Pardon me, we are experiencing technical difficulties

Actually the difficulty is that I am technologically challenged. I have a confession to make. My website isn't a custom built deal. I bought a template and added all of my info to it. I love the way it looks in terms of color and basic design; it's got the "cool" factor. But the layout has always had limitations that have bothered me. I've always gotten around them one way or another. But as time goes on they are getting in my way more and more. I am going to reach a point that I will not be able to get around them any longer. That point is not too far into my future. I see it coming and I need to prepare myself.

I have not been able to find another template that is as nice as my current one, that also has very easy and straight forward navigation. I cannot fathom what web designers are thinking these days! So many of the websites I've seen lately have horrible, dizzying navigation. I can pay a professional to design a custom built site. But what if I don't like what they come up with? In addition I don't want to be at someone else's mercy. If I come up with an idea at 2:00am I want to be able to implement it immediately.

I'm using Microsoft's Frontpage right now. Every web designer I've met cringes at the mere mention of Frontpage. It's like asking Wolfgang Puck for Chef-Boyardee. However they all say how wonderful Dreamweaver is. I've checked out Dreamweaver. The thing about FP is that it's incredibly easy to use. Dreamweaver is a more involved program. I'm sure there are people who can pop the program into their computers and learn it on their own. I'm not so sure I'm one of them. I have also come to accept that if I learn DW I'm probably going to have to learn Photoshop. Photoshop is also an involved program. I've downloaded the free trial and I'm having some difficulties with it. (Yes, I bought a book. I'm still having some problems. I need help.)

They are both expensive programs too. Fortunately my husband is in education and qualifies for a hefty educator's discount with Adobe. (Yeah I know, I could probably find a bootleg copy of both programs somewhere. But I'm too honest for that. Piracy doesn't become me. I don't download bootleg MP3's either. I'll stick to itunes thank you very much.)

I've decided it would probably be worth my while to take classes on both programs. One of the technical schools run by the county offers both courses. It's interesting how things can snowball. My issue is the layout of my website. It's snowballing into spending time and money taking computer courses and eventually paying for software. Not to mention the time I will have to spend when I eventually rebuild my entire website from scratch. For what it will cost me to do all that, I can easily afford to pay a web designer to bend over, kiss my bootylicious ass and make me whatever I want. But I keep thinking, "OK, then what happens a few years down the road when I need to overhaul my website again, or I outgrow it, or whatever?" I'm back to square one, at someone else's mercy. I think part of me would also like the satisfaction of learning something new and applying that knowledge to create something on my own. (Or maybe I'm just being crazy.)

I remember back when I was taking Commercial Art classes in high school (I graduated with a vocational certification in Commercial Art) and then later in college/art school, I avoided computers. They were weird and scary mechanical beasts. I was much happier working with clay. I really miss clay. I like the earthy smell of it, the texture and the way it feels when you squish it through your fingers. I like kneading it (the proper terminology is "wedging"). I also like the way I am able to see something in my head and can duplicate it perfectly with clay.

As it happens, computer technology and software are completely different now. I can console myself with the fact that even if I had worked with them back then, I would now be faced with having to relearn everything. (I will now ignore the little voice in my head chanting, "Yes, but you would have a working foundation to build on. Your learning curve now wouldn't be so difficult!")

So this week I will trek over to the vocational/technical school and sign up for the Photoshop class (I've decided to take it first then tackle Dreamweaver). First impressions are everything. If you are using a website for promotional purposes, in many cases it serves as your first impression. I view the classes as a business investment akin to purchasing a good suit for job interviews.