Real Life Commands

At work, I use Adobe Illustrator every day. Sometimes I use it all day, every day, more than 40 hours a week. I love Illustrator. I feel like I've developed a rhythm within the program, using all the key commands and shortcuts that makes a day inside the program sometimes seem more efficient than working with imagery and objects in the real world. And I'm pretty sure that's how Adobe's makers wanted it to be. Sometimes, though, outside of the program, in the real world, I really wish I had the tools I use in Illustrator. And that's what I wanted to talk about today. So, below are the top five key commands I really try to use in real life on a daily basis just before realizing I'm unfortunately not living in a computer like Tron.  (Side note: I work on a Mac at work and home, so if you're on a PC, just substitute the word "command" for the word "control.")

1. Command Z: "Undo." This is the key command I most often wish I had in real life. I mean, how often do you pour orange juice in your cereal and think, "Oh, I really wish that hadn't just happened"? Or maybe you're talking to your boss, and something just comes out really, really wrong. "Nooooooo," your brain screams in slow motion as the last awkward word falls off your lips. Or what about when you get your coffee in the Starbucks line, only to turn around and run into the person behind you, spilling the coffee all over yourself, the person behind you, and the floor? "Undo! Undo!," you think. Well, my fingers twitch with some "command z" action. I just think, "Oh my goodness, this would be so much better if I could just "command z" this. Why is my life not in Illustrator?

2. Align. This is part of the "Pathfinder" panel. You can align thins to be all on the same level at the bottom, at the center, or at the top, and then you can make it so they're evenly spaced. Think of how amazing this would be when you're, say, cleaning or organizing your apartment. Or maybe you're hanging some pictures or artwork in your apartment. How nice would it be to jut click a button and have that all straightened out and evenly spaced? The possibilities are endless!

3. Command 3: "Show/Hide." Wrapping a surprise when the recipient approaches? Command 3. Have guests coming over but no time to clean? Select all that clutter and command 3. Throwing a crazy surprise party? Command 3 all those people, and then when the birthday boy or girl arrives, command 3 again, and boom! SURPRISE! Then again, that may be dangerous...they  might be too surprised and have a heart attack. But, I mean, it seems pretty useful.

4. Command 2: "Lock." This would also be great when you are in the process of spilling your coffee. Command 2, and grab that coffee before it falls. Want to pet your cat, but your cat keeps trying to run away? Command 2, and pet that cat as long as you want. In the subway, and need a seat? Command 2 everyone in the train as soon as someone vacates their seat, and slip in there before everyone else can. I think this could also really work if you're late to the office...

5. Command A: "Select All." This would just be really helpful if you needed to get rid of a bunch of stuff. You could make a pile, select all, and delete. Done. Realize you just deleted something you still needed? Well, that's a perfect opportunity for a good old "Command Z." See? Life would really be more efficient in Illustrator.

For the honorable mention in this post, there's a common computer command I really wish I could use all the time. It doesn't really exist in Illustrator, but if I could use "Command F" in real life, I could be using that all day long. This is the command for "find," and you can just type in what you're looking for, and your computer will find it. I mean, how useful would that be?

Adobe and Google, could you maybe collaborate and make my life more easily computer operated? I feel like Google Glass might make this possible eventually, but I think now it's probably not there yet. I'm requesting you work on it. Thank you.