My first Vegas trip taught me a couple of unexpected things. I did not enjoy this week as much as I was planning to, but this had less to do with Vegas itself. I don’t usually talk about these things on Twitter, but I want to share it with you anyway.

I was hurt by someone in a way I wasn’t prepared for. The main character here was someone I trusted deeply. The other one is a vindictive snake in our InfoSec circles, an imposter, and she hurt me so badly with her actions and lies that I couldn’t leave my room for days.

Life can hit you hard, unexpectedly, and you won’t be prepared for it. There are people who want to hurt you to make themselves feel better, to feel superior or out of sheer malice. Know who your real friends are, know whom you can trust. Life’s too short for false friends.

I found people who sensed that something was wrong and tried to be there for me and help me get out of this shithole. When shit’s falling down, remember the people who try to cover you. Cherish them.

I am sad that this experience crushed me so badly that I couldn’t enjoy what I was here for. To meet my InfoSec friends, the ones I know and the ones I don’t; to say hi to people I look up to and only know from Twitter; to have fun and enjoy being part of this community.

This industry, like every industry, is full of good people, malicious actors, vindictive snakes, ego driven misfits, drama queens, but also caring folks who can be your best friends and allies. Let’s try to be good to each other. After all, life’s too short to be malicious.