Still Waiting

No one in my group has got their exam results yet. Tomorrow will be the two week mark. We're all getting a little antzy.

Little snag on the income tax catch up. Have to get some things sorted out regarding my RRSP contributions. Spoke with RevCan today, this could take a while. Not only do I know there's a problem on the return I just mailed but the dude says it can take 12 weeks to process an old return. Oh well, I might get caught up by the end of 2002.

Books (Finished):
Battle Born - Dale Brown

The Waiting Game

Grrr. I thought waiting for my CISSP exam results would be no problem. Wrong! It just doesn't make sense to apply for more jobs without knowing. I'm also thinking of getting more certifications. In some part, the next cert I go for will depend on whether I'm a CISSP. The problem with this kind of waiting is I don't whether the results are sitting on someone’s desk waiting to be put through the scoring machine or sitting in a mailbag to be delivered tomorrow.

Well, a small piece of hell really has frozen over. My 1996 income tax return is in the mail! My 1997 return is essentially done, too. Now I get to wait for the refund. Just in time for Christmas shopping ... but I want to buy toys for me!!!!

Top Ten Worse Waits
[In no particular order]
1. A stall in a public washroom after eating real spicy food
2. Aspirin/Excedrin/Other Drugs to kick in when something is really, really hurting
3. To fall asleep when you're drunk and almost ready to hurl
4. For the plane to land because the air is stuffy, the seat in front of you has cut of circulation in your legs, and you can't concentrate enough to read.
5. Sex anytime in the first 6 months of a relationship
6. Getting home in traffic in a bad rush hour after a long day
7. Getting to sleep the night before anything fun
8. Waiting for a system to boot after an extreme failure
9. The next volume of your favourite book series
10. Exam results in the mail

Hope springs eternal, maybe tomorrow.

Books (Started):
No Logo - Naomi Klein
Battle Born - Dale Brown

What to do, what to do, what to do!

For those of you who wondered but didn't ask, the certification I wrote the exam for is the Certified Information System Security Professional, CISSP. It's handled by a non-profit called ISC2. The worse part about waiting for the results is not knowing how to approach the job applications!!! Don't really want to mention it if I fail, don't want to stop applying for jobs in the mean time.

The day after the CISSP exam I attended the West Coast Security Forum. Met some old friends and made some new connections. Was definitely worth the effort in spite of having to be at the Hotel Vancouver at 7am! (It takes 45 minutes to get there so I'll leave it to, gentle reader, to do the math on when I had to get up.) Since I didn't have a sponsoring company I volunteered. It was actually better, I met way more people than I would have by simply attending.

Last week was busy week. Hooked up with the crew from the old job; it was fun seeing everyone. Did some work for the City this weekend. Scary how much I remember about VAXen. A friend from White Horse is in town and we got together at something of a going away party for a couple heading to Toronto. Company move, they decided to follow. Given the current job climate probably not a bad idea. Also wound up doing a health check on a potential virus infected computer. Owner and patient are fine. Nearly every other waking moment was spent playing Civ III.

New week, time to pick a new project. So much choice. I'm definitely picking something shorter than 11/12 weeks this time!

If you haven't already, check out today's Penny Arcade. These creatures are real, I've not only seen them, I've killed a number of their bigger computer room kin. They start small and inocent but turn on you real quick. I know, I've started one or two of them myself. Let's keep that between you me.

Books (Finished):
Fatal Terrain - Dale Brown

Ba Da Bing, Ba Da Bang, Ba Da Boom

11 weeks of studying, 5 hours of colouring in little circles and it's done! Well almost, don't get the results for 2 weeks.

Wrote the big security exam today. A 250 question buffet of multiple choice security goodness. This is the "spongiest" exam I've ever written. There were maybe 20 questions where I said, "Yah, that's definitely the answer." For the bulk of the questions I went for the "best" answer, but am not a 100 percent sure it really was. Pass is 70% so I can safely suffer integrity failure on 1 question out of 4.

Except for being really tired mentally, I feel fine. It just feels good to be done.

The best part of this whole thing was the study group. Fate dished up a great crew. Since I started the study group they considered it mine and asked if I offered a money back guarantee. Sure, if they don't pass I'll give them double their money back. Let's see, twice nothing is ..... We had to try really hard to focus on the material during our study group meetings. It got harder as time went on. It's cool that the friendships are out lasting the study group.

This just in, I got my VISA bill with the exam cost today, the same day I wrote the exam. You know what that means, right? It means I got the bill the same day I wrote the exam. Coincidence is like, so coincidental.

Had that job interview last Friday. Yes, they gave me a call. Said they'd get back to me this week. This is the place Cow is working at. Definitely sounds likes a cool place.

On to my exam reward: computer games!!! I bought Civilization III yesterday and have been happily getting my ass kicked by the computer all afternoon. The real score will be Dark Ages of Camelot. Come to me, my precious. On that note, it's time to go. I have to dish out a little payback to Cleopatra.

Books (Finished):
Night of the Hawk - Dale Brown

Cow on Patrol!

Congratulations to Cow, the newest member of Ski Patrol. Please don't tell him they cancelled the snow this year .... just kidding!

Mean While, Back At The Ranch

My exam is a week away. I've been trying to beef up the studying but Sunday my brain went on strike. It tortured me every time I thought of trying to read something technical. I soothed it with the pabulum of the masses: TV. Everything got back to normal, more or less, on Monday. I am continually blown away at some of the great security material on the web. The RCMP Technical Security Branch has some great stuff, so does FEMA and the US Department of Energy (DOE). Some of the reading can be a bit surreal and not really applicable; I don't think I'll need to worry about security for SNM - Special Nuclear Material. But hey, if I encounter any ... I'll run the other way really, really fast.

Damn, acronyms are the enemy. Some of them are acronyms embedded in acronyms. Some of material can get so bad I'm not sure if I'm reading a technical document or Dr. Suess. Then I see there's no rhyme or rhythm so I know it must be a technical document.

Monday was also the last day of my Technical Communications course. To think I almost didn't take it in case I got a job.I'm glad I choose to take the course. Only goes to prove that "bird in the hand" saying. The bad news is I have to update my resume, now. Is there anyone in the world that enjoys working on their own resume? Didn't think so.

Made it to a couple of movies. Monsters, Inc. is a blast, definitely recommend it for a good laugh. Just got back from K-PAX with Kevin Spacey. A nice little movie. Don't go unless you want to think. There's some great movies coming up, too. After the exam I'll be ready!

Books (Started):
Night of the Hawk - Dale Brown

Movies:
Monsters, Inc.
K-PAX

I Win

Yesterday just got better. A great lunch with Cow and Baby Blade and then around 5:30 I get a phone call - I won the in-store prize draw at Indigo!!! Yeah for me! Quite the loot bag, heavy enough for a man but made for a woman. It's quite she-she pooh-pooh but there's some Dale stuff too: A coffee mug, 1 lb of coffee, a chocolate bar. As for the rest ... coming to a Christmas present near you. *grin* My thanks to Heather Reisman and the woman a Indigo who sounds like Debbie Travis. (No, really.) Go, Heather, go, and may the Swartz be with you.

I Love It When a Plan Comes Together

Free stuff is nice when you don't have to sell your soul or kill yourself to get it. A new Indigo opened up and the first 100 people get a free 10% off card, regular price $15. I hate paying for these things, though I buy enough books for it to pay for itself. Getting one for just showing up is more the price I want to pay. When I got there at 10 to 9 it was looking pretty dodgy, the mass of people at the front door may have been more than 100. Some people had started lining up at 8:30. As you can infer from the title, I was on the lower side of 100. Free is good!

Other Plans Ongoing

Heard back on that last interview, they've gone with someone else. Given the challanges of the position a part of me is relieved. However, there's always a part of me that wants an offer, damn it!

So, that leaves the original place from 3 or 4 weeks ago. I got a call from a manager asking if I was still interested. He said to expect a call late this week, early next week. A friend of mine has already gotten his call, so I'm not sure what that means. Interviews are typically set up all at once so I probably haven't made the first list.

Life goes on.

Books (Finished):
Belgarath the Sorcerer - David & Leigh Eddings