Voice of the DBA

Tag: life

  • The Mythical Bus Accident

    What if I got hit by a bus?

    I’m sure many of you have heard some variation of this, or used it, or maybe your boss told you to be ready in case you (or someone more important) gets hit by that vehicle. This is the “bus factor,” and it’s often used in reference to preparation for unforeseen events. Not literally someone getting hit by a bus, but perhaps a sudden accident that takes someone away from work (hopefully not fatal). Perhaps it’s someone leaving for a new job. Maybe it’s retirement, which is something my boss and I at Redgate chat about periodically.

    Don’t worry, I’m not planning on retiring anytime soon. I expect to work until at least 2033 and possibly longer. Likely longer, I’m a weird work-a-holic in some ways, and I love my job.

    Recently, Rob Sewell wrote about a DR plan for his life, and specifically about his setup in case his wife needs to understand what’s running. I certainly don’t have the automation or complex computer setup he does. In fact, none of my computers really need to be running for anything on the ranch to function.

    However, there is a lot of important data.

    If you think about how embedded your life is with digital assets, you’ll realize quickly that if you were to get hit by the mythical bus, a lot of stuff might disappear. Most won’t matter, but your partner/spouse/children/parents might care about some. They might really care about a few items.

    There will be passwords to banks, the locations of photos, videos, and other memories. There will be documents you’ve kept on maintenance, or manuals on how something works, or maybe it’s just the various email (and social) accounts you have. You might not care, but the person behind you might feel the need, and want to, notify your friends and coworkers that you’re gone. Maybe your family wants to know how to keep your site alive (I still miss Tom and re-read his work occasionally).

    This isn’t to be morbid or worry you, but the planning you might undertake for your life is a lot like the planning that you should be doing at work for your job. Others should be able to take over for you (especially on vacations), and a guide to how you’ve solved problems, patched over issues, and built scripts that run rarely but reliably for some forgotten reason. Those items should be available to others. Certainly, your IT staff can give someone else access, but will those others know what to do with that access?

    I’ve documented a bunch of processes for SQL Server Central. Mostly so I can go on sabbatical and not worry, but also so that others can share the load. I’ve given away some of my work to others, I’ve been lucky to have others volunteer (volun-told) to help, and I realize as I write this, I likely need to update some docs. Not a fun task, but my buddy Claude can likely help me. And he will.

    Planning for the future is prudent, it’s respectful to others, and it’s a common courtesy. I used to think the future was a long way off, but as I age, I realize it’s closer than I think. Planning for the future is a good idea, and it’s something I need to ensure I update every so often, to help the others in my life.

    Steve Jones

    Listen to the podcast at Libsyn, Spotify, or iTunes.

    Note, podcasts are only available for a limited time online.

  • Changes, Happiness, and a Few Tears

    Change is inevitable for most of us. The jobs we hold, the places we work, the people we know, even our families grow and change over time. As I get older and live longer, I’ve learned to accept, appreciate, and flow with changes. I might resist, delay, embrace, or anticipate tomorrow, knowing there is always a positive and negative side to things.

    This week, one of my colleagues retired. Annabel has been a part of Redgate nearly as long as I have, and we’ve worked together for many years. If you’ve ever attended a Redgate event, live or online, she likely had a part to play in the planning, organizing, execution, financing, and every other part of the process.

    My colleague, Allison, made a wonderful post yesterday, on Annabel’s final day with memories and thoughts from their time together. I wrote my own post with pictures and memories of our time together. There are so many more, and every time I think about our history, I’m touched, blessed, thrilled, and sad.

    At PASS Europe last week, we said goodbye to Annabel at the last event she’s worked on. We toasted, laughed, and cried. She shed tears, which is a rarity, but Grant and I probably cried the most. She’s been a part of our lives and careers for many, many years.

    Even typing these words brings tears to my eyes.

    The future brings opportunity and excitement. It also brings sadness and wistfulness of the past. I can enjoy the memory of what I’ve experienced, miss the way things were, balancing those feelings with the my view forward to what is coming.

    I can also think about what didn’t go well previously. We’ve had some issues at events, challenges, stressful times. Both at events, and while working with others in technology. I can learn from the past, be proud of the war stories, be glad we got past the failures, celebrate our successes, and plan to do better tomorrow.

    The thing I miss most about growing older and moving forward are the people who I enjoyed spending time with. Those are the memories that stick with me more than the projects, the successful tech solutions, the elegant and fast code, the awards, bonuses, and achievements.

    I miss the humans who have touched my life, and hopefully, whose lives I’ve touched.

    I wish Annabel the best in retirement, I’m excited for where she journeys tomorrow. I hope those of you reading this make, cherish, and enjoy the great friends in your life.

    Steve Jones

    Listen to the podcast at Libsyn, Spotify, or iTunes.

    Note, podcasts are only available for a limited time online.

  • A Career of Memories

    Annabel retired from Redgate Software this week. Across most of my career at Redgate, I’ve participated in many events, some we hosted, some we sponsored. At most of these events, Annabel has been a part of organizing, financing, executing (or all three) the events with me. From SQL in the City to SQL Saturdays to Redgate Summits to the PASS Summit, she and I have been in so many cities and venues around the world.

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    She has become a dear friend, and someone I look forward to seeing. A friendly face, a supportive friend, a joy to be around.

    I’m happy for her future, sad she’s moving on, and grateful for the time we shared together. I look forward to quiet lunches and drinks, but will miss the chaos of travel and events.

    I have so many memories across the years. Annabel might be the person I’ve worked with the most in my career. We’ve stood on stages together. I don’t have a picture of us, since I’m often on stage, but here she is with Kendra.

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    We’ve prepped for broadcasts

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    and she’s delivered the openings.

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    We’ve celebrated after events in the US

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    In Australia

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    We’ve had so many smiles, together

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    and with friends.

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    We’ve sat in meetings (clearly she’s not as excited a Becky)

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    We’ve had so many group shots

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    We’ve had fun

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    We’ve worked ourselves hard

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    We’ve celebrated family

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    And we’ve even gone to a deserted island

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    If you’ve enjoyed a Redgate event, you likely have Annabel to thank.

    I wish her well in retirement and I look forward to hearing how wonderful life is over lunch in Cambridge this fall.

  • A Las Vegas Break

    Only a little break for me. I’m actually heading to Las Vegas today for  the Red Rock Rave volleyball tournament with a team of 13 year olds. We’ve been pushing them at practice for a few weeks, so hopefully they’re ready to compete and we break into the top half tomorrow.

    That’s usually our goal as the teams I coach aren’t often the top athletes in Colorado. If we finish 1st or 2nd in our pool tomorrow, then we’ll be in the top half for Sunday and Monday. We did this at Crossroads in Jan and the RMR Showdown in Feb. The second day can get rough, but we’re learning and improving each time.

    The tournament finished Monday and my wife and I are staying until Tues to get a little break. During tournament days, we’re very busy and it’s real work. We don’t get a lot of down time, and we are constantly searching for ways we can coach better and help the team improve. Plus the 15 year olds from our club are going and we coached 3 of those girls at 13, so we’ll stick around and watch them after we’re done playing.

    It’s great to get away from technology and do something in the real world. I always like those moments when I get away from computers, and I’m looking forward to the break.