So, now that I travel quite a bit here are the airports I frequent and what I generally think of them.  I am, erm, "inspired" to write about them because I am currently sitting in one.  Here they are, in no particular order.  As you know, if you have read my blog with any regularity, I find airports, as a rule, very depressing places.  However, many of them have tried to take the edge off of a painful process.

And I'm really not sorry if this bores you.  It's my blog, after all.

Phoenix -- This is a really nice airport, amenity-wise.  It has interesting shops and some good food choices, like Paradise Bakery (Arizona's Panera Bread). Bag claim isn't terrible, but it isn't the quickest I've ever done, either.  Plenty of moving walkways, and I once met a guy who played shortstop for the Rivercats there.  He was running one of those people movers (I didn't ask).  He did have his PCS championship ring, which was far more impressive than I expected.  The Southwest terminal is split into two wings, with different security lines for each one.  This really helps cut down on the line as this airport is pretty busy.  Rental cars have their own mega-facility, and it is easy to navigate and easy access to AZ freeways.

LAX -- Where I am currently.  This airport is the pit of despair.  The security line at the terminal is right at the door, so you are often in a line outside sucking on car and bus fumes.  The colors are all grey and depressing...it really feels like a detention area or some sort of movie-like immigration processing area.  There are very few amenities and the actual security line always takes forever.  Everything is tiled in that area, so I can imagine that all the women who are wearing sandals when they travel are completely grossed out when they have to remove their shoes to walk through this area barefoot.  I get grossed out in sympathy.  No one looks relaxed, and the surrounding area is depressing as well.  On the bright side...there's nothing here that a thorough carpet bombing couldn't fix.  Never checked a bag through here, and plan to avoid that at all cost.  Every minute in this space makes my heart sadder.

Orange County -- This is actually the John Wayne airport, and has a huge statue of the cowboy in the bag claim area.  The actual airport isn't terrible...it's easy to access, rental cars are a short walk from the terminal, and the security lines are pretty easy to navigate.  The amenities are lacking, though.  There's only one non-chain restaurant and it lacks in power plugs.  The terminal itself is single long hallway, so it can be easy or slightly more difficult, depending on your gate because there are no people movers.  However, it's a small place, so rarely is that a problem.  The biggest nag here is taking off.  The take-off pattern is over Newport Beach, and because of noise restrictions, you feel like you take off straight up and then they cut power way back, so there is this moment of semi-weightlessness.  Weird feeling, and jacks with my ears in a bad way.  Bonus points for cool surf history stuff on display.

Sacramento -- My local airport is also one of my favorites.  Everything is easy to get to, parking and rental cars are close, and the amenities are very nice.  They have a couple of cool little restaurants, including a great noodle place.  The only downside is checked bags, as they take almost forever to get, so avoid that if you can.  There are cool luggage pillars in the bag claim area, which is kinda funny.

Oakland -- this airport has gotten easier to navigate since they re-did the entrance.  I haven't flown through here in a while, so I can't speak to its amenities or security line.  driving to/from is not difficult, though.

San Francisco -- same as Oakland as far as flying through, but definitely driving to/from is a royal pain.  it has easy freeway access, but that freeway is always slammed.  Avoid at all costs, unless you are staying in SF only, then it has a BART link which, I hear, is pretty handy.

San Jose -- never flown through, but definitely hate driving to/from.  the road is an absolute disaster, signage is poor, and it feels like a post-industrial war zone.

Seattle -- great airport, which will be greater when they complete the light rail to downtown.  Lots of really nice amenities, including some pretty good sushi.  Never done the rental car, so can't speak for that.  security line is pretty good.  Bag claim, however, is the longest I have ever experienced.  It takes upwards of 45 minutes to get your bag, so stop at Starbucks or Tully's and chill a minute before you go down.

Tucson -- Weirdest airport experience I have ever had.  the place is really spread out and absolutely empty.  There were three people in the security line and it still took me 15 minutes to get through because of the world's slowest TSA agent.  I think this guy had a special skill in that area.  Lpatop counters for plug in have these weird backless seats with an awkward footrest that puts you in a very odd position.  Designed for form, not for function.  Amenities aren't bad, there just isn't many of them.  Rental car return felt like an Enterprise in a really small town.  Had to do all the legwork ourselves for the return.

I interrupt this broadcast to state that the girls Auburn basketball team just walked by.  They are all very tall, which is why it was so noticeable.  And one girl was wearing high heels, so it made here look like a seven footer.  I guess they play an LA school this weekend.  Okay, back to your regularly scheduled airport descriptions.

O'Hare -- I hate this airport almost as much as I hate LAX.  Everything is a mile away from each other, and getting to/from is a complete pain.  It's been a while since I have flown through O'Hare, so I can't go into detailed descriptions about it.  I hates it, though.  Hates it, hates it, hates it.

Houston -- This has a huge statue of the elder George Bush in it, which is weird.  And a museum.  he's not dead, yet.

Louisville -- Easy airport in a small market with easy access.  Can't speak to amenities since I didn't use them, but the rental car was really easy...right outside the terminal.

JFK -- The crush of humanity in this airport is overwhelming, and getting to/from is an exercise in frustration and horror.  I loathe the airport, even though I have enjoyed both of my visits to NYC.

Newark -- Do I really have to describe this?  Really?  *Shudder*

DFW -- Connectors through here can be a real bear, especially if your departure flight is at the other end of the double-horseshoe and you have 15 minutes to get there.  Nothing like getting on a plane all sweaty and collapsing from heart failure.

There are others, but you get the idea.  Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.  If not...well, what can I say? 

Peace.

So...this is our weekend lately.

From 9-2 on Saturday, it's "our" time.  This is the time we have on weekend to do our normal weekend stuff...like bike rides, house cleaning, laundry, yard work, etc.  It's been this way for six weeks.  From 3-dinner, we rehearse.  For example, we rehearsed four scenes yesterday, which included all of us at one point or another.  Rehearsals are getting more serious now (Christmas is closer than you think), and we are trying to do the scenes without scripts and with proper lighting and props.  Today (even as I type), we are doing the complete Act 2, with stops.  That means the director (God bless her soul) interrupts as she sees fit and provides...direction.  Also, we have worship in the morning and some kind of thing in the evening (class, home study, etc).  The Sunday rehearsals last from 2-4 or 5.

For the record, I am not complaining.  I really enjoy this...it's just a pretty big time commitment, and some things slip (like the yard work).

Last Sunday, Emma signed her first song in worship for the deaf members.  Very precious.  Just thought I'd throw that in there.

It's hard to write a blog entry when I keep interrupting myself to talk to people and look at stuff and glare at the noisy adults while the kids are trying to work their scene (i have a world class glare).  But, I persist.

Not much of an entry, I know.  But there it is.  I promised more about Chad and Brandon last time.  I'll do that later this week.  Those guys were (and probably still are) the coolest, and took the edge off of a very weird time in my life.

 

Because Anne brought home an original NES system, and I played Mario 2 and the fist Zelda.  And ExciteBike.  Woah.  But the system is really finicky (it's old...give it a break) so she is going to take it back to the kid at school who wanted to sell it to her.  No amount of isopropyl alcohol and blowing would bring it back to life.  Although, it certainly brought back Sunday afternoon's spent at the Shaw family household.

My two best friends in high school (Brandon and Chad) and I would go to Mr. and Mrs. Shaws' house to play Nintendo and ping pong every Sunday afternoon.  The Shaws were both math teachers at our high school.  Mrs. Shaw taught my geometry class and Mr. Shaw taught my algebra and computer math class (where I learned to write programs in BASIC on TRS-80's).  Every Sunday Brandon and Chad would pick me up (I didn't have a car) and then we would drive to their house and proceed to play.  I would play Mike Tyson Super Punch-Out until my thumbs hurt.  My addiction to video games began there.  I would try SO hard to beat Mr. Shaw in ping pong, and never could.  We would shoot basketball in their driveway with their two sons.  I always felt out-classed...Brandon and Chad were (and, I assume, are) smarter than me, and Brandon was way cooler cause he played football and was a huge guy in great shape.  I can remember playing with the kids' Transformers and being a bit jealous that they had them and I didn't (even in high school.  i was kind of a nerd, in case you didn't know).  I loved that time, and I still go back there in my head sometimes.  They lived between Buffalo and Hodgenville, and had an awesome house with a finished basement.  The basement in my house was a root cellar, and we stored canned beans and potatoes there, and went there during tornadoes.  Not exactly a fun place (lots of spiders.  LOTS). They had two televisions.  TWO.  It was remarkable.  I drove by their house last time I was there, but couldn't identify it.  I even dropped by the school and no one there could tell me where the Shaws went.  I would really like to know...Mr and Mrs. Shaw had great positive influence on me, and their kindness and willingness to have three huge dorks at their house all the time kept me (mostly) out of trouble.

Next time, I'll talk about Brandon and Chad.  Two great guys...

Okay...some stuff.

Dear Gum companies:  the following are NOT considered flavors.  Winterblue.  That's a color, not a flavor.  Vanilla Chill, Arctic Chill, and Winter Chill.  While one has a flavor name in the title, as a whole...NOT A FLAVOR.  The names suggest temperatures.  Makes me feel...chilly.  Elixir, Cobalt, Flare, Rain, and Lush.  That's four nouns and an adjective.  Not a flavor in sight.  Cool Rush.  Again, not a flavor.  Here are some appropriate flavor names:  Cinnamon.  Spearmint.  Peppermint.  Any fruit or fruit combo.  I may like your gums, but your flavor names frighten me.

Dear Deodorant companies:  the following are NOT considered scents.  Game Time.  Okay, maybe it is a scent...but certainly not a pleasant one.  Cool Fusion.  Momentum.  Fresh Rush.  Cool Rush.  Power.  Extreme Blast (excuse me?  I don't want to put that under my arms).  Sport.

Here's what I'm getting at.  Your names confuse me.  I would like to be able to look at a product and be able to generally tell what it is I am buying.  I shouldn't have to play color association games (blue=cool, red=hot, etc) or pop lids on things to see if it something that smells generally acceptable and not like yesterday's gym sock.  Please stop.  I know you won't listen, but I'm asking anyway.

I'm tired, cold and hungry.  Okay...maybe just tired.

Peace.

This one's for you, Tom.

I know, I know.  Don't worry... I patronize myself quite enough.

This past summer has been quite the event-filled extravaganza.  If you keep up with my facebook, you'll know some stuff.  Here's the highlights:

1.  Moved my mom to California.  At much expense, and with all the associated ongoing drama.  Gee, this is fun.  I realize fully that she carried me under her heart for nine months, and I am eternally grateful for life.  However, this situation isn't going that great for my lil bro and her, and there's alot of conflict there.  Pretty sure i predicted that.  Layer on top of that the financial crisis that they are enduring, and I can only imagine how thin the nerves are wearing.  I had a brief talk with Mom last night, and plan on talking with her more this weekend.  We are taking her to our church's harvest festival, so maybe that will help to create a little space for Ben and her.  I think they are beginning to realize that this transition will take longer than they expected.  Maybe *crossing fingers* some maturity will come out of this, and I won't be the broker of their ongoing conversation.  I know...I'm an optimist.

2.  Still digging my job.  We got some new hardware on the horizon that I am completely stoked to get my hands on.  It's a 10G firewall, with line speed content inspection and 3G IPSec.  *Drool, drool.*  the economy has hit us, just like everyone else, but I think we'll do fine.  Especially when I can go into a shop that is running equipment from the evil empire and replace it at less than the cost of a maintenance renewal.  In situations like that, the slower economy helps us.  I enjoy the travel bits, too.  Teresa doesn't, but she is willing to put up with it because she knows I love my work so much.  Not as much as I love her, but you get the picture.

3.  Two family vacations, one to Disneyland and our yearly trek to Tahoe.  Disneyland was great fun, and there are pics of it on my facebook.  Go there, why dontcha?  I haven't posted any Tahoe pics.  I should really do that.  Or pics of my cross country U-Haul drive.  Thank God for Audible.com and reliable GPS.

4.  I stopped blogging.

5.  I started blogging again.

6.  We (the ENTIRE family) have been rehearsing for a Christmas musical for a couple of months now, at least.  It's been way fun so far, and I'm really enjoying it.  Anne is one of Mary's friends, Emma is a friend and a shepherd girl (two separate parts), Teresa is Joseph's mother ( I KNOW.  I am as shocked as you are.  I would have NEVER pictured Teresa on the stage).  I'm trying to get her to act more like a Jewish mother..."Oy vey!  You never call, you never write, I worry sick about you!  And look at you...you look like you haven't eaten in weeks.  You're poor mother."  I play Gabriel.  which means I walk around and look angelic.  And talk real loud.  I'm good at talking loud, so it's a natural fit.  And, since it's a musical, we all sing.  There's even a Rodger's and Hammerstein bit that, frankly, annoys me to no end.  But I'm in the minority.  And, I don't have to do that bit, so I should just keep my mouth shut.

So, that's all for the moment.  I am in the OC with all of the plastic people, and I need to go to my first meeting. 

How's that, Tom?

Not sure what category to put this under..Religion? Geeking Out? Introspect? I think it's some of all of those.

If God Wrote Code..

• It would be bug-free. No patches, no service packs.
• 1.0, which means that one release would have every feature required. And, as new requirements were found, the software would already have this feature implemented.
• User Interface. The software would work the right way and feel the right way, regardless of the user.
• Everything. Regardless of the application, the software would solve the problem.
• Adaptive. My install and your install might be very different, because the software would know us, know what the requirements are, and install itself according. It would also change with us. And change us over time to be more like Him.
• We don't have to use it. But using it makes us better.

What do you think? Comments welcome.
Continue reading "If God Wrote Code"

In two words: BRU-TAL.

I spent all of last week at the RSA conference. Now, I've gone to tradeshows before, but this is the first time that i've been on the other side of the booth. Talk about hard work. I spent most of each day standing, and I was tasked with setup and teardown (along with my sales guy). By Friday, my feet, calves, and lower back were in open rebellion and were making plans to secede from the union. It was a good show, though. I talked to alot of customers and spent a good amount of time hanging with our product management guys. It's surprising how many boxes we have installed in the field...more people know about us than I originally thought. But not enough people know about us so...BUY A FIREWALL! Please...my daughters need new shoes.

Okay, if you are a tech person, then you probably know about Twitter. I have toyed with this idea, but in the end, it really seems like a technorati kind of thing. Honestly, it smacks of elitism. Even the language leads in that direction. For example, if you choose to read what I twitter, then I get to call you a "follower." Yeesh. I listen to TWiT and watch Cranky Geeks, and people on those shows talk about it all the time. But, here's the thing. It is so much a tempest in a teapot. I think, largely, that real people don't use this thing. In all honesty, I don't think people are so enthralled with what I have to say that they have to know what's going on THIS VERY MINUTE, which is exactly what Twitter is all about. Besides...it will be owned by a large company soon, and then it will succumb to the advertising engine that is on the internet, and then all of the twits on Twitter will whine and moan, and dream about the good old days.

that's all I have time for. Tune in next time, when we find out what happens to Bobby, who fell down that well.

Okay, America. I am putting you on notice. If you don't stop the following annoying things, I may have to take away your after-dinner cookie privileges.

Ringtones

We've talked about this before, but it bears mentioning again. I really don't care to hear your favorite song, or mine, for that matter, as your ringtone. It is most annoying. Your cell phone is a PHONE. It should ring...quietly. Vibrate is even better. Anything else is just noise pollution.

Turn Signal

There is a lever located on the left side of your steering wheel inside of your car (I know...shocking, isn't it?). When you push this lever up, towards the sky, it turns on a blinking light located externally on the right side of your car, both front and rear, that notifies other drivers that your are turning right. When you push it down, towards the ground, it notifies other drivers that you are turning left by enabling a blinking light similar to the one mentioned above, but located on the left side of the car. when you push it back to its center position, it turns off all blinking lights and other drivers will assume that you are continuing forward without turning. Not only is it good manners to use this fun and informative feature, it is required by law in all fifty states. PLEASE USE IT. Thank you.

Your Car Stereo

This one's easy...TURN IT DOWN. I don't want to hear your garbled music and all of your sheet metal vibrating in your 1983 Corolla. Better yet, save the money you would have spent on the subwoofer and amp at Best Buy and, instead, take a college course, or put it towards music lessons, or feed the hungry. You'll feel better, and so will I.

Common Courtesy

Please, if you are sitting in front of someone tall on an airplane, don't put your seat back. It makes an already uncomfortable position even worse. And, if you do, don't be shocked when you feel our knees in your lower spine. It's not because we want to push against your seat, its because you have given us tall folks no other option. We are all stuck on this plane together...let's be nice to each other, m'kay?

Blue Tooth Headsets

Unless you are actively engaged in a conversation, take it off. You look ridiculous. And, you don't have to yell. I really don't want to know about your battle with foot fungus, or your love life, or what you need to bring home for dinner.

Speaking of cell phones...

It is just plain RUDE to call someone and talk to them while you should be engaged in doing something else, like paying for your groceries. Talk to the REAL people that exist in your physical space that you are interacting with. It will not kill you to call that person back after you get finished with your current task. You aren't that important...trust me, I know. The only reason to take the call is if you are a doctor and lives are at stake.

Smile

This is really simple, and will go a long way towards making your day better. When you encounter other people, smile. It is pleasant, and in times of need, people are more likely to help you if you are kind and friendly. It isn't hard to do this. At least, it's no harder to do this than it is to scowl at the rest of the world. This helps even if you are having a bad day. If you smile at people, they will smile back. Try it...it really does work. Unless you're initials are TL and you live in Wisconsin...you scare people when you smile (just kidding, T. You know I love you, man).

Buy Clothes That Fit

Guys...I really don't care if you are wearing boxers or briefs, so you don't need to show them to me. The waist size on the tag should closely match the circumference of your actual waist. They should fit comfortably, and if they are slightly too large, then use a belt. Girls, shirts and pants that are two sizes too small are NOT attractive. I know you have it tough, what with society telling you that 'abnormally thin=pretty'. Believe it or not, most people don't agree with that. If you wear clothes that fit, it is more flattering, which actually increases your attractiveness. Also, the shirt should cover the waist completely, even if you have to bend over to pick up a dropped object. I will not elaborate further, since I am striving to be gentlemanly.

Okay...follow these simple guidelines and your life will be enriched. And, more importantly, so will mine.

Enough snarkiness...back to work. Oh, and feel free to add your own grievances in the comments.

Here I sit, watching the Astros-Padres game on ESPN2. And I'm blogging. For those keeping score, it's 3-0 Padres in the bottom of the 6th. Two outs, bases loaded with the Padres at the plate. Exciting stuff. WOW. Center fielder for the Astros just chased down a drive that I thought wasn't catchable. Good play to get out of a jam.

Chili is curled up next to me, having his "chair time." He does this every night that I watch TV...which is every night for an hour or so.

Speaking of sports, who would have thunk that the Final Four would be all number 1 seeds? I haven't looked it up, but I don't think that happens very much. I picked UCLA, but I don't think they can beat Memphis. If I could change my bracket, I would pick Memphis right now. That team is incredible.

In related news, read this great rant on the tournament the other day. I couldn't agree more.

Game UPDATE: Bottom of the 7th, still 3-0 Padres. Isn't technology fantastic?

Okay...so my riding schedule has picked up again. In no small part due to this purchase. That's right...I finally bought a replacement for my old Marin. In all honesty, the Marin was a great bike. I put many miles on it, and the price was certainly right. But ever since I started logging more serious road miles, I have noticed the weight penalty I have been paying, as well as the not-very-smooth entry level drivetrain action. Shifting to the granny under any kind of power was undoable. I test-rode several bikes, including Trek, Specialized, Guru, Fuji, Felt, Calfee, Cannondale, Orbea...the list goes on. I finally chose the Scott. The biggest selling points on the Scott was the fit and the wheel spec. PLUS my local bike shop gave me an awesome deal. I feel very comfortable on this bike...I have no problem diving it into corners, and going downhill at speed is nowhere near as scary as it was on the Marin. I now keep track of my rides on an online cycling log. This helps alot.

Game UPDATE: 4-0 Padres heading into the 8th. now watching a McDonald's commercial that features a bronze Gremlin.

I wrapped up a campus-wide wireless install this evening at my church. I'll be setting up a guest wireless network on it later this week. It's been fun, but I'm glad that it's wrapping up. I've been dragging this out, and I want to get it complete and off my plate. I still have to setup a local calendar sharing server. Any of you techies out there that have done this before, let me know what you have used. Preferred cost is free, and I am loathe to do an Exchange install to support 5 people. That seems a bit much.

Okay...that's enough for now. I hope your happy, Haley. I'm going to watch the game now. Or maybe Dirty Jobs. I think it's a new one tonight.

Let's pretend that the past 6 weeks hasn't happened, m'kay?

An insight into how my brain works (as if you wanted that):

1. I think about a blog entry. Honestly, I do. I think, "Coy, you should blog. it's good for you and your reader will stop bugging you about a new blog entry." I make a commitment to do it later that day.
2. Later that day comes. I think I would rather watch Dirty Jobs. I conciously make the decision to do it tomorrow.
3. Tomorrow comes. I promptly forget.
4. A week goes by. This is when I start feeling guilty, and think I should really do this. However, it's become such a mountain in my mind that I'm far more comfortable ignoring it completely. Besides, Mythbusters is on.
5. A month goes by. It's at this point that I realize I am a spectacular failure at blogging, and decide to do an entry anyway.
6. Hence, today's entry.

The Job

March 10th marks three months with WatchGuard. I fully realize that I am still in honeymoon stage with this job, but I really love it, nonetheless. I enjoy meeting new people; I enjoy talking about technology; I enjoy helping them solve their problems. I am getting better at this whole Sales Engineer thing, I think. The biggest hurdle for me is time management. I know I recommended this great book, and the concepts in that book help tremendously. However, now that I travel some, managing all the other aspects of my life become more important. I have let things slip (like blogging) that I should be doing. That isn't good, and is a habit I need to break. Otherwise, I feel like I am doing my job well and that I am contributing to the success of the company.

Dad-hood

Next week my oldest daughter turns 14. FOURTEEN. This is incredible to think about. She has become this lovely person, with unique individuality and a growing spirit. There are things about this stage of dad-hood that is a little intimidating, but my excitement overshadows that. You hear every parent say, "They grow up so fast." And when you hear this, you shake your head and think, "Can't you be more original in thought?" Ah, but here's the thing. This revelation is absolutely unique for everyone, in that the words do not capture the feeling. Therefore, every parent says it, because you cannot fathom it until it is experienced. And we HAVE to say it, because it is the only words we know that can come close to describing even the blurry reflection of what we are experiencing. Never mind the actual feeling. Words fail completely.

Stuff

We got the car. It is very nice to have a back seat that actual adults can sit comfortably. Also, the back-up camera is very cool.

I've put on too much weight again. Last battle with the scale left me a bruised and battered 229. I went for a run yesterday with my co-worker. First time I've done that since boot camp, really. Yowsa, am I sore. I will get back on my bike tomorrow, and start trying to run when I'm on the road. It's easy to get in 30 minutes of good exercise when you are running. I should probably stop eating garbage, too (eyeing the empty Pepsi bottle next to my laptop). I'm bad at the diet thing. BAD. More veggies, less junk. More veggies, less junk. More veggies, less junk.

That's all I have for now. More later...as long as nothing good is on TV.

I am still living.  I have lots to type about, but not enough time at the moment...so instead of a garbage post that is only partly informative (as if you care), I am posting this as a placeholder.  Come back soon!  Or subscribe via your favorite RSS reader!

Either way...I'll be back this evening.  Unless someone crosses the beams and the universe explodes.

Created a new category this morning...Geeking Out. I'm sure you will be able to guess why. If this is going to bore you to tears, I suggest you come back later.

Technical Certifications:

My friend John posted a great bit on technical certifications on his blog the other day, and I thought I would respond. This topic has been bandied about my industry for a LONG time. I'm certainly not going to add anything "new" and "fresh" to that discussion, but I am a huge nerd, therefore I have an opinion. And I must be HEARD.

First, I have to say that those folks in IT that have been going on and on for years about how "a piece of paper doesn't prove my knowledge" have lost the war. Just do a quick search for networking on Dice.com. You would be hard pressed to find any technical job posting that doesn't have a certain certification as a criteria. This doesn't mean I don't agree...largely, I do. A piece of paper has very little to do with my knowledge. There is no substitute in this industry for experience. NONE. You can pile up certs from anyone, and if I am interviewing you and you have never worked on a network larger than your home linksys box, you won't be hired by me. Certifications do not prepare you for what users can do, what new technologies can do, or what you can do to your network. I have broken an entire network in three keystrokes, and if I didn't understand the protocol and what my network was doing, I would have been hard pressed to recover. Until you have experienced a broadcast storm, you have no idea what it is going to look like and how you are going to find the issue and fix it.

I need to be able to run a packet sniffer and figure out what is going on. Find me a cert that will do that. It doesn't exist.

Having said all of that, here's what a cert DOES prove. It proves that you have enough dedication to be able to focus on a single task for a given amount of time, until completion. This is pretty critical. There are too many techies out there who are easily distracted. I should know, I am one of them. By getting a cert, you are showing your boss that you can map out a project and find a way to complete it. Even if it's just an A+ cert, you still have to dedicate some time to it and finish it in order to get that piece of paper.

However, certifications are not created equal. Many of the vendor specific certs (I'm talking to you, Microsoft and Cisco) are pure marketing tools. They have become a way to extend a brand's technology further into the industry. MS and Cisco has created an ARMY of engineers who are single-focused and don't understand how networks really work or how applications work. Now, before you get all ticked off at me, I do know that there are plenty of MS and Cisco certified people out there that really know how networks work and how applications work. However, I think even those guys will tell you the same thing. There's another facet to this as well. MS and Cisco has seen how they can make even more money off of their customers. They change their certifications every two to three years. This way they can expire a cert and make all of YOUR hard work invalid. You have to go through the whole thing again in order to keep up. That, my friends, is a racket. You pay, and pay, and pay these guys to keep those things up to date, and they throw you tokens at the end, like access to special areas. Listen...if it's on the web, I can get it. If you have ever posted it, securely or not, I can find it. Not that I have special powers...I don't. But those nuggets of info that are for CCIE eyes only are all out there, free for the taking. Don't insult my intelligence by saying that what you have is special. It's TCP/IP, and it's been around a LONG time.

I do understand that getting a CCIE takes a lot of work and really does test your networking skills.  But, in the end, it's still vendor-specific, and Cisco changes or replaces open standards so that they can extend their brand into your network (Cisco VoIP, anyone?).  An example: if you try to tell me that Cisco IPSec VPN is standards-compliant, you are either stupid or lying.  "Keep-alive" is not a standard.  "Dead Peer Detection" is.  That's just one.  I have more.

So, as for my opinion, there are certs out there that I think are valuable in their own right. These certs are vendor-independent and try very hard to prove that you know how technology works, not how a specific brand works. I believe that these certs have the most value, and I also believe that clued-in IT directors feel the same way. If they don't, come talk to me. I believe the place for vendor-specific certs are when you work for that vendor, especially in a customer-facing role. that proves to your customers that you care enough about the product you are selling to spend the time getting certified in it. Nothing but good, there. I think that if you want to work for many years in this industry, you need to be flexible and not pigeon-hole yourself into one vendor's interpretation. It may pay-off short-term, but not for a long-term career. Your time has value...spend it where it counts.

So, that's my opinion. Hopefully this evening I can go into what I think about CES. I have some thoughts there, too. Time to go to work.

Posted a handful of pics from our Thanksgiving at the cabin. I know, I know. It's past Christmas already.

I'll post an entry tomorrow with more meat on the bone. Gnite! Happy 08!

Because this one might be long...

Christmas

I hope everyone had a merry. We certainly did. I know that I said I didn't want anything, and that was true, but I did get this cool cookbook. I'm a huge fan of Jamie Oliver...he has a very loose and relaxed style with great ingredients. Suits me fine. I got Teresa a day planner (not exciting, I know), but she had an event to plan tucked inside of it...a trip to the spa. She liked it alot. Score points for me! grin The spa trip includes a 50 minute massage and a 50 minute facial. I've heard that girls like that kind of stuff...

We kept it smaller for the girls this year, just one big present to share. What? You want to know what that was? Well...it was a Wii! That's right...yours truly stood in line for 4+ hours in sub-freezing temperatures so that I could guarantee that it was under the tree. I coordinated the gift with the in-laws, which meant they paid for the extra controller and Super Mario Galaxy. The girls were very happy; they've been playing it ever since. I also picked up Elebits, which everyone hates except me. That game is addictive, and very Japanese in design and implementation. I recommend it highly. If you haven't played a Wii, it is a very cool thing. I've never been a big console gamer, but this is different. The controls are fun and extend the game playability. I am buying in to Nintendo's spiel here...it isn't about the graphic power, it's about the game play. And the games are fun. F-U-N.

The Sunday before Christmas we went back to Vallejo to visit them and to be part of their first annual shindig. There was food and fellowship, followed by entertainment. I led some singing during the pre-dinner devotional and Anne and I sang a couple of songs during the entertainment. By the end of the night, my voice was gone. I couldn't figure it out at first, but then I remembered that I had sang alot that morning as part of the worship team at Cordova's service. The highlight of the night for me was seeing some very good friends and reconnecting with all the people we served with for so long. Johnathan, Carrie, Jenna & David: It was really great seeing you all, and a very pleasant surprise. The only downer on the night was the fact that we all got sick from the food. Not full-blown food poisoning, but I spent significantly more time in the bathroom on Monday than is usual, or pleasant.

As far as the actual Christmas day went, we were very relaxed. I made a prime rib roast with smashed potatoes and gwavy. And veggies and rolls and salad. No elaborate desserts...we were all pretty full anyway. We just kind of laid around most of the day and enjoyed watching the girls bowl and play tennis and baseball (on the Wii). Later, we took the girls to see National Treasure, Book of Secrets. Teresa's parents stayed home and watched Fox News. The movie was pretty okay...bubblegum and popcorn. Don't go expecting enlightenment, and you'll be fine. It was better than Fox News by far.

It was a good Christmas. I recommend low-key every year...just stay home and be with your family. It's what they want, and what you want. If others want to share Christmas with you, they can come over and relax with everyone.

Computers

It seems that everyone I know breaks their computers at the same time. I've been busy building my home office lab (pictures soon). Jack was having serious computer issues...I spent all night Wednesday rebuilding his system, which I delivered on Thursday after I got off work. Teresa has been complaining about her wireless connection, so I went and purchased a better USB adapter, which didn't work. So I took that back this morning and got another one...which also didn't work. I believe, in both cases, her machine fried the adapter. I spent two hours on it last night and half the day on it today. Finally, I just got completely fed up and purchased her a laptop. She's been wanting one anyway, and this way she can do her Partylite stuff at the show instead of bringing it home. So, it's a business expense. Plus, I get a pretty good employee discount at Dell. I hated spending the money, but her machine is toast. I think it is because of the excessive amount of static in our house lately...I've been shocking myself everywhere I go. I've taken to touching something metal before I touch my computer so I don't fry my machine, too.

Also, Ben is having computer issues, which will require a rebuild. Like I said...these things seem to group themselves together.

Work

I'm getting better and better with the new firewalls. I got my management server set up this past week and was able to configure the HTTP proxy and setup some IPSec tunnels between my devices. However, the noise output from the larger unit was driving me UP THE WALL. So, today I built a plywood enclosure for my desktop rack and lined it with quilt batting to help deaden the sound. There is a gap in the back for the fans to exhaust the air...I'm hoping they stay cool enough. I think I'll drill a hole in the side big enough for a meat thermometer so I will know what the ambient temperature is inside of the box. If I need to adjust for airflow, I can. Installing a large (quiet) fan in the top is certainly feasible and easy to do. The sound isn't muffled completely, but it is certainly more liveable. I feel like I can work with it on now, and even take phone calls. We'll see how it goes.

I feel really good about where I am and how it is going. January is going to be a busy month, with some trips planned to the Bay Area, SoCal, and Seattle. I'm planning all that stuff out next week with my team. I'm excited.

Mom

Mom's health is not going to improve much, I don't think. She is over her infection, but she has another surgery coming up in a month or so to take care of plaque buildup in one of the arteries in her neck. She is going back to Louisville soon to consult about her diabetes. This is all getting expensive, and I don't see how she is going to be able to keep her house. I'm slowly preparing her for that talk...not looking forward to it at all. I wish I didn't have to deal with this stuff, but you take the bad with the good. Part of me feels guilty that the past few weeks has been so good for me and my family, but so bad for her. Honestly, I am having difficulty reconciling it. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers, and me too, for that matter. I need His help to work out what to do in this whole thing. If anyone has had to go through this before, I'd like to know what resources you used. A book got recommended to me, but it seems to focus on dealing with Alzheimer's and dementia. I'd like something a little different, I think.

In Conclusion

Well, that wasn't as long as I thought it would be. Here's wishing all of you a safe and happy New Year. May your life be blessed to overflowing, and may you make wise and considered decisions. Two bits of advice, both stolen from different sources:

1. Always wear sunscreen.
2. Don't be hasty.

God bless.

I like saying "Happy Christmas" too. Makes me feel like a Dickens' character. Not Dikkens with two k's, the well-known Dutch author.

Maybe two people are laughing at that right now, and one of them is me.

I have spent a significant amount of time this afternoon walking around the neighborhood with a found dog. I don't have all the details (it warrants further conversation with Teresa), but evidently a neighbor found this dog and, somehow, it ended up in our hands. Teresa took her to the vet to see if there was a microchip, but no dice. Right now she is curled up in our kennel in front of the fire, and Teresa is out posting up fliers.

As I was typing that last sentence, the owner called! Owner and toy Manchester have been re-united. I'm glad for them, and also glad that we won't have to keep the dog for the weekend. Selfish, I know. Mostly, I'm glad that the owner found her dog.

Back to Merry Christmas.

Here is wishing you and all of your family and friends a very Happy Christmas. I sincerely hope that you have had a wonderful year, and I hope that the gifting that you enjoy this season is a joy to you. I cannot wait until Christmas morn, when the girls will open their gifts and their eyes will light up. As for me, I want nothing. Their joy and my family's blessed state is my gift.

God bless us, every one.

I'm not sure why I used that title. My brain is weird.

Today is the second day in training. The instructor, Nathan, is very cool and really knows his stuff. He's patient with students who are struggling with the basic concepts and is willing to answer any questions. I'm not brown-nosing...I seriously doubt he is reading this. After all, there's only 5 of you out there.

It's still raining. Imagine that.

So, my hotel is right next to Safeco Field, home of the Mariners. In fact, the view out my window is the front gate with a giant poster of Ichiro. Safeco is right next to Qwest Stadium, which I walk past twice a day to and from the office building. the building is owned by Paul Allen, so one plus of that is that you get good cell reception everywhere, even in the elevators.

Five minutes until class starts. Time to be a good boy now.