With gas prices here in the panhandle of Florida where I comfortably reside soaring to over $3.60 per gallon, I knew I would spend at least $110 toting myself and my beautiful fiancee from Pensacola to Jacksonville, host city of the most recent SQL Saturday event this past weekend. Another $89.00 per night for 2 nights, not to mention food and beer (the biggest cost) all so I could present my session on a DBA repository that I have put together over the past year using SSIS and SSRS. In hindsight, it was certainly money well spent for a chance to participate in a most worthwhile event. Imagine..a free day of training with regional presenters, authors and developers most of whom have MVP tagged to their illustrious careers. 

Cheers to Brian Knight, who obviously worked very hard to organise the event with the help of many SQL PASS volunteers from Jacksonville.  Chris Rock, Andy Warren, Tim Mitchell and Joe Healy are a few other that I met who were most cordial. It is not always easy to tolerate a 6 foot 5, 270 lb obnoxcious oaf like myself who has pounded down 5 strong micro brew IPAs and wants to play SQL alphabet and win at pool.

By the way, I highly recommend SQL alphabet. Simply start with "A" and everyone has to choose a keyword or term from SQL services before continuing to "B".

Generally it moves quickly. "ABS()", "AND", "AVG", etc. It gets more difficult with more than 4 participants and more fun after each beer. By the time you get to "P" (pun intended) it is a stretch. I thought I had everyone out matched with "Publication" but the last person on line came up with "Partition" without hardly thinking.

I know there will be a convergence on Orlando next month for TechEd. I hope to see everyone there. Maybe we can finally get past "X". Extended stored procedures do count.