technology addict

Hi I'm beachmom and I'm a ... is there such a thing as being addicted to technology, hardware, software, plug-ins, free-ware, open source, and on and on and on? If there is, I am pretty sure I qualify and I think I need some help.

For example, after having trouble communicating with a printer yesterday regarding a relatively simple spot-color publication, I spent the rest of the afternoon trying out various programs, trials and mournfully looking at my checkbook to realize that only by the gog I don't have enough cashola right now to break down and buy the creative design suite - and then spend the next 3 months finally figuring out illustrator & oh, crap, now I can't remember what the page layout component is. I used to use pagemaker eons ago, but when I started getting back into design, I couldn't afford the high-end program and I was simply doing work for myself and local friends with businesses, so the dreaded "Publisher" was adequate for putting together marketing pieces. COMMERCIAL PRINTERS HATE HATE HATE HATE PUBLISHER!!! I never ever send publisher pieces to printers - I always package them and convert to PDF, but the second they realize I used publisher they attack! I don't know enough about the business to be upset with the printer, but it does make my life difficult ... this is my side-job!

SO yesterday, I downloaded Scribus to see if that would be any help to me in talking to the commercial folks ... I am sure it won't be, but oh, well it is a fun way to spend the day!