It has been a while since I last wrote something for a meme monday.  This month is a perfect time to jump back in the deep end.

If you don’t know what a meme monday is, then here is a little recap.  Thomas LaRock started this to assist in getting the blog writing juices flowing.  He provides a simple, usually open ended topic.  As with most memes, you should write something if you get “tagged,” but you can participate without the tag.  In fact, I usually forget to tag somebody and have yet to be tagged (to my knowledge anyway).

This month, the topic is SQL Family.

SQL Family

What is the SQL Family?  Well, loosely stated I think of a family as a close knit group of individuals working together with common goals and helping each other – a lot.

How does that translate to the SQL Family?  The SQL Family is very big from my point of view.  I have blogged a few times about this family.  You will usually see me referring to this family as community.

What does this SQL Family do for you and me?  A LOT!!!  Here are some of the things I know that this group of people does for you and me.

Support – Have you ever experienced something that is not SQL related?  This group of individuals will lend a hand, shoulder, limb or what is needed in many circumstances.  From bullying to death to divorce to a hospitalized child at one end of the spectrum to marriage, child birth, awards and recognition at the other end.  This group will be there for you.

Train – what other group of professionals regularly gives of time and money to train and teach you every weekend – somewhere/somehow?  It’s not just the training on the weekends – it goes far deeper than that.  Many write books on the topic of SQL.  And these people make themselves available to train via twitter, forums, email, and in person.  Granted, not all of this training is free – but there is a ton of it that is free.

Help – Have you heard of the twitter hashtag #sqlhelp?  How about the msdn forums?  Have you heard of SQLServerCentral?  How about Stackoverflow?  There are so many people giving of their time to help other database people get better at what they do.  On the other side of the coin, the family is also there to help proof read and tech edit articles and books.  Not to mention that they often times find themselves helping by lending a professional opinion from anything SQL related at work to professional behavior in the workplace.

Fraternize – The SQL family, like most families, is not all work all the time.  There is a lot of play, chit chat and hanging out going on in this group.  This comes in real handy when you are out of town – in a place you don’t know too well.  There is plenty of joking as these people become friends.  There is a level of trust and respect that is gained.  So much so that these people will jump to your side quickly to defend you – just as you would do for your little sister or brother.

Network – Have you ever been in need of a break?  Maybe just a way to get to that next job?  The network that comes with this family is pretty vast.  You will have exposure to many more opportunities than you might have expected looking on your own.

These are all benefits of the SQL Family.  I have talked a lot about what they do for you.  As with good families, it goes both ways.  It’s not required for you to do all of these things.  But, once you start seeing what has been done for you – it is very hard to not reciprocate in some way.  The more everybody contributes, the stronger this family becomes.  Not only does the family become stronger – but you gain and grow far more than a) without the family and b) just leaching from the family.