This afternoon, I met an old colleague of mine in 5 years, who used to report me when I worked for animation studios. As it was for an animation studio, he was not strictly under my supervision, and I was more of senior animator and he junior who just got into animation.

He was more than 12 years younger than me, but I figured he would be the lead animator pretty soon realizing his superior mind on computer art and his apt skills on animations. I didn't stay in that company long enough to be friend with him, but paid attention to his name when I looked into art and animation magazines.

Today at a small seminar for computer illustrators in San Francisco, I ran into him and was quite surprised that he moved from animation to illustration. With animation, he could have more chances and opportunites, which would recognize his values and skills.

As we used to talk more on philosophies and literatures than animation when we were team members, we quickly turned out subject to our lives, how we came here and where to go from here.

He asked me what's my life's goal and I said I want to be free and independent on what I want to do. That answer was quite philosophical and abstract.

He said his life goal is to buy 2 Ferraris. It was succint and had every meaning into it. I realized, that's it. Make money enough to buy 2 Ferraris, not just one. Having that much money would free him from taking projects he doesn't want to draw. Having that much would let him work on artistic part of animation and illustration. And that would allow him to experiment with new computer technology into art and illustration. All those quickly came through my head and I thought that 2 Ferraris are the best metrics to measure how to live until he achieves it.

Then he said, once he gets 2 Ferraris, he would think about the life itself again. Until then, he would just illustrate and animate. I agreed that keep moving forward to the dream is the crucial part, and once that dream is achieved, then dream again.

He switched from animation to illustration, as in illustration he could express his ideas more quickly and directly, while in animation he was directed to animate someone else's idea. Although stay in animation secures his paycheck, he wanted to be little more free from obligations. That made sense to me.

We had to split quickly as each of us had dinner appointments already, and he said we might want to run into again when we get our first Ferrari. I said yes to his saying and also to myself that I should just achieve my first goal, then look around for the next goal.

It was a really pleasant afternoon to find a best metrics to measure up life's intermediate goal. I want to be recognized in my field so that I get huge bonus which will buy me Ferrari (or Porsche), nice house in West LA (which is paid off), and savings which will allow me to travel. It's not just money; how to make and use it are integrated into it.

(November 6,2002)