One Last Time

I'm off to the RSL one last time tonight. I've been practicing in the living room. I'm almost ready. Should be fun. Tonight Donny Jaffa could be the Champion Air Guitarist of Marrickville RSL! Wow! What a title.

Looking forward to it.

I wrote this on 2nd June but I'm only posting it now. I had plans to fix it up and make it nice but I don't think I'll bother. I don't think it's written very well but I agree with my sentiments.

Rather Useless

I've been thinking a lot about Africa lately. Bono talked a lot about it in his book. Every question he managed to twist back to Africa. And now I'm reading the autobiography of Nelson Mandela. I have Africa on my mind.

Africa is a continent that is so sad to consider. It's being torn to pieces by AIDS, and we're not giving it the drugs it needs. We're not allowing the Africans into fair trade agreements. We're keeping the poor poor to keep the rich rich. Africa is a living, perpetual inditement of the oppression of the rich West.

For the past few weeks I've been thinking poverty, AIDS, water, fair trade. But I don't know what to do with it. Technology has made the world my neighbour. I can't ignore the poverty of this world, and I can't ignore my participation in a society that's built on the backs of the developing world. My clothes are made by children for a pittance and my cheap resources come to me at the expense of my marginalised fellow human beings.

I live in a system that's too big to change, I live in a country where I'm too far away to do much to help, but I'm close enough to be condemned.

I spent $555 on a computer monitor today. And how do I justify that when people there are people who don't earn that all year.

My toilet water is cleaner then the drinking water of 1 billion of the world's people.

6500 people die of AIDS every day.

30,000 children die of preventable diseases every day.

I get a headache and get a paracetamol out of the cupboard that's probably being made by the same people who aren't giving the drugs to Africans.

But in the end what can I do?

I look at my world and all I feel is rather useless.

How can I do anything, living and working in middle-class suburban Sydney? I'm a rich man working for rich people, eating at rich people's tables. I declare myself guilty because of my place of birth. My mother didn't die in childbirth and neither did I. I'm guilty.

My life doesn't suck. What did I ever do to deserve this? What have I ever done to pay off this perfect life that's been loaned to me.

I can't get Africa out of my brain. Maybe I should just drop everything and move overseas. Maybe I should be taking food to refugees, maybe I should be delivering AIDS drugs, maybe I should be walking around Africa just apologising. And when I'm finished there I can move on to India, and Asia, and South America and keep going till I've met every person I've indirectly exploited by living in Australia.

I feel rather useless.

Live 8

Live 8 is on on Saturday night, and I'm excited. I'm going home to watch it on Foxtel because I don't have Foxtel here in Chatswood.

I wonder if anyone will make jokes about how U2 don't need to wear white bands because they are a white band. I think not, because it's a pretty lame joke.

Drivetime

I drove from Ulladulla to Chatswood in 3hrs 20mins. I reckon that's pretty good time.

I was down in the 'dulla making music with Jimmy. He's good with a guitar that man.

I enjoyed driving by myself. I listened to music and made as much use of the 100km/h zones as possible. They're fun roads to drive. Driving with people is fun too, but time by yourself means that you can be alone with your thoughts. Of course if I had something important to think about that would have been better. Today I think the thing I thought about most as I drove was The West Wing. I keep having to remind myself that the people on the show aren't real.

I watched Lateline tonight and Alexander Downer was on it talking about Australia's relationship with China. What was amazing was how little he said, and how often he didn't give satisfactory answers to the questions. I also watched Tom Cruise on Rove Live and he was almost the same (Execept Rove didn't ask any good questions). It seems to me to be a problem when actors and politicians sound exactly the same.

Perhaps things would go better if they put actors on political programs and politicians on comedy programs. I'm sure everyone would say much more interesting stuff.

My other issue is, why does the Lateline logo have a full stop at the end of the logo?



Is it because they want the last word? Is Lateline just a very short sentence? "Lateline." I don't know and I find it rather annoying. It's a title damn it, not a sentence. Grr.

Paragraphs

Filming on the weekend was fun. We used the "Losmandy Ride-On Spider Dolly", which was cool. Everyone wanted to ride on it, so I guess it was living up to it's name.

Matt is a good director. He's friendly, calm, and good to his actors. When technical things were going wrong he didn't get outwardly stressed and have a go at us, he just trusted us to fix the problems. When we couldn't fix the problems, he was fine, and continued to trust us. He's a good director. Plus he brought us in on time and on budget. Actually there is no budget, but I'm sure if there was a budget we'd be on it.

I think this film will a notch above the last two we've done. Maybe not a huge notch but I think we're getting better.

Today I had lunch with my Mum. We went shopping together first then we went home and she cooked me some pasta while I unpacked the shopping. She was a little disappointed that I only wanted pasta for lunch, (she wanted me to eat something exotic) but she did a good job with it. She asked me about my love life out of a sense of motherly duty, but I had nothing to report.

I also had a drink with Martin and Emily today. We sat in the Monkey Bar and drank beer out of their really tall schooners. Now I smell like cigarettes.

Tonight I watched the interview on Enough Rope with Di Fingelton who used to be the Queensland Chief Magistrate. It was very interesting. She seems to be a very proud woman with a deep sense of justice (which is probably important in a magistrate), and I couldn't see how people couldn't respect her. I was very impressed.

Tomorrow I'll go to Ulladulla again. We're getting close, Ulladulla and I.

I had a dream last night that I had a job at a school as a disciplinarian. There was a girl who had received a rude note from some people in her class and I was called in to discipline the people. I walked into the class room and shouted a lot. I tried to send people out but they just talked back. I kept thinking "It would be so good if I could pick these people up and throw them out, but child protection won't let me." I even stood on the desks as I shouted. A bit of a Robin Williams, Dead Poets thing I guess.

When I used to go running there was a car that I would run past on my route which had a number plate with the letters "YTG". I always interpreted this as "Year to Go" and it was a hopeful sign for me that there was only a year to go for whatever I was waiting for. Unfortunately, that car was parked there for years, so either it didn't actually mean there was a year to go (for what ever it was that it was meant to have been predicting) or it was as accurate as the Millennium Train that arrived in the year 2004.

Tomorrow we start filming Love is (which has nothing to do with Love Actually) I'm thinking it should be fun.

I went to the hire place to pick up the dolly, the tripod and the mic today. It was fun but I felt rather stupid. I always do feel stupid there. The guys at the hire places are so smart. They ask me technical questions about how I'm shooting the film and what sort of camera I'm using, and what I'm doing for lighting. And I only come up with stupid answers. They work in the professional film and television industry and I'm just a small time youth minister with a handicam. At least I knew what he meant when he said "Do you want me to throw in a set of cans?"

Oh well, happily I got out of there with a car well stocked full of posh equipment and tomorrow I'll look a professional (except for the fact that I'm using a camera the size of a small rodent and my clapper board comes from Warner Bros. Movie World.)

Tomorrow will be fun. Now I'm going to bed.

Donny makes it through

Tonight I was back at the ol' Marrickville RSL, that neon lit paradise.

Matt, Lesley and I had a production meeting for the new film (Love is being the new title) while hours of Karaoke Semi-Finalists sung. It was a good plan.

At the end of the Karaoke I got changed into the Donny outfit and waited. I had my smallest crowd ever this time. Only Matt and Lesley this time. Donny was up first again. So when the announcement came, off I went. I got in my opening position and the wrong music came on. For some reason the music operator didn't cue the song to the solo he just played it from the beginning. Suddenly I started to feel rather naked.

While filled with horror I did my best to pretend that this is what was planned. I floundered around and did a few out of place moves and smiled at the judges and the old woman in the front. The minute felt like it went on for years. I was struggling to remember what actually happens at the beginning of Sweet Child O' Mine I'd only listened to it once today. Finally I was let off the stage, but I didn't feel all that impressive.

The competition that followed me was good. The costumes were great and the guitarists, bar one I think, were all better than me. There was one girl who did all sorts of dance moves which were rather intimidating. She some how managed to roll over the top of herself and keep playing the guitar. Wow.

The night ended with the announcements and amazingly Donny made it through to the Grand Final. So now Donny is competing at 8pm at Marrickville RSL next Thursday night. Could be fun. Come along if you're up for it.

And the winner is...

Thank you Scott for the the suggestion of Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns N Roses, Donny Jaffa shall be performing it tonight.

I had to walk around the whole of Chatswood trying to find a Guns N Roses cd with it on it. In the end I bought the Greatest Hits. Should be fun because I always thought I should own some Gunners.

Ryan and I went and saw Batman Begins on Monday night. It was cool. Dark, violent, smart, fun, cool. Yay Batman!

I love to have a Beer with David

Upon arriving in Chatswood from Bible Study tonight David asked me if I wanted to have a Coke with him. I thought this was a marvelous idea. Unfortunatly the Coke machine in the transfer lobby has stopped working. So we had to go further. We ended up at the bar downstairs where we had a drink.

It's great having a pub so close to home. I should make more use of it more often.

Tonight's quote of the night:

Me: I have one word for you: Stupid people
David: That's three words!

I have to find a song to play Air Guitar to on Thursday night. Any suggestions?

...I'm just a Little Unwell

Ryan's staying over. I just showed him to his room. Right now I feel like I've had an argument with someone, but I don't think I have. I can't remember having an argument. The last conversation I had was about what bathroom Ryan can use in the morning. I haven't had any conversations since then, there's no one else here, but I really feel like I just had an argument with someone. The darndest thing...

I thought I heard voices before I hopped into the lift last night too. I checked the lift to see if there was anyone in it, and there wasn't. There aren't many places to hide in a lift.

And on Wednesday night when I was leaving the church centre, I thought someone ran across the lawn in front of me, but there wasn't anyone there. There were three people in the car watching me who said there was no one there.

Leo and The President did just have an argument on The West Wing maybe that's it. Maybe I'm just getting too involved.

But that still doesn't explain the rest...

So Happy Right Now

I finished my exam today. I just wrote three of the worst essays of my life. My exam only had one thing in it that I studied for. I spent the whole 2 and a half hours counting down till 4:30pm because then it was all over. I'm not at all fussed about my exam. I reckon I have 50% chance of getting over 50%. And while I don't like academic failure, academics hasn't really been on my mind.

But I am exceptionally happy now. I am on holidays between now and 12pm Wednesday. That's the longest break I've had for a month. I expect to spend some time lying on a couch, some time sitting in a cinema, lots of time asleep, a little bit of time washing up, and some time at commy dinner. I have already had breakfast/lunch/dinner and a beer at Cheers in the City with Ryan this afternoon. Having much fun. Brain has gone to mush.

I couldn't remember the word ideology this afternoon. I could only think of idolotry, and I knew that was wrong.

Preach 3 done. My first sermon series done.

It was a good experience. Tough, but good. Tonight's sermon was emotionally the easiest. I think it was graciousness.

Tomorrow exam. And then some level of relaxation in my life. Hooray. Praise the Lord.

Study Day

I have an exam on Monday and today has been set aside as the one study day that I'll have. I haven't had the time before now.

As a result of this being a study day I have managed to have a quiet time that went twice as long as usual, blog, read the news, read some arguments between Jensens and anti-Jensens, find some pictures of massive poos (not for people who don't like poo), read a response to an anti-Wimber article in The Briefing in 1990, go shopping, and sleep on the couch for an hour. Tonight I'm going to a party. Procrastination is alive and well here.

If I pass this exam I'll prove that you don't have to read the Bible to go to Bible college. In fact you don't really have to read anything at all.

Refugees

Hooray for the Liberals!

Good on Mr Howard for changing refugee policy. I'm looking forward to the day when there is no mandatory detention, and no cruel visas, but for the moment these changes are good.

Government done good.

Yet another post about Bono

"Bono is by far the most pretentious rock star ever...but, like Batman, as long as he uses his powers for good, we can forgive him some things." - Chris Long, U2 Actung

Fourgotten Floors

In this building I noticed that there is no floor 4 or floor 14. But there is a floor B4.



I decided this was a little conundrum that I should investigate.

I just went to the Concierge (I'm so posh) to pick up the mail and my friend was on the desk, as I had hoped. She's one who recognises me and I don't have to ask for the mail, she's friendly. She also filled out a form about this apartment for me when I didn't know all the answers. She's cool.

Anyway, she was on the desk, so I asked her why there is no floor 4 or 14. She told me it's because the number 4 is a very unlucky number for the Chinese people. I didn't know that. As well as being no floors with 4 in it (except B4), there are no apartments with the number 4 in it.

I asked her why then, is there a B4. And that's because it's only a parking level. I made some joke about sleeping on the parking level but she didn't get it. She just looked at me and said "It's only for parking."

I persevered though and in the end got a smile after I said it was safe to sleep in your car on B5 and B3 but not B4. I admit, not a very funny joke, but sometimes you just have to keep working so that people know that you're joking, not just stupid. Of course, you can be stupid and joking, but it's better than just being stupid. Trust me, I know from experience.

I'm done now.

I went and talked at the school. I got it done.

Last night I got a rough out line nutted out. It was a rehash of many different gospel talks put together. I spent all night dreaming about the talk. I woke up at one stage with a new talk in my head. I thought about writing it as I lay in bed but decided I should go back to sleep. I thought I would give it an audition while I was in the shower.

In the shower I couldn't work out why I thought it'd be a good talk in the middle of the night. Then I remembered that it was the middle of the night and things always seem good then.

After my shower I sat around the appartment trying to wake up and run through my talk but it was rather difficult. It was pretty early. I didn't really get much done. I could have been asleep.

I drove to the school and practised in the car. It did ok there.

At the school I got up to talk and did a rather advertisment for our youth group and then launched into it. I told them how last time I was at their school was feeling rather sick and was scared I going to vomit on them all. I thought they'd like a vomit story but they didn't seem all that impressed.

My talk was straight gospel. I don't like doing gospel talks often, because you feel like you have to convince people that you're telling the truth. And I don't like talking about judgement. And telling people that they're sinners. It would just be a lot easier to tell them the good news. But the good news isn't good news until they've understand the bad news first.

In the end it went fine. I didn't vomit on anyone. My stories when down ok. Some of them looked rather bored. But what can you do? That's school for you.

I'm going to eat some lunch. Hooray!

I'm talking at a school in 11 hours and I haven't got anything to say yet.

Ahhh!

While people make this world rather crappy, they also make it wonderful. I do enjoy people.

I also enjoy living on my own. I had my first conversation with a man in the lift today. My first comversation at these appartments with anyone who isn't a Concierge. I hopped in the lift and it went like this:

Man: Hi
Me: G'day
Man: How are you?
Me: Good. How are you?
Man: A bit tired actually. (Honesty, I like it.)
Me: Yeah it's late. You've got your shopping there. (He's holding two bags of shopping but in conversation with strangers it's good to state the obvious to establish that you aren't stupid)
Man: Yeah I didn't want to starve.
Me: Good idea
Lift: *Ding*
Me: Well, have a good one.
Man: Bye

Now I feel like I have a friend on the fifth floor.

Jo and I had breakfast today from 12pm-2:45pm, it was good. Yay for Jo.

Today I have blogged, eaten some Coco-Pops, watched 2 episodes of The West Wing, done the washing up, walked to the video store, then watched 2 more episodes of The West Wing. It's been a good day.

It's 1:42pm and I haven't had breakfast yet. I also haven't decided if today is a day off or tomorrow is. It think tomorrow. I'm not feeling very productive today.

The Week in Photos

Ulladulla
Tuesday


Mitch and Graham play at Funland


Funland in its Glory


The Early Incarnation of those Dancing Machines


A Lock

Boxing
Wednesday


Before the Boxing


After the Boxing

Donny Jaffa Plays Again!
Thursday


Donny with Fan


Donny with my Mum (Happy Birthday Mum)


Donny says "Make Poverty History!"


Donny Performs


Donny Rocks Out

Just before I go: You'll notice in the background of the stage there are poles. Those poles are Marrickville RSL's brand new Pole Dancing Poles for their adult entertainment. They had not yet been properly used on Thursday night but during my performance I got to dance with them. I got to dance on a genuine pole dancing pole. Of course my clothes stayed on and I couldn't do much as I was holding an air guitar but it was rather fun. I would have been a dream come true had I ever thought to dream of pole dancing.

Last night was one of the hardest preaching experiences I've had so far. I've never come off feeling quite as bad as I did last night. I felt like I was one of the few people in the room who didn't feel like dancing. But last night was probably one of the more important experiences I've had too. It was great to see people dancing in the isles.

I'm also glad Tim didn't die on his hamburger.

"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let he who boasts boast about this:
that he understands me and knows me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in those I delight"
declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 9:23,24

Home from camp. Week over. Sleep in. Hooray!

Donny Jaffa moves through to the Semi-finals of the Big Bang Air Guitar Competition at Marrickville RSL...

..as did everyone else who competed. Pfft.

Manliness Quotient Increasing



So Matt and I went to the boxing tonight, it was great.

Before the boxing we went to Eating World in Chinatown and ate Chinese and drank beer. We felt beer was appropriate. A steak would have gone better than Soya Chicken, but it wasn't bad. And the food was cheap and good.

We went into the Entertainment Centre which was filled with cops and macho young men. I decided it was a very different crowd from when I was there last to see Norah Jones.

Before the main fight between Mundine and Kessler there were 5 other fights on the undercard.

Most of them weren't majorly exciting but there was one guy, Mick Katsidis who fought last before the main fight who got a knock out half way through round 2 of a 7 round fight. He was pretty full on. I'd be happy to follow that man's career. Undefeated with 15 wins and 13 KOs, yeah baby.

Mundine vs Kessler was great. It was a very pro-Mundine crowd. I was going for Kessler myself. I think because he deserves respect. He came into the fight undefeated with 35 wins and 27 KOs. That's pretty good. I didn't like Mundine's chances of still standing by the end.

But they went the full 12 rounds. It was very exciting. Kessler fought better but everytime Mundine did anything remotely good the crowd go off. It's nerve racking watching them fight because the intensity just increases. By the last round I was on the edge of my seat, making all the right noises, going for Mundine. The crowd won me over, and I realised Mundine was going to loose, so the underdog factor got me. Sadly he lost on points but he stayed in, which is more than most of Kessler's other opponents have done.

I think I'm officially a boxing fan. I want to go back.

Boxing tonight. How exciting!

There's a man standing on my balcony. I wonder who he is.

What do I want to be when I grow up?

There are so many things I would love to do when I grow up. Well maybe not so many, but I often have thoughts that go through my brain and I think, that'd be cool to do that. I'm happy doing my life at the moment. And I have no immediate plans to go anywhere (unless I get fired or something). But in a few years time or so, it might be time to move on. I am continually ticking over ideas for my next life. I'm hoping I can do at least some of them. They're not in any particular order.

Go to TAFE and learn to fix TVs, DVDs and Sound Systems and stuff

Then I could open up a little store and fix things. That'd be fun. I'm not sure that I'm smart enough for that but I sure do like fixing stuff. Well I sure do like replacing batteries, and that's pretty close to fixing stuff.

Live and Work in America

I'm fascinated by America. I know I've said that before. But I am. I'd love to work in a church in America. Probably because the American Christian culture is pervasive in the Western church. And the Moral Majority has such an influence on how this world plays out. And I think people would like my accent.

Be a Husband and Father

Yep. I like women and I like kids. What more could you want?

One day I'd like to see if all my pontificating about marriage and relationships is really worth anything.

Work in a Developing Nation

Maybe I'm just trying to ease my guilty conscience but I think I'd like to learn from, and be inspired by, people who are poor in this world but rich in the Kingdom of Heaven. I'm not sure that I'd be all that helpful. I don't know if I have many skills that they can use of mine. But I'm happy to smile at them as say encouraging things like "Keep going" "Go get 'em" and "Will you pose for my digital camera?" Every poor community in the world needs a leachy, guilty westerner to support.

Become a Famous Speaker

I think it'd be fun to fly around the world speaking at conferences. More and more, the greatest appeal of this job is that you can peddle the same 6 six sermons and get them to perfect delivery. None of this stuff where you write a new talk every time and try and stumble your way through it. Oh no. You can have just a few and everyone will think you're great but really you're just well practiced.

Plus I could write books to sell at Koorong.

Be a stay at home Dad

I figure I could do this while I'm not speaking. I could write my bestselling books like "Teen Purity Again" and "The Prayer of Jabez for House-Dads" then go and pick the kids up from school. I could do a bit of house work, help them with their homework, cook some frozen meals for dinner. Sweet.

Make feature film

I'm waiting for the day when God says "Ok you did what I wanted you to do, now here's $10 million, go make a film" And I'll make a feature film that will be a small critical success on the festival circuit but won't get a distributor.

Be a Youth Minister in a struggling town in Western NSW

I'm sure I'd burn out within a week but they need people out west so desperately that they'll take anyone. The perfect place for someone like me. I'd like to take my training and experience where there is one youth minister for a whole diocese rather than one in every three churches. Or even two in one church (such as mine). I might be needed out west.

Be Bono's good friend

When Bono and I become good friends, and I regularly hang out with U2, I hope none of them read my blog because I'm going to be a little embarrassed when they read things like this.

Be an Army Chaplin who jumps out of Planes

I think I'd like to combine my love of the military with my love of God. I'm not sure how this would fit in with my pacifist leanings, but I really like guns, planes, tanks and combat fatigues.

Be a Chaplin in a Private Anglican School

I think there's an appeal to working in a "Christian" environment where you get to evangelise every day. I'd like to try and make Chapel fun and the challenge of nominalism interests me. Plus it's still youth ministry stuff.

Work in a Church as a "Man devoted to Prayer and the Ministry of the Word"

I don't want to run a church but if they ever had a job open for a full time preacher, I'd apply. I'm note sure how it would work, but I think I'd spend all week hanging out with people from the congregation, working in the community, reading newspapers and books, and researching and writing sermons, and praying.

Being a Posh Car Delivery Man

I once met a guy who worked for company that serviced posh cars. He used to go over to their house pick up their Mercedes, BMW or Ferrari, then drive it to his work to be serviced then drive them back to the owner's house. How cool would that be? I'd have to learn to drive a manual.


So there you have my rather long list of things that I'd like to do. I'm not sure that I'll end up doing any of them, I'll see what God wants, but I can dream...

One sermon down, two to go.

I'm so glad I don't normally have to preach every week.

I just watched bit of a documentary about buskers. That'd be a fun job. Unless you were one of those buskers with a mental illness. That would be hard.

I ate meat balls for dinner.

I had fun at First Sunday tonight. I really enjoy the people at my church. They're a good bunch.

I'm about to embark another of those weeks that make you think they're going to explode you have so much on. But most of it looks fun.

Can I tell you my week? I've been telling everyone.

Monday: Sermon writing, college, sermon, maybe a movie
Tuesday: Ulladulla to visit Jimmy
Wednesday: Work, Boxing with Matt
Thursday: Sermon prep, Air Guitar Comp
Friday: Scripture Seminars, Small Group, Camp
Saturday: Camp
Sunday: Camp, Preach
Monday: Sleep in

Tonight Jem and Jo told me that when I preach I almost sound American. I sound like a cross between Matt Gelding and Mike Pilavachi. Neither of them are American. But they're both good preachers so I'll take it as a compliment.

Living in the unit again is bringing back all the memories from last time I was here. All the smells and sights are making me remember how I felt back in October. Especially the smell of the shower and the toilet. Not that I spent much time there, but they have very distinctive smells.

I'm listening to Switchfoot now because I bought that while I was here last and I played it a lot sitting here at the computer. It has decidedly enhanced the nostalgic experience.

I'm hoping to create some new memories this time. I'd rather not spend the next two months reliving October. As much fun as October was.

Some new memories are:

Bath

Last night, I was struggling to find energy to write my sermon (hey I should be doing that now) so I had a bath. It didn't help the energy levels, it ruined them. But it was good. I haven't had a bath in years, literally. Living in a house without a bath will do that to you. But this was great.

Timezone

I went to Timezone this afternoon with 5 of the guys from my small group. It was good fun. I lost Daytona twice but won the last game. I couldn't handle being beaten in a driving game by 5 guys who don't even have a license. My ego wouldn't have coped.

I have sore hand now from doing so much shooting on Time Crisis 3.

After Timezone I did some shopping. I bought some Coco-Pops. I'm hoping to win the Light Saber spoon.

Since moving in here I have created three pieces of washing up. A knife, a fork and a glass. It's all about economy.

12:05am Yesterday

This is what I wrote on Wednesday Night/Thursday Morning. I thought I should post it because that was the idea I think.

So I’m currently sitting here blogging on my new monitor. Sadly I still have no internet.

I’m listening to Elliot Smith (I think), Louise lent me the cd. It’s not bad. I hear he’s dead this bloke, which is rather sad.

My new monitor is big and flat and I just realised that I forgot to get a receipt for it, so its three year warranty might be hard to redeem if it dies. I’ll have to ring up tomorrow and ask for a receipt.

I went on camp this weekend. I got to go away with the youth group. How fun are youth groups? Fun.

It’s rather late to write a debrief. It’ll have to come out in a rather exaggerated form in my autobiography in 40 years time. But it was fun. It really is good to watch people be changed by God.

Tonight at Bible Study we had a man called Daniel Shayesteh come and tell us about his life. He told us how he was an extremist Muslim, fighting in the Iranian revolution. How he was the leader of a political party in Iran that had 98% of the vote. How he got kidnapped and tortured but escaped death. And how he because a Christian and how Christ has changed his life. It was a great story. He was an inspiring man. Now all he seems to do is tell people about Jesus.

I went to primary school with his daughters but I didn’t know their story. I wish that I had.

I want to be as excited about Jesus as he was.

I am offically moved into my new temporary home in Chatswood. Hooray.

I'm house sitting my my Grandpa's apartment again. I'll be here till the end of July. Fun Fun.

I'm sitting in Core games now.

I sat up late last night blogging. I have a new monitor so I wanted to use it. I wrote to dodgy posts in word. They were long, but dodgy. I might get around to fixing them. I was just happy to have a new monitor. It's a 19" LCD. Very nice.

It's funny how when you have no net at home, you come to places like Westfield to use it, and you can't think of anything worth blogging about. But you feel the need to blog because you don't have all day.

All my useful thoughts are gone.

This morning I sat at home and did sermon prep listening to classical music. That was most enjoyable.

David and I had lunch at Satay Queen in Hornsby. It is the ultimate dodge. Wonderful. I love a good dodgy little Asian take-away. Except we dined in. Fantatastic.

I have to go to college tonight for my last ever Preaching class. I would have one next week but I have an Air Guitar competition to go in.

Well now that I have giving the internet more useless text. I must be off. I ahve a Donny Jaffa suit to reserve.

Everybody's doing it

() smoked a cigarette
() smoked a cigar
() made out with a member of the same sex
(x) been in love that really depends on how you define "in love", I've certainly had very strong feelings
(x) been dumped I wouldn't want to put it that harshly.
(x) shoplifted
(x) been fired
(x) been in a fist fight Not a big one
() snuck out of my parent's house
(x) had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
(x) been arrested Well I got a warning and juvenilele record or something
() made out with a stranger But I once kissed a man I'd only met twice
(x) gone on a blind date
(x) lied to a friend
() had a crush on a teacher
(x) skipped school
() slept with a co-worker
() seen someone die
() had a crush on one of your myspace friends
() been to Canada
() been to Mexico
(x) been on a plane
() thrown up in a bar but I've...
(x) thrown up in Westfield
(x) set a part of myself on fire
(x) eaten sushi
(x) been moshing/crowd surfing at a show
() love someone and miss someone right now
(x) laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by
() made a snow angel
(x) had a tea party
(x) flown a kite
(x) built a sand castle
(x) riden through puddles on a bike
(x) gone puddle jumping
(x) played dress up
(x) jumped into a pile of leaves
() gone sledding
(x) cheated while playing a game
(x) been lonely
(x) fallen asleep at work/school
() used a fake id
(x) watched the sun set
() felt an earthquake
(x) touched a snake
(x) been tickled
(x) been robbed
(x) been misunderstood
(x) pet a reindeer/goat
(x) won a contest
(x) ran a red light
() been suspended from school
(x) been in a car accident
(x) had braces
(x) felt like an outcast
(x) eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night
(x) had deja vu
(x) danced in the moonlight
(x) hated the way you look
(x) witnessed a crime
(x) questioned your heart
(x) been obsessed with post-it notes
(x) squished barefoot through the mud
(x) been lost
(x) been to the opposite side of the country
(x) swam in the ocean
() felt like dying
() cried yourself to sleep
(x) played cops and robbers
(x) recently colored with crayons/colored pencils/markers
(x) sung karaoke
(x) paid for a meal with only coins
(x) done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(x) made prank phone calls
(x) laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
() caught a snowflake on your tongue
(x) danced in the rain
(x) written a letter to Santa Claus
(?) been kissed under a mistletoe
(x) watched the sun set with someone you care about
(x) blown bubbles
(x) made a bonfire on the beach
() crashed a party
(x) gone rollerskating
(x) had a wish come true
() worn pearls
(x) jumped off a bridge
() ate dog/cat food
() told a complete stranger you loved them
(x) kissed a mirror
(x) sang in the shower
() have a black dress
(x) had a dream that you married someone
(x) glued your hand to something
() got your tongue stuck to a flag pole
() kissed a fish
(x) worn the opposite sexes clothes
() been a cheerleader
(x) sat on a roof top
(x) screamed at the top of your lungs
() done a one-handed cartwheel
() talked on the phone for more than 6 hours
(x) stayed up all night
() didn't take a shower for a week
() pick and ate an apple right off the tree
(x) climbed a tree
(x) had a tree house
() are scared to watch scary movies alone
() believe in ghosts
() have more then 30 pairs of shoes
(x) worn a really ugly outfit to school just to see what others say well to church
() gone streaking
() played chicken
(x) been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on
(x) caught a fish then ate it
(x) caught a butterfly
(x) laughed so hard you cried
() cried so hard you laughed
() mooned/flashed someone
(x) had someone moon/flash you
() cheated on a test
() have a Britney Spears CD
(x) forgotten someone's name
(x) slept naked