A+ Certification Complete!!!

I am HAPPY to report that I passed BOTH exams. Whew, I am so glad that is finally over. Now, with that certification and 25 cents I might be able to get a cup of coffee. LOL. Actually, entry level service technicians in the IT field are EXPECTED to have this minimal certification. Anyway, onward and upward. Now I will work on my Network + and Microsoft Windows 2003 server tests. Hopefully I can sit for one of those exams in the next four weeks. The whole idea here of course is not only to increase my knowledgebase and marketablity but also to command a larger paycheck. Can I hear an AMEN ?? LOL

I took the hardware exam first and thought that I did very well on it. I was surprised to find that out of a 515 passing score I make a 560. On the OS exam where I needed to have a passing score of 515 I made a 737. I thought I did much better on the hardware exam and much worse on the OS exam. The important thing is that I did pass. Thank you JESUS!!!!

It has been a LONG time since I took that kind of a test so this will give me the self confidence that I need to KNOW that I can study for the coming up exams and pass them. It sort of takes the FEAR out of studying and passing the exams. KWIM? I guess some folks are just better at taking exams than others.

Have a GREAT weekend!!

A+ exam in one hour....

Ok folks the time has arrived for me to see if I can remember enough of this stuff to pass the REAL tests this morning. I have been cramming for this thing for the last 6 weeks. Yesterday I took several test exams for both the hardware and OS and passed all of them so hopefully that is a good indicator that I will do well today. Each test is 85 questions long and I think that they give you 90 minutes to take the exam. I am taking the hardware exam first and then the OS exam second. I am scheduled to take both exams at two different times this morning. I hope that when I get finished with the hardware exam that they will just let me continue straight into the OS exam without having to wait. Once I am done with this and have my A+ certification I will need to dive into the Network + materials and Microsoft Windows 2003 Server test. That should keep me busy for the next 6 weeks.

The weather here for the last couple of days has been cold and rainy. I guess you could say that this is a typical Charleston SC winter. Thus far we have dodged any ice or snow storms which is nice. People barely know how to drive around here in good weather much less inclimant weather.

Yesterday was pretty easy at work, had one computer to finish up in which I had to add a new modem and configure a Dial up Networking icon for the desktop so that the customer could dial up bellsouth and get on the Internet. I spent most of the day yesterday studying and studying and studying some more. I went to lunch with my favorite bride at Cracker Barrell and then I had an appointment to work on a HP Color Laserjet 4550. Boy was I in for a surprise. The address was in a neighborhood off of Ashley Phosphate rd and Dorchester road. The customer was a couple who are real estate agents that work out of their home. When I got there and was showed into the living room or work area the HUGE HP 4550 was under this tiny computer desk with NO room whatsoever to work. I already knew in advance that it would have to have a good cleaning since I had learned that the Magenta toner cartridge had been dumped all inside this printer. I guess they got ahold of a defectice toner cartridge somehow. When I opened the printer up I was greeted by solid blue toner all over the inside of the printer. The customers house was very beautiful and there was NO WAY I was going to attempt to clean this printer on their living room floor. I could just see the blue toner getting all over everything. When I mentioned this to the wife who had initiated the service call she started to holler and shriek at a loud tone of voice about how they had just spent 400.00 to have this thing fixed and how the last person who worked on it was a bumbling idiot and apparently did not know what he was doing and on and on she went. Then the husband and wife started to fight about the fact that they did not have a place for me to work on the printer and why in the world would I even expect them to have such a place in their home when all they had was nice furniture. Imagine my surprise as I stood there waiting for the high pitched argument and whining to stop so we could figure out how we were going to get the printer moved to a safe place as to save their carpet. We finally managed to scoot the printer on a piece of cardboard through the living room and the kitchen out the door to the garage where it was about 40 degrees. I have to tell you this. I love working on technology and solving problems all day long BUT when you run into customers like these that is when my job becomes a job. Whew.....

Such is the life of someone who serves the general public and provides hardware and software and networking support on a daily basis. :)

Cactus Car Wash online

I am waiting on my car to get cleaned after this NASTY weather weekend I just endured. Cactus Car Wash just happens to have two Broadband connected computers in the lobby. So, guess what, here I am whacking away at the keyboard once again. I am headed out to St Stephen from here which is about one hour from N. Charleston where I will deliver and install a PC that I picked up about 2 weeks ago. Once I am done out there I will probably be done for the day since it will take me an hour to get back home.

I was shocked, amazed and thankful that our long time website appeared again this morning. Whew..... I need to download that website and burn it to CD ROM immediately in case it decides to go away for another extended visit. LOL.... We will develop something unique for lightourworld.com but not sure what at this point. Probably have something to do with regards to Jessica Ann and our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. Our family and our relationship with Christ are the top two things that do "Light our world" which is the reason for the domain name to begin with.

The weather here is GORGEOUS. Did I tell you that earlier? There are no clouds in sight and it is about 45 degrees outside. A wonderful day for a drive out in the country. LOL...

I am doing very good with regards to my calorie intake today. I am up to 950 calories for the day. My total is 2756 so I am trying my best to severly limit how much junk I cram into my face. I need to get out and walk my 1.6 mile trail this evening when I get home. I will let you know if I keep my promise to myself to do it. Hey honey, you in the mood to walk the dogs tonight when I get home? LOL....



James Moffitt
http://www.jesus-connect.net/jcmoffitt
moffittj@bellsouth.net

Lightourworld domain is born

time flies when you are having fun aye? It has been 8 days since I have blogged a thing. Goodness gracious folks it is not like me to be this quiet. LOL... We have been living in a winter wonderland here in the deep south. our temps have been hovering near freezing for the last week. We are paying dearly for the tropical weather we had a couple of weeks ago. Luckily for us though we have dodged the "ice storm" bullet that our upstate neighbors were not able to dodge. The upstate of SC, NC and Georgia all got nailed with some pretty harsh winter weather.

We owe we owe off to work we go has been our song as of late. i am working 7 days per week as usual and Katy has been busy doing long term sub assignments which has really been a big boost to the budget. We have been waiting for the state of SC to send Katy her temporary teaching certificate to find out that her fingerprint cards were rejected by the FBI so that means we need to get her finger prints done all over again. We also found out that she needs to get an official transcript from the University of Texas. Katy thought that part of the 75.00 fee was to pay for the offical transcript but now we find out that it is not. You have to pay for that seperately. Katy did get a call from MUSC just this last week and they are interested in her for the Activities Coordinator position in the STAR program at MUSC. Katy is hopeful of landing this position since it would be full time with benefits working with children which is what she loves to do. Hopefully she will be interviewed again for a second interview some time this next week.

Lightourworld.com has been launched but for now it is still in the infancy stages. Our long time family website is offline for now thanks to the lack of DNS registration issues. Katy is going to be working on the process of uploading our files to the new server in the next week or two so please be patient while we rebuild. I will be FINALLY taking the dreaded A+ exam on next Friday at Trident Technical college. So, if you think about it on next Friday around 9 am say a prayer that I will have a clear mind and that pre test jitters dont cause me to have brain freeze. LOL... I have been studying for this exam now for several months so I am either ready to ace this thing or I am not. Once I pass this i will be working on my Windows 2003 server exam. My hope is to have my MCSA status by no later than the end of this year. i can do it, I CAN DO IT.... LOL... I feel like the little train that said " I think I CAN, I think I CAN...."

Well, enough drivel for now, time to hit the shower and make myself presentable for church this morning and then it is off to the county office building for my 8 hour tour as usual. Have a NICE day no matter what you find yourself doing today.