Archive for June, 2007
Red Hat Certification
Well, today (Monday) I embark on a new chapter in my life – Red Hat certification. I have never been on an I.T. course before in my life (apart from humanities computing at uni). So it’s kinda weird considering it’s my profession. So tomorrow at 10am I’ll be in a classroom in Manchester taking a crash-course in linux system administration. I’ve been booked on the course for a few weeks now, so I’ve been trying to prepare myself as best I can for it. In truth the past four years that I’ve been using Fedora Core and CentOS have carved out a sense of trouble-shooting in me which I’m very confident with.
I remember the first time I was confronted with being forced to use the command line to administer a remote server. I was shitting my pants. I’d heard all the horror stories of people doing an rm -rf * in the wrong directory and losing everything on the box. So, looking back at all that and I realise now how far I’ve come since that day. I can now quite happily setup and break a system (on purpose) and try to fix it confidently on a live system.
To tell the truth I’m nervous and excited at the same time about this course. I really have no idea what the exam on Friday will entail and probably won’t have a full appreciation of it until the day itself. Wish me luck (even though I don’t really need it! hehe)
Desiderata
Posted by rob in Life, Philosophy on June 3rd, 2007
You are a child of the universe – no less than the trees and the stars and you have the right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God whatever you conceive him to be and whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life – keep peace with your soul.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly. And listen to the dull and ignorant, they too will have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexacious to the spirit. If you compare yourselves with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your career, however humble – it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Be yourself, especially do not feign affection, neither be cynical about love. Take kindly the council of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune – but do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness, beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle to yourself. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams it is still a beautiful world.
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste – and remember what peace there may be in silence.