Am I an Expert?
Someone called me an “expert” today when it came to VoIP. I don’t know if I’d go that far. Certainly, I know a few things and don’t mind sharing what I know. I know where to look and who to ask, which is in itself valuable. But an expert?
Even during my heydey of Check Point VPN-1/FireWall-1 knowledge, I’ve rarely considered myself an expert in Check Point. I knew that there was always someone who knew more about it than I did, and I frequently encountered those people. I would occasionally call on them when I had a problem.
The same can be said of me and VoIP. There are lots of people who know more about it than me. There are VoIP bloggers out there who are certainly more well-connected than me. I have a good handle on parts of it, certainly. The stuff I do know I can articulate reasonably well. There’s also a lot I don’t know and am struggling to wrap my mind around, for example why Skype is massively popular.
I’ve managed to get through my life with a combination of luck and cleverness, along with having enough sense to surround myself with people smarter than me. I’ve certainly done this throughout my career, becoming a “recognized expert” in whatever field I’ve chosen to focus on. I’m not sure if I’m “there” with VoIP. Not sure if I’ll ever be, but it’s a fun journey none the less.
Meanwhile, one thing I am definitely not an expert on is knowing when I should go to bed. 
