Wednesday, May 13, 2015
So it’s been a little while since I’ve been able to post
anything lately, but rest assured, I am alive, and the blog lives with me. However, it is with some pleasure that I must
say that I have been quite active in my absence. Things have been quite crazy
lately (when are they not), but for once it seems this may not be a bad thing.
I
mentioned in a previous post that I would be pursuing a B.A./B.S in Computer
Science at UNCC. Well that has not
changed, though my ideas of what I may be majoring in have. Change can be a good thing, or it can be bad. This is one of the better times it
seems. Programming has always been
something I have loved, but there is something else I have always loved in the
way of computers and the science thereof: cyber security. In other words, I want to be a hacker.
Now
this needs some clarification. “Hacker”
has gained a negative connotation over the years, especially lately with the
recent hacks of so many major corporations, but the one thing you have to take
into account is that as with people, there are different kinds of hackers. There are the “black hats”: the “bad guys” so
to speak, these are the people who are associated with crime of all sorts
ranging from stealing sensitive data to general identity theft and anything
between or beyond. Then you have the “white hats”, and this is what I’m going
for. White hats are the unseen, unsung heroes that give us the life and
security we enjoy every day, often times without even realizing it. Just think about how many people try to hack
your information and are blocked by a firewall or some other sort of defense.
On behalf of white hats everywhere, you’re welcome.
To this
end, I have filled out the FAFSA in hopes of some form of financial aid for
school, and with my next check I will be paying off my last debt that holds me
back from applying. With any luck, I may
just be able to start next semester. There are many other changes that must
happen for it to work out, but those will come later, and will be revealed as
they occur.
Also in a previous post, I mentioned how I was
running a fundraiser to raise some money for school. Well, this has also
changed somewhat, again for the better. I realized it may be a little
unrealistic to raise over $2,000 through crowdfunding, so I have taken a
different approach. I set the goal for
$400 instead, and this is not for school, but it is still relevant to my
education.
I have
recently discovered the necessity of having my A+ certification. I have been told numerous times that with
this certification I would be able to get a job in the field with no problem
whatsoever. The certification consists of two exams, both $200 a piece. So in
addition to trying to raise the funding for the actual exams, I have taken it
upon myself to learn as much about this certification as I possibly can. It just so happens that thanks to a Twitter
post, I got really lucky.
I found
a site that offers all of the training for the A+ certification for free. www.Cybrary.it
has a series of videos for various certifications. You can read the story on their site, but
their basic mission is to make it easier for people to break into the IT field,
as well as to transition within the field. The IT sector is easily the fastest
growing field in the world right now, and the only one with a negative
unemployment rate. I’m not kidding. Go look it up. If jobs in IT were stock,
this would be the time to buy. But it’s
also the most expensive to get any type of training for, which provides a huge
hurtle for anyone trying to get in or change directions in the field.
So
thanks to Cybrary.it, I have been able to learn more than I already knew about
computers, involving every aspect of hardware inside of a typical computer
(motherboard, CPU, ram, etc.), as well as cord types and wirings, and also
network topologies. And that’s just what I have learned for the first exam so
far; there’s still a bit more to go. In
addition, they also offer free or low cost study materials on the site through
partner vendors, which helps keep the site running since it is ad/donation
based revenue. I completely support
these people in what they are doing, and if I had a mountain top to scream
from, I would scream my lungs out about Cybrary.
As a
last note, just for the record and to keep you in the loop in case you are
curious, I have an update on the fundraiser.
To date, I have raised a total of $70, which is more than I expected, so
I’m pretty psyched. I had quite a few
friends and family getting in on the fun of watching my hair change colors, and
my favorite vape store, Outer Banks Vape Shoppe (check out their Facebook page),
even decided to throw in a little donation for the fun.
My next
step is to host a yard sale to see if I can get a little closer to the goal. I have quite a few things around the house
collecting dust, so if I can get a few dollars for it and give it to someone
who will actually use it, then it’s the best of both worlds. The yard sale will be at the end of May, so
you can message me on Facebook for location and times if you are
interested.
I will
leave you with one final thought.
Whenever anyone tells you that you can’t do it, or you aren’t worth it,
remember this quote. Every time someone
wrongs you, beats you down, and tries to hold you back, just let this ring in
your mind, because it’s true. “The best
revenge is massive success.” –Frank Sinatra.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
