Name the Movies (easy!)

Giving Up and Going On

Today is the start of Lent. I am participating at 2 services today that will feature the Imposition of Ashes. Imposition. It's an interesting choice of word. Why not distribution or anointing?

Imposition - the laying on of something as a burden or obligation. An unusual or extraordinarily burdensome requirement or task.

The Ashes used in the service are made from the Palm Leaves that were used for Palm Sunday Celebrations in 2008. It is a reminder that we can shout 'Crucify' as quickly as we can shout 'Hosanna'. They are a symbol of Penitence and Reflection, they are a visual aid to help us Remember, O man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return. Genesis 3:19

Saying 'no' - the act of giving something up is another practice that happens during Lent. The purpose is not to get legalistic or bound up in what you are giving up, but to allow that act of self-denial to lead you into greater awareness of yourself and God. As we give up something important to us we become aware of our own desires and impulses. So many of us say 'No' to ourselves so infrequently that the Lenten Fasting Practice can lead us to a deeper understanding of what we need to say 'Yes' too.

"Everyone must have two pockets, so that he can reach into the one or the other, according to his needs. In his right pocket are to be the words: 'For my sake was the world created,' and in his left: 'I am earth and ashes.'"--Rabbi Bunum of Pzhysha

In a society where people are often judged by their appearance, spending the day with a smudged ash cross on your forehead is a reminder that inner beauty is of more value than physical beauty.

In a society where commercials frequently tell us ways to get '...what we deserve', Ash Wednesday is a reminder that the world is bigger than we are and will go on after we have gone.

OZYMANDIAS
I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shatter'd visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamp'd on these lifeless things,
The hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains: round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Percy Shelley

One thing I have suggested in previous years is Journalling for Lent. There is a list of 40 questions that I have put together here

The Fountains at the Bellagio

I'll post more of my Las Vegas pics as I have time, but I wanted to post my favorite free experience in Vegas! The Fountains at the Bellagio.

I shot the video from my digital camera, so it's quite good considering :)

We enjoyed the fountains so much that we went back again another night and caught a couple of different shows each night.

This is the view across the Belagio before the fountains play. It will give you a sense of scale.

Singular Answers?

I linked to this on a previous post, but I finally was able to embed it on my blog.

This is awesome.

Quarters on the Butt?

I mentioned in previous posts here and here that I'm trying to lose weight - all inspired by the rather sad New Years pic here. Well I decided to take things to another level this weekend.

I've been doing Dance Dance Revolution since January, I sort of enjoy it for some reason, it reminds me a little of learning choreography for theater productions - musical productions numbers consisted of nothing more than angry stomping of course!

I was attempting to do about 60 minutes about 4 to 5 times a week, which was just about doable with my schedule. It helped me lose my target weight in January, but I am aware that I need something that is more of a cardio workout than just stomping!

I was in Borders on Friday, wandering through the DVDs and something caught my eye.

I'm actually rather in shock that I bought this, I was reading an 'expose' of The Biggest Loser in Entertainment Weekly, talking about some of the tricks that contestant use to lose as much weight as possible before each weigh in (I don't think I could eat that much Asparagus). The workout DVD interested me though. You have a 5 minute warm up, three different levels of cardio workout, and then 5 minutes of yoga to cool down.

Three levels, I can do that!!!

AAARRGGHHHHH

The first time I attempted the warm up I was sweating more copiously than a cop running for a donut shop! I finished the cardio only by watching every minute click by on the DVD player and cursing the name of Bob. As for the yoga? Ha!!! I had the balance of a drunk after an all night binge.

The next day I was hurting so much that I knew it had to do some good.

I'm looking forward to the time when I know the routine so well that I can turn 'Bob the Trainer' off and just do the moves. He's so encouraging I just wanna punch him at times.

One comment on the DVD has me confused though. Why is it a goal to be able to 'bounce quarters off your butt?' Who was the person who first decided that the mark of a well formed buttock was determined by it's ability to ricochet coins from the mint?

Personally, I kind of like having a little padding. If I get so fit that I carry my own monetary deflection shield with me isn't it going to make sitting on hard surfaces a lot more painful? Will it affect my ability to sit comfortably in a pew during the sermon?

I don't see how having this 'Quarter Trampoline' will impact my professional life. I work at a church, I don't see how having this skill listed on my resume will increase my ability in the workplace. I'm not planing on deflecting coinage into the Offering Plate during the choir anthem!

And why a Quarter? Can I start with a penny and work my way up?

Come to think of it, I really don't need the answers to these quesitons, but it's something to think about while I'm cursing 'Bob the Trainer' and sweating out lunch!

Happy Valentine's Day

Three little words
are not enough
to say what I feel for you

I could write every word
in the dictionary
and still it would be too few

But until I have mastered
each language on earth
Three words will have to do


I love you

Goodbye Simplicity?

I thought this was an excellent video. I wish I'd heard this story when I was still trapped in my 'fundamentalist' phase.

Dance Dance Revolution gets Weird!

As I mentioned in a previous post I've been using D.D.R. to get some aerobic exercise. Most of the songs just have animated or still graphics in the background, though occasionally they will superimpose the dance steps over the video of the song. As you can imagine it can be distracting at times, which I guess is the point as it makes the dances harder.

There is one dance however that I found the background video so distracting (and mildly disturbing) that I had to hunt it down to see what was exactly going on.

This is 'Where's Your Head At?' by Basement Jaxx.

Enjoy?

5 Minute Chocolate Cake!

Regular readers of my blog will know that at times I 'Boldly go where no cook has gone before' - if you pardon the split infinitive. From Lasagna in a Dish Washer to The Burrito That Should Never Be, the chances are if it's crazy, and in the kitchen, you can count me in.

The 5 minute chocolate cake is one of those recipes that I suddenly seemed to be encountering everywhere, it was like culinary karma or something. I was being led to this recipe. So here it is in all its glory.

4 Tablespoons Cake Flour
4 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cocoa
1 egg ( I use jumbo size)
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons Veggie Oil
A Splash of Vanilla Extract
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (optional, see below)
1 Mug

I would suggest a) Not using your best china or any mug you cannot spare. I have not had any problems, but I have heard horror stories of exploding mugs so proceed at your own risk!

First spray the inside of your mug with Pam to facilitate cake removal, and then mix together the flour, sugar and the cocoa.

Use a spoon or fork to get it really well mixed, and make sure you scrape right along the bottom of the mug and get in the corners.

Next crack in the egg, whisk it a little and then add the milk, oil and vanilla. Mix the cake batter thoroughly until it has combined in the mug.

In my last test I added 1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips. This gave the finished cake an almost 'Chocolate Lava Cake' texture. Next time I make it I will probably add 1/4 instead of 1/2 a cup, but really it's up to you. If you can put it in a chocolate cake you can probably add it to the mug.

Put the mug in the microwave. I put down some paper towels for safety's sake, but I've never actually had a boil over yet.

I microwave on full power for 3 minutes. You may need to adjust depending on the power of your microwave. After about 1 minute the mixture will begin to rise at quite an alarming rate and tower over the top of the mug. It's quite cool to watch.

I videoed it to show you, but a) it's done on my cell phone so the quality is not that good and b) the amount of chocolate chips made the batter heavy so it did not writhe around as much as my prior chip free attempt.

(wow, a 30 second badly filmed clip of a cup in a microwave. Can my blog get any more exciting!)

As soon as the microwave stops running the cake will sink very quickly. Do not be alarmed.

BE WARNED THE MUG IS VERY HOT. Use something to get it out of the oven or you will burn yourself.

I've found that even with the greasing the mug it still tends to break as you upturn the mug. Next time I'm going to run a knife around the edge of the mug first, this time I was too eager.

Here's the finished cake. As you can see, even with my own careful instruction to mix carefully I still missed a few spots creating a mottled bottom.

I would suggest serving it warm with either vanilla ice cream or chocolate sauce drizzled over the top.

So how does it taste? Well let's face it, it's a cake cooked in a microwave, it's never going to taste like a lovingly crafted oven baked chocolate dream, but if you are craving a quick burst of warm chocolaty goodness it's definitely worth the time. If for the novelty value if nothing else.

And think of the fun you can have with kids.

JUST DON'T BLAME ME IF YOUR MUG BREAKS!!!!!

Games Games Games

I realized today that although I play a lot of Board Games, I really don't blog about playing them that much. Oh I know you can scroll down to the handy-dandy widget on the right hand side and see what were the last games I played, but no-one but a serious game geek really does that right?

To rectify that I thought I'd post a picture of the current state of the Board Game collection. It's not very well organized to be honest. I have an online list of everything that's there, but I don't have designated spots for everything yet.

The saddest part is that their are still a few games up their in shrink wrap :( There are always more games to be played than time allotted or people available.

Most people know that if I'm going on a weekend retreat or around someone else's house I will often bring a bag of games with me. I saw someone Wednesday who I'd introduced to the game 'Blokus' whilst we were both on the Chapelwood Men's Retreat. He liked it so much he bought a copy to play with his family at Christmas. He mentioned on Wednesday that at a recent family gathering they had 3 copies of Blokus on the table and they were in constant usage all weekend. I love that.

There's something about game playing with other people that I love. It's better than just talking, and it creates lasting memories.

The trick is choosing the right game for the group. Most of the people I introduce games too are 'newbies' to modern board gaming. This means some serious thought has to go into what I pack into my bag. What criteria do I use?

a) Easy to learn
b) Interactive
c) Not too long in play
d) Can cover a wide variety of players.
e) Wow factor


'Easy to Learn' - don't get me wrong, I like longer more complex games (well maybe not too complex GRIN), but if it takes me more than about 5 minutes to explain the rules to a group of newbies then they are going to close up. I find this interesting though - have you ever tried to explain Monopoly or Risk to someone? It's tough to cover all the nuances in 5 minutes, but no one seems bothered by it. I guess it's like languages, if you learn them as a child it seems simple, but when you try to learn them as an adult suddenly it's complex.

'Interactive' - many of the games we played as children were of the type that you didn't do much when it wasn't your turn. As we get older we find those kinds of games rather tedious. I try to pick games that keep the players engaged.

'Not too long in play' - some of the games I play can take 2 1/2 to 3 hours. This is great at a game night, but can be terrifying to the newbie. The other advantage of short games is that if you are playing in a public place like on a retreat it's easy to say to observers 'This game will be over soon, stick around and we'll play something you can join in on.'

'Can cover a wide variety of players' - I can't think of one game that works as well with 2 as it does with ten. Consequently I try to include games in my bag for all possibilities.

'Wow Factor' - This is picking a game that has something about it that draws people in. Maybe it's visually appealing. Maybe it contains a mechanic that will be unfamiliar to newbies. Maybe it's a game that draws spectators.

So what games fall into my bag when I'm trying to indoctrinate new people into the gaming cult? It depends a lot on the gaming environment (private house, bar, Retreat center etc), but here are a few suggestions from my collection.


For Sale - Simple to play and explain. The fact that the game falls neatly into 2 sections helps keep the interest going. The bidding factor in the first phase and the trying to predict what other players are going to do in the second helps keep people engaged.

Coyote - If you've got a crowd that doesn't mind wearing silly headbands, this is a great game. It can cause a lot of mental anguish and actually functions well as a spectator sport. Normally I would avoid elimination games with newbies, but this one seems to work well.

Ca$h and Gun$ - There is something wonderful about pointing foam guns at one another around a table.

Saboteur - This game can hold up to 10 people which is a bonus, and once people get into the roles of trying to figure out who the saboteurs are at the table you suddenly discover people smack talking to one another :)

Blokus - At first glance this would not seem a great choice. It needs to be played with exactly 4 people, no more no less which is a drawback. But the game is so simple to learn and looks really pretty on the table that people are just drawn to it. It's one of those games that has crossed over into the mainstream.

Felix the Cat in the Sack - Bidding and bluffing. It has a feel a bit like Texas Hold Em which draws some people in, and the game can produce delicious agony with some of the decisions you have to make.

Cockroach Poker - This is a relatively new game in my collection that is deceptively simple. Lots of bluffing and lying in this one :)

Category 5 - Simultaneous play and second guessing what your opponent is going to do makes this one hit the game bag. Plus it can accommodate ten people. Bonus!

King Me - another game of bluffing and deduction that newbies tend to enjoy.

Pitch Car - there's something about flicking disks around a track that is just fun. It can handle up to 8 people, it's easy to learn and it draws a crowd :)



There are many other games that I have that I would pack, these are the ones that come to mind.

I Found This Very Moving

"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

Thank You Which Book!

A while ago I blogged about a website called whichbook.net that will recommend fiction for you.

The book it suggested for me was 'Easter' by Michael Arditti. The fact that I have finished it so quickly is a sign of how much I enjoyed it. 'Easter' is not an easy read, some of the passages would make many people (including myself) uncomfortable, but it is a compelling one.

The parish of St Mary-in-the-Vale is preparing for Easter. In his Palm Sunday sermon, the Vicar explains that Christ's crucifixion and redemption are taking place every day. He little suspects that, before the week is out, he and his entire congregation will be caught up in a latter-day Passion story which will tear apart their lives.

This is not a 'christian fiction' book - most christian bookstores would refuse to stock it because of its rather graphic homosexual scenes. The clash of Evangelicals, Anglo-Catholics and Liberals is played out against a backdrop of contemporary Parish Life that may seem unrealistic to anyone who has not witnessed the incredible variety that is London culture.

The book presents the challenge of living a Contemporary Faith. The hymnal may have us sing of the 'Faith of our Fathers', but faith itself needs to be crucified and reborn for every generation. We do not live in the world of 'our fathers' and the manifestations of their faith leaves us ill equipped to deal with today. It is devastating to watch the faith of central characters get torn apart and killed, leaving you to wonder who will come forth from the grave.

It's not an easy read, not just because of the content.

The book has many characters, and I found myself referring to the list of them frequently. The book is written in triptych form. The first third presents the calendar of events during Holy week. It then switches to follow just one character in the drama. The final third of the book rewinds to Palm Sunday and replays the events from a different angle and fills in other details that the first section only hints at.

Moving. Thought Provoking. Engaging. Shocking.

Thank you whichbook!!!

Super Speedy Ziti

America's Test Kitchen does it again. I love their stuff and this time I've found a real winner. I like baked ziti, but normally it is a real hassle to make. The pasta and the tomato sauce are cooked separately, combined with the cheese and then baked for about an hour in the oven. That's way too much time and too much washing up.

America's Test Kitchen to the Rescue!!! They've found a way to make baked ziti in 30 minutes in only 1 pan!!!! I must admit I was skeptical, but the first time I made it I was a convert.

I made it again today, so here it is with pictures.

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 medium garlic cloves - minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
12 ounces (3 3/4 cups) ziti
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 oz Parmesan cheese grated (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
Ground black pepper
4 ounces whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)

(It can be difficult to grate fresh mozzarella as it sticks to the box grater. If you spray the grater lightly with oil, it makes the job much easier)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 475 degrees

2. Combine the oil, garlic, pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large OVEN SAFE nonstick skillet and saute over high heat for about 1 minute until fragrant.

3. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, ziti and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook stirring often and adjusting the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer, until the ziti is almost tender. (Check the cooking instructions for a time guide as they vary by company. I recommend DeCecco pasta for everything!!!!)

4. Stir in the cream, Parmesan and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the ziti. It will look really runny at this stage, but fear not my friends!

5. Put the skillet in the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and is browned, about 10 minutes. BE CAREFUL getting the skillet out of the oven, it is easy to forget that the pan is hot.

Enjoy :)

Weight Loss

I mentioned back in January that my goal for this year was to lose weight. I've set myself a target of losing 5lbs a month. I know that faster weight loss is possible, but this is the goal I used last time and it worked well for me.

Well it's Feb 1st and I'm glad to say I've lost 6lbs. I was actually on target to lose more, but I caught the flu that has been going around the office so I had no energy to exercise.

Let's see if I can maintain it in February


One product that I'm sure would help me lose weight is the following:


That's enough to put everyone off their food :)

Recipe Madness and Reading Frenzy

My good friend Carol sent me a link to this: The Bacon Explosion

It's woven strips of bacon, wrapped around sausage, wrapped around bacon. It's made from 2 pounds thick cut bacon 2 pounds Italian sausage 1 jar of your favorite barbeque sauce 1 jar of your favorite barbeque rub.

It's worth clicking the link just to read how it's made. It contains over 5000 calories and 500 grams of fat. Now I know I'm up to a challenge, but I don't think I'll be making this any time soon - partly because I don't have a smoker!

In other news, since Dec 25th I have read 12 books! The widget down on the r.h.s of this blog is where I keep a record of what books I'm reading.

For Christmas I requested the 12 book series of Swallows and Amazons I read these books frequently as a child and it was nice to reacquaint myself with them.

They haven't held up very well to be honest. There is a fair amount of Racial and Gender Stereotyping that I hadn't noticed as a child. But it was still wonderful the spirit of nostalgia they invoked.

They make me want to take up sailing.

New Music

I posted 2 new compositions on my music site recently.

One is a piece for Hand Bells and Hand Chimes. It incorporates 2 different hymn tunes 'O Sacred Head Now Wounded' and 'What Wondrous Love is This?' and you can listen to it here.


And the other is a choral introit. It's a 1 minute setting of a text from the psalms that you can listen to here.


Enjoy

In search of a good book?

My good friend the Network Geek posted this on his blog, but I wanted to keep a record of the site and let my readership know about it too.

Whichbook.net is an intriguing tool to help you pick fiction. It presents you with 12 different scales that their books are rated on.

Happy --- Sad
Funny --- Serious
Safe--- Disturbing
Expected ---Unpredictable
Larger than life---Down to Earth
Beautiful---Disgusting
Gentle---Violent
Easy---Demanding
No sex---Sex
Conventional---Unusual
Optimistic---Bleak
Short---Long

When you click on any of these attributes a slider appears so you can choose a point between the two extremes. You can choose a maximum of 4 attributes and then hit 'Go'. The website will then give you a list of books that meet you criteria

(You can also search via Character, Plot and Setting but the sliders are more fun and yield unexpected results)

If you play with the site put a comment on here with what book it's telling you to read.

My next book according to this site is 'Easter' by Michael Arditti.

Spanglish Omelette (A Visual Recipe)

A traditional Spanish Omelette contains just Eggs, Potato and Onion. I was playing around with leftovers last night and thought why don't I put into the Spanish Omelette what I would serve inside a normal one? And in that simple flash of inspiration the Spanglish Omelette was born!

First cube a medium potato, cover it with water and then put it on the boil until it is tender.

Assemble the rest of your ingredients. I diced up some wonderful ham that I had in the fridge (thanks Paul) and also sliced up some mushrooms. The possibilities are endless once you know the basic technique though :) You will also need 4 eggs and some cheese.

Saute the mushrooms in a small skillet. While that is happening, whisk the 4 eggs together in a glass bowl and then mix in the rest of the ingredients except the potato) I used about 1/2 a cup sharp cheddar in the omelette I made last night, but it's all a matter of taste.

And speaking of taste, make sure you add seasoning too.

Drain the cooked potatoes and then put them in a small oiled skillet - make sure you have oiled the sides as well as the base as otherwise you will have problems later.

Pour the rest of the ingredients on top of the potato and quickly mix them together. You could actually dump the cooked potatoes in the egg mixture and then pour everything into the skillet, but I was being lazy last night!

Swirl the skillet around to spread the egg mixture across the bottom of the skillet. Put it on a medium heat for about 8 minutes. And while it cooks heat your broiler.

When the bottom is cooked put the pan under the broiler for a few minutes to cook the top through. Loosen the cooked omelette in the pan (using something plastic that won't damage the non-stick coating). Put a large dinner plate over the skillet and then invert everything so the omelette lands neatly on the plate.

Cut into wedges and serve with a nice leafy salad!

Yummy!

Stretch or Crack

This is a reworking and expanding of a post I made here in preparation for this Sunday's Contemplative Service.

Mark 2:18-22

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, ‘Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?’ Jesus said to them, ‘The wedding-guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.‘No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.’

The problem was simple.

Jesus' disciples weren't behaving the way disciples were supposed to behave. They celebrated instead of fasting. They partied instead of looking miserable. They tasted the joy of life instead of rejecting all that life has to offer, and they didn't let their fear of getting it wrong (which they did many times) paralyse them into inactivity.

Jesus answer was simple.

God is doing a new thing - the old ways of being don't apply anymore. Don't sit around at the party looking miserable. The old and the new can't mix. New cloth on an old garment will tear. Old wineskins filled with new wine will crack.

Nearly all the images of faith I've grown up singing about have one thing in common.
A Mighty Fortress is our God
The Name of the Lord is a Strong Tower
On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand
How Firm a Foundation Ye Saints of the Lord.
They are all powerful images of Strength and Safety. Certainty and Solidity.

But here Jesus presents us with a new image, an image of Elasticity, of Flexibility. It's one excites me and makes me uncomfortable at the same time. My inner fundamentalist frequently asks me "Is that God stretching you? Or are you conforming to the world's standards'?" The 'world' of course being my inner fundamentalist's code for anything he disagrees with.

I want to know with absolute certainty that this is a work of God before I respond. Well, let me be honest here, what I really want is that other people will approve of what I'm contemplating before I respond.

When God pours out his 'new wine', I can either stretch or crack. My old framework of faith needs to be upgraded. But neither options seem very pleasant to me. I don't like it when God stretches my faith. I don't want to be challenged. I may enjoy challenging others, but I don't like it when they return the favor. Change is messy. It hurts. It's exhausting.

But I don't want to crack either. I've experienced the consequences of my own inflexibility - it led me to depression.

When I experience resistance to something I have to try and take a step back and ask myself 'Is God trying to stretch me here?' Many times my resistance is based more in my own fear and uncertainties than in anything concrete. My struggles are more emotional than theological.

If I 'stretch' myself am I saying that I was 'wrong'?

Why do I feel the need to speak with absolute certainty about Divine Mystery? Shouldn't grace leave room for change and doubt?

Maybe it's less about 'right and wrong' and more about 'growing into maturity'.

"When I was a child I spoke as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things." 1 Corinthians 13:11

Growing up spiritually stretches us in ways we could never imagine.

1) As you look back on your life, how has your understanding of God and your relationship with him changed?

2) Where are you experiencing resistance right now? Why are you resisting? Is God calling you to stretch?

Innauguration Cartoons

You can see more by clicking here.

More Classic George Bush Moments

Following on from my classic George Bush quotes here are 10 classic video clips courtesy of David Letterman.

Heavenly Booze

Most images of faith that I have come across are very static, especially in hymn lyrics:

"A Mighty Fortress is our God"

"On Christ the solid rock I stand"

"How Firm a Foundation"

There is a strength and solidity that is comforting. People want a 'constant' in a world of ever shifting variables. KSJB the local christian radio station had a billboard that read 'The Music is Now, the message is Timeless' (In my humble opinion I would argue that the music is actually '10 years old' rather than 'now', but I digress).

The danger with all of these images of strength is that they also suggest immobility and unflexibleness.

I was reading 'Sacred Space' this morning and the passage in the Lectionary for today was:

Mark 2:18-22

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, ‘Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?’ Jesus said to them, ‘The wedding-guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.
‘No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.’

You cannot put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, as it ferments and the skin tries to expand, it cracks and the wine leaks out.

This is such a different image of faith for me. God pours the 'wine of his presence' into our lives and we have two choices, we either expand or we crack. Christians called to be flexible? Who knew!!!!

Question for reflection: How is God encouraging each of us to 'expand' right now? (No weight gain comments thank you!)

A Trinity of Randomness

Random 1

So, I said in my first blog post of the year that I was going to be working on my weight. My goal is to lose five pounds a month. I know that I could lose more, but it seemed like a realistic target for me. So far I've lost 4 pounds and January isn't over yet :)

I've been doing three things to lose weight so far:

1) Cooking and eating more healthily - this isn't too difficult as of course I leave to cook. The trouble is most serving sizes in diet cookbooks and magazines are ridiculous. I made a yummy pasta chili dish tonight and the recommended portion size was 1 cup. I can't just eat one cup of food and then push my plate away because I can't eat another bite - not realistic people!

2) Cutting down my Dr. Pepper consumption - this is hell on earth. I love Dr. Pepper. I've cooked with Dr. Pepper, heck I was once even paid for a wedding with Dr. Pepper. I'm now drinking just one can a day - and some days I just drink those cute half size cans. It sucks, but I can't argue with the results.

3) Increasing my metabolism - last time I did this by biking, and I'm sure I will do more of that when the weather gets nicer, but I had to find another easy solution.
Dance Dance Revolution!

I have an incredible sense of rhythm. I make my living as a musician. I've learned choreography for Stage Musicals. I took some dance classes at University.

I SUCK AT D.D.R.

It makes no sense. Yes, I have issues when the dance mat attached to the xbox starts twisting so that the button that is supposed to be due south suddenly relocates to the southwest, but I should be better at it than I am. It raises the metabolism and the sense of shame!

Two songs I've been dancing too - well I say dancing, it's more like angry stomping, are the following. I hope you enjoy them!





Random 2

I'm not much of a beer drinker - in fact I'm not a beer drinker at all. I will drink Hard Cider and even the occasional whisky, but in the main my drink choices tend toward the frivolous. I know I'm not alone in this however. In an episode of 'Scrubs', J.D. is mocked by Turk because he turns down a beer and he responds by saying -

"Even though I'm a man, I don't like beer. I prefer appletinis. They make me feel fancy. There, you hurt and embarrassed me - you happy?"

I like appletinis and I'm slowly discovering other drinks that I'm partial too - this is because when I turned forty I finally allowed myself to buy a cocktail shaker and a recipe book.

(Incidentally, one quick chorus of of 'Shout to the Lord' is about the right rhythm and length of time to shake a really good Cosmopolitan!)

But I digress, I wrote this random section because a miracle has happened!I've finally discovered a beer I like, though it is so unlike normal beer that I'm not sure it totally counts.

Lambic Beer. Well one type of Lambic Beer to be precise. Kriek (pronounced 'creek') it's a Belgian Beer that is made with sour cherries. It reminds me of the English drink Ribena though this one packs quite a potent alcoholic punch.

Random 3

Whilst meditating in the bathroom the other week I was flicking through a copy of P.C. Gamer Monthly and I discovered the following two incredible products.

How did I not know about these??? I LOVE bacon. I don't eat it very much because of Random no. 1, but I do miss it. Now with bacon salt imagine the possibilities. It might even replace Maldon Sea Salt as a must have pantry item. And Bacon Mayo? What sandwich joys could ensue? I could create the ultimate potato salad with it.

What other products could be improved with essence of bacon? Bacon Shower Gel would definitely make getting up in the morning a lot easier. Maybe Starbucks could create the ultimate Mocha Bacon Grande Latte.

I need to find a distributor quickly - or failing that a bacon buttie.

Crazy in Norway!

wingsuit base jumping! from theartist on Vimeo.

The 'Dangers' of Facebook

Facebook has been wonderful for me to connect with friends from the past and stay connected with friends and relatives in the U.K.

Occasionally though things do appear that make me shudder

This was me when I first moved to the U.S.

This is me in Guatemala helping lead a team of Tech Students to work at a Children's Home.

Please keep the sarcastic comments to a minimum LOL

Classic Bushisms

Selected George Bush quotes taken from the article here

"They misunderestimated me."
Bentonville, Arkansas, 6 November, 2000

"There's an old saying in Tennessee - I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee - that says, fool me once, shame on... shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again."
Nashville, Tennessee, 17 September, 2002

"There's no question that the minute I got elected, the storm clouds on the horizon were getting nearly directly overhead."
Washington DC, 11 May, 2001

"I want to thank my friend, Senator Bill Frist, for joining us today. He married a Texas girl, I want you to know. Karyn is with us. A West Texas girl, just like me."
Nashville, Tennessee, 27 May, 2004

"The war on terror involves Saddam Hussein because of the nature of Saddam Hussein, the history of Saddam Hussein, and his willingness to terrorise himself."
Grand Rapids, Michigan, 29 January, 2003

"The ambassador and the general were briefing me on the - the vast majority of Iraqis want to live in a peaceful, free world. And we will find these people and we will bring them to justice."
Washington DC, 27 October, 2003

"Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?"
Florence, South Carolina, 11 January, 2000

"Reading is the basics for all learning."
Reston, Virginia, 28 March, 2000

"It's clearly a budget. It's got a lot of numbers in it."
Reuters, 5 May, 2000

"I don't think we need to be subliminable about the differences between our views on prescription drugs."
Orlando, Florida, 12 September, 2000

"Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB/GYN's aren't able to practice their love with women all across the country."
Poplar Bluff, Missouri, 6 September, 2004

"It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber."
Washington DC, 10 April, 2002

"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully."
Saginaw, Michigan, 29 September, 2000

"I have a different vision of leadership. A leadership is someone who brings people together."
Bartlett, Tennessee, 18 August, 2000

"I'm the decider, and I decide what is best."
Washington DC, 18 April, 2006

Swimming Naked?

Many people have asked me, especially after this last blog post here, how my Christmas was.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's my answer -

Here I am, overweight, depressed and with a slight hint of whimsy. There is a lot happening right now that I cannot control, so I've decided that I need to do something about what I still have control over.

My weight.

In the 6 months before mom died I lost about 25 pounds. I was biking regularly and eating healthily. After her death the grief piled on the pounds. I want to lose that weight again. I want to lose 30 pounds by next Christmas, realistically I think I could actually achieve that goal in 6 months, so I think I'll aim for 6 months, with the escape route of extending it to 12 if I need to. I'm already trying to cut down the quantity of food I eat as I usually keep eating even after I'm full up, and I'm cutting down initially to one can of Dr. Pepper a day (boohoo).

If this works then I'm guessing exercise will be the next thing added back into the mix.

Christmas had a lot of the joy sucked out of it this year for reasons I'm not going to into now. New Years was better. I'm sure Lubbock, Texas is not every one's idea of an anti-depressant, but it was what I needed. Getting to see old friends was a balm to my wounds.

We didn't talk much depth, though we did talk a lot of b.s.We didn't 'share our lives deeply with each other', we simply got to 'live our lives' with each other, and that was more than enough. Sometimes the deepest of intimacy is created not by sharing wounds, but by sharing laughter. I didn't need to talk about the crap in my life with them, I knew I had the option to do so, and just knowing they were available made the sharing unnecessary.

I've heard it said that it's only when the tide goes out that you see who is swimming naked. Well the tide went out at Christmas, and I'm glad to say I was still well covered up. Covered up by faith, covered up by prayer and covered up by friends. I don't know if it will be a long walk back to the beach, or whether the water will come back and I can float gently to shore, but I do know I'll be o.k.

Sometimes you need a shoulder to cry on, and other times you need a good laugh.

Thanks for the laugh Lubbock, you were much needed.