Updating Software

As a small business it is often difficult to keep up with client work let alone software changes and updates. One thing I run into is the problem of software version conflicts. Recently one client needed files sent to another contractor who was doing some outside graphic work (I am working on more coding than graphic design at this moment) and the Illustrator files were not compatible. I am using Adobe Illustrator CS and he was using Illustrator 10, which is the previous version. I had to save the files in an Illustrator 10 format. If your budget allows for it always upgrade your software to the latest version so that you can be backwards compatible (most of the time, I know there are exceptions) but also handle anything that your clients throw at you. I know this can be expensive, but keep your customers in mind, if it can be worked out with ‘accounting’ then get it worked out and keep up to date. The benefits of the new software may prove useful feature wise and looking up-to-date to the customer can’t hurt!

I Book

I’m writing this from an iBook. Max OS X is so amazingly simple and cool it makes me want to jump for joy.

I am pleased to say that our trip home yesterday was almost completely uneventful unless you count the fact I had to drive through Kansas and hit some snow before we made it to Colorado. There’s snow on the ground here and I can’t wait to go play with Abby in it!

OK, gotta get back to work, I just wanted to give you a heads up.

Oh, and don’t worry Windows users, I’m not going to ditch Windows for Mac yet, but I must say this little laptop packs a punch.

Snow Trip

Tomorrow we drive back home and enjoy the wonderful snow that has been falling for the last week (off and on) in Colorado. This means that I’ll get my first chance to try out the new tired on the snow. Also, I’ll get to try out my patience with the trip through Kansas again. It’s a beautiful thing and I’m glad for the time with my daughter and bride (or bride and daughter).

Pray for our safety and I hope that sledding begins next weekend!

Review: Revenge of the Sith

Well, I finally saw Star Wars: Episode III | Revenge of the Sith. Well, not actually. Actually I am just writing this review ahead of time to save time later for more important things. Sure, I’ll actually watch the movie some time, but I find the latest additions, the prequils, to be highly undertaining. I can’t believe that they make that much money with that little script quality. I know that they spend oodles of money on the computer generated graphics, I know they spend a lot of money on digital video camera’s, catering and sand removal services. However, the script is probably the cheapest part of the whole investment. I think they use some program that generates random quotes and they keep hitting the ‘refresh’ button until the line sounds like it’s related to the previous line.

I’m sure that others will hate me for this review, mostly because it’s so snooty, but frankly, the review is based on the simple fact that unless everything else changes, including George ‘Jorge’ Lucas not directing, Natalie Portman not playing a brick Queen Amadala, and Jar-Jar Binks not playing Michael Jackson.

Oh, and my review for the movie is: go see it. Mostly because I know you’re going to anyway.

Happy Birthday Nolan!

Happy birthday Nolan, who is three. That’s a long time if you consider the life span of most flies, which is about 24 hours 🙂 Nolan loves Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and swords. That is all.

The Seven Hundred Club

This is the seven hundredth post on this blog. Surely a milestone, and for a few, a millstone. For others this blog is more like plucking eye brows. And, as is evidenced by my referrer links, this blog is like a ‘Samurai Costume,’ ‘I was a teenager,’ and of course the dead obvious, ‘ballerina needs to go potty.’ In the end, what is this blog to you? Leave the answer in the comments.

Happy Thanksgiving

Well, it’s here. The one time of the year we act like complete gluttons. OK, that’s a complete lie, here in America, we’re gluttons most of the time. This morning Doug turned on the Thanksgiving day advertisement extravoganza parade and the kids quickly moved onto playing with toys. I think parades are boring for kids because they’re not very exciting with commercials every 30 seconds, except for when a famous celebrity is pitching something else on live television.

We then started the turkey on the barbecue and started playing Empire Earth. Which lasted for maybe 45 minutes because the gals needed us to help with various things.

The dinner was good, but now I’m so tired I could fall asle……….

Whoa, sorry for that, I feel much better after that nap.

So the gals are preparing for ‘Black Friday’ AKA Day after Thanksgiving shopping. Ads are all over, including up on computer monitors where web site ads are available.

Ahh, the joy of thanks followed by the need for more stuff.

City of Breakfasts

Last night I played City of Hero’s at Mike and Luanne’s after taking Jess and Abby up to a meeting point where Amanda, Jess’ cousin would take them up to Sherman a day ahead. What a super game, I know that’s a lame pun, but the game is really unique. I can see playing it for hours being easy to do. I created a super hero that looked like the silver surfer had a son with the incredible hulk but got costume accents from Liberace. He really whooped up on average street thugs, but seemed to have a real weakness when I walked away from the computer to go get water downstairs.

Vincent, a former student of mine, called around 11:45 and so I made plans to have breakfast with him at 6 AM the next morning (this morning). Yeah, that was dumb for several reasons, mostly because I got about 5:40 minutes of sleep. I woke up in a hot, sweaty puddle of toothpaste thinking, “What,” when my alarm clock went off. OK, not really. I just woke up saying, “what?” So I got ready and headed to our meeting place. Only he didn’t come. Instead I ordered breakfast and after ordering he called and said he slept past his alarm. So he came down and I got to spend about 30 minutes with him. Not enough time, but time it was.

So, I’m back at work on this day before Thankgiving thankful that I don’t like in any neighborhoods like City of Hero’s, glad I got to eat breakfast and am Thankful I get to see my wife and daughter again tonight.

What are you thankful for? Jokes?

Your Good Fortune

Today we went to Mongolian barbecue (which in itself sounds like a mixture of Texas and the Orient) for lunch. Jon Merkel got a fortune cookie and passed the fortune onto me. I think he knew I ‘needed’ it.

Drugs are bad,
hugs are good.

This is probably typical of fortune cookies, but frankly, why can’t they come up with more philosophical fortunes, or possibly more practical fortunes like

You forgot to make your bed this morning. We’re watching you – if you keep this up the next cookie is going to be so loaded with MSG that you’ll die.

It’s motivational, practical and keeps you feeling like the war on terrorism is still in dire need of being fought.

Or

Your two year old is getting ready to ‘make business’ right now, stop her before it’s too late and you’re embarrased in public.

That’s practical!