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The Career Coach: Keeping Your Passion for Animation Alive

In many parts of the world February is a time for exchanging Valentines and promises of love. It's a time of passion. Take this test to find out if you are still in love with animation.

pam.gif Pamela Kleibrink Thompson

In many parts of the world February is a time for exchanging Valentines and promises of love. It's a time of passion. Take this test to find out if you are still in love with animation.

1. Your idea of a great date is:a. Seeing the latest action flick and a double cafe latte.b. Going to the zoo and sketching orangutans.c. Trying to beat your old record on Quake.

2. On Saturday morning you love to:a. Go to aerobics.b. Watch re-re-re-runs of Huckleberry Hound.c. Wash a real live hound.

3. Your idea of a hot read is:a. A back issue of Travel and Leisure, Entrepreneur, or Fortune magazine.b. A copy of the Illusion of Life and the Muybridge studies.c. Your high school yearbook.

4. You glow with excitement thinking about your :a. Rowing machine and golf clubs.b. New animation desk.c. A trip to Tahiti.

5. You can't stop obsessing abouta. Your stock portfolio.b. Your animation portfolio.c. Being overly obsessive.

Give yourself credit for every "b" answer you checked. You are still in love with animation.

If you want to rekindle your passion for animation try: - Getting involved with some volunteer organizations in the community where you can demonstrate animation skills to young kids. - Mentoring someone. - Speaking to a student who is still starry eyed and get some of that enthusiasm back. - Renting or buying some great animated films such as The Iron Giant, Toy Story 2, or Dumbo.- Taking a drawing pad with you wherever you go and sharpen your pencils and your skills.

Remember why you wanted to get into animation now? If this doesn't re-inspire you, it may be time to end this relationship and find one you're really in love with.

Pamela Kleibrink Thompson is a career coach and recruiter. She frequently speaks about animation careers at colleges and universities.

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