So I kind of expected it, but I didn’t pass the AZ-104. I came close, but not close enough. The exam’s way more fiddly than the AWS equivalent, and requires a lot more hands-on, which I didn’t really do. I was kind of expecting it once I got a better sense of the exam, so it’s no big deal; I got the voucher for free, so it was useful in terms of a fact-finding mission. And I know what I need to work on for the next go-round.
It actually works out decently, because if I had aced it, then I’d have this free retake sitting there and I’d be tempted to blow the next month studying for some cert I haven’t even begun yet; maybe an AI cert or another unrelated cloud one. This way, I know what I’m spending that retake on. I’m going to schedule another go at the AZ-104 for the 17th of November, and if I fail that one, I get a free retake that can be burned between January and April of next year. I figure with two more bites at the apple, I for sure land it. So I’m going back into the CCNA and labbing for Azure in my free time.
In the meantime, I threw together a dinner of barbecue brisket, mashed potatoes, and corn. Absolutely in love with Kinder’s seasoning blends; every time I go to Sam’s I tend to pick up at least one. The last time I went I goggled at the fact that they had chicken salt and had to pick up a jar; it’s not replaced the black truffle steak or the buttery steakhouse blends as my go-to, but it’s damn nice for certain applications.
Also speaking of food and drink, the capuccino machine at work is messing with my head. I’d much rather be switching back to tea, but it’s more of hassle. The temperature’s not right so it’ll be sub-optimal, and the only machine-made tea they have there is Earl Grey or some herbal stuff in K-Cups. (I explained to the guys the whole bergamot thing and got looked at like I was nuts.) So I can either take five minutes extra on the break to make a cup of so-so tea, or I can just push the capuccino button (or in the afternoons, a chocolate one) and be done with it. It’s getting so bad I actually bought some Peet’s Big Bang K-Cups for my machine here, just have to dig it out of mothballs.
Tomorrow I have to record a godawful thing for the remote position I’m applying for. Grates on my nerves that it’s one of those jobs, but at least I guess they’re not making me talk to a robot and the questions are all straightforward. Just focusing on the fact that if I did get it, it would be a) a raise and b) a second shift position and c) fully remote. Willing to put up with corporate culture issues to be able to work in my jammies.