puppetry and pixar (and an "iced out" snowman)

A week ago I saw an article in the newspaper about a company in Sonoma that did puppetry. I emailed them that morning, before going to class, and asked them if I could sit in on any of their projects. I admit it was kind of a "spur of the moment" thing, and I didn't stop to think twice about what I was asking--what did I know about puppetry?! But they answered me back and one week later I was able to help them out with a small volunteer puppet video they were doing for a local hospital.
I was put to work logging the shots they took, and writing comments about them (wether they worked or not). It was a small crew, maybe six people, and it was a very welcoming atmosphere. I felt right at home when I saw the studio--were boxes upon boxes of puppets! This studio did the Round Table Pizza commercial, with the two RTP employees. I had a lot of fun that day, and I even got to do a little puppeteering at the end of the day! Well, just an arm of a puppet actually. But it was fun all the same.
Last Friday was the Pixar event at the Academy of Art University where they talked an audience of animation students, fans, and others through the production process at Pixar and how they made "Cars." I met up with Paul and his artist friend and soon enough Jeff arrived there too. I must say that I had heard a lot of the first part of the lecture before (but then, I read everything about Pixar...), but after the break they began to talk about how they did Cars. It was a lot of information to take in, and it was all great stuff. They're up to doing 7 films at once! Not all in production at once, but they said some would be in script-form, and others in various stages of production. That's quite a feat. I wonder if Pixar employees are allowed to know much about the other projects happening in the same builiding? Thats a silly question I guess. They probably are allowed to know...but man, that's a lot of secrets to keep under the hat. Hard job, if you ask me!
Since the lecture ended at around 10:30, my parents had decided to get a hotel for the night. Really comfy! Then the next day we went to a few galleries around Union Square (which was decorated oh-so-wonderfully for the holidays!). One gallery that I really wanted to visit was full of Toulous Lautrec prints, and it opened that day! This JOB poster is something i just happened to have in my picture library on this computer. This isn't a Lautrec...it might be a Mucha. I'm not sure, but this picture, and many others, were on display there. LOVE that stuff!!
Oh, and this last picture I just found amusing. That's all.