This place kind of intimidates me too!
It's funny you should mention the Vision Statements. . . I just started working on mine today. It's really fun! Let's all make one! I love Malcolm's enthusiasm, but I can't see paying for a seminar to learn how to create a slideshow with music. I'm no computer whiz but I think I'll be able to work it out. When I'm done I want to burn it to a dvd so I can watch it every morning. I went searching for instructions and must have found the same place you did because I just downloaded Photo Story 3. I'm using Windows XP as well, and didn't have any problems downloading photo story. Can you not download a service pack from Windows Updates? If you can't get photo story working, I bet you have Windows Movie Maker on your computer already and that would probably work, since you can use still photos and transitions and music.
If everyone's not familiar with this video vision statement thing, check it out here
Homepage
And here are instructions to make your own. Watch the sample at the end, it's good.
How To Create a Vision Statement Video » Reality Seeds
Wendy