Nov 2 - 5

Nov 5

Ok, so I kind of missed posts the past two days because I was moving, and its been just a tiny bit stressful.  Not bad, but you know, BUSY.  I am trying to spend as much time in the studio as possible since I have all those shots, and they're taking me a substantial amount of time.  I finally submitted one of the hardest (complexity wise) yesterday for review, so thats two down.  The past two days at work have been good though!  Got some good marks starting out on both of the shots Ive worked on, so thats definitely good news.  AND, Ive been invited to a couple of events with people here!  Its fantastic.  Been invited out to Japanese for dinner tonight with people, then got invited to drinks out too... we'll see if I get to both :-).  AND theres a big thing next weekend Ive been invited to with a bunch of animators, this big like, game / fun house place.  Not sure what its about really, but we're all heading over together.  And theres a party here on Friday for like, some big official thing about the studio in the news.  We had photographers come by, and I was totall in the group photo!  WEWT!

Anyway, its been good.  I have random room mates too.  Two of them are pretty cool!  Nia is super sweet, and her boyfriend Terry is interesting, but also really nice.  The three of us were joking around last night when we all got in.  I made dinner, and we just talked.  It was really reassuring.  Terry works at a bar, so he left to do his night shift (11 - 6am roughly), and Nia works as a temp at another company dealing with animal conservation and whatnot.  We rode the bus together to work this morning:-)  haha.

My room is awesome, really big and spacious, but theres no dresser, and I have no hangers, so Im still living out of suitcases.  But hopefully that will change.  Im not sure how long I will stay at this place, since a few of the people smoke, but whatev, Im going to give it time and just see!  Can't hurt.  When I know if Kyle is coming for definite, I'll start searching for something else, when we know what price range we can do.

Still waiting for internet and tv connection at the place though..... its still not there.  Im kind of annoyed at that, and it better be here by this weekend!  I am at work right now on my laptop to do this.  Didnt want to fall too far behind on posts since Ive been so good at it!  Nia and I put the A-Team on their DVD player last night and watched it until we both fell asleep essentially, so I was too tired to write.

Well, things have been good.  Busy, but good.  Moving was a big pain, but Ngaire was a HUGE help on Wednesday.  She came with her car, got me after work, we went to the hotel, loaded up most of my suitcases, and headed down to the place.  Thats where I met a couple of the room mates for the first time, and made sure I had a desk in my room (wewt).  Then she took me back, for my last night in the hotel.  I went down to The Warehouse and got sheets (TOTALLY found those jersey sheets for my bed in black.  The really soft ones!), and got a couple of pillows.  Already have a duvet cover, but no duvet yet, I'll get that this weekend hopefully.  But OMG was it noisy when I finally got to the room!  Sheish.  I duno what it is about Wednesday night that gets people going, but it was effing loud.

Next morning, I packed up EVERYTHING I had left, and went for the first shift to the house.  I had groceries I didnt want to throw away, so I hopped a bus with all the groceries, sheets, and pillows, and went to drop them at the new house.  That went alright, but I still had to make it back to the hotel to get my stuff for work, and the rest of my belongings.  So I packed up, and trucked along with my suitcase and massive backpack.  haha.  Took all that to work, had a good day at work yesterday (not productive enough), and then walked back to the new place.  OMG is it a walk!  There is a HUGE hill up Franklin road, which is a gorgeous road, but seriousy.. its just a long long hill.  It was a great little workout, considering I hvent had time lately.  But still, a bit hard.

Once I got back, I started getting things set up, and then hung out with Nia and Terry.  Not bad.  Fortunately too, it was quiet in the room!  Thank goodness.  Very comfortable.  I fell asleep, and for the first time, didn't wake up til the morning.  The mattress is old, but it works.  I need some more pillows though.  But it was good.  I hope this place works out for a little while.  I cant WAIT to have intnernet.  So sad Im so dependent on it, and I miss it so much.  but really... its kinda important.


Haha, so I get into work this morning, after riding the bus with Nia, and the first thing that happens when I walkin the door?  I get hit with a Nurf dart.  Ahhh yes, the joys of working at an Animation Studio!  WAHOO!  haha, so that was fun.  Matt comes in, and now has his OWN Nurf gun, and Im like, "DUDE, where'd you get that?!"  And he said "oh, I just went down to the Warehouse and picked it up last night!  Its an investment in my job."  HAHAHAHAHA.  Omg I love it.  He said he went up to Carla and was like "well, Im leaving for work" and shoved the Nurf gun in his pants.  Perfect.  haha.

So far, I love my job.  Now, I gotta get to it.  Gotta make sure I get enough done so I can go out to dinner tonight with the crew!  Maybe I'll come in this weekend a bit..... BUT, Matt and Carla invited me to the Parnell Rose fesitval, which Im totally going to, AND they're going to check out the museum, which they also invited me to.  So I just gotta get groceries tomorrow, run a couple errands, and go have some Auckland fun.  wewt!

Things are shaping up.  Now, just need the boy to get here :-)

Later kids!    (ps, I have photos of where Im living, I'll upload them while a work today!)

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Nov 2

Day #2 down at the office.  Not bad, not bad.  Unfortunately our “office” wasn’t ready, but we got put on temporary computers in the meantime to get things going.  We have a LOT of work to do!  7 shots.. its not a lot, but it’s a lot.  One of them is particularly hard.  The rest, not so hard, so of course today, I started on the easiest of the 7, and then went to the hardest.  I figured, spend the time on it while I have it.  Then I can move on to the rest and knock them out.  It’s really exciting!  Theres so much to do though… the one shot Im worried about has a character running frantically through the scene, and another character hanging out, planting flowers and doddling.  Needless to say, a 135fr shot, is not so easy when it has frantic things like that.  I am looking forward to nailing it though, I really am anxious to see just how I get through it, and how it turns out.  It’s gotta be good, that’s for sure! 

Luckily we start with Primary Animation, so we go through the whole blocking stage.  Then we go back through it in Secondary Animation, but you know… this is all supposed to be in one week… all 7 shots.  Both Primary and Secondary.  A LOT OF WORK!  Its so cool though.  I loved the random feeling I got today where I sat there, and all the sudden realized “hey… Im animating DREAMWORKS CHARACTERS… Like, FROM THE MOVIES!”  Omg, it was so cool.  Haha, so I felt better about that.  Still nervous as hell to submit my work and get a review.  I hope hope hope it goes well. 

Anyway, aside from the work aspect, I already have friends at work!!!!!!!!!!  This studio ROCKS.  So I got put in an office with Warren, who is an asset finaler, and was really nice.  We joked around a bit during the day, and had a nice conversation toward the end of the day.  Its funny, Rob (who I believe owns the company) is a really nice, younger guy, and it turns out he lives around the corner from me!  Well, at the place I will be in this weekend.  Hilarious!  AND, Warren lives with Myke, the Animation director, and they live in Ponsonby, around the corner from me too!  Haha.  So funny how things work out. 

Sounds like there are going to be some fun events going on coming up too!  There’s a party in the office on the 12th, and I was invited by Kate to an event with a bunch of other animators on the 14th!  She walked in my office and we had a nice chat.  Then Mercedes sent me an IM and officially invited me to the event.  Im not sure what it is, but it sounds like this big game day, and a bunch of people are taxiing to it together.  I’ll be joining the taxi group since I don’t have a car.  Seriously, I can’t get over how nice people are.  Robin, great guy, really really nice, has been voluntarily giving Matt and I advice.  Of course we’ve been stressed and nervous getting settled, but he’s been so friendly.  And then Levi is there that we knew, and Tiffany is really nice, she was helping me with some things today.  I also met Andrew, who was super friendly.  Chris, who is HILARIOUS, and I think he’s on management, though I’m not sure what he does.  Then there’s another Chris who is the IT guy who helped get my computer set up.  Seriously… everyone is just NICE.  Thank goodness!  I really think, once I get a handle on all of my work, and get up to speed, etc, that I am going to like it here very very much.  I already do.  I WANT to be in the office.  For the first time.  :-D  I like it!
So yes, good day.  Anxious to get back in tomorrow and keep working.  I left tonight around 7:30, but I also got in late, and spent a decent portion of the day meeting and talking to other animators (can’t complain about that!).  I have a lot of work to do, so I will be back in the office early tomorrow.  Probably around 8am.  :- ).

After work, I went and found a place to get a bottle of wine, and came back and cooked some pasta and bread with a glass of wine!  Awesome.  I packed up earlier this morning too, cause Ngaire is going to help me move my 3 heavy suitcases to my new home tomorrow after work.  Thank goodness for that.  Definitely appreciate that she is helping me with that!  Talk about some good friends.  Anyway, this will be interesting, cause two other people are moving in to the same unit tomorrow as well.  SUPER nervous about who they might be, and what kind of people.  SO keep your fingers crossed for me that we get along, and that they’re cool / chill people.  Man, I hope so.  Otherwise, I will be searching hard core for another place.  But lets hope that’s not necessary right away.  I can’t WAIT to be settled somewhere, and actually know where all of my clothes are.

Ugh, gotta to laundry at the hotel at some point tomorrow too.  We’ll see if that happens.  Hopefully.  I need to do it! 

Well, the wine is kicking in from dinner, so I am going to hit it.  Bed time.

OH, something that was SO nice: Chris, Ngaire’s fiancée, has a friend he got in touch with to help find Kyle a job here!!!!  How nice is that??  So he sent his friend an e-mail, is name is Andrew, and they both sent me e-mails.  Hopefully we can get moving on that job front for Kyle, and get his foot in the door with a little bit of help overseas.  Otherwise, it sounds like Kyle might try to come over on top of my Visa, which would be epic.  I CAN’T WAIT TO HAVE HIM HERE!!!!!!  Oh my gosh, so exciting.  Anyway, before getting ahead of ourselves, there’s a lot to be done if he does come, so this weekend I will be doing some research.  And signing up for a Half marathon, and a couple of Tri’s!!!!!!!  Haha.  Saw a bunch of races advertised when I went on my run the other day.  Looking forward do it!!!

Ok, bed time for real.  Later everyone!

(PS, thanks so much for reading, it puts such a HUGE smile on my face every time I see that people have been reading and following my life / travels.  You guys make me feel so loved and special.  Thanks again!)