Microsoft Training FTW?

So, here’s the thing…

Microsoft’s training oppertunities are amazing.  I have learned more about the core concepts of programming from their videos and tutorials than I have from the books.

Where their training fails for me so far is the details.  In my ever-changing job responsibilities, I now have to create email blasts to send out every day.  Once they are created, I can queue them up in our newsletter tool.  I’ve got two weeks qeued up already, so I was going to spend some time developing an app that I can just check off each day for each newsletter as done.

 And, though I know HOW to do it (concept-wise) in C#… I can’t seem to figure out exactly how to set everything up right with the Windows Forms.  However, because I’ve learned JAVA in such a step-by-step nature, I actually think I can tackle it in SWING.

So yeah… Microsoft, your training rocks.  But where are the DETAILED training courses and tutorials?  Or how about a full on “Beginner to Pro” course outline/website with your content nicely paced out for us.  Start me with Kid’s Programming Language if you must… but get more detailed for me.  Of course, maybe it’s out there… I just haven’t found it.

So here’s the even more amazing part of Microsoft’s training.  If you get on board now with learning how to program utilizing the enhancements in Vista or program for Microsoft Office, you get a free copy of either Vista or Office!  That’s called spoiling your customers/students/developers.

Check it out at their PowerTogether.com website… I’ve done two of the Office courses.  Their Virtual Labs are really impressive… you actually get to play in a real instance of Office 2007.  The only thing I  can’t figure out yet, though, is why I need to be programming add-ons for Office.  From what I’ve seen of it in the courses… it does… well… everything.  I have no idea what I’d be able to add to it.

Been a Long Time…

Mmm… Wii

Originally uploaded by aaronlinne.

So, it’s been a while since I’ve gotten a gumption to blog. Why is this? Because it seems I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

Recently, I was presented with a couple of different oppertunities at my job… all in different fields I went for them all… and, well, none have panned out just yet. Do what disiciplines did I try my hand at?

1) Marketing & Metrics
2) Programming
3) Motion Media/User Interface (making DVD menus, Flash interactive menus)

And, of course, I’m currently working in the area of Customer Service. So, one might ask… how does that any of that relate?

For me… they all make perfect sense and go hand in hand together, each a part of me and the things I can do. And, they’re all skills I have, and want to continue to develop in myself. So what kind of job am I setting myself up for? What direction am I going in?

At this point, I’d have to say it’s the area of interactive media. Or, as the hipsters call it, “video games”.

To me, it’s not just a chance to make a buck or pretty graphics. It’s about telling a story. It’s about having new experiences. It’s about little victories and it’s about community. It’s about taking someone to another world, and letting them live there for a while. And once they’re in that world? Then maybe everything’s ok for a little while. And maybe, just maybe, life can be good.

So, amidst being in the throws of once of the best story-telling games ever, Zelda: Twilight Princess, I find myself inching back toward XNA & C#, away from JAVA. I hate that I keep bouncing back and forth between languages… but I’m trying to find what I want to do, what language makes sense to me.

Curse you Microsoft for making the Visual Studio products SO amazingly good. Curse you for making available so many programmer tools and great tuitorials. I’m trying hard to learn JAVA, but you and your C# ways just keep pulling me back.

So here’s to going back to C#, back to tuitorials, and back to the Wii and Twilight Princess.

Sigh – I need more time in life.