The Zoo

Yesterday we had a fun day at the zoo with my cousin Lindsey and her sweet girl Emma. It was great to chat and catch up with her and to see the girls running around having fun together. Lindsey and I are two months apart and our girls are just three weeks apart in age. :) Here are some pics of the day.

Airplane rides

I love to talk to people on the airplane. Since I was in college I've always looked forward to sitting by someone new and having a chat. On a trip to DC I met a wonderful older couple who have become such great friends through the years. They wrote me on my mission, send gifts to my girls on their birthdays, and had me over to their house after just a few hour conversation on the plane.

Anyway, my most recent plane trip was no exception and I had the wonderful chance to speak with a man from Pakistan, who works at the University of Utah. Our conversation started as he noticed that I was reading the book A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini. It turns out that he has been living in the states for over 20 years and is a sociologist who studies the social trends of Pakistani women, marriages, and family life. I asked him about a million questions about life in his home country and found out some interesting stuff, which I wanted to share here.

-He said that 49% of Pakistani marriages are between first cousins.
-Almost all marriages are arranged, but when two people fall in love, they can sometimes convince their parents to arrange a "love marriage" for them to enter in.
-The Pakistani people prize virtue. When a woman in the family has an adulterous relationship they try to keep it a secret, but if the truth comes out, 7% of the people will arrange with the police to conduct an "honor killing" where the woman is killed (generally poisoned) to preserve the family's honor.
-He said that almost half of the adult population is illiterate
-The village people typically live in huts with their families around them, whereas city dwellers live in rented apartments wherever they can get work
-Pakistan experiences a lot of 'brain drain' where educated people leave the country in search of better opportunities
-Mormons have a lot in common with Muslims- we share common moral values of chastity, avoid alcohol and drugs, pray and study the scriptures, and value family relationships.
-He said that the divorce rate in Pakistan is about 3% even with the majority of marriages being arranged. He believes that this has both good and bad effects- good in that couples try to resolve problems rather than looking for the first chance of escape, but bad in that women often are forced to remain in abusive situations to preserve their social status.
-A divorced woman is at the bottom of the social status totem pole as she is deemed dirty and no one will marry her again. It is very difficult for these women to find work and maintain themselves.
-He said that the population of Pakistan is about half that of the US, while their landmass is only 803,940 square km compared to our landmass of 9,629,091 square km (about 8% the size of the US).
-He said that there are four major provincial languages spoken in Pakistan, and one national language, but there are many more dialects used in different villages.
-He said that Pakistan used to be composed of two land masses that were separated by India, but in the 1970s Pakistan was consolidated to the country it is today and Bangladesh was created.



Of course I forgot to ask his name, but am grateful for the chance we had to talk and for his gracious response to all of my questions. His personal story was fascinating too, the most difficult part being that in order to get a visa as a permanent resident, he had to return to Pakistan for three years, leaving behind his wife and three children, who he couldn't visit and who couldn't visit him. I can't imagine how difficult that must have been and it just shows what a sacrifice immigrants make to create a better life for their children.

The Technology Adoption Life Cycle

In marketing there is a model known as the technology adoption life cycle model which is used to describe the five groups of buyers to whom a product is sold during its life cycle: Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Majority, Late Majority, and Laggards.

The Innovators are technology enthusiasts- they are the first to try out a new technology, but they represent just about 2% of the population.

Early Adopters, also known as visionaries, are somewhat keen to try out new technologies. They represent a larger slice of the market (10-15%), and they tend to have much more influence in an organization than do Innovators.

The Early Majority, sometimes called pragmatists, represent the bulk of the market (45%). They tend to buy in to new technologies only after they perceive solid references and safety measures that guard against potential failures.

The Late Majority, or conservatives, are also a very large portion of the market (35%). They are extremely cautious when buying into a new technology and want to see proof of results before they will accept a product's usefulness.

Laggards are skeptics who would prefer to avoid new technologies altogether. They will buy only if they really must and represent 5% of the market.

So, what's the point?

Well, in the blogging world, I consider myself a part of the late majority or even a laggard. I have been reading blogs for almost two years now and have seen many people enter the arena. But I held back. I resisted. I made excuses. I felt too self-conscious. I was skeptical. But finally I've caved in. I have a blog. I have jumped on the band wagon.

I don't expect much. Some people I read get hundreds of comments, connect with people from all over the world, post about fascinating events and ideas, and live thrilling lives. I don't really know what I am going to post. I don't have a list of ideas stored up and I live a pretty predictable life. But I'll give it a go and see what comes out. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride!