In case you only have 15 seconds to read this *wink, here’s the summary: to remain grounded amidst a sea of flashy buzzwords is a luxury.

I got inspired to write this on my way back from buying my favorite seblak (a Sundanese savory and spicy dish with wet crackers as the main ingredient) while raindrop was suddenly pouring over me. I saw some people had to work under the rain with nothing on top of their heads. Under this kind of circumstance, it is a luxury to be able to rush home and worry about nothing. Wait. I said luxury? Why did this word instead of privilege pop up in my mind?

Ever since I don’t exactly remember when, I rarely call something that not everybody has access to/opportunity of a privilege anymore. I used to call everything which wasn't near to a problem for me but still was considered one for some people as a privilege. For example, in this pandemic situation, the option to work from home when some people have to go out to earn money was called a privilege. Now I name it a whole luxury.

My standard on luxury has become lower and lower and for me that’s self-betterment. I realized that even the “basic requirements” in my life are out of the range of some people. A roof over my head, clean clothes, 3-meals a day, health facilities, internet access—who says everyone has access to them? Tertiary education experience, a stable job—the opportunities I casually didn't deem beds of roses. The realization I got from thinking about them humbled me every time.

(P.S.: I recently came across an article about global education statistics *tried to post the link but I can’t find it again. Globally, the percentage of individuals with college degrees was less than 8%. I was taken aback. Indeed, the saying "privilege is invisible to those who have it" was also applied to me and I felt sorry about that.)

From time to time, the list of what I called luxuries simultaneously expanded and shifted. Back then when I was a teenager, everything extravagant is a luxury. When I entered college, I remember mentioning having idealism as a luxury. I also remember saying that finding what you genuinely want to do in life as early as possible (and even better if we can live according to the results) is a luxury. Some years ago, because I found that being left with no choices could be a thorny situation, having choices slid up on my “what are luxuries” leaderboard.

Now, as I work in the information technology field, there is something I would like to call a luxury: the ability to remain grounded amidst the sea of flashy buzzwords. We live in an era where we hear (and maybe use) a fair amount of jargon. In the period where someone is regarded as knowledgeable when they mention sophisticated tech terms, it exerts oneself to be undistracted. 

After some people (especially the influential ones) talked about the tech buzzwords, what usually happened next is those things seemed too splendid to be unimplemented. The truth is, I have seen a lot of cases where technology implementation was rushed while the fundamental stuff was nowhere near steady. I've witnessed that technology adoptions were done hastily just because they were fancy yet no one carefully analyzed/calculated the cost and benefits in advance. I’ve heard here and there that the necessary requirements to make them effective hadn’t been established while the decision to invest in the new technologies was made. I wouldn’t even go deeper with the benefits realization and investment payback because in that kind of situation, what do we expect? :)

(Have you ever seen memes of a boy trying to skip some stair-steps which were widely used to represent how humans sometimes skip the important parts for whatever "shiny" stuff represented by the step which was aimed to? High five if you laughed over them 😊).

I know to be updated with technology advancement information is something highly necessary. I agreed that it’s essential to understand what’s going on in the tech world so we could react appropriately—anticipate and respond to the risks and/or leverage the tech in case it is beneficial. However, to be easily dazzled by the buzzwords and lose sight of what’s truly important is something I consider harmful. Imagine investing a great sum of money on something for the sake of following the trends while the expected benefits are uncertain and the risks haven’t been properly assessed (or even more addressed).

For those reasons, I can say that the ability to remain grounded amidst the sea of fancy buzzwords is a luxury. The ability to prioritize the fundamental things while having the serenity to not feel missed out is such a luxury. In the IT world, maybe that’s one of the highest kinds of luxuries ever existed. 

Your "hey I am back writing about IT again even though the IT part is microscopic" friend,

iim 

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*In the tech world, it's not that having the most sophisticated tool that I called a luxurious life, it's knowing what's really needed.

*I remember my high school counselor ever advised the students: ojo nggumunan (don't be too easily impressed). Now I understand its hidden meaning even more.

image source: wallpaperaccess.com

source: westfloridaisaca.org

Hello, everyone. I hope you all are doing well and staying safe. I’m humbled to share that starting this month, I officially got a CGEIT (Certified in Governance of Enterprise IT) designation. I’ve committed to always write down the tips to pass every certification exam I take as my token of gratitude and also to help every aspirant out there. So here is my version of how to pass the CGEIT exam:

(P.S.: some of them are similar to the tips to pass a CISA exam I posted previously as I believed both shared the similar kind of necessary preparations)

1. Recalibrate My Mindset

The one thing I realized the most from CGEIT material is that its point of view and way of thinking slightly differ from what I have. While as a practitioner I sometimes have to think practically, the CGEIT exam requires us to think strategically and ideally. So before embarking on the learning journey, I recalibrate my mindset. Besides, I prepared myself to think based on the roles given e.g. audit committee, CIO, CEO, etc, and understand the buzzwords/terms used by them.

2. Study the CGEIT Review Manual and the CGEIT Review Questions, Answers & Explanations (QAE) Manual 

As I mentioned in my post about CISA exam tips, the review and QAE manuals are two sacred references for everyone pursuing ISACA certifications. Take your time to read the books cover to cover especially the QAE Manual since it introduces us to the kinds of questions we will face. Learn the explanation of the answers suggested by the book to get the logic, perspective, and wisdom that ISACA sets out. I also identified my knowledge gaps and wrote down a note containing them. I reread it again whenever I could.

Anyway, please do make sure you study the latest version of these books. For now, the latest CGEIT Review Manual is the 8^th edition and the QAE Manual is the 5^th edition. 

I took note of everything I'm confused/didn't know about

3. Obtain Knowledge and Experience in the IT Governance Field

Having knowledge and experience in the IT governance field is certainly substantial in solving CGEIT exam questions. Regarding acquiring the needed knowledge, my advice is to read lots of references related to IT governance, discuss them with others, or join a community (or anything. Pick your favorite way of absorbing knowledge). Meanwhile, answering some CGEIT exam questions requires the candidate to be equipped with not only knowledge but also experience so real-life exposure will surely be beneficial. Experience shapes our logic, perspective, and wisdom which will make it easier for us to figure the answers out.

Besides, in my opinion, it's important to increase your exposure to IT terms and English (especially when IT isn't your major and English is not your first language). Familiarity with IT terms and English is advantageous!

4. Exposure to COBIT is Beneficial

If I have to point out one thing that helped me the most when learning the CGEIT material is that I’ve exposed myself to COBIT 5 and COBIT 2019 framework previously. The familiarity with the frameworks accelerated my learning process as CGEIT and COBIT shared the same underlying logic, principles, and way of thinking. They are heavily linked so I recommend everyone who wants to take a CGEIT exam to also read COBIT frameworks (especially the newest one i.e. COBIT 2019).

5. Attend CGEIT Review Training

If you want to have a more solid preparation, I suggest you attend the exam preparation training (especially the one held by a training center affiliated with ISACA). However, even if you can't sit in on the training, don’t worry. With or without training, you can still have sufficient preparation.

6. Practice Through the Mock Exams

Having a mock exam is essential so that we get used to sitting and thinking without interruption and distraction for hours. Work on the questions until you scored at least 80 out of 100 (the higher, the better). I tried to complete each mock exam in 2 hours to train my quick thinking and ability to finish the exam under pressure. 

7. Mind Our Physical and Mental State

Maintaining health and fitness for an exam is vital. Make sure you get enough sleep so that the next morning we are fit to do 150 questions in 4 hours. Also make sure we take our breakfast, arrive at the test center early, and last but not least manage our emotional and mental state. Be calm. You have prepared enough and are ready to face this test. 

8. Pray

9. Miscellaneous Tips

a. First things first, read the syllabus to understand what needs to be understood and the portion of each compared to the whole exam material.

b. Scheduling the exam is one of the best ways to start studying. When I haven't booked an exam date, it feels like there is still a long time to prepare for it. However, when it is already scheduled, I suddenly felt that I had to study immediately :)

c. The knowledge we gained from experience is something to be treated wisely: sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't. The knowledge that we have gained may not be in line with the standards/frameworks set by the ISACA, so we must identify the alignment of our knowledge with the ISACA's body of knowledge.

10. Tips During the Exam:

a. If you take the exam at the test center, pay attention to the temperature of the test room. If it is too cold to stay inside for 4 hours, wear a jacket. Also, sit as comfortable as possible. Four hours is not a short time, sweetie. 😊

b. Do it serenely. We have a relatively long time to do it. If we are calm, we’ll be more careful. On exams where there are many tricky questions and answers (and accuracy becomes the key), managing our tranquillity is a must.

c. Be careful with the “almost correct” answers. In general, CGEIT questions leave us with 2 alternative answers that both seem true. Hehe. Make sure you choose the right one, not one which looks like it.

d. Focus on the easy questions first. We can skip the difficult/long questions (don't forget to flag them). We can always come back to them later.

e. The duration of the exam allows us to review the answers. Review the answers as if we do it again from the beginning. Don't get bored just yet even though your stamina and concentration have decreased. Here’s my personal advice: if you haven't so sure about the results, use the 4 hours fully.

f. If you take the option of a proctored exam (like what a friend of mine chose), you have toilet breaks twice (10 minutes each). These breaks are also provided if you take the test in the test center. My friend suggested using the break to regain your balance after working on the questions. (for me, I took a break in the middle of the exam duration.)

g. Don't forget to fill out the post-test questionnaire.

Those are the tips I can share with everyone who wants to take the CGEIT exam. Good luck, everyone. If you have anything to ask, feel free to reach out. It's my pleasure to help you. Cheers!

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Indonesian version: Tips Ujian CGEIT

image source: greepx.com

Some months ago, a close friend of mine, Iis Setiani, promoted SK II Facial Treatment Essence (FTE) to me. Actually, she had done it many times but only this time did she succeed (talking about persistence, SK II Indonesia should hire her as their influencer *wink 😊). When I argued that the low-priced skincare products are enough for me (and deep down assumed that the effect on my skin isn't significantly inferior to the expensive ones), she convincingly said that the reason she loves this essence dearly was no other than it has improved her skin condition greatly. 

image source: Maxwell Nelson in unsplash.com

When I was a senior high schooler, I remember almost every cool kid in the school wore Piero shoes (please don’t judge us. In Purworejo at that time, the shoes were a subtle sign you are well off. Hihi). So like every other kid, I asked my parents to buy me one. I mean the pair wasn’t that expensive so it wasn’t too much to ask, right?

However, my parents were against the notion. I couldn’t own the shoes since we didn’t have the luxury to afford them while projecting our future where the children could live well. Coming from a modest background, we needed to do frugal living and save money so that both my brother and I could attend colleges, secure good jobs, and live better than my family did. Because of that long-term mission, we didn’t have the privilege to possess the things we wanted, even the seemingly inexpensive ones. It was frustrating that even the relatively cheap stuff for other people wasn’t affordable for us. Was I finally okay with that? Of course not. For kids at that age, it was totally disappointing. 

For years, I brought the disappointment of not being able to own the “cool” stuff along with my life as I can’t wear beautiful clothes, stylish shoes, bags from popular brands, etc. I basically have to wear the cheaper everything so that the family’s dreams were achievable. What happened next was that I promised myself to live a comfortable life where I can acquire the items I want to have in the future. I worked hard to ensure that I could succeed so the money problem won’t bother me anymore. 

However, when the time has finally come, for example, now that I can purchase the shoes with my own money, surprisingly, I didn’t buy one. Even when I could afford the goods from the more expensive brands, I was still the person who wore relatively cheaper things than what people around me did. Not that I am not interested in the luxurious stuff. Of course, as a human, I like to be clad in branded items. However, the experience of not having the things I wanted has put me into this perspective: I need to be aware of whether I need something or just want it. That the hard-earned money should be spent wisely as I am also grateful for the life I have today. That I need to be patient because, in life,  my dreams may or may not come true.

Seeing it from my current standpoint, the experience I had in the past was what grounded and humbled me. I had walked so far to be here so all I have is to be thankful for the life I have today.  Whenever I feel that my day sucks, I remember all those days when everything seemed so far away. It was such a humbling reminder. 

However, if I have to mention one precious lesson that I learned from that experience is to not judge everything harshly. My past self was upset with my parents even though maybe it was already the best they could do for me. Maybe they already did all they could to support me yet for me it wasn’t enough. Perhaps it was the best experience for the young me to embrace the future yet I was ridiculously ungrateful. So I beg myself to not be too hard on anyone (including me) since maybe they already provided/did the best they could.

If I could go back to the 16 years old self of mine, I would just hug her and tell her not to be upset over this matter. (Hey I can’t stop crying typing this part). The old me who was sad over the trivial things, look at you now. You are fine. You are completely fine. You walked properly in the right direction even without the dream Piero shoes.

So my dear self, even when you couldn’t have something, please remember that everything is still okay. You’ll be fine, as always. 

Love, 

iim

image source: gene.com

(For weeks, I wrote a bunch of halfway done writings and can finish nothing so I am beyond happy to finally be able to publish one.)

When I was in the period of entering senior high school, my dad said something to me who just learned to ride a motorcycle: “Don’t rush on the road. What you are after, Im, that you need to speeding?”. He said that too many times as if I couldn’t truly comprehend it by hearing it once. Indeed my dad agreed with the Javanese proverb: alon-alon waton kelakon (I don’t even know how to translate this saying hihihi. The closest I could come up with are the phrases ‘slowly but surely', ‘what’s the hurry?’ or ‘wise men are never in a hurry' depending on which aspect we want to emphasize.)

Saw some bloggers shared their fun facts and I got inspired to do the same. I hope you can understand me better by knowing these fun facts about me. Which of these facts do you already know? :)

1. Born and raised in Purworejo, Central Java. However, I had lived in Jakarta during the first half of my elementary school days. 

2. Speak Javanese (all levels: ngoko, krama madya, krama alus--thank my mom that insisted I should be able to speak all of them), intermediate Sundanese (my neighbor taught me indirectly), Indonesian, English, and basic Spanish (blame Barca and Neruda :p). I am also a long-time learner of Al Quran's and Al Hadith's translation so I know a bit of Arabic, especially those which are mentioned in those books. 

3. Journaling since the first grade of junior high school. I have a habit of writing down my feelings and random thoughts (which make me surprised when I reread them). 

4. The very first money I got from writing in a magazine is IDR 25.000 and I remember my dad asked me: "Kenopo seneng banget toh im entuk selawe ewu?" ("Why are you that happy, im, to get IDR 25.000?")

5. Easily cry. Indeed a certified melancholic person. I could shed tears without a certain reason T.T

6. Been years into practicing guitar yet forever at the beginner level. How to make the proper Bm sound tho'? :p

7. Was actually a quiet, shy person who tried hard to change herself to be more confident. You may not believe it but I am an introverted person (I know you are gonna disagree but let me repeat it for the 784644 times :p)

8. Love jajanan pasar (klepon, kue putu, kue pukis, you name it) soooo much

9. My childhood dream is to be a lecturer.

10. Spent my childhood fishing, playing kite, hide and seek, jump rope, egrang, gobak sodor, and any other traditional games in my village.

11. Can't drink coffee at all. I can drink tea but prefer plain water.

14. Some of my favorite poets are Jalaluddin Rumi, Pablo Neruda, and Sapardi Djoko Damono. I had a habit of reading one by one fiction books from my schools' libraries until I finished them all, except the ones I wasn't interested in. 

15. I also enjoy reading East Asia's novels. Some of my favorites are Silent Separation (Gu Man) and I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (Yuro Sumino) :)

16. I haven't watched that many dramas but with my limited exposure, my favorite K-drama is Reply 1988, J-drama is One Litre of Tears, and C-drama is Some Day or One Day

17. I feel everything deeply--which serves as both strength and weakness for me.

18. While I love writing with my heart and soul, I hope it will never be my job. (It is the answer to the frequently asked question: "Since you love writing so much, why don't you be a full-time writer?". On the contrary, because I love it so much, I want to do it pressure-free.)

19. My childhood memories also consist of the period where my mom didn't let me watch TV. She encouraged me to play outside the house instead. That is why I am not familiar with Doraemon's stories and any other cartoons'.

20. My dream house is a beach house, where the back door connects me with the seashore. It is indeed therapeutic.

21. If I had to choose, my favorite color is navy blue, although I like almost all colors equally.

22. The thing I find most attractive in a person is their eyes. Personality-wise, it is the beautiful balance of patient and passionate attitude.

23. I feel comforted to smell petrichor and soft morning dew. To calm my mind, I sometimes perform meditation.

24. Jennie of Blackpink had ever been asked about what action a man does that makes her heart flutter. I know my answer is not important (since nobody is curious about it) but same as Jennie, I like when someone remembers something I mentioned in the past and does it for me. In addition, I do highly appreciate chivalrous behaviors, even better when they are performed subtly as if they are genuine habits of the doer. 

25. My favorite subjects at school were biology, history, and PE.

26. I couldn't watch any scary movie. 

27. Realizing I am easily affected emotionally, I am learning to be a stoic. A long way to go :)

28. Now when I think about it, I have a habit of giving in and putting other people first. Back in junior high school, when participating in the regional's scout jamboree, I slept in the kitchen tent so my team didn't jostle against each other while sleeping in the main tent. I also let my friends had the room I've reserved the night before STAN's entrance exam and I slept in a mosque instead.

29. The issues I wish I talked more about: mental health and equality in quality education.

30. Some of my comfort songs are Coldplay's Fix You, The Carpenter's Yesterday Once More, Lee Juck's Don't Worry Dear, Leehi's Breathe, Jung Eunji's Hopefully Sky, and Mao Buyi's Perfect Day. I don't listen to many Indonesian musicians but if I have to mention one that I really like, it's gonna be KLa Project. Their songs comfort me from time to time.

So what are your fun facts, pals? :)

Your friend, 

iim

"Be patient with yourself. You are growing stronger every day." (Robert Tew)

source: pinterest.com/jodiokun

Some months ago, I finished a 5-week Australia Awards Scholarship Pre-departure Training Program. I belonged to a class consisting of 13 scholars with various backgrounds, meeting for the first time in a virtual classroom. At the end of the program, every student received a final report, and mine is shown below.