With a heavy heart and mixed emotions, after 9.5 years calling Microsoft my home, I have decided to move on from Microsoft with this coming Friday (10/4/2013) being my last day. It was a hard choice to make as the bulk of my career has been working closely with SQL Server and Analysis Services – and having Microsoft campus as my second home. Alas, the calls for experimentation and disruption are ringing loudly in my ears (or perhaps my headphones are on too tight?)
The quote “Sometimes you gotta roll the hard six” is in reference to Battlestar Galactica (2004) ’s Commander Adama in Season 1, Episode 10 “The Hand of God” (admittedly, it’s actually a reference to craps, but I prefer staying in the Sci-Fi domain). For those who haven’t watched the episode (if you haven’t, stop reading, get Netflix, and watch it already!), Commander Adama is about to make a risky maneuver that may save or annihilate the human race. A great Urban dictionary definition is “To achieve something partially through intense skill and partially through luck”. And with that, I am leaving Microsoft so that way I can obtain a different set of skills and hopefully be lucky enough to help the disruption caused by Big Data Analytics.
I am parting from Microsoft as a friend, advocate, and cheerleader – I will still very much be involved with SQL Server, Analysis Services, Azure, and Big Data – but outside of campus. While I will soon no longer have the blue badge, I am forever beholden to its community!
Denny Lee 
Hi Denny! Sorry to see you leaving and want to let you know it was great fun working with you! Hope to continue doing that at some point! 🙂 Dmitri
Keep on rolling, Denny – wishing you great success and luck – looking forward to working with you on the outside.
Good luck with your new gig, whatever it is.
I especially enjoyed your foodie posts.
Cheers,
–rj
Wow, glad to hear that you’ll at least stay a part of the community outside of Redmond … Best of luck! – Mark
Good Luck…….it was nice working with you and joining your sessions during Maestro Training.
Hi Denny,
I wish you all the best – you drove the elephant pretty hard through Redmond :).
Thanks!
Christian
Thanks guys – definitely appreciate it! The elephant is now out of the room 🙂
Congratulations! I’m looking forward to learning more about what you are up to on the outside!
WOW!! Good for you. As the master of everything I am sure you will be more than fine!!
man, I just found out today the MASTER of the MASTERS has left the HOUSE.
sorry to hear this but I think sometimes, you have to leave to follow your vision and dreams.
Thanks Binh – it’s a new fun world out here 🙂