A Week Until Big Changes

Well, folks, there's only one week left in the program. After it's over I'll be leaving this blog behind for fresher waters...get it? Fresher "waters?" The background's a water thing....with fish in it...whatever.

Yesterday was the first Christmas that I spent away from my family, and I have to say that it reminded me what it's really like being out in the world on your own. We've been doing a lot to keep things high-energy here in the apartment since the program's winding down; on Christmas Eve the "roommates" all went out to a Chinese food restaurant and had a great time talking and enjoying each other's company. It was the first time in a while that we were all together, but it was totally worth it.


In case you were wondering, the chopsticks that Ron is holding are Star Wars lightsaber chopsticks. Pretty awesome.

I know that I've spent the last couple weeks talking a lot about how the program's almost over, but I have to say that it's been a pretty significant topic in my mind. To be honest, the lifestyle here has been completely different than anything I've experienced before, and I don't really know what I'm going to do after it's over. I've got a couple prospects that I'm investigating as far as employment is concerned, but internally I'm pretty torn. I haven't been home in forever, and though I'm generally not the type to get homesick, I miss the family and friends that are buried in the snow right now. :)

Still, the park's been pretty lively the past few days. It was a bizarre Christmas here in SoCal, and the fireworks show that Disneyland does every night during peak season almost got rained out! The better part of the day was clear skies and sunshine, but later on things got a bit messy...I'd been assigned to fireworks crowd control for the evening (we call it GSO: Guest Service Operation, maybe?), and of course I didn't bring any raingear because I didn't think it was going to rain...none of us did! It started raining about 5 minutes before the fireworks started, and by the time my shift was over my costume's wool coat was SOAKED. Trust me, it smelled TERRIBLE this morning. But I got a new one for today's shift, so I'll be alright.

In the meantime, I don't get a break until New Year's Day since New Year's Eve is my last scheduled College Program shift. Everyone has said that the park is completely PACKED during New Year's Eve, so I'm a little apprehensive...but I'm sure it'll be an interesting experience. They actually closed off admission to Disneyland on Christmas Day because so many people were in the park, though they were still letting people into the sister park, California Adventure. They're going to end up letting more people into the park on New Year's Eve, which means wait times are going to be MISERABLE. Think about this for perspective: Nemo traditionally has a 20-minute wait time, but on Christmas it went up to 90 MINUTES. And we load anywhere from 80-120 people every 5 minutes. Yeah, there were that many people. Absolutely ridiculous.

Well, I'm going to have to get some sleep so I can be ready for this hectic week. College Program, you've definitely given me a run for my money...now all I've gotta do is come up with some grown-up New Year's resolutions. Resolution 1: Pay student loans...

-Josh

The Business Network

Alright, so for those of you thinking about doing the Disney College Program, either in Anaheim or in Orlando, I've got one suggestion for you: NETWORK. Network hard, network fast, network strong, from the second you step foot on the pavement. Now, of course, this concept of "networking" is one that people have started talking about all over the place, particularly since the economy is in such dire straits lately, but tonight I'm going to give you the quick overview of exactly what networking entails, and how to do it effectively (which I'll admit I've slipped up on a few times).

What is Networking?
Business networking revolves around the age-old saying "It's not what you know, it's who you know." Tons of people are out there applying for all the same jobs that you are, and sometimes even if you have the best resume, cover letter, and set of credentials, you still won't get the job. Why? Because someone else networked and got the personal connection.

Networking it all about making personal contacts with people in the fields that you're interested in, finding out more about their jobs and trying to show them that you're a viable candidate for the job. At the same time, you're figuring out if the job they're doing is really something you're interested in. These events usually happen in 15-30 minute meetings that you arrange with the person you want to talk to. Usually people are more than happy to set aside some time to talk with you about what's going on at their place of business. These kinds of meetings aren't about trying to get a job, though; it's all about creating a network of people so that if an opportunity arises, you stand a better chance of getting chosen if you apply.

How Do I Do It? Networking Dos

• Assemble a good resume, business card, and cover letter
Trust me, even though you're not actually interviewing for a job when you're networking, you need to walk into every networking opportunity with the idea that you could be offered a job right there on the spot. That means you need to be completely prepared for anything, and your job-search sword-and-shield combo is your business card and resume. If the situation calls for it, be prepared to hand anyone who asks a copy of all three of those items.
• Ask for more contacts
You don't ever want your network to hit a dead-end. If you know what area you want to work in, you want to keep pushing in the direction of success by talking to new people. At the end of your networking meeting, don't be afraid to ask your interviewee if they can think of any other people you should talk to about getting into your field. After all, since they work where you're trying to go, they're likely going to know more about who specifically would be a good contact for you, and who would be willing to give you their time.
• Follow-up within 24 hours
I am TERRIBLE at this because I'm so scatterbrained, but you honestly need to follow-up with whoever you talked to with a thank-you card or email within 24 hours of your meeting. It lets them know that you appreciate what they're doing for you and that you're taking the opportunity seriously. If you can send a handwritten card that's even better, but trust me, an email is better than nothing. More than once I've tried to go the hand-written route and something's gone wrong that's prevented me from getting the job done; by the time I got all my stuff together days had passed, and that reflected poorly on me. Don't let the same thing happen to you!
• Loosen up!
Yes, you're walking into a professional environment. Yes, you're trying to look for gainful employment in a career that you enjoy. Yes, you're going to be talking to people you've never met before. But the only way you're truly going to be able to show your passion for what you want to go into is to relax and enjoy the experience. You're both going to be feeling each other out during the talk, and you're both going to want to have a good time while you're talking. Make sure that you don't have any barriers between you and your A-game conversation skills, and that includes personal hygiene and mental preparation. Which leads us to...

Whoa, What Were You Thinking? Networking Don'ts

• Don't neglect personal hygiene
I'll keep repeating the word "don't" because I don't want you to think I'm somehow suggesting you make one of these critical errors. One of the worst mistakes you can make is to neglect showering, shaving, combing hair, brushing teeth, or any of those other first-impression influencing features. Before you even get the chance to open your mouth you're going to convey a message about who you are and what you stand for just based on what people perceive about you based on your looks. Is it fair? No. Can you fight to change a bad first impression? Yes. Do you want to put yourself in a position where you have to fight to make a good second impression? No. Don't make anything more difficult than it already will be.
• Don't leave awkward pauses in the conversation.
No matter what the position you're applying for entails, you're going to be putting those communication skills to the test in a networking opportunity. If you're a poor conversationalist, it's going to get in the way of conveying the impression you're trying to give off. Make sure you're prepared with questions about the job, the person's history with the company, and tips they could give you about how to be successful in the business world. Extra Credit: Be on the look-out for personal side topics your interviewee seems to be introduce, sports they used to play or TV shows they're interested in. Sure, it's a business meeting, but you're talking to a living, breathing person with interests outside of their job. Show that you care about them as a person by talking BRIEFLY about those topics.
• Don't badmouth your current position
A great way to turn off someone who possibly wants to give you a job is to talk crap about the person who's already employing you. Nobody wants to be at the receiving end of a verbal tongue lashing, particularly one where they can't defend themselves. Talking about your employer negatively can make the person you're talking to think that he/she will be the next recipient of your backstabbing...
• DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW UP.
I'm emphasizing this because it's what I'm TERRIBLE AT. You HAVE to follow up, you have to keep asking questions and stay in contact with the people you talk to. Don't be a pest, but the more you keep in contact, the more serious you show you are for the opportunity you're pursuing, and the more likely that person is to think of you when an opportunity arises. You've gotta make sure that you're doing everything you can to make it easy for that person to think of you a stellar, prepared, efficient candidate. Trust me, efficient follow-ups can go a LONG WAY.

Well, those are my partial tips. I've met some great people doing networking, and I'll be talking about them in my next post. Disney College Program gives you a great launching point to start networking, but it's something that you can do anywhere at anytime. Look up some contact information on the internet for someone who has a job you want, and then drop them an email asking for some time. Even if they're far away, a phone interview is better than nothing. Trust me, networking can go a long way towards getting you the job you want instead of the job you have to have.

What do you think about networking? Have you been doing any? Any tips or tricks I haven't written about? Post 'em! Talk to you Wednesday!

-Josh

Bringing Things to Conclusion

Even though I know exactly what I want to talk about, it's pretty hard for me to really come up with the words I want to use, the energy to type it. Might be because I threw 25,000 words together in under 24 hours yesterday, but it was my own fault that I let it get to the point where I had to do that in the first place....

Regardless, I cleared NaNoWriMo for the first time ever. Official final word count for The Summoning: Part One was 50,363 words, and I'm still a little surprised that I got it done. On the other hand, I've always been a reasonably effective procrastinator...put a deadline off long enough, and the pressure inspires me. I think I would have been prouder of myself if I'd actually done it daily like I was supposed to, or at least regularly instead of pounding out 30,000 words in 2 days. Oh well, now begins the process that is National Novel Editing Month, hehe...I'm actually scared to read it. All the plot holes and character inconsistencies are going to drive me nuts.

Things here in California are starting to wind down, and though I'm still having a great time, I'm also trying to figure out how I'm going to make the transition to life after the DCP. I'd like to be able to spend a couple weeks at home at least before starting work and whatnot out here if I decide to stick around, but I just don't know how the finances and whatnot are going to work out. Many decisions have to be made, and I'm trying to really make solid judgment calls and experience what I can.

Speaking of experiences, I went into Beverly Hills again today to meet with Chris Carle, the Entertainment Editorial Director for IGN.com. We ate at a place called The Spanish Kitchen, a rather classy establishment on La Cienega Boulevard. I took a video to post up, but my new Flip camera is being uncooperative and not letting me take my videos over to my laptop. Hopefully after some working I'll be able to get the thing to sync and I'll show you a little bit of Beverly Hills!

Anyway, I'm going to bring this blog to conclusion early tonight. I've got a tour of the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank tomorrow, and I've gotta be up bright and early to get there! Have a good night, everyone!

-Josh

NaNo-Sized Decisions

Well, it's Wednesday, which means it's time for another blog. I have to honestly say that writing is taking over my life as of late...I'm reading a couple of different books at the same time; Vladimir Nobokov's Lolita (which was given to me by a friend of mine) and Daiva Markelis' memoir White Field, Black Sheep (which was written by a friend of mine!). I haven't really sat down to read good books since I got here in California, and I have to say that doing it is really restoring my energy. But I've been so tired from pulling late nights the past few weeks that I end up falling asleep on the books! Pretty miserable...

Anyway, a double-dose of pressure's been served up right here in early November. For one, National Novel Writing Month has officially begun! I'm pretty excited about the plot that I've decided to write...I found an old story idea in one of my journals that I think could turn out a little interesting if I do it correctly. Then again, that's likely the case with life...it's all interesting if you do it right, heh.

At the same time, I received an email from Disney this weekend with a form that we're supposed to fill out that designates our intentions with the company after the College Program ends. The form is due to be turned in by November 19th, which means that I don't even get to try to figure things out up to the end of the program before I have to decide what I'm going to do with the next few months of my life. It might not be such a big deal if I didn't have to decide whether or not I'm going to virtually strand myself in the West Coast with student loans to pay, really high rent, and potentially a car payment or something of the like...I guess there was at least one plus to living in Charleston, IL for college: pretty much everything was in biking distance.

Still, that form made reality set in like I wasn't expecting. For better or worse, this program's been pretty much my life for the past couple months. I've spent most all of my time with people I met at Disney, I work at Disney, I have class at Disney...and now it may all change. I can try to apply for a full-time or part-time position in the park, or I can try to get a professional/salaried position...that doesn't happen all too often, but it would be the one circumstance where I would definitely feel compelled to stick around. I want to start a career, and I want to advance, but I DEFINITELY want to pay my student loans, and that requires having a decent paying job that leaves me with some money after rent. I don't know if I'll find that out here without taking a second job, and I don't know how I'd have any energy to write after working all that much just to make ends meet...

That's really what this November is about though. I really want to prove to myself that I can get my things in order, that I can really write and make it something I take seriously. I'm trying to track down programs and tips to make the writing experience a little more fluid. In the meantime, I definitely need to get some sleep...I've been taking a lot of time to talk about personal stuff in the past few blogs, so the next one's going to be about what it's like working for Disney, and the pros and cons of taking on the College Program out in Anaheim. See you then!

Consider Yourself Rezzed

Well, ladies and gentlemen, something finally worked out in my favor this weekend. Sure, it cost me a couple hours worth of work to do it, but it was worth it in the end... I went to ElecTRONica! With a camera! And took pictures! So, in honor of the experience, the Song of the Day is, one more time (ba-dum ching!), Daft Punk:



Well, I was originally scheduled to work until pretty late on Friday, but I definitely kept feeling the drive to at least stop by and see what was going on in California Adventure sometime this past weekend. I ended up calling the Scheduling Office to find out whether or not I could switch my shift to something earlier in the day.

Disneyland's got a pretty solid scheduling department; if you have a day off and want to pick up a shift, or something happens and you want to try to rearrange a date, you can call your department's scheduling office and they'll try to help you out. If you have to call in sick or take a personal day you're not responsible for finding a cover since they take care of all of that. It's a pretty convenient system, one I wish more businesses would employ... Anyway, so all I had to do was call the day before and ask if they had an earlier shift that I could take instead of my late one. BOOM, I got to leave at 7:30. Before I knew it I was able to take this picture...


Welcome to ElecTRONica...

That's right, folks. It's the entrance to ElecTRONica, and they put on a pretty fantastic show inside. For one, there's tons of black-lighting and they use really strong blue lights to give everything a glow of its own...


We've all been rezzed!

Now, during the day the ElecTRONica area functions as the Hollywood Backlot, the area where the Disney Animation Studio attraction and Muppets 3D Theatre are, along with some other stuff. So in order to fully "take over" the area, they cast giant projections over the walls of the buildings. They're fully animated, and you can see things like lightcycles driving past you, complete with surround sound.


We don't like zombies on our lawn, but we LOVE lightcycles on our walls.


Everything in there's so gorgeous. SO GORGEOUS.

What still really gets me is how much the place looks like the concept art that they put together. I think it's amazing how one person's drawing of a place can become a full, life-sized reality in just a few years. I mean, look at the concept here:



And then look at this:



I mean, seriously. That's one giant freakin' Recognizer. And no, it doesn't move or suck people up or anything, but there's still something completely fantastic about seeing a small piece of your reality tweaked into the sci-fi dimension. After all, how often do you get to walk around and see people in glowing bodysuits dancing to techno music?


This is a picture of the guy in the costume in the middle, not the pool of sweat on the back of the guy on the left.


Blurriness is just a photo's way of describing excitement.


Even so, I could have used less blurriness here...

Even the concessions stands are all TRON'ed out. Though I couldn't get a good picture of one, they serve "Glowtinis" that have little plastic cubes in them which light up blue, making the whole drink glow...it's pretty awesome. The seating is all futuristic and lit too to keep with the design. After all, it wouldn't really make a whole lot of sense to have glowing drinks and costumes with normal chairs, would it?


So. Much. Light.


So. Much. More. Light.

One of the coolest parts of the area is Flynn's, the retro arcade I talked about a couple posts ago. There are tons of games there, and they all cost a quarter a piece to play.


None of that "Insert $1.00" crap in this arcade!


They created a "Space Paranoids" cabinet for San Diego Comic Con in 2008. 8 were created, and apparently one of them made its way to Disney...


...as did an authentic TRON cabinet! There are tons of other games there too...


...but I spent my time playing Asteroids.


:)

So, now one person's idea for a movie back in the 80s transformed into this huge entity that I can walk through and hang out with my friends in. I mean, I guess that's basically what the whole of Disneyland was at one point in time, an idea in one person's head that slowly developed into a massive powerhouse of creativity. Now thousands of people show up every day to get immersed in what used to be one man's dream. Not only that, but Disneyland is the product of the ideas, dedication, and hard work of hundreds of thousands of people over the years. So many lives have been changed for the better just as the result of this idea...

A part of me is enamored with the idea that one day some idea that I create could entertain millions of people, become a part of their reality, and in more ways than one. I mean, think about it: back when Star Trek first came out, the idea of flipping open a device and talking with someone wirelessly was nothing but a dream. Now tons of us do it on a daily basis with our cell phones and don't even give it a second thought. How many inside jokes do you have with your friends that involve a book series or a movie? How many little kids play Power Rangers out on the playground with their friends? All of these things originate from a singular idea that came from one person's head, one person with the courage and the determination to bring their dreams into reality.

Pretty amazing when you think about it.

An Apology and Disneyland Events

It's Tuesday, and maybe you're wondering why I'm posting? Well, it seems that I've finally been called out for missing a post. I took a bit of crap from one of my followers for not posting on Sunday, and I've gotta admit, it felt kinda good! I'm glad that I've got a bit of accountability out there, and I'm addressing that concern by posting tonight. And I'm sending out an apology to any one who was looking forward to reading on Sunday night/Monday. So, here we go...

California's been pretty hectic lately, to be honest. Even just talking about the things that are going on in the park takes a lot of time, partly I guess because I haven't been updating as regularly as I should... :\ (that's actually the first time I've EVER used that emoticon). Still, we'll start by flashing back to a couple weekends ago.

So, let's imagine that you decided to come to Disneyland one day, and you happened to be wearing your favorite red shirt. It can be pretty much any shirt you want, other than a St. Louis Cardinals shirt. I'm not really a Cardinals fan. In fact, though I'm primarily a Cubs fan, you could call me an anti-Cardinals fan. I can't even root for the Arizona Cardinals, and that's a completely different sport (football vs. baseball, so you know).


The official position of this blog.

Anyway, so you're walking around with your red shirt on, having a good time, and then you notice that there are TONS of other people walking around with red shirts on. Hooray, you start to think, it must be "Red Shirts Get In Free Day!". Well, you'd be wrong about that assumption. What's going on at the park, you ask? I'll give you a hint:


Uh, I don't think this hint really needs a caption...

For those of you who guessed "Unofficial Disneyland Gay Days," you were spot on the money. And for those of you who suddenly felt a rush of, "Uh, I kinda wish that someone had told me that before I wore my favorite red shirt to the part today," I can guarantee you that there were plenty of people in the park in that same position. But I think that's maybe part of what the event was going for...I mean, after all, wearing a red shirt doesn't mean that you're gay, right? And even if it did, why would it matter? You'd still just be a person in a theme park looking to enjoy the weather and attractions just like everyone else, right?


Ummkay, so some people take the theme park experience a little seriously...

I'm a pretty staunchly liberal ally, so it's nice to see some corporate tolerance going on, particularly out here in California. I think us humble folk from Illinois grossly over-estimate San Francisco's influence on state politics...truthfully, in my experience I've found life is pretty conservative out here. I certainly heard about people issuing complaints about Gay Days taking place at the park and how they felt it was offensive, and I suppose I wasn't surprised. But I'm the type that equivocates the Gay Rights Movement with the Civil Rights Movement in the 60s...I'm sure there were people complaining about all the black kids at their children's schools and whatnot for quite some time.

Regardless, I was pretty surprised to see that Disney even "unofficially" recognized the event as taking place. I've been pretty amazed at how liberal and open the company seems to be in the modern age. I think I was always under the impression that the Disney Company would be hyper-conservative, but they do little things like stock up on tons of extra Rainbow Mickey pins, pins which end up selling out anyway...and even though the company's exterior seems pretty squeaky-conservative, there are lots of organizations and people at Disney that support gay rights and whatnot. Open-mindedness is always refreshing, heh.


The official Disney Pin description: "This colorful, Open Edition Mickey Mouse icon pin features the true colors of the rainbow." Change takes time, but even small changes are good changes.

But Gay Days has come and gone, and things are still continuing to change in Disneyland. Queue up my new favorite part of the entire Disneyland Resort, and it takes place every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night in Disney California Adventure:


Even though I'm quoting my roommate Sloane out of context, it still applies: "It's so sick I could puke."

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to ElecTRONica, the newest addition to the Disney California Adventure Hollywood Backlot (that's a mouthful (that's what she said :D )). The attraction's meant to increase hype for the Disney movie TRON: Legacy, and it sure did for me... I wasn't even that excited about the movie before going to ElecTRONica, but now I'm TOTALLY PUMPED.

Now you're probably wondering where the pictures are...well, I didn't take any. ::collective groan:: I've only seen the area during a cast-exclusive preview event before the attraction officially opened up, and since I wasn't sure if they'd let me take pictures at all, I didn't bring the camera. That's why the above shot is just some concept art of what goes down in ElecTRONica...I would have taken some pictures this weekend, but I worked every day while that section of the park was open, so I couldn't go. Of course, luck would have it that I'm working those same times this weekend too, so I won't be able to go this weekend. I'm hoping I'll be able to trade a shift off or get out a bit early...


Trust me, this isn't too far from how the thing really looks. When Disneyland does something, they do it BIG.

For those of you who don't know, the world of Tron takes is an entire civilization that exists inside a computer. ElecTRONica is supposed to be a representation of an area in Tron: Legacy where the programs cool down and relax. This attraction's got everything from a huge center dance/rave area to a retro-themed arcade based on Flynn's Arcade from the original Tron movie. All the Cast Members working the area are in costumes designed to fit the aesthetic of the new movie, so it's all reflective black-and-white in computer-chip style shapes. Oh, it's SO AWESOME... I can't wait to get pictures to show you.

They play all sorts of techno and house music, including a ton of Daft Punk, the French-phenom duo that put together the soundtrack for Tron: Legacy. I've heard the whole soundtrack for the new movie is Daft Punk and Journey...sounds right up my alley. I think I'll actually buy that music... ::grins::


I love Techno. I love Daft Punk. And now I love Tron. Perfect combination.

So, if I get the chance to go this weekend, pictures and video will soon be coming. It's a fantastic combination of lasers, music, and technology that anyone who gets the chance to check out definitely should. In the meantime, I'm going to peace out so you all don't have to read anymore for the night. See you tomorrow, everyone!

Welcome to I-NEMO

Alright, so it looks like this is finally getting started...sure, it's over a month into my California experience, but at least now I've got a handle on life and what's going on out here...maybe I'll be able to push out some more solid information now that I've got a grip.

Anyway, for those of you who don't know (I'm not sure who that would be), my name's Josh Boykin, and I was born and raised in Rockford, Illinois. I graduated from Eastern Illinois University in May 2010. Someone asked me what I wanted to do since I'd graduated, and I responded, "I'm going to Disneyland!" And that's what I did.

A bit of clarification: I was accepted to the Disney College Program in March of 2010. That's where I am right now, buried about a month deep into the grind. As you can tell by the background, I've got a bit of an attachment to the "lucky-finned" Nemo...it's a love-hate relationship. I work as an Attractions Host for the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage. That means I drive subs for I-NEMO: The Institute for Nautical Exploration and Marine Observation. So far it's a pretty interesting experience...then again, everything in California's an interesting experience when you grow up in Illinois.

Anyway, tonight I'm going to post a video I took a while back of the apartment I'm staying in, just to give you a taste of how they set us up here in the DCP-Anaheim. Hope you enjoy it, and I'll post again soon! Look forward to more videos, pictures, and great information in the future. Thanks for reading!