Month: <span>May 2006</span>

One still sore throat and the general blah feeling of blahness means I am staying at home today. I had intended (and still probably should) get on top of my ‘The Body’ assigment for photography, but I happened to open some lecture notes/powerpoint from the other tutor’s class of the same and freaked out at what depth they require us to go into.

I’m afraid my usually very good work ethic and the compulsive drive in me to ‘do my best’ has either run on overdrive and putted out to a cruel and ghastly death or has gone on an extended holiday. Frankly I can’t be stuffed. I don’t think that I could quite bring myself to just ‘not do it’ – there is a little bit of my brain dancing with glee at the thought, I sincerely doubt I will muster the effort to aim for a Distinction or greater.

Thus far, my ‘starting the assignment’ has consisted of a disinterested flick through some photography books – none of which are really relevant. A muck around with the digital camera taking photos of my feet and other stuff strange bodily bits (like my hands) and the questioning of how to use up the film in my Minolta before I launch into the evils of slide film again. We are ‘required’ to go visit another exhibition – not going to do it. We also have to somehow come up with an original idea which of course has been inspired by other photographers work (Okay, so where’s the originality in that?)

I am sick and I am tired and all I really want to do is go to sleep and wake up with stupid thing done but it’s going to hang over my head all afternoon and I know I’ll feel like the day’s been a waste if I don’t get started.

I was going to spout some almighty backtrack, but I got caught up in the Tod Russell and Brant Web (those two miners) interview on Chanel 9. Quite facinating. Now all we have to do is wait for the movie, the books, the commercials… it is now past 10:30, and I have an annoyingly sore/thick throat. I so wish I did not have to go to uni tomorrow – and I still may not, but I have to work out when I’ll be able to get hold of a video camera to shoot about 30 seconds of necessary footage to prove I can. The class, although compulsory will be yet another documentry if I’m not wrong and I think I can afford to miss at least one more. I shall see how blergh I feel in the morning.

So as for, ‘spouting some almighty backtrack’. I wont subject you to too much detail. I will however say something or it means there will be gaping holes in the record should I ever chose to look back, which I do occasionally. Laughable really. Oh well, it is my blog, my sleep time and I guess I can sacrifice it how I so choose. If you read it you do. If you don’t, well – it’s not a huge loss. I do hope I can keep it to a half interesting ramble.

So, Friday was well and truly full. Iain, Sam and I joined Jess for a falafel lunch – which was quite good once drenched in other stuff, and then got the train into Camberwell.

Walked from the station to the Rivoli (Cinema) to see Water, I had no idea what I was getting in for, except that it was an art housey film. Very, very powerful. There were several people crying by the end of it and I was very close to – which can take a bit. Very unhollywood a movie. I find out later that it’s the third of a trilogy and very controversial with Hindu fundamentalists, which is quite understanding considering the content. If you can get to one of the limited places it’s being shown, do bother – it’s fantastic, quite disturbing and very moving.

Met Laura, then stopped by Dick Smith in the city to catch Ben (Yits) and managed to lose Iain for a good 15 minutes. We met the boys (that being Dan, Cam and Jerome) at Southbank. Grabbed some dinner and ran into heaps of other people from church that were also going to see Robyn at Top Acts. You might as well know it Dan – I’m pretty sure you read this. I was rather unimpressed with the three as they wasted money on three beers each before we even went in.

We had excellent seats on the front of the balcony. The music wasn’t as impressive as last years Top Acts but the drama and monologues were better. I came away with the distinct impression that everything picked up after the intermission. Robyn’s was brilliant. Despite the music lacking somewhat – there were two guys, one with a pretty normal guitar and one with a lap guitar that… well! Jaw flooring talent.

Wandered towards the Casino afterwards but didn’t stop long as I realised we’d miss the last train. So home again home again, amusing train ride home complete with ‘the quiz’ from well, probably the MX. I had my car at Ringwood Station and ended up giving Dan (bongos) and Steve a lift back. Slept the night at Jess’s.

Caught up with Ana and Natalie (and Sam) for breakfast at Maccas. I was none too awake.

zone zone ramble zone zone… I’m sitting in bed (good old wireless) with the electric blanket on and I’m getting sleepier and sleepier.

William and Claire’s wedding in the afternoon. The sound system died as she started walking down the aisle :S the fast acting piano player took over. It was a very nice wedding, quite traditional maybe not exactly how I’d do things. The vows were just the standard – I think it’d be nicer in a way to write your own.

(Photo-wise, I had a terrible seat. The church was packed and we were near the back behind a lot of people) this (see left) is about as good as it got.

I really didn’t know the bride at all, but the groom and his family have been friends of ours since before Laura and I were born. Jo and Elyce know them from beachmission, it was a pleasant surprise really as I didn’t think they’d be there. Had a bit of a chat to Jo and quite a lengthy chat to Elle. I really should make some time to catch up with her – feel like I only got to know her a tiny bit last year and thats been a bit of a loss. Also saw the Blythes, the Wingers and a few of the Adneys (which was weird after church messiness).

I was sitting in the car on the way home and after talking to Elyce about being sensible I guess when it came down to ‘doing to much’ and I realised just how stuffed I was. Sore throat and utterly exhausted. Decided to give Alecia’s 21st a miss. And had a very relaxing/valuable time alone at home with a book or two and a chat with God about some very onhand stuff.

And that was enough of a boring verbal blah to remind me that I should definitely be asleep.
Congratulations if you got this far without skimming.

You’ll never be able to do enough, be enough, have enough, serve enough, give enough, pray enough, worship enough, study enough or submit yourself enough to whatever rigors you think might smooth some of the rough edges and bring you closer to God.

He, on the other hand, has done everything so that you can be His, be faithful, be attentive and be walking in the immense freedom of His grace to discover more of Him, His love, His work in you, His will for your life, His best use for your gifts, His direction for your life.

Be present to the Lord now, for what He has put before you right now; be present to those you have been given to love and mentor; present to those who need loving leadership and shepherding; present to the people in your life who love you for where you are right now. Take your eyes off the horizon and what might be, or could be. Focus on what the Lord has before you right now; be faithful to fulfill His call for you right now.

When it’s time to look up on the horizon to see what the Lord is bringing your way, He will tell you to look up and get ready for what lies ahead. Until then, be faithful and purposeful to find your significance in doing your best to fulfill God’s call on your life right now.

The accolades may or may not come, but that will not matter if you know at the core of who you are that you are fulfilling God’s call on you life. What would matter would be that you strove for the accolades and public recognition of your accomplishments and in the process sacrificed being in the centre of God’s will for your life. You will have achieved something good at the possible cost of God’s best for you.

(from an email to Colin Creel from the book Perspectives… and I might have butchered it just slightly)

And this is worth a read Psalm 27

You know that when you are cutting onions, unless you take drastic measures, that your eyes water like crazy. It’s not crying and you don’t really feel anything.

I haven’t mentioned it before but a few days ago my Oma had a fall and hurt her hip and has ended up in hospital. I didn’t mention it because it didn’t seem that serious.

We went in to see her this evening. I didn’t particularly want to go as I really don’t like the smell of hospitals however callous that sounds, she being my Oma and all. This one didn’t smell- sometimes I think the idea of that is the only thing that ever put a big damper on the ‘doctor thing’, I did use to think that maybe I’d like to do that.

She was far more frail than I was expecting. She has bladder infection apparently as well as the hip thing, and the medication, (this afternoon) to have contributed to well, a lot of confusion.

I never know what to do at hospitals. Seriously, I have no idea. I hate just doing the standing thing. My uncle Peter and cousin Robert were there also. I’ve hardly ever spoken to Robert (he’s 17) before. But we did for once, stood there and talked a bit, just to do something.

She kept wanting to get out of bed and was answering yes to every question and feeling Hannah’s jacket and the sheets.

There was a guy yelling, “Ben, Ben, Ben” from another room down the hall.

I couldn’t ever be a nurse.

The radio in the car on the way home played, Walking on Sunshine.

Sharon Payze had her baby yesterday- Owen

William Kentler is getting married this Saturday and Christine and Rupert next Saturday.

It’s funny how it sometimes seems that the world is compensating.

Backtrack one day because I didn’t blog!!!! (All die in horror but remember I’m allowed to be and too often am sarcastic).

The day that I wagged uni (the beautiful sunshine filled – non winter melbourne, or just non melbourne day) I spent going out to lunch with Mum, up Warburton way. Had one of those rare get along famously and enjoy eachother moments (afternoons rather), which I do like a lot. So it’s worth a mention.

Uni today, interesting stuff this morning. Jen and I decided we’d single out and try get hold of Justin for the group work – as he’d be one of the few that’d pull their weight. We asked him and he said he’d been trying to avoid answering the other guys, said that would be nothing sort of marvellous and thanked us over and over (this is Mr mature aged, sort of) and Jen’s comment to me later was, “I think he likes us”. Which I found quite funny. Nah, he’s a good bloke – talks a lot, laughs a lot, knows a lot and will work.

Still Images right, Kim (aka Jake… we don’t know quite which is his actual name) or we could just call him Sparky (Or whatever the guy who does spirit fingers off Bring It On, no I didn’t just admit I’ve seen that) puts on a documentry on this tiny tv screen with sound so bad… well! Then he starts going round the room checking people’s ‘proposals’ for their ‘The Body’ assignment. The unit guide unless I’m very much mistaken says week 12 for this. So I have nothing ready, I tell him my vague idea of what I’m going to do, fully admitting I’m not ready and he pretty much tells me to go to the library and do research – after saying I have about 5 books sitting at home just waiting for me to open them. I was a little put out, but took the ‘Go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200’ card and went there, happily missing the documentry that no one could hear and three hours of tedium.

The benefits of leaving class early… well!
Sanity to start with, that and a decent chat over hot-chocolate/chai with Isobelle and Jess.

Young adults tonight. Pete was away again so we played a few erm games. “Honey I love you…” which I’ve never been a fan of, Bus-stop (which I didn’t participate in) and close eyes and feel a persons face and see if you can guess them.

Josh was wearing this beanie and Dan grabbed it and threw it at me, I tried to get rid of it but it came back, so I put it on – took my glasses off (seeing as well… you have to if you are playing at that or it’s a dead giveaway). Geoff was the ‘blind’ person. He was put infront of me, felt the beanie and, “Hey hey I know who this is, Josh” or something of the sort, and started slapping me (In the affectionate way um guys I guess do if they are blindfolded and convinced). Entirely hilarious to all, thankfully not painful but hehe, oh was he embarassed.

Fred the Red’s Movements
Similar to last week, on an angle very close this time to Izzy’s car. A couple of the others moved it back, unfortunately the steering wheel was so far locked that my key wouldn’t turn. Michael managed to deal with it. No one will ever park near me now.

Most people went their merry way home. Geoff, Tim (outdoor ed – need a better way to distinguish the two), Laura and I went to Macca’s. Had a good long chat, well Tim was doing probably 80% of the talking. He has interesting psychoanalysis techniques which we were asking him about, he said I’d done him a favor this past week which was really helpful then refused to let on what it was. Managed to get him to say he’ll tell me in 3 months, so I wrote the date down and hopefully wont forget.

Anyway enough rambling, last shift at work tomorrow!!!
Bed should be warm by now.
Time to use it.