Philotas Procrastinates!

2009-03-01T21:39:00.003+10:00

So, two years later!

Updates: Still teaching at the same school. Now I've got my own Modern History class, as well as 9 and 10 musics and a 10 sose class.
Work is hectic at the moment as there is lots of marking to be done.

Getting married in September this year :) on International talk like a pirate day! Proposed in March 2008 to L. We've been living together in an apartment in the city since March :) (one year of living together anniversary tomorrow!)

Dropping out of youth leading this year, things getting a bit too hectic, but still going back from time to time. Leading Lazer (older youth sunday school) on the weekends as a part of a three person team.

Realised I am slightly left-wing in my political philosophy! huzzah! Also, have affirmed that I am not a literal interpreter of the Bible. Also huzzah!

Am currently playing Viola with the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra, several concerts a year!

Have kept playing WoW and seeing friends when I get the chance! and am into facebook :) add me! (I think im already friends with Nathan)

So, what has life taught me these last two years?

1) Saying No is ok.
2) to stand up for myself if I'm being mistreated with no justification.
3) That I love L.
4) That love has many faces and that it can be hard, but ultimately worthwhile.
5) That relationships with real friends stay the same no matter how long it has been since you saw them
6) The world can be a cold, dark, and unfair place where greed, ignorance and anger drive many to mistreat eachother.
7) That the role of a Christian should be to be a conduit of love in your community. To teach others how to show love in their lives, and how to care about people besides themselves.
8) That our apartment is indeed not very well ventilated!
9) The older I get the more i value what has gone before. yet, i can't but help looking forward :)
10) The birth of many children of my friends is a blessing to them and me, but has also shown me I'm not yet ready for that :D
11) Education is still the key to greater opportunity and better standards of life.

How do you sum up 2 years in one post?
You can't :)
I'll try to be more regular.

My love to all out there :D

SAM

2007-07-29T14:20:00.000+10:00

I'm Alllive ... ?

...From the depths I come!

After all sorts of strange rituals involving hot poky things and several sacrificed chickens (or was that several trips to KFC...i forget).
I'm back thanks to Kelly (now you all have a target to blame!)

So, what Have I to say after almost a year of non blogging?
surprisingly not much.

School eats my life...
I love Laura
um, things are insanely busy as always,
Year 9s suck.
I now teach English ??

Well, technically I'm teaching Music, with one English class on the side!

Teaching is not a 9-3 job, as some out there would like to promote...
I am tired, but still have much to do... and maybe writing things down again will help out! or genearlly help me to procrastinate more? hmm.. im sure something will make sense, because so far none of this does!

I'm now teaching at a High School in the South of Brisbane, I'm not gonna type the name of it for fear that some of the kids will track down who I am... which may happen already! but hey.
It's a good school, a new school with lots of resources, located in a lower socio-economic area. Kids are interesting and make you lose sleep and hair. I have had many a violent thought that can only be quelled by shutting myself in a classroom and playing piano after the class is gone.

sigh.

I still love my music, but am finding that these days i am doing hardly any.

Maybe my friend K has the right idea... wonder if there's any money in composing... :P

or flying planes.
Thats one thing i'm now interested in. I'd love to fly a plane commercially. be a pilot. Captain Sam. hehe.. cool.
But apparently IM TOO TALL.
sigh..

damn biological conspiracy!

more later. tired now. comment yes :D

im back.... again... :D

SAM

2006-11-12T11:49:00.000+10:00

Leavin..On a Jet Plane

Oh great. now I put another song into my head :D

Well, with Josh and Amy's Wedding out of the way, it's now time to accept the fact that Im actually leaving the country 3 hours from now :D how cool is this! I dont think it's really sunk in yet! but hey!!

You can keep track of my adventures on this site:

Laura and Sam's Travel Blog

yes yes, i realise Laura isnt my name. thank you for pointing that out :D but Laura is my girlfriend, and she's said we can blog on the same Diary to save the effort of me setting up another blog! I mean... after ALL the effort that's gone into this site ;) (/end sarcasm)

But yeh, Hopefully We'll keep you all updated! dont be strangers! (or stranger than you are already :D) bloody Kiwis ;) and good luck to Michelle and Adam! gettin married in December I hear? We need photos ;D

Much love all!

SAM

2006-10-30T23:19:00.000+10:00

Sigh

The Road to hell is paved with good intentions...

You know, I thought something I planned had gone well. How come it managed to be a disaster in the end again?
Sigh. I dislike when things blow up in my face. The smell is hard to get rid of! :P

SAM

2006-10-21T02:23:00.000+10:00

Possibly the funnies thing on the net

Ok, its a big call, but not many things can make me laugh out loud (literally) after a long hard depressing day!

THese sites are they!
Ask a Ninja
this one is hilarious. Like blatantly just hilarious! watch it! now!

Hope is Emo
by the same people, not AS obviosuly funny, but its funny in an ironic parody kinda way :D awesome stuff though!

Check these out now! i kid you not! DO IT!

SAM

2006-10-15T14:39:00.000+10:00

Why I Love Kevin Smith/Smith's Movies

Theyre irreverent, theyre crude, theyre arrogant, they shock, they repulse, and theyre hilarious :)

I love the Jersey Trilogy (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy) I love Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob strike back. I love Clerks II (Jersey Girl... hmm.. we'll see).

But honestly, I love it because of the man Kevin Smith is, and what he does in his life for his friends, especially Jason Mewes (Jay). This is what its about people. this is the kind of person I would like to be.

Excerpt from "Silent Bob Speaks" - Kevin Smith's Autobiography

Oh, have you ever watched the credits to those movies? always starts the 'thank yous' with God :D hehe great stuff.

Dogma Credits
God- Whose idea it was to make both this film and me

Jay and Silent Bob Credits
GOD - He Who makes it all possible

Clerks II (i cant remember properly)
God - who keeps me afraid

2006-10-15T11:35:00.000+10:00

Something that sounded good at the time

Yeh, so. yesterday as I planned my Lazer (Sunday School for Grade 7-10) lesson I said "woudlnt it be a good idea if everyone gave up something they really loved for a week to illustrate a point"

(the point being that our love for earthly things should be secondary to our love for God).

Yeh. good call Sam. now you've given up WoW for a week. good thinking :P

so.... anyone for History Seminars?

SAM

2006-10-06T10:57:00.000+10:00

Apparently...

You are Uhura!
You are a good communicator with a
pleasant soft-spoken voice.
Also a talented singer.

Take the Star Trek Quiz

Uhura		60%
James T. Kirk (Captain)		50%
Will Riker		50%
Chekov		45%
Deanna Troi		45%
Data		44%
Mr. Scott		40%
Jean-Luc Picard		40%
Spock		35%
Beverly Crusher		30%
Geordi LaForge		30%
Worf		30%
An Expendable Character (Redshirt)		30%
Mr. Sulu		15%
Leonard McCoy (Bones)		10%

2006-10-02T16:58:00.000+10:00

First there was nothing...

Then there was a post!

Ok, well, lets be real here. really there was something before this post. there were many posts. before those many posts ther ewas a template. and before there were templates there was Blogger, before blogger there were online diaries, before that there were real life diaries, and before that I dont want to keep on doing this so I'll stop right here!

So, now knowing for certain that no one is paying attention to this long neglected blog anymore i feel free to write whatever :D er... well, yeh. so here I go!

...

Its coming! no really!

So how are you?

Really?

Oh! that reminds me! GO THE BRONCOS! 15 to 8 Victory! WE TAKE THE PREMIERSHIP AGAIN!
yes, it is a well known fact that I am now a cowboys groupy, but if it couldnt be the boys, then at least its my second favorite team, the Broncs! :D hehe. silly slater moving to Melbourne :P thatll teach ya!
Watched it over K and M's new place. which, by the way, is absolutely HUGE its like a mansion in the suburbs! i coudlnt imagine living in a place so humongous! to clean it would take an entire weekend! I'd get lost heaps! (I have already! :D)

So to completely change the topic, Things are creeping up very soon!
We have 5 more weeks of Uni left! Huzzah! thats 33 days of Uni! :D (including weekends and all!). But in that time there is an entire crapload of assessment (boooo!)
As well as Uni assessment, there is always the fun times of applying for Jobs! Im in the middle of writing out an app for a school down the coast which might be good (but its only .6 of a teaching load... go for full time over part time IMO!)

Piano must always go on! still practicing for AMus next year... not practicing nearly enough though :P

Greg and Josh are getting married soon too! (not to eachother ya bums! - to Cass and Amy respectively!) Jamy are getting married on the 11th of November, and Josh's bucks is going to be on the 28th of October. Im MCing Josh's Wedding, and helping organise the bucks with his best man. Greg and Cass have their engagement on the 21st of October and are getting married on the 13th of January. Im best man for that one. so heaps of stuff to think abotu and organise etc.

In between those two weddings though Im going on a Grand Adventure which im REALLY excited about!!! Here's the dates and Details.

12th Novemebr (Day after Jamy's wedding) - Fly out to Athens
13th November arrive in Athens at 7am SEE LAURA! :D WOO!
13th -27th - Working Through Greece up towards....
27th -29th - Istanbul
29th - 2nd Dec Jordan - Going to see Petra and the Dead Sea
2nd December - 16th December - Egypt - 14 day tour including Cairo, Giza, Luxor, Nile Crusing on Feluccas, and being able to climb Mt Sinai (as well as much more)
16th December - 22nd December - Vienna
22nd December - 26th December - Lyon, France
26th - 28th December - London
29th December - Home

HOW COOL IS THAT! I mean to learn about something like Greece/Egypt etc for so long, to study them, to see pictures etc... but im actually going to BE there to touch, feel, smell (ew) etc all those ruins... the culture... the places! Im SO going to THermopylae! (see the 300! Gory but good :D) im so excited about all this! oh, and add to that excitement I get to travel around with a Beautiful travelling partner! :D Hey Laura! ^_^

Anyhoo. thats all exciting at the moment! but cant get ahead of myself! Sooooo much to study and all that!

I will hopefully be posting again soon :D

till then, take care of eachother eh?

SAM

2006-09-12T22:36:00.000+10:00

Your Honour, the Defense Rests

Ok, I throw myself on the mercy of the courts!
I havent blogged for over a month and a half already! :P after I said i was going to make a comeback too!

Well, ... things have been really extremely busy! The Man and Grade 8s are gettin me down! Prac is over in a week and a half now! only 45 years to go!
Ah well. could be worse.. could be stabbed... with a stingray barb. RIP stevo.

So much stuff going on at the moment, completely buggered and getting way too stressed! hopefully some of this will ease in oh, say, November? :P

In better news, in exactly two months from now I will be standing/sitting in Singapore airport, watiting for my connecting flight to Athens :D SO looking forward to this trip... but right now other matters take precedence.

Hope everyone who reads this is going well! let me know how you're going somehow :D

SAM

2006-08-01T11:44:00.000+10:00

Philotas Ponders

Hmm... Im wondering whether its better to be an expert in a few areas or mediocre in many.

Because Im definately the latter :D and I enjoy it, but sometimes I wish I was better than someone at something ^_^ ah well.
All it would take would be to cut the other things out and focus on that one thing. but where's the fun in that!

SAM

2006-07-31T02:57:00.000+10:00

Late night fun stuff

I just thought I'd link this article I found amusing :D

Man Hurt By Falling Saint Bernard

Hmm.. I can just imagine the psychological Trauma... poor man will be forever looking to the skies, wondering when the next canine will come hurtling toward him.

Brings a new meaning to the phrase 'raining cats and dogs'.

SAM

2006-07-26T00:08:00.000+10:00

Reflecting

Or is it Procrastinating more?
hehe.

So as a part of my procrastination this evening I had a read through my blog from July 2005. It seems hard to believe that it was a year ago, and that I can remember events so clearly! I find that as im getting older (and i am! :'() the more i can remember about the previous years.

I mean, when i was in my teens, to remember back a year ago - that was a blur. The older i get the more recall i have! unfortunately, you gotta take the good with the bad! and there was plenty of both.
I like the fact that my blog is accomplishing in some small way what I set out to do. But I realise that if i wish to continue this vain effort, then I must post more :D so, Godwilling, hope to see much more posting happening in here!

I think one of the main reasons im not posting anywhere NEAR as much as I used to (aside from being flat out at the moment) Is because I email the Beautiful Laura with that information every day or so! and honestly, who wants to type their day out twice! ^_^
BUT rest assured, loyal readers (or loyal dupes... whichever grabs you more) That I will begin to post more frequently! I mean come on! 2 posts in a day already! and I will try to get up my comments on my cousins across the wave's blogs too :D Im coming for you guys! Its been a long long while! and I apologise for my absence! but ... im SO back into the blogging scene! ^_^

SAM is back... to stay!

2006-07-25T17:19:00.000+10:00

True Procrastination

Hi all! Ive got A SOSE Unit and a History Unit due next week, a music teaching assessment due on Thursday, an Education Pamplet due on Friday next, I have to go to centrelink today (which i forgot) and yes! well, im having fun as you can see :D

I HATE NO HOLIDAYS ! :P

honestly. they say they are aware of how much of a workload we have? hm... perhaps give us more than ONE week of holiday before throwing us back in for 5 weeks of absolute hell? (followed by 7 weeks of prac, one of holiday and 5 weeks of lectures and assignments again!) Sigh.
enough bitching. Ive gotta save some for the actual lectures! ^_^

Sigh. so much crap to do... Im over it. sooooo tired. need caffiene. need sugar... mmm... sugar... oh yeh, havnet been to the gym this week! mwahahahhaaaa!

I really dont have anything to talk abotu at the moment! just a generalised update to fascinate you all! is it working?

So how are you all eh? My commenters have been slacking recently. dont make me beat you with your own skull (which, isnt physically possible - so they say!) start commenting :D

SAM

2006-07-08T23:19:00.000+10:00

Don't stop thinkin about tomorrow...

Well, after the slight downward nature of the last post, I am happy to report that I am as normal as I ever am! And also back on the road that leads to angst! Its long, its windy, but there are free rest stops along the way that serve tea. Huzzah.

So yes. What to post about. Im just about to start up uni again for the next four weeks and have a crapload of work to do there. Boys Brigade Sunday School and Youth are going to restart next week so more work there. Youth is extra work because of the crap thats gone down in our church. Planning to do Amus before middle of next year, so need to get back into piano practicing. Prac is going to start up again for another seven weeks soon, Im back to the same place as before (Only this time teaching SOSE History). Don't forget though, about work at the comic store!
"Work Work Work" as those peons from Warcraft say. But hey. I could have it much worse! I could have a girlfriend in another country! oh.
oh yeh.

Well on that brightening note, let me throw out my other worry! Im also planning a trip overseas for a month at the end of the year to Greece/France/Egypt with Laura. I really sound ungrateful don't I! "geez this Sam has it tough! A Great job, Lots of Friends, Trip overseas, a girlfriend." So yeh, i do really thank God for my blessings. of which there are many!

But lately im just feeling drained all the time. I get moments where i feel i can take over the world (oh it WILL happen) and then moments when i realise just how far i yet have to go. (Im only on phase 3!!) Where i can see all my failings so clearly. (Its so hard to find good underlings these days!) Where i can see just how dangerous a path im heading out on. (look, i probably should have taken that left turn at Albequerque.)
In other words, Im letting my clost emo out. :P dont worry. hopefull I'll beat him (with a stick or something) and send him packing!

For anyone who's ever had a long distance relationship... how did it turn out? And Why do i feel like im letting myself be suckered in sometimes. Why do i feel like an idiot for doing this when I only went out with her for two months before she went overseas?

Sigh. Will Sam ever learn?
Probably! But there are always new lessons!
Ah well. I like learning anyway!

Did I say i was thinking of teaching for maybe 1-2 years in the UK starting Mid 2007? Well, thats looking like the plan at the moment :D so prayers it all goes smoothly and I can pass my course and actually get into teaching, not feeling inadequate as I did when the muso's gathered on Friday. I dont know what it is about them. Sometimes when im around those guys I just feel so...ill prepared... unskilled. I dont know!

Sigh. Welcome to humanity Sam! Live with it! ...or wipe them out. I know which option im leaning to! heh ^_^
Nah, Im being melodramatic I think! I am really lucky to have what I have when so many others cope with so little. I refuse to let myself slide into that sort of thinking (ie... almost the entirity of this blog). Self destructive crap! and so egocentric!
Needed to vent somewhere sorry! next post wont make nearly so much sense! :D
Hope anyone who reads this is having a great day!

Take care!

SAM

2006-06-07T17:25:00.000+10:00

We have the technology

In my years on this pathetic Mudball you humans call a planet, I have assimilated (with my advanced robotic mind) things of value and use so that I may better blend in with you meat bags out there so as not to arouse suspicion of our inevitable conquest of your homeworld.
To that End, I have no need for this thing you humans call heartbreak. to me this is no more than an organ malfunction!
I have however, assumed some of the more useful of these 'emotions' you value so much - unaware that they are your greatest weakness and will not save you from hard labour in the Mycelon mines of Dautyst VII. Things like anger and rage have at least some benefit to our plans. As do vengeance and cunning.

My robot body is also able to withstand much more abuse than your frail fleshy forms, and as such your attempts to weaken me through 'emotional harm' will not succeed and will only ultimately bring about your own doom - much like the Dreaded Uxmox of Ubarr II did to its colonists before we slaughtered them all and established civilisation there.

Till we conquer your planet... keep getting fat and complacent. You may as well enjoy it while you can!

SAM

2006-05-22T22:18:00.000+10:00

A Real Post

Ok, so I havent been to forthcoming on the blogging front! Well, here it is. the long awaited (I like to lie to myself!) post on assorted stuff!

So The main thing in my life at the moment? Prac.
I'm at A school, im not going to mention any names here for privacy reasons.
It's a state school, and in a lower socio-economic region of Brisbane. At first i was terrified, but resigned myself to getting on with the Job.

As I first arrived there I found that they did not do ANY sol-fa.. for people who dont understand this, dont worry... basically it means that everything they've trained me to do in music ed at uni for the last four years is useless here. so. first obstacle. Second one was that my supervising teacher hadnt had anything planned, so I had to pick the classes i would teach the next week first off. It was an interesting experience. But, each day as i readjusted my expectations, my horror wore off and I started getting into it.

Now Ive got 10 classes a week till the end of term (classes are 70min long) so thats a bit over 10 hours of teaching per week (full teaching load is 17 classes).
The more I teach at State Schools the more i appreciate them. I like the students because they have spirit. and the prissy uniforms and blazers of the college next door are getting on my nerves! they think theyre better than us! :P

Prac is a lot of work. never ever think teaching is a 9-3 job. if you do, you are dead inside. ponder your failings and lament.

The other thing that weighs heavily pon my mind.... what the hell is pon anyway? is it like a small lake? ... ahem.
Laura - my GF, left for Thailand on Friday. from there she goes to Europe, then to America. She'll be over there for around a year. which sucks. Like a hoover. with turbo. switched on. but yeh you get that!

Other than that, still keeping up apperacnces - Boys Brigade, Youth, Sunday School etc... nights are full, days are long! party hard!

etc etc.

More of my stunningly exciting adventures next time!

SAM

2006-05-21T16:53:00.000+10:00

Deep Thinking?

You know, I've been doing some thinking (!) over the last week. you know what i've discovered?

- Irony isnt that great, but it's kinda what I expected.
- Humor is a funny thing.
- Exaggeration isnt as good as it's cracked up to be.
- Fallacy is all lies!

SAM

2006-05-17T17:37:00.000+10:00

hmmm

You ever walk away from a day at school saying "What the hell am I doing becoming a teacher?" Me either until today! More later.

Also. Meetings suck.

News at 11.

SAM

2006-04-26T22:51:00.000+10:00

If there was one thing...

Education Exams bring out the beast...er...best in me

You know, random thought of the day (and there are many... this one was just a cut above the rest... you know how it is!)

If I were to die, and have the chance to tell everyone one last thing it would be this:

"Don't take anything in life too seriously. Especially yourself."

Nuff said!

Will probably make this my motto now!

SAM

2006-04-25T00:39:00.000+10:00

Forgive me Blog for i have sinned...

It has been 4.5 months since my last post

So! Finally, from the smoke and ashes, a figure emerges! no... its not a trick, not a dream! It's me! :D SAM! back again on the blogging scene four and a half months down the track!

Now, why, you may ask yourself, oh decent reader, have I chosen this particular junket to Junk it up? thats a good question. It may have something to do with the fact that PRAC BEGINS NEXT WEEK! ack!
And I'll definately want to be recording what happens next!

So, with that answered, another question yet remains: "What has happened before?"
Well...a lot really! just recently - this weekend past in fact - I have been working again at SUPANOVA (refer back to April 2005 and before that, October 2004)! Very busy, but THE place to be if you ever hope to call yourself a geek, fanboy, nerd, otaku or what have you! There was an incredibly geeky fanboy moment for me - having my photo taken with Geoff Johns and Phil Jiminiez - Pretty much THE top two creators in the comic industry at the moment (Geoff for Writing and Phil for Art)

I couldnt wipe the smile off my face for about five minutes after that. I recall a lot of "eeee! Eeee!" after they left ^_^ most of it from me!

Previous to Supanova there was a one week break from the pandemonium that is University this year. Seriously, this years workload is insane. I find myself skipping many many things in order to get stuff finished! And now I have an assignment and an exam due Thursday! Huzzah! Brilliant. And dont get me started on Practicum...

In other news, on the 18th of April I celebrated a one-month anniversary with my Girlfriend! (Yes, you read that right! - Girlfriend!) Laura! Who you may remember from such jobs as "The Daily Planet" way back about two years ago before she went overseas! :D so yeh, thats another big thing thats happening...

Other than that, things are pretty hectic as usual. keeping up with World of Warcraft as often as I can, visiting friends irregularly, getting rid of debt, still working at the Daily Planet (Theyve cut down my shift to just Saturdays now - aside from this week where I worked 35 hours over the weekend!)

Thats about all i can think of right now! Well, that and I need to do my assignment!

SO, this is SAM signing off... I'm back people! ^_^

SAM

2005-11-01T23:32:00.000+10:00

The 21 year old Virgin

So! I've just seen the 40 year old Virgin and.... hey wait a sec.. HOLY KRAP! My Comments are back! My Enetation comments that hadnt been seen since way back in June!
Its A miracle! I mean look down! I no have two comment sections for every post! Comment away at your leisure people! The Comment fairy has come at last! Now i can stop stealing people's teeth and putting them under my monitor. Or maybe that was the wrong fairy. No wonder it took so long! But what am i going to do with all the leftover tee...
...
...
Anyone want some slightly used ivory jewellary?

Now that you're all suitably disgusted, lets talk about something thats semi-(hehe. Sammy) Serious.
As I started saying before I rudely interrupted, I just saw the 40 year old virgin (the movie, not the guy). I liked it. It had funny moments that made me laugh, and any movie that makes me laugh is a good movie in my book!
But just dealing with some of the subject matter for a moment. The synopsis is this: A 40 year old man has a comfortable life, collecting comics, action figures etc.. in a nice house, not having a car, and working a reasonable job in sales. The thing is he's still a virgin and due to some unfortunate experiences when he was younger he's terrified of the idea of sex. His co-workers (when they find out) then decide to get him laid. Hijinks ensue. and it does have a fairly positive message in the end, but i wont spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it!

Anyhoo. Here I am, the 21 year old virgin. What this movie made me think about is the whole stigma of being a virgin. I mean, as I'm typing this i'm cringing a little. Just admiting that is hard.
Ok, first of all lets get one thing straight here. I am a virgin by choice. Without going into detail, let me just say that there have been quite a few times in my short life so far, that I have had the option of not being a virgin. But each time i chose to remain so. Why? Because of what I believe about the sanctity of sex and that it is the combining of two people on both a physical and a spiritual level. (ok. that makes me sound like some hippy. But most know what i mean. I dont mean you have a spiritual experience when you have sex, but its just the idea that there is an intimacy there that isnt just carnal. :) not that theres anything wrong with the carnal stuff! God made us so we could enjoy Sex!)
Its not as if I can't talk to girls... or that I'm totally disfigured a la the elephant man that girls cant stand to at least say hi to me.
So. Having said that, everything should be right shoudlnt it? then why do i not like to admit that yes, I am a virgin?

Lets give an example here. Ok... Last Sunday I was taking the Lazer class (Sunday School for grade 6-10) in front of about 8 kids. The story we were doing was the parable of the ten virgins. (you know... the five "extra lamp oil is for suckers" virgins and the five brainiacs who kept extra just in case). Anyhoo, we were discussing stuff and one of the girls pipes up and asks am I a virgin.
A simple enough question, and yet I actually paused for a good 3 seconds before I answered. I literally had to build up the courage to say, "Yep. Im a Virgin" In front of a Sunday School class of kids i knew fairly well.

By saying Im a virgin I feel that (and I know this is totally untrue so dont bother telling me that) I'm a failure as a guy. I mean I know what I believe. I know why I do it, but I cant help it. i still have that little sense of 'un' macho ness. Which is krap. in my own words I say that whole sense of failure is krap! but sayin its so dont make it so. It seems that sometimes, maturity is equated with losing the 'naievete' of being a virgin.
I also sometimes wonder what it would be like, if on those occasions I had decided to do it (so to speak :P). What would be different?

The whole stigma of being a virgin has permeated me as well. I cant be the only one though. Guys... my old comments system is up! you can be anonymous! Is there anyone else out there who thinks along these lines too?

ON a slightly related note, having come out of the movie...
I hereby swear that no female shall EVER make me stop collecting stuff like comics, or make me stop playing Computer games. If ever i should do so, it will be on my terms. not because someone else has forced me or coerced me into doing so! so help me God!

PS . I own the comic that the guy was flipping through in the movie heh! :D

SAM

2005-10-07T23:38:00.000+10:00

Serenity

Now, Im not one to go all bandwagon with any particular series or fandom.
But, just having seen serenity, i'd just like to say:

I want to have Joss Whedon's Babies.

That is all.

SAM

2005-10-02T17:07:00.000+10:00

My Blog... the final frontier?

Im taking a break out of the hecticness of working on what appears to be a 3000 word History assignment (I have concluded it's actually a giant flesh-eating monster with tentacles of fire and a hideous beaked maw just POSING as an assignment to try to eat me. but dont worry. I wont let it!) - to talk about something that ive been wondering about!

Listen and think.

Just think about it. Neil Armstrong was the first man to set foot on the face of the moon. That is an incredible achievement. It ranks up there with fire and the wheel (and of course sliced bread) in my book.
Millions of people watched this moment, just over 36 years ago. They waited, they prayed. They wondered what could happen. Can you imagine something like that?
Mars is no longer a dream. something like this will probably happen again in our lifetimes. (Go Nic! You are going to be up there i know it!)

Can you imagine what it would be like to be Neil Armstrong, watching the airlock door open, seeing with your own eyes the barren lifeless surface of the moon. Seeing high up in the Sky, the Earth, slowly rotating, with all its' peoples and continents so far away. Theres africa... theres Europe... theres Australia... all in the space of a few hours.

My real question though is about those first few words. "One small step for man, one, giant leap for mankind." (He actually meant to say "for A man" but even after planning the line he misspoke.. i can forgive him ^_^)
Those words will FOREVER be remembered throughout history.
They were planned on the way over... can you imagine having to choose something to say?

Put yourself in an Astronaut's boots for a second. You are about to step onto Mars. To be the first Human Being in History to set foot on an Alien Planet. The door opens up in front of you. you take a sharp intake of oxygen from your supply as you see the red, rocky surface in front of you, with Alien hills and mountains on the horizon. You steel yourself, keenly aware that BILLIONS of people are watching you on video, listening on Radio. You represent humanity for these next few moments.
Taking a step down the ladder of the landing pod, your calmly make your way onto the next rung, and the next, and finally to the bottom platform. All you have to do now, is step off.

You move your leg forward, and there it is.
You are the first Human Being, the first Visitor from planet Earth to set foot on mars. Everyone holds their breath at home....

What do you say?

2005-09-05T22:40:00.000+10:00

A Tribute to Tall People

Having assessments due brings out the best in me :)

Here's a tribute to those dedicated individuals... those proud, and yet, humble heroes who have broken the height barrier and who truly are giants among us!

Everyone looks up to you! and yet they dont understand what it's like! the chill of fear that comes when riding a rollercoaster, knowing that, as the tallest one in the cart, it will surely be you that gets decapitated when entering that way too short tunnel up ahead!
Those who are not tall can never understand the danger posed by ceiling fans, archways, and low hanging lights, or The crippling problems that will surely haunt you all in your middle age, as your stoop worsens to spinal bending proportions as a result of having to look down to talk to everyone.
The Non-Talls can never know the difficulty of finding clothes that actually cover the length of their arms, or know the hardships of having to choose a car based on how much headroom it gives.

Tall people are called on to reach into the dangerous and dusty places where the short-arms cannot go! and thus, are succeptable to any sort of unpleasantnesses ranging from rat bites, to having cockoroaches crawl up the length of our arms!
This is to say nothing of walking in the outdoors and being fair game to any spider who happens to have the skill of web-spinning! (even while the shorter person in front of you walks by, unassailed).

Those unblessed by Tallness will always say that 'you get the best view of things' never remembering that this same feat opens you up to the angry and often hurtful remarks of those behind you, complaining that you are in their way and inconsiderate! Tall people also have the unenviable ability to be easier targets for all manner of flying objects and other assorted practical jokes!

Remember this famous quote! "If I have seen further it is by standing on ye shoulders of Giants!" - Issac Newton Tall people are the backbone of our society!

So here's to all you great Tall people out there! I am proud to count myself one of your number! Stand straight! Stand strong! Stand Together! We have the height, and we are proud of it!

(Theme song - "Short People" by Randy Newman)

SAM

2005-08-24T01:06:00.000+10:00

On Videogames and Violence

This was posted on my guild website by another guildmate... hehe

"It is ridiculous to claim that video games influence children. If Pac-Man affected kids born in the eighties, we should now have a bunch of teenagers who run around in darkened rooms and eat pills while listening to monotonous electronic music." - Kristian Wilson, Nintendo Inc., 1989

LOL oh dear :) probably not the best argument against!

SAM

2005-08-15T18:21:00.000+10:00

Monday Monday

da da... da da da....

So sue me! I couldnt think of a better title! ^_^
but things are looking up! The situation below has imrpoved :)
I went and spoke to both K and M and Our Pastor (seperately of course), and the next day they had a meeting where both parties apologised and cleared the air. hopefully this is the first step to getting our church back on the rails.
God is a Champion! Thanks to all those who prayed, or even just gave a thought or two of good luck ^_^
God Rocks!

Now on a completely different topic
I have figured out that the most annoying thing about putting yourself out on a limb is the waiting. as they say, you die a thousand deaths before the actual moment arrives.
Now, this is in reference to two things, (one in particular) which, for the sake of potential embarrassment I won't mention here ^_^
(now that i think about it, it could apply to the first situation as well, psyching muyself up to tlak to them... ah well)

It's Ekka (Exhibition Show) time! And we get a public holiday on Wednesday! how good is that? I usually have Uni from 8-4 then! but now nada! ^_^ huzzah! more time to... aw... do assignments, which are again nipping at my heals!

I may post again later, now its time to get ready for Boys Brigade ^_^

SAM

2005-08-11T09:08:00.000+10:00

The calm before the storm

I know what I have to do now.
Please Pray for me to have the courage and the words to use at the right time.
Pray for my church.

SAM

2005-08-02T18:47:00.000+10:00

Sniff

Stupid Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Sad... so sad. :'(
Good book, but really sad. there were some happy moments where I found myself simply grinning like an idiot, but really, the end leaves me feeling empty... depressed even. Dammit... i want book 7 now! :P

Wont spoil anything for anybody.. yet..

SAM

2005-07-30T00:21:00.000+10:00

Lurk Scheme Plot Mutter

Still lurking around! and finally dragging myself to blog. You know the irony doesnt escape me that as soon as i started writing a post about why I blog and why I will Continue to blog, started Blogging less and less.

Things that annoy me.

- People (a common complaint)
- People who spoil Harry Potter
- People who say Harry Potter is Evil. (thats a whole post in itself)
- Cars that force me to spend $850 in two weeks.
- Uni Fees (I'd be much happier paying them if i knew that massive amounts of it wasnt going to fund everyones election campaigns)
- People who are Anti-VSU and want to shove that down my throat
- Me, and my puny human emotions
- Emo. And me accidentally slipping into emo mode sometimes! argh. the devil the devil!
- People who will dismiss my opinion, or undervalue me because I have a differing opinion to them (church problem related)
- Working way too much as well as starting back at Uni and upping my Church Commitments
- Not getting much time to practice Piano (exam in September), Play WoW or Just Relax.
- Girls. (Again.. nothing new here)
- Not having enough time to hang with friends. although spending much time with church friends as a result of more commitments.
- "Welcome to my life" By Simple Plan. Dammit, everyone goes through crap in their lives. stop acting as if you're the only ones who do and that 'nobody understands" in short... Cheer up emo kid.
I change the radio whenever i hear this song.

Other than these things, Life is fine but hectic at the moment! And Im learning the Trombone! Huzzah! :D

Will Post Again Soon :)

SAM

2005-07-08T20:46:00.000+10:00

Another post

SO its friday night here at party central!
Thats what I'd be saying if there was anything remotely like a party happening
But, alas, twas not to be! I am stuck at home here with Brother while parents are away on their anniversary!

This week was a good week methinks. much stuff done and sorted, but still more stuff to do. First Sunday School Lesson of the Term coming up this weekend, and a Youth calender to make pretty in powerpoint, as well as several other things that require...burning. Fire is good. obey the fire.

Anyhoo. made curry for our Thursday fun night group last night, and it seemed to go down well! Huzzah! you know what they say, a man who can cook... hey hey. Not that Im going out to impress the females or anything! no!

Not looking forward to monday where I have to pay off 350 excess and book in another service where I will need to get new tires as well :P argh. so much for any travel plans in the near future! Lucky it's tax time! which reminds me i need to get my group certificates!

Saw Clayton and Matt for the first time in ages the other night! was good! hopefully hang out with those guys again next week when we've planned to do something together.

Fantastic four.. hmm.. well, It was an OK movie i guess, but to me as a comic fanboy, I hated Doom. He was... so not what he should be. The real doom is cool, calculating, an evil genius who spends ages working together all the threads of a complex masterplan and then strikes! he should also have an accent, and no powers and be based from latveria! Anyway...

We dont talk about the Origin. Down a dark path it led us on Wednesday night! :P

Anyhoo, thats all im saying for the moment! ;)

SAM

2005-07-05T13:55:00.000+10:00

Sitting here waiting for the bread to roll in

So here I am, waiting for Dad to get back from the store so I can make myself a Tuna/Greek Yoghurt sandwich for lunch. mm.. nothing doesnt go well with Greek Yoghurt.
hmm.. possibly donuts might not go that well... depends what kind of mood you're in

So anyway, Im wasting time by blogging! (yay! everything back to normal! Or IS it?)
Our family all pitched in Yesterday and bought an exercise machine! w00t! so many exercises I can do all in the comfort and privacy of my own home now! Spent 1.5 hours on it this morning! wonderful (yet painful) stuff!

It's not one with weights, instead it uses long Rods that bend. each rod has a different resistance. the littlest are 2x10lb then 2x25lb then 2x50lb. you can use combos of all of them, and there are more holes for additional rods when you become super-buff!

But yeh! thats news, so hopefully I'll be spending time on that each day preparing myself for...something... just generally trying to get some muscle!

Hmm... no bread yet... what else to say. Oh yes! Fantastic Four Movie coming out on Thursday! looking forward to that, hopefully its another success, but I have heard weird thigns about the plot :P oh well! (Fantastic Four for those who are uncultured, is a comic put out by Marvel) and even you male (and lesbian) non comic readers can appreciate Jessica Alba as the invisible woman! :D

And let me clarify this for all those gossip hounds who read this! (hey Matt and assorted others ^_^) In regards to my love life, I am not really 'Over' Relationships per se, but I am not actively looking. But if something should come along.. who knows :)

SO I'm just going to crap on for a bit now, because the bread still hasnt arrived and I'm really hungry.. so... yeh! how are you? Im fine. Very lazy days atm. both yesterday and today, woke up after 11am :) oh the crazy hedonism of holidays! (although I did go to sleep after 3 on both occasions! Go World of Warcraft!)

Oooh! i hear the bread rolling in!
w00t! lunchtime for Sam!

SAM

2005-07-04T12:28:00.000+10:00

Getting Back into It Dammit!

Ok, no more procrastination! this thing wont post itself! (Procrastinatign about procrastinating? thats a new high! ^_^)

For my own records and for those who have been wondering about those photos, here is what I've been doing since oh, a month or so ago! (probably more than that!)
And since i've realised I can't really remember in any detail I'll just do a little point form thing!

1 - May 19th - Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. We (Friends from our Church group and I) went to the midnight Premiere of the movie in the city, and as our tradition dictated we dressed up as characters from the movie. I was Darth Vader! that costume was involved let me tell you! :P anyhoo, Movie? I loved it, a great improvement on I and II, Really emotional for a sci-fi movie. I like how it wrapped up very nicely. although there was a cringeworthy moment - Darth Vader shouting 'NOOOOOO" at the end :P ah well!
Ended up getting put in the Sunday paper as a picture, and having a recorded conversation with my mate Greg about going clubbing dressed up like that! (He was dressed up as Anakin)
As a side note too, I had a percussion exam at 8am the next morning, so I went along in full Darth Vader costume ^_^. Had at least ten people at uni wanting to take their photo with me heh.

2 - June 14th - Big jump there, and many things did happen inbetween, but i cant remember them in any real detail. June 14th was the date of my first exam, and also of my 21st Birthday! ^_^ woohoo! Got a digital camera from parents, which explains where the photos down below came from! but since my Birthday came in the middle of exam week, there was no time to celebrate it! but on the Thursday night of that week we had a combined party for two of my church friends, Manoli and Dan (pictured below also) and Me. We all have our birthday in the same week :) I got the soundtrack for the Episode III ^_^ mucho cool! as well as a Darthvader electric spin pop, a cool Yoda watch and a Peter Coombe DVD :) ah...childhood memories!

3 - June 19th-24th - CLW (Christian Life Week) Numinbah!
Another reason I had no time to celebrate was this huge camp! it was about 40-50 kids and 14 leaders in the Numinbah Valley near the NSW Border. Beautiful 'hows the serenity' place. Most of the photos below come from there! Our theme was 'Walk the Talk' about being Christians in our daily lives. The camp was cool. I could go on about it for a while, but you know... I probably will later!
The photos featuring the short shorts and bondsies are from our Olympics Theme night. Greg, Josh (a great bloke and good mate who I only met last year on CLW) and I decided to come as Ping Pong Players and thus... well.. anyhoo.
For the olympics night we were based in our camp small groups and had to come up with a country name and anthem and flag etc. The country of my small group was ZOLTANIA - Ruled by the benevolent dictator, ZOLTAN! (zoltan - makes 'Z' with hands). So that kinda explains the odd pose below!

CLW was great not only for the spiritual experience given to the kids, but to me. i felt that I have grown spiritually as a result of that camp :) Especially because of an incident during a game :P which i shall talk about later *shudder*

Only bad thing that happened on camp (which i honestly think i can directly attribute to the devil... more on that later). Is that while we were away at a day trip to Hinze dam, A freakishly strong wind blew up at the camp (so im told) and caught hold of a Tarpaulin (sic) in a trailer about 6 meters away from my car. The wind was so strong that it used the Tarp as a sail, and blew this trailer (which was quite large) into the side of my car, causing 1300 dollars worth of damage.
Luckily I had insurance. But unluckily, since there was no Third Party at fault I now have to pay the $350 excess, and Lose a rating. that sucks. but oh well. I laugh at the devil. Nice try foo!

SO that brings us basically up to now when I have three glorious weeks of holidays left! I will probably write more later because long posts are so hard to read sometimes!

Lets just put this down for the record before I go - I hate having good dreams. I would rather have nightmares, because you wake up saying 'Holy krap, wow! lucky that was only a dream!" rather than waking up and feeling depressed saying "I wish that was real". Especially when it involves a female! (not in that way you sus people!) :P dreams like that suck!

SAM

2005-06-26T22:28:00.000+10:00

The Return of the Procrastinator

Hidily Ho Reader-inos! if anyone still reads this that is!
It is I, at long last, returning from the scary place that is the Real World!
Long have i been distracted by the comings and goings of life, but not so any longer! Hold on to my geekishness I must! Blog once more I shall!

Now, having said that you would expect a massive post to explain what has been happening over the last few weeks, but nay! because i must get up early, i will only partly complete this post!
A picture says a thousand words, so, just as a teaser for the actual word post, im going to post some pictures here to try to explain what I've been doing these last few weeks! Well, here we go! Try to make a story! :D

See what you can come up with ^_^ (ignore the shortness of the shorts!)

SAM

2005-06-19T14:41:00.000+10:00

THe Procrastinator Returns!

Im making a cameo appearence here because i promised I'd make a post this weekend! I would write more but things are very hectic, about to go on a weeklong camp and i have about an hour to pack! :P

Just made a very cool Wave file :)

Anyhoo! more news when i come back! Seeya on the weekend!

SAM

2005-05-09T18:03:00.000+10:00

Will Sam Ever Post? Stay Tuned!

This is another filler! (im not avoiding part 2 am i?)
Sarah, the aforementioned friend who went over to Japan has sent this awesome example of 'Engrish' (see www.engrish.com for more!)
And Yes Sar, it is worthy of philotas.blogspot.com! Arigato!

This picture was taken of a student's bag. Sarah had to try to explain to the poor girl why it was funny enough to take a picture of :P!

More hopefully later! ^_^

Enjoy!
SAM

2005-05-01T00:30:00.000+10:00

Amusing Interlude that is in no way an attempt at putting off the Part 2 of my Blog's Birthday Post!

Check this movie out! It's so true! So So True about the urinals!

A Men's Room Monologue

(click on 'watch this movie')

SAM

2005-04-27T23:00:00.000+10:00

A Special Celebration

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BLOG
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BLOG
HAPPY BIRTH DAY DEAR BLOOOOOOGGGGGGYYY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY BLOG!

Hip hip? HORRAY!
Hip Hop? Tally ho? and all that sort of thing!

Why yes, today my Blog is exactly one year old! this time last year on the 27th April 2004 I made my first effort at Procrastination by Blogging! And what a year its been! Or has it? well it hasnt really been that bad! At least now with my blog i can actually remember what I was doing this time a year ago! which brings me to the main part of this post.

It seemed that my blogging needs a little justification as well as clarification. So here as a special Birthday Post I present to you:

Why Do I Blog? PART 1

I Blog for three main reasons

1. To Archive my Activities
2. To Clarify my own thoughts
3. To Gain Feedback on some issues.

Lets me expand on these.

The purpose of this Blog first and foremost is to Archive my activities. I want to record what ive done, when and what I felt about it at the time. this may include actual activities, or even thoughts about things happening at that time. I want to be able to look back, ten or twenty years from now and be able to see what I was like then and compare it to what I am. The Same applies to the here and now as well.
Now, you might say i could have served this purpose by using another format. Like a Diary, or even writing up a protected Word Document on my Computer.
Diaries, i just dont like on principal. they can easily fall into the wrong hands, take much longer to write (than to type) and just have this stigma attatched to them. (only girls write diaries).
Word Document then? Nope. What happens if (read: When) my computer crashes and i havent backed this thing up? It erases possibly years of my recorded life.
The Blog saves me time and effort. everything is already wonderfully set out, I can type much faster than i write, and it is stored on the web where I can access it anytime.

My Mate Clayton said: "So your answer is post everything on the web where anyone can see it?" The answer to that is yes. Ideally I originally would have liked it to be seen by 'anonymous people' and people in no way connected to me. but I guess i was fooling myself. eventually I knew it would be discovered by someone I knew. But I see this now as a good thing. (more on this later)

Secondly, I clarify my thoughts here on this blog. sometimes life can get so jumbled that the easiest thing to do is record then review it, and think about things from an objective perspective (as if it was someone else i was reading about). It really does help a lot and I think ive made some better decisions and choices because of it. Ive also reflected back on past decisions that may have been good or bad so i can learn from them.

Finally, this Blog is a way for me to get feedback on my thoughts and my decisions. Originally (as above) planned for anonymous people to comment, but now inevitably people i know personally as well. It helps sometimes to get another person's perspective on things. I dont like actually talking about some stuff to anyone (except God). This is a way of keeping myself in check. It helps when people can pick up incorrect thought paths and when I start down a path that will be harmful for me. Getting other opinions - other ways to see things helps me develop my thinking and hopefully guides me from getting too far off the rails!

END PART 1 - Why Part 1? why not a huge post? good question, here's the answer. Im tired :P I need sleep! So Im going to bed now! I'll return to this subject soon! ^_^

SAM

2005-04-26T18:34:00.000+10:00

Quick Discovery Post

More shall be posted tomorrow! (Its going to be a special day! see if you can figure out why!) but im just going to post out two things I found out about myself on the weekend (went to a Christian Life Week Leadership training camp)

1. I really want to live a real Christian Life. I want to stand up for God

2. I am not just 'over relationships' at the moment, I am actually Relationship-phobic. I am scared to death of relationships. An incident on the weekend showed me this. I am physically scared of the possibility of a relationship. You know, heart rate quickening, (jumping out of my throat) feeling physically ill, excess worry etc. Crap. Ive given myself a complex! ARGH!

Other than that, life is extremely busy! but chugging along! Back to it! more tomorrow!

SAM

2005-04-15T23:49:00.000+10:00

A disturbing thought

How far is this from reality?

Click the link and press 'view movie'

SAM

2005-04-11T21:56:00.000+10:00

He's Not the Messiah he's a very naughty boy!

Anyhoo! what a title to kick this post off! and guess what? it has absocompletely nothing at all to do with it other than while im writing this ive got "Monty Python's Life of Brian" going around in my head!

Boy am I tired. buggered. kaput. This last week was completely insane. And this is coming from me! I know insane!
So, lets summarise. In total last week, i approximate about 21.5 hours sleep from Monday-Now. Thats not a bad effort. now why did this happen?
Lets just say: two assignments, one on Wednesday and one on THursday, Three Assessments, two of which were on Thursday.

The first of many Star Wars Movie Nights at the Church Hall (my first go at organising something bigger) - We watched Episodes IV and V. next week, probably just VI, but may add in I as well ^_^ Then, after coming home from this, having to write out an entire Sunday School Lesson for Lazers (Grade6-10s) on the Martyrdom of Stephen from scratch, and of course...

SUPANOVA 2005! (www.supanova.com.au) The Convention was on this weekend and I had to work Friday-Saturday-Sunday And clean up Today! all up 27.5 hours work! It was great fun! Managed to make quite a large sale (my biggest ever ^_^ with some help from Josh, co-worker). Got a portrait of Thor done for me by Leinil Francis Yu! very nice indeed! (will add it to the one last year by David Finch). The costumes were back, featuring a very nice 'Black Cat' and very... er... chilly looking Cammy from Streetfighter and a Chun-li as well!

I really enjoy the conventions! And I was very proud of myself! I didnt spend ANY money this year! I got paid for being at the convention! how excellent! still cant believe my luck getting this job!

But yes! As a result I have been feeling really buggered lately, and I apologise to the people who I had to wait a day or so to reply to texts, and to the people whose emails i havent replied to. Im just really blah at the moment. effort required to write this post will probably be my last coherent thought patterns for tonight :P

Heh. just realised Ive worked more this week than ive slept. and thats just Daily Planet work. not to mention Uni work! :P Oh I love it.
But onto other stuff that I have been thinking about!

The Cookie Monster Crisis

We all know the lovable muppet with a yearning for cookies! he was a staple of my television viewing when I was young! I love Cookie monster, better even than Oscar the Grouch! but now.. in this age of childhood obesity have you HEARD what they're doing!!! Check this out!

Cookie "Health food" Monster?

Take it to the streets! let the cry ring out! A Healthy Cookie Monster? A cookie monster who sings "Cookies are a sometimes food"? WHAT THE?
What next? changing his name to "Carrot Monster?" I can see it now! Look o ut for new Sesame Street Regulars, "Healthy Harry the Apple-loving Herbivore?" "Joggy the exercise man?" "Mr Hooper's Low Fat Healthfood Emporium?"
ARAARRRRGH! RAGe! Strike them down I say! Im quite serious people!

What I wanna be when I grow up

you know, they say that on average these days people will change careers seven times during their working lives. Now, as my friends know, I change what I want to do for my career quite a lot. So I decided that as part of my Blogging I want to record all the changes I go through under the heading "what I want to be when i grow up"
Today, Im very seriously considering these:

Writer - Comic and Novel Writing. I get so carried away. I Roleplay on some of my warcraft fansites, and the stories I'm involved in.. the characters... I just love them. I know I cant draw, but in my mind I can see scenarios played out. epic battles to be fought. Intense character relationships. Development of characters and so on. I know that If I did this for a career that I would be successful

GMing for Blizzard - This isnt a career I realise, but its a job I would love to do. GM - Game Masters are employed by Blizzard (www.blizzard.com) to help out the general community in the World of Warcraft game. I have a love for the rich history of the Warcraft universe, and I have good communication skills (at least written ones!) and I would love this opportunity.

Buddy Christ Bobble

Here's the last one! And its a bit of a 'Moral Quandary' To Steal MMM's Idea. Ok, here it is. Dogma was a movie put out by Kevin Smith. it was the fourth in the five part (soon to be 6 part) series (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and next year, Clerks 2: Passion of the Clerks).
Now, in this movie, which poked fun at the Catholic church, (not that thats a good thing, but its a comedy! and very well done :) Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are Fallen Angels trying to get back to heaven...er..Alanis as God though? :^P)) And in it, the Catholic church was trying to revamp its' image for today's times, changing a lot of things, one of which was adding a 'Buddy Christ' Statue.

Anyhoo. The Store (Daily Planet) just got in some bobble heads. you know, the ones with the big heads with the spring that...er..bob?
One of them was the 'buddy Christ'
now, Im keen to get one. I think that it would look great in the car. I dont consider it sacreligious or anything because as well as being almighty and My Savior, Jesus is also my buddy. :)
Im just tossing it up. Ill probabably end up grabbing it tomorrow.

SAM

2005-04-05T22:38:00.000+10:00

Heh. Random

The title is a well used quote from a friend who has now gone to Japan for a year! I feel like such a tool though. I found out she was leaving (actually going) on Easter Saturday. I said, sure, I'll have to call her up sometime to wish her luck. But the week went on, i kept putting it off, saying, she's probably on the coast with family, i'll wait till the weekend! Then the weekend came and i was swamped with assignment work! and Monday came yesterday and A friend (who was practicing dentistry on me at the time) reminded me that she had left in the morning. krap. bugger. poop.

Anyway, on to the main reason for my post. its just a question that I randomly started pondering when stuck in the traffic this morning.

"Imagine if we didnt have names. How would others define us?"

Hmm its Kinda Zen. Think about it. I think that it would require us to look at our actions much more. who we are not defined by our history (family ties) but by our actions in the present. hmmm... zen.

Am I procrastinating? noooo! of course not! Ive got till 6:30 in the morning to write this stuff! ^_^

SAM

2005-04-04T00:23:00.000+10:00

Ok, i know how unusual this many posts in a row is, but meh! This is a rant. But its not your ordinary standard angsty, whiny type rant that I, regrettably have done in the past. this rant, to many will be a complete enigma.

But if you read comics, specifically, if you read MARVEL comics, then this is an issue very close to heart, Its a little something i'd like to call:

Arguments against Brian Michael Bendis

Brian Michael Bendis, pictured above, Is a comic writer. He began working for marvel around 1999-2000 i think, and was instrumental in the success of the 'Ultimate' line of comics. But now, I can't stand most of the man's work, and his attitude. here's my reasons why.

BENDIS-ISMS
- Doing things 'Because he can' not because it makes sense. This is a quote from Wizard Magazine:
"when i hear someone say 'you can't do that' my sphincter tightens and i think 'maybe YOU can't..."
-Another Quote. Bendis took over the Avengers a while back and has totally revamped the team, the book is now called 'New Avengers' Critics were accusing him of Trying to 'JLA (Justice League of America - the Equivalent comic from D.C.) the Avengers. Now he bit back fiercely, defending himself by saying that he wasnt and that the trouble was caused:
"All because someone started a rumour that I was 'JLA-ing' the Avengers"
Guess what. It was Bendis himself who started the rumour by saying that.
- Swearing in comics - Peter Parker doesnt say '$#&*!'

POWERS
- Powers Issue #31 - Monkey Love. 'Nuff said. Luckily i dont collect this, i just happened to pick up the trade at the Library.
- Generally far too much profanity, gore and nudity. Its a great concept, but the rest is unnecessary!

DAREDEVIL
- Terrible Daredevil 'Kingpin' Story arc, and decalogue, totally mis-writing the ten commandments for the covers
- Jessica Jones in Daredevil 'one year later' still pregnant 15 months!!!

AVENGERS
- Millionaire Tony Stark's Maria Stark foundation, which has funded the Avengers since their conception 'Running out of money' therefore the Avengers fall apart? what the? and yet, in the latest issue it is revealed that at the time of the breakup he had almost completed a 600,000 dollar quinjet? what the? something doesnt add up!
- Really bad characterisation Captain America isnt Captain America, He's Bendis in a Costume
- Selling out - The Carnage/Sentinel incident. (A new hero, the Sentinel was involved in an Avengers battle where there was a super-powered prison break. The Sentinel grabbed one of the prisoners, Carnage, An alien symbiote with Spider-powers (related to Venom and Spider-man) flew him into space and tore him in two. Bendis said: "people liked that so lets see who else i can kill" ARGH!
- I can handle change, as long as there is a good story and decent self-explanatory explanation. unfortunately there is neither in this cycle. Dont get me started on the Scarlet witch.
- Hawkeye's death - Ok, im not really a fan of Hawkeye like my friend, but honestly, pointless and avoidable. Just another example of 'oooh, I want to kill soemone.'

SECRET WAR
- Ok, brilliant painted artwork, but that has nothing to do with Bendis. But I reserve judgement until the last issue comes out, sometime in the next three months :P At the moment, confused and slightly angry at the way Nick Fury is being treated, but if he can pull it off in the next issue.. fair enough. Decent story, but not the mega-event it's billed as.

PULSE
- I quite enjoyed the first story arc, but the quality just went down the drain when the artist changed
- The Secret war crossover is pretty good. looking forward to getting a decent artist though

UPCOMING 'HOUSE OF M'
- Ok, just read the prievews for it, (released in June) Marvel put the tag on it: 'The Marvel event of the Summer' Fair enough. I'd even accept 'the Marvel event of the year' but in his blurb, where Bendis describes and tries to sell the book, the first line reads: "The Marvel Event of the Decade" ... hmm...ego anyone? And, no, that Onslaught thing back in 1996? that was nothing!
- In the preview for the second issue a little thing reads 'featuring every Avenger and X-man you can think of' ... stuff like this makes my stomach turn. He said exactly the same thing about the 'Chaos' storyline in Avengers ("Featuring every Avenger, Ever.") And it didnt. and those that were there were out of character. felt forced. Besides, there are so many x men and so many avengers that there would not be room for them. not unless you go and do a 'JLA/Avengers #3" cover like George Perez and get tendonitis for doing it! Its more like 'Every Avenger and X-Man WE can think of' and inserted so randomly whether it makes sense or not because damn the story, it makes me look cool.

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN
- Funnily Enough i have nothing against this title. It's been Bendis' Baby from the beginning, and he's doing a great job. He can write spider-man. And because its in a seperate continuity it doesnt matter what he does!

SAM

2005-04-03T11:41:00.000+10:00

Just a quickie

Pope John Paul II Passed away last night. I think that even though I am a protestant that it should be recognised that he did good work, and we should all be thankful for his life, and for what God did through him. Maybe i can meet him one day! that would be cool.

On a completely different note, check this out.
A worrying sign of the times

And another random question

If for some strange reason I wanted to learn how computer components interact and fit/work together, the hardware, busses, motherboards, different connections etc. not the software side, what courses/links etc. can anyone out there recommend?
Can anyone help?

SAM

2005-04-01T00:26:00.000+10:00

The Game is afoot!

So people! Tis 12:25am here on April the 1st 2005. Beware people. noone is safe until after 12pm! no more now! will let you know!

SAM

EDIT: 5 minutes after I posted that i got my first prank call! oh the fools will be shown! they have no idea who theyre dealing with here!

UpDate:
Its 2:35Am and its go time! Black T-shirt, jeans and various implements of mischief! MWAHAHAHAHAHAAA! AWAY!

Update 2:
The next night.
so. all is calm now, and looking back i suppose it went off well, the only problem being minimum exposure. Of the houses I... attended to, out of 6 residents usually within, there were only 2. one at each house. sigh. but those residents got back to me ^_^

Ah twas a brilliant plan in theory! Ill just tell you what my various 'impliments' were and then let you figure out the rest

1. Yellow 'Caution' tape (25m used)
2. Paper
3. Sticky Tape
4. Scissors
5. Images stolen from web: Biohazard logo, Queensland Government logo, Department of Environmental Protection Agency Logo

And thats all it took! that and being awake from about 2:30-4:00am and driving to Toowong at that time :P all in all, it was well executed!
Oh well! theres always next year! ^_^

SAM

2005-03-25T23:34:00.000+10:00

Good Friday

This would have to be my favorite day of the Christian Year. I enjoy Christmas, and I enjoy the feelings of Easter Morning, but Good Friday really brings it home to me.
Jesus Died. A man, who had done nothing wrong, died. and no matter what your belief about that man, its incontrovertable fact that he was crucified, and he died believeing that doing so he was able to save you.
If thats all you're willing to accept then so be it and I pray that you will move on to that next step about believing who he was and exactly why he allowed that to happen.

And make no mistake, Jesus ALLOWED it. I can scarecly imagine it. You created everything that has been created. you have the power to change/do anything you want to. your creations are far beneath you. you are without equal.
Then imagine that you loved your creation so much that you were willing to humble yourself, that you were willing to throw off every power all your glory and be born in a body that is flesh and blood. to give up all that to live among the things you had created.
As if that wasnt enough, You knew that in the end you had to let yourself be killed by your own creation. The Creator, The Most High, the most powerful, wonderful, unexplinable being in existence allows himself to be whipped beaten flogged, humiliated...HURT by the things of clay he made, And then nailed to a cross to be killed. How could you stand that? how could you resist the urge to make it all stop in a flash? Jesus could have called down all the legions of heaven to destroy those who meant him harm. but he didnt.
He ALLOWED himself to be killed. The Creator Killed by the Creation to save them from themselves.

"Hands that flung stars into space
to cruel nails surrendered."

But more than actually being killed when you could save yourself... you are betrayed by the ones you trusted most. Your Friends abandon you for fear of their own lives, and your best friend says three times that he never knew you. Never.
Then worst of all. In the hour of your greatest need. when you are in unimaginable pain, hanging there exposed to the elements and to the world. the one thing that you could always count on.. your Father. he abandons you too.
God the Father...must abandon his only son. Must sit idly by and watch him die. His people who he had shepherded across the centuries killing your son. can you imagine the pain and anguish? of just an ordinary father having to stand by and watch his son die? then give that father the power of all creation and more, The restraint is incredible. He could have lashed out and scoured all creation for daring to kill his beloved Son.

Here is a part from our service order from this mornings service (its a common one for Good Friday services). To me these words really hit home. Although it is Jesus speaking, I hear it clearly as God the Father. This is a father in mourning, you can hear the anguish, the pain and the anger.

EDIT: I couldnt find the service order, but found a similar 'reproach' on the net

Oh my people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me!
I led you out of Egypt, from slavery to freedom: yet you led your Saviour to the cross. For forty years I led you safely through the desert. I fed you with manna from heaven, and brought you to a land of plenty; but you led your Saviour to the cross.

What more could I have done for you? Oh my people. I planted you as my fairest vine,
but you yielded only bitterness. and you pierced your Saviour with a lance. I opened the sea before you: but you opened his side with a spear. Oh My people.

Oh My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me!
I gave you saving water from the rock: but you gave me gall and vinegar to drink.
I gave you a royal sceptre: but you gave me a crown of thorns.
I raised you to the heights of majesty: but you raised me high on a cross.
Oh My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me!

With eternal love have I loved you: but you raised your Saviour on the cross.
My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me!
Oh My people.

When he says 'Oh my people' I can only imagine the sorrow. the betrayal he must feel.

Our church is pretty traditional. but in this liturgy I feel there is something there, not just sticking to it for a sense of history, but there is a reverence to it.
During the service there was a song played. Now i am not a great fan of modern Christian music, just as im not a great fan of pop stuff. but this song really got its message across to me and I'll end with it today. Its by Nichole Nordeman, and It's called 'Why'

We rode into town the other day
Just me and my Daddy
He said I'd finally reached that age
And I could ride next to him on a horse
That of course was not quite as wide

We heard a crowd of people shouting
And so we stopped to find out why
And there was that man
That my dad said he loved
But today there was fear in his eyes

So I said "Daddy, why are they screaming?
Why are the faces of some of them beaming?
Why is He dressed in that bright purple robe?
I'll bet that crown hurts Him more than He shows
Daddy, please can't you do something?
He looks as though He's gonna cry
you said he was stronger than all of those guys
addy, please tell me why
Why does everyone want him to die?"

Later that day the sky grew cloudy
And Daddy said I should go inside
Somehow he knew things would get stormy
Boy was he right
But I could not keep from wondering
If there was something he had to hide

So after he left I had to find out
I was not afraid of getting lost
So I followed the crowds
To a hill where I knew men had been killed
And I heard a voice come from the cross

And it said, "Father, why are they screaming?
Why are the faces of some of them beaming?
Why are they casting their lots for My robe?
This crown of thorns hurts Me more than it shows
Father, please can't You do something?
I know that You must hear My cry
I thought I could handle the cross of this size
Father, remind Me why
Why does everyone want Me to die?
When will I understand why?"

"My precious Son, I hear them screaming
I'm watching the face of the enemy beaming
But soon I will clothe You in robes of My own
Jesus, this hurts Me much more than You know
But this dark hour I must do nothing
Though I've heard Your unbearable cry
The power in Your blood destroys all of the lies
Soon You'll see past their unmerciful eyes
Look there below, see the child
Trembling by her father's side
Now I can tell You why
She is why You must die"

Thank you Jesus.

2005-03-23T15:19:00.000+10:00

A Post about Girls and Relationships

Dont hate me! im not really a misogynist!

Hi hello and greetings once again from Sam! I really have to do something about Philotas, my evil twin from an alternate dimension. He's getting out of hand.
But today's post is not about him! Its about females. *senses danger imminent* And about relationships and a bit about me i guess too!

Recentley Ive been quite shocked to hear some things. These things involve 3 people I know. well, 4 really.
Steve Brine and Deb - are getting married. Fair enough. theyd been going out for about 1.5years at least, and are about 27ish.
but these other two...
Angela Koplick - Girl who I used to teach sunday school with, is getting married. She is 20.
And the big one, the one i can't believe.
[EDIT: I HAVE NOW DISCOVERED THAT ELLIE IS NOT ENGAGED. IT WAS A RUMOUR THAT HAD EVERYONE THIS SIDE OF AMERICA FOOLED! ROCK ON!]
I have three words here.
What the krap.
Now, before I go any further, I must say that I'm happy for all of them! and good luck I say! But...

Frankly Im scared. What are these people thinking! Throwing away their young lives. DO they realise that for the rest of their lives they are forever paired with someone? never their own person? Always having to watch out for this other person? ARGH!

It just feels so weird. And so soon. I mean, I have no doubt that one day I too will be happily married. but at the moment Im hoping to high heaven that that day is a long time coming!
I want to be my own person. I want to have a 'bachelor pad' an apartment all my own! I want to travel the world, do the things I want to do, see the things I want to see! Heh. Come home from a hard days work, make myself some Nachos, watch some TV and play computer (of course, plan for the next day's teaching too and practice music!)

Now that I already sound like an idiot, lets confirm it! Females! they confuse/worry/anger me. bit of a blanket statement I know, and as many of my audience members are indeed female, let me qualify this!
Let me start by saying that many females I know are quite personable. great mates and all that! But there are other females out there... who just argh. so frustrating.

Ok. Here is a list of certain characteristics that I have witnessed in SOME females that absolutely annoy the hell out of me:
- Tendency to be very melodramatic
- Tendency to be very touchy-feely, and if you're not, then heaven help you because you dont understand.
- Tendency to be manipulative (Can Also apply to guys)
- Thinking only from their perspective. The idea that the way they think is the way everyone thinks (Guys too)
- Girls who use their body to get attention, or try to claim some sort of 'power' over men.
- Girls who play games, whether intentionally or unintentionally, with guys minds. Do you know how cruel that is? Shout out to my mate here if youre reading you know who you are!

I could go on but i feel that ive dug my grave already. better go lie in it and wait for the assassins. Ninjas are cool.

If you are a girl, Im sorry. And if you are a girl I know, dont kill me. but realise that those characteristics are present in quite a few girls. not meaning that all girls are like that, and certainly not saying that there arent any girls out there with NONE of these characteristics.

And... oh bugger it. If you take this personally thats your choice. just know that this post doesnt refer to anyone, and as such Im not writing ABOUT anyone this post was not meant to offend. that is all! :P

the floodgates are open!

SAM

2005-03-22T00:36:00.000+10:00

Philotas Strikes Back

Hah! The fool Sam has actually gone to sleep! and that means, IM BACK! yes ladies and gents, but mostly the ladies, Philotas, the man the myth the legend is here to solve all your pathetic problems. Some ask me, 'Philotas, how do you do it?' I tell them 'Some were cursed to forever seek answers, and Others were cursed to know, and be incredibly gorgeous, rich and famous.'

So I now present to you 3 more letters I have recieved, which make days of our lives look like Jessica Simpson!

Philotas,
I desperately need your advice on how to avoid women. I think a particular girl likes me, but for various reasons it is blasted inconvenient. It doesn't help that I quite like her. How do I stay strong and single? What secrets do you have for making the ladies flee in terror?
Marlon Brando.

Marlon, I sympathise! Some would suggest not bathing, or excess crudity. Temporary solutions!
I say, go out with her. Things eventually sour. You'll wish you had free time and ability to do things your way and she'll begin to nag/pick fault. Then you can break up, desire for singleness reinforced!

Dear Pain Monkey
I have a growth that appears on my back whenever I go home. It responds to me
when I talk to it and we get along quite well. However I'm sure if the growth
wasn't on my back but was perhaps next to me we would get along better.
What is the least painful way to get rid of this growth? I'd like to do it in
a holistic way, also treating the cause rather than the symptom.
I am finding it hard to walk around and even moving at all is a challenge.
What do you reccommend?
anon person who is not michelle

People! Don’t realise how lucky they are! Haven’t you ever heard the saying ‘two heads are better than one?’ Find a way to permanently attach this growth (blowtorches on special at Kmart). Benefits far outweigh losing the ability to move or even the horrible mocking you will no doubt endure!

Now, this next letter seems to be from a fine lady indeed, it was coupled with some interesting attachments and a very…intimate poem! Which I wouldn’t dare publish for concern over the younger audiences that may be reading! but, when you are cursed by nature as I am, with boyish good looks and roguish charm, letters like these become a way of life! So Without further ado…

Dear Uncle Pain Monkey,
I love your new column on your weblog. How Manly. I can barely contain myself!
in fact, perhaps you could help with this problem. I think I am in love with my agony aunt. His name is Aunty Philotas.
The way he gives advice is so authoritative and strong; his typing skills send shivers down my spine, and his insightful, helpful replies hint at the sensitive caring man that is inside.
Oh Pain Monkey, cure me from this foul disease of love!

Lucky I have a few standard replies left!

Congratulations [insert name here] you have fallen for Philotas.
The magnificent Philotas received your letter and has placed your application in the queue. You are currently booked as the 15TH recipient of Philotas’ attention for the month October 2006.
Thanks for your expression of interest in Philotas, Master of Manliness.

Whew! someone stop me before the brilliance just bursts out of me in an uncontrollable flood of wit and intelligence! In any other medium i'd be charging for this!

Rememebr, to have your problems solved in 50 words or less, write me at alakazam200@hotmail.com the answers are only a click away!

PHILOTAS

2005-03-20T20:02:00.000+10:00

A lone Tumbleweed rolls across the desert landscape...

Wow! my blog is a neglecterino! Im sorry Blog! but i had to recover after someone hit me over the head locked me in a cupboard and took over my blog. I only escaped thanks to some Macguyver-esque ingenuity involving Duct Tape, Rubber bands and one large Armadillo. You do the math.

Anyhoo Im here now so lets get down to the posting! Tally ho and all that sort of thing

Things on my mind -

headphones - well, technically theyre on my head. so they dont count.

Hair - also on my head. for now! unlike my friend Aaron whose 3 year crop of curly black hair has now gone towards making a wig thanks to his contributions to shave for a cure.

Money - Im in the hole! damn that .com business! ^_^ no, just some recent purchases (not comic related i swear! some car business and some other stuff! Uni Fees etc.)

Music - I really should be trying harder. If my career is going to be music teaching :P Have an 8th Grade Piano exam this year (july hopefully) but my pieces arent up to scratch yet! argh.

Demons - ARGH GET THEM OUT. no, just thinking of writing up a devotion about demons in todays world. really interesting stuff! everyone should see the show 'John Safran VS God' he's a real smart alec and annoying as all hell, but the last episode is very thought provoking (he gets Exorcised).

Assignments - oh theyre there. lurking in the recesses of my mind! its all good! ive got a week plus a week of holidays! only 2 due the week back, its all good! procrastination rules once more!

Church Troubles - Sigh. Wish some people would build a bridge and get over it.

Girl Trouble - Not likely! Enjoying my singlehood with a vengeance. the only time i ever think about the possibility of relationships is when I am either the third or fifth wheel. but then i come back to reality, slap myself and realise how lucky I am!

OK, Ive been building up to it so its a big one! (you know its big because its in capital letters!)

DEFER - I am thinking very hard about my professional year next year. the 5th and final year of my degree in which most work is done out in schools actually teaching. but. i have also been thinking, what if i were to defer this for a year? work my butt off in the first half, and in the second half go travelling! There are so many places i want to visit and now is the best time of my life to go and experience things.
LIke my friend said, when you are young you can go places and see things that if you went when older, attached and possibly with kids, you couldnt. you would stay in cheap hostels or with friends and get to experience first hand overseas life.
My Dad actually supports the idea. which is quite unusual.
I have two choices. Defer next year then do professional year or do prof year next year then when ive graduated work part time and go travelling. then come back to work. I think the more likely option is to defer next year.
I have so many places i want to go. And i was thinking of the best way to do it. Apparently there are several different types of tickets, and the one im liking the best at the moment is a round the world 'one way' unlimited stopovers. which means that as long as you keep heading west from your start location you can zig zag to as many places as you want!

Places I want to visit!
New Zealand (Id get crucified if i didnt put this WONDERFUL country first! ^_^)
America
- San Diego (for the comic con)
- San Fransisco
- Los Angeles
- Washington
- New York
Canada (somewhere. i hear theyre nicer than yanks ^_^)
UK
Scotland (ARgh!)
Ireland (Blarney! A pint o Guinness in a trad Irish pub!)
All over Britain especially to historical sites eg Bath, Stone Henge etc.
Visit Grandma in Sussex, and Nicole in Manchester
Europe
- Germany! (take the Luther tour.. and the beer! :D but dont mention the war!)
- Finland (the motherland! might stay a while here!)
Egypt (walk like an Egyptian)
Italy (so much history/music culture)
Austria (I'll be back?)
Greece/Crete (soo much history)
Hungary (ZOLTAN! (kodaly!))
Japan - this will be another long stop! must try to assimilate some more language and heh heh. manga. and the lifestyle and see if i would like teaching here.

But yes! must go now! i hear the cries of an innocent in distress! HAH! AWAY!

SAM

2005-03-10T11:03:00.000+10:00

Philotas Talks Back Episode PTB0001

Alright already! My inbox is clogged. I mean, i know Im a popular guy, but honestly people! give a man (a very MANLY man at that) some breathing space!
Since ive recieved so many emails and cries for help, Im going to publish only a few this first episode. So sit back and laugh as we go through somoene else's problems.

Aunty,
I think i am going insane. Every night when i go to bed, i see strange lights
outside my window. Often, i will wake up during the night, or what i perceive
to be the night, and I am in another country. It is starting to cost a lot of
money in flights home.
Do you believe in Aliens, Aunty Philotassie?

PHILOTAS TALKS BACK
Philotassie? what the? Sounds like some kinda French pastry.
Your other questions? Yes you are insane. don’t worry about the lights, its probably just the government.
Aliens? of course I don’t believe in aliens, and when we finally take over your puny planet you will work in the Salt mines.

Next.

Hey Philotas!
I would love it if you could give me some advice on the following matter:
I think i am in love with my lecturer. His voice is at just the right pitch,
he has the most handsomest eyes, he wears nice ties, and he is interested in
things that I am interested in.
What should I do? I am considering declaring my undying love for him
-Anonymous

PHILOTAS TALKS BACK
Too easy. If classic literature has taught us nothing else (And it hasn't) It's that you should always declare your undying love. To everyone. Then arrange to die a violent yet tragic but above all pointless death.

I'm on a roll.

Philotas, I have a problem.
I have a friend who is flatting with her boyfriend. What are your opinions on
this matter? Should I tell them that i disapprove? Should I let my boyfriend
move in with me?

PHILOTAS TALKS BACK
Yes to all three.
But don’t just tell them. Let them know at 3am every morning, preferably with the aid of a bucket of water, ice or rabid orang-utans.
And with your boyfriend moving in, get him to do it for you. No sense losing sleep over an inconsiderate flatmate.

I like squirrels too much.
Please help!
With much love,
Squirrel *er* Michelle

PHILOTAS TALKS BACK
Squirrel *er* Michelle, It is a scientific fact that squirrel cravings directly promote increased levels of 'furry', and denote a deficiency in both the 'cute' and 'rodent' volume in of your blood. I recommend therapy. Preferably something with wires and electrodes.

And thats all for this week's column.
Once again, you can get all your problems solved by just emailing Me at alakazam200@hotmail.com Come on! you know you want to!

PHILOTAS

2005-03-08T16:44:00.000+10:00

A New Show

The Answer is not 42! or...Philotas Talks Back

Ok, Listen up everyone! Ive done Sam in, and made sure he wont be available for now. The Name is Philotas. And I, oh dear readers, am your answer to everything. Thats right. I dont deal in hyperbole.
Here's the deal. You've seen magazines have 'Agony Aunt' columns. Well, think of me as an "Agony Uncle" (Actually I prefer the term 'Pain Monkey') I will give you the definitive answers to any question in 50 words or less. Email me with your hopeless problems or assorted questions about life the universe and everything, And I will answer them right here, so you can stop asking them. Struggling with a hard choice? let me make it for you! Meaning of life eluding you? Don't worry, I know. Let me enlighten you! So lets get this show on the road!

Email your questions to: alakazam200@hotmail.com with the subject: "Philotas Talks Back" Do it now! i can almost hear the barrage of questions already! Do your worst!

PHILOTAS

2005-03-06T01:49:00.000+10:00

In the absence of wanting to say anything meaningful, i thought I'd cop out and spread some laughter around! this is the first of many webcomic themed posts! All the links below come from the featured Webcomic "Ctrl-Alt-Delete" and are carefully selected. Each one for different reasons has the power to crack me up each time i see them ^_^ enjoy!

Please note, these comics use some colourful language, so if it offends you, well, ye have been warned!

Come on! everyone needs a laugh!

Fight Club?

not sure why but this cracks me up

Damn people and their stereotypical view of gamers!

Heh. love this stuff

Ah, realism in games. heh.

Lol. Ive gotta try this

Chatty FPS playres annoy me! type killing is totally legal!

Just look at the Tauren in the second panel.. oh my sides!

Part of a touching story arc, and funny too!

Its scary how much my thought patterns are like Ethan's!

Just for the Pirate scene in the last panel! arr!

This is EXACTLY how i felt when i first touched the World of Warcraft Box!

Heh. Star Wars Clone troopers do raise some interesting issues!

Fantastic Four. Its so true! The Thing got gypped!

SAM

2005-02-23T00:19:00.000+10:00

Newsbreak with Philotas

something interesting

Just reading some random net sites, and in the course of my investigations I came across something that struck me as odd. You know how you can read the Bible many times and not actually understand it? not on a spiritual level, but on a practical level. Check out Genesis 1 and 2.

There are two seperate accounts of God creating man and woman. In Genesis 1, on the sixth day: (v27) "So God Created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (v28) God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

Now, check out the start of Chapter 2

"This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. "When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens - and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth, and there was no man to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surgace of the ground - the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being" (Gen 2:4-7)

Now can anyone else pick up the discrepencies here?
According to Chapter 1:
The Sixth day is after the plants and animals had already been put on earth. it was then that God created man and woman, told them to go and multiply.

According to Chapter 2:
God made the first man out of clay BEFORE any other plant or animal life, then made the garden of eden so they could live there. (this appears to happen halfway through the third day)

There are a couple of ways to interperet this.

1, the "sixth day humans" are everyone else, all the rest of the nations that would spread out and colonise all the cities (the ones that Cain would eventually be driven out to after killing Abel)
(Problems: Why create two humans first and give them a Garden all to themselves if you are going to create MANY people and tell them to spread. Why build the garden if you are later going to make the whole earth fertile? Also, why doesnt Genesis 1 say that he created the man and the woman?)

2 The Chapters are talking about the same event, but chap 2 in more detail. (problem with this is that they arent compatible given the timing that is written)

3 The creation story we have in the first two chapters is a mix of the a couple of different creation myths from the Hebrew culture.

Unfortunately, I think (this is going to be bad) that the most likely option is 3. Something that tips me off as well, is this:
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
Genesis 2:4 (just 3 verses later) This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created

Why? Why say that just after you've described it? look at it objectively for a moment. if you were reading that as a story, doesnt it sound like one short story is ending, and another one starts, maybe a different version of the same story? But if there is only one story, why include the other? And what does this mean if there are two different versions of this story. does that mean it really is only a myth?

Thoughts please. and especially on what this means

SAM

2005-02-19T16:35:00.000+10:00

Late Nights with Philotas

The long awaited Rant post!...or, HULK SMASH!

So here is where i can vent my opinions and rants that have been building up for a while. you know the great thing about blogging? heh! this is MY universe! :) 'What I have written stays written' and all that jazz ^_^ oooh the power! oh, and i think some of my views in this one might offend some people. if so i apologise, but realise that these are my views. if you hold different ones thats fine. but here are mine.

Rant: Im sick of people judging me. Judging me because a) I read comics. b)I am a "Christian" (cause we all know what theyre like) c) Judging my Dad because he doesnt criticize the pastor like some others do. d) Dad judging me because some of the friends i have DO criticize our pastor. e) Judging me because Ive done stupid stuff in the past. f) judging me because i have a blog.

Rant: Im really exasperated with SNL services/other 'youth' services (now, Pentecostals dont take offence, but please read) Its not about feelings. dammit people, if music, atmosphere, and a preacher shouting out stuff about the spirit is the only way that gets you 'close to God' take a look at yourselves!
My Brother had to go to an orientation camp for Christian Heratige College, his university for this year, and they had a big service that was very pente. he could barley read the music for all the people shouting and raising their hands in the air, or the other murmurings that i guess was prayer out loud.
I say that if you cant get the same connection with God in a traditional church, then theres something that needs to be looked at there. Are you doing it for you or for God?

Rant: Im angry at myself because every time i go to the music centre i see people who are so much better than I am. I havent put enough effort into practice. And now im so far behind. My piano is stagnated. I cant put up with this! I am supposed to have my 8th grade exam in May.

Rant: Im angry at the secular world. who see themselves as so enlightened they have blinded themselves. If you want to be an academic there is no way you will be taken seriously if you are Christian because your views are so biased.

Rant: Im angry at this CD i found in the new car I bought, "Conversations with God" what a New age decieveing piece of silicon! it twists the words of the Bible around something chronic.

Rant: and another thing. I dont like people taking the Bible (or anything) out of context! We do not live in a static world. everything only has meaning in context with something else. you cant just take a phrase like "Have i not said, Ye are gods" and leave it at that!

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

*pant pant pant pant*
Ok! thats it for a while, we will return you now to your regularly schedualed programming!

SAM

2005-02-14T17:36:00.000+10:00

The Five minute special

Why I Hate Christian Newsgroups

I decided to go back into the Christian Newsgroups scene after having left it over a year ago. And just reading one group, i rememebred why. These comments are taken from alt.religion.christian.biblestudy. and 4 posts that i read.

"You're such a Dolt! Quit whining, you moron."

"careful John, your paranoia is showing ........."

"Whiner ALERT"

"Another waste of air heard from."

" {person} sees the Holy Bible as the written word of God and will discuss
it with his strong belief in it as infallible word of God. {person 2} who has
gone back to his vomit will surely like to discuss his vomit, which is
still in his mouth but now bitter."

(in reply)
"True indeed, such is the 'vomit of lies' thrown up on here, by such people,
it is difficult to discuss pleasant and nice things, as these vomit induces,
love their vomit of lies so much, they are, as Jesus predicted....always so
anxious like the 'washed sow', to scuttle right back into their own filthy
'mire'.
Sorry....quite strong, but very true."

And as well as this there were even examples of using proverbs to insult people. :P

There was much worse around but i just got sick to my heart and quit the whole thing. how can they call themselves Christians.
Nuff said!

SAM

2005-02-05T01:21:00.000+10:00

We'll Be back, right after these messages!

A filler post!

some random screenshots from my favorite Game :) World of Warcraft! enjoy!

A holiday snap of my friend and I going to Southshore beach, complete with scantily clad succubi! Unfortunately, just after the taking of this photo my friend was mauled by a rather large bear! :P

The First rule of Troll Club? don't tell anyone about Troll club!

When you get fired from the priesthood, you really GET FIRED!

The Grateful Dead Reunion tour!

A very friendly human paladin. very..VERY friendly ;)

I tell you, the fish was THIS big!

Seeyas soon! :D

SAM

2005-02-02T01:41:00.000+10:00

Meanwhile...

Featuring the Totally random and really quite meaningless blog!

As I was watching a short episode of Space Ghost Coast 2 Coast tonight on my PC, there was a throwaway comment by a guest being interviewed about an infamous Madonna and David Letterman Interview in 94.
Having watched a few episodes of Latenight with David Letterman, and obviously having heard Madonnna's music and about Madonna herself, and because I'm an inquisitive kinda guy I searched the net for said interview and found a transcript, which you guys can read here.

Madonna VS Letterman

After Reading that I was a bit shocked. it almost seems as if Madonna was on something when she went on the show. the way she treated Dave was terrible. that was how I read it. but, searching further for more stories on this interview, i came across another site, an excerpt from a womens studies course. After quickly skimming through easily 5 pages of unparagraphed feminism, I came to the paragraph Google had picked up. here it is.

"After a short hiatus, Madonna made a splash in the spring of 1994 when she appeared on Late Night with David Letterman. The show was memorable for the antagonism between the host and guest and the audience's apparent willingness to see Letterman skewer her mercilessly. It was a battle of wits, with Madonna using a certain banned word 13 different times—a stunt that drew her severe media criticism the next day. Entertainment Weekly writer Ken Tucker saw it as an attention-getting ploy, "a way to keep her name in the papers in lieu of actually producing some sort of creative work," and noted that by 1994, "as a feminist culture hero," she was fading from the spotlight."

It goes on to say how Madonna made a remarkable recovery. now this is just weird to me. As I read the interview i felt it was Madonna, deliberately going out to be crude and agressive with Dave. Yet this womens studies course, making an example of her as a powerful female, portrays her as some kind of victim here, making her a great hero for feminism.
I really cant say how much i disagree with that, on so many levels. i would, but its about 10 to 2am. :)

Ill just say its amazing how many different views of the same thing there can be, and how to justify a cause a person can be represented as a hero when in reality the truth is a lot less glorious? comments anyone?

SAM

2005-01-30T01:26:00.000+10:00

we interrupt this blog to bring you a special announcement

Eeeeeeee! *not girly, but definately squeals of excitement*
Ive done it! finally!

Ive actually put pen to paper as it were on my Symphony. It has begun. Obviously its gonna be going for a long while, but ive had a burst of inspiration Tonight. I have themes buzzing around in my head and I have an idea of the overall structure of the work.

The Majesty Symphony is underway! :) just had to share that!

SAM

2005-01-28T15:08:00.000+10:00

Further Adventures of Philotas

Alexander IS great - or - Movies to see this year

PreSrcipt :) I feel it only fair to warn you that there will be a deep serious type post coming up in the next few days. :P argh. damn INTP

Ok,Of all the things to blog about I chose this after reading comments on Nato's blog, saying that some found Alexander the Great a little disappointing.

Yesterday I went along to see it with a fellow History buff, Aaron. (we do Ancient History and History at Uni together). I went along much the same way I went to see Troy, planning to mock the heck out of it when it turns out to be a huge romantisisation with lots of creative interpretations. To my amazement, I loved the movie. It was awesome. In fact, it was pretty much historically accurate.

Favorite scene? The Battle of Gaugamela. I spent HOURS studying troop movements battle plans, before and after actions and every minute detail of this battle for an essay a year ago, and lo and behold, this movie represented it in great detail and just as it would have been! AWESOME

There were some creative liberties taken, but what makes them ok, is that it is also very plausible that these things did happen. Philip being at times a drunken fool, isnt the way i imagined him from the historical sources, but if you think about it he very well could have been, it would explain a lot of Alexander's issues as well, his love for his mother despite her being a homicidal maniac.
The Idea that Olympias arranged the murder of Philip, is also plausible. we still dont know the full extent of the assasination, and the sources we have dont tell us much. Olympias was very capable of doing it (she had Cleopatra and her infant son roasted alive).
At the end. Ptolemy suggests that the commanders had a hand in the death of Alexander by poisoning him. Again, we dont know. because Ptolemy's manuscripts (the stuff he is writing) is lost. probably destroyed when the Christian armies destroyed the library in Alexandria (damn Christians! they did the same in Spain! so much knowledge lost! :P) If only we had Ptolemy's and Nearchus' actual writings. would be very helpful in a lot of it!

I liked how they handled the Philotas/Parmenion conspiracy. very well done indeed!

Gripes:
Im not sure if Hephaestion actually died of disease. must check that. also I thought Alexander's Horse Beucephalas died of old age. Two minor inconsistencies.

One big gripe here is how the gay thing was represented in the movie. For the most part the homosexuality of Al was very subtle. there was never actually any hint of a kiss between him and Hephaestion. more like they were very close mates (aside from the fact he said he loved him) Which is not the case. Al does kiss a Persian dancer (Bagoas?) but that is the extent of it. Whereas, compared to Roxanna, his first wife, as soon as they were married it was WhOOM off with the clothes and unnecessary sex scene time. It seems as though the producers were trying to play down his gayness. i mean come on.
ALEXANDER LIKED BOYS. HEPHAESTION WAS HIS LOVER. is that so hard for people today to accept? apparently yes. just like in Troy (which was a terrible terrible mockery of Homer) THe producers must think the public isnt ready for a gay hero. jeez. get the prejudices out people. we dont approve of the lifestyle sure, but they are still people. their sexual preferences shouldnt take away from their legend.

Anyhoo, out of 10, I give Alexander an 8. From a student of history who has done several subjects directly on this theme, i loved it. which is rare for me. THis movie was far better than troy and i recommend it to everyone! go see it! now! ^_^

SAM

Other entertainment news

The other night I was watching TV at around 1am. :P you do strange things when you are stuck home alone with no one to talk to for hours. ^_^ (im lovin it!)
It was The Nanny. But it wasnt the Nanny. we all know the loveable sitcom starring Fran Drescher. with Niles the wisecracking butler, CC, Mr Sheffield and the kids and so on. But try it TURKISH STYLE

The Nanny (Dadi) - Schlepped Away (30 mins , Rated: G)
12:35 am
Genre: Sitcom
A Turkish version of the popular US sitcom The Nanny with a warm and likeable nanny played by Gulben Ergen. It's Melek's turn to receive care and affection.

It was a turkish sitcom EXACTLY the same as the nanny. all the same characters, except different actors and different names, and in TURKISH. It was one of those surreal experiences you have early in the morning where you wonder if youre actually awake or just dreaming this.
it was trippy but i checked the guide and here it is! its the Turkish Nanny! If you can get it where you are i really reccomend it! its hilarious! watching turkish people act with a british accent (for the guy playing Niles) but speaking Turkish heh heh heh. the house and set are exactly the same as the American sitcom.. freaky!

ok toodles!

SAM

2005-01-26T10:43:00.000+10:00

Reading Mike's website gave me an idea for more procrastination, so I humbly present to you my personality type as defined by the Jung test

INTP - "Architect". Greatest precision in thought and language. Can readily discern contradictions and inconsistencies. The world exists primarily to be understood. 3.3% of total population.

Take Free Jung Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

2005-01-22T11:58:00.000+10:00

The Philotas Show Episode 73

Change is a part of life...or, how to bugger up your routine!

In 2 hours I leave for the Sunshine coast until Tuesday (when i have to come back to work and rehearse with Orchestra but thats a whole nother kettle of sea cucumber). It's my dad's 50th on Monday so that will be fun! going to the Sunshine Coast Sheraton hotel for dinner! So I thought Id just get in a quick post now before i left, because as the title of this post suggests, I actually have news!

Changes! Big time changes. I have made the decision, after prayer and much thought, that I am going to leave Civic Video Express. Civic was my first ever job, and i have been there for over 3 years now. I think though it is time for me to leave. reasoning?
* Every hour I work there (except for one) I lose money from my centrelink pay
* I used to work 34 hours a fortnight, now cut down to 9 and am unable to take any other shifts because of centrelink
* All the people who i knew from when I started there have left. its a totally changed atmosphere
* I am taking over coordinating our Sunday School's Lazer program (grade 6-9) this year as well as taking orchestra back up at uni = more time needed.
* Getting up at 5:30am aint fun! :P
* YOu can never get someone to cover your shift for you, even when it is urgent (see previous posts for more whinging :P)
* Having to work Christmas day every year i was there sucked. new years day this year also sucked.
* The working conditions arent the most enjoyable around, and i much prefer working at the daily planet

Thats a lot of reasons that i thought about. its sad. ill miss the place in a sadistic kind of way. It has helped make me who i am. a bridging thing between high school and Uni. *sigh* onwards and upwards!

The next big change is very geeky. My comic collecting. I have decided to cut back big time. I feel i am spending way too much money on them. this too is a painful decision because I love following the storylines and seeing what is happening to the characters i know and love. people may mock me, 'Oh you collect COMICS do you?' but they have no idea what its about. comics arent 'funny books' they are just as involved as novels in their plotlines character development and scenarios. Its interesting to see different writer/artist teams work on a comic to see what different direction theyll take characters in. sometimes ill hate the way theyve done a character (or group of characters, thank you very much Brian Michael Bendis. :P) sometimes ill love the take (you rox0r Kurt Busiek!). BUt themes in comics are a lot more mature than a lot of people realise. so dont knock it till youve actually tried it.
anyhoo.. digressing there. My changes. this is what I used to collect:

Green Lantern: Rebirth
Thor
Thor: Son of Asgard
Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill
Avengers
Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes
Young Avengers
Exiles
Marvel Team-Up
Ultimate Secret
Ultimates 2
Ultimate Fantastic Four
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Nightmare
Ultimate X-Men
She-Hulk
Marvel: Secret War
Spider-Man: India
Space Ghost
Uncanny X-Men
Astonishing X-Men
New X-Men: Academy X
X-Men: Phoenix Endsong
X-Men: The End
Excalibur
New Thunderbolts
The Pulse

27 books all up. most came out monthly. (some were miniseries tho)
ive cut that back down to

Thor
Stormbreaker: The Saga of Beta Ray Bill
Avengers
Avengers:Earth's Mighties Heroes (3 issues left)
Young Avengers
Astonishing X-Men
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimates 2
Ultimate X-Men
Ultimate Fantastic Four
Ultimate Secret
Ultimate Nightmare (one issue left)
Exiles
Space Ghost (3 issues left)
Green Lantern Rebirth (2 issues left)

15 books all up. 4 of which will be ending very soon! that hurt a lot. :( oh well.. maybe ill thank myself in the future! :P

Change is the only constant! :) (well, aside from God!)

Till next we meet!
SAM

2005-01-16T01:20:00.000+10:00

Presenting the Previously Promised Picture Post for your perusing pleasure!

A frog. Because every Blog needs a Frog! And a Turtle!
Frog's by Muso Breakup Party and Turtles proudly presented by UQ Pond

One very cute cousin! In my Sombrero! 1 2 3..AWWWW!

Do NOT mess with this Santa! A Man woken up early in the morning..Ive got presents and im not afraid to use them!

Surprise photo By Dad. Hair By pillow. Brother in corner by Mum and Dad

Weird terrorist letter i got a while back. So weird that Customs had to check it! lucky it passed quarentine smelling so much of frangipenny! who could have sent something like that!!! :P

*sniff**sob* the last day I ever saw Odysseus.

Damage By Idiot who doesnt give way

And thats all He Photographed! for this time! :P
hope you enjoyed this brief window into my life of the last 2 months :P

SAMBO

2005-01-13T23:05:00.000+10:00

Another post? so soon? !!! yes! tis true!

Just moving along because I think the last post even to me sounded a bit weird! :D quoting Space Ghost: ("thats when I have to go lie down") ^_^

In the absence of anything meaningful, prepare thyself for a rant and some random thoughts! :D

RANT:
ARGH! (dont all rants start with a good exclamation of anger?) (Argh..arrrrgh..rrr..no no, more guttural. use that phlegm in the back of your throat. one two three.. ARrrgh! there you go! much better!)
My spleen shall be vented! Civic video, the current bane of my existance. it is NOT POSSIBLE, nor is it EVER possible to get your shift taken by someone, even when you absolutely need it. Ive had to go there to close when i have exams at 8 the next day, ive had to work there on both Christmas and New Years, on more than one year. Some weeks Ive worked over 40 hours there.
Tomorrow morning, a scant 6 and a half hours from now I must rise to open the store. This is in spite of having put up, two weeks ago, a message that said: "Sam needs his shifts covered for the next two Friday Mornings As he is at University from 8:30 to 4:30." Doesnt work! No one takes it. frantic ringing around tonight and still no one! So im going to have to miss the first half of the day. this is not good. we have to get a certain number of hours during the course to qualify for the certificate. ARGH! civic video... Why dont I just quit? good question. I think because im stupid. Yep. that explains it. I have another job. i get paid by centrelink. why bother with the extra stress? I dont have a good answer to that aside from 'Im loyal to the place' 'ive been there for over 3 years now'. and that sucks.... argh.. ARGH....ARRRRRGH!

So thats the rant.. now for some random stuff!

Im hopefully buying a car next week. i think i said that yesterday! :P after that money is spent im saving once more. I definately will be travelling at some stage this year. England for sure at end of year is my goal (to visit Nic!) and I really want to get over to NZ! argh! stupid car destroyed man bang crash thing with the bitterness and the gnashing of teeth *mmm-hay*!

Music music music. i have annoying pieces going around in my head non stop. ALL IN SOL-FA! ARGH! do so. mi do. SO si la mi fa fi so! mi do. so mi do la fa re so so, etc. Tomorrow night we have our final concert. Big choir is our item we're doing a whole range of songs from something in Korean to Ave Maria, to Orpheus with his lute, to A Jazzed up mix of "shenendoah" and "The Water is Wide" by Peter Churchill (over from England for the shchool.)
Heh heh. in one of the songs, one line goes: "O Gram-pol-tron" cant help but think of all things Transformer. sounds like another one of those Decepticons! Related to Fraser perhaps?

My next post will be a picture post! so once again be prepared! I have many many interesting pictures to show! and some not so interesting ones too! Man, i feel like this whole last two weeks has been non stop stuff. ive been so busy i havent had time to think about stuff. aside from at lunch times. cant sing while eating. :P

By the way, i promise this is the last random thing!
If you find that your throat is gone-ski before a singing exam or big performance, heres a few tips. Drink lots of Pineapple juice (has an enzyme in it called Bromalene which is good for throat) And steam your voice. By that, I mean take deep breaths in the shower, have a sauna if possible ;) and make sure you drink lots of tea. tea is the best drink. Why? because the steam actually is able to moisten the vocal chords. Other drinks dont reach the chords because they are blocked off when you drink to stop fluid getting in your lungs. with tea, the steam goes down before the fluid, and so isnt blocked by your body! HAH!
Trust me, these things ressurected my voice from nothing! remember! it may save your life one day. And if it does tell me about it. because that would be one weird story.
^_^

SAM out!

2005-01-10T22:29:00.000+10:00

MOTHERS LOCK UP YOUR DAUGHTERS!

Yay! and there was much rejoicing! ^_^ pushed out of hiding finally, here I am again! mothers lock up your daughters! ^_^ or dont. probably no threat either way! but once again on with the show

So long since last post, how to recap. Ok, really quick. Still Car-less, insurance payed out so looking around. Christmas was good (had to work 3 hours on Chrissy day) Got the Star Wars Trilogy on DVD as well as the traditional Socks and Jocks! )although I do admit i needed new socks!). Didnt end up eating too much after all! so yay for not getting fat! That week, Nicole left for Manchester, good luck to her for her new job! New Years, had to work the open (get up at 5:30 shift) at Civic Video on new Years day, so it was a very small one. I ushered in the New Year at a friend's place, half asleep, watching the Italian Job ^_^

Since then Its been music music music. and by that i mean music Summer School. Its a condensed Uni thing over 2 weeks (Jan 2-14) 8:30-4:30 each day. we start with Aural Musicianship, then go to Methodology and Materials then in the afternoon finish with Choir and finally conducting. its harsh. especially once ive now come down with a virus that makes me cough constantly and makes me unable to tell what pitch im currently singing! :P

And that brings us up do date. Other than the above stuff, nothing much new. Christmas Choir, which i conducted this year went well at the Christmas eve services, so im happy about that one!

So on to the main event!

Now, As I was eating my lunch today - a tuna and greek yoghurt sandwich - i got thinking. you know they say tuna is brain food. Anyhoo.
I got thinking about how Humanity as a species has stopped evolving. Natural selection doesnt happen anymore, and nearly everyone gets married, mixing whatever genes with whatever genes. the strong and the weak survive, this got me thinking. Is this a good thing?
The argument for natural selection is that those organisms that have characteristics that make them more suited to their environments, will survive to breed more like them, over time, because the weak die out, changing the entire population. (eg. like if an early wolf developed a more acute sense of smell, to help alert him to prey and predators, then he would survive to mate, passing on this sense of smell to his offspring who would have that advantage etc.)
I think our gene pool is becoming muddied. think of it like this. Who we are now is who we will be in 2 thousand years time (forsaking devine influence ^_^). Our species is stuck! Some other geeks out there would point out that because physical survival isnt really a necessity in our western world, that our intellectual capacity will expand and we will learn how to use that other 90% of our brain.
Uh-uh. This would only happen if people who were gifted intellectually were 'the fittest' and lived to survive over their challengers. as it is, nothing will change.

Now, evolution happens when mutations occur. accidental enhancements are added to the gene pool and if they are successful, become prominant. Im not suggesting though, that we should go stand in front of the microwave so radiation mutates us (It doesnt work. Ive tried. Only got a headache) Or that we go out looking for a radioactive spider, or Otherwordly cosmic radiation, or benevolent aliens (working on those ones).

So no mutations. But Then i really got down a weird train of thought (oh yes! the rabbit hole goes even deeper!) What if someone were to regulate sex and breeding. People could still get married and have sex, but only allocated people could have children, children who would be more equipped in certain areas.. in physical strength endurance, etc or intellectual powers enhanced etc. That way humanity could re start the evolutionary process.

Then i followed it even more... pressing forward to the future, in a very Orson Wells type of way. In the distant future, a caste system is developed. On top of the caste are those with huge brain capacity, the leaders and thinkers, with psychic powers brought up through centuries of controlled breeding. Then on the lower rungs, you have the workers, those of huge physical strength and stamina.
But as things usually do in these situations something would go wrong, there would be an uprising from the lower classes, the more powerful would resent being the workers etc etc. it all ends badly!

Then i decided to note these ideas down somewhere for a novel. ^_^

hmm.. that was what was on my mind this lunch time! weird hey! maybe youre thinking now that you were glad I hadn't posted in a while! ^_^ sorry about the weirdness, but i thought it was interesting!

Until the next post, or until i post on your blogs next or see you in real life! ^_^
I remain
SAM
or DO i?

2005-01-07T15:02:00.000+10:00

Ignore this blog people! just needed to copy something and email is restricted here! :P

or on the other hand, take note! im sure youll all love how to teach tum-ti to a grade 7/8 class!

Focus for practice of Tum-ti
Sam Reeves
40284664

Review
Teacher: Last time we learned what our new rhythm was, what was it?
Class: Tum-Ti
Teacher: That’s right, now our rhythm also appears in another song we know, can you sing with me? (Sing John Kanaka with words)
Teacher: Now can you sing with time names? (Sing JK with time names)

Teacher: Here’s a rhythmic ostinato (ta ti-ti tum ti) how many beats long is it?
Class: 4
Teacher: Right, and how many beats long is our new rhythm tum ti?
Class: 2

Point
Teacher: Can we sing John Kanaka while clapping this rhythm?
Class: (sings with ostinato)

Reinforce
Teacher: Good job, can we sing John Kanaka again with the words, listening for where our new rhythm, tum ti comes in

2004-12-13T01:20:00.000+10:00

Well, heres the long and the short of it!

My Beautiful blue Baby.. My Odysseus, my Kia Rio 2004 model sedan.
Is gone.
Written off.

Monday night last week, at a roundabout just outside the video store where i work. I checked to the right, no one coming, so i start around the round about. about half way round i notice a car coming too fast to stop on my left, so i brace myself and he smashes into me. Since it was raining i skidded about 5m sideways before bumping into the curb on the other side of the roundabout.

On first inspection, Odysseus is fine, aside from the huge dent in the front left panel, the hood and all other panels seem to be ok (aside from the scratches, borken lights and other dents all over the left side from the accident). certainly major, but definately repairable right?

I get towed to the repair place and drop it off there that night. a day passes, no word. another day, and im at work at the comic store, and i get a call from dad. you know a phone call isnt going to be good when someone starts by sayign "I think you should sit down". anyhoo, Dad tells me they said Odysseus is too expensive to repair so they're writing him off. That was when i posted the last one. I loved that car. It was all mine, brand new. I know it seems silly to get this emotional about an inanimate object, but Odysseus was my friend. and now, after i pick up the stuff from inside him tomorrow morning, I'll never see him again. never.

Theyre paying out a bit, but i still have to pay almost a years worth of insurance and the 800 dollars i had left from the first loan i took out.
cest la vie eh? could have been worse everyone says, i agree, but doesnt mean it isnt crap.

Anyhoo. In other news, just got back from youth camp at Mt Barney. That was interesting, fun and worrying at the same time. I was a barney-virgin, even after having been around the youth/laser group for over 7 years! but id say it was good. I worry though about some of the kids. no, not kids. they are getting older now, and I love hanging around with them and Kerryn and Mo.
I worry about a few in particular but i wont go into that here. Just one of the things that are on my mind atm! :P

sunburnt... but the sun is our friend! mm.. vitamin D.
Back is worrying me too. i think i must have jarred it on the first day of hiking, then aggrovated it today doin all that stuff. I got home this arvo, and planned on going to church at 6pm, so had a short kip. Wake up with 20 min to go till church, and back is so sore i can hardly move, and bedroom is really hot, and im so tired. No win situation really. i thought that if i went to church id injure my back further and just fall asleep anyway. SO i didnt go! ack!

The other night at Smallgroup, the question was raised: "do you ever feel excluded?". My reply to that is all the time. every day theres always some situation in which I feel like im left out. When i said that no one seemed to feel the same. so im just turnign the question over to you! does anyone else out there feel excluded? or is it just me! :P

SAM

2004-12-08T23:56:00.001+10:00

:'(

My baby. My love. You were taken before your time.
There will NEVER be another one like you.
You did not deserve to go like this.
We had so many adventures before us
I can still feel you under my hands.
There is a hole in my heart. It hurts.
There was nothing I could have done. and yet I blame myself
No one understands the pain.

Why.
Odysseus. My baby. My beautiful baby. My friend. You understood me. you never judged. You were always there when i needed to escape. You deserved better.

Odysseus.

Too sad/angry/frustrated/tired whatever to talk about it right now.

SAM

2004-12-05T01:20:00.000+10:00

Ive been very bad! No updates since 22 Nov! whats going on there!

Well, lets summarise whats been happening.

- Had Girl issues, but now theyre gone! yay for that, and Nuff Said! (but im sure as always, looming just beyond the horizon more female issues are lurking! cest la vie!)
- 3 words - World of Warcraft. buy it. now. thats six words. 2 for the price of one!
- Work - Less hours at Civic, more at Comic store! R0XX0R! ^_^
- Practice - my fingers are growing callouses (i hope!) I need a new Shoulder rest! :P And i think im getting better at playing Clair De Lune! ^_^
- Been getting cultural too! about two weeks ago, saw the ASQ (Australian String Quartet) and tonight just back from seeing Handel's Messiah Oratorio! not too bad! bad seats, but meh! what are ya gonna do! (record it on mobile! thats what!)
- Youth Camp next weekend! should be good
- Hung up outdoor lights with Dad and Bro this weekend. looks good! Best year ever!
- Question of the post! Is it better to specialise in a few areas, or know a little bit about everything?

Thats all till next time! ^_^ hope your results were good and that youre all enjoying a well earned break!

SAM

2004-11-22T19:54:00.000+10:00

I was thinking i really should post something here. but whenever i get some spare time i always have something else to do.. in which case it isnt really spare time as such!
oh well!

Passion - Music Vs God and my gripes about Church

I think im becoming.. not cynical, but.. very weighted down in religion and really a bit 'meh' with Christianity. which sounds a lot badder than it really is. I know its bad, you know its bad, so there!
A lot of my 'meh' ness comes from the fact that i really dont appreciate the way things are done. Especially at this youth service. It really bugs me, gets under my skin the way people talk there. Why cant they talk normally, like normal people, instead of pausing dramatically, emphasising every third or fourth word, and always sounding so breathy.
Church should not be about feelings In my opinion at least. I go to church, not to have a connection with God, not to bathe in his glory. Because Church is about WORSHIP not about ME. not about What the individual can get out of it. I want to go to church to praise God, and by praising him i dont mean getting a warm fuzzy feeling thanks to the special lighting effects and the emotional music being played, I just mean do whatever I can to thank God for what he has done. I like the singing. not for the effect, but because I can use my all, my skills (or lack thereof! :P) and gifts for music to praise.
I could go on for ages here, about how clapping and applauding the band and people who helped put the service together is really inappropriate, or even clapping the guest speaker. What are we at, a seminar? NO! and its not as if we're at a Musical production either where every man and his dog who helped gets applause. We are at church. If there is to be clapping, then let it be applause for God. Clap To him and only him. Everyone does their part to help, but he is the only one deserving of praise.

I dont like how the pastor of that congregation constantly refers to my home church as 'that traditional church' and always speaks of it with contempt to score points with the younger people.
I dont like how a few of my friends are trying to change our home church and say we should keep with the times as to not 'scare people away'. I would feel that if we changed too much we were selling out. CHURCH SHOULD NOT BE A PLACE WHERE WE GO TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT OURSELVES. ARGH! makes me so mad sometimes. I also am saddened to hear that these same friends are now planning to go to the youth-oriented church for Christmas services, whereas every other year they had come to our home church.
I Dont appreciate our own home pastor a lot of the time too. He really needs to connect more with the actual congregation. there needs to be heaps more communication, otherwise these problems wont go away.

Ok and im gonna stop right here because im sounding really elitist and snobbish and ack! Im not. really, i just think these things need to be said! so, moving onto the next part of this post, about passion!

Last night our Youth service (SNL) was about having a passion for God. and it started off with a video interview of all these different people and what they were passionate about. (which people applauded for after! :P ARGH!)

Anyhoo, it occurred to me that I have a real passion for music, and not the same feelings for God. This, seems to me to be a problem.

Music - Its hard to describe if you dont have it yourself. But the passion I have, which i know others out there share.. Ok Ill try
There are some symphonies, some pieces of music.. That are glorious. The way they mix together the different instruments, the way the emotions can be moved in the music.. and sometimes, in some of the very best symphonies there comes a moment of pure joy. Where there is a purity of tone.. a harmony there that crunches just right. Eg - Vivaldi's Four Seasons Mvmt 1 - The Violin comes in really high with a series of semi-quavers.youd recognise it if you heard it. In other pieces too. Barbershop harmony.. Messiah Oratorio..
That moment can stir me up and... sometimes just make me teary. THat sounds really bad, but i feel as if for those few seconds of that moment, that I am complete. that this is perfection. THat no matter what else is happening, the world is perfect in that moment. THAT is my passion for music. And i want to be able to share that.
But I wonder if I have that passion for God? And I know the answer already.. no.
Thats bad thing. I should ask for help on that one. and yet... I dont know! ARGH!

Oh! and the best thing that is happening all this week?

WORLD OF WARCRAFT!!!!!!
ITS FINALLY HERE!
MY PRECIOUS!
I HAVE BEEN WAITING OVER TWO YEARS FOR THIS GAME AND TOMORROW IT IS RELEASED!

but other things to do tomorrow as well! Work from 9-1, and hopefully if the weather is good, paddling out to an island off redland bay in surf-ski's with my mate Greg. Should be fun! and tiring. hopefully more fun than tiring. And smallgroup tomorrow night. So yeh! thats it for now!

i hope that it wont be this long again before my next Post!!

Cheery-bye!
SAM

2004-11-07T20:22:00.000+10:00

We're gonna need a bigger boat

As the Brisbanites (and to a lesser extent the Coast kids) will know, today was hugely wet. Logan got 300mls in the space of about 10 hours. Anyway, this led to widespread chaos and pain and horrible disasters the likes of which should not be seen by mortal man (or woman)
i exaggerate. but it was still bad!
Enclosed you will find several pictures i thought might help to illustrate my point!
(driving on the freeway in that weather is pretty freaky!) They feature my Dad and my house. and just as a special edition exam-time post, theres a message on the end about Alcohol!

Dad attacks the vicious puddle with the broom! Have at thee!

Ok. THIS puddle's gonna need a bigger broom!

Our own private waterfall! courtesy of higher up neighbors next door!

And now, a Public Service announcement

Beer.

Brings Mates closer together!

(you wanna know the most disturbing part? they weren't asked to pose! :P Musos! *names withheld for personal protection ^_^*

2004-11-01T08:17:00.000+10:00

This is the Blog that Doesn't update
cause its a bad time oh my mates!
Philotas
Started blogging it not knowing what it was
and now it sits here changeless and updateless just because
This is the Blog that Doesn't update
Cause its a bad time oh my mates!

(Sung to the tune of 'The song that doesn't end)

hopefully return to blogging sometime in the near future. but for now, lurking seems to be the best option! perhaps after exams are over! :P

SAM

2004-10-20T19:45:00.000+10:00

Very quick blog here, cause study and assignments are plentiful! :P
in fact point form sounds good.

- sorry for not posting in peoples blogs recently! :(
- Work/Study/Life getting quite insane
- Decided after much deliberation over several months to become an instrumental teacher as opposed to a classroom music teacher
- therefore every single day of holidays =4-6 hours practice. Piano/Viola and Organ at least 2 hours a week. All holidays cancelled. :( but in the long run ill thank myself for it?
- Dont ever read Shounen.. its gets you all emotional! (ask Mike what that means! or any other Anime fan!) Ah... Love Hina.. *sniff*
- Why every time i consider a relationship do i have to go through the pain of asking what it will do to my spiritual life. :(
- Man im turning into a girl! :P
- I like Tuning forks. A constant in a post modern world! HAH! YOU HEAR THAT YOU POST MODERN PHILOSOPHERS? YOU HEAR THAT NIEZCHE? A TUNING FORK IS A CONSTANT! MINE IS 440MHz A!

- love you all brothers and sisters and friends and EVERYONE! (in a manly, macho kinda platonic way of course! *grunt*

SAM

2004-10-10T22:51:00.000+10:00

Me=Buggered.

I am slack. Sorry especially to Reuben and to Andrew, i am reading the stuff you guys are posting, but every time i come to comment something i seem to lack the effort to post. I dont know why. Even posting here is taking effort-age! :P sorry! i promise i will comment soon! really! Pinky Promise?

Business end of the semester and things are really heating up here! not just in temperature either (its been boiling a few days this week. already over 30? whats with that!).
I have to complete my Song Folder in two weeks time (around 150+ folk songs, all analysed and indexed as to what we can use them to teach)
I also have a 3000 word Educ assignment due in next monday that i need to do a prac for that the schools have been stuffing me around with.
I have another Aural assignment due in tommorrow, which, due to this unfortunately timed sickness, (achoo) I havent been able to practice nearly as much as i should have.
And Aural end of semester exam looms near too.. have to start practicing for that one!

ARGH! ARGH! and ARGH! again. And once more for good measure. ARGH!

By the way, if anyone is going to the movies anytime soon, i totally reccomend, nay, order! you to go and see 'Shaun of the Dead'. That movie is the funniest movie i have seen in a very long time. I warn you it is a bit gory though, but seriously! you know you want to go see a movie described as: "A Romantic Comedy. With Zombies."

One of my friends from Work said this recentley, that
"If you set out to be sociable, there'll be no end of events that will come your way." (im paraphrasing horribly! but thats ok, twas over 3 weeks ago he said it! :P)
But the point is its true. OVer the last 8 weeks, i have had so many social 'events' that it isnt funny. why is it so many people are born in September? (oh yeh! *counts back 9 months* heh heh.. New Years eh? just try not to think about it that much!)
So many parties. This week, Friday night, Alex's (muso mate) 21st, and on the Saturday, the 20th of one of my old School friend's. Friday night was a big night.

NOTE TO SELF. AVOID PORT AT PARTIES AT ALL COSTS. you think id learn the FIRST time. On a brighter note, that was the first all-muso party ive ever been to! I can just remember some of the convos going on! It was incredible. i mean, normally social commentary and gossip is exchanged. but the number of times composers and orchestra experiences and instruments were mentioned... insane! quite funny. but then again, nearly everything becomes funny after a few drinks. (I will re-iterate (have i done this before?) How i really love Bundaberg 'Dark and Stormy'. That is a mixture of Ginger beer and Rum. mmmmm.... Bundy...

ELECTION FEVER! Little Johnny is back in office! I will freely admit here that I voted Liberal. For various different reasons, which i argued on Friday night (4 labour supporters vs 1 Liberal supporter! fueled by alcohol. Some good points raised :D) I really didnt like Mark Latham. but once again, i argued that on Friday so no need now! moving on to UNI ELECTIONS and the socialists. well, we are prepared this year!
The socialists and anti-socialists are everywhere this time of year, handing out flyers and shoving their opinions down your throat. We are always trying to find ways to get them riled. Payback! for all the trees destroyed by making leaflets! (does anyone else see the irony of the Green party handing out copious amounts of Leaflets?) Last year Clay (see below w/Hat) Came up with an idea. Myself and Matt helped put it into practice, and it turned out to be quite successful. here for your viewing pleasure, is that idea.

The Front: attacks them when they try to give you a leaflet

The Back: Kicks them when they're down!

Ah tis going to be a good election week! beware socialists! beware! ^_^ last year we made about 30 of these and managed to sell all but one. We sold them at cost price ($15 each) beacuse our aim wasnt money, just to annoy the hell outta all the socialists! :D

ANYhoo
i could go on but ive been ranting long enough!
This is SAM signing out once again!

SAM

2004-10-06T02:24:00.000+10:00

DOOM! THE END IS NEAR!

To distract just for a second from the 'big' issue below, id just like to show you the face of true evil:

True Evil comes in many forms

To explain.. it is yet another reason why Trees are evil. (see post for 01/08/04)
I drove to Uni the other day, and this site greeted me.

The only time Jacaranda trees blossom is when it gets near to exam time! REPENT! FOR THE END IS NIGH! THE JACARANDA TREES ARE IN BLOOM! DOOOM! DOOOOOOM!

SAM

2004-10-02T22:23:00.000+10:00

Shh! dont tell my assignment, but im cheating on it! I felt guilty about not having posted this yet, so ill do it now! ^_^ procrastination after all, is the aim of this site! So, without further ado, I present:

"Help, I've Fallen and I can't get up!"

We are a fallen race. There are no two ways about it. Humanity as a whole, and each individual has sinned, and fallen away from the perfection we were created in. Ghandi sinned. Mother Theresa Sinned. EVERYONE sins.
This fallenness is absolutely essential if we are to call ourselves Christians. If we believe that we arent fallen beyond all hope, then we totally undermine everything we stand for. Ill elaborate.

When I say Fallen, I mean REALLY fallen. first there was only one sin, one original sin.. but it introduced sin into an otherwise perfect creation. From then on in, everyone has sinned, and as such, falls short of perfection, falls short of the Glory of God. There is no way we can redeem ourselves, or as some suggest, work off their sins. The Wages of Sin is Death. Ask yourself. Have you sinned? how many times? can you even count them? If you say you can then add another few cause youre lying! ^_^

What is a Sin? Is it only a Judaeo/Christian 'thing' that makes us feel bad about doing certain things? no. For the purpose of this here, i will define sin as: "Any thought, word or activity that harms (directly or indirectly) yourself or others." This is a very humanist way of looking at Sin, but this is a perfect way of describing it to those who arent Christian, and will think you are Bible bashing. Even humanists will agree with you there (at least on the harming others part). Atheists wont like to admit it, but they'll know you're right, and Agnostics..well it'll give them something to think about! :)

Im sure everyone's heard people say: 'Im not perfect, but i try to lead a good life.' yep definately admirable! eveyrone should be trying to do that! Christians and Humanists, Other religions and atheists alike. But the danger in this is, that some people believe that this is all that is needed. Some say that we arent really fallen beyond all hope. Some believe that there is a purgatory, where Everyone will go after they die, and stay there till they atone for their sins.

I wont get into the whole Works Vs Faith debate here because the answer is quite simple. Works can never make us holy, can never atone, because of the simple fact that we have sinned. There was only one person in Human history who did not Sin.
Jesus.
And here we come to the cruncher.
Jesus, the Christ. Christians are 'those who follow Christ', or 'imitators of Christ' Reuben made a comment on Andrew's blog recentley, saying that maybe the gospel is grossly misunderstood. That We are saved, not by believing in Jesus and the resurrection, by following his example

I would like to say that this is not right. I dont mean to sound harsh here but i believe that this is a very very misleading idea, and i want to qualify why i think that. If we can be saved by following Christ's example, by living a godly life, and worshipping the father, then we are not Christians. We are Jews. The Jews believe that they did not need a spiritual messiah because their sins could be atoned for by sacrifices and good works. They believe that Humanity is not totally fallen.
The whole point of Christianity is that Jesus, the Son of God, sent by the Father, came to Earth for the very purpose of Dying and being raised again to allow us to be reconciled to God. To atone for our sins, because he, being the only sinless human, was the only one who could. Sound familiar? ill phrase it another way:

John 3:16 "For God so loved the World, that He sent His one and only Son. That whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

Andrew asked, 'what about Abraham and those born BC?: Romans 2:12-16 Talks about those who have not heard about the Gospel, and how they are justified by their adherence to the law. This is ok. But if someone has heard about Jesus..about God, there is no excuse. As for the OT people:
Andrew quoted the 'justification by faith' verse but missed the implication therein. If one was justified by faith, why cant another be justified by faith? If Abraham, why not Joseph and his brothers? Why not Jacob? Why not Elijah? why not Elim Kalish Isab, a levite who is faithful to God? why not N'tuku, African Chieftan who obeys the law, They were born Before Christ, and since they had faith and obeyed the law, God would likewise have credited it to them as righteousness. For what is a righteous person if not: "Morally upright; without guilt or sin" (www.dictionary.com). Faith=righteousness in the OT. Even though all were fallen, they could be made righteous by their faith and obedience to God.

Put very basically, here is my point.
If we are not totally fallen. If by living up to the example set by Jesus, if by spending a period of time in eternity being purified (as Origen suggests) that anyone can be reconcilled to God, if all of this is possible, there is no reason for Jesus to have come to earth at all. In fact, Jesus Death and Ressurection mean nothing. If we weren't totally fallen, then..well, thanks anyway Big J, but we can save ourselves! thanks for showing that you are willing to die and sacrifice yourself, but why did you do it? just to prove you could rise again?
The whole point of the Ressurection is that sin and death were defeated, that the veil was torn in two and people could now be reconcilled with God. If we believe even remotely that there is any other way (other than putting our faith in Jesus as our risen Lord who reconciles us to God) that we, or anyone can be saved, then Jesus' death is meaningless, and Christianity becomes "How" instead of "why".

One of the Biggest difficulties I see with Spreading Christianity today is that it involves telling people that yes, they are sinful. this is a hard thing to swallow for anyone. Even more hard is that the sin can never be made up for on its own.
Its hard to accept that we arent good. That we have to rely on someone else to make it up for us. but its something that everyone has to face up to sooner or later. everything else in the meantime is a distraction. When all that ends, the truth still remains.

So! After writing all that and re-reading it, im worried it might come out as an attack aginst you Reubs and Andy! But really its not! You guys are cool! Im just pointing out some stuff that i think may be very helpful. Feel free to nitpick my argument (which is hardly airtight yet..) so that i can improve it, and clarify any points! ^_^

Okees! Off to do some Assignment now! Good old Maori Warfare! we need a Haka! Take it away Mike! ;)

SAM

2004-09-27T23:28:00.000+10:00

"A Pictureless post!...or IS it?"

Ok, since youre all probably tired of seeing world through the eyes of my phone, ill skip the pictures just this once! (although i have some more nice ones!)

And since im supposed to be working on an History assignment, i wont be doing my 'fallen' post today, but possibly Wednesday. Thats looking a bit more likely.
ANyhoo. Just a couple of issues i wanted to blog. Mainly in regards to other people's blogs! ^_^

LACK OF POSTING
There has been a noticeable decrease in the amount of postage-ness recentley! whats the go here. surely everyone has not decided to go out and actually do stuff rather than just blogging it! ;) But glad to see no one has given up just yet! ^_^ Specially Michelle! I mean really! you weren't thinking of cutting out on the 'family' were you? cause once youre in..

COMPLIMENTS
So!Jess has started (continued?) a trend it seems! complimenting others. Mike similarly followed suit. And so, like Mike I would just like to say that to everyone in my blogging audience, You guys R0XX0r!
I think ill expand here too. Im the kind of guy (probably like MOST guys out there) that doesnt really take verbal compliments really well. I tend to shrug them off. And theres always a little part of me that asks, why are they saying that? what do they want? are they mocking me by being sarcastic? who is listening they are trying to show off too? which is really cynical i know.
But i dont mind written stuff! seems more genuine somehow! Jess! Thank you VEry much for the compliments! :D i will attempt to continue to be as random and amusing as possible! ^_^

BLOGGER FEATURE
Ok! who loves the new feature where we can jump to a random blog? there are so many cool blogs out there.. tru enough there are some people out there who REALLY need to redo grammar and spelling, but there are some really interesting ones too!
Try clicking this little thing one day!

THINKING ABOUT PRAYER
Just a quick little one here. I have been pretty slack recentley. I have missed my daily prayer several times now in the last week, due to simply collapsing into bed many times. I mean, sure I can have heaps of little prayers during the day, as im driving, while at uni.. wherever. but that prayer session at night is kinda my wrap up.. my God and Me time. And i just think its surprising that when you stop doing that regularly how easy it is to start doubting, and how easy it is to be tempted, and start thinking stuff you wouldnt normally (being angry at cars on the road, haing impatience with people.. etc etc).
Just gets me wondering how much a repeated activity can have an effect on our Psyche. hmm.. and i wont go down this track because it leads to humanistic thouhgts! :P the darkside! ^_^

THINKING ABOUT HAIR

Well i said i wouldnt have any photos. And i...mus....resist..no i cant! must put in photos! The other night, after the ...unpleasantness that was the Cowboys VS Roosters match

One Hardcore cowboys fan and a recent Convert!
(THe Cowboys deserved to win. They dont buy their players, or the Ref! imagine! ending a game with ten seconds left, when the boys are 5m from the line, instead of forming a scrum and playing the last tackle? Simpkins shall pay!) anyway... after this, Clay and I decided to dye our hair. What. It was logical at the time! :P
So we did! with the aid of COurtney and Sarah, two girls from Wombee, we now have our new hair! Clayton,
The Dying: Sarah With Clay and Courtney with Me!

BEFORE AND AFTER

And Me! :P

So I am now Blonde? (i dunno.. looks a bit more orangey! :P) and Clay is Black! THe last time i changed my hair colour was Schoolies 2001! and that was blonde! hmm.. well, at least now i look like my Drivers Licence and Uni ID photos! :P

Anyhoo.. nothing much meaningful tonight.. im workin on it! really! ^_^ Wednesday! watch out!

Look after yourselves everyone!

SAM

2004-09-23T01:10:00.000+10:00

"Beware mortals!"

Yellow everyone! just a quickie as im dead tired tonight! :P And i havent forgotten my promise of doing some meaningful posts soon! (especially the 'fallenness one, which ive got some GREAT ideas for!) but today im just gonna skim some quick stuff and some more photos! :D

This Week Im home alone. My Parents and Bro have gone to visit my Mummu and Varri (Grandma and Grandad) up in Bingil Bay North Queensland. Took them to the airport on Monday. Im loving living on my own. there is no pressure to do anything at any certain time, and i dont have to talk to anyone for extended periods of time! :D gee, that sounded really anti social didnt it! :P
BUT ive still got my lovely Labrador Retriever CHEWIE! (Short for Chewbacca!) to keep me company!

Isnt she cute!

Oh and the other thing! which reflects the title of this post! BEWARE MORTALS for this Arts student now has a basic grounding in PHYSICS! THATS right! PHYSICS! I can tell you all about the four forces - weak, strong, gravity and EM, i can tell you about what Quantum is and what QUantum leaps are and how the uncertainty principle affects Quantum mechanics and Chaos Theory!
I spent about an hour and a half in the Physics Tea Room this afternoon, being taught by my mates, Matt and Chris! here they are! fools! giving me the knowledge i need to conquer the universe and ALL OF TIME! BWAHAHHAHAHAHAAA!

And also relating to the Tea Room, i have discovered something. that no sane person should study physics. here is my evidence:

It all starts out harmless enough... but before too long

DONT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU! DONT DO PHYSICS!

SAM OUT!

2004-09-20T14:04:00.000+10:00

ARGH! SUPID FAT HOBBITSES! I had a massive post here and Blogger ate it. urge to kill...rising! Ok, so first ill RETYPE THE WHOLE THING! ooh.. the rage....

So! what i was going to post before!: I have been incredibly busy the last few days, and woah! its six days since my last post! unfortunately of late i have been so busy that i find myself actually sleeping when i should be blogging and procrastinating! Unfortunately this leaves me a lot of info to post about and only one post to do it in! so, for the benefit of those who hate long posts i will now give you time to surf to another site! go on! ..... ok. thats long enough! and now for those of you who stayed, grab a drink, some popcorn and/or chocolate, and a pillow and prepare to experience: FIVE DAYS IN THE LIFE OF SOME AUSSIE MANIAC (now with Subheadings for your reading pleasure!)

PHONE
Sadly, after many years of faithful service, my old Nokia 3310 - replete in it's funky Star Wars case bought in Sydney - has been put out to pasture. In its place, is: A BRAND NEW CA..er PHONE! A beeeeyuuuutiful Nokia 6230. It is sooo cool. It can take photos, it can take sounds, (i can record my own ring and message tones!) it can make movies WITH sound. It has some R0XX0r games on it, and has all the usual bells and whistles, including reminders/alarms etc and a full wall calendar! It also allows me to keep THOUSANDS of SMS. Atm i am up to 51. thats not including all the messages Ive sent, which it automatically saves! Oh, and you can also use it to call people! ^_^
But, i had to sell my soul to Nokia to get it! :P 24 month contract. 45 dollars a month, and this includes call charges. so if i dont use the 45 dollars, it gets rolled over to the next month! :D
Oh and, today i went out and purchased the USB enhancement! thus, all of the movies, pictures and everything can now (and are) be transferred to my computer, and from computer to here! :D While they arent as good quality as a digital camera, they are still pretty darn good! So! Welcome to the updated version of Philotas Procrastinates! Now With Purty Pictures! ;)

INSPIRATION
A few posts back i mentioned how i was losing my passion for music, well, things have now changed! On Thursday last week, I was invited to go to the Opera, Mozart's "Magic Flute" along with my Brother's Music class. So i went and watched. Now, the opera might have no plot whatsoever, and the music isnt anything to write home about, but all the while i sat there remembering how much i had loved being a member of an orchestra. Being part of making music. And how in grade 12 I was a lead role in the School musical, and how i enjoyed singing in that and all the choirs i had been in. I also realised that I had not been involved in a Choir or Orchestra for almost 2 years, and I missed it.
Another realisation was with my listening habits. All the music I had been listening to recentley had been all modern stuff. Like Rock, Ska, Punk, Techno, Pop, Weird Al, Tom Lehrer etc... So I changed the channel, and.. Oh mate.
I love Art Music. It is absolutely incredible. Not like the 2 or 3 minute soundbites that are proliferate today. Now Im not saying that this music is bad, or that its' creators aren't talented. But When compared with art music...
In Art music there is no need for lyrics. The music emulates feelings and primal desires within us all. The twist and flow of the music and the different instruments used each evoke different moods. The rising then plummeting melody lines, the beautiful harmonies.. and most importantly, the mounting tension then joyous release of the resolutions. Is.. undescribable.
As a Music scholar as well, i can choose to appreciate it passively, just sitting back and enjoying the sounds, or i can take an active role and work out the chord and key progressions, the stylistic features, i can predict where it can go. And try to guess a possible composer. Art Music has the power to transport me like no other music can.
I AM A MUSO. I have been since grade 1. i will NOT give this up. Everyone needs to experience the joys of art music in their lives.

WEDDING
There were two main events that happened on the Weekend! The First was a joyous occasion! A Wedding of two of my friends, Janice and Jono! :D Janice is yet another sister of my best friend (he has 4), and Jono ive known for a while now through church and other stuff! He is the lead singer for the Ska/punk Christian band "Half Way Out", and is also a Man. Arts TEacher at Trinity Lutheran! he is involved in a heap of other stuff to. very nice bloke. His Dad is a Pastor, and so is his Brother, who actually officiated at the wedding ceremony! ^_^ And, here, direct from my camera are some pictures of the ceremony and the reception!

Pre-Wedding. The Groom and his men are waiting at the front of the Chapel. See the Cross Mike! ^_^

The Reception Place, sans people sitting down!

The Wedding Cake, made by the Groom's Mum! mmm..icing...

A Close up of the set tables! very nice touch with the boxes of Chocolate there!

Rawr! The Brides Fair Maidens! Kerryn, Nicole and Christie, all sisters!

And Last but not least, the happy couple! situated on the 'King and Queen of Hearts' chairs that The Groom made for a musical!

SUPANOVA
The Second big event of the Weekend was SUPANOVA! now im not sure if ive written any of this before, but SUPANOVA is a 'pop culture expo' that is in its' second year in Brisbane. So, every year, around this time all the geeks, fanboys/girls and Other Otaku come out of their holes and from under various rocks (;)) and converge here! At the RNA showgrounds on September 18th and 19th! It has Manga, it has Comics, it has Scifi. It has Dance Dance Revolution competitions, there are cards, and there are computer game stalls. There are also numerous special guests! including Sean Astin (Samwise) John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) and John Noble (Denethor, Mad Steward of Gondor) from LOTR! as well as several voice actors, and other Sci-fi/fantasy actors. There are also comic book writers/artists!
the best part? I GOT PAID TO GO HERE!
But let me tell you, there are some VERY scary people in there! VERY VERY freaky. I mean, here i was thinking i was a huge geek, but compared to some of those guys and girls.... *violent shudder*
I got to meet Both Stuart Immonen (Cool artist of a lot of excellent comics and a fellow (Canadian) 1/2 Finn!) and David Finch! (Also a cool artist of some very cool comics, including AVENGERS). David Finch gave me an autograph on my copy of Avengers 500 directors cut and also drew me a signed portrait of THOR! :D how very very cool! I was so stoked i couldnt stop smiling for at least 10 minutes!

Anyway! Here is some pictures from this very very cool Convention!

Tony, Manager of the Daily Planet posing for me at our Stand at SUPANOVA

The Guy in the Orange shirt is Stuart Immonen, very busily signing and drawing for his admirers at our stand!

and this is another angle of our stand, obscured by Laura's Butt! ;) lol. she'd kill me if she ever saw this photo!

And thats the marathon over for today kiddies!
I could type more but since ive already typed this out twice, i think ill let it go! and ill let you go too! remember to Visit back soon!
This is SAM!

PEACE OUT!

2004-09-14T22:42:00.000+10:00

Funeral

Today was the Funeral. We started in Church at 9am. then when the service finished and the morning tea was over we went to Gympie, where the Reeves family plot was. Grandad was interred there next to Grandma. There were quite a few of his friends/neighbors and family there to see him off. I played 'Amazing Grace' at the Gravesite on the viola so the rest could sing.
Im quite braindead at the moment. Had smallgroup tonight, and before i could go in I just had to take a walk around the block several times. ended up walking for over an hour before i went in. Walking around in nice black suit and pants and shoes. must have looked odd.

Man the style of writing im using here is very poor. I apologise! really I do. But at the moment theres a lot on my mind. Its not just the funeral, or Grandad's passing, but i think it is a lot of issues that have been bought to a cusp by this. or enhanced in some way by this.

I am of two minds whether to post this stuff or not. I realise my Blog entries of late have been utterly horrible and depression inducing. If the ads were back theyd slaughter me! :P I really dont want to have to put anyone through reading this. Also I am worried, again about my image. I worry that what I say through here may change people's opinions of who i am, based on what ive done. this is unavoidable. but is it better to post here, or keep it inside. I dont want to have secrets. Secrets can eat you up. I also think though, that this is what I started my blog for. moments like these when I have to release somewhere. Because things are getting too confusing for me to process on my own. So I will do this.

I always try to be the happy person of my group. Of my Uni Friends Im the Joker of the crowd. Slightly different with church friends because of my past history with them, the person i was through high school (when i first knew them) is different to the person i am now. Ive changed my personality paradigm totally. (or attempted to) from Introvert to Extravert. I choose to be the happy one because i think people around me need this. Humour is one of the best forms of medicine. everyone knows this. So i try to exude it. Become the monkey. Be the one who always has a one liner or a comeback. the weirdo. the bizarre random. I do this to cheer others up.

Just recentley though, im not sure why. maybe it is the stress of Uni. Maybe it is Grandad. Maybe it is Smallgroup thing from a while back. Maybe its the lack of sleep due to overcommitment. Maybe its a combination of the lot. But just recentley i have been reverting back to introvert status. What i mean by this is my energy levels are low all the time, its a real effort to maintain the usual standard of craziness. I cant hold an accent for long now. :P Reacting to social situations becomes harder and harder. More and more i like spending time on my own, just not doing much at all. trying to rest i guess.

I can also feel my patience at an alltime low. The other night during Poker my Mate Clay was paying me out about something. Now usually my tolerance level for this is incredible. Like water off a ducks back literally. I can take anyone paying me out at all under nearly any circumstance, because I love them. I realise there is always more going on than meets the eye. there is always a reason behind the narcy ness, that requries attention, rather than just getting angry.
(on a side note i oftne think its scary how easily i can read into people's actions. maybe this is a gift i have, or the result of thousands of useless psych education info bites. But either way i can really understand a persons actions quite easily, and what may be motivating them. its scary.)
Last night...I wasnt tolerant and i started sniping back. Usually, even though i can have perfect responses to most pay outs, i dont. i hold back. because we have to love one another. Last night i didnt. so i was responding to insults in kind. That was terrible of me. i feel so ashamed.
Lord Forgive me.

There was also another thing that happened that im not quite ready to blog about yet.

On a completely different angle though, I took a first step towards bringing my Blog into the real world, and thus revealing myself. I gave Nicole from my Smallgroup a piece of paper with the address of this Blog on.
She is a very trusted friend. She is my mentor in a whole lot of things. Its scary, but i feel she is the best one to show this to first. Hey Nic! :)

I Promise that I will post on something much better than this stuff tomorrow! i DO have some good news in amongst all this! :)

SAM

2004-09-12T16:03:00.000+10:00

Weird Party!

Back to Blogging again! Yesterday/Today has been interesting. As part of my terribly junked up social calander, i had a friend's 20th Party last night over at her friend's place in Taringa. (thats Near Uni for all you Kiwis! though LIZ ;) knows what im talking about! :D)
The Birthday Girl was Kristen (I posted about this chick a while back i think. she was the one who was going to see Harry Potter with me.).I know her from History and Education etc etc. The party was themed: "Fantasy and Mysticism". So I had the idea to go as a wizard! So i dressed in Performance Blacks (for all you non musos out there: black pants, and long sleeved black shirt that hangs over pants) and a dark Blue Bathrobe over that, and as an homage to Terry Pratchett, I taped the word: "WIZZARD" on the back! with stars and an arrow pointing up to my head! Even borrowed a witches hat from my Piano teacher. dont ask. :P

After having prepared, and bought present (a small lavalamp!) I went on over. At the party there were intially about 3 people i knew. (Kristen, and two other Educ people). and some other randoms who i thought were her friends. But i was mistaken! well, they were her friends, but they were mainly there because of their connections with the owner of the flat, Michelle (lol no relation).
So the first weird thing was Evan (a guy i know from EDUC) he was posing as 'Mephisto: Lord of Hatred' (Diablo theme there! ;D) and he had been conned into having his face painted. So. Imagine this. A pretty blokey guy there with plastic horns on his head, and with red paint all around his eyes, very much looking like mascara. very VERY disturbing! :D
But moving right along! The first OFFICIAL weird thing that happened was that the Birthday Girl left first. thats right. There was some issues here with her mum turning up. She and her mum have this....unorthodox relationship. At the moment she, her sister and mother are all living seperately. long story. anyway: Her mum apparently likes being the center of attention. and this upsets Kristen. understandibly. so she ended up going home early. and the party turned into Michelle's house party (apparently it had been inteded as this all along but just merged the birthday into it.)

So. in short order, i then knew two people there. then one left. so i knew one person there! its all good! Then some more random guys and girls turned up. Well.. random to me anyway! ^_^
Course then, the other person that i knew left! hmm.
So i was in a situation in which i knew absolutely no one at the party prior to that night! But the good thing here is that I had already struck up some convos with some of the guys and girls. (lol.. somehow ended up at 1am talking with these guys about Stephen Hawking and Black Holes and Physics!)

So, now that the scene is set, theres a couple of other weird things that happened that night. First one was Michelle showing me how, through 'Reiki' she could control her body temperature. I think this is an Eastern meditative thing to do with the energies in the body. Tis very weird and cool, yet is also slightly disturbing, thought i cant quite put my finger on it. After she demonstrated this, she put her hands on my leg and did it to me. First she made my Ears hot, then back, then feet, then all over tingly. And she would be directing the energy to a certain part of the body. like, she would tell me where she was directing it at the time. Weird stuff.

Second weird thing that happened there. i found this out later, after it had happened. One of the ladies (and i say lady because she is about 36. Shes a teacher :P) Was 'REading' people. one of the guys i was talking to most of the night had talked to her earlier and she had told him stuff about himself that he hadnt told her yet. like, he worked at Mitre 10. or that he was doing this course and was aiming for this in life. Apparently she has done this before at a New Years Eve Party. (with teary results for some participants). So the story goes is that she can see and hear the 'spirit guardians' we all have around us, the ones who guide us.
Ok. now that was weird. I mean. spirit guardians. what do we assume about these sorts of things?

She hears them, but doesnt 'call' on them. What do you all think about this? is this evil? is this not good or evil? What do you think of the idea of spirit guardians? i think Guardian angels is likely! but im not sure.

there was some other weird stuff from this party but ive dragged on too long already and im not sure i should print the rest anyway! ;)

SAM

2004-09-09T14:12:00.000+10:00

Grandad died today.

He died at around 1:20pm at the nursing home. Three of his sons were there. One was attempting to drive up from Sydney with 3 hours to drive still. One was in Toowoomba, likewise trying to make it down. another of my cousins was there too along with the wives of the three brothers.
I got a phone call as i was driving a mate home from uni, that they didnt think Grandad would last the hour. My Brother was at school in an exam. and it was decided that he probably shouldnt come for this, because he had a difficult enough time seeing Grandad on the weekend.

This is the first time ive had somebody close to me die. I was in the room as he breathed his last. I watched the pulse in his neck when it stopped. The cancer in his throat had spread down and was making breathing difficult. He fought for every breath. Kind of like Grandad. a fighter.
He couldnt speak, and i think he may have been vaguely aware of us in the room.
As everyone said their goodbyes it was touching to see one of my uncles say he loved Grandad. Even through all the family strife we've had he still loves his dad.

I feel sad. I feel a certain mortality. the most usual reactions to a death. There are no longer 4 generations of Reeves' on this earth. Death comes for us all in the end.
As a Christian I have hope of a better life after death, and I feel happy for Grandad in that regard. for the last few months he has been a prisoner in his own body. Hopefully now, in death, the prisoner will be released. I dont know where he is now, but i hope and pray that while he still thought clearly that he chose the right path to take. And I pray that God will guide him home.

Death is the end of Mortality.

I wonder what sort of thoughts enter your head in those last few hours. Do you wish you had completed some of your goals and dreams? do you lament those moments when you have screwed up? What sort of fear could grip you? Up until the actual moment when you are unable to breath anymore...what are your last thoughts?

I thank God that Grandad didnt suffer long through this stage. I thank him once again that I could know Grandad. His next door neighbor and friend at the nursing home, flora, said: "Youve lost a good Grandfather. He was a good man." and by all reports he had endeared himself to the staff and his neighbors alike.

I know a good man has died today, but i know we will meet again
Au Revoir Bernie.

Rest In Peace
Bernard ALfred Reeves.
Gone to God Thursday 9th of September 2004

Later:
I cant stop thinking about it. its tearing me up. I just keep remembering seeing his pulse go. I remember watching. hoping he would take another breath. people were talking around him. but I kept watching. maybe 30 seconds later i remember my dad saying: "I think he's gone."
I cant forget the image of my Uncle. he is the ultimate Bloke. He is an engineer. he loves his beer, BBQs, normally a very loud guy.. He was crying as he leaned close and whispered. "Goodbye Dad, I love you."
I think ive passed through denial. It sucks. I can see the brighter side. but doesnt stop the pain.
I took a break at work this arvo and walked outside to watch the sunset. It had been clouded and rainy all day, but in the afternoon. the most gorgeous sunset ive seen in ages.

2004-09-05T01:11:00.000+10:00

PUBLIC HEALTH WARNING. THIS IS THE OSH TASKFORCE SPEAKING

ALL PEOPLE ARE TO AVOID THE FOLLOWING BLOGS DUE TO er...RODENT INFESTATION!
yes..RODENT INFESTATION REPORTED IN THE FOLLOWING BLOGS:

Mike - The Purple Pill - crazedmechanic.blogspot.com

AVOID THIS SITE AT ALL COSTS!

THANK YOU

Usmell. A. Ratineah

Chief of Staff. Australian OSH

2004-09-03T01:32:00.000+10:00

Well, its now 1:30am. and here i am blogging. i have to get up in 4 hours to work. And between now and 7pm i have to do a whole lotta stuff which i hope to have time for including preparing a vocal item for our Congregation's whizzbang concert that I'm co-MCing tonight.
but I need to post this.

************

My Grandad.

MY Grandad is 90 years old. He's dying. Im not sure how long he has, but everyone seems to think its weeks at best, possibly days. Im praying otherwise but I know that its in God's hands.

Who is he? Its a question ive been asking myself lately. Do i know who he is? what he's done? I owe my existence to him from a certain point of view, and yet, i know hardly anything about him. so here is a collection of what i know, its a small kind of tribute to his life, such as i know.

Bernard Alfred Reeves was born in 1914, the year that WW1 started. He was born (to the best of my knowledge) in Gympie, which is in North Queensland. He had a brother, Keith. His dad (my Great-Grandad) was a cattle farmer.
Bernie grew up, and had a good education. He was intelligent, and studied Greek, French, Latin and English. He wanted to be a Geologist. This plan was upset by the Great Depression. All studies and directions he had planned had to be cut short. He returned to the farm, and became a career Dairy farmer, basing out of a farm at Imbil, near Gympie. (this is around the years of 1932-1939)

War broke out in Europe. After having given up his first chosen career to become a farmer to help support himself and his family (having to help with Dad and Brother) he was forced to join the Australian Army and was called up for service. IT was just before he left to join the war that he met Florence. Four days later they got married, and a few days after this, Bernie was sent to Papua New Guinea.
In PNG he served as a Signaller due to his knowledge of languages and other studies, relaying Morse coded messages to the allied forces. He also saw active combat duty against the Japanese, which he never liked to talk about.

After four years of service the war was over and he could go back to his wife. He settled down with her and took over the running of the farm. (Im not sure what happened to Great Grandad.) I have been told that Bernie was always being picked on by his Brother and Father, though im not sure why. (see how much i dont know) In the following 30 years (1945-1970s) Grandad devoted himself to working the farm to support his family, which now included Five sons.in order of age: Ross, Ian, Peter, Kim, and Stewart. (Peter, born in 1955 is my Father). It was hard raising this lot and still working the farm. Grandad was always so busy, so it fell a lot to my Grandmother, Florence to raise them. Florence was a religious woman, Church of England. The boys grew up and went through primary to secondary and all bar one into University. I think all of them ended up at UQ! And they married and started to have families of their own too. Matt, my cousin was born in 1979.

It was after seeing only her first Grandchild that my Grandma passed away from breast cancer. I never knew her and consequently know nothing about her except what i have heard of her from my Dad (which isnt much).
Grandad was alone. his brother and Dad had died a while back. And with all the kids gone to start their own lives it was lonely for him.
Not long after this, he met Iris. A british woman who had also been recently widowed. they got to know eachother and eventually Married. This is the woman i know as my Grandma. They were both around 60-odd and retired to the farm in Imbil where Grandad had spent most of his life.

I remember this farm fondly. I remember the rocky path that led up to it, i remember all the anecdotes my dad told us, about taking the skin off his back in a toboggan accident and trying to hide it from his mum. I remember the way the blowflies zipped around, and how the grass was always so tall and dry. I remember planting vegetables and picking strawberries with my brother and my Grandad. I remember listening to the Kookaburras and the Magpies in the mornign on the balcony, overlooking a postcard Aussie Countryside. I remember the distinct smell of the old lived in house. It was there that i developed a taste for cat biscuits. :) And there that we used to play long games of cards and yahtzee with Grandma and Grandad.

THese days were to end though, in 1993 Grandma (my step Grandma) had finally persuaded Grandad to take her back to England because she missed her homeland. There was a big farewell, one of the only times in my memory that the whole extended family was ever together. Grandad and Grandma went off over to England to live together there. We went and visited their home in 1995 as part of a three month round the world holiday. It was in Newick, East Sussex, close to Grandmas relatives. Grandad was happy for a while, but he too started to miss the country of his birth, but was torn between this and his love for his wife. He stayed there for 6 years, and came back to Australia for the Summer twice in this period, much to the annoyance of Grandma.
in 2000 he and Grandma decided the best thing to do would be for him to go and live in Australia. I cant imagine the situation. It was a 'If you leave you wont be coming back, because you are abandoning me' thing. I always thought though, that Grandma had a way of guilting Grandad into doing things, and he, being soft hearted would always acquiesce. Not this time. Grandad travelled back to Australia (Peter Allen's 'I Still call Australia home' comes to mind).

For the next 3 years Grandad stayed at our home. THe other brothers had him over occasionally, but in one of the biggest displays of apathy i have ever seen, they didnt seem to care about his fate. My dad was the only one of five brothers willing to take Grandad in. So it was that Grandad came to live with us. I remember playing cards at night with him, and having some good convos.

He was getting old, and had already had a stroke when living in England, so he was not as virile as he used to be, but he was still pretty much with it in the head until about halfway through last year, when it was discovered that he had a form of leukemia. Lymphatic cancer, where his white blood cells and immune system were being destroyed.
He was in and out of hostpital in this time, and this put a huge strain on our family. Along with the Leukemia came Dementia. Grandad gradually started to lose his memory and become more egocentric (reverting to childhood). When he was not in hospital he would stay at our house.
I remember these times as not being the best. the JW's tried to talk to him, and i hoped they had some success. (Iris had been a JW herself. Grandad had not been to a church in a long while, although we sometimes took him with us if he was awake. A high point of this time was Grandad's Baptism at our Church.)

Eventually the family couldnt provide the care he needed (we were at work/school/uni) and so he was put in a retirement home about 5 min drive away from out home, where we continued to visit him.
In the last two weeks, the cancer has returned, this time in his upper mouth. the Doctors say that all the effort it would take would only prolong the suffering, so no more treatment is being administered save that of pallative care. Just this week, he could no longer remember Stewart, his youngest son, (who hardly ever visited him anyway). And had difficulty remembering my Dad, who visited every day. I went to see him today, and he was snoozing, he kind of woke up, and i think he acknowledged me, and said thanks for visiting? im not sure he knew who i was, and i think the pain medicine is making him a bit drowsy.

Im just thinking these could be the last days i have with him. Its sad. I want to know so much more about him, but now he wont be able to tell me. I can only pray that God has opened Grandad's heart to him, and that i will see him again. My grandad said to me once: "I have never been happy in my life" this was after dementia had started to set in, so i think this remark is not entirely accurate.
One thing he said before dementia though when i asked him did he believe? he said: "I believe in the Lord Jesus." So there is a comfort.
I often wonder what his other kids think. one of them NEVER paid him a visit in the hospital or the home. How can they do this? I really will never understand my uncles.

Grandad had a hard life. the depression and the war hurting him and his dreams. he did the best he could in really krap circumstances. He provided and raised a family,
and was loyal to Iris and still loved her even in the seperated years.
Thank you God, for the life of Bernard Alfred Reeves.
Thank you Bernie.
Thank you Grandad.
May God be the Lamp for your feet and a light to your path.

SAM

2004-09-01T18:27:00.000+10:00

ROUND 2

Tis Wednesday now. three days after first meeting Monsiuer Mike! :) And, pretty much, thats been the main event of the week. Monday, Poker was called off, so Mike and I and another of my friends - Alex, a Muso - attended our weekly session of network/internet gaming in Toowong! Games played: Battlefield 1942, UT was attempted, but not enough CD keys, and a very very cool and macho fist fight in Doom 3! you should have been there! we floated like a butterfly and stung like a Bee! fists only makes for some interesting gameplay! :D (although SOME people felt the need to go around pressing buttons and activating the compactor when i was standing in the arena! :P)

After this session we had dinner at the 'Super Chicken' in Toowong, (what exactly makes it so super i have NO idea! :P) And, since there was nothing happening, headed to the South Saide ostensibly to check out Dicey O'Reilies at Garden City (an Irish Pub) but as it was only Monday night, that was pretty quiet too. (I swear Mike is gonna think Brisbane is a Hick town where nothing happens!) So we ended up going to the BCC Megaplex cinemas and checking out the Bourne Supremacy. decent movie that. but, as Mike said: One that could also be watched on Video!

Tuesday was the big 'tour of Uni day'. I had to have a meeting with an academic advisor in the morning to talk about changing degrees or the possibility of doing post-grad stuff. That was a total failure. the advisor wasnt there, i got transferred and it all end in tears. well, it all ended anyway! :D so went to pick up the Mikster, and headed back out to Uni! Walked around all the buildings, went through to the Engineering one, and Mike got some info there. Then arranged a meeting of mates at the Red Room (our Uni Bar). We got there, but as my mates had an Education tute in half an hour, we decided to crash the tute then come back! so, for the next hour, Mike experieced a UQ Education Tutorial! much talk about 'Teacher Socialisation' and 'Ethics of Teaching'. Hope you weren't too bored there Mike! but we got free Red Stress houses from these people at the Red Room, so we were set for the tute.

After Tute, went back to the Red Room, and ordered our lunch. Friends of mine were there. Clayton, Zoe, Matt, Sarah. They all do Educ too the poor fools! And I will be the first to admit it. I am a complete spaz. i have no co-ordination. at least i didnt that day! Because I ended up knocking my Half full Schooner of XXXX Bitter over Mike's travelling sack thing. *hides face in shame* soooo sorry Mike! unbelieveably so! if you read this before you leave feel free to take one free hit! or at least send me the de-odorifying bill!
But yep! Mike got to meet some more of my 'friends'. Who delighted in bringing up nearly every sordid detail of my past to embarrass me! :P With friends like these....

We retreated back to Wombee, which is the name for the house habited by the four girls (Zoe, Courtney, Sarah and Lorelle). Very much like Hermil i guess, except with more Possums! :D And formed a Quorum. (dont ask! :P) whereupon after much deliberation we moved that we go bowling! it was seconded and there was much rejoicing! So, we headed out to Milton Bowling alley, and played two games :) Mike is not too shabby. He won the first round! but i must claim championship of the second!

The main event of the Day (for me anyway!) was Smallgroup that night! :) which allowed Mike to experience a fully Luthrean group! :D poor boy! It was a very different night from usual, we actually watched a video for half an hour of this pastor guy. but what he said was very informative! And then had our convos.

Through these days Mike i know, has taken some pictures of my mates and I. this means my long stint at anonymity is nearing an end! and tis time to step out of the darkness and into the light! :D
today was Wednesday and i didnt go to Uni till late! spent entirely too much time on MSN ^_^ and just then had pizza for dinner! and thats the go so far!

******

On a more serious note, I will be posting on something else tomorrow to do with my Grandad. I had to get this out of the way before i forgot it, and didnt want to do two posts in the same day! :)

SAM

2004-08-30T00:33:00.000+10:00

"When Mike met Sam"

Well, it has happened! I have actually confirmed that everyone over there actually exists! How freaky! and I think you guys can rest safe in the knowledge that Mike has affirmed that I am NOT a "60-year-old Truck Driver from Arkansaw" (as he put it!) but am in fact, one, 20yo male from Brisbane! :D

Yes, it all started this morning! heading into teach Sunday school, at 8:30am, i get a message! It was from Mike! :D Huzzah for mobile technology! bridging the cultural gap! :D from that humble beginning we established a meeting place. 'the Kodak Beach' at South Bank at 12:30. So, i heads over to SOuth bank, park, and get another message. '2nd storey, plough inn, blue T-shirt, look for the Koala'. So i get out of the car and have a ten minute walk!
On that walk, many things entered into my head. Like:
"Remember, be cool! the image you make will be imprinted into his head. You represent Australia!"
"I know what HE looks like, but he has no idea what I look like!"
"This feels so surreal. Meeting someone you only know through the net."
"Thats an ugly bird"
"I wonder if i remembered to lock the car."
"Oh. Here we go!"
So i reached the plough inn, and proceded with some amount of apprehension up the stairs. look around, and there, out on the balcony, is a group of four, one of whom, has his back to me, and looks vagueley familiar?
Mikes Dad is the first one to see me, and Mike turns around, and gets up.
"Hello!"I say. i cringe inwardly at myself. mean come on. i could have said somethign much more witty than that! :D anyway, lots of greetings and hand shakings later, Mike hands me an envelope addressed:
"Mike :)
For the giant-dragon-boy in Australia...or maybe just Some Australian Maniac"
:D lol
ANYway.. moving right along.

Mike and I head off! on our big adventure number 1! :D First we headed for the ferry. which we missed thanks to me thinking it was going the wrong way! :P (gee, i really know my own city!) :D so we chose to take the long way round. walk over the 'goodwill bridge'. Known effectively by all Brisbanites as the: "Eyesore" but yes! :D we went into the grounds of QUT - Queensland University of Technology "University for the Real World" (otherwise known as the concrete jungle that will never be as good as UQ! :D") and tried to break into the engineering building. failing this, we walked through, into the botanic gardens, where there was much talk about NZ and Aussie Birdlife. no really, Birds. the animals. You guys have some really HUGE parrots! :P

Moving thru the botanic gardens, and into the city proper, first stop is "The Daily Planet" :D my 'work'place! ^_^ SO, Mike got to see where all the cool people go! (btw, im really not as insane as i sound buying $500 worth of comics..really! just...a heap poorer...but im still on track for holiday saving amazingly! :D dont look at me like that! :P) Then into the 'Myer Center' which is the HUGE shopping complex in Central Brisbane. having walked around there briefly, We decided we were hungry, and stopped for a bite to eat at: "Hanamachi" Japanese fast food restraunt! Mike had Teryaki as i recall, and i had Japanese Curry. with LOTs of chili! :P After finishing the meal, i opened the aforementioned envolope! Mike helped Name all the people. Then after all that effort, I turned the photos over and saw the writing on the back! :D wow! Michelle! you did a very cool job with the names there! And Kudos for the Photos! they shalt hang on mine wall! when referring to blogs now, i can look over, and see who's saying something! :D

After this we went on an expidition to 'shop' well.. not really. but Mike did end up buying something that will ensure that i am anonymous no longer! :P
We took this back to Mike's apartment, here is where i learned that Mike is actually a serial killer. seriously! ask him about it! :D

Next was the walk back to the ferry, which we caught this time! :D and back to south bank (stopping by the 'Australian Lolly Shop') and to my baby! :D my lovely blue buggy! my Odysseus! My beaaauuuuutiful Kia Rio! :D Which, Mike commented, was almost as nice as Andrew's car! ^_^ yay! :D
Took Mike on a drive to da Sout Saide! where he experienced his first 'Lutheran' church service! :D not many people, and a guitarist who seemed to do way to much talking and not enough singing (IMHO) but was good hopefully!
Maccas was the meal of the night! (although Mike went for a mocca cino from Mccafe) and we progressed onto one of my friend's places to hangout! :D which included Playing a round of 'Spoons' (which did in the end, draw blood! :D) and drinking some interesting flavoured tea!

Took Mike back to his apartment, and that was the end of the day! :D but no doubt will see him either tomorrow night for LAN/Poker or Tuesday for stuff and small group!

Things i have learnt today:

1) Tis very very surreal to meet people that you already 'know' through blogging in real life. Very weird, sitting around talking about all you guys, when previously no one else here would know who i was talking about! Another surreal moment. Seeing the writing on the envelope and photographs! someone wrote that with their own hand! WEIRD! i know everything is typed on the net, but weird! i dunno, cant explain it! :D
twas very cool though! and OH the things i have heard about all of you! all the goss and rumours! ;) (juuuust kidding! :D.. or AM i? ^_^)
2) Mike seems like a great bloke! although, he is DEFINATELY an engineer! i mean, the amount of comments he made about the architecture around Brisbane! :D lol...
3) found out that SMS works no matter what country and is still the same price! SWEET! so even when Mike goes back to NZ i can still text him! BWAHAHAHAHAHAAA!
4) SOme things are universal:
Taxi drivers are insane
Maccas is eternal
Christian Youth are pretty much certifiable! (confirmed by Mike! ;) )
there were a couple of others. just cant remember what they all were right now! :D
5) Not all Kiwi accents are that noticable! I mean, Mike said fish and chips almost normally! quite impressed! ^_^

btw, Brehaut? Sorry about calling you the 1337-master! didnt know you actually disliked all forms of 1337-sp34k. Will desist!

WoW! very cool day! you all exist! :D i feel a lot saner now i know im actually talking to real people! :D
planning my itinerary already for trip to NZ! :D Mike has told me about HEAPS of great places to go! ^_^
looks as though ill probably be going either Early December, or Late Jan/Early Feb, Im thinking the second one is more likely.

But thats enough for now! :D glad to meet Mike! and you all ! (if only by courier!) :D

SAM

2004-08-26T13:13:00.000+10:00

"Busy Busy Bu..no, wait...oh. Still Busy!"

ARGH! what a hectic week so far! i havent blogged since Sunday and tis now Thursday, well technically Friday. Meh. Whatchagonnado?

SOOO busy every day. good news is that my 2000 word Education 'write what they want you to' assignment is over and done with. but now i am working on what is possibly the most annoying assignment ever given by the History department! Tis a 1 page, referenced summary of a larger essay due at the end of term. now ordinarily this would be no problem. But you see, having underestimated the complexity of the task, i have foolishly left myself less than 17 hours from now) to hand it in.
Not only do I have to do ALL the background research you would usually be doing for a 3000wd+ assignment, but i have to do it tonight. well, before 5:30 this morning anyway (cause i have to open at Civic, after closing tonight, and getting home at 11)

Ah Procrastination. I could insert a very astute quote here, but i will not. as it is not only astute, but is also not the sort of quote one would use in polite society! :P

But on the bright side at least i have an interest in the topic. TIs on the Maori people, and specifically, how they adapted their warfare after the coming of European settlers! good fun! ^_^ i think the face tatoos are just about the coolest thing ive seen in a long time! :D i even may consider getting one! ;)

So yes, this week=busy. There have been numerous other highlights... I won Poker for the second time on Monday night! w00t! $10 to me! i like poker! :) Tuesday worked all day at the Daily planet and bought a horribly large number of comics (but..but..they were on sale!) oh and smallgroup was pretty good too! and that reminds me! :D Mike, if you're gonna come to smallgroup next week, we are doing a very brief study on the book of Ruth. so, if you want something to do, Ruth would be the way to go! because after all that work you'll be craving more right? :D

Wednesday, what happend.. oh yes. Uni! wake up late after oversleeping (i slept from 1-8!!!! dude! thats 7 hours sleep! thats freaky for me!) scoffed brekkie, rushed into Uni, went to lectures until 3, then stayed in Comp labs doing Educ assignment till 7:30, then went and researched some Maori stuff and got books from Library, at 10, i decided i needed a break from studying, so a friend and i got together and had a late night LAN session at a Gaming place in Toowong. got home around 1:30, slept till 7am this morning, got up, drove groggily over to mates place to pick him up and go to uni together for History of Warfare Tute at 9, and lecture till 12. Drove home, and well.. studied till 2, when my VERY SPECIAL EVENT happened. :D :D :D

It wasnt my first time on Ebay, ive been a member since 2001, but had only bid on about 3 items since, which i lost. but i saw it two days ago... THE catch of the year. now, non comic fans are going to go: 'what the..' and call me insane! but be that as it may, i am fairly pleased with the result. What i found was this:
'Ultimate Spiderman Issues 2-63'
Ok, now a little background here. i started collecting this series about 7 months back now, around issue 58. i had got back issues back to number 50 so far, but due to the popularity of this series, the other issues are really hard to get your hands on, and the first 20 issues are all but impossible. I know. I work in a comic store! ;) But yes, cutting to the chase, this offer was too good to pass up. so, summing up my currently favorable bank situation (meaning it was feasible, if a little extreme), i decided to go for it! the auction ended today, and I WON THE BID. the end price however, with shipping added onto it, was $510 Australian. yep. i paid 510 dollars for 61 comics (a little over 8 dollars each). Now before you call me insane, hear me out!
using my various resources and contacts i have gotten a hold of almost all the pricings of the individual issues. And the proper value of the whole lot is over 4 times, maybe even 5 times what i paid for it. :D not that i would sell mind you, but its the thrill of the chase that matters! the dizzying highs and lows, of finding it, then staying in the running, and the incredibly tense last seconds of the auction, wondering whether someone will snipe you or not!
Then the simultaneous elation and queasy feeling that youve won, but youve spent about 3 weeks worth of savings on it!
Its all about the chase! :D and this is an example of the life of a collector!

So, anyway! after this event, i studied some more for this Maori thing, and then went to work from 4-10:45. I got back, and fulfilled several of my obligations online, (this being the last one? although not quite an obligation!) ANd now, into my assignment, which i must finish tonight. otherwise i only leave myself the hours between 11:30 and 2:30 tomorrow to finish. (i work till 11 at civic, and it has to be in by 5 at uni, but I am working 4-8 at the comic store!) maybe if i get it finished tonight it wont matter if i sleep or not, because i can get some sleep in the three hours there.

BUt yes! this is all pretty shallow stuff today i know! but i have planned (in my mind) several topics i want to talk about comign up. So, inspired by Nato here is my list of upcoming blog topics:

1) "Help I've Fallen and I can't Get up" - a look into the Fallenness of Man, and why we truly are a completely fallen race.

2) "Cradle 2 the Grave" - Work vs Profession. Life's work, monotony?

3) "The Missionary Position" - Where is our Mission? What is a Mission? Who is a Missionary?

4) "He's A Bloke!" - Being a guy and the 'F' word. you know what i mean? Mike? fellas? *grunt*

More to be added soon i bet! im sure i had one and ive forgotten it now! but meh! these posts wont come one after hte other, but theyre stuff ive been pondering for a while, so theyll make it up sooner or later! ^_^ interjected, that is, with shallow whiny everyday stuff! and the best thing? NO ONE CAN STOP ME! BWAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! *cough cough*
ahem.

anyway! sorry for being really antisocial, not on MSN and not replying to email! Me promise that after today I will be back into it! it will be fully shick mata!

SAM

*EDIT*
LOL just had to share this bit of info with someone! :D came across this just now:

"Maori say: "The Genitals of Women are Killers of Men." Behind that too is the myth of the origin of death wherein the trickster, Maui, in a vain attempt to win immortality for mankind, is crushed in the vagina of the ancestress-guardian of the underworld."

this is part of Maori Mythology! heh heh heh.. i just found that incredibly amusing!! ^_^ what a way to go eh?

2004-08-22T16:54:00.000+10:00

Away! Away with Badness and Sadness and all sorts of madness!

I will thusly classify this weekend as GOOD! :D although i do have that 2000 word assignment to do before tomorrow! but meh! plenty of time!

Yesterday was cool because I worked 8:30-4:30 at the comic store when we had our MASSIVE sale. it was very cool! I was 'security' for the first half of the day, so, in order to acclimatise with the role, i shed my usually yellow attire, put on a black shirt the Boss had given me as a gift, and put on an old "Daily Planet" Cap I found out the back. Oh yes! I was intimidating! :D I also altered the way i spoke, speaking an octave lower than usual, you know..to fit the image!
Coolness! so many comics sold.. so many trades and games and manga and cards etc sold! was a long day of work, but i enjoyed it!

But yesterday wasnt over yet! (theres somehting wrong with that sentence, i just cant tell what...meh!) Catch the bus home, and quickly change into penguin clothes! (White long sleeved shirt and Black pants complete with Fancy black leather shoes) and rush off to the Church hall, (picking up a youth kid on the way) to begin the second event of the day! We (our youth group) scored an opportunity for 'service' stuff! We were the waitors and waitresses for our Kindy's "Christmas in July" (In August) Dinner! :D was lots of work! but fun! we had pizzas for ourselves, but managed to serve and clean for 52.5 people having a three course meal! (at 6:30 i had to go to 'Brodie's' to pick up $210 worth of Chicken, Peas, Carrots, Gravy and Potatoes, and as a result my car now smells slightly of chicken! :P) we accidentally burned a few desserts, but wonder of wonders, we didnt need those ones! there were JUST enough good ones! So we served good and then cleaned up even more good. betterer. better than gooder. that. yeh. (Me speak GOOD English!)

BUT WAIT there's more! what! tis only 9:30! day is nowhere near finished yet! then we went and picked up some movies from my work, and took the youth kids back to the other leaders' house, and watched "The Haunted Mansion" (Bit of a let down Eddie!) and planned what the third part of the youth event of the weekend was (leading the church service on Sunday) So. after that, and planning, and some messing round, it was only 2am. So I took off home because I had to add some photos from a camp onto our powerpoint presentation before church! and organise some stuff for the video we were making

SO, getting to sleep at 4am, I woke up at 7:30, and went down to Church. (i didnt teach the 1/2s this morning, because we had to practice at church). So we practiced our songs, and got everything set up! then we had church. and everything went pretty well (cept the mic we were using didnt work properly! :P So we sang louder).
Im very happy about the way this morning went. We managed to get all the youth in church, and some extended families as well! (eeexcellent!) and our Pastor came to our youth night on Friday, and he worked with us today in Church! :D It was almost as if everything was back to normal again! ^_^ hoooray! Thank you God for working in our plans! Thank you for inspiring with that idea in the first place! Thanks to you we pulled it off!

W00t! so here i am now, procrastinating! ^_^ I have a 2000 word due tomorrow that ive done 500 words of, so id better get to it (maybe after i check emails...^_^) But yes, Thanks God! you=Awesome!
And thank you to everyone who replied to the last post! you guys are pretty damn good yourselves!

w00t! Assignment time.. does this mean the return of the 3/4am blog? we shall wait and seeee! ^_^

SAM

2004-08-20T00:23:00.000+10:00

Howdy Howdy Howdy! two days have past so quickly! tis now the 19th (well, now its actually the 20th! Good morning!) and tis time for another Blog post! :)

You ever get the feeling that you dont know what to Blog about? theres heaps of issues youd LIKE to talk about but for one reason or another, you cant or wont. for instance. Id like to talk about what i think about Original Sin and the Fallenness of man. But that would require a lot of research and backing up (Biblical old school style) and Recentley ive been so tired :( Hopefully ill be able to come back to this soon enough!

I would like this Blog to be readable! not just a random collection of thoughts! i want it to be entertaining! cause Comedy is cool! :) I dont want whining, because thats self-serving. AND I DO HEREBY SWEAR THAT I SHALL NEVER EVER MENTION THE PHRASE "The One" or "THe One for Me" EVER AGAIN ON THIS BLOG! :P jeez, i mean i look back at some of my archives and i go.. what the heck was I on at that stage?! well, at least i can learn from my mistakes! :D

Well, i guess Ill talk about My lack of Passion for Music teaching! thats not whining, but its something id like to get some opinions on, cause its really bugging me. Especially since i know there are a lot of musos out there in Blog-land who could lend a hand?

Why do I want to teach music? whats the purpose? How can I serve God through teaching Music? I mean, Music can be used for Praise and Worship, true enough. But how can you teach praise and worship in class?
Some may say that its the relationships i build, and the way i act in front of my students that will help them in their paths towards God, but with today's increasingly grey world of equality and post-modernism, teaching is so heavily drugged with policies and legalities that you arent allowed to say or do anything like that without fear of losing your job and your professional respect.

Music. One of my lecturers, a great bloke who i look up to a lot, said that one of the goals of music teaching is: "To make whole human beings". Thats cool. I like that. but its not what i want. I want to make human beings see God. I also think that the performance and carreers of musicians.. what are they? i have many muso friends who are taking that route, and why are they doing it? to earn a living yes. but what do they gain out of it. the personal satisfaction of being able to create music, and having that talent recognised by others through concerts and the like. music like this seems to be very self-serving. thats why i worry. unless we are using musical skills to worship God, we seem to be focusing on ourselves. i dont think i want to do that.

I love History. I love the grounding it gives you. it helps you understand the context of things, and especially religion. I think it helps you make a firmer case about Christianity. I enjoy it. i have a passion for it. I would love to spend time in Europe and the Middle east studying dig sites and delving into ancient manuscripts, to find some kind of truth that i could use to convince others of God's existence and love for them.
Not so with music. I have lost the passion i once had for it. and my marks are reflecting this. I am just getting the pass mark - (4) for my music subjects, because i just cant seem to gather together the effort to do well in them anymore (usually at least 5 or 6).

Why do i Play Viola? Why do i Play Piano. is it because im just too stubborn to give up? what happens when i achieve my AMus in Piano. what does that prove? to who? how does it help serve God?

We had a lecture in Education the other day that kinda put things in perspective. it gave us the 'stages in a teacher's life' thing. spanning from the first 5 years, to the 5-10, 10-25, 25-30, 30-40, 40-50. How depressing is that. I definately dont want to be teaching for the next 50 years of my life! I dont want it to be like that! I think theres so much more stuff i can do! so many better things that i could devote myself too.
Missions, telling people about God.
Ideally I want my carreer to be one that involves God on a daily basis. I want to talk and discuss him all the time. i want my life to be about God. Because he is the only thing that matters.

ARGH! why music! I started playing Piano because my parents took me to lessons when i was in Grade 1. Now here i am, planning to make a carreer out of it. but why? because i was ok at it i kept on going. because i didnt like the idea of quitting, i perservered. I took up Violin in Grade 3, and in grade 7 changed to Viola. I was in Bands, Orchestras, Ensembles, Choirs, Musicals, Music classes, outside school lessons, Music camps.. My life was very musical, my brother too plays piano. i dont know.. after all this time.. i cant see the point to it.

The point of life as i see it, is to serve God. If i cant see myself doing that in my chosen career, then am i heading for the wrong one? i need inspiration i need direction. I need to know that what i am doing is for God's glory, and that i wont be more effective in other areas!

My friend (who is an Ex-Kiwi! :D) told me about the 'Mercy tours' today, where you pay about 6k dollars and you go on a mission work thing in the Middle east and other locations. that sounded so so so cool. but so did archaeology when he was talking about it. I want to learn Hebrew and Arabic so i can go over there and i dont know!!!!! I just cant see the point to being a teacher, well, more specifically a MUSIC teacher here! my life revolving around parents, other teachers, choirs orchestras, musicals, students and music... argh... opinions would be very much appreciated!

Ecclesiastes is a damn depressing book. :P

SAM! (im not unhappy, just uninspired! (oh krap.. the ads are going to come back arent they! :P)

2004-08-17T23:13:00.000+10:00

me=slack

well, slack in the existential sense. ive been really busy, but am now so buggered that i cant post anything. must get up for Gym early tomorrow.. then to meet someone. then to Uni.. 1 hour tute, 3 hour lecture.. then.. freedom? no, not really! :P argh... ive done my social calander for the next 5 weekends and theyre ALL booked :(

plans are so depressing. and i have two assignments due next Monday that i havent started, and i just realised today that the library books i borrowed for it are due on Friday! ARGH! krappity krap krap krap. me soo tired, exhausted. need to pray a bit.

Ive also been slack with posting on other people's blogs recentley! sorry bout that. im really reading! but i never have anything interesting to say at that moment! :P I will work on this! :) This post is really slack. i havent said anything. I will definately make a come back soon! just wait!

Till next time we meet, always value the moment. treauser it. dont let it go! cause if you do it wont come back!
SAM

2004-08-15T23:34:00.000+10:00

"A Gripe, and some Goals"

*sighs of discontent*

or is that malcontent? uncontent? no, i think ill stick with Discontent! :D well, here I am back from the Jetboats! and twas a good day, there was this one massive stack, when a boat tumbled 3 times in the water, hit the main bank, went soaring 3m in the air, flipping totally over, and landed right side up, splitting the fibreglass hull! but aside from that, it was a relatively calm meet!

The discontented sighs is me worrying about the situation brewing in my home church, especially between my two fellow youth leaders and the current pastor. We have a youth night this Friday. I had this idea, that if we make a video for church, and plan a service, then we can get kids into coming to church, and combining this with another thing, we are also fliming Kindy parents, and hopefully getting them to come to church as well! :) BUT the problem is that the strained relationship is there between the Pastor and the other youth leaders (theyre married, and its a long story! :P) and the Pastor has decided to come on Friday to our Youth night to see what we're planning. Im cool with this, but the others arent. and i think that wether conciously or subconsciously, this video is going to be turned into a propaganda piece against the pastor. this is SO not cool. and the opposite of what i had planned out. I want to bring the church together, but this may splinter it even more.
Argh. why are Christian people so stubborn sometimes? My Dad is friends with and supports the Pastor, and he sees me hanging out and listening to what my friends (my fellow youth leaders) are saying, and takes this to mean im trying to bring pastor down. whereas, when i talk to my fellow youth leaders, they see me trying to support pastor, and putting what they say down. no matter what i do im gonna be the evil one! :P This situation Sucks. Very unsettling, and sad. 'Nuff said! moving on!

I have decided that i am drifting too much, and therfore i need to set some goals down in concrete, both short term and long term, and what i am doing to accomplish them! (gee, now i sound all 'pro-active' and 'self actuated!' :P)

1. Grow closer to, and get to know God more - because he is the only thing that matters in the end! - Church,SNL,Small Group, Prayer, studies, Read Bible, Speak with CHristian friends. We never stop learning. I feel like whatever i should end up doing as a profession, that unless it is for the glory of God, i wont enjoy it, and in the end its not worthwhile!

2. Gain 5-10k of muscle. this is a mid range goal. its gonna take a while, but it needs to be done. why? because the ladies love it! ;) No, but seriously, i guess self-respect will be helped, and yeh! twill get my Parents off my back (you're looking skinny!) therefore, going to gym at least 3 times a week, no excuses! :)

3. Travel Overseas. - End of Year - NZ, 2006/7? Europe/Mid East. to that end, ive already started saving! ^_^

4. earn over 15,999 in an 18 month period, thereby making me independant, then claiming AUSTUDY (3000 more dollars to earn in 5 months!)

5. Write My Trilogy - A bit stunted atm, but i have written a few pages. i have an outline of where i want it to go, but have decided on a new tactic. will write full biographies of each character so i can understand them better! :) slow process, time is precious!

6. Compose Music - I have an idea for a Symphony, and im sure i have several worship songs in me somewhere! A long term goal! :)

7. Get Married, Raise a family - long term. not exactly working on this one yet! ^_^

8. Get AMus in Piano, and possibly Viola as well. next March, doing Grade 8 AMus, so hopefully get AMus for Piano in 2006/7?

Thats all i can think of at the moment. Im sure ill add more on as time goes by! :P

THe thing im a tad concerned about is that my long term goals dont include being a teacher. hmm... ill post about my lack of passion for this very soon! :) but enough for tonight! i have much to do, and also must fit sleep in somewhere! :D hope the Ball went well!

SAM ^_^

2004-08-14T12:20:00.000+10:00

Ah Salaam and good evening! (Well, tis actually mid day but meh!)

thought id just post something now, because I will be going away until late tomorrow night! Going up to Marybourough to be safety crew once more at the Aussie Jetboat Championships. Always good fun! :)

What really is bad about it though, is that my friend has won (through a radio station comp) 10 tickets to the Ekka, and the Triple M Concert there, and THEN they get to go backstage and Meet and Greet with the band: "The Living End" you know: "west end riot", "Roll on", "Prisoner of Society", "One said to the other". ARGH! the bitter irony of it all! :P Oh well, ill live

That same mate who won the tickets had his birthday party at Gilhooley's Irish pub in the city last night (again i was designated driver! well.. i designated myself, but still!) I must say though that for an irish pub, there was a surprising lack of Irish music (although they did play '1000 miles' :D)... and WAY too much Britney.. although the live band that was there was pretty cool (all covers though) :)

I hope all you CU'ers have fun at your ball tonight! SOmeone try to sneak in a digital camera so i can make fun of...i mean, appreciate your costumes! :)

Thats enough for now.. work made me vewy sleepy, so im gonna turn in for half an hour before i go to music, then on to marybourough! a three/four hour drive North! :) Adios amigos!

SAM

2004-08-11T15:34:00.000+10:00

Well Hello Hello!

I kinda lied when i said id post last night, after working 9-5 at the comics store we had small group, and i fully intended to go home, but there was an impromptu (meaning totally random) trip to the Valley to go to karaoke, (which we didnt end up doing any of! :P) and i ended up getting home at 3:30, so i was a bit buggered!
We went to the Empire hotel among others, but I was designated driver! so the evening was a bit less manic than it could have been! Met some random guy, name Toby, who apparently goes to UQ too! argh! meeting and talking to randoms who you could end up meeting again!
Oh well! :) alls well that ends well! some of the clubs in the valley are really interesting. one we went to, the floor was SOOOO incredibly sticky everywhere. really wrong. and there was this guy on the dancefloor with one of those V shirts that go down to the waist... WRONG! but he was very flamboyant, so i guess that explains that.

Today is the Ekka Public Holiday! for those who have no idea what im on about, the Ekka, or Exhibition, is our Yearly 'Show'. its on at the RNA showgrounds and you can have rides, see all these cool events (sheep-dog trials, Fireworks, Wood Chopping contests, Railyway building contests, Fruit creative displays,) etc etc.
You can also get showbags for exhorbitant prices, but some are very cool! there is over 300 showbags you can buy, ranging from $1 each up to $40. there is the sideshow alley too! the carneys are weird! :P
But this year, my family went without me, leaving me to suffer at work! ack..the ignomy! :P But they got me showbags! :D check it out!:

Sorry about the bad quality image! but meh! just found my old webcam! so what are you gonna do! :D
On the Left, thats the 'Phantom Comic Collector's Showbag' (11 phantom comics for $6) and on the right there is the 'Neslte Big Bag' which includes the Mintie bag (which you can kinda see in the middle there) and several Bertie Beatle showbags, and some assorted redskins/smarties/fruit tingles bags! :) mmm...junky food! im stocked up for the next few weeks! :D

On another completely unrelated line, i have decided to start Saving a lot more than i have been! this means, cutting down unnecessary expenditure to $100 a fortnight (that INCLUDES comics and goin out, lunch, all that jazz).
This way, working two jobs, i figure i can save about 300 dollars a fortnight (currently only saving about 200) :) which, of course will go towards paying off my lovely baby buggy! but after that, i can save to actually GO somewhere! I am planning NZ in January. but there have been rumours, whisperings if you will.. of a trip to Europe and the Middle East in and around 2006! :) who knows! I would REALLY REALLY like to go to Turkey ASAP because theyve just recentley opened Mt. Ararat for the public! :)
Also, i figure i should go overseas now, before i start teaching, so that i can have some interesting anecdotes to tell my students of far off and distant places to inspire them! :D to that end, i NEED to save money! :)
Next year will be good because then I will have earned over 16,000 dollars in a 18 month period, thereby declaring me independant, and allowing me to claim AUSTUDY! :) Yay! another 180 per fortnight i think! :)
hah! I have a plan! i feel psyched about it! :) I can actually plan for something two years in advance! :D
w00t!

And Mike is going to be in good ol Brissie so soon! :) tis weird. knowing someone only by the net, and then actually confirming their existence in real life! Im looking forward to it! :D heh heh heh!

SAM

2004-08-10T01:33:00.000+10:00

Just a quickie now!

Which Naruto Character are You?
quiz by orangeday.net

Thanks to Mike for trapping me into procrastinating at 2am! :P

Tired now. post tomorrow. sleep. mmm...sleep

SAM

2004-08-08T13:47:00.000+10:00

"Bums!"

Bums. homeless people. There are plenty of them in the city, and i guess i have to make a distinction here. not all homeless people are bums, and not all bums are homeless!

Working in the city you see a lot of people who live there on the street corners, down alleys and the like (well, you pretty much smell them [or where they've been] before you see them!) They often just sit on the benches and ask passers by if they have any spare change or 'i haven't eaten in days, could i get some money?' Its kinda getting to me because as part of my job i have to walk back and forward past them about 5 times a day.
I have given money before. not often, but i have. I just have issues with this. These people, by begging, even if only 10 peope give them a dollar each hour, make almost as much as i do by working my butt off. And most of this money probably goes towards buying things that wont help them at all (cigs, drugs, booze). I know this is a generalisation, but this is a very true generaisation, here are two examples.

Case 1:
A mate of mine was approached by a bum who said to him: "Hey brother, can you spare some money? i havent eaten in three days." My mate felt sorry for him, but because he didnt have any money, he went back to work and got his sandwich he had made himself for lunch, and went back and gave it to the man. The man looked at the sandwich and said 'er..thanks' and walked away. A while later, my friend passed by again and saw the bum there begging again, and his sandwich thrown in the bin, uneaten, next to him.

Case 2:
Ziggy. He is the bum who lives in Toowong, near my University. He is also known as 'the bag man' because of the HUGE collection of bags of stuff he has all around his 'home' which is generally in the large median strip in the middle of high street. Now, the thing everyone loathes about this guy, is that he is a leech. he gets a pension from the government. enough to give him decent accomodation should he so choose. But he doesnt. He chooses to live there for the time being, he has been interviewed in the past, and said he has a plan for his life, and that its no ones business how he lives. He uses the money to buy groceries and saves quite a nest egg out of the rest. He also said that the only thing he sometimes craves for is "Female companionship, which some young uni students are happy to provide for a fee."
I really dislike this. he is squatting in the street there, making a packet off not paying rent/electricity/rates etc. Police have told him to move along (even come and moved him before) but he just comes back. If they put him in jail, he wouldnt mind, because then he wouldnt have to pay for ANYthing and get free meals and the like! argh!
recentley though, he was fire bombed by some Uni students (who were arrested) they threw an old crate for carrying bread at him, that was set on fire. hmmm.. were they doing what we were all thinking? ;) (just kidding!)

But yes! My issue here is this. We are supposed to love one another right? and the good samaritain stopped to help the guy. should i be giving change to these people? when most likely they will use it for bad stuff? when they cant get up and get themselves a job like everyone else?
Jesus did say to Judas that there would always be poor people, and we do not have the resources to care for them all. What should I do? i mean, there are soup kitchens that these people can go to! why do they always make me so guilty about not giving them money! ARGH!

Oh, and I'd just like to gloat for a while, if i may! :D BRONCOS defeat AUCKLAND WARRIORS, and, WALLABEES defeat ALL BLACKS! w00t! 0WNZ0R3D!

Oh! and msn is a wonderful thing! :D Had a very random convo with Mike and Fraser last night! very VERY random! :) IM not sure how many subjects we transferred to, but included was: the ancient art of Cow tipping, Rock and Commercial Worship music, Giant Mutant Grasshoppers, Americo-Russio-Swedish Global weather conspiricies, Sects, and, of course, IGNlish! :)

Well thats about it from da west saide of the river!
Make sure you're alll procrastinating people! :)

SAM

2004-08-06T00:57:00.000+10:00

"We are not brainwashing! are we?"

Heya all! :) feeling fighting fit? for finding fine friends from far fields forms firm foundations featuring fun!

now i dare ya to beat that alliteration! really, it makes sense! :D well it does to me! :P had a history of Warfare lecture today (well..yesterday now!) that was about Oceanic warfare! The Maoris had a segment in there! :) a fierce lot indeed! (does anyone know the words of the haka?)
I have decided to stop with the randomness for a while and deliever this medium depth post about indoctrination.

The Other day when i dropped into work for a quick bite to eat, I was talking to a co-worker of mine, and he mentioned to me that his son had just seen had the Moses story (Prince of Egypt) shown to him at his state school, and had come home to ask: "Daddy, Who made the World?" Now My work mate is an agnostic, and he was pretty stumped as to the answer to this question. He told me that he told his son that some people believe that God made the world, and others believe that No one made the world, and it just evolved on it's own (Creation and Evolution). He said to me that this situation is so hard, and what should you say in this?

Now, before i get to the juicy part, id just like to say how i think it's very cool that a state school is showing the Prince of Egypt to it's students. I'm wondering if this is part of an RE course? if so, this is an EXCELLENT idea. that movie is so cool. It obviously had an effect on My co-worker's son! :D

THe main part here, is that I worry we may be indoctrinating our young people. Tying back into the blind faith issue, children believe what their teachers and parents tell them without questioning. as we grow, we build on those beliefs, and only later start to question.
I believe that it is everyone's right to make their own decisions in their faith lives, even though there is only one Love, one God, one Way, there is also free will. How can i equate this with telling my children one day, that God made the universe, knowing they will take my word as absolute without questioning. I think this is a good thing.. but im conflicted. Am i presenting one side of the story without giving equal weight to the other? should i give my children that option?
i know thats what society says I should do, but i feel i shouldnt. but then the historian inside me says you have to look at all sides to know the whole story, and the informed faith part of me agrees. i just dont want to be seen to be forcing my ideas onto my children. But at the same time, i want them to know the God that loves them!
What to do?!

Meanwhile, good news! :D The Daily planet has called me into work tomorrow (this) morning, from 9-12! this means i can have 2 hours more sleep than i usually would (usually waking up at 5:30 to work at Civic Video)! :D

Another dilemma: Tomorrow (tonight) night, I am doing A Bible Study for our youth group. I think i will be doing Sects Education! (thanks for that Fraser! ^_^) its kinda shaping up to be good, but i hope God will make it even better! :D

Shalom my Brothers and Sisters!
SAM

2004-08-04T18:34:00.000+10:00

"Missing Persons"

HAH! HAH! and HAH again! Read the ad and weep! :D the first line reads: "Only when the last tree has died" heh heh heh! :) the plan works! >:)

But onto the topic of today's post! Have you seen this man?

Name: Wally (aka Waldo on US passport)
Weight: Uncertain
Height: UNcertain
Age: Uncertain
Distinguising characteristics: Always wears the same clothes. red and white with pom pom beany, blue jeans, and a walking stick.

Information:
This man has been missing for quite some time now, and his friends and associates are requesting help from the public to locate him. A close confidant of Wally, a mister W. Whitebeard has stated: "I always knew that lad would get into trouble one day, all this walking about in foreign countries, exotic and dangerous places, i told him he'd get lost in the crowd. but he wouldnt listen to me."
Another associate of Wally's, Mr. Odlaw, had this to say: "Frankly I dont care about Wally, It's his own stupid fault. I mean honestly. Who goes around in huge crowds, in the midst of warzones, and the like, just to walk around aimlessly searching small artifacts like scrolls? And you want to know something else? he never takes those clothes off. i think they have actually bonded with him on a molecular level!"

Urgently seeking Wally is his canine Companion, Woof. Often seen alongside his master, Woof had this to say: "Bark Bark, ruff, yip Bark!"

We are hoping to locate this man. we have information that he has last been seen on the grounds around the University of Queensland's St Lucia campus. All information on this man's whereabouts should be forwarded onto Sam immediately!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok, for the REAL story! :) The Union has put on a Where's Wally hunt as a part of the Re-Union week. :D there are 30 to find all up from the 2nd to the 6th of August (Mon to Fri). Prize is $500! My friends and I have spent crazy amounts of time searching him out, and have thus far come up with 26 found out of 30! ARGH!
so frustrating! :D
for full info, check here: Where's Wally?

Hmm... this non sleep is starting to hurt a bit! Time to crank out the Caffeine and the Sugar! mm...Coffee, strawberry creams and some m and ms! ill be workin in no time! :D

I was going to post on how bad post-mordernistic Education readings are, but when it comes down to it, i think its quite obvious to all that post modernism and post modern academics suck! and since a post like that would involve big words, i said 'Meh!' Oh, and Hugs for Michelle, who seems to be having a really rough week!
I think ill post a bit later, cause i sense the urge for procrastination will overtake me once again! ^_^
But for now... Adios Amigos!

SAM

2004-08-03T12:04:00.000+10:00

"Munt is the word!"

And I bet everyone thought it was Grease! hah! wrong again! :P But yep! I am officially a munt.. perhaps i am also munted. does this make me a muntee? which begs the questions, what is a munter? can someone (the munter) make someone else munted? (the muntee?) and has anyone noticed that if you say a word too many times it starts to look weird? thats right. It becomes munted too! and thus, the cycle perpetuates. Forgive this munting, maybe i should munt along and actually say something! otherwise this whole blog is going to go to muntsville.

Why am I a munt today? well, i gets up early to get to work in the city at 8:45. All the effort of dragging myself out of bed on a rainy morning, having a shower, tossing down a quick breakfast, and being stuck for half an hour in the traffic, then catching a bus. So i arrive at work and see my manager and another co-worker there.
I look at him, He looks at me. I look again with mouth slightly open and raised eyebrow, and he returns the favour. Its about now that i realise something munted has happened. I check the roster, and yep! Im not meant to be working today! oh well! back home i go! :P And here I am now! well, i guess the whole situation wasnt exactly muntised, because I got to pick up my weekly comics hit! Avengers #500 this week! new creative team, new direction! and its gonna be a biggy! :D

Oh, and As promised, I have kept some munted quotes from our Feminazi Lecturer from yesterday morning. Ahem:

"My Girl Friday" - Famous theatrical quote reference. should be "My Man Friday"

"I would get angry if someone called me motherly"

"We are a bunch of White Anglo Saxons" -take a look round the lecture theater Miss.

"Blokes, you don't need a hand, you're doing fine."

I really dislike this one:
"If you're male, you need not be in a classroom with a student alone."

And the clincher? wait for it!...
"Obviously some gender discrimination happening in Queensland"

Truer words never spoken! :)

And thats about it for this munted post! :) Operation: Kill Bad Ads goes ahead as planned! and keep an eye on that bush outside your window. Its up to no good. ^_^

S.A.M

2004-08-01T16:39:00.000+10:00

Ok! so, that kinda worked, but my ads are still what the academics would call: "Crapola!"
Thereby, I authorise myself to take drastic measures *sound of siren in background* release, THE RANDOMNESS! *crowd gasps in horror and awe*

I have not been entirely true with everyone here, and have indeed been living a double life. I am involved in an international effort to protect and serve all humans, and the time has come to tell you about a danger that threatens our way of life, nay, our very existence! And not only OUR lives, but the lives of our children, and our childrens children!

This danger that so many have overlooked, have even defended. Well now its time to fight back before its too late. What is this danger? Trees. Trees are our enemy, and since the beginning of the history of man, they have been scheming to destroy us, and make the world their own. Both Creationists and Evolutionists agree that trees were here before mankind. Trees and all plants having been made by God on the third day (Genesis 1:11). Mankind did indeed come afterwards, and this is what started the conflict. Trees and Treekind think that the world is rightfully theirs, and that we are subject to them. Ever since this moment, trees have planned our demise.

Many times in History, Great men have realised the danger that Trees represented. Jesus himself, recognised their evil when he cursed a fig tree, which then withered. (Mark 11:12-21). He also promoted the destruction of palm trees. The Trees however gained their revenge, by a mass conspiracy involving many, including carpenters, chief priests and even Romans, they made a deadly weapon to kill the Messiah, to attempt to stop human redemption. The Cross.

The Buddha was supposedly enlightened underneath a Bodhi tree, the results of which produced a religion that has spread rapidly over the last few centuries. But this was all a part of a huge long range plan by the Trees. The Tree fed false information to a young Gautama Buddha, in order to divert our attention by focusing our gaze inwards. This plan is so far succeeding. But they will not prevail. We will warn the world!

George Washington, first president of the United States, was another who recognised that Trees were a threat, and from a young age, took to chopping down his father’s Cherry trees.

Many people think that George washington's father was congratulating his son for his honesty. Not so. The young boy was commended for realising the threat that Trees represent.

To further prove the truth about the evil scheming trees, here is some damning evidence:

• Trees are dangerous! for centuries trees have made up Gallows, Guillotines, Bow and Arrows, Spears, spikes and many other weapons, all lethal to humans
• Trees are known to house deadly poisonous animals such as snakes, spiders and ants to mention but a few.
• Trees Produce Oxygen, through an evil process that they have termed ‘Photosynthesis.’ Through this insidious act, they release high amounts of Oxygen into the air. A single bubble of oxygen introduced to the human bloodstream is lethal.
• As if the production of oxygen isn’t enough, Trees also absorb Carbon Dioxide from the air, and at night, while we are sleeping, use it to grow larger, and more powerful.
• Trees have known terrorist links. It is true that in the desert - where 7 out of 10 terrorists prefer to hide – there are not many visible trees. This is because they have gone underground. The ferocious Cacti often serve as watchmen above ground.

The Secret movements of Tree forces. none of us are safe!

• Trees have the basis for a stable economy within their ranks. In 50 years one tree recycles more than $37,000 worth of water, provides $31,000 worth of erosion control, $62,000 worth of air pollution control, and produces $37,000 worth of oxygen. They earn more than almost the most highly paid professional per annum. And yet, do we see them paying taxes?
• A tree-line buffer between fields and streams helps remove farming pollutants before they reach the water, but does anyone know what happens to these pollutants and toxins? That’s right. Trees store chemical and biological weapons!
• Trees are fuel for fires, and fires are deadly not only to humans but to the entire animal population. Some Trees have even adapted to their human destroying roles so that they can resist the fiercest of fires while homes burn.

A Eucalypt ablaze, as a part of an attack on a human settlemnt. this tree will prosper after being burned, While Humans are not so lucky

• Trees have even insinuated themselves into our culture, and every year millions of pines are set up around the world and worshipped as a part of the Tree’s cunning plan: “Operation Christmas Tree”.

headquarters for a local nest of operatives involved in Operation: Christmas Tree.

Trees far outnumber humans in our world today, and yet there are still those who would defend their cause. Perhaps these so called ‘greenies’ are not just naieve Hippies, but have been placed under the control of Evil Trees, ala, the pod people! They actively promote the preservation of trees.

Greenies as Pod People? See the documentary: 'Invasion of the body snatchers'

So what can we do about this threat? Luckily there are a brave few who have committed their lives to the business of ending Tree plans for world domination. These heroic men sleep all night and they work all day, they’re called lumberjacks, and they’re OK!

The Noble and Heroic Lumberjack. Our last line of defense.

Many will scoff at this, and say I am insane, but true genius is never appreciated in it’s own time. My only hope is that I can warn you all now before it is too late. Remember, its them or us!

A Lumberjack looks on in horror as a huge forest surrounds him

This is the official Head of the World Anti-Tree campaign.
Good luck fellow human brothers and sisters! Fight the good fight, and we will triumph. Warn your friends! Support lumberjacks! Let our battle cry be TIMBER!

S.A.M

2004-07-31T14:09:00.000+10:00

"I really dislike my ads!"

I swear! Im not really depressed! And yet all my ads seem to be about depression in one form or another!
How can I be depressed? Me! the yellow man! (dont ask!) Im the happy one! :P Well, we'll see about that you invisible advertising agency spybot! yes, i know you're listening to me right now!

I, Samuel David Reeves (yes, sigh.. thats my name!) will never rest (well, quite possibly i WILL rest, im speaking figureatively here) until i have Changed (either that or totally destroyed the advertising execs) the nature of my Blogging Advertisements (aka demonic plagues from the ninth circle of Hell).

SO! what can I now post about... hmm..

OH yes! King Arthur! the movie... went to see that last night. It was a good movie, but like Troy, contains a LOT of historical innacuracies. specifically the fact that The Emperor COnstantine converted Rome to Christianity in the year 312AD, and the movie was set around 300AD, with the ENTIRE ROMAN EMPIRE already Christian, with Roman shields bearing Christian symbols and Popes and Bishops and monks everywhere. as you do.
Also another interesting thing to note about it, is that you may have heard rumours that Kiera Knightley looks ugly in it. Well, she doesnt look THAT ugly, but i heard the other day that she had issues with the film and how she looked in it. guess why?
Because in the other movies she has been in, they have used Computer Generated technology to make her bust bigger. now, ive heard of cosmetic surgery, but CG surgery?
Apparently in this movie they didnt do that, and exposed her to be pretty flat. and she is apparently pretty "PO'd" about it! :D

Now! lets hope that the spybots are listening now! Less sad and mopey, more about busts! (heh heh.. bust..he said bust!) :D

And thats all for now! from the very happy mind of S.A.M

2004-07-30T17:48:00.000+10:00

"Regrets about Over-commitment"

You know, I have decided that I should have a maximum of two topics per post. otherwise it gets really confusing! So today I start implementing this new strategy.

I now have the need for procrastination again! which is a good thing! At least i think so! Back into Uni fully now, the first week of 13 is over and already here I am writing up my assessment calander. But the thing is, i can never get myself motivated enough to actually START the assignments i need to do. there is always something else that gets in the way.

As well as Uni work, i have to contend with Co-orgainising Youth events, writing up flyers for Church, Organising Sunday School lessons, practicing Viola, Piano and Organ, Performing in the Eisteddfod on Sunday, Working, and having a social life. I mean, i wouldnt have it any other way, but it kinda gets me to thinking that if i had not diversified so much, that i could have been a genius in maybe one or two fields.

To Quote one of my Comics: "My Evil is Missed Opportunity". Maybe if I focused more on Piano playing rather than Viola and Organ, then I could have Finished My AMus by now, and be much more prepared to teach Music. Same applies to Viola.
And if i didnt put the time in to my music, I could definately improve my grades at Uni. Maybe if I gave up work, then i could improve both Music AND grades, but then id miss out on all the friendships built up there, and of course, be very broke!
I could give up going out, but then i lose my friends.

And theres another link here. I have many areas of involvement, so therefore i have many friends from these different areas. I have Education friends, History Friends, Music Friends, Church Friends etc... And while I consider my church friends to be my core group of friends, i wish that i could be better friends to the other groups, instead of an almost fly-by-night kidna guy.
This is why i wouldnt move in with my mates over near Uni, because that would distance me from my church friends, (and my CIvic job). and kinda isolate me from them.

Too many commitments, and yet, i really wouldnt have it any other way. aside from the lack of sleep everything seems manageable. Its like i get to live many different lives at once. so what am I complaining about, except for the fact that i'd like to be more deeply involved in all of them, and yet cant.

Oh, and for the second subject:

The other day at work (Civic Video) I sent a message to one of the Juniors through the computer system. im kinda thinking maybe i shouldnt have, but i felt it needed to be said.
This junior is in Grade 10 this year, and is pretty much a very 'Teenage' girl. but very shallow, so seemingly. Everyday she's got a different crush and new female arch-enemy, and she loves her shopping for perfume, handbags and new clothes. None of this i mind at all, i mean, its kinda cute from a certain point of view. What i was sending the message about was her constant use of the phrase "OMG" I mean, seriously, has anyone been in online games? and seen how one of the catchphrases is now OMG? And the way she says it, like just in the normal flow of conversation, almost as a necessary part of language, and so quickly, it just gets to me.

I sent her a message explaining that while I know she And I dont believe the same things, that could she please tone down the use of the phrase, and explained that Oh My God was originally used as a plea for Help to God, but has now been trivialised and that people use it now, not knowing what and who they're talking about.

I dont know wether i should have or not, and i hope this doesnt blow up in my face, but i just felt that it needed saying... :P I Pray i did the right thing! :)

Ok, and thats about enough from me.. just few housekeeping items here! :D
- I think i will bow to peer pressure and change to hovering descriptions! looks less messy! :D
- Congrats to Paul and Jess! GO YOU GOOD THINGS! :D
- Shout outs to all the Kiwis, all of whom R0XX0R! :)
- Mike is coming.... WATCH OUT AUS! :) but no, should be Tres cool! :D

ANd thats about it for now! :)

From the Mind of S.A.M