Attending the Phoenix Polish Festival 2024...

Attending the 19th Annual Polish Festival

Way back on Saturday, April 13th, 2024, I attended the 19th Annual Polish Festival on the grounds of Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish in Phoenix, AZ.

19th Annual Polish Festival Website

My sister informed me that she was going to attend the 19th Annual Polish Festival. She said that she had always wanted to go. However, in previous years, she said that something always came up at the last minute. After performing a quick internet search I noticed that this year's Polish Festival was being held on April 13th and 14th of this year. My sister said that she was going to go to the Polish Festival on Saturday, April 13th. As a result, I made plans to attend the Polish Festival that day as well.

Getting to the Polish Festival

When Saturday, April 13th, arrived, I made the drive out to Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish. I drove east on Bell Avenue out of Sun City and drove past Highway 101 and the Arrowhead Towne Center shopping area. I made a right turn onto 67th Avenue. After a short distance, I made a left turn on Greenway Road. I was suddenly driving in an area of Glendale, AZ I had never been in before. Suddenly, I could tell that I was officially driving in Phoenix because the City of Phoenix logo was present on all of the road signs on the traffic lights. Once I got to 29th Avenue, I made a left turn and looked for a parking spot at the NAU-North Valley branch campus. From there, the organizers of the Polish Festival had a shuttle van that would drive you over to Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish a short distance away to the south.

Location of Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish

Food and Drink at the Polish Festival

The Polish Festival itself was held on the grounds of Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish. Right in what would be the parking lot. The Polish Festival was organized along the lines of going to Oktoberfest. In order to get food or drinks, you had to purchase tickets from the ticket counter. There were row upon row of tents that offered Polish food. For 22 tickets, I got the combination platter, which consisted of Polish sausage, stuffed cabbage, several pierogies, a large potato pancake, and a couple slices of bread. You could get some food items, such as pierogies or sausage, al a carte. There was even a line for crepes. There were also tents offering Polish-themed desserts. For alcoholic drinks, you had a choice between beer or wine. For beer, there was only one brand of beer offered: Zywiec Pale Lager. Zywiec is pronounced as "Zhi-vietz". Just as an aside, the Zywiec Brewery was founded in 1856 by Archduke Friedrich von Habsburg, a member of the Habsburg Royal Family in Austria-Hungary. Currently, the Zywiec Brewery is owned by the Heineken Group. Zywiec Pale Lager beer is pretty decent. Zywiec is the name of a small town where the brewery was founded. Since it was a H-O-T and SUNNY day, the beer was refreshing.

Zywiec Pale Lager Beer

The Polish Festival Itself

Besides food and drink there were was a tent that offered all kinds of souvenirs (t-shirts, polo shirts, hoodies, baseball caps, scarves, drinking glasses, key chains, etc.) for sale. The tent was doing brisk business. I thought about buying a couple of souvenirs, such as a baseball cap, a scarf, and a replica Polish Men's National Team soccer jersey, but I ultimately changed my mind at the last minute. There were tents for various Polish-American associations and charity groups. Then there were the usual vendors that you would typically see at a public event. There were two large tents with tables and chairs for people to sit and eat. When I got to the Polish Festival, seating was standing room only. The Polish Festival was actually fairly crowded. I was surprised by the large attendance. There were people everywhere. In front of the two large tents, there was a performance stage. The festival organizers brought in dancing troupes from both Tucson and Los Angeles to perform traditional Polish folk dances while wearing Polish folk costumes. Since the temperature had to be at least 90 degrees that afternoon, I am sure that the dancers were hot and sweaty. The disc jockeys even played a Polish song that was quite similar to the "Chicken Dance" song that gets played ad nauseam at Oktoberfest. There was a playground for little kids to play. It shouldn't have been a surprise, but there was a sizable monument to Pope John Paul II, known in Polish as Jan Pawel II. Thinking about it now, I never bothered to go inside the church itself and take a tour. As a result, I didn't get to see any of the artwork, sculptures, or architecture. Incidentally, Czestochowa, Poland is home to the famous Black Madonna of Częstochowa religious artwork, which is housed at the Jasna Góra Monastery. Oh well, as the saying goes, maybe next year.

The Photos

My photos from the Polish Festival are quite disappointing. At the time, I wasn't posting to my blog, so I wasn't taking photos with the idea of posting them to my blog. I noticed that the longer I was at the Polish Festival, the less energy I had. Since I bought so many tickets, I ended up drinking four or five beers. Plus, it was an abnormally hot day for the middle of April and shade was in limited quantity due to large number of people at the festival. Next year, I will take more photos.

Sausage, perogies, stuffed cabbage, potato cake, bread 

Sitting under one of the tents.

View of the performance stage.

People at the Arizona Polish Festival.

View of the performance stage.

People at the Polish Festival.

More people at the Polish Festival.

People arriving and people leaving.

Homemade Kolaczki

In Conclusion

All-in-all, I had a good time at the 19th Annual Polish Festival. I went in with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised. You can show up, get some food, drink a beer or two, and hang out for an hour or two. Take a tour of the church. I recommend that you wear a long-sleeved shirt and a wide-brimmed hat just in case.

New CCNA Certification Guides...

New CCNA Certification Guides

Well, it's official. Cisco Press will be publishing new official certification guides for CCNA 200-301.

I first learned about the new certification guides on my Twitter/X feed.

This was bound to happen as the current versions of the CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide were published in 2020.

According to Cisco Press, the new version of the CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide will be published on July 22, 2024.

As per usual in an update like this, there will be changes in the certification guide because technology is always changing.

I don't think that there will be anything too radical about the material in the new certification guides. I don't think Ethernet cables are going away anytime soon.

Apparently, there will be a section in the textbooks that will cover artificial intelligence (A.I.) simply for the fact that A.I. is all the rage.

One change will involve making the PDF/ePub versions the preferred version of the certification guides. Cisco Press will still publish and sell both volumes of the certification guides in hardcover, however. I suppose the idea is that the authors (Wendell Odom, David Hucaby, and Jason Gooley) can provide embedded links for additional learning material in the electronic versions that they cannot provide in the hardcover versions. Let's face it, there are things you can do with PDF files that you cannot do with the printed page.

Moreover, the new version of the CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide will contain 12 separate exams that feature 1,300 questions. In addition, there will be practice certification exams that you can take using a timer as practice for the official certification exam.

There's bound to be additional changes, improvements, and new features in the new certification guides. I'm sure that more information will be revealed as we get closer to publication date.

Here is a link to Wendell Odom's Certskills website/blog for more information about the new certification guides.

You can also check out Wendell Odom's Twitter/X feed here as weall.

My Current Progress

Right now, I am working my way through the "Network Addressing and Basic Troubleshooting" online class over at the Cisco Networking Academy website. I have just started the training module about IPv6.

In hindsight, when I started taking the free online courses in networking from the Cisco Networking Academy, I probably would have been better off ditching the online courses and restart studying for the CCNA certification exam from square one. On the other hand, I have learned quite a bit about networking since I have started working my way through the online courses. There are trade-offs to be sure. The idea I had was to complete these online courses from Cisco as a way to get my foot in the door for a new IT job.

However, the impending publication of the new certification guides will not stop me from reading my current copies of the CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide. That's for sure.

My personal copy of the CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide

The State of My Blog...

The State of My Blog

For the past few weeks, I have re-discovered my interest in blogging on my blog here at Blogger.

Overall, I am pleased with the results.

However, I know that things could be better with my blog.

Here is an unordered list of things right off the top of my head.

• I NEED to re-write and/or update some posts on already published to my blog.
• I NEED to publish posts to my blog at least once per day.
• I NEED to work on my backlog of posts that I want to publish to my blog.
• I NEED to do a better job at advertising about my blog (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, etc.) IOT increase my audience.
• I NEED to do a better job at planning on what items a new post will contain.
• I NEED to try and incorporate more challenging HTML techniques into my blog.
• I NEED to try to write about local items of interest, such as news items for Glendale, AZ and Peoria, AZ.
• I NEED to get my blog approved for AdSense, so I can make some extra money off of my blog.
• I SHOULD try to write more posts about IT subjects, such as studying for CCNA.

Like I just wrote, that is a list right off the top of my head on things I can do to improve my blog.

Let's face it, it takes time to write and put together a good post. There is a reason why some bloggers spend a large portion of their day trying to come up with a really good post.

I also have some blogging ideas favorited on my Pinterest account. It's been awhile, so I should take a look at those.

It's not easy as I have A LOT of things to do and A LOT of things that I want to do.

It's all about small, incremental progress.

Unfortunately, it's the most frustrating kind.

Going Kayaking with REI (UPDATED)...

Learning to Kayak Class

On Saturday, May 18th, instead of going hiking, I attended the "Learning to Kayak" class given by REI at Lake Pleasant, AZ.

REI Learn to Kayak Class (Source: REI)

This was my third attempt at attending this class. Back in December 2024, I had to cancel my reservation due to an operation at the VA Hospital in downtown Phoenix. I then registered to take the class this past April. A week before the class, I received an email from REI informing me that the class had been cancelled due to low enrollment.

The goal of the class is to teach participants the fundamentals on how to use a kayak. According to REI's website, here are the goals of the class.

• Learn how to launch and stay comfortable in a kayak
• Practice the forward, reverse, and sweep paddle strokes
• Get exposure to the fundamentals of on the water safety

Here is the Gear List for the class.

• Required items to bring:
• Sun Protection - Lip balm, sunscreen, wide-brim hats, etc.
• Water Shoes/Sandals - Foot attire that will protect your feet and is okay to get wet. (e.g. Teva, Chaco, Keen (not flip-flops)
• Synthetic Quick Dry Clothing
• Water Bottle
• Personal Prescription Medications - Including, but not limited to, epinephrine auto-injectors for anaphylactic allergies.
• Optional items to bring:
• Lip Balm/Protection
• Sunglasses
• Wide Brim Hat w/ Retainer - Sun protective and safe in case of wind
• Paddling Gloves
• Waterproof Camera
• Towel - Quick Drying and Lightweight
• Swimwear
• Tip for guides - 10-20% of program price is recommended.
• Items provided by REI:
• Dry Bag
• Group First Aid Kit - Our guides carry a comprehensive first aid kit, but you are welcome to bring any personal first aid-items that you prefer.
• Paddle
• Lifejacket
• Kayak

Getting to Lake Pleasant

The "Learning to Kayak" class was being given at Fireman's Cove at Lake Pleasant.

Fireman's Cove at Lake Pleasant, AZ (Google Earth)

On Google Maps, getting to Fireman's Cove appears to be relatively easy to do. You drive north on Lake Pleasant Parkway, making a left at State Road 74 (Morristown New River Highway). After several miles, you then make a right at N Castle Hot Springs Road and head north. After five or six miles, you then make a right at Castle Creek Drive. You then follow Castle Creek Drive to Fireman's Cove. REI did place signs along the side of the road at N Castle Hot Springs Road and again at Castle Creek Drive. I don't remember seeing a sign for Fireman's Cove, but I did see a large number of people and parked cars near the beach along Castle Creek Drive. I drove into the parking lot and then noticed the white Ford pick-up truck with the REI logo on the side.

I found the right place.

The most difficult part of the drive to Fireman's Cove was the gridlocked traffic that I encountered on the Lake Pleasant Parkway between Highway 303 and State Road 74. At Highway 303, the Lake Pleasant Parkway truncates into one lane going north and one lane going south. Moreover, the Arizona Department of Transportation was also doing roadwork nearby, causing traffic to tangle up. It was literally bumper-to-bumper traffic all the way to State Road 74. Crazy stuff.

Learning to Kayak

The main guide from REI was named Dave. He said that he lived in Mesa, AZ and came from the REI located in Chandler, AZ. He also said that he was originally from Roanoak, VA and had lived in Washington, D.C. and Seattle, WA. He said that he had been a professional guide for several years. The assistant guide from REI was from Tucson, AZ. His name was Simrin. He said that he had been working as a professional guide since January of this year.

The guides brought hard-shell kayaks with them. The kayaks they brought came in two lengths, 12.5 feet and 14 feet. In contrast, when I attended the sunset kayaking class back in April, also at Lake Pleasant, the REI guides brought inflatable kayaks to use. What are the differences? Well, the inflatable kayaks are difficult to control, yet they rarely tip over. For hard-shell kayaks, the longer and narrower the kayak, the faster it will go. I ended up with a 12.5 foot long kayak to use. The 12.5 foot kayak was a little wider than the 14 foot kayak.

The initial topics covered in the class were the different parts of the kayak, how to hold the paddle, and how to get into the kayak. Dave also covered the basic paddle strokes.

After that, we got into the water. The water felt refreshingly cool. It was a sunny, hot day at Lake Pleasant. At 12:00 PM, when the class started, the temperature had to be close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I had trouble signing the release as the table was sizzling hot. Once we got out on the water, you quickly forgot about the heat.

Once we got away from the crowded beach, Dave reviewed the three or four paddle strokes that he had demonstrated on the beach. The entire group spent the next half hour or so practicing the various basic paddle strokes, such as going forward, going backward, and how to turn the kayak to change the direction of travel. As people got more comfortable, the group went past the No Wake buoys and approached the main part of Lake Pleasant. However, we stayed within sight of Fireman's Cove. We encountered waves caused by speed boats passing by. We also experienced having to deal with both the water current and the wind constantly changing direction. It was a challenge.

At around 2:30 PM, Dave asked the group if people wanted to continue kayaking for the next half hour or return to the beach. I wanted to stay out on the water. I guess I was in the minority as the group headed back to the beach. However, there was a twist. We were supposed to try kayaking backwards as far as we could. The wind and current kept taking me off course, so I turned around my kayak and began to paddle forward.

Camera Problems

During the kayaking class, I had ALL KINDS of problems with the camera app on my cell phone. The user interface on my cell phone would freeze. When I tried to open the camera app, I would get a black screen. I also had problems zooming in and out. Then, I would have problems with the waterproof case I kept my cell phone in as I kayaked. As a result, I didn't take many photos during the class. I know, it's time to seriously consider getting a new cell phone. While I am thinking about it, it's probably time to see if I can find a new waterproof case for my cell phone.

Anyway, here are the photographs that I took as disappointing as they are.

REI Trailer Truck

REI guide Simrin loading kayaks from the morning class.

Desert Breeze Kayaking Tours

View of Fireman's Cove 1

View of Fireman's Cove 2

View of Fireman's Cove 3

View of Fireman's Cove 4

In Conclusion

Was the "Learning to Kayak" class worth the $119 (for REI members) that I paid? Yes, it was. The two guides, Dave and Simrin, were great. They were friendly, approachable, and good at explaining the subtle techniques of learning to kayak. Dave was especially fun as he had lived in the Washington, D.C. area for several years and had been to Baltimore several times. He even agreed with me that the Phoenix metropolitan area DESPERATELY needs a subway. Anyway, given my previous kayaking trips along the Potomac and Monocacy Rivers, the "Learning to Kayak" class was a really good refresher on the basics. If you haven't been kayaking before, then I would highly recommend taking the class. As it just so happened, there is a kayak rental place at Fireman's Cove called Desert Breeze Kayaking Tours. Definitely a place worth checking out.

Interesting Graphic from Cisco Networking Academy...

Interesting Graphic from Cisco Networking Academy

On Thursday afternoon, I found this interesting graphic posted by Cisco Networking Academy in my LinkedIn feed.

Skills Required in Different IT Specialties

Some Background

Ever since I decided to go into information technology (IT), I have been overwhelmed with all of the various certifications that are out there. After I earned my CompTIA A+ certification a couple of years ago, I tried to study for CompTIA's Network+ certification. It was an ABSOLUTE, COMPLETE, and TOTAL mess!!! Trying to study for the Network+ certification was like trying to study for three or four separate IT certifications at the same time. Let's see, for the Network+ certification, you needed to know about configuring routers and switches, how to configure servers with Microsoft Server, how to use Microsoft Active Directory, and how to use a network monitoring program like Wireshark. The Official CompTIA Network+ study guide that I was following along with used Microsoft's now-defunct Network Monitor program. I even paid $700 to CompTIA for online exercises for Network+ that were WORTHLESS. Ironically, for a certification that was supposed to be vendor neutral, everything about routers and switches was about Cisco routers and switches. Not a single mention about routers and switches from other vendors, such as Palo Alto Networks or Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

As a result, I became HIGHLY DISCOURAGED with studying for Network+. A co-worker at the Tier 1 IT help desk at the Social Security Administration suggested that I give studying for CCNA a try.

Studying for CCNA

At first, studying for CCNA was a breeze compared to studying for Network+. The study guides for CCNA focused exclusively on Cisco routers and switches. Before I got really busy with work, I made slow, steady progress through the first ten chapters in the first CCNA study guide. Perhaps more importantly, the author of the CCNA 200-301 Official Study Guide, Wendell Odom, had a section about career planning in IT. It was an intriguing read. You can read the series of posts about career planning for those going into IT here. I read each post and actually wrote down some ideas on what I wanted to do with IT. Like I wrote earlier, I had a span of time where I got really busy with my job. I put aside studying for CCNA. I put aside my nascent attempts at some kind of career planning.

After moving from Maryland back to Arizona after 13 years, I have restarted studying for networking. Instead of studying for CCNA directly, I made the decision to work my way through the online networking classes available from the Cisco Networking Academy. My original intent was to complete the online networking classes as a way to establish a foundation in networking PRIOR to making another attempt at studying for CCNA. Another factor for studying the online networking classes was that it became rather apparent to me that I needed to add some IT certifications on my resume IOT get out of working at a Tier 1 IT help desk.

Skills Required in Different IT Specialities

Getting back to the interesting graphic from the Cisco Networking Academy that just randomly appeared in my LinkedIn feed, I was immediately intrigued when I saw it. The graphic gave recommendations on what subjects to study for four different IT specialties. Want to be a software engineer? Then you need to study Python, C++, Java, and Scala. In other words, you will want to study the major programming languages. Want to be a web developer? Then you need to study HTML 5, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP. Again, you need to know how to use the most popular applications. Want to go into computer networking? Then it gets tricky. The graphic recommends that you study networking (preferably CCNA), have an analytical mind (for problem solving), have communication skills (for communicating with non-technical customers), and be able to read and understand reams of documentation (researching an answer is a valuable skill). Let's see, I have really good communication skills. I can simplify complex subjects for non-technical people to understand. For the analytical mind piece, I already worked as an intelligence analyst for the Army for almost nine years. All I need is that CCNA certification. Want to work in cyber security? Cisco recommends knowing how to use the Linux operating system, know about computer networking (again, CCNA), know how to program (Python), and have an analytical mind. In addition to computer networking, cyber security is also a field that interests me. For whatever reason, I cannot tell you why I never got around to studying for, say, CompTIA's Security+ certification for cyber security. Cisco also has its own cyber security certification. For Linux, I have played around with Ubuntu on a previous Dell laptop. When I had to buy a new Dell laptop back in November, I wanted to install either Debian or OpenSUSE. Unfortunately, my brand new Dell laptop doesn't have enough memory to do so. Currently, I am learining about computer networking. I have tried to learn how to program in Python on previous occasions. I need to try again, but make it my only focus. Lastly, for the analytical mind piece, I worked as an intelligence analyst for the Army.

In Conclusion

The graphic from Cisco gives me a guide on what to study for CCNA. That said, I also should get certified in Microsoft Windows Server and Microsoft Azure, for example. On their own, those two certifications will add punch to my resume. From what I have seen, those are the certifications that get noticed on a resume. There is always a demand for those certifications. When I complete my last CCST online course, I just might move over to studying Microsoft Windows Server and Azure. We'll see. Another possible option would be to find a location in Peoria, in Glendale, in Surprise, or in northern Phoenix that offers in-class learning for CCNA. With the new CCNA study guides coming out soon, that might be the way to go. On LinkedIn Learning, I found what appears to be a really good class on the Python programming language. I just might give that a try. Again, knowing how to program in Python is a good thing to have on your resume. Unfortunately, there are only so many hours in a day.

Attending the Electrify Expo, Part 2...

Second Half of the Electrify Expo

This is my second post about attending the Electrify Expo at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ on Sunday, May 5th.

If you want to read my first post about the Electrify Expo, then click on this link. I also posted quite a few photographs that I took of the event.

This post will focus on what I saw after I left the main exhibition area.

Celsius Energy Drink

After looking around the exhibition booth for Nikola Motor, I picked up a complimentary can of Celsius Energy Drink. The can was ice-cold. The temperature was above 90 degrees, so it hit the spot. I don't remember what flavor I drank.

Modifications and Customizations

The next exhibits of the Electrify Expo consisted of vendors that would customize or modify your EV, such as new tires, custom paint jobs, custom parts, and various other methods to modify your EV. For me, the exhibits became interesting when I came across a vendor that were selling customizable camping tents that mounted on the back of a Rivian pick-up truck. That was interesting to see. I knew that Rivian on their website also offers a camping tent that you can attach to your pick-up truck. Not too sure if they were the same product, however. There was even tubing that you could run from the air conditioner to the camping tent for heating or cooling. There was a vendor that was selling an all-electric camping trailer. Another vendor was even selling an entire field kitchen that could be powered by your EV.

Here are some photos that I took.

E-Bikes and E-Scooters

The next section of the Electrify Expo consisted of all of the electric bike (E-bike) and electric scooter (E-scooter) vendors. From what I saw, the price range for an E-bike ran from as low as $2,000 to as high as $9,000. I have to admit that I am not too interested in E-bikes, yet I can see where having one could be useful, such as riding up a steep hill.

E-Bikes by Soul

The Heritage at Sportsman's Park

All of this walking around made me really hungry, so I was happy when I came across The Heritage at Sportsman's Park. I had never heard of The Heritage at Sportsman's Park before. It was really nice. The Heritage at Sportsman's Park is a three-story structure. The ground floor has a kitchen where you can order food and drinks. The second and third floors have several large flat-screen TVs and tables and chairs. I think the third floor has a bar. Basically, The Heritage at Sportsman's Park is a restaurant, a sports bar, and a nightclub in a relatively small three-story building. Apparently, you can even rent out the place for weddings or corporate parties. It's nice. I ordered a Sonoran hot dog with an iced tea. It was pretty good, but pricey at $18.

Sonoran Hot Dog at The Heritage at Sportsman's Park

Outdoor dining at The Heritage at Sportsman's Park

Testing Out EVs

After eating my Sonoran hot dog, I followed the crowd to the next section of the Electrify Expo. In the third section of the Electrify Expo, the organizers set up a couple of racing tracks for trying out EVs. On one track, you could check out an E-bike or an E-scooter and ride for a couple of laps. On a second track, Ford Motors set up a small test track where people could ride as passengers as a professional test driver drove a Ford Mustang EV. BMW and Kia had a similar set-up for their EVs. I think that Tesla was letting spectators ride as passengers as professional test drivers drove on the streets around State Farm Stadium. I didn't try riding an E-bike or ride shotgun on an EV. Again, these companies wanted your personal information for marketing purposes. The companies were also trying to screen for potential buyers. I was content with watching other people. The problems with the racing track area were that shade was in short supply and there wasn't anything available to drink.

In Conclusion

I had a good time at the Electrify Expo. It was DEFINITELY worth the $20 I paid for a ticket. If you are curious about electric vehicles, then I RECOMMEND that you visit the Electrify Expo. Just as a disclaimer, I do own stock in Tesla, Lucid, Rivian, Nio, and Xpeng. Do I own an electric vehicle? No, I do not. I am still driving my 2010 Nissan Maxima that I bought with money I earned from working in Afghanistan. However, my car is rapidly approaching the 100,000 mile mark.