Tomorrow is killing me

[Japher]

I think social engineering encompasses a lot more than what Pekka is looking at, though he'll combine technology with it.

I don't know, I'm talking out my rear.

Go Pekka, SC!!

[Pekka]

Yes. Social Engineering is the exact term. It's the #1 thing with me, but it includes a variety of other stuff as well we need to be very well aware of such things as training and all that stuff, plus of course what comes with security, surveillance, biometric measures etc.. physical security and then of course basically hacking.

Umm, so this is the only position that lets me research this, they actually asked me if I wanted to do penetration testing, to which I replied absolutely. It would so much ROOOOCK to be sent in Hong Kong, do some penetration testing and all these things. So in a nutshell, what Kevin Mitnick does is something I would kind of do as well, but from both sides of the game, attackers and defendors point of view.

I think they will let me know tomorrow.

Bad news though. My guide person from school, I got a hold of him, he was on his vacation already but since he knew my situation we talked, and it doesn't look good. I hate the fact that he isn't willing to believe it can be done. It's like ... you know, I can work this thing weekeds, 16 hours a day, you know let's get it done and I need him to knock the bureocracy down for me. But it's like no no, it's too much work for you. No it isn't. This is the only shot open, it'll prolly stay that way, so don't tell me it's too much work, I need help with it, not a new obstacle.

So it's definitely looking bad now. But I hope they still consider the other things I was good at and give me a chance.

[Pekka]

I mean perhaps now you get why this is such an opportunity, because there simply aren't any other opportunities for this in here and not only that, it woudl be a premier spot at that. Basically I can't do this at this level if I don't get this very position and it's my dream.

[Pekka]

I WAS CHOSEN! WAS CHOSEN½!!!!!

MAAAN EYAYEAEAYYAEAEYAYEYAEAYEYEA!½!!!

Aarriba tsokolo mantubaa!

Wow.

They laid down some _heavy_ conditions though. It's not like I won't do them, the problem si I'm not sure if I can. It's 'graduate by september'. I mean, I called my guide person and like 'dude Iknow it's your vacation now..'. I don't care, this is mine. It's my freaking DREAM!!!!!!!!!

It's not like, I mean most people wouldn't believe in completing these conditions. I don't care. Like I said, I just don't sleep or do anything else, I'll skip everything and work it, work it, just hustle. I need to score a lot of courses during this summer, that's the hard part. I never went to those courses. I need to get myself into the extra summer exams and really do extreme studying to pass them all etc.

We'll see. I'm up for the fight though, even when it kind of sounds impossible, but I figure it's doable if the guy doing it can take the challenge and twist it into some kind of sick extreme sport. I can. I am Asian at my heart.

[DanS]

Congrats, dude.

Now for your punishment.

[ZEE]

Its about time for the traditional :BEER: Pekka...

congrats dude
piece™

[Pekka]

Yeah, I'm serious I wasn't believing they'll accept me becuase of this. They're showing a lot of trust in me, they know how difficult this situation is for me, but they still chose that I can do it and that I want it, so I just will do it. We'll see, the difficult part is that this is summer time so no courses and everyone is on vacation, ok so THAT makes this very difficult . But it's not like I won't just call them up and you know would you turn a guy down who says this is his dream, he was jsut chosen on a premier spot and was the underdog, he can truly do something unique for him and it's just that YOU should let me just cram one course YOU do once a year, except it's now summer, but it's all hanging in teh air and this is the condition.

Who would say no? A dream crusher would, but that's certainly how you can make enemies fast, my guide person is with me and supporting me all the way as well.

[Jon Miller]

You have courses also? What did you do in the last year?

JM

[Pekka]

JM, I have to complete few courses to complete my MSc. It's not a lot, but this is summer so it's not like they're running. School is closed.

What did I do last year? A lot. Luckily my courses can be anything, since I have completed all my master courses that are required, so it can be fluit playing, anything really.

But the way I got the message, it clearly indicates the possibility to do penetration testing AND that they have networks I can use in it, legally

[Jon Miller]

I bet if you had finished your MSc and dressed in jeans and a tee-shirt (and shaved) you would have gotten in and not had a stressful summer.

I thought you had fulfilled the requirements to get in, no wonder you were so panicy.

JM

[Pekka]

Dude, I never had the requirements. They were looking for researchers from MSc holders to those who already have their PhD. I just applied because it I recognized the opportunity and that it is exactly what I do and would like to do, picture perfect fit.

I still wouldn't have gone in a t-shirt and jeans . It's a premier spot, the only spot we have in thsi country for this kind of thing, and it's the first time this place announced it. It might be the last for years to come as well. So heck yeah I was nervous and now I'm just foolishly optimistic.

I didn't even fit the requirements for my current job. I do them now, but I didn't when I applied. What can I say, I come highly recommended .

[Pekka]

What a thriller though, I got the answer in e-mail. I thought they'd call the one who gets chosen and the rest get e-mails (or calls). So when I get the e-mail, I'm like damn... I guess that's it. But wasn't so

Also, it's definitely worth the HOLE I have in my heel. Somehow I chose the WRONG shoes in the morning, I was kind of tired because I had to leave home like 6 AM or so, so I basically just took shoes, I have three pairs for suits and took the wrong ones. Took the ones that were too small for me.

I noticed 'wow, that's tight', but figured I have no time, let's just roll, they look good no problem. Well.. PLENTY problems later on. I was hurting man. I was really in pain after 12 hours of wearing them. I have a freaking hole in my heel. Not just some skin off, it's a little hole, the size of my hell. I was definitely bleeding some. And you can't take them off at that point, then you just suck it up and figure "5 more hours and I can take them off". That's not good But that hole didn't go to waste

[Pekka]

The best part? I'm not 100% sure if this is the exact position that was up for the grab, or if they changed their direction an inch, because I get to do my PhD the very subject I suggested. It's very similar and deals with the same issues the position was open for, but the topic is now what I just suggested. So that's very cool

[Pekka]

Oh man, almost forgot I still haven't missed an interview .

Perfect record continues! The next one I have to take? I don't know, it'll be a good while...

[Pekka]

Going on a monologue. Tried to sleep but can't. I'm weirdly optimistic about my chances of completing all studies in 9 weeks and everyone on vacation and bureocracy against me totally. Hey, it's not a coincidence my 'expertise' is on social engineering . A huge workload, but every single thing I do.. I mean there's a goal, there's this linear track now. It ends.

I don't know how I feel. This is my big dream. It's like if someone asked me what I wanted to do and forget the money part? This would be it. I'd rather play in the NHL, but since I'm not good enough for that, I mean I choose this over being a rock star. It really is my dream. It isn't just 'the best realistic thing you can do'. No, this is it, this particular field is exactly it and now I have the platform and the support to do it One in a million, I got the one chance .

Anyway, it's weird how my feelings are shut down. It's still sinking in. I'm quite stoic. I can't yet comprehend what just happened. I think I've never actually scored a real fantasy dream before, except the first time I was with a woman. So I'm still just not thinking about it, it'll just flow inside my head tomorrow. I can't believe it's true, it doesn't feel like reality, but it is!

It's great too, because this weekend is the midsummers day, the big party in here, so... it would have SUCKED to fumble this one just before a few days of partying with all my friends. Now? No problem