Here’s one that I haven’t run into before. A colleague scheduled a meeting with someone else in the organization to work through a problem that keeps coming up and seems to be of those problems where everyone wants someone else to do the work. The other person declined the meeting… Read more

I was in a meeting a few weeks ago, deadlines looming and everyone feeling the stress some. We hit a couple minute pause and one of the guys in the room (a serious type most of the time) out of nowhere mentions that he finds watching Bob Ross on TV… Read more

One of the many conversations I had at the PASS Summit was about whether to pursue Direction A or Direction B. Those kinds of decisions tend to come along because of an opening in the organization or because someone makes you an interesting offer? How do you decide?

Money, benefits,… Read more

As life skills go one of the hardest is to see yourself as others do – they apply all kinds of filters and interpretations, and of course we’re often reluctant to let go of our own biases that filter our own vision. It’s easy to get hung up on the… Read more

Last week I emailed the Board of Directors my resignation effective December 31st of this year, ending my current term one year early. It’s a decision I’ve been thinking about since May and explaining it could well consume several posts – though I’m not sure it would be that interesting! Read more

I’m a fan of virtual teams, times when you pull together people from across many teams to form a team that is focused on a goal. Sometimes they are dedicated to the effort, a lot of times they aren’t – depends on the amount of work needed and all the… Read more

I saw this about the iModela 3d printer, it’s priced under $1000, making it approachable if not quite cheap. 3d printing is one of those technologies that may just change the world. Lower cost of prototyping, much lower bar to small batches and customizations, it’s worth watching.

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I work with a client now that had a poster made of the top 10 values for the IT department. For example, one of them talks about IT being a service organization. The posters are everywhere, the values are good, and the values reflect the values of the leader.

Easy… Read more

After enjoying the entirely reasonable weather in Seattle in October this year we’ll return to our more traditional time frame for the 2012 PASS Summit year on Nov 6-9, 2012, at the Convention Center in Seattle. Super early bird registration runs until Nov 15th of this year – that gets… Read more

I’m writing this at the Seattle airport on Friday night with a couple hours to relax before the midnight flight home. Overall its been a good week. Nothing major went wrong, met a lot of new people, got to see a lot of old friends. Some things that stand out… Read more

Friday morning keynote. Quick intro from Rick Heiges. Buck Woody and Rob Farley singing, quite the sight for Friday morning. Now a thank you for Wayne Synder, the outgoing Immediate Past President and for Rick Heiges, VP of Marketing, both leaving the Board of Directors this year.

Showing the logos… Read more

Starting the keynote on Wednesday, Bill Graziano talking about Kilt Day, quite a few of the bloggers wearing kilts (no, not me). Recognizing Tim Radney and Jack Corbett as outstanding volunteers – good stuff! Lori Edwards is the PASSion Award winner, big applause and well earned. Bill going over financials… Read more

I’m writing this while I listen to the keynote at the PASS Summit, thinking about some of the things I’ve seen (and not seen) and thinking about my expectations and whether those expectations are fair.

Awesome. Smooth. Dramatic. Educational. Fun. That’s what I want from a keynote. I want to… Read more

Wednesday morning. I’m at the blogger table waiting on the opening day keynote. LOTS of people here. Summit attendance is up quite a bit over last year. People still coming in. More touring the blogger table, just invited Dr DeWitt to attend SQLSaturday (I’m pretty sure we could make room… Read more

The 2012 South Florida Code Camp is scheduled for February 11, 2012 at Nova University in Ft Lauderdale, and the call for speakers is now open. Speakers take note, there are two good reasons to consider speaking here:

• 13 tracks, the odds are good you can get a session!
• 70…

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I mentioned this in my SQLFun post last night and wanted to call out separately here, I typically do a low key coffee and donut breakfast on Tuesday morning at Top Pot. It’s 5 or 6 blocks from the Convention Center, just follow the monorail line and you’ll go right… Read more

The GiveCamp in Orlando needs volunteers to convert 25 reports from Crystal to Reporting Services. Food is provided, just need the volunteers!

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The annual PASS Summit is definitely about technology and learning, but if that’s all you get out of it you’re missing out. Networking, also known as meeting people, is hugely valuable and often fun. It’s also a chance to recharge. We all do that in different ways, but I’ll wager… Read more

I’m running through my mental (and some written) pre-travel checklist, tickets, clothes, a few odds and ends, trying to be reasonably ready for the the evening flight to Seattle on Saturday. I’m also looking at my schedule and thinking about what I really want to do. I have some PASS… Read more

I saw this post about Leonard Nimoy doing his final convention appearance this week. He’s 80, I would guess doesn’t need the money, and is probably ready to spend more weekends at home – can’t blame the guy. Made me think about his role in the “re-launch” of Star Trek… Read more