I attended my first SQL Saturday just this May, and it was quite the grand event :-D. Furiously scribbled a good two pages of notes, and sorely regretted not bringing a separate notebook so I could write more. I learned a ton of new methods and optimization strategies in just three hours, and all it cost me was the time to make a 120-mile drive and $10 for lunch. Well worth it!

I'm a little sad that there's not many SQL Saturdays near where I live, though. The cost of air travel is a little high on my wages, but I'm budgeting here and there to attend some more. I'll probably try to make it to the one in Raleigh in September, and I'll see where I can shuffle some funds around to get to other ones. The learning opportunities are amazing, and I'm thoroughly indebted to all of the organizers for making possibilities like this so widely available for no cost at all :w00t: