Let me suggest that this is the perfect time to sit down with your parents and record them going through their favorite photos and clippings. Include your grandparents, aunts and uncles if available. A video of them telling stories, pointing out long lost relatives, identifying people in the photos you are curious about, etc. will be more precious to you than the photo archives. What a treasure for your grandkids and their future offspring. Create your video(s), then start your scanning project or do them simultaneously.

Take a look at these resources:

Google EOS Magazine and Nina Bailey Photographer. Nina has written several books on Canon's DPP software. EOS Magazine reproduces Canon camera manuals in a larger format so they are much easier to use.

Books:
http://www.eos-magazine.com/ebooks/es/

Canon Tutorials:
http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/product/canon_software/dpp_video_tutorials.do

It sounds to me like you have fallen into the photography doldrums. I experience this myself. I enjoy the creativity, shooting and processing. My family and friends enjoy my work, but sometimes it's hard to get motivated to get out there and shoot. Before plunking down big money for classes look seriously into workshops. Find professionals workshops that concentrate on teaching how to use your camera and post processing. Combining shooting with travel and seeing new places will get the juices flowing. I did a 10 day "lessons/workshop" trip on the Oregon Coast last fall. At every location the professional spent time with each of us to make sure we understood our camera settings and why we were using each. When I finished that workshop I felt like I had professional skills. Learning to shoot on site in a small group with cameras in hand and a pro to answer your questions is, in my mind, way better than critiquing photos on a video screen in a classroom. Just my opinion.

A termite walks into a tavern and says were's the bar-tender?

Five out of four people have trouble with fractions.

Paranoid people scare me!!

Great portraits. One captured with a smile and another so stern. Which fits his personality? Why is the stern look so prevalent in advertising and everyday life? I'd like to meet the guy with the smile. Not so sure about the other one. Oh well... still great shots.

The Lifetime National Park Senior Pass cost has been raised to $80.

As you are finding out, digital photography can be an expensive endeavor because the costs can spiral up quickly. I would recommend baby steps. I assume you have purchased and/or settled on a camera. If your current computer system will handle an earlier version of Photoshop and Lightroom you should be able to find reasonably priced copies. You might also find an earlier version of some of the other fine photo editing software to your liking. These editing versions will produce wonderful results. As your photo and editing skills grow begin researching computer systems and more up to date software.

Similar to tandac01, I completed a 10 day workshop on the Oregon coast in September. The instructor called it lessons not workshop. He concentrated on teaching us how to use our equipment with the emphasis on doing everything in camera. Minimal to NO post processing. As I gained confidence in my work I went from 200 shots a day to 40 or 50. A remarkable instructor. The class of 11 had a mixture of Nikons, Canons and a Sony mirrorless. Learn your camera and use your delete key in the field.

An unarmed Laura Croft looking for a tunnel entrance? If a composite I would like to see both images.

I create folders based on date and shooting session for everyday on a shoot. I also create a discard folder for each day. In the evening I'll delete those I am 100% sure of, but if a slight question I'll move the image to the dated discard folder. Upon returning home and doing sometimes days and days of editing I will delete the images that remain in the discard folders.

I did an Oregon coast workshop the second and third weeks of September this year. We shared the beach with three other workshops at times. Even with the weather day to day being iffy we had tremendous sunrises and sunsets. Take a look at the web site of Randall J Hodges and under "Lessons" look at his "Biggest Adventure of all time on the Oregon Coast" to get descriptions of the best places to shot on the Oregon Coast. I don't know about the best time and places for fall colors in Oregon. I shoot fall colors in Tumwater Canyon in October near Leavenworth in WA. I live in Washington but find the Oregon Coast my favorite place to shot in the west.

Don't forget to check on the location of the moon and when it will rise or set.

Speaking as a landscape photographer this characterization of Grad ND filters couldn't be farther from the truth. I can only assume the poster has been frightened away by the care and setup needed to use them properly. If post processing is so much better than a Grad ND why isn't it better that any Solid ND? The high dynamic range issues of sunrises and sunsets as an example can be balanced with Grad ND's and eliminate the need for post processing. No bracketed images needed. All ND filter manufactures tout Grad ND filters and offer videos on their web sites. Singh-Ray highlights 76 recognizable pros that use their Grads. If the OP wants to do landscape work Grad ND's will serve him or her well and become indispensable.

If this is your primary computer for image processing go with the larger screen (15") for sure. My primary is a 27" desktop. I also have a 13" laptop that I use for minor editing when traveling. When I have tried to do major editing with the 13" no matter how good the image may look there is always that nagging feeling that it could be better on the bigger screen. If you have not worked with a laptop before they are a dream for culling after a long day or trip of photographing. Switch on the ballgame, sit back in a soft deep easy chair with the laptop on your lap!

I have two questions about touchscreens that maybe a touchscreen user can answer. Does the screen get slightly bumpy or wavy after months and months of use? And does your arm get fatigued after a couple of hours of editing?

One last completely unrelated question. I've been an SLR/DSLR user for 45 years and never even held a mirrorless camera. What I'd like to know is what sound, if any, do they make when the shutter is pushed? Thanks.

Wonderful photo. I've taken the same shot of the skyline but from near Alki. It's near impossible to get now the bay seems to always have a barge or ship anchored in front of the city. Thanks for sharing.