I went looking for interesting webcams last night. I looked at men's, women's, tourist attractions, constuction sites, aquariums, lounge rooms. And I realised, webcams aren't very interesting.

I did find this one a while ago though. It's good.

http://www.avary.com/rogeravary/writercam/writercam.html

Jackass: The Movie. I'm not sure whether it was good or bad. I guess it made me laugh. At times. I wasn't as impressed when they did things to people who weren't in the Jackass team. Bam's parents were cool. I didn't really like all the bum jokes. They seem to find people getting pain in their genitals funny. I guess it is at times. But I think I got pretty sick of it quite quickly.

I got to eat cheese pizza tonight. And there is more in the fridge.

I wrote a really good post yesterday about my neighbour who I offered a lift home to but she refused because I think she didn't know who I was and maybe thought I wanted to rob and kill her. (That was a long sentence) It was a very good post. But alas it stuff up on me. What a bastard.

This is meant to be a college study day but at the moment I have only managed to eat breakfast and lunch. Study hasn't arrived yet.

Tonight I'm going to go and see Jackass: The Movie I'm sure that will be brilliant.

Tomorrow many of my friends go to Counting Crows. I'm going in a week. Yayness all round.

Pow! Six hits yesterday. I'm the man. Eck, eck.

I just spent a few hours around at the Castle's house playing pictionary. That was fun. It's a fun game. Ryan and I were going so well, we were very close to winning when we were over taken right at the end. I felt crushed. I also lost volley ball tonight. Crushed more.

I spent a lot of today shooting a video with Robert for church. It's about me loving my enemies. I'm demonstrating to people that I can love my enemies so they can too. I felt like a did a lot of hugging today. I hugged Jemma at the traffic lights. It was cool. She pulled up then Rob and I walked up to her car and I stuck myself through the window and gave her a hug. We did this twice. I'm hoping that the people in the cars around us were impressed.

I owe Optus $123 which is like my voice mail number backwards (321).

I also got a new credit card the other day. Just to replace my old one, this one is better because now the magnetic strip is not broken. It's not as good in other respects though because there is no Sydney Olympics logo on it, and that was cool.

I decided the other day that I was going to boycott McDonalds. When asked why I told people that I wasn't sure but I thought that McDonalds was probably doing something unethical.

The boycott didn't last very long.

I was thinking I was preaching on the 8th. Last night I found out it was the 1st. That's a little sad. I wasn't prepared for that. I was all planned to be really well prepared. Now I am not. Shame, shame, shame. I am thinking about using Footloose as an illustration. I'm sure I'll get paid out for that. But it'll be funny. Plus I think it's relevant. I hope.

I was planning on working harder at college this semester but now that I'm here it's not looking as easy.

Saddam on TV with Georgie. How cool is that. Our two favourite people together at last. It's like what you normally see on TV except instead of seeing dysfunctional families you see dysfunctional world leaders.

I think I had something to say about yesterday.

Hmm.

It was Sunday.

I had a really good lesson planned for the Sunday morning group yesterday. It was cool the kids were going to be running around in the carpark collecting things. They were learning not to worry. I was really excited about the outdoor game.

When it came time to play, it was raining. Raining! Who decided to break the drought on the weekend? Eh? Today would have been a fine day to break the drought. It could rain all the way up until Thursday and it wouldn't disrupt any of my plans.

One of the kids decided to walk out of my group. When I chased him and told him to go back he said "No". When I told him that I don't want him in my group if he doesn't want to be there, he told me that he didn't want to be there either and his mother made him. That was a problem. Now I'm going to have to talk to his mother. I don't really want to do that.

Last night I shot a video with Matt for church. It was the first silly thing I have done for the church. We did a satellite link up to my twin brother in Miami. I put on my American accent and away we went. I made a few jokes that got a mild reaction. I was kinda happy with it. It was nice to do something stupid. I got a lot of people afterwards saying it was good. I'm not sure whether to to hope they were being polite or not.

Well, Monday it is. That means College I am at.

I almost got myself killed today. That might be a bit exaggerated. Maybe very badly injured.

I was standing in the kitchen today, cleaning up. People were outside in the carpark, playing soccer. I decided to put a box of matches away. I headed over towards the cupboard. As I was on my way over there was a huge "Bang!". I thought the oven had blown up. This was quickly followed a shattering sound and me getting hit by lots of pieces of glass. I realised at that stage that the oven had not exploded. The soccer boys had smashed the window a couple of metres away from me.

I figure it could have been dangerous. I might have been stabbed in the throat or something by a big piece of glass, but it didn't really feel all that impressive. Everyone else was more impressed than I was. They all ran into the kitchen and I got repeatedly asked if I was ok. I think I was. I haven't noticed any wounds yet and it's been an hour and a half.

I guess I'm wondering at the moment how close I did come to being badly injured and if there is any significance to this event. Is this part of the spiritual attack that my household has been under lately, or is it just a random ball? I'm sure God was making sure that I was ok, but how much work did he have to do. Was I always going to be ok, and I was in no more danger than I normally am, or was it like one little difference and I could be in a hospital in some form or another at the moment? I'm thinking it was probably somewhere in between.

I'm not dead though, and devil or not, I'm pretty happy about that.

I want to get this Mini-Disk player.

I went and saw 8 Mile today. Good film that. I ate a falafel roll for lunch. I also had a Buddy. I think that Eminem is not all that bad. I don't I like his music a whole lot though. The "battles" in the film were cool they reminded me of theatre sports. I used to be quite a teatresporter in my time. Won a number of competitions, one at Helen O'Grady Drama Academy and one at Black Stump Christian Arts Festival. I was quite a little Al Pacino in my time.

My sister is moving out.

Not Hannah, the other one.

We were meant to go to the Waterworks for youth group tonight, but we cancelled it because of the rain. Shame really because the Waterworks are fun. Fun indeed. Instead we stayed at church and watched Men in Black II. That's not a very good film.

I ordered 20 large pizzas for everyone and the dude asked me when I wanted to pick it up. I said "Seven". At seven we went to pick the pizzas up and they said that the pizzas would be ready at eight. I told them that we were told seven. She said they couldn't be done till eight. I asked if there was any possability of having them done by quarter to eights. Nope. Maybe just some of them? Nope. I said, "The kids are going home at eight." She said "Sorry." We didn't eat pizza. I was very hungry. As were the kids. We made a lot of money though.

We'll have pizza another night.

I think I forgot to mention, and this is definatly worth mentioning, at the show last night we across the isle and one row up from almost the whole cast of Home and Away. Rebecca Cartwright was there with her boyfriend Beau Brady. We almost walking into each other in the bathroom doorway. We did the side step, both people go the same way thing a few times, till he said "sorry", and we got past each other. Fame. Beau and I are good friends now, after our little altercation.

When I walked past the Second hand bookstore last night, after the lane incident, I noticed that someone had left about eight fat books outside the front door. I had a look and the books were the palimentary debates for Australia in 1902. I picked one up and flicked through it. It wasn't very interesting. There was a man named Mr Crouch who did a bit of talking. I closed the book and put it back when I found it.

As I was walking away it occoured to me that Mr Crouch would be dead now, as would every one else in that book. But we still know what they said.

Walking home from Kaia's last night at around 11:30, I went to turn into a little walk way between her street an another. It's very dark and a little wider then the foot path. I always used to be a little worried about walking down it during the day, and I hated it at night. Anyway, I went to turn down the lane and there was the figure of a man walking up the other way. Suddenly I though "Hmm, this is a problem." I had thoughts that this man was walking down the lane only to rob me and kill me. Then I decided that that was a silly thought, and he was probably walking home, like me. So I walked down the lane. What normally would have been a terribly nerve racking experience when I was a bit younger, I was quite calm about.

Shouldn't have been calm though because the guy robbed me then stabbed me to death.

I had a strange night last night.

"Tivoli" was interesting. I have never been to a dance thing before. There were some bits that were cool. There were big tap numbers and dancers throwing a small women all over the stage. They were good. The story left something to be desired, but I guess it wasn't really about the story, and it was a little strange when the topless women were on stage. I'm not used to seeing topless women dance. But all up it was worth going. I think if I watched more stuff from Sydney Dance Company I might learn to like it. But I'm not sure if I would want to put in the effort.

It was a much better experience than when I saw the opera.

Yay for Miss Germany! When she says "World Peace", she means it.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/02/20/1045638399206.html

I just got my hair cut. And spent too much money on Maccas and a U2 magazine.

I hate getting my hair cut, It's always a worry. Usually I get a bad haircut from my hairdresser, but I keep going. I'm afraid of change. Today it was a really big step to ask for a number 3 on the sides rather than my usual number 2. I always think it's too short but I never have the courage to get it cut a little longer. I wonder if I will ever be able to change hairdressers? I'm feeling not.

My hair smells too. That's the other downside of a hair cut, they put styling stuff in. At the moment I smell like orange.

But my hair is shorter, that's a good thing.

I'm going to get my hair cut today. I'm also going to see "Tivoli" with Kaia. I'm looking forward to that. Musicals are fun. And this is a dance musical, I like dancing, sometimes. I like other people dancing. Although sometimes it gets a little boring, but big musical dancing. That's cool.

"Some in the world don't view Saddam Hussein as a risk to peace." -George W Bush

Wouldn't planning to go to war with another country make you a risk to peace?

Time to watch a DVD.

There are a lot of people dying around the world these days.
21 in Chicago
20 in Eastern USA
134 in South Korea
and
28,000 children of preventable diseases around the place.

That's a lot of dying.

Personally I'm planning on dying when it's not as fashionable.

I just noticed that in the past 12 hours or so I've had 4 hits from the USA. Wow. How cool is that? Very cool.

Are you from the USA? Send me an e-mail I like people from the USA. I even like the President of the USA, except when he's being the president and making bad decsions. As they said at the Anti-War rally on Sunday "We're not anti-America, were anti-War." Then we all cheered.

If I'm not careful the fame is going to get to my head.

Does having 4 hits from the USA in one day entitle you to some pizza? Cheese pizza?

Did I say that I ate some food from Charlie Chan's in Chatswood Westfield yesterday? Well I did. And it wasn't very good. The Honey Chicken was really under cooked. And the other two dishes were poor.

I have a craving for pizza now and I don't think there is any food in this house.

I'm almost finished editing. I don't want to do anymore today though. All I have to do is finish an interview and stick on some music then I'm done. Sick eh? Eh.

I think it would be cool to have a laptop. Then I could carry a computer around and type word documents where ever I want. Apart from that, I see no reason to have a laptop.

Yay, It's the morning.

This is our favourite DJ on Triple M.

I have to re-new my membership at the RSL. That's gonna cost me $11! It only cost me $4.40 to join. Man, the things you have to do these days for a good pokies atmosphere.

On the way back from the cinemas today Rob, Tim and I got caught by this young lady who was trying to get us to donate to heart reasearch. She was very agressive. When I said I didn't want to register, she asked me why not. I told her I didn't want to get a lot of stuff in the mail. So she told me it was only one thing and she could give me here privacy policy. I replied that I just didn't want to sign up so she moved on to Robert and asked him why he didn't sign up and then Tim. She was agro. I think it may have been that time of the month. In the end I told her if I wanted to donate I'd contact them. I don't think we were her best customers.

I saw The Gangs of New York today with Tim and Robert. I think that movie could have been shorter. I don't know. It was long. And violent. And I couldn't tell what it was trying to say. I got the picture that from the movie and it's advertising that the story was that the characters in the movie made New York what it is today. From what I could tell from the movie, New York is what it is despite the characters in the film. They seemed to have no lasting impression at all. But that's just what I could see.

It was good going out with Tim and Rob though. I looked at Boston Market too. I might eat there one day.

I would like to get a mini-disk player.

I'm about to go to bed but I thought I'd blog quickly. I've been editing the video for the past six or seven hours. It's quite fun. A lot of work though. I don't think I'll become an editer by trade. Perhaps I will get quicker as time goes on.

My computer at work is broken. I now find it difficult to do work. I might have to have words to someone about that. But I have an office, and that's cool. I still like having the office. Even if it did used to be a bedroom. That's sometimes a strange thought. Especially when the old occupant is around. When the girl who used to live in the room is there I feel like I should pick up my stuff and move out. I don't though. I resist the urge. Good on me.

Went to the "March for Peace" in the city today. That was cool. I heard there was 250,000 people. There were helicopters overhead. And lots of people. I clapped my hands and shouted. I went with the family from church. They were cool. They have a very talkative daughter, but very friendly. They made me lunch, drove me in, bought me an Ice Cream. I was well looked after. Top notch, eh?

It was a fun much. People were in good spirits. Generally all agreeing with each other I think. I get a little un-comfortable about all the rude slogans and stuff about the Bush and Howard and those blokes. I don't agree with their policies, but I still believe in being polite. Even loving. Maybe they are my enemy. Maybe they are the people we Christian peace-niks have to love.

I just went to Castle Hill Tavern for the birthday of a girl from college. There were four of us, and I didn't talk much. But I had a pleasant time. The gave me advice about what to do in the Sunday Morning group I'm running tomorrow. We're doing loving your enemies. It should be alright. I think I'm going to make some plans for that group. I'm going to try and make it more of a good quality youthy meeting than a baby sittting/Sunday School thing. I think I'll introduce regular features and stuff like that. But it's all slowly slowly. For now I'm just trying to make sure things happen. But I think things are alright now.

The Africans are part of a childrens choir and were are billeting them. We aren't hiding refugees.

I got phone call this morning from people at church who had invited me around for lunch. They were asking is they could postpone to the week after so they could go to the Anti-War Rally in the city. I was all "Cool, yeah, can you take me?"

I wanted to go but I couldn't because of work. But since there are people who are going from church, I can tag along and still not skip any of my duties. Cool, huh?

Yesterday was not as fun. I woke up feeling bad and subsequently spent the first half of the day on the toilet and vomiting. Yum.

The next half I spent editing. I was wanting to go to work, because I felt I could, but I was told to stay home in case I made everyone else sick. My first sick day.

I don't like sick days. I wanted to go run a youth group.

On Thursday, after college Graham, Mitch and I went on a trip to find Angus. Seeing as he hadn't been at college for 2 weeks and no-one had heard from him we thought we'd go find him.

We took the camera and filmed the whole trip. We made a nice little documentry I think. It's coming together nicely. We interviewed people and asked them if they knew where Gus was. We met homeless men, crazy skaters, macca's workers, buddhist monks. It was very cool. We had a wonderful time finding Gus. And just as we were about to go home after arriving at his apartment and finding no-one there, who should arrive home but Gus. It was a bit of devine intervention, mes thinks.

I got home at around 1am and had that "I've just been on an adventure" feeling.

There are three African people in my house.

I'm preaching on "Loving Your Enemies" soon. Cool. I like that one. Must pray about that. Make sure I let God talk, not me.

Maybe God and me, together. We make a great team.

When I die and come before God He'll say "Thanks Tom, couldn't have done it without ya"

As seems to be the case at this intensive stuff there is a lot to take in. I have no idea how to apply everything to work. Now that I think about it, I can't even remember what we talked about. I can't remember what I have been inspired to do. I know there's a lot that I have heard, I'm not sure what I've learnt though.

Mitch told me he wants to be a Chaplin in the army. Being the person who doesn't like violence that I am (I think maybe I am a pacifist, but I don't know what it fully means to say you are one of them, so I don't) I don't think I would like to be an Army chaplin. I started talking to Mitch about it but we didn't get very far. I think maybe I will talk to him more. I don't think I could be a chaplain without telling them that I think what they are doing is wrong.

Although I think that sometimes it might be ok for the Army to be army like. Maybe, from a Christian view, it's ok to use force to protect others from violence. Maybe it's not. It's all good to turn the other cheek yourself, but it doesn't seem right to make others turn other cheek because that's what you believe.

That's a little post-modern I think.

I think after very little thought (or perhaps a lot of thought in many short, unsustained bursts) that the world isn't really a very pleasant place. There are wars brewing, terrorists threatening, ebola killing, and I have an in-grown toe-nail.

When will the madness end?

I just got back from the pub and isn't Sutherland pub a beautiful pub. I had two Cokes and played three games of pool. I went to the toilet once, spoke to Lesley on the phone once, and David once. All up very productive.

Sometimes I wonder what a Bible college needs a PlayStation 2 for. But I'm not upset by it. I love having a PS2, although mainly I like it for the DVDs.

I am inspired to do Sonny Watkins now that I have a computer. Sonny Watkins that politically incorrect, theologically incorrect Bible teacher. I want his fame to spread. I think now that I have a computer it's a much more reasonable thing to think of. I watched the Sonny video from 2001 again today. I can't say it was world class but I see potential. And it's that potential I want to build on.

I fell asleep a few times in my lectures today. But they weren't too bad. I'm enjoying what I'm awake for. Interesting stuff. We got to have a discussion about The Matrix and it's post-modern worldview. Interesting stuff.

Speaking of interesting stuff the website has some cool articles here, go to the Philosophy Section.

I appologise to me (all the rest of you who care) for the poorness of today's posts. I'm trying to make up for lack off posting on other days.

My old youth group website is still around. I might amend it at some stage to reflect the changing face of the youth group, or lack there-of.

Bed calls now. College on the 'morrow.

I just spent many mintues trying to make this computer work after connecting it to my fatty. I don't like this computer.

Actually, now I've said that, I'm feeling a little bit of love for this thing. We've had many good times and bad times together. It's a little sad that I won't spend as much time with her. As dodgy as she is, I love her.

I love my dog more.

But my dog barks more than my computer and connects to the internet less.

I have dreams to create wonderful films now.

I'm in the middle of cleaning up the house at the moment. Mum asked if I could clean up for her for an hour. I started more than an hour ago but I keep getting distracted so I will have to go a bit longer.

I just called the man who sold me my desk and was going to deliver it to me. He was very excited to hear from me. Like he was my good friend. It was very nice. I think them folk at Bibles for Missions are all lovely people. I encourage you all to shop there whenever you can.

I have been very bad at posting these days. I think that's because my life is so full.

I created a cd today. I took the audio off my Matchbox 20 dvd so I could listen to it other places. It's pretty cool. I'm not sure if it's illegal though.

I read in the paper last night that some vandals smashed up the fence at Coogee where Our Blessed Virgin was residing.

From the article:"It's very sad," [one lady] said, as she wiped tears away from her eyes. "I've been praying to her."

Well this chair is a little un-comfortable.

I'm back at work now. I have a meeting in an hour. I told some of the guys in the youth group I'd take them to the beach, so we are going after the meeting. It's a little worrying because I am not a big fan of the beach, but I think I should learn to like it. I'll see how we go.

The computer finally entered my room yesterday. Wow. My screen is huge.

Rob and I went to this dodgy Bibles for Missions place to pick up my table. I decided I couldn't wait for it to get delivered. Getting the table was a massive task.

The table was positioned behind thousands of pieces of old, dodgy furnature. Ladders, beds, bedends, desks, painting, chests of drawers, and a cash register. It was amazing Rob and I spent much time moving various items of dirty second-hand goods so we could even touch the table. Once we got there we had to carry it out which required a lot more moving of beds and drawers and the like. Amazing stuff.

Once we started inspecting the table we found it to be a wonderful treasure trove of excitment. It was covered in dirt, the table top was only connected to two of its four legs, it seems to have 3 different types and colours of paint on various surfaces, and its all topped off my the most beautiful gray and white lino you have ever seen. Good quality stuff. Goes great with the computer.

Wow!

I just had my first youth group at this church. Crazy. 33 kids. I'm used to having a group of five. It was good though. I had a good time. I'm looking forward to this year. I had to tell the story of Samson. He's a character. Why I chose him I don't know. I felt I did pretty poorly, I don't think I put in enough planning. But hey, it got a good wrap from the leaders.

I begun with no idea what was going on. I hadn't assigned roles, or got a timetable figured out. But it came off ok. I think God had something to do with it. I felt most un-prepared, but God is abundant in grace. Yay for Him.

Speaking of grace...

David told me my computer is all done. Yay! And I'm going to the Counting Crows. I bought the tickets today.

I figure this is the computer of grace. I've spent money on it I didn't earn, it's been built through no toil of mine. Everything that has made this computer has been the grace of God and my friends and family. I don't deserve this computer by any standards. But I have it. And I have it in aubundance. Sometimes it's nice how the little(r) things can remind us of the big things, like the ultimate act of grace from God.

Hey it's my blog I can say what I want.

These lectures are very difficult for my head to cope with. I have to come up with my philosophy of youth ministry. I think it will be fun, I like doing this kind of thing, but it's hard to get to the point where I'll feel ready to do it.

The last lecture we had was looking at a youth ministry based on a covenental (sp?) theology. I felt like the theology was fine, but the out working of the theology was a little strange to me. I think intensives make me think a lot. It's good. I'm being challenged to make sure my theology matches up with how I practice youth ministry. At the moment I'm in a good position to make sure it does, being new and all. So we'll see how life goes.

May I just say on the record that I like first years, I don't want to flush their heads down the toilets and I don't mind them telling me I can't eat the pasta.

Truly.

There's only Lite White for breakfast. It's way too early for me to be around but I am. Lectures start in 20 minutes and there's nothing I want for breakfast. I grabbed some pasta from last night out of the fridge, I was very excited about my breakfast then, but got told off by a first year. Hmmm. I wonder if I should have flushed their head down the toilet to show my second year superiority to the freshman.

Well this is my first ever post from College. Yay for that.

I wanted to post last night from Rooty Hill RSL but it cost $3 for half an hour and I thought "Nup". I went to the RSL last night for my birthday. I think it was very exciting. And we got to go in Dad's hire car which was very posh.

I thought the RSL was a very fitting place to have my 20th birthday and I now have a Rooty Hill RSL t-shirt, which I have wanted for five years. I expect to wear it three times.

Yesterday I also went to a restaurant in Hornsby for lunch which had really bad food. It was called Toscani's. But I had a nice time. I also bought a DVD Writer and a table to put my computer on. The burner cost $737 and the table cost $30 (from Bibles for Missions). All up I'm very happy with my purchases. I also bought a Matchbox 20 DVD and they're cool.

Australian space spiders perish

Headline in SMH after Shuttle crash.

What a shame

I have discovered a few problems with the programs that I created. Wrong time for one. Very disappointing. But we'll get there. One day it will be fixed. Hopefully before all the kids turn up at the wrong time.

Today I went back to college for the first time in 2003. It was a little un-interesting because we had to listen to all the orientation stuff. But it was good to be back and see all me friends. Gus wasn't there though because he's in hospital at the moment. He's not going to die, so that's good. I think I found it amusing because these days college is something that he doesn't seem to be able to make it to much.

We had an opening service where I read the Bible. I do like the Bible.

Yesterday I ate butter chicken for dinner and I had kids from the church come and hang out in my office. That's never happened before.

Last night we had a leaders night and I got to run a team building exercise and a Bible study on Jesus washing the disciple's feet. It was interesting because I only found out I was doing it yesterday afternoon, so I have the feeling it wasn't as prepared as I would have liked, but it was alright. And it's God's show not mine anyway.

I also rearranged my office. That was cool. Now my desk looks out the window and I feel much more at home there. And I've figured out a comfy way to sit in my chair. All good things.

Tomorrow is the first day of the junior high group that I run on Sunday mornings. That should be interesting. I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to do it, but I'll get there.

About Chinese people:

I'm not a racist at all, I've got a colour TV, but they stand on the toilet and piss all over the seats, and they're smelly and they're always pushin'. Sometimes I just want to learn the swearwords in their language and write them all over the back of the toilet doors.

- Over heard on the train on the way home from College.