Technical Accomplishments and Happy Memories (T-SQL Tuesday #112)

The March 2019 edition of T-SQL Tuesday is hosted by Shane O’Neill (@SOZDBA). This month, Shane wants us to share our cookies. Wait… what? Yes! Cookies :) In this analogy, cookies are accomplishments or memories you can look back on when things get tough. Something that will give you that little energy kick you need to keep you going when you think you’re completely done.

I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on this since the topic was announced. My cookie jar definitely consists of two types of cookies: technical and non-technical. There are more of the latter, which I believe is a good thing :)

In this post, I’ll highlight some of the technical accomplishments I’m proud of, and share some of my happy memories that always make me smile. (I mean pictures. I will share lots and lots of pictures.)

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Women Talk Tech: A PASS WIT Panel

The PASS Women in Technology Virtual Group (@PASS_WIT) is celebrating Women’s History Month. On March 12th, they are hosting a Women Talk Tech panel.

I’m very honored to be a part of this panel alongside some amazing role models that I look up to: Kendra Little (@Kendra_Little), Lori Edwards (@loriedwards), Malathi Mahadevan (@sqlmal), Kellyn Pot’Vin-Gorman (@DBAKevlar), and Monica Rathbun (@SQLEspresso). The leaders of PASS WIT, Rie Irish (@IrishSQL) and Kathi Kellenberger (@auntkathi), will be leading the discussion.

Women Talk Tech

Join the Women Talk Tech panel on March 12th at 17:00 UTC by registering on the PASS WIT website.

Can’t make it to this webinar? Take a look at the upcoming webinars and register for one of those instead. You can also find recordings of previous webinars on the PASS WIT YouTube channel :)

As a member of the PASS Women in Technology Virtual Group, you can choose to subscribe to their wonderful monthly newsletter. Each newsletter includes news, an editorial, a featured blogger of the month, as well as upcoming presentations by women in our community. You can find all previous newsletters in their newsletter archive.

I hope you’ll join us! :)

Update: Watch the Recording!

Update on March 14th: The recording has been published, so you can now watch it on YouTube :)

Watch this video on YouTube

Why I’m a Business Intelligence Consultant (T-SQL Tuesday #111)

T-SQL Tuesday #111: Why I'm a Business Intelligence Consultant

This month’s T-SQL Tuesday is hosted by Andy Leonard (@AndyLeonard). Andy wants to know what is our “why”, or why we do what we do. Before I can answer the why, I will briefly explain the what :) I work as a Business Intelligence consultant, focusing on Data Warehousing, Data Integration, and Data Visualization.

The short answer to “why?” is because the work is both challenging and rewarding. As a Business Intelligence consultant, I get to use all my skills from programming to design. I get to satisfy my instinctive need to group, organize, and sort things when working with data. Then I get to make things shiny and pretty. Finally, I get to work with other people, learn about their industries, and help them do their jobs better.

The long answer is… longer :) I absolutely love my job now, but I ended up in the world of data completely accidentally. I’ve gone from Web Development to Graphic Design to Interactive Design to Java Programming to SharePoint Development to Data Warehouse Architecture to Community Evangelizing… And now I’m here :) (Phew!) So why am I a Business Intelligence consultant?

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How to find a Dataset ID in Power BI

Today, I had to get a single dataset ID from a report I had deployed to the Power BI Service. I quickly realized I had no idea where or how to get it! Turns out, it’s super easy to find – if you know where to look :)

Since I had to click around for a bit, do some searches, and get sidetracked in the REST APIs and PowerShell Cmdlets before I finally realized the ID was staring me right in the face all along, I figured I’d share this quick tip. That way, the next time I search for it, I might find my own blog post :D And who knows, maybe it can help one or two others?

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Friend of Redgate 2019

Yay! I’m very happy to be a Friend of Redgate again in 2019 :)

I first became a Friend of Redgate in 2015, so this will be my fifth year in the program – and hopefully not my last! But what is this program, really? And why am I so happy to be a part of it?

What’s the Friends of Redgate Program?

Friends of Redgate are active community members who use the Redgate tools, and also blog, speak, help others, and provide product feedback.

Check out all the awesome Friends of Redgate in 2019!

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