Another year has come and gone, and it was fabulous year indeed! I made a lot of new friends, both professionally and personally. Added to my flock – literally. And learned tons of new things!

This year I attended my first SQL Saturday in Tampa, which was a ton of fun! What a great resource for people in the SQL Community! The energy and enthusiasm to share are off the charts. Hopefully, this year, I will be able to attend a few more and perhaps, *gasp*, even present at some!

Speaking of presenting, this year I officially presented solo for the first time for 24 Hours of PASS. This iteration of 24 Hours of PASS was all about the ladyfolk – and I think it was made very clear that the women know how to BRING. IT. There were a ton of great sessions and I feel honored to have the chance to present along side them.

This has inspired me to submit sessions to other events.  I submitted for PASS and was chosen as an alternate. Didn’t present this year, but it was nice to at least be chosen as an alternate! I’ve also submitted to SQLBits for this spring, and even if I am not picked, I’m lucky that mom *was* selected to present a precon and so I GET TO GO TO LONDON. Yay 2012!

2011 was a great year and I feel like 2012 is going to be even bigger. Resolutions always sound so imposing, so I am just going to make a few goals for 2012.

Goals:

-Present more! Hopefully at a SQL Saturday, but definitely at my local user group. And while I can’t control if I’m selected to speak at the “big shows,” I can’t be selected if I don’t submit, so I’ll definitely be submitting again for PASS and possibly Rally or Connections or something.

-Write more! Writing is something I have a hard time just sitting down and doing. I’m usually fine once words start marching across the screen, but sitting down and opening up an editor and beginning eludes me more often than not. I don’t lack for blog idea! But getting them written is something else. So this year is all about getting in the groove writing-wise. And to not feel like every post I write needs to be a doctoral thesis! So I will write some lighter material alongside the in-depth content, and participate in Meme Mondays and #meme15’s to keep me in the groove.

-Read more! There is a lot of information out there on SQL Server and databases and BI, and I need more of it in my brain! This year, for sure, I’m going to sit down and read The Data Warehouse Toolkit from Kimball all the way through. Maybe I’ll even blog about it! If/when I succeed at that, I’m going to sit down and digest Expert Cube Development from Chris Webb, Marco Russo, and Alberto Ferrari. I’ve already used bits of it in my day job, so it’d be nice to have a more thorough knowledge of everything in that book.

Seems manageable enough! Here’s to a happy and productive 2012!