05Sep 2017 by Grant Fritchey 9 Comments

Luck and the PASS Summit

PASS
I recently read an article asking the question whether or not we downplay the role that luck plays in our lives and I immediately thought of the PASS Summit. Obscenely Lucky I am, quite frankly, embarrassingly, obscenely, stupidly lucky. I just am. I married WAY over my head. I stumbled into an amazing career. I can safely say that I've arrived where I am through a great amount of luck. I am quite grateful for it all too. I will only suggest a single point of agency on my part that has put me in this wonderful situation. I showed up. PASS Summit 2005 I went to the PASS Summit in 2005 in Grapevine. Mostly, I attended sessions and then went back to my hotel. However, one night, after talking…
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08Nov 2016 by Grant Fritchey 2 Comments

PASS Board Update: Post-Summit 2016

PASS
Monday I got in on Sunday and chose to have a small dinner with a couple of friends, quiet, preparing. Monday was a less hectic day than the others . The Board had the morning off, although Redgate had me go and give a session at an event. Monday afternoon was one of our three in-person board meetings. The minutes will be published soon. I was responsible for running the meeting. I also presented two topics, first, and most importantly, our current financial status. Then I presented the initial set of thoughts towards some SMART goals for Global Growth, which I will share once they are further developed . Monday evening I had two events I had to attend. First, as part of the Executive Committee, I attended the kick off dinner…
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29Sep 2016 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

Volunteering With PASS

PASS
I was just asked how many times I've been to the PASS Summit. This year will be my 12th consecutive one. That made me start thinking. At my very first Summit, I met a couple of volunteers for PASS (Allen Kinsel was one of them, I'll blame him forever). They were having so much fun that I decided to volunteer. I've been volunteering now for eleven years. I couldn't stop. Here's what I've done over the years at PASS: Book Review Committee (my first PASS "job") Editorial Committee (I wrote stuff) Editor of the SQL Standard (I had other people write stuff) First-timer Mentor (I wasn't very good at this one) First-timer Event... Chair? (I got up in front of the room, this one might not count) Founder of SQL Kilt Day (and…
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27Sep 2016 by Grant Fritchey 1 Comment

Networking and the PASS Summit

PASS
PASS Summit 2016 is fast approaching. If you're going, time to start making plans. If you're not going, sell your boss on the idea and get registered. It's only the largest Microsoft Data Platform event on the planet. There are over 200 sessions given by some of the most knowledgeable people you'll ever get the chance to learn from. The schedule is posted, just look it over. However, I want to drill down on another aspect of the event that it's way too easy to miss out on, networking. Lots of people miss this aspect of events like the PASS Summit. I know I used to. I went to all kinds of IT events over the years, but all I ever did was attend the sessions. I didn't spend any time…
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07Sep 2016 by Grant Fritchey 3 Comments

Kilt Day! PASS Summit 2016, Thursday

PASS
Thursday at the PASS Summit is Kilt Day. This means you should wear a kilt. Whether you do it in support of Women in Technology, or you just like to swan about in a kilt, this is the day to sport your kilt. Whether you have a fully traditional tartan, you believe in utility, comfort, or you're prepared for the zombiepocalypse, there's a kilt for you. All are welcome. All are encouraged.
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02May 2016 by Grant Fritchey 2 Comments

How to Convince the Boss to Send You to PASS Summit

PASS, Professional Development
August two years ago I originally posted, Make the PASS Summit Work for Your Employer. After conversations at several SQL Saturdays over the last couple of months, I decided to refresh and update that original content and post it again. I keep hearing how the job market has changed. That companies just don't want to pay for training any more. However, I don't recall any of my employers in the past ever actively wanting, desiring, begging me, please, oh, please, can't you go out to a little training? In fact, for the most part, I pretty much always had to beg the boss to send me out to training. I had to sell it. I don't think that's a new development. Let's review the selling points to help you convince the boss.…
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02Nov 2015 by Grant Fritchey 3 Comments

PASS Summit 2015: Wrap-up

PASS
WHOOP! Another PASS Summit is complete. This one was amazing. It's my first time ever as a member of the Board of Directors of the PASS organization to attend the Summit and take part in the full process of making the sausage. It was hard. It was exhausting (more so than usual). It was one the most exhilarating, fascinating and wonderful experiences of my life. First the sad news, Rimma Nehme and Dr. DeWitt have delivered their last presentation at the PASS Summit. It's the end of an era. I was at the first session delivered by Dr. DeWitt. It was one of the most amazing technical keynotes I'd ever seen until the next one that he gave. The two of them became absolute rock stars in the SQL Server…
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29Oct 2015 by Grant Fritchey 1 Comment

PASS Summit 2015: So Far

PASS
It's Kilt Day! I want to give a quick assessment on how the Summit has been for me so far. Monday, as is true for the rest of the week, I served two masters. In the morning I went to the Redgate SQL in the City event. In the afternoon I attended our in-person board meeting. The minutes for the meeting will come out after they're approved. The meeting largely consisted of reporting on how we had done this year and starting the process of getting going for next year. I left that meeting and went back to SQL in the City. Yeah, I've been running all week. Tuesday was my community day. It's been announced that I'm moving from the Chapters portfolio to the SQL Saturday portfolio. I went…
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23Oct 2015 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

Talk to Me at PASS Summit

PASS
If you're going to PASS and you want to have a chat, I want to talk to you. If it's about the Board of Directors for PASS, PASS Chapters, execution plans, crossfit or something else, here are a few places where I'll be doing my best to make myself available: Redgate Booth - I'll be here quite a bunch all next week. Swing by and don't just talk to me, get a demo of one of our fine products. Community Zone - I'll make a point of going here to hang out when I can so you can track me down. Board of Directors Q&A - Thursday in 307/308 at 3:30 PM, I know exactly where I'll be. Receptions - Tuesday night is the welcome reception for Summit. I'll be…
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22Oct 2015 by Grant Fritchey 9 Comments

ZOOMIT!

PASS, Professional Development
Guilty. I'm at least one of the people who yelled Zoomit during a keynote at PASS Summit. I want to take a moment and explain why I did it and why it was wrong. I was frustrated. I'm watching a presentation on a HUGE screen, from about mid-way in the room and the presenter is earnestly showing off a cool new feature of SQL Server in about 3 point font and saying "... As you can see ...". No. No I couldn't. After a little while of staring at the blur on the screen and hearing the person say I could see this or see that, I popped. I was interested. I was paying attention. I really and truly wanted to see what was on the screen and I honestly could…
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