Nicole’s Journal

Well the week is almost over as far as school goes and it has been really rough. I have never felt this desperate the first week. I am not sure if I would have survived it without Craig.

Tuesday’s test went well in History of material culture. Having the pictures to reference was a huge help. We studied on the way to class and that seemed to be enough. I think I probably got a B on the test, a few of the questions were a bit tricky, and it takes a test to get used to the teachers style.

I brought my camera again to take pictures of slides. During the break a girl came up to me and asked if I would be willing to send her the photographs so she could study off them. She gave me her email so when I compile them together in the template I can send it off to her. I also put my email up on the board so that anyone else in the class could contact me if they wanted the pictures. They are definitely helpful and I am already doing them for myself, so I may as well help out others.

Monday night I had to turn in the mid project critique for my U’haul ad. Craig saved my ass last minute and helped me create a really interesting scene, which is awesome because for the life of me I could not think of anything good that showed that the park was small, while still having the elements large. The critique went well, and I know what I need to do to make it good, it is just going to take a shit load more time…ah time, what would I do with it otherwise?

When I got home from illustration class I was exhausted. I had been up since 4am, and really needed sleep. I also really needed to work on my graphic signs and symbols homework. I decided to go to bed (11pm by the time we got home and situated) and set the alarm for 4:30 am so that I would have 7 hours to work on the homework before I had to mount it and get to class. Craig said he would wake up at 7am to help me out if I got stuck.

I got working right away and pounded out 2 of the finished symbols by the time Craig woke up (he slept in another hour) We took a quick coffee and muffin break, and then I went back to work.

Craig is such a great sounding board. Anytime something just isn’t working, or I am stuck he is willing to bounce ideas back and forth, or show me how to illustrate what is in my head, or even illustrate what is in his head. I am making sure to take what he gives me and put my own spin and flair on it, and redraw it myself because I know that’s the only way I will get better. this is also helping me get used to different styles and ways of drawing.

Anyways, it got kind of close at the end, and I was rushing a bit when it came to mounting, but it all worked out. I felt confident about some of the options, and less confident about others. However when I got to the class I was amazed with how good mine looked. I am not just talking about my designs, because others designs were better. However by just shear fact that I followed the assignment I felt good. Only 4 of us out of the entire class mounted it correctly, and then not many people followed the idea that these were not illustrations, but were instead simple symbols. A lot of people put way too much detail into their designs.

For the first time in a class, my project got mentioned 2 times by other students as things that worked well. Then, the teacher went over and said that my geometric self portrait was the best in the class. We then went and looked at the other self portraits, and mine seemed like it was on top as well because everyone could tell it was me. The teacher liked out I added little lines for the mouth and cheek, because he said it resembled me because I am always smiling. I took that as a big compliment, I guess I do smile a lot, even when I am frazzled and stressed out, I try to laugh through my problems.

I was the only person in the class to not do the traditional building with smoke stacks for factory. The only problem with mine is that it lacked context, so it looked more like an assembly line than a factory specifically. The teacher suggested I just put a building behind it that resembled a factory, but did not need the smoke stacks.

Overall I am feeling a lot more confident about the project. Here I was worried that the upper division people would kick my ass, and in truth they seem to be all full of confidence, but I think it is making them lazy.

Sometimes being scared shitless of failing helps you stand out on top.

Ok, this first week has been insane.  Each term escalates what it expects out of you, and that is fine, but I am not finding that I am having an easier time getting the work done, it just takes longer.  This term I understand why, I have 3 drawing classes, which is by far my weakest point of my design.  I am excited about how far my drawing skills will go, but I am petrified by the amount of time I have to comitt in order to get there.

I have a test today in History of material cultures.  I am trying to not freak out about it.  I took really good notes during class, and craig documented the slides in sketches while I photographed them, so I know we have a lot of material to create the study cards with.  I just printed off the pictures so craig can finish up the study cards so we can study before class.

There is no point studdying a head of time for this type of test because I will forget it the next day, so a rapid fire study session before class is the best way to pass the test.

After that class we come home for about 5 hours before our next class.  This is going to be a hard time.  I know I am going to be exhausted (I woke up at 4am) However, I am hoping that because I went to be at 6pm it will be enough sleep to last me until well….I dunno.  I can not sleep when I get home from class because I have to finish my graphic signs and symbols homework which is an actual finished printed and mounted project.

Anyways back to tonight.  I have a mid project critique tonight where I am supposed to have as much as possible done on my project so that it can be critiqued.  The problem is that I only have my main subject done.  By done I actually mean a very rough representation of KIND OF what I want it to look like with base colors and no detail.  The biggest problem is that it took me 4 days to draw it.  What I am really struggling with is that I want it to be my main focus.  However, they are supposed to be very small, and on top of that I am featuring Mills Park, which is the smalled urban park in the world (host of leprachaun races) and so I am struggling with how to make everything very small, yet the focus of the piece.  I am thinking that I will put a building behind it very large to show the scale, but I am not sure.

After I survive today it doesnt get better.  I have to finish my graphic signs and symbols homework as noted above, for my afternoon class (almost demands an all nighter if you follow a night class by an afternoon class) then after no sleep come home and some how pull my concept development homework out of my ass.  I spent two hours concepting for the homework, but have not sat down and sketched anything for the class yet, and then I have to do the final 18 designs.

And then….its the end of the week and it starts again.

I am going to try to take it one hour at a time and not freak out.

Today was the official first day of our 5th term.  We started out early morning at History of Material Cultures 1.  I am so unexcited about this class.  However, the good news is that in a completly dull class, the teacher finds a way to not be dull.  This is very important considering we spend the majority of the class with the lights off looking at slides which we will have to memorize and remember information on in order for a weekly test.

The bad news, there is no access to the images outside of class, the good news is that she allows you to take photographs, the better news is that I had my camera and was able to take photographs today.

In addition to that the good thing is that I think Craig and I have a good system worked out.  I take all the factual notes, and he sketches the picture.  This will be great in case I do not have the camera, I can not get the photograph, or if the photograph just doesnt turn out.  It also keeps Craig awake, which is a good thing.

Our teacher is interesting.  We later found out she is from Louisianna, and drops all R’s of the ends of words.  She tries to correct it though, which makes it even more confusing.  She pronouces Zipper Zippah, Alter Altah etc.  She told us how she realizes it can be bad because she had a student actually put Altah on all tests because they did not realize that by Altah she ment Alter.  Other than that there is not much to discuss about the class.

We went home for a few hours and I took a nap, and then it was back to school.  Tonight I had Digital Illustration and Craig had Intro to CG.  I am still waiting for him to get out of his class, but they have the door open and even though class has been dismissed they are all chatting away, so I do not want to disrupt them.

My class wasn’t bad.  I did not think the teacher would remember me, but he did, and he remembers Craig as well, and knows he is my boyfriend, that was a huge suprize.  I thought I left no impression on him, but it is nice to know he does care about his students.

He seems a lot more interested in this class than he did his previous classes.  I am excited about this because I really did hate his previous class.

We have a project due week 3 where we have to create a U-Haul illustration that emulates their style.  Basically we pick a state and focus on some interesting fact from that state.  Originally I was going to just pick a random state and try to find a fact.  However while researching I was at a site called thingstodo.com where I was thumbing through interesting facts about different states.  I originally wanted to stay away from Oregon, because I figured everyone would pick that as a last resort.  However, I came along this fact that keeps it very difficult to keep away:
Mill Ends Park in Portland, the world’s smallest official park, measures two feet across. It was created in 1948 for the leprechauns, and a place to hold snail races on St. Patrick’s Day.

How can you resist a fact like that?

Well I just wrote this post and then something happened and it got deleted.

Basically, we finished off our 4th term well.  We both got grades that we really are happy with.  I got 2 a’s and 2 b’s and Craig go 3′bs and 1 a.  We have been enjoying our time off a lot.  I have been busy with art projects, web projects, and classes at our gym.

A few days ago we went to Henry Hagg Lake.  It was a really great trip, and we had the entire place to ourselves.  The place was half dead, and half alive, but was beautiful no matter where you looked.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the trip

I printed a few of the pictures and mounted them and they now sit on our wall.  They printed beautifully and all of the colors are very intense.

We are excited to start school on Tuesday, I think that we have a good schedule.  We will have Monday and Friday off, and then go Tuesday Morning for History of Material Culture (our one class together) We have to take three of these classes.  I hear they are pretty boring and you have to look at slides all day, memorize who created the piece and when, and then take a test on it.  I am sure to fail this class, it plays to every weakness I have, haha.  Next we go home for a bit and return Tuesday night.  I will have Digital Illustration, and Craig will have Intro to CG Programming.  He is incredibly excited about his class, I am less excited about mine.  I have had the teacher I have for my digital illustration class and I am not incredibly pleased with his teaching style, or his assignments.  To top it off I feel like illustration is my weakest aspect.  Hopefully I will grow through the frusteration.  The only really positive thing I can think of is that I have my friend Danielle in the class with me.  She is a great artist, but sometimes struggles with the technical aspect, and I am strong in the technical aspect, but struggle with the art side of it.  We are hoping to be able to work off eachothers strengths.

Next is a wednesday afternoon class.  I have Graphic Signs and Symbols, and Craig has Lighting and Texturing.  I am excited, but scared about my class.  The class is taught by my Typography 1 and 2 teacher who is an incredibly difficult teacher, and really stretches (and sometimes breaks) his students to their limits.  I ended Typography 2 on a really good note and I am hoping to keep my momentum into this class.  I am most scared about having his class in the afternoon following a night class, because that makes it difficult to get homework done.  I will need to work on his homework on the long weekend or I have no chance of survival.  His assignments are not ones you can leave to the last minute.

Thursday night we have our final class.  Craig has programming for the Artist, and I have Concept Development.  I have been avoiding his class because I have heard horrible things about all the teachers who teach it.  However, one of my favorite teachers at the school has switched from the class I took with him, to this class.  He started teaching it last term, but it did not fit into my schedule.  This term it did and he is still teaching it, so I am excited.

Over all it looks like it will be a good term.  I am going to struggle through two illustration based classes (maybe even three now that I think about it) and I am scared about that, but I think it will be a good ride.  Craig is in for what we are thinking is going to be his toughest term yet. He is taking 1.5 maya classes, and 1.5 programming classes (programming for the artist is half maya, half programming) and Intro to CG Programming is a high end junior class, which he will be taking as a sophmore.  He is very good at programming, and I think he will do awesome.  Lighting & texturing will be an interesting class as well.  Craig  has really seemed to enjoy texturing so far, and it seems to be one of his favorite parts of Maya.  To explain that a bit better, Every Animation student and Game art student starts off with 2 basic Maya classes.  Here they learn a little bit of everything.  Once you finish that, you start to break into what you want to focus into.  There are three avenues inside of maya to persue.  First there is Animation, then Lighting & Texturing, and finally Modeling.  Animation is Craig’s least favorite, however he did take one specialized animation class last term.  This term he is taking the lighting and texturing one, and next term he will hopefully do the modeling one.  You are not required to do all three, but I think Craig will.  However I do not see him following down the road as an animator, but I do see him persuing lighting & texturing or Modeling, which he is really good at.  Amazingly even though he does not like Animation, he had the top grade in his animation class.

Anyways, I am hoping that we both grow a lot over the course of this new term, as we celebrate the beginning of our second year at the school, as well as our 4 year aniversary.  This is looking like it will be a good couple of months.

This has been a semi dissapointing week.  We came to the conclusion a few nights back that the concert we bought tickets for was not a good idea.  My back has been acting up quite a bit, and I am not able to stand constantly for 2 hours, let alone an entire day of a crowded concert.  I was worried about being in the front, I was worried about being in the back…overall I was just worried.

So, we finally decided to post our tickets on Craigslist.  We got an immediate offer.  Even though she decided she did not want to do our original price, she included a free pizza, which is good for Craig.  We decided to go with the offer.  Unfortuntly we did not know how much crap this chick would put us through in a matter of 5 hours for us to finally get the amount.

Well, it wasnt really that bad, but she annoyed the hell out of us at the least.  She kept trying to get us to meet her closer to where she was, but we really didn’t feel like driving all around.  Then she kept moving around the meeting place.  She got lost because she took the wrong exit, but honestly I think she was just trying to make us feel bad and drive to her…it didnt work.  When I woke up I found I had 3 other people who wanted the tickets, so I really wasn’t going to go any lower with this chick, because I knew I was already getting ripped off.

When she finnally arived, she tried to give us even less, saying she would give us another pizza, or an obscure movie showing out in the middle of no where.  She finally stopped talking and gave us our agreed amount.

I am glad Craig was there because he put his foot down.  She got a really good deal and she knows it, but she just wanted to manipulate us.  After dealing with her my Craigslist karma is overflowing and I am bound to get a really good deal next thing I buy

The other disapointment was the realization that I will soon “outgrow” digital camera for the class.  We went out on Wednesday and took pictures in the Pearl.  I got a few nice pictures  but have to go back to finnish the assignment.  I love the class so much, but I am really disapointed about my camera. It is an awesome camera. and my teacher says that, however it just doesnt have some of the flexability that I need (fstops are the big one)

Two of my classes this week left the school and went for walks.  Mondays class was unexpected.  We got the choice of staying inside or going down to a park and doing the first half of the class there.  At first it sounded like a great idea.  Who wouldnt want to leave the air conditioned school with desks and chairs that support your back and go to a “local” park to sit on the grass in the heat?

I don’t think it would have been too bad, but then again I did not know that my teachers “walk” to a “local park” ment about a 15 block walk across town with our teacher walking so fast he may as well have been running.  Because I do not know my way around town I needed to stay near him which ment I too may as well have been sprinting.

After an hour of sitting at a slight incline my back decided it may as well make the experience fun, and started making me think it was going to go into spasm.

We left soon after, and my flip flops carried me back to the classroom and reunited me with a chair that had support, it was only then my back decided that it didnt want to spasm, and everything returned to normal.

Tuesday’s programming class was a lot of fun.  It is nice being above the curve, and knowing what is going on.  Craig and I tamper with the class examples and push them further, which is a lot of fun to do.  The teacher is awesome, and it is a lot of fun.

Wednesday it was back to the streets for photography.  I didn’t feel safe walking around alone, so I stayed with the teacher and a few other students who also stuck with him.  It was fun, but I seemed to be the only one really taking photos.  I did get a few goot shots though.

I was pretty depressed after class about my camera, and I just couldnt shake it off.  I have a really big emotional connection with my camera, and yes I know that sounds wierd.  At the same time I really love photography.  In order to use a better camera from school I need to pass a test, which is supposidly really difficult to pass.  I would really like to do this, but at the same time I don’t want to have to check out a camera only to get it for 24 hours.  It is really hard for me to plan photo shoots and a lot of the times the shots are not able to be planned, and you just have to be ready.

I contemplated switching to film, but I just don’t think that it will be a good choice for me.  I am not familliar with the Fstops and shutter speads, and it is easy to learn when you instantly see the results, however with film I would have to see at the end, and I may just end up with a roll of wasted film.

Oh well, we will see where this all goes.

Well, I only have a few minutes before we leave for class, but here is a quick update.

Saturday we went to my Dad’s to Celebrate Justin and Lauren’s birthday.  Debbie and her side was unable to make it but Lori, Reyna, Gaige, Josh, and Ryan all joined us.

Before the party we went to the plots and….WE HARVESTED!  I couldnt believe that so much was ready to be picked.  We got a ton of onions, and then 1 zuccini, and like 3 squash.  Other than that our flower garden is flourishing.  It is so incredibly tall, and almost all the different varieties have started to bloom.

There is one mystery flower left, but whatever it is it is going to be in great abundance.  I also noticed that we have a few California Poppy’s.  I am so excited to see it in a few weeks once everything is blooming.

Our corn now has little sprouty things on it, and is getting really tall.  Our Tomatoes are massive, and the steaks we put in last week are really helping.

We transplanted a few plants and they are all looking really good.

The party was awesome, we had a great bbq and played some pool.  We left fairly early thinking we could get some homework in before going to bed.  However, there was some sort of accident, and 5 was almost completly shut down.  It took us close to 2 hours to get home with all of the traffic.

Sunday was a homework day.  However, we did leave the house to go to the store, and while we were driving we saw a big black cloud of smoke, and then a bunch of firetrucks blazing by.  When we got home we found out that a plane from the air show had crashed into a house and blown up.   As the story advanced, it turns out the plane completly took out 1 house and had damage done to three others.  The pilot was killed, but no other injuries happened.   Some people were calling the Pilot a hero because it looked like he had made a sharp turn attempting to avoid the houses and land in the field, but he was just going too fast.

Anyways, off to typography, finally finished the project that has been plauging me all week.

Well, I only have a few minutes before we leave for class, but here is a quick update.

Saturday we went to my Dad’s to Celebrate Justin and Lauren’s birthday.  Debbie and her side was unable to make it but Lori, Reyna, Gaige, Josh, and Ryan all joined us.

Before the party we went to the plots and….WE HARVESTED!  I couldnt believe that so much was ready to be picked.  We got a ton of onions, and then 1 zuccini, and like 3 squash.  Other than that our flower garden is flourishing.  It is so incredibly tall, and almost all the different varieties have started to bloom.

There is one mystery flower left, but whatever it is it is going to be in great abundance.  I also noticed that we have a few California Poppy’s.  I am so excited to see it in a few weeks once everything is blooming.

Our corn now has little sprouty things on it, and is getting really tall.  Our Tomatoes are massive, and the steaks we put in last week are really helping.

We transplanted a few plants and they are all looking really good.

The party was awesome, we had a great bbq and played some pool.  We left fairly early thinking we could get some homework in before going to bed.  However, there was some sort of accident, and 5 was almost completly shut down.  It took us close to 2 hours to get home with all of the traffic.

Sunday was a homework day.  However, we did leave the house to go to the store, and while we were driving we saw a big black cloud of smoke, and then a bunch of firetrucks blazing by.  When we got home we found out that a plane from the air show had crashed into a house and blown up.   As the story advanced, it turns out the plane completly took out 1 house and had damage done to three others.  The pilot was killed, but no other injuries happened.   Some people were calling the Pilot a hero because it looked like he had made a sharp turn attempting to avoid the houses and land in the field, but he was just going too fast.

Anyways, off to typography, finally finished the project that has been plauging me all week.

wow….it just deleted my post….

I really don’t feel like typing it all again. Basically, the week is over, I have tons of homework, lots lots lots. All my classes are really fun, and I love them all.

It is really nice having Fridays off now because we have a really long stretch from Thursday afternoon till Monday night to finish up assignments and have a little time off.

Tomorrow we are going to dads to celebrate Justin’s birthday, which is today (HAPPY 23rd BIRTHDAY JUSTIN)!!!!

Well, that is the much shortened version ha-ha.

…I actually started this post Tuesday night, but ended up spending so much time going through my photos, that I decided to put it away and finish it later….

Well to start off, Saturday we went to my dad’s for a family pool party. We showed up early and went to go tend our garden. We did some really good work, but most importantly we staked our tomatoes.

Everything is looking really awesome. Our corn is getting really tall, our tomatoes have tons of stuff on them, our cilantro is taller than me now (we have no clue what to do with it because it has white flowers on it, and have no clue if you are supposed to keep that or what). Our squash plant is trying to take over the entire garden plot, and we had to transplant three plants that were being sucked up by it. Each of our onions have split into two separate onions, and are showing above the ground, our flowers that we planted from seed have taken off, and a few are even flowering, our zucchini is doing awesome, overall I am totally blown away.

Here are some photos from the plot:

After working our butts off at the plots we got home with time to freshen up before everyone arrived. The party was tons of fun and I finally got to see all of my cousins that I haven’t seen in almost a year despite being so close.

I spent the second half of the night chasing Reyna’s baby Gaige around having a blast. He is such an amazing kid, and he just lights up, so running around with him brought the kid out in me.

On the way home from the party there was an amazing sunset. I rarely get to see sunsets now that we live in Oregon because every night is overcast it seems, so now every time I see one it is even more special.

Sunday was the last day before school started up again, and I was desperately hoping for an uneventful relaxing day so that I could prepare myself. My wish was not granted.

I woke up and my back was in complete spasm. There was not a single position I could put myself in to ease my pain. I have been fortunate to move past the back spasm part of my back, and so I have experienced other horrible pain, but I had forgotten about my good friend back spasm.

I spent about four hours in this pain trying to wear it off. Finally, Craig came over to check on me on the couch and I broke down and started crying. I was so frustrated, and I did not know what to do. I finally decided that I needed to get a massage. I didn’t know if this would help, or hurt me, but I needed it.

I was lucky enough to find a place that did a new customer discount of about $20, who had an opening in 1 hour, for $39. I felt a little weight lift off my shoulders in hope that I would feel better.

The massage was wonderful, except I do wish I had not have mentioned my shoulders. While they were sore, it was more from exercise, and so I think they would have gone away on their own. I probably only got 20 minutes worked on the specific side of my back that was having the spasm.

The massage was absolutely wonderful though. I felt myself relax into her hands, and I left there so relaxed that I was almost in a slumber. Immediately my spasm had stopped, and although I was still in pain, it was brought down significantly.

However, it always feels that once one area goes away I notice another way. As soon as I walked out, I realized how much my right hand hurt. It was the muscle that goes from my thumb to my palm. I cannot grip, squeeze, make a peace sign, erase write, or lift anything. I watch a lot of the critical hospital shows and they often brace your back even if it is not hurting if you have a significant injury elsewhere because they say that once the significant injury is fixed, they may realize their back really is injured, they just didn’t notice it before. I wonder if this is what happens to me. My body focuses on the most significant pain, which covers up my other pain. Another idea I had was that maybe my body compensates from one injury and ends up hurting something else (would not explain the hand injury, but may be why after my back spasms were gone my sciatica began acting up) I know my physical therapist talked a little bit about that, but I don’t remember the actual circumstance of it.

Last night I broke down because I just got so sick of being in pain. This has been 6 years of virtually unexplained pain. I watch these diagnosis unknown shows where people spend years of their life going undiagnosed and going through a lot of the things I have gone through where doctors just throw things at them. I almost feel like doctors would say “you have _______” just to get me on my way. I don’t know if any of them really believed me, so they never seemed to truly cared to take the time and diagnose me. Now this is my rational while in a breakdown, so I am not sure I always think rationally at this point, but it is the conspiracy theory in the back of my head at all times.

Ok, now onto much more interesting and rational thoughts.

School started Monday, and my frist class was Typography II, aka the class I dreamed about the entire break. Ok, I am a dork, I dream about typography however I was sooo excited. I have the same teacher as I did last term, and I know I will be challenged significantly and not get the A I dream of, but it will be extremely rewarding and interesting.

I also learned that we will be creating our own fonts. Our own typable workable tangible font….god I am excited.

Also, I learned that my last project from last terms Typography class got put up on the wall!! He only picked like 5 to put on the wall and mine was one! I had a blast doing the project and got really positive feedback, so I am thrilled.

Monday Craig had Intermediate Animation Techniques. He originally had Josh Jones, who was one of the best 3D teachers, or possibly even the best teacher period at AI. However, AI was not able to hold onto Josh, and he got a better job, and moved on at the end of the term. The person who they got to replace his has never taught a day in his life, Craig’s class was the first class he had ever taught, the first day at the school, and he had only gotten the syllabus a few hours before. Needless to say the guy was very frazzled. Craig did say he is definitely knowledgeable, but is not sure the guy knows how to share his knowledge. It should be interesting.

Ok Tuesday night we had our only class this term together, Logical Thought and Programming. This is a beginning programming class, but after the first day, Craig and I are so thrilled about the class. The teacher has a masters in fine art, but while working at a 3D company he became very interested in the programming side, that he decided to learn some programming. He is completely self taught, and honestly that may be the reason that he has a thirst for answers that I have not seen in many programming teachers.

During the class Craig asked a question along the lines of “what would happen if you manipulated the code in this way…” The teacher originally did not originally know and at first gave the typical teacher response of “I don’t know, but you could fool around with it on your own time.” Then he stopped and thought for a second and was like “wow, what would that do….” and decided to try it. It was really cool to see him get excited about it, and I think that it is the excitement you get from wanting to learn, which a lot of teachers loose.

Today (Wednesday because it is now 11:58 and will be yesterday by the time I publish this) I had Basic Photo Techniques, and Craig had Figure Construction.

I want to start off by saying my teacher is truely amazing. He worked at Nike for 14 years, has galleries of his photographs all over, his photos have been used on wine labels and book covers, he was a software developer and beta tester for all major programs, and knows the history of photography, and everything else I have asked him like the back of his hand.

He spent the entire 3 hours and 45 min class talking about photography and putting us under his spell. He showed us historical camera pieces and passed cameras around the class for us to look at and see the evolution. When he announced it was break time, no one budged, we all wanted to hear more.

After class I got into a discussion with him on why the Mac is said to be better in the design firm. It is what I always heard, but never got a straight answer as to why.

I think we talked for about an hour, and Craig joined us afterwards and for the first time it started making sense. The answer is not straight, but about 45 minutes down the line he said this:

It is like a manual car, and an automatic, some people will swear by the manual because it gives them more power at their hands, but some people don’t care and just want the car to do it for them….that is what the Mac does.

That makes a lot of sense. While you may have tons more options for customization on a PC, not everyone has the knowledge or the want to exercise that. He said what it comes down to is that the Mac is trying to be more of an appliance. Somewhat like a toaster, it just works without you having to spend all night configuring the options. You get in there get what you want done and move on…