I've had my NC since February and rooted two weeks after getting it. There's lots of helpful tips here in MR. I also like this guy's website and check it frequently for news on ereaders and tablets:
http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/nook.html
I was happy with my rooted nook but the fear of the 1.2 update and this post was what finally convinced me to try out CM7 on an sd card:
http://quinxy.com/guides/how-to-pick...stall-options/
I'm currently loving CM7. Enjoy your new nook!