What’s Been Happening

I’ve been away from this blog for quite some time, and really feeling quite guilty for not making the entry. Although not the first time I’ve abandoned this  blog, this is the first time that this blog actually has some purpose and structure (sort of). Anyway, I have this little thing about excuses and how I think they are similar to a–holes. Everybody has them and they all stink . However, I do want to explain as to why I have been an absentee blogger since  the holidays. One word — BUSY. Yeah, yeah aren’t we all?

During that absence one of my projects was finally launched (after much heartache and banging-head-on-table moments). Check-out yPoodle.com, an online debt management platform that allows consumers to directly negotiate and settle their delinquent unsecured debt (i.e. credit card) with their debt collectors. Debt collectors can be the original creditor, collection agencies/lawyers or debt buyers. This has been the biggest project that I have had the opportunity to develop and design the system architecture and also be its project manager. There are plenty more enhancements that will be introduced in the coming weeks and months and will definitely eat up most of my time until this bad boy is able to fully walk on its own.

I’ve also decided that I will focus on pursuing the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. As I have always done with my pervious certifications, I did not want to pay them expensive “must-go-to-pass” schools and decided to study on my own. This means that I end up not having a life . This is my little self-study process:

1. First I fast-read the main study material from cover to cover and highlight (I essentially used up over 6 highlighters by the time I’m done) all the key items that I believe is important. This process took me a little bit over two weeks. (My fast-reading is not fast enough –> it was a damn thick book and despite all the indications to contrary, I DO have a life). Not too concerned about understanding or fully digesting the material at this point. The key is to simply identify the overall concept of each topic and find the important elements to be highlighted.
2. The next phase (the phase I am in at the moment as of this writing) is to start taking down notes from the items that I highlighted. I’m a little behind schedule on this one. But the process essentially entails that I type this items. Typing (sometimes writing – I abandoned this process a long time ago since it is quite tiring –> hands hurt after a few pages) the words allow me to now slowly digest the material. It builds up my memrory and therefore I am able to remember what I was reading. I am hoping to finish the note taking within the next two weeks. I am in the early part of chapter 3 of a 12 chapter book.
3. Third phase is typically the quickest, since I have already condensed the material into my notes. For example, I am on page 103 of the book while I have only used up 23 pages worth of notes. I will then reread the notes, try to understand what I’ve written and also do some additional research and enter in more notes if there are items that I feel seems unclear. I project this to take about a week.
4. The fourth phase of the process is digging into the practice exams. Understanding why I answered a question wrong is key. I try to go through as many practice exams I can get my hands on until the day of the real exam.
5. Finally, I did this when I was working on my CISSP certification, but did not do it for the CISM and I have no plans on doing it for this one. I bought audio CDs of the study material and practice exams. Ripped the CDs and loaded the audio into my iPod. For about a month that iPod was connected to my ear whenever possible (even in my sleep! Osmosis, baby, osmosis). I had a shorter study window for the CISM exam and also for this one. The materials are also a little bit smaller than the CISSP, so I think I can manage without this step.

Yep, it is a very long and strenuous process. But this is what works for me. I have not tried any of the schools out there, but I have talked to a whole bunch of folks who fessed up $2500 or more for these schools. I’ve talked to folks who took the school who failed and also to those who said that they would have never passed the exam if they have not went to the school. Not a scientific measurement by any means, but I feel it was a 50-50 chance where the school will not help you pass the exam at all. So I’d rather not spend that mondo-bucks and simply try to digest the material my way. It has worked well for me so far.

I’m scheduled to take the exam in about 7 weeks, April 24. So I will be pretty much deep in the studying trenches during that time period.

All that said, going back to the beginning of this post. I do feel a little guilty not being able to post anything new in this blog. I’m not even sure if people actually go here and read my rants, but I started it so I’d like to maintain it (this time …). The key purpose of this blog is provide another resource for folks who actually have the same interest as I do in technology, security and business, so I figured I will for now and until further notice, I will bypass the other segments that I try to introduce in this blog and focus simply on providing some resource info. This means I will continue to post the CISSP review notes and also the notes that I am taking right now for the PMP exam. Every now and then, if there is a really cool topic that pops into my head, I will post it, too. But I’m pretty sure you all can continue on with your lives without it …

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Tags: CISM, CISSP, Exam Notes, PMP, Project Management Professional, Review, Study

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