Room: Thoughts on living space.

The Big Essay Push - Days Four and Five

This morning I had to pay our electric bill to E.ON. Nothing strange there. However, I was spoken to by a computer with a female voice, and I had to have a conversation with this female computer (telling her my bank details etc.) - suffice to say the conversation did not flow. Bizarre.

A friend of mine, Mark Tatton, recently recommended some music to me... Kilmory Day Trip. You should now stop reading this, open up a new tab, and listen to them - especially their song 'You Are' - then come back and continue reading this as you listen.

You should also check out Mark's photography, here.

Another recent discovery is Christian Audio. They give away a free audio book, and this month it's Mark Driscoll's book 'Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions.'

So, the essays...

Yesterday was great between 9am and 1pm. Then I crashed, having worked for a week and a half with no day off. Before I crashed, however, I managed to reach my 'Day Four' target - so it's not all bad. I've taken today off - went and saw Dave Marriott which was great.

So the plan is to have an early night tonight and finish the essay by the time I go to bed tomorrow. Not an easy task - keep me in your prayers.

The Big Essay Push - Day Three.

Day three.

It has been a day of reading once again. Ben Witherington III has kept me company for a significant part of the day - and he was interesting company.

Tomorrow will be the first day of writing.

That's about it today - there really isn't much to write about when writing an essay, but perhaps my lack of ability to write here will stand me in good stead when tomorrow comes around and I aim for 2000 words in a day.

Oh, i did also play football today, on the LST mud-bath. Very good to be back out playing footy in the cold and wet again.

The legs will ache tomorrow.

The Big Essay Push - Day Two.

Today has unfortunately been summarized by the thought: "Today should be my day off..."

Thus, whilst I got through a couple of articles (including possibly the most significant article for the essay - and the most in depth!), I feel as though not much progress has been made.

However, they were very good and relevant articles... and the rest of the day has been good. I do enjoy being a student.

Not much else has happened on this second day of the big essay push.

The Big Essay Push - Day One.

I've just returned home from day one of the big essay push. Cup of tea is sitting next to me, BBC live text coverage of Transfer Deadline Day open on the tabs (where, incidentally, they have just reported that Robbie Keane is in talks with Celtic over a loan move - I can't help feeling that perhaps Benitez was justified to sell him back to Spurs last January, considering that he now cannot get ahead of Defoe or Crouch... just a thought), and I begin my little blog series on the two week run up to my own deadline day - 15 February, 4pm.

Today has been productive. I have over 1000 words of a plan plus notes written, plus read a bit of Jimmy Dunn. Also discussed the essay over coffee with Helen Morris, which was fantastic - quite a brain she has indeed, and immensely helpful in formulating my own thoughts. Thank you, Helen.

So, upon reflection it has been a remarkably productive day. And to add that magical touch, picked up some free books that included the BST commentaries on Isaiah and James. Can't argue with that.

Now it's time to catch by breath, perhaps have a little lay down, and then it's off to a meeting tonight. Let's hope my energy returns by then!

A reminder of God's sovereignty after the Haiti earthquake.

Our Esteemed European Union...

Eleven for '09

The amount of albums released in 2009 that I bought was, at last count, 2. Thus I cannot give you my top songs of '09, but I can do this. Thus herewith are my top eleven songs that were added to my iTunes library during the year 2009. Hope you enjoy.

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals - Fix It



Elbow - Switching Off



Coldplay - Strawberry Swing



Idlewild - City Hall



Pete Yorn - On Your Side



Paper Rival - You're Right



Rosi Golan - Hazy



The Acorn - Crooked Legs



Beirut - Nantes



Jon Foreman - Your Love Is Strong



Joni Mitchell - California

It's Cold in Britain at the Moment.

Picture from the BBC website.

A Throwaway Snow Comment.

I find it fascinating that we English are so incompetent at dealing with snow and at the same time so unbelievably transfixed by it.

Here is proof via the social networking site 'Facebook', you may have heard of it... (I know, using Facebook as proof is a bit of an oxymoron. But in my defense, I had to work all day and consequently didn't actually meet any of my friends, if I had I am certain they would have said similar sentences to me). Some selected statuses from friends posted during the last 8ish hours:


"snowtastic"

"first day of term cancelled due to SNOW! amazing."

"Snow day! Huzzah!"

"snowflakes continue to fall"

"my snowman is dead!"

"has a day and a half off school to play in the snow! Yay!"

"more snow - no work"

"built a snowman"

"reckons a little bit of white stuff and everyone goes silly ... don't you just love it !!!"


I'll stop there... but you get my drift.

We love it. I understand, I really do. I guess it taps into the British 'weather taking' psyche - just we go on about it forever because it's not as normal as, say, drizzle.

Anyway, for what it's worth, here's my throwaway snow comment of the day:

You see more when it snows, especially at dusk, because any light that is left is reflected by the snow on the ground, thus making it seem lighter and more eerie than it actually is. I like this bizarre state of flux in the earth's lighting.

In other news - Norah Jones has an incredible voice. Just incredible.