Clackamas Print
Feature 5
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008
itudent sells to Pixar
rd work and a knack
~ stbrytdling helped
eitlLMeyers land a
al with Holly woods
^est animation studio
itt Garrison
'Clackamas Print
pith Meyer’s active imag-
jn recently landed him
il with Pixar Animation
ids.
jyers, a Clackamas stu-
submitted a story to
late last year that was
iccepted. The piece, with
n character who is an elf,
:hildtpn’s story speckled
adult humor.
was watching a small per
limb into a huge truck,”
:rs said in regards to his
ration to write the tale.
. he ¡observed this indi-
il, Meyers was reminded
elf.lHe created the sto-
3 from there.
Tult Education Instructor
a McKenna has taught
:rs and holds a high opin-
f his work.
ieith was a very self-
red, Jbcused and inter
motivated student,”
tenna said. “He has a real
br writing. His stories are
ntful and whimsical sto-
sometimes with hints of.
Aesop’s fables and sometimes you through.”
with surprise shifts in lows
Meyers does not know
reminiscent of Walter Mitty.”
when his story’s silver screen
You can read a rough draft
“Keith has worked with counterpart will emerge or in
of one of Keith Meyers’
the Life and Career Options what form. Pixar has not con
Program (LCOP),” she added. firmed how they plan to use
fictional short stories to
“He gives a lot of credit to the the piece, but it may become
the right
LCOP for helping him devel the basis for a short film.
op the confidence to be so
In the meantime, Meyers
daring.”
has some very basic advice for
Also, check out the back page
The LCOP helps students aspiring writers:
for more student creations.
determine their career and life
“... Write about something
plan.
you know about”
“Keith is a great guy who is
inspiring,” said Former
LCOP Adviser Jackie
Hubka.
Getting a story recog
nized in the film industry
is not an easy task.
“The process was very
difficult,” Meyers said.
“I had to find a liter
ary agent, search movie
industries and ask ques
tions. Use caution when
picking your agent; some
will take advantage of a
new writer.”
“First, write the story.
Sit on it. Have friends
look at it,” he contin
ued. “Accept the criti
cism. Revise and edit the
work. Start over if you
have to.
“Have several people
read it again. Accept
more criticism until you
Genyva Laubach Clackamas Print
get it right. Don’t let it
Student Keith Meyers works at his computer in the Dye Learning
destroy you. Then, find
Center. Meyers went through agents and many drafts of his
an agent, ask them ques
tions and let them walk story before his work was accepted and purchased by Pixar.
>wis: Love found on campus
ntinued from LEWIS, Page 1
spired by the students she saw
day and her “fairy godmoth
lice began furthering her own
ition and eventually earned a
;r’s degree in communication,
re she was hired as a full-time
number in 2003, her and
relationship had deepened.
fr
e j^came acquainted; we
ne friends,” she said. “We
each other’s company and
a period of time dating. It
rery hush-hush.”
ic said, “[We] kept our rela-
lip private from our cowork
think ¡several people knew
was something between us,
t wasn’t being openly dis-
a.”
ie topic of marriage was
hed in 2002, when Eric was
ring for a term of teaching
amas students in London.
iVe knew that Eric was going
'over there for three months,”
said. '“We thought, ‘Wow
ay don’t we look into getting
ed over there.’”
ie couple traveled to Scotland,
a the spring of 2002, at the
h equivalent of a justice of
.«ace, they were wed.
/hen we announced that
! was going to travel with me
gland for the term, and that
id I were going to get married
itland while we were abroad,
>y and’support we received
our colleagues was tremen-
’ Eriqsaid.
ice said, “In fact, they threw
dding shower for us when
bt back from London here on
[*2003, after Rickenbough
1, Alice finally became a full
member of the communica-
iepartment.
me might find the idea of
Since 2004, when their son
Evan was bom, the real challenge
has been coordinating their busy
schedules to fit their new roles as
parents.
“I think for us, because our son
is so young, we have to switch off
times,” Alice said. “We can’t be
here together at the same time very
easily.”
They are both looking forward
to next year, when Evan will be
in school and they can ride to the
campus together.
Despite how well dating at
the workplace has worked out for
them, they suggest that anyone
seeking their same good fortune
be very careful.
“When romance blossoms in
the office, the normal outcome is
that someone gets hurt, rumors
can flow, staff members can get
caught up in taking sides or the
intrigue of scuttlebutt, all causing
discord and unhappiness,” Eric
said. ‘Tor all of these reasons,
Alice and I kept our private lives
private, because we didn’t want
our working world to get messy
and uncomfortable if our relation
ship went belly-up.”
However, as Alice explains,
it is common and natural to be
attracted to one’s coworkers.
Contributed
“We meet people that we become
Alice and Eric Lewis pose
involved with in the places that we
during their 2002 wedding
frequent,” she said. “Proximity is a
held in Scotland.
big part of how we form relation
ships with people, so I think a lot
Eric said, “I think it brings us of the times it’s inevitable.”
All is well for Eric and Alice.
closer and gives us an intimacy that
couples that don’t work together Worries about gossip and unwel
come chatter have been replaced
miss out on.”
“It also probably helps that by six successful years of mar
Alice and I teach different subjects, riage.
“It was very fairy tale-like to
work in different buildings and
come to work on different days,” come here and meet my prince
he added. “It is not as though we charming,” Alice said. “Everybody
share a cubicle and are bumping loves a good story, and it was a
nice, happy ending for both of us.”
into each other 24/7.”
July Fourth in England
By Keith Meyers
One day I asked the question:
Dad, do they have July fourth
in other parts of the world?” As
the wise dad began to answer the
son’s silly question, he thought, “If
I answer this question, he will ask
why, as any five-year-old would
do.”
Wisely, as Dad sat pondering
how he would answer, he had an
idea! Gently, he took the son over
to the telephone and started to dial
a very long phone number.
I was unfamiliar with the
strange, long phone number that
he dialed. A voice answered the
phone. “Hello, Master Robins
speaking.” I quietly thought, “Who
is “Master Robins?” My dad never
enlightened us about this guy!
Mom did not know of him, either.
Who was Master Robins?
Dad spoke to Master Robins as
if he was a long-time friend. Who
was he? We never knew! Even my
mom who was sitting on the sofa
was a bit confused. I ran back to the
phone where Dad was making the
call. All of a sudden a lady named
Mumm picked up the phone, and
with great respect, my dad asked
the lady if she could tell his five-
year-old son that they do have July
fourth in England!
A sweet, elderly lady with a
soft voice called me by name, tell
ing me, of course, we have July
fourth in England. “Son, what did
your teacher teach you that comes
before the fifth and after the third of
July?” she asked. With a smile and
chuckle, my dad did in fact answer
the question. Yes, they have July
fourth in England!
CHANGE LIVES
having to go to work with their
spouse downright frightening, but
Eric and Alice’s experience has
been anything but worrisome.
“There is an instant understand
ing when we talk about issues or
challenges or the happy things that
happen on campus,” Alice said.
“There is an instant understand
ing because you know the cast
of characters; you know how the
institution works, and there is a
long history of being here at the
college together.”
STARTING WITH YOUR OWN
■ BA COMMUNICATION STUDIES
■ BACHELOR OF MUSIC THERAPY
■ BA PSYCHOLOGY
■ BA RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Spring term starts March 31st
■
■
■
■
•
Flexible scheduling
Small classes
Year-round admission
Custom degree plan option
Scholarships for transfer students
To meet with an advisor, call 503.699.6268 or
e-mail studentinfo@marylhurst.edu.
MARYLHURST UNIVERSITY
ONE MILE SOUTH OF LAKE OSWEGO
Accredited by Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
17600 PACIFIC HIGHWAY (HWY. 43) MARYLHURST, OREGON
Academic excellence since 1893.
800.634.9982
www.marylhurst.edu