SQL Server Events in Chicago

I’m jumping into the Chicago SQL Server community with both feet as soon as I get back.  I’m speaking at the next ChiPASS meeting on Thursday, December 10th in downtown Chicago.  I’ll be presenting the same Disaster Recovery 101 presentation I gave at the PASS Summit.  You must RSVP if you plan to attend, because they have to put you on the security list to get into the building.  And no, that has nothing to do with the fact that I’m presenting, ha ha ho ho.

I’m also submitting sessions for the upcoming SQLSaturday in Chicago next April, and you can join me!  It’ll be on April 17th, but the planning starts now, and we need your help to make the event successful.  SQLSaturdays are completely free events for the attendees, and speaking there is a great way to give back to the community.

You’ll also be polishing your presentation skills, which pays off when you’re up against tons of other speakers for coveted PASS Summit sessions.  Remember, if you get sessions approved for the Summit, you get a free registration!  Think of your SQLSaturday sessions as a down payment towards your Summit skills.

Enter your session abstract today, and as a thank-you, I’ll give each SQLSaturday Chicago speaker a personal thank-you gift at the event.  Don’t get too excited though – it won’t be a free TabletPC like those PDC attendees got (I’m not bitter.)

Update: I’ve gotten a couple of emails asking if I’d fly out to local user group meetings to speak.  I would love to, but the reality is that I have to focus on reaching the most number of people possible in relation to my travel time.  When I fly out to speak at a user group, I spend several hours in flight back & forth, plus I often have to overnight at a hotel because the user group meeting takes place after the last flight out.  All of that costs money and time, and frankly, doing that for a 10-30 person group for 1 hour is pretty painful.  I already travel too much (especially if you ask my wonderful girlfriend who already puts up with too much).  I’m completely open to doing remote presentations, but if I have to travel, I need to combine several events, or reach a lot more than 10-30 people.  Just like your company is asking you to do more with less, Quest is asking us to figure out how to reach more people with less, and usually that means virtual conferences or focusing on big (several-hundred-people) meetings.