The Ultimate DTR

Early December

Colby: "What kind of rings do you like?"

Shannon: "Ummm, that is a good question. I like unique rings. I don't really like diamonds."

Colby: "Me either, such a waste of money. What do you mean by unique?"

Shannon: "Nature-y? Or just vintage looking."

Colby: (Google searches vintage nature engagement rings.) "All diamonds, what stone do you want then?"

Shannon: "Opal!"

Colby: "What is that?"

Mid December

One of the most nerve-racking moments of my life was going to see what size ring Shannon would need. We went to a local jeweler on St. George Boulevard. When we pulled up I was honestly shaking, thinking, "Wow, I am really going to be engaged soon." And I know nothing about rings or anything that has to do with weddings. I was seriously so nervous and Shannon thought it was hilarious. We walked into the jewelry store and I instantly saw basketball playing on both of the large televisions. Clearly the jewelry store knew who its target audience was. Shannon tries on a few rings and we learned that she is a size 6. We inquire about opals and the jeweler almost scoffs at the idea of that  on an engagement ring.

Late December 

Do you know how many people get engaged on christmas or around it?

My family was all over me about proposing to Shannon. They all wanted me to do it sometime around then. I hated the idea of doing it then because it felt so cliché, and Shannon and I are anything but that. By this time I had been looking into rings for weeks and could not find one that I knew Shannon would love. After many attempts I finally found the perfect ring. I read 50 reviews and decided to take a risk and order a handmade ring from an artsy website (Etsy) and pray that the online store owner didn't mess it up.

Mid January

It was a challenge trying to plan something that would fit what I wanted in a proposal. I wanted it to be intimate but I also wanted it to be sort of a surprise. Honestly, I am pretty terrible at surprises. After a huge text message with my siblings and some friends I decide on dinner in my backyard with some surprises in between.

The Plan:

Step 1: Go on a hike with my good friends Gab and Bri. Take her to the highest point... and fake propose. 

Step 2: Hide the dinner decorations and lights from Shannon so as not to spoil the surprise. 

Step 3: Make her a fancy dinner while also trying to hide the fact that I was making a dinner. 

Step 4: Propose then cry like the baby I truly am. 

Step 5: Become engaged.

January 22nd

The ring had yet to be delivered.  After many emails and calls I arranged the ring to be overnighted to me so that it could get there the day of my proposal.  Making a custom ring seems cool on paper but if you run a tight schedule it could potentially become problematic.

January 24th

(The Big Day)

The ring showed up that morning. Trust me when I say I have never followed a UPS tracking order online more religiously. I felt like Scott Pilgrim waiting for his package to arrive at the door. It came and when I opened the ring and saw it for the first time, I loved it so much!  I honestly couldn't care less about jewelry but I really thought this ring was so much like Shannon. I just enjoyed that was the first thing I thought when I saw the ring: basically it was rad. I was officially pumped to get engaged. Up to that point I had felt anxious about wanting it to all work out well. I wanted it to be perfect, and seeing that the ring turned out to be perfect, I knew that I could just relax and get pumped about proposing.

Shannon showed up right on time so that we could go hiking. Gab and Bri showed up a few minutes later. I kept ushering Shannon into my room so that she would not wander around the house and look into the backyard and see the surprise that my friends had help me set up the day before. Right before we went to leave Shannon said she had to go to the bathroom really quick and ran off to use the guest bathroom which is near the pool! I was so nervous that she would see everything I practically camped outside the bathroom waiting for her to get done to usher her away from possible disaster.

On our hike in Snow Canyon the sky was really cloudy and I was happy that I had gone with the plan to propose at home and not on the hike. Mid way through the hike I asked Shannon if she wanted to go up to another look out and I could tell she really did not want to. But anything for a good joke right? So i convinced her to climb and when we got to the top, I got down on one knee and Shannon made this shocked face and covered her mouth. She said, "Really?" All I said was, "No, not here," and started to laugh. She almost pushed me off the edge if i remember correctly.

After the hike Shannon knew something was up. I told her to shower and that we would go to dinner with our friends after. When she got into the shower I ran into the kitchen to help finish the dinner that my Mom and Dad had been working on.  I then hurried and showered and began to get nervous. I went and got Shannon and told her that I needed to blindfold her to take her across town. I did so and took her the long way to the backyard where a table was set up surrounded by candles. Christmas lights were draped over the table from the roof. I took the blindfold off, brought her to the center, and got on my knee.  To be honest, I didn't prepare a speech and I hadn't practiced the words I would say.  I wanted it to come when the moment was there.  I got on my knee and said, "Shannon, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you. I love you so much! Will you marry me?" She blurted out a yes and we were engaged! The ring fit perfectly and she loved it. The strange thing was, I didn't cry. I was just beyond happy and excited as I am today. I cannot wait to be married. And everyday I feel more lucky than the last that this is all happening.

So this is the New Year

Let me be honest.. New Years has never been my thing.  Normally I end up playing some sort of video game till new years and then go to bed.  So maybe I was the scrooge of New years?  Is that a thing?  But I am truly excited about this New Year.  Hear me out as to why.

This past year was awesome.  It really was..  Well 3/4 of it.  The year started with me being the same old Colby.  The year ended with me working in a crazy new job at a treatment center.  With me living in St. George.  And it also ended without me being single and an awesome kiss overlooking St. George!  Not a bad way to finish a really unexpected New Years.  And for once this New Year I think i finally understand what all the fuss is about.  We have so much to be excited about next year and I can't wait to get started.

Goal Time.  Most people suck at setting goals.  It's true.  Did you know that "get in shape", "get married"(probably most BYU student's current goal),  "Work hard in School" etc...  None of those are goals.  They are just words.  A goal is measurable, it is achievable, but should stretch you.  Good goals develop habits.  And promote change or growth.  Here are mine.  And hopefully this will be the best year of your life because I know it will be mine.

Mind

• Speak/Read Haitian Creole once a week.  Learn one word a week.  That is it.  Just once Easy Peasy!
• Learn one new song on the guitar each month.

Body (oh no)

• Let's Keep it simple.  Work out for at least 15 min 3 times a week.
• Play more soccer.  How?  Play at least once a month.

Spirit

• Read the scriptures 10 minutes a day at least 5 times a week!  A certain person can hold me accountable with that.  Also read the New Testament this year.
• Be temple worthy all year.  Easy but crucial.  Go to the temple once a month.  It is so close!

Personal

• Practice better money management.  Every Pay check 10/10/10. Tithing 10%.  Invest 10%.  Save 10%.  Easy enough.
• Learn one new cooking skill or recipe a week!  I love food this should be easy.

Bring it 2014.  Let's GO!

I promise to never talk about politics again

In light of the multitude of posts that I have seen on my Facebook wall concerning this topic; lets have a clear discussion on POLITICS (the color red was intentional).  First off: It should be clear that you as the reader understand my political views.  I am neither a Republican or a Democrat.  Both parties have policies that I can agree and disagree with. Therefore I consider myself an independent.  Now let me be candid... POLITICS (note the red color again) are frustrating.  Let me share an example of why.

In the 6th grade (Lone Peak eagles for life) at the tender age of 11 my mother ran for a District Office position in Sandy, Utah.  She ran against an unnamed republican who we shall call John Shmallow.  Being 11 years old, I was naive.  At first thought, it seemed awesome to have your mommy as a big powerful lawmaker!  Little did I know running for office meant hours and hours of sign placement, really crappy t-shirts, and a parade stuck inside a horse trailer that literally smelt like an overflowed toilet.  And not to mention that as a 6th grader, I had teachers intentionally mistreat me as a student because my mother was a Democrat in a Republican state.  They talked openly and poorly of democrats and my mother, all because I was reppin' that Sherry Hall swag.  That being said, I learned a lot about politics through my mother.  The reason I believe my mother ran was to help the public, mostly because of her passion for education.  And I truthfully believe a lot of politicians run for the right intent to help others.

My mother lost that election by a few hundred votes.  THANK GOD she did.  In large part it was because her opposition accused her of being pro abortion (A mother of SIX.. LOL). It also does not help that she was running as a Democrat in a Republican state.  John Shmallow, the unnamed republican she ran against, probably started out wanting the same thing: to help others, to impact a community - but is now currently under federal and state charges of money laundering, fraud, and other illegal acts.  What happened?  Why does this seem to be a consistent theme in politics?  Why does a system of parties and delegates generally lead to blind hate and opposition?

No matter your stance on any topic I strongly feel it is time that we as individuals look deeply at ourselves and our choices when it comes to politics.  Republicans... when was the last time you trash talked Obama (I rarely hear republicans address him as president)?  Democrats... what have you said openly about the republicans in the house?  It is ridiculous to me that we use parties as a My Team vs. Your Team mentality.  This gets nothing done, ever.  And it starts with you, not congress. Not the senate. It starts with you.  Don't blame congress or President Obama.  If you can't see past blind hatred then how do you expect your representatives to do the same.  Stop acting like children over life changing political choices.

I fear that we as individuals are influenced too much by outside sources. It has become very challenging to have pure genuine personal thought on politics.  Think for yourself.  Educate yourself.  Attempt to be unbiased.  Try to switch aisles for a day.  Approach your day as if you were the other side.  See what happens.  Neither side is right.  That is my opinion.  Neither side has all the answers and I do not expect them to, but the current system is not working.  Government shut downs, delayed budget ceilings, and the increasing national debt - the choices made by both parties over the past two decades has led us to this point.  A faltering economy, a declined national credit score, and government programs that do not even function as intended (Example: Social Security).

To close I want to address the core problem: money in politics.  Our congress, our senate is "bought," which means they are too strongly influenced by the money that funds their campaigns.  IF you want to know a politicians view, follow the money.  The votes will show where and what they support and it is rarely the "good of the general public"(Example: current government shut down over the Affordable Health Care act).  Do i believe politicians are evil? No.  But we need to demand more as a public, stop finger pointing, and start changing.  Stand up to party politics and demand your representatives to change.  Stop posting on Facebook ignorant statements about the other party being at fault for this or that.

We will disagree, we will argue, and we will debate.  But its time we all realize that we all want the same thing: a better today for a better tomorrow. And that has to start with you.

Change

A few days ago I stumbled upon a pretty rad video I want to share with you!  Be ready because it is awesome.

Now the reason I share this video is because Change is awesome.  I think it is really cool for someone to learn a new skill and to see the progression happen before your eyes.  But more so to illustrate a concept I have learned myself...  But I somehow seem to forget about it when it happens.  Change happens to us whether we notice it or not.  And I want to shed some light on changing for the better.

Last year i decided  to learn the guitar... Now I know what you are thinking, "Oh the guitar! Everyone tries to learn that".  Yes, yes, you are correct everyone attempts to learn the guitar and fails as I did in high school.  I failed. Why?  Because I didn't even try.  It was just an idea.  It never became a habit.  About a year ago I bought my own Johnson guitar for about 150$.  It came with its own case which I was pretty stoked about.  I knew nothing about what guitar to buy or what made a nice guitar.  But it was a start.  I began by looking up youtube videos of simple chords and tried to copy "how to plays" online.  I really made an attempt.  And I did it almost everyday.  Eventually i got a teacher and began to truly learn the guitar.  And it became a habit when ever i sat by my bed to just grab my guitar and dabble.  Looking back at myself starting compared to how much I know with a guitar now.  Its incredible.

Now by no means am I actually good at the guitar but I can do it.  I learned and how did that happen?  I practiced.  And it became a habit that I enjoyed.  Now think about every single thing you have always wanted to accomplish?  Workouts?  Running?  Guitar?  Eat healthy?  Read?  Learn a new skill?  Whatever it is.. We have all been there.  We start out thinking, "Sweet, I am going to learn and or do something new!"  We get all hyped up.  We get super pumped.  Then what?  We always do it that first day.  That first time.  We kill it.  We go hard.  Then the next day not so much.  And then about a week later we go back to the exact same habits and activities we did last week.  So it all comes down to habits right?  Change is not simply an idea.  Its repetition.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Aristotle

So here is my challenge.  Choose a habit you want incorporated into your daily life.  Now do your best this week to spend 10 minutes a day for one week developing your new habit.  That is it.  You can do more.  But start there and see what happens.  And I will do the same.

Quarter Century

I am old.  Really, really, old.  I have lived a considerable amount of time and i have learned so much in my 25 years.  Wait what am i saying?  This is all wrong.  What do i say about turning 25?  I still know nothing.  I have yet to even become a full fledge adult.. Or have i?  I am sure a lot of people my age have had similar thoughts as we age into years that seemed so distant a long time ago.

 First off i need to be grateful for everything i have been lucky enough to experience.  From traveling with my amazing family.

 Being raised by awesome parents.

Serving a mission with some of my best friends.

Cooking some amazing food at culinary school.

I have made some amazing friends along the way.  And i somehow even managed an awesome girl.

Birthdays always helps me reflect on not only the past year but what i have wanted to accomplish during my life. All i have ever wanted is to start a restaurant of my own.  And i am not much closer now than i was when i was little.  Its time for me to change that.  How about you?  What have you always wanted to do?  And why haven't you done it?  Go do it!  If the next 25 years are as amazing as the first, then i did something right.

Fear

My first post.

I have seriously sat here trying to decide what to write about for a few minutes and i truly have no idea.  What is the goal of having a blog?  Let's be honest... It's more of a glorified journal than anything else.  More of something that stay at home moms or hipsters spend time doing then a 24 year old boy/man (caught somewhere in between).  My very first journal was a Snoopy themed novel with a small lock.  And i remember within the first day i already forgot the password and had to break the lock.  Apparently, I really wanted to get my thoughts on a page, my 8 year old self was very clear in what he wanted.  The first page said something like this.  "Dear diary, Only you can read what i am writing in my journal.  If you are not my journal or Colby.  Maybe you should not be reading this journal."

Now here i am 16 years later encouraging my friends and strangers to gain insight into my mind.  Scary, huh?  I will do my best to be open and honest with myself and with you.  And if i can eject these thoughts on a page that can potentially help others or myself that will be the goal.  But from here on out i will only speak the truth or what i know to be true.  And i hope that these thoughts will connect with you.  So my first journal entry in my new journal will go something like this.  "Dear diary, please share this with whoever wants to see.  And if they connect thank you."

With all of that being said let me get to the first thing that has been on my mind for a while.

Fear

Recently we have been struck with terrible acts of violence.  The boston bombings, the sandy hook shooting,  the colorado theater shooting.  But violence is not our greatest fear or what affects us most daily.  What scares you?  What are you afraid of?  To be personal and honest with myself i battle with the fear of being alone.  Loneliness scares me senseless.  The fear of losing what matters most to me and the people i care about.  It shows to me what i value and what i cherish.  I am also scared of being someone i am not.  Of doing things out of habit and not joy.  Funny thinking about fear teaches you who you really are.

We have all these distractions to hide from what we are afraid of right?  The last time i was terrified of myself i spent hours listening to music, checking Instagram, and watching Who's Line on youtube.  It's so easy to avoid fear.  One thing i know to be true is we are all battling fear..  Daily.  Whether its the fear of not getting an A in your next class.  The fear of not providing enough for your family.  Or for me the fear of just not being myself.

But what if instead of distracting ourselves from the fear.  We take the time to think about what scares us and  face it head on.  Today i will THINK.  I will focus and try to think.  And once i understand why i am scared. I will face one thing that frightens me.  Just one little thing.  And hopefully you will do the same.