I feel accomplished this year — I’ve made it to two SQL Saturdays in the same calendar year. This one was put on by the Denver SQL Users Group at the University of Denver. There were a number of sessions I wanted to attend, and they all seemed to be in the same time block. I hate when that happens. Hopefully some of the ones I missed end up on YouTube. Sadly, Idera wasn’t there this time, so I didn’t get a new duck. What’s up with that, Idera?
Sessions
How to Build Your Brand and Become a Thought Leader — Patrick LeBlanc
If you ever get the opportunity to see Patrick deliver a session in person, do it. Not only was the content solid, but Patrick has a speaking style that makes the session genuinely fun. He gave a great presentation on personal branding and how becoming a thought leader ties into that.
The greatest takeaway: don’t let your brand get swallowed up by the company you work for. Keep working on your brand, your resume, your career — because to the company you’re just an expense that can be eliminated at will. Having been through that kind of downsizing personally, it really struck a nerve.
SQL vs NoSQL — Eric Peterson
I really wish I’d caught more of this session, but a work issue cropped up and I was on call. What I did take away: NoSQL is primarily JSON-based, and objects can be nested inside other objects. I’m not entirely sure I got all the details right given the interruption — this one is on my list to revisit.
Lunch
The organizers tried something different this year: instead of a box lunch with a $10 donation, they built in 90 minutes for people to go offsite and get food. I ended up eating with current and former coworkers, which was a nice change — as opposed to the previous SQL Saturday where I quietly ate a box lunch alone.
Becoming a Master by Giving It All Away — Michael Wall
This was a good presentation on why you should be sharing your knowledge — specifically, by teaching it. Why? Because learning material well enough to teach it reinforces what you already know. More importantly, someone will ask you a question from an angle you hadn’t considered, forcing you to go deeper. It was a nice complement to the branding session earlier in the day.
Profiler is Dead! Long Live Extended Events — Keith Tate
I struggle with Extended Events — not because I prefer Profiler, but because the UI is clunky and unintuitive. Turns out that’s why a lot of people struggle with it. At least I’m not alone. This was a solid beginner session; I had hoped for something more in-depth, but I still picked up a couple of things I wasn’t aware of. That’s enough to give me hope the next time I need to use it.
Tame Your Data with Constraints — Rob Volk
A really good session with a lot of useful information. While it was geared toward beginners, it reminded me of points I hadn’t thought about since school. I don’t get much opportunity to work on the development side day-to-day, so I found more value here than I expected.
End of Day: Raffle
Like every SQL Saturday, the day ended with a raffle — vendors and sponsors put up prizes, and you have to be present to win. At Colorado Springs I once won a copy of SQL Toolbelt, which I still love. So I wasn’t too upset about missing the quad-copter. It’s also a good moment to show appreciation for the sponsors and organizers — people just like you, giving up a Saturday to put on a free event.
Afterward there was a social event I couldn’t make. Had dinner plans that were non-negotiable.
Key Takeaways
- Your personal brand belongs to you, not your employer. Build it independently.
- Extended Events has a rough UI — that’s a known problem, not a personal failing. Learn it anyway.
- Teaching what you know is one of the most effective ways to deepen your own understanding.
- SQL Saturday sessions vary in depth; go for the speaker as much as the topic.