Susan Boyle and the media

Susan Boyle ran second in 'Britain's Got Talent' over the weekend and while they were certainly entertaining the dance group 'Diversity' may just have benefitted from the media focus and the way the machine makes a worldwide hit of someone one week and then chews them up later on...

Stories of ego [she's changed, she was grumpy twice]
Rumours she'd pull out of the competitiion
Psychiatrist called in
yada yada yada...

I suppose it's fortunate for all concerned that recording contracts aren't restricted to the winner and we could expect a Susan Boyle CD in time for Christmas!

No need for the videos as you'll see them all over the media this week...

TED Presentations

Lots of fellow bloggers refer from time to time to the presentations, commandments and videos on TED.... I was interested in this one about Twitter

The Machine that goes BING!

So Wednesday this week sees Microsoft's answer to Google go live here!
The various searches for sites, images and videos is catered for plus a 'hover' function for previews [not unlike the bottom toolbar in Vista I guess]!!

Interesting!!

Done Sundance Done Cannes Dungog!!

This coming weekend brings on the increasingly popular 'Dungog Film Festival' in the rural Hunter Valley [dairy country]! An aussie film enthusiast, the local james Theatre and some creative business folk have conspired in recent years to set this up as 'the event' to draw people, commerce and energy into town.
Matthew Newton brings a tribute this year to the late Bud Tingwell through the unveiling of his last work in 'Three Blind Mice'!!
Of course I'm sorry if you can't fly around the world to be here... or even drive a few hours... so stay tuned for highlights!!

On related matters though, what does this event have to offer our efforts to join God's mission in the world...?
Is there a Festival each church could be a partner in to contribute to their community
What worship theme, style or other event might people find interesting
Who, what, where, how and when could we serve
Hmmmm, what would attract a gaggle of local celebrities besides free grog and clean mountain air...

This and many more questions!!

More on Movies in One Minute

This University Projects MySpace seems to have disappeared but there is a site somewhere with a series of these project films like the 'Forrest Gump' in a Minute

Movie a Minute

Everyone is so busy these days and there are so many classic and favourite films to watch... here's a way to save heaps of time... check out the Movie a Minute website here

"Titanic"
directed by James Cameron
Leonardo DiCaprio
Your social class is stuffy. Let's dance with the ship's rats and have fun.

Kate Winslet
You have captured my heart. Let's run around the ship and giggle.

(The ship SINKS.)

Leonardo DiCaprio
Never let go.

Kate Winslet
I promise. (lets go)

THE END

Worship Reflecting on Young People

I had opportunitylast week, at our gathering of interstate coleagues in children's and youth ministry across the UCA nationally, to quickly put together a 30min worship for a spot where the tag of 'who' had fallen off the sheet!!

It went a little like this...

Pre Worship 'The Door' Flash Animation [with Alex Lloyd's 'The Wonder' looped]
See it here
Audio-visual to "Viva La Vida" Coldplay as per a previous post this year
It's a reflection on feeling invincible but then discovering we're not...

CALL TO WORSHIP
This is our worship,
This is not a concert,
Not just a film, a lecture, or a party…

You are invited to give yourself time and space
to hear God
Let’s commit ourselves to be God’s people
Here in this place and in all places

We search, we question, we celebrate, we challenge…
May God’s Spirit be evident to you
In prayer and song, reflection and conversation

Prayer "Magnificent" U2
Lyrics on screen
Chance to scribe on newsprint about call, confession, reflection

"Flickering Candle" AV from Proost
Read a piece of creative writing that you'll understand was a first draft!!

Who Am I?
Wrapped up in my own world
or keen to make a difference
loved, known, seen
or invisible
When they handed out 'resilience'
Did I get my share?

Can I ask why God would love me?
or should it be obvious to all?
Will I make it?
Can I rise above?

Questions, insights, fears
imagination,
and the will to know myself

The smile, the grimace,
the angry facebook rant
Four friends who keep me going
that I couldn't live without

Constructions, dolls and dress ups
fantasies about teeth and birds,
and monsters in the cupboard
amongst my toys at the end of the hall

Who am I? I need to know
to be asked, to be heard,
to be hugged and understood

I am a kid, a mate, a neighbour
I am the 'trouble' down the road
I know you care
I hear your voice, I see it in your eyes

I got stuck here in this last verse
There's no right word that ryhmes with 'eyes'

The point is, don't forget me
with your strange gift,
to stop and care
I'll appreciate your message
As long as you don't stare
Who Am I?

Matthew 28 :16-20

"Lost Generation" from youtube [a few posts ago courtesy Bradon]

"Speakerdogs" response about gifts, childre/youth/worship

Sending Out "Be Yourself" Melinda Schneider inspired by Enough Rope audience member

Turning Increasingly Green

Ocassionally the weekend newspaper or glossy magazines include snippets about curious and trendy products for home and liesure!! One company often featured is Todae which sells products online and from King St, Newtown!

They include:

help with genuine solar installations

biodegradeable crockery

cornstarch or recycled paper pens and pencils

tote or shoulder bags made from old billboard posters

recycled stationery

usb rechargeable gadgets etc

Unfortunately our sink is too narrow for the gray water bucket that makes saving easy... some other less boutique styled product will have to suffice... Todae risks being expensively trinkety and fashionable but has a huge range of great ideas you wouldn't seek out if they weren't all together in one place! The Bokashi bin is even a composting/worm farm equivalent way to reuse food scraps when you live in a Unit or have no time for worms!!

Waratahs Hurricaned!!

The abysmal Queensland REDS [who would have ever written that in the 1980s] couldn't hold off the Wellington based Hurricanes and so we miss the Top 4 and Semis... hopefully learning from the midseason conservatism and building to next year when lets hope Chris Hickey is still in charge!!

Credit Where It's Due!!

I'm annoyed this post comes after the great news that the Waratahs have a bonus point win in South Africa [especially one I thought they'd struggle to get] because I was going to write and suggest that whatever the outcome of this recent match, they had done pretty well in South Africa.

They demonstrated toughness, the great defence their renowned for. In the case of two weeks ago the coach showed his cred with the use of Kurtley Beale!! I feared with the move to inside centre that he would be cruelled by the defensive workload and sent packing from the team, Instead they used Beale at in centre, fullback and second 5/8th after Halangahu was tackled... and he rose to it and played brilliantly [Robbie Deans take note and get him into your squad working more on this in a quality environment]!! After the Under 20 World Cup etc...

Go the Waratahs... hopefully the Crusaders lose and it's all systems go!!

Lost Generation

This was one clever clip Bradon used and is the second time in as many weeks I'm shocked I hadn't seen a clip before...

"Telling Stories" Social Justice Stuff

Last saturday we did the workshops for "Telling Stories" at Mt Colah and promised people access to some of the info re Social Justice which Bradon used plus the details of the simple guide to capturing/converting Youtube clips...

I promised to load it all here but think it'd be easier to direct you to Bradon's blog here so you can find what works for you!!

"Desperate Housewives" Season 5 Episode 13

The 100th episode of 'Housewives' was to me a return to form for a show that's been rubbish most of this fifth series! Who cares about the intrigue with the psychopath, Carlos getting his sight back [go figure] and the contrived storylines for everyone else... but the death of handyman Eli Scruggs and the girls reflections on his pivotal and supportive role in their struggles and stories had a realistic, grainy and important dynamic in the story...

Who are the people who help you through the tough stuff? What are your priorities? Who tells you you're OK? When has someone or something unexpected been affirming, pivotal or transformative in your life story... how is an overwhelmingly positive energy present in your life? Who listens to you?

Eli Scruggs saved cookbook drafts, changed locks, asked questions, unblocked plumbing and reflected the best in people back to them!!

Woman at the Well

Having used this clip at the 'Telling Stories' Workshops on Saturday I have reposted it here for those who wanted to access it from youtube so you can also see it here.

Laurence Leung's "Choose Your Own Adventure"

Local comic Laurence Leung made a gem of a program for Oz ABC TV this year and I have been remiss in not blogging about it sooner! It's quirky and funny in interesting ways as Laurence sets about 'becoming a rockstar', 'being cool', 'find love' and 'be the best in the world'

It's an interesting take on identity, humour, self iamge, goals and life!!

More on this with a Discussion Guide when I have some time!

"Magnificent" U2

U2's video for their new single 'Magnificent' is out with the usual hype! This is one of the three or so tracks from the latest album that I am keen to use in some contexts. It like many of the other introspective tracks on this record is very much a psalm about call, the impact of being 'loved by God' and the follishness of forgetting it.

Magnificent
Magnificent
Magnificent

I was born
I was born to be with you
In this space and time
After that and ever after I haven't had a clue
Only to break rhyme
This foolishness can leave a heart black and blue

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar

I was born
I was born to sing for you
I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise…

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love can heal such a scar

Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent
Magnificent

Only love, only love can leave such a mark
But only love, only love unites our hearts

Justified till we die, you and I will magnify
The Magnificent
Magnificent
Magnificent

Catch the video here or here

Lilith Fair returning in 2010

"In 1996, Sarah McLachlan became frustrated with concert promoters and radio stations that refused to feature two female musicians in a row.[1] Bucking conventional industry wisdom, she booked a successful tour for herself and Paula Cole. At least one of their appearances together - in McLachlan's home town, on September 14, 1996 - went by the name "Lilith Fair" and included performances by McLachlan, Cole, Lisa Loeb and Michelle McAdorey, formerly of Crash Vegas.

The next year, McLachlan founded the Lilith Fair tour, taking Lilith from the medieval Jewish legend that Lilith was Adam's first wife.

In 1997, Lilith Fair garnered a $16 million gross, making it the top-grossing of any touring festival.[1] Among all concert tours for that year, it was the 16th highest grossing.[1]

Because of its all-female line up, the festival received several nicknames, including "Breast-fest" and "Girlapalooza".[2][3]"
Wikipedia and other sources

Lilith Fair returns in 2010 and that's about all that's been said so far!!

"Grey's Anatomy" Season 5 Epsiode 13

"Stairway to Heaven" was tonight's episode here in Oz and it was 'one their best episodes for a long time' even including that Denny was still hanging around!! It included closing sequences and Slaone voiceover with Powderfinger's 'Drifting Further Away'
They come at questions of life and death froma variety of angles with the various characters stories including the death row murderer, the young boy desperately in need of several transplant organs and whatever the reason is for Denny not being able to leave Izzie!!
The usual Grey's lunacy is maintained through the sub story about Sloane's 'broken penis'... yes you did read that correctly.
Powderfinger feature with the closing 5 min sequence bringing a number of the storyline threads together.

Worship Unplugged # 61 'Choose Serving Over Self Interest'

At one of my local congregations [Charlestown] I was up for one of on average two worship services per year. The locals are focusing for about six weeks on 'stewardship' and I was invited to consider taking that approach from my own perspective... which I was happy to do.

Colleagues on the 'youthmultimedia' egroup passed on a number of helpful suggestions and I found a few bits n pieces amongst an enormous ammount of 'dross'.

While I thought the tag was inadequate the "24" styled clip from Worship House Media about how we spend our time was a helpful substitute for a second 'reading'. The "Opportunities" clip from 'The Work of the People' was a simple observation that when we miss a chance to 'serve' we set off the bitterfly effect of missed opportunity that could be part of the living out of a world lived according to the values of God. I inserted an unexplained snippet of Trevor's assignment from 'Pay It Forward.'

There were a few more aspects as we explored the notion that stewardship was an activity of bringing about a world lived according to the values of God [reflecting on the parables about mustard seeds, yeast and the pearl] from Matthew 13: 31-33 44-46.



Simple definition "choosing serving over self interest"

It's about using your gifts and abilities from a standpoint of thinking about others

Wrestled with and didn't include a reflection time using 'Life Uncommon' by Jewel

Instead chose "Opportunity" Pete Murray/John Mayer from the ARIAs

Added [3] other Photostory videos of images so had four videos in one Powerpoint slide

We earthed the simple definition in a difficult exercise of ranking sceanrios by 'importance'

Drew out the need for communal action and different gifts in the activity




How would rank the importance of:

Giving money to the ‘Fred Hollows Foundation’ charity for eye surgery in the third world
Giving money to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal to rebuild the community
Getting involved in Meals on Wheels visiting older people and delivering their lunches
Joining an Aboriginal Reconciliation Group to work on a communitye event
Being at a Family members Dinner to catch up with relatives you don’t see often
Giving money to your local church activities and mission carried out by teams of volunteers and leaders
Installing solar electricity roof panels contributing power to the grid and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Buying only fair-trade coffee and chocolate from a local green grocer
Talking to a friend about why you’re part of a community of faith and what God’s call means to you
Spending time at your local pub listening to a friend talk about a few of their hassles and current relationship
Encouraging someone you know to give something a go that they are thinking about and would be great at
Writing letters to your local mp about an issue you see as important for the future of your communty

Another Great Motoring Moment

Friends who know me well should be reassured that this is not in fact some footage from my own motoring highlights reel, though it could easily make the list which makes some impressive and hilarious reading... but either way this is definitely NOT how to get your 4WD out of a bog!!

My list includes:

Many memorable empty fuel tanks including Christmas Eve

Brake pads so worn they fell out

A siezed motor on the F3

Being run into in an accident on my way to my first day at work

Being run into at lights just a day after posting my overdue insurance premium leading to a seven week enquiry

A burnt out starter motor from holding the ignition on to get to the auto electrician

My Mitsubishi Van fireball when the car caught alight and was gutted just off Pennant Hills Rd

A rusted out Carolla I left with a wrecker and he didn't charge me for taking it

Electronic failure in my Commodore just as I entered the Harbour Tunnel leaving the rugby That's the highlights anyhow...

"Bohemian Rhapsody"

A classic tune an old fashioned way!!