseMingle Booth at D23?

Posted on August 23, 2019 by DTavresDEV

Before, during, and after D23 2017, a lot of people asked “Where’s the MouseMingle booth?” And again this year, we’ve gotten several emails from people asking where MouseMingle‘s booth is for D23 2019. The short answer is – we don’t have one. But that’s not for lack of trying.

When MouseMingle launched in late 2015, we already planned on getting a booth at the biggest Disney fan convention in the world – and when the vendor spots opened up, we got our insurance certificate, submitted it with the application, selected a few booth location preferences, and started pulling together what we were going to do for all the single Disney, Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel fans at D23… then our application got denied. We appealed it, and they let us know that “MouseMingle isn’t a good fit for the show.” Huh? Not a good fit? Yeah, we were completely baffled too. Without any other feedback from the organizer, we couldn’t get into D23 2017. But we were hopeful for getting into D23 2019!

When they opened up vendor applications for D23 2019, we immediately applied, but were once again denied because we “aren’t a good fit for the show.” This time, we continued to ask for information to find out if there was something we should be doing, or some technicality we weren’t familiar with. Thankfully, after several emails, one great Cast Member on the team took the time to communicate with us. It turns out that since we aren’t selling Disney-licensed products, we “aren’t a good fit for the show.” We weren’t aware that was a requirement, but it makes perfect business sense. So once again, MouseMingle does not have a booth at D23 Expo.

That being said, MouseMingle does want to work with Disney to become a licensee, but for over three years haven’t been able to get our foot in the door… yet. We’ll keep trying though. We try to hold ourselves, and our members, to the same Disney standards that we learned when we worked in the Parks. We love Disney as much as everyone else does, and we want to be a Disney licensee, but it looks like it takes more money and more exposure than we have at the moment. We’ll keep trying though, and we’ll keep working to make the site better. Who knows… maybe MouseMingle will have a booth at D23 2021! Hope to see you there!

Founder, MouseMingle

Disney Dating and Disney History

Posted on August 11, 2019 by DTavresDEV

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People who grew up with Disney, and especially Disney Parks, will always have something in common. That’s part of why Disney is so magical. To find someone who not only shares the same passion for Disney, but also loves the history of Disney Parks, well… that’s magic too. That’s why so many people join MouseMingle.com – to find someone who loves Disney as much as they do.

Whether you grew up going to Walt’s original Disneyland Park, or exploring the massively huge Walt Disney World, there’s a good chance you have fond memories of attractions from the past. I’d even bet that everyone has a favorite attraction that’s no longer running. Those childhood (and adult) memories give us such happy feelings… and it’s so much better to share those feelings with someone else. So old Disney attractions are a great topic of conversation for anyone who takes the leap to send a message on MouseMingle. There’s sure to be fun stories that lead down a path to shared devotion for our Disney Parks.

Share your love of Disney with someone who loves it as much as you, and you might be on your way to starting your own family to create new memories. It all starts with a wink.

Founder, MouseMingle

Yeah, the Dating Site for Disney Fans “Is a thing”

Posted on May 20, 2019 by DTavresDEV

MouseMingle launched in December 2015, and got a lot of fun press. I think mainly because it was an idea that finally made sense to do. Since the day the site went viral, I’ve heard the phrase “a dating site for Disney fans? That’s a thing?” more times than I can count. It always makes me laugh too. Maybe because when I first found out that “pizza scissors” were real, I said the same phrase… “That’s a thing?” Well, MouseMingle isn’t quite as good as pizza, but it most definitely is “a thing” and so far I know about five weddings (and two MouseMingle babies!) and lots of people who have started wonderful relationships because of the site – so it does work, and there is magic out there.

The past three-and-a-half years have been fun, and stressful, but I’m excited about the future of MouseMingle. We’re working on an update for the mobile experience, looking at doing “MouseMingle Meetups” around big Disney events, and hearing the wonderful news of more couples and marriages makes all the hard work worthwhile! I have SO many ideas and just not enough time (or money.) Our biggest hope is to bring people together who love Disney, Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel. That’s the start – giving those people a place to connect. Then it’s up to the individuals to make the time and effort to develop a relationship.

MouseMingle started with zero dollars in the bank. It was a hobby site that went viral on the second day, so I’ve been playing catch-up ever since. Yes, I’m well aware of the many issues and many ways to make the site better, but as Walt said, “…it takes people to make the dream a reality.” What Walt didn’t include in that famous quote was that it also takes money, since almost nobody works for free. So, MouseMingle is working on making the site better – and trying to continue spreading the word that it’s “a thing” – which means more people joining the site, and sending winks, and sending messages. Because dating sites are about the people… but if everyone in the world doesn’t know that MouseMingle exists, it’s harder to help people connect.

We all want MouseMingle to grow, so Disney fans can find each other… so they can build meaningful relationships… and so they can share the joy and magic of the Disney stuff that we all love. “If we’re gonna do that, we can’t do it alone. We need all of you. We are looking for dreamers. Anyone who will help spread the word.” So be sure tell everyone… even your married friends – because even married people know someone who’s single and loves Disney. Share our social media posts and articles. Send some winks and messages on the site. Ask people what they love about Disney, and tell everyone you know about MouseMingle.com – the dating site for Disney fans.

Founder, MouseMingle

Friendship, Park Pal, Dating, Marriage

Posted on May 3, 2019 by DTavresDEV

MouseMingle has four options to choose from on the “Here for” question: Friendship, Park Pal, Dating, and Marriage. You can choose one, or all four. But what do they really mean? I’ll tell you what they mean to me… and who I hope to find on MouseMingle.

Online dating, especially in 2019, tends to be all about photos. Photos often come down to whether or not you’re attracted to the person in the photo. That’s fair enough… I would never expect Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts) to be attracted to me, when she’s got the likes of Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans to hang out with on set. While being attracted to someone is obviously important, it’s not everything. MouseMingle is about our shared passion for Disney, Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel… and all things/anything Disney really. Shared passion – or at least shared interest – is how people REALLY connect with each other on a meaningful level. Enjoying the same movies, books, music, food, memories, and countless other experiences is what makes a relationship magic… along with liking someone’s smile, intellect or laugh.

So where does “Friendship, Park Pal, Dating, or Marriage” fit in? Here are a few ways MouseMinglers could see those options:

Friendship

Plain and simple. Nothing romantic. Maybe you just work too much, or you’ve been heartbroken too many times, and just want someone to grab dinner with now and then. Friendship can mean that you’re not looking to spend the day together, but that you might enjoy someone’s company for an hour. And it doesn’t mean you DON’T want something magical to happen, but your expectations are simple – to be friends.

Park Pal

For those who live near a Disney Park, (and usually those who have annual passes,) going to the Park by yourself can be very fun. People watching, taking all the photos you want, going on the same attraction 4 times in a row, not sharing your churro… but honestly, having someone to talk to in line is faaar more fun than staring at your phone. Plus, everyone has their own tips and stories, so sharing those with someone at the Park is pretty awesome. Of course, at this level, the time commitment is more than just an hour for some food and conversation.

Dating

Yeah… MouseMingle is a dating site. And lots of people have dated, and got married, and had babies… so dating is kinda the main category. That might mean finding someone to get to know and build a relationship with… to learn about one another. With the hope and expectation of a meaningful and magical long term relationship. This is also means spending more time together. Talking on the phone more often. Sending txts and sharing your hopes and dreams. Not something to take lightly.

Marriage

For some, marriage is the ultimate goal. Walt and Lillian Disney had their 30th wedding anniversary party at Disneyland, just before opening day. I’m not sure you can get more magical than that. Although, MouseMingle has had several success stories so far, and it’s pretty awesome to hear happy couples who met on the site and have started their lives together. While Disney may not be an every day part of their lives, it’s certainly what brought them together. MouseMingle is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the wonderful memories people can make together when they share a common passion and love for each other.

I hope everyone finds someone to share some magic with, whether it’s just friendship, or something more long term.

Founder, MouseMingle

A Magical Experience

Posted on February 19, 2019 by DTavresDEV

When I first started MouseMingle, I was focused on bringing people together… the long-term effects weren’t at the top of my mind. As I’ve said many times, I honestly created MouseMingle for me. I want to meet a woman who has an annual pass to Disneyland, and loves the magic of Disney, and who finds Walt Disney and the history of Disneyland interesting. Just meeting someone who enjoys spending time with me is the goal. I figured there must be others out there who have the same desire, but I sincerely forgot that people who meet and fall in love, tend to get married.

As I wrote last time, I just performed my first wedding. Kristina and Joe were married on February 4th, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. I was deeply honored that they asked me to perform the ceremony. Since I’m not someone who ever performs weddings, and I have no plans on starting ‘MouseMinister.com,’ this experience will be a cherished, life-long memory, held as dearly as my memories of being a Disneyland Tour Guide, and a Disneyland Locomotive Engineer! And while a surprisingly large number of people give me credit for “changing people’s lives,” I just can’t take credit for that – I’m not personally introducing anyone. The credit goes to those who take the time to join MouseMingle… and to send winks… and to send messages. They are the ones who share their passions and interests, and talk on the phone, and go on dates. They are the ones changing their lives and finding someone who loves the same things they love.

While standing at the back of the wedding venue, waiting for the coordinator to send me up the aisle to begin the event, I looked at all of the friends and family that came to share Kristina and Joe’s special day. During those moments, I kept thinking about all of the people who have met on MouseMingle.com, and who have gotten married (or who still may,) and how wonderful it is that such a simple idea can bring so many people together. That the shared love of something as vast as Disney… or Star Wars… or Pixar… or Marvel, can bring two people together. While those are really just brands that belong to a corporation, the Disney lifestyle is real. People live it every day. We love the feelings those brands evoke. We love the happy memories and the shared experiences we have with others who feel the same way. Disney is a lifestyle – even if every person isn’t at the same level of passion, there is someone at your level. You just need to seek them out… and send a wink.

Founder, MouseMingle

Performing My First Wedding Ceremony

Posted on January 24, 2019 by DTavresDEV

It’s been a while since I’ve worn a suit, let alone bought a new one. And since it’s no longer the 1950s or 60s, I don’t need one to go to Disneyland. But, I do need one to perform a wedding. For non-clergy, it’s quite an honor to be asked to perform the wedding ceremony for two people. I think it’s an even higher honor to be asked to perform the wedding for a couple who met on MouseMingle.

Kristina and Joe met on MouseMingle in 2016. Joe lived in Colorado, and Kristina lived in New York. In early 2017, they came to Disneyland for one of the Disney marathons, and contacted me to see about meeting up. I was excited to meet another couple from the site, and we met at Downtown Disney for lunch. They were wonderful to visit with and get to know. The next day they were flying out, but asked if I would recommend some other things to see in town before they grabbed the shuttle back to the airport. I asked if instead, I could pick them up and show them around. Went spent several hours together and got to know each other better. They were engaged by mid-2017.

I kept in touch with them throughout the year, and in late 2018, they were here in Southern California and asked to meet me for breakfast. It was wonderful to see them both again, and we had a nice meal. Before we left, they asked if I would be the officiant for their wedding in February at Walt Disney World. What a wonderful and sweet invitation! I asked if they were sure they didn’t want someone else to perform the ceremony, but they were insistent. I was honored, so of course I said yes. So I’ll be at Walt Disney World in early February to marry the next couple to get married after meeting on MouseMingle.

When I first launched MouseMingle, I honestly didn’t think ahead about people getting married. And I certainly didn’t think anyone would ask me to be the officiant for their wedding ceremony. But here it is… and I’m very happy to be part of people’s lives in such a meaningful way.

Founder, MouseMingle

Category: Minutes

Love Songs on the KOST with Karen Sharp