Voice of the DBA

Category: Blog

  • Daily Coping 6 Mar 2023

    Today’s coping tip is to make plans with a friend and catch up with them.

    I decided to reach out to a friend and make time to catch up. This is someone I’ve known a long time and really appreciate in my life, but I let time get away from me and don’t always make time.

    I set up a lunch and we had the chance to catch up on our lives, family, etc. It went well, though a bit short as I had some meetings in the early afternoon. We did, however, set up a second lunch to meet again in a few weeks.

    I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQL Server Central newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.

  • Goal Progress for Feb 2023

    The grade for February is also D. Details below, but just not making a lot of progress in these areas. So far I have:

    • Jan – D
    • Feb – D

    I set goals at the beginning of the year, and I’m tracking my progress in these updates during 2022.

    Reviewing Goals

    The various sections are listed below, and I’m giving a SMART grade based on what I listed. Have I gotten much done. January wasn’t too busy for me at work, but a little busy outside of work with coaching ramping up and my wife being down from work for a few weeks.

    I got a bit done, but not a lot.

    Reading

    Two books on the list: marketing and coaching. I haven’t picked a marketing book, but I picked Wolfpack for coaching. With one started and one not, this is an F.

    Progress:

    Career

    My goals:

    • Set up a tracking system based on the book for my efforts with customers
    • Track and calculate my scores to help me better approach how I work with customers.
    • Review this with my boss and with someone in sales

    Rating: B, I rated myself on a couple more calls and got feedback on a call from another person in the company. Not a ton of activity here, but I did make progress.

    Community

    • 2 speaking engagements for community (RMOUG Training Days complete. SQL Bits on my schedule)
    • Reach out to 10 SQL Sat groups that did not run an event in 2022 and motivate them for 2023. This should be at least 2 emails to each person/group.
    • Reach out to all 2022 organizers and ask about plans for 2023
    • Start coding a tool for converting schedules to HTML.
    • Hold office hours once in Q1
    • Send 3 monthly SQL Saturday updates to the community

    One speaking engagement complete, one more on the schedule. So far doing well here. A few submissions in for later in the year.

    I have been reaching out to other groups with limited success. I have emails out to 10 groups with limited success. It does look like there will be at least 3 events in 2022 from places that didn’t run one in 2022. A B here.

    I have reached out to 2022 organizers, most seem ready to do a 2023 event if they can find space.

    Personal

    My goals:

    • Use my Power BI report for stats
    • Update the Power BI report based on feedback from athletes
    • Build 6 wooden coasters – I haven’t made enough time for my hobby here, so I’m going to start small. We need more coasters (as noticed over the holidays), so I want to build 6. Same style, different.

    Same rating of a C here, as I’ve updated the report a little, I continue to use it though I need to fix a few calculations. No woodwork done with a busy life and mostly continued cold temps.

  • Daily Coping 3 Mar 2023

    Today’s coping tip is to send an encouraging note to someone who needs a boost.

    I met someone at a conference years ago and kept in touch. For some reason, I had a connection with this person and we’ve continued to lightly touch base every month or so.

    I don’t know that he needs a boost, but I reached out and sent a message to say hi, to wish them well, and ask to have a chat, noting that I’m hoping they’re doing well. I got a very positive reaction, so I’m sure this was a boost for them.

    I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQL Server Central newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.

  • Daily Coping 2 Mar 2023

    Today’s coping tip is to make plans with a friend or loved one.

    I don’t like making plans, preferring to somewhat flow with life and make decisions close to the time when I’m ready to do something. However, that isn’t always convenient.

    Recently my wife and I both got a mailing for a comedy club in the area, with some special deals. We chatted and decided to book a show, getting a date night set up together. We don’t do that often enough, but we took the opportunity this time to make plans with each other.

    I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQL Server Central newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.