Not much to report for now, but I wanted to update on the arrival of our podcasting equipment! Very exciting... it's almost like having a newborn baby. (Well, the podcast equipment doesn't spit up on me or make frequent stinkies.) Here is our mixer:

And here is our microphone:

Note that there are inputs for two microphones, which is the setup we'll be using during the conference. Also note the cleanliness of my desk. I use Lysol wipes every day because I am a germophobic freak of nature. Am I sharing too much?

Now comes the experimentation stage. In the coming days, I will be testing different connections to my laptop to determine what gives me the best sound quality. My research indicates that two cables with RCA (red and white) plugs at one end and a 1/8" plug at the other will work well, so I plan to try that first.