End of the Year Blog Entry - Thank You!

There is a line in a movie called, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith", starring Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt that I am thinking of.  Mr. and Mrs. Smith had just faced each other again at a fancy restaurant, and then proceed to talk to each other on the phone while trying to beat the other back to their house.  All of this, after finding out that they are both secretly moonlighting and the world's top assassins behind the other's back.  They are even competitors...  They are racing home to presumably kill each other.  The end is near.

Anyhow, while they are on the phone, Pitt wants answers to certain questions about their relationship.  Jolie asks him why.  Pitt replies, "I don't know. I guess when you start thinking about the end, you think about the beginning."  This is a great line, as it's very true.

I was thinking the other day about where I was in January compared to today.  It was a much farther journey and road than I had realized.  I have accomplished so much in a short year.  Here is a quick run-down over some of the more important (and public) highlights.

• Relaunched RezHub.com
• 1400+ DNN Forum Posts
• 1500+ Tweets on Twitter
• Joined the Orlando DotNetNuke Users Group (ODUG)
• Became President of the Orlando DotNetNuke Users Group
• Edited several sections of Professional DotNetNuke 5 by Wrox
• Edited a couple of Wrox Blox's
• Began editing DotNetNuke 5 User's Guide by Wrox
• Became the track lead for the DNN tracks at the upcoming South Florida and Orlando code camps
• Spoke at many code camps and user group meetings
• Spoke at the OpenForce 2008 Connect - Orlando
• Started the JumpStartTV DotNetNuke Channel
• Met and picked the brains of the DotNetNuke Corp.
• Became the Technology Director of RezHub.com
• Consulting gigs picked up over 200%
• Partnered with DNNSpired.com
• and so much more!

The list goes on, but why bore you with all of that?  You get the point, right?

So how did I get all of that done in a single year?  Honestly, I don't know.  I really don't know.  However, there's no way I could've managed a third of that all on my own.  That's what this post is about.  I want to thank some people in my life that helped me along my path this year.

• Kim Rausch -Of course I am going to lead off with the woman of my life.  Kim and I have have been together for a long time, and have known each other even longer.  I even blogged about it on our anniversary.  (Yes. A true, heartfelt gift from ageek.)  She is the glue in my personal life, and supports me in my professional life.  She even has helped with user group meetings.
• Brian Scarbeau - Brian may have beat me to the punch with the user group, but he did a fantastic job starting it.  It was him who chose me to take over the user group duties.  His choice was instrumental in helping me with pretty much everything else that was to follow.
• Shawn Weisfeld, Ken Tucker, Fabio Honigmann & Jessica Sterner - These folks are all super contributors in the Central Florida .Net community.  Together, these people have been instrumental in any of the successes that I might have achieved with the Orlando DotNetNuke Users Group.  Even though Shawn is no longer living here, he also has great input and has helped me a great deal.
• Mike Webb - Mike has been an outstanding supporter of mine.  He has helped me think about leadership and DNN in ways that I previously wouldn't have.  He is an idea guy that inspires anyone who is passionate about DNN.
• RezHub.com - In my day job, I am the Technology Director at RezHub.com.  My supervisors have been understanding and generous enough to allow me to perform many tasks for the user group during company hours, and sometimes using company resources.  I am incredibly fortunate to work for people that understand, appreciate, and support the open source movement.  I am also incredibly lucky to work with the best team of co-workers I could ask for.  They inspire me to reach higher everyday.

In addition, I want to thank some other folks that did not necessarily help me directly (that I know of), but have certainly had influence on things I have been a part of, and have also inspired me this year.

• DotNetNuke Corporation - I had the honor to not only meet the DNN core team, but also to hang out with them for a bit.  I picked their brains, had some laughs, and I was genuinely inspired at how much they care about the DNN platform.  It is almost like their adopted child.  They are incredibly smart, and they channel all of that genius brain activity to better the DNN platform, and in turn the rest of the lives of those who live and work in the DNN ecosystem.
• Antonio Chargoury - His work on the blog module, and contributions on his own blog and in the DNN forums has inspired me to look at my sites and my approach to various tasks in new ways.
• Mitchel Sellers - It is hard to imagine that Mitchel is even human with all that he gets done in a single day.  His blog and input on the DNN forums has also inspired me to try new things and thing outside of the box on many tasks this year.
• David Bayer - David Bayer is quite simply one of the smartest people I have ever met.  Listening to him talk about anything technology related just makes me want to run out and start developing.  He has fresh ideas and approaches to SEO and website value that I would have never before thought of.
• Stan Schultes, Ryan Morgan, Tracy Wittenkeller - Stan, Ryan, and Tracy have all been great to me.  These guys are powerhouses in the local DNN community here.  They have been speaking at various code camps and events in the area and online for years - nearly entirely focused on DNN.  Their daily work inspired me to begin speaking, and to share more than I ever had before.
• INETA & CodeZone - It is no secret what INETA and CodeZone do for the .Net communities.  Their assistance, tools, and recognition programs have helped so much in giving value to the ODUG, as well as feeling better about all of the hours that I spend working on community events.
• DotNetNuke Community - The DNN community as a whole is inspiriing.  The passion, contributions, efforts, and brotherhood felt in this open source community is unmatched.  It feels good to tell people about how much I love to work with DNN and support the community.

Overall, I think I mentioned all of the headliners that need to be on this list.  Since I didn't start with an outline, I truly apologize if I missed anyone that should be on this list.  Please feel free to comment below and drag me through the dirt if I missed you.  :)

Thank you so much to everyone that has had an impact on me.  Positive or negative, you have all helped me to get to where I am today - on this last day of 2008.  I enjoy your conversations, your contributions, your input, your support, and above all, your criticisms.  I am closing this year with a whole-hearted satisfaction that this is my best professional and personal year, ever.  And you all have helped this dream come true.  Thank you so much!

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