Goals for 2010 – Q1 Review

Posted on April 2, 2010 by way0utwest

Here were the goals I posted for 2010 on the last day of December:

  • Continue managing the forums, but at a reduced, 300 post a month level.
  • Blog 5 times a week, M-F, on at least 2 SQL Server technical topics a week.
  • Learn Reporting Services – at something better than an average level. Maybe not an expert, but work towards being able to use it and answer > 50% of the questions I see.
  • Attend one SQL Saturday – At least, though I think I’m slated to hit 2 in 2010 at least.
  • Write a book – I’ve had three topics in mind for awhile, but I haven’t moved forward well on this. I need to finish one in 2010.
  • Build 2 new presentations. I’ve given one of two presentations pretty regularly over the last few years, but I need to expand, and find some other things to talk about. Not that these aren’t still relevant and good presentations, but I need to try some new ones.
  • Take all my vacation in 2010 – I’ve been bad about this in the past, carrying some over, selling some back. With some good guest writers, there’s no reason for me not to get away from work more.
  • Travel to one new city for work – Likely this will be Vegas, but I ought to spread my time around the community.

    It’s been a quarter, and while I have a reminder to check these every month, I wanted to do a blog review after each quarter, noting how I’m doing on each of these. I’ll repeat them below with my comments:

    1. Forums – I’m still posting, and trying to get a few items on ASK SSC as well, though I’m a little below my goal of 300. With a lot of travel, and some vacation packed into the first quarter, I’m only doing about
    2. Blogging – I think I’ve done a great job here. While I’m not positive that I have 2 technical posts every week, I have tried to focus on writing a couple of T-SQL technical nuggets each week.
    3. Learn Reporting Services –  I have installed a new VM for this and it’s up, but I haven’t done much else. I have tried to read the SSRS articles we’ve gotten more closely, but I haven’t cracked my SSRS 2008 book.
    4. Attend one SQL Saturday –   Made it to #33 in Charlotte, also committed to Pensacola and Baton Rouge. I may try to get back to Orlando as well.
    5. Write a book – I actually had good intentions here, but progress hasn’t been great. I did an outline of one book my boss had asked for, which is a good start there. I also tracked down the history of SSC and started working on those chapters. I had about 6 or 7 in rough draft, and managed to devote a few days to cleaning up one of those chapters. Still a long way to go.
    6. Build 2 new presentations – I did one, a SQL Server for non-technical people at the Rocky Mountain Tech Fest, but I need to do another one, one I’ve actually committed to Pensacola. So that will occupy a good slice of April.
    7. Take all my vacation in 2010 – I have taken more to date, but my one day a week to ski hasn’t worked out great. I am planning on scheduling out more vacation this spring and summer, and have scheduled time off for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
    8. Travel to one new city for work – Duplicated with #4, I went to Charlotte, where I had never been before. Not sure if I’ll make another new one this year.

    Overall I’m doing OK, but these goals are a bit of a stretch for me and I’m feeling it as I try to work on them. A busy family life this year hasn’t helped, but I think I’ll get through most of them in 2010.

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    About way0utwest

    Editor, SQLServerCentral
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