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I haven’t written in a while. I apologize for that. You see, I’ve been quite busy. I recently accepted a position with a great company based in Nashville Tennessee. So, on December 19, 2011 we moved from Utah to Tennessee. The company moved us, so that helped a lot, but there was quite a bit still to do in moving my family from a place we’ve grown to love and established as our home for the last 6 years. Along the way, I learned a few things that I’d like to highlight here.

1. Over time, unless one actively practices 5S daily, a family tends to accumulate a lot of stuff.
2. Practicing and implementing 5S in a family isn’t quite as easy it is to do at work or in other settings.
3. Having a good attitude and being an example of positivity makes a big difference in times of change and transition.
4. Moving a big family and catering to each person’s needs is hard.
5. Moving can also be exciting.

I’ll share more lessons-learned in the next coming weeks. For now, I have some boxes I need to unload. Happy Holidays and Have a wonderful new year everybody. And as always, thanks for reading shmula.com – I do not take your attention for granted. Thank you.

Moving to Nashville Tennessee is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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I’m starting a new series that is unrelated to continuous improvement, process improvement, lean manufacturing or six sigma or the customer experience. This new series will highlight aspects of Wing Chun, the martial arts I practice. I’m calling this series Wing Chun Friday (I’ll post on this topic on Friday).

Yes, Bruce Lee was a practitioner of Wing Chun, but he quit after only 3 years.

Below is a video of Sui Lim Tao, the First Form of Wing Chun – oh, and that is not me and I have no idea who it is.

Wing Chun First Form: Sui Lim Tao

Wing Chun Friday: Sui Lim Tao is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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Like most families on Saturday mornings, our family does chores around the house. My wife does a great job adjusting the needs of each child while making sure they are learning how to work and learn some life skills along the way. My job was to help the little kids (I have 6 kids that are 6 years old and younger). One of the kids I helped was Carsen.

Carsen is a great kid. One of his jobs on Saturday morning was to fold some laundry. As he looked at the big pile of laundry that needed to be folded, he felt overwhelmed and I could see that he didn’t feel confident that he would be able to do the job. So, I stepped in to help.

But, I didn’t do it for him. Instead, I sat with him and I said these words:

Do what you know first. Then, figure the rest out as you go. But start small and work, little by little.

Then I asked him, “What do you know?” He replied that he knew how to fold “towels” and “pants.” I said, “okay, let’s start there.”

He did. And after he had done the pants and towels, including kitchen rags, the big pile was a much, much smaller pile. I then asked “Look at  all the work you did. It’s not so big anymore, huh?”

He smiled. Then, I taught him how to fold shirts and the rest.

Here’s the life lesson for all of us:

• When you feel overwhelmed with a big task ahead of you, do what you know first. Start small and do things one at a time.
• After some time doing that, look back and you’ll realize at the good you’ve accomplished and the task still ahead of you is much, much smaller.

Carsen’s a great kid. I learned from him on that Saturday morning.

Do What You Know is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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This is not a normal shmula.com post, but I felt compelled to write this in order to help 3 beautiful and good kids find a family.  In order to get the word out, please consider Retweeting, Facebook, Digg, to spread the word – perhaps together we can help these 3 wonderful kids find a family.

LaDereyon (born 5/2001) is the oldest brother who is protective of his younger siblings. LaDereyon loves to play computer games. LaDereyon loves to go to school.  Some of his favorite subjects in school include math, science, social studies and reading.  LaDereyon also likes to play outdoor activities including swimming and playing basketball and football.

CeNea (born 6/2005) is a happy child who is always smiling and giving hugs.  CeNea is a very talkative child who loves to use her imagination.  CeNea loves to watch Dora the Explorer.  CeNea also loves to play outdoors.  Some of her favorite outdoor activities include running and playing on the jungle gym.

LeJean (born 4/2007) is the youngest of the sibling group.  LeJean has a very playful disposition.  He loves giving hugs and kisses.  LeJean loves to play with his two older siblings. LeJean also likes to play independently and try new activities on his own.

If you are interested, please contact Jean Sailors or Crystal Quinlan.

Please help spread the word.  Tell you friends on Facebook, Twitter, and everyone you know.

Off-Topic: Wednesday Waiting Child is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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Our little baby boy was born June 23, 2008. Lakin (pronounced “lay-kin”) is our 8th child and we brought him into our family through the blessing of adoption. For long-time shmula readers, you might remember that we just adopted Mylie in November 2007 and we adopted Preston in November 2006. Yup, we did it again, and we’re very, very happy.

Some people ask why we have so many kids, or why we’ve adopted so much. I’ll attempt to answer those in the People Are Dang Nosy Section Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section at the end of this post but, first, I want to explain a little about the Adoption Process.

• Search for Adoption Agency
  • Download Packet
  • Print Packet
  • Fill-out Packet
  • Mail-in Application

• Submission
  • 3 Reference Letters
  • Fingerprints (6 week wait)
  • Health Assessment for everyone in family
  • Proof of Marriage
  • Employment Check including Financial Health
  • Homestudy (took about 1 month)
  • Family interview
  • 1:1 interviews
  • Agency Write-up

• Approval
  • Agency Committee reviews file
  • Accepted as Adoptive Family
  • Create Profile (parallel process above, 2 weeks)

• Matching
  • Agency calls us to tell us situation & ask permission to show our profile
  • If no, then we continue to wait
  • If yes, then Agency shows our profile to Birth Mother
  • If Birth Mother chooses our profile, then we meet Birth Mother
  • If we like birth mother and she likes us, then we are matched.

• Birth
  • Make arrangements for day of delivery
  • Relinquishment in Utah is 24 hours after delivery
  • After Birth Mother signs relinquishment papers, then Adoptive parents sign documents & pay Agency Fees.
  • Bring baby home.

• Post-Placement
  • 3 post-placement visits by the Agency at 2, 4, 6 months.
  • After last post-placement & 6 months after relinquishment, then can finalize with attorney and judge.

Adopted Versus Biological

Guy Kawasaki — a fellow Asian and someone I admire — has adopted a few kids also and said this — something that I believe is true and important:

You can love an adopted child as much as a biological one. A man’s contribution to a pregnancy lasts about ten seconds — five if he told the truth — three if you asked the mother. And yet I’ve met many men who who were skeptical about adoption because they didn’t think they could “bond” with a child that didn’t have their DNA — ie, the ten-second commitment. This is simply not true: when you hold your precious jewel for the first time, no one cares if none of those chromosomes came from you. Certainly not the baby. Certainly not your wife. So get over it. Your DNA isn’t the Holy Grail — to mix several metaphors.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Dude, so why so many kids?

My wife and I love children and we believe in the institution of the family. We have 5 biological kids — 3 singletons and 1 doubleton and 3 adopted — but they are all thankfully ours. By the way, the ‘singleton’ and ‘doubleton’ talk is old Set Theory talk coming out. Fun.

Even more fundamental, though, is this: when all is said and done, on my death bed, I will not wish that I had spent more time at work or other similar activities. All I will take with me are my relationships and my memories. The most meaningful relationships are those with family and with dear friends. We believe in the family; it’s where my wife and I receive our greatest joy, experience our toughest challenges, and also where we gain our deepest learning.

So, are you a white guy? What are you, bro?

Actually, I’m not Caucasian. I’m Filipino, my wife is Caucasian, we have 5 biological kids together (so they are 1/2 Filipino and 1/2 White, and 3 kids that are African American.

Hey man, why adopt? — Why you gotta be doin’ that?

Good question. My wife and I can produce biological children. My wife has always wanted to adopt — her heart is big, kind, and charitable — and she teaches me everyday. I have come to believe in adoption and am a huge proponent of it now.

There are many children in the world that need loving parents. We are doing our part to help in the most meaningful way we know how: bringing children into our family, parenting them, teaching them to be the best they can be, and watch them grow and contribute back to society. We’re really blessed to be the parents of our children.

What kind of car fits all ya’ll?

We drive a big 15 passenger Ford Econoline Van. I’ll be the first to admit that the Van is not cool, incredibly offensive to our environment (I’m really sorry), but it’s what fits our family. I have attempted to make it less uncool by installing 2 DVD players in it that drop from the ceiling. The 2 DVD thing is pretty cool.

Ummm, so wachu tizzle, wizzle?

I’m not sure what you mean, but drizzle, fizzle.

Hey, so where’d your hair go? — You are balder than an eagle, man. Dang, you ugly.

Thanks for noticing. Yes, I have no hair. I am developing a theory about hair and here it is: I believe that hair is for the insecure. Deep inside, you’re hiding something.

Do you drive like a big ‘ol bus or something?

Please see response above but, to answer you briefly — Yes.

Man, your house must be packed. How many bedrooms you got in that thing?

We live in a modest home. We have 10 bedrooms, but our kitchen and living room are a little smaller. Pretty much all of the square footage in our house is in bedrooms, but every child has their own room and my wife and I have our own room that she let’s me share with her.

That’s pretty cool that you’ve adopted so much. Good job, man.

Thank you.

We Adopted Again is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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Our little baby girl was born yesterday.  Mylie is our 7th child and we brought her into our family through adoption.  For long-time shmula readers, you might remember that we just adopted Preston last year.  Yup, we did it again 1 year later, and we’re very, very happy.

The last month has been a humbling experience to spend time with the birth parents.  Building a relationship with them has been great, but an emotional time for our family.  I’m very thankful for them and to them — for the good people that they are and for choosing our family to be the parents of Mylie.

Here she is — she’s very cute and will probably have a to-die-for Afro Puff:

We’ve Adopted a Baby Girl is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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Tradition in our family is that daddy (me) takes the kids out to trick-or-treat.  This year was so fun.  I’m so proud of my kids.  Below are some pictures that make me really smile.

Here are the 3 younger boys — my superheroes — Batman, Superman, and Spiderman:

Here are all the kids:

From left-to-right: Hannah Montana, a Soccer Player, a Rockstar holding Superman, Batman, and Spiderman.

It was a fun Halloween and the kids are enjoying their candy more than I’d like them to

Halloween 2007 is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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A few months ago, I went to Dublin and Berlin for work.  I loved the trip — it was so good to see co-workers, that have become dear friends, in-person.  During my trip, I took a few pictures that I wish to share.  Sadly, however, I wasn’t able to take any pictures while I was in Dublin, but the people there and the atmosphere was great.  I loved Dublin, Ireland and am so sad to not have pictures to share.  So, what I can share are just a few pictures from my visit in Berlin, Germany.

First, the food in Germany was amazing, fancy, and very affordable.  One night, we ate at a restaurant in the Sony Center and here is what I ordered — roast, potato dumplings, and sauerkraut:

My dear friend and co-worker and I drove around in his Marcedes Smart Car.  I loved riding around town in this little car.  These cars are so small that you don’t have to parallel park — you can just drive these in the spot horizontally and it will fit!  Seriously, living in Utah and driving next to huge gas guzzlers and environmentally unfriendly vehicles everywhere, it was refreshing to see a beautifully designed and eco-friendly automobile:

While driving in the center of town, we saw this — everywhere in the world, there is a Burger King!

Here is where the Wall used to be, which is now memorialized by a brick lining:

Here’s the Brandenburg Gate at night:

Here is a memorial to remember those that died swimming across the canal from East Berlin to West Berlin.  This was very humbling and solemn –

It was a great trip to both Dublin and Berlin.  My co-workers and friends were so nice and accommodating and I thank them sincerely for everything.

On Travel: Berlin, Germany and Dublin, Ireland is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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This post is very different than what you would normally find on Shmula.

At present, my wife and I are trying to raise some funds for my Son’s birthmom. You may or may not remember that we adopted the most wonderful and beautiful baby boy last November.It has been almost a year since we adopted and it has been such a wonderful experience. Since the adoption, we have gotten to know his birthmom, “S”, pretty well. We didn’t know if she would keep in touch with us through letters, but we hoped that she would.  Well, we have recieved 3 letters from her and it has been neat to learn more about her and also receive some pictures that I know my son will especially appreciate one day.

She Needs a Car is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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My family and I are supporters of the Jacob’s Oven Project, which is a charity to help mothers and families in Africa become more self-reliant.  It’s a very cool project and my wife and I are helping.  We’ve donated an Oven and have called it “Preston”, the name of our adopted child.  Also, any proceeds made on shmula.com go to support the Jacob’s Oven Project.  Oh, and my wife will be going to Africa to train the the women on how to use the Ovens — pretty exciting.

There are some Lean concpets at play in this project.  For example, when the African women purchase their ingredients, they often purchase in large batches to minimize on travel costs and to also take advantage of the volume discounts available with large-batch purchasing — somewhat of an innate Economic-Order-Quantity Model (EOQ).  I wonder if there is a way around that, by purchasing more frequently, but in smaller batches; doing that might mean working closer with suppliers, geographically moving procurement closer to where the ingredients will be transformed into saleable goods.  I don’t know for sure, but I believe that there is spoilage that occurs with inventory that isn’t sold, which is wasteful.   Couple all of this with cultural and political sensitivities.  This is an exciting project that helps realy people gain more self-reliance, and it’s an opportunity to test Lean concepts at the ground level.

I plan on learning more about the actual procurement, cooking, and selling process — basically, what it takes to get inventory to the selling stage.  But, I believe that there’s an opportunity here to apply Lean in a way that can help a village and African Mothers become more self-reliant.

Below is some explanation on the Jacob’s Oven Project:

Rebecca Bingham is the Director of Special Projects for Families Saving Orphans. Here is her account of how she first came to organize the Jacob’s Ovens Project which Families Saving Orphans is sponsoring and how it is benefiting mothers and families in Kenya:

The “oven project” was the idea of my good friend, Justus Suchi Obidah. He is the Kenyan country director of Reach the Children in Nairobi. He is also the religious leader of a congregation in Nairobi and he wanted to provide a way for women in his area to be able to earn a sustainable income to help their families.

The goal was to provide a charcoal burning oven for the women of the area (not just his church members) to use to make baked goods that they could then sell in the market. We discussed this project when I was in Nairobi in the summer of 2006 and I funded this first oven.

The women provide their own fuel and batter and the oven is housed in the church building where it can be locked up and protected. Many of them don’t have homes large enough to accommodate such a piece of equipment or the means to keep it safe even if they could afford to buy it. I love the fact that this project not only helps them become more self-sufficient, but more efficient when they do it. All any woman in the community has to do is sign up for a time to use the oven.

Suchi reports that it is in high demand and it has been running day and night since we got it installed. I call this the “Jacob’s Oven Project” because I bought the first one and named it in honor of my son, Jacob. This oven we put in Suchi’s church building is the prototype for how this project works in other places.

We want to build more. The total cost of the oven (including having it transported and set up) is $350 and if you buy one you can also “name” it if you want. The LDS Church has agreed to install the ovens in their permanent and secured church buildings. All the women of the area, not just members of the LDS congregation, will have access to it during the week, provided that they sign up for a time slot. We are also working on agreements with other organizations that can keep them secure and make them readily accessible.

This has proven to be a very successful and simple way to provide sustainable income opportunities for these women, and has had huge positive benefits for their families. Considering the benefits, these ovens are a great investment in providing self help opportunities.

We will provide a follow up report at least once a year to let sponsors know how this project is developing and who is using the oven.

Jacob’s Oven and Lean is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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My family and I have been in Disneyland all week (since March 18 until March 23).  This has been a really fun break — I love spending time with my family.   While on my vacation, I’ve made it a point to see how Queueing works in theme parks, such as Disneyland, where a system is placed under intense and prolonged stress.

Specifically, when I return, I plan on posting on the following:

• How Disneyland’s FastPass actually works, in the context of Queueing Theory.
• How Disneyland satisfies the principles in the Psychology of Queueing.
• The role of the Turnstile.
• How showing “Wait Time” at the entrance of a ride is good for the customer.
• Queueing Dynamics between attractions.

Interesting stuff.

Other items that I’ll speak on are:

• Brand loyalty, Disneyland style
• Marrriott Rewards Points — Actual Value versus Perceived Value
• The Experience Economy

This has been a fun vacation and a good learning experience too.  More when I return…

Shmula on Vacation is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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We had a wall knocked down recently, and we are really happy about the result.

Previously, as you walked into our front door, you were immediately met with a small front room and an awckward wall. Now, when you walk in, there is a big wide and long room, perfect for wrestling in, entertaining, and just lounging in.

Before –

Click on the image for a larger view.

During –

Click on the image for a larger view.

Click on the image for a larger view.

After –

Click on the image for a larger view.

Click on the image for a larger view.

Lessons Learned

1. Hire some help
2. Master Electricians are too expensive; get a normal, “non-master” electrician.
3. I should have done this 6 months ago

Knocking Down a Wall is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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Today in the United States, we celebrate Martin Luther King’s Birthday. Earlier this morning I took out A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr., which I bought 13 years ago, when I first became very interested Martin Luther King, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and in Gandhi. In that book, I read the following:

“I have a dream … that one day little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and little white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

This quote is personal for me because our family is a manifestation of Martin Luther King’s dream — my family consists of White, Filipino, and Black. I’m grateful for Martin and for him leading the Civil Rights struggle.

Martin’s Dream is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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Interested in Advertising here?  Contact me! My brother-in-law had his wisdom teeth removed the other day. His crazy dentist took a picture of him while he was under anesthesia and my brother-in-law was good enought to share that picture with the family and with the readers of shmula ¹. Below is my brother-in-law. I do not share his name because I want to protect the ridiculously-looking innocent. It’s a crazy picture. Enjoy!

key words: wisdom teeth, wisdom tooth, wisom teeth extraction, wisdom tooth removal, wisdom teeth removed, impacted wisdom teeth, wisdom teeth removal, wisdom teeth symptoms, wisdom teeth recovery, wisdom teeth pulled, wisdom teeth healing, wisdom teeth care, wisdom teeth removal cost, dry socket, wisdom teeth removal, wisdom teeth dry socket, impacted wisdom teeth, wisdom teeth extraction, wisdom teeth surgery recovery, wisdom teeth pain, wisdom teeth symptoms, wisdom teeth dry socket symptoms, wisdom teeth pulled, wisdom teeth removed.

What is an Impacted Wisdom Tooth (Impacted Wisdom Teeth)

An impacted wisdom tooth falls into one of several categories. Mesioangular impaction is the most common form (44%), and means the impacted wisdom tooth is angled forward, towards the front of the mouth. Vertical impaction (38%) occurs when the formed wisdom tooth does not erupt fully through the gum line. Distoangular impaction (6%) means the impacted wisdom tooth is angled backward, towards the rear of the mouth. And finally, Horizontal impaction (3%) is the least common form, which occurs when the impacted wisdom tooth is angled fully ninety degrees forward, growing into the roots of the second molar. A typical distoangular impacted wisdom tooth is the easiest to extract in the maxilla and most difficult to extract in the mandible, while mesioangular impactions are the most difficult to extract in the maxilla and easiest to extract in the mandible. An impacted wisdom tooth may also be categorized on whether they are still completely encased in the jawbone. If it is completely encased in the jawbone, it is a bony impaction. If the impacted wisdom tooth has erupted out of the jawbone but not through the gumline, it is called a soft tissue impaction. Sometimes the impacted wisdom tooth fails to erupt completely through the gum bed and the gum at the back of the wisdom tooth extends over the biting surface, forming a soft tissue flap or lid around the tooth called an operculum. Teeth covered by an operculum can be difficult to clean with a toothbrush. Additional cleaning techniques can include using a needle-less plastic syringe to vigorously wash the impacted wisdom tooth with moderately pressured water or to softly wash it with hydrogen peroxide. However, debris and bacteria can easily accumulate under an operculum, which may cause pericoronitis, a common infection problem in young adults with a partially impacted wisdom tooth that is often exacerbated by occlusion with opposing 3rd or 2nd molars. Common symptoms include a swelling and redness of the gum around the eruption site, difficulty in opening the mouth, a bad odor or taste in the mouth, and pain in the general area which may also run down the entire lower jaw or possibly the neck. Untreated pericoronitis can progress to a much more severe infection. If the operculum does not disappear, recommended treatment is extraction of the impacted wisdom tooth.

What are Wisdom Teeth

The wisdom tooth is the third molar to appear in the mouth. For most people, a wisdom tooth will begin to grow in during the late teen years, or early twenties. Sometimes a wisdom tooth can grow in with no resulting problems, but usually, a wisdom tooth will require removal. A misaligned wisdom tooth can cause problems on a number of levels. A poorly aligned wisdom tooth can push against and damages surrounding teeth, it can injure the jawbone, or even cause damage to surrounding nerves. A misaligned wisdom tooth also presents the possibility of increased tooth decay, as food and debris can be trapped between the wisdom tooth and another molar.

Does Everyone Have at least One Wisdom Tooth?

Not everyone has a wisdom tooth. Although unusual, not having a wisdom tooth is not something to worry about. However, sometimes a person will have a wisdom tooth that simply never erupts through the gum line. This is called an impacted wisdom tooth. Unfortunately, this kind of wisdom tooth can still cause problems below the gum line. Your dentist will be able to determine if you have a wisdom tooth or not. The simplest way to find out is with a painless panoramic X-ray.

Wisdom Teeth Impaction

Impacted wisdom teeth fall into one of several categories. Mesioangular impaction is the most common form (44%), and means the tooth is angled forward, towards the front of the mouth. Vertical impaction (38%) occurs when the formed tooth does not erupt fully through the gum line. Distoangular impaction (6%) means the tooth is angled backward, towards the rear of the mouth. And finally, Horizontal impaction (3%) is the least common form, which occurs when the tooth is angled fully ninety degrees forward, growing into the roots of the second molar. Typically distoangular impactions are the easiest to extract in the maxilla and most difficult to extract in the mandible, while mesioangular impactions are the most difficult to extract in the maxilla and easiest to extract in the mandible. Impacted wisdom teeth may also be categorized on whether they are still completely encased in the jawbone. If wisdom teeth are completely encased in the jawbone, it is a bony impaction. If the wisdom teeth have erupted out of the jawbone but not through the gumline, it is called a soft tissue impaction. Sometimes the wisdom tooth fails to erupt completely through the gum bed and the gum at the back of the wisdom tooth extends over the biting surface, forming a soft tissue flap or lid around the tooth called an operculum. Teeth covered by an operculum can be difficult to clean with a toothbrush. Additional cleaning techniques can include using a needle-less plastic syringe to vigorously wash the tooth with moderately pressured water or to softly wash it with hydrogen peroxide. However, debris and bacteria can easily accumulate under an operculum, which may cause pericoronitis, a common infection problem in young adults with partial impactions that is often exacerbated by occlusion with opposing 3rd or 2nd molars. Common symptoms include a swelling and redness of the gum around the eruption site, difficulty in opening the mouth, a bad odor or taste in the mouth, and pain in the general area which may also run down the entire lower jaw or possibly the neck. Untreated pericoronitis can progress to a much more severe infection. If the operculum does not disappear, recommended treatment is extraction of the wisdom tooth. An alternative treatment involving removal of the operculum, called operculectomy, has been advocated. There is a high risk of permanent or temporary numbness of the tongue due to damage of the nerve with this treatment and it is no longer recommended as a standard treatment in oral surgery.

Wisdom Teeth Extraction

A wisdom tooth is extracted to correct an actual problem or to prevent problems that may come up in the future. Wisdom teeth are extracted for two general reasons: either the wisdom teeth have already become impacted, or the wisdom teeth could potentially become problematic if not extracted. Potential problems caused by the presence of properly grown-in wisdom teeth include infections caused by food particles easily trapped in the jaw area behind the wisdom teeth where regular brushing and flossing is difficult and ineffective. Such infections may be frequent, and cause considerable pain and medical danger. Another reason to have wisdom teeth removed is if the teeth have grown in improperly, causing the tongue to brush up against them. The tongue can tolerate it for a limited time, until it causes a painful sensation, to the point where the sheer pain can numb the tongue affected, and the area around it (part of the lips, and the cheek). The numbness feels similar to the feeling of anesthesia, possibly meaning a nerve can be affected by the wisdom tooth improperly growing in. Also, it is a wise choice to have wisdom teeth removed if undergoing extensive orthodontic work because once the teeth have come in they could inflict some damage on expensive straightening. The extraction of wisdom teeth should only be performed by dental professionals with proper training and experience performing such extractions. The precise reasons why an individual’s wisdom teeth need to be extracted should be explained to them by their dentist, after an examination of their wisdom teeth which almost certainly will need to include x-rays. A panoramic x-ray (aka “panorex”) is the best x-ray to view wisdom teeth and diagnose their problems.

The Face of Wisdom Teeth Removal is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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After some research on the Suburban versus the GMC Yukon XL, we decided to go with a 2007 Suburban. I comes with OnStar, which is a communications, monitoring, and tracking service. This is a pretty cool service.

This week, I received an email that shows me the status of my Suburban components — Tire Pressure, Engine, Air Bags, etc. That is pretty cool. This really satisfies the “Don’t Make Me Think” policy that I really value. Even more than monitoring, if my wife (who is the primary driver of the car) ever gets in an accident or accidentally locks herself out of the suburban, she can simply call the OnStar phone number and OnStar will remotely open the car door or get someone onsite to help immediately. That’s pretty cool. That kind of peace of mind is valuable to me, knowing that my wife and kids are safe and help can get to them quickly and reliably.

Below is a picture of the OnStar diagnostics email:

OnStar is a Valuable Service is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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I took my 7 and 9 year old kids snowboarding last week. It was a lot of fun. We went to Park City, Utah — all three of us have season passes there. I enrolled the kids in an all-day session. Park City has a 1:5 ratio for teachers to students and, fortunately, the kids’ class only had 4 kids and their instructor was very cool and very good at teaching. At the end of the day, I caught up with the kids and they were riding down the hill well. I was a proud dad. Next time, probably next week, the kids and I will be hanging on the mountain snowboarding together. I can’t wait.

It’s an investment, to be sure. Snowboarding stuff isn’t cheap. The kids and I have all our snowboarding gear, but I’m hoping that this will be a long-term thing that we do as a family every winter. The kids’ boards are below; I took pictures of them riding down the hill, but the pictures didn’t turn out well (I was too far away). I’ll take better pictures next time.

Snowboarding Season is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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After several weeks of research and having to decide between a GMC Yukon XL or a 2007 Chevrolet Suburban, I decided to go with the 2007 Chevrolet Suburban. We recently bought a new suburban — 2007, Gray Metallic Color, 4WD, and it’s really nice and — it fits my whole family.

I don’t really care for cars much, but I’m really happy that we got this one — no, not because it’s fancy or anything like that, but because it has 9 seat belts and has leg room. Yes, 9 seat belts and leg room. That’s what I cared about the most. With a family of 6 kids and a wife, seat belts and leg room is pretty much a premium for me.

A few tips on buying a new General Motors Vehicle:

1. Get a supplier discount — my buddy’s dad is a head honcho at GM and hooked me up with a supplier discount — that means that I got $3,000 on top of any other rebates going on. For our car, there was already a $4,000 rebate and free season lift tickets to Park City Utah for skiing. That mean a total of $7,000 off of our new car.
2. Buy your car through CarsDirect.com — this was a very easy car purchase and no annoying haggling or greasy-esque acts by car sales people.
3. While it is true that buying a new vehicle means that it depreciates almost the second you drive it off the lot, I got a great deal on this one AND, I learned from the folks at the dealership that sales person’s don’t make hardly any commission off of new cars because there is not much of a mark-up on them; instead, sales people make “a killing” on used cars because the dealer buys them for “cents on the dollar” and “marked-up like crazy”.

So far, I’m very happy with this purchase. The deal comes with XM Radio free for 1 year and also onStar free for 1 year. I’m not impressed with XM Radio — we’ve only listened to Radio Disney and they play Lil’ BowWow a few times every hour, it seems, which gets annoying. Plus, he’s not so “lil” anymore — isn’t he, like, 25 years old or something? Anyway, the onStar feature is pretty nice and brings some level of comfort knowing that my wife and 6 kids are reasonably taken care of in case of emergencies. The FlexFuel thing is cool, and so is the Stabilitrack, which I hope to never have to use. Soon, we’ll install a DVD player for the car; that will be after Christmas, I think.

I’m giving my car to charity and I’ll be enheriting the Van from my wife and, she’ll be driving the new 2007 Chevrolet Suburban. I’m glad we got this car; I’m glad we all fit now.

On Buying a 2007 Suburban is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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Thanksgiving was good; the turkey wasn’t that dry; and the rolls turned out just fine, and I’m reminded of Thanksgiving everyday by the weight I’ve gained. Now, The Christmas Season is here, people are crazy shopping today (Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year), and I’m home with the new baby.

Well, Merry Christmas…and the lights are starting to come up.

Here’s my crazy neighbor playing with death as he puts up his Christmas lights:

Here’s another close-up of the poor bloke:

I’ll put up lights this year, but not on our roof. Our roof is really high and I don’t want to risk death right now; I’m not risk averse by any means, it’s just that I don’t really care to put up Christmas lights I guess. I’ll put up some other items, but to be crawling around my 25 foot high roof isn’t that exciting to me.

Anyway, cheers to my neighbor and to those who risk their lives every year to put of a series of connected light bulbs on their roof, only to take it down after being up for 4 weeks.

Christmas Season, Lights, & Death is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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After about 3 months in the process, we’ve finally adopted a healthy 7lb 2oz, 20 inch baby boy.

The adoption process was an experience — a lot of waiting time, over-processing, and really full of waste, and a lot of joy also. It’s an interesting business because it pretends that it is not a business. Unfortunately, the laws of supply and demand still play and the basic courtesies of customer service are still relevant, but there are government regulations that make this business a little different. Emotions are a big player in this space too, which encourages those in the adoption industry to continue playing the “we’re not a regular business” game.

Needless to say, we’re very excited and that all the fuss, paperwork, and waiting was worth it. Indeed, the laws of the Psychology of Queueing hold — the more valuable the service, the more waiting and fuss the customer is willing to put up with.

Nevermind that for now, but more on the process later. We’ve adopted and we’ll be bringing him home today. We’re excited for this new chapter in our life!

I want to leave with a little note from my main Asian Brother, Guy, that is pretty descriptive of how I feel:

You can love an adopted child as much as a biological one. A man’s contribution to a pregnancy lasts about ten seconds — five if he told the truth — three if you asked the mother. And yet I’ve met many men who who were skeptical about adoption because they didn’t think they could “bond” with a child that didn’t have their DNA — ie, the ten-second commitment. This is simply not true: when you hold your precious jewel for the first time, no one cares if none of those chromosomes came from you. Certainly not the baby. Certainly not your wife. So get over it. Your DNA isn’t the Holy Grail — to mix several metaphors.

We’ve Adopted a Baby Boy is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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Our 4th and 5th children are 2-year old twin boys. They are fun and I love them. They are challenging at times and, now that they are 2 years old, they’ve become different people. One of them protest over the smallest thing; the other purrs like a cat all day long. Anyway, you get the point — they are fun, I love them, and the terrible two’s are a very real stage of life.

Potty Training is an art and I’m proud to say that our twin boys are pretty much potty trained. Here is my take on what we did that helped them be successful, Potty Trained twin boys.

Potty Training: Items You Will Need

You need the following items in order for your twins to have a successful Potty Training experience:

1. Potty: Yes, you’ll actually need this — what we have is a child potty that you place on top of a toilet. We’re fortunate enough to have 4 bathrooms in our house, so we have a couple of these child potty chairs, just in case.
2. Underwear: Yes, you’ll need plenty of these. Plan for 7 per twin.
3. Detergent: Be sure you’re laundry detergent stock is full. You’ll be washing plenty of tinkle and poopy underwear for the first few days or weeks.
4. Wet Wipes: These are very important. We bought “Big Boy” wet wipes, called “Kandoo’s” and our twins feel like big boys because we don’t use the wet wipes we used to use when they were in diapers.
5. Hand Soap: We also bought “Kandoo” soap, so they can learn to wash their hands after they go tinkle or poopy. The “Kandoo” brand is novel and helps them to feel big.
6. Rewards: We want to provide positive reinforcement. So, when our twins go either tinkle or poopy, they get to choose one treat from the treat bowl. They get excited over this and this helps them to remember that (going tinkle OR poopy in the potty = treat). This makes it fun for them and helps them to remember that an action — going tinkle or poopy — can equal a positive reward.
7. Step Stool: This will help you twins feel big and grown-up by being able to reach the soap and wash their own hands all by themselves.
8. Formula 409: In case there are accidents — there will invariably be accidents — Formula 409 cleaner will help you clean up the mess.

Learning & Experience Curves

In Operations, there is a notion of Learning Curves. That phrase, is used very broadly by many people, but it has a very formal, mathematical definition. Roughly, Learning Curve Analysis tells us that, over time, it will take an operator less time to produce the same output. For example, suppose my first week at work, it takes me 40 hours to produce n units. In my second week, it might take me only 20 hours to produce the same number of units.

The same approach can be had for Potty Training. There will be a Learning Curve — but, over time, you can expect that your twins will go potty in their underwear less and less and go potty on the toilet more and more.

Psychology of Learning & Operant Conditioning & Scheduling

With our twins, we use words and phrases that help them to get familiar with the potty excercise. For example, we take our twins potty after breakfast, then every two hours, after lunch, then every two hours, then dinner, then every two hours. During these potty breaks, we tell them to go “tinkle into the water” and we also say phrases like “go poopy, as big as a fire fighter truck”, “oh, that poopy is as big as a helicopter”. Saying words and phrases like that has helped our little boys. It’s novel for them and it’s exciting. And, when they do go poopy or tinkle, we really celebrate it with hugs and a reward.

Scheduling is a challenge with twins. With our twins, one of them has learned to “hold it” better than the other. So, if we ever had a choice of who to take potty first, it’ll be the one who has learned to “hold it.”

Following a schedule and doing the same gestures, saying the same phrases will help your twins begin to expect the routine and they can begin to do the expected behavior. Soon, they will come to you and say phrases like “potty”, “poopy”, or “tinkle” — which should be a signal to you to quickly run your child to the bathroom and help them be a big boy or girl.

Doubletons Are Different Than Singletons

The same steps need to be take with one child than you would with twins.  The big difference with twins is that you have to coordinate the potty breaks, such that when one is going in the potty (or you’re taking her to the potty), you don’t want the other one going in his or her pants.  So, we have learned that with our twins, one twin has learned to “hold it” better than the other.  We take that twin to the potty after.  This works for us.  Pretty soon, maybe in the next year, our twins will be able to go potty on their own, which will help a lot and will make us really proud parents.

More Art Than Science

My wife has really led this effort in teaching our little boys. She tempers my science with a lot of art, softness, gentleness, and is such a wonderful teacher to our kids. Raising and caring for twins isn’t easy, but my wife does it with grace and a lot of style. Our twins and the rest of our kids are growing up to be good people largely because of her. Thanks, babe.

The Art of Potty Training Twins is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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Typical to most mormons, I have a big family. Yup, we have 5 biological kids. Atypical, however, is that my wife is white, I’m Filipino, and we’ll be adopting 2 African American kids in the next little while. We’re excited and are learning a lot about adoption, raising transracial kids, and learning to do black hair. Anyway, more on that later.

Because my family is gigantic, we need to upgrade from our trusty little van to a heftier car. I’ve done my little research and have spoken to friends and strangers about big cars. I’ve narrowed my choices down to the GMC Yukon XL or the Chevrolet Suburban.

Based on specifications, they’re head-to-head. Based on price, there’s a difference. The Chevrolet Suburban is roughly ~$3,000 to ~$5,000 cheaper, depending on features. I’ve realized that I’m price sensitive when it comes to cars, especially when the Retail Price on these bad boys are around ~$37,000 to ~$51,000 for a brand new model. I think I’ll get a used model, with around 5,000 to 15,000 miles on it. That way, it will be cheaper, yet virtually brand new.

Perceptual Maps

Perceptual Maps is a simple, graphical technique used to render the perceptions of customers for certain products or services against several dimensional attributes. Often, a Perceptual Map is used to see how the customers or potential customers percieve a product, brand, product line, or service. Perceptual Maps are very common in Brand-Checkup studies and Product Evaluation studies.

Perceptual Maps can be created ad-hoc, without an statistical measuers, as I will do below. But, they are typically created using regression-driven techniques such as Multi-Dimensional Scaling, Factor Analysis, Discriminant Analysis, Cluster Analysis, and Logit Analysis.

I was once worked at a research firm as a researcher; on one study, I was an investigator that researched the brand perceptions of credit cards against 4 dimensions. The result of that study informed the credit card companies of the customer’s perceptions of their brand. Given this data, the credit card companies then created a strategy around the study in order to move the customer’s perceptions. For example, Discover Card was percieved as “Cheap and Inclusive”. This result informed Discover Card in such as way as to develop a new product that would hopefully be perceived as “Elegant and Exclusive” — that product would later be called their Platinum Card.

Perceptual Maps, Market Research, and the Automotive Industry

I created my own Perceptual Map for how I perceive the Chevrolet Suburban and the GMC Yukon XL:

In my view, the Suburban is more affordable and dependable than the GMC Yukon XL. The GMC Yukon XL, in my view, is more sporty and elegant — at least from what I’ve read and seen. Now, compare the two hefty cars against my 1993 Ford Station Wagon LX — I view that car as very dependable and affordable, since it falls on the bottom left of the matrix.

This is just my perception; and, perceptions change. Right now, I am price sensitive ($40K for a car is a lot for me) and I want a car that is reliable and dependable — nothing fancy: just a good, hefty, car that the whole family can fit in.

Perceptual Maps: GMC Yukon XL or Chevy Suburban is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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My family and I recently went on vacation to Lake Tahoe. It was awesome and we had a ton of fun.

We began our trip on Thursday — we drove from Utah through Nevada and spent the night in Battle Mountain. Just so you know, there is not much NOTHING in Battle Mountain, except a McDonald’s and a Super 8 Motel. Continuing, our stay at Super 8 was interesting and I learned a little about the hospitality business while I was there. I spoke with the counter person and she gave me the run-down on the motel business and especially how her hotel is doing. She said that they have been sold out all summer and that we were lucky enough to get a room for that night. I asked her the yearly occupancy rate and the average price per room as well as the count of rooms:

Occupancy rate: 62%; # of rooms: 55; Average Price/Room: $65.00

This means that, roughly, 226 days of the year, 55 rooms are full. That is really good, probably even above industry average. I think a business that busy would thrive anywhere, expecially Battle Mountain!

The next day, we had breakfast at McDonald’s. After ordering, the cashier offered me a few McDonald’s Excercise DVD’s. I was surprised by this and I asked her what they were. Her response was that McDonald’s is trying to be more healthy in their offerings and that “we can’t make fat food and stay in business these days.” Interesting insight. Going back in history, McDonald’s brand suffered with the release of the movie Super Size Me. It seems like since then, McDonald’s has tried to change it’s image of an irresponsible restaurant that offers unhealthy food. The Kid’s Meals are now offered with Apple Sauce instead of French Fries and McDonald’s has recently launched a new product they’re calling a Chicken Wrap. The new product lines and the Excercise DVD’s is their attempt at changing their brand image from chubby to fit.

On our way to Lake Tahoe, we passed a city in Nevada called Lovelock. The billboard for the city said this:

“Welcome to Lovelock. In Lovelock, we lock your love”

What does that mean? From what I could see — from highway I-80 West anyway — there wasn’t much there. What does that sign mean?

Anyway, we continued our trip and made our way to Lake Tahoe. We stayed at a nice cabin, with the rest of my wife’s family and had a wonderful several days. Here’s a picture of us swimming at the Lake:

It was a fun trip. On the way, I learned about the hospitality business, brand management, and market perception. I can’t wait to go back — hopefully next year.

Lake Tahoe is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting

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while dry and probably uninteresting to most, i’m interested in the life of business, operations, lost the tv show, entrepreneurship, family, mixed martial arts, the wall street journal, technology, and the dirt and sweat of life. i’ll chronicle bits of pretty much everything here — from my viewpoint.

i’ve been around the block. i immigrated to the united states from the philippines in 1985; i was 10 years old. i lived in cebu city — the middle island in the philippines. i left during a really perilous time: there was political uproar, demonstrations, and poverty everywhere. we were very, very poor. my three older brothers, my mom, and i lived with my grandma. my dad died when i was 6 years old – he died of a heart attack – and my mom had a difficult time supporting her 4 boys, but she tried. he worked for a malaysian company that exported and imported materials all over the world. i didn’t see him much, but he wrote me letters while he traveled. i still have a letter from him; that letter is pretty special to me.

we moved to the united states because that is where my mom was llving at the time – she went to the united states to visit my older brother, harry, while he was serving in the u.s. navy. during that visit, she met an american, fell in love, and got married.

i didn’t see my mom for about 1 year while she was in america; my grandma took care of me in the philippines — my grandma is the best. we immigrated to the u.s. after my mom’s marriage.

moving here required a lot of adjusting. it was cold; winter time. that was new to me. speaking english was difficult at first, but i caught on quickly. my mom and her 2nd husband got divorced 1 year later. we moved out of his house and into a small little apartment: 1919 ygnacio valley road #72, 94598. living in the apartment was hard — we were so, so, so poor. but we survived and got through it. difficult times like that has a way of tutoring and shaping a person. i’m fortunate to have gone through difficult times, starting at such a young age. as an adult, i see many of my peers whose hands are pedicured and uncalloused, as it were, because they were given everything by their parents; they have not learned the value of hard work and sacrifice. i’m so happy i’m not like that. there’s nothing wrong with coupon cutting and making your dollar stretch –

at school, i learned fast how to survive — i learned how to ride my bike (i was 10 years old); i learned how to get to school. one summer, i learned how to take the bus, transfer from one bus to another, and use the bus to get to places — i was 12 and riding the contra costa connection regularly and alone.

i discovered skateboarding. i did that for a long time and won 2nd place in the embarcadero street invitational. i was also sponsored by concrete jungle, an old school san francisco skate company. i also surfed and was sponsored by leroyz la jolla — again, no money, but free stuff. a lot of the leroyz guys were gang members, who surfed. it was cool. n.w.a and eazy-e kept me going and their music really influenced me and helped me get through some really tough, self-supporting years ahead.

i got my first job when i was 10 — i walked the neighborhood and offered a plant watering business: i would water plants for 25 cents a day. i had a modest clientele and made enough money for ice cream. when we moved to the apartment, i got a job at gold’s gym — i’d go in super late at night and wash down the nautilus equipment and do general clean up. i got the job on my own; it wasn’t advertised; i proactively offered to clean for $5/night. i was 12 years old.

later, i worked for kentucky fried chicken, working almost full-time while attending high school. after only 6 months, i became the assistant store manager and managed a group of 12 people. it was a greasy, nasty job, but i learned how to work, keep committments, and how to manage people at a young age.

fast forward from the kentucky fried chicken job, my life changed for the better when i discovered religion through my friend and neighbor, aran sambandar.  he was a devout hindu, an older man of ~50 yrs, and he and i became friends.  because of him, i realized that i needed to change my life and that religion could help me do that.  he encouraged me to find a religion that would “speak to me”, but to remember that “everything, no matter what religion, had the face of god.”  i love aran; i still continue to learn from him today, even though we haven’t spoken in many, many years.

i began my search in the western religions, the religion of my birth — catholocism.  i spent time with our priest and tried to diligently understand and “get into” catholicism.  it wasn’t right for me.  i investigated other western religions and then eventually investigated eastern religions — hinduism and buddhism.  many things appealed to me, but the personal relationship with christ was missing, which, for me, was very important.  after some time of diligent searching, i discovered through a friend, the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints.  after a long time of searching, i’ve found where i need to be.

when i converted, aran’s religious belief was that he helped me to get to a point in my life where i found the religion that was right for me.  his part was done and was counseled by his guru (guru veda) that i need to immerse myself in my newly-found faith and that find a mentor within my faith.  aran would stop being my mentor.  he and i haven’t spoken or communicated in many years.  i’m thanful to him for helping me.

after i converted, i served a full-time mission right out of high school; attended brigham young university where i studied philosophy and mathematics, with a minor in economics — i was awarded a full-ride academic scholarship; for graduate school, i attended the university of chicago, where i earned a master’s degree in computer science, with an emphasis in operations research. i could’ve completed a ms/phd with a Ph.D. from the graduate school of business at chicago and and MS from the school of computer science, but decided to terminate at a master’s degree in Computer Science and 1.5 years of coursework from the graduate school of business at chicago and enter the work force.

while an undergraduate and graduate student, i was completely self-supporting — not just myself, but i supported a young family of my wife, then eventually 3 children by the time i finished graduate school. we had ZERO financial help from family or anybody. i’m really happy for that experience, because it taught me diligence & hard work and, in my opinion, life skills that my silver-spooned counterparts have not yet learned, which I believe has made me excel faster in life and business than they have. i’m not completely resentful or have less respect of the silver-spooned, spoiled brat; just a little, though.

along the way of life, i married my high school sweetheart and now have a wonderful family together. i’ve been watched over and taken care of. i’ve been pretty much on my own and have been, in large part, self-sufficient since i was 14 years old. i’m really thankful for my life.

around the block is a post from: Lean Six Sigma Consulting