The Andy G Journal

2007-02-03T11:36:00.001Z

hoping this will all work and my blog will be transfered over soon!

2007-01-08T11:27:00.000Z

So why the lack of posts you might ask? Well lack of time and trying to change to a new system (which obviously I haven't yet)!

So I'm thinking of switching to Wordpress but blogger has just gone onto a new version - so trying to export all the old posts out has now become a problem :( Will try and sort it out sometime soon...

Anyhoo, a new year, many resolutions and lots of stuff to do! Looking at doing holiday clubs, trips away, lesons and all sorts. Plus gotta keep on going with the whole OU thing, and then their's nastiness with church stuff which is culminating in a meeting tonight - ooooh fun - not! Anyhoo, London trip last week was fantastic evita was amazing a great stage production.

Better go, lots of work to do!!! See you soon, God Bless...

2006-12-07T10:32:00.000Z

I'm going to have a good Christmas holiday!! You'd better read the whole thing for details!

Ok, so I'm going to my Grandparents for a 50th wedding anniversary on the 20th December - exciting, but maybe not the most exciting thing I'm going to be doing! Then on the 22nd back home to Loughborough avec family for a nice trad christmas! Already sorted all the presents out - but that aint the most exciting thing either (though it is dreadfully exciting and I'm looking forward to it loads!). Then I'm going back to dawlish on the 28th to get some shopping in and a for a new year eve party! Which is exciting but not in comparison to what I'm doing on the 3rd January... I'm going to see Evita at the Adelphi theatre! Ok, so it may not be as exciting as seeing family and friends, but I've wanted to see it for a while - the only other musical I would like to have seen over it would have been the Lion King but at £60 a ticket I decided not to bother! Anyhoo, I've got some stuff for the awakening thing in Hemel that I'm sorting (hurrah!). God Bless...

2006-11-29T10:21:00.000Z

Preparing for Christmas parties before advent has even begun - the world has gone mad!

So today I'm getting ready for our last crusaders/impact club event of the year - the Christmas party! A bit early but hey, it means that Wednesdays have a bit more freedom for the end of the term! Got the quiz sorted for when they come in with 40 questions!! and parce the parcels are wrapped and ready to go, as is all the music for the evening!

I have also mixed down the IMPACT team video which is now being viewed and checked by Jerry - it's split into three sections the first a traumatic look at Dawlish along with some harrowing facts, the second a slightly more uplifting look at who IMPACT are and the work we do, finally a triumpant look at the future and the work we'll do along with a beg for support finacially, physically and spiritually! Should rock!

Anyhoo better go, work calls...

2006-11-22T12:50:00.000Z

Flu sucks! Actually it blocks nasal passages so it neither sucks nor blows - but hey, you know know what I mean! right?

So I have been off work with all osrts of horrible stuff going on in my face, head and throat! The fun of it all. I am now sat in the office, having just checked my bank balance (was a bit worried I'd forgot something) and being the most bored I have been for a while!

Generally though things have been going well - the new PC is great, it's not internetted, but it is now connected up to my television so that's all cool! No youth groups on friday cos of the jazz concert so a night in (to add to all the others I have had this week!) then Saturday we've got Wayne's World Night and Sunday I'm at some deanery taize service reading the prayer of St.Francis.

Plans for awakening in Hemel in Feb seem to be taking off. They're starting all the marketing, which means once I've shifted this flu type thing I'm going to be site building and designing once again :) Hope to get it all sorted before Christmas so that It's ready to go for the new year both in Hemel and with the guys we're taking up from Dawlish!

Anyhoo, my head hurts now from staring at this screen so I'm going to go. God Bless...

2006-11-13T17:46:00.000Z

I don't like the dark - it makes me feel tired! That and all the other stuff that's going on!

Well here I am sat in the church office (which is warm ;) preping for all the stuff that's coming up over the next few days. Got a meeting in a mo about the Christmas special for our crusaders group, in the college tommorrow, interviewing Adie Camp (former member of the Benjamin Gate) tommorrow afternoon for the SE/BFT podcast, a lllooooonnnggg PCC meeting tommorrow night, then Wednesday College, Primary School, Impact Club, Team Meeting and Crusaders... no wonder I get Thursday as a day off!!

Anyhoo, life is going ok at the mo, apart from the whole being very tired thing - I'm sleeping loads at the moment and not even that is helping. Might ask some wise person somewhere for some advice! I have just done online activity one for my OU politics course which is going ok, just need to do some reading now (just hope the author of this book is a tad less biased!). I'd better get on with some planning and look lively!

God Bless...

2006-11-01T09:01:00.000Z

First November 2007 and I just bought a computer - thanks OU!

Back in Loughborough on a few days holiday though there are a few things such as OU essays and such likes that just don't seem to respect the hallowed holiday time! I've got to write something about the extent to which politics is a part of daily life. I really feel like going for the hard option of arguing that it affects us but we are not part of the process - not because I believe it but because the guy who wrote the book for the module was so biased I feel there is some balance needing to be addressed!

Talking of OU I have just used my grant to buy a PC! It's a nice one that plugs into the TV and is also a 64-bit chip which is good. It's going to go in the flat where soon Internet and Phone will exist - all provided for by sky!

So essay today, got a funeral tommorw afternoon and meeting with DRAT tommorow evening, then Friday early train back to be in time for publicity commitee meeting and Quake in the evening. Anyhoo, my tea is getting cold and I want to post some people on my space. God Bless...

2006-10-26T08:21:00.000+01:00

Using dial up in Hemel, on team retreat!

Currently on team retreat in Hemel, with shockingly, the team! It's been quite good so far we've been doing some service planning, camp strategy and a few trips out including a great day in London. I've also bought a PS2 with singstar and buzz which is awesome and has been keeping me out of trouble (as long as the neighbours don't complain!). Wasn't too expensive either which was good - twas a special offer in argos!

Going out bowling tonight where Suzie and Dan are joining us, and then it's back to Dawlish tomorrow - which is kind of sad :( Luckily I'm on holiday from Monday-Friday next week (hurrah!) going back to Loughborough. Looking forward to the bowling tonight though. My main aim is to win! Tee hee! Anyhoo, I'm going to get a cup of tea and clear up. God Bless...

2006-10-19T14:23:00.000+01:00

My expenses have come through - hurrah! Now I might be able to take someone for a drink!

So the expenses money has at last come through, which is good (just in time for the Hemel Trip and a tad of Christmas shopping me thinks), my OU grant also came through though no PC grant yet so I'd better chase that up! Talking of OU the exam went OK on tuesday - one of the questions was a great one, one was ok, and one was pants with an average of ok being the result. Get the results late december so it's going to be fun waiting for that to come through!

Really want to do some web designing at the moment. Waiting for Hemel to get back from Holidays so they can give me the name which they have chosen for the mission they're doing (and hence the design I will create for the site!). Also got to do some domain transferring which is going to take a bit of time. It's that or let them into my FTP space - yeah right!

Looking forward to travelling to Hemel next week and getting some time in London. It'll be my fourth trip of the year to the capital - more than Loughborough! Anyhoo, I'm cream crackered having done a Harvest festival service for West Cliff this morning and an assembly for Trinity this afternoon - need to pay my money in and get onto the politics books! God Bless...

2006-10-17T08:07:00.000+01:00

Exam coming up.... life is such fun!!!
So I have my end of module Media exam today in Exeter which I am not looking forward to. I'm still recovering from the weekend which knocked me back a bit, it was great - just extreemly tiring - think I need a proper holiday!

Off next week with the team to Hemel, going to do some team building, looking at vision type thing and spending some time doing social things like a London sightseeing trip and a shopping day! (Might even take them ice skating!). The week after I'm going to take some time out to go back to Loughborough and sleep (I have to work my day off so secured some extra away time).

Thinking lots at the moment, but hoping that this afternoon I can focus on the exam. Looking forward to getting it out of the way and being back in bed!

Anyhoo, I'm going to listen to meatloaf, do prayer, last minute revise and get the train! God Bless...

2006-10-06T11:23:00.000+01:00

My main objective today is to clean my kitchen

So far today I have done a major SoulExeter.co.uk update and been listening to some new music releases which has been fun. I'm now going to get going on the dawlish impact site (or at least something to keep us going for the time being). Had a good day off in Exeter yesterday, ate out twice and had some time to do some shopping!

My phone came back from being fixed and now works (hurrah!), the only problem - I lost all my phone numbers - so if you have mine send me a text with your name else I'm never going to be able to contact you again!

Anyhoo, I've got a site to build, a kitchen to clean and a final youth leader training session to run!

God Bless...

2006-09-26T18:54:00.000+01:00

Waiting for my phone to charge so I can update the firmware - just another ordinary day!

Been in school today which is always fun but has the knackering factor! Also trying to sort out some sort of impact site but am dillying with the template at the moment - don't want anything too formulaic and want it to be suitable for kids and adults alike. Also has to be updateable by the team - so something more joomla based then!

Just read the Parish magazine which was as enthralling as ever. I actually contributed this month (got it in on time!) so the Impact - CONTACT infoletter is now in circulation. Using a flash new font for all the new impact stuff too - shall be on the hoodies and everything!

Anyhoo, I'm praying that this phone will charge a tad quicker - I've got 20s and 30s tonight! Also want to set the PC to defrag before I go out - oh the joy! Better stop boring you to death with banal life comment... God Bless!

2006-09-23T17:53:00.000+01:00

At last, a chance to write, to take literature to a whole new level, to go where no piece of blogging has gone before - oh pants! I've got something to do!

Busy, crazy kinda couple of days! All sorts going on from prayer rooms and church stuff to schools and OU tutorials! Man it's all ever so exciting!

The most exciting thing to have happened over the past few days was a real day off! Mmmmm day off! I went down to plymouth and met up with Sarah Harris who I hadn't seen for a whole year (since she'd been in Canada and all) and we ate burgers at Captain Jaspers and went to spoons for a drink (as well as a whole load of walking and talking - wouldn't want you to think my life revolved around food and drink - oh look some cheesey nibbles!). That was grand!

Anyhoo, lots of plans ahead. Going for a month of culture in November with Ballet and Opera in the plans! Also looking forward (!) to my exam for media on 17th October, and some sort of half term jolly, though transport is looking decidedly dodgey! Got to go and tidy up :( God Bless...

2006-09-05T12:36:00.000+01:00

Busy as bee - though I've never really got that - is a bee really that busy?

Back from the St.Georges, Hemel weekend away in Northampton which was fantastic - did a series of sessions for the youth entitled - Anatomy:The Study of the Body. Shall most likely put this into a resource that other youth leaders can use on the Soul Exeter website (got a whole load of resources I shall be adding October type time). The activities worked really well, and the syrup sponge pudding illustration went down a treat (and was also quite tasty).

In Dawlish everything is getting ready for the start of term, there are all sorts of problems (better start praying) mainly in getting the team here! Dan is coming in a few weeks time for sure, question marks hang over Kim and Di... just what you want to start the academic year.

Been doing some website work this morning, just got a lot of typing up to do for the group pages. I shall be adding them over the next week in time for the open day.

Got my parents coming up this weekend. Mum is staying on afterwards for a few days to paint my front room and the toilet - it should be a lot fresher and nicer after that!

Anyhoo, I'd better do some OU work and buy some milk & bread. God bless...

2006-08-22T12:02:00.000+01:00

Back from Soul Survivor and now back into focussing on the year ahead!

September creeps upon one as something creeping upon one - and if that doesn't make sense then what does?! The past few weeks at Soul Survivor have been great! Spent week A with the youth group (and even managed to get some uni work done too), Week B I did catering which was great fun! I enjoyed it ever so much, and it was really good to meet lots of new people. Also got to see Family Force 5 in concert which was AWESOME and an experience to treasure!

Anyhow, now I'm back and getting things together for the year ahead. It's looking jam-packed full of excitement (though I do seem to have secured Thursdays off!!!). In the upcoming future I have an Exams result party, a weekend away with St.Georges in Hemel, Soul Exeter (where I am speaking), and Mum and Dad visiting - it's indeed all go once the college and general soulexeter work gets going. Have spent the past few days keeping the new Soul Exeter site intact - it's looking fantastic if I don't say so myself!

Got a round of golf to play this afternoon with Dave, so I might go and have a bit to eat before that. Have a great day whatever you're doing. God Bless...

2006-08-08T09:04:00.000+01:00

Off to Soul Survivor for two weeks - I really do worry about my sanity sometimes!

Off to Soul Survivor so life is incredibly busy right now - hoping to get away once it's all finished. There the first week with the youth ggroup and then on the second week catering (yeah a right laugh I know!). Anyhoo, I've really, really got to get on with it today. God Bless...

2006-08-03T07:30:00.000+01:00

"I'm loving angels instead" a genius line or a truth if you've met the right person?! Who knows!!!!

I have just spent the past half hour lugging tables around for the Church's Summer Fair, and I'm sure I shall be called up again very soon - shall thence be a short post!

Life is going bery jollily at the moment! I went to Torquay last week for the first stage of getting my feet and legs finally sorted out. They've put these things in my feet to increase the arch and give my leg more support and twist it back around to the correct shape! It hurts quite a bit at the mo (mainly lower back pains) but hopefully once I get used to them they'll just be doing a power of good! As I was already going south, I decided to go even further and went with Dan, Cordi and Alex to Plymouth - twas great fun!

Have also played two rounds of mini golf - the first a victory for England over Guernsey by 11 or so shots, the second I lost by one shot to Dave in a close early morning match (I blamed the new feet things cos they were hurting and putting me off my game!).

Now I am focussing on getting my next OU essay done - it's about Critical Discourse Analysis which is fun :) Also spent last night and probably tonight painting a school hall at the invitation of Sarah (the world's finest stage manager!) which was grand. Got a murder mystery meal coming up on Saturday night which is going to be great fun, got lots of people coming and I'm going to do up the lounge 60s style!

Just listening to a great Napster playlist which I am singing along to heartily! God Bless...

2006-07-25T18:45:00.000+01:00

Prague was fantastic! What an amazing city!

Prague was great! A fantastic trip, which all the kids enjoyed loads and which all the staff seemed to have a pretty decent time on too. The accomodation was the luxuary Olypick Hotel, a four star offering with lovely rooms and fantastic food - the breakfast and dinner offerings were really tasty especially the goulash which had chunks of really succulent beef in it! During the trip we took time to do some sightseeing including the Jewish Quarter, Wencless Square, The Astrological Clock, Terezin (the Concentration camp and ghetto) and the Charles Bridge as well as some other bits and bobs! We also imersed ourselves in culture with outdoor swimming pools, ice cream cafes and a trip or two to the huge TESCO hypermarket!

All in all it was a fantastic trip and it's kind of a shame to be back facing all the church work once again! Got a PCC meeting tonight (fun!) and Thursday is my trip to Torquay to have my ankle examined - pain! Anyhoo, I'd better go, I've got to write a publicity committee report on the Church open day in September! God Bless...

2006-07-14T11:30:00.000+01:00

This is the out of office auto reply! I'm away on holiday hurrah!

Off to Prague tomorrow morning! Got to go to Exeter and buy some clothes this afternoon (and get some euros as well!). It's all very busy!!!

London was great yesterday - Me, Dave and Alex had a right laugh and enjoyed the delights that the city has to offer, with a bit of shopping, travel and museums! Just thinking about putting together a going away CD for Prague! Sorting out the playlist at the moment...

Anyhoo, I'd better go. Don't try and reach me - I'll be out the office!! God Bless...

2006-07-12T11:49:00.000+01:00

Take a breath and get ready for the next onslaught!

Busy, busy! Getting ready for a week away in prague with the school anext week and sorting everything else out at the same time (including a trip to London tomo!). This week has been pretty good so far. Bit of schools work, organising stuff for church (open day meeting was so much better than I ever expected) and spedning some time with the young people!

Listening to Save Tonight - the eagle eyed cherry classic and a mix together of Dandy Warhols and Moose T's I'm Horny! Gold dust! Just been sorting out the minutes from lasts night's meeting and checking I have enough money to grab some euros for the journey across europe.

Anyhoo, I'd better go! Got to eat some lunch before Gatehouse! God Bless...

2006-07-10T08:26:00.000+01:00

A busy week which opens with Essay writing, includes a trip to London and concludes with a long bus journey to Prague!

Sat at the computer on a Monday morning trying to get some momentum for what is going to be a VERY busy week! Today I have my OU essay to complete and post, labels to stick in books ready to go and give to all primary school leavers, craft club and the last youth house group of the academic year! Tomorrow I'm in school, then off to present books to young people, followed by a full church meeting about the Open Day I have proposed in September (should be fun!). Wednesday I'm handing books out again and getting some studying in. Thursday I'm in London for the whole day celebrating the end of Exams with some of the youth! Friday I've got a publicity commitee meeting, and I'm going to pack and go shopping for my trip - Saturday I leave for the trip to Prague - it's a very long journey!

The past week has been quite good - though very draining! Soul Exeter on Saturday night was fantastic. With the football and spree going on we expected less kids, but the atmosphere was still really cool and Daniel and Suzie led and spoke awesomely. Was grand! Then yesterday (Sunday) I was leading the 11.15 service and we did a football themed offering! It was fantastic and a load of kids stayed around afterwards to eat their picnics and then to play football on the Newhay. Final score was 4-4 (nice Christian draw!), my team was winning with five minutes to go but two of my players got sent off (for diving!!!!) and I suddenly became unable to save the ball! Tee Hee! That's football for you!

Anyhoo, I have a lot to do and I'd better get on with it! God Bless...

2006-07-05T07:59:00.000+01:00

The H3 2006 Review by Andrew Guilder :)

H3 took place at Brawdwell Abbey, Milton Keynes from the 30th June to 2nd July 2006 and featured an eclectic range of bands from across the sphere of British Christian music. Divided between two stages (a Marquee stage and a Main courtyard stage) and with a campsite on the side H3 is the three counties closest Christian equivalent to Glastonbury - apart from the weather was fantastic and there wasn't quite as many people!

Friday night's programme saw three bands on main stage - Kurious, Soul'd out and Mowglee - it was a decent sized dome stage backed onto a courtyard which gave it an intimate feel yet could fit in a good thousand or so revellers. Kurious, the first band on, are a YFC band who tour schools, and they brought us a collection of covers with a couple of their own songs, the highlight being a cover of Angel and Airwaves song the adventure. The second band on Soul'd Out are a collection of various artists from the Soul'd Out Entertainment record label; these guys are top notch rappers, and though the crowd were tough (not a South London or Notts group!) they were fantastic in both performance and music. The end of the night saw four piece rock group Mowglee perform, who were as usual fantastic - the highlight of their set was a rock cover of a classic Elvis track, it worked a treat.

On Saturday morning I decided to explore the Marquee stage and see what the talent on there were like. I have to say I was not disappointed. The Quench Band - part of the battle of the bands competition - were fantastic (I was disappointed that they didn't win) doing some great rocky worship covers. Suzie and Dan was a two-piece with Dan playing keys and Suzie Wade singing. She had a fantastic vocal and interacted very well with the crowd, the encore especially had everyone clapping along. Dan and Dan was another two-piece, Dan Hobbs played keys and sang backing in one of the songs, Dan Sheills played various guitars and sang. The performance of his own material was great, especially when he dived into Vicky Beechings 'Yesterday, Today and Forever' mid-song.

I saw three other bands on Saturday, on the main stage somethingABOUTnothing a young four-piece group from Kent who were great. They had some brilliant material and their crowd interaction was impressive for 15-17 year olds - well worth looking out for in the future. I also saw the Austin Frances Connection who were perhaps one of the highlights of the weekend. Placed on the marquee stage (a shocking decision - a lot of the bands here were much better than the main stage!) AFC brought some summer fuelled hip-hop perfect for a Saturday evening as the sun set, a three piece band with a singer, a guitarist, and a lad known as 'hobbit' who is one of the UK's premier beat boxers, they had the crowd bopping and cheering in delight at their talents. The songs were cheeky and the lyrics beautifully funny, they also framed the talent of the young beat boxer! Finally on main stage I watched the delights of [dweeb] perhaps one of the maddest bands of all time! Their music was loud and proud, but their most noticeable quality was their crowd interaction - they really got everyone moving and jumping around! A very good band!

On Sunday I relaxed more and didn't see quite so many bands, there was less I was interested in viewing. The highlight of the day was a rocking group called Electrolyte. They're a three-piece from Essex, who brought songs with a lot of pace and that really rocked! Impressively all three members harmonised perfectly all throughout the gig (incredible when you think about it!) that added great depth to the music. Another band to keep an eye on!

Faults would be some dodgy stage allocating and the lack of showers on site (I had to wash with baby wipes!), they could also do with running the two stages at the same time; the movement was a great opportunity for people to disappear! The marquee stage would be a great venue for tables, chairs, refreshments, and 'choiry style' or 'acoustic' music, whilst the main stage is definitely suited for the rock and urban bands (and the Battle of the Band contest too)! Although it did have its faults overall H3 was a great weekend - there was a lot of talent around and a lot of great music (especially on the Saturday). It's definitely a festival that I have already booked in my diary for next year.

Visit the H3 Gallery @ Andy's Album. Also look out for full interviews, bios on bigfattoothbrush and soulexeter v2 (coming soon!!) where the August podcast will also feature a number of the bands, interviews and clips of their music!

H3 Festival - Day 1 Review

2006-07-01T00:31:00.000+01:00

Writing up a full review on my mobile phone might just kill me so you're just going to have to wait! Lets just say it's reignited my passion for music and I have really enjoyed myself :-) anyhoo I'm sleeping in a caravan with the recording equipment & no doubt they will be here soon to get ready for tomorrow. Best get some sleep :-) God bless

H3 Festival &reading books on the train

2006-06-30T17:11:00.000+01:00

Well i'm at H3 festival in Milton Keynes. Already a good atmosphere and the bands haven't started yet! Will be doing a full review for the new Soul Exeter v2 site when I get back! Another review to stick on the site will be that of the book 'the Yes man' by Danny Wallace. I read it on the train on the way here and it was great! Anyhow I shall continue being 'pressy' and speak to a few more people and get some more quality journalism going!

2006-06-24T07:27:00.000+01:00

Subbeuteo, Taxi, Polythene, Swim, Food, Semiotics and Soul Exeter v2 - that's a reduced round up of the day!

I have been getting a lot done the past few days - which has been good! I've pretty much caught up with my OU studies (which is now textual analysis - semiotics & genre), I've got a planning team together for a world cup service and the web-editing for Soul Exeter v2 is coming on incredibly - it's going to be one monster of a site!

Last night we had a movie night with far too much food - we learn't that gluttony was not a good thing! The movie wasn't that great - Taxi - a french film about a guy who drives a taxi that is also a race car! Luckily it was dubbed, but next time I think I'll allow Dave to choose Agent Cody Banks!

I also managed to get hold of some backcatologue albums I've wanted for a while. I bought Feeder's Swim and Polythene - which completes the Album backcatolgue in that respect. I've also wanted hard copies of Squad Five O and Bob Smiley for a while which I managed to pick up in the Wesley Owen sale along with the Flicker Rocks Harder DVD! Birthday money well and truely gone!

Anyhoo, I'm going to do some editing, then a bit of study before the planning meeting and a few games of Subbeuteo! Hurrah! God Bless...

2006-06-21T09:23:00.000+01:00

We had a goodbye meal for Mandee yesterday, and Ania and Remik will be gone soon as well!

It's a time of change at the moment, with everyone deserting Dawlish and me being left (and currently without anyone else joining me - though hopefully that'll sort itself out in the next few weeks). Clubs are finishing up, Summer activities are being planned and I am sorting out foundation stuff for next year! We had a chinese meal last night (before the game of course!) and it was good to get a chance to say goodbye with just the team (spesh as I'm away for the general leaving party cos of H3!).

My leg is slowly getting better, the brusing has nearly gone, it's just long persiods of standing or sitting without having my leg raised that now hurt, so that's good. Physio on the other leg begins next Monday (hurrah!) which is good - I'd quite like to be able to play footie and hockey again!

Other than that I have been doing a tad of web editing and focusing on my OU work (which is really quite interesting at the moment!). Web editing wise I am doing some ground work ready for my 'Grand week of editing' 30th July - 8th August where I have the week to spend solely on the Soul Exeter site and getting it sorted. My aim is to have the template in place by then so I can just add the content. It's going to be quite a monster of a site with searchable bible, topic bible, bible guide, music reviews, news, interviews, celebration, open source youth work (games, videos, powerpoints, session guides), forum with myspace style community section, and 2 monthly podcasts going online! Hence needing a week to sort it all out!

Anyhoo, I'm going to get back to my study! God Bless...

2006-06-17T08:52:00.000+01:00

Awesome Just10 Youth Event last night at Crealy - was an incredible privalage to be a part of it :)

Well last night was a fantastic event! As part of the Just 10 Devon mission which is finishing at the end of the month, some youth leaders got together and ran a large youth evangelism event with speakers Mark Greenwood and Mark Ritche, and loads of other stuff going on! I had the honour of being the MC for the event which was great fun (the guys and girls were very loud and well up for it!) and the whole event was a tremendous success - there must have been around a hundred kids who came forward to accept Christ! Awesome!

On another awesome front the Argentina game was incredible! 6-0! Good watching - unlike the England game which was stressful and quite uncomfortable. Let's hope we get it together over the next few weeks! Anyhoo, I'm going to update the links and about me section of the site - after all I am now 22!

God Bless...

2006-06-15T09:32:00.000+01:00

Sat with my leg up in the office prinitng out another essay - I am a machine!

Well my leg still hasn't recovered from that fateful football match, mainly because I didn't follow the doctors orders until it got really painful, but I do now seem to be on the mend :)

Time off has been useful though! It has given me a chance to catch up with the OU work, as well as doing the kind of in depth planning that can only be done when you have a week to think about it! Hurrah!

Part from that I have watched a lot of football - which is always nice, and been thinking about Politics which I have selected as my next OU module (hurrah!). Anyhow, I'm going to go and 'read' some media texts! God Bless...

2006-06-02T12:15:00.000+01:00

Don't play football with younger, fitter people - they will always make you look silly!

Well the prayer room has begun above me, and I'm going off in a second to join it - which I'm actually quite looking forward to. Hopefully Nadine is coming over to stay for a next few days and we're leading a service together on the Sunday evening at St. Gregs (so I have now created volume three of devotionals for doughnuts - it'll be on the downloads page in the next week or so!).

I have also just finished designing the http://www.xtolacoustics.co.uk/ web page, which I have to admit I'm quite proud of, it's a nice fresh design and the code is very solid - it's looks perfect in Explorer and the gecko based browsers!

Anyhoo, I'm off to pray and then I have to go to the doctor as I hurt my knee playing football with some of the lads from the youth group yesterday - it hurts!!! God Bless...

2006-05-28T09:00:00.000+01:00

Mum and Dad are visiting, I'm web-editing on Sunday Morning before church and getting ready to sing and do a sermon, best of all I have completed Red Dwarf on DVD!!

Busy, busy, busy! It is half term after all! My parents are visiting, I've got 24 hour prayer vigil Friday, Confirmation Sunday, J2G service Sunday, Coffee Morning Monday and my birthday wednesday!!! Hurrah! With all that I've also got to write my next OU essay - which is a tough one!

Anyhoo... that's really all I have time for today! I've got to take pictures of as many of the congregation at church this morning! God Bless...

2006-05-24T09:49:00.000+01:00

Building a Gap Year site for Soul Exeter / Dawlish! Tis fun :)

Well my tooth is still hurting though joyfully the swelling has gone down loads - the tablets are however still knocking me out!

I'm currently designing a new site for gap year opportunities with Soul Exeter which is cool. Using a new template as well which is very exciting! Anyhoo better get on with it! God Bless...

2006-05-22T10:02:00.000+01:00

My tooth hurts :( That's not a good thing really! Oh well doctors at 11.30am!

Morning! Last night was an awesome evening of television! The two final episodes of Invasion were awesome! I have to say it's been a while since I have made a real effort to watch a show, but invasion has been it! Also continued with 24 which has also been very good - and not as formulaic as usual!

The main thing at the moment is one of my teeth seems to be growing through some skin - which is painful. I am therefore off to the doctors this morning to seek pain relief medicine! Anyhoo, with the pain I cannot concentrate on anything so I'm going to go and join the craft club! God Bless...

2006-05-19T09:10:00.000+01:00

I'm thinking about getting a shuttle PC for my flat! Insane I know!

So lots of exciting stuff is going on at the moment! I got my last essay back from OU and I did really well :) I'm also spending this morning doing lots of work - I'm aiming to get a really good number of notes done!

There has been lots of activity on the Soul Exeter Message Boards and so I have been checking through lots of posts this week! I have also now pretty much drafted the new Xtol Acoustics site which is cool!

The most exciting thing is about computers though! I wanted to get some sort of machine for my flat so I could do my assignments and personal stuff away from the office! I was thinking about getting a cheapo package from somewhere like woolworths. Lucky I didn't really, cos my mates brother has drawn up an incredible spec shuttle PC which will do lots of VERY cool stuff - this thing is so advanced it has to have 64-Bit Windows XP Professional! The best thing is it's actually cheaper than the woolies option I was going to go for!!

Nipping into Exeter today for the CU, and whilst I'm there going to go into Titan and ask them if they could hard wire the laptop adaptor into the laptop for me. It's gone again, I've not really used it properly for ages - but I want to use it as a portable storage device and a music capture device! Should make the Podcasting a LOT eaiser!

Anyhoo, I want to go and watch the end of Bowling for Columbine and then do my OU studies. Have a good day. God Bless...

2006-05-17T11:29:00.000+01:00

Just done a quick www.aguilder.co.uk site update!

Done a bit of an update for the old faithful homepage! I have changed the banner across the top so that people can join me at myspace, added a skype button along the bottom bar, and updated the downloads so that you can now listen to Soul Exeter talks I have done and can get hold of Devotionals for Doughnuts in PDF form! Hurrah!

Apart from that I am meant to be studying, so that is what I am about to do - hurrah!

God Bless...

2006-05-16T09:18:00.000+01:00

I am currently doing Choral singing, podcasting and confirmation classes!

It's been another busy couple of days that has included interviewing Rebecca St. James, numerous youth activities, Soul Exeter, Alex's baptism, J2G service, web-editing, leading confirmation classes, and singing with the choir (I nearly made a typo and put sinning with the choir!!!). It's been really good fun though!

I am currently listening to Gabriel Faure's Requiem - I joined the church choir in the last few weeks and we're performing it on the 26th May (which is only ten days time!). It's a beautiful piece, though a lot to learn in quite such a short time!

Alex's baptism and the J2G service were also fantastic. It's awesome seeing the young people leading stuff, and it's even more awesome to see the faces of the other members of the congregation realising what a talented bunch of youngsters we are ever so blessed to have! Amy led the worship fantastically and Cody was great at the links, by the end they were already more confident than when they had started! The baptism service was really nice, it really did feel like a family event, with us all in the lady chapel together and creating new traditions on the spot! God is good!

Yesterday I had a bit of a day off (in between updating the Soul Exeter site and putting on the new podcast and the confirmation class in the evening), I went to Exeter with Dan and Cordi and I bought the new Feeder Singles Album (with the DVD special edition of course!) and then had KFC. The only downer on the day was the fact that my chip and pin card seems to be a bit mingered :( I'm going to have to sort that out today!

Anyhoo, I'd better get a move on! God Bless...

2006-05-12T11:37:00.000+01:00

Major site work, midwives and soul exeter

Doing some really hard core web work today. I am looking at intergrating Soul Exeter and Bigfattoothbrush together (one being a great community site and one being a great resource site) to create a SUPER SITE! There's a lot of work to do though. I am currently making a new Joomla installation and then I shall be doing a bit of work! The main problem is getting the PHPBB installation and the joomla working together without having any corruptions of data, I will also have to merge user lists which is not going to be fun. It will however put the two sites I spend the most time on into one more eaisly managed package!

Thanks for the e-mails about the midwives conference! It was great fun! I'm speaking at Soul Exeter on Saturday night which I also hope will be good - I'm talking on worship and going to hopefully give some handy and practical tips!

Anyhoo, lots and lots to do... I've just uploaded all the files and I'm ready to rock! God Bless...

2006-05-09T18:54:00.000+01:00

A fun evening up ahead, one wonders during meetings of all kinds whether it is indeed possible to impale one's self on ones car keys!

PCC meeting tonight! I'm not a fan of meetings, especially ones where I have to speak and tonight is no exception! No Sir! Tommorw's outlook is a whole lot better - I'm leading a 'Time of Celebration' at the Rivera International Centre in Torquay for some Midwives! It's very exciting! Means an early morning - but hey, I can cope!

Busy, busy week really! FNT on Friday where I'm doing the gameshow, Saturday Soul Exeter where I'm speaking, and on Sunday Journey to God service where Alex is being baptised and though the young people are leading I do seem to have to do quite a bit of leg work (but hey I love it - otherwise I wouldn't bother!).

Anyhow, I've got to go and set up my mini disc recorder and get ready for this meeting - oh the fun, oh the fun! God Bless...

2006-05-03T08:02:00.000+01:00

LOST AND FOUND!!!!! Tis one rocking track, wooooooooh!

Well I am very tired this morning, something to do with watching the double bill of Lost of channel 4 and then turning over to E4 and watching another episdoe - stupid I know, but at the same time quite enjoyable!

Today is a medium busy day which is quite definately weighted towards the evening! Got morning prayer with the team in a few minutes, then I've got the Media Production Chapter 1 to read and take notes on, then I'm in Gatehouse for the afternoon, before a brand new after school club for Key Stage 2 at the school, a team meeting/food, and then I've got choir practice!

I've brought into effect some new rules in the flat over the past week! There is now a ban on Reality TV of all kinds - it's addicitve, it's fixed, it's voyerism, it's crap TV - I'd rather that the music channels, sky one and challenge TV were on all the time! Also have put a 'mute adverts' rule in place. Why should people be telling us what we need in our own homes?! They are also louder which is plain annoying, so the mute button is now getting used in the house - hurrah! Anyhoo, I've got a few bits and bobs to do before prayer... God Bless...

2006-05-02T14:48:00.000+01:00

I have real sympathy for these kids doing SATs, they do seem to be testing the schools ability rather than theirs - poor kids!

Just a quick post as I am extreemly busy at the moment! Got all sorts going on! Am currently having a breather and just loading the new Feeder single Lost and Found onto my phone (its the live version from when I was at the concert)! Also my pack of stuff arrived from vista print (I now have magnets with my name and phone number on!) and some review CD's are here - look out for the reviews coming soon!

Anyhow, I'd better get going... told you it'd be quick! God Bless...

2006-04-28T11:49:00.000+01:00

My brain is turning to slush! Oh my I think that some serious eating needs to be done - fish finger sandwhiches maybe?

I am in the middle of essay writing which I'm enjoying and finding tiresome at the same time!! Will my life continue to exist as a series of paradoxes?! It all about how reasearch is carried out in relation to media audiences and the bias that lies behind that - it's quite interesting it's just a tad hard going. I've got my very rough draft done, so I'm going to eat some brain food and chill out with a cartoon before Exeter this afternoon and Friday Night Takeaway tonight.

Generally this week has been fantastic, I've really enjoyed doing all the groups, seeing a lot out of being more organised with things and I have achieved quite a bit! My main aim at the moment is to get this essay finished to post - then I'll be able to get on with some web design projects!

Anyhow, I'd really better get on. Have a great day whatever you're doing! God Bless...

2006-04-25T11:53:00.000+01:00

What a gig! The crowd wasn't huge but the reception was fantastic and the live performance wasn't bad at all if I don't say so myself!

Well we played our first gig as The Renascent on Saturday and it was great. The crowd wasn't huge (mainly due to some poor work by the promoter) but most of the crowd was there to support us as we played a set of our best material (German Stunner, Swept Away, Fashionably Late, Darling Angel, and Socks and Scarves) along with covers of Feeder's Just a Day and Seven Days in the Sun. It was quite a success and is leading to some more gigs and a a festival too! Hurrah!

Also in the last few days I have taken to writing to do lists which seem to be making me more efficient! I think that this shall have to continue! Anyhow, much still to do! God Bless...

2006-04-17T10:24:00.000+01:00

Weddings, Food and Church seem to be the marks of the weekend, which really isn't a bad mixture :)

I've had a really great weekend, lots of fun and lots of pictures too (which I'm going to put into an album and stick on the site when I get back to dawlish!). Suzie & Dan's Wedding on Saturday was really lovely, the service was really joyous and the reception was fantastic - lots of dancing and laughing (I certainly did a lot of both). Even the speeches were good, Daniel did his speech as a song which was exceptional and Mark's Father of the Bride speech was very funny! For me though the highlight was the dancing - I don't get to dance madly very often and doing so with the Wade tribe was a great joy and ever so much fun!

Church yesterday was great, though we missed the classic Easter morning greeting (Christ has risen, He has risen indeed, Hallejuah!) we had puppetry, and worship so exciting I ripped my trousers and had to fix them with gaffa-tape! Then it was a lovely lunch with Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins! In the afternoon there was an Easter Egg Hunt where I brought in an admriable hoard - though the competition were all under waist height! The evening praise service was good, but without too much dancing - no one else seemed up for it!

Anyhoo, I'd better go, my Nan needs to use the phone, and I need a shower. God Bless...

2006-04-14T10:23:00.000+01:00

My uncle told me my life was boring so today i shall try to make this post EXCITING!!!!!

I am in Hemel 'the land of crocodiles' Hempstead now, using the 'SLOWEST internet connection in history' whilst explosions go on around me! So far I have manged to miss all the intended targets but a few have come close. Yesterday I went along to a drama thing which was ok (oh, I'm sorry I need to be exiting - THE DAY BEFORE TODAY DRAMA UNFOLDED BEFORE MY EYES!!!!) and broke my knife on a wedge of butter so evil that it made children cry!

Enough of that already... anyhoo, going out with Grandparents and Aussies later then we have a big meal this evening with all of us - hurrah! Wedding tomorrow, my suit is at the dry cleaners and I've been practicing my loud singing! Tee Hee! Wrote a song yesterday about trained monkey assasins! And finally the house I am in is very hot and the aussies keep complaining it is cold - I'm sure I'm getting burnt! Have a great day whatever you're up to! God Bless...

2006-04-12T09:49:00.000+01:00

Devotionals for Doughnuts - Devotionals for the Kerrang Generation!

Well everything seems to be about carrying on going, I am looking forward to getting away to Hemel for a few days of recouping and getting some good quality OU reading and note taking done!

Sunday evening's service the young people did (Journey to God) was fantastic - it was so encouraging to see them leading and really doing it very confidently for their first ever attempt. The talk I did also went ok and the launch of Devotionals for Doughnuts went well! Basically I talked about the need to spend time with God and gave them two booklets to help...

* Devotionals for Doughnuts Volume 1
* How to use Devotionals for Doughnuts
(both are Adobe Acrobat and are formatted to be printed out - i.e. the pages don't match up on screen!)

Yesterday had a cool day out with Cordi, Dan, Dave, Alex and Loren - we hit Exeter, ate much pizza, pick&mixed, Ice Age Twoed and walked round a bit! Twas great! Anyhoo, I'd better get goijng, I have now tidied my desk so I can't be moaned at for making the office a mess and I have also got the confirmation group meeting in the flat this morning. My oh my! Have a grand day, God Bless...

2006-04-07T12:44:00.000+01:00

I'm getting a lot done today, the only problem is there is a lot more to do!

So far today I have written a book 'Devotionals for Doughnuts' along with an acompanying leaflet 'How to use Devotionals for Doughnuts', written a talk for Sunday evening, written out ten songs and put them on a powerpoint, and I still have to plan a japanese gameshow & buy food for this evening and then do it all! Hurrah! Sometimes the days are rather busy!

Anyhow, it's all just about going ok at the moment, I think I'll plan the gameshow over some lunch and then make a trip into town (which will have to be quickish because I have the 'We've finished school Party' from 4 till 7!

Tomorrow is going to be really cool! I've got and O.U. tutorial tomorrow morning (for which the reading I am slightly behind but aparently that wont matter) and then it's on to Soul Exeter (there might well be a diversion past Dominos Pizza!) to set up and then do it!

Then Sunday is Palm Sunday with our first 'Journey to God' youth service at 7.45pm, Monday is Exeter Trip Day, Tuesday heralds a morning of Films, then pitch and put plus Youth House Group and Wednesday International Risk for pretty much the whole day (it will be world conquest after all!).

So don't worry too much if I don't appear much over the next few days. I might be busy! God Bless...

2006-04-03T09:17:00.000+01:00

Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much good - Ecclesiastes 9:18

This morning I am still rather 'raahed up' about the whole church meeting thing yesterday, met a load of people I'd never saw before at any of the services and they voted for their friends some of whom I'd also never seen before who are now invovled in the control of this church! So I'm now filled with a righteous anger - rah!

Anyhoo, better get over that, nothing I can do about it! So I shall instead reflect on a great April Fools day prank - namely the people who believed the text saying that I was engaged to Nadine! You really should have scrolled down the message where at the bottom it said APRIL FOOL!!! Oh dear. I think I worried some of you!

Better get moving anyway, there is all sorts of stuff I need to be doing, wahoo! God Bless...

2006-03-31T10:42:00.000+01:00

It's the last day of the month tomorrow is April the 1st and I'm getting ready for all the pranks that are bound to be played on me!

Hello! I have now got 16 'friends' on myspace which is getting somewhere towards catching up with Birdy (not that I'm competitive you must understand!) so join me and help me have more friends! Tee Hee!

Been doing all sorts already today, I got my essay results back yesterday from the OU and they were better than I expected so that was grand - celebrated in the evening with a trip down the pub and some chinese food! Got some more catching up work to do at the moment but ran out of paper yesterday with which to take notes so had to buy some this morning!

FNT tonight and I'm doing the warm up game - which is probably going to be a quiz or something I probably should start doing that! Anyhoom better get on, have a grand day whatever you are doing! God Bless...

2006-03-30T08:31:00.000+01:00

My printer is dying :( well hopefully I'm getting a new one as the other office PC is being connected to the photocopier!

What a lovely morning it is, the birds are singing outside of the church office window and I am ready to go to the college (via the post box to post my financial OU form thingy!). It's going to be very exciting today - double technology which has at last changed from textiles to the slightly more bearable home ec! Hurrah! Then it's my 'favourite' art lesson again - which to be honest wasn't too bad on Monday. The rest of the day will be spent reading the media audiences book and taking notes and doing a first draft plan for my next essay (oh the joy!).

Yesterday was ok, my foot is hurting a lot and I now have some super strength painkillers and a cool gel thing to rub onto the ankle! I did get a sixth of the work I need to do over the next two weeks done OU wise so that was good. Crusaders went ok last night, I was kinda spaced and they weren't half noisy but it was the last one of the term so that was to be expected. Anyhow, better go otherwise these lads wont get support! God Bless...

2006-03-28T09:32:00.000+01:00

Striking sausages sizzled silently stepping sure-heartedly & surreptitiously slowly!

Well we're on strike today at the school (actually it's not me personally but it has given me some time off) and so I'm back doing a few bits of web editing before doing some hardcore office/kitchen cleaning and getting some OU work done and then going on to Gatehouse which IS open and working with the reception class and doing the after school singing club!

Anyhow I'm starting to get friends on my myspace which is nice. I thought I might be a tad lonely!

Also have just finished filling in all the paper work for the OU financial support which has taken ages to get together. Just a matter of sending it off and waiting for the to ring telling me I've got something wrong!

Better get moving, offices don't clean themselves! God Bless...

2006-03-27T16:22:00.000+01:00

Feeder rocked - and by that I mean that they rocked. I wonder if I mentioned the fact that they rocked?!

Well I am nearly recovered from last weeks gig (bar the ankle injury!) and I enjoyed myself imensely! In fact both the days were very nice - the train journeys, meeting up with Helen and going to Camden, meeting up with Ally and seeing Feeder at Hammersmith, going to the Tate the next morning and drinking starbucks hot chocolate at waterloo station!

The gig really was grand, GLC got the crowd going with such classics (?!) as Your Mums Got a Pen*s, and Your Misses is a Nutter! They were very amusing - much more so than I thought they would be, especially having read a horrific review of one of their live gigs in a paper the week before. All credit to them, they got the crowd going and got us ready for the band!

Feeder themselves were as always on top form, they played a good mix of old and new tracks ranging from live classics such as Descend and High, to future single Lost and Found (coming out later this month). The highlights though must have been a cracking version of We Must Rewind, the fantastic Just the way I'm feeling, and Just a day! There was lots of other great stuff as well, shatter, come back around and buck rodgers to mention a few. I also bought myself a red feeder t-shirt - hurrah! Tis rather groovy :)

Since the gig I have been doing loads, sorting stuff out, friday night talk, mothers day drama and talk, and a fantastic Renascent band practice for the gig on the 22nd (which is going to be INCREDIBLE). Wrote a new song on Friday called Evil Cat and it's a bit of a cracker, we've stuck it at the end of the set - it's got screamo in it and otherwise I can't sing after it!

Anyhow I've got some stuff that I'd better get going (though tommorrow morning the school is closed due to strikes so I've got some time then to!)! God Bless...

2006-03-26T08:03:00.000+01:00

I will post and tell about Feeder very soon...promise!

Been more than a tad busy since I got back and I have also damaged my ankle from jumping about at the gig! Oh well!

2006-03-21T10:07:00.000Z

Feeder tommorrow! I am really ever so excited!

It is indeed Feeder tommorrow, and along with that I hope to do all sorts of other groovylicious stuff - meeting with Helen for Lunch, meeting Ally for the gig, visiting the Tate, and National Galley - ooh twill be lovely!

The other exciting news is that I am sorting out my CV in aiding part of my job for next year, tis also quite exciting. Anyhow, I've got a cake to bake! God Bless...

2006-03-17T10:14:00.000Z

Sky Television is now installed...

I spent most of yesterday evening channel flicking through the wealth of channels that are avalible to me (which is surprisingly huge)! I discovered some of the most ridiculous shopping channels, classicFM tv (which has to be seen to be mocked), a huge number of Christian TV channels - all with odd people speaking very loudly and quite scareily, and then I blocked a load of channels (yeah guess which ones they were!).

Anyhow, I have now planned tonights gameshow for FNT (which I can exculsivly reveal will be a version of Blind Date!), I am getting ready for the 7's Rugby final in the commenwealth games, which is in approximately 25 minutes and features England V's New Zealand! I am a converted 7's fan (it's all thanks to BBC multiscreen I can now get on sky!).

Anyhoo, later I'm thinking of getting back to work on the new BFT site - the main problem is waiting for all the grpahics and bios I need from all the guys, also hoping to get some sound clips on the site and I really want to organise a Summer event (evening somewhere) for all the artists to come and perform live together and do a live CD - would be great!

So there! That's it. I'm going to get 'mentally pschyed' for the rugby! God bless...

2006-03-16T08:36:00.000Z

Six days to feeder, around six hours to sky! Oh hurrah life is working in sixes!

Sat printing some 'reality tv' articles out, and listening to some music on napster (my playlist is starting to play all the music I quite like now - hurrah!). Looking forward to Sky - really want to watch the commonwealth games on multiscreen (why bother with the swimming when you can watch the 7s?). And so on the printer queue is the commonwealth games multiscreen palnner, which is making life very exciting.

All sorts going on in the last few days, still not completely clear of gunkness, but am getting on as best I can - got a meeting with Steve Jones this afternoon after being at DCC, yesterday I did some OU work and Crusaders, and on Tuesday the second singing club went tremendously well (they sang!) and it was fun in DCC and at Gatehouse.

Anyhow, my printer is taking forever, so I am going to listen to some rocking music and do some dancing before I go to DCC. God Bless...

2006-03-13T16:47:00.000Z

Still not grnad but getting on, might as well - being ill is just plain boring!

Sorting out some bits and bobs with my mug of flu-plus and computer! Hope to do some website work this week on BFT.org.uk and on a number of different artists/bands sites that have joined in the last few weeks - Got a nice solid backbone for the project now which is great - therefore a much better site and a number of good band sites are required!

Cool stuff coming up this week, got the second singing club tomorrow at Gatehouse, sky being installed in the flat on Wednesday, and a trip to London with the school on Saturday! All that and there is only 9 days until London and Feeder! Oh I am a tad excited!

Anyhoo, I'm going to get on! God Bless...

2006-03-12T18:49:00.000Z

Upside and Downside, it's all good in the end though, can't really complain too much, just hope upside continues to be on top!

Upside - Fantastic Soul Exeter yesterday, got to hang out with Matt, Pip, Haley, Nick, Robert, David and Nadine, 10 days till Feeder and my London trip (2 DAYS OFF!!!), grand church service this morning, listening to nice new Almost Elliot CD, just finished my TMA to send off tomorrow morning!

Downside - my cheeks feel swollen, got a bad back, a headache and a blocked up nose - yes the dreaded synisis (sp?) is back with avengence!

Oh well, I shall get some sleep. Really can't do with being ill at the moment - there is far too much to do! God Bless...

2006-03-09T21:04:00.000Z

A very exciting gig annoucement from the renascent (i.e. the band that I am currently the lead singer of, and one of the lyrics writers too!)

April 22nd - Exminister Gig Night

Featuring...

Rainbow Coloured Retreat
The freedom story
The Renascent (Oh yes they are the best!)
Letters to leaders

Doors Open 7.30pm
Exminister Victory Hall
Tickets £2.50 avalible on the door

Come and support us!

2006-03-08T20:42:00.000Z

I heard Feeder's new single 'Lost and FOund' and think that it is jolly good! I have the money ready to buy it!

Good evening, I am writing on my blog tonight mainly as an avoidance tactic to doing my media essay, which is going well but making me quite nervous! So far I have sorted the conclusion the introduction and begun padding out the main content, but it's really odd writing it in the correct tense and making sure you use the correct referecing system (which is unlike anything I used at school or at SWYM!).

Had some fun days this week, we had a new head teacher picked for the school - the right candidate in my oppinion - so that's good news. Also launched a singing club for reception aged children at Gatehouse on Tuesday after school which was brilliant fun, and we had the last leg of our winter olympics at Crusaders tonight (along with the '59th' part of Daniel!).

Anyhow, essay writing looms. God Bless...

2006-03-05T11:14:00.000Z

I had one of the best days ever, it was so much fun and really groovy!

Yesterday begun early but it was super grand, I went into Exeter to meet Nadine for a cooked breakfast at Boston Tea Party. Then I had my Open University tutorial which was fantastically grand at the CCI building. Then travelling back to Dawlish had a bit of a band practice and watched Mr&Mrs Smith with Dave, Pete and Alex.

All in all quite superb. Any how I've got to go to church, so God Bless...

2006-03-03T09:05:00.000Z

This morning I am mainly frabbling! There is much to frabble about, I shan't frabble too much though, other wise I might become a frabbler, and I wouldn't want to be a frabbler!

Lots going on at the moment, have a work experience student from the Princes Trust coming over next week, Exeter C.U. this afternoon, Friday Night Takeaway tonight (where I'm not doing the talk or the game - which makes it twice as nerve-racking!), and then tommorrow I have my first O.U. Tutorial for which I need to do 16 hours worth of reading and work before (yes half term is a minger - put me a week behind!)! Anyhow, it shall all happen and everything shall be super grand!

Also got a band practice tommorrow which is cool. I have been practicing the songs, working out some vocal harmonies for stuff as well and I think it'll be a grand rehersal! Looks like we have our next gig booked for Exminister in about a months time so we're working on a good set of 9-10 songs including a few covers.

Finally the most exciting news is that I have a date booked for sky installation!!!! 14 days till I have more than four channels and I can watch the new series of CSI. To celebrate I am looking at buying a new DVD recorder! Then I can record all the great programmes that are on whilst I am college and working in the evenings and watch them when (as often I find) boring stuff is on in the afternoon!

Anyhoo, things to do! God Bless...

2006-03-01T10:20:00.000Z

Jeeves has been fired - how awful! What other icons will we see changed?! Will Ronald leave McDonalds?! Will Sky Blue Sam no longer be at Coventry City?! Has life as we know it changed forever?????!!!!!

Good morning, and what a lovely cold, snowy morning it is as well! I have been out this morning taking some photos which has been great fun - and suprisingly some of the results haven't been to bad. It's even lead me to consider once again having a gallery section on the site with some of my best photos on it - twould be nice!

Had a grand pancake party last night, and got ash wednesday services this evening - that'll be after putting some serious study hours in and doing Crusaders! Oh well, it's all great fun! God Bless...

2006-02-28T08:59:00.000Z

Podcasts away, you might just be able to hear my beautiful voice more often, hurrah for everything!

Had a planning and ideas meeting yesterday for Soul Exeter. After the success of the podcast of the monthly talks, I've been thinking quite a bit about doing some podcasts on Soul Exeter. Trials have been set to take place during lent, which is most exciting :) There's going to be two streams - a daliy prayer and bible reading and a weekly 'magazine' show with interviews, live music (from local talent), and chat. I really am quite excited by the whole thing!

Pancake party tonight, which I am also looking forward to, I've now nearly completed the cleaning of the kitchen - just a tad to do then it will be AMAZING - MY WHOLE FLAT CLEAN AT ONCE! Anyhow, I've got schools stuff to do. Have a grand time. God Bless...

2006-02-27T10:23:00.000Z

RAH! RAH DE RAH! Today I'm mainly RAHing! I should really be finishing tidying up after the weekend, but instead I am sat here RAHing! Oh well!

I am currently sitting in the office listening to anything that is played at some sort of super speed (mainly rock!), with a cuppa tea and a chocolate biscuit evaluting the 48 hour prayer vigil that took place over the weekend.

Overall I feel it was a great sucess, we had lots of people come - all of whom seemed to get something out of it. Also coming out of it was a new youth service - one which the young people have pretty much organised - it's great, they've got some grand songs, a good theme, and a nice biblical basis! It was quite funny, after praying with them about it we saw a horse giving birth on the TV (funny, but a lil bit graphic too!).

Also I was evaluating next year and what I'm actually going to be doing in Dawlish. The main thing for me is the motives behind all the different sections of the work - so it's quite interesting. I want to make sure that I am doing the work for God and NOT for money! Anyhoo, I need some personal RAH space! God Bless...

2006-02-25T16:56:00.000Z

Another night of the prayer room to go - though it has been really fruitful!

Last night was really cool (if not a tad tiring), the young people in the church are really ready to do something and I have decided to let them go for it and support them in any way I can. They have great ideas, and also they have talents and stuff that the church needs to really engage - else we're going to see them dissapear somewhere else!

Also wrote a poem, which was quite cool, all about our life being a journey to God. This morning Dave and Pete came over and we sang worship songs which was really cool, what better way to end a shift in the prayer room! God Bless...

I'm on a journey

It's not a journey of self-discovery
Though I've learnt a lot about me
It's not a journey from one place to another
Though I'm getting to where I want to be
It could be a journey without a destination
At least from an earthly view
Though I know where I'm going to end up
And believe me, it'll do!

Some days I'm ready for travel
Others I'm really not
Some days I wish I had more
Others I'm thankful for what I've got
Some days I make good progress
On others I go nowhere
Some days I find myself going backwards
Other days it's a nightmare

I'm not the first to take this journey
And I doubt I'll be the last
There's a lot of future to live
And a lot to learn from the past
Though this is my journey
I have never been alone
Though companions have come and gone
I've never been on my own

Sometimes I journey in victory
Sometimes I journey in pain
Sometimes I journey with my hands lifted high
Sometimes with my head hung in shame
Sometimes on the way I've fallen
Sometimes on the way I've sunk
Sometimes I've crashed onto solid ground
Sometimes I've been drowning in gunk

Ahead of me lies new lands to explore
Behind the past fades to grey
Ahead lies experience and opportunity
As yesterday dims and I live for today
Today I might march on my journey
Though I might skip, plod or walk
Today I might sing on my journey
Or perhaps I won't even talk

As I look back on my journey
I see footsteps etched in the sand
And I know in times of trial
He held me in the palm of his hand
My journey began with a simple phrase
"Lord I believe this to be true"
And Lord I know my journey ends
By going to be with you

2006-02-24T18:18:00.000Z

Prayer is underway in the vigil, I am building the renascent website sat in the office with a mug of squash listening to heavy rock and a bit of screamo!

There is something ever so cool about prayer, it brings people together who might not usually sit in the same room, you see results happen in front of your eyes, and people always seem to leave beaming! I'm looking forward to my first night shift that is coming up 9pm to 9am (hurrah!) - I've prepared with some extra sleep, but actually I'm really looking forward to it :)

Just putting together the renascent website and trying to work out some rehersal/recording dates. Got a nice design in mind at the moment taht uses all sorts of moody images! Tis super grand!

Anyhoo. I shall continue! God Bless...

2006-02-23T16:54:00.000Z

24 is best watched in a 24 hour period - though the fallout is quite incredible

Still thinking in '24' language at the moment, the whole programme seems to have infultrated my thinking (so that normal things have to be done with speed, military precision and if possible shock and awe!). It was a really good movie marathon, though I am now feeling the effects. Trying to set up the prayer room when tired is harder than one first thinks!

Got the 48 hour prayer vigil this weekend, which I am looking forward to! It's really nice to be able to put aside the time for 'long prayer sessions' every so often, and with the theme of 'Unity and Community' there's a lot of prayer that needs to be said.

Anyhow, as I am probably typing things that don't make sense - man I am tired - I shall go and do something, then eat pizza and sleep! God Bless...

2006-02-20T14:10:00.000Z

I christen the 20th February 2006 Cleaning Day - when I shall clean and blitz everything in sight!

Done lots of cleaning so far today - feeling really grotty with a migrane (though the neurofen seem to be working now!) so cleaning is something that I can do without thinking too much!

So far I have cleaned the computer so there is an IMPACT logon to stop people messing with my stuff, and also took on the Youth Group cupboard - things were growing in their. It was quite interesting actually found a load of old stuff in it, including registers from 1999, Megadrive games, some ancient youth work material that hadn't ever left the packet, and some random 'youth review' forms from 2000! My goodness - there was also a lot of junk but now it is a bit more sorted!

There is now just 30 days to FEEDER at Hammersmith! I am ever so excited, it's the thing that has kept me going over the past week or so! It shall be a great two days away in March.

Saturday saw a four hour team meeting going through vision, aims, and objectives for the team - which I thought we really should have done at the start. Hopefully we'll now all be reading off the same page. Also want to give a long term view to the team - when you finish Dawlish Impact continues! Struggling with that one though...

All sorts this week - trip to Exeter & bible study tomorrow, 24 hour '24' event Wednesday/Thursday and then prayer vigil Friday-Sunday! Who said half-term was a holiday?! It's really good though - I am looking forward to all the events ever so much!

Anyhoo, more tidying to do - dare I take on the flat (bedroom, kitchen, spare room and bathroom all to sort)??! Also need to get something to eat - might be a good idea! God Bless...

2006-02-19T06:55:00.000Z

I am two!

Yes it's my blog's second birthday - hurrah!

2006-02-13T20:21:00.000Z

Just completed a beautiful update of Soul Exeter - now I am very tired and thinking of having fish finger sandwhiches for dinner

Well the last week has been jolly fantastic! Soul Exeter was cracking on Saturday, once again God was really there and spoke through me to those young people - I was really worried about my message beforehand - I felt that not as much planning as usual had gone into it, but at the same time I'd really been challenged by God to leave some space for the Spirit. Anyhow, you can get the talk at the recently updated Soul Exeter website by clicking celebrations and then the ear!

Also had a good Sunday yesterday - the services were quite good - especially the 11.15am which I really enjoyed - and it was really nice to speak to people afterwards! Just need to convince more of them to sign up for the prayer weekend at the end of February half term!

Valentine's Day tomorrow so I'm bound to be inundated with cards, chocolates, flowers and invitations to dinner! Better go and prepare my team of card openers! God Bless...

2006-02-07T10:03:00.000Z

ICT lessons are great - designing Thorpe Park posters for an imaginary trip!

Back in School after a great (yet exhausting) conference at Center Parcs nr Cambridge. Was really inspired by all the stuff that was being said, and I really enjoyed the worship and being able to pray with people.

Anyhow, I'd better get moving! God Bless...

At the Soul Net 2006 conference

2006-02-04T12:51:00.000Z

At my conference at center parcs nr cambridge, which so far has been quite groovy. In between the two morning sessions at the moment, the first of which was very good (though didn't touch last night which was awesome!). Going to in swimming in the tropical paradise later (nice) and got jacket potatoes for lunch! I have also been inspired for the SoulExeter talk coming up next Saturday - should be great! Anyhoo, networking to do! God bless...

2006-01-30T20:46:00.000Z

Quizzes, Schools Work, Group Planning, Uni Reading, Services - I actually am really enjoying my life :)

Today all is grand! I am now over (well nearly) the horrible 'synasy' thing I had - thank goodness, and so have been back into school this morning where I had three highly interesting lessons, the first a science lesson showed me how videos no longer capture young peoples attention, the second showed that silence can be maintained for an hour by a group of year nines (giving me a chance to catch up on some Uni Reading), the third showed me that year ten pupils are quite capable of acting like 8 year olds! AS my father would say it's all part of the rich tapestry of life!

Spent the past two hours putting together quiz questions for FNT as I am not here and they need it all created for them. I find getting questions together for Who Wants To Be A Millionnaire a real hard goer - though the powerpoint with the music and everything is incredible. The reason I'm away for FNT is that I have a conference this weekend at Center Parcs! HURRAH! I am looking forward to that very much.

Finally sorting out all those things that I like to do to fill up my time like 24 hour prayer rooms during half term, a new evening service for older teens 20s and 30s, and a 24 video day (also during half term). All in all everything is grand. I'm now going to gome home and do some more reading! Hurrah! Hope all is well with you all too. God Bless...

2006-01-25T14:51:00.000Z

Illness is so not fun - In fact it means you miss out on all the fun :(

Listening to the new P.O.D. album Testify which I am really liking (apart from I wasn't too keen on the first track). But who cares about POD when everyone's favourite band 'the renasent' are soon to launch! It's all far too exciting! Just sorting out site, my space and getting ready to set at least the whole of devon on fire! Anyhow as I'm not all that well I need to get some sleep. God Bless...

2006-01-20T11:49:00.000Z

So the new years resoultion thing fell apart but I shall carry on nonetheless!

Well I didn't do amazingly on the whole blog a day thing did I? That's what happens when a super busy week lands on your doorstep. I don't really have time now but wanted to share some of the excitment that's going on at the moment! Saturdays Soul Exeter was fantastic, everything I said was just right for the situation which is all you can ask for as a compare. The talk and the worship was good as well. Second primary school afternoon was on Tuesday and was again great fun, we also had our first proper bible study in the new flat which was great fun. I had silence at crusaders on Wednesday during the Jonah story which was a miracle to be sure and then yesterday I had two lessons of textiles (ahhhhhhhhhh!) and some people round for dinner to discuss the new 20s and 30s group that we shall be beginning from next week! Anyhow this afternoon I am speaking at Exeter C.U. then coming back to Dawlish to launch the new FNT club! My oh my! Tomorrow is a bit more relaxed - just a party to go to (hurrah!). Anyhoo I shall leave you today with a modern day parable that forms the backbone to my CU talk - the author is unknown. God Bless...

Parable of the Fishless Fishermen

Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen. And lo, there were many fish in the waters all around. In fact, the whole area was surrounded by streams and lakes filled with fish. And the fish were hungry.

Year after year these who called themselves fishermen met in meetings and talked about their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and how they might go about fishing.
Continually they searched for new and better definitions of fishing. They sponsored costly nationwide and worldwide congresses to discuss fishing and to promote fishing and hear about all the ways of fishing.

These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings called "Fishing Headquarters." The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and every fisherman should fish. One thing they didn't do, however; they didn't fish.

They organized a board to send out fishermen to where there were many fish. The board was formed by those who had the great vision and courage to speak about fishing, to define fishing, and to promote the idea of fishing in far-away streams and lakes where many other fish of different colours lived.

Also the board hired staffs and appointed committees and held many meetings to define fishing, to defend fishing, and to decide what new streams should be thought about. But the staff and committee members did not fish.

Expensive training centres were built to teach fishermen how to fish. Those who taught had doctorates in fishology, but the teachers did not fish. They only taught fishing. Year after year, graduates were sent to do full-time fishing, some to distant waters filled with fish.

Further, the fishermen built large printing houses to publish fishing guides. A speaker's bureau was also provided to schedule special speakers on the subject of fishing.

Many who felt the call to be fishermen responded, and were sent to fish. But like the fishermen back home, they never fished.

Some also said they wanted to be part of the fishing party, but they felt called to furnish fishing equipment. Others felt their job was to relate to the fish in a good way so the fish would know the difference between good and bad fishermen.

After one stirring meeting on "The Necessity for Fishing," a young fellow left the meeting and went fishing. The next day he reported he had caught two outstanding fish. He was honoured for his excellent catch and scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to tell how he did it.

So he quit his fishing in order to have time to tell about the experience to the other fishermen. He was also placed on the Fishermen's General Board as a person having considerable experience.

Now it's true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and bore the smell of dead fish every day. They received the ridicule of some who made fun of their fishermen's clubs and the fact that they claimed to be fishermen yet never fished.

They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend the weekly meetings to talk about fishing. After all, were they not following the Master who said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men?

Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who didn't catch fish were really not fishermen, no matter how much they claimed to be. Yet it did sound correct. Is a person a fisherman if year after year he never catches a fish?

2006-01-13T11:37:00.000Z

It's my mums Birthday today - so happy Brithday Mum! And happy unbirthday to everyone else reading!

A very quick post as I am in the middle fo setting up the prayer room for tonights Youth Prayer Meeting. So far the room looks great with all sorts of different areas and provoking pictures and objects and painting area and........it's great!

Got Soul Exeter tomorrow, which once again I am looking forward to greatly - it's really quite exciting at the moment and after the planning meeting on Monday there is lots to be getting done! The most exciting developments for me are Soul Exeter Underground - a new gigbased outreach event, and getting a resident band together!

Finally work on the secret band project is going well. We now have a name (wahey!) which I shall reveal soon, four real decent songs that we've written with basic cords sorted, and I'm really enjoying being part of it! I bet you can guess that there'll be a website starting up soon! God Bless...

2006-01-12T16:08:00.000Z

I am sooooo tired! The thought that life could get busier than this worries me!

Watched the last two episodes of lost which I videoed off TV last night so I could get some sleep before school this morning (during breakfast) and though I enjoyed it as ever I was shocked that it didn't draw to any kind of conclusion! It was dreadfully annoying!

As well as my viewing of Lost I have also been into School and have at last secured a venue from which to run some lunchtime clubs (though one of the days is one I'm not even in the place!) so our CU should be going from next week (at last!).

Also starting life next week is FNT the new friday night group we're doing for which I now nearly have a team together for the cooking - hurrah! Anyhoo, I've got some OU reading and note taking I want to do (and the rest of a spit-roasted chicken I want to add to some gravy and pasta then eat!) so I had better get going. God Bless...

2006-01-11T17:11:00.000Z

I'm not going to have antoher Wednesday like this so I've been trying to enjoy it

I was going to attempt to have a day off today (with Soul Exeter coming up and having had lots of extra meetings over the past few days) but it never materialisd! In the end I have been doing some planning, writing a job description, doing flyers, creating letterheads, doing some brainstorming, and thinking that one day I might have a day to actually get my bedroom tidy! In a compromise I managed to give myself an hour and a half for lunch which I ate whilst watching two episodes of CSI on DVD!

Got Crusaders tonight for which I am doing the games which is quite scary as I shall need to quickly think of some (ahhhhhhhhh!). Should all be grand however as I have loads of games in my bank - I shall just grab a handfull (or do a biscuit tin night - WHAT A GRAND IDEA!). Another breaking newsflash is that the secret band project I am part of - working title 'Cider from a Lemon' - has now put together three rather sexified songs 'Darling Angel', 'Smokescreen (Open Your Eyes)', and 'Hey Mate, Fashionably Late'. I am having so much fun writing songs and look forward to some serious jamming sessions. We've now got our drummer sorted so it's just a second guitarist needed (though I would quite like to get some keys/synth too).

Anyhoo, I want to get some dinner before crusaders as I feel so un-energetic it's unbelieveable! God Bless...

2006-01-10T17:24:00.000Z

Another busy day - however I really am enjoying my life greatly!

Was in school today after yesterdays day of meetings and also had my first full afternoon working in Gatehouse with reception class (its quite something to go from working with 14 year olds who dont want to be there to 4 year olds who dont want to leave!). I got to make salt dough teddy bear with the children and then we did some drawing and played with the water tray! You may be able to tell I had great fun!

Bible Study begins this afternoon, I want to look at breathing in God and base it around the David Crowder track 'I don't want to move' (it has a great line 'breathe in deeper now'). Also this evening Celebrity Big Brother which I am watching - but mainly because of the OU course I'm doing. I'm finding it interesting comparing what the book says and what I'm seeing happening! Grand!

Anyhoo, I better get on, before youth group I have a song writing sess. God Bless...

2006-01-09T16:10:00.000Z

Sat at the back of a hall during the middle of a lecture to which I am only at because Jerry is doing it and I need a lift afterwards to the next meeting! There has been many meetings today and I am already tired - only one more left I suppose! God Bless...

2006-01-08T21:56:00.000Z

Played wonders of the world monopoly - made my day

Church was good this morning - both services were looking at re-dedication and renewing of baptisimal vows and involved us all getting a little wet! Also got to play wonders of the world monoploy which was grand fun! I bought out everyone but one player and then beat him (mwwwwwahahahahah!), first the monoploy board, next the world....... yeah. God Bless...

2006-01-07T20:08:00.000Z

Trip to Exeter was enormous fun - now it's back to my early spring clean!

I love cleaning! It's so much fun (can anyone feel my sarcasm, because if you can't it's meant to be flowing thick and fast!)! All the flat is pretty much tidy (apart from cleaning up after myself as I go along) that is minus the bedroom, which is still undergoing substancial work! The news is good though, I am starting to get somewhere with it - the wardrobe is now clean, and all eroneous drawers have been emptied and their contents lie either in the bin, or on the surrounding carpet!

Enough of tidying though, it is afterall a most forlorn subject for a Saturday evening! Yesterday I went into Exeter which was once again a grand evening. A short trip to Wetherspoon with some catching up, followed by some Celebrity watching (for which I am now being challenged about by my OU course) made for a fun time. Sleeping on sofas does however hurt my neck (especially when they are shorter that me!).

Anyhoo, I want to watch some CSI and then get some study in before bed. Goodnight & God Bless...

2006-01-06T09:57:00.000Z

The Christmas decorations came down yesterday :( Doing some early spring cleaning and sprucing up the place greatly!

Sorting out my flat at the moment, making it all super tidy and looking fantastic! The main task is sorting out my room which for some time has been the dumping ground for everything else in the place - it now needs to be a place where I can get on with my studies and have a beautifully calm, chill out atmosphere.

I've got a super busy week coming up (mainly due to a volumous amount of meetings and the very exciting Soul Exeter on Saturday). Tonight, I'm meeting up with Nadine for a night out with her and her flat mates in Exeter - hurrah, and during the day I've got some Soul Exeter stuff to sort out including some planning for a meeting on Monday with Jerry and Robert and the college C.U. So no time to waste, I had better get on! God Bless...

2006-01-05T22:50:00.000Z

Today I learnt how to make scrambled egg in the microwave!

Truely exciting day - learnt how to make scrambled egg on toast! Mmmmmmmm. It means that sausages, chips and scrambled eggs is alltogether more tasty now (and prepared with more ease)! Been into school today which was grand - good to be back and working, seeing all the staff and stuff. Anyhoo, I tired! God Bless...

2006-01-04T10:21:00.000Z

Preparing to Study again - after a year and a half break this is quite a shock to the system!

Wednesday is one of my new 'OU' days as I begin my studies into Understanding Media! It's ever so exciting, I've been buying some extra books on Amazon this morning (like The Good Study Guide, and Good Essay Writing A social sciences guide) and have even printed off the PDF booklet about taking good notes and reading well - I'm a bit worried that I may have forgotten!

I am ever so excited though, in the VERY quick flick through that i have performed so far, I have been really interested by the material that the course is covering - yeah! It'll be nice to look at something outside of the sphere of Christian Youth Work as well - though it is my passion, I think having a bit of diversity is also important!

Anyhoo, I'm going to have my mug shot taken for my NUS card and then I get to meet up with Grandparents and Suzie who are staying near by so are coming to visit. Might convince them to take the trip into Exeter (better food!)! God Bless...

2006-01-03T09:22:00.000Z

The church office is very cold this morning!

I am currently freezing to the chair but the heating has now gone on so I should breathe back into life soon! Listening to David Crowder Band once again, fantastic stuff - you can read a review I posted on it by clicking here!

Last few days have been great - started a bit of a Risk marathon with Sim and Dave last night - was very tense - I seem to be playing a loosing strategy which invovlves trying to hold Asia. Not good really. We're carrying on the 'battle' today later on so that should be grand. Apart from that got lots of groups to plan, starting dates to sort out etc. and a bit of sorting out to do in my flat.

Brrrrr. It's soooo cold! Anyhoo, I'm going to get going! God Bless...

2006-01-02T22:49:00.000Z

An uber quick post...

An incredibly quick post to exclaim that I am a gastronome (def. a lover of good food and drink). That has made my day! Hurrah!

Happy New Year

2006-01-01T13:09:00.000Z

Sat in Spoons in Exeter enjoying lasagne & chips before returning to Dawlish. Launched www.bigfattoothbrush.co.uk (its fifth year in action) with a lovely new look and feel to it! Looking forward to being back in Dawlish - got my OU course starting this year and I'm really excited :-) also this year I'm also aiming to post on the blog every day! Lets hope I keep that one up :-) anyhoo, God bless...

2005-12-31T13:25:00.000Z

The top 10 moments of 2005 for your reading pleasure!

10 - Normandy Trip
Going to Normandy with DCC was fantastically fun, I enjoyed the company of the staff, the students, and the vetrans, and the best thing of all was that I learn't loads!

9 - English Pitch and Putt Victory against Poland
Birdy and Guilder took on the mighty Polish in a game of pitch and putt that will be talked about for the next century! The polish were winning after the front nine, but in the back both Birdy and Dave had eagles making England the victors!

8 - Donkey Sanctury Visit
The only complaint I had was that by the time we'd got back from our beach walk the Ice Cream shop had closed (horror of horrors!). Ended up having to go to lidl and buy a whole box!

7 - Mental Prision Walk
Right at the start of 2005, this was a walk which went wrong when Helen's navigation skills were quite aweful. Ended up hitching a lift home with an Army Officer having ended up near Broadmoor Prision!

6 - Pizza Hut Meals
2005 saw me experience pizza hut for the first (and second) time! The first was to celebrate Sophie's Birthday the second my leaving and both were very nice!

5 - The Brix
The project I spent the first six months of the year working up to. It was huge, made me very tired but was well worth it. Would I do it again? yes - but I would get more leaders!

4 - Feeder Concert
A truely electric concert coming after a fun day in London with Helen over Easter. Feeder were on top form as they played to a packed out crowd and made my ears ring when I exited at the end.

3 - New house for Abi
The whole church prayed for it and when it didn't seem as though anything was going to happen, Abi, Molly and Sophie moved into a new perfect house! Was a joy to help them move in.

2 - 21st Birthday
I loved my 21st, the trip to the beach in the morning, my lunchtime meal out with my friends, lots of yummy cake, and a walk in the evening to point-in-view. Superb.

1 - Moving to Dawlish
I think moving to Dawlish is one of the greatest things to ever happen to me! I have a lovely flat, am working in a fantastic place with great people and seem to be generally more chilled. Awesome!

Watching Miss Marple-which is pants :-)

2005-12-28T17:15:00.000Z

Spending the day with the Taylors, been playing Black & White 2, had some food, and watching Miss Marple. Been doing some MAJOR content adding to the new bigfattoothbrush site (opening on the 1st). Shall be putting a preview on the site hopefully tomorrow :-) Anyhoo, better get on! God bless...

2005-12-23T16:38:00.000Z

According to the man on the radio it's Christmas Eve's Eve! How jolly exciting that is :)

What a day of web editing! Done a lot of uploading today and getting read for the bigfattoothbrush.co.uk push next week as I upload all the content on ready. The new aguilder.org.uk server is great have transferred practically everything across to it now apart from aguilder.co.uk which is still on 123-reg. Currently debating whether to forward aguilder.org.uk tp aguilder.co.uk or do something really exciting with it. Currently uploading Mambo onto the sever for a mess around - just need to configure the mySQL database!

Anyhow. Enough of he tech talk. Excitingly I am off in just over an hour to watch the Nottingham Panthers play (ice hockey - just in case you were wondering!) against the Edinburgh Captials. Haven't seen an ice hockey match for years! Am quite excitied!

Also watched some more CSI today - what a cracking first couple of episodes to the first season! Matt and Jenny bought it for me (we celebrated a 'mini' Christmas with Jenny yesterday because she's away over Christmas - hence getting my present from them early!) because I had been whining in Dawlish about being unable to recieve channel Five! It's a great present! I am rewarding myself everytime I finish a task by watching an episode! Hurrah!

Anyhow Mambo is on the server and I'm going to experiment! God Bless...

Watching bb2 comedy ? Tis grand

2005-12-22T23:40:00.000Z

Played basketball with the Emmanuel lads this evening - we drew and I bagged an incredible 18 points :-) Have also watched some CSI which I got from Matt & Jenny for Christmas (which we part celebrated because Jenny is away Christmas day). Hope your having a good day :-) God bless...

2005-12-21T23:48:00.000Z

Not long to Christmas! Done all my shopping now - hurrah!

It's a been a three part day - shopping, gaming, and web designing. The shopping around Loughborough was great - managed to pick up the last few bits that I was looking for as presents, and I bought myself a new jumper and pair of jeans at the 50% Littlewoods closing down thing! I have really enjoyed being back and going into town - quiteunlike Dawlish, though I do have a strange craving to go down to the beach and watch the waves!

I've been playing Red Alert 2 today (which I got for £3 in Game yesterday), it's fantastic with all the movies and stuff (and rather retro gameplay). I played it when it came out and playing it again has been great fun. Has also kept my brain from boiling over with all the stuff that I've got to do!

Talking of stuff I've got to do - did loads of website work today, aguilder.co.uk has been updated fully at last plus Matt and Sims sites have had work done on them and should be online in the next few days! Hope your all having fun (I am!).

God Bless...

Mobile phone posting!

2005-12-20T09:26:00.000Z

Listening to the Robbie Seay Band cd Better Days which is fantastic :-) lots of work to do today- had better start! God bless...

trying to see if this moblogging business will work...

2005-12-19T23:13:00.000Z

Just trying to see if this moblogging business will work with the way that Blogger is set up and the fact that I reside in the UK! Did look at some other service but they're all advertising supported - and I really hate any kind of advertising banner on my site! I'm trying at the moment to create some sort of automated e-mail post script so that I send a message from my phone to a 'secret' e-mail address which then does the blogger 'secret' e-mail thing! Hope it works and the two walls of secrey might be good as well. Anyhow, I'm sure I shall post soon - this one came via e-mail - amazing that! God Bless...

2005-12-13T09:55:00.000Z

Got to remember to pick up the turkey on the way back to the flat otherwise my grand dinner party may not be quite so grand!

It's a chilly Tuesday but thankfully there are lots of great things happening today which are bound to give me a warm feeling inside :) Today I have another school Christmas service - yesterday was a great sucess! I used an illustration about having a huge present (because that's what Christmas is about) which was from God. I was unwrapping it madly finding smaller and smaller boxes until eventually there was a tiny package and inside a candle and a card. I read out the card, a letter from God telling me how the candle was a representation of His son Jesus who he sent to be a gift (the light of the world no less) 2000 years ago and how today in a dark world he still sends His son to be the light of the world. It went down fantastically!

Today is quite mad, Helen is staying over at the moment, may have three others staying over tonight, and of course it's the dinner party tonight (three fantastic courses - was making Christmas pudding at eleven o clock last night and cranberry sauce at 7am this morning :) Star Wars night on Friday (all 13.5 hours worth!) Matt's coming over on Saturday, and then I go back to lufbra on Sunday! Life is mad.

Anyhow I have decided my new year resoulution already which is to update my blog EVERYDAY! I'm going to set up moblogging so even when I'm away from a PC and the country I can get a quick post on! Anyhow better get on doing something! God Bless...

2005-11-26T11:14:00.000Z

It's a year since I started putting photos on my blog! WOW! Only problem is I lost loads of the old ones when the server packed in :( Hopefully they'll be restored when I get back to Loughborough next weekend!

Well it's not long now to my next Feeder outing (which I have to admit I am jolly exicited about) and it has been the thought of 'moshing out' to my favourite songs that has kept me going during this rather long feeling week! Been doing all sorts of things including updates of Soul Exeter (www.soulexeter.co.uk) and Dawlish Impact (www.dawlishimpact.co.uk), both of which I'm happy with though Soul Exeter will have a bit more of a change going into the new year.

Also been looking at Open University over the last week at an 'Understanding Media' course which has really grabbed my attention. It looks like something I'd be interested in (I have always loved looking at the media) and I have the training time to do it now as well (well kind of anyway!). Got Hockey today at Westex against the Hornets B team (we beat their C team with 9 players) which will be a really tough game so that's cool and there's all sorts of other great stuff happening too like a visit from Nadine tomorrow, St.Andrew's Day on Wednesday, and back to Loughborough for a few days next Saturday (hurrah!).

Anyhoo I'd better go, all sorts of stuff I meant to be doing. God Bless...

2005-11-07T10:12:00.000Z

We will remember them.

Am sitting still with beechams in hand, hoping that this dreadful 'mingingness' will soon depart from me! I don't think it helped playing hockey in the rain on Saturday, we also lost 3-0 which wasn't hugely encouraging - though I didn't play too badly (got in some good tackles and even kept the pace for most of the game!). Was meant to be going to conference today but due to a prayer meeting for Soul Exeter tonight am not! It means the only bit of conference I am at is on Wednesday morning - I was told I could stay wed night but then I would have missed the hockey practice (and may have passed on my flu!)!!.

Anyhow, all that boils down to me doing some serious work this morning writing some monologues for a Christmas service based around Mary's journey through the Christmas story. Should be a nice little service if I can get it all done. Also want to sort out promo vid for Soul Exeter using Delirious' Paint the town red (which you can buy from iTunes) and re-edit the Impact team vid (especially the sound channels and some of the effects).

Got fun coming up this week, prayer meeting tonight, visit the council at some point to prove I exist for Council Tax benefits, conference, crusaders & hockey on Wednesday, a special team meeting with Jo on Thursday at Finlake, CU and the hoswt of St. Gregs clubs on Friday, and the Soul Exeter celebration on Saturday! It's quite awesome!! Hope you have a good week yourselves. God Bless...

2005-11-04T12:48:00.000Z

No rest for the snotty! Got flu and I'm still going - oh well sometimes you need some fun!

Just updated Dawlish Impact (DawlishImpact.co.uk) and have been doing some designing work during the morning (my favourite thing to do). Have been doing some logo and poster work for a trial group we're doing at the church called J2G (shockingly similar to J2O) and trying to get a better poster design for Soul Exeter Celebrations which I believe I have now achieved.

Off to Exeter this afternoon for the College CU, then back to lead bible study and youth cafe (see what I mean about this no rest business!). Had loads of meetings in the past week which has been dreadfully weary! I am not a meetings person (at least I now know this for definate)! Went to Cluster on wednesday (I was grotty but it was in my lounge so I sat there sniffling!) and have been listening to lots of new music on Napster!

Normandy trip was fantastic, was really good to spend time with young people, staff and vetrans and the whole thing was a mighty success. Was very interesting having history coming to life and the vertrans own recounts made the whole thing very moving for the young people. Have got a shed load of video editing to do now though!

Wales was also grand, Nadine, Ania and Remik were great people to spend a few days with and we went to Aberstywth and Swansea which was lovely. Made me feel a lot more chilled (though I picked up the nasty flu I now have somewhere along the line!).

Finally the flat is now tidy - one of the benefits of being ill. It wasn't that it was messy before (well apart from my bedroom) but now it's sparkling! Anyhow Bible Studies to prepare, finances to sort, train journeys to take! God Bless...

2005-10-23T10:59:00.000+01:00

Cheerio, Cheerio, Cheerio! Off to Normandy, look after the place without me!

Yesterday was fantastic, played Hockey with Dawlish Men again and we went away to Westex (Exeter) to play the Hornets. Starting with only nine players and letting a goal slip in the first ten minutes wasn't good but we came back and levelled it at half time. Two quick goals in the second gave us a huge boost of confidence and some good defending kept it 3-1 until the last few minutes when Chris scored an unlucky own goal. 3-2 it finished a well earned victory for Dawlish in a game which the Hornets at the start should have walked away with.

Off to Normandy which is very exciting, and then straight to Wales avec (see getting my French in) Remik, Ania & Nadine. Any how Quand il fait chaud je joue au hockey! Have a grand time yourselves, God Bless...

2005-10-21T10:00:00.000+01:00

Preparing for Normandy trip with the college - how very exciting!

Late evenings are now catching up with me, why did BBC1 show the negotiator on Wednesday night? I had already done a youth group and played hockey - like I needed an amazing film to keep me up! It has greatly affected my ablitiy to do anything - yesterday is still a bit of a dream!

Getting ready to go to Normandy (very exciting!) with the school. I go at some stupid time on Sunday and then on the Friday morning when I arrive back (again at some stupid time) it's straight off (well bit of an exageration- I get six hours to sleep) to Wales with Nadine, Ania & Remik.

Went along to a Trade Justice meeting yesterday which was really interesting. For some reason God has blessed me with a gift to come up with all sorts of mad ideas which are rather suitable for these kinds of things. Look out for me in the media over the next few months!!

Oh well, got some things I'd better do, today is the 200th aniversary of Trafalger and so there is a festival on the lawn, and I need to meet with the teacher leading the trip, plus do some washing, finish unpacking some boxes so I finally finish moving in AND go into town to sort out Euros and something to feed myself with over the weekend - joy! Hope all is well with you have a grand, fab, awesome time! God Bless...