Speedlite 430EZ

Same thoughts have I with the person who posted this ;D

"Today UPS finally brought my long-awaited flash unit--a Canon Speedlite 430 EX. Yay! Since I ordered it I've had all these visions in my head of perfectly lit portraits and the best shots of my kids ever. All I'd have to do would be pop the thing on the camera and go to town!Um, not so much.Yes, I've read the manual. I spend awhile messing around with it this evening, trying different bounce directions and such. I did get some good shots, but it was hit or miss.I realize it will take practice more than anything, but does anyone have any good basic tips or tricks to share? Is using it one way generally better than using it another? I know it must be possible to produce nice, evenly-lit-but-not-blown-out shots, because I've seen them."

http://digital-photography-school.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1544