Many years ago, I was offered the opportunity to become a Disney Imagineer. These are the creative folks who design and build Disney theme parks worldwide. Even then, I understood the incredible opportunity I was afforded, but I turned it down in an instant. As I walked through the Disneyland Resort this week, I occasionally wondered which projects I might have worked on if I had taken up the chance… While I love Disneyland and all of the other Disney parks worldwide, I have thoroughly enjoyed the path I chose instead. I have no regrets whatsoever. My journey has allowed me to work alongside my family and wonderful crews to create much smaller, regional attractions. I get to design countless original concepts rather than develop ideas created by others. Then I get to build these ideas hands-on alongside our wonderful crew. While our jobs are definitely much smaller in scale and complexity, they are every bit as creative. These projects still allow me to travel far and wide. Instead of working for a large corporation, our clients are small, family-owned businesses who always appreciate our efforts. Our fun time at Disneyland is now complete. As a family, we have created countless wonderful memories. My creative batteries are fully recharged. Tomorrow we head back home to our studio to design and build more amazing projects. Stay tuned…
When the boss is away...
While our family does serious research at Disneyland, our crew back home keeps working hard to create the magic in the shop. I received this progress picture this morning. Apparently, the Kraken has come to life and threatens their very existence. I should be worried, I guess, but it looks like a typical day there, and I’m sure they will get a handle on things eventually…..
Coastal Enterprises DINO delivered!
No trip to Southern California would be complete without a visit with Kellie from Coastal Enterprises, who supplies our Precision Board High-Density Urethane. They have been a supporter of the Sign Invitational since its inception and of our workshops prior to that. I try to do at least one sample sign each year that they can use at their trade shows. Generally, the sample piece is shipped, but packing it into a checked bag and bringing it with us on our trip to Disneyland was a much more economical option. Best of all, I could present the sign to Kellie in person. Janis & I enjoyed a leisurely lunch with her while we caught up on the latest family news. The Sign Invitational at the International Sign Association EXPO is now only five months away and will happen in Las Vegas in March.
