So where am I at?

My life is so full, brain more so. My head has a million and one blog posts, but most of them aren't coming out.

Let us do the traditional sum up.

Friday

I went to college on Friday. I had about 3 and half hours sleep the night before. I stayed awake making my plans for the weekend, and then had stupid dreams. I dreamt I turned up at Tim's party and it was actually Soul Blokes. I had to do my talk in 20 minutes and I hadn't written it. I also had to be a bouncer and Jamie and I had to stop people doing doughnuts on Tim's front lawn. It was a most stressful dream.

Anyway, I went to college and had my first class of DM241 Youth Ministry Field Education. There were six of us in the class. Or was it seven, not sure. There was a lot of talk about critical reflection, which is terrible. I hate critical reflection with passion and it seems to me that this class is pretty much all critical reflection. Vomit.

But I had fun. It was a good way to learn, small class, nice people, comfy couches.

Graham and I went out for lunch at Maccas and then I dropped him at his church. I almost crashed on the way there when I tried to merge into a Land Cruiser with the number plate "FROSTY". The guy shouted at me on mute through our wound up windows. He shook his fist too. I waved at him and tried to look like it was all my fault and appropriately remorseful. It was all my fault, and I felt like an idiot

I arrived at church and had a sleep on my office floor for about 20 minutes.

Had a meeting then I took my small group bowling. That was good times. I got beaten both games. I had a ripper of a game the first game, with strikes and spares all over the shop, but alas there was a plucky year 8 who was just a little better than me.

I got my butt kicked in the second game, I only beat one kid. How am I meant to be a respected leader of a small group if they all beat me at sport? Shouldn't they be in awe of me? Next small group outing we're going to pub and I'll play the pokies and they can just watch. That way, at least if anyone's going to win it'll be me.

After bowling we went to Maccas where I bought them all Sundays and felt like their favorite Uncle, except they were all rude to me. I'm hoping it's affectionate rude. Like when you are rude to the girl you have a crush on when you're in year 7. Although, I hope none of them have a crush on me.

I think it's time to move on.

I finished writing my talk for the next day at church then drove to Tim's party, and got random breath tested on the way. That is one of the funniest activities to do in a car, ever.

After the breath test I got teased by a bunch of teenagers in a shiny bomb for my car. I think they thought my van was funny. They waved at me to go faster and laughed. I tried hard to avoid them at traffic lights. When I couldn't do that, I desperately avoided eye contact.

Sadly it turned out the teenagers were heading to the same party as I was and I had the embarrassing task of arriving at the party, parking and getting out of the "Van of Fun" alone, and walking past a large group of cool people. They all looked at me and I said "Good evening". Someone remarked to another "Who's that guy?"

The party was pleasant. I stood out the front and talked to people. I had a look at the inside, and enjoyed the lights. I bopped in time to the music outside every now and again. I can't remember if I am pleased with my party conduct this time. I think it was alright. I didn't embarrass myself too much. Probably felt uncomfortable enough not to do some of my old party antics.

I went home when I thought I should.

I went to bed at midnight, had eight hours wonderful, stress-less sleep.

Saturday

Soul Blokes day. I was stressed, I had big day ahead. I never really felt great about the talk. I drove to work and spent a few hours in my office going over the talk and worrying.

Mitch arrived and I gave the panel a run down on the topic of the talk. I got grilled by one of the panel people, I was just expecting them to nod and say, "That's cool". I wasn't expecting to have to theologically, and sociologically, justify my two minute out line of my talk. This didn't help my stress. I hadn't eaten all day because of stress. Somewhere after 2pm Soul Blokes/Soul Sista started. There weren't many Blokes there, a lot more Sistas.

We played some blokey games that involved bashing each other with pillows, holding hands and getting carpet burns. I ran around with Matt holding his hand and avoiding people who were trying to hit us. It was a weird feeling, running around and holding hands is not an activity I usually engage in and with another guy, I think, I don't know what I think. I felt like I was in some satirical tv show where men hold hands and skip through daisy filled fields, while the canned audience laughs.

I gave one half of my talk then, and felt mild.

Afternoon tea was had.

I gave the second half of my talk. People said good things to me about it. I was just pleased it was done. I'm happy to put that talk in the talk vault and leave it for "The Very Best Talks of Tom: Vol. 38". Sometimes you just come away going "Bler".

We had a panel for the guys where we covered three topics, sex, make-up and gambling.

The evening held singing, trivia and Matt and Chris playing music. I had fun, hung out with nice people. Chris and Matt played good, I was most impressed, and hope that one day I can be as good at making music as them, as long as I don't have to do any work.

The night ended and we packed up. Sometimes packing up can be the funniest part of the night. I'm not sure if it was on Saturday, but it was a pleasant activity. Sal and I had a race to do chair repositioning, I think they should make it a sport at the Olympics. At least at the Christian Olympics.

Following that there was a drive home. It rained on and off. I don't think there was any roadwork on the Mona Vale Road, but I'm not sure. Probably the best drive home one can have traveling that way.

When the drive was over I could go home and sleep. Debrief could happen later.

Sunday

I ran in the morning. I did my run 50 seconds slower than my best time. Shows what happens when you don't run for a week.

I arrived at church early to learn Power Point stuff, but ended up learning nothing*. It was good to be there anyway. Good bonding session with the other Power Point presenters of the church (I wouldn't say I'm a Power Point person actually. I've never run it during a service, but hey, I'm happy to be pigeon holed as someone technical.)

Drama was fun, I had two boys and they were good quality. My office got "Love Bomb-ed" by the Service Team during drama, that was really tops. I felt special.

Lunch was good, seeing as the day before had so little food, I was happy to fill me with stuff.

Meetings then church.

Ministry time was good tonight. There was a call to go up the front and pray for people who you have been praying for to find Christ. It was wonderful to actually come up the front on behalf of someone else. To cry out to God and have it not be all about you, it was a liberating experience. It was great to be able to serve people who you love while they aren't even there.

After church Jo and I headed off to SNOAM but we heard rumor that not much was happening so we picked up Howie and David headed off to Maccas. We got kicked out soon after arriving as it was closing time, so we spent then next forty-five minutes hanging in the carpark like the sic fellas normally do. Then it was off to hang out outside the Big Brother convenience Store. Much laughter all night.

We dropped Jo home, then David, then Howie and I came home and watched the coolest documentary on trucks on the Discovery Channel. Trucks are fantastic, especially big ones.



*That's a lie, I learnt one thing. One thing I'd been wondering about Power Point for a while too!