Weekend.

I went to an outdoor concert, danced the night away to a blues brother tribute band, people watched (there was a bride there with the most beautiful dress) and got offered freshly made profiteroles and strawberries from a complete stranger.

And people wonder why I do red cross! (Ok, so we had a few injuries to contend with, but nothing too serious...)

RIP Brother Roger

BBC article about Brother Roger of Taize

It's hard to understand how something like this happens in a place so peaceful as Taize. I know these things happen all over the world all the time, but somehow that it should be in Taize is just really weird. Maybe it's because I've been there (admittedly just once) and found it to be a really peacful and restful place (once I'd got used to the fact that it's just way too quiet and they don't have a drum kit) . Murder is almost expected in cities, you're prepared to see violence, dispute, roadrage. It's bizarre to see it in so peaceful a place.

I do like the comment towards the end of the article about 'different species of Protestant'. It explains a lot... ;-)

How are you?

How are you? Anything new going on?

Is it right that just because I can't think of anything new to say that my life is automatically dull? I do lots of stuff and I enjoy doing it. But I can't help it if that means that I don't' know what to say to people when they ask how I am.

So, a quick glossary:

Fine, in maryspeak, means doing good, bit tired, but that's because I was involved in this great duty/prayer meeting/youth event/discussion/drink last night. And I'm tired now because in all honesty that was more fun than getting to bed on time...

Tired, in maryspeak, means tired. Don't expect sense or intellectual conversation.

URGh, in maryspeak, means leave me alone unless you have chocolate.

So next time someone asks me how I am how should I respond?

"I'm tired"

To be grown up or not to be grown up

All around the office networks are grinding to a halt, servers are crashing. Basically IT is having a few issues.

Is this stopping me refresh the cricket scores every 5 minutes…? Is it going to stop me..? Do I really care if I can’t do any real work?

Thoughts...

Hmnmm..

Just got back from meeting with my parish priest. It was one of those meetings where you come out way too enthusiastic, and things just seem to be going well.

I went to see him to talk about youth work. More precisely to try and persuade him to let our parish get more involved in Youthnet and the other things in Earley. There was me thinking that some commitment to publicity would be good. Maybe some prayer support. The odd visit from a friendly priest to one of our events...

So I'm a tad blown away by the concept of me standing up at each of our 4 masses in September and inviting the whole parish to take on board what Youthnet is, why we should support it, why their children should think about coming, and to encourage the rest of the parish to think about the importance of talking and thinking about their faith and formation.

Ok, so that's a bit of an exaggeration. He asked me to standup and talk about Youthnet and why we should encourage or young people to be involved. The rest of the list is an inevitable part of it, at least it is as I see it.

ok.

right.

Better get over that fear of microphones....

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We also had an interesting chat about sin, mission and engagement with traditional Catholics. All in 50 minutes :-$

Incidentally, as part of the discussion we got to this deep theological concept... Have you ever considered that sin is like poo? You don't want to be near it. It smells. It brings disease and sickness...

So this poses and interesting question...
if sin is poo... What is a wastewater treatment works?

A baptismal font?

So being an engineer is a vocation. Finally the proof of what I've been telling everyone for years...

PUB!

Yay!

Today I have achieved something.

I got half the office into the pub for a swift pint. Oh yes. 

Ok, more like a quarter.
Maybe a third.
15 peoples.
Ish.
Not bad eh?

All it took was one email to the entire office telling them that we should all go to the pub to get to know each other…

So now I have a problem. Why on earth should I do any work? It’s nice out there… and I could just fancy another pint….

So peoples… reasons. I need reasons to work. Failing that I need reasons to leave the office early….

Philistines

I work with Philistines.

How can people not be excited about a score line of 0-1 in the Cricket. Against Australia. In the Ashes?!!!!

I mean really?!

How am I supposed to work under this pressure?

Celery

I decided that instead of nibbling on chocolate at work, I’d do the whole fruit and veg thing. It’s good for me.

But is it really good for me? It’s greeny coloured. It’s stringy. And it’s dull. Dull dull dull dull dull dull.

Therefore, in an attempt to right this wrong, I have a suggestion for any supermarkets out there that want to increase their sales of celery.

Chocolate covered celery.

Genius!

Calorie wise you could make it balance out I’m sure, after all celery is supposed to be good from that point of view. Taste wise it’s got to be more sensible that chocolate covered carrot – I mean really…. Who’d suggest something as silly as that.

And last but not least, it would save me from the fact that having got so bored of celery today I’m going to end up buying chocolate at lunch time anyway. Chocolate covered celery would pre-empt that.

Brilliant.

Patent pending.