43 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
43 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
# About
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## Brief
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So you want to read a story?
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- by `rskntroot` on `2024-06-01`
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## Story
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It's been what now? Just over 10 years since I started working in computing professionally.
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Right after dropping out of a Computer Science program too (oops)! Oh, and about 14 since I learned my first programming language.
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Guess I’m not just some random kid on the internet anymore.
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My story starts like many others'.
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My family couldn't get the WiFi working when broadband internet hit the shelves, leaving me to pick up the slack.
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What was seen as a knack for electronics quickly snowballed into a middle school robotics class, followed by a summer school course in C# programming.
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In high school, I managed three semesters of plain ol’ C, along with a few summer courses in electrical engineering, photography, and web design.
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University Java courses were a breeze.
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However, failing to attend Discrete Math II, Physics, and Calculus classes ended in disaster.
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One would imagine that studying computer science would impart the imperative of having some semblance of structure in one’s life.
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Yet, naivety sounded the horns of triumph: I dropped out.
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"Real life" had started for me; I didn't have $100 to my name, let alone a bed.
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I pleaded with both friends and extended family to host me while I figured things out.
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Within a few months, I managed to secure a job as a C++ programmer for a company that provided custom software solutions aimed at healthcare—wild!
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This time was short-lived, and out of desperation I decided to enlist.
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As God would have it, I ended up in computer networking despite my best efforts at Navscoleod.
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Looking back at that time, I marvel at how I operated.
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A boy fixed on dreams of grandeur, yet consumed by the consequences of naivety.
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Imagine being a hobbyist and pseudo-classically trained programmer in the military.
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Your only task: to maintain critical communications networks.
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What a treat!
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Delving into networking, protocol analysis, and network services, I found myself involved in everything related.
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This led to redesigning network management systems, building data center environments, employing remote communication systems, and eventually becoming the lead for a cybersecurity initiative.
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After separating, I held several contracting positions, including a multi-year stint as a Security Operations Center Lead Engineer.
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While tackling cybersecurity challenges in air-gapped environments, I grew weary of the pace of government work.
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These days, I’m a full-time network development engineer, designing and deploying network infrastructure for a Tier-1 cloud provider.
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In my spare time, I either work on personal projects or daydream of the financial freedom that would allow me to dedicate myself to those projects full-time.
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