T-SQL Tuesday #111 – What is Your “Why?”

Invitation and roundup from Andy Leonard.

What is Your “Why?”

I enjoy math. I noticed a pattern learning math, perhaps you experienced something similar. I found arithmetic an exercise in memory. I have a good memory (well, I had a good memory…) so memorizing a bunch of rules was no big deal. 

When I learned algebra, arithmetic made more sense. In addition to the memorized rules, I saw why the rules existed. I understood the rules better as a result.

This pattern held all through my math education. I understand algebra better once I learned geometry. I understood geometry better once I learned trigonometry. I understood trigonometry better once I learned single-variable calculus.

An Axiom (for me)

I notice a similar pattern applies to my career (or careers, as the case may be). I’ve served in many roles: 

  • Farm laborer
  • Musician
  • Stockyard laborer
  • Truck driver
  • Service technician
  • Soldier (part-time in the Virginia Army National Guard)
  • Electrician
  • Electrical engineer
  • Electronics technician
  • Manufacturing automation integrator
  • Software developer
  • Author
  • Data professional
  • Entrepreneur

The similar pattern manifests itself in this manner: I’ve enjoyed the position – and more success in the position – when I had a reason to do the work; some reason other than a paycheck. In some cases, I had multiple “why’s” beyond remuneration. For example, I join the Virginia Army National Guard to learn electronics and serve my country – to especially protect everyone’s right to free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment. I may not agree with what people say, but I was (and still am) willing to fight and die to preserve the right of US citizens to say whatever they want. 

As a result, I enjoyed serving in the National Guard (for the most part). I learned more. I learned better, I think, because I enjoyed serving.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship can be challenging. I believe one needs a “why” – or perhaps several “why’s” to remain an entrepreneur. The “why” cannot simply be money. Money isn’t inconsequential, mind you, but I believe the best “why’s” are less tangible.

Passion plays a major role for me. When business isn’t going well or when business is going too well, a couple intangible “why’s” – passions for both entrepreneurship and the kind of work I am blessed to do – inspire me to keep a steady hand on the tiller.

What is Your “Why?”

That’s the question this month: Why do you do what you do?

I look forward to your replies.

T-SQL Tuesday #110 – Automate All the Things

Invitation and recap from Garry Bargsley.

Have you heard the phrase “Automate All the Things”?  That seemed to be the top buzz phrase of 2018 and means different things to different people.

Kicking off the T-SQL Tuesday season for 2019, I would like to ask, what does “Automate All the Things” mean to you?  Everyone’s environment is different, everyone’s day-to-day looks different, everyone is a fan of different technologies and everyone’s environment is of different size.  While I might want to automate checking of my backup success across my 500 servers, you might want to automate how new servers are provisioned.  This can be a very broad topic, that could include a broad range of technologies.  You might choose one type of technology to accomplish a task, where I might choose another.

So technically there are two tasks for this month:

  • What do you want to automate or what automation are you proud of completing?
  • What is your go-to technology for automation?

Possible suggestions/ideas:

  • PowerShell
  • Chef
  • Ansible
  • Terraform
  • DevOps
  • tSQLt
  • Containers
  • Cloud
  • VSTS
  • Python
  • Bash
  • Code Deployments
  • VS Code
  • dbatools
  • T-SQL (honorable mention)