Top 4 Reasons Next Week is a Big Week

Hello Dear Reader, next week is a very big week for me SQL wise.  Family wise I will be missing the heck out of my wife and my kiddos while I’m half a continent away.   Just this last week my Bug lost another tooth, the baby got even cuter (don’t ask me how she does it constantly), my Big Guy got even bigger (seriously my 7 year old has pec’s), and my wife continues to be AWESOME, (the Bug and I had a conference and deliberated on this earlier in the week).  So while I’m missing all the other Balls, I’ll be busy out of my mind. 

“So Balls,” you say, “What’s keeping you so busy?”

No good way to say it other than list it.

1.       My First PASS Summit

2.       I’m sitting at the Bloggers Table at the PASS Summit

3.       I’m Presenting TWO times at the PASS Summit

4.       I’m the Professor of Compression Next Week For SQL University!

Any other week one of those items would keep me fully occupied.   Next week I will be utterly consumed learning, teaching, meeting, and greeting.  So let’s break it down a little.

MY FIRST PASS SUMMIT

http://www.sqlpass.org/summit/2011/# PHOTO CREDIT: Deepak Puri

This needs no introduction.  If you are involved with SQL Server you know that the PASS Summit is the biggest SQL Server Conference in the World.  Not North America, not Europe, not Asia, the WORLD.  The brightest SQL Speakers in the World will be there.  People from all over the Globe, experts from many many nations will be together in one spot.   Top Microsoft Experts, the Cat Team, many Microsoft Developers for the SQL Server Team, you name it the PASS Summit has it.

I’ve wanted to go to this event since I started seeing advertisements for it on SQLSeverCentral.com, for the last 4 or 5 years.   Getting to watch the streaming keynote last year just made my desire to go grow even more, and now here it is! 

If you have never heard of the PASS Summit then go check out the current website.  As if that isn’t enough I’m attending 2 of the great pre-cons that are being offered.    I will be blogging like a mad man while I’m out there so keep checking back Dear Reader, this should be a fun week!

SITTING AT THE BLOGGERS TABLE

http://www.sqlpass.org/summit/2011/SummitContent.aspx PHOTO CREDIT: Pat Wright

I’ve blogged previously on The Top 5 Reasons You Should Be On Twitter, but I could add a 6^th as well.  Opportunity.  On Twitter it was announced that PASS was accepting applications to sit at the Bloggers table.   I jumped.  Then I emailed the contact listed and WAHOO I was selected!   As a result I’ll have access to blog from a table of Blogger All-STAR’s and SQL MVP’s, and lil ol’ me J!

So not only will I be at the top event for SQL Server, I’ve got a front row seat.  I’ll do live blogging of the Keynotes, and attempt a daily re-cap.  As I snap pictures I’ll make sure to get them uploaded and attached to the blog.

PRESENTING TWICE AT THE PASS SUMMIT!

My wife’s best friend had a quote on her Facebook page that I feel describes me to a T, since she told me it I laughed and then I thought, “If I could only get that on a Family Crest”. ….  The quote “I’ve got 2 speeds; Off & M@Ther F#(king ON”.  That has been me my whole life, when I’m down I’m out.  When I’m up and running, there’s no stopping.

During this week I’m presenting a Lightning Round Talk 24-a 5 minute Horror Story, and  the Page & Row Compress Deep Dive.   I’ve been working on a lot of great Demo’s that I can bring to the table.  I presented the Deep Dive recently at SQL Saturday 85, and internally for my DBA team.  I’ve gotten a lot of good feedback, and I’m really excited to give this a 3^rd time.   The 5 minute Horror Story is a real life adventure, with appropriate details blurred, from Father’s day 2009.   Show up to the session and you hear all about the wonderful world of a 24-7 on call DBA and why backups are so important.   Not just that you take them, but if something goes wrong that you grab a fresh set.

PROFESSOR OF COMPRESSION FOR SQL UNIVERSITY

Jorge Segarra (@SQLChicken | Blog)  is the Chancellor of SQL University.  If you’ve never heard of SQL U then you should head over there and take a look.  It is a web blog that collects the input from the experts in our field and has them write on a new topic a week. 

Think college syllabus but for SQL, with different Topics, and written by MVP’s & Experts.  I’m honored beyond belief to be among them, and starting next week I’ll have a Lead Up to the Deep Dive.  I’m still writing and formulating as we speak and a lot of this will get finished up Sunday to Monday.  But I’ll have a post a day on Compression.  We’ll start up slow and work our way through a set of topics that will help you understand Compression and feel good about taking it to your work and finding ways you can apply it.

Alright Dear Reader the break from blogging is over, time to get to the grind stone and get working!  I hope your week is a good one.

Thanks,

Brad