Voice of the DBA

Tag: syndicated

  • Life Without a Watch

    A few years ago I got an amazing watch as a ten year gift from Redgate: a Garmin Forerunner 645. Since then, I’ve used this regularly to track my heart rate, log exercise, and wake me up every morning. I’ve gotten used to using this device to help me remain healthy and fit.

    A few months ago, I got a dead area in the watch. A small circle of white appeared near the bottom, preventing me from reading part of the display. This looks like a bit of a burn through, and I wasn’t overly bothered at first. However, this grew into almost a 1-1.5cm circle, which is a decent size on a watch.

    It’s been three years that I’ve owned this watch, and in researching some Garmin support online, a few people have noted the company has replaced some older devices for US$99. Finally, I contacted the company a couple weeks ago, and through a support chat, they immediately offered to give me an RMA and replace the watch. At no charge.

    I was amazed, and while I did have to pay to ship and get some expedited shipping (my choice), the replacement cost me US$30 in total. I shipped my watch off and got a refurbished replacement a little over a week later.

    In those two weeks, I constantly glanced at my wrist, seeing only a tan line. Having to find my phone to get the time was annoying. Not having my workouts tracked and being able to check my heart, or my level of activity, was something I noticed as missing in my life.

    This wasn’t that long, but this one piece of technology, with all the data it just gathers for me, is something I missed. Glad to have it back, and looking forward to getting seeing my data flow again.

  • Daily Coping 15 June 2020

    I’ve 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.

    Today’s tip is to find a joyful way of being physically active (indoors or out).

    I really enjoy yoga. It is a part of my life that moves my body, works it, and also relaxes my mind. It’s amazing how repeating 10 poses can both refresh and exhaust me.

    One of the things I’ve done as the weather has improved is spend time outdoors doing yoga. I can’t go to the gym, so I’ve followed some recorded classes, putting my laptop or phone under a tree and spreading a mat nearby.

    I’ve even gotten my kids out there a few times, which has been fantastic.

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    If you want to try something, I like Yoga with Tim and the Lifetime recorded classes.

  • Social: Stepping Back and Embracing a Difference of Thought

    I do think that we want to have diversity, for a number of reasons, but this means in many cases, embracing differences. My editorial today is on Gatekeepers, which is one way of avoiding differences and diversity and searching for reinforcement of a view, idea, process, etc.

    As the events of the last couple weeks have swept the globe in a completely different way from the COVID-19 pandemic, I find myself rethinking how I look at the world.

    I am a minority in the US, and have a skin color that differs from most of the people in charge of my country and many organizations. I have experienced some discrimination in my life and had some scary moments where I feared for my safety.

    However, I’m not black, I’m not a woman, and I’m not LGBTQ. I think overall, I’ve gotten off easy. I don’t quite fit in, and have felt uncomfortable more times than I’d like to admit, but I also get along most of the time and have enjoyed success in life.

    I have also avoided being controversial in my career.

    I’m changing some of that. I still think sex, politics, and religion are topics to avoid in most career situations, however, I don’t think these things fall into those areas:

    • Racism
    • Sexism/misogyny
    • human rights and fair treatment

    I may lose some friends and contacts, and I have lost some. If you are unwilling to consider other thoughts, if you don’t want to consider your view might be wrong, if you don’t want to try and understand of there is any inherent or systemic issue with the state of majorities and minority treatment in the US or your country, feel free to move on.

    I’ve been blessed and lucky, but I’m trying to rexamine my view and learn more. I’m confronting my privileges and those of others to try and understand what is a better way forward.

    I am doing a few things. I wrote about changing my naming in git. I put down a couple books I was reading and picked up White Fragility. I’ve read more, about what Mark Cuban, Sal Khan, Tim Scott, and more. I’m trying to learn more and better understand how I view the world around me.

    I am calling out hatred and poor behavior as I see it. Being conservative isn’t a problem. Trying to change the discussion from #BlackLivesMatter to #xxxLivesMatter is.

    Many organizations have taken strong stances against racism. I hope this is heartfelt and not just marketing. Time will tell. I’ll be watching.

  • Daily Coping 12 Jun 2020

    I’ve 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.

    Today’s tip is to note the upsides during the lockdown, however small.

    There are a number of upsides for me.

    1. More time with my kids, who are in college or out.
    2. I spend more time cooking, lower cost, building skills, family spends time together
    3. I play guitar more, especially with less travel
    4. Life is slower, and I can catch up on things I’d let go around the ranch.