What are you good at?

I was asked recently, "What are you good at?" and "What do you want to do?"

To the first, I intended to say 'Learning'.  I consider myself a philosopher in a sense... in the sense that philosophers "love the pursuit of knowledge"... perhaps more than the finding of it.  Now that I finally get to go to art school, I'm having a blast... I'm learning how to do things I'd always wanted to do, and since I got all those boring general ed classes out of the way a decade or so ago, everything is fun right now -- even when it's hard.  Perhaps especially when it's hard.


What I did say, though, was something to the effect of, "I'm good at pushing myself to do better."  And, while 'learning' would have been an awesome response, given the context at the time, I'm proud of this.  It's taken me a lot of years, a lot of complacency, and a divorce to get to the point where I'm willing to work for what I want and never take no for an answer.  While the odds are not quite yet in my favor, I believe I'll find a way, regardless.

And what do I want to do?  Animate.  I don't care if it's for a big company or a tiny basement enterprise (Pixar, if you're reading this, my keyboard has been taken over by a flying monkey... please hire me), but that's what I want to do with myself.  I'm focusing on 3d and stop motion these days, and can't get enough of either.

If I'd gone to art school a decade ago, I likely would have graduated, then moved back in with the parents while I worked a crappy job just to pay my student loans... but I think now, I finally have the determination to succeed.

Also, I think I've learned a lot of confidence in the last few years... meaning this 'networking' thing they speak of is way less scary than it would have been.  Phew.