I had always thought that online greeting cards were kind of stupid until I got one myself. I couldn't really stand the thought of an online greeting card, in fact. As much as traditional birthday cards, get well soon cards, and other mass manufactured Hallmark greetings seemed insincere, online greeting cards seemed like the worst. Instead of sending greeting cards online, why not just send out a quick e-mail saying hello to someone and asking them out for drinks after work? It seemed much more sincere than an online greeting card, and it didn't take any more time. After all, online animated greeting cards are not all that clever – they are just an excuse to not have to say anything real.
When one of my friends sent me an online birthday greeting card, however, it really cheered me up. It wasn't just because it was an online greeting card. It was just that I really needed a personal message from a friend. It was about par for online greeting cards – it had a cute, smiley-face-type animation, some cute little pun, and a space where you could write your own personal message. There was nothing out of the ordinary about it, but nonetheless it was touching. I guess it meant a lot to me to be remembered that year. A few of my friends had forgotten to even call me, and I had received no other cards.
Getting that online greeting card really made me feel a little bit better about the birthday. It made me stop thinking about how much older I was getting and start thinking about how lucky I was to have so many friends who cared about me. I suppose that online greeting cards are like any other means of expressing human affection. It isn't so much what they say or how they are delivered as that they are given out. Online greeting cards show someone that you are thinking about them, that they matter to you, and that they are worth the effort.
Ever since that day, I have been sending online greeting cards out to people. I admit that sometimes I do a little bit too much, but I think my friends know where my heart lies. It is better to come across as a little cliché and show people that you love them then to neglect people who might be looking for a little bit of attention to cheer them up.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Walt Disney Cartoons
I basically grew up with Walt Disney cartoons. I have been watching them since I was four or five. They are one of the best parts of my childhood. Everyone knows and loves those wonderful Disney characters. There's Goofy, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and all the rest! They've been around forever, and will probably continue to be around for much longer. Let's face it – the Walt Disney cartoon is as American as apple pie.
When I was a kid, I always wanted to go to Disney World. I thought it was a magical place filled with living Disney cartoon characters. What I found wasn't quite that fantastic, but nevertheless I was not disappointed. There are many displays about the history of Walt Disney animation, as well as mascots of all of the Disney characters. There are rides, games, and even parades and fireworks displays. It got me more interested in Walt Disney cartoon animation than I had been before. I even thought about being an animator for a while.
Although Disney still makes good stuff, what I really like is the Walt Disney classic cartoons. Disney pioneered some amazing techniques in animation. I'll never forget the way that the demons looked in Night On bald Mountain, from the movie Fantasia. To this day, I have never seen anything like that Walt Disney cartoon! Not only were there demons, ghouls, and ghosts, but there were hippos dancing with alligators, as well as Mickey Mouse as a sorcerer's apprentice. It really was a fantastic Walt Disney cartoon. I don't think there is anyone from my generation who did not see it as a child.
My love of Disney is so transcendent that I tried to incorporate their animation into my everyday life. I have Walt Disney clip art on my computer, and a giant poster of Mickey Mouse on my wall. It may seem silly to you, but whenever I'm in a bad mood I look at the poster and it always cheers me up right away. It makes me think of childhood, and everyone loves to think of childhood. In fact, just writing this makes me want to go watch a Walt Disney cartoon. I would love to just take off the rest of the day and lose myself in the world of fantasy and imagination! I guess that's the best part of being a kid. You can sit down and watch a Walt Disney cartoon whenever you want to.
When I was a kid, I always wanted to go to Disney World. I thought it was a magical place filled with living Disney cartoon characters. What I found wasn't quite that fantastic, but nevertheless I was not disappointed. There are many displays about the history of Walt Disney animation, as well as mascots of all of the Disney characters. There are rides, games, and even parades and fireworks displays. It got me more interested in Walt Disney cartoon animation than I had been before. I even thought about being an animator for a while.
Although Disney still makes good stuff, what I really like is the Walt Disney classic cartoons. Disney pioneered some amazing techniques in animation. I'll never forget the way that the demons looked in Night On bald Mountain, from the movie Fantasia. To this day, I have never seen anything like that Walt Disney cartoon! Not only were there demons, ghouls, and ghosts, but there were hippos dancing with alligators, as well as Mickey Mouse as a sorcerer's apprentice. It really was a fantastic Walt Disney cartoon. I don't think there is anyone from my generation who did not see it as a child.
My love of Disney is so transcendent that I tried to incorporate their animation into my everyday life. I have Walt Disney clip art on my computer, and a giant poster of Mickey Mouse on my wall. It may seem silly to you, but whenever I'm in a bad mood I look at the poster and it always cheers me up right away. It makes me think of childhood, and everyone loves to think of childhood. In fact, just writing this makes me want to go watch a Walt Disney cartoon. I would love to just take off the rest of the day and lose myself in the world of fantasy and imagination! I guess that's the best part of being a kid. You can sit down and watch a Walt Disney cartoon whenever you want to.
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