Off to see the wizard...

... the wonderful wizard of Oz!...

...well, not quite! Off to Scotland tomorrow to see a couple of universities. Tomorrow afternoon is Stirling University, then Thursday afternoon is Heriot Watt (Edinburgh). The parents are coming too, but I plan to spend a bit of time relaxing in Edinburgh... maybe climb Scots Monument if the weathers good, go to the park, stuff like that! So, have a great few days, and I'll check in with you when I get back...

... Off to see the wizard...

e.s.t...

I was listening to Viaticum, an e.s.t. album again today, and I felt that I must share my love for this one particular song...

"The Unstable Table and the Infamous Fable"

Such a wonderful song... you should all go and listen to it! Wonderful jazz... makes everything ok!

Change...

So thought it was about time I posted properly. Was at work today for a few hours, not too busy but not too quiet either, which was nice. School has been the thing dominating my life at the minute, tis rather strange trying to get settled back into it when I feel like its time for someplace new.

Don't know if that makes any sense to anyone... but it's how I feel at the minute. It feels like i've been here for an eternity (well, I kinda have, i've been here all my life... it feels like i've been here longer than I actually have). I just want to get out there now. I want to travel, I want to see the world, I want to meet a guy, I want to experience new sights and sounds and smells and tastes... I want to do all the things I've dreamed of for so long.

Being back in school is a very strange feeling... I'm heavily involved in the Christian Union- and I love it- but I thought i'd feel more at home in it, more settled, than I do. Don't get me wrong, I DO love being in CU, I love getting to encourage and equip and inspire my friends, but i still feel like it's time for a change now, time for me to do something new.

And it's a very strange place to be... caught between where I am, and where I want to be...

Thought...

"Hold on to heaven... & don't let Satan in."

A friend sent me this in a message today... its stuck with me for some reason, can't work out what it is about it...

Discuss!

Making your mark...

I was away on a "pupil leadership training weekend" organised by SU the weekend past there (as in I came home yesterday!). It was fantastic! There were about 55-60 people there from 14 different schools around N.Ireland, and we just came together to talk and share ideas about our CU's and connect with each other.
On Sunday morning during our last session, a guy called Mark said something during an 'open mic' time that I will never forget. He was talking about his specific situation in school...

"We have 5 people on our SU committee - thats nearly half the 12 disciples, and if they touched the whole world and we are only trying to reach one school - I think we can handle it!"

In Academy, we have 10 people on committee and 2-4 teachers involved at different stages... thats more than the 12 disciples... and we are only trying to reach one school... BRING IT ON!

Stupid internet...

FINALLY getting to update... live from the Wash Basin lol. My internet connection from home seems to have packed in, and since I've actually been in school very little this week I've had to forgo blogging.

What a waste of time yesterday was. I went up to Queens University (Belfast) open day with school. I already knew I didnt really want to go there, but as I'll probably be appling in case I dont get into the ones I want to go to, I went to see it anyway. Pretty much just confirmed what I already knew. I missed the only talk I wanted to go to (maths) as we arrived too late, so we had a wee nosy around the campus and then headed into town for lunch, swiftly followed by coffee at Starbucks... best part of the day.

Today was a little better it must be said, went to Methodist College (a school in Belfast) for a 'higher education convention'- basically a lot of universities from mainland UK. Had a chat with a few of them, got some more prospectuses (is that even a word?). MOst importantly, I found out about BUNAC. It's an organisation that runs gap year programmes and work abroad programmes. I got to have a chat with a lady about taking a year out to work in New Zealand, and it turns out that she had been on the programme in NZ too, so it was really useful. It's still expensive, but is a lot more afordable than other options I've looked at, especially because you can work your way around.

Yesterday afternoon was also the first CU meeting of the year - my first in charge! - and from the feedback I've been getting I think it went pretty well. We had quite a lot of 5th years along, and probably about 60ish in total. I was actually speaking at it, only for about 5 mins like, but i was still a little nervous. Its strange, because I knew that I was saying something God had told me to say, so I wasnt nervous about that, but I was still just a little nervous about actually getting up there and speaking! I think it went ok though. I shared a little bit about our vision for CU this year, in aiming to be a loving community (see Matt 13v34-35). Heres hoping lots come back next week...

iPod, therefore...

Started reading this book yesterday, and am really enjoying it. It's subtitled 'A personal journey through music', and its all that and more. It has set me off once again on my own journey, sometimes back through music I havent listened to in years... has also convinced me to make time to put more of my music collection onto my MP3 player, something I've been meaning to do for ages and just never got round to!

So thought I'd post a list of whats currently spinning in my CD player (or if todays been anything to go by, on my turntable...)

Rattle & Hum - U2
The Sound Of White - Missy Higgins
Blackened Sky - Biffy Clyro
For This Cause - Hillsong
The Needle In The Haystack - Frances Thorburn
Know Your Enemy - Manic Street Preachers
Bleed American - Jimmy Eat World
Sonicpraise - Sonicflood
Vs. - Pearl Jam

Fun!

Back to school...

Today was my first day back, and I have to say, it was kinda strange.

I am now in the oldest year group in school - that means we're the ones the little 'uns look up to and think are cool and stuff. I remember how back in the day we thought 6th years were the coolest thing since sliced bread! It also made me a bit sad, just to think that this is my last year - I have to make this one count! I know we all complain about school and homework and whatever else - but I really have been blessed in this school, with wonderful teachers, friends and subjects I (mostly) enjoy. It will take some getting used to as I begin to move on to fresh pastures...