Ok, I admit that I am a follower when it comes to new technologies and learning new things. There are some things that I am so passionate about that it’s just natural for me to want to learn more about them…then there are other things, which don’t really even make it to my radar…for whatever reason.

Take, for example, some of the things that I’ve learned working with clients in various areas of the country. Most of them are tried and true Open Source junkies who are happy to use whatever software/technology I recommend for project tracking etc. Then, there are contracts like the one I have with my newest client. They require me to A) Use Outlook (Via an exchange server) to communicate with them when I can’t B) Use Microsoft Groove to collaborate on my piece of the project with nine different teams across the world and C) Learn how to use both! LOL

I’d love to say I’m not a total dorkizoid when it comes to things like this - but the fact remains, I am - so I can’t say that. Bottom line, I’ve become used to Open Source/Free solutions, so getting involved with a project where they actually have tools, crazy connected and collaboration tools, that assist me in communicating with the various members of various teams across continents, real time - including file sharing, version control and all manner of tracking…well…it’s overwhelming.

I’m just not used to it.

I took a couple of quick Groove tutorials this morning and this evening - I feel confident that I can (and darn it I will!) do the job in front of me…but who would have thunk!? I mean seriously, I thought this type of collaboration between teams was just…well…a pipe dream.

In addition to the software, the learning curve and the nifty new client - I attended a muster this evening with the bulk of the team involved (many in the UK, India, Mexico and China) and discovered that they are DARN nice. I mean super welcoming and awesome to chat with.

This will be one of the biggest tasks I will have undertaken thus far - a true challenge of my abilities as a PM and I am super stoked to be doing it.

Ok, enough geekdom - the knee, its ok. I’m not running any foot races, but I’m not curled up in the fetal position on the floor either. Overall, I am just trying to stay off of it…the best I can.

Tomorrow is Thursday. I am excited, are you?

Please read this comment in order to bring yourself up to speed on why this blog entry even exists.

You should know, in advance, that today was hell on wheels. I didn’t even make it to the office with the immobilizer on because it was so flaming hot out, that I started to drip sweat from my leg. In addition to that lovely visual, I started getting Charlie Horses in my foot…MY EVER LOVIN FOOT. I pulled over like six times on the drive in and then, finally gave up once I got to Starbucks for the morning fix…I just took the darn thing off. Whatever, all it does is make me walk weird and make my back hurt. Stupid.

I did manage to stay at the office all day (and I got my shiny new PC today, it was delivered to the office instead of home, because I spend more time there than I do anywhere else - dual 24’s rule!) Anyway - yes, all day at the office, then I left early to go see my Orthopedist who I knew was going to be a total bone Nazi about what was going on. You see, not knowing the cause of the original injury makes me like a number one candidate for living in a padded room/bubble or something. My Dr. just can’t seem to get over the idea that I managed to somehow break my knee on a Monday night (either while walking around at a friends house or while sleeping) and woke up on a Tuesday with agonizing pain and an inability to walk. He’s mostly freaked out that I am just going to be sitting around and *poof* break something.

That’s exactly what in the H. E. Double Hockey Sticks happened. Exactly.

So, you read the comment, you know all I did was sit on my back porch when it happened.  I wasn’t driving a race car, climbing a tree, running a foot race - none of that. I was sitting. Doing nothing. Just like my Dr. was worried about.

It appears that I’ve broken off a piece of bone in the joint and now, its just kinda floating around in there doing nothing. I am now at risk for hyper-extension (totally bending my leg BACKWARDS) with every step I take.

Stupid. This is stupid.

The good news, I am taking some nice pain meds, for now. The pain is there…it’s making me sick to my stomach at times…and it hurts all the way up to my shoulder…but hopefully I’ll either acclimate or it’ll lessen over the next few days. Either way - I am really hating life right now. But mostly, I hate my knee. I hate it. Why do insurance companies have to be so stupid?

I sure have used that word a lot in this post. Oh well, I am sure you’ll understand.