Brochure Blues

I'm learning how to produce a brochure myself, using Adobe Illustrator. The learning curve is huge as I look to Dave (who knows more than I do, but it's kinds like "the blind leading the blind" scenario happening here) and a basic Adobe Illustrator manual for help. There is a lot to learn!!!

Needless to say, I did manage to get the file where I thought I wanted it until I brought it to a Scholar House Printers, where I met Allan the boss. The short and long of it is, we've been doing a lot of back and forth. I was hoping it would be out by Wednesday (two days ago), but that just didn't happen; like I said... a lot of back and forth. When it was finally done to my and the printers expectations I was sent home with a proof; this was late yesterday afternoon... before closing time. Before leaving I asked him when it would be done and he said, "around 12:30 p.m." He saw by the big sigh and the look on my face that that just couldn't happen. At which time and with some slight exasperation he said, "call me at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow, I should be done by then.

I was happy... it was almost there... I could feel it. Once home I took the opportunity to fold it, just to see what it looked like and was horrified to observe that the gutters were too narrow. I phoned Allan, this morning, at which point he really let me have it. "I was just about to print the brochure and now I have to go to the file again..." I don't know how many "I'm sorries" I said to him but I believe, in the long run, I was right to do this. Turned out, an hour later he phoned back to confirm my own suspicions. "As a professional," he said, "I can't produce it the way it is." "We'll have to wait until Sue (their in-house Graphic Designer) comes in." So here I am now, it's 11:00 a.m., my brochure is still not final, I feel like I'd wasted my holiday; did nothing but this brochure, I was hoping to have it out a few days ago, so that Dave and would finally have what's left of my holiday time together; out of town or going to the spicy food festival at Harbor Front, but I'm stuck here waiting... trying to stay busy.

My advice to any of you who are planning on using valuable holiday time to work or worse yet, produce a brochure.... don't do it!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful long weekend.

Chris