Think Positive Cyber

Blog

Job searching with a Master of Science in Cybersecurity, which I earned in November 2023, has been an unexpectedly challenging and emotionally draining experience. Despite the hard work and late nights I poured into my degree, I’ve spent the past year struggling to find a position that reflects my skills and aspirations. Working at Rosa Parks Elementary in San Diego, CA, while meaningful, often feels like a world apart from the cybersecurity field I’m so passionate about. Each rejection email chips away at my confidence, leaving me feeling stuck and questioning if I’ll ever land the job I’ve worked so hard to qualify for.

This blog is my way of channeling those feelings into something constructive. Writing about my journey—the highs, the lows, and everything in between—helps me process the weight of these emotions and remind myself that I’m not alone in this struggle. Sharing my thoughts here also gives me hope: hope that by reflecting on my progress and connecting with others, I’ll rekindle my belief that I have what it takes to succeed in cybersecurity. Someday, I know I’ll look back at this as just one chapter in my story—a stepping stone on the path to a fulfilling career.

  • From Glasgow to Pittsburgh: The McCabe Family Branch

    Edward McCabe was born in March 1861 in Scotland, according to the 1900 United States Census, which lists him living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with his wife Sarah Ann McAvoy and their children. Census records show that by 1900 the family lived on Independence Street in Pittsburgh’s 35th Ward, an industrial neighborhood shaped by railroads, factories,…

  • From Germany to Wisconsin: The Schlorff Migration (TG742018)

    This research follows the migration and family structure of Mary Johannsen (1868–1951), born in Germany and later connected to Shawano County, Wisconsin. After the death of her first husband, Charles Rossow, in 1898, she remarried William Schlorff around 1902 in Chicago. Together, their household reflects a blended family shaped by loss, remarriage, and migration during…

  • Protecting Your Phone Number from SIM Swap Attacks

    Today I learned how vulnerable our cell phone numbers can be in modern cybersecurity threats like SIM swapping. Attackers don’t always need your password—they can take control of your phone number and use it to reset accounts tied to SMS-based authentication. This creates a chain reaction where email, banking, and social media accounts can all…