I had a bit of time out - our systems here are getting an overhaul due to a couple of glitches in the network - and I feel better for that too, as we've had a rocky couple of weeks and now I've been able to focus on getting jobs finished, my site finished and the chat module is ready and yada yada yada...

Today - a business colleague came around today - and we were discussing her new site/business venture, and she said - Wow you've got blogs.. I never knew about them, and she said .. and can you waffle.. hehe.. and I said yes, the blogs are like a way for me to just think out loud... sometimes they'll make sense, I try to consider who's reading it, but as I write I think more and more and then before I know it, sidetracked...

The funny comment Debra made was, because she knows me, the fact that she can picture my facial expressions, hand expressions and know what my voice would be like, because of course we talk together... and I had to think - whoa.. is this good or bad? I mean .. I was a bit floored thinking, hmm.... is this good or bad..  You know those little insecurities come out as wonder what people think about you.  It's good mental therapy to start writing your ideas and thoughts down - I don't tell everyone everything and try not to make people too excited because I found with DotNetNuke and this roll out in particular - it's been a hard hard road and we're not there yet.

Anyway - Debra brough along a list of things she wanted her site to do - and wow, the satisfaction of being able to say- yes, yes, yes, it's already in the system, yes it works, yes we can do that... and knowing that it's going to be robust... and if nothing ever got done again, after the next release, it would still be a world class product.

I went to another CMS product that a client uses (I mentioned in a previous blog he uses my stuff for his running site and another solution for his business site due to a business deal he did) and I realised how *canned* so many of these sites look and in fact, there was very little difference between them and managing his site is nothing short of frustrating as hell.

I'm wondering what the next 6 months of DotNetNuke will do as we move into more commerical and serious markets - will big ISP's encompass DotNetnuke as many thousands have already - will we be able to generate an income from this or will it become the next generation of web editors? I'm not quite sure - sometimes I think I'm doing myself out of a market doing work for the core infrastructure that sets the standards in which skinning and usability will be worked with in the future and it made me stop and think - this is something that whether I help with or not, will happen, and I it's quite inspiring to know that I've been able to grasp something (or persist longer than anyone I know) to a level that I can, reasonably confidently, say it will or will not work and why and come up with alternatives if something wasn't quite suitable.

It's also put me in touch with and around some of the smartest developers I know.. who as diverse they are in their way of thinking, are still able to unify their methods into DotNetNuke, albeit some teething problems along the way.  The diversity of their skills, along with their years of experience, make me realise there isn't a company globablly who would be able to harness these developers for themselves.. and that is the key area that makes this application so unique and why I'm very honoured... and excited to be part of it, even when the shite hits the fan..

This week has ended on a nice note - my daughter's parter - his birthday today (Happy birthday Simon) - we went out for a family tea, Kirsty was thrilled with remembering a couple of things she'd put down for 3 months or so, and picked up and did perfectly herself first time, I'm happy to be able to have Andrew helping in office 2 days per week, and my son started his new job, after complaining he wasn't getting paid enough in his other job - I said, put up, shut up or get another job, but do something.. don't just complain about it - (nicely of course and I'm very proud of him, because he was pro active, made a change and started his job and was very happy), my second daughter, had tests back from cardiologist and we're happy to know that technology has come so far ahead,the heart surgery she may need is keyhole and robots, not open heart any more... and..my two kittens just love me.. and we're all friends now.. and they are so funny and a delight to have around...

And I sorted out so many problems with my server and our network is being updated so I feel more in control again...yes, not a control freak, but not feeling a victim of circumstances... and the work I'm doing now for Scott W (mrswoop) honestly -it's just beautiful - I'm not quite sure where it's going, or why, but I didnt' go into much detail, I simply some work as I was asked to do - and I think Bo & Salaro are doing some too.. so that's about it ...

Another week, Valentines day soon, and thanks for tuning in..

Nina Meiers