I’m looking forward to attending the PASS Summit 2017 next week – especially since I missed last year. If you search, you can find lots of great advice to attendees of the Summit. I agree with almost all of the advice out there and, if you’re a first-time attendee, it would serve you well to search out this advice.

Presenting!

I love the PASS Summit. I wrote about why in Why I Love the PASS Summit. It’s always an honor to present. This year I’m presenting Use Biml to Automate SSIS Design Patterns at the Summit – with demos I’ve been evolving for the past couple years. I like the latest version a lot, and I owe Scott Currie kudos for helping my C# surpass n00b status! I’m also presenting at the Seattle SQL Pro Workshop 2017 on Designing an SSIS Framework – a topic that I plan to write about next year.

My Plans

Other than presenting at the Freecon and the Summit, I hope to meet with Christian brothers and sisters the few mornings I am in town. We will share prayer requests and pray for each other, PASS leadership, and for safety and a positive experience of everyone attending the conference. This is something Mike Walsh (@mike_walsh) started years ago. He calls it PASS Prayers. Although Mike’s efforts predate many newer social-context efforts at the PASS Summit, you won’t find a table for our demographic at the conference nor any official recognition that the group even exists from the PASS organization (other than a sign to a multi-faith prayer room).

That’s not a complaint – I kind of like it that way.

That’s about it for plans.

I’ll likely go to bed late (for me), around 10:00 PM each night. Since it takes me time to unwind each evening, I’ll likely be heading for my room around 9:00 PM. I’m an early riser, so you may find me lurking in the Sheraton lobby or the Daily Grill (I love the smoked salmon for breakfast!) around 6:00 AM each morning.

Books!

The rest of the time I’ll be wandering around the Convention Center catching up with old friends and engaging with new friends. I plan to have copies of Building Custom Tasks for SSIS on me as I meander, and I plan to give them away for free. So if you want a copy, hunt me down! I’ll likely be sharing my location by Twitter (@AndyLeonard). I shouldn’t be hard to find – I’m a fat guy with a braided beard.

I’ll try to stop by as many after-hours events as possible. Most require registration and are sold out at this point… perhaps I’ll just walk by and wave.

My Advice

Travel with a friend. If you find yourself stuck somewhere, reach out on Twitter. Our community is filled with helpful people. If you find yourself in danger, call 911. I’m serious.

Take care of yourself. Be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of fellow community members and try to be helpful if you believe they need help. Seattle’s a big city (especially if you’re from a place the size of Farmville Virginia). There are many wonderful and cool people there. There are also a handful of non-wonderful and not-cool people there that you should watch out for.

Have a good time. Learn stuff. Engage people – especially people you admire. If you’re shy (I am not shy) or introverted (like me) and need practice engaging someone, I’m an easy engagement-starter-person.

Be kind. Be courteous. Be helpful. Be thoughtful.

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