Autumn is well underway

Lots of stuff has been going on this week. Tuesday was ANZAC day, I went to my first ever dawn service. I really enjoyed it at the time, but later in the week thought maybe it glorifies war too much. I think there is a fine line between remembering the sacrifice and glorifying the sacrifice. In the midst of remembering the heroism and the self sacrifice for our freedom we really have to remember the waste and the suffering. This above all should be what makes us both angry and grateful. I watched part of a TV programme that showed a TV presenter (sorry cant remember her name) who was travelling through Europe recounting the journey her great uncle made during WWI. I was amazed at the memorials they had that were specifically for N.Z. soldiers. One town had a picture of N.Z. on its foot path. Another held a nightly memorial service for N.Z. soldiers (and maybe others but I didn’t quite pick it up), they have had this service every night since the end of WWI (except a few times in WWII). Isn’t that incredible!

Yesterday was Man Camp, which is the yearly camp for the guys in Cutting Edge from church. We were originally going to go to Enhakkore in Ranfurly but plans were changed so that we could help the flood victims. It rained a lot on Tuesday and Wedensday, the Leith was as full as I have ever seen it and some farms and houses were flooded in the Taiere area. Pastor Mike decided to go and see what help was needed and how our church could help. Some people went out on Thursday and Friday and a bigger group (about 50) of us went on Saturday. The first house I was at didn’t need much, we helped them chuck their carpet and white ware into a skip. Then we went down the road to a farm and cleared all their fences. There were a lot of fences that had collected lots of grass, branches, sheep crap and fire wood we spent the morning pulling it away from the fences into piles and then latter in the day we pilled it into trailers and moved it all into one huge pile. My body is very achy today! The owner of the land said we saved him 3 months work! His wife said when she woke up that morning she had burst into tears becasue there was so much to do and she didnt know where to sart. Wow, shows the difference you can make with a big group. It was really just great to do something practical for people and show them love, especially at a time when they were in need. They feed us pretty good with heaps of baking (Jared Clowe reckons he ate the best slice he has ever had in his whole entire life! Yeah I didn’t get any of that slice it went fast) and sandwiches and soup and pies and other stuff. It was heaps of fun working with cool people and getting to know some of the new Cutting Edger’s. I feel so old when I have to tell them Im in my 6th year at Uni. I meet one dude who is studying Economics and we had a conversation which reminded me of 7th form Economics – I was reminiscing of what seems like so long ago, but for him it was just last year. Crikey!

Today as I was at this computer in the library I became dissociated from my water bottle. There was a water bottle to my right but it was just a bit too far to my right that I thought it must belong to the person on my right. But then they went and another person came and I noticed that there was a similar looking water bottle also placed just a little too far to my right, all water bottles look the same these days. But then that person also left and the bottle remained. I was suspicious because there was a lid of a water bottle on my left side and there was no water bottle in my bag so where was my water bottle?! Maybe that one just a bit too far on the right was mine? But what if it wasn’t! What if I started drinking from someone else’s bottle right in front of their face! How rude would that be! So I waited for that person to leave, just waiting for my opportunity to get my water bottle back. But they didn’t leave and I got thirsty. In a flash of bravery I reached out and took the water bottle, for a moment I paused I waited for their reproach. None came then I sipped and drank of the water and still none came, and so I placed it in front of me, safe in front of me.

In our sky flashings

At the hub there is a light cast above and scattered down upon my head all over my face and into my eyes and I see! I see the hub a wheel of six people facing inwards, towards screens of a mystical world. The hub casts its crown over us, it holds us warm under its wings and we sit happy held and centred. My screen is so flat it exudes its sheen. A black nameless tower gives me all the power I need. My optical mouse glows red, brother to this key board, long white and buttony. Oh no! Our hub turns out to be an alien spacecraft that has been sitting here waiting still since the dawn of time, waiting for this very now, ABDUCTION! Run! Save yourselves its too late for me now…. I am taken.

Our hub is spinning around and around. Others too, all of the other hubs have been activated. It spins but I feel no torque, it spins but I see everything clear without a blur, how do I even know that it spins? It hums at least I know that. Upwards and through cement, books, glass, people, some good some bad we pass through them all. To dust to bits of what once was it all passes and crashes as we blast through, churning the world from within our hub. Pages of paper fly around in tornados of duplicated information safe not here but somewhere else. Abduction! What will meet us there? Like an earthquake, like a very shaky afternoon, like some kind of volcanic activity which bursts us sky high with a force that slams us to the floor. It’s a glass floor its like Charlie’s great glass elevator. I think I’ve been here before, no wait that was something else. The view is of what’s below. Of receding homes, lives and miscellaneous structures. In my view are other spinning hubs. We are a flock travelling together. Away we ascend we are flashings in a sky of brewing storms. Shadows and cold are cast below but heat fills our hub, sparks and fire explode around us and there are some fireworks too. It’s a terribly dark time for celebration.

Things are getting a bit out of hand I feel, I would like to know what’s the meaning of all this. Now I can stand up, the we that were six is now the me that is one. Alone I feel, alone in my hub, this sky flashing. Why am all by myself? I don’t want to be all by myself. The sheen of my screen has not diminished. The glow of my mouse is still red and my seat is comfortable. There is a message of choice on my screen. One - safe escape from this situation of lofty extravagance. Two – continuance, discovery of the splendour that lies beyond, breaking the final frontier, making for myself a new life amongst the cosmos, encountering the makers of this hub. Clearly the five choose escape. Clearly I will too. I push the big red button and fall down. As I fall I look back, watching my hub flash away with the flock beyond angry clouds. The downpour of water is such that my escape capsule seems submerged. I swim I fall. In delirious confusion I give all my weight to gravity, I embrace its tug and I thud to ground.

Warbirds over Wanaka

So there was a weekend and it was two days ago. but lets make it 3, not because I want to mess with the official calendar but because I want to blog about the weekend that started on Friday and ended on Saturday. Officially the weekend is Saturday and Sunday, but hey lets break the rules. im bad you know it… etc

I went to this thing called Warbirds over Wanaka and it was sooooooooo cool. I mentioned way back on my blog that I wanted to go. But as time went by I got more and more poor and had less and less spare time to spend on such things so I had written it off. But then last week this guy called Pierre was telling me how keen he was to go and I said that I used to want to go but not so sure anymore. But then my parents said if I wanted to go that they would pay for me! That just left the problem of can I take this time off, which I decided I could. Thus I went. Also Dave Lim joined us. We left on Friday, Dave’s Mum made us sandwiches for lunch! Sweet! So we picnicked by the Clyde Dam. The day was beautifully clear and warm. On the way we listened to the Parachute 06 album, Mums Dollar, the Chilli Peppers, Brooke Fraser, and Dave Dobbin. I don’t think Pierre appreciated Dave Dobbyn as much as he should have. On arrival at Wanaka we found a nearby DOC campsite and soon discovered our tent was pollless (wow three l’s in a row) that is it had no polls! Whatever were we to do! oh nooooooooooooooo! But we took it like men, gruff, and decided to sleep in the open it wasn’t going to rain and wasn’t too cold. sorted. although Dave slept in the car.

We then ascended Mt iron which is not actually a mountain just a hill maybe 40m high. This produced some excellent views of Lake Wanaka and Hawea and the surrounding mountains and plains etc.

Wanaka from Mt Iron


It was 5.30 just enough time to dash over the road to PUZZLING WORLD, this place is cool. I most liked the wall of faces that follows you but its hard to describe you just have to see it. Well when I say most liked I mean after the maze, that’s because the maze was the most cool of all! The directions said you must get to each of the 4 towers in order and back to the start – average time 1hr to 1.5 hr. The incredible Justin did it in 40min - thank you - thank you. Probably worth mentioning is that Pierre did it in 25min. clap clap. and moving right along. It was dark and we were so hungry. To subway we drove and ate our fill, except they had no cookies and I wanted one. so then it was off to New World where we brought the source of all life along with other things for our breakfast. Then we went to the Irish Pub and watched some Ruby and I read the paper whilst Pierre and Dave got beaten at Pool 1 game to 2.

Saturday saw us eating lots of hot cross buns and waiting in the queue of cars to get into the air show. Initially we joined the queue 7km from the airport! gosh! but after a while the queue speed up and it probably took about 30 min before we were at the gates. The air show consisted mostly of WWI and II planes but there were also some later planes with jet engine technology. They also had professional aerobatics pilots one of which was the world champ. They also had pyrotechnics as they carried out a mock airfield bombing and they had guys on the ground in old school army uniforms running around and fighting the Germans, as you do. Really there is not much to say other than it was really impressive to watch. I especially liked the team stuff where they flew together in formation totally synchronised totally cool. Unfortunately my camera had battery issues so I didn’t get many good photos plus it has no zoom. So Pierre and Dave I will be scavenging some photos from you guys.

Some Planes (I think these are called Yak 52's)


On the way back to Dunedin on Saturday night we listened to Day of fire, Mums Dollar, Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and the Rugby. We had Chinese in Alexandra.

The Source of all Life

Happy Easter

My favorite things to eat over Easter are:

1) Hot cross buns
2) Hollow chocolate rabbits
3) Marshmallow eggs

Txting

It seems I have little to say today. Though this cartoon amuses me greatly.


I guess I could mention something about how last month I made a new record for the number of text messages I sent. 400 exactly. That’s a lot for me, I have never broken the 400 mark before, usually I only just get over 300. Since I signed up to 027 last February I have slowly been sending more and more messages. I think you just get used to sending them when ever you want. Even though when I was on 021 I usually sent messages whenever I wanted It would only be in the region of 50-100 per month. I can think of various reasons for this increase.

1) 027 providing a cheaper means of texting (500 for $10)
2) leading a lifegroup i.e. having to text people to organise lifegroup things
3) I am probably spend more time with people other than my flatmates, this requires more organising and so more texting
4) More people texting me
- I know more people now
- more people also switching to 027
- basically im just soooo popular now days, cant you tell

Admittedly many of these extra text I send are just stuff like being polite and saying ‘thanks’ or ‘sweet’ etc or saying ‘im going to be 10 minutes late’, where in the past I could have just showed up late without texting or just not replied to as many unimportant messages. There are also times where you have more of a txt conversation which involves multiple sending and receiving of messages, this is much easier to do when your not worrying about how many messages you send. Basically $10 texting rocks my world. I hardly understand why people stick with 021... admittedly they have cooler phones, and that may be quite important to some people. Plus they use sim cards which is the only thing that annoys me about telecom phones.

Also I remember when I was on 021 I thought 027 was evil. 027 said to me “Justin I am your real cell phone provider” I cried “noooooooooo!!!” 027 stretched out its hand and said “together with $10 txting we can rule the galaxy!” I said “Ill never join you!”. But the force is strong with 027 and someday I will be the most powerful texter ever!

Text messaging has become so much a part of life now. A couple of years ago there were plenty of times when I wouldn’t send or receive a message for a couple of days. But now I don’t think I ever go a day with out sending or receiving a message. 400 messages in 31 days that’s an average of about 13 per day! Though to many people that is nothing, with Boost you can send 1000 texts to 027 phones, plus there are people who own both 027 and 021 so they can have $10 texting and text free on the weekend with 021. Dont you just wonder how anybody ever got on without cell phones? Being separated from your cell phone can be quite stress full at times, there are the thoughts of what if someone is trying to contact me or I really need to txt someone right now etc... but on the flip side It can be nice to have a peaceful day without any cellular interruptions.

As always when I have the least to say it turns out I have a lot to say.

Poll change

I’m sorry to do this but I altered the current poll to contain a 4th valid option after it was brought to my attention. This means that all previous votes were reset so if you have already voted can I ask you to vote again. Thanks.

Swindled

The following is a rant about the TV show Lost but it does not contain any spoilers.

Its NOT OVER!!!! Lost will never be OVER!!!! Lost is a TV programme with a philosophy of never being OVER!!!!

How LAME was that episode last night. The answer pretty dearest is - Super Lame x 10 x Infinity! It was so cheap it was all re-used footage and was just a summary, its been like half a season we don’t need a summary for that! We can remember what happened last episode and the one before and the one before, we know we know we know. This summary episode will only help those who missed an episode here or there, which is fine but they could have told us! I mean really when you call it a revelations episode you really expect some new freakin revelations!! They didnt tell us because they knew we wouldnt watch it! I feel cheated, lied to manipulated, used and abused. I think since season one was so popular they are now dragging it out to try make their original ideas stretch for ever….. and ever…. and never ever end. This is the show that doesn’t end yes it goes on and on my friend some people started watching it not know what it was and they’ll continue watching it forever just because it is the show that doesn’t end… for me it will end soon if it doesn’t shape up. I get the feeling this show would be better watched on DVD so you wouldnt have to wait weeks for them to tell you ... nothing, I saw season 1 for higher at Video ezy for $10. The night was not a complete failure because I got to hang out with Scott, we suffered together! Plus there was a good episode of south park afterwards, which only had one rude joke.

Poll results for – “the best thing about this blog is…”

18% The humour
12% The stories
6% The serious stuff
0% The photos
12% The polls
53% That its all about Justin

Well that was an interesting result I really didn’t think the last option would be so popular, really I didn’t, but im flattered. It was also good to see a spread of people liking the other things, except photos which I don’t put up very often anyway. The newest poll is close to my heart.

Burger King on Sunday - my only Fun day and Rugby on Friday - lamented Sundry

The smell on my hands is that of bbq and bacon, these aromas of burger king fill my senses whenever I lift my had to my chin in contemplation. Mmmmmmm bbq bacon double cheese burger has long been my favourite BK offering.

It is Sunday and its my “day off” which is a new policy in my life. Which means I work really hard for six days and rest on the seventh (yeah I know, just like god, but hey don’t blame me if im made in his image). Now this idea of a days rest is nothing new, but it is something I have never really stuck to. I usually only take time off when I feel over worked and tiered. Plus I usually feel that I waste so much time during the week that I really don’t deserve or cant afford a day off. Some people reckon is biblical, but I haven’t read much about it so I don’t know. It is more of an attempt to be focused during the week by postponing a lot of things till my “day off”. This includes some TV shows, blogging and net surfing. Alas im not sure I can fit everything into just one day off! Oh well Ill see how it goes.

Rugby. How is it that I found my self caring about weather the Chiefs beat the Highlanders (and I had complete faith in them), how is it that I came to not so secretly desire that the Huricanse would lose lose LOSE to the Crusaders. Maybe its just there are too many Wellington supporters in my life and maybe I just wanted to see them eat some failure. Ohh that’s harsh, but it was just a maybe. Seriously I had to give myself a wake up call its just rugby and I cant even play it. I did not grow up in a rugby family (according to my sources this is becoming more common now days), my parents have Sky but they don’t have any sports channels. That simple fact would horrify so many people I know – who only want Sky for the sports. When I go home I watch E! True Hollywood Stories and the History channel. I didn’t even know all the teams in the Super 12/14 till this year. This year I have entered the Microbiology competition for predicting the Super 14 results, I thought to my self, heck if Im going to be a real man surely I must develop a need for rugby. All real men need rugby to aid their social interaction and self-esteem. Well no, actually I thought im going to be hearing about the super 14, on the news and in conversations other guys have with each other, so maybe I should be in the know, and maybe this competition will be the thing to compel me to find more interest in this sport, maybe then I too can have a genuine conversation about rugby. So there I found my self on Friday night angry that the Blues had beaten the Bulls, when I had predicted they would loose. I had mingled my will, desires and subsequent emotions with the out come of a game which I had no control over. I didn’t care about the Blues loosing for any other reason than it would prove me right and would propel my name up that score board… to the top! THE TOP! I wanted to be the winner… not the loser. Really it is only this guessing game that keeps me interested in the Super 14. Though there is a small amount of patriotism involved. I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised that I find my self caring about these games, since it was the intended out come of enlisting in this competition. Keeping things in perspective Im actually not as hardcore as real rugby people, heck ive only watched one game this year.