Leaving

I'm about to leave Chatswood after two months of living the high life here. It's been fun. I think I only washed up 4 times in 2 months. By halfway through the second month I was just rinsing glasses because I was thinking "Well I'll be moving out soon, no point in doing a wash up this late in the piece."

The unit is clean. The beds are made (not very well, but good for me) and all my stuff is packed. Today I'm off to film Love Is. Hooray!

I was in Chatswood mall before because I was doing some late night grocery shopping and almost half the teenage girls I saw were wearing small tops and short skirts. So I'm wondering what possesses a girl to wear so little on a winter night? And it must be very diffcult finding something to wear in summer when you've exhausted all your outfits in winter.

Jo and I just had Krispy Kremes from the new store here in Chatswood. It opened today. I don't like Krispy Kremes heaps but I thought it would be rather important that I ate there opening day.

We had fun.

I'm just about to finish a 14-hour day at work, and it's been good. A marvelous day.

I'm very privileged to work at a church full of God and lovely people.

Law Breaking

Jude Law is copping a beating in the press at the moment. It looks like female journalists are having a field day having a go a Law, and males in general (well at least two on SMH are, and I saw the cover of NW in Coles last night, so I think that's a pretty broad sample). It seems that Jude Law getting caught sleeping with the nanny has proved that not only is he incapable of fidelity, all men are.

Jemima Lewis told me that most men are still cave men at heart. They "must hunt, must slay, must strew old bones and dirty socks over cave floor. And, of course, the most basic evolutionary impulse of all: must sleep around."

Well, actually, most of those are rather appealing ideas. But I don't think an affinity for dirty socks is a proof of a lack ability to stay faithful.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this, perhaps just that I wouldn't want all men to be painted with the same brush. Or if we are all going to be labeled cheaters, I think it should be the male journalists that do it. But from what I can tell the male journalists aren't at all interested in this story.

Maybe, if people are going to have discussions about infidelity it shouldn't be just a male/Jude Law bashing exercise. There are worthwhile issues to talk about in this story and it's not whether or not Sienna will take him back, if Jude will demand the ring back, or if Jude's parents are getting involved.

The good news is though folks, Jude won't be sleeping with the nanny again. There's a new nanny and she's reported to be "a bit dumpy and not particularly attractive." There is some justice in this world.

Plus Soup

After a long day that I spent watching West Wing and Futurama, and reading Harry Potter, Ryan and I went to Soup Plus last night.

It was the first time I've been to Soup Plus at the new venue. It's become a very different place. This new venue feels like a cross between a restaurant, a bar, and a campsite dining room. The old one had a magnificent dingy, basement feel. The big wooden tables, and wooden benches, the darkness, and the low ceiling. It was great. The new place just didn't have nearly as much charm. It also seemed like the clientele had got a lot older too. Ryan and I were probably the youngest people there who weren't with their parents.

But on the up side we saw the Kings of Swing Band. They were fun. They played old Sinatra and Fitzgerald songs. There were 17 of them too. 17 wouldn't have fitted in the old venue. The soup was good. I had Pumpkin and Sweet Potato, and their croutons are lovely. Plus the staff were very friendly. It was fun. I think I'll go again.

Lior

On Saturday night Jo, Ryan, Jem and I went to see Lior at Carringbah Bizzo. I had been there the week before to see Jimmy's band Intone play.

We ate dinner at what was said to be one of the best Indian restaurants in Sydney, at least that's what the menus told us. The food wasn't bad. I would have liked to try their butter chicken. Butter chicken is how I judge all Indian restaurants. If the butter chicken is good than the rest of the place is probably good.

Jem has said that Lior is better than John Mayer live. While I haven't seen John live (neither has Jem) but I don't think Lior would beat John. At least he wouldn't have on Saturday night. Jo and Jem, the groupies, told me that he wasn't up to form. Maybe I just like John's music better.

Anyway, Lior was pretty good, despite his boredness. His band were fun, they all had good solos. The lead guitarist looked like he'd never escaped geekdom, like hang out in the Library geekdom. He was very good guitarist, which far outweighs hair dos, specticals and clothing choice when it comes to coolness. Lior sung a cool song about Mexico which I hope he puts on his next album. It was lots of fun.

I think that's all I have to say about Lior.

3 and a half

They say that when you're tried it has similar effects on you to being drunk. It that's true, I spent all day under the influence, because I was functioning on 3 and a half hours sleep. It certainly makes me go a little silly.

Presbyterians

Today in my sermon I told a story about some inhospitable Presbyterians I stayed with once. I used it as an excuse to have a fun dig at Presbyterians. But I told everyone that infact I have met some wonderful, friendly Presbyterians.

But after the services I was deluged by people walking up to me and telling me they were Pressies and giving me a wink. It seems that everyone was wanting for a chance to have a dig. As I told one guy later, I've met more unfriendly Anglicans than I've met unfriendly Presbyterians.

So may I state, for the record, I like Presbyterians.

They are a little odd though...

Working in the Administration

Seeing as I am in love with The West Wing (still) I often think of my work as kinda like the one in The West Wing. I have decided who everyone in the office would play if we were the Bartlet Administration. Steve, being the Senior Minister would be the President. I like having meetings with him, I pretend to be meeting with the President. Steve is very busy too, so when I get time to speak with him it's like when the senior staff get to meet with Bartlet.

Stephen, being the Assistant Minister would be Leo, the Chief of Staff.

Helen would be CJ, the Press Secretary. Not really because Helen's role is like CJs but because they are both woman, and they're both cool. Helen doesn't brief the press much, but if there was press it might not be outside her domain.

Belinda, the old Office Administrator, would have been Mrs Landingham, because they both worked with Steve/Bartlet, they were both efficient and fun, and they're both gone now. Happily, Belinda is still alive and well, unlike Mrs Landingham.

Kathy, the new Office Assistant, would be Debbie Fiderer, the new Secretary to the President. Mainly because they're both new.

Beck, the Student in Ministry, could be Donna, the Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff, but I don't think their roles are very similar. They are both females. The relationships are a bit similar though. I think Beck gets more independence than Donna.

I would be Sam, the Deputy Communications Director, mainly because Sam is younger than Toby (my other option I think), and Sam is more of a goody-two shoes. Toby is too depressing all the time. Sam loves speech writing too, and I love preaching.

I like dreaming that I work in the White House. Since starting to think that way I've been treating the Steve a lot more like the President. Or at least thinking of him that way. It's making me really good at respecting those above me, so it's not all bad this obsession.

I might start calling Steve, Mr Rector.

The World has Lost a Great

The man who invented the TV dinner, Gerry Thomas, died today. That man changed my life. There would be many starving single males if it wasn't for him. I wouldn't have survived the past two months if it wasn't for him. Farewell to the king!

Perhaps I will have a TV dinner in honour of him tonight.

Read it here.

Lost Classroom

In the continuing saga of my ineptitude at getting further education this semester, my class today is on a campus in Ashfield, but I don't know where it is. I'm going to a college which I can't find. When I first started high school I got lost trying to find the classroom that I was meant to be in. I'd wander round the school for a while with no idea. When your college stretches across two separate suburbs I think that will make wandering around trying to find my class room a decidedly more difficult task.

The good news is that I did buy myself a new lecture pad, it even has an envelope thing on the inside to hold my handouts.

UPDATE: I just rang the college to find out where it was and I got told off by the receptionist. I have the address now though, I'll be learning again soon.

Once more with Feeling

I've realised that I rarely blog about my day any more. I used to make sure almost every day got blogged. At the moment I'm in one of those phases where I only blog things that come to mind or are a little silly.

I'm wondering if I'm about to embark on a little journey of late night of introspection. I'm pretty happy at the moment. My emotional life it rather sunny. Maybe sunny on a Winter's day. Like today. Not sunny like Summer, exciting-and-full-of-adventure sunny, just sunny like "Isn't it nice to sit here in the sun while everywhere else is cold" sunny.

Beck had her first day of work at St Stephen's today. She had her first St Stephen's lunch with me. I was sad Helen wasn't around to inaugurate her with me. Helen and I have been doing lunches for years, we're like the lunch team. But sadly she wasn't around. Anyway, Beck and I ended up spending most of lunch talking about death, which is rather sad, but we were sitting in the sun so that was good. I ate butter chicken and burped it all day.

I cooked nachos for the leaders tonight. I got teased a lot but I think I deserve it.

On Friday Mitch and Graham came around to talk about youth ministry. We have a little youth ministers support group. It's nice. They were meant to arrive at ten and I forgot to set my alarm. I woke up at 10:03am. I shot out of bed and just as I got out the intercom buzzed and there was Graham on the video screen. I let him through the security door then raced back to my room to put some pants and a shirt on. He was waiting at my door for a little while but I think I did alright considering I'd been in bed a minute earlier.

After he arrived I had a shower while he read a book on church history sitting on the couch.

Today after Bible Study Ray gave me a long history of the Kosovo valley. It has something to do with the Roman Empire. It all sounded very interesting but I didn't quite follow.

Now it's time to watch The West Wing I'm going to try and finish season four before I move out of here. It's hard though, seeing as this is a sermon week. I'll get there though.

Turns out there wasn't much introspection at all.

Hi Ho Pilgrim

I just got home after catching one train, one bus, watching 4 movies and walking 25kms. It was a blast. My legs hurt and I'm ready for bed.

I just edited the first scene from Love is. I didn't edit the first scene, this was just the first scene I edited. I edited the stuff we shot on the weekend.

It was fun shooting on the weekend. It was nice because we only had one scene to film so we weren't working to any time constraints. The canoes that we filmed were very colourful, and the sun was out. I think the scene looks good.

I woke up this morning and decided I should check if my college semester starts today, just in case it does. I was pretty sure it started next Monday. But alas, it starts today.

The problem is that I can't remember what subject I'm enroled in. I'm pretty sure it's none of the subjects that are on today, so I have a little bit of time to sort myself out. Oh well, I guess I'll sort it out eventually.

Going to the toilet in winter when you're a girl must be horrible. But getting the opportunity to go to the toilet when you're tired and a girl must be a little bonus.

"My Heart Go All the Crackling"

I just found a web page that has translated my blog to French so I got Google to translate it back to English for me. It's rather amusing.

For example. My post about Norah Jones in March is translated:

I crushed one

I have the fancy for Norah Jones. Oh, so much.

I should not have left to see it yesterday in the night, it was tall, it made my heart go all the "crackling". It is a fantastic voice, it is a friendly person and it is large. Each time somebody in the auditoire(audience) shouted something to him as "You balance Norah!" Or "I love you Norah!" It recognizes it. And if it did not include/understand what they said that it would ask them to repeat it. How fresh is that? I mouse and incline the head with a auditoire(une goes down for hearing) of one, it asks for the clarification with a auditoire(une goes down for hearing) of 10,000.

And it made such a good music, it and its beautiful bande(orchestre). They was tops. Yay for Norah.

I think that I was one of little men there who was not trailed by their wife or girl friend and I think Jem and I was one of few groups of people minus the age of 35. But independently of our étrange(impair), Norah was fresh.

The post actually said:

I have a crush

I have a crush on Norah Jones. Oh, so much.

I shouldn't have gone to see her last night, she was great, she's made my heart go all "pitter-patter". She's got a fantastic voice, she's a friendly person, and she's great. Every time someone in the audience shouted something at her like "You rock Norah!" or "I love you Norah!" she'd acknowledge it. And if she didn't understand what they said she'd ask them to repeat it. How cool is that? I smile and nod with an audience of one, she asks for clarification with an audience of 10,000.

And she made such good music, her and her handsome band. It was tops. Yay for Norah.

I think I was one of the few men there who wasn't dragged along by their wife or girlfriend and I think Jem and I were one of the few groups of people under the age of 35. But regardless of our oddness, Norah was cool.

Harry Potter comes out tomorrow.

Don't tell the Pope but I'm looking forward to it.

Online Matchmaking

I decided to do a little bit of online matchmaking so I typed in "A Wife for Tom" in Google Images, and this is who was first on the list:



Google Dating: "Surefire" I say.