January 5, 2017 at 8:32 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Your 2017 Goals
January 5, 2017 at 11:01 pm
I just got notified today that they're going to let me upgrade all of the servers at work to 2016. The timing with the inclusion of Enterprise features in the Standard Edition is going to allow us to save a bit of money up front and in the future while still allowing us to continue working towards using some of the more advanced features on smaller purpose-specific servers.
They also ok'd it for me to move the largest database we have (most of it is because of a 700GB audit table that we have to keep) from the ailing 12 year old 2005 box (4 cpu, 32GB ram) over to one of the new servers. That means I'll be able to set aside the bubble gum, ceiling wax, and duct tape I've been using to hold that bad boy together for the last 5 years.
And, after nearly 3 years of absence, I've started writing again. I'm working on a mini-series about accuracy and (mostly) performance testing called "The Devils in the Data". Steve has already had a look at the original and suggested that I break it up into smaller articles. I'm still doing some additional testing in the code that will be attached. I should be able to submit it in a week or two (work, a major death in the family, and other responsibilities like writing and delivering my first precon with Ed Wagner and a bunch of local chapter work). I have several other articles that I've outlined in my mind and look forward to finally (been thinking about them for quite a while, some for years) getting them out.
On the personal side, I've got a bunch of cool stuff I want to do around the house this year. I've got a couple of rooms I want to rebuild (including the bathroom and kitchen). I also want to get back to my solar and battery experiments and carry on my Dad's work with "MFX" (Moden Fuel Extra-Energetic), which is a liquid monopropellant that's so environmentally benign that you can brush your teeth with it. We have been putzing with some different engines we've built to run the fuel in but nothing great. I have, however, found a 1.5 and a 15 KW turbine generator that we can run using MFX. We just have to pass the burn through some raschig rings to cool it down enough to keep the turbine from burning up. Before Dad passed, he had the combustion chamber up to about 500 PSI but it was a monster. I'm looking to build a much smaller/efficient one and eventually getting it up to 3,000 PSI like the big boys do. I might also try my hand at building a modified Tesla Turbine that actually has some starting torque to go with it. It'll be a heck of a lot less expensive than buying vaned turbines.
Not sure if we'll have time to get all that done this year but I'm damned sure going to give it a try.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
January 6, 2017 at 1:39 am
I'm a big fan of setting quarterly goals rather than resolutions. On a personal note I never make massive changes in January; it's a bleak enough month already without making it worse for myself.
January 6, 2017 at 5:17 am
Beatrix Kiddo (1/6/2017)
I'm a big fan of setting quarterly goals rather than resolutions. On a personal note I never make massive changes in January; it's a bleak enough month already without making it worse for myself.
Good advice, thanks.
January 6, 2017 at 6:23 am
Last year I decided that I would attempt to make at least one IT event. Planning has already succeeded as I have booked to attend SQLBits in Telford, England on the Saturday. The only bit left to accomplish is attendance. If anyone is going, and wants to, I'll be delighted to say "hi" and maybe share a few moments.
I am also still working on regaining my fitness. This is an ongoing effort. My hockey club helped this season by coercing me to be the 5ths team captain. The better half has helped by getting a crosstrainer and finding that you can link it to the iFit app and do runs that utilise Google's Street View. So far Budapest, Finland, Malaysia and Slovakia have been run. Just 1 mile runs but there is a collection of them to complete (and one of my personaility traits is a completionist so this helps). Then I'll move up the collections: 1.5 miles, 2 miles etc.
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
January 6, 2017 at 7:27 am
I'd like to renew my Microsoft certification. I routinely work on everything from SQL Server 2005 - 2016 and Azure on a daily basis, but it's hard to believe my last certification was back in 2001, more than 15 years ago.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
January 6, 2017 at 7:36 am
Don't try to "learn Azure", but instead think about "building a database to track my own movie reviews in Azure and use it for a year."
I like it! Breaks it into something more concrete. I think I shall have as a goal to (finally) write an article for SQL Server Central. Might not be published, but that's not the goal....
January 6, 2017 at 10:58 am
Beatrix Kiddo (1/6/2017)
I'm a big fan of setting quarterly goals rather than resolutions. On a personal note I never make massive changes in January; it's a bleak enough month already without making it worse for myself.
I used to do monthly personal goals for the same reason. Push myself to accomplish something I wouldn't otherwise get to, but in a short enough timeframe so I knew I could make the commitment. Usually small, atomic things like reading a particular book, or applying for citizenship.
Then I had a baby and my "free" time that I could commit to such goals in any given month somewhat vanished. It really worked well for me, though.
Leonard
Madison, WI
April 28, 2017 at 2:46 pm
I tend to set myself enough goals to swamp me. I got used to being overworked during the my life as a developer, I guess that now in my retirement I'm trying to retrieve that overworked feeling. Maybe I should have a new goal: discard enough goals to get the remainder down to a reasonable level, but even if I did set that as a goal I'd probably not work on achieving it.
My long term goals currently are mostly to do with languages (some about natural languages and some about programming languages), SQL Server, and looking after my wife. Short term goals are mostly to do things that will contribute towards the long term goals. Something that is in theory a short term goal but keeps on getting put off is to write another three articles on normalisation (covering BCNF and EKNF in one, and then one each for 4NF and 5NF) and maybe revise my existing three articles (the 1NF article could do with some examples, for example). Another shortish term goal is to reduce my body weight by 40 lbs - and that too is getting nowhere, because I don't get enough excercise and I do get (more than) enough wine. A short term aim to help towards that one is to walk at least 1095km per year, that has succeeded and is contunuing but I think I'm going to change it to 1095 miles to lose that weight.
Tom
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