Last week I emailed the Board of Directors my resignation effective December 31st of this year, ending my current term one year early. It’s a decision I’ve been thinking about since May and explaining it could well consume several posts – though I’m not sure it would be that interesting!

I’m no less passionate about the possibilities of what PASS can do (and what can be done with PASS) than I was three years ago. At the same time, the effort required to move things forward has tired me and though I’ve tried to rest and reset, I’m at the point where I dread the amount of effort it takes to get more change done.

I have an almost genetic aversion to quitting, probably to the point of absurdity. I’ve wrestled with how to recast my goals and change the game, but just couldn’t find the right combination that would inspire me to continue. The next best thing might have been to drop back into the role of guarding the gains won so far and supporting the efforts of others to make change happen, but that just didn’t align with how I want to participate, or how I expect you would want me to participate.

It was a tough decision to make, one that took many months to arrive at while I continued to push forward on my projects. I spent time with many friends discussing where I was at and how I might change. In the end I knew that it was time to go and while that may bring short term pain to the organization, I hope over the longer term it means PASS will continue to grow with someone rested and with fresh ideas taking my seat next year.

Leaving the Board doesn’t end my involvement with the community, or with PASS. I’ve got a few projects in mind already, and I’ll be looking for places where my skills and experience can make a difference. I’ve got two months left in my term and I intend to make the most of them, putting more time into the long term vision for SQLSaturday and continuing the work to get the Board to transition to a committee model, plus whatever else I can do in the time that remains. Expect a few more updates from me through the end of the year on the work I do.