#PASSDataCommunitySummit and keeping myself sane

The PASS Data Community Summit Call for Speakers has been open for a few weeks now (the deadline is April 10). Usually, I'd be all over it on the first day that submissions are accepted. However, I will admit that I'm on the fence this year. I've spoken at PASS Summit for four years. I've …

Goals for 2024

As I write this, we're already a few days into 2024. I hope everyone had a happy, festive, and safe holiday -- whatever holiday you celebrate -- as well as an equally festive New Year's celebration. For me, personally, New Year's Eve was a quiet evening in my living room along with my wife, and New Year's …

Missing my #SQLFamily friends at #PASSDataCommunitySummit

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 …

My speaking schedule has gotten lighter #DealingWithRejection

I will confess that I had high hopes about a couple of speaking engagements that I'd applied for this Fall. It looks like I'll instead have some free time on my hands. Earlier this week, I received the notification that none of my submissions were accepted for PASS Data Community Summit. This was a disappointing …

An opportunity for new-ish speakers to present at a major conference! #PASSDataCommunitySummit #NewSpeakers

This evening, I saw this posted on a couple of my social media accounts, and I wanted to share. There is an opportunity for a new-ish or novice speaker to present at a major conference, namely this year's PASS Data Community Summit! New Stars of Data is teaming up with the organizers of Summit to …

Speakers Are Normal People

This is a great post by Steve Jones. I have made a lot of great friends through my association with SQL Saturday and PASS. I can tell you firsthand that #SQLFamily is real!

Voice of the DBA

The #SQLFamily is amazing, at least I think it is. Like many families, it’s welcoming, supportive, and comforting. It’s also maddening, frustrating, and exacerbating at times. Like most families, or at least the ones I know, it’s not perfect, but it’s what we have and at the end of the day, most of us get along with each other.

It’s also an open group of people. In general, we welcome people with open arms and smiles. Those of us that are more visible or prominent are willing to listen to, help, and support anyone. I was overjoyed during the recent PASS Data Community Summit, where I had the chance to see so many people that I haven’t seen in person in 2-3 years. I met many other interesting people for the first time and enjoyed the experience.

Not everyone feels the same way. I loved seeing Kimberly Tripp and Paul…

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Happy holidays, winding down 2022, and what’s in store next

As I write this, it's the day after Christmas, 2022. Hopefully, those of you who are reading this had a wonderful holiday season. I hope you had a great Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, or whatever your holiday celebration of choice is! For me, personally, Santa didn't leave me much, but honestly, the older I get, …

#PASSDataCommunitySummit — the last days, and the journey home

Well, on Friday evening, I watched workers take down booths and banners from the Seattle Convention Center, as PASS Data Community Summit 2022 came to an end. The circus had ended, and the tents were coming down. I flew home Saturday afternoon/evening/night, so I've actually been home for a few days (I needed to recover …

#PASSDataCommunitySummit — day 2 debrief, and thoughts about the last day

It's Friday, and it's the last day of the Summit! This has been an amazing week! I always enjoy attending events like this, and PASS Summit is no different. It has been a great week of seeing old friends, making new ones, and attending some great sessions! I will be attending a couple more sessions …

#PASSDataCommunitySummit — day 1 debrief, and what I look forward to for day 2

Greetings from Summit day 2! This morning, I'm writing from the speaker's lounge in the Seattle Convention Center, where a number of speakers (myself included) are busy looking at their laptops. I'm not sure what the others are doing -- working on their presentations, maybe? -- but I know that I'm here writing in my …