the RX trick will break my ability to program via the uart, so that won't work.
If you look at (for example) the Wireless/SD shield (its in the products section) use a micro switch to over come just that problem.
The single most common technical answer to programming problems in the the programming section is "Don't use delay, see blink with out delay look at Fine State machines (in the palyground)" I think PaulS has his stock version on a short cut key.
Mark