MarksLan

MarksLan

The CompTIA A+: Does it still have value in 2025?

The CompTIA A+: Does it still have value in 2025?

If you have even a passing knowledge of the IT Field, there’s no doubt you’ve heard of the CompTIA A+. For many of us, it was the entry point that kick-started our IT Careers. For those who may not be aware, the CompTIA A+ is what can be

Hello, World: My IT Career Thus Far

Hello, World: My IT Career Thus Far

Hi, as you can probably guess by the name on the header, my name is Mark. Like many people stumbling onto this blog, I have a huge passion for technology and IT in general. And also like a lot of people, this was not my first career. I originally had

Making Sense of RIBs, FIBs, CEF, and CAM - ENCORE Study Notes

Making Sense of RIBs, FIBs, CEF, and CAM - ENCORE Study Notes

While studying for the ENCOR has its fair share of technical information and labbing that needs to be done to fully grasp the technical details of how networks work, there are also conceptual ideas that can be really difficult to keep straight. One of the early things that trips me

My Favorite Video on YouTube and the Lake Dolores (Rock–A–Hoola) Waterpark

My Favorite Video on YouTube and the Lake Dolores (Rock–A–Hoola) Waterpark

To say that we all rely heavily on YouTube for entertainment is probably an understatement. Doing a quick Google search for "Top YouTube Videos by View Count" yields results that put the top videos in the billions of views. I personally don't even watch traditional TV

About: Goal Setting (2023)

About: Goal Setting (2023)

Up until this year, I had been fairly regular with publicly posting an annual review of the year before, along with some forward-looking statements for what I'd like to accomplish in the coming year. While this exercise can feel a bit naive and, for lack of a better

My Accidental Visit to the Salton Sea

My Accidental Visit to the Salton Sea

In most places around the world, seeing a lake on the map can bring many things to mind. Lakes are often used for recreation such as swimming, boating, jet-skiing, fishing, and other similar activities. Lakes can also be a great place to enjoy a nice view and relax. The South

Coda

There's a feeling I think we have all experienced at one point or another. We undertake a project for any variety of reasons. Something doesn't work and we have the desire to attempt to fix it, we decide that we want to remodel and change something,

Opportunity Amidst Uncertainty (2020)

Opportunity Amidst Uncertainty (2020)

Optimistic likely isn't the word that people who know me would use to describe my personality, but even then, I'm not somebody who believes in bad days. For all of the talk of 2020 being a "bad year" I wouldn't personally describe

Year In Review (2019)

Year In Review (2019)

Accountability can come in a lot of different forms. For some people, it could strictly be a professional concept where somebody else holds them to account through disciplinary measures. Others can have their own methods of motivation, using metrics such as weights, calories, or even time. For all of its

2018: The Good Year

2018: The Good Year

First things first... I realize that I need to post more frequently than my semi-annual updates on what I’m doing. I also realize this post is coming about 27 days late; but bear with me, I’ll get better. I promise. After going back and reflecting a bit on

What I Learned from Spending a Month on the Keto Diet

What I Learned from Spending a Month on the Keto Diet

Let's just get this out of the way first. Giving up carbs is hard. As somebody who eats rice and bread with most of my meals, spending a month following the Keto (or Ketogenic) Diet was no easy feat. What is the Ketogenic Diet? When your body runs

Bucket List: Spurs Courtside Seats

Bucket List: Spurs Courtside Seats

When somebody hears "NBA Courtside Seats", they immediately think of two things; celebrities and rich people. Sitting at mid-court, directly on the floor itself isn't something that the layman ever really gets to experience. That's why despite really wanting to, I didn't

Government Canyon: Adventuring In My Backyard

Government Canyon: Adventuring In My Backyard

For the last 19 years of my life, I've never lived further than 15 minutes away from Government Canyon. Though I've passed the entrance along Galm Rd countless times, I've never really had more than a fleeting curiosity as to what the park contained.

2017: The Year I Finally Did Stuff

2017: The Year I Finally Did Stuff

I feel like I had a pretty good year. And generally I'm not somebody who makes resolutions or talks about my life in terms of years, but I feel like after this past year in particular, I have a lot to build on moving forward both personally and

(Ad)Venturing Out

(Ad)Venturing Out

Generally a 1200 mile, 17 hour trip requires a heavy amount of planning and forethought. Good travel practices involve booking hotels, jotting down things to see along the way, planning meals, and ultimately setting and fleshing out an overall travel agenda. It requires the coordination of all parties involved so

Day Two: In the Books

Day Two: In the Books

You would be hard pressed to find two areas more contrasted than the Algodones Dunes and the Del Mar beaches. I find it even harder to wrap my head around the fact that both can be visited within mere hours each other, and even still, I may have been able