falling apart but feeling good

well... this blog is going to be short and sweet because i'm hanging on by a thread. thank you to everyone for the great feedback--tara, the backstage pass idea worked like a charm, thank you for the great suggestion. this has been the hardest, yet the best, class i have ever taken. i can now officially say that my portfolio is coming together. i will be using every project from this semester and i feel proud of the work i've done. thanks, amy, for pushing us beyond what we thought was possible.

Grand Finale

So... i totally disappointed myself and finished my posters OVER a day early. WTF?! I think you guys are starting to affect me. This semester was like a sleep deprivation experiment for me, but 3 classes down, one to go at 7:45 tonight. yessssss. I'll be spending the next few days working on thesis proposal stuff... but it'll be the ONLY school stuff on my mind. ahhhh... refreshing.

You peeps have been by far the best and most interesting classmates in a sea of "normal" students. I feel like i've learned to articulate my thoughts a lot better throughout the semester. I'm excited for the new year, and a new non-ghetto school buiding.


HERE is a good recap on some best-of design highlights from 2008.

The last blog...

I'm almost blogged out so let's see if I can muster up one more blog. I agree with you guys, the group critiques were helpful each week. It was nice to get more than one opinion and I always felt the feedback was constructive and helpful. Using your feedback, I think the Black Hawk Down poster has improved (as well as the others) and I'm pretty excited about it. I used the poster printer which is AWESOME (I love how I'm just finding out about it now)...and the goal of the day is to try not to destroy my posters when I mount them.
Anyway, I feel like I took everyone's advice pretty seriously and it really improved my work. When I get out of here and get a "real" job I hope to work with a graphic design team because I think it's important when you are in the design field. I like to do my own thing and then show people what I've got and hear what they have to say. It's nice to have fresh eyes look at your work because they can usually pinpoint the problem. Hopefully I can find a work environment that is as friendly and helpful as you guys. Awww.
See you all tonight.

whew.

Well, after many prints, I picked 3, and am done. I was going to keep printing, but my mother did a little intervention, and reminded me that no matter how many prints i make, there will be parts i am happy with and parts i would like to change on every one--so just pick my favorites. I was getting a little worried that i was coming down to the wire because the carving was time consuming, but in the end i am generally pleased. of course, there are things i would have changed a little if i could, but once you carve, that's it. and really, that is a little liberating that i cant be in front of the computer until the 11th hour making a little change...then changing it back...then back again...
Honesty, I wanted to take this class with Amy but was so nervous going in. "Advanced" graphic design...seems so out of my league. I knew i would be exposed as a hack. And really, that was partially why I took it. Either i could cut it, and learn something along the way, and feel like maybe i am ok at this after all, or be called out as a no talent and start putting in applications at walmart. Either way, I would know where I stand.
So I made it through, didn't have any nervous breakdowns, and emerged more learned. Everyone's feedback was really constructive yet unjudgemental and I never felt like i was going up on the chopping block when it was my turn to show what i had toiled over that week. I loved seeing everyone else's work, and felt like everyone else enjoyed it too..no one ever acted like they were just there because they had to be, including Amy. Classes like this are great, i feel like i emerged with more skills, and a few more pals.
So thanks to everyone, and I can't wait to see everyone's projects tonight!

the universe works in mysterious ways

I was wondering at the end of last week, just how I'd get everything done for today.

Mother Nature intervened and gave me a lovely case of conjunctivitis, which has so far garnered me 3 days off of work. I never thought I'd miss 10 hour days of patients, but daytime TV is boring, even with the distraction of my assignments.

This has been a really great class for me. I really appreciated everyone's thoughts and advice, as well as the opportunities to stretch my creative legs a little. I only wish I'd been able to take it earlier.

tie eye

This is the end of the line for me. Final thesis and I am done. Soon I will be able to call myself designer, which is good. It is really embarrassing, these days, being banker. Speaking about economy, since, now, I know what “tie eye” is, everything is clear to me. If that symbol is so recognizable, than our economy is in the good shape. “Hofmann students” as CEO’s. Taking all of this into consideration, spending 20 million on spa is reasonable.

Wow woot beats Ebay!

Whenever I take a design course I feel that my work has 15 conductors and I am not the one in control. Being a child of the 70s this is not entirely foreign or unpleasant for me. Thanks for coming along for the ride. Very nice class I would enjoy working with any of you again and this is not true of all classes! Happy Holidays -- we are almost done!

The Importance of Failure

I think it's important to allow yourself to fail with an idea. Not being afraid to try new ideas, no matter how goofy they may be, helps push your design in newer and unexpected directions. I tend to stubbornly hold on to an idea too long, until someone comes along and tells me to drop it and take a different approach. This last project has been a struggle for me partly because it's the end of the semester and the well is running dry, but mainly because I insisted holding on to the 1970's angle far too long. I appreciate the honesty and constructive criticism everyone had to offer, which forced me to rethink the problem and approach it from a different angle. I'm not sure if my new approach completely solves the problem, but it was important for me to experience the process, which is what design education is all about. Great class, great people, great instructor. I hope I get the opportunity to take more classes with all of you in the future. Thanks and Happy Holidays to everybody.

Woot!!

Sorry my buddy has gotten me hooked on the wootoff on woot.com. You can find some pretty sweet stuff.

Anyways, it has been a pleasure enjoying this class with all of you. I appreciate everyone's insight to everyone's work which brought a lot of creativity into your work. I know I may have been in the program longer than most and have seen 3 or 4 graduating class go through. But this group is one of if not the most intuitive class I have been in since starting here 3 years ago.

Everyone has there own style, work ethic and humor which was a good mix. Have a happy holiday!

ALSO == If anyone would like to give any advice as to what classes are good to take in the future let me know. I think I have 12 credits left and need to take an advance writing course. Any advise would be appreciated.

Shout outs-

Hey what a great idea for the last blog post!

Shout out to everyone in the class for suggesting I rethink my poster series. I had a decent starting concept, and began working with some images and ideas, but you all steered my in a better direction. Everyone had so many good ideas for me throughout every crit of all the projects, I can think of a specific person or suggestion [there really were many, it's not just a cop-out], but I think my work was better from everyone's input. Glad to see people don't just keep the best ideas for themselves.

Thanks!

Holiday Cheer Shout-Out

I realize this is a record for me - blogging on Saturday!

First, I'd like to thank everyone for a wonderful class. 

As I think back on this course, I realize that much of our class time was taken up with crits. And through the weeks we got a good sense of each other's process and the chance to sharpen our critical crit-making skills. Giving and getting useful feedback and finding inspiration from one another's take on the same assignments, is something to be valued, and I'm sure, a lost commodity in the real world outside academia. In the spirit of giving this holiday, its nice to think of our design class as a forum for giving creative support to one another. 

So, I thought in the spirit of the holidays I would start a "Holiday Cheer Shout-Out" this week. Here's your chance to thank the class for a particular insight or helpful hint that gave clarity, focus or new energy to an assignment this semester.

I would like to thank you for pushing me beyond my first DVD idea. The cover would have worked fine (with the big movie sky lights) but by pushing me into something more unusual - I was able to realize the clear box with the color spectrum. I think my project was ultimately more successful and interesting.

Clint font

Here's my new version of the Clint font. I refined the serifs so they don't look as much like arrows, tilted the "S", and made a few other minor kerning changes. I'll bring to class and await the feedback--

Final Design with Lens Outlines

Back to Basics

I think this post's topic couldn't come at a better time. I agree that while the computer has opened up limitless possibilities, a return to some of the traditional processes is in order. For example, I really like the direction that Tara's headed with the linoleum block printing, and I agree with Carolyn that as an undergrad, I experimented a lot more with traditional processes like printmaking and especially photography. There was something special about getting into a darkroom and seeing the imagery come to life in a tray of chemistry. Now, that seems like a million years ago.

I've been experimenting with hand drawn and computer processes with my original font. Since my poster project's concept calls for something raw and immediate, I like the direction its going and I might consider creating the whole alphabet. I'm even considering taking a drawing class next semester. As an undergrad, my major was primarily photography, so advanced drawing classes weren't required. It would be interesting to see how I can incorporate that into my future work.

Also, although I can't fit it into my schedule, I understand that MICA's Continuing Studies is offering a class in experimental typography. I assume that it involves creating fonts from scratch. Jerry Litofsky, the man who moderated last week's tribute to Ed Gold, is teaching the class. Check it out.

I think what gives me inspiration these days is doing the little things. My husband and I wanted to make pasta sauce this year instead of cookies as holiday gifts. I get to work on the tags and mason jars. Whipping up a quick project that makes me smile - with no pressure of grades or clients - makes the idea of worthwhile.

Happiness / Sagmeister / Another Viddy

So i'm jumping on the bandwagon a bit, but it's a fun & interesting bandwagon so... THIS VID gives me hope for the impending future post-grad school.

The long slog

Creativity, I’m looking forward to that. My well is very dry at the moment, work has been unremitting, I have had freelance, and two design classes this semester. I like what I do but it has been too much of a good thing here lately. My approach is to just hunker down and do it whether I think it is really good or not. It is the only way I know how to this much work done.

Super creative geniuses describe being almost pulled along by an idea, being unable to stop. I have felt this at odd times, but I cannot count on it in the day-to-day.

I went to Sagmeister’s website and it is safe to say that he is one of those creative super geniuses I love this work showing in a playful way what our national priorities have been and how they might improve.

As far as this program is concerned, what has surprised me the most is how much I got out the writing classes. I would really like to find a good reading group, if any of you know of one.

Here is a video you all may have seen but it was new to me. A good response to “what is graphic design” I like the ending, after 12-14 hours staring at a computer screen, my eyes feel as if they have been looking at the sun…

Too Much Inspiration

It is funny this is the first semester that I have felt like I am struggling with too much inspiration. Most of the time when I get a project I start thinking about what I am going to do right away. Then I start thinking about how I am going to successfully get it out of my brain and onto sometime type of medium. I think I have always tried not to over complicate my ideas and layouts but for some reason I am starting to cram to many ideas into my layouts. Which drives me crazy. It is like I am purging everything in my mind onto my layouts. Maybe this problem a way my mind is over compensating for the lack of my dominant hand. The way I am approaching this strange obstacle is to walk away from my projects and then come back to them. This gives me a chance to look at my idea in a different light and with a fresh eye. I have always been able to come up with an idea and execute it, of course I may have to do some twigging but the foundation is there. This is why it is a struggle for me. I hope this approach works.

This the way it feels.

It's been a week of the mind being willing and the flesh being weak chez Geek. I keep working and working, but it feels like nothing is getting accomplished. Construction is going really well, but I stil have nothing to show just yet - they're a little unfinshed, and the glue was still too wet to bring out in the lovely rain we are having today.

What's done looks great though, and I'm pleased with the results. I just think that I need 36 hours in a day to fit everything in that I need and want to do.

Posts to follow with things that are done.

Hands

This weekend I had opportunity to play with Cintiq interactive display, now I have to by one. I was always mixing aquarelle, acrylic and pencil with Photoshop, but with this peace of equipment everything I am doing will be at list ten times faster and better.

Since the time of Photoshop 2.5, I found technology very inspiring. Even, before I star painting, I will use Photoshop. It gives me opportunity to push creativity in to something that is, at list for me, hard to imagine.

It is always interesting to watch how technology is used by those who were the first to recognize it and use it, like Kraftwerk (www.kraftwerk.com). Warning: For all of you who had ActionScript class this web site can be very disturbing, so try to avoid it.

With no doubt, the best tool we have are our hands.

Darko Rundek – Ruke (Hands)

Creative and Intuitive Thinking

I am a night owl and and get most my creativity late at night going into morning. Though I pay for it the next day but I wake up and check out what I did and most of the time I'm like "whoa" that looks like nothing I was going for but I like it and work with it...getting into the zone with no distractions is the best for me, oh and under pressure.

I love the fine arts too though I know I am not the best drawer in the world I still like to paint oils or water color because of the lack of detail. Not good with detail and fine arts. I often appreciate the fine arts at museums more so that the graphic arts because I know I could possibly come up with the graphics but the fine art intuitive thought is sometimes mind blowing.

Love the clip of Sagemeister and especially of his outside of the normal realm of thinking. Those hot dogs that spelled out "For", freaking sweet even though it was just some Eskays I love the thinking.

"Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated." -Paul Rand
RIP

Chermayeff & Geismar - Logomotion - I know most of you have probably seen this it's still cool.

Mental

I'm not sure if this would fall under inspiration (or maybe self torture) but I can't seem to achieve real productivity until about a week before a project is due. For example, I have been working on my posters and typeface for a total of about a month and yet I haven't felt the "pop;" the feeling you get when everything begins to come together and you never want to stop working because you're on such a roll. I get up early every morning (not Tara-early, but early) and sit in front of my beautiful new computer, which one would think would be inspiration enough, and nothing... I sit, stare, and try to think of ways the project would or could be better and nothing. I guarantee I won't feel inspired until 9pm on Saturday. I'm beginning to question my mental stability because I know the count down is on and yet I feel like I'm in a dream trying to run and my feet are spinning in place. Does this problem plague anyone else?

just watch

School, inspiration and the whole crazy thing.

This program has definitely changed my creative process and the way I look at things. When I started school, someone asked me if it was making me look at things differently (ads, commercials, movies, etc.) I said no, not really...
Well, now it is, and it's a really good thing (although it drives me a little crazy when I'm trying to figure out what typeface is on a street sign). I'm much more aware, now, of my visual surroundings and the design that surrounds us in various media.
As for inspiration, I feel like sometimes I get too busy to be inspired (if that makes sense.) It's so much easier to be inspired when you're traveling or have time to go to museums, walks, etc. Right now I'm just trying to finish school, not get fired and see my friends and family when I can. But I do find inspiration in little everyday things and I find inspiration in other designers (famous or colleagues/teachers).

I've found a lot of teachers are telling us to not rely on the computer as much. I was a Fine Arts student undergrad so I was really into drawing/painting etc....but now I've gotten so removed from that with the computer. It's nice to be reminded that the computer is just a tool and to go back to my roots with design and not to rely on the computer so much.

And wow, Tara, you wake up eaaaaaarly. That's dedication. Congratulations on almost being done.

Quick question..

I'm leaving an inch (so it's 11x18) for the clips..i've never used them so i figure 1/2 inch on both sides should do it. Is that what ya'll are allowing? Just wondering if i was leaving too much...
thanks!

On the lighter side.

We are coming upon the final weeks, and I know we are all feeling the burn. It's funny though, next semester is my last, and i am just starting to feel as if ive figured out what motivates me, how to get my ideas flowing, and how long it will take me to get that onto paper. It may seem like a trivial thing, but in a design world with everything due "yesterday," it's makes me feel a little more in control when I am aware of my own design process.
This has meant me coming to terms with a dreadful aspect of myself--I'm a morning person. Now, mind you, i've always kinda known, but getting a master's degree while working an 8-5 and raising a 2 1/2 year old on my own has really worn me down. Pre-real job and Chloe, i could fiddle around for a while on the computer and generate nothing and, well, all it meant was a few less hours in the bar. But now my time is squeezed and i am always plagued with what i "should be doing" while im doing something else. So I've started to wake up at 3:45 Mon-Thurs. to do schoolwork before i start my day. Dragging myself out of bed is brutal most mornings, but i make a pot of coffee and sit down in front of my computer. And, sure enough, i produce more in the few hours before work than i do all day Saturday. I'm not distracted, my brain is perky, caffine is flowin, and things happen. Those morning hours have saved my ass.
I guess a lot of what a master's degree consists of is what you learn about yourself. What you are good at, what you struggle with, how you work, and why you are doing all this in the first place. Maybe even what you aspire to be. I've pushed myself to no longer be a slave to the computer. To use it in design but not always make things that completely revolve around it. to draw, to carve, to enjoy that fine line between being an artist and a designer..if it exists.
I find it interesting to learn how others work (like i was amazed at Pam's ability to make 50 logos in an hour) and what people learn about themselves in the process.
Oh, so i know many, many, blogs ago i claimed that inspiration was hard to come by for me, but ever since i was shown this in another class this semester, watching this became my way of pulling myself back together. As stupid as it sounds, this short video inspired me to take a different approach to my projects this year, like illustration and the ole linolium blocks.

waaay to sensitive.

i guess any sense of connotation is lost on the web... what i meant by "thinking about it" was not "thinking about banning ads"... but more like "thinking about issues... lots of issues". being a left-leaning vegan, i'm hardly the type who'd want rules imposed upon us. hell... i've been arrested for civil disobediance in my younger days. the debate IS important though... that's what i'm interested in.

what i'm more afraid of is complacency than the notion of being befuddled by any advert. as Samuel Johnson once said:

"In order to the right conduct of our lives, we must remember, that we are not born to please ourselves. He that studies simply his own satisfaction, will always find the proper business of his station too hard or easy for him."

discussion is a good thing, and jumping to conclusions (of one side or the other) is a quick and easy way out. 'nuff said.
here are some photos of my holiday jaunt to colonial williamsburg.

Is the Media Almighty?

I wonder how much the media has us in a strangle-hold. 

I am not defending or condoning sexism in ads. But its a time honored tradition to use woman to sell products. Can't we see through this? Are we, as designers of commercials and mag ads, as influential as we hope? Is it only the discerning viewer who can see through the cliche money-grab? Can we not see and see through an ad? I think this not a super-power. I still believe in our ability to see through the ads. Americans are not that dumb.

more on the topic at hand

I've been thinking about all the posts about sex and sexism in advertising, and Amy's Jean Kilbourn video really resonated with me.

I'm going to bring this around to something that I've dealt a lot with, which is comics and the comics industry. It's definitely a boys club, in a lot of ways. While there are a lot of women who are breaking into the industry, they tend to gravitate towards small and independent press books, and are not yet well represented in the "big Two" (Marvel and DC).

Recently, several of my friends were tapped to work on a new DC line called Minx, which was geared towards the primarily teen female manga market. Minx was a great concept - a woman friendly line, headed by a woman editor. Sadly, bureaucracy had it's way with the line, made the stories the stereotypical "girl comic" stories, and the department was recently closed.

In general, women in comics are forever victims. Even the powerful heroines are frequently given passive, defensive powers, rather than offensive ones. Those that do have offensive powers are either villains or so broken as humans that they're unable to stand as role models. They're rarely less than Barbie in stature, either.

I keep waiting for someone out there, one of the writers with jobs (I try with my little book, but we certainly don't have Spiderman's readership), to create a human woman character that holds the same role as a lead who's a man.

I always wonder, though, what the solution is to any institutionalized problem. I think that discussions like this, and raising awareness, teaching people to think critically about what is presented to them is probably the most important first step. We shouldn't just gloss over things, but rather consider what is being said, and make our own decisions and opinions carefully.

"real beauty" trick?

I think I misrepresented myself in my last blog entry, and for this I feel bad. I absolutely DO care that women are objectified—sometimes, some ads do strike a nerve (although not very often) and I have to agree with Emily about being completely desensitized. I am aware of the way women are displayed to the public but somehow I manage to move on without a thought. We (and it seems like most of us) should take the time to think about what advertisements mean and what messages they are sending; especially because we are designers. We are (or are going to be) the people sending the messages.
I was talking to a friend of mine the other day about our class/blog discussion and we landed on the topic of the Dove “real beauty” campaign. I never thought about this before but this campaign objectifies “real” women as much as it does super models. Why do any of the women have to be in their underwear at all? If Dove is such a great skin product why not show animated skin cells in the ads?

Banning Sexist Commercials? Are You Kidding Me?!!!!

I read the article David posted and I cannot strongly disagree with him more when he said, "good to know that someone is thinking about it." While I understand that sexism, racism, and every other "ism" still exists, banning speech and expression is NEVER the answer! Regardless of whether one finds an ad offensive or not, I don't want someone and especially some government run entity telling me what I can watch, read, view, create, and most importantly THINK! If it sounds like this article touched a nerve, then you would be right. Banning anything deprives me of the opportunity to use my own brain and judgment to critically analyze and form an intelligent opinion about something. It's this PC bullshit wrapped up in good intentions that has me fuming mad whenever I come across an article like this. If we are to give in to the notion that it's okay to ban something, then we have established a precedent for other forms of expression to wind up on the chopping block. If any of you find something crude, distasteful, or offensive, then I'm fine with that. You all have a right to be offended and voice your opinion about it, but when that opinion eventually grants the government the power to create laws and regulations restricting speech, then we have all lost. Remember, the first amendment was not created to protect just popular speech, but the unpopular speech as well. And if anybody finds what I've said in this post offensive, GOOD! I must be doing something right then.

All is Not Lost

Fear not fellow designers. There are some advertisements that attempt to buck the so called "perfect" standards of beauty. Like this ad for example for jockey underwear.

comment on Jean Kilbourn’s lecture...

i must say... the whole "active/passive" imagery thing was something i never really noticed before. i'm glad i saw this; maybe it'll help me to shed the blinders & look at ads in a more critical way. An interesting note... looks like the EU is attempting to Ban Sexist Commercials. Prob won't be passed into law at this point in time... but good to know that someone is thinking about it.

Black Man in Elevator

I have experienced this more than I would like to say I have but this is hilarious.

Who is this for?

Tonight my wife and I were flipping through the channels. Complaining how there was nothing on TV. When we ran across the Victory Secret Fashion Show. When we flipped past it I thought to myself why is this even on and whom are they targeting? Take a look and let me know what you think. Why don’t they highlight SPANX as well if it is all about their products?

Miss Sarajevo

Quickie

I love OUS commercials...just for fun.



even though it's a spoof.

It starts young..

Sex in advertising and in general never really bothered me pre-Chloe. Let's face it, it's how most of the 20-something (and for some of us, into 30-something) people are motivated to do a lot of things--most of all, buy stuff and well, you know. But the "grooming" for girl/boy behavior starts really early, earlier than i knew until i shopped in baby gap. Not even talking about color--i have to admit i like pink on chloe--but clothing..well..constrictions. I bought chloe some jeans there some time back and had to return them because they were tight and made her walk funny--legs straight out, like a lazy ss soldier. And when i examined the jeans it wasnt that they were too small, it was the cut..."skinny jeans." Now, chloe is built like her momma--and her little butt was smooshed and uncomfortable and the legs tapered down and were just too tight. I brought them back to the store and asked if they have a different style. "low rise" the sales woman tell me. low rise? on a toddler? are you kidding? So finally i asked her if she found it a little strange that the girls jeans are constricting and fashion driven while the boy jeans are baggy and comfy looking. "well," she replied "the boy's jeans are more for playing." i left before my mouth started. What the hell do you think Chloe is doing, goin to the club? Doesnt she have the right to be comfy? apparently not. Girls, you know those jeans you look good in but cant wait to get out of? the are grooming the girls early for that.

On the design end, the gap's little girl tshirts have words like princess and butterflies, the boys have sesame street and trucks. I think with children, it's really easy to fall into these stereotypes and think them harmless. Trucks for boys, fairies for girls. And that plays right into the adult images of helpless, pretty women and the men who can save them.

One for Amy's collection

I was googling images on nutrition at work and this came up...I had to open it to see if the headline really said what I thought it said.

Old Sex, New Sex - late post

This subject has been talked about a lot. I liked the stats on women but that is 2006 and I bet that those stats are even higher now. I liked the stat of "In 2005, women accounted for 30% of all lawyers, 32% of all physicians and surgeons, and 67% of all psychologists." 67% of psychologists...wow, I don't want to get myself in trouble here but I should have figured that. Women like to talk and consol, that's how I met my wife.

Here is the 2007 Fact Sheet(PDF)and the 2008 Fact Sheet

Sex sells, at least that is what the companies and agencies doing these campaigns think. Me personally, I don't go out and by a cologne because a guy has a beautiful half naked girl attached to him. But that is what the company is hoping for. If you use this cologne then you'll get the girl.


What I thought about first is car commercials and the axe man spray ads.

Those axe commercials are funny and axe isn't really aimed at the married 30-40 year old so I can understand but the commercials are really over the top and they need a disclaimer because it works...I want real data, like product reviews.


Most of these ads are directed to the younger generation I think, but some are not. I try not to pay attention. Also it is giving the young generation 16 and below, a wrong perception as to what your body is supposed to look like. You need to be a waist size 28-32 to get a pair of 75 jeans from AF with holes already in them???

Some of these work some do not, I would rather see the CBR in action on the street, I know it's fast but I want to see it. Will it attract fast women?



I don't understand the language but I get the point, I think...it seems they need help selling that car.



This kinda makes me sick with the dad not angry about the dudes gazing at his little girls and wife. I guess they could have just used the wife and not the kids.

off topic--CS4 Master Suite $350

Is this possible, how? I’m interested in getting CS4, I was not that stoked about it until I saw the blob brush in Illustrator and now I REALLY want it. So I see on JourneyEd that the Master Suite is $999. The expected price. So I look on Ebay and Craigslist and the internet generally because I simply cannot make a purchase anymore without looking at those places and $999 is a little out of my budget. There are all kinds of too-good-to-be-true kind of prices going on, and a lot of computers coming “preloaded” with this, a new trend for Adobe software… Have a whole bunch of people boosted an Adobe truck, is there grey market software out there, is this OEM software? I don’t think this is all pirate stuff, but I could be wrong. Thanks for any advice or information on this.