I just completed the first week of a new job, and I just can’t stop smiling about it.
This is only a three-month temp contract position, but it is making me very happy.
Let me tell you a story.

As I have mentioned previously, my goals started out to work as a comic book artist, which lead to being a writer, and professionally as an animation script writer. Since then, I have added Voice Acting to my skill sets. I have also worked in animation production.
Though on-going work in television animation has been what I’ve wanted, especially at the Walt Disney Company, things don’t always work out the way we plan. Yet, we do not give up on those goals and dreams, even if it takes much longer than we would hope or that go in an entirely different path to get there. When we do we discover new things to love.
Many of the jobs I have had were through temporary employment agencies.
Years ago, one of these agencies (Kelly Temp) placed me at Disney, but not in a department I would have wanted.
I was brought on as a data entry assistant at Disney Consumer Products. I was there a couple of months entering information on product coming from Disney’s third party vendors, or items shipping in from over seas. Here is a Mickey Mouse lunch box, a Princess pajamas set, or Winnie the Pooh back pack. It was a lot of work entering in numbers and names and so forth.
You know what happened?
I absolutely fell in love with Consumer Products, especially Disney of course. My real excitement came from the toys department.
Ever since then I’ve enjoyed walking through the toy departments of stores like Target and ToysrUs (RIP) and the rest; seeing all the toys and products and knowing what happened to get these toys to market.
Since then I have added Consumer Products to my list of types of companies and departments I would like to work for. (Along with Disney I am regularly checking the job boards of Mattel and MGA and others).
I got a glowing review on that first job from my Kelly agent contact at Disney with a nice letter. Unfortunately, they left the company not long after, and I never got called out to any further gigs through Kelly.
Another agency placed me for a short time at Hot Topic’s corporate offices, where I assisted their Consumer Products with cleaning up photographs of products for their website catalog. It didn’t last long but nice to have.
Time passes and I would be placed else where for temp assignments, and other jobs. I did have a couple great gigs in animation, wishing there were more, but not quitting. They will come
The temp agencies come and go. You move from one to another as they don’t place you for long periods of times. Often you are signed with several hoping one of them will find a job for you. It doesn’t even have to be the one you want, just a job.
Which is where I am currently at. Several agents have attempt to place me at different companies. It’s interesting that a large company like Disney can be working with multiple employment agencies. Each department has their favorites, I guess.
One of the current agencies I’m working through is AppleOne. A few years ago they placed me in the Employee Relations department at Disney. Another data entry job, not as exciting and colorful as Consumer Products, but I was still happy to be there. Especially since the view from my office window looked out over the Disney Studio Lot and I got to have lunch there everyday. I didn’t see any actors or celebrities (not the same thing in my eyes) but I was there among the real people that make the magic happen.
The assignment was to be three months, it stretched onto eight by the time it ended.
Then I hit a dry spell, applying for jobs constantly but not getting any. Same with the voice acting auditions.
AppleOne placed me at a couple one- or two-days gigs but that was it.
Until now.
About three weeks ago I sent our my monthly “I’m available for work” email to my agents.
Within five minutes my AppleOne agent responded saying they just got in a job opening at Disney. Did I want it?
Did I want it?!
Without knowing much about it I said Yes put my name in for it.
The only thing that would make it better would have been was if it was in Disney Television Animation. This was just as good, as a Facilities Assistant back in Disney Consumer Products. DCP is now much more and have connected departments like Disney Games, Publishing, and so forth.
I began this new tempt job this past Monday, and as I said at the beginning; I haven’t stopped smiling.
The job is simple enough, stocking the kitchenettes on each floor of the department. Which stretches across three floors of two buildings. I walk about, on average, 7 miles each day, but never feel tired because of where I am walking.
Again, I get to walk among products based on some of the best animated characters, as well as Marvel Super Heroes and Jedis from Star Wars and more.
This job is supposed to end with the end of the year, but who knows what might happened after that. I’d love to be able to discover other job openings while I’m there, especially if it might lead to something over inn TV Animation, or staying in Consumer Products. I am not going to be looking too far into the future at this point. I’m focusing on the job I’m doing now and loving every minute of it.

This smile just won’t leave my face.