Well, I have been away from studying for two and a half months. It is hard to believe that time went by so quick. Time is one of the most mysterious things, one day you are preparing for a lab the next two years have passed. The last two months have been hectic, both at work with projects and becoming a dad. That was and still is an awesome experience and would not have traded it for two ccie’s. The little one is a month old today, this earmarks a new era for us, no more extended quality dad time for hopefully only a few short months (see quote 6). Need to roll up the sleeves and ‘make’ time, this is not going to be easy. In fact this is going to be hard, I wont hold it against the family if I am not awarded dad of the year this year. This is where I really appreciate my supporting wife. I have a new found respect for CCIE’s that did the journey with little ones in the house.
When coming out of a study slump I often first need to get myself motivated. I actually enjoy this part. I usually start meditating about what I want to achieve and why, some music might be involved and would probably start with something depressing like Scorpions – ‘Winds of change’ and end up with Bon Jovi – ‘Its my life’, perhaps even proclaiming “Aint gonna be just a face in the crowd!”. Some motivational quotes work to get the meditation going and by the way motivational posters dont work 
I made a list of some quotes I read tonight that struck a cord:
1. “The best way to predict your future is to create it.” Unknown
2. “Success doesn’t come to you, you go to it.” Marva Collins
3. “Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly. ” Stephen R. Covey
4. “Where the heart is willing, it will find a thousand ways. Where it is unwilling, it will find a thousand excuses.” Arlen Price
5. “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” Jim Ryun
6. “You will never find time for anything. If you want time you must make it. ” Charles Buxton
7. “Will you look back on life and say, “I wish I had,” or “I’m glad I did”?” Zig Ziglar
8. “The only goal you can’t accomplish is the one that you don’t go after!” Vilis Ozols
9. “When you shoot for the moon and you come up short, you still end up among the stars.” Les Brown
10. “What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” Napoleon Hill
11. “Luck favors momentum.” Unknown
12. “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” Albert Schweitzer
13. “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” Chinese Proverb
14. “The belief in a thing makes it happen.” Frank Lloyd Wright
15. “Enthusiasm spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.” Norman Vincent Peale
16. “In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins not by strength but by perseverance.” H. Jackson Brown
17. “When a man is willing and eager, the gods join in.” Aeschylus
18. “Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you.” Arnold Palmer
19. “Success isn’t how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started.” Proverb
20. “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great,” Mark Twain
Next a strategy is needed on how much time to spend on labs and theory. I will probably spend more time reading than working through actual labs as I can cover more ground this way to refresh all the grey matter. A few days before the lab I will work through some full-scale labs and focus on speed. If the SP seats continue to be available as they are at the moment, I think this is a good season to put this one to bed.
