Today, I learned another life lesson. Don't drink tea by your MacBook Pro. After spilling half a mug of tea into the keyboard of my MacBook and watching the screen flash and then turn off while I frantically yell some choice words, turn off the laptop and turn it upside down in an attempt to get the worst of the tea out of it, I realize it was not worth it. Things that make it worse, the first thing I thought when I woke up this morning was that it had been a week since backing up my computer and I should do it again today...but I didn't get there yet. Also, there was a voice in the back of my head this morning saying I should just take my time and drink my tea in quiet reflection at the dinning room table...but no, I decided to get right to work instead. But oh well...what can I do now? Just wait the 48 hours for it to dry and pray that it will turn on again and everything will be ok.

This dilemma I am facing helps me realize things though. We have no idea what to do with ourselves when we lose a key piece of technology in our lives. My MacBook was like another limb to me and I feel lost without it. What is society coming to that we have created such a reliance on our technological devices? I am thankful I have other computers at my fingertips that I can use. But they do not function with the same capabilities as my "baby" did. So now, not only do I have a reliance on technology, but anything other then my own will not suffice.

When do we need to take a step back, slow down from our busy lives and rely less on these technological "conveniences" we have been provided in our lives? I suppose to argue my case, if my business wasn't so technology driven it probably wouldn't be near as big a deal (at least that's what I like to tell myself anyway haha). But perhaps we need to take a step back and realize just how much "machines" are beginning to rule our lives.

Maybe Karl Marx was right when he said: "Machines were, it may be said, the weapon employed by the capitalists to quell the revolt of specialized labor."

3-D Printing seems to be the talk of the printing industry lately. I believe it is brilliant! It is an amazing concept that can open a whole new window of opportunities for anyone affected by the printing industry. 

Some of the perks to this new technology is the freedom it offers to design and perform short-run production, creating the ability to find and quickly fix any defects. The downside for small businesses in the development of this product is that the cost and risk of making new 3-D prototypes is pricey. But the cycle time gets reduced from months to days and can lower the cost from thousands to hundreds of dollars in the production process. So if they can foot the initial bill to start producing 3-D prototypes it can help them save money in the long run...but they need the overhead to make that plunge first. 

Creative ability is going to skyrocket, especially in the architectural industry. Rather then needing to go back to the drawing board on house plans you can edit your 3-D print and see the changes almost instantaneously, saving time and money along the way. 

This industry is obviously still in the beginning phase in Canada though. I visited a fairly large printing plant (Friesen's) on the outskirts of Winnipeg, MB 4 years ago and they were just starting some 3-D printing then, and it was quite pricey. But it still hasn't picked up to be mass produced yet and makes me wonder if people really are all that interested? The idea has been out for over 20 years and is really only gaining popularity now it seems.

Overall, I think it's great though. 3-D printing will help bring the printing industry to a whole new level. Freedom, creativity and quick turn over are all very positive factors to this new process that should turn heads and get this thing going.