My Interview - DIAMONDKT Exposed (Part 3 of 3)

The final part of the interview digs into my personal life. I've been described by many as being the mysterious type, so to blow away some of the smoke and lift some of the mirrors, I'm letting you all see who I really am...or at least "part" of who I really am. Here you will get to unravel the mystery me, hear about me growing up, life's best advice, what I do for fun and of course...women! For most of you, this part of the interview I think you may find the most interesting because it's of a personal nature and a side I sometimes don't share very much when I blog. Enjoy! (Had to use this photo below again because it's one of my favorites and goes so well with this post.)


What was your first job?

My very first job as a kid was cutting grass for my Dad. Computers weren't really big back then and I had no real interest in anything but sports - lots of sports! In fact, I didn't find a interest for technology until college. I was introduced to computers back in elementary school and had some basic computer classes even thru high school, but the teachers presented the material in such a way that it made me literally HATE computers! It wasn't until somewhere during my freshman year in college that I picked up computer stuff and the majority of what I know has been self-taught. I feel that is the best way to learn, at least for me it is. I discovered a whole new world which also landed me in a bit of trouble during my early "hacking days". Later on I would discover that those "hacks" would land me some great job opportunities. In this field, sometimes you don't find the job, the job finds you. Basically, my mischief opened a door for me. It was the first step in helping pave my career and to where I am today. Being bad can be good. ;)

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What was the best advice you've ever received? Who gave it to you?

That's a tough one. I've received lots of great advice thru the years - mostly from my Mom, coaches and college professors. I guess some of the best advice I have been given is to believe in yourself even if nobody else does. Hard work does pay off so push yourself above and beyond your limits. It's amazing what a strong mind can overcome - trust me on that. If you can dream it, you can achieve it. That may sound cliché, but it's true. Sure it will take time, determination and alot of hard work to get there, but it's obtainable if you want it bad enough. Everyone in life is dealt some bad cards, some more than others. So there is no reason to let the bad hand hold you back. Work with what you have and turn things around. There is nothing worse in life than someone who complains all the time or blames their hardships on everyone else. You are responsible for your own life and your own happiness. Then the people you surround yourself with will only enhance that. Choose your friends wisely and your enemies wiser. There is an old saying "don't bite the hand that feeds". Basically, everyone needs support and if you treat someone you love or care about poorly, then don't be surprised when the day comes that you need help and you reach out your hand, that they are not there to pick you up. Treat others in life as you would like to be treated. No matter where they are from or what they do, they are not beneath you.

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What is the best advice you would give to someone else?

Find your passion in life! What do you love? Chances are what you love is probably also what you are good at because you devote your energy, time and heart to it. Find a way to feed off of that - literally. By that I mean you should figure out a way to do what you love for a living and still get paid for it. We all spend a great deal of the week at our jobs. Most people spend more time with co-workers than their family! So if you don't love what you do a living, change it. It's terrible to spend 40 hours or maybe even more doing a job you hate and with people you despise.

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Tell us who the real Diamondkt is. What do you hope for in the next year? Five years from now?

I wouuld say the real "DIAMONDKT" is nobody special, but my friends and family would disagree. They would classify my as a pretty bright guy with a good sense of humor and big heart. I'm not your typical tech head. I would rather be outside snowboarding, mountain biking, playing hoops, ect than inside on a computer. I believe in working hard, but playing even harder. I do work alot of hours, but contrary to what many think, I also make time for other things. I love riding speed bikes and my Ducati never fails to bring a smile to my face every time I get on it. I am defiantly described as an adrenaline junkie! Don't get me wrong, I love technology and all that computer stuff, but I do know how to balance things out. I enjoy working out and going out on the weekends and to me the best weekend is a one spent AWAY from a computer. Everyone needs to "unplug" now and then.

A year from now, my goal is to have my business a little more established. I started my own business about a year ago and since then I have built-up a pretty good client list, but there is always room to improve and grow. I'm looking to hire some more engineers to work for me and perhaps get myself an assistant to help with all the paper work, phone calls and meeting scheduling. Right now I handle that on my own, but a year from now I may need a hand in doing that.

Five years from now, I hope that my hard work is paying off enough that I can have the luxury of spending extra time with my (future) wife and kids. I would like to have my work schedule flexible enough that it wouldn't be a problem to take off work for little league games or take the wife away for the weekend - just the two of us to escape everyday life. I want to be able to help out with a family as much as I can, be a real hands-on type of Dad and not just one who keeps a roof over their head and food on the table. I think 5 years from now will be a point in my life where my business is established enough that I can delegate much of the work out and be able to focus on not only being successful in my career, but successful as a husband and father as well. To me, success should not just be measured by what you do for a living or how much money you make. I think it's the overall man that you are. (Hope that doesn't sound cheesy, having a hard time wording that.)

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What is your favorite thing to do on vacation?

Sometimes my favorite thing to do on a vacation is absolutely nothing. I can just lay on a beach listening to the ocean waves, let my mind mind relax and my body unwind. I might opt to make a little sand castle or burry myself in the sand (it's the kid in me). I may even dig around in the water to find a hermit crab. I like a nice quiet seafood dinner out and then take a stroll at night along the boardwalk. Then the next day I like to do a fun activity like ride a waverunner, boogie board, rock climb, anything that gets my body moving. I don't like just sitting around and being lazy. Kicking back and doing nothing is fun for a day, but after that I want action! I'm a active person and anyone who vacations with me should feel the same if we are going to have fun together.

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Since you are a handsome, single, successful guy, tell us what you are looking for in a mate.

Well thank you. What I look for in a woman hasn't really changed much in the last few years. Physically, I like women with an exotic type of look. I'm a sucker for pretty eyes especially. I like long hair, blonde or brunette. Generally I date women 5'5 or taller since I am 6'1 myself. I go for women with athletic builds because I enjoy working out and a woman who takes good care of her body says alot about her personality. She tends to be dedicated, hard working, self-motivated, takes pride in her appearance and has energy for life. I like stylish women, not really high maintenance, but women who dress hip and sexy while still looking classy. A woman who can put on a sexy dress and a pair stilettos one night and then also be comfortable and look great just wearing my boxers and a tee is something I love! I'm not into fake boobs even though I've dated women with them. I do however like a nice butt like J Lo! Now personality wise, I like career/goal oriented women that in the future wouldn't mind giving that up to raise a family with me, or together we could find a way to balance career and family if she wanted that. I am able to relate to and hold a conversation longer with a woman who has more in common with me - has gone to college and has a similar background growing up or shares common interests. I enjoy a woman who can challenge my mind and hold my attention by teaching me new things.

Turn-ons would include a good sense of humor (including being able to laugh at herself at times), laid back, smart, a genuine caring nature and sex appeal. Turn-offs would include complainers, drama queens, moodiness, airheads, self-absorbed and an argumentative nature - she's right/you're wrong type of attitude. Someone who looks a the glass as half empty rather than half full when it comes to life is a downer in my book and not someone I want to hang out with. Someone who is condescending and spiteful towards me or others are two characteristics I can't stand. I'm a spontaneous and adventuress person and I enjoy a woman who is up for anything at anytime. She needs to be secure with herself because I'm a bit of a flirt, although I would never cheat or do anything to put any unnecessary stress on a girlfriend or the relationship. I like women who can be open with me and in turn I will be open with them. Sometimes a problem comes up or an occasional "relationship talk" needs to take place. I can handle that, but I can't handle a woman who always want to discuss the relationship in terms of "where is this going, when and what, explain this and that" - ugh, it drives me crazy!

Unlike alot of other guys, I love romance and like doing little things for a woman. Traditional red roses are too "by the book" for me. I like to add a twist on that and make every gift or thing I do or say a little unique - things that only she and I would get like "inside meanings or jokes" if that makes sense. Ok to say this? I have a high sex drive being a Scorpion so a woman who has an open mind and lots of energy when it comes to intimacy is a huge plus! I love a woman who can be bad (as in naughty) in bed, but yet sweet enough to take over to meet my Mom or can handle herself well at a business cocktail party. A woman who never has pity on me, but yet can lift me up and encourage me when I am down is a wonderful thing. Someone who will stand-by me and support me thru thick and thin. Someone who will love me on a bad day just as much as a good day - unconditional. Someone who I can trust with my heart and always feel it's in safe hands is a beautiful thing.

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Are you a Christian? (Had to ask :)

I'm Catholic, but not really active anymore. Growing up we went to church every Sunday and on all the holidays and just about every holy day. These days I've gotten away from that. No reason why I don't attend mass like I once did, perhaps one day I will become more involved again.

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I noticed that you didn't put "Christian woman" as a qualification for your future wife. Was that something assumed or is that important to you?

I know some people who are raised to date only within their race or religion put an emphasize on certain things when looking for a mate. Personally, I don't feel that same way. I know a Jewish girl would most likely not date me because I am not Jewish and that is fine, but it's not really important to me what religion someone I date is. I was raised Catholic so if I date or marry someone who is also Catholic, then great, but I don't have a problem dating or marrying someone outside my religion...as long as it's not a problem for her either.

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Any other comment you'd like to make?

Most of the computer security advice and tips I gave above focused on Windows mostly because the majority of computer users are on Windows. I hope that this interview was bother informative and entertaining for everyone to read. In no way is a complete look at what I do or who I am as a person, but I think most people already know that a single interview can not reveal everything there is to know about someone. I know thru this interview at times I rambled and at other times I left things out, I apologize for that. Although generally it should give you a somewhat basic idea of what my job is about and a little inside look at who I am. Thanks to Gina for taking the time to write these questions up and I'm flattered that you felt I was a subject worthy of interviewing. It's been fun!

Jude Nude, Something That Small Should Be Against The Law

Almost every celebrity's love life is made public, especially the bigger named celebs who get caught cheating. Well if you thought actor Jude Law couldn't keep his d*ck in his pants before, well now you really have proof of that! Staffers at "Women's Wear Daily" were privy to some tabloid-shopped snaps of a very nude Jude changing outside his mother's home in France. The verdict: "He's no Tommy Lee, that's for sure." Apparently he was caught with his pants down while trying to get some sun on his backside/frontside? Too much info for me. Either way, it seems that his last movie "Alfie" where he played a NY super stud is a far cry from his real life. So ladies, this post is for you! Click on the links below to see the uncensored, full nudity shots in their...um 3 inch entirety. I know, I'm being generous. See for yourself.

***WARNING! ADULT CONTENT***

Jude Law Nude Photo 1
Jude Law Nude Photo 2 & 3 Combo

Sorry guys, but I had to post this for the female readers. So today I won't talk about my love for J Lo and how I have a perhaps unhealthy obsession with her magnificent ass. I won't droll over Jessica Simpson shaking her soapy body in a bikini. I also won't take a walk down memory lane and reminisce about the days of past when Britney (who use to be hot) and Madonna frenched kiss each other. Ahh, those were the days. Now it looks like we have a pasty Englishman with a teeny weenie to look at. Oh golly gee, is my enthusiasm showing? Well, perhaps the women will enjoy his nakedness.

I'm A Poet And I Didn't Even Know It

Obviously from one look at my blog, I must enjoy writing...or should I say rambling. At times I've written little notes or letters or even the occasional poem for someone I loved and I don't know about you, but I sometimes find myself getting a little tongue tied in what I want to say. It's not that I don't know what to say or how to express myself, but more than I want to find the right words. Keep it simple, but yet effective and to the point. I've been told I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to some things and to that I must plead guilty. That perfectionism I see comes into play sometimes when I write. I never think it's complete or good enough. Writing is much like art work. I use to draw and paint some when I was a teenager and back then I also never felt like it was ever complete or good enough. Now I'm not some mushy guy that writes sappy love junk to a girl, but I try to keep my testosterone in check while at the same time letting the romantic side show thru to whoever has my heart.

What I am trying to say is that to me the best words come straight from the heart. You don't need to be a perfectionist when you put pen to paper. You don't need to be some great undiscovered poet. You just need to have a heart and be able to let what you feel inside flow out naturally. I bet you will see that it will come out just perfect. If it's not "perfect" in your eyes, it will be perfect in the eyes of the person it was written for. Trust me on that...I think. Anyone who has ever been in love can attest to the fact that nothing will expose you more or make you feel incredibly vulnerable than being in love. You completely let your guard down and open up every part of your life and heart to someone. It's an intoxicating feeling when things are going good and the relationship is working, but when problems rise and perhaps the relationship takes a new turn or even ends, well then you are left pretty messed up emotionally. I tend not to fall in love easy but when I do, I fall hard so it can make things worse for me in the long run if the relationship doesn't work out. Enough on that though, now to my point...

If you haven't heard the song by Natasha Bedingfield titled "These Words", then you are missing out on a catchy tune! It's a love song of sorts, but not that chick flavored stuff that you may be use to hearing. This is an upbeat, hip-hop one that gets stuck in my head. I think the lyrics to it are perfect and if I were to sit and write a song, I think something like this would flow out of me too. If you listen to it (or in this case, read the words to it) you will get the sense that she is just making it up as she goes along - unrehearsed. I like that. The parts that I can relate to the most are highlighted in red. Hope you like it as much as I do. You can listen to the song and watch the full length music video here.

Natasha Bedingfield - "These Words"

These words are my own

Threw some chords together
The combination D-E-F
Is who I am, is what I do
And I was gonna lay it down for you
Try to focus my attention
But I feel so A-D-D
I need some help, some inspiration
(But it's not coming easily)
Whoah oh...

Trying to find the magic
Trying to write a classic
Don't you know, don't you know, don't you know?
Waste-bin full of paper
Clever rhymes, see you later

These words are my own
From my heart flow
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you
There's no other way
To better say
I love you, I love you...

Read some Byron, Shelly and Keats
Recited it over a Hip-Hop beat
I'm having trouble saying what I mean
With dead poets and drum machines
I know I had some studio time booked
But I couldn't find a killer hook
Now you've gone & raised the bar right up
Nothing I write is ever good enough

These words are my own
From my heart flow
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you
There's no other way
To better say
I love you, I love you...

I'm getting off my stage
The curtains pull away
No hyperbole to hide behind
My naked soul exposes
Whoah.. oh.. oh.. oh.. Whoah.. oh..

Trying to find the magic
Trying to write a classic
Waste-bin full of paper
Clever rhymes, see you later

These words are my own
From my heart flow
I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you

That's all I got to say,
Can't think of a better way,
And that's all I've got to say,
I love you, is that okay?

SOS - The King Of The Blog Is Sinking

I hope everyone enjoyed the long holiday weekend and did a "labor of love" act (like I posted about the other day) while still managing to have some fun in the process. I had a somewhat interesting Labor Day which involved the cops and no I'm not blogging from the State Pen right now. I will post more on that later. Today however I want to mention a few things as my belated 1st of the month rambling. My blog visits have plummeted, but that is expected since I hadn't done any updates to it in about 2 weeks. Then I tried to make-up for the absence by uploading 12 new posts in a single day! Also being that when I finally did update, it occurred on a Friday and that seems to be a slow traffic day in the blogosphere. Not to mention when a weekend hits and especially a holiday weekend in the summer of all time, don't expect many people to get online to visit any site. It just doesn't happen.

I have to put up this quote from one of the comments left on a previous post because it made me laugh...

"How'd I miss the return of the King? Welcome back, Diamondkt!" - MisFitToy

Well it appears the ship is sinking. I'm no longer the "King Of The Blog". My blog is changing from the mighty Titanic to a deflated raft so I have to turn this around and fast before it goes under! I'll do my best to keep posting and on a consistent basis like you are use to. I've just had other things going on in my life that has taken priority over blogging. I'm sure you all understand. So I'm hoping I'll get my hits back up to around the 80 a day I was getting and the blog will become more active again. If it doesn't happen, oh well I guess. Nothing I can do about it really, but I'll probably still keep blogging if for nobody else, at least it will be for me and I'm fine with that - honest. Still, it would be cool if everyone returned! ;)

It's another new month and every month I try to do some changes for the better concerning the blog here. I still haven't done the guest blogger idea I had last month, so I'll have to put that together. Also I think I am in need of a new blog poll on the right. I'm going to make a little "Voting Poll Archive" too for anyone who wants to see some of the results of past polls I have done. I've noticed that I get alot of visitors from outside the US, many of which I'm sure don't speak English as their 1st language. So I thought it might be helpful and perhaps an interesting thing to do if I gave visitors the option of reading my blog in different languages. The site would remain in English by default, but you could translate everything with just a click of the mouse if you wish to see it in Spanish, German, Italian, ect. There has been a buzz about the spam comments left on everyone's blogs as of late. For my blog, I've had little of that which I'm thankful for. As you know Blogger gives their users the option to turn on "Word Verification" to help those who are experiencing an abundance of spam. Personally, I find the extra step of making my visitors login in and type in that code to be a pain in the butt. Therefore I have it turned off on my blog. However if spam becomes an issue, I may turn it on temporarly to help eliminate the problem.

Lastly, I've been interviewed! I was put in the hot seat and asked to answer questions of a variety of computer security questions that concern big corporations to even the average Joe home computer user. I outline steps on how to protect yourself and what critical mistakes businesses make when it comes to keeping hackers at bay. I discuss how I got into being a Network Security Consultant and what the average day in my life is like at work. I touch on my first job ever growing up, the best advice I've ever been given or gave and I even get a little personal and let people know what I look for in a woman. Then for all you bloggers, I give my thoughts on what I think makes a good blog and I throw out some tips to increase traffic to your site. Good stuff, right? If you want to read the interview, check out Gina Burgess's blog in the future. I'm not sure when she will post it, but when she does, I'm also going to link to it here too.

A Labor Of Love This Labor Day

Labor Day usually marks the end of summer. Well it's not officially the last day of summer according to the calendars, but close enough. It also means that the kiddies are back in school and it's our last chance to have that final hoary throwing a backyard BBQ/pool party. Unfortunately for many, this Labor Day weekend doesn't bring weenie roasting and beer toasting, but yet it brings a dramatic life adjustment and an endless amount of tears. I'm talking about those that are trying to recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Their overwhelming amount of pain and despair is almost too much for most of us to comprehend. Those of us that are lucky enough not to live in any of those affected states, count your blessings!

Just try and imagine what it must be like to lose everything you own. Think what it must feel like to not have anywhere to go, nowhere to sleep, nothing to eat, having only the clothes on your back and then on top of all of that...throw on the emotional strain of having missing loved ones or not being able to even morn or give a proper burial to friends and family members who have lost their lives in the disaster. Sorry to depress you, but that is reality for millions of people this Labor Day weekend. Now what can you do?

This Labor Day set aside a little time to do an act of what I call "a labor of love". Whether it be helping some of the Hurricane victims with a donation or volunteering at an organization, give back to the world. I think we can all agree that there is alot of terrible things going on with the war on terrorism and the devastation of this latest natural disaster, but perhaps you can make a difference. Even if you think it doesn't count, it does. If nothing else comes out of your "labor of love" act, then at least I can guarantee you that you will go to bed tonight feeling better about the person you are and the display of kindness you have shown.

My sister is doing her part by running in a race where she will be sponsored. All donations will go to help The American Cancer Society. It's sort of like "Race For The Cure". If you are in the Southern California area, check it out. I'm sure similar races and other events are also being held all over the US this weekend. So go out, sign up and run or sponsor a local runner to help fight cancer. I'm done preaching now, but just remember that it's your life, your money and your time...let's hope you use all three wisely.

***UPDATE***
You probably want to know what I am doing as my "labor of love" this weekend. Well I may post about it later this week. For now, my virtual "labor of love" is to my loyal bloggers who have been awaiting my return and are anxious for some new posts. So the time has come to upload a bunch of new material to the blog. Scroll down for 12, YES 12, NEW POSTS ADDED! I think that should make up for my absence. Thanks again to all of those that wished me well and missed me while I was away from blog land. Now I'm back, at least for awhile anyway. So I hope you enjoy and have a happy Labor Day!

Possibly The Biggest Tech Blunder Of All Time

Everyone knows the ongoing war between Apple and Microsoft. Apple has been known to recreate technology and make it into something beautiful and simple to use - thus their best selling point. Microsoft on the other hand has always been the leader when it comes to software sales. Their Windows operating system is on more desktops and laptops than Mac and Linux combined - thus making them the superpower and some even say "monopoly" when it comes to technology and business. So when Apple came up with the iPod, you would think they would be smart enough to patent the world's #1 selling MP3 player, right? Wrong! It is perhaps the biggest tech blunder of all time and this mistake may cost them dearly as no other than their top enemy, Microsoft, has spotted the foul-up and is looking to cash in on their idea.

I was shocked when I heard this news. How could something like this happen? How can a great company like Apple be so careless? They spend so much time designing, testing and perfecting a product but they failed to do one of the most important things - patent it! Anyone with half a brain knows that the minute you get a great/new idea, you keep it quiet. Then you check to see if anyone else has come up with your idea. If not, then you work out all the kinks and go to get a patent on it. I have a hard time believing that not a single soul in Apple's entire team of legal consultants, engineers, marketing/sales and even the PR group didn't say something, anything! Even I got a patent for something I am working on. Come on Apple, think! Their slogan is "Think Different". They thought different alright. They thought dead wrong that Microsoft wouldn't jump at this patent and steal the idea. I think Apple just needs to "think", period.

Porn Makes You Go Blind - Ahh, My Virgin Eyes!

A Vanderbilt University research squad has illustrated what your Mother knew all along, that smut will make you go blind. Yeah, it's official. Truth be told, you will lose site temporarily. The same apparently applies to images of blood and guts. Of course eyeballing snaps of carnage does not carry the same penalty of eternal damnation as ogling smut, but it's close enough to throw into the study. Vanderbilt University psychologist David Zald and his team exposed guinea pigs to a barrage of "disturbing" images interspersed with landscape or architectural snaps, telling them to scan the images for a certain target image. The press release explains "An irrelevant, emotionally negative or neutral picture preceded the target by two to eight items. The closer the negative pictures were to the target image, the more frequently the subject failed to spot the target. In a subsequent study, which has not yet been published, the researchers substituted erotic for negative images and found the same basic effect."

The bottom line is that people fail to detect visual images that appeared one-fifth of a second after emotional images, whereas they can detect those images with little problem after neutral images. It's related to the "rubbernecking" concept - the process whereby you try and drive by an accident without having a quick look around. Our emotions of concern, fear and curiosity cause us to stare out the window at the accident and slow to a crawl on the road. The same process is at work when you attempt to motor past an attractive member of the opposite/same sex (according to taste) and not cop an eyeful. A strong visual or emotional stimulus temporarily disables your faculties. The Vanderbilt blurb notes that previous studies have demonstrated that there are limits to how much information we can hold in our visual short-term memory and that we often miss visual images that pass right before our eyes if we are paying attention to something else.

Perhaps that is why if I am out on a date or even out alone, but interested in someone else, that a hot girl can walk by me and I may not even notice. Then again, maybe I am gay! Nah. Only those with a healthy disregard for danger should attempt to drive past a particularly nasty multiple pile-up while flicking though a copy of Playboy. As for the rest of us, our eyes will be firmly fixed forward and Miss October back on the top shelf where she belongs.