Thursday, March 30, 2006

a National Identity!

http://eclectech.co.uk/clarkeidcards.php

turn on your speakers, sit back, and be politically educated, and entertained, all in the same song!! if only all governement policy was introduced in this form!

Commonwealth bronze lay in my grasp!!


quite literally!!

today i bumped into my old school friend, Susan Hughes, on her way back from the airport!! having just returned from the Commonwealth Games where she won BRONZE for ladies singles badminton!
She was wearing her medal under her tracksuit (fair enough- she's back in Glasgow now and may get mugged!! ) but i got to see it- it's very shiny and weighs a lot!
so Congratulations Susan!!

Check out an article on her win here!

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

bowties, bunnies & broken creativeness!

well, i didn't quite start my new job on monday- have had torrential cold and throat infection, so figured it wasnt the most hygienic way to launch a new restaurant! so i start tomoro now instead! i have heard from a reliable source that they're trying to get us to wear black bowties with our white shirts, but apparently they make us look like playboy bunnies, so they are now hidden in the back of a cupboard!!

went back to uni today and it was great to see everyone! i'v been voted social secretary after asking in our course meeting if we have a grad ball, so now i'll have to organise one! hehe! altho there's only 18 of us, so it could be a little... lacking in numbers!

also, my little creative zen micro developed a faulty connection, and i was highly frustrated to find i cannot find my proof of purchase anywhere. however, i called them up, and they were very helpful and are sending me a replacement free of charge! thankyou Creative people! only problem is, before sending back my dodgy one i had to make sure all my music and files were saved on my computer, and i'm not entirely convinced it worked! most are there, so fingers crossed! it's an excellent mp3 player- i did lots of research before buying and, for me anyway, it's definitely the best!

today was also time to post on the lent blog- there's some really beautiful and thoughtful reflections on there, and it's a great way to stop and take time to ponder and pray. it can be easy to waste so much time on the Internet, and it's refreshing to read so many insights from a variety of people.

in the void

Lent. Easter. come and go each year. the point and purpose of which is missed by millions of people. including christians. including me.
too familiar. not familiar enough. never fully explained. ears closed to hear. hearts hardened. hearts searching, in all the wrong places.
in the midst of the world’s busiest financial district is the gaping hole of Ground Zero. in the midst of the traffic and noise; the rushing by of people late for meetings, and shoppers seeking to fill their lives through emptying their purses; and the tears of those mourning the loss… stands a cross.
the representation of life lost. the representation of sacrifice. the representation of what stood before evil intervened once more.
the cross…
the representation of life everlasting. the representation of sacrifice. the representation of forgiveness. the representation of hope… and new beginnings… and love.
at Ground Zero, there remains a void. against the skyline stands a cross…



“I have come that you may have life, in all its fullness” John 10:10

Monday, March 27, 2006

Listen, Listen

(for Jimmy!!!)

When you listen you affirm me
but your listening must be real
sensitive and serious
not looking busily around
not with a worried or distracted frown
not preparing what you are going to say next
but giving me your full attention

You are telling me I am a person of value
important and worth listening to
one with whom you will share yourself

I have ideas to share
feelings which I too often keep to myself
deep questions which struggle inside me for answers
I have hopes only tentatively acknowledged
which are not easy to share
and pain and guilt and fear I try to stifle

These are sensitive areas and a real part of me
but it takes courage to confide in another

I need to listen to if we are to become close
How can I tell you I understand?
I can show interest with my eyes or an occasional word
attuned to pick up not only spoken words
but also the glimmer of a smile
a look of pain, the hesitation, the struggle
which may suggest something as yet too deep for words

So let us take time together
respecting the others freedom
encouraging without hurrying
understanding that some things may never be brought to light
but others may emerge if given time

Each through this listening, enriches the other
with the priceless gift of intimacy.

By Keith Pearson

it's nice to be home!

i had a great time up North- i loved my work; met loads of wonderful people; did lots of walking, and learned so much (both from my placement, and living with jo!). i think however, that by the middle of week 3 the novelty was wearing off a bit, and i was beginning to miss things- especially people, but other things like my music (mp3 player goin on the blink, boo!), Glasgow, free unlimited internet access, singing, etc!!

i have a new job!

i start tonite working in a new Indian restaurant just down the road from my house! it all seems very unorganised, as it opens tonite, there's been no publicity and the signs aren't even changed, but it should be a laugh! there's 6 waiter/waitresses employed- me, my bro. Mark and my 3 friends Laura, Colleen and Sandy!! and 1 poor girl who none of us know! so tonite shall be interesting!!

it's nice to be home!

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

tired me

very quick blog update in the 5 mins i have left in my highly restricted internet time! week 3 has begun and i'm tired and a little run down. spent an amazing weekend in Skye-more about that later- but today is draining. did 9 pupil interviews, and found that active listening is exhausting. popped down to aviemore on the bus last nite to meet friends and dad for dinner at a church without walls conference. havent really been to church for a while, but God used last nite, well, most of yesterday actually, to speak to me. more on that later too. if inclined, please pray for energy levels and general stuff :)

Monday, March 13, 2006

weekend-ing the Invernessian way!!

week 2 off to a good start- have been interviewing in school all day today and am now getting to use their computers while jo's in a meeting! :) had such a fun weekend and sampled the invernessian nightlife at it's finest! if ever in nairn i'd recommend Latino's, a delicious mexican type restaurant with luvly decor, incl. the loo- very funky, yet homely!! then back to inverness to Hootananny's, where a great band were playing live, altho i didnt catch their names, and beards appeared to be the prominent fashion accessory of the night! saturday was spent relaxing, shopping and catching up with old friends which was just loverly! saturday night was... sumthin else!! due to my close friend's loathe of dancing, we never go- well, all this must now change! we must have danced from about 10 pm - 5am with minimal breaks and i LOVED it!! i must confess i did drink more than the usual couple, but then i was out for much longer, so really it all balances out! our nite began in Johnny Foxy's before moving onto Bar Bazza (free entry too- a nice change!) where we boogied away til about 2! bizzarrely we bumped into the depute head from a local school (giving nothing away!) who jo knew so ended up back at his til about 5am!! the very surreal part was monday morning when i was in the school and introduced to 'our depute, Mr.......'!!! and he was all like, 'oh hello, nice to meet u' , followed by a sneaky wink! so saturday night was great, altho i must have caught germs from fellow invernessian dance floor addicts, as i now have a lovely cough/ cold/ throat infection!!
off to parents night now, i wonder if i'll meet any more dancing teachers...!?!

Friday, March 10, 2006

week 1 done!

wow, i cant believe its friday and i have jst completed my 1st week on placement! it's going really well, i'm learning loads (the way everything works is so different up here!) and having lots of fun staying with jo! so far our extra-curricular activites have included: making photo boards for brownies; cooking interesting meals; hanging out with new people; shopping and then trying on all of Jo's wardrobe (i am finding my inner goth!); crying at moulin rouge (jst me, jo is tough!), and lots more! tonite we're goin out with sum people, and tomorrow, and sunday, and then karaoke nite on wednesday and a possible cocktail/ chocolate fondue party in the flat! it would be easy to forget i'm here to work, other than the fact im shattered and keep having to set my alarm for 7:30!

Invernessians are so lovely and friendly- i'v made friends with the doormen at work (bob 1 & bob 2), the man running the library, and when i was havin a picnic by the river, 3 people all said hello! and then today i choked on my apple so much that 2 folk came to check i could still breathe!! thanx!

I was thinking last nite how at home I never seem to have any time to relax, and watch TV/ read a book/ sleep, so am finding this very refreshing and a welcome break from the usual busy-ness of life! I never feel I can properly relax at home, either that I have to do something, or someone’s asking me to empty the dishwasher- it never feels right to do nothing! It’s nice to have space! I think I might like to live up here- everything’s so… compact- I’v been walking all over the place, something not so easily done at home- there’s nothing to really walk to! The pace of life seems more laid-back and friendly- even the ‘troubled’ kids I’ve met are lovely compared to some of the ones back in Glasgow! I miss people though- feel free to email or leave a hello on here! I’ve run out of free texts (nightmare!) but will hopefully be due more soon! Going home to choose our outfits now...!

Saturday, March 04, 2006

I (heart) Death Cab for Cutie!!!



tonite at the barrowlands, they rocked!! the band were A-MA-ZING, kicking off with 2 of my favourites, Marching bands of Manhattan, and The New Year, ending with Transatlanticism and generally being awesome!! u couldnt hear some of the vocals too clearly (sound man should have sorted that!), but even when they played some of the older stuff that was unfamiliar it was great, if not a teeny bit boring since i couldnt sing along! all in all it was a great gig, the crowd were loving it, the lights were very multi-coloured and the dcfc have topped my chart!!!!

favourite song= v. hard to choose, but def. up there is 'I Will Follow You into the Dark' and 'Title and Registration'!! plus the ones mentioned above! so many to choose from, sigh...!

thanx to calamateur for taking most fabulous pics- it's nice to go with tall people!!

blog for lent!

tonite i feel a little sad- i just realised i'll be away from chris and all my family and friends for 3 whole weeks! kind of obvious, i know, but it just hit me that 3 weeks is quite a long time, and that i spend a huge amount of time with either chris, my family or my friends! i'll miss u guys!

on a less depressing note, the lent blog is now in full swing and it's excellent. i love that it's added to daily by different people- i could never quite get into the whole 'daily reading books' regime, despite selling many of them on a regular basis! but this is fresh and innovative and contributed to by real people having current reflections, not some guy in a dusty attic space reflecting for a whole year! ( not that i have anything against daily readings, i should really make daily bible reading a priority, its just sometimes they are so... planned!).

so check it out, or sign up for a space, i think there are still a couple free!

Thursday, March 02, 2006

space, clouds and pretty clothes!

today is my 50th post, and in honour i shall do a small dance around the kitchen! i went onto msn myspace the other day, and discovered i had already made one in the summer and forgotten about it! i went on today, and discovered i also made one when i was 17 and had forgotten about that too! sign of ageing, perhaps (is that even how u spell age-ing?! weird!)
the other nite i also made a blog cloud:

isn't it pretty!
it's the main words used on my blog, and the bigger and bolder, the more popular they are!

i'm just finishing the last of my assignments for uni before placement! i shopped yesterday for 'placement clothes'! they are very nice! i also shopped the day before for placement clothes, so now i have lots to choose from! i love to shop :)

have a happy day!

p.s. update on gran- she is still in hospital and was operated on yesterday to get her gall bladder removed, and they may have to operate again as she has kidney stones (ugh) but generally she is doing quite well and enjoying all the nice flowers and new books!! get well soon gran!