I’m in Round Rock, TX today at THAT Conference. I attended THAT Conference in Wisconsin Dells last summer, and it was fun. I took my wife, but I wish I’d have known about the event when my kids were younger, as I’ve had taken them.
This is more a developer focused event, but there are a few data sessions, and it’s a good atmosphere. I’ll take pictures and post a review of the conference for those of you that have never heard of it.
SQL Bits has been my favorite data platform event for years. Both it and the PASS Data Community Summit hold special places in my heard and I enjoy going, but the community, casual feel of SQL Bits is just a bit more fun for me.
I’m sad to be skipping SQL Bits 2024, but the timing doesn’t work for me. I saw Brent was also skipping (for different reasons), and decided to state my own reasons, since I have often attended. This was also Brent’s most commented on post in 2023, so I’m hoping to start the year off right on this blog 
In 2023, I had 32 trips. By mid Oct, I was a bit worn out and struggling. I just wanted trips to be over with and get back home. Between my last pre-Summit event in early Nov and the PASS Data Community Summit, I was home for 12 days in a row. I hadn’t done that since May 2023.
As a result, I’m trying to be more careful with travel workload in 2024. My boss and I meet every week or two and we review the schedule for the next couple months to manage things.
I also coach volleyball in Q1 and I try not to miss events or practices so I try to limit my travel.
While I local SQL Bits, I’ve missed a number over the years because of scheduling conflicts. Their March events have conflicted with other events in my life, often outside of work. I preferred when they had an Aug/Sept event as well.
This March, I am committed in March from the 9-11th, and then have to be in Atlanta on the 13th-14th. I have the next week at home, and I could potentially go to the UK on the 18th, but I have to be back on the 24th to coach an event in Denver. That means leaving Sat from the UK at the latest, and leaving SQL Bits on Friday. I’ve done that before, but I have to miss some practices in Denver that week and it’s not worth it just to indulge myself in another event.
I also have to be back in the UK in April and travel the in between week in the US, so I’m thinking that this is a time when I could make the schedule work, but it would impact my managing my workload.
I’ve been blessed and honored to speak at many events. While I would like to go back and enjoy SQL Bits, I also want to make room for others and let them enjoy the experience. Missing a year is OK, and I’ll look forward to 2025 (and cross my fingers that the date doesn’t have workload or scheduling impact).
If you’re anywhere near London or can get there in March, attend the event yourself. It’s fantastic and a lot of fun.
I saw a post recently on Twitter/X/whatever we call it. It was for a DevOps in a Day from Redgate taking place in Jacksonville.
 on X_ _@ReviewMyDB @redgate @GFritchey Enjoy. Sorry [3].png "2023-10-19 16_17_28-way0utwest ️ (He_Him_His) on X_ _@ReviewMyDB @redgate @GFritchey Enjoy. Sorry")
I’ve been a part of the tour this fall, and when we announced the Jacksonville date, Jeff reached out and asked if we could get together. I told him I wasn’t coming, and he asked why not. At the time I said I was busy and wanted the week off, which was true. I’m not sure Jeff felt that made sense, but Grant was going, so everything was fine.
When I saw the post, I felt like I should be there and I was missing out. I slightly regretted not going. After all, the week this event took place, I was at home, with no travel.
That was my first M-F week at home since July 10-14. I was trying to protect it, and I think I did the right thing by not going and letting Grant handle things, but I still felt bad. I had some FOMO (Fear of missing out).
I find FOMO drives a lot of people to do extra things. They do more work, they go places, they get caught up with friends/coworkers/family/etc. because they want to participate in something that’s fun or valuable or helpful to their career.
I get it. I feel the same way, but I have learned often to step back from situations. This year, I knew the fall would be tough with travel, but I was also excited and looking forward to the tour. I wanted it to go well and for Redgate to do more in 2024.
However.
I don’t need to do it all. Grant can handle the day, and if not, Ryan can help. We’ve already talked about the need to plan further in advance and split the load. There is plenty of work.
My wife has used this phrase a lot. Most of us aren’t saving babies. If you are, then work hard, heck work 100 hours a week and then take time off, but save babies.
Most of us do work that could wait until tomorrow. We can let someone else do some of the work. Even if someone does a better job, often there is so much work that they company will still need you to do something.
Certainly Redgate will still use me at some events, and I’ll still travel.
I just don’t need to do all the events.
I keep telling myself that I’m certainly not saving babies, and there is plenty of other work. And, I’ve been to Jacksonville (and many other places) this year. I can skip a few trips.
Even as I had FOMO, I had just sent an email to the US offices thanking them for an invitation to the Christmas parties, but declining to go since I didn’t want to get on another airplane this year. I still have two trips after this week, and I’m limiting my life to those.
Here’s my year, which is pre-populated with a couple more trips coming up in November. Those should be all, as I’ve declined to go back to the UK in December and am hoping to lay low a bit. These are the trips I’ve taken, plotted against distance from home.
A lot of similar trips. I had repeats that were:
The big trip was Alaska, which was my wife’s 50th state. I think it was 46 or so for me. I know I’m missing Maine, Arkansas, Iowa, probably one more I can’t think of right now. I’ve spent the night in all other states.
I have (I think) a total of 30 airplane trips away from Denver. The actual flights are more like 70 with some connections. I spent 100 nights away from home, though some of those were in the mountains or camping. Or in airplanes. I probably spent 3 nights on airplanes this year.
That’s a lot. A long year for me, and I’m likely to avoid some travel until March or April, so hopefully I can recharge over the winter and relax at home.
Voice of the DBA 