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MS Office 2000 Server Extension Training, Chicago, June '99.
Microsoft brought some MVPs to Texas, N. Carolina and Chicago for Office 2000 Server Extension training so they can help support this new Microsoft Newsgroup.
Unfortunately, Rob Bovey, Excel MVP and Consultant, was too busy with clients to make the Chicago dates, but Bob (Bucky) Buckland flew in from S. California. Dian and Greg Chapman, already live in Chicago. And Eileen O'Rourke, our instructor, flew in from Microsoft in N. Carolina.
Office 2000 is loaded with great stuff and marvelous improvements to Office 97. And with three days of training, we were able to learn all about this great new collaboration feature in Office 2000 that allows you to share ideas and comment on documents right from within your company Intranet! We wrestled with issues, drilled down possible problems and discussed solutions. Oh, and we also had a great time! After class on Wed, Dian took Greg (who moved here from Ohio only two years ago), Bucky and Eileen on an auto tour of Chicagoland and later to dinner at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders (a marvelous place for dinner, which I discovered back in high school...it's at 2121 W. Clark). Eileen was impressed that Chicago was so clean and so big! On Thurs night, Microsoft treated our group to an open bar/dinner cruise aboard the Spirit of Chicago, which departs from Chicago's Navy Pier. And when class was finished on Friday, Eileen had to leave; but Dian took Greg and Bucky for a stroll along Chicago's "Magnificent Mile" where we checked out the "Cows on Parade" art exhibit all around Chicago, and then went up to the 96th Floor of the John Hancock Building for drinks and dinner! We learned a lot...had a great time...and enjoyed the opportunity to finally meet some more of the people with whom we work on the Internet.|
Bob, Eileen & Greg troubleshoot ways customers might possibly have problems with their configurations. |
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More possible scenarios...Eileen, Dian, Greg, Bob. |
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Time for a little energy snack. Hey MVPs, guess what we ate? (Frangos have a legacy in the MVP world.) |
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After class on Wed, we toured the city. Bucky with Shedd Aquarium behind him and Sears tower in the far background. |
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Eileen...enjoying the wide open spaces! |
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Dian...being Dian! |
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More bucky! |
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Dian & Greg! |
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Dian, Greg and Liberty—a girl we met while touring around. |
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As we gaze at the skyline, oh look! It's the Microsoft Building. (And also the building they trashed in the movie The Negotiator)! |
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And there's Buckingham Fountain. Well, the water, anyway. |
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Time for us to take off...go have dinner and get ready for day two. |
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After class on Thurs, we head to Navy Pier for our boat cruise. But first, we investigate some of the art (??) displayed on the pier. |
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Bucky tries to reassemble THIS piece! |
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Thankfully, we're not the ONLY quacks on the pier! |
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Although you'd think ConnieS has enough to do taking care of us MVPs; but no, she still has the energy to make pizza! <snicker> |
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No, that's not our boat, but if you're ever at Navy Pier—take a ride on Seadog. It's VERY fast and lots of WET fun! Great rock 'n roll music, too! |
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No, that's not our boat, either. But if you're ever at Navy Pier and want to rig a big sail boat yourself, check out The Windy. You work on this boat tour! |
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Dian takes a little time to stir up trouble with the seagulls. |
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Our Captain—of the Spirit of Chicago! Hummmm...he takes this job seriously! |
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Ok, well at least until he sees he's being filmed. |
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Our waiter...Brent. |
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Time to cast off. Bucky celebrates! (Or gets in the way of it!) |
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Hummm, is Eileen getting a little seasick? |
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Nah! She's just funnin'! |
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Greg gets caught up in the celebration...literally! |
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Time to get ready for dinner. Note the Royal wave! |
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Our dinner companions celebrating their 26th anniversary. Janice and Bruce Goldman |
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Bruce Goldman. |
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Janice Goldman. |
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A beautiful skyline of Chicago. |
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Chicago lighthouse. |
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The Windy. |
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Now for a little entertainment. Carmen arrives and flirts with the locals! |
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Gene Koenigsberg from Scottsdale, Arizona, is led to the slaughter! |
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Carmen explains to Gene that it's time to go pick up her sister, Sylvia. |
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Carmen and, ahem...Sylvia (Gene) return! |
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Feed them enough alcohol and they'll dance to anything! |
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No, the mafia hasn't arrived...it's just Greg and his zebra tie! |
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Time to head outside and enjoy the city at night. |
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The staff gets time to relax, too. Hi mom...I'm enjoying Chicago and yes, I'll get a haircut! |
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Did someone say...vogue? |
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Yeah, right...you wanna see vogue? |
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Take THAT... |
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...and THAT! |
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Great view. |
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Thanks for the pictures, Brent! |
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Ahhhhhh...a romantic moment under the stars. |
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After the cruise...we HAVE to stop for pictures by the 'George Clooney/ER fountain!' |
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Eileen. |
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Bob (Bucky). |
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Greg & Dian. |
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Greg, Dian & Eileen. |
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Dian, Bob & Eileen. |
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Greg did an incredible job setting UP all the machines...and now breaks them all down! |
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Movin' computers...something Greg does a lot. |
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Friday...a walking tour of Chicago. It sounds like the movie 'Twister' with everyone yelling...COW! (A fun art exhibit all around Chicago!) Green River COW! |
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COW taking a boat ride! |
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COW on skis. |
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COW with bunny slippers??? (One of Dian's favorites!) |
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Newspaper COW near the Tribune. |
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And in front of WGN radio...a Harry Carey Holy COW. |
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We show Bob the Tribune Tower...where pieces of buildings from around the world are inserted into the building. |
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Former Air Force mechanic...Greg loves the fighter COW. |
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Greg attempts a near impossible drinking fountain. Anything for a challenge! |
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Newspaper delivery COW. |
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Brookfield Zoo COW. |
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Chicago Watertower COW on a COW on a COW! (Chicago WaterCower)
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And now up 96 floors to the bar! |
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The view is incredible... |
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...once you bring it into focus! |
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Notice the Sears Tower. |
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The Lakefront. |
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That's our boat from the cruise the other night...at Navy Pier. |
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Ok...time to leave. So...who's gonna go first?
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