the road we're more or less traveling

The (Un)Timely End of Biron Boil

2009-06-29T22:41:00.000-07:00

[A Cathartic Telling of an Undoing]

As all cross country trips should, this one held promise. A fresh start with possible jobs and warmer weather. Michigan had also held promise, living by family and cooler weather. The move to Michigan was still fresh in our minds as we began discussing a move to Phoenix. For the move from California to Michigan, we had hired a moving company that moved all of our stuff for us, and charged us triple what they had estimated for us. We were still sore from the transaction and so decided we would take a different approach. The plan was to sell the majority of our things at a garage sale and buy a cheap pickup off craigslist; hauling whatever was left in that and our little car across the country.

We embraced the idea and were soon digging through all of our things (most of which were still in boxes from our original move to Michigan) to find out what we needed and wanted and what would fit. Soon we had things narrowed down. We were ready to part ways with what felt like most of our stuff! We set up the garage sale and sold things for three consecutive days. We made a healthy profit and felt good about getting rid of a lot of our things! Oh and we bought a truck.

The truck was discovered on Craigslist. It was a 1989 Chevy S-10 for sale for $450 and was blue in color. The truck was nearly an hour and a half away from where we were, so one evening my brother and I went to look at it. I looked at the truck and test drove it. It seemed to run decently enough for the price they were asking so I made the executive decision to purchase the vehicle. On the way home, the truck died in a traffic jam on the highway. The battery seemed to be dead so my brother and I got someone to stop and give it a jump because my brother did not happen to be carrying any jumper cables with him. Well the truck started up with a jump, and I drove it nearly 100 yards before it lost its charge and died again. At this point I figured it must be the alternator so I was content with calling AAA to come and tow me back to the house. I put the battery on a charge and got it to run to Autozone so they could run the free tests to determine if the battery was bad or if it was indeed the alternator. Well, while I was there, a few people looked at it and noticed that the pulley on the serpentine belt had seized up and had basically whittled away half of the pulley and in the process stretched out the belt until it was nearly useless. At that very moment a former Autozone employee named Al came in who just happened to own and work on S-10's frequently. He said he would be willing to take a look at the truck and see what he could do. He ended up working on the truck in the parking lot for nearly two hours. He changed the belt and pulley and discovered that the reason the alternator was not working was actually because the belt was too loose and was not spinning it fast enough. This was great news and saved us many dollars. At the end of everything, Al only asked us for $35 for his work! During this time I learned a lot about the truck including the fact that it was a 2.5 liter, rear wheel drive with no A/C or power steering and the actual name given to the engine for that specific model was the "Iron Duke".

As the trip neared, we were busy sorting and preparing the final cut for what would make it and what would be sold in the garage sale. We had the garage sale, and made all the money back that the truck had cost and then some. Things were looking up. I got the truck licensed and insured and we were ready to be off. We packed the truck full and then the car full, and left for Arizona on the morning of Tuesday, May 12.

We drove through Michigan and through the corner of Indiana before hitting Illinois and the city of Chicago. Tannia and I were using Walkie-Talkie's we had borrowed from my sister Joanna and her husband Matt specifically for the trip. We conversed occasionally, and we were enjoying the beautiful day while driving across the country. I knew the truck was old so I was driving conservatively, barely meeting and rarely surpassing the speed limit. We passed out of Chicago and through Joliet approximately four hours into our twenty-nine hour trip when. . . the truck gave a wicked jolt and seemed to lose some of its power. I got on the horn and asked Ta how she was doing. She said, "fine," but mentioned that she had seen what looked like smoke come out of the exhaust of the truck once or twice. I then responded that I thought there was something wrong. At that very moment, the truck bucked again and began blowing smoke out the exhaust and out from under the hood. Meanwhile Ta could be heard screaming through Walkie-Talkie in the background, "Pull over! You're on fire!!! Smoke's everywhere!"

I quickly pulled over to have a look. As I popped the hood, smoke blew in my face and as it cleared I realized that this problem was not easily solvable. The entire engine was covered in oil and our trip was going to be adjusted. I called AAA for the second time in a few weeks and waited. During the time it took the the tow truck to arrive Tannia and I were able to discuss our options if the truck was ruined, which seemed few, and later proved less than that. During this time, I also gave the truck the nickname Biron Boil which reflected it's engine, "Iron Duke" and the problem it seemed to have, "boiling oil". This breakdown happened at approximately 1:30 P.M. Eastern Time.

The tow truck arrived and loaded poor Biron. I was forced to ride in the tow truck as we had packed the Jetta to maximum capacity with the expectation of only having one person (and pup) in the car. We arrived at the shop and the mechanic came out quickly. He started the truck up and took a look under the hood. It took him approximately 30 seconds to discover the problem. We had blown a piston and the truck was done. Dead. He crossed himself, looked over at me and solemnly said, "She's gone." He then proceeded to offer me $50 dollars for the title so he could sell it to the junkyard. (We happened to have the title with us because we were moving and had everything with us).

Tannia and I then had some decisions to make. I called several car rental companies to price out what it might cost to rent a one way vehicle to Phoenix. We quickly realized it was way out of our price range, and we eventually came to the conclusion that we were going to have to fit what we could in our car, and leave the rest in the small town of Channahon, Illinois.

What happened next was a horrifying and somehow cathartic experience of unpacking, repacking, and decision making. First, we unpacked both vehicles and made piles of things to obviously leave behind and obviously keep, as well as a pile of maybes. This was not as easy as it sounds, simply because we had already gone through this process only days before as we prepared to have the garage sale. This was the "must have" stuff that we had already chosen to keep! Now we went through it all again and made piles. We went through boxes and sorted; the things we were leaving got thrown in the back of Biron Boil, and the things we were keeping were stacked neatly beside the car. It was a moment in life where we were forced to realize the fact that stuff is just stuff. The first time something glass broke as we threw it into the truck, we realized the therapeutic potential and proceeded to unleash emotions with the fling of the arm and the release of fingers. For Ta, it was as liberating and painful as ripping off a band-aid; we agreed once it went into the truck, it did not come back out. She reclaimed a pair of shoes once; I did not say anything. Eventually the sorting was done, the car was filled up beyond capacity and the "maybe" pile had been forced into the "leaving behind" pile. Dusk was quickly moving in as we got the last things loaded into the car. This included Tannia in the passenger seat with things stacked at her feet, our pup on her lap, and bags all around her for what must have been the most uncomfortable road trip she had been on. It took 10 minutes every time we stopped to load her in and out of the car. The last thing we did was to rope and tape our guitar to the roof-rack, and as we were doing that, it began to rain. In that moment we felt that our miserable day was complete, but we were also thankful for the fact that the rain had held off that long.

In the end, we learned a lot about what is important and what is not, both literally and figuratively (Ta still cringes from time to time). It also diminished our desire to acquire treasures where rust and moths destroy, and of course, added to this adventure called life.

A few pictures....

Ian got a job.

2009-01-14T18:16:00.000-08:00

I got a job as a grounds keeper for an apartment complex. I got the call last Friday and started on Monday. So far I have been shoveling snow about 7.5 hours per day. I am very thankful for the opportunity and it arrived at the perfect time for Tannia and I in order to make it. Here is a picture to show the weather and to show some of my handiwork...

Thanks to everyone for your prayers, I apologize for taking so long to update you all but I have been void of energy upon returning home from work so far.

Tannia Employed

2008-12-24T10:24:00.001-08:00

Just a quick note to let you all know that Tannia is now employed. Thank you so much for your prayers. She was given a position at an upper-class restaurant downtown Kalamazoo called the Wine Loft. Here is a link for the restaurant.

If you can't see that link you can copy and paste the one below.

http://www.thewineloft.net/main/

She is excited for the opportunity and starts Monday. I am still searching for anything but one employed is better than none employed! Well thanks again for your comments, thoughts and prayers.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

And congratulations to TANNIA!

Sports Blog Success!

2008-12-20T17:35:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone, lately I have been writing a sports blog for the Indiana Pacers and occasionally the Indianapolis Colts and for my most recent NFL post I was proud of the description I had come up with about the NFL season so I emailed the content of my blog to my favorite sports writer on ESPN.com and he used my information in his article!! I am very excited and so decided to send out the links to both my blog and his article. :)

my sports blog can be found at

http://www.indianapacersnews.com/ianshankster/weblog

his article can be found here...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/081219

Michigan

2008-12-15T18:25:00.000-08:00

Hey all, I am sending out a quick update to let everyone know what is going on with the Shanksters here in Michigan.

Things aren't exactly going smoothly as far as job searches are going. Neither Tannia or I have been able to nail down a job just yet. Tannia has put her name in the ring for substitute teaching but the paper-work has taken weeks to get done and so it doesn't look like she will get an opportunity to start until next semester. We have both gotten one interview but were unable to secure positions. So, keep us in your prayers as far as jobs go if you think of it!

We are trying to keep busy by getting used to winter and living with children. The winter living seems to be the biggest adjustment for us. We are getting acclimated to the snowy roads and wearing warmer clothes! Living with children seems to come pretty naturally for Tannia and myself which is a blessing. Here are a few winter pictures to enjoy...

We love you all and miss those of you who we no longer see!

On the Road...

2008-11-15T20:45:00.000-08:00

Hey blog readers. Two months since my last post lets see what has changed! For starters, we now live in a winter climate! This is going to take some getting used to. Tannia and I have arrived in Portage, Michigan a week and a half of travel.

Before leaving Azusa we had an open house on Sunday, October 23rd where many of our friends showed up bringing well-wishes and blessings as our time in California came to a close. It was a sad and joyous time all wrapped into a few hours!

Then on Tuesday night we were invited to a special going away dinner thrown for us by our close friend Christine Brimacomb. Many of our friends attended and a wonderful harvest-time feast was prepared and devoured! It was another time of great joyful memories and sad goodbyes.

The rest of the week was devoted to packing and seeing a few friends who managed to stop by and help pack. The wonderful Matt Smyles with his beautiful girlfriend Nichole came by on Wednesday night and took us to dinner before helping us pack for our journey.

The Saturday that we were packing our car to leave Azusa it began a torrential downpour the likes of which had not been seen in Azusa in nearly 9 months!

We left Azusa on Saturday, November 1st and drove to Phoenix where we stayed for a week with my mother-in-law, Mama Glen and got to see my brother-in-law John and his lady, Valerie.

And we got to see some friends including, Mike and Ally.

After that first day the storm clouds followed us relentlessly no matter where we drove, in fact, it rained everyday that we traveled, first to Phoenix, then to Oklahoma City where we stayed with the Taussigs for two nights before traveling on to Kansas City and then to Portage, Michigan where we arrived on Tuesday, November 11th at approximately 8 p.m.

Our time in each place was special and fun for different reasons. But we were very blessed by the hospitality and generosity along the way.

Since our arrival on Tuesday night we have been busy in Kalamazoo looking for jobs and trying to get settled. We had a welcoming party Friday night which included a chili cook-off and approximately 30 people + Tannia and myself! (Including infants and children.)

It was very fun and we even found time for some foosball!

Then this morning we made the trip down to Elkhart to meet the whole family including Ralph and Barbara for a breakfast which Matt and Joanna hosted in their home with some delicious cinnamon roles and egg casserole.

We celebrated Tannia and my arrival in the midwest as well as mom's birthday several months late, but before she travels to China on Sunday for a few weeks.

All in all it has been a very eventful past month! It has all gone so fast and yet SO much has happened that the events of a month ago seem much longer ago than that! We are very blessed to be here in Michigan and to have made it safely. Thanks to everyone who helped us and loved us from Azusa to Kalamazoo! (From one zu to another zoo!) We are very blessed to have such a tremendous support group of family and friends.

too soon?

2008-09-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

Is this update coming too soon on the heels of my last update? I think not. haha

Well, to follow in the footsteps of my brother, how is everyone? We are doing quite well here in Azusa. Lets see...whats the latest news...

How about a few pictures instead of several thousand words...

I occasionally take pictures on my phone while I am at work so I will share a few of those as well as some others.

my gator in the shop...

a lotus in the parking lot...

palm trees at sunrise...

the moon at sunrise...

George uprooting a tree on the tractor....

Randy carrying the tree...

and transplanting the tree in a gator haha...

Tannia and myself at her college roommates wedding...

So I guess this is more like a day in the life of Ian Shankster but hope you can enjoy it anyway!

Earthquake!

2008-07-29T18:09:00.001-07:00

Just in case you had heard and were wondering or hadn't heard here is an update on the latest in Southern California.

At around 11:45 this morning an earthquake shook the the Los Angeles area. The epicenter was about 20 minutes southwest of our home and had a 5.4 magnitude which is considered moderate. There have been no major injuries or deaths reported which is great!

On a personal note, both Tannia and myself are doing well. I was home on my lunch break standing in the kitchen making a sandwich when the the earthquake shook the premises. I literally almost fell down as things crashed to the ground around me. Only a few glasses broke as well as a candle holder. The best place I could show what happened was in the bathroom. The mirrors opened and the cabinets attempted to empty themselves into the sink!

When I returned to work we were asked to travel around campus looking for damage to buildings and or water lines. In the main cafeteria on campus some tiles had fallen from the ceiling and there was apparently some structural damage. They were forced to close off the building and put caution tape around it.

A little bit of excitement in our everyday life, so I just wanted to update everyone on what happened here and how we are doing!

Technology and Art

2008-07-13T19:43:00.000-07:00

Who can even believe what technology is doing these days? With more and more gadgets coming out every day it is hard to keep up. The law in California was just changed on July 1st to not allow the use of a cellular phone while driving unless you have a hands-free device so Tannia just got a new Bluetooth device so she doesn't get a ticket on her way to work. I was amazed at how it works. It's basically a cellular phone for your cellular phone. I am a little less thrilled with the name "bluetooth" seems a little obscure but what can you do?

Well, while I was looking up how to use this device I came across a new web browser besides the usual netscape/internet explorer/safari/firefox browsers. This browser is called "Flock" and like any tech junkie I couldn't wait to check it out so I downloaded it and have been exploring it for the last 30 minutes. Flock is actually made by firefox with the difference being that it caters to the web savvy user. It has a constant running sideboard that tells you what your friends are doing on facebook and allows you to contact them with the click of the mouse. It also keeps you logged into your email accounts and for me my blogger page. I click one button and up pops a screen that I can start typing on which will publish my new blog for me! It is crazy! I think this new stuff isn't even for the web savvy so much as the communication over the top savvy. haha.

Enough about all that. Another weekend is coming to a close and what a wonderful extended weekend it was for us. Tannia's mom Dawn came out Wednesday afternoon as I told you in my last blog. We got to go to Laguna to the art festival and it was a WONDERFUL time! My favorite part by far was the actual show called Pageant of the Masters. It went for two hours and consisted of live people recreating famous works of art. I wish I could explain it better....There was a live orchestra and probably 7,000-8,000 people in an amphitheater. There was a narrator who described each piece including background information about the artist and artwork. They even let us see the "backstage process" for a few of the presentations which made it all the more incredible. Here are a few pictures from our weekend! Thank you Mama Glen!

well I guess this is goodbye!

SUMMER.

2008-07-05T16:49:00.000-07:00

This post is to commemorate the fact that as of a few hours ago we are back up and running with internet in our home! Perhaps my blog will be a bit more frequent and if not at least you will get some new information!

Where to begin? Several newsworthy developments have transpired since my last blog. Many of you are already aware of this but Tannia and I have made the decision to move to Kalamazoo, Michigan the first week of November. We are very excited and a little bit nervous about such a big decision as I am sure you can imagine not the least of which is going from this......

to this....
hahahahahahah. And of course this adjustment....
can you find the differences in these two photos?

and WOW!!!...

we are excited for some things hopefully being a bit more reasonable...

We will both look for work and I will be transferring to Western Michigan University and maybe Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Kucheli and Andy have offered us a place to stay in the basement of their home for the time being. We are excited to live close to my family which will be the first time in five years for me (give or take a few summers) and the first time ever for Tannia. We are also looking forward to getting to know our 5, yes FIVE! nieces and nephews a little bit better. Austin, Carter, Sydney, Kennedy and Ava! We appreciate your prayers as we prepare to move across the country.

Well I don't know what else to update everyone on for now. We were very happy to have Inessa come out and visit last week thus completing the cycle of my entire family coming out to California visiting me. We are now looking foward to Tannia's mom Dawn coming next week to visit us. She is taking us to an art show that recreates famous pieces of art using actual people. Here is a link to the website if you are interested. http://foapom.com/ So, that is all the time I have for now. I must catch up on my two online summer courses. Thanks for reading!

HooRah!

2008-04-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

post post post post post. Well lets see, what has been going on for us lately? Too much to write about in one sentence, one paragraph, or even one blog. hahaha. But I'll try anyway.

Several months ago Jeff Beecham invited me to go on a cruise with him through the Caribbean. I discussed it with Tannia and because of the fact that Jeff was offering to pay for my trip we decided that I could hardly say no. Plus what a fun and exciting opportunity to travel and spend a week with Jeff! The cruise departed from Galveston TX and went to Jamaica, Grand Cayman Island,
and Cozumel, Mexico.
I had never been on a cruise before and Tannia wasn't sure if she would want to go on one because of the motion in the ocean. So we decide I would go on the cruise. Turns out it was pretty fun there were monkeys playing in our room and stingrayson our bed! haha.

Well the first Saturday I was gone Tannia got in a car accident which totaled her Ford Focus. The master cylinder went out as she was taking an exit off of the 10 Freeway and she hit the concrete median breaking the axle and suspension on the car. She was very blessed to leave the scene unhurt except for some minor soreness the following days. I had just arrived in Houston when I got a tearful call from her standing on the side of the road. Talk about a bad start to a trip with out my wife! I obviously felt guilty for being gone but she assured me things would be ok and that I should continue with my trip as planned. Later that afternoon she told me that her mom was driving out from Phoenix and was spending the remainder of the weekend with her which was such a huge blessing.

Meanwhile, on the cruise, I didn't have access to the phone or internet with out paying outrageous prices so I was left to wonder how everything was going. Tannia was surviving with a rental car but having a hard time finding time to look for a new car to buy. Anyway, she was ready for me to be home when I finally arrived. And I was also very, very ready!

So, when I got home, we car searched for several days and then our prayers were answered when we found a black Jetta in our price range with only 50,000 miles and one owner. We bought it from a private owner and are very blessed.

With all that out of the way we are getting ready for summer. Hard to believe we're only two weeks away from being married for a year! We have both agreed that (so far) it has been the best year of our lives!!

Oh, and we went to the circus this last weekend! Tannia got tickets through her work so we went along with four of our friends. It was a fun and interesting time. I hadn't been since the fifth grade with my class. We noticed quite a few differences from our childhood memories to viewing it as an adult. Animal cruelty? The acts seemed a little smaller than we remembered. The most incredible act reminded me of a movie called "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken" anyway at some point in that movie a guy rides his dirt bike around inside an iron cage. Well at the circus FOUR guys rode dirt bikes inside of one iron cage! It was fun and scary.

SERIOUSLY!

2008-02-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

I bet no one saw this coming! I have finally decided to update the blog again. I guess Thanksgiving was a long time ago. For anyone who has been wondering what is going on in our life I am sorry. Anywhoo, here is a quick update! Life hasn't exactly slowed down for Tannia and I lately. We completed nine months of marriage last week and couldn't be happier!

I joined an intramural soccer and basketball team and have games every tuesday and thursday night. It has been a blast so far. Tannia is enjoying her job more and more and is getting more and more responsibility which is great. I asked Tannia to take some pictures of me playing soccer but the lighting and equipment was less than adequate so this is what we came up with.

Last weekend we drove to Bend, Oregon to visit our newly married friends Tom and Jessica Monson. It was a twelve hour drive but definitely worth it to get out of Southern California and take a fun little trip together.

So there you have some insight to some of our latest excursions. I know without the pictures this would be super short but if you think about it as each picture being a thousand words you can't really complain now can you? More soon.

ctw❤

Azusa: Where Shanksgiving Happens!

2007-11-23T18:55:00.000-08:00

FIRST OF ALL:
ok, because this post has so many pictures, and in honor of the NBA commercials that have different pictures and a caption that says "Where __________ happens" the blank is filled in depending on what the picture is of and their ultimate campaign slogan is [the NBA]: "Where amazing happens." ....so, if anyone followed that, almost all of these pictures were taken in our apt. or very near it so the campaign slogan for this blog is [The Shankster's Apartment]: Where _________ happens.

Enjoy.

well...with a month gone by since i last posted i figure it must be about time. Thanksgiving break has finally offered me a moment to relax and therefore, to update! School figures to slow down a little bit these last two weeks before finals. I had papers and exams due in all of my classes over these last two weeks. WHEW! Well with so much to talk about, lets get to it...

First there was Halloween!

Where pumkins happen.

Then, what a blast to have Joanna and Kennedy out here for a week! and just for the record, I took 22 pictures of kennedy and because of her amazing instincts and reflexes, along with the way my camera flash works, she has her eyes closed or nearly closed in approximately 75% of the pictures. bummer

Where flash happens.

Where laughter happens.

Where learning happens.

Where happiness happens.

Where wanting more happens.

followed by our six month anniversary!!!! (I had two papers due the next day, so we quickly went to dinner at our favorite Thai food place; Siam Palace, before i proceeded to stay up the majority of the night finishing the papers.)

Where drinking water happens.

Where anniversary happens.

followed by mama glen arriving for the weekend!!

Where Mama Glen happens.

which of course meant tons of treats, a few early christmas presents, and even a new stove!!! (our old one hadn't been working so well and was leaking gas so she politely asked management to take care of the problem and they responded promptly)

Where old stoves happen.

Where new stoves happen.

Then, THANKSGIVING! We missed our families but Tannia made a wonderful assortment of thanksgiving dishes. we had a FEAST!

Where good food happens.

we had fun making a turkey with our hands.

Where hand turkeys happen.

Where carving a turkey happens.

Where goofing off happens.

and we have pretty flowers that tannia recieved from one of her clients. yay!

Where beauty happens.

Give it up for 1181 E. Hollyvale St. Apt 20!

Where life happens.

CTW♥

the hills of los angeles are burning

2007-10-23T21:18:00.000-07:00

hey all. Just wanted to send a quick update to let you all know that the fires are not near us here in Azusa. Well I mean we have one on either side of us approximately 30 minutes each way but they don't appear to be threatening to us. Unlike the fires four years ago which were visible from my balcony and left our cars covered in ash the only evidence we have of the fires is the smoke blotting out the sun. We are very thankful. There are or have been 17 reported fires in the area from San Diego to North Los Angeles since Sunday.

OK...I guess I will counter that news with the results of a test I got back today for my Philosophy class. -0. 100%. A+. Hooray!
Also, Joanna and Kennedy booked their flight and they will be coming to visit us on Nov. 3rd. We are so very excited. Alright well, I need to do some homework.

Enjoy the rest of your week!
CTW❤

bus ride.

2007-10-14T21:06:00.001-07:00

well i know this is short notice but there is a story i've been meaning to tell that i have forgotten for quite a while. it is not exactly a specific story but you'll get the idea soon enough.

I have been taking the bus to work at the guys house that I work for a few days a week. While this isn't something extraordinary it is a very unique learning experience.

I was pretty nervous the first time I was supposed to ride it. Tannia and I looked up the route and times online and "planned my trip." We found it it would only cost me a dollar and I wouldn't even have to switch buses. It is approximately four and a half miles and the travel time is twenty-one minutes. I have taken the subway in New York before which is a lot less similar than you might imagine.

The subway seems so busy and big. I think that would be the number one difference. It seems so impersonal on the subway. There are a lot of cars and the people you are waiting with are larger in number and there is a good chance that they won't even be in the same car with you. However, on a bus you only wait with two or three people usually and you ride the same bus and everyone is in a small space.

I've come to decide I could write a book about my trips on the bus. It seems that every time I ride the bus something interesting happens whether big or small. For example, a few weeks ago the bus driver was apparently new and he missed one of the two turns he has on the route. Immediately an autistic man behind me yelled out, "Bus driver, bus driver, you missed your turn! You were supposed to turn on Citrus!" It turned into quite an affair as the people were yelling at him and he didn't know what to do, if he should turn the bus around or not so we sat on the side of the road and he called in to apparently check on what to do. After fifteen minutes a woman in the back walked up to the front and told the bus driver to just continue on because the road curved and met back up with the correct route. He decided this advice was good enough and took off after dropping off the people whose stops he had missed. He had missed three stops total. I am not sure what happened but before I got to my stop he spent another ten minutes on the phone at another stop. For those of you not math majors, I arrived about twenty-five minutes late to my destination. This is just one story of many.

October

2007-10-04T19:38:00.000-07:00

Well, the month of October is upon us! I haven't updated in a while and I'm getting some complaints from my readers so, here goes.

For the first and most exciting news...One of Tannia's three bosses quit last month and the company decided to fill the position in-house with two people. Tannia heard about the job and grabbed an application immediately. Over these last two weeks she has been involved in the interview process along with five other people. She found out yesterday morning that she was one of the two picked for the positions!!!!!! This will give her a more administrative role rather than working in the field and will give her a much more consistant work schedule. She will move from hourly pay to salary which is also nice. I am very, very excited for her and proud of her. She has barely been working there four months and it tells me she must have made some kind of impression in these first four months. So, over the next several weeks they will be phasing her out of the majority of her clients and into her new role. HOW EXCITING!!

School is going well. This week has been very busy as most of my classes have had exams or are going to have exams next week. So I am staying busy reading and studying etc. here is the latest poem I wrote in class.

For all thats hidden but not lost
A life thats not yet lived
Oh to awaken but at what cost
My own life must be gived

The truth thats hidden so deep inside
A secret hard to keep
The desire in all not to hide
But openly be his sheep

The world around calls out "fit in"
And don't be true to truth
But Jesus himself says "it's sin"
Whether child adult or youth

So the battle rages inside our mind
For we who are the youth
Do we become who Jesus hopes to find
Or do we calmly run from truth.

I think that even though this update isn't that long the fact that I've included a poem means I can take it easy. Hopefully my next update will be soon.

thanks for reading and if you can remember; go ahead and change the world.

school has started.

2007-09-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

first of all...how bout them colts?!

last weekend before school started tannia and i did several things that were fun; on saturday we went to a wedding on a yacht in newport harbor. it was a gorgeous day and so turned out to be a great time. here is a picture or two. (enjoy my boating terms!)

here is a picture taken from the starboard.

the actual ceremony took place aft, on the second of four levels.

this picture was taken at the bow.

and finally a picture taken from the port.

here is one just for fun.

and a random shot of the yacht and ceremony seating before it started.

then on we decided to try to get away for our vacation which was labor day. so we headed up to santa barbara which is approx. two hours and twenty-one minutes northwest of our home in azusa. santa barbara is a coastal college town located among the foothills and south of big sur and north of LA. it was a quiet and peaceful day we walked around looking at shops and sitting on the beach which was a wonderful escape from the everyday humdrum that we usually have. so yes, that was nice.
and a picture.

we also met a small boy while on the beach and i played with some driftwood with him. he was very cute.

and here we are so cute on the beach.

(as always you can click on the pictures to see a larger version.)

tuesday i was back to work for one final day and wednesday classes started! YAY...

it is now the weekend and i believe that i have my classes sorted out after adding an extra class and switching professors and times for another class things seemed to have settled down. here is my current schedule.

Chapel 9:35-10:30 a.m. M-W-F

Creative Writing: Poetry 11:50a.m.-12:45p.m. M-W-F

Theology of the Christian Life 2:10-3:05 p.m. M-W-F

American Sign Language 3:15-4:10 p.m. M-W-F

I&II Samuel 7:30-10:30 p.m. M

Fitness for Life: Basketball 8:05-9:00 a.m. T-R

Introduction to Philosophy 9:45-11:10 a.m. T-R

so there you have it. that is about all i have for an update right now. thanks so much for reading.

summer concluding...

2007-08-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

as this rainless summer draws to a close i can't help but miss thunderstorms, clouds, lightning, strong wind, and RAIN! my oh my the heat appears neverending but there is always tomorrow! (which is supposed to be 107)

several weeks ago Tannia had a summer-fun day at work on saturday and so we both went and (wo/)manned an arts and crafts booth for the kids to enjoy. it was a lot of fun for me getting to see a few of Tannia's clients and gain some understanding as to what her days are filled with. it was a cowboy themed day and they had all sorts of things set up for the kids to do so they could get out of their "comfort zones" so to speak. Tannia does a wonderful job with the kids and they seem to love her. Here is a picture of her with one of her clients and his little brother. And another of Tannia working the crafts booth, also there is one of a boy playing in the sprinkler that Tannia and I duck taped so that it would work.

and here is one of us.

two weekends ago tannia and I signed up to help in the childrens nursery at church so we will be going to the nine a.m. service and then helping during the eleven a.m. service. we are both pretty excited to start.

last weekend we went on a double date with Jon and Danielle Foley. They live in the same apt. complex as us and just got married on July 29th. I have been friends with Jon since I first moved to California, he was one of my first roomates. In fact I was the best man in his wedding. anyway, we are very excited to have them living so close. We had them over for dinner then went to a movie! it was great, our first double date with another married couple!

This weekend is move - in weekend so the campus will be aglow with social interaction, teary-eyed mothers, stoic fathers, eager-nervous freshman, older-wiser sophmores, bored juniors, and annoyed seniors. And most pertinent to myself...TRASH EVERYWHERE which I will be paid to pick up. Everyone is requested to work Saturday and Sunday this weekend because of the amount of people coming in.

I don't believe I have mentioned it so congratulations to Andrew and Kucheli for 10 years of marriage! And then just a week ago, HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUSTIN! he is now six years old and starting the first grade, how incredible. so, i'll leave you with this my most recent picture of him. (and his mom, brother, and sister)

and now...

2007-07-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

August 5th. we have reached the two-third point of summer and i must say i am looking forward to starting school again on september fifth. work is going well it is just wearing me a out a litle bit. I am still working full time at APU and I have started a second job about ten minutes away working a few days a week (usually about 10-15 hours) for a gentleman who is paralyzed. I do odd jobs around his house. Our most recent project is replacing the plywood on his garage doors. Anyway, it is a very interesting job and one that I enjoy for the most part. A few nights I get home at eight or so and I am very exhausted having spent 13 hours doing manual labor in the sun but i am still blessed to have the opportunity.

it is still very hot here in Azusa, we haven't seen rain in months and continue to be in a city declared, water conserving state of drought. Tannia's job continues to pick up as she is getting a few new clients every couple of weeks. I can't believe how long it has been since we flew out to indiana! we are finally settled into our home and several weeks ago we had a barbeque/open house that about 15 of our friends attended. it was very fun.

the last two weekends have been filled with weddings. Last weekend I was the best man in Jon Foley's wedding which was here in southern california so my whole weekend from friday when i got off work until sunday evening around eleven o'clock was completely filled and I actually never made it back to our apartment. Tannia helped out by doing the bride's hair and several of the bridesmaids as well before the wedding and she also ran people around all weekend for them. Then this weekend our friend Tom got married in Kansas City MO which was another wedding i was in and this time Tannia was also in it it which was fun. We left on thursday and returned home this morning. it was a fun, quick trip. this concludes for us what has become 'the summer of weddings' I guess we are just at "that" age.
other than that not too much new has been going on. We are still thoroughly enjoying married life which is a blessing!

-a special mention of congratulations to jordan for getting his driver's license this past week! how exciting!
-and a special prayer request; please keep Tannia's brother (John) in your prayers as he has been battling some health problems recently.

well thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed the break since the last update. (haha) here a few pictures from our barbeque and tom's wedding.

Married life

2007-06-10T14:29:00.000-07:00

things are going well for the newly married couple here in azusa. tannia and i have both started our jobs and we both really like them. i have returned to basically my old position as groundskeeper at Azusa Pacific University. i work monday thru friday 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. doing mostly irrigation work. tannia works in pasadena as a developmental interventionist or a play therapist. she works in home with disabled, low functioning children. The only downside is that I leave before six every morning and she doesn't get home until after six every evening unless a client cancels so we are forced to be apart for at least twelve hours everyday! oh the trajedy. but seriously, we are very thankful for our jobs and for the fact that we enjoy them. well i know this is a short update but i spent most of my time working on this video from the honeymoon. enjoy.

from what i understand some of you couldn't get the video to work...sorry about that and now it should be fine.

New and Improved!

2007-05-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

OK, this must be short because my wife and I are trying to move into our new apartment and it is a little stressful but I wanted to give everyone a little clue as to what is going on here. I also wanted to post my first blog as a married man. As you look around you might notice a few changes that I have made to incorporate my wife into this blog!

First of all, thanks to everyone for coming to our wedding! We couldn't have been happier with how it went and turned out! Everyone played a part in it but a specific thanks goes to my mother-in-law Dawn Glen.

The honeymoon was fantastic, here a few pictures with more to follow once we get some more pictures back. We did many great things during our eight day trip to the Riviera Maya on the Carribean in Mexico. It was pefect.

the banner on our door when we arrived (it says honeymooners)

what we did upon arrival (put our feet up)

we rented a jeep for one day and did a day trip (shopping/sightseeing)

scenery (scenery)

the man who was trying to take a picture of us (with the camera backwards)

what he was actually trying to take a picture of (the honeymooners!!!)

And last but not least, thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes, I know you are all probably worn out from congratulating and well-wishing us with graduations, birthdays, weddings and more birthdays but we sincerely appreciate it. Thanks.

Pictures!

2007-05-08T14:50:00.000-07:00

Well....I am now moved in almost completely into our new apartment. Tannia is still in her old apt. We now have, a fridge, a microwave, a kitchen table and chairs, an endtable, a coffee table, an eight foot 1950's japanese couch, a smaller two person couch, and a futon mattress. Here are pictures from Tannia's graduation, and other assorted photos. Today is her birthday so a few from that as well...enjoy.

Tannia graduated from the Honors College as well as the National Honor Society for Psychology (top 10% in the nation)

Who just graduated? TANNIA!!

Mama Glen, so proud of her daughter!

Proud husband (to be).

The crew, Dawn, Tannia, Ian, Lindsey and Trever.

Tannia, Lindsey and Ally...roomates.

Tannia's gifts to her mom for four years of love and support which include, a still life painting and an Azusa Pacific University Mom shirt. Her mom got her a SEWING MACHINE as a graduation gift.

Tannia's birthday!

My birthday gift to Tannia. A painting titled "with hints of things to come".

Alright, enjoy the pictures and I can't wait to see everyone out here for the wedding!!!!!!!! Oh, and these last pictures were all taken in our new apartment!!!....and yes, Tannia painted the still life painting and I painted the one in the last picture.

Home

2007-05-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

Great News! Tannia and I recieved a call today that we will have an apartment and we get it as soon as Saturday which is fantastic. First of all this will allow us to begin the moving process before our wedding, and secondly, I will have a place to live for the next week and a place to put up my groomsmen who are coming from all over! We actually got to walk through the apartment today which has yet to be painted and have the carpet cleaned but other than that it is ready for us to move in. It was a very exciting moment for us, makes everything seem even MORE real.

On a separate note, I got a call from Onnawa today who told me that her husband's cousin is graduating from APU on Saturday and so they will be here to watch and see Tannia's graduation so that will be fun.

Down to a week and a half until I get married...HIP HIP HOORAY! haha.

School is definitely winding down, I have a final for my health class tomorrow morning at 9:45 and then I have to meet for my last class of Comparative Family Systems even though we don't actually have a final. That is tomorrow at 12:15. After that I am completely done. Finished. And the summer awaits.

speaking of summer: how about the (incidental?) color coordination in this photo of a summer long past.

we have kristina, tyson, alex, jenny, katie, jordan, marissa, and myself from left to right. cousins. how about the purple and teal. apparently jordan and alex missed the memo. haha

and while we are talking about memo's I was recently sent an email mentioning that my five year high school reunion is this summer! Not to mention the fact that Jordan is turning 21, Kucheli will celebrate ten years of marriage, Joanna has a daughter, and Inessa will celebrate her birthday on 07-07-07. I guess time passes.

and so it goes....

16 Days

2007-04-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

well...it's friday. I have one class left this afternoon and then five finals next week and that is it for my first year at Azusa Pacific University. And speaking of completing things...i have 16 days until I complete my life as a single male. WOW! I am actually beyond excited at this point, ecstatic would be a good way to put it. So much to think about! This last sunday tannia and I completed our six weeks of pre-marital counseling with our mentor couple. It was a great time getting to know them and learning a lot. Brian and Lindsey Willmer. Brian is currently the professor for the health class that Tannia and i are in which is how we met him. One day in class he mentioned that his wife and him love to do pre-marital counseling especially in the spring so they had asked their pastor around february if their were any couples who wanted mentoring but he had none! So, after class we decided we should ask him and the rest is history!

As far as finals, I have two hard ones on monday...one take home for wednesday, and two easy ones on thursday! and that is it! I am no sure of Tannia's schedule but I assume hers is a little bit more difficult due to the fact that she is GRADUATING! So for those of you that did not previously know this, our month of May is pretty full of important events: May 5th Tannia graduates, May 8th, Tannia turns 22, May 13th, Ian and Tannia get married, May 23rd, Ian turns 24! wow...

so, in what seems to be becoming a tradition, I will now include a picture...hold on, I need to look through my pictures...
ahh yes...here is one which prominently features Inessa...i think it speaks for itself as to why i chose it.

comments

2007-04-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

This post is to thank all those who have left comments on my page. I sincerely appreciate each and every comment that I recieve. Comments allow me to understand how I am connecting to the reader and what they feel about the my writings. Comments can improve my self confidence greatly when used correctly. So just to let you all know who has been commenting on my blog lately (or ever), here is a list of everyone that has left a comment for me and I would like to tell each one of you thanks!
Thanks to:
Aaron and Nichole,
Inessa,
Uncle Andy,
Andy B.,
Kucheli,
Joanna,
Jason,
Justinlittle,
Mom,
John,
Jordan,
and with the most comments...Tannia Janette!

So, if any of you would like to see your name appear at some point in my blog...you know what to do.

And now...

a picture to brighten everyone's day.

This picture I believe is from July 7, 1994 which is also Inessa's 13th birthday! The picture was taken at the top of the St. Louis Arch. How bout those memories! That is quite a crew.

my school only has next week, then finals and thats it. After that I might be able to find something to do as I prepare to get married! Tannia and I are still trying to finalize our search for an apartment. We would really appreciate your prayers on this matter as we are finding it a bit more difficult than we first thought and are trying to come up with the deposit and rent etc. Other than that things seem to be sailing along smoothly here in southern california. I hope this update finds each of you blessed.

here!

2007-04-07T23:27:00.000-07:00

um...well here is an update of sorts. Tannia found out on thursday that she got the job! We are very excited and want to say thanks for the prayers. She will start May 29th after we return from our honeymoon. They have offered her above the normal starting pay rate which is great and have also agreed to give her the time off in june when we will be traveling to indiana for our reception there.

I will also include this picture of a young kucheli in honor of her birthday recently passing.

ya'll must understand that this update comes at a late hour on a fine saturday evening before easter! ok. goodnight.

quick update

2007-03-24T15:50:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for caring and praying for Tannia's interview. It went very well. The lady told her that she had to finish the application process (ie call Tannia's references etc) and then she would get back to her but basically unnofficially offered her the job!!! We are very excited and thankful for this opportunity. We will update you all with more information as we learn it.

In other news tannia and I got the last few things finalized for our wedding today. We picked out chairs to rent for the ceremony on the beach etc. I believe it is just seven weeks from tomorrow but hey, who's counting? haha.

-end-

double the fun

2007-03-17T20:48:00.000-07:00

WOW...I even upgraded my template. I hope the new look doesn't overwhelm you but just makes everything seem a bit better. enjoy

confusion

2007-03-17T18:35:00.000-07:00

apparently my last post with picture has caused some confusion...this should straighten everything out.

I got my lip pierced. thats right, despite all the growing up i've done in the last few years there does still seem to be a little bit of the wild impulsive ian still down in there somewhere. To further clear things up I also am wearing new earrings in the photo.
and now to let you see my new earrings, my new lip ring, and my new hair cut...i will now give you TWO pictures!

as you can see this first picture is just one of me smiling. i believe it shows my new haircut earrings and lip ring and even my nice smile. hehe...anyway now you know that my new lip ring doesn't overpower my face.

the second picture is just a funny picture. a little bit sillier. you know. hehe haha...silly willy. this one shows my lip ring from an almost distorted angle and creates the idea that I am being silly. ok enough i'm sorry...on to the more serious issues facing IAN SHANKSTER...

I have a 20 page paper due on March 28th. I have started working...right about 21 hours per week. My schedule: Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday, 10pm - 1am and Tuesday, Thursday, 3pm - 9pm. So far I have enjoyed it even though it has been quite an adjustment trying to stay rested and up on my classes.

Tannia had an interview on Wednesday of last week with a potential employer that went very well. They called her back for a second interview on Thursday, March 22nd at 1pm PT. This job would benefit our future greatly as Tannia is trying to find a job that could support us while I finish school. This one, logistically, would be perfect. We do want whatever God has for us so if you (whoever reads this) would pray for us we would definitely appreciate it.

i must work on my paper now. ...here is a picture of tannia and her watercolor painting she is working on...enjoy

and remember...you can click on the picture to enlarge it.

the new addition

2007-03-10T16:12:00.000-08:00

yesterday i aquired a new addition to my face. check it out.

click on the picture for a larger image.

the end of the week as we know it...

2007-03-09T00:25:00.000-08:00

...and i feel tired.

Just finished my first night of work. this could be more difficult than I thought. waking up at seven thirty going to a few classes then starting work at 4 p.m. and finishing at 12 a.m. so yeah. anyway...i took out people's trash from different offices for the first 5 hours and then vacuumed and cleaned classrooms for the last 3. interesting and tiring.

lets see...something exciting...oh yeah! i bought swim trunks today in preparation for my honeymoon. yes, quite exciting. thank you target. i think that is about it. I have class tomorrow morning at 8:20 so i'm starting to think I should crawl into bed.

Kucheli came out last weekend or the weekend before...we had a blast! She brought Sydney which was nice for me because I haven't been able to see her very much at all...now we just need to get kennedy out here. YAY...i guess i'll have to wait two months. Oh yeah...we got all our invitations sent out yesterday so you can start looking for those in a week or so. that was quite an adventure due to the fact that we handmade each and every one of them. that was a fantastic three week endeavor. but honestly...it was pretty fun and I got to spend a lot of quality time with tannia, as well as, kucheli and tannia's roomate lindsey. well...my time is up for my teeth whitener stip things...i'm going to bed...enjoy your weekend

Presidents Day Weekend

2007-02-17T18:05:00.000-08:00

with friday and monday off of school i feel as though i must make this entry rather informal. tannia and i are heading to phoenix in just under an hour to see her mom and help her out around the house as she recently spent some time in the hospital. it will be nice to get away from azusa for a short while. the trip to phoenix takes approx. five hours and has become very familiar over the last two years. actually, it was two years ago this weekend that I first made the trip to phoenix. tannia, myself and her two roomates headed out. wow, i didn't realize. so, the countdown is under three months now until my wedding day. how exciting.

jordan, my brother. so sorry to hear about your mishap. I must say I know how you feel as it was about one year ago (almost exactly) that I broke my foot and was on workers comp for almost four weeks. I traveled to oklahoma during that time and visited the taussigs. and then spoke in senior chapel at APU. well i guess this entry is less an update and more a time for me to reminisce. i do say that is alright.

the wedding buzz is really starting to pick up as I am hustling to get my guys fitted for tuxedos and almost daily i am talking to people about airports and los angeles. i think perhaps the week of my wedding will be a little chaotic as i try to manage my time. tannia and i will be moving somewhere (new leads on that by the way), i will be trying to entertain friends while not putting to much stress on the most important relationship, etc etc. as far as the new leads for housing goes, i just talked to a close friend of mine who lives in some of the most inexpensive (a positive thing) apartments that are still close to the school and they are moving out in May and we might be able to sign over their lease. that is all the time i have for this one. hopefully more soon enough.

slowly...a trendbreaking title

2007-02-14T12:10:00.000-08:00

I've noticed that the theme of my last several blogs has been a lack of time so I decided to sit down and type a little while I have a good amount of time. I hope that doesn't scare you away. haha. I typically have a break right now between classes and don't go back until one p.m. but I usually spend this time reading for my one o'clock class (intro to journalism) quiz. But today, my journalism class has been canceled so I am happily relaxing and updating this little blog.
Oh, I almost forgot, today is valentines day. The significance of course is that I have a special someone. Sweet Sweet Tannia recieved an early present last night which was a necklace. (very beautiful) Tonight we have plans to hang out a little bit. Yeah valentines day.
On to the next topic...hmm. I have been offered two positions here on campus, one as an evening custodian who would vacuum classrooms and take the trash out of them. The other as a "chef" in one of the on campus eating joints. I am currently deciding which will suit my schedule better as well as finding out which will give me more hours. I am excited to be able to work on campus because it will be a very easy commute. My hope is to get 20-25 hours per week.
Kucheli is coming out here with Sydney in a week from tomorrow. That does seem quite exciting to me. Tannia and I are definitely looking forward to showing her Azusa. This will take some time as it has "everything from 'A' to 'Z' in the USA."

South Africa:
Tannia and I have decided not to try to go this fall. We were very excited about the possibility but after attending a meeting going over the logistics we have decided that we will probably not go. The prospect of being in such tight quarters with fourty others during the first few months of our marriage with up to three weeks where we would be forced to sleep in separate areas, i suppose you can understand our hesitation. The possibility is still there for the spring semester though so we will be praying about that.
I think this update includes enough information for today. so, enjoy your valentines day but don't buy into the commercialism aspect too much. Just be a little bit more intentional about your love today. ok...advice from me. haha.

time is short

2007-02-06T22:08:00.000-08:00

well I have feeling this blog will be fairly random. the premise of this blog is; i am waiting for my sheets and comforter to dry so i can return them to their rightful place on my mattress. i thought they were done earlier but to my chagrin i discovered after bringing them to my room that they were, in fact, still wet. so my bed time must wait an extra thirty minutes. the blessing in disguise?...now you know about it.
i am listening to "Rock'n Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" not by choice as it is coming from a room six doors down. life in the freshman dorms.
i was handed three dollars earlier while sitting at a table outside enjoying my dinner (and the beautiful weather) at around 7:00p.m. in case you are wondering, my dinner consisted of a double cheeseburger, side salad, and fruit salad from the world famous Cougar's Den eatery. anyway, i was enjoying the weather and the company (tannia) when a young woman handed me three dollars that were apparently sitting on the ground next to my table and said "is this yours?" i politely responded, "no." but she gave it to me anyway due to the fact that there was no one else around. so, as i'm typing this i have a much heavier pocket than i did earlier today.
even though i regularly wash my bedding, the reason i washed my sheets and comforter this specific time is because i am just recovering from quite a little bout with a chest/head cold. so, to maintain good health and snuggle a little softer this evening i chose to spend the $1.50.
speaking of random...
super bowl champions has a nice ring to it. i am in shock. its all so surreal. happened so fast. luckily i can bask until august. you know, kinda soak it in.
well, i titled this post what i did for a reason.
good night

quickly

2007-01-29T14:05:00.000-08:00

As I shuffle from my Journalism class to my Luke/Acts class I find myself with a little bit of time to update. Things in So-Cal are going well. January is almost complete which means we are already one twelfth of the way through 2007. Mind-boggling. School is already proved it's point to me that I must stay dedicated or it will be easy to fall behind. Radioshack has invited me in to interview which will probably take place this thursday. Tannia and I are taking a pre-marital course at our church which takes place on Saturday mornings from 9 -12. I guess I don't really have much to report. The Colts are heading to the SB, I almost don't know how to feel...for as long as I can remember this has been what we have worked for and wanted and finally its a reality. I just hope the team doesn't get satisfied with making it too the super bowl and decides to whup on the bears in XLI.
And now...its off to class for me. Luke/Acts is one of my favorite classes. The teacher is young, brilliant and funny. A pretty powerful combination when it comes to professors. This however is matched (and perhaps exceeded) by my Life and Teachings professor who is old, wise and funny. So, there a quick glimpse into my Monday.

A little early perhaps...

2007-01-20T19:32:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, what could I possibly have to write about with not even a week passing since my last entry. Haha...well lets see what I can come up with.
My classes this semester are Life and Teachings of Jesus (an in depth look at Jesus' ministry as recorded in the gospels), Luke/Acts (an introduction to the New Testament), Introduction to Journalism (self-explanatory), Health (see Intro to Journalism), and Comparative Family Systems (a sociology class that looks at marriage and family). It is an amazing schedule that I am incredibly excited about. I look forward to each class that I go to. The only class that I didn't specifically want to be in this semester was Health but Tannia is taking it with me which makes it a lot more enticing. So my classes are enjoyable but also incredibly challenging. I must read for several classes every night in order to keep up. But again, the reading is very interesting and thought provoking which makes each book a lot easier to pick up even though I'd rather be spending time with the guys on my hall or with sweet, sweet, Tannia.

Speaking of sweet, sweet, Tannia, we went to our first pre-marital class at our church this morning. It was the first in a series of five classes. It was very interesting and I feel like it will have a very positive influence on our relationship as we creep ever closer to May 13th (and by creep I mean FLY!). How exciting. I don't really have an update on anything as far as our plans after marriage. We are exploring possibilities of living/working/schooling in South Africa for the fall semester. We have learned that there is a position for a female Resident Director at the South Africa campus and so are looking into that position for Tannia as I would continue my schooling. That is just one thing. I am continuing to search for a summer (or beyond) home/apt. for us.

Well, I suppose that is the latest information to update ya'll with. I hope it is fun and interesting for you to read. And now, as always back to my homework. Oh, and GO COLTS!

finally...eh?

2007-01-14T15:05:00.000-08:00

Another day another post. Or should I say another month, another post. hah. Classes have started and school is back in full swing. We get all classes off tomorrow to celebrate MLK Jr. Tannia and I will be finalizing the tuxedo situation for the wedding. Speaking of the wedding. Only four months from yesterday in case you are looking for a countdown. Since returning to school I have been going to bed very early due to the fact that I returned from break feeling even more exhausted than when I left. I would say that all my travels over Christmas break were definitely worth it though as I got to see family and friends all over the country.

here is my journey in photos!

Christmas at Mama Glen's house.

Christmas day at Grandma Shankster's house.

Carter with baby sister Sydney.

Cousin Katie with my nieces Kennedy and Sydney.

Whole family at Taussig's house.

Uncle Andy taking the picture.

Tannia and my lucky self.

holidays...relaxing? maybe...

2006-12-19T14:16:00.000-08:00

First, I would like to comment on my last blog...apparently some people have read my last post and came to the conclusion that I don't like being engaged. This is entirely false and I would like to apologize for any misconceptions that I might have created. I simply meant that while it is so exciting to be engaged there are a lot of hoops you have to jump through to briing everything together for a wedding!

Second...I am home for a very short period of time in which I would like to see friends, family, and friends. So far, so good. I have been able to spend quality time with my family for sure but not all my friends have been around just yet. well...tannia if you read this...i miss you and wish you were here! I can't think of much else to talk about and mom just got home from work. ...oh and please feel free to leave comments...(on the subject matter or not)

blogless

2006-12-03T17:04:00.000-08:00

Two weeks have passed and I am still engaged. The date we have selected is May 13th. Sunday morning, Mothers day. Another exciting aspect is that it will probably be on the beach!

Being engaged is like getting handed a check for $100,000. You get really super excited and then you look closely and realize that you can only cash it at a certain bank which happens to require a six month training program/obstacle course before you can cash any checks! Wow, that kinda ended up sounding negative. haha. Anyway...as is usually the case, I am writing this blog in an effort to procrastinate on my 14 page paper which is due tomorrow at 11:45 a.m. So, I must return to my paper.

engaged now

2006-11-21T00:39:00.000-08:00

well...at the tender age of 23. i am a fiance with intent to husband. so, here are pictures. I flew her to san francisco then drove to berkley and to indian rock which the first two pictures are from. we had lunch there then drove down the coast just south of monterey to big sur and hiked a path to the beach where we arrived at sunset! where I proceeded to propose and sweet sweet tannia said yes!

coffee and homework

2006-11-13T22:08:00.000-08:00

surprise! i am posting again. well according to joe dirt "home is where you make it," so, here i am trying to make my home in the freshman, all guys dorm, known as Smith Hall. I've included a picture of this place on move in weekend. The theme for the year in case you can't gather it from the picture is MANLAND! exciting, i know. so...school is school. as professor hauge would say, "it is what it is." I must be diligent. I am learning such things as calendars and planning and setting aside times and places for homework instead of just waiting til the last minute and cramming a paper together that probably could have been done much better! exciting information. time management. very intriguing stuff. so anyway smith hall has become my home. friends are everywhere. walking in, out, or around are conversations waiting at every door. i like to leave my door open if there is no need for focus because it means no more than 15 minutes go by without someone peeking in to say hello perhaps sitting and talking perhaps just passing by. but to get anything done the door must be closed and locked which even still is iffy because a knock could change everything which is why i have found that finding a quiet place somewhere else on campus whether its the library or just a table alone in a building somewhere. so anyway...smith hall is where i am making my home right now.

last friday was APU's girls ask the guys dance also known as Les Femmes. the theme was masquerade which was interesting but not necessarily followed by anyone. there were probably only two people that actually wore the masks for the majority of the evening...mine ended up being used only for pictures. ...again i've included pictures for your viewing pleasure. the dance was held at the Los Angeles Science Center or something like that which was very fun. The main floor included refreshments, tables, the dance floor, and the DJ while the upstairs was essentially a science museum with cool exhibits that you could check out. made for an interesting night if nothing else. Tannia and I had quite a blast. (author's note- the facial hair in the picture is not a fashion statement but a product of Smith Hall's "no-shave November.")

well...because of how absolutely important it is to me i must inform the world of mewithoutYou...my favorite band. They recently released there third full-length album which, to say the least, is phenomenal. The name of the album is "Brother, Sister" and is similiar and yet very different than their last release "Catch For Us The Foxes." While their last album was full of truths the theme seemed to be one of hardship and questioning while "Brother, Sister" definitely has a more worshipful attitude and while not any less real seems to have a more upbeat message overall. mewithoutYou continues to amaze and inspire me with their lyrics which scream of G-d and truth. I think a perfect line from one of there songs that tells the story of the difference between the last album and the latest one is from the song The Sun & The Moon, the line says "I used to wonder where You are and these days I can't find where You're not." yeah...with lines that challenge such as "we pray with fingers crossed but You listen patiently anyway" or "in a market dimly lit, i come casually to pay, You see my coins are counterfeit but accept them anyway." interesting. or how about..."if i'm a crown without a king, if i'm a broken open seed, if i come without a thing, then i come with all i need" liberating i think. i could go on, and on, and on but if you want more let me know...in fact. i haven't even touched on my two favorite songs on the album. perhaps another time. well...I suppose its back to homework for me.

I'll leave you with this...G-d is real and in control but more than anything, He is BIG!

bombs and stuff

2006-10-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

all classes were canceled today due to a bomb threat on campus. interesting. there was a bomb threat called in and a suspicious package where the threat was supposed to be. apparently the LA county bomb squad did a controlled detonation of the package or something. anyway...no one was injured and classes were canceled. good enough. so its on to the weekend and homework and stuff.

yay

poem...contemplate it

2006-10-01T22:36:00.000-07:00

Pushing, pulling, blowing
His spirit's gently going
Where man is scared to be
Cuz it's uncomfortable to me

Now pulling, pushing, rowing
Away from where He's flowing
To lock ourselves in freedom
Where we don't really need Him

The church says "straight and narrow"
But blocks us worse than pharoah
From heading straight to jesus
And instead aims just to please us

They sugarcoat pills to swallow
With sermons that are hollow
And around the bush they beat
Just to keep us in our seat

You can't serve God and Money
On the way to milk and honey
So don't beat around the bush
But heed the Spirit's push

So push me, pull me, yank me
And love on me or spank me
But get me where You're going
Where Your spirit's gently blowing

again i post

2006-09-26T02:28:00.000-07:00

monday in the books. its early tuesday morning. to bed for me now but soon, oh so soon off to class and class and then one more class. tom is spending the night. it is good. i miss him. it is funny to have tom spending the night at my place because my place is actually THE room that he used to live in. so i'm guessing he feels right at home. well anyway, i am excited for all the good things that are happening in my family, babies and houses and birthdays and drivers permits and motorcycles etc. i guess thats my thoughts for now...

night sweeps in faster than i know
hard to stay awake off to bed i go
just a quick poem to say goodnight
a short verse to say all is right

my nephews

2006-09-21T01:14:00.000-07:00

i miss my nephews!

Quickly

2006-09-19T12:07:00.000-07:00

i am in the middle of writing a paper but i had this thought the other night and wanted to post it before i forgot.

"It is a lot harder to ALWAYS BE HAPPY WHERE YOU ARE AT than it is to ALWAYS BE AT WHERE YOU ARE HAPPY."

right?

days go by

2006-09-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

here is a picture from before i cut my hair and before my roomate jeff shaved his beard! hooray!

week 1

2006-09-11T03:54:00.000-07:00

The first week of school is over and now the first weekend of school is officially over too. What a week it was. I got to attend the world premiere of Grid Iron Gang the new movie with The Rock. My best friend Trever is in it which is why I got to go. Pete Carrol, the head coach of USC, sat in the row in front of me which was interesting. I actually got to meet him at the after-party. Quite an interesting time. The next morning classes got underway. My schedule is pretty near perfect. I have only one class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday which is Exodus-Deutoronomy. Then on Tuesday, Thursday I have three classes which are Intro to Art, English Literature, and Foundations of Ministry. After having each class at least once so far I feel like it will be a good semester in which I will be challenged and stretched. Everything in the dorm seems to be going perfect. All of the guys are getting along and are constantly hanging out and forming solid friendships. We have many hilarious guys which allows for numerous late nights with guys just sitting around laughing a lot. I must say that I am enjoying the atmosphere immensely. Well seeing that it is now pushing 4 am and I am going to breakfast with Taylor at 8 am I must hit the sack. It was a good weekend for sports so I hope to soon update my sports page which has a link if you click on my profile button or something. Ok, well good night and good luck.

I LIVE IN SMITH.

2006-09-05T01:05:00.000-07:00

Life in Smith Hall has officially begun. Move in weekend was this last weekend. So many new guys to meet. Already the atmosphere is incredible. Guys are bonding and forming friendships and fun is being had. There is a giant sense of adventure that seems to be hanging over our heads. The feeling is that of a crew getting thrown on a ship with one weekend to get to know eachother before they embark on a nine month long journey. The excitement is palpable. I am starting to feel ready.

back in azusa

2006-08-31T03:28:00.000-07:00

I am back in azusa. I get to see my girlfriend. i am living in the freshman dorms as the Resident Advisor's Roomate (RAR). Smith Hall. Jeff Johnson. I have lots of hope for this year. like this...

hope is creeping in
taking the place of sin
nights i lay awake dreaming
instead of always screaming
realizing theres something more
behind that second door
more life to uncover
exciting truths to discover
wondering all along
why i sang that song
the one full of sadness
dwelling in my madness
being a constant mourner
when joy was around the corner
well now hope is creeping in
and taking the place of sin

the black stallion

2006-06-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

i am home here in indiana. i got this motorcycle. yes, i feel it is very nice. it was born the same year that I was. since this picture I have cleaned it and made it more shiny. thats all

2006-03-27T19:12:00.001-08:00

mammoth mountain

2006-03-27T19:12:00.000-08:00

BACKSEAT! check out that neck burn...REDNECK...OUCH

2006-03-27T19:11:00.001-08:00

yeah jake smyles!!!

2006-03-27T19:11:00.000-08:00

yeah matt smyles!!!

2006-03-27T19:10:00.000-08:00

painful sunburn from the slopes...YEAH MAMMOTH!

flowers

2006-03-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

the flowers i plant are saying "i can't" because its not soil their finding its sand. well sand can be good to hold in your hand or soft if you take a tumble but like it or not what you build or you plant when surrounded by sand will crumble.

2006-03-06T22:42:00.000-08:00

my latest drawing

2006-03-06T22:35:00.000-08:00

tannia got her nose pierced!

2006-02-28T20:56:00.000-08:00

she'll be coming round the mountain when she comes...she'll be well you get the idea...this was coming down the mountain into LA county...got a little excited!

hello...

2006-02-28T20:55:00.001-08:00

back from a nice trip to Oklahoma City...visiting some family. very nice escape...here are a few pictures...uh oh.

2006-02-28T20:55:00.000-08:00

traveling the speed limit of course

2006-02-28T20:54:00.000-08:00

sunset on the way home...that is a train passing in front

2006-02-28T20:50:00.000-08:00

this is a picture at the OKC bombing memorial

2006-02-21T00:43:00.000-08:00

could you even resist this smiling face?

Home

2006-02-21T00:42:00.000-08:00

well this last weekend i went back home to indiana...it was quite cold but a good time none the less. i took with me my best friend tannia glen. we enjoyed birthday parties and snow and church and even a little bit of texas (roadhouse) what a great time to see family...here are a few pictures!...enjoy

2006-02-21T00:39:00.001-08:00

brrrr its cold out there

2006-02-21T00:39:00.000-08:00

babushka!!!!!!!!!

2006-02-21T00:37:00.001-08:00

here is inessa hahaha

2006-02-21T00:37:00.000-08:00

jordan was sick but still what a cutie

2006-02-21T00:35:00.000-08:00

a little bit of the family in moms living room

fixed it

2006-02-16T00:57:00.000-08:00

hey mom...and jordan or whoever else. now you can post comments on this site! hooray. sorry to tannia for the hassle but i hope you come to use it and or like it! ok...off to bed for me. i'm gonna need to pack for my big weekend in INDIANA!!!!!!!!!! yay

poem

2006-02-14T02:16:00.000-08:00

happy valentines day! here is a poem i wrote in the wee hours of the night.

life teaches you lessons that you dont always expect
sometimes leaving you excited and sometimes wrecked
i've experienced them both and know the most important part
is to keep on hoping and not harden your heart
but its never that easy because the road is always dark
and sometimes it feels good to just sit there in park
well if you stay right there you're going to get stuck
and you'll always feel hopeless and way out of luck
so you've got to keep going and forge on ahead
get out of those woods or you're as good as dead
and who knows it could be miles until you see a light
or it might be real close but just out of sight

2006-02-13T14:43:00.000-08:00

i'm learning new fun things with my photoshop features this is a picture of me that could be used in a coloring book!

2006-02-13T14:37:00.000-08:00

check out this sweet cast

what else?

2006-02-13T13:37:00.000-08:00

I mean seriously...how else am i going to keep myself sane with a broken right foot. So i'm making this website and trying to become familiar with it so that i can keep ya'll updated. enjoy...

2006-02-13T11:19:00.000-08:00

yo...its shankster

just starting out

2006-02-12T20:42:00.000-08:00

discovering something new.