TWH (10/16/2013)
How do you keep current with SQL Server?
Lots and lots and lots of experimentation, reading and listening. I experiment with technologies I don't understand or need to learn more about. In addition to experiments, I'll post my results to my blog so that 1)I might remember what I did, 2)Others might learn from what I did. I read books online, articles and blog posts from trusted resources and announcements through various blog feeds that I follow, again, trusted resources.
How do you decide what to read / follow?
Experience. And asking others. Plus, attending local user group meetings to network and find out who others follow, SQL Saturday events, others such as SQL in the City, SQLBits, Connections, Intersection, Live 360, and the granddaddy monster of all events, the PASS Summit.
How do you best learn new things?
I think people learn differently. I learn best by doing. I can sit through a session, take notes, but I still haven't really learned it until I put stuff together and see it working on my own, with my queries.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning