Big Head

We have all been there.

We get completely dependent on an app to help with our productivity, and WHAM! It takes off—and who does it forget as it slowly disappears behind a paywall?

You!

Let me explain.

As someone with ADOS (Attention Deficit—OH SQUIRREL!!!), I would forget my own head if it weren't attached.

I really liked the app Pieces from the moment I found it. It started out with all the bells and whistles: debriefs, daily recaps, the ability to ask questions about what you'd been doing—it was awesome.

Then, slowly, things started disappearing behind a paywall.

Then it got a big head and became an MCP.

The nerve!

I thought, Okay, maybe this is the wrong one.

Then one day, I logged in and found that practically everything I had been using was behind a paywall.

I was furious, to be completely honest. I had been using Pieces for more than a year. It had become part of how I worked and kept track of what the hell I had been doing all day.

So, naturally, I went down a couple of rabbit holes.

That's when I found an open-source alternative called Screenpipe.

And judging by what I've seen so far, it may actually be better than Pieces.

Oh, and did I mention it's open-source?

Which is important because I ain't made of money.

Now, let me tell you how much trouble I had getting this thing installed.

Because apparently, when I'm mad, I lose the ability to think straight.

First, I tried using the terminal.

Ugh.

I can code. I can read code. I can translate what something is telling me. But apparently that doesn't mean I know everything under the sun about installing an application through a terminal.

So that was a no-go.

Then I tried downloading it.

That was a pain in the neck, too, mostly because my Wi-Fi connection was playing fast and loose with my emotions.

Never mind the fact that it was a ZIP file—and despite what Windows says, I don't think it particularly appreciates ZIP files.

Finally, after several days and enough language to make a sailor blush, I actually managed to get Screenpipe downloaded and installed.

Minus some of my hair.

At this point, I would like to praise the people who have spent time working on Screenpipe and contributing to it on GitHub, because it's freaking amazing.

And somehow, after all that aggravation, I had managed to get it running.

Now came the fun part:

Was Screenpipe actually going to replace Pieces?

Because getting the damn thing installed was only half the battle.

Right from the get-go, the AI is limited to chats per day, UGH! And it can be used as an MCP. It can be connected to multiple services, such as Google Calendar and Gmail. Also, it can be used with several AI agents, and you can create tools using it. Maybe I'm jaded by Pieces, but I feel like this is only a temporary solution to my absent-minded professor routine. sigh

student resources

There are a ton of high quality resources for those of us who are getting started!

## Cybersecurity (hands‑on, beginner‑friendly)

- **TryHackMe** – Gamified, browser‑based labs with guided “rooms” for absolute beginners (Linux, networking, web vulns, etc.). Free tier is very usable; student discounts exist for Pro. [1]

- **Cybrary (free content)** – Foundational cybersecurity courses and some labs at no cost; good for structured learning paths. [2]

- **CISA Learning** – U.S. government’s free, on‑demand cybersecurity training (great for real‑world incident response and best practices). [3]

- **SecurityBlue.Team** – Offers some free courses; often recommended alongside paid options for depth. [1]

These are ideal to recommend to others because they require only a browser and no expensive hardware.

## Cloud & Networking (AWS, Cisco, general)

- **Microsoft Learn** – Free, structured modules on cloud, networking, security, and programming; includes sandboxes for hands‑on practice. [4]

- **Cisco DevNet / Learning Labs & dCloud** – Official Cisco free labs and sandbox environments for practicing configurations and APIs without owning gear. [5]

- **NetPilot – Cisco Virtual Lab (free tier)** – Cloud‑hosted Cisco IOL routers/switches you can practice on; useful if you’re following CCNA‑style material. [6]

- **AWS Free Tier + AWS Skill Builder (free courses)** – While not all content is free, AWS Skill Builder has many no‑cost courses; combine with the AWS Free Tier to practice real console work. [7]

Tip for your audience: pair a free course (e.g., Microsoft Learn or AWS Skill Builder) with a sandbox (AWS Free Tier, Cisco DevNet) so students can immediately apply what they learn.

## Coding & Problem‑Solving Practice

- **freeCodeCamp** – 100% free full curricula (responsive web design, JavaScript, Python, databases, etc.) with projects and certifications. [8]

- **CodeChef Practice** – Thousands of problems across languages; good for building algorithmic thinking. [9]

- **Codewars** – Bite‑sized coding “kata” with community solutions to learn from after you solve. [10]

- **CodePen / JSFiddle** – Browser‑based sandboxes for front‑end experimentation and sharing snippets. [10]

These work well for students who learn by doing small, repeatable challenges.

## General Study Tools & MOOCs

- **Quizlet** – Free flashcards and study sets; great for memorizing ports, protocols, commands, and security concepts. [11]

- **CK‑12, Yale Online Courses, and other MOOCs** – Free academic content for math refreshers and foundational CS topics. [11][7]

- **Udemy (free courses filter)** – Many intro tech courses are periodically free; useful for targeted topics (e.g., “Linux for beginners”). [1][7]

- **NetworkChuck’s free CCNA playlist** – A popular, approachable video series to prep for CCNA‑level networking concepts. [7

leveraging strengths

LinkedIn learning has a class about leveraging your strengths. If you're anything like me you may have not thought about it to much. 

Go to High5 and look for the Cliftonstrengths test takes about 30 mins and is the magic word free. 

I took it and I got to see where I stand. We all have strengths and weaknesses and when we leverage them for our goals we can do amazing things!

Nightmare on Linux St

I have been having a recurring nightmare involving TUX the penguin. Now If you 

don’t know TUX look him up Google is a wonder!

Okay, now you think this woman is crazy, how could she be having a nightmare 

involving this sweet little guy! Now, if you have had coding experience in BASH, show

of hands, I bet he’s visited your dreams, especially in college. I was dreaming I was 

coding, kept getting an error, and just like the Freddy Krueger movies from the ’80s, 

out came Tux the penguin! Yelling at me, taunting me.

Tux waddled toward me with that permanent little smile on his face, but somehow it

wasn’t cute anymore.

“Line 47,” he said.

“What about line 47?” I asked.

He just pointed a flipper at my screen.

I looked. Nothing seemed wrong.

“It’s perfectly fine!”

Tux shook his head.

“No. It’s almost fine.”

And then he vanished.

Suddenly, my terminal window stretched across the horizon like some weird digital 

desert. Error messages floated through the sky.

Permission denied.

Syntax error.

Unexpected token.

The dreaded words appeared in giant red letters:

Segmentation fault. “I’M NOT EVEN USING C!” I screamed.

From somewhere in the distance, Tux’s laughter echoed.

I started running. Every few feet I passed giant stacks of documentation. Thousands 

and thousands of pages. I grabbed one.

The answer had to be in there somewhere.

I flipped to the index.

“See Error.”

I looked up Error.

“See Documentation.”

I looked up Documentation.

“See Error.”

Tux appeared beside me carrying a cup of coffee.

“You know,” he said, “if you had read the manual…”

“No one reads the manual!”

The look of disappointment on his face hurt more than the nightmare.

I kept digging through files, opening directories.

project_final

project_final_fixed

project_final_really_fixed

project_final_final

project_final_final2

project_final_final2_ACTUAL

Somewhere in there was the answer.

Then I found it.

A script.

The script. The one causing all the trouble.

With trembling hands I opened it.

There, nestled between hundreds of perfectly normal lines of code, was a single 

typo.

One missing semicolon.

One missing character.

One tiny mistake.

I laughed. I cried. I reached for the keyboard.

At last, I would fix everything.

But before I could type, Tux slammed the laptop shut.

“Wait,” he said.

“What now?!”

He pointed behind me.

Slowly, I turned around.

A new terminal window opened.

It contained only one line:

sudo rm -rf /

And beneath it was a blinking cursor.

Tux smiled.

“Go ahead,” he whispered.

Then I woke up in a cold sweat, immediately checking every Linux machine in my 

house to make sure Dream-Me hadn’t somehow found a way to execute commands 

in the real world.

To this day, I still don’t know whether Tux was trying to teach me a lesson or simply 

enjoying my suffering.

Either way, every time I open a terminal and everything works on the first try, I look 

over my shoulder. Just in case.

Navidrome

I did a thing today! I created a open source personal music server in Docker! I ran Navidrome in a docker container to listen to independent artists like All My Friends Hate Me!

When i accomplished my goal with a little direction from ChatGPT I was so proud of myself..i never would have dreamed two years ago that I would be attempting projects like that. 

This going straight in my portfolio.

Discrete Math?!

 When I first spotted this foreign-sounding math requirement on my Western Governors University degree plan, I practically shuddered. And honey, it wasn't just one class—it was three! Now, you're probably saying to yourself, "You’re a Cybersecurity student, get it together—you knew math was involved." But let's be real, I had never even heard of Discrete Math before. So, doing what any resourceful feral goblin would do in this situation, I took myself straight to ChatGPT for a translation.

ChatGPT broke it down beautifully: Discrete mathematics is essentially about solving a problem in the smartest, fastest, and most efficient way possible. It’s the foundational math of computing, where every distinct piece snaps perfectly into place, just like a jigsaw puzzle.

Now, I could absolutely dive into the deep, geeky history of discrete math (but honestly, sweetheart, that's what Google is for). The most important takeaway here is this: we have got this. Life and academia love to throw curveballs, but whether it’s a terrifying syllabus or juggling your personal responsibilities, we are more than equipped for the task.

So, grab your coffee, take a deep breath, and let's dive into the fascinating world of discrete mathematics together.

Bite me Genius Bar

Absolutely. I'd lean into the humor and the "tech disaster turned adventure" angle:

The Great MacBook Rescue Mission

Who looks at a MacBook Air, a Windows 11 laptop, and a Chromebook and thinks, "Let's see what these can do?"

Me.

Partly because I'm a tech nerd. Partly because life seems determined to turn every important project into an IT support nightmare.

This particular adventure began in the middle of a final project. My faithful MacBook Air suddenly decided it had had enough of academia and got itself stuck in clamshell mode. Siri kept insisting something was wrong, VoiceOver wanted my password, and I was left staring at a computer that seemed to have developed a mind of its own.

Naturally, I did what any reasonable person would do: I connected it to my TV and started troubleshooting.

For a brief, glorious moment, things were actually going well. I managed to start downloading a fresh operating system and thought I might have the problem solved.

Then my phone died.

Of course it did.

What followed can only be described as technological chaos. Siri was screaming warnings. VoiceOver was talking nonstop. My Wi-Fi connection was about as stable as a house of cards in a windstorm. My phone was dead. And somehow, despite all of this, I managed to remotely access my MacBook through Google Remote Desktop using my Chromebook.

Yes, my Chromebook became the hero of the story.

At that point I felt like I was conducting emergency surgery on a computer with a paper clip and sheer determination.

After exhausting every trick I could think of, I called Apple Support. I explained exactly what had happened and walked them through every step I had already taken. I was feeling pretty confident.

Their solution?

"Take it to the Genius Bar."

The nearest Apple Store is two hours away.

I couldn't help but laugh. After all the remote connections, operating system downloads, accessibility announcements, and improvised troubleshooting sessions, my reward was a four-hour round trip.

So here I am, still fighting the good fight for my beloved MacBook Air.

Will I eventually win? Probably.

Will the computer cooperate before I completely run out of patience? That's a much tougher question.

Until then, I'll be here with my Windows laptop, my Chromebook, and a renewed appreciation for keeping every device charged before attempting emergency computer repair.

The battle continues. 🚀💻