Here is a very nice surprise for the new year: I have been awarded the Microsoft MVP status for Visual C# for 2005!
Of course, I know this doesn't happen by my efforts alone. The year 2004 was fantastic for me with many opportunities to participate and speak in user groups and conferences (Win-Dev 2004, Code Camp II, Heartland Developers Conference), and sharing my experiences with others through my blog and various newsgroups. With those opportunities I have met many great people in the .NET community in person and/or over the internet, and it is that community that I am very grateful and thankful for being a part and enriching my professional and personal life. Because of all these opportunities, I have made some friendships that span across the world. Thank you for your encouragement and support!
And, thank you Microsoft for this recognition and honor!