A few weeks ago, I was at the Small Data SF 2025 Conference in San Francisco. I attended the inaugural event last year and decided to go back again. It's a great chance to hear people thinking about data and its impact on the world in a different way, recognizing that building lager and larger systems isn't always possible. Or a good idea. We might find that smaller systems fit well, especially smaller datasets, which can both serve our purposes and create agility. The manifesto of the conference says that "We champion the power of Small Data and smart AI, believing that less is truly more." There's a bit more, but that's the idea.

The format for the conference is a little different, with 3-5 talks in a row, all on one stage, each about 25 minutes long. These are talks with or without slides, but no live demos, just speaking and expressing a point of view. What I found fun was that each person picked their own music to play as they walked onto stage (or ran/danced in the case of Glauber from Turso). It was a bit of fun, with the DJ letting the music play as the person made their way to the front and were welcomed by the audience. I heard rock, metal, hip hop, and more.

It's Friday during the week of the PASS Data Community Summit, and I had the chance to deliver part of the keynote on Wednesday. I've done this before, and no one has every asked me if I wanted a pick a piece of music, but it got me thinking. What would I pick?

For a fun Friday during the holiday season, think about if you were going to give a presentation. Maybe to your team, maybe other groups in the company, or (for some of you) on a conference stage. What music would you choose to accompany your walk into the bright lights? Imagine you get between 10 and 30 seconds.

Have some fun, and remember this is a professional setting. My first thought was something from the Notorious BIG, but I realized I'd have to walk fast as most of his lyrics wouldn't be appropriate. I'm not sure, but I lean towards one of these: one, two, three, or four.