It’s been a busy year for me. Last year I quit traveling and took a 8 to 5 job so I could stay at home with my new baby boy Theo and my wife Elizabeth, who is now a stay at home mom. This was a pretty big shift for me, I’d been on the road most of the last five years. After I settled into my new life, I started taking stock of what I had given up to be on the road so much. What I found was my role in the SQL Server community had suffered quite a bit. My personal company was also a casualty. I hadn’t done any writing at all. I decided that 2009 would be a rebuilding year. I set several goals, some met with varying degrees of success.

1. Spend quality time with my family.
2. Write more.
3. Get healthier.
4. Reengage the user community
5. Build up a new company with some friends.

Most of the goals required a skill I am weak in, time management. I have tried to follow the GTD methodology. My big issue is not having the right tool to keep me in sync easily with my available time. Because of that I get on and off that band wagon every few months. I have structured my day so that I get time with the family and still have some time to do the other things on my list. On writing more, that meant starting a blog and sticking to it. I think I have done OK on that front averaging 4 posts a month. I also wanted to write at least one published article but fell short of that goal. Focusing on quality blog posts has allowed me to hone my writing skills, so when I do write a published piece it is of the highest quality I can muster. My health has been a life long struggle. I got my blood pressure under control, a CPAP machine to help me sleep, and lost some weight. All of these things have made me feel years younger. I still need to add regular workout besides walking and keep on my new eating plan. I had let the Austin user group languish in 2008. I put up a new web site. Made sure we had a quality meeting every month. Got some sponsorships so I could boost the give-a-ways. I also hang out on twitter quite a bit and really try to help folks out. I have given up on posting up on news groups or forums, there are a lot of good folks able to answer all of the questions I could and in a timely manor. Also, the mob rules mentality of large forums is really soured me in some ways.  Most of you know I am a part of Nitrosphere and that is gaining some traction. It is easier to do a start up when you aren’t the only guy shouldering the load.

All in all a good year.

2010 Goals

For 2010 it is pretty much more of the same. Build on 2009 and push it forward.

1. Family time.
2. Write a article or two for SSC or other web outlet.
3. Submit to speak at SQL Saturday events.
4. Organize a SQL Saturday event in Austin.
5. Speak at non SQL Server user groups.
6. Release second product with Nitrosphere, NitroFS.
7. Be more active in “Stackoverflow” style sites.

Longer list and more specific. I’m sure it will change. I measure my success by two rules. Did I bring value to the world? Did it make me happy to do so?

Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.  Albert Einstein