Mitch - This is from the Ratatouille credits:
Some of those people may be Cafe Host/Cashiers. =)
qxgnxamy - Oh my gosh, I don’t think I ever noticed that before! And if I did, I’d forgotten about it.
Heh. Thanks for posting that up! Perhaps it’s not an impossiblity after all… 
– Mitch
Haha, that’s amazing! Well, I’ll be looking out for your name in the end credits of the next few movies, Mitch! 
lizardgirl - Ha-ha! Yeah, keep your eyes open! Like you see this post script note/list of names under the “Craft Services/Caterers” section:
“Larry - Head of pastry department; delivered excellent cranberry scones on Sundays.
Susan - Cafeteria supervisor; hosted an exceptional party bash at the end of production.
Mitch - Cafe Host; spilled coffee (decaf; hold the cream) on Mr. Lasseter’s khaki pants occasionally, but handled the mop with great dexterity.”
– Mitch
Hey Mitch,
I’m really glad you are back at Pixar Planet, and have taken the time to let us know how things are going in your life. Here’s to hoping that you and your family can get through this financial crisis, probably not helped (or it may be caused by) the problems of the US economy at the moment. But it’s good to know that both your parents have found jobs, and that will probably help things a lot more than if they weren’t able to find jobs. What sort of things to you do at your farmer’s market if you were to obtain that job again?
I hear ya on the self-motivation, thing… but if you take little steps towards completing your projects (even if they are self-assigned) and break them up into manageable tasks, it becomes easier to complete. Do you think you mum could talk to me to get me motivated any time soon? 
That Academy of Art University seems the perfect place for you to study, I really hope you get in. What time of the year do they take on students, and when do you think you might apply?
You applied for a job at Pixar? You have a lot of guts - I could never do that! Let us know if you get called for an interview. And you might even be able to receive an actual letter from them, in any case.
So sorry about Kirby… hugs Sometimes it’s so hard to lose a pet because they love us unconditionally (well, as long as we give them food, that is, eheh.) and never judge us. I’m sure Kirby had a fulfilling life and is happy that he got to have you as an owner. And if it makes you feel any better, a few years ago I cried when my goldfish died, but not 'cause it was dead, but because I killed it by neglecting to clean the tank.
Rachel - Thank you very much for the warm welcome, Rachel. You’re too kind. hugs
Yes, the current state of the economy (in the United States) at the moment is devastating and definitely has something to do with the financial crisis as a whole. People are losing their homes and everything. It’s pretty bad. That said, we’re working on pulling through this tight spot, and we will.
As far as the farmer’s market job is concerned, I’ll be selling cookies and other baked goods instead of lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms. That’s definitely up my alley, as I’m rather addicted to sweets. (heheh)
Good point. I do break my daily tasks (including art-related activities) up into small sections which, in turn, makes the job much easier. Still, I wish I had the urge to… push myself further on on the road to improvement.
Ha-ha. Well, if you’d like my mom to chat with you sometime I’m sure I could ask her to write you a little something via a private message. 
Thank you! The Academy of Art University takes in students every spring and fall, I believe. I wanted to apply in 2009, but, considering the present circumstances, that doesn’t look like a possibility. I may have to wait a couple of years until I have the means to attend this (or any other) art school, and by then I may have a job at Pixar and won’t have to worry about it. If Cafe Hosts/Cashiers at Pixar are allowed to attend the Pixar University, then perhaps I could get my training there? We’ll see. Nothing is set in stone yet. I’d be grateful just to get into the studio, much less become educated on the job.
Ha! Yeah, I’m still kinda nervous after applying for that position at Pixar. I must be crazy. (snigger) In any case, I’ll definitely keep you guys updated. Oh, and I did get an e-mail from them stating that my application was received. It was just an automated letter, but I still kept it anyway.
Oh, it’s perfectly all right. He was a spoiled little rascal, so he had it good. He got nightly massages and everything.
Ha-ha. The goldfish… Seriously, though, I think that that’s sweet. A friend of mine accidentally killed her pond fish, too, and she felt horrible. Heck, I feel bad when I kill spiders. That’s so cute that you were sympathetic towards the fish. Heheh.
– Mitch
Good evening ladies and gentlemen,
“We’re tonight’s… entertainment!”
Or, more specifically, tonight is “Le Night de Explanation”.
Yes, I have been absent, as is beyond apparent. This is the evening, however, where I will briefly explain why I disappear from time to time, and how things are currently holding up.
Please read if you want to know why Mitch is a sore loser at exercising her Pixar Planet punctuality!!
January 13, 2008 -
First and foremost, when I make a promise, I keep that promise unless I have an extremely significant reason for doing so, or if some form of roadblock barricades my promise.
Secondly, I am generally a person of strict punctuality. If I’m not on time then I officially proclaim myself to be the queen of all who suck, so you can expect me to not only keep my promises, but arrive several minutes before the due date/time, as well.
Now… to the point! For those who want the short version, I shall explain the situation in a brief and constricted fashion. Voila´:
We lost our house.
“Woah! Back up, Mitch!” you say?
Well, why didn’t you tell me you wanted the long version?! Here you are:
There was a chain of banks in the United States that went by the name of Washington Mutual (WaMu) – a very popular branch in the country and one of the top banks in the nation, I believe. Our house, among thousands of others, was the property of this institution; unfortunately, the already suffering economy in the U.S. reached an all time high this year, in particular, and Washington Mutual went bankrupt, as did several other banks. It was soon bought out (or, bailed out, rather) by the government, and was subsequently sold to JPMorgan Chase, a financial service firm, for approximately $1.9 billion dollars. From what I’ve heard from my mom (who did a considerable amount of research on the matter), that service firm is now experiencing difficulties itself.
The dilemma at hand has swept nation-wide, and we’re certainly not the only family who faced (or is facing) this depressing situation. Thousands of other families have lost their homes over the past year or so; the (eviction) officer who confronted us last month, in fact, informed us that they were foreclosing on approximately 12-14 homes a day, or something around those numbers, and I’m guessing that that is/was just in our county.
My mom, in particular, was literally working her butt off in an attempt to save that house that she’d lived in for well over twenty years (I’d lived there since I was two or three – about seventeen years). The silly fact of the matter is that Washington Mutual will profit nothing from evicting families from their premises, as no one is looking to purchase a house during this financial crisis, and the banks won’t make any money off of it. As my mom explained to me, the banks (or, at least, Washington Mutual) are sucking every penny from people who owe them late fees. Consequently, those who simply can’t keep up to date on bills and payments end up losing their homes…
I suppose that you can think of this situation as something of a repeat of “The Great Depression”, only not as critical. Nevertheless, the results of the dilemma are detrimental, and the pain is being felt throughout America. All the banks (heck, all that the government and people in general) care about is money, obviously, and they were ready and willing to kick people out of their homes even around the Christmas season, which they did. We barely got in contact with anyone from Washington Mutual, as they didn’t want to deal with the situation at hand and refuse to confront the families they’re shelling out for fear of feeling pity and sympathy on their part, as I understand it. To them, we were just another number.
Our lawyers were trying to assist us in the matter, as were several other people, including relatives. However, even then, we’ve recently discovered who our true friends and family members are. It’s quite surprising.
If you’d like to read more about Washington Mutual’s situation, here’s a link to a page on Wikipedia detailing their adventures in financial crisis:
As it stands, my family and I (that’s five people overall, plus one rat that we recently acquired) now reside in a three-bedroom apartment that’s actually right down the road from our house. Until now, I didn’t even know that the place that we currently live in were apartment complexes! You’d think I’d know a thing or two after having lived in one area for almost twenty years. Heh.
Believe it or not, we’ve actually been faring very well, and I do mean pretty well. Despite the traumatic experience that we’ve gone through, all of us have quickly grown accustomed to the new living spaces; there are some pros to the situation. In addition, our old neighbors have been freakin’ generous. They’ve given us food, presents, everything. We didn’t ask for that at all! It’s incredible…
I fully blame God for the good fortune that we’ve encountered – these last couple of months would have been utter torture if we hadn’t had Him to guide us in the right direction and make the path of life clear for us. Example? On the day we went in to purchase a two-bedroom apartment (all of the three-bedroom ones were either taken or wouldn’t be available until later), someone called the apartment office so as they could cancel their “order” on a three-bedroom apartment. Consequently, we were able to claim the bedroom. I mean, heck! What are the chances of that?!
In any case, we’re doing well. We have other plans of how life is going to go for all of us in the (possibly) near future, but I won’t say anything about that until later. I’m also terribly sorry for not informing you guys of this situation earlier, but, as it was, I didn’t want anyone to worry, especially since we didn’t know what the heck was going to happen to us at the time. Now, of course, we’re doing fine; my dad has a steady job, my mom is doing fine, both of my sisters are going to school (and one of them plays video games constantly on her new PlayStation 2 console), and I’ve got a couple of healthy jobs and am ready to attend an art university very soon (within the next few years, if at all possible). (I’m going to the Vancouver Film School in Canada, if anyone is interested. Here’s le website: www.vfs.com.)
Oh, and, by the way, the reason why I wasn’t able to come on Pixar Planet after we moved from our house to an apartment is because our internet was down for a few weeks, due to the fact that we had to change servers. We weren’t able to set up the internet until recently, hence the hiatus, otherwise I would have been on here at least once a week as was promised.
There ya’ have it!
On a lighter note, I’ve found that my drawing skills have improved; at least, I feel as if they’ve improved. Needless to say, I’m not complaining in the least.
And no, I didn’t attain that position at Pixar that I was going for. No worries, though! I’m still just geeking out that I got a real e-mail from them. It’s just an automated letter, but still! I kept it in my e-mail archives. (snigger)
Position:
To explain: “Now go up, and look around!” - Gusteau
I will be blunt. I was not kidding when I stated that Ratatouille is, quite literally, a documentary of my life. Everything that happened to Remy in the film has happened, is happening, and will probably happen to me in some form or another. To some, this may seem rather unusual, if not ludicrous, but, personally, I find it to be remarkable. I am truly convinced that this film is not a coincidence. What it is, to me, is beautiful; utterly… beautiful. I’m not being cocky in any way; I’m simply astounded…
Right now, I am, like Remy, “in the depths of the sewer”. I’ve lost my home and, in a metaphoric sense, some of my friends, but God and my family continue to support me through it all.
– Mitch
Wow, Mitch. Firstly, I’m really, really sorry to hear about what’s been happening to you and your family (and other families) lately. It must’ve been a horrible experience, having to leave your own home like that. But thank good ness that you’ve got support from your family and that things at the moment are going well. It looks like you’ve got an incredible future to look forward to (the Vancouver Film School looks amazing, and just perfect for you!) and it looks like your skills are always improving. I hope things start going uphill for you from here on in.
lizardgirl - Yeah, it’s been rough, but we’re faring pretty well considering the unwelcome consequences. Thank you very much for the condolences (and for reading all of that mess – heheh)! hugs
– Mitch
Wow… that’s some pretty tough times you just pulled out of. Glad you shared with us what you were going through, I’ve been wondering what your cryptic messages here and on your DeviantArt account (which is awesome, by the way!) meant, and now we know.
Can’t imagine losing my home, and I count myself lucky for that. Yeah, times are pretty dire in the States and by extension, around the world. But nothing lasts forever, and that includes the bad stuff. Kinda reminds me of Harvey Dent’s quote:
“The night is darkest just before the dawn, and I promise you, the dawn is coming!”
Very relevant in these tough times.
I can see the parallels between your life and Remy’s. Hm… creepy much? Heheh. Hope your story turns out as happy as his though! Just “keep swimming”!
I’m so sorry that this whole experience has happened to you, Mitch! It’s always horrible to have to leave your home, the home in which you’ve spent so long and know so well. And as the situation begins to stabilize, both with you and the economy, I hope you can eventually get your home back.
On a lighter note, it’s very nice and good to hear that you’ve found a good replacement home for the time being. And having such neighbors like you have, I would be so thankful, too. But, you’ve got a job, and you’re planning on attending the Vancouver Film School! That’s just awesome, if I may say so.
And, I wholeheartedly agree with lizardgirl in the sense that, you really do have a great future ahead of you. Like one of my favorite quotes from my favorite movie states… “Your future hasn’t been written yet, no ones has. So make it a good one.” - Courtesy of Doc Brown from Back to the Future Part III. And I can just tell that your future will be something to look forward to.
As for your life relating to Remy’s… I sometimes feel the exact same way. Before I ever heard about Wall•E, Ratatouille was my favorite movie and I can just relate to Remy so well, you know? I mean, my life’s not exactly like it in every way, but some moments I just feel like I’m in Remy’s position.
I’m going to wrap this up because not everyone likes reading a huge textwall (I don’t mind them… as long as they aren’t spam… hehe), but I hope you’re doing fine and as for the Pixar turn-down, it’s alright. There’s plenty more opportunities out there, and who says you can’t retry later. You’ve been one of the greatest/nicest members here, and it’s very sad knowing that you’ve went through such times. But, everyday is a new day, and you’ve got plenty of them left, so I hope you end up going to that Film School, because you really deserve it.
God bless, or for you, may he continue to bless.
Gee, I’m really sorry about you losing your house, Mitch. I can’t say I’ve ever been through that experience, but I’d imagine it would be hard to forcibly have to leave the place that you call your home, and where you grew up. It would have held a lot of special memories, I bet. At least you got to all live together, or are living together for the moment. And it’s always a nice feeling when you are on the receiving end of other people’s generosity, especially during times of need.
So you definitely got an offer to attend Vancouver Film School then?
Oh my gosh, I am terribly sorry to hear that, Mitch. It made me feel like they were pure evil to kick you out of your home. 
I’ll pray for you.
However, I am very glad to hear that you’re doing fine, and of the incredible miracles that occured to your family. May God continue to bless you and your family. I very sincerely hope that good things will come to you to make up for this. I am very impressed that you can be strong about this- it is no wonder your name means “warrior”! Don’t give up hope!
I’m sorry to hear that you lost your house, Mitch, but I am also glad that you seem to have found some good fortune with the grace of God! May He continue to bless you and your family! I’ve seen some great stuff come out the Vancouver Film School so it’s a nice choice in schools! And sorry about the Pixar position. Just have to keep trying! No giving up!
Thank you very much for your sentiments and comments, everyone! I’m sorry I’m replying to your messages so late, but I really do appreciate your condolences. I wish I knew how to express my thanks in words entirely. You guys are just… sweet beyond compare, and I really do appreciate all of your messages.
thedriveintheatre - Thank you so much for your sympathy, and for your comment concerning my deviantArt account. And, dude, I love that quote by Harvey Dent! An old saying, but a good one, it is. Thanks, again!
Remy14 - Thank you! Yes, it was tough, but we’re all faring quite well in our new residence – there are some positive aspects of this adventure, and the apartment is not half bad!
Gee, I really appreciate it. I’m really looking forward to attending this film school, and I’m 100% certain that I’ll get there. Great quote, by the way!
Oh, yes, definitely. I think a lot of people must feel like Remy in some way and/or at some point in life, especially those with high ambitions.
Oh, don’t worry. I love reading comments, so I don’t mind long messages at all.
Thanks again for all of your support!
Rachel - No problem, Rachel. I’m just thankful that the memories attached to that house were extremely pleasant ones. (heheh)
I contacted a couple of administrators/moderators at the Vancouver Film School, and they sounded pretty excited that I was thinking of attending their program, so I’m just going to continue to keep in contact with them and update them on my career status from time to time. The expense for tuition is high, but I have a plan – a plan that my mom thought up, actually – that both my family and I have deemed to be highly beneficial. I won’t say any more on the matter, but I’m pretty confident that it’s going to go through…
Thank you so much, by the way! hugs
bright dot-dasher - Yeah, they were terrible. (snigger)
Thank you very much!
Hannahmation - Yeah, it looks like a pretty cool university, so I’m eager to get involved with/in the program.
Thank you!
Again, thank you all very, very much for the support, comments, and sympathies. I sincerely appreciate them. <img src=“{SMILIES_PATH}/love2.gif” alt=“:loves:” title="In
Love" />
– Mitch
'Ello, 'ello, 'ello…
Hello there, everyone!
My continuous battle against that dreaded foe, the hiatus, has not ceased – at least, it doesn’t concerning this particular thread. It has been an age since I provided a suitable update, so it’s about time that I got my act back together.
March 26, 2009 -
• Well, I changed my mind. I won’t be going to the Academy of Art University after all, but the Vancouver Film School up in Vancouver, Canada. The reasons why? For one thing, I love the location. My mother, sister, and I visited a portion of the area (Vancouver) some years ago, and the environment and atmosphere were, to me, nothing less than impeccable (with the exception of the constant and annoying tumult of rain that persisted during the time we were there). Secondly, students of that particular university are able to graduate in approximately one year! I believe that it is the only art academy of its kind (at least in this country) in which prospective students may complete their education in art in so short of a time span. Last, but not least, I favor this school more due to its healthy reputation for churning out well-educated students, many of which have gone on (and go on) to work for such famous studios as Blue Sky, DreamWorks, and, of course, Pixar.
So, yes, I’ll be going there. I have a plan on how to raise enough money to pay for the tuition and living expenses, but I dare not mention it anywhere else other than one other website that I’ve already… mentioned it on. The only reason why I don’t like to state my ideas as publicly anymore is because they tend to backfire on me when I do that, for some odd reason. It ain’t gonna happen this time!
• I finally got called in for jury duty this week. Right off the bat… I got a murder case. Not that I’m complaining; I’d rather be doing something than sitting around in the jury room all day, but this particular case may last up to three weeks (up until April 14, I believe), so that takes a huge cut out of my time. Ah well. I didn’t have any solid excuse to miss out on it, and I kind of wanted an exciting case anyway, so I shouldn’t be complaining. 
By the way, get this: The jury room that I was stationed in (along with a healthy portion of other participants/jurors), is room “113”, and there is a sub-room to that area that is entitled… “A”. Yeah, I was geekin’ out big time, man.
• Things have been going fairly well at my new workplace. I absolutely love the job, even if it does get extremely hectic or dreadfully boring at times. The environment is fun, my fellow coworkers are nice, and the managers are fair; plus, I get free popcorn, drinks, and movies (except for the 3-D films; I can’t see those for free), sooo… I’m perfectly content. I’ve made a few minor mistakes, but I’ve pretty much got a fairly solid grip on the job by now. I think I’ve been overdoing it on the cleaning though, since most of the employees now know that I’m a bit of a neat freak. They like my work, though, so, hey, I’m not stopping now!
• I may get a chance to attend that screening of Up at Pixar Animation Studios at the beginning of May. Maybe… All I need is my license… and a car. Other than that, I’ve got the funds! Well, we’ll just have to see what happens.
• Art-wise? Ah, heck, I don’t know. I guess I’ve improved. For some reason, everyone else (my family and friends) seems to notice the progression, but I don’t see it as well.
I’ve been drawing humans more often as of late, which is a good thing, but what I really need is to attend a life drawing class. I’m not that self-motivated; I need a set goal and a syllabus and all that jazz if I’m to be truly pushed forward.
See, this is why I have to save up for an art university. Big “duh” there, of course, but, seriously, I need instruction. I learn faster if I’m not relying on my own methods…
Current Position:
To explain: I guess I’ll have to find something else to consume…
Have a wonderful week, folks!
– Mitch
Edit/Note: The image (above) was obtained from this website:
Only a year for a decree at the Vancouver Film School? Interesting. I don’t know if I would like that. I personally feel like I need the four years to learn all I can and prepare for the ‘real world’! But it would be a lot lighter on the wallet to be in school for only a year! I’ll be in debt for quite awhile!
Jury duty. Fun…Haven’t had to do that yet. Not complaining though! And the room labeling is pretty sweet!
Glad you are enjoying work. It is always nice to have a job that you actually like! And you can’t go wrong with free popcorn, drinks, and movies!
Take me with? That’s so cool that you may get to attend a screening of Up at Pixar! That would be amazing!
You’re like me. I need some sort of structure to push forward and learn at a decent speed. And I too don’t always see progress in my work where others do. You are your own worst critic, that’s why you don’t see as well as others.
Wow, you sound like you’re in a good mood! Just some loose knots you need to untangle (small situations here and there, like saving up the money), but you seem satisfied/excited overall.
Wow, then that’s a good choice. I don’t know the first thing about either schools, but if you like where it’s located and if it’s got that great of a reputation, then those are good enough reasons to take it! Only one year to graduate? Hmmm…it sounds cool, but maybe that isn’t enough? Maybe. Just saying… I hope you’ll enjoy it there!
Well, whatever the plan is, I’ll bet it’s a foolproof one. And I have no doubt that it’ll work for you. Good luck to you!
Good luck. I don’t know how jury duty is like, but on a murder case…what an experience. And hey you got the kind of case you wanted.
That’s so cool! I know I would have the same reaction if anything in my life was labeled A113. I would be thinking, “I may have stumbled into a future Pixar film universe in progress.”
That’s really terrific to hear that you like where you’re at. Sounds like you’ve got all you need for the perfect job for you- friendly people to work with, great environment, fair managers, enjoyable job, being good at your job, and wonderful advantages. That’s good, I’m tellin’ ya, real good.
I like your comparisons with how you feel and Remy’s emotions portrayed, by the way. It just goes to show that you are definitely Remy, in a sense, or at least connected to him. There’s nothing like being closely connected to a favorite (or is he second-favorite now?) character.
I see God’s been blessing you plenty!
So far so good, Mitch!
Good thing you’re going to VFS! I remember it’s ranked among the top universities/colleges offering animation courses in the US in 3DWorld (which is a great magazine for animation geeks like me by the way). But yeah, I visited their website before, and some of the works were impressive! Can’t wait to see what you turn out this year! This year’s my final year too, so I’m hoping to get an animated short done by the end of 2009 too!
Hope your little ‘money-making scheme’ “pays” off! Heheh!
Ah… jury duty, one of the cornerstones of the US legal system. Ooh… I get kinda squeamish when I witness real-life murder cases (kinda ironic since I’m a cop show junkie anyhow 
) but I guess it could be interesting. As for the two rooms that make up “A113”, you should take a photo man! Unless of course, photography’s not allowed. On second thought, yeah, probably it’s prohibited. 
One of my dream part-time jobs is to work at a theatre, so you should count yourself lucky! Spread the Pixar love, yeah? Maybe when ripping tickets to Monsters vs Aliens, loudly proclaim “What are you doing? Save your money and go see Up!” Then again, maybe people would think you’re weird. Or ask permission to paint the cinema lobby like PixarVixen closer to Up’s release date! Would look great on your resume, and you’d be doing a bit for Pixar’s ad awareness.
I’m not sure exactly how you’re gonna pull off attending their screenings, but if you do, I’ll be glad for you! You can be the reporter and let us know how it went (and how the studio looks like from inside)!
Life-drawing classes are not for the squeamish or the ‘giggly’ types. You’ll probably be drawing nudes, naughty bits and all (I know, cos’ I have ), but you’ll learn a lot about human anatomy and proportions. I probably need more work on drawing animals, ugh! I should knuckle down and draw an art piece (I just scribble on my notebook) and post it on dA or something. I could do with more opinions than my patronising parents, or friends sneaking a peek over my shoulder while I doodle in lectures.
Hey Mitch. Thanks for the update. =)
I don’t know much about Canada, but I’ve seen the beautiful scenery, from what I’ve seen on TV. The Vancouver Film School sounds very nice, especially against the picturesque backdrop you described. If you do go there, be sure to take some photos and post them up here! And good luck - I hope you do enroll in that school, especially with the bonus of finishing your studies in one year. It seems like it’s the perfect college for you.
Well, at least you didn’t end up with a court case that goes on for months. Hopefully they won’t extend the trial period, and it will be wrapped up quickly. I would ask you to tell us the details but first of all, juries aren’t meant to disclose any information about a case, and it probably wouldn’t be right for you to do so, out of respect for the victim’s family. You’re very brave, though. And it will be an experience for you, I bet. Wow, A113! What a coincidence!
Like Andre, I would also love to work in a movie theatre. It must get pretty hectic at times, especially during the school holidays, but it sounds like you are enjoying your job and are a hard-working employee. Keep us “in the know” of any Up cinema promotions that we can expect, ok?
Yeah, at least if you attend a life-drawing class you can get guidance from a teacher, and it above all else, it’s a good way to meet other people, especially other artists. Maybe you could even get some advice from them with your art, and you could give some to them, too.