custom menus

Hi all,

I’m a web developer who knows html and some php – but a newbie to wordpress.

I’m looking for a way to have good control over custom menus. I’m less concerned with the ‘blog management’ concept – where posts are considered temporary and replaced by newer entrees all the time and more concerned with creating static pages with menu categories and sub categories that I can control.

Do I understand correctly that this can happen with either a plug in or a theme?

I may want some flexibility to change themes over time so I’d hate that I might lose all the custom menu work if I changed – so does that mean that a plug in might be a better choice?

If so – I’d love to hear any preferences…

Thanks for any help on the beginning subject…