The Big Swap

If you're not aware for Fair Trade, you will be soon. I keep harping on about it to everyone, and I can't wait to get my hands on a Fairtrade KitKat!

The years campagin for Fairtrade Fortnight (22nd Feb - 7th March) is 'The Big Swap'so if you want to find out a bit more watch the video below



Or head to fairtrade.org.uk to have a look at everything that is going on and the ideas that you can adapt for your own situation.

We're going to hold our regular cafes and have drinks available for anyone who would like to try tea or coffee 0r juice or chocolate for free!

So if you're in Billericay find us on facebook for more details!

That's the easy part of my life at the moment... the harder part is doing the teaching on Sunday with the 11 - 14 year olds. I'm teaching about the scantity of life. It's a tough one when it relates to abortion and euthanasia. But the Bible has a lot of wonderful things to say about humans as God's creation, how He gives us life and looks after us as well.

I'm praying a lot at the moment... mainly for Sunday, but also that Chris gets well soon and that we get to Karen's safely on Saturday!

Becoming the 'bad guy'

One thing I really haven't had to get used to in my life is confrontation. It's one of the things that scares me, but I know that in my line of work, I have to sometimes use my authority to make a point, and most of the time, that means confronting someone.

Tonight was the first time in a long time that I've had to tell someone off for their behaviour. I had to ban someone from youth group for a week because he decided to use a fire door. Part of me thinks 'why didn't we use this punishment before?' A one week ban for using a door and setting off an alarm is a good idea. The more we use discipline in the correct manner, the more we're likely to be able to control situations and understand what is going on too.

More news on facebook...people are joining a group that give instructions on how to get the old facebook back, but I've read the instructions at it seems ridiculously complicated, just so that people can feel comfortable about using something that didn't even exist 3 years ago.

How has this social networking site taken over our lives?

I get it, but i don't really see why it's so important for me to be friends with as many people as possible, for me to keep up to date with those friends through their status updates. Yes its a revolution, it's instant, it fits the consumer society and we can laugh at the photos...what would Paul say about it? Is there a problem with letting this social networking site become part of our lives so rapidly and all encompassing?

I have had some brilliant conversations with my friends online, I've spoken to people that I haven't got in touch with for years...in fact the Viz-a-Viz reunion was organised on Facebook, but there's a line that needs to be drawn...don't quite know where that is, but I'm sure I won't step over it. Will society be so conscious of it's decisions? We'll wait and see I guess...

All things new...

It's funny how people react to new things...some love the challenge, but most just complain or make a fuss about it.

Take the new facebook, for a while now I've been getting used to working it and finding out where everything is. So I understand it, I understand how it works, and what bugs still need sorting (like walls disappearing) some poeple have had it forced upon them... kind of cruel, but it's not hard to switch over and if you're advanced enough to be on facebook, you'll pick up the new one easily!

Have just watched the closing cermony too - amazing again...our part was interesting and Boris was a laugh, as always!!

Doing the geek thing...

I'm far too competitive for my own good...Tetris has taken over my life...sad eh? Facebook is addictive too...

I've had problems with it though, Facebook seems to work best on IE, but I use Firefox and there can be problems with social networking sites. So we've had to make sure that the cache clears itself every time I shut down.

I'm watching the paralympic opening ceremony whilst blogging...I'm absolutly amazed and in wonder of it all. I don't know whether we can top this. The use of technology and the stories are brilliant...Visually its incredibly strong. The outfits are amazing too...

My youngest brother turns 19 today...

Circle Line Challenge

Saturday night saw some of us head into London to take part in the 'Circle Line Challenge'.

Let me explain... The idea is to go to a pub and have a drink at every stop on the circle line, from London's underground system. Simple! I hear you cry...

Well... if you know where all the nearest pubs are... I'm surprised that Mayor Boris Johnson hasn't cottoned on to this idea and put a bar in every station... he'd make a load of money to pay for 2012!

As always, picture included...12 of us, all dressed as service men and women, getting some strange looks (you'd think that London would know what's going on by now...), trying not to get lost or beaten up... Us in the Weatherspoons at the top of Liverpool Street Station...didn't mind that pub.

Next we skipped a few stops and headed to the O'Neills nearest Kings Cross...I think we may have made/disrupted some peoples quiet Saturday evening drinks.

We decided to abandon going all the way round (you need a lot longer if you're going to get all pubs at all stations - and a sensible choice of shoe is a good idea.) and headed to Covent Garden instead.

The Punch and Judy which over looks the performers square is a lovely pub, so is Henry's Bar...which is just off the square. Not a hugely expensive night (a kitty is a brilliant idea) and there's no pressure to drink huge amounts plus there's quite a lot of time between drinks if there's a large group of you.

Shame the last train to Billericay is 00:50 and we didn't get into London until 20:15.

Still...maybe next time...

Asking the right questions...

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

This was on my daily bible verses part of my Facebook page...maybe, just maybe, I've been asking with the wrong intentions...

It's from James btw.

Work was hairy today, a lot of raised tempers and things not happening how they should. Plenty of issues, some I'm qualified to deal with, some I simply have very little training in. I'm still on a learning curve, from dealing with the office in general...to social workers...to everything that could possibly go wrong in one day. And I still have to do the regular amount of work that I normally do.

Getting paid peanuts was never going to be fun...

I remembered...

what I was going to say yesterday and I've got more to add!

Facebook is a strange phenomenon. There is now a group for The Billericay School Studio Orchestra, which I used to be a part of. I've still got my choir and orchestra t-shirts, floating around somewhere, which proves I don't let go of the past so quickly! It's another strange re-living of an experience I'd almost forgotten - it's at least 7 years since I played in an orchestra or sung in a choir.

Now the school is technology and maths minded, rather than music, which is sad, and again proves that I don't let go of the past...

The other thing is a little bit of a rant. I hate Satnav, well actually young drivers who can't read maps.I'd love to drop them all in the middle of the wilderness and ask them to get home using a map and a compass.

And finally...call centers that aren't in England, need I say more?

Heroes

Seen as Facebook isn't working...I'm going to blog again.

If you haven't been watching Heroes (either on NBC or BBC 2) then you won't want to read this post.

It's absolutely amazing! I've really enjoyed watching it. I've seen three episodes now and I have really fallen for it. People with super powers, some who want them, some who don't, some who aren't quite sure what they are capable of just yet, some who think they have a power and are trying to convince others. I could describe every character, but I won't!

Naturally there are people who have popped up from previous shows/movies. And as always, this has bugged me incredibly, thankfully the good people at IMDB.com have done all the research for me! So now I know that Clea DuVall who plays Audrey Hanson in the show is also Stokes in the movie The Faculty, and Hayden Panettiere (who is very hot, I must say) who plays Claire Bennet was also in Law and Order:SVU and Ally McBeal.

Thank you IMDB.com, I would go insane without you!

Right, I'm off to sit in the sun!

NIghts out, nights in

I've had my fair share of both since I've been back. A whole week! I feel like I should be packing my bag and moving again, but I know that it wouldn't be right, so I'm staying put. So far, so good...sooo good.

I've caught up with pretty much all of my friends and rekindled some old relationships...drank in pubs with people who have grown up spectacularly while I've been away and seen that the influence of a youth worker can still have impact four years down the line. (Yes that youth worker was me!) I've also heard some hilarious stories and realised that some things never actually change, as much as you might want them to, you can just count on some people to be as steady as always.

Whilst Googling Bas Vegas (go on do it!) I came across a Wiki site for Big Brother - really how far does this stuff reach? I have spent this year totally avoiding the whole thing, I can't even tell you the names of the contestants, or even what the house looks like.

Anyway, almost back to normality, except Facebook is down for maintenance this morning! People! Give us some warning! I've got important things to do!