Last month marked the 1 year point for my blog. It’s been quite the year of blogging! I wrote 21 posts over the 12 months. It is a little less than I thought I’d post but I’ve learned a lot on the way.

Here’s a quick recap of my 1st year:

• My most popular post: How to Learn SQL Server For Free Starter Pack
  • Promotion by SQL Server Central helped it reach a wide audience – thanks guys!
• I spoke at 2 SQL Saturday Events – Spartanburg and Charlotte
• I participated in 2 T-SQL Tuesday blog party events
  • T-SQL Tuesday #93 – Interview get-help – tips on interviewing for DBA/developer positions
  • T-SQL Tuesday #94 – Embrace the Shell of Power! Get into Powershell with dbatools – using PowerShell and dbatools is great stuff
• Technical troubleshooting posts
  • Microsoft SQL Server Environmental Checks – this was the basis for my SQL Saturday presentation (slides available on Resources)
    • SQL Server
    • Windows Server
    • VMware
  • MSDTC Troubleshooting – Basic Guide – a 2 part guide for dealing with MSDTC issues (Part 1 / Part 2)
• T-SQL
  • Nuances of Null – Using IsNull, Coalesce, Concat, and String Concatenation – null marks are like tequila – they show up and ruin the party
  • Using T-SQL to Insert, Update, Delete Millions of Rows – this was my 2nd most popular post
• Security posts
  • DRM Security Concerns | Who does the IoT Obey? – DRM will become a major concern with the advent of the Internet of Things
  • SHA-1: When 2 Message Digests Collide – it SHAppened – SHA-1 is cracked, time to move to SHA-256 or SHA-3
• Privacy
  • Snowden Movie – Powerful with Lingering Questions – everyone should be aware of what happened and its implications on modern life.
• Soft Skills posts
  • Introvert at Work – How to Survive and Be Successful as a Software Engineer – how to be successful as a pretty introverted person in our field of work – practical tips
  • Drive – Your Motivation at Work Is Calling – get fired up!
  • Hour of Code 2016 | Expose, Inspire, Teach – for the past 2 years I’ve volunteered for this wonderful event. I’ve been to 2 different schools each year. Looking forward to it again this year!
•  Other
  • SQL Server 2005 – The End of an Era – my farewell tribute

I want to briefly reflect on the experience so far.

What Am I Blogging About?

Starting a SQL Server blog is something I meant to do for a while now.

I don’t think it is uncommon among our tribe of technologists that a good many of us suffer from imposter syndrome. Having the confidence to put yourself out there is needed – that’s part of what blogging is. It’s no good if you keep your thoughts inside your head and don’t share.

I write about things I like and hope there are other people out there that I can connect with about it. When I started I thought it would be more of an individual pursuit. In a way that is true. Just like by teaching you learn better by blogging you can communicate better. It’s a skill just like database administration or writing code. It takes practice and constant work to improve.

I want people to read my blog. After all if nobody reads it then it is just an online diary.

If nobody reads my blog then it is just an online diary

Why Do I Blog?

Because blogging is a ladder.