Working

I recently started working at Smart and Final, and am a cashier. On Satuday I was ringing up the costumers and the line began to decrease, me being on register 6, the furthest away from the exit and alcohol and being up in the front alone. I talked with one of my coworkers for a bit about hours and my birthday which was Sunday. And as our conversation ended I began cleaning the counters off starting on the middle one. I looked up to see a guy walking fairly quickly to the door and to my eyes to see there he was carrrying two gray goose bottles with the caps still on. Me not knowing how to react just said hey and causing him to turn his head looking straight in the camera. After calling all the worker up to the front trying to get some help within seconds one of our employees that was off ran in and asked if it was a beer run and ran to the managers office to call the police. Meanwhile the manager just got back from lunch and the rest of the employess decide to come up and see what i needed. Shaken up a little bit because they dont train you for this kind of stuff i immediantly thought i was going to get fired.
After a few minutes of just fear i began ringing up costumers again. And was called into the office to give a description and explain what happened. I kind of felt bad because the assistant manager had no idea what was goin g on. But after that they moved me to the back of the store. You would think Smart and Final would learn after this being the third time. haha.

Working for the Mouse

Once Upon a Dream
“We allow no geniuses around our studio” (Walt Disney) the Disney Company has grown, becoming a huge animation/ Motion Pictures Company as well as a theme park owner. It is now a multi-billion dollar company and owns five resorts, eleven theme parks, two water parks, thirty-nine hotels, eight motion picture studios, six record labels, eleven cable television networks and one terrestrial television network. In 2007 the company has an annul revenue of over $35 billion dollars.
Animation today is far different than what Walt Disney started. After a few financial falls in the animation in the 2000s, the animation studio in Paris and Orlando were closed down and the animation studio in Burbank was converted into a computer animation studio. In 2004 Disney announced that they were making their last “traditional animation” Home on the Range. In 2009 Disney brought back “traditional animation” in Disney’s Princess and the Frog.
“Animation can explain whatever the mind of a man can conceive. This facility makes it the most versatile and explicit means of communication.” As of March 2008, Disney employed 137,000 and has continued in growing, but not in “traditional animation.” Disney has made drastic changes and switched to digital animation. In 2000 Disney had to lay off 600 employees because the times changed and the movies weren’t seeing profit.
“You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make that dream a reality.” (Walt Disney)
At Walt Disney Animation Studio they make sure their employees are up to date and constantly learning a wide variety of classes, from costume drawing instruction by their own artists, to seminars on film making techniques, to technological demonstrations from in-house-experts.
The career in animation I am looking at is called Visual Development Artists. It has many jobs to do, for instance it may include: Character design and/or Environment Design for animated films, short and special projects. Visual Development artists will experiment with diverse elements of film presentation to manipulate dramatic story moments, plot thrusts, moods, character conflict and place-time motifs to capture emotional connection to the story’s theme. A rich imagination sense of drawing and design, strong color sense, and mastery of human and animal anatomy architecture the ability to work in different mediums and versatility to conceptualize visually in variety of techniques are required. Children’s book illustration, fine art and/or illustration skills are a plus.
“People still think of me being a cartoonist, but the only time I lift a pen or pencil for these days is to sign a contract, a check, or an autograph.” (Walt Disney)
The average animator makes around $75K including benefits and a family set of annual passes and work parties in the park.

What should I study to get a job at Walt Disney Animation Studios? What school should I attend?
Walt Disney Animation Studio Artists and Technicians are recommended in having a variety of backgrounds that emphasize in creativity. They have to have great attention to detail, a keen sense of observation and an understanding of their strengths and passions. When looking for the right school pay close attention to schools with good relations with animations and/or film companies and provide programs that include some of the following: Life drawings, Quick studies, Head hands and feet drawing, Anatomy, Clothed-figure studies, animal drawings, Quick sketches of urban surrounds and landscapes, sequential drawings-drawings that tells a story in consecutive sequences, Animation Skills.

What’s the Difference between an internship and Disney’s Associate Program?
There is no difference; Disney refers to their interns as Associates.
This program has many different programs. There is the Talent Development Program, which is for recent graduates of undergraduate or graduate programs for a three to six month paid position at Walt Disney Animation Studios. The program is under the guidance of a Disney mentor.
The other program is the Art and Production, it’s a ten week program created for students who will be returning to school in the fall. The program brings a group of multi-disciplined students together for a once-in-a-lifetime-before-graduation experience into art and animation. It is under the guidance of a Disney mentor and the associates will work closely with the Academy at Disney Animation to submerge them in the art of storytelling and moviemaking.

Can I apply for the Associate Program if I am in High school?
No, the Disney Program is only available for college students.

When is the submission period?
Talent Development Program: (We have two submissions due dates) September Start Date: Submissions are due April 20 February Start Date: Submissions are due October 20 Art & Production Associate Program:June Start Date: Submissions are due March 20

How do I apply for the Student Program?
Fill out our online application to create a profile. Make sure to apply under Open Positions for “Associate Program” or “Talent Development Program”

Will I be able to receive feedback on my portfolio and/or reel?
It is very difficult to provide feedback on your portfolio and/or reel. We attend several conferences and festivals throughout the year. These are the best forums to receive direct feedback from our artists.

Where are the programs located? Are moving/housing costs provided?
Our office is located in Los Angeles County in the city of Burbank about ten miles north of downtown. A basic relocation package is available for those who qualify and varies depending on the location of your legal residence. Some relocation benefits are considered imputed income and have a tax impact. If accepted into any of our programs, this information will be explained in more detail.

What if I am an International Student?
International students can apply for the Talent Development and Associate Programs. For students attending school outside of the United States, upon acceptance a variety of steps are required in order to qualify for the proper work visa. Please allow at least two months. For students attending school within the United States, upon acceptance will need to obtain the proper visa through your school’s international advisor. Please allow at least one month. These can both be lengthy processes and can vary from country to county and person to person. It is recommended that international students apply as early as possible.
How can I schedule a tour to see Walt Disney Animation Studios?
Tours can be scheduled through your professor or your school’s Career Services offices. We are unable to provide individual tours.

What should include be included in the Portfolio?
If you are submitting a portfolio, please send copies of your work (DO NOT send originals.) We recommend that you present your best work and limit your items accordingly. Organize your portfolio by highlighting your main passion first. Make sure to include your best work throughout. Include paintings, life drawing, animal sketches, and samples of your sketchbook. Include the right number to showcase your skills – no more than 25 samples.

What is the best format for my application?
You choose one way of submitting your portfolio/reel: Upload, Website or Mail.
Digital files will only be accepted as .jpg, .pdf., .doc, .mov and .mp4 format. .jpg and .pdf files must be RGB color format – minimum size 11" X 8.5" (1553 X1200 pixels) at 150 dpi and follow the naming format: Firstname_Lastname_#.jpg (john_smith_01.jpg). Do not use spaces or any special characters (&%}$#@(!*=+:>?~\,;) in the file names. A single PDF file can be presented as a booklet form containing multiple files. Each file is limited to a maximum size of 100MB.
All DVDs must be NTSC with a Region Code 1 (USA, Canada) or Region Code 0 (Region Free).
The demo reel should be between three and five minutes. The reel/portfolio should include: sketches, gray scale models and/or works in progress. Modelers should include wire frames and turnarounds, riggers should display tool sets, and animators should include a variety of physical movements and actions, but must include facial animation. Look development should include texture paints, maps and the final look, if applicable. Story telling and Visual Development artists should present sketchbook samples as well ass finished compositions. Life drawings are not required, but preferred and to not show work currently in production and/or under confidential guidelines at other studio companies.
The reel should include a Breakdown List, which is a list that explains what work you were responsible for and if applicable, what technique/ software was used.

Will my portfolio/reel be returned?
We do not return any submission. DO NOT send original art work.

Are there artistic tests for animators?
Not at this time.

What kinds of careers are available at Walt Disney Animation Studios?
Our multi-discipline team consists of artists, engineers, production management, finance, operations, and a multitude of other necessary roles. For more information, please visit our Careers in Animation page.
Is it necessary to have professional experience to apply for an artistic position?
No, it is not necessary to have professional experience. A great portfolio and/or reel will showcase your potential and passion to your craft. If you are a recent graduate, please visit our Student Programs page for more information.

How do I apply for artistic opportunities?
Fill out our online application to create a profile – we are always accepting applications for job opportunities. Also, make sure to check out and apply for any Open Positions.
What is the interview process? How soon can I expect to hear from someone?
Upon receipt of your resume, portfolio and/or reel you will receive notification. Your work will be reviewed shortly thereafter. Next steps vary and could include a phone interview or a formal interview. If you don’t hear from us within 30 days, it is safe to assume that the position was filled.

When is the submission period?
We are always accepting submissions for job opportunities, regardless of current openings.

Do I need to speak/write English in order to apply?
Yes, you will need to have strong English speaking and writing skills.

Disney seems to be on top, if you work at Disney your sure to get a job anywhere because of how picky they are. They look for the people who best qualify for the best. “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them” (Walt Disney)
Disney has recently opened a college themselves. It’s an internship; you work at Disneyland during the night and classes during the day. But that college is based on if you fit their physical description. Be enrolled currently in a college or university in the United States and have completed at least one semester.
Be in good standing with your school and meet your school's requirements to participate on an internship, externship, co-op, work experience program, etc.
Already have unrestricted work authorization in the U.S.
Working for Disney would be a great place because it’s a place where you could work for fun, instead of sitting at a desk all day you go and work with people and helping them find their happiest experience in the park and if they didn’t then you didn’t do your job right. “I would rather entertain and hope people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained.” (Walt Disney

Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert

As a child my grandma would take me and my sisters to a little museum in Palm Desert. It was the greatest place as a child. When you first walk in, there is a large desk where the parents play. It looks plain and boring and as you enter theres is a ring with two different color strings. You clip yourself to a rope and try and figure your way out. They also have an old bug car that you get to paint all over. Towards the back there is a little cafe, a pizza cafe and a grocery store and you get a pretend cradit card and pretend money. The pizza place had a fake oven and costumes too. This place was the best experience is for a child because it stimulates the child's imagination.

.:The Ugly Truth About Beauty:.

Woman today are more like barbie then back in the day. They put more plastic in their body and adding more and more and never being satisfied with themselves. They want to be the perfect woman with the perfect job, perfect husband, perfect children, perfect house ect. and they dont understand perfection becomes boredem. These woman who we think is perfect arent they all are self concious about themselves. Supermodels become anorexic because they arnt happy with their body.

But its not the womans fault entirly its the media as well. We all remember Pamala Anderson. The perfect woman, blonde hair, big breasts, big butt, small stomach and that little red swim suit. But even then she wasnt happy she battled many things and finally accepted herself and knew she couldnt be perfect. Men today think oh if Pamala is like that any girl can be but thats not true. Her body was made by doctors and you can look like that but how much are you willing to pay? a few grand?

Woman arent the only ones affected by this, young girls are as well. My younger sister was becoming anorexic and came to me and told me that she felt fat because me and my sister and cousins are all skinner than her. I sat her down and calmly told her about how when she gets older and her body grows she will stretch out and be the same. She explains how she feels fat in her ballet class and doesnt understand how she is different. Her shows such as hanahh montana and icarly show these skinny girls and the fatter children are always there for humor. But she doesnt relieze that the girls on TV are not the age she thinks.

Statement that applies to myself....

"If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away. If he doesnt want you, nothing can make him stay. Stop making excuses for a man and his behavior. Allow your intuition or spirit to save you from heartache. Stop trying to change yourself for a relationship thats not meant to be. Slower is better. Never live your life for a man before you find what makes you truly happy. If a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve, then heck no, you can't "be friends." A friend wouldn't mistreat a friend. Dont settle if you feel like he is stringing you along, then he probably is. Don't stay because you think "it will get better." You'll be mad at yourself a year later for staying when things arent better. The only person you can control in a relationship is you. Always have your own set of friends seperate from his. Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you. If something bothers you, speak up. Never let a man know everything. He will use it against you later. You cannot change a man's behavior. Change comes from within. Don't ever make him feel like he is more important than you are...even if he has more education or in a better job. Do not make him into a quasi-god. He is a man, nothing more, nothing less. Never let a man define who you are. A man will only treat you the way you ALLOW him to treat you...all men are not dogs. You shouldnt be the one doing all the bending...Compromise is a two way street. Deal with your issues before pursuing a new relationship. You should never look for someone to complete you. A relationship consists of two whole individuals...look for someone complimentary. Dont fully commit to a man who doesnt give you everything you need." -unknown

This statement above helped me recently becuase I had gotten out of a four year realtionship. We had our ups and downs and we constantly didnt get along but at the end of the day we were fine. But enough was enough for both of us. We were the ideal relationship in our school becuase we were together for so long but we put on a show for the school, and our class. We constanly had aww arent you a cute couple. And we made it work as best we could and we recently ended in a month ago. And this statement helped me get through what i thought was a rough stage. I felt abandond and incomplete but then i recently met another guy who makes me laugh and smile and really happy and i take the advice above to see if it will help our relationship go along alot smoother.

My Trip to Paris

I went to Paris, France with my aunt and we had a good time. We took an international airplane and had to sit there for a long time. To ease the pain of sitting in one place to long we got to watch movies. I saw Fracture with Anthony Hopkins which was a great movie by the way :] After the plane we arrived in Paris and we got in a taxi, which by they way they dont drive like here. There are no speed limits there or so they said. We arrived at our hotel but my aunt didnt like the location. So we moved to this little five star hotel that was right on this market street. It was amazing. I got to see a lot of different people and different cultures. There were many different kinds of people there. English, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, and they all had different qualities. While sitting on the balcony and watching these people mingle i would look down and below our balcony across the street there was this little Itilian restuarant, and every night he would blow me a kiss and wave. I would wave and go to sleep. He was a short little fat man with dark brown hair and a white apron. He smiled like Santa Clause and would rub his stomach. During our stay we went to Moulin Rouge, which isnt like the movie. And we took a walk down Pigal street which means "pig street." and we went down the river, and while running down the steps to the boat i broke a shoe. How funny is that. It was pretty rainy there as well but it was perfect weather for me since i like the rain so much. As time went on our trip ended and we were back on our international plane. When we arrived home i had the worst jet lag. I would fall asleep at like 8pm and wake up at 5 am. which was strange for me. it was the worst cuz i couldnt figure out how to change it.

.:Cellphones:.

Writing assignment in English 51, is how this college professor complains that cellphones are in a way taking over young adults minds. Which isnt entirly true.

Many adults have a problem with cellphones today, but why is that?

We as teenagers do not see the problem with cellphones. We see them as our new security blanket and allow us to keep in contact rather than writing a letter. But the thing that adults have to realize is that technology is getting more and more advance each day and everyone is going to want the newest cellphone or the newest gaming system.

Whether people like cellphones or not, nothing is going to stop them from being used. I am neither against nor for them. I myself have a cellphone and it does have good qualities as well as bad. Cellphones are neither good nor bad they are an inanimate object that people use to blame their problems on. It is your responsibility as the owner of the phone to use it as you will.

If you use it to start texting wars, chances are that those are gonna be some bad qualities on the phone. Another problem is you can't tell emotion through a text other than a smiley :D like so. However, those can only get you so far. Texting today is the number one cause of car accidents. If you are texting you are more likely to get in a car accident then a drunk driver.

Would you rather have a boss who is a blackberry addict and keeps her nose out of your work environment or a boss who is constantly on you back or involved in your working environment?

Recent studies showed that a person who is a constant texter or blackberry addict has a lower IQ than the average pot smoker. So you would rather have a boss with a high IQ.

So next time make sure you put down that phone and pick up a book to sharpen your skills. Just reading a few times a day will improve your IQ and sharpen your reading and writing skills. You don't want to start typing like so: idk? OMG! u r, ttly, luv.

Those are reasons why most teachers are upset and also causing all your spelling skills to simply be washed down the toilet.

I myself like my phone because it is convenient when i need to look up information on the Internet or to even check my homework while I am not at home. Cellphones are nothing bad and no one should feel like their taking over, they are simply making adults feel outdated and not normal. However, if cellphones were around during their time period they would be doing the exact same thing as we are today. They can either live in the past or try and get with the future.