Thanks for the thoughts, I think it is not resource overload, and I'm using only the XP home firewall, pretty transparent I understand. I'm running on a recent Gateway Notebook, in this case and on a recent Dell Desk Top in the other, the DT has no problems. I will admit my Gateway does have some difficulties on Com1 (simulated via USB, of course). I'm still using dial-up and it uses Com1, as does my Palm Z22 sync connection. I can not run both at the same time for that reason. Further, and Gateway did send me a prepaid shipping carton to send the Notebook back for repair as the dial-up will establish only one connection per boot. When I hang up the phone line, I have to reboot to get it to work again. I'm about to go DSL here and decided not to send the Notebook in, loss of data and a lot of other concerns being top of my reason for living with the Com1/Dial-up problem. I suppose this could reflect back into my new MS Office problem The installation of MS Office was a purchase DVD. The Notebook did come with Office 2007 ready to install, but I uninstalled that some time back as I was using Open Office, need commercial use. So, Gateway believes the machine has enough resources to run Office 2007. I can take a look to see what's going on with the resources when in the stuck-state. As noted, Control/Alt/Del will not allow me to kill Word, for example, also I note Work knows it is in trouble and tries to send an error report to MS, I think it sometimes succeeds sometimes doesn't. The only way I can get Work (or PP, or Excel) to release is to hang up the Dial up. I may try a reinstall, but am reluctant as I have still to update Office via the Dial-up, about two hours of download time.

Ginny, AutoHotKey is a small, easy to learn, free programme that will do exactly what you require and much much more! You can simply edit one of the example files using Notepad and change it to suit your needs. If you make a mistake nothing gets harmed - just keep trying until it does what you want. It is even easier to use if you read the help file first because it explains everything in simple terms! I have made a file for you that starts Firefox and Word at the same time when you press WinKey and q together. Just open Notepad and copy and paste the following few lines into it and save the file as "win q.ahk" (without the quotes). It works when you press the WinKey and q together. (You can edit the file and choose any key you prefer later.) *** copy and paste the next lines *** ; win+q Start Firefox and Word when you press WinKey and q together #q:: Run c:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\Firefox.exe Run c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Winword.exe *** don't copy this line *** Make sure you don't miss the semicolon on the first line. Colin Here is a link that might be useful: AutoHotKey

method 1- Select the text box, (hatch marks will appear when box is selected)>right click on the hatch marks>format text box. In Format Text Box dialog box>colours and lines tab>under line color-select 'no line'. method 2- bring up the drawing toolbar, view>toolbars>drawing>find the line color icon, click on the down arrow and select 'no line' from there. Just so you know for next time, your question might be better posted on the computer help forum. I believe there is a link to it at the top of this forum page. Hope this helped you, and hello to Sapphires.

Hi Thurman, I remember at the same time last year reading one of your post in regards to your SD coming to your home for the holidays and how it was stressing you out. I have continued reading your posts since then and i always finding interesting you cuz your situation reminds me alot of my relationship with my oldest SD. For years and years and years, she has always managed to get me upset with her attitude towards me, constantly laughing at my English, constantly ignoring me when i would take part in a conversation, always, always, always getting what she wanted from DH even if what she asked for had a negative effect on DH's and I relationship. I've seen myself having to cancel an entire holidays to please SD's demands and wants. Believe it or not i've had to go for counseling because of her; i believe i've read every single book there is to be read on detachment, disengaging, etc. I honestly thought i was going crazy because of her; i couldn't believe that even though i am practically twice her age, that this person had such a negative effect on me! Last April, enough was enough. I got the book that was suggested on this forum called The Dance of Anger and i went away for 8 days. Never called home. I spent this time taking care of myself and making the decision that i would not take part in this person's life ANYMORE unless i had to! When she came over to our house, i would not even invite her to sit down. (I figured her father could do that or that she was old enough to take a chair and sit down; i did not go out and buy her a birthday card/gift like i have been doing for the last 18 years; i did not invite her to the cottage; i did not answer the phone when i knew she was calling and most importantly i tried doing all of these things without feeling guilty for once and remembering that i was doing it for ME, for my mental health, because i did not need a person like her to disturb my emotional, physical, and spiritfual health. I didn 't care what DH thought. I really didn't. If it meant putting an end to 18 yrs of our lives together, so be it! I' ve told him often that the relationship between his daughter and i was what it was because of him, that for far too long he had let her disrespect me because of his ''guilty feelings'' he had to deal with! I always told DH that if i had had a daughter who would have disrespected him the way his oldest daughter has disrespected me (after 14 yrs of knowing, on the day of her wedding everybody and their dog had a corsage, but me. And yet, i had gone to the bank with the father to get a loan so WE could give her some $ for a wedding gift. She had NEVER, NEVER thanked me for the wedding gift. Oh well!), I would have literally slapped him across the head. Since last April, this SD had called me for Mothers'Day (first time in 18 yrs.) Since last April, this SD has offered me a birthday gift and a nice card with truly nice words in them especially for me. Since last April, this SD has even called me home to tell me there was something being shown in tv that she knows i love and wanted to make sure i knew it was on TV. I could go on and on and ...but what i am trying to say is once i truly made an effort to disengage from her, from her nastiness and all and started thinking about my health in terms of my relationship with her, things started changing for the best! In fact, i can hardly believe this SD who for years and years has been disrespectful towards me.....is starting to see/feel/know that she no longer has a hold on me! When she would talk and we were all around, i would not even reply to her remarks, comments or anything that came out of her mouth. I acted like she didn't exist. This being said, there are still times like tonight, when i know she will be at our house, that i get a little uptight!But i keep reminding myself that i don't have to stay in the same room she is in; i don't have to sit there and entertain her(Her father can do that. I've done that way too long!). I do what is best for me. I can only hope that this year, you will truly truly make an effort to go away with or without your son while this SD is visiting your home during Xmas. Do it! You won't regret it! Keep posting!