Voice of the DBA

Tag: travel

  • The Redgate Summit in Atlanta

    ca693884-4339-4efe-960d-e8c7c1d3706f

    Navigating the Database Landscape is the headline of our Redgate Summit in Atlanta on Mar 13. I’m doing the Keynote with Grant Fritchey and Kathi Kellenberger with this title, and we’re also presenting a few other sessions.

    We’ve partnered with Octopus Deploy and a number of community experts to bring you thought leaderships, panels, product demos, and more. It’s a packed schedule with three tracks, great good, and some inspiring conversations.

    I hope you can join me if you’re in the area that week. Register today for Atlanta.

    We also have Summits coming to these cities:

  • Another Fun Photoshoot

    It’s been three weeks in a row I’ve been in the Austin airport. First was corporate annual kickoff, which was a lot of fun seeing and chatting with people that I don’t often get to spend time with. This week was THAT Conference in Round Rock. However, last week was the most interesting.

    Our Database DevOps Rocks tour was very successful last year, and we decided to do another one in 2024. I went to Austin last year for a photoshoot with the van, and ended up with some fun pics. One of my favorites is here:

    2024-01-25 12_08_07-Window

    The 2024 Tour

    Rather than a van, we wanted to go bigger this year. Someone proposed a plane at Summit, and I thought that was interesting. I wasn’t sure this would work, but it did. I flew to Austin last week with Grant for a quick shoot.

    Someone is working on post production of pictures, and some video. We shot a lot of stuff for promo videos and commercials, so the final results will be different, but here are a few fun ones.

    Grant and I sat in a couple old first-class Delta seats in the hanger.

    2024-01-25 12_12_15-way0utwest ️ (He_Him_His) (@way0utwest) _ X

    We were given the jackets and sunglasses for props, which was fun. We took turns changing them. Here’s Grant modeling the jacket in front of the plane with our photographer giving him instructions.

    20240123_140329

    I even got to walk on the runway, which was slightly unnerving. However, it was super foggy, so no planes were coming or going. Still, it was neat to stand out there. Something I haven’t done.

    20240123_134308

    I’m looking forward to the final props, and also the tour. I’m only on part of it, but there a few places scheduled for me:

    • San Jose
    • Atlanta
    • London
    • Chicago
    • Brisbane
    • Sydney
    • Melbourne

    Maybe a few more, but we’ll see.

  • Off to THAT Conference

    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.

  • Skipping SQL Bits 2024

    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 Winking smile

    Managing Workload

    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.

    Scheduling

    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.

    Skipping a Year

    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.