At work I use software called AutoCAD which I have been using for the last 29 years. It is VERY expensive and so most companies buy a limited number of annual licences. Therefore it is my job to make all the drawings required by everyone else. That's fine by me, I'd much rather be making drawings for other people than fixing ones they have broken; or worse still, facing clients myself. I've done enough of that for one lifetime thank you.
The AutoCAD licence also includes access to software called Revit, which is a much more powerful beast. We don't use it at work but there have been times when I have had so little to do I have tried to teach myself. Not a chance. It's a very different animal despite coming from the same stable as AutoCAD.
So a couple of weeks ago I paid for a 3-day training course and took 3 days annual leave to get started. The first thing I learned is that with Revit software it is impossible to save a file as a previous version, the second thing I learned is that the course tutor thinks that Revit 2024 is a step backwards from Revit 2023 and the third thing is that files are too large to be emailed, they must be transferred by something like dropbox or somethingf like a flash drive.
I apologise now for all the technical stuff in this blip, but without this information what comes next makes no sense at all.
My work laptop does not allow me to insert a flashdrive so I had to ask the trainer to send my course files to me via drop box. All the work I had done on the course had been made using Revit 2024 and my work laptop has Revit 2023 installed so it cannot access any of the work I did during the course. No matter, doing it all over again will only help to reinforce what I learned.
I battled and struggled with it and finally reached the conclusion that my work laptop does not have a high enough spec to run the software properly. I had a word with my colleague and he agreed that my laptop was way below spec, which went some way to explaining why it's been known to crash up to 7 times a day just doing my normal work. A better laptop was required.
I spoke to the boss who wanted to know why I was using a laptop that wasn't up to spec. I explained that my previous laptop had had an unfortunate accident involving a pint of hot orange squash and that it had been replaced with an admin machine. “So it's YOUR fault!” he said.
“Well yes it is, but I did put my hands up to that one at the time” I replied. “and anyway, I do work my machinery hard, I overtook a Maserati on my bicycle last week”
“Aha!” he said, “so my forfeit for losing that road race is to pay for a new laptop?”
“Yup!” I answered.

It arrived on Friday, I brought it home from work and have spent the weekend doing my best to recreate what I built in three days under supervision. I'm happy but exhausted.

Revit software cannot print to jpg as AutoCAD can and so I have needed to point my camera at the laptop screen.
I've modelled a 3-storey house complete with see-through glass doors and windows and a winding interior staircase. I hope you can see what I mean.

I apologise for my failure to visit your journals recently – this stuff is intense and I need to spend time away from the screen for the sake of my eyes.