Installing a Beta 2 version (already soon to be superceded by a newer version) of Visual Studio 2005. It appears to be hung on the installation of SQL Server 2005 Express (big surprise for a beta MS product).

Got to play with 2005 at a class in Seattle a few weeks ago, given by a company called PluralSight. Taking a look at the latest MSDN magazine – 2 articles there from guys that I’m aware of from the company. September issue: another 2 articles. Very sharp guys, interesting training. Proximity to Microsoft’s campus let them both seed the class with guys from Microsoft who wanted to round out their knowledge, and let them bring in speakers to talk about the newest latest and greatest. Very cool.

Anyway, still waiting for the software to install. But looking forward to playing wtih 2005 features, maybe thinking about taking a 2005 Microsoft exam as my next cert effort. (I got my MCP renewed as of 8/10! The previous one had lapsed, due to a retiring exam. But I’m up and about again, and theoretically studying for another one.)

Cora’s now begun preschool. She’s 3 1/2 years old, very intelligent we think (as Garrison Keillor puts it, “where all the children are above average”), and has always been just a bit shy. OK, if you’ve actually met her, occasionally painfully, throw a fit if you get near her shy. That’s changed somewhat as she’s gotten older, but it was still with some trepidation that we considered her going to kindergarten as her first exposure to not being the focus of mommy/daddy/grandma’s attention and doting. So, we essentially decided to move the pain up, to when the doses were smaller, and the outcome was less dire if she hated the whole experience. Off to find a preschool we went.

Our criteria for the appropriate school? Very limited. Do you have kids? Do you have adults to watch those kids? No obvious electrocution/drowning/falling out of windows hazards? Great! You’re the one for us. Actually, it was even slightly more relaxed than that. We knew two families in the church who were sending their little girls to a particular school, and we kind of figured if it was good enough for them…

So Cora’s been to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays for two weeks now. And she comes home to tell us about stuff that we didn’t get to see her do. Up to now, when she told us stuff, there was this mind mapping that had to go to figure out what precisely from today she’s found interesting to talk about. 3 year olds aren’t great on giving context. But you witnessed her whole day, mostly, so you had the keys. Now, though, there’s a whole set of stuff that she does that we’re really interested in finding out about, and dependent upon asking just the right questions to get her impression of the situation. Very odd experience… Not something we were really prepared for with a 3 year old.

Jason has it even weirder than me. I’m used to coming home, and only getting snippets. Heck, I only _want_ snippets. He’s used to seeing the whole thing in gory detail. And now there’s this set of details Cora may choose to reveal or not reveal. New friends, new experiences, … our daughter has a life of her own at 3 1/2!