19Sep 2014 by Grant Fritchey 4 Comments

A Manager or a Community Person: #PASSVotes

PASS
I am running for the PASS Board. You can read more about what I've posted and what others have to say here on this page. Today I want to ask you a question. Should someone on the board be a manger or should they be a community person? Let's avoid the easy answer of both for a moment, not because that's the wrong answer, but because it's the right one. Clearly you need a mix of these skills to be on the board. But, where you fall on my simplistic question could determine the kind of person you want to vote for on the board. Let's discuss it a bit. According to Wikipedia (deal with it), a board of directors is "meant to oversee the activities of a company or organization."…
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17Sep 2014 by Grant Fritchey 2 Comments

I Am Running For the PASS Board of Directors: #passvotes

PASS
This year, I submitted my application to run for the PASS Board and it was accepted. This then is my announcement to all of you and the beginning of my campaign for election. My name is Grant Fritchey and I'm running for the PASS Board. It's traditional to either make all sorts of promises for the things you're going to do or to attack your opponents. I'm not going to do either. I don't have any grand promises to make. I'm not going to attack my opponents because I know and respect them. I'm voting for James Rowland-Jones myself and so should you. Let's do this instead. Let's talk about PASS, you, me, your career, mine, and how PASS can change your life. PASS changed my life for the better. Like…
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16Sep 2014 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

PASS Summit 2014 Pre-Conference Seminar

PASS, T-SQL
I'm putting on a pre-conference seminar (also known as a pre-con) at the PASS Summit this year. I'm really honored to be able to present this and I'm pretty excited about it. So, if you want to talk query tuning, let's get together at the Summit. For a few fun facts about the event, check out this Q&A over at PASS. To register for the event and my pre-con, go here now.
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21Jul 2014 by Grant Fritchey 5 Comments

Victims of Success

PASS, Professional Development
I took part in the PASS Summit 2014 selection committee this year because I was really curious about seeing how the sausage gets made. I've seen how actual sausage gets made and I still eat sausage.  Despite a few hiccups and communication issues, internal and external, I think the selection process for the Summit went really well this year. But, there was still some controversy. Being a naturally pushy person, I got involved in the controversy, for good or ill, and subsequently have had conversations with many people about the selection process (which, reiterating, I think went extremely well overall). But, the one thing that kept coming up over and over was a simple question: How come I/PersonX didn't get picked? The easy answer is because you/PersonX had a horrible abstract. But you…
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26Jun 2014 by Grant Fritchey 25 Comments

Passion

PASS
I know I tend to be overly passionate. It's something that has gotten me into trouble in the past. It's also probably a huge factor in the things I've been able to accomplish in life. I'm bringing it up at this time because I think passion is causing some conflict within the community around the Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS). On the 25th of June just past the announcements went out for the sessions accepted at the PASS Summit 2014. I found this stressful and exciting two ways. First, and for me personally, most importantly, because I had submitted several sessions and I desperately wanted to speak at the PASS Summit (I've spoken there every year since 2008 and I've made the Top 10 sessions two years in a row,…
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21Mar 2014 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

PASS DBA Virtual Chapter Talk

Azure, PASS
I almost forgot to tell you about the Database Administration Virtual Chapter meeting next week, March 26th, 2014. I'll be doing a talk about query tuning in Windows Azure SQL Database. It's a talk I've given before (it was in the top 10 at the PASS Summit last year). Come find out why you'll need to tune queries in WASD, the tools you get, and the glorious fact that you'll actually be actively saving your business money by tuning queries! Click here now to register.
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17Mar 2014 by Grant Fritchey 27 Comments

SQL Saturday: You can’t have it all.

PASS
SQL Saturday's are awesome! Let's get that clear up front. The organizers of SQL Saturday events are glorious individuals. Let's get that clear too. I want to be up front about those things because, well, I'm going to be critical. First though, I want to establish my bona fides for what I'm about to say. I helped organize two SQL Saturday events and two other local events before those. I also help Red Gate Software run half-day seminars all over the country. So, I have some idea what goes into the organizational side of these things. I've presented at eleven SQL Saturday events in just the last year. I'm on the schedule for, I think, 6 more between now and August. So, I think I have some idea what it's…
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17Oct 2013 by Grant Fritchey 1 Comment

PASS Summit 2013: Women In Technology Luncheon

PASS
This year I was invited to attend the Women In Technology luncheon as a blogger. So I'll be live-blogging it through it in the same way as I did the keynote. The WIT lunches are a fascinating, and let's face it, unique PASS-style event, that have been taking place for years at the PASS Summit. It's about growth and empowerment for women within technology. But, it's not some crazy man-bashing event. It's just another, special, way to network (that thing that PASS does so well). Panelists are Cindy Gross, Gail Shaw, Kevin Kline, Rob Farley and Erin Stellato. Mickey Steuwe is acting as moderator. The theme is Beyond Stereotypes: Equality, Gender Neutrality, and Valuing Diversity is the theme. The first question: "Do you have to make an effort to fit…
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17Oct 2013 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

PASS Summit 2013 Day 2 Key Note

PASS
KILT DAY! Today we have to eat our vegetables and then get lots and lots of sweet desert. Or. Today we hear about PASS Finances as a part of the official annual meeting and then we get to hear Dr. David Dewitt speak (completely and utterly getting our nerd on and squeeing like teenage girls at a Bieber concert). I will be live-blogging this event, so watch this space. 8:20: Douglas McDowell kicks off the key note today.  the vast majority of the money that runs PASS comes from the Summit. That's right, by attending the Summit you're also supporting the organization. The Business Analytics Conference, which kicked off this year also provides quite a bit more money to the organization. 8:25: PASS has changed its budgeting process. At this…
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16Oct 2013 by Grant Fritchey No Comments

PASS Summit 2013 Day 1 Keynote

PASS
I am liveblogging the keynote from the bloggers table at the PASS Summit again this year. Just keep scrolling. Watching the introduction video as people trickle in. All the other bloggers are setting up. I get in early. I didn't rearrange the seats this year. I see others doing it now. 8:11: Watching the videos of all the attendees registering and meeting people at the start of the event and last night's welcome reception is awesome and fun. 8:21: The lights go down and the videos of what everyone is looking forward to at the Summit. In keeping with our location, right next to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, we've got a bit of a race theme going on. We're seeing current PASS President, Bill Graziano having a dream about…
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