IACGMOOH

I’ve never gotten into it before*.  I didn’t plan to watch it this time*.  But the presence of Kim Woodburn was more than enough to entice me.  I love “How Clean Is Your House?” and the chance to see Kim’s comedic genius at work whilst attempting to gobble a kangaroos “private regions” is one that I will not miss!  The brilliance of Kim is that what she says is rather common, but she says it with such dignity and class that it becomes amusing!  To be quite honest I want her to go on tour and just have a conversation with the audience!

Does anyone else find it funny that Katie’s being voted to do every challenge since arriving in the camp?

But my favourite quote of last night was just after the eating challenge with Kim vs Katie Price:

“Kim did really well.  I give my hat to her”

Katie obviously has the cultural sayings of this country firmly in her grasp.

* Like X Factor

Yoofs

Last night I planned* and ran YF for the first time since becoming a leader.  We average approximately 8 S1-S3s each week, of which 5 come to church.  Up until now I have spent the sessions getting to know the youths and seeing how each session is expected to be run.

I’ve noticed that when you’re running a group you only ever get good chat at the most inconvenient times, and you can never, ever, ever force chat.  It always just happens.

So how did last night go?  Really well, actually!  We discussed Jesus’ compassion, defined as changing your agenda in order to help others, in the bit just before the feeding of the 5000 where Jesus is trying to get some solitude away from the crowds by going to the other side of the lake.  But when he finds that the crowds have followed him, he doesn’t go back and ignore them, he goes to them and puts his needs after the needs of others.  This eventually led to prayer of the century when a young chap prayed, after describing the helpful things he does at home throughout the evening, “I pray that other people will be as helpful as me”.  He managed to be both humble and arrogant in the same sentence!  A marvellous achievement!

Recently I’ve been thinking that youth work is the way I’m supposed to go.  Leading groups, especially alone, usually end in disaster.  I usually bore the kids/youth, or they get very distracted.  But last night was different.  Last night saw everything happen naturally, and I felt competent at running a small group.  I guess the big test of whether youth work is the way forward will be New Zealand.  Last time was a huge challenge, especially in small group time****, and I’ve not done any kids or youth work since then that has presented a challenge on such a level.  The problem is that, like David Tennant and Doctor Who, I wouldn’t want any youth work to feel like a job.  I would want to approach every day as if it’s voluntary.  Something to ponder methinks.

* Yeah, I know!  Very uncharacteristic of me!

**like when there’s five minutes left and you still have to pray

*** Especially some of those that are found in church

**** When my group eventually had to join with another group because I had no control over it.  But I had the Emo cabin, so I maintain it was a tough cabin!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Why is the weekend of 12-13th December so busy?  If you’re planning something, please don’t make it that weekend!

On a different note, there are currently 29 new PhDs being advertised at Aberdeen University!  I’m applying for three initially.  A return may happen yet!

Explanation

Apologies for not writing anything recently.  There are a few reasons:

1. I now have to go to work
2. I’m spending my time writing a talk about New Zealand, making an associated powerpoint extravaganza, and planning the cycle and concert
3. I keep forgetting

I hope these reasons suffice.

Dare I Say It…?

Dare I?  Should I disclose such a scandalous, harrowing, and downright unpalatable sentence?

I, ever so slightly, admire Nick Griffin.

There!  I said it!  Stone me now before I squeal in anguish at my own existence!

I think it goes without saying that I don’t agree with his views.  Or his methods of publicising those views.  Countless adjectives have been written and said about him and his agenda, therefore I do not need to add tinder to the fire so-to-speak.  But surely you have to give even just a smidge of credit to his sheer tenacity to ignore the political-correctness-obsessed culture and say what he, sadly, really thinks.  Think about it.  I don’t know of any other public figure or even celebrity who would have the balls to say that they find homosexual couples kissing in public revolting!  Imagine if Christians were as courageous.  Though I feel a bit more tact, and certainly empathy, would be in order!

He’s right about one thing though.  Britain’s immigration system isn’t working*.  Apparently we’ve adopted the Australian points system.  A very successful system that is popular in Australia and New Zealand.  But it doesn’t seem to work here.  Perhaps this is because Australia isn’t part of an Oceanic Union, like we are part of a European Union with no work permit required to work in any member nation.

Whilst I’m on topic, I think Bonnie Greer was fabulous on Question Time.  A much-needed non-politician on the panel.

* Though I would like a definition of “not working”.  Does that mean too many people are coming in illegally?  Or legally?  Or both?  If “too many” people want to live and work here, is that not a complement to our society and government?

Up

I went to see Disney Pixar’s new movie, Up last night, and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it!  It starts when a young Carl Fredrickson meets a young adventure-spirited girl named Ellie. They both dream of going to a Lost Land in South America. Seventy years later, Ellie has died. Carl remembers the promise he made to her. Then, when he inadvertently hits a construction worker, he is forced to go to a retirement home. But before they can take him, he and his house flies away using thousands of helium-filled balloons! However he has a stowaway aboard. An 8-year -old boy named Russell*, whose trying to get an assisting-the-elderly badge. Together, they embark in an adventure, where they encounter talking dogs, an evil villain and a rare bird named Kevin.

Having lost faith in the quality of computer-animated films of late, “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” being a big disappointment, I was sceptical.  Gone are the days when a computer-animated film was guaranteed to be a good one!  Everything changed after Cars, and now seemingly all cartoons are made with Dells.

But I’d forgotten that those poor movies were not made by John Lasseter and his team at Disney Pixar.  This film is a triumph!  I haven’t laughed so much since Cars!  It’s the little things that kids won’t understand, such as an airship parking in a disabled space, or dogs flying bi-planes (and therefore being dogfighters!).  But it’s this formula that just works, and even 14 years after Toy Story was released it doesn’t seem to be getting old and tired.  Interestingly, the details of Russell’s family life are sketchy and lacking detail.  But I think that this is deliberate, showing that Russell doesn’t understand why his Dad’s “away a lot”.  The original soundtrack is also brilliant.  Michael Giacchino has made a great composition here.

The only even slightly quip is the lack of realism.  But then you look at Disney Pixar’s previous releases: Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, The Incredibles, Cars.  They’re not exactly bursting with realism, so you get over this reasonably quickly!

Overall it’s marvellous, wonderful and you’ll love it!  Go and see it!  But not in 3D, it wouldn’t be improved in any way.  9/10!

* Which is a marvellous name for a character in any movie.  I like the way they’ve spelled it correctly too!

Fruit Cörners

Fruit Corners really are the IKEA of snacks.

And no-one really knows how to eat them.  Do you mix it all together?  Or take one spoonful of yoghurt, and then one of fruit, hoping that you’ll have enough fruit to last the much bigger yoghurt supply?

A Day To Remember

I found out I was going to New Zealand on Friday lunchtime.  Twenty-four hours later I was walking round Almondvale Shopping Centre to get application forms for jobs.  I walked into a shop called “Soled Out”*.  I was in two minds about asking, because it was only part-time, but I thought I couldn’t turn back now.  I said hello to the manager, and he asked my situation.  He then went on to say that he thought he was a good judge of character, and that he’d just give me the job there and then!

After all the strain and struggle to get anywhere since graduation, to have New Zealand and a job settled with such ease was a joy!  Praise God!

So now I have to fundraise.  I’ve got a cycle to Newcastle, a concert, and some good ol’ busking planned.  Couple that with some help from the church and I’m sure I’ll raise enough easily!

* The same company of “Sole Trader”, but the designer outlet version

New Zealand Calls

I e-mailed the Kids and Teens Camp Co-ordinator for the camp I worked at in New Zealand (Totara Springs).  He e-mailed back.  I’m going in either February or March next year until July.  Now to do some fundraising!  There’s a video of what I’ll be involved in, watch it by clicking here.

West Calder High School

I haven’t seen my old high school since I left over five years ago.  Not deliberately, I just haven’t had any reason to go.  So when I found the school’s newsletter, a new concept since my leaving, I realised that a lot has changed in half a decade.

First-of-all, there is now an “Eco Garden”.  This is a small garden, in an area of the school I’d forgotten about, which is being used by the pupils for planting flowers and other green things.  It’s a marvelous idea!  I’m a big fan of gardening, but only when it involves plants that you can eat*.

The school has also started sending its pupils to other places in the UK.  For example, the Advanced Higher English class were given a three-day visit to Dublin to learn more about the Irish culture that inspired the poet Seamus Heaney.  The Senior Wind Band won the Scottish championships, and are now fundraising for the National Concert Band Festival in Cardiff!

New extra-curricular activities have started.  When I was a pupil, there was the wind band, sport, or Duke of Edinburgh.  Now there is a Debating Society, Gazebo Club, and even Masterchef competitions!

The school also now has very successful ex-pupils too!  Douglas McRae has been invited to Scottish Rugby’s Boot Camp for the second year running, and Karen Geoghegan is now a professional bassoonist.  She studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, was runner-up in BBC’s reality show “Classical Star”, was solo bassoonist with the BBC Philharmonic as part of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, and her CD is out now!

Well done to those who have worked to improve this school in such a short space of time.  It’s making me think about becoming a teacher!

* Incidentally, my Grandad has just bought a lemon tree, an orange tree, two pear trees, two apple trees, two plum trees, and two cherry trees!  Good times!  Apparently the orange tree produces fruit for 100 years, and is therefore being entered into the Will!