Thank you very much guys! Microsoft actually got in touch with me and I am going to Seattle for a day or two in the coming weeks to meet the design team.
I'm actually impressed. I've got an eternal skepticism of basically every "Fix Windows 8" thing that I've ever seen, but yours is pretty much the first that doesn't boil down to "re-release Windows XP" and actually focuses improving Metro's and Desktop's individual strengths/weaknesses.
I'd actually not even entirely hate that incarnation of a returning start menu, which is hard to believe at this point. Good job.
Basically, I talked with Albert Shum the Director of UX of Windows Phone that is now in charge of Windows and Xbox too. He told me that he has been working on the Desktop but most importantly, at a unification of the three designs (W, WP, X) and that I would be great in the new central design team as a problem solver.
I'd actually not even entirely hate that incarnation of a returning start menu, which is hard to believe at this point. Good job.