SpiceQuest July (2023) -- Of Space and Simplicity

randomparts · 2023-07-06T11:01:37.000Z

1. Database Administrators Appreciation Day tell us what gift your friendly neighborhood DBA deserves.

Recognition for making sure the DB is up and running so that the application you are using all the time can access the info.

2. Simplicity Day tell us where you would go if you could afford two years to live more simply.

My grandfather built a place on lake Michigan near Elk Rapids. I always thought it was quiet and I wouldn’t mind living there. I bet it gets cold in the winter though.

3. Flitch Day if you could get a flitch of bacon for swearing you don’t regret taking your job after a year and a day, for your current job or any job in the past, would you be several pigs richer, or bereft of bacon?

I would never get to eat bacon

4. Space Exploration Day do you think that humanity will colonize other worlds, and if so, how long do you think it will take to get to that point technologically?

I think humanity has to work around getting off the planet in an simpler and more cost-effective way first. Probably another 100 years at least before that happens.

5. SysAdmin Day tell us what you would get for your friendly neighborhood SysAdmin.

Probably bacon

cd87 · 2023-07-06T11:33:53.000Z

1. Database Administrators Appreciation Day

Without Tiktok and Amazon’s databases I wouldn’t be able to order those cool purchases you see on Tiktok and use the phrase “Tiktok made me buy it!” I use Amazon to cross check the products.

2. Simplicity Day

To the mountains in a nice log cabin with the perfect sized lake beside me.

3. Flitch Day

You had me with the word bacon. I would be two pigs richer.

4. Space Exploration Day

I believe Mars may be the first to get colonized. With NASA doing the Mars simulation, it could lead us closer to human life on another planet.

5. SysAdmin Day

Oreos, bacon and a paid day off so they can enjoy it!.

pcase2 · 2023-07-06T12:09:47.000Z

Database Administrators Appreciation Day

I mean literally everything we use day to day uses databases from websites to servers. Without DBs everything would collapse.

Simplicity Day

I’ve been meaning to go camping where me and my grandfather use to go camping. He passed away a few years ago and I would love to just go live off the land for a bit.

Flitch Day

Several pigs richer? This one confused me I love my job though.

Space Exploration Day

SysAdmin Day

A firm handshake and a Pat on the back. Nah I’m kidding I’ll tell him to go home early and not give a reason just let his brain go wild

machomanrandall · 2023-07-06T13:29:37.000Z

1. Database Administrators Appreciation Day
Tell us something in everyday life you wouldn’t be able to do without giant databases of information.
1A – I think the main thing would be function correctly. I use Google Maps to drive to a lot of places. I use it to help me answer questions I’m not sure about. I use online databases and sites to get information about everything that’s going on around me in the world! I’m grateful that we have technology to help support us now a days. With information being so available now, its easier to get back to more meaningful things.

2. Simplicity Day
Tell us what complicates your life that you wish you could do without.
2A – I think the biggest thing that complicates my life is self-doubt. Often labeled as Imposter Syndrome. Often I think I’m not ready for something or shouldn’t be where I am because undeserving or unprepared. I think self-doubt slows down a lot of people today and it’s a hard thing to conquer. The toughest battles are often times against ourselves in our minds. I think once I get rid of my self-doubt, life will become easier to enjoy.

3. Flitch Day
July 18th is Listening Day. Tell us what you are listening to
3A – Been listening to Rob Thomas and Matchbox Twenty recently. The songs are nostalgic to me as I listened to them often during the summer as a kid/teen. My sister and I often ride in the car together and we both enjoy these songs so we sing together sometimes which is great LOL.

4. Space Exploration Day
Do you think that humanity will colonize other worlds, and if so, how long do you think it will take to get to that point technologically?
4A – I think we will eventually. I think it will be in my lifetime. Maybe 2050 I think. I would like to see what else is out there. I really want to know if there is another planet similar to Earth and if other humans similar to us have been living there! What have they accomplished in comparison to us?! If other species do exist, why haven’t they contacted us? So many questions to be answered…

5. SysAdmin Day
Tell us what you would get for your friendly neighborhood SysAdmin.
5A – I think a spiffy new screwdriver set would go a long way. I use one that I got off Amazon and it has been a great asset to me. I use it a lot for small electronics and PC Building.

brewster93 · 2023-07-06T17:43:05.000Z

1. Database Administrators Appreciation Day

Related Task: Without giant databases of information I would not be able to find out what the specific guns that were used in a movie or TV show were, or what songs were in a specific episode of a show. Hell for that matter, what movie/show I remember an actor being in, when I see them in something else.

Oh, and the best gift we could give our DBA, would be a Jr DBA to handle all the scut.

2. Simplicity Day

Related Task: Somewhere in the mountains to just relax and enjoy nature and the simple life.

3. Flitch Day

Related Task: I would be several pigs richer, especially with my current position.

4. Space Exploration Day

Related Task: the fascination of unexplored worlds.

5. SysAdmin Day

SysAdmin day is celebrated on the last friday in July, so this year it will be on July 28. A good day to celebrate SysAdmins, and really just a good excuse for fun around here.

Related Task: I think every sysadmin needs a good tester, so I would be on the hunt for the perfect combination of cable/port tester. And I would wrap it up with a good bottle of bourbon. Because every sysadmin needs to be able to wind down and relax after a stressful day of tracing cables.

tschwifty · 2023-07-07T10:42:18.000Z

1. Database Administrators Appreciation Day

Alternatively, tell us something in everyday life you wouldn’t be able to do without giant databases of information.

We couldn’t do anything really on the Internet. “Just Google it” really wouldn’t work, would it? Plus my entire business would be a-one screwed.

2. Simplicity Day

Related Task: tell us where you would go if you could afford two years to live more simply.

Costa Rica, and not worry about a thing but beers and sunshine

3. Flitch Day

Related Task: if you could get a flitch of bacon for swearing you don’t regret taking your job after a year and a day, for your current job or any job in the past, would you be several pigs richer, or bereft of bacon?

I think I would have maybe 3-4 flitches of bacon. But I’ve more than four jobs in my career. Seems like everywhere I go, more often it all goes to hell after that year-and-a-day mark.

4. Space Exploration Day

Alternatively, do you think that humanity will colonize other worlds, and if so, how long do you think it will take to get to that point technologically?

I don’t think it will be in my lifetime, but we have made significant leaps towards colonization. I mean, it has only been 54 years since we landed on the moon, so the technology is growing exponentially for us to colonize!

5. SysAdmin Day

Related Task: tell us what you would get for your friendly neighborhood SysAdmin.

I guess I’m the SysAdmin, so I’d like an additional week of vacation - that would be nice. But in lieu of that, maybe just a thank you every once in a while for solving or preventing an issue from getting really bad.

charlesd3 · 2023-07-07T17:03:59.000Z

1. Database Administrators Appreciation Day

Alternatively, tell us something in everyday life you wouldn’t be able to do without giant databases of information.

A: Give everybody their ID numbers and passwords.

2. Simplicity Day

Related Task: tell us where you would go if you could afford two years to live more simply.

A: Alaska or Denmark

3. Flitch Day

Related Task: if you could get a flitch of bacon for swearing you don’t regret taking your job after a year and a day, for your current job or any job in the past, would you be several pigs richer, or bereft of bacon?

A: I would have enough bacon to start a bacon specialty shop.

4. Space Exploration Day

Alternatively, do you think that humanity will colonize other worlds, and if so, how long do you think it will take to get to that point technologically?

A: We definitely will if we were given a chance. How long? Maybe, about 250 years.

5. SysAdmin Day

Related Task: tell us what you would get for your friendly neighborhood SysAdmin. The same thing that you would get for the DBA, in a different color or flavor perhaps, or would you get something totally different? Or are they the same person in your organization? Two holidays in one month? Bonus.

A: It’s me! They should get me something. I want noise cancellation bluetooth headphones, so I don’t hear them at all.

netcacique · 2023-07-09T23:47:09.000Z

Database Administrators Appreciation Day

Something in everyday life we would not be bale to do without giant databases: Hospitals would not be able to help without the databases behind their Electronic Medical Record systems.

Simplicity Day

Where would I go if I could afford two years to live more simply: Japan. I lived there for 6 years and it is an amazing place.

Flitch Day

If you could get a flitch of bacon for swearing you don’t regret taking your job after a year and a day, for your current job or any job in the past, would you be several pigs richer, or bereft of bacon?: I love my job and current place of work so I would be several piggies richer.

Space Exploration Day

Tell us your favorite thing about Space: Gravitational Lensing. Gravity so massive even light is affected by it.

SysAdmin Day

Tell us what you would get for your friendly neighborhood SysAdmin? A badass gaming chair.

donutworry · 2023-07-10T17:04:13.000Z

DATABASE ADMINISTRATORS APPRECIATION DAY
Our DBA definitely deserves a lifetime supply of coffee.
SIMPLICITY DAY
The mountains of New Hampshire in a cabin on a lake with only a few neighbors.
FLITCH DAY
I’d have a couple flitches of bacon.
SPACE EXPLORATION DAY
I suppose my favorite thing would be space is so unknown not a day goes by that you can’t learn something new about it.
SYSADMIN DAY
They’re different people but I’d get this person a giftcard to a local brewery for having to deal with certain people.

mweed · 2023-07-11T13:43:14.000Z

1. Database Administrators Appreciation Day

2. Simplicity Day

Simplicity is a relative term. Life is all about relationships. The more you have, the more complicated your life is. Whenever you read about someone living a simple life (like in Walden) they are always hermits. “Going somewhere” to live more simply always seems to involve getting away from other people. If you dropped all the negative relationships and sources of drama (whether it be co-workers or even family), your life would be so much simpler. The first place to start is dropping social media. I’m quite sure 90% of my wife’s complications would go away if she got rid of Facebook.

3. Flitch Day

Trick question. If I could get a flitch of bacon for swearing I don’t regret taking my job after a year and a day, I would have received a good bit of bacon, but I still wouldn’t have any bacon, because I would have eaten it.

4. Space Exploration Day

Space is just a whole lot of nothing with just the tiniest but of stuff every so often. It’s dark and cold, and empty. Not a big fan of space. Now, when it comes to that little bit of stuff, I am a big fan of that. The stars, planets, nebula (the clouds of gas, not the character from Guardians of the Galaxy, although I like her too), black holes, comets, asteroids, meteors, and even the Disney character Pluto (who didn’t deserve to get demoted. I mean, Goofy got to be an anthropomorphized dog but Pluto can’t even talk. Doesn’t seem fair.)

Space is also one of those things I also never seem to have enough of in my office or storage building. Not to mention al the spaces I had to use between these words.

5. SysAdmin Day

Same person at our company. Same thing would work as a gift. Although if I got that twice, I’m not sure I’d have enough space to put it, and it sure would complicate my life.

NetworKing · 2023-07-11T17:40:27.000Z

Database Administrators Appreciation Day

DBA Appreciation Day is celebrated on the first Friday in July, so this year on July 7th. It is a great day to celebrate DBAs. Maybe a cake, you know.

Related Task: tell us (or post a picture) what gift your friendly neighborhood DBA deserves.

Alternatively, tell us something in everyday life you wouldn’t be able to do without giant databases of information.

Google, Amazon, Spiceworks

Simplicity Day

Simplicity Day is celebrated on July 12, in honor of the birthday of Henry David Thoreau, who famously moved to Walden Pond to live more simply.

Related Task: tell us where you would go if you could afford two years to live more simply.

Alternatively, if you wouldn’t really go anywhere, tell us what complicates your life that you wish you could do without.

A bunch of property in the woods somewhere near a lake or river, with some dogs and horses.

Flitch Day

Flitch Day is July 19th, and the background is interesting. Apparently there is an old tradition to award a flitch of bacon (about half a pig) to married couples who can swear to have not regretted their marriage for a year and a day. Wikipedia tells us that this tradition still lives on in some parts of England (HERE). Another site says that it commemorates a time when bringing back a flitch (or slab) of bacon from a successful hunt was considered a good gift for a wife, since it ensured that the family would be well fed for a while. More recently though, whatever the origin, people just celebrate by eating bacon.

Related Task: if you could get a flitch of bacon for swearing you don’t regret taking your job after a year and a day, for your current job or any job in the past, would you be several pigs richer, or bereft of bacon?

Alternatively, if you don’t want bacon or don’t want to talk about your job, July 18th is Listening Day. Tell us what you are listening to.

Don’t care much for bacon, some days maybe but other days I think I’d go nuts in another job.

Space Exploration Day

Space Exploration Day is celebrated every year on July 20, commemorating the moon landing in 1969. In honor of Space Exploration Day, you can also participate in the poll about your favorite planet (or dwarf planet; we aren’t biased) in our Solar System.

Related Task: tell us your favorite thing about Space.

Alternatively, do you think that humanity will colonize other worlds, and if so, how long do you think it will take to get to that point technologically?

I think space is interesting and humbling but also sad we know more about that than like some parts of earth. It is interesting to think about how things formed and work, etc though not sure it is the most pressing issue we need to deal with.

SysAdmin Day

SysAdmin day is celebrated on the last friday in July, so this year it will be on July 28. A good day to celebrate SysAdmins, and really just a good excuse for fun around here.

Related Task: tell us what you would get for your friendly neighborhood SysAdmin. The same thing that you would get for the DBA, in a different color or flavor perhaps, or would you get something totally different? Or are they the same person in your organization? Two holidays in one month? Bonus.

Alternatively, if you aren’t celebrating SysAdmin Day, tell us what you are celebrating this month.

Not sure we usually just say happy sysadmin day and that is it. Only celebration I have is I am joining the local horseman club.

daniel7635 · 2023-07-13T21:20:52.000Z

I ate a cake yesterday. Does that count? If I worked directly for any DBAs, I’d gladly bake them a cake.
I’d move West. Not to the coast, but in a less densely populated part of the country and live on a farm. If I could stay there, I’d probably ditch most electronic technology.
Every job has its frustrations for sure, but I’ve been in this one without regret for 2 months short of 10 years. I wouldn’t mind if my employer wanted to give me a flitch of bacon. I’ll also have been married for 20 years later this year and don’t regret that either. Seriously, who’s sending me bacon?
My favorite thing about Space is its hostility; it reminds us of how perfect the conditions for us are here on Earth. Space is pretty to look at and think about though.
Well, I am the SysAdmin and I do enjoy being given things. Particularly food & beverage items. I’ve been given coffee, bourbon, brownies, even candied nuts. I’ve got pretty good users. They take good care of me and they’re usually not too much trouble.

cynlis · 2023-07-14T02:58:31.000Z

Database Administrators Appreciation Day

Without Google, silly wonderings in my mind would drive me batty!

Simplicity Day

I would love to travel in a RV across the country.

Flitch Day

I love what I do and the people I work with. . . I’d have to buy a couple of freezers to store my flitches.

Space Exploration Day

I love the wonders, possibilities, and dreams that space infuses into our minds. However, I feel that we should invest in the rock we are on before we go galavanting off to muck up another one.

SysAdmin Day

I will celebrate every staff member at our humble little MSP. But I’d bet no one we support will give us a second thought, as their systems will be running smoothly. :crosses fingers:

tom6018 · 2023-07-24T15:39:01.000Z

1. Database Administrators Appreciation Day

Related Task: tell us (or post a picture) what gift your friendly neighborhood DBA deserves.

The DBA deserves BBQ and beer. This might come in the form of a gift card, but more appropriately, given to him as it is coming off of the grill in my backyard.

2. Simplicity Day

Related Task: tell us where you would go if you could afford two years to live more simply.

I would move out to the country near some woods and leave Facebook behind. I would focus on my self-care, fishing, reading, astronomy, music, and gardening.

3. Flitch Day

Related Task: if you could get a flitch of bacon for swearing you don’t regret taking your job after a year and a day, for your current job or any job in the past, would you be several pigs richer, or bereft of bacon?

Joyfully I report that I would have a whole curing barn full of countless hams, flitches and other special pork cuts. No regrets for 20+.

4. Space Exploration Day

Related Task: tell us your favorite thing about Space.

The endlessness of space is a marvel to be pondered. Its age is incredible. I also love the search for planets using radial velocity – or looking for the wobble.

5. SysAdmin Day

Related Task: tell us what you would get for your friendly neighborhood SysAdmin.

SysAdmin Day will be celebrated here in the IT department, although no one else will.

I will bring a small basket of goodies for our IT tech, yes, it might include bacon jerky, beer, chocolates, and other snacks.

adaml2 · 2023-07-25T10:58:42.000Z

I just celebrate SysAdmin Day. Does appreciating other sysadmins count? If so then this website is my appreciation → https://sysadminday.pl

trentf · 2023-07-25T11:54:21.000Z

1. Database Administrators Appreciation Day

The deserve the world because I do not want to deal with all of that.

2. Simplicity Day

I live on twenty acres of woods and couldn’t think of anything better, unless I could get someone else to chop of these trees that drop.

3. Flitch Day

I would have a ton of pigs. I truly love my job!

4. Space Exploration Day

My favorite thing about space is the unknown.

5. SysAdmin Day

I would get them a quality six pack of IPAs. But in reality they will be getting a swarm of sysadmin memes instead.

smccombs · 2023-07-26T08:37:46.000Z

Database Administrators Appreciation Day

Alternatively, tell us something in everyday life you wouldn’t be able to do without giant databases of information.- Most of the work we do revolves around a huge DB…so, my job.

Simplicity Day

Related Task: tell us where you would go if you could afford two years to live more simply. - Scotland…hands down.

Flitch Day

Alternatively, if you don’t want bacon or don’t want to talk about your job, July 18th is Listening Day. Tell us what you are listening to. - Oscar Peterson - Autumn Leaves

Space Exploration Day

Related Task: tell us your favorite thing about Space. - It’s so vast and unexplored…who knows what is out there?!

SysAdmin Day

Related Task: tell us what you would get for your friendly neighborhood SysAdmin. The same thing that you would get for the DBA, in a different color or flavor perhaps, or would you get something totally different? Or are they the same person in your organization? Two holidays in one month? Bonus. - SysAdmin is myself and one other person…we’ll probably end up just working and not getting anything exciting.

test4echo · 2023-07-27T17:28:59.000Z

1. Database Administrators Day

Maybe this is my bias for disliking SQL and all things relational databases (on the backend), but maybe a hammer to occasionally bonk the servers to remind them who’s boss. Again, could just be my personal distaste for all relational databases, however, I do acknowledge they’re needed since basically every website ever uses them at this point in some capacity.

2. Simplicity Day

Already going to be heading there! Planning to move late this year or next Spring to Alberta, where I can finally have an entire apartment/house to myself on a reasonable salary, which is a crazy concept. That alone is going to simplify my life in some ways, complicate them in others, but it’s going to require me to downsize the amount of things I have so I can move easily. I’ve come to realize how much physical stuff I really have, and how I could afford to donate/sell/toss some of it.

3. Flitch Day

I’d be currently up two flitches, since I’ve not been at my job for three years and three days. That said, I do love it here, so I wouldn’t be lying to say I don’t regret working here!

4. Space Exploration Day

Hard to really choose one part of space to talk about, because I find it all very fascinating and beautiful, and shows the handiwork of God throughout it. If I had to choose a specific phenomena of space, I’d have to probably say neutron stars, simply because of how they are so different from every other star in existence. If you were somehow able to scrape off even a few flakes of a neutron star, it’d be denser than a continent, I believe. They’re really quite interesting.

5. SysAdmin Day

I would definitely also get a hammer for our sysadmin, because it’s simply too useful. Especially for bonking unruly users on the head to remind them that they did something dumb and didn’t listen us IT people.

kenmacdonald · 2023-07-30T13:25:59.000Z

Database Administrators Appreciation Day

I appreciate our DBA’s - I know nothing about SQL (and really don’t care to) so when troubleshooting an issue gets to the SQL part, I call them for help and they whip up a query. They deserve a day off!

Simplicity Day

I would love to move to a rural area and live off-grid; I would learn so much.

Flitch Day

I have loved most of my jobs, including 11 years at my current job. That’s a lot of pig; can I get it in monthly allotments?

Space Exploration Day

As an introvert, I love lots of space, empty space!

SysAdmin Day

I am a SysAdmin and always appreciate the ‘thank you’ notes, and gift cards for food and coffee are nice!

tamara-for-scale-computing · 2023-07-31T20:18:55.000Z

Database Administrators Appreciation Day - Hmm, there are so many things that giant databases of information have enabled. The first thing that came to mind was being able to pack well for an upcoming trip through accurate weather forecasting

Simplicity Day - If I could afford to live more simply I’d probably pack it up into a camper van and spend the two years exploring Glacier National Park. It’s so massive, in those two years I’d still want more time.

Listening Day - I’ve got a 1 year old, so naturally I’ve been listening to a lot of nursery songs including the number and letter of the day. Elmo’s got some pipes! Personally, I’ve been on an R.E.M. kick.

Space Exploration Day - I love that there’s always something new to learn about space. Also love watching the moon wax and wane throughout the month during night walks (the only time you can really go outside in Texas right now).

SysAdmin Day - I’d get my favorite SysAdmin a Yeti Crossover Backpack if I could! No, but seriously these are so cool. I hear they’re great to pack to the beach! Everyone should enter to win one in our contest here !
We’re actually inviting everyone to claim a complimentary Gartner report with solutions for how to make your team more agile and efficient AS WELL as a very cool trailblazer kit with some cool stuff to fuel your next outdoor adventure.