Reminder: come hear me speak (x3) in NYC #SQLSat912 #SQLSaturday

This is a reminder that on Saturday, October 5 (a week from tomorrow, as I write this), I will be speaking at SQL Saturday #912 in New York City -- not once, not twice, but three times! I will be doing the following three presentations. Networking 101: Building professional relationships -- Networking is the lifeblood …

The Whistle-Blower Knows How to Write

(Photo source: The New York Times) By now, I'm sure many of you have heard all about the bombshell that has hit the American political establishment. Yes, I have my own political opinions as to what's happening. But I won't express them here. That is not why I am writing this article. I felt compelled …

A picture is worth (writing) a thousand words

On a recent project in which I was documenting an application, I found myself hitting yet another case of technical writer's block. I sat in front of the screen, staring at the application -- sometimes, for hours -- and came to the realization that all I was doing was blankly staring at the screen. I …

Upcoming speaking engagements (as of 9/24/2019)

As of today, here's my updated list of upcoming speaking events. I am confirmed to be speaking at the following events. October 5, 2019: SQL Saturday #912, New York City -- I am doing not one, not two, but three presentations! Come check them out a week from this Saturday!Networking 101: Building professional relationshipsTech Writing …

PASS Summit — Buddy program, activities, ‘n stuff

As I prepare to speak at my first PASS Summit, I continue to keep tabs on activities, programs, news, and announcements as they come up. One such program to which I applied is the PASS Summit Buddy Program. The idea is that first-time attendees (like myself) are assigned a "buddy" whom you can contact so …

I “speak” Oracle. Can I go to SQL Saturday?

I've been involved with SQL Saturday for a while -- since 2010, to be exact -- and have worked with SQL Server for even longer than that. However, I currently work in an Oracle environment. This likely begs the question: if I work in Oracle, is SQL Saturday still worth my while? The short answer: …

Soft Skills: Controlling your career

I came across this article on SSC by David Poole titled "Soft Skills: Controlling your career." It spoke to me in a big way, as it pretty much sums up my career in a nutshell. It's a good read, and I encourage you to go click the link. I've said before that I've made an …

Lots of user groups to choose from

Yesterday, I received a Meetup email (I get them regularly) regarding an AWS group (that I didn't even know existed). I, personally, don't deal directly with AWS, but my organization does use it extensively. There is an AWS user group meeting coming up this week. I sent the announcement to my coworkers; I figured that …

Stop treating technical writing like a second-class citizen

File this under another technical writing frustration. Imagine that you are an application developer. You finish an app for a client that you send for review. The app is clearly labeled as a "testing version," and includes source code (yes, I know this last part doesn't happen, but just humor me for a bit). You …

On this day in 2001

Do you remember where you were eighteen years ago today? I sure do.