Reflecting on the just-passed and brand-new years, a few things come to mind. I achieved quite a bit in 2016 and had many new experiences including, but not limited to:

• Co-presented at my first Oracle conference in June (Kscope16) with @oraclenerd, and visited Chicago for the first time.
• Was a track lead for the Student Track, for the first time at the PABUG conference.
• Co-presented my first online webinar, about SQL Developer with @thatjeffsmith.
• Was part of a panel discussion for young, middle-school aged girls interested in technology and spent the weekend with them as we built steam rockets.
• Started leading the Leadership Program for the Oracle User’s Group, ODTUG
• Was accepted into my second Master’s Degree program and began diving into the world of business analytics.
• Monitored priority registration for the first time, at my job.
• Worked on my management skills as I became responsible for two new direct reports at my job.

I’m not one for making New Year’s Resolutions, however, I have a few goals I’d like to achieve in 2017:

• Update this blog more frequently!
• Be able to walk 4 miles without back issues or asthma attacks.
• Become at least familiar with the following: Python, SAS, JMP, APEX, R.
• Produce at least three webinars for PABUG.
• Maybe a webinar for ODTUG with Justin (@icodealot) co-presenting.
• Presenting at least once, at a conference this year.
• Boost up the ODTUG Philly Database Meetup.

What I’m most looking forward to, at this point, in 2017:

• Temple U, where I work, is considering moving to APEX – and that really excites me. I am looking forward to diving into this technology that I’ve been wanting to learn more about for the past 3 years.
• PABUG has created a new track, and asked that I lead it this year, for Online Learning. This came about due to the great response our first webinar received. I’m really looking forward to making this program great and offering real value to the PABUG community.
• I’m super-charged to get the group project going for the ODTUG 2016-2017 Leadership Program, that will come to fruition soon and will be completed by Kscope17. I’m also stoked that Kscope17 is in San Antonio this year-one of my favorite towns, and I’ll get to visit with some close friends that live nearby that I don’t get to see IRL all that often.
• I’ll be attending RMOUG for the first time, and volunteered to be a session ambassador. This will be great and though going to Denver in February is a bit intimidating, I’m hoping the weather will cooperate and we won’t get snowed in! I admire Kellyn (@DBAKevlar) and Tim (@timothyjgorman) – the work they do and the knowledge they share, so much that I am super-excited to be a part of this conference this year. I’ll also get to spend time, learn from, maybe even have a beer or two with more good people that I don’t get to see IRL too often.

Wow…All that and it is only January 1^st!

May the new year bring us all peace, prosperity, growth, love and happiness.