Voice of the DBA

Tag: travel

  • The 2011 SQL Saturday Schedule is Filling Up

    I have been trying to figure out where to go in 2011 for SQL Saturdays, especially as Red Gate is looking to have me do a few more demos and sessions at events. It seemed that there were relatively few events, and I’d already decided on these two:

    I’ve never been to these cities, but I have a relative in one, and a number of friends in another. So I decided to skip Tampa (they have lots of speakers) and Houston (can’t travel two weekends in a row) and hit those.
    So when I saw the announcement of SQL Saturday #71 from Grant Fritchey (Blog | @gfritchey), I thought “cool, another event.” Then I saw the date: Apr 2.
    😦
    That’s the same day as SQLSaturday #63 in Dallas, and I’d already submitted a session as well as semi-committed to the organizers there. So it looks like I’ll miss Boston, which is a little disappointing. I like that city.
    As I checked thhttp://www.sqlsaturday.com/default.aspxe schedule, I saw a few other conflicts as well. I have somewhat committed to Chicago (#67, Mar 26), which is right before Dallas. A busy time for me, and with Tech Ed and the Rally before that, I’m going to have to limit some travel. Right now I’m thinking to skip TechEd since it’s not the best show for me to go to anyway.
    However Columbia is getting ready for another event on Mar 19 (SQL Saturday #70). If I went there, I’d be gone 3 weeks in a row, which is a lot. Actually it’s too much, both on the family and me, so I’ll have to miss Columbia again.
    However it’s good for the community. Already there are:

    • Jan – 3 events
    • Feb – 4 events
    • Mar – 3 events
    • Apr – 3 events
    • Aug – 1 event

    I’m sure more are coming, and I will really, really try to get to new cities next year and meet more of the SQLServerCentral community.

  • Leaving (for) Las Vegas

    Tomorrow I’m off to Las Vegas for SQL Connections. Since tomorrow is also T-SQL Tuesday #012, I’m writing a pre-trip blog a day early.

    vegas1[1]

    I’ve never been enthralled with the image of Las Vegas, but I went there earlier this year with my wife for a vacation and had a great time. I did finally gamble at a card table, and actually won money, but it’s not something that I’m overly excited to do again.

    This is my first trip ever to SQL Server Connections and DevConnections. I had hoped to go last year, but my wife broke her arm and I ended up cancelling my trip. This year SQLServerCentral is sponsoring a track again with some great speakers to teach you about SQL Server. We have:

    • Brad McGehee
    • Allen White
    • Buck Woody
    • Glenn Berry

    I elected not to speak so that I could see more of the show and report on what it’s like. With more and more people becoming hybrid DBAs, I think this is a great format for a show. Many people these days fine themselves needing skills in other technologies, like Windows, Sharepoint, .Net or something else.

    I am curious to compare this event with others, and see if it might be a great place for SQL Server professionals to get a wide variety of knowledge that can help them work with the different aspects of IT that they need in their jobs.

    I’m also looking forward to sitting down with a few friends I haven’t seen in some time and catching up on what’s happening in their lives.

    If you live in the area, but won’t be at the show, I’ll also be speaking at the Las Vegas SQL Server User Group on Thursday night, so come out and say hi.

  • Six Trips

    Six trips left to close out this year. Most are very short, so that’s good, but still, it’s a bunch of packing and prepping to do.

    Here’s my list:

    Sept 25 – SQL Saturday #52, Denver Tech Center, OK, so not a real trip, but still I’ll essentially be gone for a day and a half from home with a late Fri night, all day Sat, getting home late Sat night. On the plus side, I get to hang with Jack Corbett from Orlando while his wife talks horses with my wife.

    Oct 1-3 – SQL Saturday #53, Kansas City, speaking here, and getting to a Royals game for the first time ever. *cool*

    Oct 19 – Boulder SQL Server User’s Group – It’s a day trip, but over an hour from my house to the group, so I’ll count it.

    Nov – Nov 2 – 5 am – SQL Connections and Dev Connections and the Las Vegas SQL Server User’s Group. SQLServerCentral is sponsoring a track and Jason Brimhall convinced me to make good on my promise of speaking to his group Thur night.

    Nov 7 – 8 – Heading to Seattle to take care of some admin stuff and hang out with Brent Ozar for a day.

    Nov 19 – Nov 21 – NYC. SQL Saturday #59. A last minute decision, but I want to support these groups and this will cement my Premier status for United for next year 😉

    I’ve got a couple ski trips with the family planned as well (Thanksgiving and Christmas), so it looks like a busy fall for me.

  • Saved By a Spare

    I started traveling with two laptops after I had a laptop fail during a trip in 2009 the day of a presentation. I bought a netbook as an emergency, but it didn’t work well and ended up as the bedroom spare for my wife.

    In it’s place, I’ve started carrying an 11” tablet along with my 15” laptop. They both fit in my bag, and in the course of 5 or 6 trips, I haven’t needed the spare.

    Until SQL Saturday #28

    I had some family things come up this past week and didn’t get all my work for Database Weekly done before I left. Since I had some free time on Friday, I was planning on working at the Marriot when I arrived. Everything went fine until I plugged my laptop into the wired connection at the hotel.

    Nothing.

    No lights, not LAN indicator, no connection. I got a spare cable from the front desk, rebooted everything and no connection. I even called tech support before hanging up after being on hold for 10 minutes. Somewhere in the back of my mind it occurred to me to rule out my wired connector in the laptop. I think it used to work, but wireless is so ubiquitous that perhaps I hadn’t.

    Actually I noticed the spare tablet in my bag and decided to plug it in. I’d need to sync it anyway, so I plugged it in and it worked.

    I was late to the speaker dinner, and left early, coming back to work, but I was able to get all my work done. Or at least what was important for the weekend.

    The last few times I’ve been in a hotel, I’ve had issues with my network connection, so I should have known better than to count on it, but this time, having that spare really saved me.