New job
I'm now comfortably moved in to Network Administration. I has a cubicle! 
There's not really much to do--I've been trained how to create new network accounts and that's about it. There's much, much more sitting around than there was in ADPE. It's a nice change.
I'm sure Network Administration will find something interesting for me to do soon. (I'm tempted to feel guilty for leaving TSgt Crockett and my replacement with all the work to do there, but there's no way in h3ll I'm going to spend the rest of my enlistment in there. I could feel my soul dying every day. They will survive.)
I'm also working on getting my Network+ certification, which is something you really need to work high-level positions in the computer industry. (Is the AFPortal IT Learning server back up yet? ALT+TAB ...Nope. ALT+TAB) That has to be taken care of within two weeks. I'll be glad to have it out of the way--for reasons beyond my comprehension, they think modern IT professionals still need to know the details of every single network operating system all the way back to the days of DOS. I didn't even know DOS could do networking, but if you feel comfortable carving a pentagram into the side of your system and sacrificing a 386 processor, apparently it's possible.
I've been thinking about what I want to do after my enlistment is up. I'm going to knock out as much education as I can while I'm in, and then I'd like to start my own graphic design company. Graphic design isn't as universally profitable and in demand as computer work, but I think it's far more fun to do, and I know I'll regret it if I don't give my dream at least one good shot. If it crashes and burns, I can always convert over to computer work. Besides, I only recently realized how much stuff needs a good graphic designer to get done. Every professional-looking logo, poster, billboard, website, magazine, newspaper, and sign--every two-dimensional layout designed to instruct, inspire, and draw the eye--has a graphic designer behind it; there's gotta be room for one more perfectionistic Photoshop-phile out there. I've seen some truly great design work in a handful of spots that I know I could match if I had the training.
To be my own man again...
Edit: Right after posting this entry, our First Sergeant came to our office in need of a volunteer. I helped him set up the awards for that month's Commander's Call. Then it turned out that the squadron's photographer was missing, so the First Shirt handed me his camera and had me shoot the events instead! I got some great shots of the Wing Commander give awards to our Squadron Commander and a handful of people from our squadron. In non-military terms, it was like being suddenly asked to photograph the president of your company shaking hands with the mayor. It was awesome, and I have strong hopes of seeing those photos show up somewhere cool.
There's not really much to do--I've been trained how to create new network accounts and that's about it. There's much, much more sitting around than there was in ADPE. It's a nice change.
I'm sure Network Administration will find something interesting for me to do soon. (I'm tempted to feel guilty for leaving TSgt Crockett and my replacement with all the work to do there, but there's no way in h3ll I'm going to spend the rest of my enlistment in there. I could feel my soul dying every day. They will survive.)
I'm also working on getting my Network+ certification, which is something you really need to work high-level positions in the computer industry. (Is the AFPortal IT Learning server back up yet? ALT+TAB ...Nope. ALT+TAB) That has to be taken care of within two weeks. I'll be glad to have it out of the way--for reasons beyond my comprehension, they think modern IT professionals still need to know the details of every single network operating system all the way back to the days of DOS. I didn't even know DOS could do networking, but if you feel comfortable carving a pentagram into the side of your system and sacrificing a 386 processor, apparently it's possible.
I've been thinking about what I want to do after my enlistment is up. I'm going to knock out as much education as I can while I'm in, and then I'd like to start my own graphic design company. Graphic design isn't as universally profitable and in demand as computer work, but I think it's far more fun to do, and I know I'll regret it if I don't give my dream at least one good shot. If it crashes and burns, I can always convert over to computer work. Besides, I only recently realized how much stuff needs a good graphic designer to get done. Every professional-looking logo, poster, billboard, website, magazine, newspaper, and sign--every two-dimensional layout designed to instruct, inspire, and draw the eye--has a graphic designer behind it; there's gotta be room for one more perfectionistic Photoshop-phile out there. I've seen some truly great design work in a handful of spots that I know I could match if I had the training.
To be my own man again...
Edit: Right after posting this entry, our First Sergeant came to our office in need of a volunteer. I helped him set up the awards for that month's Commander's Call. Then it turned out that the squadron's photographer was missing, so the First Shirt handed me his camera and had me shoot the events instead! I got some great shots of the Wing Commander give awards to our Squadron Commander and a handful of people from our squadron. In non-military terms, it was like being suddenly asked to photograph the president of your company shaking hands with the mayor. It was awesome, and I have strong hopes of seeing those photos show up somewhere cool.