PASS Summit 2014 and Universal Gravitation Equation

Yesterday as I was sitting on the plane on my way from Adelaide to Sydney, as I felt the plane took off and looked out the sky, I suddenly thought about gravity. I wound back a couple of decades, to remember Newton’s law of Universal Gravitation Equation –

Newton’s law of universal gravitation is about the universality of gravity. Newton’s place in the Gravity Hall of Fame is not due to his discovery of gravity, but rather due to his discovery that gravitation is universal. ALL objects attract each other with a force of gravitational attraction. Gravity is universal.

Source: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/circles/Lesson-3/Newton-s-Law-of-Universal-Gravitation

This gets me thinking about SQL Community and the largest international SQL Server event, PASS Summit. The SQL Community is big, and we are closely connected and friendly professionals. We have built this network of professionals that is supportive in our professional field and quite often extends to our social and personal life. A large portion of us who meet at PASS Summit, also meet at the events around it too. It’s like it has this gravitational attraction. I don’t think it’s because of just the event, but it’s because the community and the energy around this time! So, Newton’s Universal Gravitation Equation does apply to our SQL world, in reuniting events – like PASS Summit.

Every year PASS Summit allows us to learn together with the community, network and have one of the biggest SQL Family reunions. I’m one of these fortunate people who get to be part of it, and am very excited about PASS Summit. There are plenty of things to do leading to PASS Summit (and after PASS Summit). As an example, here is a list of events that I’m attending or presenting:

1. SQL Saturday Sydney 352 – today 25 Oct 2014
   Presenting: Interactive and Actionable Data Visualisation with Power View
   Panelist at PASS Women In Technology
2. SQL Saturday Portland 337 – Saturday 1 Nov 2014
   Presenting: 10 Handy Tips on SQL Server Dates
3. Microsoft MVP Summit – 2 – 4 November 2014 for SQL Server events
   Attending
4. PASS Summit – 4 – 7 November 2014
   Presenting: “I Want It Now” Data Visualization With Power View
5. Microsoft Virtual Academy whole day session– 11 November 2014
   Presenting: Implementing Tabular Data Models with Patrick LeBlanc

And in between, I’m catching up with more SQL Family in Adelaide, Sydney, LA, Portland and Seattle. Yes, the SQL Community gravitational attraction is strong around this time of the year near PASS Summit.

I hope we get to meet in person, at one of my sessions or outside it. I am also hoping that I get to see you at one of the PASS Summit 2014 Community Zone sessions (such as Virtual Chapter Wednesday Nov 5, 6:30 AM – 8:00 AM) and PASS Summit 2014 WIT Luncheon Keynote on Thursday Nov 6, at 11:45 am – 1:15 pm.

Until then, please take care – be healthy and be safe! Seattle and SQL Family, see you soon.

Julie