History Has Indeed Repeated Itself
After a nine-year gap, I am once again a CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate).
I renewed my long-expired certification this afternoon to conclude a four-day, instructor-led “boot camp” course at the Poconos facility of Training Camp. Unfortunately, other than a brief walk after arrival on Sunday, I was able to spare no time during the week to enjoy the peaceful surroundings at the Fairview Resort in Bushkill, PA.
However, I was pleased that my accommodations this time were a vast improvement over the outdated and shabby villa from nine years ago. This time, I was given the “A” level–the upper floors–of the building versus the downstairs “B” level.
My fellow students and I spent about 10 hours in the classroom each day followed by five to six hours of studying in the evenings. This, of course, meant no dinner, no working out, no writing, no editing, and little sleep. I knew all of this going in, of course. It was a repeat of the same course at the same facility nine years ago.
On Thursday afternoon, I was amazed to learn that I scored the highest among the class on the first exam. Passing score was 832 out of 1000. Mine was 941. On the second exam, passing score was 811 out of 1000. I finished with a 918. I’m not sure how I ranked among my classmates after the second exam since most of them departed shortly after they finished.
As a respite from the stress and intensity of the course, I read one chapter per night of actor Christopher Reeve’s autobiography, Still Me. Those who know me are well aware of my admiration for Mr. Reeve as someone I’ve looked up to as a hero since 1978 when I first saw him as Superman. I’m thoroughly enjoying his memoir, which provides excruciating details about the accident that left him paralyzed in 1995, interspersed with tales of his early acting career. A full review of the book is forthcoming here on the blog.
I’m finally home again and in desperate need of a long nap. I intend to reward myself by getting some fishing in later this weekend and then next week, it’s back to work, to writing, and to editing submissions to the next Middle of Eternity anthology.
