The test for work was this week. I spent the bulk of the weekend and early part of the week studying. I’m really glad I did and yet, when I sat down in front of the screen and looked at the first question, then the second one, and the third one, my hopes of doing well totally sank. I felt like a deer in the headlights. Fortunately, I still passed.
This is the second of the Microsoft tests I have taken, and each one I go through, and study for I learn something different about the process. For this test which was querying databases, I read the book twice, I went through a study course but it was for the 2012 exam and I took the 2016 test which was different, only half the subject matter. I also used the same company for the practice tests that I used last year. I downloaded the database and query scripts from the book and set them up on a test server to be able to see what they would do. I even read some of the supplemental material recommended in the book. I put a significant amount of effort into studying for the test. And with all that, as I was sitting there trying to plow through the questions that were taking me longer to figure out than I had anticipated, I started feeling a little like it might be hopeless but at least I had an idea of what I would need to know. It took me the entire allotted time. It said I didn’t finish some of the questions which I can’t figure out but it doesn’t matter now. I hit the finish button, saw that score and the word “Passed” and nearly cried in relief. It was a challenging test.
Finishing that test closes out a year with a few ups and a lot of downs. Since this time last year I’ve had four deaths to deal with, a friend having to move away, a broken foot, a pulled joint in my back, a new relationship and the end of that relationship, a black belt test, and the work test. It’s been a couple of days and I think the impact of all of that is finally starting to hit. As I was thinking about that the other day it occurred to me that I planned my big trip for just the right time. All of that is behind me and a fresh new year is in front of me. I’m starting it off with a big adventure and some great memories. I hope that means this next year will be full of more ups than downs.
I still have a bunch of things to get in order before I leave and I have just about a week to do that in. I’m going to get to one more Blues Jam before I go. I even got a little practice time in, and I hope to get a little more before the jam. I have finally watched the video of most of the sets I played at the last jam and it’s better than I remembered in some cases and as bad as I thought in others. I’m still planning on getting all of that edited and posted before I go. And hopefully I’ll be able to get the video from this next jam posted as well.
I’m taking a tablet with the hopes of getting an article or two posted while I’m away. I’ve been told by more than a dozen people to take pictures. So I should have some to share, and maybe even while I’m there. I had someone tell me last night to be sure to do some shopping while I’m there so that in five years when someone says ‘Oh what a lovely….’ I can say ‘Thank you, I got that on my trip to Australia’. And I think he’s right. So I will be sure to do that. I have no idea what that ‘lovely’ will be at this point but I’ll be keeping my eye out for just the right thing.
I don’t really have any pictures to share this week so I’ll post a few more from the last jam.