Cisco Widows

TurgonTurgon Banned Posts: 6,308 ■■■■■■■■■□
in CCIE
My thanks to Mrs Turgon for her support.

Anyone else going for CCIE putting demands on the loved ones at home may post their thanks here.
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  • mikej412mikej412 Member Posts: 10,086 ■■■■■■■■■■
    I thought it said "Cisco Windows" and immediately thought Cisco bought Microsoft icon_lol.gif

    How about posting some of the hints & tips that make it work -- both ways. We know you can't totally abandon your families to study (and you should take out the garbage BEFORE your rack session starts). And you need to talk to friends and family to get their "buy in" and support before you disappear into your Cisco Cave.
    :mike: Cisco Certifications -- Collect the Entire Set!
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  • SysAdmin4066SysAdmin4066 Member Posts: 443
    My wife and daughter have sacrificed daddy to the beast that is the CCIE. I also do fights in my spare time, so that takes away too. I'm taking the fam to the wild animal park tomorrow to make up for last weekend though, so that should even out the universe a bit.
    In Progress: CCIE R&S Written Scheduled July 17th (Tentative)

    Next Up: CCIE R&S Lab
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  • jason_lundejason_lunde Member Posts: 567
    Ditto. My wife and little boy have been incredible throughout...Truthfully I try to spend as much time with them as I can, and do my studies during "off-time" like when their asleep :) My wife has dealt with all my purchases though!
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  • laidbackfreaklaidbackfreak Member Posts: 991
    Good Side:-

    I've got a blinder of a wife icon_smile.gif Mon - Fri is my time I study as much or as little as I need and she takes up any slack. Weekends Sunday is "our" time I keep that day clear for us to do stuff. Saturdays is open if there's nothing on I use the "free" time for me I try to study but otherwise thats my chill time.
    It works for us and allows me to put some serious hours in icon_smile.gif


    Bad side:-
    CCNA ten years ago cost me my first marriage.... ok not quite ccna but I use it as a reminder to make time for those around me and its not all about the $$$\Certs\$$$

    So a BIG thanks to my missus icon_smile.gif and my tip make sure you keep some down time for life and those around you.

    Remember when you look back life is what your living while your busy making plans for the future so enjoy it now and then icon_wink.gif
    if I say something that can be taken one of two ways and one of them offends, I usually mean the other one :-)
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  • TurgonTurgon Banned Posts: 6,308 ■■■■■■■■■□
    mikej412 wrote: »
    I thought it said "Cisco Windows" and immediately thought Cisco bought Microsoft icon_lol.gif

    How about posting some of the hints & tips that make it work -- both ways. We know you can't totally abandon your families to study (and you should take out the garbage BEFORE your rack session starts). And you need to talk to friends and family to get get their "buy in" and support before you disappear into your Cisco Cave.

    Very true, but to be fair some Cisco Widow input would be required when it comes to *really* useful hints and tips! CCIE candidates cant figure it all out on their own! We are too busy pursuing a goal. The Widow has no goal. I suggest some Cisco wives are encouraged to join Techexams and give good advice on making both a happy CCIE candidate and a happy home life! They may even 'network' to make the whole experience more bareable for all concerned.

    For those looking for a company sponsored break to study for the IE 9 - 5 on full pay Im afraid those 'We must be a gold partner' rush days are gone. Forever. Study alone on your own time after work and have a Widow..or widower!

    Too many CCIE candidates are doing a wr er while their girlfriend or wife packs their bags and leaves..
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  • networker050184networker050184 Mod Posts: 11,962 Mod
    I have a wife and three little ones. My wife is also in school full time. Not to mention we are severely understaffed with only four engineers on a 800+ router network so I'm working after hours maintenance at least 4 days a week on top of my 40+. Needless to say, we have a hard time finding time for each other and the children. I REALLY want to go for the CCIE right now, but I just don't have the time to give that it the attention it needs. I've decided to take it slow and enjoy life (what little I actually have outside of work and study) while working on the CCIP this year. I'll get to the CCIE eventually, but its not worth making my family suffer IMO. If only there were 48 hrs in a day....
    An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made.
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  • mikej412mikej412 Member Posts: 10,086 ■■■■■■■■■■
    Turgon wrote: »
    CCIE candidates cant figure it all out on their own!
    That's why this is such a good thread!! I'm sure some of the Cisco Nerds here find the time to read the forum here everyday but forget that they should make the time to check in with their significant other too. :D
    Turgon wrote: »
    I suggest some Cisco wives are encouraged to join Techexams and give good advice on making both a happy CCIE candidate and a happy home life! They may even 'network' to make the whole experience more bareable for all concerned.
    Hum... sounds like something a Military Wife would do to help a unit's new young enlisted soldier's family cope with Military life -- but with a CCIE twist.
    :mike: Cisco Certifications -- Collect the Entire Set!
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  • Mrock4Mrock4 Banned Posts: 2,359 ■■■■■■■■□□
    My wife has been great so far since I began my studies. We discussed the amount of time, money, and energy that needed to be put into studying in order to attain the CCIE, and decided it would be worth the sacrifice. We regularly discuss where I'm at in my studies, and generally my schedule is- stay up a few nights per week late to study, spend almost every evening with the family, wake up early to hit the books or lab (at which time she usually takes the little one out to do something fun). I'd say I've been averaging 3-4 hours a day in the past few weeks. If I can maintain this schedule, I think we will get through it fine.

    It's worth noting however that if my work schedule was a normal schedule, I would have to cut back on the study time to keep a family life.
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  • TurgonTurgon Banned Posts: 6,308 ■■■■■■■■■□
    mikej412 wrote: »
    That's why this is such a good thread!! I'm sure some of the Cisco Nerds here find the time to read the forum here everyday but forget that they should make the time to check in with their significant other too. :D


    Hum... sounds like something a Military Wife would do to help a unit's new young enlisted soldier's family cope with Military life -- but with a CCIE twist.

    Very true. That balance is so important.
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  • shodownshodown Member Posts: 2,271
    networker050184 wrote: »
    I have a wife and three little ones. My wife is also in school full time. Not to mention we are severely understaffed with only four engineers on a 800+ router network so I'm working after hours maintenance at least 4 days a week on top of my 40+. Needless to say, we have a hard time finding time for each other and the children. I REALLY want to go for the CCIE right now, but I just don't have the time to give that it the attention it needs. I've decided to take it slow and enjoy life (what little I actually have outside of work and study) while working on the CCIP this year. I'll get to the CCIE eventually, but its not worth making my family suffer IMO. If only there were 48 hrs in a day....


    800 Wow that's impressive. Are they internal to the company or are you a service provider, providing services to customers? I have something coming down the pipe soon and I don't think its half that size.
    Currently Reading

    CUCM SRND 9x/10, UCCX SRND 10x, QOS SRND, SIP Trunking Guide, anything contact center related
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  • SepiraphSepiraph Member Posts: 179 ■■□□□□□□□□
    shodown wrote: »
    800 Wow that's impressive. Are they internal to the company or are you a service provider, providing services to customers? I have something coming down the pipe soon and I don't think its half that size.

    Most likely SP to a F500 company type of enterprise, a government would have more.
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  • TurgonTurgon Banned Posts: 6,308 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Time to bump the thread for candidates to chime in, or long suffering Cisco Widows ;)
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  • SirsamonSirsamon Member Posts: 221
    laidbackfreak wrote: »
    Good Side:-

    I've got a blinder of a wife icon_smile.gif Mon - Fri is my time I study as much or as little as I need and she takes up any slack. Weekends Sunday is "our" time I keep that day clear for us to do stuff. Saturdays is open if there's nothing on I use the "free" time for me I try to study but otherwise thats my chill time.
    It works for us and allows me to put some serious hours in icon_smile.gif


    Bad side:-
    CCNA ten years ago cost me my first marriage.... ok not quite ccna but I use it as a reminder to make time for those around me and its not all about the $$$\Certs\$$$

    So a BIG thanks to my missus icon_smile.gif and my tip make sure you keep some down time for life and those around you.

    Remember when you look back life is what your living while your busy making plans for the future so enjoy it now and then icon_wink.gif

    I am in sort of the same boat, my wife just keeps bringing int the coffee and food. i see her when i get home , we have dinner then i am off untill bed time. All she ever asks is when i do need something i do it for her. Thats been maybe three or four times this year.
    So far i have been studying for the last ten or so years.

    I suppose after being together for 21 years it either works or it don't. ;)
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  • jovan88jovan88 Member Posts: 393
    Not going for CCIE yet, but thanks to my girl for being supportive since the CCENT days. GNS3 while 'watching' TV with her works great.
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  • stuh84stuh84 Member Posts: 503
    My ex realised I needed to study, it's part of my makeup to advance myself and learn more. It helped that she studied too (Open University degree).

    For anyone in the future, if they can't handle me studying, they can't handle me, not a lot I can do about that.
    Work In Progress: CCIE R&S Written

    CCIE Progress - Hours reading - 15, hours labbing - 1
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