Bl8ckr0uter's Security+ trek

Bl8ckr0uter · September 2010

So now I have to work on Saturday with an AC compressor upgrade. There goes my Security+ time

guess it will be the 11th.

I just remembered I was in the middle school during September 11th. I am almost 23 now. Wow! I was sitting at a table looking at my now wife's nipples and the TVs came on for TV 1. It was very cold in the room that day. They showed the towers burning and I thought it was a movie trailer. Then the second plane hit. Wow...

Devilsbane · September 2010

DoubleD wrote: »

Sec Plus is by far the most difficult CompTIA exam to pass so I dont underestimate it.

I'd rank them like this. (from hardest to easiest) Net+, Sec+, A+.

Devilsbane · September 2010

knwminus wrote: »

So now I have to work on Saturday with an AC compressor upgrade. There goes my Security+ time guess it will be the 11th.

I just remembered I was in the middle school during September 11th. I am almost 23 now. Wow! I was sitting at a table looking at my now wife's nipples and the TVs came on for TV 1. It was very cold in the room that day. They showed the towers burning and I thought it was a movie trailer. Then the second plane hit. Wow...

to be honest I kind of expected this to get bumped back again.

I was also in middle school in my American History class. Shortly after the first plane, my teacher turned on CNN and told us to put our assignments away, this was important.

earweed · September 2010

Devilsbane wrote: »

I'd rank them like this. (from hardest to easiest) Net+, Sec+, A+.

For me it would be Sec+ A+ Net+
Mainly because of how the Sec+ questions were worded and they required thinking about what the best answer was. The Net+ to me was the easiest as it just interested me more and it just seemed to come to me easier.

Bl8ckr0uter · September 2010

Devilsbane wrote: »

to be honest I kind of expected this to get bumped back again.

I was also in middle school in my American History class. Shortly after the first plane, my teacher turned on CNN and told us to put our assignments away, this was important.

Hey now this time it really wasn't my fault. I actually had it booked and everything but the business comes first. I'll bring back that 950 for you I promise.

erpadmin · September 2010

Devilsbane wrote: »

to be honest I kind of expected this to get bumped back again.

I was also in middle school in my American History class. Shortly after the first plane, my teacher turned on CNN and told us to put our assignments away, this was important.

I was a Desktop Support Tech for an financial firm. We were DIRECTLY accross the Twin Towers (World Trade Center) on the Jersey City side. I was working on running a maitenance kit on a HP workgroup printer when suddenly people were racing to the east part of the building. They were looking at the first tower hit. All work pretty much stopped from that point. Then what was minutes later, I saw the second explosion with my own eyes from the second plane hitting the second building. Then I saw that building crumble down first, then the other one not too long later.

Out of all my experiences, I remember that day like it was yesterday. My building became a triage center. The building project manager went to the warehouse club to buy food and supplies for many people (including NYC policemen and firemen) (the warehouse club was forced to eat the cost after all was said and done) who needed some level of first aid before they went to the area hospitals. That is a day that will live in infamy.

erpadmin · September 2010

Oh my....from hardest to easiest:

I'll go with the standard answer, but honestly, I'd rank Sec+ and Network+ equally. But if assuming I couldn't:
Sec+, Net+, A+ (and that's despite the fact that it was two exams.....)

DoubleD, when you sit for the exam, you really are going to have nothing to worry about. I wish I could show you, but I can't. You're just going to have to trust me/us. I'm just hoping this isn't keeping you up at night.

knwminus, the next time you prolong this thread, it better be because of a death in the immediate family or they're in the hospital for some grave illness. I know you're a young guy that's all about the loot and feel you have something to prove for reasons I'm very familiar with...but you are within your rights to let the company know now (and I mean right now) that you cannot be around for the 11th because you need to knock out Security+. Believe me, they will be cool about it as long as you project confidence that you're going to pass (and for you, that projecting that confidence and passing shouldn't be that hard). And I say this as someone who's been around the block a bit longer than you have...

At this rate, you should score 1800.....(in other words, you could take Sec+ twice, pass and get perfect scores on those....even on the BS questions that don't count).

dynamik · September 2010

knwminus wrote: »

I actually had it booked and everything but the business comes first. I'll bring back that 950 for you I promise.

How are you planning on getting the 50 extra credit points?

Devilsbane · September 2010

dynamik wrote: »

How are you planning on getting the 50 extra credit points?

He is going to sleep with the proctor.

Bl8ckr0uter · September 2010

Devilsbane wrote: »

He is going to sleep with the proctor.

We will go to the bedroom but we won't be sleeping, if you know what I mean.

Ha Ha! Ha. Ha. ***

phoeneous wrote: »

I tried that, it doesn't work.

I bumped the test back too, was going to take it on Tuesday but work has been crazy...

When are you taking it?

Devilsbane · September 2010

knwminus wrote: »

We will go to the bedroom but we won't be sleeping, if you know what I mean. Ha Ha! Ha. Ha. ***

Just pray that you get a woman...

Bl8ckr0uter · September 2010

Devilsbane wrote: »

Just pray that you get a woman...

LOL now that would be funny. Seriously though all of my proctors have been women. Semi attractive women at that.

Devilsbane · September 2010

knwminus wrote: »

LOL now that would be funny. Seriously though all of my proctors have been women. Semi attractive women at that.

I had an older guy once. I'd rather take the fail. Not worth it. But usually it is a woman, not extremely attractive but you would be surprised what a paper grocery bag with eye and mouth holes can do.

Bl8ckr0uter · September 2010

Devilsbane wrote: »

I had an older guy once. I'd rather take the fail. Not worth it. But usually it is a woman, not extremely attractive but you would be surprised what a paper grocery bag with eye and mouth holes can do.

Wow.... lol.

Devilsbane · September 2010

knwminus wrote: »

Wow.... lol.

I'm obviously just kidding here. It is almost friday and work is extremely slow today. Gotta get some laughs in.

erpadmin · September 2010

There were a couple of cuties in the main Prometric site that could definitely get the business....then again, we're talking about Manhattan....you are going to find the hotness on that island.....

LinuxRacr · September 2010

Bl8ckr0uter wrote: »

So now I have to work on Saturday with an AC compressor upgrade. There goes my Security+ time guess it will be the 11th.

I just remembered I was in the middle school during September 11th. I am almost 23 now. Wow! I was sitting at a table looking at my now wife's nipples and the TVs came on for TV 1. It was very cold in the room that day. They showed the towers burning and I thought it was a movie trailer. Then the second plane hit. Wow...

It was the day after my 21st birthday, and I was still sleep from the previous night's activities. My brother called me and told me what was going on, so I fired up my computer (my tv was my TV tuner video card), and watched the madness unfold.

erpadmin · September 2010

I didn't see any BS about pushing the date back....(had to re-read just to be sure).

Good luck brother! If anything positive is going to happen today, it better be you getting the pass (finally) so this particular "trek" can be concluded.

Bl8ckr0uter · September 2010

Guess you didn't read my blog (like i could blame ya lol):

Working Title

miller811 · September 2010

Bl8ckr0uter wrote: »

Guess you didn't read my blog (like i could blame ya lol):

Working Title

Fom you blog

Security+ - August 28th

So I have decided to go ahead and sign up for the 28th as my test date. I have 9 days to go over the 5 domains of the exam.

blah, blah, blah..... sorry dude, but take the test already.....

erpadmin · September 2010

Bl8ckr0uter wrote: »

Guess you didn't read my blog (like i could blame ya lol):

Working Title

I read your blog (and others) a couple of times, but in truth, I try to keep my reading to just TE (that in itself is a lot for me...lmao).

I just read it now and honestly, I would take that 10-12 hour drive just to pick you up and smack some sense of priority into you and then drive back home.

To be fair to you, I started my own "Security+ trek" around the same time you did. I bought my Transcenders in late May/early June. July was definitely a busy month, but I figure if I'm going to do it, I was gonna do it in August. I had other prep materials available to me, but primarily, it was just Darril's book, and the Transcenders....beautiful thing about WGU was that I had a gun to my head. (If I put it off, I failed the term....) Some people (and I include myself in that) need that extra mental push. You don't have the mental gun to your head and that's why this "trek" has gone to the point of ridiculousness.

I would even be cool with this if you just said "you know what, I'm just not going to do it at all...." That would even be ok. But to turn this exam into something like a CCIE blog borders on hilarity. A CCNA is like a 20 page thesis paper in a Masters program compared to the Security+ exam, which is like a final five paragraph essay for an English Composition class! (I would, without question, rate the CCNA as a more difficult cert to obtain than Security+).

I can't speak for others, but I'm personally done with this thread until I see a pass from you. (From you, it would definitely be a pass with your CCNA background PLUS the one resource that's needed to pass this exam, Darril's book...you really should slay the Security+ no problem! And of course, it's just this thread

) I encourage others to do the same. This might be the mental push knwminus needs to actually get it done before the end of the month. He needs some tough love.

earweed · September 2010

I second abandoning this thread until KNWMinus gets it done. I think 3 other people have started their own Sec+ trek during the time of this thread and have finished. So I'm officially signing off here until it's to congratulate KNWMinus on his pass.
earweed out

shednik · September 2010

earweed wrote: »

I second abandoning this thread until KNWMinus gets it done. I think 3 other people have started their own Sec+ trek during the time of this thread and have finished. So I'm officially signing off here until it's to congratulate KNWMinus on his pass.
earweed out

Maybe if he didn't try to have 4 jobs at once and school he'd be able to take an exam

. I concur even though this is my first post on this thread, just take the test already.

Bl8ckr0uter · September 2010

Thanks all. I'll be back with a win!

rogue2shadow · September 2010

Bl8ckr0uter wrote: »

Thanks all. I'll be back with a win!

That's what I'm talking about.

I just read your newest blog post.

History:
I was kind of where you were emotionally after my last job and at first I tried going back to the helpdesk. Interviews panned out but subconsciously I kept emphasizing a want to eventually join the security sectors of their companies and that led to no good lol.

I sat down one day and said you know what this whole journey has been about me conquering IT knowledge and to never have someone say to me that "you just don't have the basics of IT knowledge required for this job" (aka bs response given I had 3 years of break/fix). It drove me to want to overdo anything and everything (hence the long signatures) so I bought a bunch of books, watched/dl'ed (I'll admit it lol) CBTs and even if I didn't understand the stuff I kept it in memory and went back to school to get the real understanding behind what I was studying. The first day of the Network Academy we went around the classroom talking about our stories and what we want to be; my response was a CEH and most people were like "net engineer IV" or "CEO" etc. After networking a bit with them, and finding this forum, now I see the path unraveling.

My old boss knew I was a smart kid and that I was getting bored with helpdesk. He gave me advice as to where to go from there and what the cert world will look like and in the end it may work out (2x salary, insane benefits, TS). Apparently his old maid quit to become a network engineer and shes making bank now.

At the current stance, the reason I am pushing forward is pure curiosity. These training books and CBTs never tell you the middle agent that causes breaches or the code used but with every cert I attain I get one step closer to understanding the middle piece and in effect getting closer to being a true CEH.

Main Message:
I guess what I'm trying to say is in the end, its going to be you vs you, and knowing that we are mirror images in terms of drive, we are indeed unstoppable; we're young and already on a path to greatness. I've probably said it 100 times but most people don't gather a path together until 10 years down the line or even in their 30s. In terms of getting into security, the world is turning slower because of several things 1) funding is flip flopping on all channels and 2) nothing major "cyberly" has happened yet (aka powergrid).

You and I are alike and I attribute some of the certs I have to the fact that indeed you actually pushed me to get them done earlier. I wanted to play it safe but I'd get your "stop being a pussy" messages via inbox and it ignited a fire in me to get the job done haha. You also helped me clear my head in terms of wanting to grab every cert under the sun and I have now been able to pull it down to something manageable.

Sit down and just think about where you want to be and you will get there. The edge this community has on the rest of the world of IT is we have the drive people want but are too lazy to commit to or understand. Think of it all as stepping stones and the Security+ will serve as the next critical one (DoD compliance and starting cert for net analysts).

We are the next gen of network defenders and its time to show these old timers why they should fear our talents in the industry :P

hiddenknight821 · September 2010

I gotta agree with the others above me. I don't think you need all of this attention to keep you motivated. I think it's counterproductive. Instead, it humiliated you more each time you procrastinate what you sworn you would do. Hey, like the others said, we're just showing you tough love.

Hope that gets you started. I failed my Security+ exam on first try, but passed on the second. Now, I'm still working on getting my CCNA, and I personally think it's harder than the Sec+. It's kinda ironic that I overcame your fear, but you already beat me at CCNA.

veritas_libertas · September 2010

You still haven't taken the exam?

shednik · September 2010

Kevin,

I just read your blog post and wanted to make a few comments.

I really think its a good idea you quit your second job, and I think it will do you a lot of good. You really sound like you've brunt yourself out because of everything you try to take on. You know why I say that you've lost your interest in the things you wanted to do, you need a break from it...I had the same thing happen to me and I took a step back. I'm a lot happier now and quit worrying so much about money. If you have enough to get by, save, and for some enjoyment quit sweating it so much. Worrying about it so much is going to eventually wear you down enough where you won't have the energy to do the things you need to do. Everyone has the same worries as you do, I'm 25 with a wife and 2 sons. I'm the only income for the family so I know how you feel about worrying about money. It sounds like you let it consume way to much of your energy which is very detrimental to your career and your health.

My advice, next weekend you have off plan a small trip for you and your wife. Let go a bit and have some fun, give it some time for the studying and come back to it. You will feel refreshed and interested again.

Going to school, working 2+ jobs, and keeping a wife happy is a lot to keep up with. Don't forget to take care of yourself.

joe

Devilsbane · September 2010

So I've been away the past week, see there is a new post in this thread and think to myself, "Maybe he actually went and did it..."

Nope, not quite. Looks like I should take a longer vacation.

jasonkg80 · September 2010

I've been following this thread for a month or so. I began studying for the Sec+ in the beginning of August, and I passed the exam today with an 814. I read your (Knwminus) blog and I hope you find the time and motivation to finish your studies and conquer this test soon. The Sec+ is really not that bad, but don't underestimate it. I know you like to stay busy, but try to tune out one aspect of your life for a couple weeks and go for it.

I'll check back in two weeks with the hopes of seeing your post say "passed my security+ exam!"

Bl8ckr0uter's Security+ trek

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