Writing and driving-why they are both great.

T.J.-thanks for the shout out. This one's for you, man.

So I should be working on a powerpoint presentation I have to have done by friday, but I'm not. I'd rather write. I like writing. It's like driving. Only much cheaper, and in some ways (given my current automobile) more therapudic. Okay, maybe it's not like driving at all. But I really like driving and writing. They both stir something deep inside me. They are different though. Writing has the ability (with the proper audience) to dust off things long forgotten in the dirty corners of my world-weary brain. I like that. It's like a really deep massage. It can take some work, but it sure feels good afterwards. Driving on the other hand, gives me some sort of an outlet. It's a great way to feel good about connecting with a machine and nature all at the same time. The car follows you and the road which follows the curve of a mountain. And it's all connected. Deep into a corner, many parts of all of those elements are against each other and yet working together. It's beautiful to me.

Anyway, this may be the longest post I've written since....last time a wrote this long of a post. But seriously, it's almost pretty long. And it's been pretty long. And it's ugly late. So goodnight, and good luck.

Math and Why in the world am I taking it?

I was taught when I was young that life was meant to be enjoyed, but that didn't always mean that it would be easy. I am now in Calculus for a third time, and I have invested 1200 dollars and 18 months of my life to pass a class I care so very little for. I recall a scripture that says we should not spend our money for that which is of no worth. I hope I'm not in too much trouble with the man upstairs for wasting his money on this good for nothing class three times. I hate it. I hate math. Can I tell you how much? I look forward with great anticipation to the day when I can hock my calculator. I'll take the money I sell it for and go buy a book that's on my list. And I'll learn something useful. Something real. Go ahead, engineers. Tell me that my life revolves around math. Maybe yours does. And I'm truly glad there are those who know it and can apply it well. I am not one of those people. I like ideas. I like people, words, feelings, conversations, and laughter. I have never felt anything good for math. I have never laughed at math. "So I says to the guy, yeah it's actually the square root of 1!" Have you ever heard this punchline? Nor have I. I am going to leave this rock a better place than I found it, and I have a nagging suspicion it will have very little to do with math at all.

In Spite of it All

I just thought I'd quickly blog a moment and say thanks for a great summer, to all those who were, even in a small way, part of something wonderful. I have learned a lot, slept a little more, and smiled a whole lot. Life has been good to me this summer, in spite of it all. I've had a lot of fun, some of the best things being the simplest.

Holding Trina in the Smithfield cemetary and wanting so badly to already be in love with her, while not realizing at the time that the moment I was living was just about as good as it gets.

A simple rope swing in Idaho with Joshnormous and Nate. I cut my finger pretty good, but it was a great memory.

Shooting the first minute and thirty-one seconds of the fireworks show on the 24th of July. You touch a little wire to a metal thing on a board, and a split second later you feel about as close to being a magician as I ever have. Everyone should be able to do that just once in their lives.

A Ganache fight at Coldstone with Meredith and Trina; a great way to end an era there. I have made many good friends and made good friends better at that job.

Driving to Aberdeen Idaho to visit my buddy Kirk when the outside temperature was 103, and me in my little Subaru without air conditioning. 103 was neat, but 110 is even better (can you say Malad pass? I don't think those little 12 inchers were ever intended to spin that fast).

Making flower bombs with Amber, Ross, and Richard. I don't want to get in trouble here, but the boom was fantastic, and I just hope we didn't scare any of the old people.

Anyhow, it's been a grand summer, in spite of it all. Good stuff. And thanks again for everything. If I forgot to mention you, I'm sorry. We are still good friends, I promise.

Don't write professionally about what you don't understand

So I was reading a story on MSNBC today (because I'm far too cheap to subscribe to a newspaper) and the guy sounded like a real auto industry pro at the beginning, citing some studies that said U.S. Automakers need to improve quality (and why did someone actually spend money studying something that obvious? I'm not sure either...). Thanks for the update.
He went on to compare some of the models incorrectly, which happens to drive me nuts.
He said that things were just horrible because Buick hasn't sold as many SUVs as Toyota. Genius. Do you know anyone in their right mind under the age of 55 that would think of setting foot in a Buick dealership, even to use the bathroom? No! And when buying an SUV? Are you kidding me here? Who is this guy?
He then compared the Ford Taurus, a midsize has-been (which I think should have been a never-was, but that's another story altogether) with the new Ford 500, a full size Buick-fighter that's waiting for a bigger motor. The guy said that the U.S. Auto industry is in a bad way because Ford didn't sell as many 500s at launch than they did Tauruses. What an idiot. He's apparently never heard of the Ford Fusion, the actual replacement for the Taurus. "You know, the apples just aren't selling like the oranges did ten years ago over there at Albertsons. From this we see...." Argghh.
Now, be it known that I sold 500s for a few minutes, and while I think they are great for grandpas who drive 5,000 miles a year, I'd never buy one. They are put together like most of the other overpriced crap on wheels you can find in a domestic dealership. And yes, sales for the domestic companies has been slow. That's fine. You wanna write a story about it? Great. Get your stuff straight so you can actually prove your point.
Or give me a call. I read motor trend, turn my head when I pass a dealership, and actually spin a wrench once in awhile. So save yourself the embarrassment pay me a couple of bucks a column inch to write your blasted story.

The University Run-Around

So today was super productive. I called yesterday up to the Man-aka the University-to make an appointment with my advisor. I thought it would help me figure out which classes to take and get a better handle on things. So I left work in time to get up there, waited paitiently for them to finish a meeting, and went in to talk to her.

I came away more frustrated than ever. I'll quote one of her helpful sentences for you-this is for real a direct quote-"Well, I can't tell you which classes you should take." What?!?! Then who can, honey? Isn't that her job? She also informed me that although she could advise me about certain areas of the business program, she couldn't help me with a marketing minor. She gave me a little pink card with her signature on it so that I could actually get in the office and talk to the people I originally called. Genius. It looks like a prescription. I really might be sick, so I guess it makes perfect sense.

So that's that. I am seriously considering changing universities after this whole ordeal is over. My sister is moving away from the valley for good, my family is getting older and my folks need my help more than ever. There are better jobs in Salt Lake, I always end up dating girls down there, and my project truck is down there.

I know what you are thinking, and I read your mind. I thought it was about time for a good BMW photo. This is a real winner. It's a good hind-end shot of the new Z4 M. Wow. Nothing like some twisted steel with curvy appeal to restore my ambition. Enjoy.

The heat is on

Or maybe that was the air conditioning....

I'm sure glad it's summer. It's warm at night which can make sleeping difficult, but it's worth it. The heat is like the mosquitos-sure, they're a pain, but they remind me it's summer. It's like shoveling snow. It's a good time and all, but you get sick of it. But right when I get sick of shoveling snow, I usually jump in the Suby and head for the church parking lot with a twinkle in my eye and a twitch in the arm that pulls the e-brake.

So I guess I'm saying that a good way to remain happy is when you notice something undesirable, simply think of something positive that comes from the same circumstances. Here's some other examples:

Broken leg=No work for awhile
Sickness=More time to talk on the phone to your cronies
Car accident=gratitute for insurance
Breakup=Opportunity for growth
Getting Fired=Pick a job I actually enjoy

Anyway, just try and accentuate the positive.

Working to save money, and other scams

So I recently realized that I don't have any money. I am trying to save money, by working of course, but that has not been really effective up until now. Perhaps everyone is going through this and doesn't seem to have a problem, but I thought I'd blog about it anyway.
So I go to work and invest a lot of time. I work hard, and the wage is fair. And I do not live an extravagant lifestyle, but somehow, it all goes to crap I don't really want. Bills, rent, and other inconvieniences. What a pain in the butt.
Well, sorry so short.

Today was the coolest-only warmer.

So today was rad. I got to sleep in, I still got up at a reasonable time, and I spent the day hanging out with the girl, reading, eating good food, and hangin out with good friends. Spring makes bad things good and good things better. I felt more alive today than I have in awhile. Spring seems to do that to me.
I got to play some ultimate frisbee today, and then go for a very short run. I was going to do part of the course with the girl today, but lemme tell you what-that Trina girl is insane quick-she took second in the Triathalon today, doing a 300yd swim, a 4 mile bike ride, and a two mile run in something like 37 minutes. And she says she's out of shape-what does that make me? Dead? I didn't even make it with her at her pace across campus before my body said, "Nice try," and I said to her, "I'm slowing you down-I'll see you at the finish." It was still a good time.
Anyway, what I meant to talk about was my ultimate day. It would be spent much like this one was. I think that if every day started out somewhat wintery and progressed to be as springlike as today was by the early afternoon, I would be so excited to get up every morning that I might never bother going to bed.
So this might be a really lame post that began with an intention to talk about spring, and ended up being an incoherent mess mostly involving me being out of shape, bragging about how the girl I'm dating isn't, and a random BMW photo. Sorry if you feel like you wasted some time. But enjoy the M3 picture. If a car like that can't make you smile, you need some serious therapy.

The beauty in the mire

So I haven't blogged a darn thing in a long time, and some loved ones of mine were giving me some good-natured grief about it the other day, so I thought I'd change my ways and start to blog once more.

So that whole lovely distraction thing is much different than it was...she actually broke up with me on the way to the jazz game. Wow. Candice would have said wow for sure. It was a winner; an evening of awkwardness for the record books, but since it's been long enough, I actually find it quite funny. Jake told me the other day that a tragedy+time=humor. I think it's the truth. The following is a poem I wrote while my little ticker was still sore, and although I no longer feel this way at all, that shouldn't take away from the poem's literary worth. It's amazing how much describing the way you feel about something can give you the strength to let it go.

Here goes:

Yet untitled by 'the Shaner'

I’m blown away
By your apathy
Marveled by your lies
I question my
Own self-interest now
After a thousand tries

You could sell the devil a furnace, girl
Cause you sure pulled one on me
And I don’t know if I’ll ever believe
It’s ‘cause it wasn’t meant to be

You made me believe you really cared
But said everything just right
So you could pretend you’d never dared
To fall in love? Not quite…

I really bought it, all the way
But you took me for a joke
You said “I never loved you.”
And drifted off like smoke

Once you fell you ran away
Embarrassed at the thought
That someone like me could be with you
And love you like I ought.

Although they may have been untrue
The beautiful things you told me
Although it’s all over I just have to say
I’d still love to buy what you sold me

Underwhelmed is all I’ve got
All I can begin to grasp
And if you once more, should come this way
I probably wouldn’t ask
If you had changed you mind at all
Before I jumped back in,
And set myself up to fall a little more
In love with your lies again.

Lovely Distraction

I haven't blogged anything worthwhile for awhile, and I apologize. It's all her fault. I have taken a liking to an adorable girl down in bountiful and have been busy talking to her for hours on end on the phone, burning waffle cones at work daydreaming about her, and wishing class were over with so I could go home, take a nap, then wake up and wonder about her more. I'm really a mess. I should be more levelheaded about this whole thing, but it can be difficult when one is so smitten.

So I was talking with this lovely young lady this evening, and we discussed whether we were people who were more inclined to trust our minds or our feelings. I used to believe that I was someone who was more controled by what I felt than what I thought, but as we got talking, she said that every decision we make is really a combination of both heart and mind. I hadn't thought about it that way before, and I really liked it. She claimed that they must agree for a good decision to be made. What thinkest thou?

More driving Issues

So I've been thinking about my previous post, and I thought to myself, "Self, you should be the solution instead of just the pointer-outer of the problem." So I came up with an idea. Our problem is that people cruise in the left lane. As we all know (Tj likely even more thouroughly than some) that people respond to incentives. What could we do to help people get the idea that they should actually hang out in the right lane? Should we threaten them? Perhaps pass out cookies to right laners? Maybe we could start painting all of the dotted lines at an angle towards the right side of things to ease those folks over there. Well, fellow bloggers, any bright ideas?

Left lane laziness

So I thought I’d take a minute to vent about bad habits that approximately 47% of Utah drivers. Hopefully it won’t take too long.

So I’m driving down to Salt Lake today for a family dinner, and I’m not racing to get there or anything, but I’m moving right along. I can’t even tell you how many times I had to slow down behind some dipcrap poking along in the left lane. You have to pass them in the right lane. It’s the only way around them. You can flash your lights, honk your horn, pretty much anything, and they just cruise along remaining in their ignorant bliss. There could be 3 state troopers with lights flashing, a fire truck with it’s fog horn blowing right behind them, and a clown on a motorcycle in front of them with a big sign on his back that says “Move over nincompoop!” and there they would remain. I think if a truck full of land mines jackknifed and dumped all of it’s contents in the left lane, some of these individuals would remain there, waiting for a cleanup crew to arrive rather than change lanes. All of them must have missed the day in driver’s ed where they discussed that you drive in the RIGHT LANE except to pass. Perhaps they were taught this principle by a dyslexic driver’s ed teacher who got it mixed up. So sad.

Maybe they are just afraid of the uncertainty of the right lane. “What if someone wants to merge?!? Aaack! Could I deal with that? What if I end up behind a Buick and I have to (Gasp) alter my speed? That could be too much!”

I guess it upsets me because I see driving as a dance, and if everyone moves properly, it can be an almost artistic, harmonious experience. It’s a fluid interaction, a series of planned maneuvers and compromises, which can optimize both efficiency and enjoyment. A machine out of many machines. It could be marvelous. But some will never see it that way. They’d rather set the cruise, turn on the DVD player and let the media raise their kids, and somehow take a nap while driving on the interstate.

I'm new at this

Hey everyone, just getting started now, more to follow soon.