Paulsen Place

National Make A Misteak Day

2008-03-25T11:41:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can’t believe it’s been almost a month since I last wrote. Today I made an error that made me pause an think about that every popular topic, “Making mistakes and learning from them.” Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made lots of mistakes since my last blog posting.

Today’s error in judgment was actually made last Friday although I didn’t realize the consequences of the mistake until this morning. To make a long story short, I was in charge of posting some information to the U’s homepage to update some outdated info. My boss asked me to fact check the info but I was unable to get in touch with the appropriate parties because of the holiday; the info seemed straightforward enough that I posted it anyway. You can see where this is going, it turned out to be inaccurate and we received a phone call from someone on campus today. The woman was quite pleasant and understanding, but I shouldn’t have made the error – after all, I’ve learned this lesson before: hastiness is foolishness.

Although the error was stupid and simple, I quickly acknowledged the error to everyone involved and apologized. Everyone involved seemed to be okay with it, except for myself.

For those who know me, I can be quite hard on myself. The whole experience has caused me to relive similar and even unrelated errors I’ve made in the past. But rather than get depressed this time around, I resolved to look at the mistake (and all of my mistakes really) constructively, as opportunities to learn and grow.

Whenever I make a mistake, I think of a story my brother-in-law told me when he was a boy. He had borrowed the family car to run an errand and got in an accident while he was out. Upon returning home, with the car completely smashed up and the front bumper dragging on the ground, his dad saw him pull up in the damaged car. Rather than yell, blame, and interrogate, his dad simply said, “Well, did you learn something?”

So, today, I’m resolving to learn from my mistakes by declaring March 25, “National make a misteak day.” (misspelling intentional) Today, I’m resolving to graciously accept my mistakes and look at my errors through new glasses, to determine what went wrong, what I could and could not control, and what decisions I would make if presented with a similar problem. In the meantime, I ask for your patience and promise you’ll have my patience in return.

I found this great article online about mistakes which I think you might find very interesting. http://www.scottberkun.com/essays/44-how-to-learn-from-your-mistakes/.

On the Road Again

2008-02-29T08:26:00.001-08:00

I greatly look forward to spring: the sunlight, the yard work, going to the park with the kids, and riding my bike to work. This week was unusually warm so last night I pulled my bike off its storage rack last night and checked to make sure I did an adequate tune-up last fall. The kids were thrilled at the prospect and insisted I get their bikes out too. Ben doesn’t really have a bike of his own (or a helmet) so he improvised and used daddy’s (see accompanying photo). He’s still trying to figure out how to put it on. I hope to get him a tricked out tricycle for his birthday (and a helmet that he can put on correctly). Jane quickly hopped on her green specialized hotrock that we bought for he last year. I was so excited to get her a bike back then but she wasn’t interested in riding it. She seemed to do quite well this year though.

This morning I rode my bike into work and my lungs could feel that it had been several months since I had any rigorous physical activity. Fifty minutes later (the slowest time I can ever remember posting) I arrived at the U ready to puke my guts out. If I recall correctly, it took several weeks to acclimate and shed some pounds last year so I’ll just need to be patient with myself. Anyway, were supposed to have a really nice weekend so I want to encourage all of you to dust your bike off and go for a leisurely ride. Happy spring.

The Wireless Spectrum Auction needs your help

2008-02-15T09:52:00.001-08:00

Any of you techies out there are anxiously awaiting the announcement of the winners of the wireless spectrum auction. This auction is for the radio spectrum that is currently
being used by analog television (slated to be made available to the winner of the auction in February 2009). Verizon and Google are the two fierce competitors for this spectrum. Verizon initially was pushing for closed standards while Google petitioned the FCC to make the use of the spectrum open so consumers could use any devices (cell phones) on any networks and any applications on those network/spectrums. If you're like me (a Google fan), wouldn't you love to see more consumer choice and greater development in the wireless industry? This is what Google is pushing for. Here's the deal though, Google and Verizon are fierce bidding competitors with a similar amount of assets. However, they earn their primary revenue in two very different ways (Google through paid search and online advertising, and Verizon through subscriptions - and tons of worthless pay-for-service extras on your phone). You may or may not know this, but Verizon is one of the internet's largest advertisers (they are in the top five companies that purchase online advertising). Now wouldn't it be great to siphon some money out of their pockets and into Google's hands? Here's how you can do your part. Next time you're surfing the net (and we know you're doing a lot of it - the average American spends 35 hrs on the internet each week), just be sure to click on any Verizon ad you see. Most of these ads are paid for by the advertiser every time a user clicks on the ad - and when that happens, money goes into the pockets of Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and Valueclick. So what do you say? Do you want more choices when it comes to mobile phones, applications, and cell phone providers? Wouldn't you love to see Verizon reinvent itself so it's more consumer friendly? Wouldn't you love to see the innovation of Google in the wireless phone industry? Help make it happen - click on Verizon ads everytime you see them.

The dawing of the second ice age

2008-02-14T08:09:00.001-08:00

You know those stories you used to hear about your parents walking to school, up hill, both ways, with the wind at their face and whirling snow freeze-drying their hair? Well, that was me this morning, and I want to have a record of it for my children in case they question the truthfulness of my gray-haired tales. Since my employment is also a school (The University), I think I can make the same claims as my forefathers.

I departed work at 6:55 this morning and arrived promptly at 8:35. I thought I would type this blog entry as it would help restore sensation to my finders; if I could type with my toes, I would.

We were met with a blizzard last night as temperatures plummeted and cars slid to and fro. I really enjoy taking the bus, but it is positively the worst method of travel on stormy days. Not only do you have to leave your house at dawn to trudge through the un-shoveled walks (I’m not innocent), but you also putter along in the bus in the right lane, inching around cars that are stuck in the snow banks. When you arrive downtown for your connection (as in my case), you desperately want to run to catch your next bus, but the elderly lady attempting to navigate the icy sidewalks has a look on her face that says, “I wish I had a young man nearby so I could hold his arm.” So you help the poor woman, and end up waiting 30 minutes downtown for the next bus to arrive.

As I stood on the sidewalk freezing – in sheer amazement that none of the four possible busses I could take were on time – I could only wonder if this would be my final hour. The storm was so intense I think others outside were also wondered if this was the dawning of the second ice age. I had visions of future generations extracting my preserved body from the snow and ice as I clutched a copy of the bus schedule in my hands. They would ask questions, like “What was this man doing out in conditions like this?” Little would my discoverers know that I had saved their great, great, great, grandmother from a similar fate.

Before my demise, however, the saving bus finally came and dropped me off at the base of Presidents Circle. What would normally only be a walk a few hundred yards to my building up a moderate incline felt like summitting Mount Aconcagua (without oxygen support, of course), I arrived safely, albeit really late.

Googling

2008-01-28T07:29:00.001-08:00

I've been a huge Google fan since its humble starts as the world's simplest (looking) search engine. My appreciation has continued to grow as they've developed, or acquired, new products and services. Meanwhile, my enthusiasm for apple has faltered. I wanted to take this moment to do a shout out to the google products I love the most. Google Calendar - a must use for any family, ward, or small organization. Google Reader, the best and newest way to keep up with all of your online reading. Google analytics - a sweet freebie to track web stats. Google ads - one of the few cost-per-click advertising options out there. Google Info - a free 411 type service from your phone. Gmail - the best web mail program out there that also offers free i-map connection. And of course, google's blogger. Thanks google.

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

Don't give me no rebate shrebate

2008-01-24T20:56:00.000-08:00

I've really be struggling with the tax rebates lately. The way I see it, our country is in debt 9 Trillion dollars (250 billion during 2007 alone). As an American citizen, my family already carries a portion of that burden. So...why am I borrowing more money in the form of a rebate (and paying interest to China, India, etc.) when I'm probably already thousands of dollars in debt? And why do they want me to go out and spend this borrowed money on foreign manufactured goods when so little of it is going to help the US GDP? This whole plan is ridiculous and just goes to show how pampered Americans are. We have a rapidly deflating dollar, an enormous debt load, inflated housing markets, and credit problems. I think a 12-month recession and some reasonable taxes is just what this country needs to get back on track. I guess I better invest my refund check in a secure CD because my children are going to be paying back the debt I helped rack up for them.

If our leaders are bent on rebates, here's an alternative plan that might actually work. If you want to infuse money into the US economy, why not have the states host a sales tax free day (or week) on US manufactured goods. State's are already set up to accommodate tax free transactions. Marketers will love this and will likely bonus or match the tax free deals. The federal government can refund the states the lost tax revenue. The US will sell more goods, businesses will be helped, manufacturing and services will increase, and we'll see the unemployment rate shrink. At least this way, you know that all of the money will be plowed back into the US economy instead of paying off debts, being secured in savings, or worse—being sent out to China and India.

Vivid Dreams

2008-01-24T06:37:00.000-08:00

I am a vivid dreamer. Just ask My wife, she's awaken me from full sprints in my bed, yelling, sweating, and tears. But despite it's many inconveniences, I've grateful I can experience things in my dreams that in the moment seem like reality. The gift (or curse) has allowed me to experience the emotions of circumstances in life that I probably will never experience. It's allowed me to visit far off places, lose one's that I've loved, and experience the emotions that may come as consequences of sin (sin I hope I never commit). Just in case you've ever wondered what it is like to get struck by lightening, I did last night in my dreams - twice. I woke up electrified, and sure enough, my hair was matted and standing up in places. During the dream, and after the shock, I remember feeling as though I would die. At that moment I remember pleading that I could stay alive - I couldn't imagine my
children growing up without a father. So see, one of the blessings of vivid dreams - recognizing your blessings.

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

Stake Conference with Elder Ballard

2008-01-23T07:07:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was stake conference for our ward. The apostle, Elder Ballard, came with Elder Fluman from the seventy to reorganize our stake presidency-only in Utah. Aparently I've been told that it is a rare and special experience for members outside of the state to see an apostle. It's true, outside of the state, the man is a rock star. I should be grateful that during stake priesthood leadership training he was only a few arm lengths away.

The incident reminded me of an experience I had a couple of years ago. Our ward had a random drop-in visit from Elder Oaks. As if that wasn't odd enough having him on the stand in sacrament meeting, he dropped in on myclass afterwards while I was teaching the priests. Oh how I wished I had been better prepared that Sunday. He was polite and kind, but all I could think about was that I had an apostle of God in my class. WOW! I'm grateful to live in place where I can have these experiences.

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

Live after the manner of happiness

2008-01-17T16:58:00.000-08:00

I was reading in 2 Nephi in the Book of Mormon today. I had finished chapter 4 (one of my all-time favorite chapters) and cruised into chapter 5. One verse caught my attention, verse 27:

"And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness."

What a profound statement. Is the state of happiness really that simple? Is it a lifestyle you can choose to live? To get at the heart of it, I guess you need to try to understand what Nephi meant. I don't claim to perfectly understand the scriptures, but this is what I think.

Alma, one of the Book of Mormon prophets that received Nephi's records, referred to the Nephites happy state when describing his own people "And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord were delivered at all times...behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi..."

I know that the happiest times in my life have been when I have been keeping the commandments. I've been delivered in times of despair because of my faith in Jesus Christ and the promises made to those who live his gospel. Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone on earth could choose to live after the manner of happiness.

Hugs & Kisses

2008-01-17T07:41:00.001-08:00

I feel like I've been quite blessed to have children that, for the most part, freely express their affection. There is no better pay day for a parent than an unprompted hug or a sincere I love you. Yaks is perhaps the most affectionate of our two children - Boo has started to grow up and is more selective on letting her guard down. For example, last night I came home from bishopric meeting and the kids were still awake. Normally they would be overjoyed and kiss me before I jiggled their tummies in bed and tucked them in under a mountain of blankets. Except for last night, Boo snubbed me and told me to leave her alone because she was trying to sleep (she must have learned this from her mom) Lately, with Jane, hugs and kisses are only exchanged for hamburgers or french fries. I was pleased this morning though as Boo seemed to have forgotten the previous night and sent me away with a kiss (she always tries to kiss me on the lips) and an "I love you too."

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

Commentary on the 2008 Elections

2008-01-16T14:13:00.000-08:00

I wanted to make some brief commentary on election 2008. As a Utahn and a Mormon, I find myself in an interesting predicament with Mitt Romney in the presidential race. I'm troubled, not because i feel an obligation to vote for him, but an obligation to vote against him. I'll explain. I worry that if Mitt were the party nominee Utah would probably overwhelmingly vote for him. When compared to the national results I would be concerned that this would reinforce that perception that Mormons vote with their religion. People who are familiar with the 138th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, know this isn't true. So, I feel a bit of an obligation to support the opposing candidate, as long as it's not Hillary. Truthfully, I recently joined the Obama camp. While he's not the perfect candidate I tend to like his views (and theme song 'Better Way' by Ben Harper). I don't side with all of his
social positions. So who are you going to vote for? Need help? I recommend Glassbooth.org.

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

Commercial paper or toilet paper?

2008-01-11T15:42:00.001-08:00

It's been all about finances this week: assessing the damage from Christmas, resolving to keep a better budget throughout 2008, and reading marketwatch as the economy seems to be tanking. It's been particularly discouraging to watch my retirement balances melt away as if someone was cyphening funds daily. This is a sore spot for me as I met with my retirment advisor back in September with the intent of significantly shuffling my portfolio because I felt the next few months were going to be poor performers. After 30 minutes of her trying to convince me that market timing doesn't work, I acquessed (sp) and made about half of the adjustments that I had initially intended. I should know better that financial advisors are a little off base. I've seen evidence of this every day for weeks as wallstreeters applaud at the end of a trading day that signified 250 points lost and 4.8 billion in
market value flushed down the toilet. And so, i write this entry from where? The mens bathroom.

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

2008-01-05T13:25:00.001-08:00

The big news today? Boo got her hair cut. I'ts been nearly a year since she cut it herself, and it's grown in just enough that we could give her a cute little bob. We took her to Cookie Cutters to have it done. Cookie Cutters is a place that specializes in cutting kids hair. They sit in cars, play video games, and watch movies while the stylist works furiously. I found out today that they do Daddy cuts while kids are having their hair done. I can't wait to play video games instead of the typical forced stylist conversation.

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

2008-01-02T20:29:00.001-08:00

I have a dear aunt that has always been exceptionally kind to me. She expresses undaunting faith in my potential and views me with the greatest compasion and lack of judgement. I just got off of the phone with her. She was calling me to tell me that she had been given an apple t-shirt and was mailing it to me as she new I was an apple fan. It would seem like such a small gesture, but along with the shirt, she told me exactly what l needed to hear tonight. Recently I've been contemplating my goals and my direction in life (primarily professionally) and I've felt I've come up a little short. Without even knowing how I was feeling she expressed empathy for the stage I was in at this time in my life, trying to balance a young family and a career. I'm not sure why I'm writing this, I guess I'm just grateful to be blessed with good people in my life- undercover angels if you will, that
without even knowing it provide you with hope. I hope I am able to be that for other people at times.

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!
To learn how you can snap pictures with your wireless phone visit

www.verizonwireless.com/getitnow/getpix.

To learn how you can record videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/getitnow/getflix.

To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime� 6.5 or higher is required. Visit www.apple.com/quicktime/download to download the free player or upgrade your existing QuickTime� Player. Note: During the download
process when asked to choose an installation type (Minimum, Recommended or Custom), select Minimum for faster download.

Back to work

2008-01-02T07:43:00.000-08:00

If there is one thing I love about the holiday break, it is spending time with my kids. When the time finally rolls around for me to come back to work, I know it’s an adjustment for me, mom (whose become accustomed to the extra help) and the munches who are used to eating out at least one meal each day courtesy of dad. I have a host of memories from the past week and wish to share just a couple of incidents that made me smile.

Poor Yaks has been infirmed the entire Christmas break. This has provided for some challenging nights. Although Yaks is approaching two, he is still addicted to a bottle. And if he wakes up in the middle of the night his conditioned response is to ask for a refill. Sometimes he’ll be completely asleep but holding the bottle in his hand. As was the case this week, he’s figured out that if he takes the bottle and clanks it along the slats of his crib he doesn’t even need to cry out—mom and dad will come running. The clanking on the bars reminds me of those scenes from the movies when a prisoner is clanking his metal mug across the bars.

Boo received the Beauty and the Beast DVD for Christmas. Incidentally, the DVD was purchased online and upon arrival we discovered it was an illegitimate copy. It still plays, but the quality is less than a typical DVD. We’ve felt quite comfortable letting Jane watch this show without mom and dad in the room. It wasn’t until we were in the car a couple of days ago and heard Boo exclaim, “Stupid” that we realized she had picked this up from the DVD (the part where the beast gets a less-than-stellar haircut before the big date with Belle) I guess it shows you can never be too careful. There is one exceptional set of parents in our ward that has taken extraordinary measures to ensure their children aren’t influenced by Disney pop culture. They noticed that many of the Disney Princesses wear immodest dresses so they color in sleeves in coloring books and sew new clothes for their dolls. I don’t think we’ll go that far.

Finally, I decided about a year ago that I would attempt to have a monthly date night with each of the children. Boo incidentally has the first Tuesday of the month and Yaks has the second Tuesday. I’ve had to be flexible with these dates since I was called into the bishopric, but I think I’ve done a fair job of making sure each child has a little one-on-one time each month. Yesterday Boo and I spent the morning sledding (cell phone picture below) and then got hot chocolate and Bagels at Einsteins. Boo was so proud of herself that she could go down the hill all by herself. I was proud of myself that I could continue to pull her back up the hill for nearly an hour.

It’s been a great holiday break, but I’m so glad I’m back at work. I know I’ll miss the kids even more during these next few days, but I relish the good times we shared during this break.

Christmas Letters

2007-12-27T12:50:00.000-08:00

Recently there has been this departure from one of the oldest and most famed Christmas traditions -- the annual Christmas letter. I hear people complain that the most recent Christmas letters are boring and merely brag about everything the sender did that year. Or they complain that they are too long and they don’t have time to read them. Sadly, I agree with their complaints; there are many Christmas letters out there posing to be the real deal, but sadly they miss the aspects that have carried on this tradition for years. Every year, however, I anxiously check my mailbox for a couple of Christmas letters that will make me smile, laugh, or choke up. I commend those people for forgetting about themselves and writing a letter that is intended to be a gift to the recipient.

Several years ago I decided that I wanted to be one of those people that carried on the tradition of the storied Christmas letter. I set out to study the best of the best and developed what I think is a formula for composing a compelling letter. While I don’t mean to boast, I’ve been particularly proud of the responses we’ve garnered from our last several Christmas letters. If someone tells me that our letter made them laugh or that they shared it with everyone that came into their home, I know I’ve gotten the job done – I’ve spread the Christmas spirit with a mere eight and a half by eleven sheet of paper.

So, although it’s after Christmas, I’m posting a copy of our letter here with a few pointers on writing a great Christmas letter. I hope that our mailbox will be flooded next year with messages from our friends.

Top Ten Rules for Writing a Christmas Letter the Recipient Will Actually Read:

The opening paragraph is key. It should be short (no more than three sentences) and set the stage for what the letter will reveal. The opening paragraph is the hook. Letters need not be filled with sidesplitting humor, but they should evoke a chuckle once or twice.

Write in your own words. Tell stories that are personally meaningful to you. Don’t use your thesaurus to fill the letter with words that make you appear smarter.

Don’t brag. Nobody cares about how much money you made, where you vacationed, or the degrees you’ve earned. They hopefully care about the challenges you faced, the lessons you learned, and the people you touched.

Start writing early. Start developing ideas for your Christmas letter in November. A lot has transpired during the past year and it can be hard to remember the most meaningful happenings.

Make it brief. If you can’t say it on one page front and back, you’re not saying it correctly. Adjusting the margins and typeface is okay as long as the type is no smaller than 11 pt and there is adequate white space – you don’t want your reader to feel overwhelmed.

Write with a thread. Great letters, like great stories, have one constant – a topic, story, or person that resurfaces throughout the letter. This thread will provide continuity and interest. You should always close your letter with this thread. Your letter should start out with a small bang, build in intensity until 3/4 of the way through, ease off towards the end, and end with a kicker.

Embellish, but don’t lie. A Christmas letter is about great stories. It’s okay if every fact and figure isn’t represented and if you use outrageous descriptors to make your point—there is a certain amount of expected and tolerated creative license to every Christmas letter; don’t cross the line.

Make it punchy. Don’t draw out a story longer than needed. Make sure your thoughts are concise and relevant. The recipient should be able to read any single paragraph and be filled with some Christmas joy.

Include everyone. Be sure to give adequate coverage for everyone in your family. Make mention of your neighbors, colleagues, friends, or church mates if possible. If the recipient sees that they are highlighted in your Christmas letter, they’ll be more likely to read it next year.

Add your contact info. One of the old marketing additives is to only pursue those things that are “measurable.” If you provide current contact info in your letter (your blog address, phone number, e-mail, etc.) people will update their address books and possibly write you back. Those who write back will get a picture with their Christmas letter next year while the scrooges will slowly disappear from your Christmas list.

The 2007 Paulsen Christmas Letter
(I wouldn't categorize this as our best work - but we've been pleased by the smiles it's brought to people's faces)

Dear Family and Friends, I’m penning this year’s Christmas letter on the bus (which Jane calls the “Blue School Bus”) because I no longer have a car and this is the only time I have to write. Read on to find out more.

With and without, the haves and the have-nots, we’ve been on both sides of the table this year as the following stories illustrate. But before I divulge this year’s happenings, I want to make my position very clear—we feel immeasurably blessed.

This year’s first “without” has little do with the bare necessities and more to do with the small luxuries in life. It also happens to include the smallest member of our rat pack, Yaks. Yaks is the typical boy: athletic and mischievous. The following reenactment occurs on a daily basis.

Mom walks into a room and asks, “Yaks, what are you doing?” At this moment Yaks has his back facing Mom concealing something in his paws. Just then he turns, glares at her with those brown eyes, grins subtly, and slowly raises his left eyebrow. This happens milliseconds before he pours an entire bottle of syrup on the carpet or empties a container of onion powder into the toaster (both of which happened this year). The results of Yak’s antics are normally reversible, although our toaster still cooks onion-flavored Eggos. Occasionally, however, Yak’s nefarious activities cause permanent damage. I distinctly remember three phone calls I received this year.

1) [Args] “Honey, Yaks has something he wants to tell you.”
[JB] “Awe, he misses his daddy.”
[Args] “No, he threw your cordless phone in the toilet.”
(Cordless phone: $200)

2) [Args] “Sweetie, do we have another mouse for the computer?”
[JB] “Why, is the cordless mouse out of batteries?”
[Args] “No, Yaks threw it in the toilet.”
(Wireless mouse: $60)

3) [Args] “You love your son, don’t you”
[JB] “Of course I do”
[Args] “Even more than your remote control”
[JB] “My LCD universal remote that I can use anywhere in our yard?”
[Args] “Yeah…(pause) Yaks threw it in the toilet.”
(Logitech Harmony 890 Remote: $350)

Alas, the pain of losing the aforementioned items has faded, and I have an abundance of memories that are, well, priceless. Since that time, Args and I have hypothesized as to why Yaks chose to destroy those particular items. All we can come up with is that they are the three competitors for attention: phone, computer, and television.

Boo is still fixated on Sesame Street and Elmo, but the obsession with these educational PBS programs is quickly shifting to a powerful commercial monster, Disney Princesses ®. Belle, from Beauty and the Beast is her favorite. Evidence of this transition takes place every morning when Jane promptly removes her Elmo pajamas and exchanges them for her favorite pink dress. It’s strange when she ventures outside on a weekday, as she resembles a pioneer girl.

One of Boo’s favorite Elmo episodes has also been instrumental in her princess metamorphoses. The episode, entitled “Hair,” teaches children everything they need to know about taking care of their hair, including how to get a haircut. You probably know where this is headed—another dreaded phone call from Args. This call was actually a picture message to my cell phone; “Look at what Boo did with the scissors!” was the text that accompanied a photo array of Boo’s perfectly chiseled mullet. In an attempt to make herself into a beauty, she had unleashed a beast.

As most of you know, we moved to ******* last year, a paradisiac community with wonderful neighbors. We purchased a relatively newer home in hopes of avoiding remodeling and repair costs. This strategy worked marvelously until our furnace and water heater broke. Despite the two big blows to our budget, we persevered. Things got slightly worse, however, when during our vacation in ********* this summer the air conditioner on our Honda blew up. We drove the 300-mile trip home with the windows down in 100-degree weather. I can still remember the kid’s bright-red faces and ratted hair as they sat parched in the back seat. If there was one benefit to the broken AC, it was the wind blowing between windows as it would drown out Boo’s voice as she sang out-of-tune Disney songs. She has an acute ear for disharmony as she can sing any song exactly one half step down from its intended key. It’s worse when she sings at full voice during church. The cost of repairing the AC was substantial so we postponed fixing it for several months by planning early morning grocery runs and carrying ice-cold sippy cups when daytime travel was required.

With the cost of repairs and haircuts racking up, we deemed it necessary to trim expenses and sell the Subaru. The adjustment was actually a positive change for our family. Using some of the proceeds from the sale, I purchased a road bike and began biking the 27-mile round trip commute to work. After several months I had lost close to 25 pounds (down to a svelte 160), cut my contribution to global warming, and saved a small fortune in auto expenses and gas. Be sure to look for me on the “The Biggest Loser” next season.

Living with one car hasn’t been without its challenges. One particular incident occurred when I attended Woodbadge training this summer. For those unfamiliar with Woodbadge, the course is a Boy Scout leadership training. Adults dress in full uniform (red and green socks included), learn and practice leadership skills, and live like boy scouts for six days and five nights. The course took place up ******* Canyon beginning at 6:00 am the first morning.

Transportation to Woodbadge presented a problem because we didn’t have a spare car for me to take for the duration of the training. Waking the kids up at 5:45 am wasn’t an option either according to Args. Trapped, I called on my amazing mother to help with transport. She agreed to pick me up that morning to take her 28-year-old son, dressed in full scout uniform, to scout camp. Fortunately, she had planned a hike up the canyon that same morning with my aunt who drove up with us.

We proceeded up the canyon, my mom, my aunt, and a grown boy scout in the back seat. Needless to say, I was slightly embarrassed by the circumstances but I figured it would be an unnoticeable drop-off. I was wrong. When we arrived, people were unloading in mass exodus and the head usher was my former singles ward bishop. He teased and taunted from the window as we sat in the car, “JB's getting dropped off at scout camp by his mommy?” -- “Don’t worry Mom, we’ll take good care of him.” -- “Be sure to give her a kiss goodbye.” The abuse climaxed when I tried to exit the vehicle only to discover that the child locks were activated. Lovingly, mom got out of the car and opened my door for me. I kissed her goodbye on the cheek.

Args has settled into our new ward nicely. By far, she has formed the strongest social network of anyone in our family participating in book club, playgroups, cookie exchanges, relief society (teaching), and nursery. Recently she’s been getting together with several other women at 5:45 am for aerobics. She does this three days a week with remarkable consistency. Args will also join “The Biggest Loser” next season but as my trainer – watch out Jillian.

One of Arg’s favorite hobbies (escapes) this year has been “blogging.” I recently discovered that some of the most dedicated bloggers are not techies, but stay-at-home moms who love to swap child-rearing stories, share cooking secrets, and fantasize about what they would do if they had three hours all to themselves. Argsdevotes a fair amount of time each day to the craft. There’s a good chance that if the kids are in bed or if I can’t find her around the house she’s on the computer blogging. Most of the time I’m quite supportive, but I must admit there are times when I just want to throw the computer in the toilet. But before I do, let me finish my Christmas letter.

Much Love, JB, Args, Boo, & Yaks, Paulsen

A Meeting with Old Friends

2007-12-27T12:09:00.000-08:00

From Right: Jesse, Annie (Jesse's Spouse), Emily (my cousin), Hanna-lee, Args (My Spouse), JB

Several weeks ago I ran into an old friend while attending a business lunch. I was there with a colleague and we were supposed to meet up with a woman neither of us had met. I’m sure you’ve experienced the same anxiety before – watching everyone come in the door and assessing whether or not they fit the occupation, tone of voice, and reputation of the person you are supposed to meet. Anyway, a woman walked in the door that seemed to fit my preconceived notions. I walked up to her, introduced myself, and then suddenly realized we had met before. We were teenage acquaintances that had met through my cousin Emily who lived in Ogden. I was probably 15 at the time and she and my cousin were 16 or 17 when we first met—I felt so cool hanging out with older women.

It had been years since we had seen each other and both of us had obviously matured considerably. We quickly reminisced of the days when we used to play late-night pranks, engage in games of truth and dare, and give back rubs. Oddly, backrubs seemed to be somewhat romantic at that age.

After parting, I returned to my office and mentioned the encounter to my cousin Emily who suggested it was time we have a reunion with the old clan when she was in town for the holidays. We made arrangements to meet at a local restaurant last night and enjoyed some great conversation. It was particularly fun to talk about everyone’s career plans, meet spouses, and swap stories about our children. We concluded the evening at our home in Bountiful. Forgoing the temptation to play another game of truth or dare, we followed Emily’s suggestion to share our biggest “miracle” that had occurred that year and the biggest miracle that had occurred during our lives. While the answers were all over the board, most all of touched on the great blessing our family, friends, and spouses, had been. The evening was a delightful reunion. I’m so grateful for the people I have met throughout my life and the impact they have had on me.

Christmas Day Review

2007-12-27T12:08:00.000-08:00

Here is another great post from Amy regarding our Christmas. I thought I would post it verbatim. You can read it and others on her blog at allhale-amy@blogspot.com

I Heard the Yells on Christmas Day!

from Amy's Blog by Amy

December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas! The kidlets both awoke early Christmas Day, after a rough night of nightmares, drink requests and mystery cries*. We took the traditional picture on the stairs in their cute Christmas jammies. JB and I were so excited to see the kids' reactions to their presents - that's the most fun.
We were quite proud that several of the kids' gifts were acquired from treasure hunting at DI. Yaks got a tool bench and Boo got a kitchen set, both for less than $10. I'll let each child tell you in his/her own words about their favorite gift.

Boo: "Dees are my princess dollies! Day have pretty dresses. Day stand in a circle and visit. Day're getting ready to go to the dance. Ben!? You can't touch my princess dollies! NO! Dees are mine!"

Ahhhh, so glad we've instilled in her the spirit of Christmas!

Yaks: "Dree-oh! Dree-oh! I fix it! I fix it. Dood job! Tang-coo, mamas. Tang-coo, dadas!"

Oh, this boy is such a munchkin.

I think JB's favorite gift was a pair of photo cufflinks (a tradition each Christmas) with the kids' pictures inside. JB got me a gift card for a date night to Benihana's. I'm looking forward to that, as JB has never had that type of dining experience. It will be fun!

My brother and sister-in-law drew our names for our family gift exchange. They mailed us a darling church binder for each child with the gospel A-B-C's in it, a coloring book, notepad, colored pencils, board book and stickers. It obviously took much time and thought. It's the perfect gift to help with our Sunday troubles. Thanks, family!

We didn't have anywhere to go for the rest of the day, so we took advantage of the freshly-fallen snow and went sledding on a nearby hill. Boo went down on the sled all by herself! Yaks was done after his first run, when we got plowed by a tuber and Yaks got snow spray all over his face. Fortunately, there were some nice dogs who were also visiting the hill. They were fun to chase around."I went down all by my say-olf! Yay!"

Yaks is going to stick to dry ground.

I came down with a mild case of the Christmas blues later in the day. You know, missing that carefree feeling of Christmas day as a child, long-standing traditions, endless talking with my siblings, and relying on my own parents to be in charge? I felt so guilty feeling this way. I had a really fun day with my own family and love to be with them. We had planned to drive up to visit the day after Christmas, but canceled, due to a threatening snowstorm, which was a real disappointment. We did have a visit from Nana, Papa, Isaac and Abby, though, and got to show them our gifts and received many others from them, which was so nice.

Following naps for all, which helped a great deal, we enjoyed a little family Christmas dinner, ate treats, played for hours with "our toys", and watched a little movie all together on the couch before collapsing, exhausted into bed.

2007-12-21T12:30:00.001-08:00

We were pelted with snow last night. I was a good hour late for work like many other people who chose to blaze on, despite being tempted to get an early start to the holiday weekend. the snow covered trees on campus were breathtaking, especially when the morning light danced on them. This picture hardly does them justice, but I Thought I would share it anyway. I'm thrilled at the thought of playing in freshly fallen snow with the kids all weekend.

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!
To learn how you can snap pictures with your wireless phone visit

Your favorite Christmas book

2007-12-21T10:29:00.000-08:00

Args wrote such a great blog entry today on her personal blog (allhale-amy.blogspot.com) I thought I would paste it here. I love the little things with the kids that happen each day. Sometimes I wish I was around to experience them first hand - other times I empathize with Amy as it's not all fun and games.

"My parents gave each family a new Christmas book this year. I was thrilled with their choice -- The Sweet Smell of Christmas. It's a scratch and sniff book! We received this book as a family gift when we were little, and it was always a favorite to pull out and enjoy during December - it's been read so many times, I think all the scent has been scratched off! Here's the book jacket description: "Little Bear delights in the many wonderful smells of Christmas. From the hot apple pie his mother is baking to the pine branches of the Christmas tree to his candy canes and hot chocolate. Little Bear celebrates the season with six scratch-and-sniff scents.

It's a cute little story*, but but the fun is in getting to scratch and "experience" what the Little Bear smells in the events leading up the Christmas Day.

Boo just asked me to reach down her "favorite book" from the book shelf. Curious which one she was referring to, I picked her up to let her get it herself.
Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage. Oh, of course...every child's favorite book to "read" during the Christmas season! Haha."

What Boo's getting for Christmas

2007-12-20T15:32:00.001-08:00

Our neighbor came over yesterday to drop off a christmas gift. While she was there she asked Boo, 'what is santa going to bring you for Christmas?' Boo's response was accurate although I'm sure it sounded strange to our neighbor, 'fruit snacks and popcorn.' These were the two items that santa brought to each of the grandchildren at our extended family Christmas party. Little does Boo know that santa has more in store for her than munchies.

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!
To learn how you can snap pictures with your wireless phone visi

Picture of ben shoveling his gingerbread house.

2007-12-20T09:33:00.000-08:00

Ben shoveling food. Cell phone shot - sorry for the poor quality.

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!
To learn how you can snap pictures with your wireless phone visit

Gingerbread Houses at Nannas.

2007-12-20T09:32:00.001-08:00

It was gingerbread house time at nannas. we were thrilled to have adrienne and mike's family home for the holidays. everything was going well until boo and yaks gingerbread house collapsed under the weight of all the candy (picture attached). after the collapse yaks figured the game was over and began to shovel candy into his mouth with both hands.

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!
To learn how you can snap pictures with your wireless phone visit

Christmas Photoshoot

2007-12-19T13:06:00.001-08:00

PICT4268
Originally uploaded by joshuapaulsen

Args really wanted a formal Christmas photo taken this year for our Christmas Card, which if the planets align, will go out tomorrow in the mail. (look for your copy Saturday, Monday, or worst case scenario, after Christmas). The shoot didn't quite go as expected. We don't exactly have the right equipment and Jane and Ben were a little rambunctious. You can check out the edited gallery here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22003077@N07/sets/72157603499229780

Yes, those are the best photos that we got. Thanks TIm for bring a champ.

I am a Son/Daughter of God

2007-12-19T06:44:00.000-08:00

Last night the bishop assigned me to teach the fifth Sunday lesson to the young men and young women in January. I was pleased at his confidence in me to address this group and came home focused on discovering what the Lord would have the youth know at this time. What ensued was a two hour scripture study and contemplation on my own teenage years - the good times i had and the challenges I faced. At the conclusion of my stud i think i had determined what would be most beneficial to the youth at this time. I'm impressed that both the young womens theme and the young mens purpose state at the very beginning 'we are daughters of our heavenly father' or 'I am a son of God.' Too often as a teenager (primarily Junior High) i felt outcast, rejected, alone, or insecure. If only i had known then what i know now - that i am a son of God and that carried with it divine nature and powerful blessings. It's hard for ones actions
to be in contrary with church teachings if one really knows who he or she is.

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!
To learn how you can snap pictures with your wireless phone visit

www.verizonwireless.com/getitnow/getpix.

Cell Phone videos from the Quilter Family Christmas Party tonight

2007-12-17T21:17:00.000-08:00

One cool dog.

2007-12-17T18:32:00.001-08:00

Ben and Eric's dog Root (picture)

2007-12-17T18:29:00.001-08:00

Ben loved playing with m uncle eric's dog 'root' while at the party.

Quilter Family Christmas Party (Post one of several)

2007-12-17T17:40:00.001-08:00

We attended the quilter family Christmas party tonight. my uncle Eric has a very kid friendly house in park city. I'll be sending pics throughout the night. As you can see he has a trampoline in his house (with a basketball court above that you can't make out) and a rock-climbing wall. This is only a small portion of the rock climbing wall. Connecting the three floors of this room is a giant tube slide that goes from floor to floor (sometimes it's hidden in the walls). One other unique thing we saw roaming in his backyard was the most amazing heard of elk. There were close to a dozen elk, some with very impressive racks. I guess in a way, the trip tonight was sort of like visiting the north pole - tons of little elves running around (kids galore), a giant toy factory (play room), and santas reindeer grazing in the background.

The Good Samaritan in 7-Eleven

2007-12-17T16:44:00.001-08:00

This college student was the person who bought the homeless man dinner. What a good kid.

So, I've never been much of a blogger. I guess that's because I've always found it too inconvenient to sit down at the computer and type my thoughts for the day. Args is a blogging champ and has been doing so almost all year (check out her blog at all-hale-amy@blogspot.com). recently though, i discovered that you could post to a blog from your cell phone - now this I'm all for. so here is my first blog post from my cell phone. excuse any spelling and grammar errors for obvious reasons. skipping to a different thought, i just encountered one of those moments when you realize how blessed you are. as i was walking down from work i saw a homeless man raiding a dumpster for unused slices of pizza from the pie. as i stood here typing this outside the seven eleven a college kid offered to buy him something inside the seven eleven (after turning down the plea for some spare change) i suppose i should have been quicker to pony up rather than write about the situation.