The song I wrote while I lived behind a couch

Me completely terrified

I spent 3 months living behind a couch while I was in Australia. A couple of friends let me put a small bedroll behind the couch in their living room and that was my "room" for 3 months straight. One of my roommates, Thomas Price, had a keyboard in his room and we'd often jam in the evenings. One night while I was playing he fell asleep. When I noticed him sleeping I stopped playing but he instantly woke up. "Keep playing" he said,"I hear it in my dreams.". So, I kept playing. I wrote the foundation of a song while he slept that night. I later added ragtime elements and wrote lyrics about Tom sleeping.

A few years ago I gathered my courage and played the song at an open mic. I've skydived and, on two separate occasions, I've been jumped by groups of strangers looking for a street fight. None of those were even close to as terrifying as an open mic. I have crazy respect for people who can perform in public. The open mic was recorded so, here it is. My first time ever playing music in public.

Moongirl

I spent most of my career as a modeler, so most people aren't aware that I started my career as an animator. I joined the studio Laika as an intern animating on the short film Moongirl directed by Henry Sellick (Nighmare before christmas, Coraline). I was a "secondary animator" which meant I animated non-character elements. Specifically, I animated most of the fishing line in the short, along with rope, chains, and anything else the characters interacted with. It wasn't glamorous, but it was a foot in the door.

I still get a nostalgia high from this short...

It was an inspirational time in my life. I sat next to Travis Knight, the current head of the studio and son of Nike founder Phil Knight. Travis is an incredible animator and he mentored me on the short. In addition to his help, Sellick was incredibly generous with his time, to the point that he would literally draw string poses with frame numbers to help me nail the animation. I often worked late and sometimes, after everyone else had left, Henry would bring a small amp out of his office. He'd plug it in next to me, sit on top of it and play the blues on an electric guitar while he closed his eyes and plotted the script to Coraline.