December 31, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Around this time of the year, we start seeing all the folks with blogs putting up how they did with their goals last year, and what their goals are for the upcoming year.
I'm starting this thread for all of us that don't have blogs to be able to participate in. And I'd really like to see a lot of others jump in here with what they have!
(And if you ever do start a blog, be sure to grab your information from here and use it there!)
First of all, I didn't think much about goals for 2010, and subsequently never set any, so I'm going to list the accomplishments that I've had in 2010:
Articles: 5 articles written; 3 published; 2 submitted and are being published in Jan 2011.
Events: Attended SQL Saturday #30 (Richmond, VA) on 4/10/2010
3 Question of the Days were submitted and published.
Presentations: I've presented to 2 user groups.
I've submitted to present to:
SQL Saturday #69, Philadelphia, PA on 3/5/2011
SQL Saturday #71, Boston, MA on 4/2/2011
SQL Rally, Orlando, FL on 5/11-13/2011
Blogging:
I've started following various bloggers. Especially those blogging on T-SQL Tuesday.
I've made inquiries into starting my own blog. Truthfully, this is something that I'm not comfortable with, but I recognize it would be good for my "brand".
Other community activities: I've become a regular poster on SQLServerCentral.com, and am attending my local UG regularly.
Reading, Technical:
SQL Server MVP Deep Dives (completed)
SQL Server 2008 Internals (started)
SQL Server 2008 Query Performance Tuning Distilled (Queue)
Reading, Non-Technical:
The Bourne Deception (Queue)
Personal: Started exercising.
Okay, with all of that, here are my goals for 2011:
Articles: In spite of the number of articles that I wrote in 2010, it's hard for me to come up with things to write about. (In 2010, 3 fall under the requested / SQL Spackle line, and a fourth is how I resolved an issue at work. Only one was, IMO, "truly original".) So, my goal in 2011 is to write 4 articles. Sub-goal: with 2 of these being about something in SQL Server that I haven't previously used.
Presentations: one presentation per quarter (and not an average either... so even if I get all of those presentations I've submitted to, I still have two more quarters to deal with!)
Question-of-the-Day: Submit one per quarter. Get them right, so that there isn't controversy over them like the previous ones have had.
Events:
Attend SQL Rally (I've already paid for this; it's just a matter of whether I'll be presenting at it also).
I'd like to attend SQL Summit, but at this point all the expenses come out of my pocket, so it's doubtful.
Community: Continue to post on SSC. Continue to attend UG meetings. Seek out opportunities to volunteer with my local UG.
Blogging: Continue to follow the sql bloggers. Continue to evaluate whether blogging is "for me".
Personal:
Ramp up the exercise. Lose 50 pounds.
Provide a better mix of non-SQL activities. (Including reading that non-technical book in my queue before starting any other technical ones - I bought it over a year ago!)
Complete needed work on the house.
Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes
January 3, 2011 at 8:01 am
Nice concept. I'll add my bit.
Goals for 2010:
Professional
* Get certified. Well achieved: 1 cognos certificate and the 3 MCTS certifications for SQL Server
* Events: attended MS Tech Days and SQLServerDay (an event organised by local chapter SQLUG.be)
* Changed job to a company that actively supports me in certification and training
* I've succeeded in following a number of blogs and reading technical books
Personal
* Exercise more. Achieved due to the fact that I did a project at one of the largest sports manufacturers in the world. They had all sorts of free sport infrastructure to use.
* Buy some land to build a house on. Achieved. Now in large debt.
So overall, 2010 was a pretty good year.
Goals for 2011:
Professional
* Get the MCITP certification for BI
* Get to know Denali
* Give a session on SQLServerDay (if possible)
* Do a few successful projects at my new employer
* Read technical books/blogs
Personal
* Live healthier (that will be a hard one I'm afraid)
* Build a house (get even more debt)
Need an answer? No, you need a question
My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP
January 3, 2011 at 8:20 am
Best of luck on your goals, and hope they work out for you. I haven't set mine, trying to stop and think about what I want to accomplish, and setting goals to get there rather than just setting the goals (what I did last year) that seemed like they would increase or improve what I'd done the previous year.
January 3, 2011 at 5:04 pm
Hm, sure, I'll bite.
2010:
- Get handyman's special house I bought back into shape: Failed.
- Quit smoking: Failed.
- Lose 20 lbs: Half failed.
- Get more involved in SQL Server community: Success.
Well, 1/4. That's depressing.
2011:
- Get 2k8 certifications in first quarter of year. Read 15 tech books. Practice what I learn. Chase the MCM.
- Start a blog detailing above.
- Continue a series of career based articles for SSC, aiming for 5 total.
- Get handyman's special house I bought back into shape, take two.
- Get new car actually road-worthy. grumble grr growl. Remove old, now smushed, car from ex-gf's driveway.
- Get teeth fixed (I'm not exactly paranoid of the dentist, but I detest going unless I'm in pain, and have a lot of work to do).
Well, that should keep me from being bored. *sighs* All of that's REALLY going to dig into my video game time.
Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.
For better assistance in answering your questions[/url] | Forum Netiquette
For index/tuning help, follow these directions.[/url] |Tally Tables[/url]
Twitter: @AnyWayDBA
January 4, 2011 at 12:07 am
Craig Farrell (1/3/2011)
Well, that should keep me from being bored. *sighs* All of that's REALLY going to dig into my video game time.
With all those goals, I'm even surprised you have time to sleep :w00t: 🙂
Need an answer? No, you need a question
My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP
January 4, 2011 at 12:32 am
Koen (da-zero) (1/4/2011)
Craig Farrell (1/3/2011)
Well, that should keep me from being bored. *sighs* All of that's REALLY going to dig into my video game time.With all those goals, I'm even surprised you have time to sleep :w00t: 🙂
*yawn* Sleep? *pazaaam*pshow*splat*BOOOM* What's this thing you speak of? 😎
Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.
For better assistance in answering your questions[/url] | Forum Netiquette
For index/tuning help, follow these directions.[/url] |Tally Tables[/url]
Twitter: @AnyWayDBA
January 4, 2011 at 10:01 am
Ambitious goals, Craig, and I wish you luck.
Should the handyman chores for 2011 be more specific? I know I need to add a few of them to my list.
January 4, 2011 at 11:03 am
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (1/4/2011)
Ambitious goals, Craig, and I wish you luck.Should the handyman chores for 2011 be more specific? I know I need to add a few of them to my list.
Mine probably should be, but I've got the billion little things scenario going. Only a few major items in and of themselves (including sledgehammering down an illegal room). The rest are tracking specific wiring, fixing small holes all over, removing the ancient satellite dish, ripping up crappy tiling, swapping the dishwasher onto the HOT water supply (they hooked it to the cold one... O.o)... things like that.
Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.
For better assistance in answering your questions[/url] | Forum Netiquette
For index/tuning help, follow these directions.[/url] |Tally Tables[/url]
Twitter: @AnyWayDBA
January 4, 2011 at 11:23 am
Oh wow - I have a blog post coming and had not even given thought to adding the handyman chores to that goals list.
Handyman chores:
Finish basement (framed, plumbed, electrified so far)
Build Patio
Fence yard
Grow Garden
this next year is going to be buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuusssy
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
January 4, 2011 at 11:24 am
Here's mine:
Goals for 2010:
Professional
* Certification: has not been on my list, since recruiting over here does not pay that much attention to it. And if one does, I usually answer something like "I can also provide a PhD degree if you'd like to. Just need the money and find a country and a university that's willing to accept it me."
(I'm not saying that'll count for MS certs, but there's always a bitter taste to it...)
* Events: I'd love to go to the SUMMIT one day since 2008, but that's not really a hard goal due to budget issues...
* Community: Submitt one article and being an active part at SSC. The first one I failed for several reasons... The 2nd one: I need your help on that one. 🙂
* Skills: Improve my SQL skills by participating in challenges and following the editorials/threads at SSC. Achieved.
Start building some basic skills for CLR usage: failed. (not even started)
* Books: "Complexity, a guided tour" Finished. "PRO SQL Server Service Broker" Started.
Personal
* Health: Don't start smoking: Achieved 🙂 (as each year for the last several decades)
* Reduce weight by 4%. Failed.
* Family: Spend some more time with my family. Partially achieved. (Since there isn't a hard measure for it, it's hard to verify. But at least there were less complaints this year...)
* Friends: Visit friends I haven't seen in a while. Failed.
* The place called "home": Get the items off the "to-do list for our house" as scheduled. 80% achieved.
Summary:
So overall, 2010 was a pretty good year in terms of professional goals but could have been better for my personal goals.
Goals for 2011:
Professional
* Certification: still not on my list
* Events: the SUMMIT (more on a Wish-list than a real goal). Maybe I contact the local PASS group. (mark it a "weak goal")
* Community: Submitt at least one article and at least one QOD.
* Skills: Improve my SQL skills by participating in challenges and being an active part at SSC.
* Start building some basic skills for CLR usage, Take 2.
* Improving skills for SSRS (from newbee to greenhorn / basic level)
* Books: Finish "PRO SQL Server Service Broker". Read (and understand) "PRO SQL Server Assemblies" + two non-technical books.
* Get to know Denali (optional)
Personal
* Health: Don't start smoking. (I need something in that category to check as "succeded")
* Reduce cholesterol level by at least 15 points.
* Reduce weight by 4%.
* Family: Spend more time with my family. (including going to all places we agreed on on New Years Day)
* Friends: Visit friends I haven't seen in a while. Take 2 (expanded list)
* Me: start a new hobby: build models. (A friend of mine gave me a wooden kit for the Mississippi paddle-wheel steamboat "River Queen"...
* The place called "home": Get the items off the "to-do list for our house" as scheduled + the remainig 20% from last year.
January 4, 2011 at 11:42 am
For those of you setting weight goals, I'd discourage that. I think you ought to work on your health, and trying to get to the point where you can do xx, not lose xx weight.
The weight that your body wants to be at will vary, depending on you, your exercise level, diet, etc., and it seems to change over time, as you have a different level of activity. Focus on what you want to do, and then let your body figure out the weight.
My $0.02, and for what it's worth, I run every day, but don't worry about weight. I worry about how I feel.
January 4, 2011 at 11:55 am
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (1/4/2011)
For those of you setting weight goals, I'd discourage that. I think you ought to work on your health, and trying to get to the point where you can do xx, not lose xx weight.The weight that your body wants to be at will vary, depending on you, your exercise level, diet, etc., and it seems to change over time, as you have a different level of activity. Focus on what you want to do, and then let your body figure out the weight.
My $0.02, and for what it's worth, I run every day, but don't worry about weight. I worry about how I feel.
I think it is fine to want to lose weight. When looking to lose weight, I would try to figure out the body fat % you are at and then set a goal for that. Lose body fat and you will lose some weight. Be careful not to try to lose too much though - you need some fat to maintain good health.
Make sure you exercise, lift weights and do some cardio.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
January 4, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (1/4/2011)
For those of you setting weight goals, I'd discourage that. I think you ought to work on your health, and trying to get to the point where you can do xx, not lose xx weight.The weight that your body wants to be at will vary, depending on you, your exercise level, diet, etc., and it seems to change over time, as you have a different level of activity. Focus on what you want to do, and then let your body figure out the weight.
My $0.02, and for what it's worth, I run every day, but don't worry about weight. I worry about how I feel.
Agreed. The goal I have is neither based on the number itself nor on any BMI value.
It's simply that I physically don't feel as good as I did a few month back.
[HUMOUR ON]
If I would care about BMI, I'd simply try to change the other part of the BMI equation: height.
And if you want to gain height, you need to... get more food!! :w00t:
If you already gain weight, you're probably just not happy with the direction (instead of height you gain waist size). Solution: adjust your eating habits to the proper direction: If your body grows vertically right now, get your food while you're on the couch!!
[HUMOUR OFF]
January 5, 2011 at 9:24 pm
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (1/4/2011)
For those of you setting weight goals, I'd discourage that. I think you ought to work on your health, and trying to get to the point where you can do xx, not lose xx weight.The weight that your body wants to be at will vary, depending on you, your exercise level, diet, etc., and it seems to change over time, as you have a different level of activity. Focus on what you want to do, and then let your body figure out the weight.
My $0.02, and for what it's worth, I run every day, but don't worry about weight. I worry about how I feel.
Steve, I agree with you. However, I just plain need to lose weight so that I can do that. At this point, that kind of exercise would cause damage to my legs. So, the first step is to get to where I can do more.
Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes
January 5, 2011 at 9:32 pm
Start slow Wayne. When I started running every day, I was in decent shape, but concerned about my knees. I went slow, and low, for about 6 months. I kept to about 1.25mi for that long to build strength. You can do the same thing with walking, whatever. Go slower and less than you think you should, build slowly. Think long ball, building a habit across a year, not weeks.
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