"You could be mine."

The switch? You're kidding. Right? I've reached a major cross-roads with my business workflow and overall organization. The "cost of the switch" now seems somehow insignificant.

And you know what that means. Indeed, I've jumped on the bandwagon - the iLifestyle shall now be mine.

Order placed, FedEx tracking number in hand, we are happily awaiting the arrival of our new MacBook Pro 17".

A lot of thought went into this "switch" and is worth some discussion. An analytical person by nature (how it is I double as an 'artist' also is beyond me) no major change comes without due consideration. There must be a reason for the madness. And to our future iSuccess - in this case there certainly is.

Out With the Old:
I'd held out to see what Microsoft would come up with the next go around with the much anticipated Windows Vista. Considering the long time in development, I had such expectations. Some will disagree but in short - it seems the folks at Microsoft have done away with the most usable features of Windows XP and have only expanded those features I disliked most.

Forget reliability. My computer was always reliable. Each computer I've owned since highschool was built and configured with my own hands. I liked the level of control. Maybe there was power gleaned knowing I controlled every config file under the hood. No, I never complained about a reliable computer. I never experienced the dreaded blue screen. Believe it or not, in over ten years of regular Windows use, I only got one virus and even that was a fairly easy removal.

For me it was a matter of logical thinking. How many times did I roll my eyes over a process that just didn't make any sense? How many steps can it take? MS Outlook? Forget it. By the time I figured out how to make that annoying paper clip go away and never return, I'd pretty well given up on the software actually helping me accomplish anything.

But that's now a thing of the past.

The New?
Being an "open minded" person, I had to get real with myself and at least consider other options. Over the past year I've put in far too many work hours, while lacking enough significant accomplishments for my efforts. Summer 2006 I set out a project for myself. Typically an off-time from weddings here in the Valley of the Sun, I took up to re-evaluate everything I did in business flow. If it was 'on the clock', it was given consideration. From web design to contract generation and management to order fulfillment to, oh, what am I missing - oh yes - actually taking pictures once in a while!! The latter workflow running perfectly thanks to our new EOS 1DMkII cameras, the former needed serious attention.

In an effort to scrap my entire business workflow and build from scratch, I considered "how would my tools work if I could design them myself" - software that is. Hearing the continual marketing plug of Mac OS X being a complete re-design, the timing fit.

Epiphany?
That's when it happened. I picked up David Pogue's book "Mac OS X, Tiger Edition - The Missing Manual" sub-title "the book that should have been in the box". Information with a sense of humor to top it all off. It was worth a look.

Sipping my $3.85 cup of Seattle's Best mocha I looked over the OS X feature list. Began reading - with each feature my mind wondered thinking "it would be really cool if it did...." - turning the page I'd discover 3 paragraphs describing in detail my exact thought. Could it be? Someone actually thinks the way *I* do!! And wouldn't you know it, they happen to write software!

And here all this time, I thought *I* was the dummy. That it just didn't work for *me*, yet here Apple Computer was on a roll - thinking just as I do.

What does it mean?
Of all my research, and in all my (fairly extensive) computer experience - dare I even say it - though so true: "This computer, this operating system, this way of arranging the function of information simply works just the way the average intelligent person thinks." Maybe I'd been so numbed to inefficiency for so long it was just accepted. Yet here it was - all the answers under the hood of a single piece of equipment that stood to revolutionize the fundamental way I worked.

There comes a time when one becomes busy enough to take their hands off the nitty little details driving our work system. It’s like out-sourcing our creative tooling for an analogy. Henry Ford had at least this much right. And out-sourcing it to a fine organization of people who obviously think exactly like I do? Could it get any better?

In actual application?
It's one thing to say "It'll save you lots of time", another entirely to measure it. Numbers are yet to be tallied, though in the coming months I will take careful consideration of actual time in hours and minutes typical tasks are now saving me. 20%? 30%? Could 50% boost in efficiency even show possible? If I had to place a bet today I'd say the actual number will be even higher.

As a professional Arizona Wedding Photographer I’m continually amazed how little of my life is actually spent behind a camera – actual photography! Actually enjoying the interaction with our clients, actually immersing myself in the very art that drives this business. The next six months will be a time of great rebirth and change for our company. I expect that the 2007 wedding season will be our greatest ever, and I’m so excited about it!