As you might have noticed, my blogging has diminished a bit. It's because, basically, I am about as busy as I've been in a very long time. It feels quite good, actually. And I have lots of thoughts about what I'm doing. I'm spending about 1/2 of my time being Coordinator of NOSI. As you've probably seen, we've been pretty busy lately. Soon, we'll be updating the primer, releasing a report on our survey, starting a training and consulting program, doing a webinar series ... phew! Lots happening! And, I'm learning a lot about what it's like to be a leader of a small, struggling nonprofit with big ideas. The other 1/2 of my time I'm doing consulting work, focusing exclusively on helping organizations without a lot of technical expertise navigate their way through the maze of creating and getting through technology projects. I love this work. I have some great clients, and I feel like I get to be an educator - I spend lots of time educating my clients on the ins and outs of the varied technology issues presented (and what is, and is not a technology issue.) I get to use my expertise in web application development, but not have to do any web application development (which feels to me a lot like having my cake and eating it too.) And, I think I also get to educate the varied vendors and developers I've been in contact with. Educate them about the clients needs, and, to some extent, hear about, and share best practices in doing this kind of work. And, I get to be agnostic. Yes, indeed, for some clients, and some situations, there are appropriate proprietary solutions. And I've come to understand what I value about some development shops, and what I don't value about others. I like proposals that focus more on the project, and show clear understanding of the project. Pretty presentation with no content is useless. I am pretty instantly aware of when the person I'm talking with knows what they are doing. I'm made comfortable by folks who speak what I think of as a good mix of development-speak and normal language. I'm turned off instantly by sales-speak. I appreciate shops that I know are giving back to the community, and that are known quantities in the nptech realm. I hate to be pushed. I am beginning to get a really solid understanding of what it takes for nonprofits of all sizes to navigate the technology waters. What's great is that although it's true that there are sharks in the water, there are also lots of great dolphins to swim with, and I'm happy to be helping organizations find them.