The Missing Skills

As I continue/start the job search process there are a few things in my skills grab-bag that I have discovered missing:
- Familiar with GUI programming (at least I know what this is even if I haven't done it)
- Experience with video game build process (again, at least I know what this is)
- Skilled with scripting languages (nope, no skill there)
- Experience with detailed model building or architecture (I sometimes play with the ketchup and salt shakers at restaurants)
- Experience in traditional motion control, optical compositing, camera operation (I CAN operate a camera! No to the rest)
- STRONG proficiency in C (perhaps I am more in the mediocre range)
- Visual effects experience in feature films (no)
- Experience working on a video game (no)
- 1 to 3 years in game development or film (no)
- Passion for sports video games (hah no, shh don't tell them that though)

I believe I will still apply to these jobs and cross my fingers since most people say i will rarely find a job whose requirements fit my skills perfectly. I think that job would have the title: Gemma Professional. Obviously, I have yet to find that job title anywhere.

[New Title Goes Here]

Oh, well, I should probably tell people that I am blogging again. . . .
I should also come up with a new name since I am no longer in LA. Suggestions are welcome.

A Return to Blogging

I have decided that blogging is a cathartic experience for me even if I don't think anyone is reading. This is why I am going to re-enter the blogging lime light and lifestyle.
Right now I am experiencing the joys of sitting too close to a smokey stranger. I don't mean smokey in the romantic way, I mean it in the odorous way that makes me wish I had chosen the seat to my left in between two women dressed entirely in black (depressing). I had thought my seat choice rather wise considering I don't like, no, correction, hate being in close proximity to strangers. So now, instead of being sandwiched between two women who I can only guess smell nice if not at all, I am next to a bearded smoker. I could still move to the other seat but then it would be obvious that I moved just to get away from my current seat neighbor and even if he smells I don't want to draw attention to myself with a seemingly inexplicable relocation.
I walked over to the library because I cannot concentrate at home and I had a minor freak out after I looked at some job listings this morning. I have serious doubts about my proficiency in anything they ask for. I thought I would wander over here to the computer section and pick up a book on programming in C, the language of choice for most employers. I learned C at Dartmouth but I don't feel comfortable going to a job interview and then having to prove that I know it. Naturally, there are no books on C in the library but several on C#. For people who don't know much about programming languages, C is a popular language that most everyone in CS learns and needs to know, C# on the other hand is useless to me. Thankfully, I brought materials to draw with so I can direct my frustration into art after I have partially vented in this post. Another thing that I feel insecure about are my drawing skills. I can draw. . . . but I am slooooowww and inconsistent. So I have formed a plan to go to the library quite frequently to hone my C and pencil skills. This plan should also prevent me from having so many minor freak outs. I realize this may not be interesting to you, but by writing it I am infinitely more likely to keep to this plan.
The smoker has wandered away but left his things. This is unfortunate for when he returns my nose shall again be assaulted by the stench that it had nearly grown accustomed to before he left.
He is back.
I was right.
And so ends my first post after so long of a break.

Fall Term Update

I feel like I should begin every post with an apology. Sorry I have not been writing and now it makes me sad that I don't think anyone is reading this anymore. I think I will start with a quick update on my my term. It has been busy. It has been tiring. But it has had its good moments, that's for sure. Firstly I am proud to say that I did manage to play rugby for the whole season. While I had previously planned on being nothing but on the B-side (if you don't know what that is, it is like second string) I found myself playing A-side for every game. This is not to brag since I am not a terribly good player, but the team is small and I know the game pretty well. I am trying to get pictures to show to you. All in all I am very happy I went back to the sport before I graduated. I took all last year off from rugby and I think it was a very good thing that I left so that I could remember why I love the sport. I must enjoy it since I even wrote an article for the newsletter. Impressive, to say the least. Ah well here is a picture of me and some rugby girls at the homecoming bonfire.


This photo was taken by my friend Krystal and is of me, Noelle, Emily, and Liz (from left to right).

Now I shall move on from rugby and onto the rest of my term. I am doing a thesis this term and next term on real-time energy feedback in the dorms. This is an extremely boring description of a much more interesting project. However, the project is NOT going well and so I don't really feel like explaining it or my motivation for taking the project on. Sorry to be so curt.
I am also taking CS68: The Principles of Programming Languages. Oh the thrilling life I lead! I am the envy of at least 2 people who read this now. I am sure of it. To keep this story just as short as the thesis story, the course started out with 20 students and then there were 13 and now there are 5. I am hoping that the professor will give me a good grade just for remaining in the class. Although I am fairly certain that is not the way this process works. Bummer. My last class is Introduction to Biological Anthropology. It is a large lecture based class, which keeps me feeling safely anonymous, something I haven't had the chance to be in class since Sophomore year. In addition to these academic endeavors, I am also working as an Introduction to Computer Science grader. This means I teach a subsection of the class for an hour every Thursday. They are mostly freshmen and sophomores and naturally, mostly male. I think I am a pretty fun teacher and even though I am the one giving out their grades I have to admit that they tend to get pretty good grades so I am quite proud of them.
That covers work and academics. Extracurriculars: I am busy being VP of my sorority (Epsilon Kappa Theta). That's fun. We had formal a few weekends ago actually. Here are some photos of me at the formal.


This was taken by Abbie (possibly by her boyfriend), of me and Abbie. She fooled around with the colors because apparently we were all washed out from the flash. We aren't actually colored that way naturally.


This was taken by Diane of me and Angie. I love my dress but I think I was the least formally dressed woman there. I think that I look like I am fully prepared to visit toyland.


This was taken by Erin (uhh or perhaps her boyfriend, Eric) of me and Dave.

Many other things have been going on this term but I really can't say I feel like launching into a lot of it. I recommend you read this from The D (school newspaper) and this as well so that you can maybe get a small idea of some of things going on about campus that have meant a lot to me.
Hm, what else? I don't know. Let me know if you have any questions. As soon as I get pictures from Thanksgiving onto my computer I will put those up. This break has been pretty good so far. I stayed at school since going all the way back to California is just too far and expensive for such a short break. Not to mention the term ends so soon. I head home on the tenth of December. Ah yes, I also cleaned my room over the break and took pictures of it to send to my mum. Now I will post them here so that you too can enjoy how cozy my room looks. Ignore the bras and note the snow outside.




Okay! If anyone is reading this then I hope you enjoyed it!

No wait! Don't go yet, here are more pictures me and friends. . . we may or may not have been drinking and eating cupcakes baked by Emma. I can't say that the two really mix though.

Kay Nielsen Illustrations

Here is the last installation of illustrations that the ASIFA-Hollywood archive has so kindly let me borrow and post about (quick note that these images were given to the archive by nocloo). These last illustrations are all by Kay Nielsen, who was certainly considered one of the greatest artists during the golden age of illustration. Through a bit of research I learned that Nielsen's work is thought of as a bit more modern than that of Dulac. I wasn't so sure, so I checked for myself and instantly understood why that was said. Extremely intricate designs are in almost every illustration and the Japanese influence that pervaded the early 20th century is clearly evident. Let me show you.
These are all from In Powder and Crinoline (1913).







Do you see it? I have no doubt you can at least see how beautiful these are. I'll just keep sharing the pictures with you. These next ones are from East of the Sun and West of the Moon and they are breathtaking.



These woods really remind me of John Bauer's forests. No surprise that Bauer is named as one of Nielsen's influences.




This background is really lovely, and so simple.



And finally this is an illustration from a later work of Hansel and Gretel and Other Stories From the Brothers Grimm in 1925:



I hope you enjoyed these! On a similar note, I was missing the abundance of art available at the archive so much that I decided to go in search of art at Dartmouth. Naturally I went to our special collections library, Rauner. Bingo. I have spent the past few days enjoying only one of the many amazing illustrated books stashed away in there. Of course the first book I chose was Great Swedish Fairy Tales illustrated by John Bauer. I was uncertain if I was allowed to make copies or anything of the illustrations so I made extremely poor renderings of my own so that I could enjoy them at any time I want. It turns out that I can make copies or take photos, but I am glad I have attempted to draw them, it makes me appreciate them even more.

Farewell Archive

“I came out to see the tears,” Steve said as he emerged from his office to find me admiring the drawing Mike had made for me on my last day at the archive. There were no tears, and for anyone who has known me long enough will know I very rarely share my emotions openly. Although there were no tears shed, there was quite the panoply of feelings welling up inside of me. I knew that this time around I was leaving behind so much more than I left behind when I parted from the archive in March. While I had made great friends in the winter, the summer solidified those relationships in ways I did not fully expect.
I found myself listening to Jojo at the Coral as he alternately lamented the students at his school and proclaimed us to be some of his greatest friends, and I silently agreed that he was right. I knew I would miss everyone so much and of course I have turned out to be right. The archive became a home to me and taught me an immeasurable amount. It is difficult to put into words what the archive has taught me. The archive is primarily a resource for artists and I have trouble even comparing myself to the students who follow Steve’s archive posts and visit the archive to take advantage of the never-ending treasures laid out there. I envy them for they can more easily show and describe what they have learned.
I did not learn the way I learn in a classroom while at ASIFA-Hollywood and I am sure that I am better for it. I was in charge of my own education at the archive and it would have been easy enough to just sort through films and art without absorbing anything. Well, no, that wouldn’t have been very easy for me to do because I absorb quite a bit at a pretty good rate. So I learned what I would consider some basics, such as which animators worked where and did what. I learned about artists first by looking at their work then usually through my own (very little) research. But beyond that more concrete sort of education, I more importantly developed a more critical eye and mind. Just by looking at so much art day after day I learned what I consider to be good art. The sheer volume of art I was exposed to through my work with the database and listening to conversations held by Steve and visitors gave me the ability to better analyze and critique animation and art.
As mentioned earlier, working at the archive gave me an education as well as friends that I am certain will last a lifetime. I almost forgot! The archive also did quite a bit for my self-confidence; I was amazed by all of the things I accomplished while working there. That felt good.
Now I say a final good bye and a tremendous thank you for everything to the archive and all of my LA friends for a few months. But don’t worry I will come back to visit.

Back to Rugby

I apologize profusely for not having written in such a long time. I don’t really know where to start actually since it has been so long. I suppose I will just start with the boring basic update so that in future posts I can be more interesting.
I am now back at Dartmouth for rugby preseason. Today is our first day off since we started almost a week ago. I say almost since it really hasn't been a week at all but certainly feels like it. Four or so hours of practice and physical activity a day can do that to you. Since it has been a few days now since I started I have finally gotten rid of the tremendous soreness that kicked in a day after I resumed rugby. Stairs were killer and even sleeping was difficult. I am happy to be back playing though after a whole year without rugby. It is just too bad that I am in no way rugby fit, which is completely different from any other kind of fit. As a forward in rugby (don't stress it if you don't know what a forward is), I am supposed to be able to run, or in my case jog, for about 80 minutes with an occasional break. Occasional break, well now that is nice isn't it? My breaks consist of rucking, scrumming, and doing line outs, which, for the rugby novice, means pushing your shoulder very hard against other people to win possession of the ball or lifting another person into the air to win the ball. Rugby is no walk in the park.
There is no terribly interesting news though on the rugby front except that I am playing again. Although, we did go for a run the other day in Pine Park, which circles the golf course and runs along the Connecticut river for the second half of the trail, and I am proud to say I ran the whole thing. Except when I fell over and twisted my ankle. I walked for a bit after that. But adrenaline was running high so I was able to continue the run. Now, in rugby, or at least in my experience, one tends to sport one's injuries with a certain amount of pride. They are akin to a badge of merit really. For example, if you sprained your ankle tackling some girl right before she was about to score a try, then that injury can be justified. Sadly when people ask me why my ankle is bright purple and the size of a small grapefruit, I must honestly reply that I tripped on a rock and fell down. That isn't hardcore in the least.
Oh dear, I have to go very soon to help set up for our rugby meetings tonight (meetings pretty much consist of singing rugby songs, which are. . . well I can save that for another time). This could be interesting since one of the reasons I quit rugby last year was because I truly hated the whole social dynamic. But I promise to write again soon so that I can show you the last illustrations I have to share and so that I can write a bit about saying good bye to the archive for the summer, which was a truly sad event.
Here are some old pictures of the Dartmouth Women's Rugby Club on tour in Wales a few years ago to give you an idea of what I do. I am not in them since I was taking them.
A scrum:


A line out: