I am happy and humbled to have been awarded the Microsoft MVP Award for the seventh consecutive year. July 1, the award assignation day, always comes with curiosity and a bit of trepidation.

Being a member of the MVP community has been a very positive experience for me, especially in the years before COVID, when the MVP Summit, the main MVP event, was held in person in Seattle at the Microsoft HQ. That assembly of experienced developers from all over the world is an exhilarating experience. Smart guys and gals from different cultures gather to meet the people responsible for their daily drivers’ tools and technologies. There are countless networking possibilities, both with fellow MVPs and Microsoft personnel.

For the last two years, the Summit has been an online event. I admit I’ve had a hard time following the sessions as work and family tended to get in the way. The networking was, of course, next to zero. I miss the original MVP Summit. In the absence of it, even just meeting the Italian MVPs has been a rare occurrence. Hopefully, things will return to normal this year, although I’m doubtful.