Microsoft's Axis of Evil

I had a bit of a crisis of the technical type this week.  It seems that Microsoft has gotten smarter.  I admit, I had been using a copy of Office 2000.  I think it was actually legal, because you get a certain number of licenses for each copy you obtain, and I know this copy was only on one other computer, but still, Microsoft calls in your sins pretty fast these days.  Apparently I hit something on my desktop that tipped them off, and they locked me out of my applications right as I was trying desperately to construct a document.  EGADS!  I admit it, I threw a plate.  It broke. I had to clean it up.  Combining PMS with MSN is a battle of the wrong acronyms.  I felt really stupid cleaning up that plate.  Thank goodness the little angel was not around to witness her mother's complete lack of professionalism in the face of crisis.  (Of course, if she had been, I like to think I would've responded with more restraint. One doesn't really know.)

So off to the store my beloved and I went yesterday, to purchase a new and too-legit-to-quit version of Office.  I was pretty sure it was going to set us back quite a bit, until we discovered that Microsoft, in an apparent bid to get SOME money instead of NO money, has put out a "teacher and student" edition that is the SAME THING as normal Office.  The only caveat is that someone in your family has to be a teacher or student.  Having been both and currently being an adjunct professor, I decided we qualified.  I talked to the salesperson, who assured  me no proof of studenthood or teacherhood was necessary and yes, it is just Microsoft riling against people like me who borrow their father's CDs on a regular basis.

I took it home, popped in the CD and VOILA - new Office. Just like that.  It was ridiculously easy.  The price of penance?  $150.  My pride?  Let's not talk about that right now.