tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10867961299280336522024-02-02T09:59:31.879-08:00Can You Hear Me Now?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-57748905209144420452013-03-30T13:10:00.004-07:002013-04-01T16:06:34.936-07:00Eat Right, Exercise and Do It Forever<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This was originally posted in the Get Healthy Challenge Blog that I'm participating in:<br />
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As Carly explained in her post, since I'm her husband and she is in charge of this challenge, I was required to join the group. Just kidding!<br />
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I actually like to try to be as healthy as I can, but food sometimes really gets in the way. However, I'm inspired by a friend of mine who said that his grandmother told him "nothing tastes as good as being thin feels."<br />
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I realize that this post is super long, but I feel the need to express my past experiences with managing my health and the changes that can happen from taking it seriously.<br />
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My weight fluctuated growing up quite a bit and particularly in my early twenties. The all you can eat college cafeteria plan helped me gain the freshman fifty and my first area in my mission covered a Tongan ward that loved to feed us tons of food. After all that I reached 264 pounds and stayed that way from 2000-2006.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">BYU-Idaho 2006</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-vdNdNzXcKF8U4spbs6Y5gMdcbu3NcfIDHbQhyphenhyphenEM7-AlHrB1I4IOHTEKnlf3N69rjQRGPO93A7frOdnOBQ8tYAqYGzfS1V-9WUuMJyL9wsCdtGR_VG1R3wZMYHDQsMtUn5-ANBfvPMU/s1600/IMG_3177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-vdNdNzXcKF8U4spbs6Y5gMdcbu3NcfIDHbQhyphenhyphenEM7-AlHrB1I4IOHTEKnlf3N69rjQRGPO93A7frOdnOBQ8tYAqYGzfS1V-9WUuMJyL9wsCdtGR_VG1R3wZMYHDQsMtUn5-ANBfvPMU/s200/IMG_3177.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">BYU-Idaho Graduation 2006</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QMG1DiMHDDSHRnmmfIkKrrmZipJDBBhFxdLH8SW7nKZEVFyRFZ_gaRTDyy9V5UK-1dX2Egz-uxSD6MNAK-3sett1E4nFxk8l9gmtSVqJn5sm53K7WlJsLIiuo-0zwBgIsNKf0NdfvFE/s1600/hp_scanDS_212_623103322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QMG1DiMHDDSHRnmmfIkKrrmZipJDBBhFxdLH8SW7nKZEVFyRFZ_gaRTDyy9V5UK-1dX2Egz-uxSD6MNAK-3sett1E4nFxk8l9gmtSVqJn5sm53K7WlJsLIiuo-0zwBgIsNKf0NdfvFE/s200/hp_scanDS_212_623103322.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Mission 200-2002</span></td></tr>
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Three things really changed all that for me in 2006:<br />
<ol>
<li>My sister Lauren, who is part of this group, lost a lot of weight through changing her eating habits and exercising more. I was inspired by her results and decided that I needed to make some serious adjustments.</li>
<li>Gary Crittenden, former CFO of Citigroup, came to speak at BYU-Idaho for a business summit and described his story of how he lost weight. He said that early in his career a manager told him that he need to stop wearing yellow shirts and that he was "too fat." The very next morning, he laced up his running shoes and ran before work and continued that habit for more than thirty years (He stopped wearing yellow shirts too, as far as I could tell!).</li>
<li>For anyone who knows me well, I'm all about Apple products. During this time I was inspired by Lauren and Gary, Apple introduced the Nike Plus iPod running sensor. Of course, I HAD to get it the moment it came out and that really helped to provide the extra motivation I needed to begin my running routine.</li>
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And so began my regular early morning exercise. One of my health professors taught that "If exercise were a pill, it would be the most prescribed medicine in the world." I can definitely say that running certainly helped me get my body in better condition.<br />
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When I decided to take losing weight seriously, I decided to count calories and made sure that I was burning more than I was taking in. I planned out my meals based on the amount of calories I allowed myself for each day. For simplicity, I ate a bowl of Cheerios and a banana for breakfast, a turkey sandwich and apple for lunch and anything I wanted that was around 500 calories for dinner everyday for three years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyuNCgbKxXtCNS3EvJEU9wkhVLyAkrZCZKw1_UXG5zDooHsFbsGnbvDTRffggDSi_ruzXPcICAIj_pg9dXrkbfsUoZagDZ-5CVyb4Y8jJSIHwmY6mshmgeu_6u2lHxD8Xc7F1HcZ_oo0/s1600/S5031590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYyuNCgbKxXtCNS3EvJEU9wkhVLyAkrZCZKw1_UXG5zDooHsFbsGnbvDTRffggDSi_ruzXPcICAIj_pg9dXrkbfsUoZagDZ-5CVyb4Y8jJSIHwmY6mshmgeu_6u2lHxD8Xc7F1HcZ_oo0/s200/S5031590.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: left;">Photo from 2007 when I reached 155 pounds</span></td></tr>
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With my new exercise routine and eating habits, I lost 109 pounds in eight months. Going from 264 to 155 in such a short time frame caused me to have to buy a whole new wardrobe every other month!</div>
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I never imagined that I could lose so much weight and certainly not in that short amount of time. It didn't seem all that short while it was happening, but I knew that it would pay off at some point.</div>
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Interestingly, I lost all this weight after graduating from BYU-Idaho when I moved to Arizona. I went back to Rexburg for a conference in 2007 and when I approached some of my old friends, they did not recognize me at all! They kept telling me I looked like a completely different person.<br />
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I love showing old pictures to new friends to show them how much I weighed just a few years ago. They also give the same reaction as my friends in Rexburg, saying that I don't even look like the same person.<br />
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Since 2007, I have gained some back, but I've stayed within a somewhat healthy range. I also kept the running habit and made it a hobby. I've run four Ragnar Relay races and one half-marathon!<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXooFnH_5_HYqcOhn_5-tOrfaiBE1XNrMT83IvAQKb-Ggury5i1IYoxJcZhxKY6BkYq9MGMp7o1IVO3o7-qjnaIcrMIM5F3tmtpNKrPioEDQKoqGzuY255vdihQK3TvuL5W2fhQI5Dr0/s1600/172739_10150089189416981_353259_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXooFnH_5_HYqcOhn_5-tOrfaiBE1XNrMT83IvAQKb-Ggury5i1IYoxJcZhxKY6BkYq9MGMp7o1IVO3o7-qjnaIcrMIM5F3tmtpNKrPioEDQKoqGzuY255vdihQK3TvuL5W2fhQI5Dr0/s200/172739_10150089189416981_353259_o.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Arizona Ragnar Relay 2011</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvu1_CBdpscwVh5OeGE_RGJR7TKyZpiX5zE_fuKoPOswXHCpZsFTesxPLMNrnxRicrpW7xhasWMt5l4_Cbw6w_FyCpHPpuy7Lxx-fjyxqkKft3DLXlwww4vYJ3IGGVw2epn_bvDSGe_C4/s1600/IMG_0550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvu1_CBdpscwVh5OeGE_RGJR7TKyZpiX5zE_fuKoPOswXHCpZsFTesxPLMNrnxRicrpW7xhasWMt5l4_Cbw6w_FyCpHPpuy7Lxx-fjyxqkKft3DLXlwww4vYJ3IGGVw2epn_bvDSGe_C4/s200/IMG_0550.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Arizona Ragnar Relay 2012<br />(Carly and I are Bert and Ernie)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSutxEM0xlrGTQHBiEbB4EbTqA-kbxD3SwKnI4ZLadvrSKR-5sAHzYa7RTb0aBi1gK0-hAVCdzX8s8IRewE_avzdx95jw7cyUlz5MoYGFEFiwFiH2zJwPv025uEEbNdKLhOk3cR6fvbk/s1600/IMG_1095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSutxEM0xlrGTQHBiEbB4EbTqA-kbxD3SwKnI4ZLadvrSKR-5sAHzYa7RTb0aBi1gK0-hAVCdzX8s8IRewE_avzdx95jw7cyUlz5MoYGFEFiwFiH2zJwPv025uEEbNdKLhOk3cR6fvbk/s200/IMG_1095.JPG" width="126" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Charlotte Thunder Road Marathon 2012</span></td></tr>
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When Carly and I got married in February of 2012, we decided that we wanted to have healthy eating and exercise habits. We tried several times to execute a healthy eating plan, but sometimes it only lasted for a few weeks. We even tried to stop eating dessert for a few weeks, but didn't see any results.<br />
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We discovered a key characteristic about ourselves through a principle taught by Clayton Christensen, a Harvard Business School Professor. He said that when committing to a goal, following it 100% of the time is easier than 98% of the time. If you follow 98%, it's always a battle.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-NsSiSwheL5ARNzb2ddUR_LjkE75UO6INj2vhHjTvjwvQT69CkVGTmGqgYoh6LmD48eLxZ6DfTWK2fMvHZ6yGwxns5FJUR0yJJyCy8GesYMN_LWYQux0g2c9KRRFr9qghNsQE4g5f4Fk/s1600/IMG_1313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-NsSiSwheL5ARNzb2ddUR_LjkE75UO6INj2vhHjTvjwvQT69CkVGTmGqgYoh6LmD48eLxZ6DfTWK2fMvHZ6yGwxns5FJUR0yJJyCy8GesYMN_LWYQux0g2c9KRRFr9qghNsQE4g5f4Fk/s200/IMG_1313.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Carly and I in Feb. 2013</span></td></tr>
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For us, that meant following our healthy eating goals 100% of the time. We decided that we would not have desserts until we reached our respective goal weights. We even started it the week we visited New York City and denied ourselves of all the yummy treats unique to that area. We would say to ourselves, "I don't need that. I've had great treats before and I can have them again, just not right now." We made exception for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, but we went without desserts for six months. It was very difficult at first, but we gained so much confidence in ourselves and in our bodies. Carly talked about how much better she felt about her body, even though it didn't change in size or weight a whole lot.<br />
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Our new healthy eating habits included keeping our meals to 500 calories each, with 200 calories of snacks per day. We discovered after sticking to that plan and being patient with the results, it really helped us both get to a better weight. I lost more than 20 pounds in five months.<br />
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When we were at dinner with one of Carly's cousins (who also had dropped a significant amount of weight and kept it off), we noticed at the end of the meal we were super full, while he commented that he was "satisfied." That taught us that we did not have to eat until we were stuffed, like I would a lot of the time, but when we felt the amount was sufficient. We learned to listen to our bodies and recognize when we were eating to satisfy and when it was just for stimulation or out of boredom. Portion control is key!<br />
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I would also like to point out that I have not used the term diet. Diet to me is a temporary thing. I remember a 20/20 news segment that covered diets. I still remember the findings, "Eat right, exercise and do it forever!" Healthy eating habits are something you have to sustain for longer than a few weeks or months. It takes a lifetime.<br />
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Carly once told me about a man who was a professional dancer and professor at Weber State University, where she did her undergrad. When he was in his early 40s, he started slowing down and thought the dancing part of his career was over. One day, he decided that he was going to treat his body like an tool, an instrument for his life and career rather than just something that he obeyed. He was strict with his eating habits and religious about specific exercises. He was close to 60 and he was still performing professionally. We both loved that idea. Carly always laughs when I pass by some sugary treats and chant, "No! My body is an instrument!" Elder Richard G. Scott taught in conference a few years ago about receiving revelation. Part of what helps us to receive the Spirit is having healthy bodies.<br />
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While I certainly have not been perfect at weight control, I have definitely made some major changes in my life that helped me to feel more confident in my ability to not only master my weight, but also myself. Carly and I have gained a better understanding of how powerful encouragement from others, whether it's your spouse, a family member, or this group, can help you accomplish your goal. We've also gained a lot of confidence in our ability to control our habits rather than having them control us. That is something worth it's weight in gold!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-29125004733526943862012-05-16T13:08:00.000-07:002012-05-16T13:26:07.578-07:00Bear Lake TripAfter graduation, Carly and I took a trip to Bear Lake last week and stayed at the Creamery in St. Charles, Idaho. The Pedersen's have been going to the Creamery for many years and Carly's uncle was gracious enough to let us come this last weekend. Carly's parents and most of her siblings and their children were able to come, as well as my parents and K.C. We mostly hung out and relaxed, but we had a couple family meetings. One of the meetings was on Mother's Day and we shared what we liked about our moms. Another meeting was about our favorite scripture and we learned a lot of new insights.<br />
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Playing games with some of my new nieces and nephews was really fun. In fact, there happens to be a firepole that most of us went down and I'm proud to say I was the first Native American to go down it!<br />
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It was super fun for our families to get to know each other better and enjoy each others company. Some of the best parts were sitting on the couch and just chatting.<br />
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Carly and I went up a few days before to hang out in Utah and spend time with friends and family. The day after we arrived, I got to participate in my first baby blessing for our new nephew Andrew. We also got to see Carly's alma mater, Weber State AND we got to see the Avengers, which totally rocked!<br />
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We are looking forward to many more trips up there in the future!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-58450467986797378992012-01-02T19:49:00.000-08:002012-01-02T19:49:53.258-08:00Christmas BreakChristmas Break was a blast! Carly and I flew to UT and got to hang with her family, meet old friends, and just have some fun. The first night Carly had her bridal shower and so her Dad and I went to the "man party" with my future brother in laws and nephews. We played some X-box Kinnect and had some hot chocolate. Afterwards I was taken to the bridal shower since apparently the tradition is for the guy to come to the last five minutes. It was fun because I got to see all the presents and get some of the food!<br />
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The next day we went to Provo and met one of her good friends Christen at Kneaders Bakery and had all you can eat french toast. Then we saw one of my college buddies Neil. Finally we dropped by my to see my best friends from my childhood, Pace and his wife Joy, along with Stephanie. It was fun to catch up and have them meet Carly. Steph said they needed to approve before we tied the knot!<br />
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Saturday, Carly, her parents and I got to see the new Mission Impossible. It was killer! Later on that day we had a dinner with some of the extended family and had a nativity scene with some of the smaller children. Loved it!<br />
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Christmas day was great of course since we got to have a musical program for sacrament. It always a great day when we get to recognize the Savior and his influence on our lives. The next best part was opening the presents! It was fun, especially with all my future nieces and nephews!<br />
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One of the best parts of the trip was visting the Bountiful temple, where Carly and I will be married in just a few weeks time. It is a beautiful place and I can't wait to go back there and marry her. I'm so grateful for temples and the authority to make it possible for marriages to last in the eternities. I know the Priesthood and the sealing authority in that Priesthood is real. That is one of the greatest gifts the Lord has blessed his children with.<br />
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Best. Christmas Break. With My Fiance. Ever!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-85223600916444573772011-12-17T13:29:00.000-08:002011-12-17T13:29:26.459-08:00Bank of America MBA Leadership Development Program<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I recently accepted an offer from Bank of America to begin their MBA Leadership Development Program (LDP) in their Consumer and Small Business Bank (CSBB) Division. The position starts at the end of June after I graduate from Arizona State. I will start with a class of 25 or so MBA grads, five of which will be from ASU. The program is designed to train incoming MBA's in general management to develop future leaders and executives in the bank.<br />
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The LDP consists of three rotations over two years. The first rotation is a corporate project in one of their divisions (Online, Mobile, ATM, Credit Cards, Demand Deposit Accounts, etc.). The second rotation consists of a two month mini-project with the other incoming MBAs and then a six month position where you work with a market manager and supervise more than 40 branch managers. The third rotation bring you back to a new corporate project for another eight months. Once the rotations are complete you move into a new full-time position such as product management or product development.<br />
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I'm super excited about this opportunity and thankful for the ASU alumni and Career Management Center staff that made it possible to land the internship last summer and the Bank of American associates that helped make it a great experience, ultimately resulting in this job offer.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-7771021957318327072011-12-06T10:45:00.001-08:002011-12-06T11:32:25.997-08:00I'm Engaged!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In case you haven't heard the news, I'm engaged to the beautiful Carly Pedersen! Just two nights ago I surprised her by having signs asking her to to marry me outside of the security gate at Sky Harbor Airport as she returned from her trip to Utah. With some help from my friends Meghan, Katie, Chantal, and Dane, we set up the best marriage proposal I've ever done!</div>
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As you watch the video, the reaction on her face is priceless. One of my friends said it gave him the same kind of goosebumps as he got when they let Rudy play for Notre Dame. This was a million times better!<br />
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I'm so grateful for Carly and the love we share. She has brought me a lot of happiness and joy. She has all the qualities I've been looking for in a girl and I told her that she was even better than my "list."<br />
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I look forward to the day we will be married in the Temple for time and eternity.<br />
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I love you Carly!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-19765858923176628522011-12-03T13:55:00.001-08:002011-12-03T14:04:35.170-08:00Six Minutes of the Dark Night Rises in Mission Impossible 4!My roommate let me know today that select cities with IMAX theaters showing Mission Impossible 4 will also show the first six minutes of the new Batman film coming out next summer! I CANNOT wait!<div>
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I'm super excited for Mission Impossible anyway, especially since it is a J.J. Abrhams film. For those who are unfamiliar, J.J. produced LOST and the most recent Star Trek.</div>
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The next Batman will be epic considering the last two were phenomenal. Chris Nolan, the director is a amazing. The first two Batman films he directed were some of my favorites of all time. He also did Inception, which was a remarkable film as well.</div>
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Anyways, I can't wait for this extra bonus in MI 4!</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-50152746066653729562011-12-02T10:03:00.001-08:002011-12-02T10:11:14.290-08:00ThanksgivingThanksgiving was great! Carly and I flew to Charlotte for six days and had an absolute blast with the fam. We came in the day of Thanksgiving and Carly got to know the 'Rents, as well as KC, Lauren, and Cameron. Carly happened to just get her iPhone before we left, so she got initiated well into the family culture by trying out her new toy.<br />
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We went to Grandma Wade's house for Thanksgiving dinner and went to Kerry's house for Breakfast on Saturday. Both activities were super fun and it was neat to have Carly meet my extended family.<br />
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We had a lot of free time as well to just hang out, realax, watch a few movies, and have a lot of fun.<br />
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It was a great trip and I can't wait to go to Utah to meet Carly's family for Christmas!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-57490161582292034492011-11-21T11:26:00.001-08:002011-11-21T11:38:45.842-08:00The PhD Project<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week I attended the PhD Project conference in Chicago. It is a conference hosted by the KPMG Foundation that provides prospective PhD students from minority backgrounds to learn more about business doctoral programs. Since 1994, they have taken the number from only 200 business professors to over 1,000. I was happy to be invited with 300 prospective students.<br />
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We had several sessions that covered what the application process is like, the life a doctoral student, and the career path of business academia. They also had breakout sessions for each discipline. I attended both the Management/OB and Marketing panels.<br />
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This was a great opportunity to network with current Professors, Doctoral students, and prospective students. They also hosted a university fair and we got to meet with different doctoral program admins and professors.<br />
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Interestingly, there was another conference going on at the same time at the same hotel. The Mid-West Fur Fest. There were like 100 guys dressed up in full body animal costumes. Loved it!<br />
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I'm considering working for a few years and then going back to school. There were many people in that scenario and it was good to hear their stories.<br />
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I really enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about PhD programs and meet others with similar interests. The best part was all the free food!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-63796487857296709832011-11-16T13:38:00.001-08:002011-11-16T13:44:00.214-08:00Peter Bishop is Back!They finally brought back Peter Bishop! In the last episode of Fringe, Peter Bishop returned and he explained more of his story and appears to have insight on why no one remembers him. In this time line, the Observer never saved Peter from drowning in the Lake. But for some reason, the Observer has decided not to erase him completely. He was stuck in some parallel dimension or something until he was released by one of Dr. Bishop's failed experiments.<br />
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It will be interesting to see how he will get everyone to remember him. I'm sure Walter will find a way at some point once he gets motivated.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-91130893349056599772011-11-08T14:55:00.000-08:002011-11-08T14:55:56.022-08:00Interview with Dean Mittelstaedt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had the opportunity two weeks ago to sit with the Dean of the W.P. Carey Business School, Robert Mittelstaedt. In that interview I had the opportunity to learn more about his background, his accomplishments with the school, and his vision for its future.<br />
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Before we got into details about the school he learned about my background and gave me some career advice. He said to starte with what you are interested in, but not to plan too far in advance. He cited his own experience of going to Wharton for his MBA and not planning on getting into academia, but eventually found himself as a VP in Wharton's administration, which lead him to ASU.<br />
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One of the key issues he expressed for W.P. Carey graduates was to understand that technical skills will only get you your first job and that leadership skills will enable you to grow in a company.<br />
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He also said that after our formal education ends that we should be still reading the Wall Street Journal everyday, as well as other business publications.<br />
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In terms of the school, he was pleased with the trajectory the school is going with receiving funds from W.P. Carey, the McCords, and gaining high rankings with only a few years of existence. Out of 10,000 business schools in the world, only 1,000 are accredited by the AACSB, and only 500 of those are in the U.S.<br />
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He also spoke highly of the faculty and felt they were just as qualified as the Wharton professors. Our Supply Chain emphasis is ranked number three in the nation by U.S. & World Report. The management department is highly ranked in research and we spoke about Prof. Sinha, my New Product Development professor, who is highly regarded in his field.<br />
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It was a great interview to learn more about career management and the school's history and future. I'm glad to be part of it!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-8238508634812868102011-10-31T09:00:00.000-07:002011-10-31T09:00:31.697-07:00New McCord Hall ASU MBA Building Ground BreakingLast Saturday was the groundbreaking for the new McCord Hall building for the W.P. Carey School of Business graduate students. Dean Robert Mittelstaedt spoke opened the ceremony by speaking about the school's rapid rise in the rankings with only fifty years of existence compared to others with longer history. He also spoke about the investment of W.P. Carey of $50 Million to the school in 2002.<br />
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The school recognized that they were the only one in the top 30 that had not built a new building in the last 20 years. $17 Million was generated completely from donations from the community and alumni. No state funds were used to finance this project, showing the strength the school has to garner such a large amount to improve its facilities.<br />
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ASU President Michael Crow also spoke about what the new building meant and how much of an influence the business school was making through access, excellence, and impact.<br />
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After the speakers, a few of the school leaders and donors went to the site and started digging with the shiniest shovels I've ever seen. It was almost a shame to get them dirty! Carly and I actually got to do some shoveling too.<br />
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It was a pretty fun and historic event. Too bad I won't be there when it's done!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-89407138629417205002011-10-26T22:17:00.000-07:002011-10-28T08:27:28.111-07:00Tri Four Done!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I just finished the most hard core trimester ever in the MBA program! I took Managerial Accounting, Supply Chain Management, and New Product Development, all of which were super quant heavy courses. I think my mind is about to explode from all that math!<br />
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Managerial Accounting and SCM were both case based and provided a lot of insights in to actual operations at companies like P&G, ZARA, Whole Foods, etc.<br />
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New Product Development was by far my favorite. We covered conjoin analysis, customer preference and perception mapping, and pricing/bundling. It was pretty intense, but I loved the material and the tools it provided to know how to launch a new product in the market. We learned how giants like P&G, AMEX, and the like prepare to launch products.<br />
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It was a super challenging trimester, but definitely worth it! Only two more to go!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-40632741876272569892011-10-11T14:40:00.000-07:002011-10-11T14:40:53.545-07:00National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Conference<br />
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Last week, another ASU MBA friend and I attended the National Black MBA Association Conference in Atlanta, GA. First off, I know what your thinking. Your thinking, last time I checked, Josh is Native American. But don't you worry, it is open to all MBAs of every background!<br />
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They had over 400 companies at the career fair and 15,000 attendees. It was an exciting opportunity to meet with several Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) firms and speak with their Assistant Brand Managers (ABM). Brand Management is the field I'm interested in which includes supervising all the supply chain, finances, promotions, and, pricing of a brand or product like Clorox or Tide.<br />
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Each company has a booth you can approach and try to arrange on site interviews with. I interviewed with Henkel (Dial soap) and Kimberly Clark (Kleenex). Hoping to hear back soon from those companies for an on site interview.<br />
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The companies also host parties in the evening to give you opportunities to network with the associates representing the firm. I was invited to Kimberly Clark's party (which included a comedian named Kimberly Clark) and to Johnson and Johnson's huge jazz concert party.<br />
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While I still have an offer with Bank of America, I'm using my offer period to explore opportunities in another industry and hopefully land some offers!<br />
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The conference was a success and I'm looking forward to this week's National Society for Hispanic MBA's conference in Anaheim, CA.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-43649362990491542452011-10-04T11:48:00.000-07:002011-10-04T11:48:01.733-07:00New iPhone 4S<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Apple introduced the iPhone 4S today at their special event. Honesty, I'm a bit underwhlemed by it. Absolutely no external design changes whatsoever. We waited an extra three months for this? Oh, well, there are some cool new internal features though. It has and A5 chip making it two times faster, an eight mega pixel camera (which is pretty legit), and dual band capability (CDMA and GSM) that does make it truly a world phone.<br />
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They also introduced a cool voice application called Siri that acts as a personal assistant and completes commands, kind of like Jarvis on Iron Man. One friend said it would be cool to say "iPhone, make me a sandwich." Someday.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-3656373244429223452011-09-30T11:48:00.000-07:002011-09-30T11:48:06.185-07:00LDS General Conference This Weekend!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is hosting the 181st Semiannual General Conference in Salt Lake City, UT this weekend. It begins Saturday morning at 9 am (AZ time) with a couple two hour sessions on Saturday (and an additional one for men) and it continues on Sunday. All general sessions are broadcasted world wide at various chapel, tv stations, and the internet.<br />
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All 14 Million plus members of the Church, as well as the general public, will have the opportunity to hear from Prophets and Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their messages contain guidance and direction for all people and provide clear doctrines about the Savior.<br />
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It is a great blessing to have living Prophets speak to us who receive direct revelation from the Lord. I have a witness that what these mean speak about is true and really is scripture for our day. As you listen to their words, you invite the Spirit of the Lord into your life and receive personal messages for your benefit.<br />
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I invite you to watch and learn from the Lord this weekend.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-75837975262963756512011-09-24T17:56:00.000-07:002011-09-24T17:56:38.019-07:00FRINGE Season 4 PremierI was super excited about the season premier of FRINGE last night. I would say it's definitely my favorite tv series out right now. Pretty much anything produced by JJ Abrams is going to be legit. After all, LOST really was a landmark series and no one can deny JJ is the master of suspense.<br />
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At the end of the last season of FRINGE, Peter Bishop merged two alternate universes together into one central location at the Statue of Liberty (long story). In short, the recurring story of the series is the existence of an alternate universe and the possibility of one of them destroying the other was pretty real until the end of last season. Geeky, I know, but I love it.<br />
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Anyways, after Peter merged the worlds, he was erased from time by the Observers (people who oversee both worlds). In the first episode of this season, we see glimpses of him, but only in short instances. All of the other main characters have no memory of him, except Walter (his father) sees images of him.<br />
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So the big mystery is where is Peter Bishop? That will be the big story line of the course of the season. I'm very interested to see how this plays out.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-82768692905869166782011-09-22T12:10:00.000-07:002011-09-22T12:10:32.758-07:00The Goal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just finished listening to "The Goal" by Eliyahu Goldratt. It was required "reading" for my Supply Chain Management class. It is a teaching tool about managing operations cleverly disguised as a novel. The story is about a plant manager named Alex Rogo who is faced with a problem of his plant being closed in three months if he doesn't improve performance. The reader is taken through Alex's journey of discovering that previous measurements of performance were not sufficient to accomplish their goals. In fact, they determined the goal was not to push products out of their warehouse, but to make money. In this case that was done through increasing net profit, ROI, and cash flow. At the plant level that goal translated into increasing throughput, while reducing inventory and operating expense.<br />
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The details are not as important as the fact this manager questioned some fundamental assumptions of how to deal with their objectives and what they should be.<br />
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Also, interlaced in this management story is a bunch of family drama! Rogo and his wife get into a rough part of their relationship as a result of his intense work schedule. It definitely keeps the story interesting! Don't worry, it all works out in the end, in case you were wondering.<br />
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If you ever want a good book on learning about business and operations (and maybe relationships, lol), this is certainly an entertaining way to do it!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-25404779737295180312011-09-16T09:05:00.000-07:002011-09-16T09:05:35.813-07:00Fashion RevampSo Chantal took me on a trip today to redo my whole closet. Chantal has good taste and has been helping several other my friends with their fashion tips. It started earlier this week when I was tricked into going shopping with her, Meghan, and Lauren. After a while in Anthropologie, we went to J. Crew. I jokingly asked them to help me find some clothes to help me look more hip. But then we did and I got some sweaters then went to H&M to complete the outfit with some jeans and shirts. So then I decided I needed to get more of her opinion so we checked out Urban Outfitters and tried a few combinations. So if clothes make the man, then maybe I'm on my way...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-5301383244288096312011-09-11T10:36:00.000-07:002011-09-11T10:36:55.746-07:00Never ForgetThis morning is the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks in NYC. You can almost sense the nation's pause as we remember the 2,753 people that died that day after such a horrific act. President Obama and former President Bush both attended a memorial service this morning at ground zero. Obama read a scripture that I believe is appropriate from Psalms 46:1 <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f9f6ed; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="verse" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 1px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span>"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."<br />
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Pres. Monson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wrote a letter to the Washington Post stating, “If there is a spiritual lesson to be learned from our experience of that fateful day,” he says, “it may be that we owe to God the same faithfulness that He gives to us. . . . We too should be with Him in every season.”<br />
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We must never forget the people who lost their lives that day, but we must also never forget the Lord and His presence in our lives.<br />
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</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-8388517227612244762011-09-07T13:26:00.000-07:002011-09-07T13:26:51.812-07:00Running (Outdoor vs. Treadmill)Supposedly running outside is better for you because it is higher impact, you propel yourself, and you get a variety in terms of elevation and scenery. I do feel like my body worked harder after a run outside vs. one after the treadmill. I love the freedom of outdoor running and the change of scenery it provides. However, there are some limitations.<br />
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Treadmill running is more convenient. You don't have to leave the comfort of a gym or your home, the climate is controlled (nice thing during the hot AZ summer months), and you can have entertainment like reading or TV while you run. But does your body get the same results from doing a treadmill as opposed to outdoor running?<br />
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In any case, I found my love for running about five years ago when I moved to Arizona. It has really benefited my lifestyle after losing 114lbs! It is also a great way to process your thoughts and just get away from all the business in your life. In fact, it can even be fun! I've run three relay races and they are a blast. Someday, I may even do a marathon!<br />
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Have fun running!<br />
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The Church recently launched the "I'm a Mormon" campaign in NYC, in a state where the Church has seen a staggering 75% growth in the last eleven years. In the campaign you will see the faces of everyday people advertised as members of the Church. The ads direct you to mormon.org, which has more than 30,000 profiles of members of the Church. When this site was relaunched in 2010, the idea was to give the general public exposure to the lives of it's members. I personally think it was a genius idea to help the world get a view of real people, not just the organization. As you read some of these profiles, you get a sense of how the Church has impacted their lives. Each has a different story, but all have a testimony of Jesus Christ.</div><div><br />
</div><div>If you are unfamiliar with the Church, definitely check out the site and see what Mormons are all about. You may even find the profile of a <a href="http://mormon.org/me/1RGY/JoshuaPorter/">familiar face</a>!</div><div><br />
</div><a href="http://newsroom.lds.org/article/mormon-ads-new-york-city">Mormon.org “I’m a Mormon” Effort Launches in New York City</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-80273324704102384742011-08-26T23:38:00.000-07:002011-08-27T00:06:02.772-07:00New Mat Kearney AlbumSince downloading Spotify, I've been able to listen to any song, anytime, in any order I like, for free! Best free music product out there right now compared to Pandora, Groove Shark, and the like.<br />
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Mat Kearny's new album is featured on Spotify and I've listened to the whole album like five thousand times. I love it! Hey Mama, Count On Me, and Sooner or Later are great, but my favorite is Chasing the Light. I'm so impressed at how the whole album is full of pretty great songs, not something that happens often.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnWeAlz2ZhKU0_uMPM9VJtFwWKuiUQtTO-PE18KM12leKB373DV66rhwU5mnswhF9UCBZRAANoJdfZp5b35_74XIu5cwBpePAHHK_AAxDHupDdt4HUeIFBG-njpU-GU6U834j6aukUo8/s1600/220px-Young_Love_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnWeAlz2ZhKU0_uMPM9VJtFwWKuiUQtTO-PE18KM12leKB373DV66rhwU5mnswhF9UCBZRAANoJdfZp5b35_74XIu5cwBpePAHHK_AAxDHupDdt4HUeIFBG-njpU-GU6U834j6aukUo8/s1600/220px-Young_Love_cover.jpg" /></a></div>I was first introduced to Mat a couple years ago with Nothing Left to Lose. I thought it was an interesting sound, but wasn't enthralled. But when I heard Closer to Love on his Pandora station I was sold! That song in particular was pretty popular on both secular and Christian stations.<br />
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So, basically what I'm trying to say is you need to do two things right now:<br />
<ol><li>Download Spotify</li>
<li>Listen to the new Mat Kearney album</li>
</ol><div>Enjoy!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-22328362225659416062011-08-25T13:40:00.000-07:002011-08-25T13:42:56.362-07:00New Product DevelopmentI'm excited about my New Product Development class this trimester. It is one of the key courses professional marketers take in b-school. The class covers how to identify current issues in the marketplace using not surveys, but one on one interviews with consumers, then innovating using deduction. Consumers won't tell you directly what would be a good idea for a new product, you have to figure it out on your own with data. Henry Ford said "If I'd asked my customers what they wanted, they'd have said a faster horse", meaning customers don't always know what is best. Of course many of us have benefited from the development of his product. Apple doesn't do much surveying for that very reason and that is part of they they are so successful with the iPad, because they are good at creating artificial needs.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrDGW7QfFxLIDwG9qDzoliy0saHGzkOFLxDgjE4Hc3ibkmokEXujwCoiIi1SktekAPYvd9PMPBQVYoYz2-_NS17oxuaYZmu57B8KF0E2vHfVU8p0201Fo9eIZxVIcCaBClS4eOKAESEc/s1600/ford-model-t-1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrDGW7QfFxLIDwG9qDzoliy0saHGzkOFLxDgjE4Hc3ibkmokEXujwCoiIi1SktekAPYvd9PMPBQVYoYz2-_NS17oxuaYZmu57B8KF0E2vHfVU8p0201Fo9eIZxVIcCaBClS4eOKAESEc/s320/ford-model-t-1a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>We will use a little calculus (which frankly I'm a little scared about because I'm terrible at it!) to interpret perceptual maps of customers's views of different products and their attributes. Using that data, companies can gain marketshare by creating products that fill certain needs. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Part of the class is also learning how to forecast sales for a product that hasn't been sold yet or has a short history. A marketing professor by the name of Bass consulted RCA when color TV's were an emerging product. He predicted that in two years from the time they had him come on board that color tv sales would flatten. RCA disregard that information and invested a lot in production capacity because they thought there was virtually no limit to the future sales of their units. Turned out Bass was right and RCA lost a lot of money on that division.</div><div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rth0W9auYx6ZDjh6gj0tVINEAMV8RUNce7oJ1FB3AVWrneVI_SXoMzQi9aQo6P0BMLfi8Gt3G1Yrccsp5Xm_13fDrjkBOxqn4VtDuWploutvHoxJHCFmkFCgMQhIrdydmOEI1lDr35o/s1600/ipad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rth0W9auYx6ZDjh6gj0tVINEAMV8RUNce7oJ1FB3AVWrneVI_SXoMzQi9aQo6P0BMLfi8Gt3G1Yrccsp5Xm_13fDrjkBOxqn4VtDuWploutvHoxJHCFmkFCgMQhIrdydmOEI1lDr35o/s320/ipad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>I'm excited about this course and hope I can pick up a few things to know how to bring successful new products to market.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-18143461386718658202011-08-21T20:31:00.000-07:002011-08-21T20:31:06.755-07:00Temple<img alt="MESA TEMPLE" src="http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/small/812287.jpg" /><br />
Our ward temple trip was yesterday and we had over 30 people in attendance. It really is a blessing to have a temple in such close proximity. Going to the temple gives you the peace and strength. You can literally feel the presence of the Lord while standing in the walls of His holy house. The temple is sacred and set a part place. It provides protection and purpose through the ordinances and covenants offered therein. We learn the purpose of life and our relationship to our Heavenly Father.<br />
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Basically, the temple is super legit!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1086796129928033652.post-40823535091235181732011-08-19T13:17:00.000-07:002011-08-19T13:17:52.793-07:00Chrome vs. Firefox?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://enewsz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/firefox-v-chrome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="No More Google Toolbar Support For Firefox" border="0" height="125" src="http://enewsz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/firefox-v-chrome.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>So I'm debating between Chrome and Firefox. It seems that in terms of speed and stability, Chrome is the leader. However, Firefox seems to have a few more features, like tab candy and app tabs. PDF viewing and syncing are integrated into both, although, I think the FF version is a little more complicated. Chrome's ability to reamin stable with multiple tabs open simultaneously is apparently slightly better than FF. Chrome does not have the added feature of HTTP pipeline, which actually gives Chrome more speed. Also, Chrome's combined address bar and search bar is really intuitive and convenient, especially with Google instant integration.<br />
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Full screen on FF has the ability to show or hide the nav bar, but Chrome hides it by default (until your cursor is in the area).<br />
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These are just a few examples. It seems Chrome is better overall, but that is based on only a few points.<br />
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What are the other key bencharks that should be compared to these browsers?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03679659168285317818noreply@blogger.com3