Anniston 8 July 2024 - Travel

Today is a travel day.  We are packed and ready.  At 8:55 after getting breakfast and petrol (gas) we are on our way. I was soon dozing in the car.  I woke suddenly and remembered my drugs were still in the bathroom cabinet. We were about 50 minutes into the journey. To say I was annoyed with myself is too much of an understatement. I am the subject of everyone's frustration.

We returned, and added 2 hours to our long journey, there was a traffic jam on the way back. Also, the lunch and break stops had to be re-planned.

At 12:20 we stopped for lunch at a waffle house. Then about 15:00 we stopped at a Buc-ees.  A strange place, it's like a motorway service station combined with a tourist 'tat' shop and a high-end garden centre, without plants. The fat, ugly, beaver gets everywhere, it seems.

The Buc-ees Beaver

About 19:30 we stopped at Culvers in Lake City, Florida. The local waiter, was fascinated by the British accent and all thing British. He had loads of questions, and he and his colleague visited our table a few times with questions, or just to hear the accent.  I've never been that comfortable being a celebrity, I don't consider myself special in that way: certainly not for just speaking differently.  At the same time, I was keen to talk to him and encourage him to visit, if he gets the chance.

In the car, we are talking about blogging and Karen tells me that I have a reader from among her friends, she came across the link on a Facebook post.  It's nice to know that someone else enjoys the content of my travel stories.  Since Google changed its statistics, I get no information, something didn't translate from the previous system.

We arrive at the holiday home (villa) about 21:30. The entry code works, but the alarm is not set, so we do not have to disable it.  We look for the Wi-Fi code, it is not in the book, nor is it on a sign as it is supposed to be.  We contact the owner and eventually get the code.  Everything else looks good.

Comments, lovely comments

I do enjoy reading peoples feedback.  After all what's the point of typing all these words if no-one ever reads them.  So I was very pleased indeed to have received a response to one of my older technical posts. It is also gratifying that my solutions work for other people, sometimes the technical posts are simply put there so that I can remember what I did.  That IS one reason for writing all these words of course.  The solution to the Vista DVD drive problem I have used many times.

I've also received a number of spam comments written is Chinese and leading to some sites that I would rather not be connected to. So the comments process has been tightened up - please don't let that stop you though. It must be considered that everyone is not after the same thing - either in life or on the web.  I am not averse to publishing relevant comments - even if they disagree with what I'm saying.

Right Dominance returning

At last a Saturday morning where the things I HAVE to do are not so immediate as they have been for the last few weeks. A time to sort out the paperwork, much of it long overdue. 01 Jun 2008 was the earliest date I've found so far. So I have been filing and moving old hardware into the loft until it can be recycled. That's when I find my Shoulder is the most limiting - when I have to lift things above head height. Now I'm planning to watch qualifying (F1 European GP) from start to finish.

I've also had a look at the Diocesan news paper and submitted my blog to the list. Liz had told me about the bloglist a while ago. I would hardly call this a 'Parish Blog', but it does cover quite a lot about Christ Church.

While I was searching for the list above I mistyped 'list' as 'lost' and found this on 'UglyVicar', which lead to Anger at [Chelmsford] vicar's anti-gay preaching I had seen this headline on the placards outside the newsagent in Galleywood, and had wondered what it was about. Seems Chelmsford is in the thick of the CofE's 'Homosexual Clergy' debate.

On to more edifying things.

It is looking to be an exciting autumn at Christ Church, not only is there an Everybody Welcome course, but there is also the Bill Legend Band (26 September) and Riding lights with Origins and Lemons in November. See the Christ Church Website Events page for more information.

So on to the topic of the Title. When I finish work I am often the last out of the building and have to lock up. During the week I left just before six and was the last one out. Walking down the stairs I put the building keys in my right hand, opened our door, went and set the alarms, walked through the door, shut it behind me and locked it. All with the keys still in my right hand. Then wondered why it had felt so awkward. The entrance is narrow and the lock is on the left, so locking with the left hand is easier. The dominance of my right-handedness is returning

Blog Shock!

I think I've spent too much time flicking channels and getting the porgram adverts for channel 4 and channel 5 - Body Shock!, Nature Shock! - I don't think I've ever watched them. So that explains the title, now here's what its about.
I follow a number of blogs. The other day I commented on a blog, beacuse it had a good message, the next I read my name in the blog. The person concerned - I'll call him John, because that's his name - John, had been praying for me, and that very day I commented on his blog. What a coincidence. I prefer to call it a Godincidence. Those things that just come from nowhere and make you day! Its always good to be back in touch with someone.

Doesn't reading your name in something wake you up? Just as on Sunday, hearing my name in the notices unexpectedly brough my attention back fully on what was happening. My first reaction was - "What have I done?" - meaning how have I transgressed - as though I'm still eight years old and the teacher is shouting at me to be quiet. It wasn't that, of course, it was simply a thankyou for helping out - but I wasn't expecting it. So once I had put my 8 year old self back where he belonged, I can also appreciate the good feeling that receiving thanks gives.

Perhaps I should remember to do the same for others more often?

Tagged ...

For a 'meme'. The clue is in the title. Now the purpose of this blog is .... well I had to spend a while thinking about that.

"Why do you write?"

"To tell people about my life". "No, not really - that would be far too boring."

"Well, if you don't know, tell me why you started?"

"Easy enough. To let the girls (Karen and Liz) know what's going on at home."

"There's a but coming?"


"but, since then it's changed ..."

"How"

"Well I've added the reviews blog, for example, and I post my sermons there (most of them)"

"So you do think you have something to say to the rest of the world?"

"Yes, some of it at least, why else would I train to be a preacher?"

"And what you have to say is important?"

"No"

"So why bother?"

"OK, well, Then I'd have to say 'a bit'."

"That doesn't work, it's either important or it isn't"

"Well, as a preacher, I am trying to bring Jesus message to his Church (that part that meets in Perry Street, Billericay, England), and that must be important."

"But that doesn't explain the blog"

"No, it doesn't, but I promised people in the church I would keep them up-to-date with what's happening in my training. I write articles for the 'Spotlight' monthly magazine, I tell people what's happening, both in the notices section, and face-to-face. Some of them must be fed up with me. The blog is part of that as well - especially when I was on placement at Hutton."

"there's more, isn't there"

"Yes, I've read so many sermons on the web in preparation, I'd like to have my say"

"so, how do you make sure you get read?"

"I don't. It's there for people to find, I do use 'Ping-o-matic' when I remember, to make it easier for people to find the things I have posted."

"So, will play the meme game? Sounds like it could increase your readership?"

"The clue is in the title, it makes me uneasy saying HERE I AM. I'm happier pointing people somewhere else - to Jesus, in the case of my preaching. I don't want to be the target of the 'I follow Apollos, or I follow Paul', read the rest of the verse, and check the blog name' "

"So, what will you do?"

"I remember a quote from the bottom of someone's e-mail, that said:

'If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got'.

It made me think. How do you just start doing things differently - it may be OK for you, but I've grown into my habits, and I comfortable in them."

"And where is God in this?"

"Jesus would not let anyone settle, He was constantly doing and saying things to challenge those who thought they knew how life worked. This for me is just another of his challenges. It means changing my habit and commenting on other blogs, not just commenting on mine. The evangelists would say that we should meet people where they are, not wait for them to find us. Twice recently, once last Sunday, by Mark, and once during the discussion with my new Spiritual Advisor, I have been reminded that I'm supposed to be a missionary at work. That's another habit, but it's one that I have got out of."

...
___________________________________________________

Well done if you got this far......

I've just read the Dilbert cartoon (probably not completely accurate quotes):

Pointy haired boss to secretary: "I've decided to start a blog, I will write my thoughts about our company and our business".

Secretary with head in hands

Pointy haired boss to secretary: "I need you to write the first entry by lunchtime"

Pointy haired boss to secretary: "I can't wait to see what I'm thinking"

What should I call this post?

Blogger Arrrrrrrrgh! was my first thought. Perhaps I should stick with "Sunday, April 15th @ 10:00am at Christ Church". The story is of technology and buses.

We arrived at church early, because I was helping with the technology, and Jo was doing Tea/Coffee and Singing. The Tea/Coffee went well, so did the Singing, but the technology was awful. The DVD player I was given doesn't do timed indexing, and it creeps on pause. That's probably a way of stopping me frying the track. Our projector is next to useless, and the clip was of a man in a cave - all very dark. However the talk was interesting, if only that it highlighted what tradition does to our beliefs. A very good point. Thomas, far from lacking faith, was merely refusing to trust his friends when they told him something that sounded entirely unreasonable. Look at his reaction when he met the risen Jesus.

Anyway back to the story. As the prayers were led a sunflower seed was given out. It caught the imagination, and hopefully should be a good was of reminding us to pray. A few jokes about Sunflower cam, and the blogging idea came out. Take a look at http://sunflowerprayers.blogspot.com. In a conversation over coffee I said, "Oh yes, I'll just add to the Tanzania Blog". Simple! Login, ceate a blog - 2 minutes - doddle! Couldn't be easier.


RUBBISH

Hadn't reckoned with Blogger. (yoda voice required for the next bit) Moved it to the new blog they have. Very unhelpful it is. ( OK, back to normal) So I have to sign up with a new gmail address, which seems to be the only way to make it work. All that's done - but what a waste of time. Haven't they heard of "migration script".


Any way if you've got this far - Well done! Here I hope is the good bit. I have been trying to get Christ Church people into blogging. We should add the blog addresses to the A-Z. I'd like to run multiple Christ church Blogs, one for each of the organizations we have. Let people create their own content. Thats what the web should be about. Lets hope that has started.

Buses
So there I was, finally getting on with my meeting minutes. I've had a busy week, of four official working days the shortest was 11.9 hours. So, I've not been doing all I should. The phone rings. I answer it "Hello."
"Dad, What are you doing?"
"Talking to you on the phone, Mike"
"Yes cut the sarcasm. Are you busy?"
"Of course. What do you want?"
"If I give you some money will you pick us up from Lakeside. The bus hasn't come"
"When's the next one?"
"Tomorrow"
So I do the return trip to Lakeside (about 15 miles each way). The last bus should never be cancelled - cancel the one before if you have to, but never the last one.



I haven't had any money yet.

Long long day ...

I've been to a European HQ today doing Graduate assessments. As usual some very good candidates, but this year some not so good ones as well - shame about that, but apparently there just aren't so many good candidates this year. Why am I blogging? I started out on the 5:30am train, and arrived home with the sun at a similar angle of elevation, but going the other way. Remember, it's close to mid-summer's day still. I'm blogging because that's what I have to do - be seen, be heard, but who by? And am I seen and heard? 

Good discussion with Karen last night, made me think too -thanks Karen. We are all unique - completely and totally different, and yet in so many ways we are the same. Had a bit of the Nature / Nurture debate with one of the Graduates, but somehow that doesn't quite get there either. Maybe it's something to do with our unique spirit, or soul, that we are created differently - even those that were created at the same time.

Blogging works - it really can be a community

Very slowly I'm starting to get comments on my blogs and contacts from people. I recently recieved an e-mail because of a very old book review http://3cephas-notes.blogspot.com/2005/10/reign-of-terror-reign-of-love.html. It's still a good book, and now you can find out what the author is doing today www.africa-foundation.org. Do take a look.