Two Roanoke women win chance of a lifetime: tickets to one of Oprah Winfrey's ...

Chrystal Shawn was still in her pajamas when she checked her email that Sunday morning.

As a lifelong "Oprah Winfrey Show" fan, learning she had won two tickets to the Oprah Surprise Spectacular in Chicago made her want to make a lot of noise.

But in the same room, her husband, Bret, sat with their 8-month-old daughter, Ellie, sleeping on his chest and the dogs, Sally and Penny, curled up at his feet.

"I couldn't scream; I couldn't shout," she said. "My hands were on my heart, and then they flew up to my head and I kept saying 'Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. I won, I won, I won.'"

Of course, she had to call her mother, Deborah Marshall, right away. The conversation went something like this:

"Mom, mom!"

"What's wrong with Ellie?"

"Nothing is wrong with Ellie. Mom, I won two tickets to the 'Oprah Winfrey Show!' "

"I can't believe it! I've watched Oprah for years. Are you taking me with you?"

"Mom! Who else would I be taking with me?"

Devout fans

Such a silly question, "Are you taking me with you?"

Ever since she can remember, Shawn said, her mother has been watching Oprah.

When Shawn was a kid, her mom watched the show every day after work when Shawn was old enough, they watched it together.

"I always associate it with good memories of Mom being home and the family around the TV together," said Shawn, now 32.

They remember the episode where a dying mother filmed lessons on living -- how to put on makeup, how to talk to boys -- for her daughter.

They remember Mattie Stepanek, the little boy with muscular dystrophy.

And of course, Shawn said, "everybody remembers Tom Cruise jumping on the couch when he said he loved Katie ... what is her last name?"

As Oprah's image (and yes, her hair) changed through the years, Shawn graduated from Northside High School and went on to James Madison University, where she often watched Oprah with her suite mates.

When Shawn returned to Northside High to teach English, she continued to watch the show every day, with a little help from her TiVo. She had become what her mother remained -- a steadfast Oprah fan.

None of the bad press and rumors about Winfrey fazed them. They didn't care about her relationship with longtime fiance Stedman Graham, or whether she and friend Gayle King were lesbian lovers, or whether Texas cattlemen wanted her head on a platter.

Advanced Maya Texturing and Lighting | Autodesk 3ds Max 8

Written by an industry veteran who has used Maya in such films as Mortal Kombat and Shrek, this full-color book offers advanced, professional-level techniques for texturing and lighting for rendering 3D models in Maya Begins with an introduction of various lighting concepts, then offers readers detailed explanations of Maya's numerous hidden features so they can achieve amazing results quickly Features an unparalleled exploration of Maya's Hypershade, where animators create connections between shaders, texture maps, lights, cameras, and geometry Provides a thorough look at rendering in Maya, including everything from batch rendering to global illumination workflow and HDRI techniques The CD-ROM includes the Maya Personal Learning Edition, textures, tools, professional shaders, and more

Amazon Sales Rank: #683757 in Books Published on: 2006-09-19 Original language: English Number of items: 1 Binding: Paperback 360 pages

From the Back Cover Valuable Techniques from an Industry Veteran The art of texturing and lighting is a crucial aspect of any movie, game, or other animation project. Now you can learn the secrets of professional animators, mine powerful and often hidden features in Maya, and achieve amazing results with the detailed information you'll find in Advanced Maya Texturing and Lighting. Written by an industry veteran whose texturing and lighting has been featured in such films as Mortal Kombat, Antz, Shrek, and many others, this in-depth book focuses on advanced techniques used in real-world production environments. You'll find out how to add complexity to your work with custom shaders, high-level texture mapping, a full understanding of lighting concepts, and an unparalleled exploration of Maya's Hypershade window. The book takes a detailed look at rendering in Maya, including everything from batch rendering to global illumination workflow and HDRI techniques. In gorgeous full color and full of tips, techniques, and workflow ideas straight from the studio, this valuable guide doesn't just teach, it shows you how to achieve the same dazzling and rapid results as the pros. The enclosed CD features exclusive content, including two bonus chapters, Maya scene files, custom shading networks, textures, the Maya Personal Learning Edition, and files for the practical tutorials, which were designed from an industry perspective and refined in the classroom. Understand lighting theory, history, application, and technique.

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