Aha! Gotha! First my apologies for the click bait headline, I just wanted to do a little experiment 🙂
But, Yes! I did manage to speak at SQLBit 2018 and it was awesome. It was something strange how things happened because I didn’t submit any session, so it really wasn’t my idea speaking, but I got lucky.
Some editions of SQLBits offer to new speakers what is called ‘Lighting Talks’ which are exactly what the name suggests and that is a series of mini sessions that can last a maximum of five minutes each.
How I got there
I saw this year there was in the Saturdays’s timetable one slot for ‘Lightning talks’ so I thought it’d be a good idea to try get there, so I asked my mate Shane O’Neil (b|t) who has been a volunteer this edition how to land one session there.
Rules weren’t clear and at the time of asking there was going to be draw between all submitted sessions on Saturday morning.
But when I showed up Saturday morning, everything was different and there was no room for my session 🙁 but anyway I got in the wait list just in case. And it was the case… so I got my slot.
My experience
To be honest I got very opposed feelings, I love the fact and the adrenaline rush of presenting in such event with a big audience and even a jury in which there were reputed presenters such as Kevin Kline and Bob Duffy.
Too much pressure, and I sucked. Not afraid to say it, the situation overwhelmed me and I got really nervous, speaking too fast and also some problem with the mic didn’t help much.
But I guess that was a good thing, because I’m not the kind of person that’d be discouraged by that, totally the opposite, now I feel I need to start working harder on my presentation skills.
What is coming next
I started working in a new presentation to deliver it to firstly my colleagues and then to my local user group at Reading, and also I have already spoken with Steph Martin to come down to Southampton and maybe do some presentations there.
Hopefully that’s going to happen soon, but in the meantime I will keep writing this blog as usual, so stay tuned and see you in my next post.
Thanks for reading!
Woohoo! The awesome part is that you got up there. With everything you know about SQL Server, and your great way of communicating it here, the community needs you up on that stage. You’re doing great work, man, keep it up.
Thanks for your words Brent, it means a lot coming from someone I really look up to. I’ll try my best, you have my word!
Hey SQLDoubleG, You did not suck!!! I saw your lightning talk and you did really well, you should be super proud of yourself.
Thanks Katy for your comment, I’m glad someone thinks it was not too bad 🙂 that gives me even more energy!
Well done Raul, I was there too and you were great. I can see why your were a little nervous with the Panel
(especially at the start). I’m sure you’ll agree that they were really useful in the end. I was suprised to read that you hadn’t spoken before – you had the branding spot-on too!
thanks Nigel for your comment, really appreciate all this support! I’ve spoken a couple of times for my local user group, but I’m still working on it 🙂