determining the current directory when my program starts up.

Well, you know how when you first start up a program and open a OpenDialog box, the directory is set at the directory  that your program resides in. I want to be able to capture that information (ie. the current, 'starting' directory') in a string variable and hold onto it. How do I do that? I trie dthe InitialDir property of OpenDialog, that doesn't work. There must be some property or field that is set to this current directory value but I just don't know which one it is??
  By the way my e-mail address to get back to me has changed. it's now aztec@auracom.com