Random Thoughts

Here are some of the things that i have thought randomly this week.

1. If you need the Welsh national anthem singing, pay the money and get Tom Jones cos he's brilliant.
2. It's a bad time strategically for teachers to be striking, not because on the face of it they don't have a case, but because in times of economic insecurity, teaching becomes an attractive option. Who knows if in 12 months, a fairly guaranteed job and a pay award under inflation will look very good indeed?
3. 20/20 cricket is like village cricket for millionaires. It's the same game I played when i was a kid, except they ought to make players retire when they have got 30 runs and force everyone to bowl two overs.
4. I'm cooking Alex sausage and cauliflower tandoori tonight.
5. I'm looking forward to a holiday soon.
6. I don't like it when Alex helps me with sermons, but she generally makes them better.
7. I'm glad the Sontarans were actually properly regular characters on the original doctor who. It makes much more sense to revive them if they are.
8. Prospect magazine is as good as i hoped it would be.

Can't remember anything else.

Simon Preaching.

Along with all the family stuff that has been happening over the past months, this month has been busy for me because my boss has been away for a month resting in Adelaide. This has meant me taking more responsibility in the church, including the last 4 weeks worth of preaching on Sunday mornings. I'm adding a preach onto the blog, not because I think I'm the greatest preacher, but because it's what i do, and it's what i think.

I've learnt a lot in the past few weeks. I've had to do some new things. Next week, I'm doing my first funeral. I'm really pleased that I got to have the experience and 90% of the time, it's made me more sure that I want to be a minister.

Alex's up-date and a belated "Thank you"

For those of you who read our page regularly, you'll have noticed that it is almost always Simon who provides the entries. However, I thought it was high time that I posted an entry, particularly in light of recent events.

I'd like to say a big thank you to all of you who have loved, supported and prayed for me, Simon and Rocky over the recent weeks and months. Also, all the staff at Derriford Hospital who looked after me deserve the highest commendation. It is the second time in six months I've been in the hospital and the care has been first class on both occasions.

I'm now well on the road to recovery, for which I thank God. Fatigue is likely to be for some time, nevertheless I'm back to work next week. (My doctor tells me, is quite remarkable considering the seriousness of my illness.)

I am thoroughly looking forward to returning to work. I am returning three days a week. This is the best of both worlds as far as I am concerned. It will allow me to continue to spend time with Rocky but also give my brain some much needed exercise. (If you're wondering why I would want to go back to work and why I enjoy my job so much, you may want to check out our old posts. I think I wrote on the subject last year sometime).

Anyway, that's my news for now. I'm going to get off the computer because I think Simon has some more trivia to brighten you day! :)

God Bless.

Lots of learning

Rocky is doing lots of learning at the moment. Learning to sit up more, learning to eat rusks and banana and little stars yoghurt. All this is very tiring for a young boy.

What's next?

We're starting to feel like we're moving into a new chapter of the year. Alex is feeling a lot better and is starting to think about her imminent return to work with enthusiasm. Simon is back into the business of church life, preaching every Sunday in April as his boss takes a sabbatical to Australia. Rocky is displaying a taste for rusks and banana as we start to ween him. We've finished watching all 7 series of the West Wing, and in true Bartlet style, we're starting to ask, 'What's next.'

Prospect Magazine

I like reading magazines, and ever since I was a little kid, I've always had a mag that I read regularly. I have progressed through the years from the likes of the Beano and Tiger to Shoot and Match Weekly and Touchdown to the likes of Metal Hammer and Melody Maker to the likes of National Geographic and Empire.

We took a subscription out to Empire last year, but stopped reading it this year because the fatal combination of parenthood, a rubbish year for films in 2007 and a downturn in Empire's journalistic standards made it feel not worthwhile anymore. However, i still trust Empire reviews more than any other news organ.

We've been on the look out for a regular magazine to enjoy ever since, and while we've flirted with the economist, we're going to try with Prospect magazine because it seems interesting and well informed but also digestable.

If you're interested, follow the link here.

NCAA round up

Well, the basketball is over, and I came 504,373th out of all the people who made predictions on facebook. I got 3 of the final 4 right, but my predictions were blown out by the thrilling Kansas vs Memphis title game which Kansas won after hitting this great 3 pointer to force overtime



My personal highlight of the tournament was watching Davidson's upset run, beating Georgetown and the Wisconsin Badgers (their fans had t-shirts that just had the word BADGERS written on it, so cool) with Stephen (pronounced Steffan) Curry acting as baby-faced assassin.