The Journey Has Only Just Begun...

 I decided that I really need to focus on expanding my knowledge and skills of design, so I'm starting with one of the programs that I learned in school - InDesign. I have Sandee Cohen's book, Visual Quickstart Guide: InDesign CS3,  and I really want to just go through the whole thing and learn everything about InDesign. I feel like my classes just skimmed the surface.

Actually, I feel like every single class I took just skimmed the surface, that's why I'm determined to start studying on my own now (which I should have been doing all along but I'm a slacker). I feel like I don't know all my programs like the back of my hand like I should. I've been using them since high school so to not know everything about them by now is just...sad.

So anyways, my InDesign book has 21 chapters. If I do a chapter a day that's only 21 days to go through the whole thing! Now, the problem right now is time and energy. By the time I get home from work (hanging/stripping wallpaper and/or painting all day) I am just physically and mentally drained. I mean, it's not like I'm just sitting in an office all day or something. We do hard work and we don't take breaks! Soon, though, we're going to be off since my mom is having surgery on her knee. And depending on how long it takes her to recover, we could be out of work for a good while. So this is my goal that I'm setting right now: Go through the entire InDesign book in 21 days, starting the day of my mom's surgery.

Projects In the Making


Ok, so I've come up with a couple different design ideas for the experience and to add to my portfolio:

• Design a sushi restaurant menu, I was thinking of naming it "Crane Style Sushi" lol. 
• Design an entire magazine (including "ads" for different businesses, just for the experience). I've been wanting to do this for a long time, I just wasn't sure what to do it on. So I decided to choose something that I'm passionate about, because this is a HUGE undertaking so I figured why not make it fun and something I would be motivated to do. So I chose music, each article featuring a band of my choice in an art style that reflects the music (I'm going to design the article while listening to the band for inspiration). 

The first one won't take that long, but that second one is pretty huge. Ugh I also really need to design my business cards...I keep forgetting about that.

Today's Shout-outs:

Dr. Prillaman, the surgeon who yanked out my wisdom teeth, for doing an awesome job. I highly recommend him: Paul E. Prillaman DDS: Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Michelle Phan, professional make-up artist & designer, for posting all those amazing how-to's & DIYs! Check it out: Her Old Blog, New Website, & YouTube Channel.

Dry Socket & Disgusting Cloves

Well, I had my follow-up with the surgeon today. I had one dry socket in the lower left extraction site. It's kind of funny, everywhere I've read on the internet everyone's like "Ahh, dry socket is the worst pain ever!" "You'll KNOW when you have a dry socket because the pain's unbearable!" Blah blah. I didn't even know I had one. It didn't really hurt at all, I mean the pain was so minor. ...are people that whimpy...

I mean, overall, this whole experience wasn't the worst pain I've ever had. I've definitely had worse pain from hockey injuries. And braces. And having like all of my baby teeth pulled out by the dentist as I grew up. So maybe that's why I don't think it was as bad as some of these people are saying.

Now, I'm not saying it was a walk in the park. It really sucked. My face is still swollen (It's Monday. I had the surgery LAST Monday.) But right now is the worst ever, I swear. This clove oil mixture stuff is going to kill me. It's SO disgusting. The taste just WON'T go away. It's making me feel sick, and I just don't feel like eating.