Have to Catch Up, because of SketchUp.

Sorry for the lapse in Posts... Peeps.
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I kind of went on a binge trying to learn the SketchUp 3D CAD program.
( SketchUp Download www.sketchup.com  )

 My benchmark is that it takes about 40 hours to become proficient in a major program like Excel, Access or certainly a CAD program.  After that, you have to maintain practice, and you continue to learn.
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With Excel, which I am very comfortable with, after about twenty years or constant spreadsheet use, I still learn new stuff all of the time.  And I'm sure that I haven't scratched the surface.
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A couple of times, I have taken a stab at AutoCAD, because being able to design on the computer is a highly useful skill, but I always seemed to fall short since designing is not a central job function in my career path.  But the SketchUp program has really struck a chord.
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Except for building a boat, which requires strict attention to a set to tested plans, I usually design on the fly with my woodworking and home remodeling projects.  Tommy O' Shea's deck is an example.   But being able to lay out the design on paper, and making changes and modification before the work is actually implemented is a vastly better way to proceed.
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I like to plan out how the various project components will come together in my mind, and no CAD program has been intuitive enough to convince me to commit to paper first... until now, with this free SketchUp program.  That said, the learning curve is still substantial.