I’ve been seeing a lot of social media posts from my friends who are attending PASS Data Community Summit, The Summit took place this week, and is winding up today.
I had been selected to speak for four straight years, from 2019 through 2022. When you’re selected that many times, you tend to start taking for granted that you’ll get selected each year. Alas, I was not selected for this year’s Summit. I do these conference presentations on my own time and my own dime. In 2019 and 2022 (2020 and 2021 were virtual conferences because of the pandemic), I was able to find flights and lodging that fit my limited budget. There was no way that I could afford the conference registration fee, and the only way I would have attended was if I was selected to speak. But unfortunately, that didn’t happen this year. So I was unable to make the trip out to Seattle this year.
So this year, I had to settle for living vicariously through my friends’ Facebook and Twitter (I refuse to call it “X”) posts. It looks like my friends had a great time out in Seattle this week, and they all make me wish that I could be out there with them.
I started speaking at SQL Saturday conferences in 2015. Since then, I’ve become acquainted with numerous people within the SQL Server community, including many who have become some of my closest friends. #SQLFamily is a real thing.
To my #SQLFamily friends, I’m glad that you all had a great time at this year’s Summit! Save travels to all of you all as you head back home to your home parts of the world! Hopefully, I’ll be picked to speak at next year’s Summit, and I’ll reconnect with you there, as well as other SQL Saturday and other events throughout the year!
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