I just found out a few minutes ago that I have been accepted in to the Animation Mentor Program! I'm really excited! Its an online school (I know, I was skeptical at first) that focuses on character animation. It was established last year by a couple of lead animators at Pixar and a lead at ILM. The instructors (mentors) are some of the best professional animators in the biz. The way the school works is that about 10 students are assigned a mentor. Each week the mentor records a lecture which is available online for viewing whenever its convenient for me. Then we complete an assignment, turn it in and the mentor records his critique of your work. At some point during the week, the class meets online for a Q&A session also. After 12 weeks of this, you're done with course #1. Then its on to course #2 and a new mentor. There are 6 courses total and it takes 1.5 years to finish the whole program. After that, you get a neat diploma that you can put away in a drawer somewhere 'cause it ain't gonna get you a job. Instead the skills that you learned in those 18 months with help you create a kick-ass demo reel that will get you a job. Its all about the demo reel. No certificate, diploma, etc will ever be a substitute for a "damn-I-just-soiled-myself" demo reel (and you can quote me on the quote unquote)

Anywho, the only problem is coming up with the money and the time. It ain't cheap, so I gots to keep my current 40 hour/week job and trying to find another 20+ hours on top of that to animate will be a challenge. I hope my friends won't hate me and more importantly, I hope my girl doesn't leave me.

Sweet mother of pearl, I'm excited! Its a good thing my shirt's loose, 'cause it would be pretty awkward right now. "What are you looking at, buddy!? Its cold in here, ok!?"