Who would have believed it???

Am I often flummoxed?

I am giddy with excitement, I have been dancing around the house mumbling, "They must have made a mistake, Oh wow, Really, Me! WOW!"  Yes, I gush a bit sometimes, but this is big news and I am very excited, so the title of this blog is not as much of a teaser as you might think.  Just to set the record straight from my perspective -- Dear Oracle ACE Program Office, you made a great decision.  <insert slightly-deranged-from-all-of-the-giddiness grin right here>

Could it be?  Really?

Cameron, For the Love of Mike, get to the point

What am I banging on about?  Well, in the face of all reason (and I imagine there are one or two of you out there that would heartily agree with that qualifying statement  <insert even bigger grin>) the Oracle ACE program have seen fit to recognizing me as an Oracle ACE Director.  Really?  Could that possibly be correct?  Yup, it’s true look at the beautiful golden spade around the A:

To say that I am flattered is to wildly understate how I really feel – I am on cloud nine and more than a little astonished.  All I can really say is that I hope I even approach what the other BI/EPM ACE Directors have done for the Oracle community.  They have set an extremely high bar for outreach, advocacy, and general awesomeness.

But wait, I already was an Oracle ACE -- is there a difference?  From the Ace FAQ

The program comprises two levels: Oracle ACE and Oracle ACE Director. The former designation is Oracle's way of saying "thank you" to community contributors for their efforts; we (and the community) appreciate their enthusiasm. The latter designation is for community enthusiasts who not only share their knowledge (usually in extraordinary ways), but also want to increase their community advocacy and work more proactively with Oracle to find opportunities for the same. In this sense, Oracle ACE is "backward looking" and Oracle ACE Director is "forward looking."

A funny story and what ego does to you

When I became an ACE, I IM’d with MMIC (yes, it is all so true, Glenn and I are simpatico, and I swear that  he is my older, wiser brother from completely different parents, no matter how robustly he denies the familial relationship) that I now felt pressured when I made a post on Network54 or OTN to be 100% right, insightful, and generally brilliant because, hey, I was an Oracle ACE.  Glenn in his wise way pointed out that that there was nothing in the ACE program that said you had to be perfect and for goodness’ sakes be realistic.

And if ego made me think that way as an ACE, what do you suppose being an ACE Director does?  To snip it in the bud Glenn, mildly butchered “If I Were a Rich Man” from Fiddler On The Roof to this:

The most important men in town will come to fawn on me--

They will ask me to advise them, Like a Solomon the Wise--

"If you please, OAD Cameron?"--

"Pardon me, OAD Cameron?"--

Posing problems that would cross a developer’s eyes--

(chanting) Ya va voy, ya va voy voy vum...

And it won't make one bit of difference If I answer right or wrong--

When you're an OAD, they think you really know.

I knew he was strange, and this song snippet secures that perception.  But oh so wise.

Anyway, I can solemnly swear right here and now that I will not be 100% right, insightful, and generally brilliant as an ACE Director.  :)  But I will do my utmost to evince all three properties.

In all seriousness I will keep on plugging away at all of the things (blogging, writing, presenting, Tweeting, ODTUGing, and who knows what else) I have been doing – it has been tremendously fulfilling to share what I know and I have been paid back a hundredfold by your comments, occasional praise, and gentle correction when I have managed to get things completely pear shaped.

Giving thanks where it is due

I must also give thanks to the people who sponsored me:  

• Tracy McMullen
• Edward Roske
• Gabby Rubin
• Glenn Schwartzberg
• Tim Tow

The above are just a few of the many who have mentored me along the way – the list goes on and on and the debt I owe to all of you grows and grows.  Unfortunately, to list everyone (and really, there are a lot of you) would make this the Very Longest Blog Post Ever and besides, some of you are bashful.  All kidding aside, please do not feel keeping the list short means that I am not extremely grateful for your insight and guidance.

To all of you – thank you so much for believing in me.  I still cannot believe it myself.