I usually blog about Clay - Clay is my delightful diversion, he makes me smile and his voice touches my soul - but today I'm going to ramble about my work. I love what I do - I work with computers. I work with users, define requirements, design the solution and then code it, test it, implement it and support it. I've been doing it for 25 years. I'm pretty good at it. My users like me, I have the expertise with the tool sets to mentor my colleagues. I mention all this because I am facing a situation right now that I haven't faced in a long while - we are replacing the current application with a whole new one - all new development which is wonderful but I'll be the new kind on the block - the development will use all new tools - tools that I do not (yet) have any expertise using. I am going from the one who knows 'stuff', the one who can look at most any problem and know the answer to the one asking the questions. It's a bit scarey. My employer has brought in a 'team' of consultants to 'help' us. Actually the 'team' will do the work and we'll go along looking over their shoulders and hopefully pick up enough to support the endeavor. It's a new role for me. I'm excited for the opportunity to learn and use all the new technology; I still have my years of experience understanding the application; I know I will eventually learn how to use the new tools; but what I don't have is that sense of confidence my current knowledge gives me. The mentor is now the mentored and it's a little unsettling. It's going to be a challenge adjusting to the new situation. I have to work long hours to stay current with the new development, learn the tools while keeping the old application running. I don't want to be left behind.

I don't know why I worry really. Life is too short. I should just tackle it and let it happen one day at a time and have faith in my ability to keep up.

Ok enough rambling. Off to work to learn something new! Let's hope we hear from Clay about his new CD soon. :)