It was nice to get away from the dreary winter of Wisconsin to escape to California.  Yes, but even though I've been in nightclubs as V.I.P. all over the world, this is "business" (a different kind of business).  This is PhotoshopWorld.  Half the reason I went was to win a guru award which I didn't get last time either (haha :s) but that's ok because I still would have gone anyways.  There's just so much to keep learning about Photoshop.  And to be honest, I didn't even open the one ton course guide from PhotoshopWorld East in Miami last fall. 

 

Yes, I've been so busy to yet even refer to the San Fran course guide either.  But I must say that even if you're the most experienced Photoshop user, there's always something new to be learned.  I learned all kinds of cool things to do with the Channels palette I never would have thought of.  When you go to the conferences you receive the heavy book which covers the material in all of the courses (in case you don't have 5 clones and miss some classes). 

 

I have just a wealth of Photoshop information to keep on filtering out to all of you who missed these conferences.  I'm doing a few dozen more tutorials here soon that will definitely teach some of the hot new techniques I've learned at Photoshop World.  All in all, what can I say?...well..

 

I didn't go to City Hall but I did see a lot of asian women (yes!), Chinatown, the post office beneath Saks, even a Walgreens and Jack in the Box.  I didn't have time to see all of the touristy sites like Fisherman's Sandwich, etc.  I did run into the sister of one of my grade school friends.  Well, ok I didn't "run" into her persay (unlike the time I ran into Emilio Estevez..but that's another story).

 

I left my guru award in San Francisco (sigh...oh wait, I didn't win one yet..)!  OH: how was the conference?!  Of course it was worth it and I recommend anyone consider joining NAPP and go to the next one.  It's in Orlando, Florida on Sep 1-3rd and I will be there- No Doubt.  Here is the PhotoshopWorld website.  We can meet by the nacho cart.

 

A few words on Midnight Madness.  You'll have to skip the session before noon on day 2 if you want guaranteed tickets (and wait in line near the NAPP store booth).  Another thing: you may think you really know Photoshop and the location of the lockbox (like I did) but you will be proven wrong on the final questions for "Who wants to be a Photoshop Guru".  Julieanne Kost was even wrong!  WW2BAPGuru is the Midnight Madness game for wacky prizes and bragging rights.  And just when you thought it was over and the thought of a comfortable bed wandered through your mind, there came Photoshop Fear Factor.  This involved some really gross food, soaking target practice, moments of indecent humility, and some good laughs.

 

People were mostly chosen by numbers and some volunteers later on for the Guru challenge.  Check out the iPoddy pic and the new dollar bill with some special people hiding behind the White House bushes.  It was kind of pathetic how they chose people because the back of the room where I was got mostly ignored and they kept choosing like "10, 12, 15..." out of 250 of us.  It was worth it but maybe after I have my ACE certification I'll be more humble and not so cocky & vocal for the answers I thought were right (yeah right).  You may think you know the location of the lockbox...

 

p.s. If you're ever taking the BART from downtown to SFO Airport (with a plane to catch that you're running late for); and you're near the last stop and everyone RUNS out and the train starts backtracking towards San Fran it is still just probably going to the airport (so now you know).

 

Photos taken with my Sony DCR-IP220 MicroMV Digital Camcorder