Information overload
Argh. Well after today, I am well and truly introducted (is that a word?). I know all about housekeeping, signing in for meals (that's a nightmare!) and course requirements. I had my first small group meeting and my course group meeting. We also had a communion service this morning with a great talk by Christina Baxter. All in a day's work.
Oh and I do NOT have to do Greek. It's not compulsory any more. But I decided I'm going to do it anyway. Because it's non-assessed, and sounds like fun ('saddo!' I hear you shout!).
So the first day is over. It still feels like a bit of a dream. Actually, it feels very much like a dream. Yesterday evening I went to Trent Vineyard to their evening service - the worship was fantastic, the sermon was decidedly too long. But I left there feeling I'm leaving all that behind, and it felt really sad. CofE and charismatic worship seemed mutually exclusive. However, this morning, the worship could rival Trent any day, and the sermon was *much* better! So there's hope yet, and God is faithful.
Broadband and Wireless
Yay! I've got broadband here at college. And I don't have to pay for it!! It's sooo nice. And, if you all are going to pray really really hard for financial blessing and favour, I might even be wireless soon... :-D
Serious though - it's great. So much easier. And what's best is that I can listen to German radio over the internet!!! Without "buffering" interruptions. Wha-hey. Little things...
Home again
After a manic round of packing, driving to Nottingham, unpacking and painting, I am now (sort of) settled into my new abode. And the best of it is - this is going to be mine (ALL MINE) for the next three years.
Carolyn came up and helped me paint the living room. Well, actually, I think I helped her paint. She knew what she was doing, I didn't. I do now. She's a good teacher! So now three walls of my lounge/kitchen are a sort of soft cream colour, and the fourth wall is walnut brown. Very nice. And once I got matching curtains (currently they're dark blue...), and decided where to put the furniture, it'll be lovely.
Carolyn has been great - I couldn't have done it without her. She kept me going and helped me over the first shock of realising: I'm really doing this! I'm really here! Help!!!
Anyways - tonight is an early night, I'm shattered after two days of painting, and three days of shopping excursions (I have already located Ikea!) and lugging boxes and climbing up and down ladders.
The Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine
Oh yes baby, you are looking at the proud owner of a
Baby George. I'm told it's an essential for students (and I wanted one for a while...). So now I'll live ultra-healthily (yeah right).
In other news, I am nearly totally packed up. All my clothes are in black bin liners to my mum's horror, but it's easier to pack the car like that. Despite that, I think I won't be able to fit it all in in one go, so it's just as well that I'm going to come back in two weeks to go to my friend Clair's wedding.
Now all I need to do is actually *GO* :-)
Last day at work
So today was my last day at work. It was spent not really doing much at all - just wandering around saying good-bye to people and trying not to cry. They are such a great bunch there, I'm really gonna miss them (in case you're reading this, Toshiba - I really *am* going to miss you guys!!!)
So - no more office for me. Possibly for the rest of my life. How weird is that. Office is all I know in terms of earning my living. I feel a little floaty, as if someone had whipped the ground from under my feet. But I'm sure once I settle into college it'll all calm down again - and I'll probably wish I was back at the office!!!!
5 more days til I move!!! Help cubed!!!!!!!!!
Last things
Last things are always difficult. Last Communion service this Sunday. Last day at work on Tuesday. Last time homegroup on Tuesday evening. Last this last that.
But saying that, I also have a lot of firsts - I went up to Nottingham yesterday (Saturday) to take some boxes up and have a look at the flat. So - first look at the flat. First time of cleaning the kitchen (hmmm - is that worth recording?), first time of having tea at Liz's new house (let's hear it for Liz - she's my link student. She's fantastic!). First time of getting the number code on the doors wrong, and therefore first time of feeling like a lemon (well at St John's anyway - I felt like a lemon elsewhere before).
My flat is absolutely awesome. First of all it's MINE for three years. I might get bored with being in the same place for longer than 8 months, but I don't think so. Second it's ONLY mine - noone else to share with. My own little pad. I can paint it any way I like (any suggestions?), I can do anything I like in it (within reason) and I can shut the door from the inside if I so choose.
It's got a massive panorama window on one wall with a big window seat looking out on the grounds, weeping willows and fir trees etc, so I can see where I'll be spending most of my time sitting and reading...
Help! Only a week to go!!
Oh the places you'll go!
Seems like a fitting poem for this time in my life...and maybe in yours too!
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.
You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any
you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you'll head straight out of town.
It's opener there
in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.
OH!
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!
You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.
You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don' t
Because, sometimes, you won't.
I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.
You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You'll be left in a Lurch.
You'll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you'll be in a Slump.
And when you're in a Slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.
You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both you elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused
that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...
...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.
NO!
That's not for you!
Somehow you'll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You'll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.
With banner flip-flapping,
once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you're that kind of a guy!
Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
Except when they don't.
Because, sometimes, they won't.
I'm afraid that some times
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.
All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you'll be quite a lot.
And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.
But on you will go
though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.
On and on you will hike
and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.
You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)
KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!
---Dr. Seuss
To ponder...
Someone once said "In the centre of the universe, the face of God wears a smile". Do you think the universe is intrinsically a friendly place or not?
Answers on a postcard - or in the comments section, if that's easier...
