Local Venues

It seems to me that every time I turn around someone is looking for a venue to do something. Either a small party or a small meeting. Since I have just gone through looking for locations for both I thought I would share what I currently know about the local area.

Sportsman Grill Back room holds 40. Day min $300 night $400. Can limit menu choices. Has TV and you can connect to it. $$$$$$$$ weekends. Stoney River 3 rooms hold 30 each, 2 of them together 60. $2400 min Has TV JJ Wine bar Holds 20 people Connors 50 people 72” TV Lunch $300 min S-Thur $1500 min, $200 . . . → Read More: Local Venues

Great Things from Pass Summit 2016

I have been home from Pass Summit 2016 for less than two days and needed to express some of the greatness last week had. First I’d like to share something personal; I had the great fortune of padding a few days before and a few days after the Summit for some fun and sight seeing. I got to visit Woodinville one day on both weekends and it was pretty amazing. If you want to skip and get to just the news click here.

On our first trip we met Kevin White at his winery. There were 2 things that made visiting with him so memorable. Currently in Washington everyone is . . . → Read More: Great Things from Pass Summit 2016

Elections and no Politics – VOTE for Pass BoD

It is that time of year again, time to vote. Not only do Americans get to vote soon for the next POTUS, Pass members from around the world get to vote for three (3) board of director seats. This year there are 2 Regional; USA/Canada & LATAM. The 3rd is an open, meaning any candidate can assume this seat. Why it is important to vote These seats are important to everyone, not just the region they represent. Each board member is assigned a portfolio to manage, those portfolios have a great impact on the community. For us locally the big portfolios are Chapters & SQLSaturday, these hit closer to . . . → Read More: Elections and no Politics – VOTE for Pass BoD

The Season of SQLSaturdays has begun

Date Location Submission Status 4/2 SQLSat 497 Huntington Beach CA SPEAKING Speaking just after lunch! 5/21 SQLSat 521 Atlanta GA SPEAKING! 6/4 SLQSat 517 Philly SPEAKING! 8am (someone hates me) 6/25 SQLSat 498 Chattanooga SPEAKING! Mid Morning 7/16 SQLSat 527 Columbus, OH SPEAKING! 8/13 SQLSat 530 Indianapolis SPEAKING! Last slot of the day, pretty sure that I have held that spot every time.

This is the current plan, of course there will be more added. I have been working on a new session, guessing that deadline of needing to present it on 4/2 will really help. I’m planning a what’s new in Microsoft Business Intelligence 2016 – More Love . . . → Read More: The Season of SQLSaturdays has begun

Visualizing SQLSaturday Data–Session Details

Recently I downloaded the session submissions report from the SQLSaturday Admin site, it was time to work on the schedule. But first I must upload it into my SQLSat480 database. I like having a database year over year and I just love to play with data. So I ran some queries to give me information about my submissions. While relaying these details to my husband I declared “I need to put this into PowerBI”. When he got home from work he was able to see what it was I had created and said “so what did that take you like half an hour”, “Pffft!” I said, “like 10 minutes”. On . . . → Read More: Visualizing SQLSaturday Data–Session Details

#TSQL2SDAY – Data Modeling Gone Wrong

Here we are again, time for TSQL2sDay. This is actually the 72nd one, that is long enough to finance and pay off a car these days. This month our gracious host is none other than Mickey Stuewe ( BLOG | TWITTER ) and she’s asked us to tell a story about Data Modeling Gone Wrong. I have to say that I really no nothing about a data model going wrong. Now hold on I am not done yet. You are wondering WTH?! is this girl still sick? Has she lost her marbles? I’ve never had these issues because:

Reasons Applications Egos

 

Reasons

First of all, you have to . . . → Read More: #TSQL2SDAY – Data Modeling Gone Wrong

Power BI–Visualizing SQLSaturday Data

Inside SQLSaturday

This morning I was having a discussion with my husband about our SQLSaturday location. He is extremely concerned that moving the event further away from downtown Nashville would hurt attendance. I tried discussing it with him but he finally said “I’d like to see the data so we could know where everyone is coming from.” I said well I have all the data give me a minute. 10 minutes later I am Skyping him asking how to share with him the 2 Power BI maps I have made.

How did we get here? I ran the last 2 Nashville SQLSaturday events. Because I took a big leap in . . . → Read More: Power BI–Visualizing SQLSaturday Data

Starting over with Power BI

I had decided it was time to write a new presentation and happily chose Power BI, being that it’s the new hotness and looks to be the future of Business Intelligence. My timing couldn’t have been better with the general release going live recently it seems like now is the time to get going. I have titled this starting over because I had been using Power BI to create maps and other fun things inside Excel; it seems fitting since the changes to Power BI are coming in fast and furious. So I am here to tell you what it took to get back on track with this new release.

. . . → Read More: Starting over with Power BI

#SQLSatIndy, Shaving Yak and Power BI

You are probably wondering how these things are all related. I love summer, when there isn’t a signed SOW I can find a million things to do outdoors. I love being out in the sun. This leaves me very unmotivated to be indoors doing things, like writing new presentations. Hence the problem.

The Indianapolis SQLSaturday is near and dear to our hearts. First we love Hope Foley [ BLOG | TWITTER ], she’s one kick ass woman and she’ really an inspiration. Next Indy is only an hour away from our family and they were the first user group I ever attended. So it’s no surprise that we both submitted . . . → Read More: #SQLSatIndy, Shaving Yak and Power BI

5 Simple things I forget about SSRS – Multi Select Parameters

For some reason whenever I get to working on a report I am really irritated at how I “forget” that SSRS doesn’t handle multi-select parameters at all. I am irritated at myself for pushing this horrid fact from my brain, my reluctance to remember or maybe that the painful truth is a coping mechanism or I am just in denial–maybe it’s been fixed.. Then I am reminded how Microsoft failed us by not making this an actual feature. I feel the writing has been on the wall for a while now SSRS is a fading technology. I do however know that there will be SSRS servers running for years to . . . → Read More: 5 Simple things I forget about SSRS – Multi Select Parameters