T-SQL Tuesday #14 – Resolved to do better

This month’s #TSQL2sDAY is being hosted by Jen McCown (Twitter | Blog). The topic this month is about techie resolutions for this coming New Year. 

Review – You suck!

I am my worst critic and I can usually talk myself out of most things.  One of the hardest things for me to do last year was blog.  I still consider myself a newbie to the whole blogging thing.  I haven’t found my niche or what I am trying to convey.  I am still feeling a bit random about what to post.  My first blog post was my last year’s 2010 resolution [Blog].

Reflect – It was a year ago?

Wow, can’t believe a year just passed. 

I just posted my 2010 Review [Blog] and if I was actually being graded on these, I would be taking summer school. 

Resolved to do better

I am not so much into setting New Year’s Resolutions and as you can see from my 2010 review (link above) I did terrible.  This year the plan is to be as vague as possible to achieve higher scores (not really).  Instead of resolutions, I shall call these goals.

1. Take Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Cert Exam 70-432.  My primary reason is to keep up my skills and learn more about SQL Server areas that I don’t necessarily use in my day to day job.  Last year I set a goal for myself to take the 70-431 and passed it in July 2010 [Blog].

2. Participate in all T-SQL Tuesday Blog posts in 2011.  I participated in 3 events in 2010.

T-SQL Tuesday #08 – Lifetime of learning

T-SQL Tuesday #12 – Why are DBA Skills Necessary?

T-SQL Tuesday #13 – I don’t know what I want, but I want it

3. Write at least 1 SQL Server Blog post a month.

4. Volunteer\Help at SQL Saturday #68 in Olympia (April 2011).   If I am able to attend PASS in 2011 (3rd timer), I will volunteer there as well.  Hope my boss approves budget.

5. Continue to learn SSIS.  I worked on two projects this last year using SSIS, which I really enjoyed and hated at the same time.  It’s funny looking back at the first project that I built.  Oh, please nobody look at it.  HAND IN FACE.

Better planning, being more organized, and continue to grow as a DBA

Beware of the Dark Side of negativity

I read an interesting article the other day about dark side of negativity and pettiness.  The jest of the article was maintaining a positive attitude during stressful times.  The article was in my wife’s ASRT Scanner magazine written by Peter Rath, M.P.A., R.T.(R).  (Article is unavailable to link to, not online).

The author goes on to say that it is easy when things aren’t going right or in a stressful situation to say something that you will regret later.

Reminds me of the scene in Star Wars – Return of the Jedi where the Emperor is trying to turn Luke to the Dark Side.  You too must resist the draw from “The Dark Side”, The Dark Side of negativity.  Oh, I feel the anger building up in you, let it out, let it turn to negativity.

I think we all have been in stressful situations at work.  A user complains about a reporting taking a long time to run, to a server/database crash.  The stress can escalate when a solution is needed right away and an answer is not known right away.  How we handle this can tell a lot about you as a person.  These are the situations where we can shine and be that Rock(star) or be the “Go-To Guy or Girl”.

I leave you with a quote from Jedi Master Yoda. “But beware. Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side are they. Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.“

What do you do to help you in stressful situations?