Voice of the DBA

Tag: travel

  • Off to Vegas for DevConnections

    A few last minute prep items for DevConnections and I leave in a few hours for Las Vegas. My first trip since last November, and it’s been a welcome break from being on the road. I suspect that won’t last and I’ll be traveling to more spots in the future, but for now I only have a few things planned.

    SQL Server Connections is a great conference, in a fun city, and I look forward to attending. Not as much social activity as the PASS Summit, but a more intimate feel, and a diverse audience, with the chance to see talks on Windows, Exchange, development topics, Sharepoint, and more.

    I’m doing three talks this time:

    Unstructured Data in SQL Server – a look at Filestream and Filetable

    Contained Databases in SQL Server 2012 – as the name says, a look at partial containment.

    An Encryption Primer – a basic look at encryption options and techniques in SQL Server.

    If you’re at the show, please stop by and say hi, either around one of my sessions, or anytime you see me walking around in the cowboy hat.

    If you’re a runner, we’ll likely be running each morning (Tue, Wed, and Thur) around the MGM at 6:45 or so. We should be in the lobby, and if you’re interested in joining us, feel free.

  • Traveling More Than Expected

    For a guy that was looking to not travel much, it seems that I’ve got way more on my plate than I expected. Right now I have these trips scheduled. At most of them, I’m scheduled to deliver some type of talk.

    That’s quite a bit of travel for me. Add to that these personal trips:

    • Boy Scout camping in April
    • Summer Camp for Boy Scouts in June
    • Summer Camp for Girl Scouts (weekend) in July
    • Two horse race trips with my wife
    • Summer Camping with the family in August

    So much for an off year.

  • No MVP Summit for Me

    Photo Feb 23, 5 11 56 PMOn the corner of my rather messy desk is little recognition item in the image to the right. It’s a 5 year marker, representing my 5 years as a Microsoft MVP. I’m honored that they think I’m doing enough for the community to be recognized.

    Next week is the annual MVP Summit in Redmond, where MVPs from all over the world get together and have a chance to see advance presentations from Microsoft developers, and get the chance to get to know each other, and the staff at Microsoft.

    From past experience, it can be a lot of fun, and it’s a good time to network and bond. The presentations can be hit or miss, but overall it’s been an enjoyable experience when I’ve gone (3 times). I’ve learned things, and getting to know someone on the SQL Server team face to face is invaluable. Those contacts have been helpful when trying to work with Microsoft or get more information about topics that I present to the community.

    I’m not going this year, and a little disappointed in that. Despite the fact that it’s a good experience, it’s not worth the time to me right now. My wife has been traveling almost every week this year (12 trips so far) and I miss her. Travel for work is stressful, even when you’re not the one traveling, and it feels very chaotic at the ranch.

    I’ve also got a lot of prep still to do for future presentations coming up at Dev Connections, SQL in the City, and more. I’ve still got more to learn about SQL Server 2012, and time is getting short.

    I’ll miss seeing friends in Redmond, but I don’t regret not going. Even if I had the time, I would have skipped the Summit in favor of a week with SQL Skills in Tampa. I know I’d learn more, and definitely would prefer the weather there.

  • A traveling man

    It’s been a long year for me. This year I’ve attended:

    1. SQL Saturday #60 – Cleveland
    2. SQL Saturday #66 – Colorado Springs
    3. MVP Summit
    4. Rocky Mountain Tech Trifecta v3.0
    5. SQL Saturday #63 – Dallas
    6. SQL Saturday #77 – Pensacola
    7. SQL in the City – London
    8. SQL Saturday #64 – Baton Rouge
    9. SQL Saturday #91 – Oklahoma City
    10. SQLBits #9
    11. PASS Summit
    12. SQL in the City – LA
    13. DevConnections Fall 2011
    14. SQL Inspire NYC

    That’s a lot of trips, and a lot of time away from home. It’s also possible I missed one or two in all the chaos of the year.

    Next year will be much quieter for me. I’ve already avoided a few trips, telling some people that I would not be attending their events in an effort to slow down and not be so burned out with travel.

    It’s been a good year, but a hard one and next year needs to be a little quieter for me.