Sometimes you get calls from recruiters...

So I updated my resume on Monster because my previous one had expired(I hadn't updated it since like 2009 lol) and that has caused an influx of calls and emails from recruiters, which has felt kind of odd because of the timing. I just updated it because it was expired, not because I am actively looking. I am not "ready" yet. I want to finish the MCITP: Enterprise Administrator first, and probably upgrade it to Server 2012 before I feel ready to make a change.

Also, I finally resolved an issue at work that was ongoing since November last year(although it wasn't assigned to me until last month). So yeah, not much going on really, need to get back to studying.

Here is a pic from my memory stick, cuz yeah, Geli is hogging up all the pics:

Steven's speaker cabinet(which is Paco's cabinet, which is my old cabinet haha) at the last Says The Snake show we went to in Seattle @El Corazon in January

Sometimes you go see a house...

So as you probably know, we've been house hunting, and it has not been easy. Today we went to go see a house that was just listed yesterday. It was small, which we want, but it was listed as 2 bedrooms, when it really wasn't. And the pics were from 2008, so needless to say, they were not representative of what the house looks like now. So the search continues...

All the pics are on Geli's computer, so here I have a random sample. Here are some pics that I took at one of the Says The Snake shows in Seattle that we went to of one of the opener bands. I was just testing the lighting and seeing what settings would work, since they played before Paco's band. Then when I was processing the pics, I looked them up, and sure enough, they had really shitty pics and could use the pics I took. So I thought I would ask them if they wanted to buy them, and they said they had no money, so I kept them haha (IANA was the name of the band).

Here are the ones I sent them, and asked $30 for(which was negotiable, but they didn't want to pay anything): 

I was hoping to get our first client, but it didn't work out. Oh well, maybe later when I have more time to purse actual clients...

Sometimes you study...

No pics today, just screenshots, that counts, right?

On a random note, here is how well facebook knows Geli:

I am sure that is EXACTLY what she wanted :) lol

So I was organizing my google reader today, cuz I am going to try to keep up with it, but will probably still fail, I have too much stuff I want to read and never get to haha. So I am going through the blogs and feeds I subscribe to and found this:

Gabe planned to be in on this?(Yet another failed attempt at group blogging haha) I demand he put up at least 1 drawing!!

Also, I was studying and decided I would get this out of the way. But I should get back to that, only 2 weeks left and I haven't studied much at all! :O

Sometimes you improvise...

Today I made a soup for dinner. It was really just an improvisation with ingredients that needed to be used. We had carrots, celery, a fennel bulb, and something that I think was celery root(we get a box of weekly produce delivered to us that is in season, from relatively near us, so many times we get things that we don't even know they are haha). So I pan fried the celery root and fennel bulb with some onions and garlic, and threw that into a soup with the rest of the stuff (Carrots, split peas, barley, rainbow chard, oregano, smoked paprika, and some other random seasonings). It came out way better than I expected it to, I really liked it :)

Too bad this is useless to most of you because you can't taste it, see it, or have anything else to go by haha

Sometimes you get obsessed...

And it isn't the first time I have become obsessed with IT certifications. And it probably won't be the last(back in 2009, between July and November I got 7 certifications!). But this time, it is somewhat of a necessity. After being on pretty much every role on the service desk(Tech 1, System Down person, Financial tech, Senior Financial, Senior/Tech 2), I am pretty much burnt out on it, and I am also not learning very much there anymore. So it is time to move on, but it isn't going to happen on its own. So I need to show I have the skills to move to an engineering team or it isn't gonna happen...especially since I work from home, my window of opportunity is smaller.

So late last year I decided that I was going to get some server certifications, since that is what Systems Adminstrators/Engineers work with on a daily basis. I am going "big" and going for the MCITP: Enterprise Administrator, a 5 part certification/title. I have to pass 5 exams to get it. As of right now, I am done with 3, just 2 more to go. I have the next exam scheduled for March 19th. Then I will take the last one in April. And of course, I won't be done then. This is all for Windows Server 2008 R2, I will then do the upgrade exam to update that to  Server 2012, and then I will take even more exams most likely for other certification(Citrix - CCA, and a MCSE: 2012 Server infrastructure).

So yeah, these server exams have not been easy, especially since I don't work doing what the exams go over on a daily basis. But in January I passed one, another one in February, and I intend to stay on track. I don't know why I took almost a 4 year break from this!And work pays for all these exams too, as long as I pass.

Now, so you can have a laugh, here is my directory entry from work:

So yeah, with some server certifications, I am hoping that will land me a job, preferably within my company, but that's not entirely up to me. So if they don't give me a chance, then I will need to look elsewhere unfortunately.

Sometimes you go to El Paso...

Not yet, but all is ready to head to El Paso tomorrow! Short work week! And seeing Sophie, Mari, Gabe, Sergio, Baudy, and family again! w00t!

That is all for now. Now, for the album of the night that Geli should be picking shortly.

Sometimes you get the Led out....

I  hadn't heard a full Led Zeppelin album in years probably. I have no idea why I waited so long...Geli and I are trying to do this thing where we listen to a ful album before bed. One day she picks it, the next day, I do. Today I picked Led Zeppelin I, and let me tell you, it impressed me all over again. I can't even imagine what this awesomeness exploding on the world in 1969 must have been like. I could be wrong, but I don't think there was anything so hard hitting and hard rocking back then. So groovy, so jammy, so damn good!

Give it a listen when you get a chance. Better yet, make a chance...you will be glad you did. I know what my next album will be.

Sometimes you stay in...

We were gonna go to the movies today, but we decided to go tomorrow morning instead. We instead printed some pics at a local photo place, got some supplies we were missing, and made some coasters out of bathroom tiles, our pictures, glue that is also gloss, clear coat sealant, and spray paint. They are coming out awesome!

More pics coming, but here is a preview of how they are coming out:

We are done, just waiting for them to finish drying. Should be completely dry by tomorrow night I think.

Oh yeah, we're pretty weird too. We also decided to cook tomorrow's dinner, tonight. So we were cooking green mole at midnight....

Sometimes you go to a farmer's market...

I had missed farmer's markets. We used to go to one every week during the non-winter months in Milwaukee It was really cool, local farmers, selling their produce directly to you. We found out about one here in Portland at the People's Co-op that is there every wednesday afternoon, so we finally went yesterday. It was pretty cool. Similar thing, with farmers, bakers, and other local merchants selling their stuff there.

We didn't need that much stuff, so we just got some blueberries, kale, potatoes, and spinach from the market.

Sometimes you go get measured...

For a tux. We biked to the mall today.  It is a little under 4 miles by bike. We didn't do much at the mall other than go get measured for the tux to pick it up in El Paso on the 9th. We will most likely be back to the mall this friday to watch  a movie.

Geli also made some amazing dinner! Breaded tempeh "wings", breaded cauliflower, carrots and celery with some vegan ranch AND fries! w00t! :D It was beyond delicious!