Why I Created This Blog

I created this blog for a few different reasons, but the biggest one is simple: I want a place to share what I study.

I’m not saying my way is the right way to study. There are probably better and more organized ways to do it. I bounce around a lot.

I might spend a month building an application, then get on TryHackMe for two weeks, then pick up a Linux book and disappear into my homelab. After that, I might go back to networking, Python, databases, or whatever subject connects to the problem I’m trying to solve.

I do a lot.

Writing gives me a way to slow down, organize those thoughts, and lock in what I’ve learned. Instead of vaguely remembering that I studied something six months ago, I’ll have a record of what I learned, how I understood it at the time, and what I actually got from the experience.

If someone else benefits from reading it, even better.

Knowledge Should Be Free

I believe information and knowledge should be freely available.

I want this blog to be somewhere people can see the raw thoughts of someone actively trying to become the person he wants to be.

That reader might be completely new to technology. They might already be on a similar journey. They could even be an experienced engineer reviewing a topic outside their specialty or exploring a transition into something new.

I’m not writing from the perspective of someone who has already figured everything out. I’m documenting the process while I’m still in it.

That means I’m going to write about what works, what doesn’t, what I misunderstand, what frustrates me, and what eventually starts making sense.

Where I Am Today

Python is my strongest skill, bar none. I’ve been programming with it for two years, but I don’t only use Python to finish projects. I study the language itself. I make flashcards, revisit fundamentals, work through object-oriented programming concepts, study built-in methods and dunder methods, and continually test whether I truly understand what I’m using.

My strongest practical areas are web-application development, API development with Django REST Framework, Python scripting, and application security. I’m fundamentally sound in Django and comfortable taking an application from an idea to a working system with API endpoints, authentication, permissions, database integration, and deployment.

I’m also capable of building frontends with React and Next.js. This portfolio is one example. Frontend development is not the part of software engineering I enjoy most, but I learned it because I wanted to build complete applications without depending on someone else to create every interface. I may prefer working behind the UI, but I can still build one when the system needs it.

Outside the application layer, I have a solid foundation in Linux, networking, cybersecurity theory, and practical security work. I’m currently studying for the CCNA while going deeper into Linux system administration and internals. I’m also four classes away from completing my cybersecurity degree.

As much as I would love to lie and tell everyone I’m already a pentester, I’m not going to do that. Pentesting is one of my foundational passions, but I’ve intentionally stopped myself from diving into it full blast.

That does not mean I don’t occasionally “accidentally” disappear into TryHackMe and homelab hacking exercises for weeks at a time. I absolutely do. Eventually, I catch myself, remember the plan, and reroute back toward the core fundamentals I decided to master first.

That decision is not about avoiding pentesting. It is about sequencing my growth around what I’m building now and where I’m going later.

I run a software engineering company, and I’m actively developing applications and systems for it. That means web development, APIs, Python, databases, Linux, networking, application security, and deployment all have an immediate place in my work. I plan to eventually open a cybersecurity branch, but I’m not there yet. Putting all my time into offensive security right now would mean neglecting the engineering foundation my current business actually depends on.

The long-term plan is still there. I want to finish strengthening my networking foundation through the CCNA, continue deepening my Linux and systems knowledge, and then direct more of that focus toward pentesting through the Jr Penetration Tester and CEH certifications.

By then, I don’t want to understand offensive tools only from the attacker’s side. I want to understand the applications, APIs, databases, operating systems, and networks underneath them because I have already spent years building and managing those systems myself.

That is the kind of pentester and eventually cyber operator I'm trying to become.

How I Got Here

My path into technology wasn’t completely direct.

In 2019, while I was in the Army, I signed up to attend school for cybersecurity. At the time, I didn’t fully understand what cybersecurity was or where that decision would eventually take me. I changed degree paths a couple of times and moved in other directions.

A few years later, I started an AI marketing agency.

I used a CRM to manage leads and built no-code AI lead-generation workflows. I would run Facebook ads for businesses, capture the leads inside the CRM, and use automated workflows to contact those leads and guide them toward scheduling an appointment.

I eventually realized that I wasn’t passionate about convincing business owners to run ads. I didn’t enjoy dealing with advertising problems, social-media account issues, or many of the other headaches that came with operating a small marketing agency.

What I loved was the system I was building.

The no-code AI platforms available when I started in 2023 were rough. Bots repeated themselves. Outputs were inconsistent. The overall experience often felt terrible.

I started learning Python because I wanted to build better systems myself.

Once I decided that I was seriously going to pursue technology, returning to cybersecurity made sense. I had education benefits as a veteran, and I still had that unfinished goal from 2019. My cousin graduated with a cybersecurity degree from a respected university and now works in digital forensics. When I was seriously considering going back to school, I thought a lot about the path she had taken. It helped having someone in my own family who had studied and built a career in the broader technology and cybersecurity field. I transferred my degree path back to cybersecurity and went all in.

I’m now four classes away from graduating.

It is very important to note and understand: college is not where you master tech. YOU DO NOT NEED A COLLEGE DEGREE! Most of what I know has come from years of persistent self-study, building projects, reading books, running labs, breaking things, fixing them, and repeatedly returning to the fundamentals. College is valuable because it gives you structure and introduces you to the subjects you need to understand. But anyone who has spent real time in technology knows that proficiency comes from repetition and consistent study long after the assignment or course is finished.

One of the main reasons I decided to go to school is because I have VA benefits that pay for my schooling. So, to reemphasize, if school is not your thing or you are not in a good financial place for school, just start building. Use free resources. Use paid resources like Coursera. You can learn anything you want outside of college. Most importantly, start building!

Along the way, I’ve built a strong foundation in Python, Linux, networking, cybersecurity theory, and practical security work. My strongest areas right now are web-application development, API development, database infrastructure, building systems, and deploying them.

I’m currently studying for the CCNA while going deeper into Linux system administration and internals.

I’m far enough into this journey to share useful information, but still close enough to the struggle to remember what learning it actually feels like.

This Will Be Honest

This blog is going to document the messy parts too.

Projects stall. Ideas fail. Sometimes I misunderstand something. Sometimes I spend hours going in the wrong direction. Sometimes I question whether bouncing between subjects is slowing me down.

I’m comfortable writing about that.

I’m also going to be honest about hard work.

There is nothing wrong with working a normal job and relaxing after work or on weekends. Not everyone wants to organize their life around mastering difficult technical systems.

But that is not the same thing as pursuing mastery.

You do not become highly capable in programming, networking, Linux, systems engineering, or security by only touching them when it is convenient. These are intricate subjects. They require long nights, repetition, frustration, discipline, and plenty of time spent learning things you may not immediately enjoy.

Some people may feel self-conscious reading that. I’m okay with it.

I’m writing for the guys and gals who are willing to put in the work.

Start Now

If you want to get into technology, start now.

Pick a programming language and begin building. Use AI. Read books. Search Google. Watch YouTube videos. If you’re in college, use your library. Buy a printer and print out the material you need to study. Learn how you learn best, then go all in on your goals.

You do not need to master everything at once.

If you find yourself bouncing between subjects, sit down and map out how they connect. Ask whether each subject directly supports the person you are trying to become.

If it does, continue.

If it doesn’t, cut it out for now.

You also need to find what you genuinely love. I love systems. Someone else may love networking. Another person might want to spend their life inside the Linux kernel.

At the same time, loving one area does not mean you can ignore everything surrounding it. A developer, system administrator, or DevOps engineer needs to understand networking, even if networking isn’t their favorite subject. Some parts of the process will not be fun. You still need to learn them to become effective.

That is part of the work.

What You’ll Find Here

I’ll write about projects, programming, Linux, networking, cybersecurity, career changes, business, mistakes, opinions, discipline, and whatever else feels worth sharing.

I’m also a big gym rat. I believe keeping your body in shape directly affects your ability to keep your mind sharp, remain disciplined, and continue learning. That will be part of the conversation too.

This blog will not be a collection of perfectly polished tutorials written from the top of the mountain.

It will be a record of the climb.

The progress, the failures, the uncertainty, the work, and everything I learn along the way.

If that speaks to you, stick around.