Mac classes – February 2017

I have a common experience as the Mac Doctor: whenever I get stumped and say something like “I’m not sure what’s going on here!”, the client almost always says “It’s good to know it happens to you too sometimes!” Well, this month’s class announcement is late due to a glitch that I can’t figure out, since I was sure it was set to post on Wednesday of this past week. I hope that makes you all feel better. 🤓

Class list for February 2017:

The details:

 First off, on Monday, February 6th, from 6-8 pm, at the Sherbino Theater, in another of the “Business of Art” classes co-sponsored by the Sherbino, Weehawken Creative Arts & the Ridgway Creative District, we’ll be focusing on “How to Hashtag (Instagram Fundamentals)”. If you want to take your Instagram skills to the next level, particularly as a powerful 21st-century marketing tool, this is the class for you! The class is only $10, but you need to sign up through Weehawken at this link.

 Then, on Tuesday, February 14th, from 7-9 pm, as part of the monthly Black Canyon Mac Users Group meeting, I’ll be presenting a free program on “1Password, the Ultimate Password Manager”. There are a lot of password managers out there these days, and many of them are quite handy, but 1Password, from Agile Bits, is the granddaddy of them all. It may not be the simplest to get set up, but once you get started, you’ll find its integration with every aspect of your system to be invaluable. This class will give you the fundamentals to get up and running with this amazing tool.

 Next, on Tuesday, February 21st, from 10 am-12:30 pm, at the Montrose Assoc. of Realtors building, sponsored by the Montrose Center for the Arts, I’ll be covering “Arts Marketing Through Social Media”. This class offers introductory skills for using social media to market your products and/or business (with a focus on artists & creatives), covering everything from Facebook to Instagram. There is a lot of interest in the power of social media as a marketing tool these days, and this class will help you learn all the details. Cost is $25. To register, call (970) 240-1350, or mail your check to MCA, P.O. Box 1474, Montrose, 81402.

 Lastly, it’s the FREE macOS Overview (for Macs, not iPhones/iPads), on Wednesday, February 22nd from 5-7 pm at the Ridgway Library. This class is held in the small meeting room at the Library, and space is limited, so you have to sign up. Give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you’d like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

As usual, I hope to see you all at a class sometime soon!

Mac classes – January 2017

Happy New Year everyone! Once again, my class email is coming out a little late. Such is life for the Mac Doc these days. Busy as can be (as a 🐝?), with no end in sight!. I’ve got a couple of unique things on the schedule this month as well. Read on…

Class list for January 2017:

The details:

 First off, next Tuesday, January 10th, from 7-9 pm, at Proximity Space in Montrose; I will be doing a FREE presentation as part of the monthly Black Canyon Mac User Group meeting, which I’m calling “Clean up your Mac!” I’ve been a member and presenter at the BCMUG meetings for years, and highly encourage any of you with an interest to check it out and join up! For Tuesday night’s meeting, I’ll be talking about how hard it can be to figure out where stuff is that might be clogging up your Mac, and demonstrating how to manage the ongoing task of keeping your machine from overflowing with data!

 Next, on Monday, January 16th, from 5:30-7 pm, at the Sherbino Theater, as part of Weehawken’ Creative Arts‘ 2017 series, Art as a Small Business, I’ll be presenting The Art of Business: Social Media Marketing. This class offers introductory skills for using social media to market your products/business, covering everything from Facebook to Instagram. There are 25 seats available for this $10 class (register with Weehawken), and you don’t have to be an artist to attend! 👩🏼‍🎨 There are no materials required but please bring your laptops and smartphones.

 Then, it’s the FREE Mac iPad/iPhone Overview, on Wednesday, January 25th from 5-7 pm at the Ridgway Library. This class is held in the small meeting room at the Library, and space is limited, so you have to sign up. The Library staff has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you’d like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

I hope to see you all at a class sometime soon. And in the meantime, I’m wishing you nothing but success in your computing adventures this year!

Mac classes – December 2016

Happy December 1st everyone! It was -5° here in Ridgway this morning, so winter is apparently finally arrived in earnest. I think I’m finally ready for it too, though that was a pretty harsh transition! At least we’ve finally reached the ideal time of year to stay inside for a computer class, right?

Class list for December 2016:

  • Thurs., December 8th, from 6-8 pm: “iTunes”; Ridgway Library; discover all the ins & outs of this 900 pound gorilla of media managers!
  • Tues., December 13th, from 3-5 pm: “Office Hours with the Mac Doctor”; Proximity Space in Montrose
  • Weds., December 21st, from 5-7 pm: FREE macOS Overview; Ridgway Library

The details:

 First off, next Thursday, December 8th, from 6-8 pm, at the Ridgway Library, I’ll be revisiting an app we could all use some help with: iTunes. With all that you can put on your iDevices these days, knowing how to use iTunes has become essential. And it’s had another major interface overhaul again recently (yes, again!). If you’ve been wanting to learn how to manage what gets synced to your iPhone, or how to make & burn that cool playlist to a CD for your friends, this class is for you. We’ll cover everything from understanding where everything lives, to navigating all the stores, as well as importing your own CD’s, audiobooks, movies, etc. Cost for this class is $20, and will be held at the Ridgway Library. Please let me know if you plan to attend.

 Then, on Tuesday, December 13th, from 3-5 pm, at Proximity Space in Montrose, I’ll once again be offering “Office hours with the Mac Doctor” sessions. I will be available to answer your questions, take a look at your wonky Mac/iPhone/iPad, or simply have a chat about the latest happenings in the tech world. Attention will be given on a first-come, first-served basis, so come on down and introduce yourself, take a look around Proximity Space! Charges, if any, will be determined by the complexity/difficulty of your issue, and if the issue is serious enough, a separate appointment may be necessary.

 Lastly, it’s the FREE macOS Overview (for Macs, not iPhones/iPads), on Wednesday, December 21st from 5-7 pm at the Ridgway Library. NOTE: The date for the is class is a week earlier than the normal last-Wednesday-of-the-month, due to the holidays. This class is held in the small meeting room at the Library, and space is limited, so you have to sign up. Give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you’d like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

I hope to see you all at a class sometime soon!

Mac classes – November 2016

Happy end of Daylight Savings Time everyone! No, that has nothing to do with why my November class email is coming out a week late. 🙄 It’s simply because I’m busier than I’ve ever been. Sheesh, the world of technology just keeps getting further out of control! Never fear though, I’m always here to help, and toward that end, I have both a new class and an old favorite for you this month. Read on… 

Class list for November 2016:

  • Weds., November 16th, from 5-7 pm: “Mastering ‘the Cloud'”; Ridgway Library
  • Weds., November 30th, from 5-7 pm: FREE iPhone/iPad Overview; Ridgway Library


The details:


 First off, next Wednesday, November 16th, from 5-7 pm, at Ridgway Library; I will be offering a new class, which I’m calling “Mastering ‘the Cloud'”! As I said above, the tech world just seems to be getting more and more complicated, and out of control as a result! A huge reason for this is everyone’s confusion about “the Cloud”. Every big tech company offers some sort of cloud-based service these days, and managing our connections to them all can be a huge issue. Email was actually the original ‘cloud service’, but now there’s Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Apple’s iCloud, Box.net, and on and on… If you’d like to finally learn what exactly the Cloud is, and more importantly, how to manage all the various services you might have access to, this is the class for you!! Please, let me know if you plan to attend. Cost, as usual, is $20.

 Then, it’s the FREE Mac iPad/iPhone Overview, on Wednesday, November 30th from 5-7 pm at the Ridgway Library. This class is held in the small meeting room at the Library, and space is limited, so you have to sign up. The Library staff has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you’d like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

I hope to see you all at a class sometime soon. And in the meantime, you can picture me working into the wee hours on a stack of computers that never seems to get any shorter!

Mac classes – October 2016

Wow, what a gorgeous fall we’re having! Good thing the days are getting a lot shorter though, ’cause that means there’s more time for Mac classes! 😁

On to the details…

Class list for October 2016:
  • Mon., Oct. 10th, from 3-5 pm: at Proximity Space, Montrose  “Office hours with the Mac Doctor
  • Thurs., Oct. 20th, from 6-8 pm at Ridgway Library: “Photos for Mac”; an in-depth exploration of Apple’s iPhoto replacement.
  • Wed., Oct. 26th, from 5-7 pm: FREE Mac OS X Overview; Ridgway Library.
Please do let me know if you plan to attend any of these classes; if I get enough commitments ahead of time, I don’t have to send out a nagging reminder!

 First off, on Monday, October 10th, from 3-5 pm, at Montrose’s fabulous new Proximity Space facility. I’ll once again be offering one of my “Office hours with the Mac Doctor” sessions. I will be available to answer your questions, take a look at your wonky Mac/iPhone/iPad, or simply have a chat about the latest happenings in the tech world. Attention will be given on a first-come, first-served basis, so come on down and introduce yourself, take a look around Proximity Space! Charges, if any, will be determined by the complexity/difficulty of your issue, and if the issue is serious enough, a separate appointment may be necessary.

 Next up, on Thursday, October 20th, from 6-8 pm at the Ridgway Library, due to popular demand, I’ll be revisiting Apple’s new Photos program for Yosemite, El Capitan and now Sierra. Many people are getting more than a little discombobulated by the switch to Photos, but it’s actually quite a powerful upgrade from iPhoto. Of course, as a “version 1” app, it also has some missing features and odd functionality. If you’re running Yosemite, El Cap, or even Sierra (like to live on the bleeding edge, eh? 😁) on your Mac, you’ll want to take this class to learn all the ins & outs of the new program! Please, do let me know if you plan to attend. Cost, as usual, is $20.

 Lastly, I will be doing my regular last-Wednesday-of-the-month class at the Ridgway Library on Wednesday, October 26th from 5-7 pm. This month, it’s the FREE MacOS Overview (for computers). This class is held in the Library’s computer lab. Space is limited, so you have to sign up, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you’d like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

For the Mac Overview, there are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there’s room)!

I’m wishing you a long and glorious Indian Summer, and hope to see you at a class sometime soon! 

Mac classes – September 2016

Wow, where did the summer go? Labor Day is Monday, school is starting back up, and there’s been a distinct chill in the air. I’m feeling the need to back off the class schedule a bit this month, in order to catch my breath after a very busy summer. As a result, I’m only offering two things this month, and the first one isn’t even really a class. It is a very good opportunity to come by and learn what Proximity Space in Montrose is all about though, and get a little one-on-one time with the Mac Doctor at the same time!

Class list for September 2016:
  • Thurs., September 8th, from 2-4 pm: “Office Hours with the Mac Doctor”; Proximity Space
  • Weds., September 28th, from 5-7 pm: FREE iPhone/iPad Overview; Ridgway Library
The details:


 First off, next Thursday, September 8th, from 2-4 pm, at Proximity Space; I will be offering another session of “Office Hours with the Mac Doctor”. It’s a good time to have me answer your questions, take a look at your wonky Mac/iPhone/iPad, or simply have a chat about the latest happenings in the tech world. Attention will be given on a first-come, first-served basis, so come on down and introduce yourself, and take a look around Proximity Space! Charges, if any, will be determined by the complexity/difficulty of your issue, and if the issue is serious enough, a separate appointment may be necessary.

 Then, it’s the FREE Mac iPad/iPhone Overview, on Wednesday, September 28th from 5-7 pm at the Ridgway Library. This class is held in the small meeting room at the Library, and space is limited, so you have to sign up. The Library staff has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you’d like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

I hope to see you all at a class sometime soon.

Mac classes – August 2016

Happy Colorado Day! 140 years ago today, our state was born. I urge you to celebrate to the best of your ability (for a Monday anyway). And when you’re done celebrating, it’ll be time to get serious about some Mac classes!

On to the details…

Class list for August 2016:
  • Thurs., August 11th, from 6-8 pm at Proximity Space in Montrose: “Intermediate iPhone/iPad Tips & Tricks”; an especially in-depth exploration of everything your iDevice can do. 
  • Tues. August 23rd, from 6-8 pm: at Ridgway Library,  “Get Yourself Backed Up!”. There are so many reasons to make sure your irreplaceable data is backed up.
  • Wed., August 31st, from 5-7 pm: FREE Mac OS X Overview; Ridgway Library.
Please do let me know if you plan to attend any of these classes; if I get enough commitments ahead of time, I don’t have to send out a nagging reminder!


 First off on Thursday, August 11th, from 6-8 pm at the Proximity Space in Montrose, I’ll be doing a new class: Intermediate iPhone/iPad Tips & Tricks. Since I’ve been doing my every-other-month overview of the basics of using your iDevices, I think it’s time I offer an intermediate version, don’t you?! This class will be perfect for those of you who are tending to use your iPads as your only computer, but also for anyone who knows their way around their device pretty well, but would love to know more of advanced things you can do. Please, do let me know if you plan to attend. Cost, as usual, is $20.
 Next up, on Tuesday, August 23rd, from 6-8 pm, at the Ridgway Library, I’m revisiting an essential class: “Get Yourself Backed Up!”. This class will cover all aspects of backing up your devices, from online tools like Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, Carbonite and the like, to the best external hard drive options for physical backups. The importance of having good (and redundant!) backups is increasingly critical, for obvious reasons, but less obvious is that a good backup is your best protection against viruses and hacker! Due to popular demand, I will also cover Time Machine, and how to use it, so you can confirm your backups are working! Come learn all there is to know about how to make sure your precious photos and documents are safe for many years to come! Cost for this class is $20. Again, please let me know if you plan to attend.


 Lastly, I will be doing my regular last-Wednesday-of-the-month class at the Ridgway Library on Wednesday, August 31st from 5-7 pm. This month, it’s the FREE Mac OS X Overview. This class is held in the Library’s computer lab. Space is limited, so you have to sign up, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you’d like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

For the Mac Overview, there are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there’s room)!

I’m wishing you a glorious August, as the summer begins to wind down. 😕 I hope to see you at a class sometime soon! 

[UPDATED] Mac classes – July 2016

Sorry everyone, but due to a change in my schedule for the end of the month, I’m moving the FREE iPhone/iPad Overview to this coming Tuesday, from 6-8 pm. This very informative class is guaranteed to give you new insights into everything your “iDevices” can do. Please let me know if you plan to attend. There are a couple folks signed up already, but the more the merrier (and remember, it’s FREE)!

UPDATED Class list for July 2016:

  • Tues., July 12th, from 6-8 pm: FREE iPhone/iPad Overview; Ridgway Library
  • Weds., July 20th, from 5-7 pm: Photos (Apple’s recent iPhoto replacement); Ridgway Library

The details:

 First off, it’s the FREE Mac iPad/iPhone Overview, on Tuesday, July 12th from 6-8 pm at the Ridgway Library. This class is held in the small meeting room at the Library, and space is limited, so you have to sign up. The Library staff has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you’d like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

 Then, on Wednesday, July 20th, from 5-7 pm, at the Ridgway Library, due to popular demand, I’ll be revisiting Apple’s new Photos program for Yosemite & El Capitan. A lot of folks have gotten more than a little discombobulated by the switch to Photos, but it’s actually quite a powerful upgrade from iPhoto. As a “version 1” app, it also has some missing features and odd functionality. If you’re running Yosemite or El Cap on your Mac, you’ll want to take this class to learn all the ins & outs of the new program! Please, do let me know if you plan to attend. Cost, as usual, is $20. Please let me know if you plan to attend.

I hope to see you all at a class sometime soon.

Mac classes – June 2016

Happy June everyone! As you read this, Mallory & I will have already spent two nights in Reykjavik Iceland, and will be getting ready to hop on our bikes for a six-day bike tour out of Edinburgh Scotland tomorrow!! Needless to say, we’re both about as ready for a vacation as we’ve been in awhile. The entire trip is three weeks (we go back to Iceland for the last week of the trip), and then I have a conference in Vail right after we get back, so I’ll be away from Ridgway for almost a month.

Of course, that means I won’t be doing much in the way of classes this month. Just one, in fact; the regular free class at Ridgway Library on the last Wednesday of the month. I should have a full schedule again in July, so don’t despair! 😜

Also, due to my lengthy absence, I’ve talked to a couple of guys who can help you with any of your urgent tech support needs while I’m away:

The first is Dustin Nicholson, who runs Macsumize in Montrose. His shop is between Scott’s Printing and Safeway in Montrose, behind El Jimador restaurant at 12th & Townsend. His number is (720) 881-1352.

The second is Chris Kennedy, of Apple Core Technologies in Montrose. His number is (970) 901-3051.

Class list for June 2016:

Wed., June 29th, from 5-7 pm: FREE Mac OS X Overview; Ridgway Library.

 Again, for my only class this month, I will be doing my regular last-Wednesday-of-the-month session at the Ridgway Library on Wednesday, June 29th from 5-7 pm. This month, it’s the FREE Mac OS X Overview. This class is held in the Library’s computer lab. Space is limited, so you have to sign up, and the Library has asked that I handle the sign ups, so give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you’d like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

For the Mac Overview, there are six Macs in the computer lab, so only two of the eight attendees need their own laptops. This class is beginner-oriented, but we cover some different things every month; repeat attendees are encouraged (when there’s room)!

Here’s to a spectacular June, and I hope to see you in July!

Mac classes – May 2016

Happy May Day everyone! Sure didn’t feel like May 1st here in Ridgway though. Hope it did wherever you are! I know that warm & sunny days are on the horizon, I just wish they’d hurry up and get here already. In the meantime, anyone up for a computer class?

Class list for March 2016:

  • Thurs., May 12th, from 5:30-8:30 pm: iPhones & iPAs; a Sherbino ArtBar; Sherbino Theater, (reserve your spot through Weehawken Creative Arts); come learn how to take great photos with your iPhone!
  • Tues., May 17th, from 6-8 pm: iTunes, at the Ridgway Library; discover all the ins & outs of the 900 pound gorilla of media managers!
  • Weds., May 25th, from 5-7 pm: FREE iPhone/iPad Overview; Ridgway Library

The details:

 First off, on Thursday, May 12th, from 5:30-8:30 pm, it’ll be iPhones & iPAs; a Sherbino ArtBar at the Sherbino Theater. Join me for a free-wheeling & dynamic exploration of the fascinating world of iPhone photography!! You’ll learn tips and tricks for getting the best photos out of your iPhone, as well as learn about a ton of astounding apps that will help you take those photos to the next level. Just $35 per person, which includes a beer (“iPA” recommended!) or glass of wine. Pre-registration is encouraged (through Weehawken Creative Arts).

 Then, on Tuesday, May 17th, from 6-8 pm, at the Ridgway Library, I’ll be revisiting an app we could all use some help with: iTunes. With all the content one can load on their iDevices these days, iTunes has gotten all the more important in managing it all. To top it off, the program has undergone a major interface overhaul recently (yes, again!). If you’ve been wanting to learn all the ins and outs of this wild & crazy music/movies/TV shows/books/podcasts/apps management tool, this class is for you. We’ll cover everything from understanding where everything lives, to navigating all the stores, as well as importing your own CD’s, audiobooks, movies, etc. It’s especially helpful if you’re struggling to figure out how to manage what all gets loaded on your iPhone/iPad! Cost for this class is $20, and will be held at the Ridgway Library. Please let me know if you plan to attend.

 Lastly, it’s the FREE Mac iPad/iPhone Overview, on Wednesday, May 25th from 5-7 pm at the Ridgway Library. This class is held in the small meeting room at the Library, and space is limited, so you have to sign up. Give me a call at 970-417-8434 (or drop me an email) if you’d like to attend. (Be aware that first-timers take priority over anyone who has taken the class before, but there are often openings for repeaters).

I hope to see you all at a class sometime soon!

© Copyright 2023 John I. Clark, Ridgway's Mac Doctor