Boo-urns

I totally wrote this awesome blog entry about how Baghdad Baby was awesome - and left it on my computer at work.

So all you fantabulous punters will have to make do with a not-so-awesome entry about how I have the house all to myself for another hour. Because then Jen comes to stay!

The boys are off partying it up in Wellington. So yes. "Allllll by myself!!!" I don't really mind. So far today I have done tae bo and cooked breakfast. Yes, these two things seem at odds with each other. But I remain confident that the amount I consumed is less than what I've burnt.

I'm considering lowering my carb intake. I was slightly concerned last night when I tried my wedding dress on again. I haven't really been watching what I eat because I haven't needed to. But I can't think of anything worse happening than suddenly not being able to fit into this very expensive dress! So yes, watching what I eat! I will stop bringing baked goods into work and instead opt for fruit and vegetables.

YUM.

I don't really mind too much. I think it's more a matter of being careful than being TOO hard core. So yes, diet galore! Only I'm not calling it a diet. I shall think of some other much more exciting name to give it!

Shame I am not muslim. I could be fasting for Ramadan next week. That would probably help! But it is also a fairly shallow reason to turn muslim. And also, not really into the muslim thing so much. So yeah.

We've had sunshine for the past two days - it gives me great hope that Spring is FINALLY on it's way! I'm so sick of rain and snow. Perhaps the ground will finally get a chance to thaw out. Perhaps I will finally get a chance to thaw out! I hate being cold!!

So yes, I find that I have little to do on the internet these days. I start most days with the intent of doing things. Like update the wedding gift register etc. But work has been hidiously busy. Like, I have not known busyness up until now. Oh the stress. I have gone from putting one daily paper out to putting out one daily, two weekly (one with three different editions) and one twice weekly paper out. And of course ALL the deadlines clash for these!

Disfunctional.

Thus work tends to be a madhouse for hours at a time and then I suddenly have nothing to do because it's lunchtime. And then I come back from lunch and it's a madhouse again. FUNNN.

I shall abruptly end here. :)

Koda's House!

So...Jen has been house-sitting the giant malamute again the past week. We went over to play on the weekend :)

Koda looks ferocious...

But he's actually a giant puppy!!!

House-sitter & House-sittee :)

Awww...

Double awww...

Not so awww...

Winding the dog up :)

Koda looks small here but he is not!!

Fun times :)

Mike Guglielmucci

So...people might remember how I blogged about the song Healer when it first came out on the latest Hillsong CD.

Recently it has come to light that Mike Guglielmucci, the composer of the song, a former youth pastor at Planetshakers, has been living a lie for the past two years. He isn't actually dying of cancer - he never even had cancer. It was all an elaborate deception that seemingly fooled his wife and family and friends.

....

My first reaction was shock. I mean, if anyone has watched the Hillsong DVD his "testimony" seems so convincing. He performs on stage with an oxygen tube! He walks around backstage with a walking stick! His strength even causes other members of the church and band to speak about his faith.

For all that to be fake seems incredible.

The really sad thing is that he hasn't just made himself a liar. He has caused other people to become liars as well. People like his father - also a pastor - who has asked people in his church to keep praying for his son. People like Joel Houston who spoke about how Mike's faith and courage had deeply impacted him.

The scope of damage is huge.

People won't believe that this is something that one man has been able to pull off on his own without any help. I mean, he must have had help. Someone must have known. He had doctor's appointments, medical equipment...the works!

And what about the song? How can a song that has such an anointing come out of such decit? Will we ever be able to sing the song again? (Besides the point, I know...)

Here's what I think; firstly, good on him for coming forward. After two years - and, if the news reports are to be believed, he had other "sicknesses" over the years that were faked - of living this lie he came forward of his own free will to confess and tell the truth. He is obviously a very sick man, just not in the way that he portrayed himself to be.

Secondly, there will be hundreds - if not thousands - of people who will be impacted by this. Not just people who knew Mike personally, but also people who were touched by his music and ministry in some way. They will probably be hurt, they will probably be angry - I think that's natural. And I also think it's okay. People need to process stuff like that.

Thirdly, in light of all the media attention surrounding this, I think the best way to counteract the damage is to do what Jesus would have done. Support him, love him, pray for his family. This isn't something that will be fixed in a day, a week, a month. It will probably take years. If the latest news reports are to be believed, Mike has been struggling with addiction since he was 12 years old. That's a long time to feel guilty and alone about something.

I honestly think that the Christ-like thing to do in this situation is to rally around this man and love him. The rest of the world will probably condemn him. And they'll probably think we're crazy. ("We" in the larger church sense of the word.) But they've always thought we were crazy anyway. What's a little more crazy?

Just my thoughts.

Links here

Hmmm...

Hmmm...interesting...

If it does end up being true the question of "How far will China go?" will have to be asked. It does seem as though lying - and not just lying, but tampering with official documents - is not beneath them.

While we're at it why don't we just re-write history?

At least it explains the poorly applied make up...

The American gymnasts were so much better!

Zounds!

I decided that as a fun thing to do I would listen to my iPod with songs in alphabetical order. I started on Monday - and not at the very start of "A" for some reason - today I finally reached the first song of the "B"s.

O_O

And it's like 80-something of 1,800+ songs.

This experiment could take awhile!!!

Going to the theater tomorrow to see Baghdad, Baby! it should be good. I am quite looking forward to it as it will be a nice change from sitting around and doing nothing. Plus, the tickets cost NOTHING as I got them from work.

Working for the media has it's perks sometimes :)

But not when I have to stay at work half an hour late because there are too many things to do...and I have conviniently forgotten that it's Thursday...hmmm....

Oh well, tomorrow is Friday. Yay!

Mental health day

I've needed one for so long!!! Feels good to not have to do ANYTHING.

I've updated my deviantart a fair bit recently. Sometimes I want to throw it all in and do something completely crazy and whacked out with my life. I think my compositions are getting better - which is nice to think about!

I am proud of some of the photos I've taken - of course the scenery helps! But yes, I enjoy it. Sometimes I enjoy it more - a LOT more - than just sitting behind a desk all day.

Perhaps in time I can do that. Seems we're always paying for the later now.

Obligated to speak on The Olympics

Let’s be fair, the 8th day of the 8th month of the year 2008 approaches. Aside from the exciting fact that the date will read 08/08/08 (oh yeah!) and the fact that it will be Friday (even better!) the only other thing this date has to recommend to it is the fact that the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games will be held on this date. If you happen to be in China – if you live somewhere like NZ the Opening Ceremony technically will be being held after midnight – thus making the date 09/08/08 (not as exciting, or auspicious – apparently).

Of course, the Opening Ceremony isn’t really the “opening” ceremony. After all, events have already started. The soccer (or football) competitions kicked off (hah – see what I did there?) on Wednesday.

Obviously soccer is not the sort of game that requires an opening ceremony.

It seems ridiculous to me – they have essentially delayed the Opening Ceremony by two days for the sake of some slightly delusional belief that the number 8 is lucky.

Please…superstitions aside, why would China need luck? They have it all! They’re hosting the games, the pollution is gone (at the risk of their economy) and they have found some mysterious new green water weed. It could be anything from gillyweed to the cure for the world’s fuel crisis. Although if it is gillyweed perhaps they should have left it that for the swimmers to consume?

Add to that the communist government, the terrorist attacks and the “Free Tibet” banner that was unfurled for a whopping 12 minutes…China is on a roll.

The Chinese saw the Olympics as a way of showcasing to the world that they are a developed nation that is on par with any Western democracy in the world. Unfortunately, all they have showcased is their neglect of basic human rights, pollution, suppressed (oppressed?) media and state control.

Well done China!

But hey, thanks to the state of the media in China – your average Chinese citizen will probably deem the Olympics a great success. And let’s face it, for the Chinese it’s all about “face” anyway.

If a fruit is rotting on the inside but the outside still looks shiny and new is it still rotting?

I am alive

Yes, indeedy I am.

Last week was fiendish and I am still recovering.

Basically I am just exhausted, all I want to do is sleep.

I did have a more intelligent post - but my brain has died.