The stuff I wrote while I was trying Drupal follows. I still get people trying to get to the direct links, which don’t work anymore. Enjoy or whatever; my blog sucks.
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22 Feb. 2013
Something
Well, the job search is over. Yesterday, I received, and accepted, a new job. Still lots of paperwork to do, but it’s nice to be out of the “job-seeker” category.
Mastars of the Universe
This presentation was the first one that spurred me to write something longer than a derisive tweet. I really wanted to like this, because I’d done some strategizing about how to effectively do this in my last job. (That the speaker works for the same organization as my little brother also perked me up a bit. Not enough to stop noticing the every other sentence terminated with, “right?,” or “alright,” but I tried to keep an open mind, at least).
My major takeaways from this speech:
1. You’re sekurity mastars. You need your own shit.
I can understand why people feel this way, but it’s less and less practical these days. There was some back-and-forth aobout how to keep the operators of these systems from being treated like run-of-the-mill DBAs. Guess what! The guys actually running those systems, unless they’re doing analysis work, are run-of-the-mill sysadmins. Tony Stewart, even if he’s capable of doing it safely, has to obey the 70 MPH speed limit on I-95. Similarly, you sekurity mastars can’t just do and use whatever the hell you want. You can’t.
And there’s regs that say you can’t. Whether you think those regs are wise is a different story, altogether. You have to obey them. Fucking deal.
2. We don’t do metrics.
Lots of discussion about cross-training team members, team size, etc. But no way of evaluating team effectiveness or performance. I admit that my view on IA weenies setting these sorts of things is flavored by my own recent experiences, but….. Define your measures before you begin, and don’t change them. Actually take data.
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Shmoocon Reax
Comments:
Eric Gearhart (not verified)
Tue, 02/19/2013 – 07:58
Thanks for the quick Shmoocon recap… I’ve been to HOPE and DEFCON but I’ve never scored a ticket to Shmoo. Your post gives me some ideas on getting up there if I do score a ticket… taking the Amtrak from Norfolk into DC and walking from Union Station over to the con hotel would be awesome.
sean Tue, 02/19/2013 – 20:24
My wife walked over a couple of times to catch the Metro while I was conning. A healthier person than I wouldn’t have an issue walking it. Hell, I had trouble going three blocks to get dinner Friday night. :-p
But I did enjoy it this year; first one in a long time where I haven’t come home saying, “Fuck it. I’m skipping next year.” I guess the orgs. weren’t happy, though I didn’t care enough to find out why. Needed moar thermite drive destruction, I suppose.
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Amped
I will be circulating resumes while I’m there since I haven’t landed anything yet. (Geek note: I created a QR code to get to my resume posted here. I am a nerd.) Although moving will suck, I think it’s probably something we’re going to have to do. So, DC, or somewhere farther north, I suppose. Why? The ability to get around. I can’t drive anymore. Just can’t. Yes, I could make my arms and legs work well enough to move a car, but I don’t see well enough to feel safe doing it. What’s that mean, public transportation. Bus/rail in the city, Amtrak or air between cities. *yawn*
Time to pack, and go to my meeting this afternoon.