Gearing Up For SIGGRAPH 2007

It's that time of year again.



I am so excited. And CG Society has an awesome resource (aka Diary) which has been keeping me in the loop on various updates, events, and of course the ever-exciting after-parties.

Probably closer to the weekend I'll be posting which events I'll be attending, where I'll be staying, and who I'm planning on meeting throughout the week. Until then, I have a boatload of last-minute planning to do since I've been distracted with wedding and short film stuff lately. Please let me know if you're going to be there - we should meet up!!!

Harley-Davidson VS. My Wedding

Running into some trouble scheduling my wedding. We were going to do it next Labor Day weekend (Aug. 30, 2008) and have been planning on it - I just booked the church this week and we were drawing up contracts with the reception hall - no deposit down yet, thank goodness - and we just found out about this:



I'm keeping updates here.

Cat Senses Imminent Death

No joke!!!

Oscar The Cat Senses & Warns of Patients' Imminent Death


I find this utterly fascinating. This story has been making headlines everywhere recently. Check it out if you haven't seen it.

Purr of Death

There's even an official report in the New England Journal of Medicine:

A Day in the Life of Oscar the Cat - David M. Dosa, M.D., M.P.H.

I just think that is amazing.

Excerpt from first link:

"He's a cat with an uncanny instinct for death," said David Dosa, assistant professor at the Brown University School of Medicine and a geriatric specialist.

When death is near, Oscar nearly always appears at the last hour or so. Yet he shows no special interest in patients who are simply in poor shape, or even patients who may be dying but who still have a few days. Authorities in animal behaviour have no explanation for Oscar's ability to sense imminent death. They theorise that he might detect some subtle change in metabolism - felines are as acutely sensitive to smells as dogs - but are stumped as to why he would show interest.

In any event, when Oscar settles on a patient's bed, caregivers take it as a sign that family members should be summoned immediately.

"We've come to recognise him hopping on the bed as one indicator the end is very near," said Mary Miranda, charge nurse on the surprisingly cheery floor that is home to 41 patients in the final stages of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, a stroke, and other mentally debilitating diseases. "Oscar's been consistently right."

Leave Of Absence

Well... unfortunately what I've been experiencing is a little more than short film jitters. It's finally that point, for me. Time for a short leave of absence (I plan to be back in about 8 weeks when the fall term starts). Sorry to say it guys, but between the technical difficulties, wedding planning, my uncle in the hospital having that tumor removed, family getting laid off and moving, and my own health issues... well you get the picture. I won't whine about it! I'm not giving up either, I'll surely be back and ready to go. I wish I could stick with the class but at least most of us will graduate together.

Keep in touch with me!
LauraSko (at) gmail (dot) com
LauraSko - skype name
Last Video Journal (AM members only)

It's been a great run here at Animation Mentor. I wish I didn't have to leave but such is the circumstance I have. It's been wonderful getting to know you all and witness our talents grow over the past year.

I'll be at SIGGRAPH if anyone would like to meet that week!

For those who will still be here in the fall term, I hope to see you then when I return - and for those who are finishing at the end of summer, I hope to see you at graduation in early January!!! Please do keep in touch. Catch you on the flip side!

Prayer Request: Rob's Surgery

Please pray for my uncle Rob, a dear member of our family who is going into surgery tomorrow morning to have part of his liver removed. Although normally a very healthy person, he has been suffering strange health issues lately and must now undergo this procedure to take out and diagnose a mass in his liver. We're hoping the surgery will be successful and without complication, and I'm asking all who believe in the power of prayer to have him in mind tomorrow morning. Thanks!