New Cisco Network Academy Online Course...

This morning, I decided to go ahead and start the next networking class over at the Cisco Netowrking Academy website.

The name of the online course is "Network Addressing and Basic Troubleshooting".

Compared to the previous two courses that I have completed at the Cisco Networking Academy, this course will not take as long to complete all modules and the final exam.

I am also seriously considering re-reading Volume 1 of the CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide.

The first couple of chapters cover topics relating to theory, such as the five-layer OSI model, before going in-depth into the Cisco IOS.

In fact, the "Network Addressing and Basic Troubleshooting" online course covers the Physical Layer of the OSI model, including topics such as copper Ethernet cables, wireless, fiber optic cables, and so on.

Heck, I just might go down to my local Home Depot (in Peoria, Surprise, or Phoenix) and purchase some Klein computer networking tools, a length of Ethernet cable, and some RJ-45 cable connectors. It would be a good exercise to try and create my own crossover Ethernet cables.

Another item to consider is to purchase one of those home networking kits for CCNA study that contains a couple of switches, a router, and a rack. However, that's for another post.

Even more fun would be to create my own server. That's a different kettle of fish entirely.

New Cisco Certifications...

Since I moved from Catonsville, MD to Maricopa County, AZ this past November, I have been working on online computer networking courses available over at Cisco Networking Academy.

So far, I have been taking courses for the Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) certification in Networking.

There are four online courses for the CCST in Networking:

• Networking Basics
• Networking Devices and Initial Configuration
• Network Addressing and Basic Troubleshooting
• Network Support and Security

Thus far, I have completed the courses for "Networking Basics" and "Networking Devices and Initial Configuration".

My current goal is to complete the courses for "Network Addressing and Basic Troubleshooting" and "Network Support and Security", so that I can then take the certification exam for CCST in Networking.

This sounds good and all (on paper), but there is a problem.

Prior to taking these online courses, I was attempting to study for Cisco's much in-demand CCNA certification.

I emphasize "attempting" because I was working the 12:30 PM to 9:00 PM shift for my Tier 1 IT help desk position at the Social Security Administration in Woodlawn, MD.

That job was like being on a runaway freight train. Every day was just crisis after crisis after crisis.

Plus, real life also tended to happen.

As a result, my progress with studying for CCNA was slow and meandering. It was quite frustrating.

On the plus side, the Pearson Vue Network Simulator tool was a joy to work with. I learned a lot on how to use Cisco's command line interface to configure switches.

Getting back to the CCST in Networking...

The online courses at the Cisco Networking Academy involve a lot of time and effort to complete.

I am taking exhaustive notes on all of the information presented in each module for each course.

However, I can honestly say that I know more about subjects like Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) and TCP/UDP than I did when I studied for CCNA.

Due to the two online courses that I have completed, I can also say that I am much better at using Packet Tracer than I was when I studied for CCNA.

Here is my main criticism about Cisco Networking Academy: In the time I spent on the "Networking Basics" and "Networking Devices and Initial Configuration" courses, I could have used that time to study for CCNA.

On the other hand, what intrigued me about getting the CCST in Networking certification was that I was looking for a way to get my foot in the door of networking.

Should I continue on and complete the final two courses for the CCST in Networking or should I just re-start studying for CCNA?

That is the question.

Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any easy answers.

It would be interesting to read other people's experiences.

Coming Back to My Blog...

Well, it has been a

L-O-N-G

time since I have posted anything on my blog here at Blogger.

The fact is that I completely forgot about my blog here at Blogger.

The fact is that I got overwhelmed with work and the long list of things that I was doing at the time.

It's par for the course, actually.

I make all sorts of plans on what I want to do. I can come up with a list of goals that I want to achieve.

Those aren't a problem.

Then, I get overwhelmed. I get distracted. Then life happens.

Then, I get bored and/or discouraged because I haven't met any of the goals that I have set for myself.

It happens.

Some people think that I have Adult-ADHD.

It's quite possible and would explain A LOT.

Anyway, so why did I come back to my dormant and forgotten blog here at Blogger?

Well, when I recently went hiking two weeks ago, I took 68 photographs. While going through the photos on my Dell laptop, I got overwhelmed with trying to decide what photos I was going to post to Facebook for people to see.

I suppose that I could have just posted 12 random photos from the 68 photos to Facebook and then moved on to something else.

For me, it's not that easy. When I make a post to Facebook, I make a post. In fact, it's more than a post. It's probably closer to an essay.

After considering opening an account at Flickr, I remembered about my blog here at Blogger.

I can make a long post about going on a hike, add a map, and upload as many photos as I want.

I can do the same thing when I go for a bike ride.

Plus, I can then write posts about other subjects and things that I am doing.

Believe me, there is A LOT that I want to do and achieve.

Plus, I get to rediscover how to write in HTML. ;-)

Stay tuned for updates.

Too Busy to Blog...

It's Been Awhile...

It has been A LONG TIME since the last post on my blog here at Blogger.

I have been really busy. Probably too busy.

In no particular order, here is a sample of what I have been working.

• I have recently downloaded and installed Ubuntu Linux 22.10 onto my Dell laptop. All of a sudden, it seems important for me to learn how to use Linux. When I started my IT help desk job at SSA, I had installed Ubuntu 16 or 18 (I don't remember which version.) onto my laptop. Since we take phone calls exclusively on Windows, it seemed a good idea to put Linux to the side.
• I am slowly reading the classic science fiction future history Last and First Men by British writer Olaf Stapleton.
• I purchased and downloaded a copy of Pearson Vue's Network Simulator for use with studying for CCNA.
• I also started a foreign language class on Rosetta Stone. I am planning on making a long overdue trip to my favorite city.
• I'm planning on moving back to Arizona. There's no definite plans as of yet, but I need to start planning.
• I am getting increasingly bored with my IT Tier 1 help desk job at SSA.
• I started creating a Bullet Journal. It's been really difficult, but I am willing to try it.
• I keep getting CRUSHED by my computer opponent when I play a game of Go. I am using a 19 x 19 grid board. It is a completely different game from using a 9 x 9 or 13 x 13 grid boards. I am using the computer program The Many Faces of Go.
• I am slowly making my way through my watchlists on Tubi and Rakuten Viki. Since that I have discovered that I can watch Tencent's adaptation of the science fiction novel The Three Body Problem, has completely disrupted what I want to watch.

With all of that going on, I'm still trying to finish up my post about the Yellow Magic Orchestra. It has gotten out of control. What was supposed to be a short, informational post about the song "Seoul Music" has rapidly morphed into a rather complex undertaking.

Besides that post, I have a list of additional posts that I would like to write about that are clogging up the pipeline of posts.

Unfortunately, there are only so many hours in a day.

That's it for now. I will try to write another post soon.

GIMP and My First Cyberpunk Aesthetic Photo

Purple-and-Blue Cyberpunk Photos

Several days ago, while aimlessly looking for cyberpunk-themed concept art on the internet, I had an idea.

The idea was to download random nighttime photographs of, say, Hong Kong and see if I do could do it.

I suppose that the purple-and-blue toned photographs of the Shibuya area in Tokyo are a new visual cliche. Just like all of the AI-generated art that now litters the internet. Perform a simple image search for the key words cyberpunk aesthetic, and you should receive numerous search results.

Despite being a visual cliche, I really like the style of this kind of photograph. I cannot deny it.

My initial thought was to look for an app that I could use on my phone. After a short internet search, I found the YouCam Perfect app. Right on their website was the article on how to use their app to make cyberpunk photos. I even recognized the photo that is used as an example, a nighttime photo of one lane street in Seoul. I searched Google Play and there it was, the YouCam Perfect app. I was just about ready to download the app onto my LG Stylo 6 cell phone when...

I hesitated in downloading the app.

Why did I do that?

The answer is simple: I already have a copy of GIMP installed on my computer.

What is GIMP and Why Should I care?

GIMP stands for the GNU Image Manipulation Program.

A couple of years ago, I installed Ubuntu Linux onto my trusty Dell laptop. At the time, I was really curious about Linux. As a result, I bought a magazine from my local Barnes and Noble bookstore that taught you how to install Ubuntu onto your computer, how to download programs, and how to issue simple commands in Linux. In the magazine, there was a section about what programs are available for people who use Ubuntu Linux. GIMP was near the top of the list. Think of GIMP as the open-source version of Adobe's Photoshop. Basically, you had a group of programmers that created their own version of Adobe Photoshop. For copyright reasons, GIMP is not an exact duplicate of Photoshop, yet GIMP has many of the same features and options of Photoshop. Like most programs available for Linux users, GIMP is available for free at GIMP's own website. You can also make a donation to the people that are involved with creating and updating GIMP. It should be noted that GIMP is also available for Windows 10 users as well.

Unfortunately, my brief flirtation with Ubuntu Linux didn't last very long. My IT help desk job at SSA is entirely Windows-centric. As a result, I made the decision to concentrate on learning about Windows for work. Consequently, I downloaded the Windows version of GIMP onto my computer. It should be noted that GIMP is a complex program to use. There is a short tutorial available on GIMP, but it covers probably less than 1% of what you can do with GIMP. Plus, until I started to go hiking over this past summer, I was really bad at not taking any photos, so GIMP just sat there taking up space on my computer's hard drive.

Anyhow, I figured that someone out there on the internet created a tutorial on how to create the "cyberpunk aesthetic" on photos using GIMP. Lo and behold, there were several tutorials available on how to do just that over on YouTube. The tutorial that I used is titled "Synthwave Style Photo Editing" by a YouTuber named GuruGal. At just five minutes, the tutorial is short, sweet, and to the point. In the tutorial, she takes a nighttime photo of a street in New York City and makes several basic adjustments to the colors of the photo, such as emphasizing cool colors (cyan and magenta) over warm colors (yellow and green). After a couple of minutes, she has a photo that looks just as good as you can do with the YouCam Perfect app. The difference between the two techniques is that the YouCam Perfect app is using an algorithm to make the adjustments to the photo, while GuruGal is adjusting the colors until she gets a visual result that she is happy with. The YouCam Perfect app appears to be a simple app that is easy to use with various modes to choose from. You choose what tool you want to use on a photo, and you should get pretty good results in a small amount of time. In contrast, using a photo editor like GIMP (or Photoshop) will give you control over just about every facet of the image until you get a result that you like. For some people, you might not want all of the options and complexity that comes with a photo editor like GIMP or Photoshop. You just want to put elephant ears on a photo of a friend at party, then YouCam Perfect is probably what you would want to use.

It should be noted that there are longer tutorials available on YouTube for creating "cyberpunk aesthetic" photos with GIMP. At some point, I plan on taking a look at those. On a side note, GuruGal has quite a few GIMP tutorials on her YouTube page. I really should work my way through her GIMP tutorials bit-by-bit.

Anyhow, getting back to GuruGal's "Synthwave Style Photo Editing" tutorial, I searched the internet for a random photo of a nighttime street scene in Hong Kong.

 

Studying for CCNA and the Pearson Vue Network Simulator...

I'm still studying for CCNA.

Right now, I at Chapter 7 Configuring and Verifying Switch Interfaces in the Official Cert Guide CCNA 200-301 Volume 1 by Wendell Odom.

In addition to that, I have also been making my through the Packet Tracer exercises, known as Config Labs, for Chapters 6 and 7 that are available on Wendell Odom's own Cert Skills website. For the Config Labs, you can work through the exercises using a piece of paper and a pen, Cisco's Packet Tracer, or Cisco's own Cisco Modeling Labs.

Using Config Labs...

Since the Config Labs were designed to be used with just a pen or pencil and a piece of paper, most of the labs that I have worked through really don't require using Packet Tracer or Modeling Labs. So far, the Config Labs involve tasks like setting up passwords for access to the switch and inputting the commands required for setting up the switch for use. So, yes, all you really need is just a pen and a piece of paper. Plus, the Config Labs require a lot page flipping through the textbook.

Using Packet Tracer...

Since I tried working through Cisco's online class for using Packet Tracer when I was studying for CompTIA's Network+ certification, I already had Packet Tracer downloaded and installed on my computer. According to several sources on the internet, Packet Tracer is a really good tool for studying for the CCNA certification exam. The caveat with for Packet Tracer is that there are parts of the CCNA certification exam that you cannot do with Packet Tracer. That said, I do have a former co-worker at SSA who told me that he was able to pass the CCNA exam using just Packet Tracer. As a result of working through the Config Labs, I know more about Cisco's IOS that I did when I started studying for CCNA.

Thinking about using Cisco's Modeling Labs...

I must say that Cisco's Modeling Labs does look really interesting. Cisco's Modeling Labs apparently gives the user a nearly identical experience as if you had physical netowrking equipment right in front of you. Whereas Packet Tracer is a free download, a license for personal use of Cisco Modeling Labs costs $199. However, that $199 for a license from Cisco is A LOT more affordable than buying one of those CCNA exam kits that includes a router and a couple of switches among other equipment. For example, my current apartment is 550 square feet. I don't have any room in my tiny apartment to have a rack of Cisco networking equipment for learing.

Using Pearson Vue's Network Simulator Lite...

On top of that, I have been steadily working my way through the exercises available on the free version of Pearson Vue's CCNA 200-301 Network Simulator Lite, Volume 1. So far, my experience with using Pearson Vue's network simulator has been quite positive. On the labs that I have worked through, Pearson Vue guides you a helping hand by telling you what you need to type into the switch's command line interface. In other words, Pearson Vue's Network Simulator Lite focuses on learning by doing. Thus far, I would say that is probably the best way to learn how to set up a switch for use. According to the Introduction in the Official Cert Guide CCNA 200-301 Volume 1, many people have successfully passed the CCNA certification exam just using Network Simulator Lite for study.

However, there is just one caveat for using Pearson Vue's Network Simulator Lite. The caveat is that the Network Simulator Lite contains ONLY 21 labs. If you want the other 380 labs, then you will have buy the remaining labs from Pearson Vue. The list price for Network Simulator Lite is at least $150. However, Pearson Vue will cut down the price quite a bit if you use the Network Simulator Lite that comes with Official Cert Guide CCNA 200-301 Volume 1.

Final Thoughts...

For now, I will be working my way through the exercises available on Wendell Odom's CertSkills blog with Packet Tracer. Once I get through 21 free labs for Pearson Vue's Network Simulator Lite, I will probably end up purchasing the remaining labs. One thing that I recently did was search through YouTube for Packet Tracer exercises for the CCNA certification exam. I found Keith Barker's 26 video series for Packet Tracker and the CCNA certification exam. That was a really interesting find. I'm planning on watching the first video in the series as soon as I can.

Looking For a New IT Job...

Returning to Phoenix, AZ...

Over the Christmas and New Year's Eve holiday period, I travelled from Baltimore to Phoenix, Arizona. It was my first time back in Arizona since the 2010-2013 time frame. It was like visiting Phoenix for the very first time. Moreover, it was the first time that I have seen my mother since she visited Baltimore in March 2018. It was my first time seeing my sister, her husband, and their children in nearly 10 years or so. I used to have an aunt and uncle that lived in Gaithersburg, MD. Once my uncle retired from working at the National Institute of Health, my aunt and uncle sold their home and moved to Florida.

While visiting Phoenix, I started to take a look at what IT jobs are available as well as places to live.

I suppose that the big allure for being in the Phoenix area is to be close to family. Here in Baltimore, I don't have any family. In addition, I don't have any friends outside of work. The only people that I have seen consistantly over the past five years have been all of the doctors I have visited in both Columbia, MD and at the VA Hospital in Baltimore. I lived for one year in Columbia, MD, and I can honestly say that I don't have any friends their either.

On the other hand, I rather enjoyed my two visits with Dr Evan Chung, a chiropractor here in Catonsville, MD. During my first visit with Dr Evan Chung, I discovered that we both the opening night celebration of the 2002 World Cup in Seoul, South Korea.

During the summer of 2016, I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma for the second time in two years. For the next five years, I went to Maryland Oncology Hematology and American Radiology in Columbia, Advanced Radiology in Ellicott City, the VA Hospital in downtown Baltimore, and the VA Counselling Center up in Pikesville. I have visited so many doctors' offices over the past five years that I need a moratorium or sabbatical. However, I do like going to the chiropractor.

While going through chemotherapy for the second time, there were times when having a family member available to pick me up would have been convenient, such as when I had to go in for a bone marrow biopsy. Boy, did that really did hurt.

Let's face it, my IT help desk job at the Social Security Administration isn't exactly conducive for meeting people. Since I work at the IT help desk, my job is to sit at a desk inside an office cubicle and answer phone calls non-stop for eight hours a day no matter how ridiculous the problems are.

In all honesty, I also had trouble meeting people when I lived in Reston, VA, outside of Washington, D.C., for four years. I was one of the few people at my workplace that ACTUALLY lived in Reston. I could never figure out the social scene at Reston Town Center. Since I didn't work AND live at Reston Town Center, I was an outsider.

Looking for a New IT Job...

Since I am not happy with my current job, I am starting to look for a new IT job.

My initial thought was to look for a new IT job in the Baltimore area. There is A LOT of competition in Baltimore for the IT jobs that are available. A couple of years ago, I applied to an IT job in Timonium/Cockeysville/Hunt Valley, thinking that I was a good match for the job. I was dismayed when I discovered that 200 people applied to that one job.

Since I don't have a Top Secret security clearance with a current full scope polygraph, pursuing a help desk job at Fort Meade is just a waste of time. Furthermore, I no longer have a Top Secret clearance. It's hard to believe that it has been nearly 10 years when I discovered that I no longer have a Top Secret clearance. When I do get a job offer that requires a Top Secret clearance from, say, a recruiter on LinkedIn, I just DELETE the email without any further thought. As far as I'm concerned,

As a result of not having a Top Secret security clearance anymore, my whole life has changed.

Getting back to Phoenix...

Let's face it, there are TONS of IT jobs in Maricopa County in general and in Phoenix in particular. I'm sure that some are good and some are bad. After performing a quick search for IT jobs in Phoenix on Google, it became abundantly clear that I need to figure out some method to sort out the wheat from the chaff.

Earlier this week, I went through the job openings available on USAjobs.gov, looking for any IT jobs with the Federal government in Maricopa County. There wasn't a whole lot to choose from. The only IT job openings were with the IRS with job openings located in Phoenix, Chandler, Gilbert, and Glendale. One of the IT jobs with the IRS involved getting hired at a low level, such as at GS-7, for example. Once hired, you would then be mentored to advance to a higher GS level for that job. Would I apply for that job? I probably should. Regardless of what one thinks about the IRS, that job opening is an opportunity.

On the other hand, the job openings at USAjobs.gov are feast or famine. One week, there are all kinds of job openings. Then on the following week, there's not a whole lot to even consider applying for. Recently on USAjobs.gov, I did find two GS-12 IT job vacancies at Camp Humphreys near Pyeongtaek, South Korea. Those two jobs were the kind of jobs that I wish I had both the necessary job experience and IT certifications. Make no mistake, I would return to South Korea AT THE DROP OF A HAT.

Another attraction for moving to Phoenix is that the cost of living is a lot lower that it is here in Maryland. For example, the monthly rent for my 550 square foot apartment in Catonsville costs a little more that $1,000. Each year, the rent for my apartment keeps going up even though I don't live in a fancy apartment complex. There's no weight room. There's no pool. It's not close to the Inner Harbor.

The Most Probable Scenario...

The most probable scenario for me would probably be to quit my job at SSA. I'm a contractor, so I won't be missed a whole lot. I would need to clean out my storage unit in Herndon, VA, pack everything up, and move back to Arizona. I suppose I could drive a U-Haul truck with my belongings back to Arizona. An option to consider would be to have my car shipped to Phoenix. You DO NOT want to be without a car in Phoenix.

Once there, I could see living at my mother's house in Sun City and work at a temporary IT position, while I search for a permanent IT job and a new place to live.

One item that will help tremendously in my search for a new IT job would be to pass the exam for Cisco's CCNA certification.

The demand for the A+ certification from CompTIA is really low. Everyone wants workers with the newest IT certifications.