Larissa Meek

A guy named Chris Thrash bought a vintage Chucky Cheese band and re-programs it with songs requested by fans on his YouTube channel.

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4 Years Old in 1982

Me (about 1) and my older brother

One of the best parts of going home for the holidays is digging through old family photos.  In an effort to save some of the memories before the paper disintegrates,  I scanned a few of them and uploaded to Flickr.

Opa & Omi

I am especially enchanted with the story of my Mom’s parents (my grandparents) because they survived World War II and each had only one leg.  My grandmother and grandfather met in rehabilitation camp and both suffered some extraordinary hardships but managed to raise 5 kids and provide a colorful life for their family.

My mother grew up in a 2 bedroom apartment with her 4 siblings.  That means there was 7 people living in a 2 bedroom apartment in Germany.  I am amazed to look back at how far we have come and remind myself that when I “might” be having a bad day, I’m lucky compared to what my Grandparents have endured.

See all the photos I scanned on Flickr.

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On my plane ride home for the holidays I downloaded The Pixar Story,  just made available December 17th, to my iPhone and was inspired by the struggles and successes of Pixar.  If you love the art of animation, 3D technology or strive to break new grounds in your business, you can learn something from this film.  Pixar is like a beacon of light that represents the merger of technology and art.

My favorite quote: “The art challenges technology, technology inspires the art.” - John Lasseter, Director Pixar.

Trailer Below: (You can buy it here from  iTunes. )

A few things I learned about Pixar:

• Pixar isn’t afraid of change.  Even when they had multiple hits and knew whatever it was they were doing was working - they wanted to bring on a new director and give them a chance to keep things fresh.
• They believe in their staff  and allow them to take ownership of their work.
• Their people are all part of the Pixar family and are passionate about the work. They do whatever it takes to do it right.
• Pixar is not afraid to start over if the story isn’t right.
• Culture is a an important part of the their creative and collaborative environment.
• Pixar was successful because of a group of individuals with diverse talents.  (It was not just one person’s dream).

Additionally, you can follow  news on the unnoffical  Pixar blog.

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I’m an admitted dog lover but the video below (after the jump)  made me want a cat.  Sometimes I think I should have been a vet because I’ve always had a soft spot for furry creatures.

I had 14  pet rats in high school.  Yes, 14 pet rats and they were incredibly clever little creatures.  One day I went to a pet store and decided to get a rat because I wasn’t allowed to have a dog.   I couldn’t have just one because it would have been lonely so I purchased two.   Laughably, the pet store owner told me that because the rats were brother and sister they would not mate.  Ha! Yeah, right.  I didn’t realize that they would breed so quickly.  At least my biology teacher was impressed. Yes, rats can be cute.

I ended up with 14 rats and my Mom was not all too happy.  Luckily,  I had some friends who adopted the new furry additions and they found happy homes.  I adored those little creepy-tailed nibblers, even though everyone thought I was crazy. They would even run to me when I called their names.

So… back to the point. The video below is about Charley the disabled Cat and it shows that love can be found in the most unexpected places.

Just because something isn’t perfect, doesn’t mean it can’t be lovable - even if it’s a rat or a very special cat.

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