Design help for the non-designer

It's horrible to say it, but so much of the desktop publishing I see makes me cringe! I should be easier on the non-designer forced to take on a job for which they were never trained, but it's an instinctive reaction. (After the initial cringe, though, I remember I would do at least as bad if I tried to do their jobs!)

But there is help! At Borders the other day, I spotted a great book for desktop pubishers: The Non-Designer's Design Book, by Robin Williams. (No, not THAT Robin williams; this one.)

The content is great. It reduces the principles of design to their very basics, making it approachable for someone who just does this stuff because they must. But the principles are sound, so the results are good. True, it won't turn you into a world-renowned designer, but it will make your Publisher and Word documents more professional-looking, easier to read, and more effective. (Wow, I type "Publisher" and "Word" with only the barest cringe...)

If you find yourself having to create stuff all the time, but you're never really happy with the results, head on over to Amazon and click "Look Inside." Theres' some good, useful stuff there.

Calling All Sword Angels!

Lady geeks, especially Christians, my friend Ishy has something just for you. Sword Angels, which began as a myspace group, is a wonderful site just for ladies like us. Our discussions are varied; we talk about life, being a Sword Angel, guy geeks (of course), and religion. We pray for each other and offer emotional support, but we always have time for laughs and silliness, too.

We're still a small group, but we enjoy ourselves anyway! We range in age from fourteen on up, and have both single and married members. So why not come say hey?

eLi pwnz!

I'm usually a procrastinator when it comes to my blog, but this is coming to you live from Higher Grounds Coffee House! (All right, maybe it's a bit pretentious, but it sounds better than, "I'm sitting in a coffeehouse writing this entry during the concert," doesn't it?)

My husband surprised me tonight by taking me to Higher Grounds to hear eLi perform. I've never heard him live (though he appears on the radio here often), but I'm glad we came. His songs are great–they're touching and thought-provoking, but he doesn't take himself too seriously. Plus he's absolutely hilarious!

These are some of the lyrics to my favorite song by eLi, "Things I Prayed For."

Things I prayed for when I was young
That my father would love me like his only son
That my mother would be patient with me
that my sister would not leave
And If my grandpa could see me beyond his grave
That he'd think his little man was so great
That my hair would not stick up in weird places
And I'd be someone someday

Years go by so easily that sometimes I forget
Years go by and make me see that there's no time for my regret
No time for my regret

Things I prayed for in my teens
That God would forgive all my evil deeds
That my father and my sister would come home
And mom could meet our needs
And If my grandpa could see me beyond his grave
That he'd say a prayer for his family's sake
That my hair would stick up in weird places
And I'd be someone someday

Things I pray for now in my twenties
That God would still love me and Dad would like his new family
That I could hug my sister that my mom could rest
That my wife would still melt every time we kiss
And if my grandpa has seen me beyond his grave
How cold and silent he has remained
That my hair would not fall out in weird places
And I'd be someone someday

Why did I say "eLi pwnz"? Well, let's just say I'm spending a bit too much time surrounded by male gamers these days...