Category: Blog

Two days of work in the middle here, which is a nice break from my break. If that makes sense. I left early yesterday to drive up to Westminster for the Rocky Mountain Oracle User Group Training Days. I spoke here a few years ago, bringing some SQL Server knowledge to the event. This time I’m representing Oracle as Redgate expands into that area. I’ve been excited by the work that our Oracle group did in 2019, and I submitted last year to this event, in anticipation of them releasing something.

They did, and here I am. Yesterday was plowing through a few emails and then practicing the Oracle demo for today. Today was an early talk. I gave a DevOps for Oracle talk, which went well. Other than SQL Developer being much worse in high DPI situations than SSMS, things worked well. I had a few good questions, though overall, it seems that Oracle people (devs + DBAs) are behind the SQL Server world in terms of trying to adopt better practices.

I also watched the keynote, which was on data analysis in the cloud. It was from someone working at Snowflake and was a good, pragmatic look at the cloud. Again, Oracle people want to stick with Oracle, and there were some questions asking if the Oracle cloud and sticking with Oracle products works well compared to AWS/Azure/GCP. It seems there is this preference to stick with the Big O, but the presenter did a nice job of trying to get them to think about getting things done, and using other tools where appropriate. This has been the message from MS for a few years. Use what works, even if it’s not an MS solution.

Overall, this made me realize a few things. One is I miss working for Redgate. I really enjoy talking with customers and clients and helping them work through issues to build better software. I’ve been out of that world for a couple months, and I’m ready to go back.

Two is that I enjoy the technology. Listening to people talk about this stuff is fun and exciting. I see downsides, challenges, security issues, privacy problems, overblown and hyped marketing, but I’m genuinely excited by the possibilities for the future.

I only spent a half day here before heading to the gym and then coming home. I’m still under the weather, with a dripping nose, so I bailed. Still, a nice break from the sabbatical.

Now it’s back to volleyball tonight, a little guitar practice, then more cleaning tomorrow.

Down to the last week. Actually, I have one complete week left. I’ll go back to work next Wednesday, Feb 26. That’s because I’m working today (Tues) and tomorrow, speaking at an Oracle event in the North Denver area. I submitted early last fall and heard I’d been accepted after planning the sabbatical. Rather than cancel, I decided to attend the event and take a couple extra days. So, an interruption, but that’s fine.

Catching Up

The last week has been slow on things related to the sabbatical, but still very busy. The last three days have been at a volleyball tournament in Greeley, CO. Three nights in hotels, coaching all day with lots of emotions, excitement, and struggles. While I think the team slightly underperformed, I was pleased that they managed to take a 15th place tie with a few teams and finish in the silver bracket. That’s the first time in 4 years of coaching that I’ve had a team finish in the top half of a three day tournament. Not sure I had much to do with it, but I’m glad they did well.

A quick turnaround at home, as I’m in Westminster today, in another hotel tonight. It feels like the last few weeks have had a lot of nights away from home, with time in Pueblo, Vegas, Keystone, Greeley, and now Westminster. On one hand, a very busy time, on another, still relaxing and a glimpse of retirement.

I didn’t take a guitar up Friday, but I did get some time in Friday morning and yesterday, working through some old skills, and adding some rather difficult sections to “Landslide”, which I’ve been wanting to actually learn. I think I know what to play, but not quite sure I’m playing it well. Still, something to work on. One nice thing was getting home yesterday afternoon, laying in bed and playing a bit and my wife falling asleep listening. She likes to hear me working through things, and it’s relaxing for me.

The last week has also been a glimpse of retirement for me. I have things to do, but I’m not pushing or rushing through them. I’m slowly working on various projects that I or my wife need done. I’m also getting to the gym a bit, though the weather last week and some ill health slowed that down.

I hope to get back to the gym on a regular schedule, as well as try to finish up a couple things. I need to do more repairs on the hose caddy and donate a few more things, as well as throw out a few more things. The basement is more organized, which is a partial goal. I’ll have Thur and Fri to work on that, and then I’m done. Sat-Tue is skiing with family, and that will be it for the sabbatical. Work starts Wednesday, and it’s a busy day. I’ll get a couple more updates, and then a retrospective next week on the entire time away.

As much as I have enjoyed this time, I agree with Brian. I’m ready to go back to work. I have a great job and I’ve missed it, especially the people.

Week five has been slow. I’ve missed a few days, mostly because of a mini vacation and illness. Monday I felt worn out. A busy volleyball weekend and a month of working with my body and not sitting at a desk is quite a change. I did manage to get my winch working on the door, and then took a break, puttering around the house and doing more guitar practice since it was cold outside.

Monday afternoon and Tuesday were spent in the mountains. We drove up to our place in the mountains and relaxed, no family, no pets, just us. We built a fire for the first time in the fireplace and had a chance to just chill.

Tuesday was skiing, which was fun. Still a day short on my once a week during the sabbatical, but I’ll catch up next week with a few days up there.

I was feeling a bit ill, and worse yesterday. A cold coming on, so most of yesterday was in bed and more of the same today. A few minor chores, but really trying to heal since I have a three day coaching fest this weekend in Greeley, so I need to get better.

I’d be this busy if I had work, but also stressed, trying to fit things in. I’d likely be working in bed today, and not resting. It is nice to have the break and not be too crunched to get a lot done.

The end of four weeks, and not much of a day today. It started snowing last night, and we cancelled a dinner date with another couple as we were worried about the roads. Glad we did, because all schools cancelled this am, so my oldest son was home (he’s a teacher). The roads were having issues in the mountains along I-70, so I decided not to try and go skiing. Dangerous roads, a forecast of wind, and then a cold (19F) day at the base. That meant likely a 8-10F on top of the mountain (or colder), which is no fun.

Instead, my wife and I decided to treat ourselves this am and be lazy. There’s a new donut shop, and we decided to try it. We almost bailed going out of our neighborhood, as it was snowpacked, but the X5 made it. Glad, too.

The donut shop was open:

Lots of choices:

And we got a sampling of a number of items.

We then came home and all went out to help with chores. It was cold and snowy, but not windy (yet). Lots of snow, and we loaded up big bales on the tractor to get them out to the horses.

We had to do three, which takes awhile, but this will keep us from feeding and fighting snow for a few days. I also ran the tractor blade around the path to keep the snow from accumulating too much.

I went up the road, but someone had plowed since we got home, and things weren’t bad.

The horses were happy with our couple hours out there doing chores.

Now it’s going to be an inside day. I cancelled volleyball practice today. Snow is forecasted to keep coming, a number of other places have cancelled events, and there’s no sense endangering anyone.

I’ll ride the bike, play guitar, and cook some shrimp tacos and relax.

Four Weeks In

Hard to believe I’m two thirds done with my sabbatical. Only a little over two weeks left, as I’ll take two days in between to go speak.

I was talking with a few friends about the time off. My first one was structured. I volunteered and took a college class, so I had things to do most every day, as I’d committed to items and it felt like work, but different work.

This time I’m completely unstructured. Nothing really planned, but lots of small, random things. I’ve gotten some done, with lots of guitar time. That’s something I’ve never really done for myself, and having time to concentrate every day has given me a more consistent hobby, and one that I hope I’ll continue to work on. I don’t really want to perform, but it is relaxing to just play. I sometimes do that after work in the UK, as there are a few guitars in the lobby. I’m even considering just buying one over there I can leave and bring to the hotel when I’m there for a week.

I haven’t gotten as much done on the basement and garage, but weather has been a mess, and I’ve substituted some work my wife needed done. A few things repaired, and more to do, which is likely where I’ll spend more time the next few weeks, dealing with ranch items.

I’ve also managed to snowboard every week (except this one), and I have 3-4 more days planned, so that’s good. I’ve gotten a massage each week, and hit the gym most days.

Overall, this has been mentally relaxing as I am not trying to create content or think too much. I’m just working with my hands, getting things done. If I can trench out an electrical line for water and get my door lift working (still planned), this will be a success. I also realize how tiring and hard it is to not work at a desk every day. I’m love my job, and I am itching a bit to go back, but I’m also happy to get this break.