[byron]

every so often when doing scrolling (using the two fingers on the trackpad while holding down the trackpad button method) i get a window the pops up (see below). i'm making sure to not release the trackpad button, so i'm not sure what i'm doing wrong.... anyone?

[TETENAL]

Clicking the trackpad button with two fingers on the trackpad is the "two-finger-right(context)-click". That's when you get the contextual menu. You don't have to press the trackpad button to do the two-finger-scrolling. Just move two fingers on the trackpad.
If you don't want to use the two-finger-right-click you can turn that off in the System Preferences and do the conventional control-click to get the context menu.

[byron]

ahhh... i thought you had to hold down the button while dragging two fingers up and down the trackpad. just moving two fingers is much easier. many thanks. you have saved my right thumb from becoming sore.