Thursday, February 27, 2014

The importance of tools . . .

Not sure where my art is going right now. I'm making stupid mistakes because of a new system and using too much time to research how to do things and to figure out why things aren't working.

I'm in the midst of changing from a PC to a Mac, and today hit a low point.

All I want to do is MAKE something. The problem is that I'm currently unfamiliar with my tools, and the result is that when I try to make something, someone's put my tools in a different location, and when I do find them, they're slightly different, forcing me to stop, read the "tool manual," and then carry on.

In the meantime my inspiration and my enthusiasm for what I've been making has left the building.

I've spent hours trying to create and nothing is running smoothly.

I know this will pass. I know things will be fine. But right now? I just want to make something without having to bug friends, read manuals, Google various forums (where people are all too soon referred to as idiots who don't want to read manuals!), try to locate license keys and old passwords, make educated (but often wrong) guesses, wait for things to load, reload, and update only to not be able to find them once done.

This new computer (and its attendant programs) are the tools of my "trade" (such as it is). I just wish I was more familiar with its quirks, more adept at using it, and more confident with the new skill set that's now required.

And until then? Well, it's rather tense around the Leigh/Smith household these days!

©Carol Leigh, who took way too much time just to locate the above photo of old wrenches!