Voice of the DBA

Category: Blog

  • A New Word: Semaphorism

    semaphorism – n. a conversational hint that you have something personal to say on the subject but don’t go any further – an emphatic nod, a half-told anecdote, an enigmantic “I know the feeling” – which you place into conversations like those little flags that warn diggers of something buried unerground: an unexploded bomb, a sacred burial ground, or a high-voltage cable that secretly powers your house.

    The longer I work with customers in different environments and present at different events, the more I hear lots of semaphorisms from different people. They hint and half-tell war stories of things that are broken.

    These could be technical things or cultural things. Those items that frustrate you or embarrass you, or maybe are just maddening to you. Often these are things that you might not want to completely disclose, but just provide enough info that the rest of us an empathize.

    Or be glad we’re not experiencing them.

    From the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows

  • Yippee-Kai-Yay 2027 Summit in Denver

    Next year the PASS Data Community Summit is in DENVER!

    and London, but Denver is the big news. My hometown and I’m excited.

    And tickets are cheaper. $799 now, which includes a training day as well.

    Talk to your boss, get the conference ticket approved. It’s learning, it’s retention, it’s a chance to get others to help you solve problems and deal with the way AI is changing our world.

    See you in the mile high city in 2027.

  • PASS Data Community Summit 2026

    Yesterday was the first day of sessions at the PASS Data Community Summit (after pre-cons on Monday). It’s a smaller event, but fun and more intimate. A few long time attendees noticed the atmosphere was different, but nice. This reminds me of the earlier events in the 2000s, contained, everyone seeing each other multiple times.

    Connect. Share. Learn.

    To me, one of the best things is the connections. I had the chance to see a lot of friends, and meet a few new ones. I grabbed a few selfies, but I have more. Peter, Aaron and I have run into each other many times.

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    I see Edwin at so many events, and he’s such an interesting person to talk to. It’s well worth your time to introduce yourself if you see him.

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    Jonathan is brilliant and always dresses way better than me. He’s always teaching or coaching, helping the community, and constantly smiling.

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    I was honored to kick off the conference with a short opening. It was neat to walk across the stage as people were filtering in an grab a few shots. Here’s one.

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    I have to admit that I was a little nervous. Partly because of time, as they gave me a lot of slides, and I had my own section where I wanted to spend a little time. I snapped a quick look as I was prepping from backstage. No matter how many times I’ve done this, it’s a thrill to walk up the stairs and onto the stage.

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    Time Mitchell grabbed this show of me.

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    The part of the opening that was mine included memories of the Summit.

    Fun

    Chris at karaoke.

    Tim on a (kind of ) bronco.

    Friends

    Hamish and I from I don’t know when. Well, before his hair went really wild.

    T-Jay photobombing Brent and I. One of the memorable shots I’ve taken.

    A Changing World

    This one is hard. Mickey doesn’t come anymore, and I miss our breakfasts.

    Kathy and Joe have retired, and I hope they’re enjoying life after data.

     

    From many years ago, but Allen has been a dear friend and I was thrilled he came to the Summit one last time a few years ago to say goodbye to everyone.

    Loss

    Gareth was such a light and his loss still weighs on me when I come to Seattle. He’s a reminder to enjoy the journey as you never know when it will end.

    Andrew is someone I worked with for over a decade at Redgate. His passing reminds me to appreciate and look back at the things I’ve enjoyed in life.

    Hugo hit me hard.

    I thought about this afterwards.

    “A first from me. Must have been a lot of dust in the air as my eyes were leaking. I had rehearsed, practiced, and thought I was ready to remember and honor Hugo.

    It’s a sad time, but also one full of amazing memories of Hugo, Robert, Gareth, Andrew and more. Loss is a part of life, but it’s also helps us appreciate the wonderful moments we have.”

    I run sqlmemorial.org and it’s always sad to add another entry. I should have mentioned Brian Moran above, as his passing hit me hard. It was a tough moment on stage, but one I felt was needed.

    The Summit has been amazing, and I’m trying to appreciate and enjoy it. As Hugo did, and as he’d want us all to do.

     

     

     

    I opened with

  • Reading Blogs: T-SQL Tuesday #204

    This is an interesting invitation this month. Jeff Ianucci is a new host, and also has agreed to start taking over some of the T-SQL Tuesday management. Mike Walsh and StraightPath Solutions will steward this, but Jeff will likely do a lot of the day-to-day (or month-to-month).

    In any case, I hope you support him and more of you participate, even if it’s a post on LinkedIn.

    This month Jeff asks about blogs, which is kind of like a circular reference. Blogging about blogs. Reminds me of GNU.

    In any case.

    The Blogs I Read

    Jeff asks is blogs are still relevant and I’d say yes. They contain information lost in the AI summaries, so I encourage you to read them.

    I run SQL Server Central, and we syndicate blogs here (ping the webmaster if you want to join). I add some of those to the newsletter, and read most of them. I especially love seeing Brian Kelley’s posts.

    The others I read, with a little why, are:

    • Brent Ozar Pro blog – He always has interesting stuff in here, often things I didn’t think about.
    • Ozar.me – makes me think about life. Brent’s personal blog
    • Erik Darling – I learn about performance here. I don’t use a lot, but to me, this is good background to keep in mind as you look at other code, or think about patterns in development.
    • SQL Authority – I see Pinal on X, and when I do, he sometimes a post catches my eye, so I’ll go look.
    • SQL Server blog – I catch up on stuff here
    • StraightPath Solutions – One of the few we don’t syndicate that still updates

    For most of these, I don’t subscribe or read every day. Mostly I catch posts on social media, or while compiling the Database Weekly newsletter, but I find this content more helpful for me to be interested in tech and grow than AI stuff or many random posts.

    Keep blogging, and keep reading blogs. It’s good exercise for your mind, and it’s a great way to improve your communication skills.