Last night I got in around 3, saw a few people in the airport, shared a cab with some of them, and worked on my presentation. There is my news \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
But the bigger things is that I am getting ready to go to registration, I think for the 10th time in a row. Every year is something different. Some years I learn something that I really need to know. Some years I meet a new person that has been helpful for my speaking\/writing career. <\/p>\n
Every year except for one I have spoken, and I am glad I started early, because the competition for speakers gets more and more tough each year. And to be honest, in my early years I have no idea why they chose me, why I came back, or anything. I did have one really decent presentation in my first few years (it was on query optimization, and I REALLY wish I could find those freaking slides,) but beyond that, I was never all that great.<\/p>\n
While I am clearly not going to name myself SQL Server’s Churchill, I have in recent years finally carved out a niche speaking about design (which is not a heavily covered subject around these parts). This year is no different, and Thursday at 4:00 I will be talking about database design. And in some odd turn of fate, Andy Leonard (http:\/\/twitter.com\/#!\/andyleonard)<\/a> will be talking Database Design for Developers in a session at 2:30. Hopefully between the two of us, you can get at least a reasonable idea of what goes on to make a great database (though it will a good deal more education\/reading and weeks and weeks (and years) of practice to get really good.<\/p>\n First things first. Tonight is the Welcome Reception\/Quiz Bowl and we have another great lineup of contestants:<\/p>\n Team 1: Allen White (http:\/\/twitter.com\/#!\/sqlrunr)<\/a> and Wendy Pastrick (http:\/\/twitter.com\/#!\/wendy_dance)<\/a>
Team 2: Buck Woody (http:\/\/twitter.com\/#!\/buckwoody)<\/a> and Jen McCown (http:\/\/twitter.com\/#!\/midnightdba)<\/a>
Team 3: Tom Larock (http:\/\/twitter.com\/#!\/sqlrockstart)<\/a> and Denny Cherry (http:\/\/twitter.com\/#!\/mrdenny)<\/a>
Team 4: Kendra Little (http:\/\/twitter.com\/#!\/kendra_little)<\/a> and Jeremiah Peschka (http:\/\/twitter.com\/#!\/peschkaj)<\/a><\/p>\n