The topic for this months T-SQL Tuesday #112 hosted by Shane O’Neill (Blog / Twitter) is about “dipping into your cookie jar”. This reference means “when times get tough how do you dip into your reserves to keep going”. Shane asks the following:

That is what I want from the contributors of this T-SQL Tuesday, those memories that they can think back on for sustenance. Like the humble cookie, I want a humble brag.

Mmmm Cookies

I’m not good at bragging, I’m generally convinced that all of you are better than me. Yes, I am aware that it is irrational. This has made writing this post really hard. Sure, I get immense pleasure and satisfaction from solving a problem, that’s a form of instant fulfillment. Certainly, I enjoy teaching people and passing over my knowledge for them to use.
I am not going to write about technical things that I have done because they don’t give me sustenance in that way.

So what does give me sustenance when times are hard?

People.

The things I am most proud of are the things other people do where I have played a small part. These are the things I look back at and help to energise me. Things like

• A couple of people who I suggested started writing blogs and then speaking who are now seen as experts in their niche.
• The people I mentored as new speakers who are now speaking all over the continent.

The most recent story was a DBA who sat in a full day pre-con at a SQL Saturday, took loads of notes and waited at the end to ask questions. We were looking at some code and she was telling me it wasn’t very good and apologising for it. It was good, it performed the required actions over a large estate and I told her so. I asked about her job and with a big sigh, she told a story of being stuck in a rut, dealing with a lot of legacy systems, not enjoying it and not being able to move on. We had a long talk.

Cut to this years SQL Bits and she came running up to me all energised. She has a new job, doing something “Cool in the cloud”, she said the things she had learned had helped her to land this role.

In all of these cases, it is the person involved who has done all of the hard work but it is these things that keep me going. The thank yous and the smiles I see on those peoples faces as they do the thing that they love and enjoy their success and progression

Cake !!!!!

Hey, thats cake and not cookies Rob.

I know. The biggest thing that keeps me going when times are tough though is the security I am able to provide. Nearly 20 years ago my life was very different. Without a job, I’d had to give up a career, struggling dealing with my wife’s serious illnesses, suddenly responsible for the entire household without the means to provide, I was in a very bleak place and saw no way out.

So to have found a career that is my hobby, to be able to work and also to have fun, to have a social world that provides me with friends and entertainment in many countries and the opportunity to experience different cultures and still be able to live comfortably. Thats a blessing and what keeps me going.

Also being able to pay my dad back for turning up with sacks of potatoes by taking him to football matches and comedy shows

Acknowledge what you have got, tell your loved ones that you love them, enjoy life and use your cookies when you need them but don’t forget the cake