2008 looks like a good year to me. Admittedly it didn't start that well - I was ill most of last week and my son returned from his school ski trip with a broken wrist a year on after he broke his leg. Apparently the wrist guards we bought him were "uncomfortable". Ho hum. I still seem to have plenty of stuff to look forward to.

1. Firstly, we will RTM SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 to join Visual Studio 2008 (which I am getting great feedback from ISVs about). Our main launch event in the UK will be held in Birmingham on March 19th. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend as ...
2. I am attending the SPA Conference for the 3rd year in a row. I love this conference. It is totally unlike all others I attend - a great mix of folks from very different areas of IT. I am delivering a new session (which means I have no content for it quite yet!) on Does Architecture Really Help? I best have a proper think.
3. Another great year of online gaming - Team Fortress 2, Quake Wars and Call of Duty 4 will be keeping my gaming buddies and I nicely occupied in the first half of 2008. Feel free to check out what we are up to at our new site - and we are always looking for friendly gamers to join us.
4. My son reaches the grand old age of 16. At 16 I can send him to work. Alas it seems unlikely he will - but I can dream.
5. Working in Microsoft. Yep - it does sound corny. After 12 years I can assure you I have not been assimilated. I know we get things wrong. Sometimes we get things wrong quite a lot. BUT... it remains a great place to work filled with people passionate about technology and how it can be used to help others. And that is why, IMVHO, we keep getting a lot of things right.

Have a great 2008!