I realize that I am going to say something controversial and some people just won’t be able to believe it. Be warned. I am a little nervous exposing this to a wide forum.

I forgot how much fun PowerPoint can be. A co-worker came over and asked if there was some way to have white text and have the background be something else so you could see the text when you try to edit it. At first, I said no. Because with the way we use PowerPoint (we use it as a desktop publishing program, there is a story that goes with that), there is nothing that would work.

Then she said someone else thought there was a way, so I thought about it. Pulling out really rusty brain cells (I have been working here almost 5 years so the info was from before then), I remembered that you can change the background color and that will show up when you edit a text box. I then showed her the other possibilities you can use the Color Scheme for and it’s limitations. And the features of the Background dialog. Since she is working with a template from an external source, these things can work for her.

I had so much fun pulling that info out and getting to explore it again. It didn’t even phase me that I haven’t used it on this version of PowerPoint. I am bouncing.

The other day, someone asked me if it was possible to add a bell curve to a histogram distribution. At first I said no, then I went a’hunting on the internet (Love Google) and found a formula to calculate a normal distribution curve. I then worked it out to put in into the excel file on the page and viola… just what he asked for. I think in our department, there isn’t anyone else that understands Excel enough to do this besides me. I was using stuff I learned with Quatro Pro.

I really don’t have a problem with PowerPoint and Excel. I have pushed them to some of their limits, mapped them out and have learned to either step around them or just accept that is the way it is and move on. There are lots of things I can do with them that they really aren’t designed for. Weeee

I am such a freak.