Security Testing Journal Entry | February AAR

Below is a write up of goals & intentions that were set and either met or not met & why

FOCUS ON WHAT IS MOVING YOU FORWARD! STAY FOCUSED! ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS!

GOAL CONTINUOUS

Self Improvement

STATUS

MET

REASON

The morning pep talks have helped with the negative self-talk and mild depression. It could be the winter, or low-T. Sleep has improved a significant amount since coming back from the trip.

ACTION REQUIRED

Keep at it .. Stay consistent. Remember: YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE! YOU ARE NOT DEFINED BY YOUR PAST. YOUR ARE REFINED BY IT!!

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GOAL No. 1

Android / iOS Mobil Application Penetration Test

STATUS

UNMET

REASON

Priorities shifted and this was descoped. Will revisit in the future.

ACTION REQUIRED

Will need to set a task to set up the mobile environment for proper mobile pen testing. MOBSF can only get you so far!!

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GOAL No. 2

Network Penetration Test

STATUS

UNMET

REASON

Attempted to do this, but found "TheFork" and moved into testing Web App.

ACTION REQUIRED

Visit HackTheBox (HTB) and find a cool box.

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GOAL No. 3

Active Directory Penetration Test

STATUS

MET .. sort of!

REASON

Sat through a presentation where the host performed ADPT on a few targets.

ACTION REQUIRED

Visit HackTheBox (HTB) and find a cool box like "Blue" that is meant for AD.

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GOAL No. 4

Web / API Penetration Test

STATUS

MET .. sort of!

REASON

• Started on "TheFork" and I'm 50% of the way done.
• Remember where you failed at Secure Ideas and the areas you need to get better. Keep moving!

ACTION REQUIRED

Make this the priority of the week and finish.

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GOAL No. 5

LLM Penetration Test

STATUS

MET .. sort of!

REASON

While I am working through the learning modules, the models to make this work are not working.

ACTION REQUIRED

Finish the modules and see why the environment isn't working.

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GOAL No. 6

"AntiSyphon - Hacking LLMs" Meeting

STATUS

MET

REASON

Sat through the presentation and learned the theory. Not much was done as far as "hands-on" work.

ACTION REQUIRED

Keep researching this. Love it.

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GOAL No. 7

Python Practice

STATUS

MET

REASON

Revisited my old framework and updated some scripts.

ACTION REQUIRED

Currently working to script mobile tests. Will revisit security scripts as necessary.

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GOAL No. 8

New Workout

STATUS

MET

REASON

Seeing progress, but it is a grind.

ACTION REQUIRED

Keep at it .. Stay consistent.

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GOAL No. 9

"Husb." .. writing for fun

STATUS

MET .. sort of!

REASON

Started on the chapter but paused it for other priorities. Will return to it in March.

ACTION REQUIRED

Keep at it .. Stay consistent.

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GOAL No. 10

Read A Book

STATUS

MET

REASON

Started on "Zorro", Finished Part 1

ACTION REQUIRED

You are on to Part-2. Don't stop!

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GOAL No. 11

Learn about Cloud Security

STATUS

UNMET

REASON

Been busy with other areas and honestly Cloud Pen Testing isn't my jam.

ACTION REQUIRED

Need to learn how to do this soon.

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday February 27, 2026 - "And Now For Something Completely Different" Ed.

Highlights for the week

These are some interesting times we're living in.

This week was no exception. It started with a classic snow storm that occupied most of my Monday. Then there was a media frenzy on files from a child predator about to be released. And it ended with the US & Israel launching a missle strike against Iran. WILD!!!

On a personal front, it was my son's birthday and we celebrated as best we could, with what money allows. We planned to take him out on vacation when $$ gets right. Universal Hollywood - Epic Universe is the way.

Also regarding my son, we nearly avoided a potential scam. He had applied to a job that looked promising, only for it to be a scam. They wanted him to purchase equipment prior to starting and that it would be re-imbursed later. He hadn't spoken to a single individual. Everything was done through chat; tons of red flags. When I looked them up, the person whom he was talking to didn't even exist on Linked In. Worse still, another job description let it be known that at no point were interviews to be conducted via chat, text messages, or whatever. And furthermore, any correspondence was only to come their explicit domain. Cut ties with them and switched banking information to a new account.

Blood moon is happening on March 3rd which symbolizes a bad omen.

What We’re Grateful For

1. Grateful for having the wisdom and guidance in helping my son avert a scam.
2. Grateful for being healthy and in good spirits for sledding, working out, and staying mentally sharp.
3. I firmly believe God speaks to me through YouTube. Been listening to a lot of motivational videos and working on getting mentally and spiritually right.>

What We Loved

1. I have a new niece. Addison - born 2/21/26 at 9:57pm. So happy for my lil step-bro!

What We Learned

1. Need to work on being more reliable. Got a simple chore and managed to muck that up. I wanted to save money but bought the wrong thing and caused some friction with the wife. Feeling somewhat stupid, but also frustrated. DO BETTER!!
2. Learned about "Active Directory Attack" (again!) .. new approach. There are HTB boxes worth checking out for practice.
3. AI stuff + Red Teaming AI - OWASP LLM Top 10 (meeting)
4. Continued learnings with LLM-SEC, which covers OWASP Top 10 for LLMs
5. Portswigger + AI ... will need to postpone to next week. It has been a bad week for personal projects.
6. "Husb" writing (did i?) .. still paused.
7. QA Day Appium + Python.. will I ever get around to this?
8. "TheFork" - PT ... moved to next week.
9. Spanish Lesson-3 for the child.

What We Longed For

1. As always, a good job doing cool things with AI + Automation; perhaps AI Red teaming or Pen Testing.
2. Being a Mandian Consultant is something I plan to work on. Their stuff is really good. Them, or google zero.

What We Loathed

1. Scammers! It's bad enough to be desperate for a job and a paycheck. It's another thing to fall victim to scammers preying on the weak. They need to die!!
2. The 47th President of the United States felt it was within his purview to circumvent the Legislative branch of government and,in concordance with another foreign government, launched a missle strike against an enemy of the state. The pre-cursor was the perception of "imminent threat to National Security." With the release of some damaging files pertaining to a pedophile and child sex trafficking info peddler, the majority of Americans see this act for what it is: a distraction.
3. The constant forward progress of AI is disrupting the job market. Another 4,000 employees were summarily dismissed due to AI restructuring. The result was a 24% bump in the stock price. The rich made more money as good hard-working people were shown the door. Absolutely disgusting!!
4. Still hating the 2026 Job Market. I WILL LAND A JOB!!

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday Februrary 20, 2026 - "Chinese Year of the Horse" Ed.

Highlights for the week

Another week has come and gone. The gray skies of the past month have really taken a toll on my state of mind. Coupled with the lack of employment, money all but gone, and not being able to make any inroads on improving the situation is getting to me. I wanted to make the most of Valentine's and failed miserably.

My son's birthday is around the corner and I just don't know where the money is going to come from. We owe it to him to make the most of the moment. We don't have the funds for that trip to Universal in Orlando. That spur-of-the-moment cruise was out of the question. Now I have to rely on his income to pay next month's bills.

UNACCEPTABLE!!

I know for things to change, I have to change. This whole thing has got to get better. I'm working on me .. but this is a karmic joke. The question that keeps nagging me is what is my purpose?! I've literally failed at most things that felt right. At 50, what's next. What is my "why!"

• And more people are getting laid off for "AI research and development/investment." The truth is much worse.
• Tech was saturated with talent, most of whom are mid-level.
• Underperformers are getting the ax.
• Overachievers are expensive, and they're getting the ax.
• New hires never get their chance.
• Employment opportunities are getting offshored.

What is even the point anymore. The mantra now is for employees to deliver value!! .. but for whom?

In other news, It is the year of the FIRE HORSE (February 17, 2026, to February 5, 2027)
In Chinese Culture, the Horse symbolizes strength, freedom, and passion. It represents a year full of energy and vitality, encouraging individuals to pursue their dreams and embrace challenges. (src. https://www.eastchinatrip.com/chinese-culture/chinese-zodiac/year-of-the-horse/) It is perfect that this should occur on my son's birthday as he does tend to be optimistic and action-oriented. The goal: pursue personal ambitions, and embark on new ventures.

Also, the lunar eclipse happening happening March 3rd

What We’re Grateful For

It's all about VALUE .. what is your value to the company, to your family, to yourself.

1. Grateful to have another day that I get to get up and pursue my passions .. whatever they may be.
2. Grateful to have a warm home, food, clothing, and all the things that come with that.
3. Grateful that God isn't through with me yet!

What We Loved

1. Attended the NYITS Job Fair. Overall, it was underwhelming. I did manage to secure 2 possible leads, one concerning AI .. not holding my breath.

What We Learned

1. Optimized my javascript "selector" script .. runs clean, no dupes, pulls the elements from the page, and what-not
2. New pen test is going somewhat ok. Been a bit mopey and not feeling this engagement.
3. Reading "Zorro" finally.
4. Writing .. grr .. been on hiatus with that.
5. LLM Security - finally started, but the models to get the flag aren't working. Will reach out to the developer if it continues.

What We Longed For

1. At this point, anything with an income and benefits.
2. I have expanded my search to include customer service and food service jobs. Pen Testing is still the dream, with QA roles being the consolation.
3. Mentorship cadence. At the moment, Mentees have all gone quiet. Shame!!

What We Loathed

1. In its entirety, the Job Market is a joke. Old Jobs I've applied to are reemerging.
2. New jobs feel hollow, or looking for a specific unicorn.
3. Zero interactions to applications sent. A few rejections, though!! Odds are that 99% of all applicants will not succeed.
4. re-applied to Code & Theory. Downgraded title, lesser pay, but you know times are bad when this is what I'm resorting to. Worse, I'm applying to food service places too. FML!!
5. Sleep has been trash. Probably the subconscious worry I've buried deep taking hold on my physical wellbeing.

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday February 13, 2026 - "Positive Manifestations" Ed.

Highlights for the week

A good question worth answering: Are you doing the hard things?

The answer is a resounding "yes!" I have been challenging myself with doing new things. The cherry on top was leveraging AI to write a script that helped me with an automation task. The end result was a customizable script that parses the page for DOM elements to streamline the process of mapping locators as part of a typescript page-object-model (POM).

For my Security Consultant / Pentesting career goals, it's time to pause > reassess > recalibrate. Simplify what is working. Re-align tasks that move you forward. Focus on better goals. So why am I doing what I'm doing and why:

1. I'm working on BBH with BugCrowd to keep my skills sharpened. I'm approaching sites like a Pen Test, going through the entire process to educate myself on where I failed at SI.
2. I'm working on the occassional U-Test project to keep my QA skills tip-top. Resume implies I'm too long out of work. Consistency proves otherwise.
3. I'm working on AI side projects to learn, do, and grow.
4. I'm working on automation side projects for the same reason: learn, do, grow.
5. I'm writing when I have time because I love it. It improves my communication and puts my talents to use. I may want to finish the book and get published.
6. I'm working out because it improves my mental well being along with my physical.
7. I'm doing the work to rebuild myself esteem, improve the self-talk, and rebuild trust with myself. Get 1% better every ... single ... day!

What We’re Grateful For

1. Glad that I get to wake up and live to see another day.
2. Grateful for the comforts of a warm bed given the super-cold week.
3. Happy to have another week full of good learnings.

What We Learned

1. [QA Day] Used IBM Granite 4.0 to write a JS script that parses the page for DOM elements for use in building out automation page-objects.
2. New Pen Test - Quarter of the way through my new pen test, TheFork - a restaurant booking app.
3. Mentorship w. Imani - who knows what is happening. Her work and school schedule have changed impacting our meetings.
4. Got back to writing "Husb." - convergence is happening.
5. Portswigger - need to find a new module.
6. AI day - need to make time; Found a cool AI Pen Testing Lab.
7. Shared blog post on linked .. getting minimal to no interactions.

What We Longed For

1. 7 MONTHS ... NO JOB. It's so bad!!

What We Loathed

1. 2026 Job Market!!

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday February 6, 2026 - "Sailed Through the Storm" Ed.

Highlights for the week

Back from vacation and felt more exhausted (and bored) than I did at the start. And I can't think of a better metaphor to describe how 2026 has gone so far than enduring 11 days of minimal sleep, some wonderful outings in Puerto Rico, Tortola, and Puerto Plata (DR), followed by a harrowing night at sea, an uneventful outing in St. Maarten, and the skipped port of St. Thomas. Conclusion: We made it out of the storm and we will make it through these dark financial times.

The ship's captain did as good a job as he could, given the circumstances, and we fared better for it in the long-run. That being said, the back-half of the cruise was so boring. The cruise line cancelled shows, reduced onboard activities to bare minimum, and there was just no happy vibes or positive energy reciprocity. A do over cruise is being discussed!!

Breakthrough!! Did some hardcore vibecoding with Google Gemini and resolved a minor issue with getting the tables to show up on google doc. Now it is set with proper column widths, header style and what-not!!

What We’re Grateful For

1. As stated earlier, grateful to have had the opportunity to go on a cruise in the first place.
2. Grateful to have made it back ashore in good spirits. We endured a bad storm with rough seas and 109 m.p.h winds that rocked our ship like cork.
3. Grateful to have had the time at BVI to reflect, recharge, and reassess my health and mental well being. A huge step forward in getting to a good place spiritually.
4. Grateful that I get to wake up and live to see new islands and have new experiences. Poor in finances but rich in well-lived experiences.
5. Grateful that I get to share these wonderful memories with wife and child, letting the pictures record the memories that will endure for a lifetime.

What We Loved

1. As always, loved the travel and cruising. Will need a break for a bit, but a do-over cruise is strongly being considered.

What We Learned

1. This week was a quiet week for learning. The time was spent recouperating, and relaxing.
2. Starting a new pen test so more on that next week.
3. Mentoring is going well, but I suspect my mentee has conflicting priorities and is not taking our time seriously. Will have to recalibrate.
4. On a deeply personal level, I'm learning to value my time and energy. Where do I want to devote my time? Whom will I give my energy to? All good questions.

What We Longed For

1. I will have to recalibrate my vision and tune it up for clarity.
2. Need a paycheck and benefits more than I need a job I'm going to ultimately hate.

What We Loathed

1. Job Hunt - back on. So tired of seeing jobs I've applied to (and rejected from) get reposted. Is this a joke or am I being lied to?

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday January 23, 2026 - “Wife's Birthday Cruise” Ed.

Highlights for the week

It's cruise day. I will be off for some much-needed vacation. It will be good to get away from the negativity of job hunting, rejections, and loss of finances for a few days.

Weather calls for a big snow storm follwed by a deep freeze. We won't be around for that.

New workout is starting to pay off. I wish my sleep and eating could reflect the discipline I have for working out, but money is as it is. Sleep hygiene must get back to good.

What We’re Grateful For

1. Daily affirmation: I AM ENOUGH!; I AM QUALIFIED AND CAPABLE!; I ATTARACT POSITIVITY!; I AM NOT A FAILURE!, I AM IN PROCESS!; I WILL SUCCEED!!
2. Grateful for the vacation time. Going to decompress hardcore!!
3. Grateful to be alive, full of good health and vitality.
4. I will always be grateful for my family near and far.

What We Loved

1. I love listening to Jim Rohn. The pep talks have helped me deal witih my traumas and rebuild trust in myself before I can rebuild my future.

What We Learned

1. This was a purposefully quiet week, so all manner ot goals were put on hold. Key learning was Red Teaming LLMs and the AI infrastructure.
2. Wrote a little bit more on "Husb.." - Monica is resuced, but Jessica was gravely wounded as she warged the team from the Darkhold to Pinnacle Base. Monica and Mara still have unsettled business. Pinnacle Base is under attack. Cetus and Lady Hecate have a final confrontation. "The time for monsters" - new chapter to kick off Convergence. More to come!!

What We Longed For

1. As always, a good paying job security testing (consulting), making good $$, working with amazing people, minimal travel, and with decent benefits.
2. Will begrudgingly accept a role in quality assurance engineering with a focus on playwright (either with javascript or python).

What We Loathed

1. As always the 2025 - 2026 Job Market.

Security Testing Journal Entry | w/e Friday January 16, 2026 - "New Year, New Cruise '26" Ed.

Highlights for the week

It's a precarious situation that I find myself in. I want to find work, but unable to start immediately. Anything would have to come after February.

And what a week it was! Although the employment situation remains hot garbage, a lot was accomplished and learned, starting with finishing another pen test. Seven months and I'm learning where I really failed at SI (and other employers) and where I will improve.

• I will continue to improve my testing fundamentals, my writing, and my discipline for working through challenges.
• I will make sure to ask clarifiying questions to make sure I understand the assignment fully.
• I will then follow-up when I've completed the assignment to ensure I've completed the task.
• I will work double-hard to make sure I have full context / clarity on the project I'm working on. No more struggling with context.
• I'm also going to learn not to be so gung-ho about a new job; no more rose-colored glasses. Both eyes wide opened and staying grounded.
• I will set daily and weekly goals, making sure they are aligned with the work I am assigned to doing. No time wasted!!

MOST IMPORTANT PROMISE TO MYSELF: I will work my a!@# off to be an asset to the team, not a liability.

What We’re Grateful For

1. Grateful to be able to have provided for another cruise. I am the richest poor person I know :)
2. Grateful to be going on vacation and away from the negativity for a few days.
3. As always, grateful that I get to wake up in a bed, with food in the 'fridge, and a warm meal.
4. Last but never the least: eternally grateful for the loving family I have, near and abroad.

What We Loved

1. Getting back into python was always a pleasure. I'll probably continue on this path.
2. Loved that I'm feeling the work I'm putting in to heal mentally is paying off. The negative self-talk has been replaced with positive affirmation!!

What We Learned

1. AI Training [Status: Not Started!] - Going to schedule time for it .. pinky-promise!!
2. Writing: Chapter "War Cry" [Status: IN PROGRESS!]. Been delayed writing this week. Saved for the weekend.
3. Python for Ethical Hacking: [Status: DONE!] - Finished the book in record time and pulled in some great code snippets for future use.
4. New Pen Test: USAA [Status: DONE!] - Scope was large, but after verifying the targets, it was whittled down to a web pen test. APIs were inaccessible.
5. QA DAY: [Status: BACKLOGGED!] - Scheduled time for python for ethical hacking.
6. Mentor/Mentee w. IMANI, Project Planning Lesson: [Status: PAUSED!] - Postponed until February

What We Longed For

1. A job .. like now!! I will be in the red end of this month. Something's got to give!

What We Loathed

1. Monday's are the worst for job hunting.
2. What's not working, besides me! ... job hunt. Seven months, zero phone calls or invites to first-round interviews. More rejections than I can count.
3. Also, starting my morning at 10:30 (or so) is hurting my productivity. Then again, job hunt has been a dumpster fire.