Voice of the DBA

Category: Blog

  • A Blogging Break

    Outside of coping tips, I’m gonna take a break from blogging. I’ve been aiming for 3 posts a week, and mostly keeping there, but it’s created a little stress and I need to handle a bit more stuff at the ranch, so not as much time outside of work for blogging.

    I also have some work work to take over. We have a surprising amount of sabbaticals this summer, and some staff changes, so I need to take on a bit more in July/August.

    I’ll likely blog here and there, but not consistently.

    Of course, I’m sure tomorrow I’ll get 10 ideas for post and this will go out the window, but look for less for a few weeks at least.

  • Daily Coping 5 Jul 2022

    I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral 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.

    Today’s tip is to make a list of the joys in your life (add to this regularly).

    My list:

    • sleeping next to my wife at night (not doing that enough the last few months)
    • having my dog come greet me (every day)
    • kids enjoying the food I make ( a regular occurrence these days)
    • traveling to a new place and seeing a different way of life (I love new cultures)
    • driving my Tesla (this is a lot of fun)
    • accomplishing a chore at the ranch (changed a leaf spring last weekend)
    • playing guitar and hitting all the notes
    • delivering a presentation where people are engaged and smiling

  • Daily Coping 4 Jul 2022

    I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral 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.

    Today’s tip is to notice how positive emotions are contagious between people.

    A holiday in the US, so Happy Independence Day. While I will likely tackle some chores, I do hope to get to town and enjoy being around people.

    The world can seem very upsetting and contentious, especially with inflation and politics running amok. However, I’ve seen many people smile and enjoy time with each other, which can infect others with good cheer. I want to help that.

    The last few weeks I’ve been traveling here and there, for work and personal reasons. I’ve encountered a lot of people I don’ t know, in airports, hotels, on the trail, and restaurants. I’ve made it a point to smile and say hi or wave. Even other patrons that are just going about their lives, I make it a point to be cheerful.

    It’s amazing how many people will break out in a smile.

  • Goal Progress for June 2022

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

    Ugh, June was no bueno for life goals.

    In May, I was away from home for 18 days. In June, I was home for 12 days.

    Most by choice, a mix of work and personal trips, but across 7 trips, it was a disruption to my schedule and I find it hard to cope and focus on anything extra during those times.

    I’m lowering the grade because most things haven’t changed. Essentially I read a little and got a few more SQL Saturdays scheduled.

    Grade: C

    Here are the goals:

    Work

    • DP-900 – Passed
    • DP-300
      – Stated studying, practice tests around 80% correct, need to schedule
    • Demo with SQL Server – 20% – dev db set up, started on pipeline
    • Demo with PostgreSQL – 20% – Dev db set up
    • Demo with MySQL – 0%
    • Feedback book – 100% – HIGHLY Recommended
    • Good Strategy/Bad Strategy – 48%

    Personal

    I made a slight alteration here. I didn’t try to hook up to Google Sheets, but instead pasted in some data and started to try and get this moving.

    • Link Google Sheets to Power BI – 0%
    • Create Report – 40%  – I have a report working for some of my metrics.
    • Create Dashboard – 20%  – A basic dashboard up, but need to decide on what to show here.
    • Get people using it – 0%

    Community

    • Support the Colorado groups by speaking twice and helping get one event set up
      – 40%
      • CO Springs event set up
      • Meeting with Denver SQL about an event
    • Speak at 3 other user groups outside of Colorado – 66%
      • Spoke at DBA Fundamentals group
      • Spoke at Toronto SSUG
    • Support SQL Saturdays – Help get 10 events run in 2022
      • I think we’re there. With the events coming online, there are 6 scheduled in H2, 3 that have run, and 3 more that are awaiting some detail to confirm. It looks like we’ll finish the year with 12, 10 of them in person.
    • Volunteer 4 days with Habitat – 0 days
      • Not happy about this. Now with a surgery, this will be delayed for a few months.