Relational databases - there has to be more right?

Question

I really enjoy database design and the whole concept of managing data semantically and all the logic that comes with it.

My knowledge level when it comes to databases is

Answer 1

There is only one rigorous technique for conceptually modeling a relational database schema that I know of (and I've spent a lot of time looking). It's confusingly named "Object-Role Modeling". Here are a couple references.

http://www.agilemodeling.com/artifacts/ormDiagram.htm

http://www.tdan.com/view-articles/5033

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object_role_modeling

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NORMA

and here's a plugin for Visual Studio