So, 2008...

 I've finally figured out, not a moment too lazily late, how to hide great globs of text for your readability!  You'll find below a widget, that allows you to choose to read the old blogs or not.  All of them!  Happy hunting!

Subject : Oh, the pain of it all!
Posted Date: : Jun 10, 2008 7:44 PM
It appears that, this morning, I went through the unenviable task of having my wisdom teeth removed. In preparing for it, I was not allowed to eat nor drink after midnight before. Such processes gave me a headache, and made me feel dizzy.
In being prepared for the real deal, I was hooked up to wires, oxygen, and an IV tube. the result made me look like a tool. At the moment of truth, I tried valiantly to stay awake, like some insane challenge. But, like anyone would, I saw everything go black, rendering my mind useless.
Ever since, the left side of my jaw hurts like hell, more so than the right. I am reduced to non-solid foods, yet I felt wide awake mere minutes after the surgery. However, they insisted that I be moved out in a wheel chair, yet I could have conquered the world. My speech was inarticulate for a while, given that my tongue was numb. So, I lisped. And finally, I was brought to coughing up blood due to the paper towels jammed in the back of my mouth, preventing blood from leaving for a matter of time.
I feel full-well right now, so I see no reason to skip out on work for two days. Here's to recovery.

Subject : Fostering
Posted Date: : Jun 20, 2008 8:36 PM
First off is some belated news: I've been working at my Panera for a whole year as of this past Wednesday. That's a far cry from the simple four months I spent happily at Walt Disney World Resort.
Too, it's a bittersweet anniversary. See, one of our good friends, Dan, has recently been given the pink slip. It appears that his temper got the best of him. And his loss is a deep one. We'll miss 'im, if we (and I) don't see 'im again.
Then, in business news, I've reserved a $1068 hotel in Los Angeles for my SIGGRAPH week. I am going to rope me father into helping me pay for my flight. Damn prices.
Currently, I have a funny thing going down. Our cat, Buddy, has been fostering a homeless kitten (male at that.) So, until I hook him up with a home, I've taken him in for safe keeping. Cats are the craziest peoples.

Subject : You are the ONE!
Posted Date: : Jul 2, 2008 10:04 PM
So, at last, I get to hear the full version of a J-Pop song I've been waiting for since March: 'ONE' by Crystal Kay. It's an exhilerating number, and I haven't had this kind of fever for a song since Tommy february's 'L*O*V*E*L*Y* yumeri lovely boy', which I heard first in 2005. The actual single for 'ONE' will be released in Japan on the 16'th, and I'm recieving a copy by mail!
In other news, the hours at Panera have been slashed from 30-some to the 'teens. This is not my fault: business has been slow, for some reason. But I'm gonna get 'em back somehow.
This Fourth, I'm going to a party hosted by one of my Panera managers, Lauren. I went clothes shopping for it today (cost only $37), so I should look good for the party.
Speaking of shopping, I also have put down a deposit for a brand-new bike. It is $150 altogether, a much better deal than the bikes I saw for $1000 to $2000(?!) It's obviously a response to the dreadful economy.
Too, the new Pixar picture, Andrew Stanton's 'Wall*E' is indescribably good, like nothing else you've ever seen before. I went to it on opening day, like I've done with all Pixar films from 'Nemo' onward. If anything, I think the Congress should see it to get inspired about reshaping some environment-related policies.

Subject : Make it Quick
Posted Date: : Jul 31, 2008 8:43 AM
This particular week has been jammed. Not only because my sister came crawling back into town this past Sunday. I have worked every day since last Saturday thru this Sunday, and almost all those days have me occupied after work. On Monday, it was 'Wall-E' and a family dinner. On Tuesday, I got to enjoy a 19'th-birthday dinner for our good friend Mohammed. Yesterday, it was a larger-scale family dinner. Today, I am to get a haircut. And on Saturday, I am attending a party compliments of Lauren.
Oh, and next week, I'll be getting ready to head west for L.A. The virtual fun never ends in this place.

Subject : Small Thing
Posted Date: : Aug 4, 2008 5:24 PM
Little Buddy left today: he's gone...forever. He has found someone to take him in. I'm disappointed that he's gone, but I'll have to take my medicine.
Too, I've read a horrible vision in the papers a few days ago. They say that 'The Dark Knight' may overthrow 'Titanic' from the top of the box office heap. I hope that doesn't happen: 'Titanic' deserves it more because it's an original picture with emotions and historic relevance. 'The Dark Knight', on the other hand, is grossly overrated just because of the death of one of its key actors. People should go see 'Wall-E', instead.
This past Saturday, I attended a Wii party, hosted by Lauren. It featured her cookings of Japanese dishes as the entree. And watching my girl-friends playing a marathon session of a certain party board game was pretty amusing. I also saw Ashley again, but she left us all too soon.
I'm out to LA this Saturday, so that'll be fun.

Subject : SIGGRAPH 2008
Posted Date: : Aug 13, 2008 10:31 PM
Well, I've been at SIGGRAPH 2008, as was intended. Arrived to Los Angeles on Sat. night, having rode first class all the way. Made it to my hotel, paying up $17 for a cab(?!) Sunday had me arriving to the Los Angeles Convention Center. I was curmudgeonly and grumpy that day, as everyone seemed to know each other, and no one wanted to know me. It was my face, I'll bet.
By Monday, I got to work. Being out on my shifts, standing tall for three hours, is a drag. But stuff that happens outside of work has made up for those crappy shifts.
I have seen, in person, such famous big shots as Jim Blinn, Ed Catmull, John Stevenson, Bill Frake, John Lasseter, Frederik Back, Leslie Iwerks, Don Hahn, Randy Cartwright, and Andreas Deja!Have also bore witness to such entertainment as 3-D Screenings, submitted animated shorts, 'The Man Who Planted Trees', 'The Pixar Story', 'A Tribute to Frank and Ollie', a presentation from the studio OLM, and an actual Disney animator animate before me!
The Disney and Pixar booths are easily my favorites. Not many big-shot events are left here.
Will report back, and hopefully with less sentence fragments.

Subject : Together we will be
Posted Date: : Sep 12, 2008 4:21 AM
Today is not only a day of national mourning: it also happens to be the 2'nd anniversary of my frab-tabulous Orlando journey. The one where I worked at Walt Disney World Resort for four months, met many new people, and lived on my own terms. Good times and bad, it's an experiance that I wouldn't trade for any other.
That's great, because the school semester is a nightmare before Christmas.
This semester, I have to go to Piedmont five days a week. As opposed to the previous two and four. To combat gas price fatigue, I stay overnight on Thursdays, for a class at 8 AM on Friday.
The classes are getting a wee bit technical, involving insane deadlines for compsiting, 3-D animation, and more After Effects. As if that's not enough, I'm working on a 30-second animation (large-scale ambition) all by myself!
At least work keeps me alive. One manager, Jason, had quit in the last month. This let a far-better replacement take his place: by name of Melody. The work seems to be getting more hardcore, though.
Forever friends, them and me. And same with my Orlando crew: we can change the world if we try. I go where you go, forever friends, you and I.

Subject : Super Hyper Mega Work
Posted Date: : Sep 28, 2008 5:07 AM
While the economy is going to crap, I've been working hardcore on my 30-second animation.
The piece I'm doing is a public-service promo. Mine revolves around the group GAIA, who specialize in recycling used clothes to fund their various projects. I'm producing it in hand-drawn animation, digitally-painted backgrounds, and After Effects, all by myself.
The principle animation was completed this past Thursday, and it involved the rough keyframes, inbetweens, clean-up, and color (Prisma markers.) It was a labor-intensive process, you see; took a lot of time. And the final piece is due this coming Friday. Means that I've entered crunch time.
Can't wait to have it finished, so I can post it here, there, and everywhere. It'll show how times have changed since the days when 'Smart Moon Takes One' was produced on tracing paper, no color, and rather crudely by today's standards of living. Stay tuned to see it's posting, kiddos.
Speaking english again, I've heard through the grapevine that the Adenturer's Club in WDW Resort is closing forever. As is the whole of WDW's Pleasure Island. It's very saf; I have experiences there, shopping, dancing, and being entertained. Hell, does this mean that the shops just past PI (such as the AMC theatre and Virgin Megastore) are closing too? That'd be bad.
Stay tuned.

Subject : First off, gritty old news
Posted Date: : Oct 15, 2008 3:13 PM
I should have mentioned this on Friday, but I was delayed.
I've got a new, major animation ready for production. And just like before, I'm working solo (though I did try to work with others, they have no sense of direction.)
It's a CGI bit, involving a highway sign, with human persona, wanting to entertain. Won't say anymore about the plot details. But I'll mention that after I gave my initial pitch (the rough outline), I was told to rewrite the last half. This is besides having to clarify what was going on. Hell, even I knew what the story was visually. With that rewrite, the pitch went over better.
I've got storyboards and an animatic due in the coming weeks.

Subject : Isn’t dat nice?
Posted Date: : Oct 16, 2008 10:34 PM
I thought I'd hit you up with some stories about my recent trip to the burrough of Manhattan. This is the long and short of it.
It took place across four days, dammit. Got there at around 7:30-ish in the morning: gave me enough time to explore the city solo mio. It was swell to stay at the Algonquian Hotel, off of 44'th and 6'th Ave. That's just a stone's throw away from Times Square and Rockefeller Center. Those happen to be my favorite places in NYC.
During the first day, I spent $230 on goods at a Japanese book store (music!), took lunch at Bryant Park, and went to a specific Broadway show (cough-Mermaid-cough). Bah...
The next few days were more eventful, once my sister (living in Brooklyn) came along for the ride. To be exact, that Sunday morning had us take on a boat toar around the island. For three hours, you see NYC transistion from upclass refinery to seediness, to rustic peace and back again to urbane. Pretty good for photo ops.
That afternoon, we tried going to the Museum of the Moving Image. But it was closed for Sunday, those bastards. So, we went to the Top of the Rock, instead. The Rockefeller Tower, that is. Another great place for photos, but my camera died while up there. So I failed to get some awesom-o panarama shots. We dined in Brooklyn that evening, nearby me sister's pad.
Monday entailed the touring of downtown NYC. That meant poking around China Town (lot's of cheap jewlery for sale), Ground Zero (the Winter Garden kills), and Wall Street (the historic 900-plus point rise on the Dow.) That evening, I got to don a slendid, purple suit (made me look like a gangster for the Joker) for a high-class pre-birthday dinner "Italiano". I wanted a shot of me in the suit, and it took too many times to get good ones (it was the damn photographer's problemo.)
And oh god, Tuesday was the day I became an adult. God no! In other events, we spent a day touring Central Park, including the Bethesda fountain, the local zoo. Followed closely by discovering the NYC Apple store (iPhones are fruity) and lunching at a Japanese tea house.
And there is a brief summary of the journey man's fourt total trip to NYC. What a magical city.

Subject : I’m positive 2 say
Posted Date: : Oct 23, 2008 11:31 PM
I just wanna say that this was a really crappy week.
Since Monday, that is. I've been bombarded with school projects that a baroque and foreign to me. Yet they're not to others. The worst part is that these projects are of the DIY category. That'd be acceptable, were it not for the fact that we have barely trained in anything we are working on. And teacher isn't any help at all. This could only lead down the road of failure.
By the way, the projects involve turning a crankshaft (3-D), and texturing and lighting an alleyway. Bah.
Otherwise, the week has comprised of broken promises, lagging internets, and failures in communication. Even at work (on Monday nite), we were working more hardcore than usual. Pretty abrubt, if you ask me.
Well, here's good news. With the downturn of the economy comes the return of sensible gas prices. I mean, this is the first time since Feb-freaking-bruary that the price for regular has been below $3. It's been awhile.

Subject : All Hallow’s Eve Recitations
Posted Date: : Oct 31, 2008 1:39 PM
Hello, welcome to my dark side. Why don't you have a picnic there? I'll bring beautiful things in my basket. My scary things I'm gonna hide into a pink grave in my head.
Juicy, sweet light shining over me, I sleep like dead in bed. In my nightmare, there's a reverse of me.
Under the Cherry Moon, the shadow of you is coming like a princess to hold me up.

Subject : The Broken Neck Blues: play on.
Posted Date: : Nov 4, 2008 11:54 PM
Let me tell you my little Election Day story. It's only a skip away to the nearest polling grounds. Woke up at 5:30 AM for this historic election, too. Twas the third in line, after two dudes in front. The polls didn't open for an hour, though. And finally, it took me about ten minutes to get in and out of the voting process. And of course, I advocated change (wink wink, nudge nudge.)
Meanwhile, I'm sinking in a stew of projects this week, including fluff for After Effects and Maya. They happen to make my head hurt. The bad part is that one of the assignments is due tomorrow, and the tutor didn't show today. Cripes.
Well sir, that is the long and short of it. Because I'm in the middle of class.

Subject : Yippee, we won!
Posted Date: : Nov 5, 2008 7:01 PM
What a thrill, huh? Barack Obama is the 44'th President of the USA.
Course, I kept tabs on the results through the evening (after N.C.'s polls closed.) Tried to follow them off of the local NBC station, but all they really covered was the local elections. That was useless, so it's evil. ABC was vastly more useful in keeping tabs on the electoral vote (I once caught that Obama had 200 to McCain's 130!)
Would you believe I saw the monumental announcement by way of CNN...in a "restaurauntour" later that night...and it was karaoke night?! I heard some redneck dude absolutely butcher the song, "I Will Survive". Anyways, it was great news for the nation. I got to watch McCain's concession speech...and Barack's acceptance speech. And all the nation celebrated...deep into the night. That was totally wicked!

Subject : Get a load of dis, folks...
Posted Date: : Nov 10, 2008 7:03 PM
Remember my new 3-D piece? The one that I'm doing for my next implimentation project? The one for whose animatic can currently be seen with my videos?! Now, I've got another one to do!
But get this: my conception is to mix a 3-D character with 2-D ones (wowsers!) It involves two 2-D guys and a 3-D reel-to-reel projector. I'm hyped to get to work on it, but I don't know which characters I should use for the 2-D bits. Should I use old veterans like Smart Moon and Baby Moon? Or should I strive to create original characters, suitable for the situation? I think we all know what I should do.
Can't say anything about the story yet (loose lips sink ships, after all.) Too, if I was working on this for a real studio, loose lips result in termination. That's particularly true of locations like Pixar and Disney.
Hope the work load doesn't kill me. Rather, it makes me stronger. I'm also currently working on more college apps, so I have little time for farce.

Subject : Where have you gone?
Posted Date: : Nov 14, 2008 2:49 AM
Here's a sucker.
I'd been pushing for my household to get high-speed internet for years now. When I (spontaneously) obtained a DSL and wireless router the other Veteran's Day, that was the final stroke in making it happen. Today, a brand-new DSL connection was supposed to be activated at the household. But, the online order didn't go through, so I had to go to AT&T by phone to order it. They did reduce the rate from $42 to $34, so there's a plus.
But meanwhile, I'm here at school, dying over the multitude of projects in my lap. There's no one else here now (gee, that's suspect), so there's no one to give very good advice (that I very seldom follow from nerds.) And the trouble is: my 3-D work is crap next to theirs.
But hey, the long-delayed (birthday) dinner featuring Corey and myself is taking place this 15'th. It had been planned back in Sept(!), was on around Oct. 25'th, then unceremoniously canceled and rescheduled.

Subject : I’m a hell of a guy! And t’night, we honor you!
Posted Date: : Nov 17, 2008 4:51 AM
Well, that long-planned, ballyhooed dinner turned out to largely be a bust!
At the last minute (natch), most everyone seemed to change their mind, was not able to make it, were stuck in traffic in High Point, was working elsewhere, doing anthrapomology homework, was unaware, or had to save money for Christmas. Only Corey, his mistress, and myself were present. But we had dinner anyway. Pretty good food at Bravo, I'll say. I also used the dining 'oppro to drink chardonnay. Too bad the whole deal didn't work out, though.
An accomplice of mine has it in the cards that we'll have another dinner...for real this time. My idea is to have one during Winter Break, before Christmas. A time where everyone can attend. No particular occasion, but just for the hell of it.
By the way, today at work was hellish. Not the people I work with, mind you (but there are some kinks in the gears.) It's just that we reached our capacity limit more than once during the lunch rush, and it wouldn't stop. This wasn't the first time we've been dealt a bad hand of crowds, and it won't be the last.

Subject : Kid, I don’t got much time...
Posted Date: : Nov 21, 2008 2:26 AM
Now hear this.. I've got a DSL connection today. This is after many years of searching, and three hours of technical fixes.
There's a glitch in the hitch, however: I got this DSL from AT&T. Problem is, my traditional online carrier is AOL. And getting AT&T to replace the long-lasting AOL material I got was not what I signed up for. Now I have to sign off from an AOL contract, lest I have to pay for two services at once. By the way, the fact that AOL mostly comes in dial-up flavors is 100% bull plop.
This will be brief, as I'm frustrated and in class.

Subject : Where've you been with those eyes?
Posted Date: : Dec 10, 2008 10:40 AM
This is a scribe that comes in during a hard-core work load.
To refresh, I have no less than four animated shorts in production right now. One of them is close to completion, two are half-way there, and another is desperate. Hope to put them into my video list soon.
I also have the opportunity to finish them in time for a film festival this coming Saturday. To finish some of the things in time, that means I need a whole lotta notebook cards, erasers, and patience for late-night workage.
Meanwhile, at Panera, some interesting developments have taken place. The big news is that the one named Nancy is here no more. She was canned last week for gross incompetence and managerial impotence. The usurper has become the usurped! The tower of terror has crumbled! She's been replaced by a dude named Chris. He's a bit better off, but currently lacks empathy.
We've had a Christmas party this past Sunday, full 'o good food, friends, and humor. A raffle took place, upon which persons received prizes such as candy, gift cards, and tampons (ya heard me!)
I gotta go.

Subject : You wouldn’t get this from any other guy
Posted Date: : Dec 12, 2008 3:49 AM
As I write this, I've gone through 94 animation drawings.
Tonight, the epic struggle has been on. And not just the much-needed downpour, either. I'm going to animate, clean-up, scan, color, and (hopefully) composite two project's bits of hand-drawn animation.
Tomorrow, I've got to present a near-final version of the big CGI piece. There's a bunch of subtle-acting shots left to pull out. We know the game, and we're gonna play it.

Subject : Will this never end?
Posted Date: : Dec 17, 2008 7:46 PM
This will be super-brief...I'm currently in class, folks.
The screening of my 3-D final is going horribly; I did'nt have enough time to put sound effects in, so that blows. The visual effects need polishing, it really needs a rescue. They commented that...my work really blows. I'll upload it, and you'll see. But, I'll try to correct the various missteps with my compositing final.
The 3-D piece - it's certainly not 'F' fodder, but to me, it's not my finest work. Imaginative, but not the best.
Too, I have to pay a lousy sum for new tires, my motorcar needs transmission repair, and it costs $120 for an oil change...which I paid for.
My Christmas shopping budget is about to shrink tenfold. But...I'm not broke, folks. Don't worry.

Subject : People who need people
Posted Date: : Dec 18, 2008 10:17 PM
The good news is, I've officially polished and turned in three of my final pieces.
The bad news is...
First, I've got a night of completing my epic final final project, including rendering and post production. And there's one shot that's often crashing. Geeze.
Second, a good friend, Justin, will not be present at >shudder< Piedmont next semester. For all of you who don't know, he was my art instructor and mentor for the past two and four semesters respectively. It was swellow to have someone who pushed my recent work to a higher plain, and give excellent feedback. He will be exclusively at another campus next semester on. Sure, I can email him in future, but this place just got a whole lot lonelier. Sounds like someone has died, don't it? Back to 'vork! Subject : Nobody Goes Home! Posted Date: : Dec 19, 2008 3:48 PM Tis a good time to be the end of the school semester. I have been at the campus since yesterday at 3! I was to work all through the night until 4:30 AM. That's because I kept running into woes where my rendering regards. Do I render in mental ray, or maya software? I was getting nowhere fast. What happened in the end was I mostly rendered in maya software. Continued to render the misery until 11 AM today. That's when a sound mix was performed, and I turned in what I had just before the due point: 1 PM. Good thing too; every shot was fully rendered and complete. Most of what everyone else turned in was utter crap. You should have seen it: one group turned in a sub-par six seconds of footage (the min. was 30, max. was 50!) Bastards tried to render in HD. How dumb do we think they are?! Thankfully, mine was conceded as the best work overall. And I was worried that their's would be way better, and I'd be ripped apart. But I only got a few notes of fixes, and I'm still here at school performing the surgery right now. When all of that's done, I'll have the video uploaded by Monday. I'm not really thinking about any holiday right now: I don't deserve a holiday. Subject : Good and Bad news on the ’Night Before Christmas’ Posted Date: : Dec 24, 2008 11:00 PM Only today did I complete my big-shot Christmas shopping, for family and beyond. Even got myself new pairs of clothes. Went to a Christmas party this evening, courtesy of Lauren. Enjoyed friends, conversation, and strong caramel whiskey. Got to and from Thomasville (Lauren's residence) without trouble, except for some torrential rain and darkness. Pretty uncharacteristic for Christmas Eve. Santa's gonna need rain gear. But, not all is well in Greens-bro Town. Our good friend Moe is making us frown. Sadly, he's the latest in the diminishing pool of Panera veterans leaving us. Suddenly, he found new work across the street at La Fiesta, or what-ever the name was. Apparantly, Lauren believes this will help Moe to grow up. But, to me, it's just like when Bobby left us (read the blog post from exactly one year ago): it's as though somebody near and dear has died. Tomorrow is Christmas: it's practically here. Subject : Nobody don’t like Christmas Posted Date: : Dec 27, 2008 2:36 AM Well, did you get what was coming to ya this Christmas? Religion, Presento, and family, that is. I received a very Disney-heavy parcel o' packages this time, including the final collection of Donald Duck shorts, The Art of Alchemy, and best of all, The Illusion of Life. That's the acclaimed 1981 tome from Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, their comprehensive tome on the Disney philosophy for animation. This has plenty of useful tips for persons training in the medium (don't copy their rules, but learn from and adapt.) Oh, and besides those, I've got a subscription to Animation Magazine (finally!), two covetous Blu-Ray titles, and a genuine straw hat. A straw hat, 12-ish years after I first begged to get one. It was all inspired from that Annie Award-winning 1997 film, Cat's Don't Dance. In other Xmas stories, me mum stupidly lost her cars keys early in the morning, in our own house. It caused us to be two hours late to our cousin's house for our Xmas constitutional. Like I said, embarrassing. The good to come out of this was her cleaning up the place a bit to weed them out. Tonight, I was able to find them in the one place she did'na scour enough: the trunk of her car. And would yeh believe this was the first year that 1.) we took turns opening gifts. And 2.) that this was the first year that I didn't get any Xmas gifts from my cousins or grandparents! To be fair, my sister didn't either. The stupid economy made this sudden change-up possible. In other news, I'm heading to Mobile this coming New Years Eve. There, I have my pop, step mom, and grandparents (from me dad's side), the former who are visiting and the latter who live there. The grandmother, sadly, is bed-bound with serious, life-or-death illness. Could it be the byproduct of smoking more than 10 years ago? Mmm, maybe. Too, I'm sorry to hear that Eartha Kitt has just died, at 81. She will be missed by all us entertainment lovers. We've lost another icon, one for that particular Oscar montage.

And now you'll know the whole story of 2008. I adopted a refugee kitten, went to SIGGRAPH in Los Angeles, made more money at Panera than I have this year, went to New York for my 21'st birthday, spent a lot, and pick bones at Piedmont. The fall semester was memorable if only for how I camped out there every Thursday night.

Hey, that was the single hardest semester at that school I ever had! That's how it is when your ambitions leave you to work by yourself. I accomplished some big cartoons on my own. And I haven't had that opprotunity at Edinboro, since the competition is rightfully stiffer. I should also mention this was when the old team at Panera was starting to fall apart. New management crept in as well, including the best of them: our prior GM, Melody. And now, three years in, she's gone and replaced by another returnee manager. How awesome is that?

2008 was a helluva year, and I wish I were still in it.

You might be wondering...

Why haven't I posted all month?

Well, the answer is, I've been in the middle of a move!  Not the best reason, but I've been tied to the heel of it.  I've completely moved out of my old room, but the rest of the house here is not ready to go.

I also learned how hard it is to really re-post old blogs.  Can anyone tell me how to do pull-downs for the massive wall of text?  It's too much to have the readers to scroll painfully acoss endless blog write-ups.

I'll return with winsome wisdome within a few days.  And post what I should've been posting, which is up to the minute news and muses,

In brief:  horse camp, Camp Carefree, Panera hours in general, the move, and more.

This year, 2008: Part 1

Subject : DVD talk (incomplete)
Posted Date: : Jan 3, 2008 9:24 PM
Tonight, I want to try something a little different for my old-man ramblings. I'm going to indirectly review some recent DVDs I've obtained. They happen to be animation related, me the diehard that I am.
Inspired by the Christmas present of a Disney Treasures DVD, "Donald vol. 3," I've been collecting select titles since to feel like a completist. I now have Donald's vol. 1 + 2, and complete Goofy. If you want to know what Disney Treasures are, search them on Google already, and do your research.
Oddly, not every short included is a winner. I though for sure that they could be winners given their pedigree, including Jack Hannah, Jack Kinney, and Wolfgang Reitherman. With the Donald shorts, there are great cartoons like 'Der Furher's Face', 'Trailer Mix-Up', and 'Donald's Dilemma' to name a few. They were done because lots of "cheater" cartoons involving one-note gags (unfortunately) were made.
Of the weak shorts presented, most of them lack a sense of story structure. The artists involved seem to have had trouble giving the shorts a beginning middle, and end that don't feel rushed or undeveloped. Set pieces may play to long, endings may either not happen, or feel too rushed.
As for Goofy, yeah these are funny, but not as funny as I hoped. Some of my personal favorites herein are 'Motor Mania' and 'Hockey Homicide'. The kinetic animation really helps up the level of humor presented in the Goofy cartoons, but the narration is hit-or-miss. It's all about your sense of humor, I think.
The animation is often what is really funny between the two series, and not the actual jokes. Dammit, I know they're funny, but I'm just not laughing like I should. And if none of what I just wrote registers with you, you're not part of the animator's club. There's so much more about these Disney shorts I want to say here, but won't because it's late right now. And I'm not a historian.
On a more somber note, it was a year ago to this day that I left Orlando behind. Had I stayed, I would have experienced the thrills of the Princess and Pirate Party, attended new attractions at Tomorrowland and Epcot's various pavilions, and made with the spring-time crowds. I want to return some day, I do I do.

Subject : Brief Thoughts
Posted Date: : Jan 18, 2008 11:30 AM
Some jerk has screwed with my work schedule! It's been radically retooled from where it once was. I had only asked for a change to my Thursday availability, and he went and changed everyday I go in. Come on!
I've just seen my first week back at Piedmont (crap). But I didn't go in on Thursday on account of icy highways and the perils they possess. In other classes, I'm modeling 3-D stuffs and learning to use Flash. I see lots of possibility in both, but I hate how they're filled with nerds. And Editing II proved to be incredibly useless. I must escape soon.

Subject : Many Returns
Posted Date: : Feb 24, 2008 10:52 AM
This is long overdue, but here I am with more dirt. At Panera, we've lost another teamster. Michael, who had been with it since June last year and a good friend, left in the last few weeks. It was because he couldn't take the imbecility of Jason, the new head honcho who replaced our good friend Bobby. And Jason looks like an ex-Marine, and has piercing, fierce eyes. Also joining him in this new order is Lauren. I haze both of them, as I perpetuate my trust issues. At least all of my other friends are still on board.
Too, my hours and schedules have been erratic since the semester started. I will work mids, closings, and half-days. And it varies from 12 hrs to 25 hrs listed.
And that leads to the school situation. I'm working with Maya and Flash this term. I've built a 3-D room, created characters in vector graphics, and am currently trying to put a flashy home page together. January's workload was brutal, with the animation work on top of math and a minimester of public speaking! February has cooled down a bit, though. In fact, on Valentines week, I only had one class, due to a combination of unlucky circumstances. And I dread the worst yet to come. That's the summer internship and well beyond. I don't wanna, ya can't make me!!!
This past weekend (Feb 16-18), me and Allen separately flew to Pittsburg, PA to traverse to the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. The area was quaint if not minimal, with nary a Best Buy or Circuit City to be found.
Therein, it's a nice school in an environment that suits me better than muggy, gross SCAD. No offense to SCAD. The head of the (2-D) animation program named Mike Genz, who worked at WDFA for 15 years. So, he must have a lot of dirt on Disney, and possibly David Stainton, the worst animation boss in recent memory. Luckily, he's been gone for a good while.
Tonight, the 10'th Pokemon movie (The Rise of Darkrai) and the 80'th Oscars are set to compete for TV ratings. And I have to miss both (from work.) For the movie, it'll be the first Poke-prouction from dubbing group DuArt. And it's up against lofty expectations: I mean, 10 films, man!
At the Oscars, I have some hope for them. I wish they didn't have a female actress (Cameron Diaz) host the Best Animated Feature Category, that small kids don't host the Best Animated Short category, and that the animated films have clips presented for illustration. Not like last year, where they had each film's stars supposedly sit in the freaking audience. I mean, all that is insulting, condescending, and borderline racist to our favorite medium. On the Best Picture front, I pick 'Juno' as the favorite. If only because it's the only nominee that I've seen. Go fig.Finally, If 'Ratatouille' loses to 'Persepolis' tonight, it further proves that the Oscars, once belonging to big shot films like 'Titanic' and 'Forrest Gump', are slowly turning into the Independent Film Awards, evidenced by 'Million Dollar Baby' and 'Crash' among others. Bastards! And shame on Hollywood for becoming Sequel Land, USA.

Subject : Babbling Brook
Posted Date: : Mar 3, 2008 10:47 PM
Today, I attended the internship meeting, and had my eyes bugging the whole time. The notion of an unpaid internship is horrifying. Especially if it's not in the artistic, creative animation field I desire. Most of the jobs offered are for computer graphics, newspapers, TV stations(?), and (god forbid) computer game companies. No way, I'd rather go for a bit at UNCG's art dept., Out of Our Minds Animation in Winston Salem, or an Cultural Arts art gallery. Anything that I actually like. Which involves a creative, fun-loving, and super nerd-free work environment.
I have one week left of Public Speaking, so wish me luck. If you dare.
I've discovered the joys of Google Translate today. Using it on Japanese web sites, I found such hilarious phrases as "Death is fun to grow". More to come...
I want to add to my DVD talk here. I spoke then about the Goofy shorts not being funny. But now, in March, enough time has past so that I much enjoy the Goofy cartoons...from the 1950s...after all. Those cartoons deal with topics such as breaking a smoking habit, treating a cold, addiction to gambling, and raising kids; those are topics that hit home with me for their relatable qualities, still current even 50 years afterwards. I now am enticed to laugh along, but I can't feel the same about his shorts from before then (the 1940s and 30s).
Too, Richard William's Animator's Survival Guide is a wonderful book. I picked it up on Oscar night, and found it a great guide in constructing characters and further understanding weight, action, and even walk motions. It's lessons and principals helped to make my own cartoon stars and artwork improve that much.
And congratulations to Pixar on their Oscar win for 'Ratatouille'!

Subject : Disturbing News
Posted Date: : Mar 5, 2008 3:49 AM
Here's a PCC tidbit to start with. This past Monday, a student from the Film Program was expelled. And not just any expulsion, either. He made terrorist threats to PCC and Yanceyville. And when he was apprehended, he got violent with the officers he was taken by. As it turns out, this guy had a serious case of Aspergers. And a short-fuse temper to enhance the unstable condition. He had been briefly put in jail before being released. Where he is now, we don't know. But if he shows his great, ugly face around society ever again, there goes his future.
And today, I read a few unusual and disturbing news items in the paper while at Panera. It rocked me to my core. In one, a woman in Kansas had been inexplicably sitting on a toilet seat for two years! And just this week, they removed from her at last at a hospital. There couldn't be anything more disturbing than that. And what's worse is that her skin attached to and grew around the seat! Blargh!
Next, a woman in Dallas has tossed her two kids and herself off an overpass bridge onto Interstate 30 below. Thankfully her kids survived. She did too, but she's pressed with charges for attempted murder. I wonder what possesed her to do this BS. Well, there goes her marriage right off the bat.
More closer to home, a woman from High Point died in a violent car crash this week. She apparently rear-ended a trailer attached to a garbage truck. There was a picture of this in the paper to go along side, so it was really much more gruesome.
And moreso, a drunk trucker has driven his truck straight through the wall of a local bar in High Point. He had been refused more drinks one night, and so rammed his truck through the wall near the women's bathroom. He is set with multiple criminal charges. That story struck me as an absurd over-reaction to being told to leave, if you ask me.
And all of these stories came from the News & Record of Greensboro, NC. Straight from the horse's mouth.

Subject : Horton Gets a Review
Posted Date: : Mar 14, 2008 6:05 PM
So, I’ve just seen the new Blue Sky picture, ’Horton Hears a Who’. And I just had to talk about my thoughts on it. Know this, if you have not seen the movie, there are some spoilers.
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes, for one, have given the film a score of 81%, and it is certified as Fresh. I figured that made ’Horton’ the best film Blue Sky had made since ’Ice Age’.
Well, I can’t argue against the animation in the film. If you see it this weekend, you’ll agree it is the best aspect of the production. The characters, particularly Horton and the Mayor of Whoville, were full of personality and expression. The movements were hysterical in that squash & stretch way. Take good notice of the use of their hands, limbs, and eyes to get an idea of how these characters display a hand-drawn quality about them.
The production design floored me as well. The artists did a very good job of bringing the book’s lush environments to life, unwilling to sacrifice the whimsical quality of Suess. It doesn’t look like any other CGI film out there, making good of an artist’s style.
And, to my utter surprise, there was 2-D animation in the flick. The big use of it was in a hilarious anime-inspired sequence, during which I had to muffle my mouth to keep my laughter down. Speaking of sequences, the best one in the film involves Horton crossing a long, rickety bridge. The mix of dialogue, physics, and timing in this are hysterical. And the best stuff throughout is the relationship between Horton and the Mayor. The two are finely brought together based on both having a sense of paranoia, and feelings of being left out.
Then there’s the writing aspect. I do feel there were a few negatives about this screenplay. Namely, references to the iPhone, MySpace (gee, thanks), and the use of the song ’Can’t Fight This Feeling Anymore’ around the end. That, and they insist on putting a few too many words in the character’s mouths at times. Oh, and some overly contemporary phrases spout out early on in the flick. But the good news is that they kept the story structure simple and easy to follow. No amount of waste went into driving the point of the film home herein.
So, ’Horton’ is not quite Pixar-level, but it is the best film Blue Sky has made since Ice Age.

Subject : Spring Break? Who cares?
Posted Date: : Mar 19, 2008 8:37 PM
Today was very trying, for what it’s worth. I had to go to PCC to finish constructing my CGI building. And to complete it took up to 9 hours! That was partly because I was troubleshooting mistakes that I made, what with textures and extrusions.
It was made worse because there was a super nerdlinger in the same room, arriving a little after I did. And he was a disgusting, toxic vermin, at that. I mean, he was not very self-aware as he continually sneezed, coughed, hacked, and belched his way out of credibility. And he was blaring his music the whole way through. Damn, he’s also not very good looking.
On the plus, I have obtained a copy of one of the greatest cartoons ever made: Bob Clampett’s 1943 short, "Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs". I had seen it in full before, back in 2006, but now I own a copy for perpetuity. At least until Warner Bros. comes to their senses and puts it on an upcoming "Looney Tunes Golden Collection" release. If you know that there was a Bob Clampett-focused disc and a fairy tale parody-focused disc, you’d see that Warners had two opportunities to give it to us. And they blew both. Shame. Well, it’s a wild, funny toon. Check it out.

Subject : Here ’s a Funny Story...
Posted Date: : Apr 3, 2008 1:29 PM
Last blog I wrote info on a lame-ass guy who belched his way into my heart >cough<. Look it up for all the details. Well, ever since we started class again (the 24’th), he has not come back. Yesterday, I found out from a little bird that he has been chucked out of PCC. He apparantly was not only unpopular, but he posted some incriminating images (read: pornographic) onto the student server. I feel I had something to do with his disappearance. When I left the room that Wednesday (at 7 PM), he tells me "Have a Good Easter". So I say to him, annoyed that I am: "It’s you who should repent! >nerd<" Ye-ouch! Well, good riddance to bad lizards.
And yesterday was the day we finally turned in our oft-delayed buildings (they were originally due the Monday we got back!) And it turns out that I got one of the best receptions for my workings. Some of the places I saw in the reel ranged from dismal to flat-out awful. Seriously, a cathedral was not lit, textured, or given a setting at all! Some people took renders from angles, but did not adjust their backgrounds to match! One had their render come out with darkened light. So, I’ve got confidence about an A herein. The next project is to build a 3-D character. Which of my stars will I choose?

Subject : New Developments as they come: Part One
Posted Date: : Apr 10, 2008 1:25 PM
I’ve just got some drirt from the horse’s mouth about the upcoming films from Pixar Animation Studios. And here, I’m going to give opinions on these new pictures. Please understand I’m not trying to bash Pixar here; I deeply respect them after all. But a voice must be heard based on my schock level.
Before that, it’s seems that Pixar’s first Digital 3-D film will actually not be 2010’s Toy Story 3. No, that honor will now be given to the 2009 Pete Doctor film, "Up". That’s something I didn’t see coming. I don’t see why any filmmakers need to resort to a gimmick that didn’t even take off in the 1950s (look at Warners and Disney for proof of this- they each did about one or two 3-D shorts between them.)
As for Toy Story 3, I’m nervous and opposed to that flick. Firstly, does the general public heard of this flick? I mean, only the press and animation fans know about it. And it seems the only reason it’s being made, like Rush Hour 3 (shudder), is because of a cheap joke occurring in the second film’s outtakes. Sheesh.
Too, I’ve just finished some Flash-based lip sync. Just like what is done on South Park. It’s 2:50 PM, and I have to leave in order to get ready for work. I’ll return to give all the dirt on upcoming films I am an impartial observer on.

Subject : Grievances
Posted Date: : Apr 15, 2008 2:08 PM
This comes from some news I just caught on to. Everyone else in the animation community will write about it, so I will too.
I have just learned that Ollie Johnston has passed away yesterday, age 95. He is the last of Walt Disney's Nine Old Men to leave us. I may not have met him, but he is best known for animating memorable scenes in films such as The Jungle Book, Bambi, and Cinderella. He has also contributed to the growth of character animation, and writer of such books as The Illusion of Life. He will be missed dearly by myself and everyone else who knew of his character and accomplishments. My condolences go out to his friends and family.

In summary: A thematic unity approaches!  In January , I got started on reviews (for a series I never took serieously in developing).  There was the first of many years worth of Oscar commentary in 2008, too.  I had the foresight to assume that Pixar would go on an Oscar rampage for the next few years.  And understood that big epic blockbusters were no longer the Oscar darling. 
I also, unfortunately, developed a voice of prejudice againts "nerdy folk".  Such was the crowd to work with in the field of computers.  The tone of this bashing got really bad in this spring semester.  I've learned to get along, so you no longer see me write wth this level of vehemency.

In the year 2007

What what, everybody?
Here are all the old blog posts from 2007.  And I mean all of them.  Maybe you'll read 'em and tell me what you think?  Feedback would put perspective on what can be said for the past.

Subject : Long overdue updates
Posted Date: : Jun 15, 2007 8:31 PM
This will be my first blog since December, I believe. I had no motivation to write one on a dial-up connection. But I have one now.
Alot has changed in five months. I'm fresh from my first term at Piedmont, not a big deal. I made leaps and bounds as a cartoonist there. I've been in UNCG summer courses from May 16 to June 19: Life Drawing and Fundamentals of Drawing. Therein, I've made leaps in drawing realism, something I used to hate doing.
I had a hard time finding new work after the thrills and spills of WDW in Orlando. I applied to grocers, theatres, and restarunts. It had me shopping around dressed for the nines, with multiple applications and resumes in tow. I am now in the employ of Panera Bread, a new Panera to boot. I do enjoy the flair of class it posesses.
I look at this summer movie lineup so far, and it's been a critical bust. I won't bother with Spider Man 3, went to Pirates 3 on it's first night, and cringed during Shrek the Third. The lousy reception it recieved will be a wake-up call to producers at Dreamworks. It also vindicated that PDI cared more about the science of their films than they did the story telling.
I most hope that Ratatouille and The Simpsons Movie will more than make up for the trio of threequels. Those three have proven that the third time is not always the charm.
More to come in due course. I can't keep writing like this for long.

Subject : Weekly Update
Posted Date: : Jun 23, 2007 10:13 AM
A fresh blog from myself, rare as it is.
The first week at Panera's been slow, I'm glad it's the week-end. I work on line duty. And I'm the only personality brave enough to cavort in the dining hall, cleaning after other persons unknown. Met some fanciful girls to boot, making Panera Bread a girls club. Not many guys are keen to work at a deli, see. One of them is a dish washer, and he resembles a vampire.
We've got a particular night manager; [they're] almost as nice as an earlier one I happened upon. And I've become deathly ill through dehydration and exhaustion. I may surely collapse, lest Panera actually give sheduelled breakage.
So, I can say that Walt Disney World Resort was far more fun and organized than my new position. OK, so I was working with garbage. But what went on around me was so entertainingly distracting. And so many smiling faces, too.
Don't get the wrong idea about me. I'm not doing dirty work like this forever. Anyone still in school is going to do this sort of thing, right? And my career choice is animation, and all is can do for that now is training and internships.
Finally, I look forward to the new talking picture from Pixar next week: Ratatoolie. Cheers!
Subject : Deli Madness
Posted Date: : Jul 20, 2007 1:24 AM
It's been a veritable month since my latest work location had it's grand opening. That's Panera Bread at New Garden in Greensboro, NC for you who haven't heard of it. The first week(for one instance) there was horrible. See, we have a certain nighttime manager: she's almost as nice as one I had at Walt Disny World Resort. And worst still, I never get breaks. On one hand, I don't wanna. On the other, not doing them is hazardous to my health.
At WDW, I never had to clock in and out for a rest period. But you have to at Panera. And WDW was far more generous with breakage. I could get an average of two 15 minuet breaks and a 45-min break-wow, that is generous! But Panera only gives you one: 30 square minuets long. Ouch! To cap it all, WDW had honest-to-god break rooms. At Panera, breaks put you at risk of sitting with the public. And they don't want us sitting near them.
As for the health care thing, not doing breaks is a sure way to dry up(read: dehydrate). Duringh the first week, this was a big deal, as it led to exhaustion and nearvous collapse.
The people among me: Panera is a veritable girl's club. The majority of peerage are females around my age. That I have no issue(I did have the gaul to call my URL "Woman Trainer", after all.) I've gotten to know a veritable group of appealing girls, that dehydration is no big deal now.
Being at the likes of Panera, however, is not nearly as fun as WDW. Lunch rushes are horrible, as is dinner and closing. So demanding is the closing that one of our number lost her temper at our head honcho. She proceeded to curse her out, clock out, and get the pink slip forever. The advantages about Panera are indoor location, I can wear my own clothes, and I earn much more finances.
School begins again on Aug 20, and I don't look forward to it. Getting future finances will get harder at that time. Oh well, looking forward to 'The Simpsons Movie", Deathly Hollows, and possibly "Haispray", all in July. Am currently watching(read: rediscovering) Animaniacs and Roots on DVD, and am playing alot less games. I miss you GHS nutters terribly, and beg you to come to summer campaigners soon. Wish you'd call me at least. And for god's sakes, write a comment for a change.
P.S. I did not mention anyone's name, that I may protect their identities. Do not take this negative blog slamming Panera Bread as a message that I want out from there: I don't.

Subject : Loss of Way
Posted Date: : Aug 21, 2007 8:59 PM
It's the school year again, and I couldn't be unhappier. Back at PCC, I now go in on not two, but four days o' lessons. And on top o' that, there's a horrible gaggle of rotting nerds lingering in the DEAT building. Persons that I liked are now gone from sight, as rare as a pheonix feather. This makes PCC alot less amusing. I really wanted to go to a prestige animation location, CalArts specifically. Not this place 40 miles away, and full o' hideous genetic mutations (nerds.)
It'll get worse before it gets better. I wish I was back at WDW. It's so much more fun at WDW. Better yet, I can go back by the new year for a visitation, with ye olde tyme friends, and careful planning.

Subject : Missing U Like Candy
Posted Date: : Sep 11, 2007 2:36 AM
Well sir, it's been a year since my incredible journey in Orlando and WDW Resort. And I really wish I were back there, with things just the way they were. I miss everyone, everywhere, and every minute. You can't take that away from me. I wanna see the Orlando posse I attached to. Later, I'll go into detail on why I so prefer to be back again.

Subject : A long ramble
Posted Date: : Nov 26, 2007 3:30 AM
A lot 'as changed in the last few months, so I'll present some to you, the listener, in a short-handed way.
Most of the original team at Panera is now gone. It feels like only three of them remain, including me. And it's no longer the girl's club it used to be. Drag. I have come to really hate psychology, and the method in which it steals all of my free time away. I am so useful to Panera, they make me come in twice on Fridays and every other Sunday. It IS the way to make excessive dough these days, more than I made at WDW in a week, no less.
I hate Piedmont as well, as it's full of sad nerds who lie about their dating lives, who feel it nesscesary to embarrass themselves, and fail to turn any work in. I don't fall into that camp, though. I'm the kind who laughs at this lameness, as it's totally lame. I've completed an awesome 2-D animation, hand-drawn, and on tracing paper no less. I wanna post it on this site soon, for you to see. Internet Web Design class is the most worthless class I've taken at Piedmont so far, because we never learn anything.
I was an attendee to a line at Curcuit City this past Black Friday, and waltzed out with four $7 2 Gig SD cards and 'South Park' Season 10 (at $20), like no one's business.
I'm 20 years old, and dread getting older. No beer or smokes for me, thank u. Coming to u live.

Subject : Let Us Have a Toast, on Christmas Eve.
Posted Date: : Dec 24, 2007 10:16 AM
It feels as though someone has died. In the last few days, my Panera manager from day one, Bobby, was fired for not making some "deposits." Dammit, a person who replaces him will not be the same. Robert had the power to make us laugh and to make us cry. Likewise, New Garden Panera is not quite the girls club we used to be. And not many first-geners are left, me included.
That's not the only jig going down. At this point, I really hate PCC. It's not the right place for an aspiring animator like me to learn the craft. Because making an internet website has nothing to do with animation! And then there are a clutch of overweight, whiny, lame nerds that need to be eradicated. Can you imaging a Salem Nerd Hunt, a'la the Salem Witch Hunt? Persecute 'em that way. Sorry, I just got political here.

In summary:   I didn't post a blog over 6 months?  What gave you the idea that I forgot?  The first half of 2007 presented me with a perfect oasis of slothful ease and relaxation.  I don't put it to words here, but at
Piedmont in the first semester, I only went to classes two days per week.  And I didn't have a job then.  Until the summer!  Panera Bread and PCC are focal points of this year's blogs.  It also marked the first time I was miserable about getting older.  So sue me on that point. 

The writing has gotten better, but it's still not matured.  Hence, the obnoxious, juvie language peppered throughout.

The first wave: Aug - Dec 2006

Remember, the initial verve of this blog is to re-post and, shall we say, preserve, my old, dusty blogs from ye dead MySpace.  They retain their original edits, including their titles and when they were published.  They preserve a vision of a writing style trying to find a voice.  And this voice is a fascimile of how other teens supposedly blog.  All in the name of connecting with an audience that never was there.  Enjoy!

Subject : What I did this weekend, any weekend.
Posted Date: : Aug 27, 2006 11:03 PM
Well, for the young people, GHS just started classes. Frankly, I feel sorry for the new freshmen. They will face 4 years of increased security at GHS. Hell, when I and others started in 2002, security was more lax, meaning you could go into more places around campus.
On the other flipside, my other friends my age hadd just started college on Monday. I feel sorry and lazy that I put off school for a while. But c'mon: I get to go to Orlando!!! And Yanceyville is too small a town for my tastes. I wish everyone the best, until I call again to pass on what I'm doing in Orlando.
This past Friday, I went to the first legit football game at GHS, and it was not a good omen. The only real agreeable woman there was Jet Leigh, so that was a plus. But I really just went to latch onto women like Dare and Lucy. I was saying trash like "I'd say she's worth at least a cool billion!"(Lucy) Since Dare left too early, the only one I could suck up to was Lucy. The men there got pissed off at seeing me there, saying I should get out of town. Ouch. I wish I could've gone with YL to Windy Gap. But I'm too old, so instead I went to:
'Snakes on a Plane'! I don't think other people my age from the UNC crowd have seen it, but it was a blast to watch. I have not seen a lot of horror films, so this one went beyond what I was used to. It seemed like a satire on the typical Hollywood suspense film, as it was camp and all. I got some hearty thrills and laughs from the talking picture, what with the grisly nature of the story. Go see it if you haven't: you'll have a blast.
Then, later the next day, I picked up the newest Simpsons season on DVD. Now for me, each new set is like a mini-event. Just as The Simpsons is so heralded. And the best part was, it only cost $20 beans! So I watch this, and see alot of new shows I never did before, or just not for a long time. Highlights include Rodney Dangerfield's performance in a show as Burnses' son, Albert Brooks, and alot of classic dialogue. Meh, I just finished the set, and wait for future sets. Don't the young people get the Simpsons DVDs?
I'm getting my first car from pops on the 9'th: a Silver Ford Focus. Yeah, I wanted a Yaris, but nobody knows of them.
Well, I hope to post more once I arrive in Orlando on 9/11. I implore you to post comments on what I mentioned. Particularly the ex-GHS people. Chao for now.

Subject : Rarrin' 2 go 2 Floida
Posted Date: : Sep 8, 2006 10:38 PM
The past few weeks have been a bang. Pokemon: Battle Frontier premiered tonight at 8:30, the first season of the venerable anime without 4Kids doing the dubbing. Taj, who did, had a mixed bag with their first episode proper. The voice cast, last heard in the Mastermind re-dub, seemed to be a bit awkward in this. My least favorite voice is Meowths, coming nowhere close to Maddie Blaustine's track record. I will stay tuned however; these guys will improve at their craft. But it won't be the same without our original voice cast. Hell, is it safe to discuss Pokemon with the typical myspace crowd?
In real life, I've been going aroud town to get ready for Orlando. And tomorrow I get my first car: a Ford Focus. Yeah, so it's a Focus and not a big shot car. I wanted a Yaris from Toyota, but no one sells them yet b/c they are so new. I pick the thing up in Raleigh. And I can thank my father for the car.
My parent has been to much of a bother for weeks now. She bitches at me just for being happy. She doesn't know me too well, because I do have more common sense than she gives me credit for. So being in Orlando for 4 months will be swell, everybody all neat and pretty.
Speaking of Myspace, I'm tired of getting group requests for burlesque and pornogrphic material. Not only is it wrong, but also full of offensive hidden costs. It's horrible and sad the way sites like Steamate objectify girls. Stop sending those requests, for the love of God!
To all of you ex-GHS kids, I'm not gonna be back for those 4 months. Being away from you will be grossly offensive. Has college destroyed your souls yet? I'm going to school when I come back, a bit richer and stronger.
Watch Pokemon: Battle Frontier. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Subject : Disney Update with ALEX IR
Posted Date: : Sep 19, 2006 9:04 PM
It's been a week since I got hooked up at Vista Way in Orlando, Fl. I've met lots of hot new kids my age, including roomates and apt. mates, co-workers, and boss men. I've also met someone special with whom I spend all of my evenings with. And with whom I have alot in common.
Speaking of work, it's getting more and more exhausting. I'm predestined to work many evening shifts, which destroy the soul. Disney World's Magic Kingdom is slow after closing time. So yeah, I'm working atthe rare, pricey magic kingdom. It was a blast early on, but I concern over my stress level. I will make sure that won't happen.
I want to say more, but an experience like this is emotional and spiritual. You really have to be there to have that feeling of awe and wonder. I'm licked, so I'm gone.

Subject : Almost time for that holiday rush!
Posted Date: : Dec 19, 2006 10:39 AM
I'm almost at the end of my Program tenure, returning on Jan. 3. To all that I haven't called, sorry. To all I haven't written to, sorry to you too.
I had my fling with Teresa for two months and it was a remarkable time. She left me 'cause she said I'm "clinging" Other than that, I need a new woman, and while it's better off than at Grimsley, I just give up.
The Walt Disney World Resort is a blast! I'm blessed to work at Main Street, USA at Magic Kingdom. It is the E-Ticket of the resort, and Magic Kingdom is the alpha omega. It gets busy now and then, particularly next week, but I keep it under control. I love what I do because I'm as entertained as the guests are. Alot of others working here don't so much, but I keep going the distance.
I've been known to be a real support to the team, known for an unstoppable smile and strong work ethic. Often, I'm doing work in an area all by myself, and well. Two, you at home would've loved to see what I have. I will sing along to whatever songs are around often because it's my only entertainment. And I'm like that anyway.
I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was. That's my feeling in life, it seems. I really enjoyed the experiance, learning about the grown world and myself. True, some roomates of mine are obnoxious, but that's another blog. One day, you'll either call me, or I you to regale you with my stories of these 4 months. Reply to this, Grimsley guys. I miss all.

In conclusion, I ended up deamonizing some peers of that present while romanticizing those of the recent past.  Walt Disney World Resort was a major focus, so much so that I only posted 2 blogs while down there.  The rest is all small talk over trends and frivolities.  It reads so unprofessional nowadays, with little of structured or focused writing.  Thank god blogging has matured byond the 'OMG LOL Cat' generation!