Hi Everyone

I first started learning about computers at work. I was in textiles for 28 years and as I worked my way up, having to use computers became an everyday part of my work days.

My brother got into using computers at home first and eventually got me interested and I caught the bug. I used to fuss at him for staying on the computer every waking minute and now I am just as bad as he is. Getting on line has opened up the whole world of available knowledge and oh my! So much to learn and such little time!

Talking with an on-line friends, they suggested that I join a Yahoo group.. I did and really liked what I seen them doing . They were using PSP and IncrediMail. So I got both of those programs and used to be sooooo proud that I could just put a graphic as a header in IM and I was calling that a stat and a wondrous creation! lol No frame .. no background other than color but I was very proud of myself. Well I messed around in that one group for about a year and over time, although I enjoyed playing in PSP and creating those primitive and really uncreative supposed stats I was getting on edge. I have had this PSP for a year and am still not able to do what I see all others do. I started coming out of my shell and asking how did you do that.. some would tell me in small info spurts or give me a link to a tutorial that I would get totally lost, frustrated and confused. They were mostly above my skill and knowledge level. For a while I just felt like maybe I am not smart enough or this is not meant for me.

THE TURNING POINT

I was quitting that Yahoo group and someone wrote me and told me don't give up. Try this other Yahoo group and so I did. It was called Hot Voodoo and owned by a guy named Jay. For some reason Jay understood my frustration and would help me over the Yahoo Messenger and would teach me different things.. like how to use a plugin, make a frame, make a background tile and about masks. He worked unselfishly with me for about 2 1/2 months and then told me he was cutting me loose. Well I learned more in that 2 1/2 months about PSP than the whole year I spent in that first group and had learned enough that I could start to understand and follow tutorials.

I actually became obsessed. I could do it. I could learn it. I was doing it. I was getting compliments on my creations. Wow. how different and encouraging it was for me! What a big and marvelous change !

MY BIG STEP UP

I finally left that group and joined another group called IFF. I was there for about 6 months and the group owner had decided to leave the group and asked me if I would like to take it over. I was a moderator and was answering the majority of the questions people were asking... been there and used to be as lost as they were. This was the first group I owned. Not very long after that I was writing short tutorials while answering their questions and found that if I started saving the answers that were repeat responses to their questions it would be quicker and more efficient.. That was the beginning of myself becoming a tutorial writer. Eventually I had learned enough that I found I could design some pretty good looking tutorials for making stationery and BOOM... HootyTuts were born! I started a testers group when I found that my earliest tutorials were not quite up to par and I needed help to make them better and more user friendly. Through this HootyTutTesters group we all have learned to be better writers, testers and are really proud of contributing to each other as we add the polish to our tutorials. I have learned just as much from them as they have from me. It is "One for all and all for one!" in the true sense of the meaning.

Over time we have grown by leaps and bounds as our tutorials and structured groups have been recognized as being some of the best you can find anywhere on line. I am very proud of all my moderators, instructors and members that all contribute to making our groups and tutorials as good as we can make them. I am a sum of the parts. Alone I am a wee little person in the scheme of things.. lol

Ok that is enuff.. how much does anyone want to know about me! lol

Thanks for taking an interest in HOoty ! lol

Have a gooder!

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