There was a car ad out at one point that featured what's called a Rube Goldberg. Basically, a set of chain reactions set up in an overly complicated manner to achieve a comparatively simple task. And the tag line was, "Isn't it nice when things just... work?" Partly because it took them so many tries to get it right.
And sometimes you get some moments when things just seem to work out for you. Just every now and then. At the moment, for me, that's not really one of those times. Though neither is it one of the times when things are failing tragically. It's more like a time between times, when not a lot is happening. And, of course, hoping that the next lot of times will be a winstreak and not a failstreak. Because winstreaks are cool and epicsome and stuff. But that's something that time will tell.
But if you're having more of a failstreak at the moment, or if you're feeling like you're forever doing no streaks at all, then don't fret too much about it. Things don't always stay the same, one day they'll change. Sometimes it can help to get a bit proactive, as well. I tend to fail the epic at that, and so just wait for different times to roll around. But tis cool.
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Promises.
Promises are one of the harder things to keep; up there with a butterfly in your hand, an ice cube on a hot day, and your sanity. EEEAAGGGHHH! Kidding.
But they are something that we seem to make a lot of. And break a lot of. And consequently, promises don't seem to be worth as much. Some people go the route of never making promises. Other people say to never make a promise you can't keep. The problem is, of course, that there are many promises that you can keep that you won't. It's a thorny problem.
I've fallen down on my fair share of promises in my lifetime. Quite a lot of them. Partly because I regard me saying I'll do X as a promise in itself. But I haven't got a fantastic track record, you could say. So I do the best I can to keep them. Because trust - as I believe I've mentioned in one of these posts around here somewhere - is very important to me. And you're not going to gain any by breaking promises. Even if you happen to be good at saying sorry. That might just gain you a bit of goodwill, but not trust. That's going to require a bit more work.
And don't be too hard on yourself if you can't keep all of your promises all the time. You're human. We tend to stuff things up a fair bit.
But they are something that we seem to make a lot of. And break a lot of. And consequently, promises don't seem to be worth as much. Some people go the route of never making promises. Other people say to never make a promise you can't keep. The problem is, of course, that there are many promises that you can keep that you won't. It's a thorny problem.
I've fallen down on my fair share of promises in my lifetime. Quite a lot of them. Partly because I regard me saying I'll do X as a promise in itself. But I haven't got a fantastic track record, you could say. So I do the best I can to keep them. Because trust - as I believe I've mentioned in one of these posts around here somewhere - is very important to me. And you're not going to gain any by breaking promises. Even if you happen to be good at saying sorry. That might just gain you a bit of goodwill, but not trust. That's going to require a bit more work.
And don't be too hard on yourself if you can't keep all of your promises all the time. You're human. We tend to stuff things up a fair bit.
Saturday, 10 December 2011
Killing yourself.
Not literally, before anyone wonders if I've become suicidal.
Saw a movie last night called The Prestige. Don't know if anyone's seen/heard of it. Basically, it's about a couple of magicians who aren't too happy with each other, in the time of Edison. There's one bit that's a bit strange - one of the magicians goes to Tesla (Edison's opponent, who favours AC current) to make a machine for him, for a specific trick called "The Transported Man". Sounds like it is. Flash, bang, magician goes from A to B in an instant. Except this machine didn't do that; it actually replicated what was at A, and placed it at B. So you had object X at both A and B, identical. And so, of course, when magician stepped into it, there were two magicians. So he shot himself. And when he did the trick onstage, he actually had a trapdoor under point A going into a locked water tank, to drown the extra one. Killing himself each time he did the trick.
My question is this: how much do you have to change, before you are no longer you? Or are you always you? The magician was replicated perfectly each time; but each time, it was the copy that lived on. And so by the end, you had a copy of a copy of a copy..........of a copy, etc, etc. So was that person you ended up with really the same one you had at the beginning?
There's a test called the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or MBTI. It's one of the more well-known and -used ones around. It works pretty simply; there are four axis's, each of which has two opposites. So you're either closer to one or the other. They are Introversion - Extraversion, Intuition - Sensing, Feeling - Thinking, and Judging - Perceiving. And I haven't randomly bolded the n rather than the I in Intuition - they thought we can't have two Is in a row, so just do that instead. :P Basically, whichever you're closer to, you get that letter. So if you get Extraversion, Sensing, Feeling, and Judging, you'd be an ESFJ.
Now, I've done this test a fair bit, but recently, I hadn't done it for a while. And I'd always gotten very Introverted, very Intuition, split right down the middle on Thinking/Feeling, and very Perceiving. I did it just the other day, and I got some different results. I got reasonably Introverted, still very Intuition, very Feeling, and only just Perceiving. And then when I did the multiple intelligences test, Intrapersonal - which has always been my very top - is now at number 5! Interpersonal is still the last, but it's getting a lot better.
And it made me wonder. Is this still me? Or am I someone else now? Would the me of a few years ago recognise this one? Have I even managed to kill myself, like the magician? It's a difficult question, and I probably won't figure out the question today. Whatever it is, though, I'm glad I've changed, even if it's just a bit.
Saw a movie last night called The Prestige. Don't know if anyone's seen/heard of it. Basically, it's about a couple of magicians who aren't too happy with each other, in the time of Edison. There's one bit that's a bit strange - one of the magicians goes to Tesla (Edison's opponent, who favours AC current) to make a machine for him, for a specific trick called "The Transported Man". Sounds like it is. Flash, bang, magician goes from A to B in an instant. Except this machine didn't do that; it actually replicated what was at A, and placed it at B. So you had object X at both A and B, identical. And so, of course, when magician stepped into it, there were two magicians. So he shot himself. And when he did the trick onstage, he actually had a trapdoor under point A going into a locked water tank, to drown the extra one. Killing himself each time he did the trick.
My question is this: how much do you have to change, before you are no longer you? Or are you always you? The magician was replicated perfectly each time; but each time, it was the copy that lived on. And so by the end, you had a copy of a copy of a copy..........of a copy, etc, etc. So was that person you ended up with really the same one you had at the beginning?
There's a test called the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or MBTI. It's one of the more well-known and -used ones around. It works pretty simply; there are four axis's, each of which has two opposites. So you're either closer to one or the other. They are Introversion - Extraversion, Intuition - Sensing, Feeling - Thinking, and Judging - Perceiving. And I haven't randomly bolded the n rather than the I in Intuition - they thought we can't have two Is in a row, so just do that instead. :P Basically, whichever you're closer to, you get that letter. So if you get Extraversion, Sensing, Feeling, and Judging, you'd be an ESFJ.
Now, I've done this test a fair bit, but recently, I hadn't done it for a while. And I'd always gotten very Introverted, very Intuition, split right down the middle on Thinking/Feeling, and very Perceiving. I did it just the other day, and I got some different results. I got reasonably Introverted, still very Intuition, very Feeling, and only just Perceiving. And then when I did the multiple intelligences test, Intrapersonal - which has always been my very top - is now at number 5! Interpersonal is still the last, but it's getting a lot better.
And it made me wonder. Is this still me? Or am I someone else now? Would the me of a few years ago recognise this one? Have I even managed to kill myself, like the magician? It's a difficult question, and I probably won't figure out the question today. Whatever it is, though, I'm glad I've changed, even if it's just a bit.
Thursday, 8 December 2011
It's beginning to look a lot like...
A poem I've done, based off the song. But in a more modern, honest style.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere you go
Take a walk through the Woolies shop
Carols jingling as you bop
With plastic canes, look at the reindeer go
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Santas in every store
But the strangest sight to see
People not younger than me
Asking him for more
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Though it's only November
They always like to get in quick
So it gets a chance to stick
So all the sales you'll remember
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Soon the bells will toll
Nativity round every bend
It's becoming quite a trend
Dulling your mind to steal your soul
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
It's that time again
One more Carols by Candlelight
Maybe your brain will last the night
And then you've reached the end...
Just kidding! Now it IS Christmas!
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere you go
Take a walk through the Woolies shop
Carols jingling as you bop
With plastic canes, look at the reindeer go
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Santas in every store
But the strangest sight to see
People not younger than me
Asking him for more
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Though it's only November
They always like to get in quick
So it gets a chance to stick
So all the sales you'll remember
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Soon the bells will toll
Nativity round every bend
It's becoming quite a trend
Dulling your mind to steal your soul
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
It's that time again
One more Carols by Candlelight
Maybe your brain will last the night
And then you've reached the end...
Just kidding! Now it IS Christmas!
CC.
This be-eth mine two hundredth posting on this here blog, aye. Hence the Roman numbers, not acronym.
A fair bit's happened in that time. I've actually been doing it for a week and a year now. 372 days, 200 posts. Not bad. I've been pretty lazy at times with the posting, and I still haven't gotten around to getting those last A to Zs up on YouTube. It will happen, it will happen...
And hopefully, since I have nothing else to do this holidays, I'll be able to really get this up and going. That is, if sloth doesn't overtake me. For a very slow animal, it seems to do a good job of overtaking you. I guess the thing is that I let it. :P
A fair bit's happened in that time. I've actually been doing it for a week and a year now. 372 days, 200 posts. Not bad. I've been pretty lazy at times with the posting, and I still haven't gotten around to getting those last A to Zs up on YouTube. It will happen, it will happen...
And hopefully, since I have nothing else to do this holidays, I'll be able to really get this up and going. That is, if sloth doesn't overtake me. For a very slow animal, it seems to do a good job of overtaking you. I guess the thing is that I let it. :P
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
Narratives from NTE.
Continuing on from yesterday, writing about the conference today.
The main focus of it was about being "In Christ", and what that meant. It was a phrase used a fair bit by Paul to describe his fellow Christians, and it pops up reasonably frequently.
The basic explanation of it was this: imagine you went to go to Melbourne on a plane. You get to the airport, you can see the terminal from the airport. Now, would it help your goal to get to Melbourne if you decide to submit yourself to the plane, and put yourself under the plane's authority? Would it perhaps help if you become inspired by the plane, looking out of the terminal and thinking, "If only." Or would it help to follow the plane - to see which direction it goes, and start walking in that general direction?
Not particularly. No, you get in the plane. That's what helps. And then, the question of "Did you get to Melbourne?" is actually part of the larger question of "Did the plane get to Melbourne?" If you are inside the plane, the answer to both is going to be the same. It's the same for us as we're in Christ.
Also, a bit of an extension of the metaphor; imagine now that there are two people boarding the plane. One has done it a million times before for business, doesn't think anything of it, probably pops in a sleeping pill and wakes up when they get there. The other has never been in a plane before, and was given this as a holiday by their children. They've been looking it up on Wikipedia and Encylopaedia Britannica beforehand, making sure that these things actually stay up. And when they're on the plane, they're constantly asking the hostesses to make sure that everything's OK.
Which gets to Melbourne? The question is redundant. As long as the plane got to Melbourne, both of them did. It didn't matter that one had complete faith and one had barely any; what mattered was that they were in the plane. And that's the same with us, for being in Christ.
After that particular talk, by the way, I came up with a couple of things: firstly, "Christian person" is, fittingly, an anagram of "A person in Christ". Also, see if you can get this related word puzzle: ADNOTAM - CHRIBUTST. If no luck, try this: ADNOTAM - CHRIBUTST. It means "Not in Adam, but in Christ."
So yeah, the conference was good. Had some interesting discussions, met some interesting people. Twas good.
The main focus of it was about being "In Christ", and what that meant. It was a phrase used a fair bit by Paul to describe his fellow Christians, and it pops up reasonably frequently.
The basic explanation of it was this: imagine you went to go to Melbourne on a plane. You get to the airport, you can see the terminal from the airport. Now, would it help your goal to get to Melbourne if you decide to submit yourself to the plane, and put yourself under the plane's authority? Would it perhaps help if you become inspired by the plane, looking out of the terminal and thinking, "If only." Or would it help to follow the plane - to see which direction it goes, and start walking in that general direction?
Not particularly. No, you get in the plane. That's what helps. And then, the question of "Did you get to Melbourne?" is actually part of the larger question of "Did the plane get to Melbourne?" If you are inside the plane, the answer to both is going to be the same. It's the same for us as we're in Christ.
Also, a bit of an extension of the metaphor; imagine now that there are two people boarding the plane. One has done it a million times before for business, doesn't think anything of it, probably pops in a sleeping pill and wakes up when they get there. The other has never been in a plane before, and was given this as a holiday by their children. They've been looking it up on Wikipedia and Encylopaedia Britannica beforehand, making sure that these things actually stay up. And when they're on the plane, they're constantly asking the hostesses to make sure that everything's OK.
Which gets to Melbourne? The question is redundant. As long as the plane got to Melbourne, both of them did. It didn't matter that one had complete faith and one had barely any; what mattered was that they were in the plane. And that's the same with us, for being in Christ.
After that particular talk, by the way, I came up with a couple of things: firstly, "Christian person" is, fittingly, an anagram of "A person in Christ". Also, see if you can get this related word puzzle: ADNOTAM - CHRIBUTST. If no luck, try this: ADNOTAM - CHRIBUTST. It means "Not in Adam, but in Christ."
So yeah, the conference was good. Had some interesting discussions, met some interesting people. Twas good.
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
Why you trollin' me?
If you're not familiar with the concept of "trolling", look it up. The internet one. Basically, I reckon God's done it a fair bit to me. In a good way. Akin to God's speech to Job in Job 37. Basically saying, can you do this? Can you do this? Can you do this? No. Because you're not God. I'm God.
He's done something pretty similar with me a fair few times. I'll look for something everywhere, and then I give up, and it's suddenly right in front of me. It's like he's saying, "You could've just asked..." Anyway.
Recently, I missed an exam. My final exam for a unit. It was worth 60%. Thought it was a different day. Was under the impression that I'd have to do summer school or repeat the unit. Then I got this message today:
He's done something pretty similar with me a fair few times. I'll look for something everywhere, and then I give up, and it's suddenly right in front of me. It's like he's saying, "You could've just asked..." Anyway.
Recently, I missed an exam. My final exam for a unit. It was worth 60%. Thought it was a different day. Was under the impression that I'd have to do summer school or repeat the unit. Then I got this message today:
Dear Brendan,
I am aware that you had emailed Melissa relating to the process you needed to follow and unfortunately that email was missed with it being such a busy time for us.
Due to this I am prepared to offer you a deferred exam for the unit Psychology: Behavioural Science. I will get back to you this week with a specific date and time but can let you know that all deferred exams for Psychology will be held on the 19th, 20th & 21st December.
Kind Regards
Danielle
So there you go. That was my big, "God, why you trollin' me?" moment for today. And yes. I'm very happy. :D
Monday, 5 December 2011
Liking.
Thought I'd do a quick post reflecting on my recent Songwriting A to Z (plus 0-3) and see how many of them I'd actually use, or which I actually like.
Here's them all (in reverse order):
The Third Zone.
Two To Tango
1:1
01101101 01100101
Zoolibye Zay.
You Never Know.
Xanadu.
The Way It Goes.
Verily, Verily I Say Unto You.
Under Oath
To Whom It Does Concern.
See It Through.
The Right Rite of Rightie Wrights.
Quickslow.
Past.
One of the Above.
Not Today.
Meet Me Here.
Long Live The Dead
Kill Me Now
Just Another Day.
Instant.
Half-Life
Go For It!
Falling/Flying
Everything Else.
Death-defying
Come In.
Be Heard!
Abacus of Doom
I would play A, C, D, maybe E, G, J, M, N, O, P, Q, maybe R, T, W, Z, 1, 3.
The ones I really like are probably most of those minus a couple of the funny ones. I probably still like Quickslow the most.
Here's them all (in reverse order):
The Third Zone.
Two To Tango
1:1
01101101 01100101
Zoolibye Zay.
You Never Know.
Xanadu.
The Way It Goes.
Verily, Verily I Say Unto You.
Under Oath
To Whom It Does Concern.
See It Through.
The Right Rite of Rightie Wrights.
Quickslow.
Past.
One of the Above.
Not Today.
Meet Me Here.
Long Live The Dead
Kill Me Now
Just Another Day.
Instant.
Half-Life
Go For It!
Falling/Flying
Everything Else.
Death-defying
Come In.
Be Heard!
Abacus of Doom
I would play A, C, D, maybe E, G, J, M, N, O, P, Q, maybe R, T, W, Z, 1, 3.
The ones I really like are probably most of those minus a couple of the funny ones. I probably still like Quickslow the most.
Messages from mission.
Continuing along the line of "Stories from the Stump".
I've been away from last Sunday (my birthday) until this Sunday (my mum/brother's birthday) on mission from Sunday to Friday, conference from Friday night to Sunday. The conference is basically heaps of uni students coming from all over Australia to meet up and learn and stuff. The mission is just with your uni group. In a word, it was epic. Thought this might be a bit long for one post, so one post each for conference and mission.
We went out to Nowra for the mission. Working mainly in the schools there. About 20 of us, three high school teams and one primary school/other team. We all stayed with various families from the churches there; most of us with ones from Nowra All Saints, a couple from Nowra Baptist, and a couple from Nowra Church of Christ, always at least in pairs. I got a family from Nowra Church of Christ, and they were amazing. The Dad's a muso, there was a piano in the room we were sleeping in, and they had a massive bookcase. It was a great house, and a great family. Didn't like leaving.
Anyway, I was on high school team #2. Was at Bomaderry High Monday, Shoalhaven High Tuesday/Wednesday, and Nowra High Thursday. In short; Bomaderry's teacher was crazy-scientist type but cool, and the kids were mainly just "whatever"; Shoalhaven's teacher had a bit of a harder time, but the kids were slightly less "whatever"; Nowra's teacher didn't relate to as much, but the kids were a bit more interested.
Couple of quick stories. Firstly, heard a testimony from a guy in year 10 at Bomaderry. And the guy seemed quite similar to what I was like back then. And so was his testimony, in some ways; but more like what mine could've been, if a few things had changed. Struck me a bit. Then, I met this guy at a sort of service + dinner for the "down and out" of Nowra. Blind, but saw with the eyes of God. That's how I'd put it. A man of prayer, and related so well to everyone. He was just an amazing guy, inspiring. Then a couple of guys at Nowra school were really interesting; one asked me, "When people say that God 'revealed' himself to them, what do they mean?" Told him to just ask God to show himself, it's as simple as that. Hopefully he does, and He does. Then another student was very adamant that there was no God. So the teacher said: "So you think that if you read this gospel (think it was Luke) and pray every day for three weeks, nothing will happen?" "Course not!" "Challenge you." "It's on." Love it.
That's about it for mission, I think. Got to do my testimony a couple of times, lead the sessions we did once or twice, was good. Might put my testimony up here at some point. Post for conference probably up at some point tomorrow.
I've been away from last Sunday (my birthday) until this Sunday (my mum/brother's birthday) on mission from Sunday to Friday, conference from Friday night to Sunday. The conference is basically heaps of uni students coming from all over Australia to meet up and learn and stuff. The mission is just with your uni group. In a word, it was epic. Thought this might be a bit long for one post, so one post each for conference and mission.
We went out to Nowra for the mission. Working mainly in the schools there. About 20 of us, three high school teams and one primary school/other team. We all stayed with various families from the churches there; most of us with ones from Nowra All Saints, a couple from Nowra Baptist, and a couple from Nowra Church of Christ, always at least in pairs. I got a family from Nowra Church of Christ, and they were amazing. The Dad's a muso, there was a piano in the room we were sleeping in, and they had a massive bookcase. It was a great house, and a great family. Didn't like leaving.
Anyway, I was on high school team #2. Was at Bomaderry High Monday, Shoalhaven High Tuesday/Wednesday, and Nowra High Thursday. In short; Bomaderry's teacher was crazy-scientist type but cool, and the kids were mainly just "whatever"; Shoalhaven's teacher had a bit of a harder time, but the kids were slightly less "whatever"; Nowra's teacher didn't relate to as much, but the kids were a bit more interested.
Couple of quick stories. Firstly, heard a testimony from a guy in year 10 at Bomaderry. And the guy seemed quite similar to what I was like back then. And so was his testimony, in some ways; but more like what mine could've been, if a few things had changed. Struck me a bit. Then, I met this guy at a sort of service + dinner for the "down and out" of Nowra. Blind, but saw with the eyes of God. That's how I'd put it. A man of prayer, and related so well to everyone. He was just an amazing guy, inspiring. Then a couple of guys at Nowra school were really interesting; one asked me, "When people say that God 'revealed' himself to them, what do they mean?" Told him to just ask God to show himself, it's as simple as that. Hopefully he does, and He does. Then another student was very adamant that there was no God. So the teacher said: "So you think that if you read this gospel (think it was Luke) and pray every day for three weeks, nothing will happen?" "Course not!" "Challenge you." "It's on." Love it.
That's about it for mission, I think. Got to do my testimony a couple of times, lead the sessions we did once or twice, was good. Might put my testimony up here at some point. Post for conference probably up at some point tomorrow.
Thursday, 1 December 2011
All Good Things...
A quick update, quick because of the time I'm doing this at.
I've been away for this past week on a mission trip over in Nowra. Was good :) I get back Sunday arvo after a short conference as well. I've been staying with a family from the Church of Christ here, and they have been amazing. They're a really great family. (And I'm not just saying that because they have a piano and their Dad is a muso.) And I'm going to miss them a lot - the last time I see them will be tomorrow morning. Sad face.
It's been fun. But, as they say...
Endings and stuff.
I've been away for this past week on a mission trip over in Nowra. Was good :) I get back Sunday arvo after a short conference as well. I've been staying with a family from the Church of Christ here, and they have been amazing. They're a really great family. (And I'm not just saying that because they have a piano and their Dad is a muso.) And I'm going to miss them a lot - the last time I see them will be tomorrow morning. Sad face.
It's been fun. But, as they say...
Endings and stuff.
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