(Warning: shameless self-promotion ahead)
Who am I? Good question. I’m a wife, and I’m a mother. I’m also a SQL Server database developer, Microsoft SQL Server MVP, published author, accomplished presenter, and self-proclaimed scripting junkie.
I have been happily employed at Go Daddy since July 2007. I specialize in performance tuning and high-volume VLDB (very large database) development, although my experience at Go Daddy has also included database automation, operational predictive analytics, and all stages of the data lifecycle—from OLTP to data warehousing.
Aside from my family, SQL Server is my passion. I founded 380PASS, a SQL Server user group in Eastern Iowa. I also organized the first ever SQL Saturday for Iowa and continue to contribute to the annual event. Most recently, I’ve had the priviledge to co-author SQL Server Integration Services Design Patterns with an amazingly-talented group: Andy Leonard, Matt Masson, Tim Mitchell, and Jessica Moss. I frequently presents at user groups, code camps, and conferences—including PASS Summit, the largest SQL Server and Business Intelligence conference in the world.
I do not profess to be an expert. The SQL Server platform is constantly evolving, and there is always more to learn. My goal for this blog is to share some of what I learn—often the hard way!—and my love of scripting. If you learn something new or use one of my scripts, please leave a comment saying so. Some days, comments and coffee are all that keep this blog going! 
As I mentioned before, I’m also a mom. I have two amazing kids: a 2-year old and a 11/11/11 baby. As you can imagine, this has significantly cut into my blogging time! It also means I often look like a zombie at user groups and conferences. So if you happen to see me at one of these events, please come up to me and say “hi.” If you offer me a cup of coffee, I may even hug you. 
Thank you for taking the time to learn a little bit more about me!
@SQLFool
michelle at sqlfool dot com
Michelle, I really appreciate your defgra script. I just found it and you did an awesome job! I have the same desire as Nedrik. I would like to be able to let the script figure out if the next index can be completed within a certain time threshold or otherwise not get started. I work for a large bank and the green windows are strict. If you have an update to this since it was posted in May that would be great.
By the way, I am very interested in your comments about Ola’s defrag script and how it might compare. I would appreciate an expert opinion from you on his complicated script for defragging. Some of your and his scripts have elements that are beyond my current knowledge so I appreciate any insight. thanks!
It looks like I started developing the first website using HTML and notepad in 1997. I remember back I had to use CompuServe with connecting speed at 1600 baud modem in the 90s.
Passion trumps guru any day. I learned classic ASP when Visual Interdev first went gold and wrote the first data-based application in my company using SQL Server 4.2.1. Most of what I needed was packed away in gray matter from working on another platform. I jumped in and never looked back.
20+ years on with SQL server and I am still fascinated by how it works and what I can accomplish. Keep the passion. It is more fun. Guru just gets you called at 2 am.
Michelle, thank you for including me as part of your test group for the ParseString UDF, and this fantastic PROC to defrag anything in it’s site that qualifies by threshold! I – much like you – have a deep passion for anything SQL, but am a bit of a newbie to the role of DBA. I love it!
We have SQL Saturday (on a Friday no-less) out here in the Twin Cities, this coming fall. You should come and it would be awesome to have you speak! I work with Jason Strate of the blog StrateSQL (Twitter @StrateSQL), and we work together both at Digineer, and on the MNSSUG (MNPASS) chapter together.
Michelle –
I am just beginning testing in our Dev environment, but I wanted to thank you before I get too tied up in other things. Thank you for devoting so much time to this script and then sharing with everyone – I hope good karma keeps coming for you.
Best,
Chris
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