I get asked a lot about why or how I began working with databases years ago. I did not wake up one day and decide, “I am going to work with databases.” It was more like a slow unfolding. I have always been drawn to systems, to the way things connect beneath the surface. Technology felt like a puzzle, and data was the piece that made the picture come alive.
What got me hooked was not just the numbers; it was the meaning behind them. Data tells stories. It reveals patterns and trends we would otherwise miss, and it gives us the power to make decisions with clarity instead of guesswork. The first time I wrote a query that pulled exactly what I needed, I felt like I had unlocked a secret language (and it wasn’t SQL, but a programming language called Progress). That moment stayed with me.
Databases are the quiet backbone of building things. They don’t shout for attention, but they hold the weight of entire businesses, applications, and ideas. What intrigues me most is their balance of two main things:
- Structure and reliability – every table and relationship is carefully designed (well, hopefully they are!).
- Possibility and discovery – beneath that structure, endless insights wait to be uncovered.
Working with databases feels like being both an architect and an explorer. You design something solid, but you also dig into it to find hidden truths.
Getting into technology was not just about career prospects; it was about curiosity, creativity, and the thrill of solving problems. Databases remind me that the most powerful tools are often the ones working quietly in the background, shaping outcomes without fanfare.
And maybe that is why I have stayed intrigued: because every time I open a database, I know there is another story waiting to be told, another insight waiting to be uncovered.
“Data is a precious thing and will last longer than the systems themselves.” – Tim Berners-Lee
That quote captures exactly why I’m here. Systems change, tools evolve, but the stories hidden in data endure. And being part of the process of uncovering those stories – that to me is what keeps me inspired.