Destroy Obstacles

Another month of fun is flying by! Usually when schools take off for Spring Break, our family will rush to travel away from South Florida to go somewhere else. This time we wanted to slow things down, so we finally had a great staycation together to enjoy more things like: Rollercoasters at the Fair - we enjoyed lots of rollercoasters, carnival games, & other fun at our local fair. We went during the week when it was less crowded, and it was also a great deal since they discounted that weekday. Sports (Table Tennis & Biking) - I took a break from my usual games of pickleball on the weekdays, but luckily we have plenty of other ways to keep moving. We now have a professional table tennis table setup at home, and the competition is fierce against tough opponents like my young daughters.   And I also signed up for a bike tour around all five boroughs of New York City, so I'm excited for fun ways to stay fit. Gaming (Arcade & VR) - I also battled my daughters on games at th

My Top Books in 2023 I'm looking forward to surpassing my goal of reading 50 books again for the Goodreads 2023 Reading Challenge! This year I've had a large number of books I gave 5 stars, so I took extra time to enjoy them. For many years I gave myself the excuse that I didn't have the time to sit down and read, and barely read 1 book a year. So how did I do it? Well listening to audiobooks while driving or training for sports to stay in shape  https://ninja.ninjaforlife.com/ definitely helps. Luckily books in Amazon Kindle format can also be read by Echo devices and even using the Alexa app. My top books by category read in 2023 were: Data & AI • Power and Prediction https://amzn.to/411oHAn • The Signal and The Noise https://amzn.to/3GpKTup Business/Technology • Chip War https://amzn.to/3R5KEcR • Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making https://amzn.to/3RpoDag • Sandworm https://amzn.to/3TcuHo5 Mindset/Motivational • Motivational Legends

Geeking out on Data & AI I tend to obsess over at least one subject to keep me always learning new things, and this time it is Data & AI: Data - it is all around us, & tools like Microsoft Power BI allow us to harness that power. Since it is one of our main tools used at work, I knew I needed to use it more. Luckily, Microsoft Learn offers free hands-on labs that walk you through all the basics. After completing their cloud skills challenge at one of their recent events, I was offered a discount to take the Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300) exam. After attempting the exam, I'm glad to share that I passed! AI - I'm also amazed by how powerful AI tools can help us out with daily tasks. My main go-to is ChatGPT for generating content, summarizing content, & much more. And if you have Microsoft Edge, Bing Chat is built into the browser & lets you do things like summarize articles & generate images. I enjoy sharing what I'm learning, so I'm putting toget

 I'm looking forward to surpassing my goal of reading 50 books again for the Goodreads 2022 Reading Challenge! This year I've had a large number of books I gave 5 stars, so I took extra time to enjoy them. For many years I gave myself the excuse that I didn't have the time to sit down and read, and barely read 1 book a year. So how did I do it? Well listening to audiobooks while driving or training for sports to stay in shape  definitely helps. Luckily books in Amazon Kindle format can also be read by Echo devices and even using the Alexa app. My top books by category read in 2022 were: Business/Technology • The Innovators https://amzn.to/3GQmP5b • Invent & Wander https://amzn.to/3EIe7DF • The Code Book https://amzn.to/3icsx7j Mindset/Motivational • Ego Is the Enemy https://amzn.to/3ODAX3O • Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life https://amzn.to/3gDpPau Health/Wellness/Psychology • How to Change Your Mind https://amzn.to/3U5J0re • Why We Sleep https://amzn

Overcoming Challenges: 3 Steps To My Cybersecurity Analyst CySA+ Transformation So, what has been your toughest challenge in your career or personal life so far, & how were you able to overcome it?   For some of us this might include overseeing massively complex projects, handling difficult people, or competing in seemingly impossible fitness races/challenges.   We could try to avoid challenges like these, but that would limit our opportunities for growth. And actively seeking challenges can help us break through our comfort zone as long as we have the right strategy & focus.   I'm no stranger to setting big goals to achieve. I've competed in fitness challenges, raced in marathons, triathlons, & even obstacle races like ninja warrior.   Having done this enough, I noticed patterns for what worked. It was a simple 3-step process that anyone could use. So if I know I need to change to grow professionally, then where should I start?   A great quote by Lao Tzu says that

I surpassed my goal of reading 50 books for the Goodreads 2021 Reading Challenge! Also see  money goals  and more.     For many years I gave myself the excuse that I didn't have the time to sit down and read, and barely read 1 book a year. So how did I do it?     Well listening to audiobooks while driving or training for sports to  stay in shape   definitely helps. Luckily books in Amazon Kindle format can also be read by Echo devices and even using the Alexa app.     My top books by category read in 2021 were:     Business/Technology   Getting Things Done  https://amzn.to/3qyGv5f     The Hard Thing About Hard Things  https://amzn.to/351L9Ax       Mindset/Motivational   Ultralearning   https://amzn.to/33GJfUW     Tools of Titans  https://amzn.to/3tCNdcf       Health/Wellness/Psychology   Lifespan  https://amzn.to/3GAnJjj     Stillness is the Key  https://amzn.to/3qwBNF8       Fun/Historical   Leonardo Da Vinci  https://amzn.to/3tyGZtO     Homo Deus  https://amzn.to/3qyGHS3       Fi