Donna Payne's Blog - From PayneGroup

We're all equal in on some airlines

2010-07-09T14:45:00.000-07:00

I'll admit that I've enjoyed my share of 1st class upgrades on airlines. But lately I've been opting to fly Southwest more and more because I like the idea that pretty much everyone is treated the same. You can spend an extra $10 when you purchase the ticket to get early check in. And then of course you can check in up to 24 hours in advance to secure the best position in line. Then you pick your seat - any seat at all, and with it, your seat mate for the flight. Something about this appeals to me.

Even though I could cash in those miles or even get free upgrades with my preferred status, I'm going to www.iflyswa.com whenever I can get a nonstop flight.

Birmingham at Balch

2010-06-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

I've never seen a more stunning firm decor than Balch & Bingham (and I've seen a lot of them). Mark Norris and Janice Calfee personally gave me the tour and my jaw dropped room after room. The decor is high end without being intimidating. Instead, it's warm, friendly and inviting. The firm has a courtroom setup for mock trial preparation. The training room and all conference rooms are state of the art. Everything about the offices screams this is a place I want to spend time. They got it right.

We have a lot of clients in Birmingham and frankly, I love being here because I feel welcome and I guess appreciated. It's kind of like family on a good day. :-)

Sheraton Birmingham - Don't let the bed bugs bite

2010-06-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

I've always enjoyed visiting our clients/friends in Birmingham Alabama. I arrived to find the free Sheraton airport shuttle waiting for me (nice). The Sheraton downtown has actually undergone some renovations or so the hotel website boasted. The lobby and common areas look nice but my room on the top floor hadn't been updated yet and the club is still under construction and has been for quite a few years - in fact, I didn't see any work crews making progress during my stay so that may be halted.

If you're going to get a room there, make sure to ask for one with an outside facing view unless you want to look down into the atrium. Also, check to make sure the room has been updated. I personally don't think I'll be staying there any time soon because the sheets were scratchy and when I woke up, I had multiple bites on the back of my neck that were not there when I went to sleep. I'll likely go to the Tutwiler Hotel/Hampton Inn.

Charlotte Hospitality

2010-06-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

Parker Poe was the host of the Charlotte leg of the Office 2010 tour. I cannot thank them enough for their hospitality. Stacie Oste gave me the grand tour and then MC'd the event like the pro that she is. She would have quite the career in stand up should she ever decide to leave the firm. Steve Fletcher took time out of his busy schedule to spend time with me as well and to attend the entire event. Steve is Law Technology News IT Director of the Year.

The attendance was great and the questions kept us there well after the event was over (I like when this happens). It was difficult to leave but it was time to board a Southwest Airlines plane to Birmingham, AL - another city where we have great clients and friends.

Redeye to Charlotte

2010-06-07T22:30:00.000-07:00

This is the start of a crazy trip but I'm trying to get the most cities for the fewest nights on the road on this leg of the Office 2010 PayneGroup/ILTA tour. I'm flying on the redeye to Charlotte where I'll speak, then off to Birmingham, then Baltimore and DC (two nights hotel and four cities).

Vancouver Presentation

2010-05-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

Today I'm in Vancouver speaking at the firm Harper Grey LLP. George Lo has graciously volunteered to host the event with ILTA and the attendance is huge. In fact, more people are showing up than have registered. The audience has great questions and many of the firms here have plans to move quickly to Office 2010 (and to some of our products).

After the event, I'm off to Whistler for a long weekend with the family. In fact, they are waiting at Stanley Park for me to finish up then we are on our way. Great day all around.

Portland Office 2010

2010-05-07T22:00:00.000-07:00

Took the Amtrak train down to Portland to give the Office 2010 presentation today. This mode of transportation is pretty relaxing if you can spare the time. It's not a fast trip by any means compared to flying; however if you get a business class seat which is just a little more, it's comfortable and drops you out right in downtown Portland. The train is usually about 15 minutes late however so be forewarned.

Today I'm presenting at Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt as part of the ILTA Office 2010 presentation tour. This firm is incredible and they were a great host. The room was first rate too. It doesn't get any better.

Shaun from DocsCorp Australia was in town for a visit (they have an office in Portland) and he and Bob Moore stopped by to say hello as well for a bit after. The train was sold out for the return so off to the airport for a quick return flight to Seattle.

Microsoft Office 2010 Sneak Peak Launch Event

2010-05-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

Microsoft selected our company, PayneGroup, a long time Gold Partner, to host a sneak peak event for Office 2010. We held it in our offices today from 9:30-11:30. Susan Horiuchi and I presented and we ran through so many features and functionality to ensure that everyone who came really came away with a good understanding of what the software is all about.

The event filled up in 15 minutes after it was announced on the Microsoft and PayneGroup website too so we split it into two sessions. This was the first event that we'd held in our new offices and I can say with confidence that it will be the first of many such events.

I'm a BAD student

2010-04-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

Today and tomorrow I'm at Microsoft attending an invitation only class. Do you know what I realize? I'm a bad student. It's difficult to sit still and not talk for two days straight. :-) The teacher just said something wrong and I wanted to jump in and correct him. Don't talk Donna. Restrain yourself.

Indianapolis should be renamed

2010-04-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

Seattle is friendly but Indianapolis took this to a whole new level. Everywhere I went, people went out of there way to say hello and to talk with me from the moment I arrived in the city. I stopped briefly into the downtown mall to see about getting a new pair of shoes (having been on the speaking tour I was ready to throw my old pair away) and the shop owner said, "the pair you're wearing are perfectly good, let me stretch them for you, no charge..."!

At the presentation the next day, the host firm, Baker & Daniels LLP took great care of me (thank you Sue and Jan). Also, everyone that attended was really receptive to Office 2010 and to me and to PayneGroup which makes me want to visit more often.

As I waited in the Southwest Airlines line to board the flight, and then later, while sitting in my seat as the flight attendant started to sing to us, I realized - Indianapolis really is the happiest place on earth.

Office 2010 Roadshow in Chicago

2010-04-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

I just spoke in Chicago at the law firm McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP. Ted Socolofsky generously offered to host the event that was sponsored by ILTA. I was happy to see the large room packed with people. This is stop number 2 on a big tour of cities. Tomorrow I'm off to Indianapolis. Thanks everyone for coming out and taking a look at Office 2010 and what it has to offer.

Off to Chicago

2010-04-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

Today I'm off to Chicago again. I'm spending a lot of time in this wonderful city. Our wonderful Teresa Morris works here and could give much better travel advice; however if you have some extra tourist time while there, go to the Shedd Aquarium, it's world class. Go to Millennium Park. For food, I like Santorini's for Greek, and Keefer's for high-end (perfect for power lunch or dinner). As for hotels, I only stay at Starwood properties if I can help it because of being a Platinum (50 plus nights a year) plus we have a great negotiated rate. I'm sure there are nicer hotel rooms in the city; however you'll always find me at either the W, the Westin or the Sheraton.

New Web Developer

2010-04-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

Today I met with our new web developer. We're planning for a new company website which will be very different from what we have now. I expect the new site to be ready sometime between July and August. That will be phase 1 at least. We have big plans!

Clearwater Beach

2010-04-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

The new Hyatt on Clearwater Beach is very nice and brand new. That's where we're staying on this trip to Tampa. Husband is celebrating a birthday today so we're going out to celebrate later today which will be fun. This trip is a combination of business and pleasure. The pleasure part is that my family is with me. It's always a joy when I can spend time with them.

Redeye

2010-04-09T23:00:00.000-07:00

Red eye from Seattle to Charlotte then on to Tampa. Full flight but aren't they all these days.

Adult Toys of the Musical Variety

2010-04-04T20:00:00.000-07:00

I went to a dinner party tonight and was pleasantly surprised by the venue. In the living room was a high-end drum set prominently setup, an electric guitar and amp, a bass, keyboard and several other instruments. The best thing about the entire experience was that the owner of all of this wasn't in a rock band and didn't have kids that were in a band (although her kids did turn out to be musical too). Instead, it was a woman who is around 50 who just likes to play music for fun.

Project Management The Master's Class

2010-03-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

Today we had Steven Levy come in and teach a Master's level class on Project Management to some of our project managers. Steven was formerly with Microsoft for something like 18 years and recently wrote a book entitled Legal Project Management: Control Costs, Meet Schedules, Manage Risks, and Maintain Sanity.

We've been trying to offer continuing education to our PayneGroup staff and this class was a good opportunity to give our PMs some time with an expert. Steven's company website is found here.

Picking and Choosing Projects

2010-03-16T12:14:00.000-07:00

This morning, I received an intriguing e-mail about collaborating with another author on a new book - on Excel 2010. It's for beginner to intermediate level readers and the timeline is fast. That said, I would not have much say in the production and quality assurance or content of the book yet it would have my name on it as an author.

So the question is I pose is, do you think I should join this project? It would be nice to write another book without the financial risks and it would be a fast one to "knock out". Plus, I enjoy writing about Excel. On the other hand, when I attach my name to a project, it has to have a certain level of quality associated with it - else, it reflects poorly on myself, and the company.

Why I Won't Ditch Kindle for iPad

2010-03-13T20:26:00.000-08:00

If you believe the press, the new iPad will be the "Kindle Killer". But I'm not buying it - literally and figuratively. First, who in their right mind having invested more than $250 would just ditch their electronic book reader just because something new comes out? Kindle has a big jump start on other iPad (I've purchased the original Kindle and the Kindle 2.0 but skipped the DX). Millions of Kindles have been sold.

While I respect Apple for many things, I'm happy with my Kindle and will absolutely not be purchasing an iPad.

Know when to walk away

2010-03-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

If you read my previous post, you know that I had a back injury. Not too serious but it required about 8 weeks of prescribed physical therapy. Anyway, I had my an appointment today for PT and you would not believe me if I told you about the experience. Let me just share a few observations:

When you first meet your new patients, don't talk with them about getting drunk every 10 minutes. Some of us may not drink and those that do may not want to talk about it with a) a stranger b) at 10 AM c) while in pain trying to do the movements.
Please don't tell us that we will need PT for years before you fully evaluate us. It makes it seem as though you are trying to sell instead of fix. Focusing on the positive instead of the negative will get my business more often than not.
When you asked me if I lived in "one of those McMansions", you pretty much sealed the deal that I wouldn't be coming back. I drive a Prius for goodness sake!

The good news is that I found a great PT just down the road and am now fully recovered. The lesson I learned is not to waste valuable sessions on someone who is not a good fit for you and your recovery. Know when to walk away.

If your back goes out on you in Los Angeles - head for Bliss

2010-03-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

While on a business trip to Los Angeles (actually Century City), I had the unfortunate experience of my back going out on me. A month before I'd injured it and thought it was better; however, it wasn't quite healed and I was in need of some TLC and fast. Fortunately I was staying at the W Hotel in Westwood where they have a Bliss Spa. I got in for a last minute appointment with a therapist (I believe her name is Erin) who applied a combination of deep tissue and heated mask along with a few other techniques. This was just enough to put a smile on my face, and get me through the next day worth of meetings before I could get home and see my physical therapist.

Tough Odds

2010-02-26T12:00:00.000-08:00

The kids had their school interview (for pre-k) today. They did a good job but we won't find out until around the end of March. Cross fingers and wish us luck. I really like this school but our odds are tough. There are many deserving children and not a lot of spaces.

Office 2010 in Seattle

2010-02-23T15:30:00.000-08:00

Today I did a presentation on Office 2010 in Seattle for ILTA. It was really gratifying to hear that this was the largest turnout they've ever had but frankly, so many people are looking for answers about whether or not to move to Office 2010, that I think the topic drove the attendance more than the presenter.

In the presentation, I showed the highlights of the new version and also discussed the compelling reasons for selecting 2010 over 2007. We also talked about timelines and what business drivers would dictate waiting versus upgrading. The response was very positive and I've been asked to do a roadshow to other cities.

We currently have so many clients already having made the decision to move to Office 2010, it's good to start getting this information out there.

BTW, if you are one of our clients and you are reading this and saying...hey, I'd really like to know all of this information, just ping me privately via e-mail and I'll set up a private, free consult to share the information with you.

The big office move

2010-02-19T15:09:00.000-08:00

Our company tries to move locations as seldom as possible. The last time we moved was a little over 8 years ago in fact. Well today is moving today. Due to a expansion and needing a lot more space - and frankly, wanting to a change of venue, we decided to make the move to a new building about 8 blocks away.

Our new home is still in downtown Seattle in the Millennium Tower. We look forward to getting settled and having visitors. We plan to have product launches, classes and educational events at this Seattle location. Best of all, it will allow us to spread out and continue to expand and server as clients.

Home sweet home.

At the Olympics - Whistler

2010-02-18T17:41:00.000-08:00

We spent the first week at the Olympics in Whistler. This was a once in a lifetime event and we're so happy that we could do this and share this experience with the kids. The athletes were so friendly as were all of the people that we met. In fact, even the police officers were cheerful. We attended luge, cross countries, medal, concerts, and a lot more. Whistler is a special place and it's just as beautiful in the Summer as it is in the Winter.

Before Technology?

2010-02-03T19:58:00.000-08:00

What did we do on long flights before technology? I'm on the return flight from NYC to SEA and it's hard to remember what we did before computers to pass the time while flying before we all had computers, DVD players, ipods, video games, high-tech everything. Add to this, on this flight, I have wireless Internet access which enables me to work (and post to the blog) possible.

Rock of Ages

2010-02-02T23:59:00.000-08:00

Just saw Rock of Ages Broadway show (Robyn insisted) with some clients/friends from Philadelphia. It's a really good show and perhaps it's because the music is from when I was growing up (think 80's hair bands); but it made me nostalgic for some of that music. The best part though was getting to hang with the Philly gang and then having dinner and drinks after. I'm still waiting to see the pictures though.

LTN Awards Reception

2010-02-01T23:59:00.000-08:00

It was so nice to see several of our clients and friends win Law Technology News awards this year.
Steve Fletcher at Parker Poe is IT Director of the Year. Tom Baldwin of Reed Smith won two awards: Champion of Technology and Most Innovative Use of Technology by a Law Firm. John Alber of Bryan Cave won a Lifetime Achievement Award as did long-time friend friend Tom Burke of World Software (Worldox).
And last but certainly not least, my very good friend, Craig Ball (author of Ball's in Your Court) and won is Consultant of the Year. Congratulations to all. These awards are well deserved.

LegalTech NY and Office 2010

2010-02-01T16:00:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of presenting on Office 2010 with Char LeMaire and Sherry Kappel at LegalTech this year. Microsoft had the idea to join the three of us (from competing companies) and have us collaborate on a session about Office 2010. The three of us have known one another for many years and it was enjoyable working with these smart, knowledgeable, funny and energetic women. Kudos to Microsoft for putting on this session and for having the idea to put us all together in the first place.

Microsoft kicked off the session by surprising me with a birthday cake for my twins (I had to miss their birthday to give the presentation but we celebrated a couple days early). This was very thoughtful of them and I think the entire room was appreciative since they got to eat the cake while we presented. A special thanks to Karin Breedis who always remembers things like this.

Time flew by during the presentation and our only regret was that we didn't have enough time to cover all of our material. The room was packed though and hopefully everyone got what they came for. We all like Microsoft Office 2010 and I think it showed from our demonstration of the features.

I'm in the center of the picture in the light blue suit, to my left is Char and to my right in the blue sweater is Sherry.

Birthday Party (4th)

2010-01-30T17:04:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday Addie and Cooper! It's strange to think we are now scheduling our kids birthday parties to the minute but it's a necessity when you hold the party at venues like we did this year. We did the Little Gym birthday package. You show up 10-15 minutes before hand, load everything in with their help and then the kids start to show up a few minutes later. Everything is choreographed and they even take notes about who gives what and give you a nice list for your thank you cards (yes!). Then when you leave, there is no mess to clean up and no lingering guests. The only downside is that if your kids friends want to stay and play longer, or if people show up late...too bad. At their age though and for the price, the pros definitely outweigh the cons.

Chicago Meetings

2010-01-20T21:00:00.000-08:00

I'm in Chicago for several meetings this week. It's cold but not bad enough to keep me locked inside. For instance, today I logged 15,000 steps on my pedometer and attended three business meetings. Of course I dined at three great Chicago restaurants too.

Speaking of restaurants, one of them was Keefer's (20 W Kinzie Street) which has won quite a few awards. If you are looking for a great spot for a meal and don't mind dropping some coin, try it out, you won't be disappointed.

Rainy in Whistler

2010-01-09T16:53:00.000-08:00

It's unbelievable how much rain we're getting in Whistler this weekend. You go out of our place and step in huge puddles. Hopefully it will clear up before the Olympics or else there will be a lot of soggy, unhappy people. On the other hand, it's still very beautiful here and everyone is so friendly.

Celiac disease

2010-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

I had lunch with a friend who has Celiac disease. It's amazing how aware one has to be of everything they come in contact with (not just ingest). I wonder how many people have not been diagnosed and who have suffered from this for extended periods.

Shot in the arm

2009-12-17T10:34:00.000-08:00

For me the coming new year typically means one thing - lots of airplane travel. For this reason, and the fact that I subjected by twins to the vaccine, I marched up the hill to my doctor's office yesterday and got the H1N1 shot. All is well and I'll feel better prepared getting on those dirty, germ filled airplanes for all of those trips to show the Payne products in the coming months. But you have to wonder, why do we always get sick after flying? I'm pretty careful. I wipe down the trays, seat and surrounding area with sanitizer.

All hands on week in Seattle

2009-12-15T15:42:00.000-08:00

Every year, in the beginning of December, we have an all hands on company meeting in Seattle. Last week we all gathered together and let me just say, this year was especially spectacular. It wasn't just that the company is growing - it was that there was so much positive energy and momentum and the excitement was evident from start to finish. We have something special brewing and it will be fun to see what happens in 2010.

Speaking of 2010 - the developers and each product group got up and did a show and tell or as one person put it, a show and sell of the new things that they have been developing for the coming year. I can only tell you this - get ready for some amazing new features and functionality and for our products to work well with what's coming with Microsoft Office 2010. That's all I can say for now about it.

We're also doing a lot of preparing our Migration Roundtable and Master Series as well a lot of writing in preparing for the new release.

Now there are a couple of things I HAVE to say...

Gail, a very good client and friend in Philadelphia knew that we'd all be meeting and sent us a huge box of homemade loaves of her famous pumpkin bread (and Tasty cakes to boot). Gail, you rock and you are the best baker in the world. Whatever you need - whenever you need it, just tell Tara I said it's OK. :-)

Gini, a client and friend from Los Angeles) thank you for the Ms. Beasley's cakes and cookies. You spoil us every year too and you are wonderful. Looking forward to seeing you guys soon hopefully - especially to all the fun with your upcoming migration - woo hoo.

And to all of our clients and friends that we care so much about - thank you. We wouldn't and couldn't be here without you. Thank you for your loyalty and support for all of these years.

This is as mushy as I get but I wanted to express our gratitude.

Neatloaf in Seattle

2009-11-04T16:13:00.000-08:00

I realize that most people who read this blog aren't physically located in Seattle. That said, I had an amazing lunch that I have to rave about for the next 15 seconds...ready, set, go. In Freemont, near Seattle, there is a restaurant called Silence, Heart, Nest. I went there for lunch and grabbed something to go after an appointment today. They have the best dish called 'neatloaf'' which is vegetarian meatloaf with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy. I've had it many times before and each time leaves me looking forward to the next visit. I shared some with people from my office who told me they want a full order the next time I go back. Five out of Five stars!

Should we send holiday cards?

2009-11-02T11:54:00.000-08:00

So I have a question for you...we're trying to be more environmentally aware. We take public transportation to work, use cloth towels and cups instead of paper products and have found lots of other ways to be more thoughtful. But one thing that has left us scratching our heads is holiday cards. We can purchase recycled cards and we've found an organization that donates a percentage of the sale to worthwhile charities but the card production and mailing still leaves and environmental impact. What are your thoughts? Should businesses send out holiday cards?

Windows 7 Article

2009-10-30T15:14:00.000-07:00

I was one of those people who went to Windows Vista and experienced a lot of problems with compatiblity early on. Those memories remained long after the problems were fixed. So when Microsoft started hyping Windows 7, needless to say, I approached the release with excitement but with caution as well. After installing the final build however, and spending time going over it, it appears that this is the stable and most well thought-out build that’s come out of Redmond since – well, I can remember.

Here are just a few of the keyboard shortcuts that I've found useful. There are a lot of features and functionality that I've been writing about in articles, and we plan to offer some webinars on in the near future. Also, if you are planning to attend Virtual LegalTech (the first of its kind) on November 19th, I'm speaking on Microsoft Office and Windows 7.

A Few Shortcuts

Windows + D - Toggle showing the desktop

Windows & T - Cycle through applications on taskbar (showing its live preview)

Windows & M - Minimize all open windows

Windows Key & P – Opens Projection Screen windows where you can toggle between Computer only, Duplicate, Extend, and Projector Only.

You won't believe all of the hidden tips and tricks you can do with this operating system - plus check out WordPad and even Calculator. I'm writing a follow up article on administrator and network security tips and there are too many to fit in the article.

Where is this photo?

2009-10-30T15:01:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in a previous post, I can't figure out the location for this photo. It was suggested that I post it and see if anyone else can figure it out. So here goes.

School Tours - Very Impressive

2009-10-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Today we toured a Seattle school that offers pre-K through 5th grade. It's wonderful to see bright, eager and enthusiastic children learning through play. The teachers were having fun too, and it made me realize that this should be what education is about and that I want my children to be a part of it. The fact that there are only 16 spots for children is the biggest travesty. I wish more school programs could be modeled after this one because what they are doing seems to be working.

We will apply and see what happens.

Unidentifiable pictutre

2009-09-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

For the past couple of years, I've had a picture up on my office wall. It's of a thatched roof hut/room/bungalow - whatever you want to call it. It's in a tropical setting over water with a mountain in the background. I remember pulling the page out of a luxury resort book that came in the mail and thinking that I'd like to go there some day.

The other day I pulled the picture down with the intention of turning it over and researching making reservations at the resort for a vacation. But the problem is, the information on the back doesn't match the picture on the front.

Alas, the only thing to do is to re tape my picture back up on the office wall and safe the research and reservations for another day.

Dawn has Seahawks spirit

2009-09-03T15:42:00.000-07:00

At our headquarters in Seattle Washington, Dawn in the development department has long been one of the most ardent Seattle Seahawk fans.

Last season she dressed up as a Bride of Seahawk, wore helmet and make-up, the wig and everything in between. Today, to celebrate the last day of preseason of course she had on her custom Seahawk fan jersey and Seahawk green boots. If you talk to Dawn on the telephone or e-mail her, if it's game day, you can bet she'll be sporting her favorite colors - blue and green. Let's go Seahawks!

Why do certain songs stick in your head and others not?

2009-09-02T13:53:00.000-07:00

What's currently buzzing around in my head and what's been there for days is CHUMBAWAMBA – Tubthumping

It's a Small World After All

2009-08-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

In order to catch a nonstop flight back from Florida to Seattle we took a drive to Orlando. And since we had the kids along, we stopped at Disney World to pass some time. The plan was, arrived at 10:30 AM, flight at 6:25 PM - pack the day with fun and excitement so they would be exhausted and sleep on the airplane ride home. What we forgot however was how hot is gets in Florida during the day in August and how that zaps your energy.

The park itself was a lot of fun and the best part was seeing the look of the children riding the roller coasters. Three and a half years old and putting their hands in the air and they zoomed along the tracks. And each time, when the ride came to an end they would say, "again, again". We rode the roller coaster seven times, back to back.

Before I close the Disney chapter of this post, I just have to thank the man sitting next to my son and I on the airplane ride (MCO to SEA). You were very kind to let him stretch out. We were lucky to have a seat companion with three children of his own. Thank you!

Social Media

2009-08-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

One of the most popular topics at the ILTA conference this year was social media. I'm going to create and post a list of must follows soon but for now, you must follow Sharon Nelson sharonnelsonesqJeffrey Brandt jeffrey_brandt Jenn Steele @jennsteele.

Tour of DC airports

2009-08-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

What a day for travel. I had a meeting in DC this morning so I decided to stay over and fly out on the 3:15 PM flight out of National. I get to the airport, check my bag and check in around 12:30 PM (thank goodness for Internet connections to kill time) and get an automated telephone call from the airline telling me "This is an automated flight update from US Airways. Your flight is cancelled. Thank you for using us. Have a nice day." Well OK then... So I go to the ticket counter and they have no idea what I'm talking about. Finally, their information gets updated and they can sort through what's going on.

The system automatically rebooked me through with some connections which isn't good so I decide to get a refund and try my luck on another airline. The only problem is that there aren't any other flights going to my destination from that airport. No problem, I'll head over to Dulles (IAD) where there are lots of flights going out. But then I have to get my bag and the US Airways person downstairs is cranky and I have to keep reminding her to talk nicer to me because it's not my fault that she has to get my bag to me.

Now I'm off. Information, please tell me, what's the best way to get from this airport to that one...Super Shuttle. They don't mention the bus that goes between the airport. OK, does Super Shuttle stop..."well yes", how many times, "well, a few we can't tell you that"...yea right...so I grab a taxi. $75 later but I'm there and I make it on a flight with no problem. In fact, United Airlines gives me exceptional service. Thank you United and your flight crew. You did a nice job.

Joy steps down as president

2009-08-28T07:30:00.000-07:00

The saddest thing about ILTA 09 being over is that Joy Heath Rush is no longer the President. Joy is a remarkable woman and she will be missed.

Yacht Club Dinner Event

2009-08-27T22:08:00.000-07:00

I've never stayed for the Thursday night ILTA closing event before. Guess what? It's fun! It's a lot of games and regional contests that I'm happy to have experienced. The family feud game as fun, as was the races (North Pacific won!). The jump rope people were so much better than I could have done it. And fun was had by all. Congratulations to everyone at ILTA and to the conference committee who put together a great conference.

Finally, I had a blast sitting with my friends from Alabama - especially Rhonda and Janice.

Leadership and Motivation Presentation - My last one at ILTA this conference

2009-08-27T16:00:00.000-07:00

Wow, Thursday afternoon at 2PM and I'm still presenting. I'm really nervous and excited about this session; mainly because I normally talk about software and this session is very different. Also, I created the presentation so if it fails...well, I guess we know who to blame.

My co-panelists are a group of guys some of whom I've not had the pleasure of meeting except over the telephone. They are Tony Hatchett, Brent Reeves, and Steven Skidmore. The moment Tony walks in the room, I know the session is going to rock because I can feel he has good energy and we'll be able to play off of one another during the panel interaction. The same with all of the others.

When Track Chair Jim Bertotti introduces each of us, the room is cheering - wow, that's pretty unusual, right? They were with us from the get go and we were loving it. It made us to some pretty unusual things (like my asking JAG officer Reeves to drop and give me 20 which he did successfully I might add).

I would love to speak with these guys again. Thanks ILTA for making this magic happen and for letting me be a part of it.

SharePoint Development Best Practices Presenatation

2009-08-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

We're about ready to start the morning presentation which is SharePoint Development Best Practices. The funny thing is, we had a last minute speaker cancellation and frankly, the last minute replacement is probably a much better fit than the original person. She is amazing. On the panel are Jeri Sires, Michelle Guyot, Dora Martinez and me (OK, Donna Payne but I'm just the moderator). We're going to go through how each person and firm got into SharePoint development and then show their projects.

When the original person dropped out, I started racing for learning development of web parts and thought I'd have to speak on that. Yikes, what a nightmare I put myself through. On the bright side, I can still do it if I ever need to.

The session just concluded and it went well. We had some tough questions from corporate people who wanted to talk about records management but I think we won them over. Then there were questions about MS Project and project management software with SharePoint. Not bad though, we had 51 slides and didn't get to only 5. So I'll chalk that up as a success since people seem to have liked it and it met our and the track chairs objectives.

Here comes the bride

2009-08-26T22:56:00.000-07:00

After the last meeting and session on Wednesday, after the exhibit hall closed, we changed into our finery and climbed into a stretch limo to take us to downtown DC. No this is not normal. We did this to celebrate the upcoming nuptials for PayneGroup developer and longtime friend, Teresa Morris. The limo took us to the restaurant 701 Pennsylvania Avenue where we dine on an amazing dinner. Following dinner, the limo took us on a private tour of Washington DC monuments and sites including the White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and more. One of my personal highlights was walking onto the steps and up the Jefferson Memorial and reading the inscription on the walls then looking back over the city. Being with people you care about and respect, in a city that is as special as Washington DC, celebrating such a monumental occasion - it just doesn't get any better than this. Congratulations and best wishes to Dan and Teresa.

DC Meetings

2009-08-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

Today I felt like I wasn't at the ILTA conference at all because I was in meetings all day. I did have breakfast with an amazing CIO from NYC who may become part of a case study for their upgrade which is fantastic. Then it was off to downtown DC to work with a new client on getting their migration underway.

Next year, the conference is in Nashville. Perhaps I'll go a few days earlier and conduct meetings in advance so I can be at the booth a little more. I did miss that part of the show; however, I really enjoyed meeting one-on-one and talking with new and existing clients.

Sue shows MA 3 on Windows 7 with Microsoft

2009-08-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

Our own Sue Hughes got invited to show Metadata Assistant 3 at an ILTA session run by Microsoft on Windows 7 today. That's pretty cool. The goal of the session is to show that applications developed for other platforms (such as Windows XP or Vista) work on Windows 7 - which is true for Metadata Assistant 3. Sue was amazing as always. She is honest and tells it like it is. And congratulations to the MA 3 development team for kicking out a great new product.

Donna sings - when worlds collide

2009-08-26T01:15:00.000-07:00

So I mentioned that there was a band at the ILTA event that we sponsored. Here's the fun part. Many of you might know that I use to be in a rock band what seems like 100 years ago. So this night, I let my old world and my new life collide and sang with the band. They were going out into the audience asking for people to sing a Guns N Roses song and I got volunteered. So to my amazement - I did it. The song was Knocking on Heaven's Door. I guess it just came out pretty rocking because the lead singer from the band's mouth just dropped from what I've heard from the people around! It was funny.

Now I have a bit of the bug to sing again but I realized, as much as I liked the experience and the buzz from everyone coming up to be and saying how much they liked it, I wouldn't trade my life and what I have know for anything that I had or could have had back then. My husband, my kids, my work, it's all a much better life and I'm grateful for it. But every once in a while, if I can just grab a microphone and shock a lead singer and a group of 20 or 30 something hard rock musicians, I think it will all be OK.

We're Sponsors of the Big Dinner

2009-08-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

This year, we again sponsored the big networking dinner at ILTA on Tuesday night. The theme was King Tut and it was off the hook per normal. The Gaylord National knocked it out of the park on the dinner that was served. They can do amazing things with mushrooms. The vegetarian option was amazing and something I'll remember. The band was different from years past. Their name is 7th Heaven from the Chicago area and they had more of a rock edge. It was a little odd because they opened with a Poison song but some of their songs weren't fast enough to dance to. Then at the end they got progressively harder and more people got out on the dance floor.

Watch for the next post for something really bizarre about the band...and me singing.

International Reception

2009-08-25T17:30:00.000-07:00

We sponsored the International reception at ILTA because we have some Canadians on staff at the company and since I now have a house in Whistler, I thought it only right. Some say I'm an honorary Canadian and that's OK with me. The group was very welcoming and it was nice to be included. Shout out to Dean from Davis & Company for organizing the event and Michelle and Susan for alternating with me and attending (sponsors could only send two people so Susan and I alternated so she could enjoy the festivities).

VSTO - Who's that coughing

2009-08-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

Today, Leah and I are supposed to be talking about VSTO and template development at the conference. Of course Leah is the true expert at this, I just make funny comments and people for some reason like me and come to see me present. There is one problem however; I am coughing like someone who has smoked five packs a day (even though I've never touched them). And the sessions are being recorded no less. I make it through the first hour and thank goodness we bring Teresa from our company who is also a developer to help Leah and I out. She's acting as a teachers assistant as am I since no one wants to hear me cough into a microphone. So after the first hour, the moderator calls me over and tells me that she feels for me and I should go do my room and rest. You don't have to tell me twice. The rest of the day is packed so any chance to rest is much appreciated.

Leah and Teresa were amazing BTW as always. I LOVE working with them and everyone from PayneGroup!

Making time to spend with friends is important

2009-08-24T22:45:00.000-07:00

I had dinner tonight with a friend and business colleague tonight. She and I spent a couple of hours talking, laughing and just swamping stories. We left the ILTA crowds for the Chinese restaurant across the street and had the most amazing conversations. I feel truly blessed to count her as a friend.

ILTA Monday Grand Opening

2009-08-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

So Monday was a busy day. For me it was meetings all day up through the exhibit hall grand opening. Hats off to my incredible group of people from PayneGroup who came to the conference this year. You rocked not only all of the setup, but kept up with client work too. Thanks guys. You manage everything with grace and a smile.

ILTA Day 0/1

2009-08-23T19:23:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of National Harbor Maryland, neither has my GPS. Apparently it's a brand spanking new development with hotels, shops and beautiful waterfront. The ILTA annual conference this year is at the Gaylord National hotel in this city. This is probably one of the most picturesque locations yet - and I've been coming to these conferences for something like 12 plus years now. Great job to the conference planning committee.

I left the hotel for lunch and ventured out to a Mexican restaurant within walking distance from the hotel. It was exceptional food with pretty mid to just OK service. The hostess was snarkey (read I don't want to be here and so I'm not going to be nice to you) but the tableside quacamole was worth the attitude. And if you dare, try the sparkling sangria...

Oh yes, I'm here for a conference and today was kick off for some work too. There was a speaker orientation meeting. I got to steal away with Jeri Sires, a co-presenter on a SharePoint session and Tony Hartsfield, Track Chair for a while. Lots of other friends stopped by and talked too - this is an outstanding organization and I'm just pleased and proud to be a tiny part of it. Tomorrow is the big kick off and I get to speak on social media. More on that later tomorrow.

Before retiring for the night, I did a quick tour of downtown DC, revisiting some of my old stomping grounds - the Capitol, Washington Mounment, White House, and Lincoln Memorial. This city is magical.

And now, it's time to get to work.

Quick Update

2009-07-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post but it's been a busy time. I've been on the road doing Payne/ILTA roadshows on current technology trends. It's been fascinating and pretty exciting to discuss topics that I've never really had the opportunity to address in a public forum before. Thanks to everyone who has attended. Next up is Los Angeles then San Francisco (July dates).

Twitter continues to intrigue me (http://twitter.com/Donna_Payne). There is so much good information and potential there. If you haven't already done so, I hope you will sign up, then follow me. Our company has an account to (http://twitter.com/PayneGroup).

ILTA conference is next month. It is something not to be missed. Love the Mini MBA track series this year. If you haven't signed up for it yet, it's well worth the investment of time and money.

That's all for now. D.

FlyClear No More and Random Father's Day Notes

2009-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

As a Clear (trusted traveler) flyer who was paid up for membership for more than a year in the future, last night I received an e-mail stating that the company was ceasing operations effective immediately. This was sad because I've often taken advantage of the program to get through airports quickly and made flights when the security lines stretched out the door. But while this will be a loss that I will feel personally, there were some operations in the past few weeks that are more troublesome.

One of the latest campaigns was to give the gift of Clear for Father's Day. Father's Day was Sunday, they ceased operations on Monday - you cannot tell me that they were not aware that children and mother's would not be purchasing a gift that would never be delivered. Sure the charge is applied until you are approved and completed the process, however, it's still a gift that someone presented to their father.

It reminds me of the gift that I purchased my husband last year from the twins. It was a flight seeing tour in an old Red Baron war plane. A pilot gave me the website so I could book the flight online but it turned out to be from a broker. When I got to Boeing field (with husband and children) for him to take the flight, the pilot and owner of the company started cursing at me and telling me that he would not take my husband up for the ride because he wasn't getting enough money from the broker. He cursed me out at length - and in front of my children and his daughter who was staffing his stall. My husband made the comment that he wouldn't want to get in the air with someone like that anyone and I can't say I blame him. But still, like Clear, I was disappointed to not be able to realize a gift that I'd worked hard to secure as a special experience. Plus, now every time I see those plans fly over my house, I get a knot in my stomach.

Please companies, do not market something you cannot deliver. And be grateful for any business you have - thank your customers and potential customers. Being on the receiving end of these situations isn't fun.

Who Do I Speak For?

2009-06-16T20:57:00.000-07:00

One of my hats is to write reviews on technology for magazines. This is actually fun most of the time because I get to see new software and try things out that might not come onto my radar otherwise. But here's the thing - just because I write about something doesn't mean I am endorsing it, nor does it mean that there aren't other products that are also worthy of a look. Many times, I may not have had the opportunity to see all of the products in a particular genre.

Lately I've come under fire for some articles written about companies - and even posts in this blog. For instance, I might write about Google but it doesn't mean I won't give Bing a try. I am a loyal fan of Amazon Kindle but it doesn't mean...OK, on this one it does mean I won't try other brands. :-) You get the picture though - there is room for discussion on all types of products.

This blog is designed to be a hybrid of personal thoughts and professional opinions - and even a little humorous. It's entitled the Donna Payne blog, not even the Payne Consulting Group blog. If you have questions for me, just ask - I'll respond. But just because I say I like blue doesn't mean I can't also like green too. That would be silly and very limiting - and it's just not my style.

Major Goosebumps - Charice Singing Note to God

2009-05-18T18:40:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've ever been so moved by a young singer before. If you have a couple of minutes, check out young new artist Charice sing the song If I Wrote a Note to God - it starts a little slow but winds up quickly and will absolutely blow you away. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Move Over Breakfast Pastries - Times Have Changed

2009-05-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting a Vita-Mix badly so I finally sucked it up and ordered one online. Of course I couldn't wait for ground delivery so I bought 2nd day via UPS. It arrived yesterday at the office so we could try it out there before I took it home.

This morning Michelle and I made veggie juice or smoothies for everyone in the company. It was a big hit. Vita-Mix can make lots of other things too. So I guess 'geekdom' and being excited over gadgets for work or home is in my blood.

Recent Activity

2009-05-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been 12 days since I've posted anything here and that's because a lot is going on. First, we are having an all hands on company meeting and planning session (new products, new services and just plain fun all being together at the same location for a change). Also, today we're having a baby shower for Tara (congrats!). We're taking her out for lots of Northern Italian food (Pink Door).

This past week we also had a visitor from Oz, Kerry Carroll from DocsCorp. Even though his favorite place in the world might not be high up off the ground; he humored me and let me take him up in the Space Needle for a birds eye view of the city. We all enjoyed your visit Kerry.

Lots of other things going on but if I write about them all right now, I'll miss a few deadlines. Just wanted to check back in and make a quick post to let you know I haven't been neglecting this blog on purpose.

No personal time - who cares!

2009-05-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

As previously posted, I am in Chicago on business. For the first time ever, the twins and my husband joined me. It was quite the different experience but ultimately I'm happy that they are here.

First, when I told the hotel they would be joining me, offered to give me an adjoining room for no charge so we'd have some room to spread out. Thanks Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago - you rock. With service like this, it's no wonder I'm a Starwood devotee.

Yesterday we were total tourists and visited the Shedd Aquarium (awesome), Hancock Observatory, and lots of other stuff that you can do on a rainy day. We didn't get to Millennium Park (my favorite) but we'll save that for next time.

All in all, it wasn't bad at all having the family travel with me. I didn't get the 'me' time that I usually take and had to go to sleep earlier, but hearing my daughter yell, "Mommy I missed you so much" across the lobby when she first saw me is better than any massage or personal time I could ever get.

Wonderful Wecome Chicago ILTA Event

2009-04-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

I constantly have dreams before giving speeches and presentations and only four people show up. I need not have worried about this in one of my favorite cities - Chicago because we had an overwhelming number of people attend. In fact, additional chairs had to be brought in!

The event was hosted by the law firm Much ShelistDenenberg Ament and Rubenstein, P.C. (thanks especially to Paul Austin) and by the ILTA organization. In fact, ILTA President Joy Heath Rush (Sidley Austin) was in attendance along with Conference Co-Chair Michele Gossmeyer (Mayer Brown), Donna Halac (Vedder Price) and many other ILTA regional and national officers.

This presentation was very personal for me because it was entitled "A Conversation with Donna Payne" about current and future technologies. Thanks to everyone for making me feel so welcome and I appreciate the rave reviews!

My bug has me paranoid

2009-04-27T16:38:00.001-07:00

Swine flu is all over the news this week - and of course I would come down with something which is no surprise since I'm susceptible to suggestion. No, I don't really have it because there isn't the high fever but it's kind of spooky to think about.

My thoughts are with those who have contracted the disease and the families of those who didn't survive in Mexico.

That said, I think I'll go wash my hands again.

Congratulations Anna

2009-04-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

We have a superstar in our company and her name is Anna (OK, we have lots of superstars but Anna is the latest to really impress). Anna joined us six months ago as a receptionist/administrative assistant and she's already moved into a technical position within the Metadata Assistant department. Congratulations Anna - you will be a great contributor and it's a pleasure to know and work with you.

Obligation to those who work with and for you

2009-04-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

After climbing the corporate ladder, it's time to ensure that you are helping others succeed. It's our professional responsibility to help groom future generations in the workplace to have strong work ethic, sound judgment and responsibility (social as well as corporate). Let's invest in people who work for our company and make future leaders.

A Day with DocsCorp

2009-04-21T09:43:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, our office had the pleasure of a visit from one of our favorite Aussies (David Woolstencroft) and Bob Moore who just joined DocsCorp. We had a great time catching up and hearing about their new and improved document comparison product called CompareDocs, as well their entire PDF suite.

I snapped this picture just before they were about to leave. Left to right (Bob, David, Janet, Shirley).

Is anyone else addicted to Word Mole?

2009-04-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

My name is Donna and I have an addiction. I cannot stop playing Word Mole on the Blackberry Storm. It's like a hopped up version of Scrabble and I love it.

Divas to the Max

2009-04-17T13:04:00.000-07:00

One of my all time favorite singers is Jennifer Holliday. Perhaps it's because I saw her on Broadway way too many years ago in the original production of Dreamgirls. More recently, Jennifer Hudson did a fine job in that role for the movie. So what could be better than a couple of divas battling it out on stage to the delight of the surprised concert goer fans? Check it out.

That's a Big Picture in Law Technology News!

2009-04-17T11:01:00.000-07:00

A journalist friend of mine from the UK e-mailed me the other day to let me know that on page 20 of the April 2009 issue of Law Technology News there is a big picture of me, Constance Hoffman (Bryan Cave), and Joy Heath Rush (Sidley Austin). The picture was taken at the LTN Technology Awards Ceremony in Times Square. I want to thank the magazine and judges once more for the recognition. It's truly an honor to be recognized and grouped with such amazing people.

Kindle 2.0 Shortcuts

2009-04-17T10:59:00.000-07:00

Well I FINALLY read the user manual for Kindle 2.0 and have discovered some awesome shortcuts. My favorite is Alt+Aa which displays an option to change the Text to Speech voice from the very robotic male voice, to the much less robotic female one. You can also change the speed of the reading - Love It!

Waiving Privilege

2009-04-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

Quick question for you - if you e-mail a client document and store it on a device that does not have password and then that device is compromised, could you be seen as having waived privilege by not taking reasonable precautions and care of the document? I'm writing an article and welcome any comments or feedback (even by private e-mail).

Weekend in Whistler

2009-03-07T15:01:00.001-08:00

Well we closed on the townhouse in Whistler so we have spent our first weekend here as reverse snowbirds. We were rewarded with a fresh blanket of snow this morning - it was beautiful.

The twins are getting use to the snow and had a snowball session this morning - of course mom was the target of most of the action but hey, I'm not complaining. We really had a great day with a stop at the Core (for kids), lunch out, then a stop off at the toy and candy store on the way home. And the best thing is we walk everywhere - to the grocery store, to the lifts/gondola, restaurants, stores, you name it.

This investment will be a good one in the short and long run. Not as a traditional investment in real estate (although it will likely turn out to be that as well), but mostly for a place for the family to come together and have fun together as the kids grow. For now, I'm very contented as I sit here in my new dining room typing away.

Pictures from Nashville Presentation

2009-03-03T10:03:00.001-08:00

I want to extend a big thank you to all of the people who came to see my inaugural presentation in Nashville. The presentation is entitled A Candid Conversation with Donna Payne - Technology Now and in the Future.

The presentation got record turnout says Gordon Moffat, Nashville Area Volunteer City Rep (VCR)for ILTA (International Legal Technology Association)and also Litigation Support Project Manager for Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC. The host firm was Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP. Everyone was so helpful, friendly and just a pleasure to work with and the facilities were beautiful.

While there, we discussed how many firms are making sure their current investments pay off instead of purchasing new software or upgrading to new versions, while other firms are carefully weighing what else is out there and making changes. We talked about what's available now and what's coming down the pike, bugs and compatibility issues, browser wars and so much more.

Frankly, this was one of my favorite topics to talk about and therefore, we'll be holding these events in other cities throughout North America in the near future.

Kindle 2.0 Arrived

2009-02-25T19:37:00.000-08:00

Cool packaging from what I hear but I'm out of the office now so I haven't seen it yet. Check back for my take on the new version of my favorite tech item (Amazon Kindle).

Nashville

2009-02-25T19:17:00.000-08:00

I'm currently in Nashville to give an ILTA presentation (one of a series of roadshows I'll be doing) and to meet with clients and potential clients.

The trip started with a red eye flight (11:05 PM) connecting through Atlanta. After landing at 7:36, I hit the ground running and haven't stopped.

Nashville is a very interesting city. There is a lot of pride here for their culture, musicality, and hometown friendly spirit. I haven't met a single 'mean' person since landing. Everyone has been amazingly nice and friendly. Thank you Nashville.

It was almost a blessing that there were no rental cars available because I've had to go out and walk to the various meetings. I snapped these two pictures en route. One is of the State Legislature building right across from my hotel (Sheraton), and the infamous Tootsies which is apparently the most famous bar in all of Nashville if not Tennessee.

We Take the Cake

2009-02-24T06:20:00.001-08:00

I wanted to do something nice for our staff for all of the hard work they've been putting in so we had an inpromptu celebration yesterday. I had ordered cakes from We Take the Cake (on Oprah's favorite things list). In Seattle we had the Red Velvet and Chocolate Chip cakes (yum). To make sure no one was left out, we ordered cakes for our office locations as well. These cakes included key lime, butter cake and chocolate. These cakes are a nice change from our traditional bakery ordered cakes and the quality held up well during shipping.

Down Go the Phone and Internet Connections

2009-02-20T13:27:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke to a not so pleasant surprise, our Internet domain was 100% down after going over to a T1 yesterday. Not good. This after our telephones went down yesterday.

At around 10:30 AM we were again connected to the outside world again. A Big thanks to Robert for all of his work and efforts in getting everything taken care of.

Seattle Client Breakfast

2009-02-19T13:11:00.000-08:00

Today we hosted a client breakfast at the Rainier Club. It was so nice to catch up with clients/friends. The amazing thing is that while some people from firms didn't know one another, there was always a connection.

Here Shirley, Susan and Sue were checking out the room at the Rainier Club prior to our guests arriving.

Office Speaker Phone System for Conference Calls

2009-02-18T14:38:00.000-08:00

We just picked up a ClearOne Max IP conference call speaker phone and it works great. This one is unique because it works exclusively with the Microsoft Response Point VOIP telephones which we use.

We decided it was time to purchase this unit after our last conference call in my office where we passed the telephone around the room for different people to talk (built-in speaker phone wasn't sufficient).

It's very good and so far, I highly recommend it.

School Interviews for 3 Year Olds

2009-02-18T10:43:00.000-08:00

While this post is not necessarily work related, it does make you think about when competition truly starts for individuals. Case in point, Seattle is a tough market for getting kids into private schools. Some schools receive 400 or more applications for just a couple dozen slots per year.

So here's where it gets interesting. You must fill out an application that includes essay questions for the parent to answer about the child (because really, what 2 or 3 year old is fluent in Microsoft Word)? Then you must submit teacher recommendations. Next comes the child interview, most of which are 1 1/2 hours solo. Finally, there is a parent conference. Then the waiting begins for you to find out whether your child (or children in my case) were offered a spot.

Now I'm a big fan of public schools too - I am a product of them; however, when you have twins, it gets a bit tricky because you aren't guaranteed that in public schools here that your children will be assigned to the same school. Many mothers of twins have found that they have spaces at schools 5 miles or so apart which creates a hardship. For this reason, we're exploring the private school route too.

But is it no wonder that we grow up to be so competitive? It all starts at an early age. But in the end, maybe it's not such a bad thing. Fighting for one of the most important things, your children's future is something worth competing for. Now wish us luck.

Busy Weekend

2009-02-15T13:23:00.000-08:00

This weekend is family weekend. We've hit the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center and Aquarium in a two day span. The only thing missing is th zoo (but we still have President's day - tomorrow) for that. It's fun to see that as they get older, they appreciate these outings more (and are much easier for mom to keep up with).

Taking time to appreciate these toddler/preschool years is very important.

Already getting excited about ILTA annual conference

2009-02-13T11:14:00.000-08:00

I just filled out our online paperwork for the ILTA conference that takes place in August. If you aren't familiar with ILTA which stands for International Legal Technology Association, you'll definitely want to investigate as it's probably the best organization for Legal IT and government professionals that I know of. My company has been participating for more than 12 years now and we're more like family than a client/vendor relationship.

This year will be back in my old stomping ground, Washington DC. I'm looking forward to it.

Attacking a cold with...good nutrition?

2009-02-13T08:58:00.000-08:00

I've had a cold for several weeks and just couldn't shake it. My family and co-workers and I have been passing it around in fact. So when I just couldn't take it any longer, I talked to a friend who owns Juice It Cafe in Seattle (inside the Convention Center). She put me on a juice and raw healthy food cleanse. I ate things I'd never dreamed of eating before - cabbage soup, lots of broccoli, and protein and fruit smoothies and juices daily (lots of wheatgrass!).

The thing is, after being on this for even a few days, I'm feeling much better. Today is day 5 (final day) and I'm sorry that it's ending.

If you need a boost, or some great nutrition TLC, go to Juice It Cafe and ask for Abigail.

Amazing Facts Generator is Worth Checking Out

2009-02-12T13:15:00.000-08:00

Mark this as one of those sites to visit when you need a quick break but I just discovered a beta feature called Amazing Facts Generator on the Mental Floss website. Click Hit Me Again to have them dig up interesting facts like these:

King James IV of Scotland was an amateur dentist, and even paid people to let him to practice on their teeth.

‘Lincoln Logs’, the popular toy, was invented by John Lloyd Wright, son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

ILTA Webinar a wrap

2009-02-12T13:02:00.000-08:00

Leah and I just finished a webinar for ILTA entitled Office 2007 Installation and Configuration: Under the Hood. We had a large number of attendees which is always great to see. We covered basic installation and configuration options, some gotchas, and then moved on to customizing the environment from a technical administrator's perspective (things like modifying the ribbon programatically, where things are stored in the registry, etc.).

Payne Consulting Group offers two versions of a Migration Roundtable that covers this information and a lot more. If you are interested, drop me a personal e-mail and we can send you details.

Now some fun stuff - we set up a Twitter session for attendees where they could discuss information covered in the session and we could moderate. Gotta love technology!

Federal Court regime for eDiscovery in Australia

2009-02-11T12:46:00.000-08:00

This one's for our Australia readers and clients. As of February 11th, and after more than two years of debate and deliberation, the Federal Court regime for eDiscovery in Australia has been finalized. Click to access the story.

Lists!

2009-02-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

I've just started using a new website to help manage lists. You can create, edit and share lists with anyone and even subscribe via RSS to keep track of changes made. The website is www.tadalist.com. The best part is that it's a free service and they say they won't sell or misuse your e-mail address. We'll see how it goes.

I just learned that Microsoft has something similar. Find it here at http://listas.labs.live.com/.

Kindle 2.0 has been ordered

2009-02-09T08:23:00.000-08:00

I just pre-ordered the new Amazon Kindle 2.0 to see what the differences are from the first generation model. I pre-ordered the first one too (before they were the IT thing).

This one looks interesting. Per the Amazon website, this new model includes Read-to-Me: With the new Text-to-Speech feature, Kindle can read every book, blog, magazine, and newspaper out loud to you (can't wait to try that!).

For information, visit the Amazon website Kindle 2.0 page.

Wrap up on the week

2009-02-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

It's easy to tell that you aren't as young as you use to be...just go out on a business trip, include at least one red eye flight, and work like crazy while you're away. Then come back.

If it takes more than a day to recover, then you probably aren't 20 (or even 30 again). But on the bright side, I CAN still do life on the road. I just need some sleep in between.

Happy Saturday.

Day 3 Recap at LegalTech

2009-02-04T15:03:00.000-08:00

Today was the final day of the LegalTech NY conference. The day started out with a bang - I had a meeting at 30 Rock (like the television series). Per normal, I got there way early and had a cup of coffee at Dean & Deluca just across from the filming of the Today show. From my seat, I could see the on camera talent, the teleprompter and an unobstructed view of the set. A man asked if he could share the table because there weren't any seats available and he turned out to be a television producer setting up for a filming of an MTV scripted show. But I was there for business so I didn't stay for the filming. :-) Instead, I headed over to the meeting.

My visit today was with Joanne from a law firm client of ours. She is an amazing person - so full of energy and willingness to go the extra mile to help her user population. We brainstormed for a while, then it was time to go back to the conference and meet my next appointment.

During the week, we've reconnected with many old vendor friends. I snapped a photo of Tom Burke, the owner of Worldox Software and Tara Byers from PCG. Tom does a mean rendition of Waltzing Matilda.

Other pictures are a continuation of our 2nd annual client dinner at B. Smith.

At 3 PM sharp, it was time to take down the booth. After 14 years, we've gotten pretty good at it and we had it completed by 3:15.

Of course this was our smaller booth but still, a good job was done by all.

I cannot convey how grateful I am for all of the hard work from Tara, Shirley and Jennifer. And I should also mention that seeing our client friends was fantastic as ever.

Until next time...Donna

Day 2 Recap at LegalTech NY

2009-02-04T05:15:00.000-08:00

One thing is a guarantee, there are great friends to be seen at LegalTech. Today I had lots of meetings all day long, onsite and offsite, and then we capped it off with our second annual client dinner at B. Smith restaurant on Restaurant Row in Times Square - and yet again, B.Smith was there to meet and greet us.

If you haven't been to this restaurant, it is a must visit. The food, drinks and atmosphere and terrific. Our waiter Quan was very good too (with the exception of confusing a few orders). But in reality, the restaurant and food were just a cap on the opportunity to spend time with clients who are more like friends.

In attendance this year was Marsha, Donna, Simon, Marilyn, Mary Ann, Robyn, Roseann, Tara, Shirley, Jennifer and Donna. We missed some clients who weren't able to join us for work and family obligations. We'll see you next year at our 3rd annual dinner.

Greetings from LegalTech NY

2009-02-03T03:18:00.001-08:00

LegalTech NY 2009 got off to a good start yesterday. Our booth was buzzing and then I got to speak, then accept an award later in Times Square. Here is the scoop.

Tara, Shirley and Jennifer worked the booth most of the day and got to see many of our clients. Being here is just a reminder of how many good friends we have at firms and organizations on the East Coast. Today we look forward to seeing many more people throughout the day and evening.

I had a lot of meetings yesterday (many more scheduled throughout the week) and then had the opportunity to do a presentation with Ross Kodner, Esq., and Eugene Stein, Esq. The topic was Global Electronic Discovery, or Did You Mean Disclosure? A copy of the presentation can be found at here.

Our time slot was 4:15 PM (right before and during an open bar cocktail party sponsored by the conference). We didn't expect many people but in they came and we had a great crowd. Thanks to everyone who came to the session and to my co-panelists Eugene and Ross.

At 6PM, we headed over to the awards dinner from Law Technology News and Incisivemedia. The dinner was held at Carmines in Times Square (great family style food and drinks if you're in NYC). Our table included Tara, Jennifer and Donna from PCG, Tom Burke and another person from Worldox and David Wolstencroft from DocsCorp. We were right next to Randi Mayes and TJ from ILTA, Joy Heath Rush (award recipient) and her husband Mark and surrounded by friends and colleagues in a very crowded room.

My award was Consultant of the Year which required that I give a speech. Just so you know, I love what I do and don't consider it to be work. And the opportunity to work with amazing people at PCG is the only way this award is possible. So I accept this award for everyone at the company with gratitude.

Here is a list of the law firm and legal department award winners:

IT Director of the Year - Constance Hoffman, Bryan Cave
Champion of IT - Joy Heath Rush, Sidley Austin
Most Innovative Use of Technology by a Law Firm - Fish & Richardson
Most Innovative Use of Technology by an In-House Legal Department - Vulcan Materials
Most Innovative Use of Technology During a Trial - Bartko Zankel
Most Innovative Use of Technology for a Pro Bono Project - Miriam Buhl, Weil Gotchal
Consultant of the Year - Donna Payne, Payne Consulting Group

One of the highlights for me was having a photo shoot in middle of Times Square (at night). Constance, Joy and I hammed it up and I'm sure the pictures will find their way in Law Technology News very soon.

And there you have it, my longest blog post ever.

Happy Birthday To My Twins

2009-02-01T14:50:00.001-08:00

My twins celebrate their 3rd birthday today. That's why I'm not coming in for LegalTech until the redeye tonight. Three years ago was the only time I missed LegalTech NY in at least 12 years but that tradeoff was more than worth it. I'm proud and happy to be mom to my beautiful daughter and son and wish for them, health, happiness and a world filled with peace, acceptance and tolerance for all.

Video Post of Donna (me) Being Interviewed About Metadata

2009-01-30T16:07:00.000-08:00

OK, if you ignore the still picture before the video starts, you can check out a new video interview that I did about metadata. Just click on the Play button next to the word Metadata under the picture.