So, today, minding my own business while trying to master Master Documents in Word 2007 (I do NOT reccomend this for anyone, not even the strong shall survive), Word crashes.  Ok, I am using a book that does actually warn me of the dangers of workign with master documents.  I somewhat expected a crash.  The crash I expected was locking up, closing unexpectedly, that kind of crash.  You know the ones we see almost daily.

I was not so lucky.  When I crashed, I went down hard.  HARD.  My hours (like more than three hours) of work, gone.  Combining 27 documents into one and attempting to have all styles match and consecutive page numbering does not sound like a difficult task.  I went from somewhere around 135 pages to 4.  With no undo available.  My last saved version was now this 4 page mess. 

So, I made the decsion....ADOBE it is.  I was going to use the combine files feature to make one honkin big document.  I open Acrobat.  I click a few buttons.  I crash Acrobat.  I get a message that tells me it crashed AND I must now UNINSTALL it.  Period.  No more explainaiton.  No other option offered.  Wow, I had never crashed software so hard that I had to uninstall it.  And I crash software for a living.  So, you know me, if at first you don't succeed, try try again.  So, same steps, same results, imagine THAT?!?!

so, uninstalled Acrobat Pro.  Am now downloading it again.  I am sucking the bandwidth at the office and will be re-installing.

AND I STILL DON'T HAVE MY DOCUMENT COMBINED.

Yesterday I attended the quarterfinals for the state marching band competition. Our son is in the band and it was the first time in school history that they even made it to state competition.  Way to go Drew!  Way to go Pine Creek.

First video here for you.  Program was too long for a single entry at YouTube.  Links for the others here....and here....

So, I have been on a bit of a crusade these days.  I work with both my kids' schools helping with technology.  We talk software, hardware, curriculum, etc.

I have thought for the longest time thought that they must be paying too much for software.  There is always someone that wants to discount for schools.  I now have a very tangible example and need to get the word out!

If a high school wants to teach a .NET developer class, they would need the MSDN developer subscription.  That retails for $1,200.  Class of 20 students, copy at school, copy at home for homework, that's $48,000.  Under the MSDN Academic Alliance, it's $299.  $299!!!!!  AND it's unlimited as to quantity of seats as long as they are used for students enrolled in the classes.

Look here

Last week I helped to organize a meeting of Microsoft Regional Directors in Aspen, Colorado.

The week went great, it seemed as if all of the attendees had a spectacular time, learned from each other and learned about each other.

We covered speed dating, photography scavenger hunt (to include belly buttons and Forrest Gump) and had the chace to learn a bit about the professional passions the group shared.

Thanks to all that came and all the helped make it happen.  Let's do it again!

And to Michael McDermott.  I was interviewed yesterday for a spotlight article and Michael was nothing but wonderful.  I have a pretty extensive journalism background and have been dabbling in the tech writing/editing area for a few years now.   He wanted my take on government and business.

He wrote the piece almost immediately and sent me a copy.  He was just awesome. 

Look for the December issue of Compass on Business for some insights (!!) from yours truly.  :)