# I rock - if I may be allowed to say so myself. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 17, 2001, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154 "2001-09-17T14:08:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/1 "2001-09-17T14:08:38Z")
This morning, sweating and jittery, I entered a Prometrics testing lab. Two hours, one program error and 100 multiple-choice questions (ranging from the banal to the Insanely Kabbalistic Difficult) later, I crossed my fingers, clicked the “End” button, and saw that wonderful, wonderful **green** bar appear on the screen. I have officially passed the _CCIE Routing and Switching Qualification Exam_. Yay! This means that I will, in the fullness of time, be allowed to attempt to take the _CCIE Certification Lab Exam_ and thus become a CCIE. And CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert) is the Big Mean Wahoonie among certifications in my field. Thanks to those Dopers who knew and sent prayers and good wishes - something must’ve worked. And thanks to **Shayna** for her support, OSPF quizzes and calming influence. Yeah, it’s mundane, it’s pointless, but I’m friggin’ happy. 🙂 S. Norman ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/2 "2001-09-17T14:15:00Z")
Who’s da Man? Go you! ---
**Author:** ![Damhna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Damhna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damhna)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/3 "2001-09-17T14:15:59Z")
Ohhhhh ! well check out the big brain on Spiny ! Ya big swot! Seriously: Nice One, Well done and pat yerself on the back for us there mate. God,I hate that feeling of “do i click or do I not” “do i click or do i not” and then the interminaable 1 second wait for the bar to show…that second can move grown men to trembling fits of hystria and it sure aint preety when that happens. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/4 "2001-09-17T14:16:55Z")
I have absolutely no idea what any of that up there says. I am, however, guessing that you were concerned about passing a test, and did indeed do so successfully? Congratulations! For my own edification, what exactly is it that you’re going to be when you’re done with this? ---
**Author:** ![Kricket](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f14d63/32.png) [@Kricket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kricket)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/5 "2001-09-17T14:25:19Z")
Don’t feel bad LifeOnWry, I didn’t understand most of it either, but I know it’s a damn good thing. Spiny Norman I am so happy for you! Now, sit back, take a deep breath, and relax for a few minutes and let it all sink in. And yes, Mistress Shayna is a Goddess among us. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/6 "2001-09-17T14:36:01Z")
Congratulations, Honey!! I am SO proud of you. You worked your butt off for this and no one deserves it more than you do. Now we have even _more_ to celebrate in October - Woo Hoo!! You do, as a matter of fact, **ROCK**! Jeg elsker dig meget højt, kæreste. \ And Mistress Kricket, you’re pretty darn cool, yourself, sweetie. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/7 "2001-09-17T14:37:50Z")
Wooohooo! This week, no good news is mundane or pointless. Even if I don’t understand what the heck you’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/8 "2001-09-17T14:53:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LifeOnWry \*For my own edification, what exactly is it that you’re going to be when you’re done with this? \*\* Better paid. Much, much better paid… Cisco router engineer jobs, last I checked (five years ago) were starting at $80,000. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/9 "2001-09-17T15:05:50Z")
Congratulations, Spiny. We’ve been hoping for the best. You did good! I’ll see you in October and help you celebrate. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/10 "2001-09-17T15:08:12Z")
'Grats, Spiny! And, good work! ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/11 "2001-09-17T15:28:40Z")
yes, but will it make your bike go faster??? 😉 Well done!! ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/12 "2001-09-17T15:52:16Z")
Dammit, I’m blushing here. You guys are simply the best to share this kinda news with. There’ll be a beer raised to the Dopers tonight, I promise. Right, re-reading the OP, I realize it doesn’t really make sense to anyone outside my little tight-knit professional circle. (Come to think of it, a lot of my communication appears to suffer from this handicap 😉 ) What’s happened is this: I’ve passed a preliminary theoretical exam - actually just a screening exam that allows me to sign up for the “real”, practical exam. And in this case, preliminary does not mean easy, if you can stand me beating my own drum a little more. It’s a major step towards my goal of becoming a CCIE, Cisco’s (not the Doper, the networking company) very hard-to-get certification. As about 80% of the Internet and a **lot** of enterprise networks are running on Cisco hardware, it’s definitely a paper worth having. It means people defer to your professional opinion because you have it. It means a very nice salary. It means having the headhunters at your heels. And since my formal education really isn’t something to write home about, it’s a HUGE opportunity. The “real” CCIE test is a day-long ordeal in a lab with live routers and networks, and it’s a total killer. Less than 10.000 people worldwide have passed, ever. Thanks again, all of you. Except perhaps Twisty… Ah, screw it, thanks to you, too. [sub]moped-rider[/sub] S. Norman ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/13 "2001-09-17T15:53:15Z")
Well done to you. Every exam passed is an exam you never have to take again. It’s a thought that keeps me going. pan ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/14 "2001-09-17T16:01:46Z")
Congratulations **Spiny**! It all sounds terribly impressive. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/15 "2001-09-17T16:14:10Z")
Congrats! (I’m too lazy to even get my A+ certification–none of that will get me more money in the job I’m in, and I’m pretty happy here…) ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/16 "2001-09-17T16:16:52Z")
Congrats, **Spiny**. Glad to hear your hard work is paying off. Looking forward to meeting you at Dopetoberfest. BTW, are you 800 yards long today? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tisiphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tisiphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tisiphone)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/17 "2001-09-17T16:27:07Z")
Woohoooo! Congratulations! As an alumnus of CCIE Boot Camp some years ago, I understood every word of your OP. Go you! ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/18 "2001-09-17T19:05:27Z")
Hey, HEY, **HEY!** Watch the copyright infringement, there, bub… But, um, congrats! 🙂 Esprix ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mermaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@The\_Mermaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mermaid)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2001, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/19 "2001-09-18T13:29:16Z")
Congrats on pasing the exam. I imagine to just say it’s a relief would be a huge understatement. When I took my State Board exam for RN it was a 2 day affair, all done on scantron cards. Oh how I learned to despise those little hollow circles. The worst part though was that it took weeks to get the results. I tested in July and got my results in October. In the interm I was allowed to work as a graduate nurse, I just couldn’t use RN in my signature. So for almost eight weeks, literally dozens of times a day, I had to sign my name, Cindi F, IN#068139. Again many congratulations, you rock. ---
**Author:** ![Anniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cc9497/32.png) [@Anniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anniz)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2001, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154/20 "2001-09-18T13:41:06Z")
Many congratulations from me.🙂 Gratulerar. Gratulerar. Gratulerar. Gratulerar. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-rock-if-i-may-be-allowed-to-say-so-myself/82154.md?page=2)