I never really thought this day would arrive, but it looks like it will :P
Hello LiveJournal!
I write to you halfway between excitement and fear, which has left me in a rather zen state (punctuated by occasional bursts of either of the first two feelings). Tomorrow night I fly out to Tokyo (that's the excitement) and on Tuesday while in Tokyo I do the CCIE lab exam for the first time (that's the fear).
Sure, I've been studying for this thing for months and months. So long in fact, that I haven't seen quite a few of you in a while. And my results on the sample tests show that I know an awful lot, more than I thought I could possibly learn. But I still lose points on question interpretation and make occasional stupid mistakes, and in an exam where you can lose very few points before you fail, that could kill me.
But I'm not going to be scared. I certainly believe there is a good chance I can pass this. And if I don't - well, I'll tackle it again in a few months. AFTER i take a break and get back part of my life :P And if I pass - then I get to take back my life anyway, without the future spectre of more CCIE study :P
But yes - focusing on the positives. I'm going to Tokyo, Japan! I've always, always wanted to go there! And sure, I only get to go for two days. And one of those days is spent locked in a room in an 8-hour exam. But it's Tokyo! :) And then I get two days in Singapore to spend with my grandmother and other extended family. And hopefully a few friends as well such as the prolific devinjay :)
And it's a week away from work and study, a well-needed holiday. Tho when I get back, one of the first things I want to do is a weekend or two away down south - again, well needed :P
... So besides the CCIE study, what's going on in my life? Well... due a funny series of circumstances, Mum broke my Palm Treo 650 (with the help of my car door), and so after an agonising phone selection saga, I picked up a Nokia N95, and I am completely in love with it :) And so everyone has been subjected to photos being taken of them with it and uploaded to Facebook :P And unlike my previous phone, it will work in Tokyo... but I plan to mostly use the built in VoIP client to make very cheap calls while I am in Japan and Singapore wherever possible, instead of hugely expensive roaming calls :)
Jason and I have been together almost 9 months now - there's been ups and downs, but I think we've gotten to know each other a lot better than at the start - whether that's a good or a bad thing I'm not sure :) He's got his license and a car, and he's hunting for full time work (and has interviews lined up already) - and he's been putting up with all this study I've been doing, which is awfully nice of him :) The gym is going well... I've changed tack a bit recently, and it's been paying off - hopefully after the CCIE I'll have the free time and energy to do a few other things I've been toying with :) (some of which involve the gym, and some of which involve doing things outside the gym too...)
And... I don't know what else, really. Leave me a comment if you want to know about something?
Anyway - if I have internet and free time while on my trip I will attempt to update LJ. Though I think that if I update this more than once a month it might die of shock :P
(Oh and you can see photos from Pride night with me in my silly hat at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15724&l=a064b&id=800500897 if you're not on Facebook already :P And if not, why not?)
I write to you halfway between excitement and fear, which has left me in a rather zen state (punctuated by occasional bursts of either of the first two feelings). Tomorrow night I fly out to Tokyo (that's the excitement) and on Tuesday while in Tokyo I do the CCIE lab exam for the first time (that's the fear).
Sure, I've been studying for this thing for months and months. So long in fact, that I haven't seen quite a few of you in a while. And my results on the sample tests show that I know an awful lot, more than I thought I could possibly learn. But I still lose points on question interpretation and make occasional stupid mistakes, and in an exam where you can lose very few points before you fail, that could kill me.
But I'm not going to be scared. I certainly believe there is a good chance I can pass this. And if I don't - well, I'll tackle it again in a few months. AFTER i take a break and get back part of my life :P And if I pass - then I get to take back my life anyway, without the future spectre of more CCIE study :P
But yes - focusing on the positives. I'm going to Tokyo, Japan! I've always, always wanted to go there! And sure, I only get to go for two days. And one of those days is spent locked in a room in an 8-hour exam. But it's Tokyo! :) And then I get two days in Singapore to spend with my grandmother and other extended family. And hopefully a few friends as well such as the prolific devinjay :)
And it's a week away from work and study, a well-needed holiday. Tho when I get back, one of the first things I want to do is a weekend or two away down south - again, well needed :P
... So besides the CCIE study, what's going on in my life? Well... due a funny series of circumstances, Mum broke my Palm Treo 650 (with the help of my car door), and so after an agonising phone selection saga, I picked up a Nokia N95, and I am completely in love with it :) And so everyone has been subjected to photos being taken of them with it and uploaded to Facebook :P And unlike my previous phone, it will work in Tokyo... but I plan to mostly use the built in VoIP client to make very cheap calls while I am in Japan and Singapore wherever possible, instead of hugely expensive roaming calls :)
Jason and I have been together almost 9 months now - there's been ups and downs, but I think we've gotten to know each other a lot better than at the start - whether that's a good or a bad thing I'm not sure :) He's got his license and a car, and he's hunting for full time work (and has interviews lined up already) - and he's been putting up with all this study I've been doing, which is awfully nice of him :) The gym is going well... I've changed tack a bit recently, and it's been paying off - hopefully after the CCIE I'll have the free time and energy to do a few other things I've been toying with :) (some of which involve the gym, and some of which involve doing things outside the gym too...)
And... I don't know what else, really. Leave me a comment if you want to know about something?
Anyway - if I have internet and free time while on my trip I will attempt to update LJ. Though I think that if I update this more than once a month it might die of shock :P
(Oh and you can see photos from Pride night with me in my silly hat at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=15724&l=a064b&id=800500897 if you're not on Facebook already :P And if not, why not?)