This is likely to be my last blog for 2013 and it is one that is going to give you something to do. Yep, you actually HAVE to click a link and do some thinking. Don’t Panic though, it will take maybe 1 minute and a load of people that have given waaaay more than that this year will be rewarded for your modest efforts.

Red Gate have started the Tribal SQL Awards to thank people who contribute to our SQL Community ‘tribe’ in notable ways over the year. It’s light hearted as some of the awards categories are pretty unexpected but even the people in those categories give to the Community as MVPs, leading bloggers, conference speakers etc. Get yourself along to http://www.red-gate.com/community/entrypage/tribal-sql-awards-voting and vote.

I had a really tough time in the New Speaker category as there are two speakers that I have close links with. Both Rob Sewell (@fade2blackuk) and William Durkin (@SQL_WilliamD) started speaking at SQL Sat Exeter in 2013 and have gone on to massive things in record time.

Rob (who I am proud to say is a member of the user group that I lead SQL User Group) took his session to SQL Relay and other user group and also made a hero of himself by standing in when a fellow speaker had a medical emergency. Fancy creating a 2 hour PowerShell session off the top of your head for a room full of attendees anyone?

William has turned into a rock-star speaker spreading the word on SQL Server Replication from SQL Saturday Exeter to conferences in Slovenia and Dublin. I’ll let you decide for yourselves which of these two should get your vote.

So that’s it, please get along to http://www.red-gate.com/community/entrypage/tribal-sql-awards-voting and tell Red Gate who you think should get a little thank you from them on your behalf.

While you are on holiday having a great Christmas and New Year why not pause for a little while and think about how you can help out in the SQL Community in 2014 and then you could be up for a Tribal SQL Award next time.