I am excited to participate in my second T-SQL Tuesday. My preference is to do this monthly, but the topic is not always in my wheelhouse so I have to skip them. However, this months topic is one I like to talk about: Learning.
For 2017 I started the year getting introduced to dbatools and a host of other learning topics. I committed to learning PowerShell from a fundamental focus to get the basics. I feel I succeeded in that area and contributed to dbatools in many ways. Along with this effort came learning Git, VS Code, Pester and more.
2018 Tech Learning
For the next year I can see myself continuing to strengthen on the foundation I built in PowerShell. This will include taking PowerShell and automating different processes in my DBA job as well as build alerting and reporting that we have been lacking. The framework around this is already under way, but I hope to put in full blown production in first quarter. Having a task or project to focus on helps me learn new topics. This allows me to see the fruits of my labor thru trial and error. I learn best by doing and trying new things to complete something that will accomplish something I need to complete.
Another topic I really got interested in during the final part of 2017 was Containers. I have done some testing of Docker Containers thanks to the help of Andrew Pruski (b | t) and other resources. Andrew has a great blog series on getting started with containers and much more. I am excited to see what I can do with this technology even if it is for personal reasons to test dbatools functions or other development I am doing.
Cloud is a big topic around the IT office lately and I have already discounted this. With millions of dollars in hardware and software, I just cannot see where the Cloud fits in to our environment. But the higher ups have seen demos and buzz words and feel that we need to have a “Cloud Strategy”. For me this means I need to get exposure to AWS, Azure and Google. So much for a strategy!! More like a shotgun blast that scatters the Cloud.
DevOps is a hot topic, so learning Chef and other tooling to help deploy SQL Servers rapidly for new development environments.
And as always I have to stay current on my SQL learning. Since I am a DBA working with this other technology stuff is great, but I have to keep sharp on real DBA stuff. Luckily we have a Pluralsight subscription for everyone on our team so that is a great resource for keeping current and refreshers. And keeping track of what Brent Ozar (b | t) and the SQLSkills crews post is top of the list as well.
Blogging more often is more of a Tech/Personal goal. I started my blog this year, but life and work got in the way so I did not publish as much as I had hoped. I do have a long list of topics that I want to blog about, but need to find the time to sit down and crank them out.
Speaking at a SQL Saturday is also on my list of things to learn. I know you don’t just learn to present and speak. I am actually deathly afraid of speaking in public. I used to teach end users classes on a topic I knew very well and could answer almost any question that would come up. But, to put myself out there on a lessor known topic is scary. The what if pop in to my head and I discourage my wife from playing that game with herself, so I cannot think that way. I am going to prepare my presentation, I am going to prepare my talk, and I am going to prepare myself. This is if I can get selected to speak of course. It is a competitive market in the SQL Saturday speaking world. So wish me luck in learning to prepare public presentation, organizing my content, practicing and hopefully speaking for an hour on a great topic.
2018 Personal Learning
On a personal learning front I am a super newbie in woodworking. I have made a couple of projects for my wife and a couple for friends and family. I have a CNC machine I put together and cannot wait to start playing with. This means learning how to do CAD design and other geometry and math I thought I would never need again after finishing junior college. I actually just built this box yesterday for my Christmas tree on the front porch.
Conclusion
So congrats to everyone that are thinking of 2018 and good luck on your learning journey and hope to see updates on Twitter.
