Graduated!

Since leaving politics I had to decide what to do next in my life.  For the preceding 15 years I had, in one shape or another, been a public and community servant for nearly every waking second.  From the Army to an ambulance, serving in various non-profits and elected office, I hadn't spent much of that time doing anything for me. 

After losing in the 2018 election, I knew that I wanted to take a break from serving everyone else, and take a stab at me.  From my first Commodore 64 as a child until now, I've always loved technology and computers.  I'm enamored by them, how they work, and how easily they can be fuddled with.  So I knew what I had to do.

I found a school that provided a pathway in cybersecurity that allows students to go at their own pace.  I had tinkered with ethical hacking for some time, and thought it would be a good way to spend my time in retirement (which, oddly at 33, I am technically a retiree).  I transferred in my unrelated Associate's Degree, got credit for 47 hours, and started moving.  I applied hundreds, if not thousands, of hours to my education over the course of several months, and ended up completing the program faster than anyone my mentor had on record.  Just a few days ago I submitted my final assignment, was evaluated, and received confirmation that I'm officially a graduate. 

I've accomplished so much in the last many months, earning CompTIA's A+, Network+, Security+, Project+, and countless other certifications that take some people years to achieve.  But I'm not done.  I've already begun my next step, learning to be a professional Penetration Tester.  And it's a good bit of fun so far.