Yet Another Networks Post

I'm still working to get through Networks.

I'm pretty relieved I only have one other networks class after this one. Though I'm not sure how much I'm looking forward to taking Security+.

But between Networks and Databases, hopefully I'll get to something really fun before too long. Like a language class. That would be nice.

In any event, I now know way more about connectors than any human should ever have to learn.

Here's hoping I can take this cert soon!

Have a great week!

How Many Posts Can I Do About Networks?

Still working on Networks. Still wanting to put my head through a wall. Hoping I can finish this class before the end of my term. We'll see.

Then I still have another database class.

Wow, I'm off to study cause I have a lot to do.

Networks Are Really Freaking Complicated

So if you spend a lot of time talking to people who don't work in your field, when you try to get back into discussions about your field or, say watch a webinar about your field, it's kind of amazing how long it takes you to get back into the lingo.

Honestly I've been procrastinating about working on my networks class cause I didn't feel particularly well, I've been fighting headaches, and networks is a lot of technical stuff.

Frankly it's a lot of technical stuff I'm not super interested in and when I'm not interested in something I am really good at finding ways to avoid it. :P

But I've buckled down this week, and I'm working on it. I'm doing pretty well too. At least I'm getting the chapter review questions correct.

So while it may not be my favorite thing, at least I don't have to deal with databases again.

Oh wait...

I Passed!

So, so happy to be able to say I passed my Business of IT - Applications class.

I understood the point of the class but really found it to be horribly insulting to IT students and professionals.

Oh well, back to the fabulous world of networks. My course mentor for Networks got his PhD in June. He was pretty happy that I called him Dr. And he said when I was ready to take my Network+ exam, to call him and we'd go over stuff to fill in any gaps.

So, now I just have to get Networks knocked out and then focus on Databases.

Wow, I'm tired thinking about it.

Go learn something!

Oh AT & T

I need to schedule two calls with course mentors to discuss the competencies of one of my classes. They need to make sure I'm understanding the subject before I am permitted to try the assessment again.

It would be a lot easier to discuss anything with any course mentor if my cell phone was working for longer than 2 minutes at a time.

Sigh.

Guess I'll work on Networks while I wait.

Well This Term Isn't Going the Way I Expected...

I had such high hopes when August began. Plans, dreams of quickly getting through my classes this term. And then I started an annoying class about information systems. Some of the videos for it are really insulting to IT professionals too, painting them as socially awkward idiots who enjoy speaking over people's heads. Basically, I was not impressed.

But I persevered and got through. I took the pre-assessment and did amazing. I took the final assessment and failed it. The thing was as I was starting the authentication process, my webcam froze. The proctor had me go check and make sure no one was on line. No one was. I took the test but I was really stressed and freaked out wondering if my internet was going to hold or if it was going to drop the connection. That distracted caused me to not pass my test.

After I took the test I found out the Cranky Old Man had gotten online briefly about the time my webcam froze. So, yeah, that was my test experience. I'm going to a test site next time.

Which, after talking to a course mentor, I'm hoping will be in the next couple of weeks.

I'll keep you updated.

And That Class Is A Wrap

I passed my assessment this past Sunday. Two classes down, technically two more to go before the end of the term but that's not going to happen. I'd need to take two tests and put together a project before the 31st and I haven't even started one of the classes. So, they get pushed to next term. Not ideal, but it works for now.

I'm starting to work on those other two classes though. And a third one that I will be taking next term. I'm hoping to get my butt in gear enough that I can actually add a fourth class. We'll see.

Until next time, remember databases, networks, and project management are only as boring as you think they are. ;)

Passed my Pre-Assessment! What Do You Mean Now I Have To Take the Test?

I took my Database Foundations pre-assessment yesterday. Yay for me, I passed. That was awesome.

So now I have to take the assessment on Sunday. Okay, I'm choosing to take it on Sunday. Sunday seemed like a good day since it's supposed to be in the 70's. High 70's but not 90's. So I should be able to take the test and not die of heat exhaustion while I'm testing.

That will give me two classes done this term. Not as many as I needed but better than none.

I am seriously suspicious that the school is watching my account and planning for the school site to be down on days leading up to my assessments. A reasonable paranoia since this is like the third or fourth time I've scheduled an assessment and then found out the student portal will be down between when I've scheduled it for and when my test is. Which kind of gets in the way of last minute study time. Which maybe means I need to be more ready for the test when I schedule it.

Or they need to quit watching my account. You know, whatever.

So I should be done with this database class by this time next week and neck deep in networks and my other database class. Oh joy. Just the two topics I want to spend time on.

I'd make a joke here about pursuing another career but I've been too frustrated the past few terms for anyone to realize I'm kidding, so let me just say, I will get this degree. I will get through the next term. I will not change my major again. I will not kill anyone as I work toward my degree. Music Man is planning to get me boxing gloves so I can take my frustrations out at the gym. :)

Okay, off to review while I can. Have a great week!

So, So Lazy

Nothing really to report today.

Other than the fact that I've been kind of lazy. I've done some studying but I'm not sure I'm ready to retake my pre-assessment. It's been hot here, so I can't be on my computer during the afternoon.

Other than that, there's really not a lot to tell today. Hopefully I can feel ready to take the pre-assessment again this week. I really hope.

I'm so tired of this class.

Have a great week and whatever you do, don't try to stay awake and read my databases textbook.

Stanley Cup Finals and Databases

Apparently if I am watching the Stanley Cup Finals and reading my database book I don't do a good job of reading.

I knew this. I remember watching the game, (Go Penguins!) and thinking I was going to have to go back and reread the last part cause I more or less skimmed it instead of actually reading it.

Then I forgot and took my pre-assessment. Missed passing it by 3 percentage points. But at least I know what I need to study and am confident I can get it passed in the next week or so.

Then it's on to more database stuff. Yeah, I'm all excited to finish this class on databases so I can study about databases. The next class is more about writing in SQL though and I'm kind of excited about doing that.

I did have a hard time getting through one chapter in my book though. It was weird I started reading it and it was nothing like the previous five chapters. I was very confused. Then I realized it was because it was a completely different book and different approach to databases. Would have been nice if there had been some sort of transition. Oh well.

Hopefully by this time next week, I'll have passed this class and be working on the next one.

Have a great week and learn SQL so you can explain it to me.

The Never Ending Term

All of my terms are 6 months long. It's both too short and too long.

Too short in that I am attempting to learn a great deal of information in a relatively short time. I'm attempting to not to be a subject expert but subject knowledgeable. For some of the classes that's easy. For some it's not. I could have chosen a different program. One that I had more experience in.

That would have been the easy way. I've never liked doing things the easy way.  Not doing them cause they're hard? That I'm an expert in, but this time I decided things were going to be different.

Too long in that I tend to think "I have six months to get this done. I don't have to study right now." The correct answer is, yes, yes I do. It's a process. I'm still working on it.

This term however feels exceptionally long to me. Probably cause I was studying networks when it began and I'm still working on them, though I've focused more on databases the last couple of weeks.

I'm nearly done with the reading for my database class. I'll be glad to put it behind me. There is A LOT of vocabulary. And while it's an interesting subject when you realize how much the world relies on databases, it's also kind of scary. And frankly, I'm thinking, I don't want to know.

Well, I'm off to finish the reading I promised my mentor I'd get done today.

Have a great week and do something to stimulate your mind!

Databases

Slow week. I have accomplished nearly zero. I've tried nearly every day to work on schoolwork and if it's not one thing, then it's another.

I know I need to use my timer and I know I need to tell people to leave my alone so I can study but man is it hard.

That said, hopefully I can get through chapter 3, yeah I'm still working on chapter 3 after several weeks, and possibly even get through 4 and 5. That would make my mentor and me very happy.

In other news, Music Man managed to finish a class, so yay for him. My sister has started back to school and she's doing pretty well. Lucky duck her. As of right now, I am personally responsible for 3 people attending my school. Music Man, my sister, and a young woman who is a friend and co-worker of Miss Goofy's.

Meanwhile, I'm just trying to find time to read about databases. Oh well. Here's to the next week and getting a butt load of stuff accomplished.

Have a great week!

*I would like to apologize for my language in the above paragraph, but I'm not sorry. *

Networks and Databases, Oh My

Yep, I'm trying to get through three classes in the next 9 weeks. By the time I'm done with my classes I will officially be insane.

And if I can get them done, then I will be down to the last 9 classes I need to take before I have my degree. Wow, that's both exciting and terrifying.

My mentor also told me, people tell her the certification exam for Security + is less intense than the one for Networks +, so I'm pretty happy about that.

I do find databases interesting. Not the fascinating I'd hoped for but interesting. Learning how many different programs are actually databases is a bit terrifying to be honest.

Music Man is working on getting his term finished, It ends the last day of June technically but he will likely need an extension because he is probably going to be having surgery before then. So much fun.

And Miss Goofy is taking a class on how to take a class online. I wish I were kidding about that but we now offer classes on how to take a class. On the plus side, she's nearly done with her first week's assignments and the class just began on Monday. Or at least Tuesday when I spoke to her about it, she was nearly done. She may have finished it last night.

Okay, off to finish the networks chapter and then to get some chores done.

Have a great week and go learn something!

More Networks?

I did mention I passed the FIRST of TWO network classes, right? If for some reason you don't remember me complaining about that class, you can see where I did here, here, here, here, here, and finally here where I announced I'd actually passed the class.

Well, I'm back to learning networks. Oh joy. This is more in depth and frankly, I'm going to be so glad to be done with networks when I finish this class.

On another note I highly recommend this program. I will admit I haven't used the online version but the original version is awesome. I love it. I used it when I home schooled Miss Goofy for both her schoolwork and for our household chores. Then the program sat for several years. I only realized about a year ago I could use it for me. So that's what I've been doing. Using it to keep me on track for my classes.

On another note, I'm enjoying my database class. It's pretty interesting.

I'm also looking forward to my Python class. Some days I wish I was in it now.

Have a great week and go learn something!

I PASSED!!!

Oddly enough it feels like old news now, but I did manage to pass my first of 2 networking classes.

I was so relieved.

And this week I've been really good about studying. Last week is a different story. I was on vacation and then I was putting out all the fires that invariably pop up when we go out of town.

This week though I'm diving into my database class and I'm working hard on my Network + cert class.

While I'm not really interested in networks, I am enjoying the database class.

And this term I did the smart thing and I reached out to my mentors as soon as I was ready to start the class instead of when i was in trouble. both of them emailed me back very shortly after I reached out to them. That made life a lot easier.

Okay, time for me to get some work done so I can watch Deadpool tonight.

Dear Lord Let Me Pass My Test on Tuesday

So, I won't be posting this coming week.  I'll be out of town on Wednesday.

My birthday is Wednesday and I want to get this networking class out of the way before then so I scheduled my test for Tuesday before we leave town.

I talked to one of my course mentors who after looking over my pre-tests said he thought I understood the stuff for the most part, it was just a point of getting my score high enough.

So, I'm going to spend this weekend reviewing. I am going to pass this test.

I'm so tired of this class. It will be a relief to have it done.

I'll post in two weeks when I'm working on databases and working for my Network + cert.

Go learn about subnetting. It's fascinating.

Subnetting

Every freaking time I think I'm ready to take my networks class test, I go to practice subnetting and realize, I am so not ready.

I think I've finally got a handle on it. I have two questions left for that chapter and then the chapter on security and I should be ready to take a pre-assessment. I hope. Dear Lord, I hope. I am so tired of networks.

What's my next class you ask? Network +. Yeah, more networks. The class now is like Network + lite. So ready for databases. Did I just write that? Wow.

I did order books for database. I have 3 of the 4 books now. Almost looking forward to using them. Almost.

Right now, school is a lot of work. Like way more work than I want to tackle. But tackling it, I am. Hopefully I'll be taking my pre-assessment this week and ready to take the final by this time next week.

I think I'm burning out. I just want to get my programming classes and be done with school. I feel like I'm wasting so much time.

Okay, enough complaining and time to go get something accomplished.

Go out into the world and learn something!

Networks, Networks, Networks, Oh My!!!

So networks are pretty much my entire school life right now. I'm both fascinated by them and hating them at the same time.

I did not pass my networks class in January. As of late last week, I was confident I could pass the test now. As of this morning, my brain is so fried, I think I'll be lucky to ever pass it.

I had some issues with my computer, resulting in me removing Windows 10 and going back to 8.1. I miss XP.

But back to my network class. In order to take the test again, I have to make sure all my work on the website they send you to is complete with all exercises and quizzes done in test mode with a 90% pass. Then I had at least 2 of 4 practice tests done in test mode again with at least a 90%. Then the postassessment in test mode with at least a 90%. A very long list of vocabulary on a website to review. A long list of videos to watch. A graphic of the OSI model to review. Section and end of chapter questions to review. And finally the school pre-assessment with a score of 85% or better.

Currently I'm working on the chapter questions. And am way more confused than I was when I started this class. But I'm getting there.

Hopefully I'll get this class done and be ready to start the next one, which is for the Network + certification before too much longer. I had wanted to be done by now with at least one of these classes but so far, no luck. Maybe in the next week or so.

That's the news from me, Have a great week and go learn networks so you can explain them to me.

Okay so it's not October or 2015 anymore

And I'm still working my way through networks and databases.

So much information to absorb. I'd really like to get two of these classes knocked out but man is there a lot of information and I swear they are giving me conflicting information in my networks class.

Oh well, my  mentor is a very sweet lady who seems to understand the way my brain works, thank heavens!

Okay, back to work for a bit so I can have some time off this afternoon!

Have a great week!