So far boot camp has met my expectations; it’s grueling, informative and fast-paced. Not to bore anyone further with tech talk, but the course includes two new buzzwords: simlets and testlets. Never heard of them? Me either.

Simlets are interactive applications inside an electronic exam that model a piece of equipment. Through a command line interface, the simlet responds to typed instructions like the actual gear does. Only by issuing the correct instruction set can the tester diagnose and resolve the problem. Holy hands on, baby.

Testlets on the other hand, are several related questions based on a single problem description. In a testlet, questions 28 and 29 can depend the question — and perhaps part of the answer — to number 27. Flub one, blow three. Ouch.

For an added twist, simlets and testlets can be combined, and might even appear in the test as early as question 1. Answering a hybrid simlet/testlet might take twenty minutes out of an available ninety.

At present twenty-percent of exam candidates pass on the first try. I love odds like that.

After commencement this morning the entire student body flees the campus. Tonight is the faculty party, complete with lobster and beer. Deep breath…

What began as an irritant turned into a positive. Buying a new computer when the present one refuses to post. Not boot mind you, but post; the motherboard can’t see hardware connected to it. In English: nothing happens after pressing the power button.

With the help of a friend, I’ve nursed big parts of the machine along for some time, replacing busted components as needed. In fact, a substantial portion of the guts are almost six. Wow. That’s like ninety-seven in computer years. Not a complete loss, either. The monitor still runs like a champ, and one of the hard drives works and is possibly salvageable.

I feel like the past week has been a nonstop challenge. Instead of dwelling on the badness, here’s a list of good things that happened:

1) Found out I had more in common than thought with a friend to the north.
2) Tied up all the loose ends at work before heading off to training — no small order.
3) Discovered a new seafood delight. Peel shrimp, whole wheat pasta, olive oil and jack chese. Simple and mmm, tasty.
4) Recovered most of a file lost to my user error, working only from memory. Being that file was the novel outline I spent 18 hours working on, it was a victory in my book.
5) Spent some time with the Wife.

Hopefully this outlook serves as proper tribute to the forces of karmic balance.