Today I found out that I have been awarded MVP (Most Valuable Professional) status. Naturally I am delighted. I have read that other people are surprised when they become MVPs and say that it was completely unexpected which I have found confusing. My experience was that Microsoft directly contacted me ages before the award and told me that I was being considered and would I tell them everything about myself so I can be evaluated. Obviously at this point I was deperately trying to recall all of those times Bill had phoned me up saying "Guy, about that tricky internationalization problem we were discussing the other day, could you help me out ?" and sadly failing to recall the specific dates when these phone calls happened and instead filling in my accomplishments over the last year with things like helping old ladies across the road and picking up small bits of paper dropped by people much more important than me. Still, someone, somewhere thinks I’m most valuable so I am very grateful. I told my mother. She is grateful too.