Some time ago, in an article entitled Basic Training - The Weapons, I wrote about the tools necessary to do data integration.  I mentioned some of the tools necessary to perform data integration tasks, such as PL/SQL, applications and Informatica. As a production support analyst I use many of these same tools. However, one of the most important tools that we use in production support is documentation.

When I was researching my last article about the drop in enrollments for Computer Science in the mid-2000's, I found some articles that tried to explain why.  Many of the articles I read indicated that students were worried that if they completed a degree in Computer Science in the 2000's, that they would end up losing their job due to counterparts offshore.

I have been blessed to be a data integration professional for over 13 years now.  I always wanted to be involved in computers, but took some turns off that path along the way.  Luckily I now have had the privilege of being in the Information Management business for quite a long time.

Today a colleague and I were having a cubicle discussion around some issues we were working on.  As I've mentioned before, when I'm not working on production batch process issues and fixes, I work on data quality fixes.  At one point in the conversation my colleague said, "We're just passing the frog around."  When I looked at him with a perplexed expression on my face, he clarified, "I had a data structures professor that said it is like passing a frog around when bad data goes from one system to another to another.  The frog keeps hopping along and every where it lands, the data is bad."  When you think about data quality issues, "Passing the frog around" is a pretty accurate way to describe the situation.

Wayne Gretzky, one of the greatest hockey players ever, said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."  To me that translates to, if you don't try, you're guaranteed you won't succeed.  That saying can be broken down into these points:

• Recognize an opportunity
  
• Take action on that opportunity
  
• Make the most of that opportunity
  
• Find other opportunities to take advantage of

Due to a family tragedy, I had to leave school in 1993, without being able to finish my degree.  Throughout the years, I have dreamed of going back to school and finishing what I started.  Today I am one step closer to achieving my dream.  I just submitted my application to attend Webster University in St. Louis, MO!

When I graduated from High School in the 80's, I actually had a guidance counselor tell me there were too many computer programmers in the work force.  I was extremely disappointed because I loved computer programming.  I excelled in my programming classes (yes they had them back then, based on Apple IIe and BASIC).  Everything about computers was extremely interesting to me.  I even figured out how to hack my TI-99 4a games.  So, I was very disappointed when I was told that I shouldn't go into computer programming, because there were too many programmers in the work force.  That shows how short-sighted and uninformed my guidance counselor was.

Strategy is defined as an elaborate and systematic plan of action.  Strategy also refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal.  However, a few weeks ago I heard a definition I like even better, "Strategy is what we need to do to win".

I've recently been seeing a new chiropractor.  The first couple of visits he has given me some instruction about what chiropractors do.  A chiropractor basically adjusts the spines to correct subluxations or misalignments in the vertebrae.  Chiropractors believe in the principle that when the spine is misaligned, we feel discomfort.  This discomfort can be in the form of headaches, neck and back pain, and even pain to our extremities.  They treat the cause, the subluxations, rather than the symptoms, the headache and other discomfort.

In a recent post I spoke about how to pass Tribal Knowledge on to new team members.  It sparked some pretty good comments.  One comment in particular got me thinking about how I felt when I was new to my job, and how I was able to feel that I was a productive member of the team.