bamboo

it's not quite what you think... {and i meant to post this a long time ago}

for christmas, hubby bought me an awesome gift - a wacom bamboo pen & touch tablet:



i finally set it up (which took way less time than i anticipated) and have been tinkering with it often. it is SO AWESOME!! especially since i just started a class on adobe illustrator. the tablet can be used as a track pad or with the pen as a drawing tool - it's so sensitive, it adjusts to pressure as i write, just like a pen/pencil would.

it will take some getting used to....you would think years of playing video games would have helped my eye/hand coordination.

macbook pro!

i am officially in love...with my new macbook pro. its SO easy to use and takes the stress out of dealing with technology. the colors seem more vivid & i'm loving the backlit keyboard. i can't wait to start working on letterpress plates with it and see just what it can do. since i'm such a nerd, i even took some pictures:

YAY!!!!!!

weekend plans

thanks for the advice & support yesterday :) i take comfort in knowing that other people feel this way sometimes too.

i got a few books made last night, with my little helper in tow:

she also worked hard at sniffing stuff around the studio, being unsure of my paper cutter, and keeping my feet warm under my work table.

and i have a busy weekend ahead...

- first friday art walk
- work at my friend's shop
- print new business cards (hopefully)
- make books
- prep some cards designs
- clean the house (because, frankly it's pretty bad)

and the big one....prepare for the arrival of fredrick, my macbook pro!!!!!! (yes i named it, in honor of the guy that helped me through the purchasing process with my newly acquired student discounts...)

or...i'll sit on my butt and watch tv. hrm.

what are you doing this weekend?

its official..

i will be starting classes in DECEMBER!!!

honestly, i'm a little scared & excited all at the same time. this program is a pretty big commitment for the next couple of years. sending in the first payment actually had my heart rate speed up...

but these classes are a step in the right direction, a start to having a solid foundation in the digital world. i'm looking forward to some new tools (hardware & software), trying something new, and taking some classes (which i haven't done in 6 years).

i'm excited at the prospects & opportunities this will bring me down the road. now i just have to stay focused on the tasks at hand...the upcoming art shows!

the great debate

my poor laptop is on its last leg. i've had it for over 4 years...and it was secondhand. it's struggling to stay alive and has served me well. i'm considering buying a new one (taking money from the money tree growing in the yard...ha).

for fun, i priced out some laptops from dell & hp just to get an idea of a price range for what i want. then, i hopped on over to apple's site and priced a macbook. dude. i used to not be a fan of apple and hubby has been working on me for years to look into their products. and then i got an ipod nano. and an iphone. and their stuff is pretty darn great. i asked a number of friends too, some die hard mac users & others who have made the switch - and everyone has positive things to say. in fact, i don't think i've heard anything negative. at all.

since i printed my wedding invitations from letterpress plates - that i had to manipulate & clean up digitally - i've been considering investing in something more reliable and powerful. there is serious potential in the printing market for me to start selling personalized letterpress invites & other stationary.

i priced out the adobe cs5 suite and um, OUCH. the suite costs as much as a laptop!! however, there is an online certificate program i'd like to take for graphic design that would teach me the basics of the adobe suite, plus lots of other useful stuff....and i could purchase the suite through the school for a slightly cheaper price.

so, dear readers, what are your thoughts on the great pc/mac debate? what do you prefer & why?

computer gripes

i need to vent and what better why to express my frustration than post it on the internet!! my work computer has been giving me the worst time. i know it is on its way out, heading toward computer heaven (or computer hell since it's been such a pain in the ass).

my typical day goes something like this:
- get to work and turn on computer, then go find something else to do for 15 minutes while it starts up.
- check on my computer, which has started up, but when i go to type in the password, i realize that the mouse & keyboard are not being recognized, so i can't type anything. restart computer and wait another 15 minutes.
- finally am able to type in password & log in to computer. go to start email program...program attempts to install about 8 times, then starts up, and 3 errors ding at me. close those and attempt to check email.
- start other programs that also attempt to install a few times for no apparent reason. i swear i click the cancel button more that any other human in the world.
- receive an email but it doesn't show up in my inbox, so i have to go to another folder, then back to the inbox for it to show up. same thing if i delete or move any emails.
- open a file. but instead of simply double clicking on it, i have to open the program first (seeing annoying unnecessary installation sequence above), then find the file and open. otherwise *DING* errors!!!!
- email program crashes for no apparent reason. attempt to restart.
- if i have 2 programs open, i will get an error stating that i don't have enough memory.
- computer then randomly shuts down for no reason whatsoever.
- get pissed and leave.

so yea i pretty much loathe this computer right now. it is the equivalent of the fax machine in the movie office space. it has become the bane of my existence. and i would really like to take it out to the range and shoot it.

rant over. thank you for your attention.