GIMP is Grrrrrreeeaaatt!

I've been using GIMP for a while now but I never really read anything on how it works. I just sort of played around until I figured out what I was trying to do. I've always wanted to learn more about it because I know it can do a million amazing things it you just learn how. So I started reading a How To book on it. I'm only through the chapter on drawing (I think it's the third) and I'm pretty sure I've already warn out "ohhhh that's how you do that". The project at the end of the chapter is drawing a 3-D tree in a box. It's pretty cool. I've never been much of a drawer, but my tree actually looks pretty good. I was really surprised how easy it was. I think that things like that and even the selecting would be a lot easier with a tablet. I've always wanted to try one but I don't know anyone who owns one and I'm much too poor to purchase one. Some day I guess. I also learned how to remove red-eye from photos. It works pretty good if you can get the selectiong right. Although, I will tell you this now, it does not work on pictures of cats!