December 30, 2013 at 7:35 am
My biggest memory of 2013 had to be (finally) getting the gumption to not only look for a new job, but to take one.
Went from being a "jack-of-all trades" at a small company to the sole DBA (minimal dev stuff) at a government facility. Big changes in work environment, policies, etc.
So far, I seem to be fitting in, after all, it's only been about 11 months I've been here...
:hehe:
December 30, 2013 at 8:48 am
1 - Attending SQL Saturday in Fargo ND. Got to hear Bill Gates give a speech to the Microsoft Campus there. Apparently he had no idea what SQL Saturday's were.
2 - Moving to a new company. At the new company I've learned lots of new things, and have got my fingers into a lot more sophisticated programming and reporting. They also required me to get certification to retain our MS Certified Partner status, so I learned a lot in studying to achieve that. Most importantly, its really busy and fast paced here so the days go by quickly.
December 30, 2013 at 9:18 am
OCTom (12/29/2013)
I was thinking hard about a SQL memory from 2013 that was worthy of mention. I had that happen Friday night. I have been tutoring a 10 yr old in I.T. and programming. It was supposed to be fairly simple introductory topics. We started off slow in September but she was bored pretty quickly. I stepped it up a bit and introduced binary and hexadecimal arithmetic. I was surpised when she caught on to the concept of 1's & 0's representing stored data within two sessions. Each session is 1 1/2 hours.In November she wanted to learn real programming. Her teacher wanted her to learn VB. So, I had her download the express products for VB.NET and SQL Server. In three sessions we put together a program to enter data from a collection of dolls she and her mother has. She did all of the work as I walked her through it.
Friday night I had coffee with the family to go over what we will cover starting in January. After we were finished with the coffee, my student brought out her laptop. She showed me a new program she wrote from scratch. Her school is still tracking data from their hot lunch program on paper. She wrote a program to do that. I was elated that she had accomplished this on her own. The program and database need some tweaking and we will go over SSRS to provide reports. That will be our January work. At 10 years of age, she is already a database developer! Her dad said that I beamed like a proud papa. I guess I did.
I ask her how she got some of the concepts we haven't talked about, yet. She said she took my advice and used Google to learn more. She studied the Microsoft walkthroughs.
This is my best SQL memory from 2013. 😀
Tom
That's impressive :w00t:. I wish most professionals could have the your student's ambition.
December 31, 2013 at 9:45 am
Professional atheletes, school teachers, and midwives have special moments and inspirational stories to tell about their work. For those of us in IT, what we do for a living doesn't produce a lot of good stories that we can relate to friends and family over Christmas dinner.
When my kids asked me the other day what I do when I go to work, I told them that I'm the boss of a bunch of computers. They thought that was funny and interesting.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
December 31, 2013 at 11:55 am
Best Sql memories of the year:
-Getting a job where I actually get to apply some of the things I've learned here
-Going to my first SQL saturday (#209)
-Seeing Cory Stephenson's SSIS Olympics presentation at SQL Saturday 256, and immediately using lessons from it to improve some packages we had under development at work dramatically.
January 2, 2014 at 1:40 am
A bit late but the best SQL memory of 2013 was doing Itzik Ben-Gan's Advanced T-SQL course which stretched my braincells more than any other course I've done. Loads of things I now use and need to put into practice when there's some slack time (as if!)
And Tom, I remember learning binary and hex and other number bases at the village primary school when age 10 in about 1966/67!
January 2, 2014 at 5:20 am
Helping out a few people on the forums here. There was nothing special about what I did. There are many here that do it. A lot of people contribute a LOT MORE than I did. But when all is said and done I did do a little and it is that everyone does a little that makes a community great.
As an aside, I feel as a developer a little different to the core of DBAs and database developers, however, it is not the feeling of being an outsider but more akin to the chap from the house that, whilst it isn't in town, is within the town limits i.e. I feel part of the very welcoming SQL Server Central community and I'd like to thank you all for it.
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
January 2, 2014 at 5:33 am
LoL
January 2, 2014 at 8:34 am
Changing job to reduce my hours worked. Now also doing real architect work, instead of 99% fighting production fires (unrelated to SQL but affected data in SQL).
Moving somewhere warmer to take the above job!
Meeting a bunch of people from here at the meet in Charlotte.
January 2, 2014 at 5:39 pm
Gary Varga (1/2/2014)
Helping out a few people on the forums here. There was nothing special about what I did. There are many here that do it. A lot of people contribute a LOT MORE than I did. But when all is said and done I did do a little and it is that everyone does a little that makes a community great.As an aside, I feel as a developer a little different to the core of DBAs and database developers, however, it is not the feeling of being an outsider but more akin to the chap from the house that, whilst it isn't in town, is within the town limits i.e. I feel part of the very welcoming SQL Server Central community and I'd like to thank you all for it.
Gary, I believe you've helped me at least once or twice over the years. Probably in 2013 as well. Thank you, and thanks to everyone else on the SSC Forums who've helped me!
Rod
January 3, 2014 at 1:41 am
Doctor Who 2 (1/2/2014)
Gary Varga (1/2/2014)
Helping out a few people on the forums here. There was nothing special about what I did. There are many here that do it. A lot of people contribute a LOT MORE than I did. But when all is said and done I did do a little and it is that everyone does a little that makes a community great.As an aside, I feel as a developer a little different to the core of DBAs and database developers, however, it is not the feeling of being an outsider but more akin to the chap from the house that, whilst it isn't in town, is within the town limits i.e. I feel part of the very welcoming SQL Server Central community and I'd like to thank you all for it.
Gary, I believe you've helped me at least once or twice over the years. Probably in 2013 as well. Thank you, and thanks to everyone else on the SSC Forums who've helped me!
Really nice to hear the thanks Rod. As well as feeling good about myself because I know it was appreciated it also echos how I feel when it is me who is helped.
Mainly I responded to add my own thanks. I have never been involved in another forum (no pun intended), professionally or otherwise, that offers as much support. Real support. Especially castigations via the usual scathing commentary from those with the most acerbic wit (which I particularly enjoy even when on the wrong end of it) which gives it a family feel - if you have a trusted sibling then they will tell you the truth without fear nor care for any repercussions because they know that it is in your best interest to hear it.
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
January 4, 2014 at 5:45 pm
I think you make a very good point, Gary. It seems like the people on SSC are supportive of one another, and that's quite refreshing.
Rod
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