Domestic Geek

I went to the coolest presentation on Adobe Photoshop CS3 last night at the Denver Media Group function that was definitely worth the $15 I paid to attend. The presenter was Jay Kinghorn, a local Adobe Photoshop Certified Expert from Boulder. He was very knowledgeable, personable and packed a lot of information into the hour and a half time frame we had. I could've listened to him for hours. I must say I am impressed with how Adobe is developing Bridge and Camera Raw. Having not upgraded to CS2 when it came out, I was really unaware of the capabilities for photo corrections the newer versions provide.

I also got to see a couple of teachers from Platt, a girl I knew from school as well as a former coworker from the ad magazine in Larkspur (one that I don't despise). She was telling me how she and two other designers no longer worked there (2 were laid off and 1 quit). That leaves the original two and one of them had to take a pay cut. I'm trying not to be happy about someone's business floundering, but truth be told I am just a little. I'm so grateful that I'm better off now.

On good work-related new today, on July 1st I am eligible to participate in our 401K plan. w00t! Since they'll match up to 6% of my pay, I am thinking of doing that, but don't know if I can handle that much of my paycheck missing right at the moment. I'll definitely at least have 3% put away. That's like getting a raise right there in the long run. See, I didn't have the remote possibility of benefits at that old company. Speaking of benefits and thus dental, a pretty large piece of bone worked itself out of my gums today. Ick.

There is going to be doing a full day DMG event on September 13th that I would love to attend, however since the head of my department and one of my senior coworkers were talking about going this morning, I doubt they'll let me off for it. I told him I was interested in going and since that event is 3 months away, I'll have to wait and see. I guess it will depend on how busy we are at the time.

OK, I'm off to work on my craft blog for a bit. I totally screwed something up last night and had to get Marcus to revert to an earlier version of my database. D'oh! heh.

Last week I finally got enough courage up to talk to my supervisor about getting trained to become a Prepress Operator (I'm a Preflight Technician now). Basically, they get to do the cool stuff — fixing the files, setting them up in the imposition software, etc. I had already taken the online class that taught the basics of using the imposition software and I did quite well. Well, he agreed that it was time that I start learning and he knows that I'm a fast learner. Things kept coming up last week that kept me from being able to start training, but today I finally got to sit down with an operator and start going over the basics. Yay! The guys I work with on first shift are extremely helpful and really nice, so I know I'll get the hang of it all really soon.

Our company pays a yearly subscription fee to an online prepress training organization. I knew it was time for them to renew the subscription for the service, but I didn't give it much thought. I had checked out the site for myself and had wished I had $300 so that I could learn it on my own. Well, last Friday I was given my very own login. Woohoo!

I've been signed up for 23 courses:

• Adobe Acrobat 7
• Adobe Bridge
• Adobe Illustrator CS2: What's New
• Adobe Illustrator CS: Drawing, Tools, and Text
• Adobe Illustrator CS: Layers, Advanced Features and Output
• Adobe InDesign CS2: What's New
• Adobe InDesign CS: Master Pages, Colors and Images
• Adobe InDesign CS: Objects, Shapes and Lines
• Adobe InDesign CS: PageMaker Plugin Pack
• Adobe InDesign CS: Template and Workspace Preferences
• Adobe InDesign CS: Text, Formatting and Output
• Adobe Photoshop CS2: Color Correction
• Adobe Photoshop CS2: Masking
• Adobe Photoshop CS2: What's New
• Adobe Photoshop CS: Fundamentals
• Color Management Theory
• Creo Preps 5
• Enfocus PitStop Professional 6
• FlightCheck 5.5
• Mac OSX Panther: Font Management with Suitcase X1
• QuarkXPress 6: Fundamentals
• Transitioning from Quark to InDesign CS2
• Troubleshooting Digital Files

I've already passed two of them. I decided to get the Illustrator and Suitcase ones out of the way first since I know the most about those. Next I'm tackling Acrobat, Pitstop and Flightcheck, since those are the programs I use the most during my current duties. When I get through these, I've been told there are more than I can do. Hopefully this is my chance to really show I can get this stuff and start training as an operator.

Edit: Here, I took a screenshot of my class list. Aren't those little diploma graphics the cutest when you pass a class?

Bah, I'm still up and I should've been in bed awhile ago. I don't want to go to work tomorrow...not because I don't like my job, but I have so much I need to do around here and two days in a weekend is just not long enough to get everything accomplished. *sigh*

I'm finally getting a little inspiration for a blog design I want to work out, too, but having to go to work everyday puts a little crimp in my design time. I also am a little brain fried by the time I'm off shift and have been at a computer all day. Doesn't really put one in a creative design frame of mind. Why, oh why can't I be independently wealthy so I can pursue my hobbies?

Getting out of this park has been topmost in my mind lately, too. I'm really wanting to have a garden and get dogs, again. It's just not right to be a dog person and have no canines in your life, y'know?

This is more of a note to self, but I watched two movies yesterday and I must remember to tell you my thoughts on them tomorrow.

OK, making myself go get ready for bed.

Hey all — sorry about my absence of late. First off, I jacked up my hand somehow on New Year's Eve. That or I've developed carpel tunnel. Either way, my right hand has been killing me. It hurt so bad on New Year's that I couldn't even sleep. I also couldn't take any pain killers since I'd been drinking over at Dave's get together. Typing and mousing has been excruciating. I was bummed about the Bronco loss on Sunday, but that was quickly overshadowed by the news that Darrent Williams had been murdered. All of that in conjunction with losing Skippy, I've been in a depressed fog all week. I'm also having insomnia again. No matter when I go to bed, I can't sleep. I haven't allowed myself to resort to NyQuil or anything to help me sleep this time, but I'm really dragging.

I had a breakdown yesterday when the vet that we took him to sent us a condolence card. That in itself wasn't so bad, it was very thoughtful. What really tore me up was a paper with The Rainbow Bridge story on it and Skippy's paw prints. I totally broke down crying. I miss him so badly. It is so weird coming into a dogless house.

I do have a big of good news, though. I finally got full time at work. Good thing with the lack of PPP money I've got coming in the next few weeks. I also probably got $1/hr raise, but the owner of the company has to approve it first. The HR lady told me he would more than likely approve it, but it all depended on the mood he is in when it crosses his desk. He has seemed to be upbeat, so keeping my fingers crossed on that one. Now I'm eligible for paid holidays. In 90 days, I get full paid benefits. I've never had a job with benefits before. I think I actually get paid vacation in a year, too. I'll have to look at the handbook.

I had other things to say, but can't remember right now and my hand is hurting. I guess that's it for now.