1) Anonymous methods are an easy way to verify an event has fired in VS.NET 2005 unit testing. I got the idea from Peter Provost's Blog, but the basic idea is that an anonymous method has the same scope as the method it is assigned in. So, for rough code:

bool EventFired = false;
TestObj.EventToTest = delegate(object sender, EventArgs e) { EventFired = true; };

TestObj.CallMethodThatFiresEvent();
Thread.Sleep(500);

Assert.IsTrue(EventFired, "The Event was not raised.");

I find it helps to call Thread.Sleep() in there if you're doing a lot in that method call, like my program is. But it's the cool.

2) Softpro books in Denver is very nice. I wasn't sure if I'd said that.

3) Scott Hanselman has updated his list of tools for the programmer - and they're good ones.

http://www.hanselman.com/blog/ScottHanselmans2005UltimateDeveloperAndPowerUsersToolList.aspx

4) Whew! It's hot in Denver. My ConAsst program has reached the point where I'm actually displaying data now. Woot!

(Note: This entry is a contest entry to try and win myself a free ticket to the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference. If you're interested in entering, rules are http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=74816.)

Why am I interested in attending the PDC? For one, I've never been to a big convention for developers. I've been to a number of big conventions for readers (Bouchercon) and gamers (Gencon, Origins), but the whole idea of a magical world of developers is enticing. But I've never been able to afford such a trip. I love it when Microsoft has an event here in Denver that I can attend, soaking in the new ideas and hanging out with developers doing things with software that I've never even considered before.

That's a big part of it really. It can be difficult to meet other programmers - sitting in our cubicles and working away all day, sitting at home and reading tech manuals all night. It's hard work, but someone's got to do it. I try to join up with some of the groups here in Denver and meet them, and that's a lot of fun - so meeting developers from all over the US should be four times the fun, I figure. (Double it and add thirty? Metric fun?)

Plus, it'll give me more to talk about here. I'm really feeling like I want to keep blogging away here, but unfortunately a lot of people don't know about my blog. So I keep pushing it - hey, even if I don't win the contest, I got you to read it, didn't I? And if I do win, then I'll have even more interesting things to write about here!

And who knows? Maybe I can convince someone at Microsoft to have the next big developer shindig here in Denver. We just expanded our convention center, you know.

So - please send a poor, hardworking developer to the land of LA where he can make his blogging dreams come true!