I can see the urgency of getting your validation code to activate QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT), @ecarvin. That's why I'm here to guide you on the actions you need to help take care of this matter so you can get back to business in no time.

With QuickBooks discontinuation plan for older versions (i.e., 2005), you're unable to self-register or activate the product you currently have. You'll need to contact our Customer Care (Registration) team. They can provide the validation code you need and guide you with the activation process. Here's how:

1. Go to Help, then select QuickBooks Desktop Help.
2. Select the Contact Us button.
3. Enter a brief description of your concern in the What can we help you with? field and click Continue.
4. Choose a way to connect (Chat or Callback). 

You can also message them outside of the product. To do this, please refer to this article: Contact QuickBooks Desktop support.

Additionally, to further guide you in managing your account and the growth of your business using QBDT, I'd recommend checking out this article: QuickBooks Help Articles. It includes topics about installing, registering, and upgrading QuickBooks, banking, and managing expenses, to name a few.

Let me know in the comments if you have other concerns about QBDT activation. I'm always around to help. Take care, and I wish you continued success, @ecarvin.