Voice of the DBA

Tag: SQL Saturday

  • SQL Saturday Headshots

    This past weekend was SQL Saturday #478 – Albuquerque, and I was happy to have the chance to attend again. I was at the first two, missing last year with another event. It was good to go back, and carpool down to Taos for a day of skiing beforehand. Three of us from Colorado went down( myself, Jason Horner, and Reeves Smith), meeting Tim Mitchell, Ginger Grant, and Amy Herold at Taos for a warm day of skiing. Not the best, but good company and a lot of fun.

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    Saturday was another well run event. Thanks to @keith_tate, @coffegrl, @ChrisHyde325 for all the work they put in. The event went off without a hitch, and it seemed that people really enjoyed the day of learning.

    Jamey Johnston was there again, which I was glad to see. Jamey and I were at the Austin event a few weeks ago, and Jamey was taking pictures of the speakers. I got distracted and missed my chance, which I regretted. Fortunately, Jamey set up his equipment in Albuquerque and I got my chance again.

    I took advantage of it.

    funheadshot

    Representing the Denver Broncos, US football champions, and having fun. However, I was serious at least for a few minutes.

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    All in all, a fun weekend and a good time.

    Now I just need to get back to work and tackle a few of the things I learned while watching some Machine Learning, Power BI, Always Encrypted, and more. It’s a good time to be a SQL Server pro.

  • Chips and Margaritas at SQL Saturday #461

    It was a few years back that my wife and I planned a trip to the Austin City Lights music festival to see Stevie Wonder. This was a bucket list item for us, and we thoroughly enjoyed a long weekend in the city. I’ve been for SQL in the City as well, and each time I’ve gone, I’ve enjoyed a lunch at one of the Mexican restaurants South of the river. My kids always joke that my wife and I will fill up on chips and margaritas at Mexican restaurants, and it’s somewhat true. Often dinner becomes lunch the next day.

    It’s just two weeks to SQL Saturday #461 in Austin, and I’m looking forward to going back. In fact, I’m going to make it a point to at least go get chips and a drink at the same place. I can’t remember the name, but I know how to get there, so I’ll be fine.

    However the main event is the free, one day SQL Saturday event taking place. I’ll be there delivering my Branding for a Dream Job presentation, but there are tons of other great talks. From AlwaysOn to Power BI to Azure to Writing Faster Queries, you’ll have a great day of learning on all sorts of SQL Server topics.

    If you’re anywhere near Austin, register today and come join us in Austin for a fun day that kicks of my SQL Saturday 2016 tour.

  • Back to SQL Saturday Washington DC

    I’ve been to the SQL Saturday in Washington, DC a few times and I’m looking forward to going back. It’s a good event and since I have family in the area, I can usually take a day or two of vacation and visit.

    This year the event is on Dec 5, 2015, and it’s SQL Saturday #470. Wow, we’re closing on #500, which is amazing.

    I’ve got two talks I’m giving, both of which I really like. I’ve revamped them both a little, incorporating a few new items in there and I hope everyone enjoys them.

    • Branding Yourself for a Dream Job
    • Get Testing with tSQLt

    The room I’m in will be the room for the day, with both myself and Brent Ozar giving two sessions around Wayne Sheffield talking T-SQL window functions. I know there are other great sessions, but feel free to camp out in this room.

    If you’re in the area, come join us for a free day of training. The event is in Chevy Chase at the Microsoft building.

  • A Long Trip Ahead

    This is my last day at home for a long time. At least long by my standards. I head to the airport tomorrow for a ten day trip, not returning to CO until Saturday, Oct 17. I rarely travel more than 4 or 5 days at the most, so this is one of my longer ones.

    My first stop is Orlando. I’m heading over to help teach a DLM workshop for Redgate Software on Friday. This is our Database Source Control workshop that covers some in depth work with SQL Source Control and version control systems. I’ve done a few of these, so this should be easy for me.

    Saturday is SQL Saturday #442 in Orlando. I haven’t been to a SQL Saturday in Orlando in a long time, so I’m excited to get back to the place where these all started. I’ve got one talk on Saturday, talking Encryption, around which I’ll be hanging out with friends and trying to learn a few SQL things along the way.

    Sunday I travel, though at a relaxed pace. I’ll spend the day making my way to Houston before an overnight flight to London on the Dreamliner. It’s a leisurely day, where I’ll probably spend time catching up on Python work because Monday is crazy.

    Monday is a day I dread a bit. I land in London and immediately drive to Cambridge for a few meetings. I’ve got some SQL in the City rehearsals planned before I turn around and head back to London to catch the fun bus to Bristol for SQL Relay. If you map this out, it seems silly, but that’s what I got myself talked into somehow.

    Tuesday is SQL Relay in Bristol. I’ll be previewing my talk for SQL in the City, so I’ll apologize in advance if things aren’t 100% set. However after a day at the conference, I’ll be heading over to Cardiff where I’ll get dinner and try to fix all the things I did wrong during the talk.

    Wednesday is SQL Relay Cardiff.  A repeat of Tuesday in a new city. I’m not sure if everything is the same, but I’ll be (hopefully) delivering a better talk on Wednesday. Wednesday night Grant and I aren’t doing anything, so it’s a few hours to unwind.

    Thursday morning we make our way back to London. Hopefully we manage the train system fine because we have lunchtime and afternoon meetings with people coming down from Redgate during the day. This is the final SQL in the City prep time, as well as a few other in person events, including seeing my boss for only the 3rd time this year.

    Friday is SQL in the City 2015 London. Redgate puts on a great event, and I’m looking forward to another exciting day. Three times on stage for me, so I’m sure when things wrap up around 5 I’ll be quite tired. However no rest, I head to Heathrow for a night in my 5th hotel on this trip.

    10 days. Orlando, Cambridge, Bristol, Cardiff, London.

    I have the feeling I won’t be doing much on Saturday night or Sunday when I return.