DBA Reminders from an FAA Fire
September 29, 2014
Last Friday a long time employee set fire to the FAA’s Chicago Control Center. You can read about the fire and the 2,000+ flight cancellations that resulted here and here. Keeping with the spirit of ripping lessons from headlines like I did in last week’s learning communication skills lesson from a police shooting, I think there are some lessons us … Read more
Slow Down and Communicate!
September 26, 2014
Earlier this week I ripped a headline for blog post inspiration. Looks like the week will end that way, too. Before you ask – this isn’t about the PASS organizational struggles – though I think it applies there – and looking inside I think it applies to me there. It also applies to parenting. I’m writing … Read more
Hey Techies.. Try Simple Solutions First!
September 23, 2014
Last week a man jumped the fence at the home of the President of the United States. This is a fairly routine occurrence. Except he made it to the door to the “residence” portion of the White House – where the first family lives. And made it through the unlocked front door – where he … Read more
Four Things We Wish We Knew
September 11, 2014
A couple weeks ago I posted 4 Attitudes I Wish I Had When I Started – it was 4 pieces of advice I’d love to give to my old self that I’ve either learned the hard way or am still learning. I also asked others to contribute. I specifically tagged a couple people and they tagged some others. … Read more
4 Attitudes I Wish I Had Earlier as a DBA
August 27, 2014
Outside of Work is Really Important This one is first and longest for a reason. Time – it keeps going. It doesn’t pause while you have a busy month at the office. That means the things that matter the most in life keep happening. Whether you are there or not. Right now. Right this moment – especially … Read more
DBA Tunnel Vision
August 22, 2014
One of the things hammered into you in Firefighting training, Law Enforcement training, defensive gun use training and many other forms of training is “Do not develop tunnel vision.” There is a reason they emphasize this concept so much, too. Lot of folks get killed each year by tunnel vision. Do you think this phenomenon doesn’t … Read more
More Soft Skills From The Ambulance
August 14, 2014
A couple days ago I posted some of the lessons I learned in the back of an ambulance that have translated into my career as a SQL Server Consultant or a DBA. I promised I had a few more. Here they are. “I Don’t Know What You’ve Been Through” Empathy. My friend Tom LaRock wrote an … Read more
Consulting Skills Learned in the Ambulance
August 12, 2014
I used to be a firefighter and EMT in years past. I still fondly remember those days and the 6 or so years I spent helping folks on their worst day and training to be ready to help them have given me some of the soft skills that have helped me through life as a technologist. … Read more
Letter to my Daughter
July 8, 2014
I’ve put this on my personal blog, Open Mike, where I am trying to keep matters of faith and personal life so I can keep the focus here on technology blogging and SQL Server consulting. But this was one I wanted to share in both spots as I sometimes do and will do. Introduction As … Read more
5 Database Lessons From The Bathroom…
December 26, 2013
I’m writing this post from my living room, don’t worry. A recent last-minute trip to replenish the household toilet paper supply had me thinking of this illustration. So… I’m a big fan of finding lessons for the day job from everyday life – call them illustrations, if you want. I’ve found inspiration preparing for planting … Read more