AngelaG wrote:

On the left hand column - there is the "share your contacts" option -
if you click that... you get a multi-tab box. One of the tabs is
"Outlook address" - click that and if you check this box (which is
grayed out for me) - then you'll be able to select your local
contacts when you click on the "TO" box in a new mail item.

"Share My contacts" in the Contacts view of the Navigation Pane has
absolutely nothing to do with enabling your Contacts as an address book.
You're trying to relate two disjoint features. The "Share My Contacts"
option has meaning only in an Exchange environemnt and only when you want
other people to be able to see your Contacts folders.

Your description indicates you have not properly configured the Outlook
Address Book service in your mail profile. See this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/287563/en-us
--
Brian Tillman