Photoshop Creative

Ok! I finally got CS3. The easy part is done; the software is downloaded, activated, and registered. The learning process starts. Since I've been working PSE for several years, I hope the learning curve is not too tough. Got a question; They advertise Layers Magazine on one of the webs. I notice Corey Barker has tut's on it, so I'm assuming it comes from the same as PET magazine. Should I subscribe? Is it as helpful with Photoshop as the PET newsletter has been with PSE? Also what does joining NAPP get you besides discounts? I'm not a professional, and $99 may (or may not) be a little steep for a membership, so I need some qualitative feedback.

Gail, I am a member of NAPP and they do have alot of tutorials. To be honest I have only done maybe 2 or 3 of them. I am mostly a lurker on that site. I find it geared more for prefessionals. I have found that I can get as good tutorials from tutorial sites. Also doing Reka's HW helped alot.

Gail; If you have been using PSelements the change will not be as big as you may think.
I switched just in January from PSE5/6 to CS3 without too many hitches, I did not find it too scary, at all.
I currently have a subscription to PET but will not be renewing when it comes due, I have taken courses from
http://www.eclecticacademy.com and found them to be probably more useful than the PET subscription.
Also the people around here are GREAT with all kinds of hints and tips.
Know I know i am not using CS3 to its full potential yet but I am learning more and more, from the people here and various pod casts and sites around the web.
Thats just my take

Thanks, Suzib and Nolan. I'm about to jump in and see what I can do. I anticipate a lot of fun.

Gail, don't forget lynda.com, and if I may modestly suggest, my failed attempts at providing CS instruction in this very forum.

Reka, you didn't fail, I enjoyed the lessons and learned a bunch. Wish they were still going. If one person learns something then not a failure!!!!!!

ok... I have Layer's Magazine. It is time for me to resubscribe and I am not.
I do not find it helpful.

edit: on a side note... that is one of the reasons I am looking forward to taking the advanced scrap class. The videos lessons are offered in Elements or CS3.

Thanks Reka and Kimi. I will certainly use the tuts on here, and will, at least, defer subscribing to Layer Magazine until later. I bought Adobe's "Classroom in a Book" for CS3 and will work with that for a while. Also, I bought Martin Evening's "Adobe Photoshop for Photographers". Between these and what I can get on line I expect I'll get pushed pretty hard.
At this point I am not planning on renewing the PET magazine subscription. My PSE is version 4, and as I get on with CS3 the PET magazine will probably become less relevent. It sure has been a help, though. While they let us I downloaded all the videos and some of the tutorials.
Kimi, I also ordered the scrappers disc for CS3. Now as you know I'm not really a scrapper, but I'm keeping my options open.

Gail... I ordered the CD also.

I am not a scrapper at all but taking Jessica's classes has taught me to look at the creativity of the process and it has been a great way to learn the software.

Gail, I think you will like CS3 once you get the hang of it. I am still trying to learn so much of it. I want to get a book but haven't decided which one yet.

Reka, I miss your weekly tuts too. I have been busy lately and haven't had much time for tuts. I have tried to keep up with the at least the crop challenge and ones that don't take much time. I hope to get more active again now that I have my my newsletter design job more organized and know what I am doing.