this sounds like a huge enough task to take on, but i broke it down into sub problems that i could handle and fix on a week per week basis, until i was able to fully understand the questions directed at me two weeks ago, and then next, to being able to have a more complex discussion and not have the other person speak so slowly this week, with more interaction than before. but our goal is to maintain some state, so that we can kick off all the builds needed to bring our system up to date. 