30/60/90-day networking learning plan



🗓️ Phase 1: Days 1–30 – Foundations of Networking

🎯 Goal: Understand how networks work, basic terms, and components.

📘 Learn

🛠️ Practice

✅ Milestones

  • Define and explain the OSI model & TCP/IP stack

  • Use Wireshark to identify protocols (HTTP, DNS, etc.)

  • Successfully calculate subnet masks and CIDR notations


🗓️ Phase 2: Days 31–60 – Intermediate Concepts + Simulation

🎯 Goal: Dive deeper into routing, switching, IP addressing, and DNS.

📘 Learn

  • Read:

    • Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (Ch. 3–6)

    • Practical Networking: Routing & NAT sections

  • Watch:

    • Keith Barker’s Networking videos (on YouTube or CBT Nuggets)

  • Labs:

    • Download and use Cisco Packet Tracer

    • Build a simulated LAN, assign static IPs, configure DNS & DHCP

🛠️ Practice

  • Practice subnetting daily until it's second nature

  • Use Packet Tracer: set up a basic router/switch simulation

✅ Milestones

  • Set up and explain a basic home network

  • Explain how NAT, DNS, and DHCP work

  • Complete at least 3 Packet Tracer simulations


🗓️ Phase 3: Days 61–90 – Applied Networking + Cert Prep

🎯 Goal: Apply your skills, reinforce key concepts, and prep for Network+ or CCNA if desired.

📘 Learn

  • Read:

    • TCP/IP Illustrated (skim or focus on ICMP, TCP, IP headers)

    • Review Network+ study guide

  • Watch:

    • Professor Messer’s Network+ videos (free and excellent)

🛠️ Practice

  • Create a virtual lab using GNS3 or EVE-NG

  • Troubleshoot simulated network problems

  • Take practice Network+ exams

✅ Milestones

  • Pass 2–3 Network+ practice exams with 80%+

  • Explain a packet's full journey from browser to web server

  • Build and document a full network topology in Packet Tracer


🧰 Optional Tools (Install Early)

  • Wireshark – packet analysis

  • Cisco Packet Tracer – simulations

  • VirtualBox or GNS3 – emulated routers/firewalls

  • Notion/Obsidian/Google Docs – notes + concept mapping


Would you like a printable or Notion-friendly version of this roadmap? I can also tailor it more to certification goals or real-world troubleshooting if that's your direction.

How to Fully Enjoy EVE Online’s Epic Space Adventure


A Beginner’s Guide to Thriving in the Universe

“In New Eden, the stars don’t wait. You make your path—or someone else will.”


🌌 Welcome to EVE Online

EVE Online isn’t just a game. It’s a living, breathing galaxy where empires rise and fall, and every decision you make echoes across space. But if you're just getting started, it can be hard to know how to enjoy EVE’s space adventure without getting lost in the stars.

Whether you’re dreaming of exploration, war, or intergalactic trade, this guide will help you take off with confidence.


✅ Step 1: Shift Your Mindset

EVE isn’t about instant gratification. It's a sandbox MMO where long-term strategy and player choices shape the world. It rewards patience, creativity, and adaptability.

🎯 Tip: Don’t expect to "win"—aim to build, learn, and influence.


🔭 Step 2: Pick a Playstyle You’ll Love

EVE offers countless career paths. Here's how you might enjoy the game:

Role Description
🛰️ Explorer Scan down wormholes and relic sites in deep space.
🪙 Trader Master the economy, flipping goods between star systems.
⛏️ Miner Extract valuable ores and fuel your corp’s industry.
⚔️ PvP Pilot Hunt, defend, or wage war in lawless regions.
🛡️ Mission Runner Run story-based missions for factions and agents.

💡 Start by completing the in-game “Career Agent” missions—they’re like tutorials for each path.


🛡️ Step 3: Join a Corporation (Corp)

Flying solo can feel isolating. A good corporation gives you:

  • Support & training

  • Shared resources

  • Group missions

  • Friends who’ve got your back

Search in-game or browse Reddit’s r/evejobs and Discord for new-player-friendly corps.


🧭 Step 4: Try Exploration—The Ultimate Freedom

If you crave mystery and adventure, fit a Heron or an Astero, and set off into the unknown. Exploration in EVE is peaceful, profitable, and often thrilling.

🧰 Tools to use:


💰 Step 5: Learn to Earn (ISK) Efficiently

You’ll need ISK to upgrade ships, buy skill injectors, and survive losses.

Easy beginner income:

  • High-sec mining

  • Trading between Jita and smaller hubs

  • Selling exploration loot

  • Completing agent missions

💸 Rule of thumb: Don’t fly what you can’t afford to lose.


🧠 Step 6: Master the Skill Queue

Skills are trained in real-time—even while you sleep. Create a plan with tools like EVEMon or just follow a recommended path in-game.

🛠️ Start with:

  • Navigation

  • Engineering

  • Spaceship Command

  • Scanning

  • Drone Operation

✅ Bonus: Install the EVE Portal App to manage skills from your phone.


⚠️ Step 7: Avoid Rookie Mistakes

Common early-game mistakes to dodge:

🚫 Flying uninsured ships
🚫 Autopiloting expensive cargo through low-sec
🚫 Hoarding too much junk in stations
🚫 Ignoring the in-game map’s danger indicators

Learn from every loss. Each wreck is a lesson.


🤝 Step 8: Plug into the Community

EVE has one of the most loyal, passionate communities in gaming.

🔗 Join:

  • EVE University

  • Reddit: r/Eve

  • Discord servers for newbies and corps

  • YouTube creators like AshyInSpace, CCP TV, and Stark Craving Mad


🌠 Final Thought: Your Space Story Awaits

EVE Online rewards those who dare to think long-term. It’s not about how fast you can level up—it’s about how deep you can go. Whether you build a shipping empire, lead a pirate fleet, or map uncharted wormholes, your legacy is yours to create.

So strap in, pilot. The stars are calling—and your EVE space adventure has only just begun.


👨‍🚀 Ready to Explore?

🎮 Download EVE Online Free
🛰️ Join a Corp. Fly Safe. Fly Dangerous. Fly Free.



The Haunted Menger Hotel in San Antonio: Ghosts, History, and Unforgettable Hospitality

 Located just steps from the historic Alamo, the Mengers Hotel in San Antonio is one of the most iconic—and haunted—hotels in Texas. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this timeless treasure not only boasts world-class accommodations and rich history, but is also said to host over 30 ghostly residents.


A Historic Jewel Since 1859

The Menger Hotel opened its doors on February 1, 1859, built by German immigrant William Menger on the site of his brewery—the first in Texas. Designed by local architect John M. Fries, the hotel quickly became the crown jewel of San Antonio, once considered the finest hotel west of the Mississippi.

The hotel has hosted a dazzling array of historical figures including:

  • Sam Houston

  • Generals Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant

  • Presidents McKinley, Taft, Eisenhower, and both Roosevelts

  • Babe Ruth

  • Mae West

As San Antonio grew—especially after the arrival of the railroad in 1877—the Menger flourished. The Colonial Dining Room became famous for its snapper soup, wild game dishes, and mango ice cream, while the Menger Bar, modeled after London’s House of Lords, became a destination in itself.


Ghosts of the Menger Hotel: Paranormal Encounters

The Menger isn’t just a place to sleep—it’s a place where history literally haunts the halls. From U.S. presidents to former staff, the hotel is reportedly home to 32 spirits, making it one of the most haunted hotels in America.

1. Teddy Roosevelt: The Rough Rider Recruiter

President Theodore Roosevelt frequently visited the Menger Hotel—and is said to still linger in the Menger Bar. In 1898, Roosevelt famously recruited his Rough Riders here, offering cowboys drinks before signing them up for the Spanish-American War. Guests and staff have reported sightings of Roosevelt at the bar, casually enjoying a phantom drink.

2. Sallie White: The Loyal Chambermaid

Sallie White, a chambermaid at the hotel in the 1870s, was tragically murdered by her husband on hotel grounds in 1876. Despite her violent death, Sallie has been seen many times since—often in a gray skirt and bandana, quietly carrying towels down the hallways of the Victorian wing.


3. Captain Richard King: The Ranching Legend

Founder of the famed King Ranch, Captain Richard King spent his final days at the Menger in his private suite, now known as the King Ranch Room. Guests still report seeing him enter the room—walking straight through a wall where the door used to be before renovations.



4. The Knitting Lady

A mysterious woman in an old-fashioned blue dress and wire-rimmed glasses is often seen knitting in the hotel’s original lobby. When approached by staff, she reportedly responds curtly before disappearing.

5. The Shower Spirit

One guest emerged from the shower to find an apparition in a buckskin jacket and grey trousers arguing with an unseen entity. The ghost repeated, “Are you going to stay or are you going to go?”—before vanishing into thin air.

6. Kitchen Poltergeists

Strange activity has been recorded in the hotel’s kitchen, where utensils move on their own, and invisible hands seem to assist staff with tasks—adding to the Menger’s eerie charm.

7. Alamo Spirits

Given its location adjacent to the Alamo, some believe the hotel’s spiritual activity is tied to soldiers who died during the Battle of the Alamo. Guests report hearing boots stomping, doors slamming, and even seeing military footwear in hallways.


A Stay Like No Other

Despite its spectral guests, the Menger Hotel is welcoming and luxurious, offering:

  • 316 guest rooms and suites

  • Vintage furnishings: four-poster beds, velvet sofas, and marble-topped tables

  • Views of the Alamo, Alamo Plaza, and the lush courtyard pool

  • The iconic Colonial Room Restaurant and legendary Menger Bar

Whether you're a history buff, paranormal enthusiast, or just looking for a memorable stay in downtown San Antonio, the Menger Hotel offers a one-of-a-kind experience—past and present.

Visit the Menger Hotel

📍 204 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, Texas

Come for the luxury, stay for the history—and maybe share a drink with Teddy Roosevelt’s ghost.

How to Fully Enjoy EVE Online’s Epic Space Adventure: A Beginner’s Guide to the Galaxy

 


New to EVE Online? Learn how to enjoy EVE’s space adventure with beginner tips, exploration advice, and gameplay strategies to thrive in the vast sci-fi universe.


Introduction: Why EVE Online Is the Ultimate Space Adventure

EVE Online isn't just a game—it's a universe. With thousands of star systems, a player-driven economy, and real-time battles, EVE offers one of the most immersive space experiences in gaming. But jumping in without a guide can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re a curious explorer, a space trader, or a future fleet commander, this article will show you how to truly enjoy EVE Online’s epic space adventure from day one.


1. Start with the Right Mindset

EVE Online is not a fast-paced shooter. It’s a slow-burn, strategic sandbox where every decision matters. Success requires patience, curiosity, and a willingness to learn from failure. Expect a learning curve—but know that every mistake is part of the story.

Pro Tip: Treat the game like a sci-fi simulator, not an arcade shooter.


2. Choose the Right Career Path for You

EVE Online offers multiple paths to success. Here are a few popular ways to enjoy the game:

  • Explorer: Scan down wormholes, cosmic anomalies, and relic sites.

  • Trader: Buy low, sell high, and manipulate the player-driven market.

  • Miner: Gather resources and build your empire from the ground up.

  • Pirate or Bounty Hunter: Hunt others or protect your crew in PvP.

  • Mission Runner: Complete quests and build faction standings.

Tip: Try different roles using the Career Agents in-game to find your groove.


3. Join a Corporation (Corp)

Playing solo is possible, but joining a player-run corporation unlocks a whole new level of fun. Corps offer:

  • Mentorship and help

  • Group missions and mining fleets

  • Protection and PvP training

  • Access to null-sec space

Use the in-game Corporation Finder to search for beginner-friendly corps or check EVE forums and Discord communities.


4. Learn the Art of Exploration

Exploration is one of the most thrilling ways to enjoy EVE’s universe. Equip a ship like the Astero or Heron, and venture into unknown space to uncover relics, data caches, and wormholes.

Tools to Help:

  • Dotlan: Map tool to plan routes

  • EVE Uni Wiki: For scanning techniques

  • Zkillboard: Check activity in areas before jumping in


5. Make ISK (Money) Strategically

To sustain your adventure, you'll need ISK—the in-game currency. Some beginner-friendly ways to earn ISK include:

  • Running missions for agents

  • Mining in high-sec space

  • Trading between player hubs

  • Selling exploration loot

Once you’ve built some income streams, reinvest in better ships or skill injectors.


6. Skill Training Tips

Skills train in real time—even while offline. Use a skill plan to stay efficient. Focus on:

  • Spaceship Command

  • Navigation

  • Engineering

  • Targeting

  • Resource Processing (for miners)

Install the EVE Portal mobile app to track and manage skill queues on the go.


7. Avoid Rookie Mistakes

Here are a few pitfalls to avoid as a new pilot:

  • Don’t fly what you can’t afford to lose

  • Don’t autopilot in high-value ships

  • Don’t forget to insure your ships

  • Don’t hoard everything—sell what you don’t need


8. Embrace the Community

EVE Online has one of the most dedicated communities in gaming. Dive into Reddit’s r/Eve, EVE University, YouTube tutorials, or join a Discord server for live help and advice.


Final Thoughts: Your Story Starts Here

The magic of EVE Online is that it’s your story to write. Whether you become a famous explorer, wealthy merchant, or feared pirate, the galaxy is yours to shape. Embrace the challenge, stay curious, and you’ll discover why millions of players call EVE their favorite space sandbox.


Ready to begin?
Create your account, claim your free starter pack, and launch into the stars—your epic EVE Online space adventure awaits. 



Behold, I Am Doing a New Thing – Isaiah 43:19

the wilderness


anIsaiah 43:19 (ESV)


There are moments in life when everything feels dry. Stagnant. Like we’re walking through a wilderness with no clear direction, or stranded in a desert with no relief in sight. But right in the middle of that, God speaks: “Behold, I am doing a new thing.”


This is not a vague spiritual platitude. It’s a declaration of transformation, hope, and purpose—spoken by the God who specializes in impossible landscapes.





🛤️ A Way in the Wilderness



Wilderness in Scripture often symbolizes confusion, hardship, or wandering. Maybe you’ve been in a wilderness season—feeling like you’re just surviving, not thriving. Doors are shut. Prayers seem unanswered. Progress feels impossible.


But God doesn’t leave us in that place.


When He says He’s making a way in the wilderness, it’s not just about direction—it’s about presence. He’s carving out a path where none existed. His guidance doesn’t come after we get our lives in order—it comes in the middle of the mess.


Sometimes the “new thing” is not a new job, opportunity, or relationship—but a new mindset, a new peace, or a renewed purpose in what we already have.





💧 Rivers in the Desert



The desert is where things die. It’s dry, isolating, and unforgiving. But God says He’s putting rivers there. Not a trickle. Not a drip. Rivers.


This means abundance where there was once lack. Refreshing where there was once exhaustion. Growth where there was once barrenness. When God speaks, He doesn’t just change your surroundings—He redefines what’s possible.


Ask yourself: What area of my life looks like a desert right now? Is it your finances? Your faith? Your family? God wants to bring rivers into that very place.





👁️ “Do You Not Perceive It?”



This line hits deep. God is already moving—but are we seeing it?


Sometimes, we miss what He’s doing because we’re too focused on what He did. Isaiah 43 encourages us not to dwell on the former things. Yes, God moved in your past—but He’s not stuck there. He’s not a God of nostalgia. He’s a God of now.


Perceiving what God is doing often requires slowing down, listening, and letting go of our expectations. It’s an invitation to discern and align.





🔄 Application: How to Embrace the New Thing



Here are 3 practical steps:


  1. Pray for perception. Ask God to show you what He’s doing in your life right now.
  2. Release the past. Let go of what didn’t work, what hurt you, or what once was.
  3. Prepare your heart. God rarely pours new wine into old wineskins (Luke 5:37). Create space for the new thing—emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.






Final Thought


God is not done with you.


Isaiah 43:19 is a promise that He is active, creative, and intentional in your life—even if you can’t see it yet. Don’t measure your future by your past. Look up. Stay expectant. The new thing is already springing up.


Behold it. Believe it. Walk in it.


Reflections on Jeremiah 38: Courage in Crisis

 Jeremiah 38 captures a dramatic moment in the prophet’s life, revealing themes of courage, divine protection, and the cost of truth. Set against the backdrop of Judah’s final days, this chapter offers timeless lessons for navigating trials with faith.

A Prophet in Peril

As Jerusalem faces a Babylonian siege, Jeremiah delivers God’s unpopular message: surrender to survive; resist, and perish. His words, seen as treason, enrage officials like Shephatiah and Pashhur, who persuade the wavering King Zedekiah to silence him. Zedekiah, weak and indecisive, agrees, and Jeremiah is cast into a muddy cistern to die—a grim symbol of Judah’s spiritual state, trapped in rebellion and cut off from God’s truth.

An Unlikely Hero

Hope emerges through Ebed-Melech, an Ethiopian eunuch in the king’s court. Risking his position, he boldly petitions Zedekiah to free Jeremiah. With the king’s reluctant consent, Ebed-Melech orchestrates a compassionate rescue, using ropes and rags to gently lift the prophet from the pit. His courage and kindness highlight God’s ability to use unexpected people for His purposes.

Truth and Weakness

Rescued, Jeremiah faces Zedekiah again. The king, torn between fear and a desire for truth, seeks a private word. Jeremiah stands firm: surrender to Babylon, or face destruction. Zedekiah, paralyzed by fear of his court, begs secrecy, revealing his tragic flaw—he knows the truth but lacks the resolve to act.

Lessons for Today

Jeremiah 38 challenges us to emulate the prophet’s courage, speaking truth despite opposition. Ebed-Melech’s compassion urges us to act boldly to help those in need, trusting God to work through us. Zedekiah’s indecision warns against knowing truth but failing to follow through—half-hearted faith leads to missed opportunities.

Final Thoughts

This chapter contrasts despair with deliverance, cowardice with courage. It reminds us that no pit is too deep for God’s rescue. Like Jeremiah, may we stand firm. Like Ebed-Melech, may we act with compassion. And unlike Zedekiah, may we choose obedience over fear.

What resonates with you from Jeremiah 38? Share your thoughts below!

A Powerful Payer Psalms 91

 Psalm 91 is a powerful and comforting psalm, often referred to as the “Psalm of Protection,” emphasizing God’s shelter and safety for those who trust in Him. Below is the text in the King James Version:

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

This psalm is often recited for reassurance of God’s protection against danger, illness, and evil. Its imagery of divine shelter (e.g., “under his wings”) and angelic guardianship is particularly vivid. If you want a different translation, an explanation of specific verses, or its application in context, just let me know!


The UniFi Cloud Gateway Ultra

  Your home network deserves better than a rental gateway. The UniFi Cloud Gateway Ultra runs a 1 Gbps IDS/IPS engine, manages 30+ devices, ...