....Or whatever, but seriously if I could think of my very most favoritest thing to do in arctic sub arctic temperatures it would have to be; ripping a motor out of a car and putting another one back in it.......um yeah not really.....so, this is a car that I bought from a friend and needed some work, I decided that I would do all the work on it myself and drive the car around.....usually not a big deal to do an engine swap in a Honda, but with the temperatures around the "effing cold" mark and dipping into the "sucking my will to live" region its become a bit of a grind. I still have quite a bit more work to do and with the fun weekend I have planned for myself I honestly don't know how I am going to finish it but whatever. I have taken some crappy phone pics to document the initial removal of the old engine.....I'll be sure to post a few more as I make progress and definitely a victory pic upon completion.
Oh.....and I broke my nose! Lol yeah I know kind of a random double subject blog entry thingy. Honestly I'm going to let you in on a little bit of The Shaner madness ready? K, so I just got home from an incredibly enjoyable evening and I was thinking...."gosh I should write about this...." then I start thinking; "that would be WAY too much to blog about and I should probably get some sleep." Then I think, well maybe I should tell my fellow readers/listeners that I have started a brand spanking new "song of the day" section to my blog (which will end up being a song of the every other day or so section)lol but the problem with that is that I also broke my nose playing basketball on Monday night, and I was going to make that my next blog....but if I do that one after this one the whole chronological blogness would just be totally funked up and the blog gods would be sure to punish me in the form of bloggers block....SO i went with the double topic post. I hope you enjoy the new song its just a one of a few Imogen Heap/Frou Frou songs I've been really enjoying lately.
So for all of you wondering what exactly a "yurt" is its basically a tee pee resembling, upside down funnel looking snow hut. There is one that Parks and Rec. rents out during the winter months and it's only accessible via a 4.5 mile cross country ski trek up Millcreek canyon. Last night we had 9 adventurers and it was great! Besides, underestimating how cold my hands would get on the trek up and passing out in the snow for a few minutes....the ski up was amazing. It was dark out and I didn't use a light cause I was enjoying the moon reflecting off the snow....it provided a very cool, almost magical vibe as I ascended. I haven't cross country skied since I was a cub scout and it took me a second to get used to the motion, but once I did it was gravy. The group started up at different times, group one left for the top in the early afternoon to get the stove burning, and group two started at 9pm. Depending on your pace up the mountain, it takes anywhere from an hour to three hours to get to the yurt and its not a very physically demanding climb. (unless you pass out from getting too cold and you decide that the only way to keep your bony little fingers from freezing solid in the paper thin gloves you're wearing is to sprint up the mountain at full throttle =) Once up there the conditions were more than comfortable; there is wood provided, a wood burning stove, propane tanks with lanterns and some pots and pans to cook with, not to mention bunks to sleep on. It was good times to just hang out with good friends and enjoy nature. I wish you could have been there, then it would have been perfect. =)
O.k so this is an attempt to blog about something I am very strangely opinionated on without talking about all the emotional stuff that's happening in my life at the present. With that being said; New Years is quite possibly the lamest holiday ever! I say that because it never ever fails to fall short of the hype year in and year out....and seriously the one year that I was going to party like it was 1999 I was on my mission and fast asleep!....Prince will never forgive me for that.... =( Now don't get me wrong I'm not saying that New Years isn't a great time to make goals and re-focus on ones life, its great for that, I'm just saying that it is suppose to be this larger than life celebration/party time and it NEVER is (for me anyway). It could be that I don't drink, never have never will, however, I've had some great times and been to some really fun parties where nobody was drinking at all, so I'm gonna disqualify that reason. I think New Years is just a classic American example of making something out to be SO much more than it really is that when the smart people get together and realize that it really is just another day we don't enjoy it as much. Or what about this for a crazy thought; New Years suffers from severe Holiday Envy Syndrome? Yeah you know, with Christmas being every one's favorite holiday and all, and after all it is just a week previous??? Poor New Years is just fighting for a little attention......so sad <----said in you saddest tone ever- yes you know you've got that voice.....anyway, it's just a good thing that New Years hasn't learned that its my birthday just 2 days before....that might put him over the edge to pure madness so lets try and keep that on the DL okay?! =)
So every year around this time it seems I find myself in an interesting situation. In years past; I have been found painting office space until 4am Christmas morning, (in CA.)getting x-rays in the hospital, collapsed and passed out (literally) on my sisters floor, and living in a remote desolate place in Mexico, just to name a few. This year has definatley had its share of uniqueness however, there is one thing that is strangely great and different about it....well maybe a couple of things. First: I have basically been celebrating my birthday since the 26th of dec. (birthday is on the 30th) The reason why this is unique and different is because I usually don't make a big deal of it and it kinda just gets meshed into Christmas. I have been cheating and opening birthday presents up before my birthday this year (but not on Christmas) and for some wierd reason, it feels like I'm making my birthday stand out a little bit more than normal which I kinda like. Second: its been a REALLY long time since I was given something for my birthday that I would say was the "perfect" gift, and I got it this year! It wasn't so much WHAT the gift was (in terms of flare and monetary value), as much as it was HOW it was given, and what it meant to me. I am a sucker for thoughtful gifts, even if they don't carry any monetary value- correction.....especially if the they don't. I don't know, it makes you feel loved, it makes you feel understood, validated, and genuinely thought of. It also made me realize how much I used to do things like that for others, but haven't for a while, and how I would like to do that again. Anyway, kind of a lame blog today but I just wanted to get some stuff down that I had on the brain. So happy birth week to me and all that good stuff!
You know, my blog is kinda funny. I really don't think I have anyone who reads it anymore, so when I write, I feel as though I'm in a play reciting my lines, yet nobody is in the audience. However, with that being said, here I am typing yet another blog for my silent audience. I Just got home from the new Will Smith movie; I Am Legend, it was good but the whole time my mind kept wondering. (you will laugh once you see the movie because it is seriously dark and jumpy -how could your mind wonder?) Yeah well, meet Christopher Walker Shane <--- thats me! Anyway, I kept thinking about the last movie I saw with Will Smith in it; The Pursuit Of Happiness.....a great feel good movie of a man who has the world at his fingertips, loses everything, then years later, is given a shot at greatness and he captures it! It has been a very introspective time for me in my life this year and I feel as though I just need the chance at greatness and I will capture it! I have prayed hard for a confirmation from the Lord that my life will be a success and I have received the answer that it will as long as I get back into school this coming year. I am registering for two classes at SLCC this spring, then transfer to the U or the Y in the fall and I will have my bachelors degree by Dec. of 2009. I will take a look at the coaching jobs available and consider my marital status and either take a job right away or start my masters program. Its exciting! It feels really good to me and I will do very well and enjoy my work. What doesn't feel so good is the loneliness of it all. I want so badly to share my adventures with someone special. I long for it, I really do. When I think of the Pursuit Of Happiness though, I also think of Will Smith doing it alone, because his wife left him. His will never changed, and the sculpted, polished person that was inside him never gave up hope. Wow, there is so much on my mind tonight! I can't say much more than my heart aches for something that has passed me by. I feel tremendously alone on one hand, yet, incredibly supported on the other. My faith in my Redeemer is strong, and I may need him more than every hour, but I really do feel that with his strength I can accomplish all things and capture greatness. Oh and this song has been in my head all day for what its worth-
Yes indeed Im alone again And here comes emptiness crashing in Its either love or hate I cant find in between Cause Ive been with witches And I have been with a queen
It wouldnt have worked out any way So now its just another lonely day Further along we just may But for now its just another lonely day
Wish there was something I could say or do I can resist anything But temptation from you But Id rather walk alone Than chase you around Id rather fall myself Than let you drag me down
It wouldnt have worked out any way And now its just another lonely day Further along we just may But for now its just another lonely day
Yesterday seems like a life ago Cause the one I love Today I hardly know You I held so close in my heart oh dear Grow further from me With every fallen tear
It wouldnt have worked out any way So now its just another lonely day Further along we just may But for now its just another lonely day
So I had another near death experience driving home from work yesterday. Rex, my car, decided to catch a patch of black ice on the freeway and fishtale out of control at 65 mph! I haven't been so terrified in my whole life. If I hit the brakes I roll my car and die, if I lose control and hit the retaining wall on the inside of the freeway I probably bounce off and back into traffic and die. (it was almost rush hour so there were lots of cars heading home) My only prayer was to ride it out, adjusting the wheel back and forth hoping to bring Rex straight... I have seen accidents involving Crx's before and they are not good. No airbags, very lightweight, and low to the ground makes for a very dangerous situation at high speeds. Anyway, I'm glad I'm not dead, that would have really ruined my week. I do give myself an A on steering Rex for 400 meters without spinning out though. Moral? Life is short, I still must have a purpose around here, and hey things could always be worse.....you could be DEED!
Yeah so I just got back from sweat night, and I was answering a couple of emails etc.... then I started getting sad about some stuff and I decided that maybe I could write a blog about my bowling adventures last night to take my mind off of it (I bowled 6 strikes in a row! a personal record) but honestly I'm just too full of emotions to even fake it. The thing is' I've been more pleased with life in the past few months than any time I can remember, lots has been going well, and I feel so truly blessed in so many different aspects. At the same time, I struggle still with little things that are also mixed in the Shaner life- like my family drama, aka; my brother struggling, my Dad disappearing from existence, and my sister who was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I also just became single again, which I am pretending doesn't hurt at all 5 days before Christmas and stuff. So anyway, despite my superficial attempt to brag about my bowling greatness, my real feelings have once again rendered me a cripple. Its a strange feeling to be so happy and pleased with life, yet be tremendously sad about parts of it. Pretty heavy stuff here I know, this is why blogging for me can be dangerous.
OK, so I don't know how I should start this blog exactly??? Should I start by talking about what sledfest is...or should I talk about how excited I got last night when I found a sled online that matched my exact design that I had planned to build.??
I guess I'll start by explaining what Sledfest is. The summer after I graduated from High School my best friend Mike passed away. He was long boarding with a couple of our close friends and accidentally started down a hill that was WAY too steep. He wasn't wearing a helmet and when he bailed off he hit is head. He was in a comma for two days and eventually passed away from the hematoma and swelling in his brain. Anyway, his last words uttered to my two friends that day before he wrecked were: "guys lets make some memories." We took it to heart and really came together and bonded as friends that summer. So, in Mikes honor, two friends and I started a tradition to bring the clan together and remember what it means to love each other and make great memories. We decided that every Christmas eve at midnight we would tear up a mountain slope somewhere and bring in the holiday. We started humbly on the mountain hill behind my moms house in Elk Ridge (payson).... and have gradually upgraded the quality of our hill ever since. Today we actually sneak on to a ski resort (dear valley), where we have a great 5 minute run that has become epic!
Along with good times, great friends and memories, Sledfest has turned into a full on competition. It is simply not good enough to JUST sled...... now it is about who can sled the fastest, or in other words arrive at the bottom first. This has spawned a whole new realm of thinking and planning. My friends and I spend months preparing for our adventure. We are always trying to construct a sled that is faster and better than everyone Else's. This year I decided to design my own ULTIMATE sled. I have had an idea in my head of a design that I feel would be the most insane sled EVER constructed. The goal here is maximum speed, maximum steering, minimal drag, and maximum durability. In my search for an already made sled to validate my design theory, I found the "Hammerhead Sled" a $300 sled that is quite literally my EXACT design.....and the sexiest thing I've ever seen. I can't remember being more excited about something in my whole life! I literally stayed up all night last night searching for schematics on how to build the thing. My version will not be quite as sexy but I'm hoping for pure functionality. I will for sure be documenting this years festivities.....hopefully we can get a couple more good storms to assure for maximum snow coverage on our little run! My friends and I sat around and discussed just HOW fun we thought Sledfest was.....we concluded that it is quite possibly the most entertaining and satisfying leisure activity in the history of mankind so with that being said we decided to create "extreme sledding" and do it not just once, but as many times as possible during the snow season. The distinction was then made; Sledfest would be the annual tradition, with only those who knew Mike in attendance, and extreme sledding would be the activity that we invited ALL who were game to participate in.
O.k, so I heard about this controversial video about a Utah cop who tasers a guy over a speeding ticket and I just had to check it out. This is my post on FOX13 blog so if it seems directed at stupid peoples comments that is because it is. Enjoy!:
The real problem here is the SYSTEM. People think about it, nothing would have happened here had the officer not asked the man to step out of the car. Which was obviously a "sneaky" attempt to arrest the man for refusing to sign the ticket. There has to be a better way than getting a man out of his car and arresting him? I mean you already have all of his info., you already know he is not a wanted criminal due to the check you just ran in your cop car. Am I saying let the man be stubborn and not sign something he is required by law to sign? NO, I am saying that the law should be changed to not require the man to sign it. He should receive another citation for that non compliance along with his original speeding ticket in the mail....or something, thus eliminating the potential encounter which could follow from being required to get the man out of his car, and arrest him.
ALSO, lets get this one thing straight: the officer was not obligated to arrest the man on his own with no backup! He had every right to radio in for another trooper to come to his aid. Now there might not have been any available officers nearby deeming that action impractical, but still the officer made a decision based on the information that he had regarding the perpetrator, found him to not be a threat, and proceeded alone. There might not have been injustice here, but there sure as heck was an avoidable situation EVEN BEFORE the man was asked to get out of the car. Because lets be honest here if the man was SO worried about getting a ticket (which caused him to refuse to do what he was asked) do you seriously think that he new he was going to be arrested when the officer asked him to get out of the car??!! Of course not....or he would have refused that too.
N.O .......But seriously I don't think I learned those two in kindergarten when we were going over the alphabet, at least not put together. (I was probably at a BYU football game or something that day) So I'm sick, not deathly ill, but sicker than I've been in a while. Any normal human being would probably not spend 5 or 6 hours swinging a shovel and a pick-ax digging out a hole, or wake up extra early on a Saturday...NOT eat breakfast, and play in a volleyball tournament for 6 hours. Long story short with the use of a simple; no thanks, or even an; "I'm not feeling so hot maybe I shouldn't" I would not feel so throttled. I guess I've always had a problem putting off the things that I want to do for the things that I should do. Now this probably wouldn't be a big deal if I wasn't so passionate about so many different things, but that's simply not the case. My other major weakness is that I am a fixer.....a serious helper kinda guy, so If I'm ever asked to help someone out.....my first instinct is to respond with.......a three letter word and not the two letter variety which in many cases is what I probably should do. Anyway, I was just thinking about this today as I sat on my parents couch; tired, hungry, sick and feeling a bit over exerted.<------I needed spell check to fix that one. =) ........Oh yeah and both the Cougars and Utes won big games today and now its FULLY on for next weekend. Wow! Gonna be good timez
Yes, incredible isn't? Oh yeah AND it's seven o'clock in the morning. At the danger of publicly embarrassing myself by expressing my thoughts and feelings, which I already wear on my sleeve and throw them out there for any and all to read, I decided to start a blog. To be honest, I can't tell you why, I just woke up this morning with three thoughts; one: I want to start running again, two: the Lord loves me, and three: I should start a blog. Lol, yeah no kidding! I've been sick lately so getting outside in the cold right now is not really an option, and so here I am, with mixed emotions, typing away.
So whats the big thought for today Chris?........Hmmm, honestly, I'm not sure. Maybe the title of this blog says it all. For anybody that knows me, you also know that me and mornings are not friends.....not at all. You know that I've struggled recently with making money, and that I desperately want to save enough to get back into school in the spring to finish up my bachelors degree. I've been really trying to be a good person, above anything else, to make people feel better about themselves after they leave my presence than before. I have been feeling closer to the Lord than ever.....yet still struggle with things that seem to come easier to some. With all this to consider, I'm up, and ready to take life on another day. I will not give up, I will not believe those who may doubt me, I will simply put my faith in God and my best foot forward and move along the beaten path. I may stumble and fall at times but I will move forward and continue to be happy no matter where life leads me. Because if there is one thing I've learned in life, its that you can never tell exactly whats going to happen next. Life runs fast but I'd like to think that I can run just a little faster, with the support of my good friends and family, I'll cross that finish line.
