What I’m Looking Forward to at PASS Summit 2010

PASS Summit 2010 (November 8–11 in Seattle) is just over three weeks away, and I’m bursting with excitement. I love talking to our SQL Mag authors and readers in person (we get a lot of great article ideas from conversations we have at PASS) and being completely surrounded by people who are just as passionate about the SQL Server community as I am. In addition to getting to talk with members of the community, there are great keynotes, sessions, and after-hours events to attend. There are a few things happening at PASS 2010 that I’m really looking forward to:

· The Women in Technology Luncheon and Panel Discussion. This year’s topic is one that everyone (male and female) needs to be thinking about—“Recruiting, Retaining & Advancing Women in Technology: Why does it matter?” In addition, the panelists are the best of the best: SQL Mag author Stacia Misner; Founder of the WIT Virtual Chapter Denise McInerney; Senior SQL Server DBA Michelle Ufford (I’m a huge fan of her SQL Fool blog); and Senior Vice President and General Manager for Intuit’s Employee Management Solutions Nora Denzel. The WIT Luncheon and Panel Discussion is taking place on Wednesday, November 10, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. And don’t think that this event is just for women—I’ve heard plenty of men say in the past that they’ve gotten a lot out of the WIT discussion!

· David DeWitt’s Keynote: There are always fantastic keynotes at PASS, but I’m really looking forward to hearing David DeWitt talk about query optimization. David’s keynote at PASS Summit 2009 was extremely popular and I learned a lot from it. Now, I don’t come from a database admin background. That said, I’ve spent the past four and half years learning all I can about SQL Server, and I’m finally to a point where I can sit in a deep technical session or keynote and have a good idea of what’s being discussed. And who doesn’t need query optimization?

· Kilt Wednesday: That just about says it all, doesn’t it? If you haven’t been following the #sqlkilt thread on Twitter, you should check it out and consider being a part of Kilt Wednesday. My favorite thing about being a member of the SQL Server community is how passionate everyone is not only about the technology but also about building community. One great example of the community coming together to show its solidarity is Kilt Wednesday. On Wednesday, November 10, many database pros are wearing their kilts to PASS. Should be quite a sight, so don’t miss out (and, ladies, you're welcome to wear a kilt, too). And don’t forget to wrap up your crazy kilt day with SQL Karaoke. For more information about Kilt Wednesday and SQL Karaoke, go to PASS After Hours Happenings.

I would love to hear what you are looking forward to most at PASS Summit 2010—comment on this blog post or email me at [email protected].