Hi, my name is: Bek Ingram
When I’m nervous: I get really cold but sweat like I’m hot
The last song I listened to was: Crush Crush Crush by Paramore
If I were to get married right now my best man/maid of honor would be: Maid of Honor would be the same as it originally was. My sister….oh and I don’t plan on getting married again!
By this time next year: I will hopefully be either a) preggers or b) already have baby #1
I have a hard time understanding: God’s purpose for me at my current church
If I won an award, the first person I would tell would be: Russell and then my family
Take my advice: Wasabi isn’t cucumber sauce, its really hot!
Most recent thing I’ve bought myself: A razor. Exciting, I know
Most recent thing someone else bought me: hhhmmmm…Russell bought me a bottle of Ginger Beer during his grocery shopping (we had a little extra so he bought me a treat!)
My favorite hair style is: My natural wave – messy like
My middle name is: Joy – surprise surprise
In the morning I: Turn alarm off (some mornings hit snooze), pee, have a shower (sometimes if I’m extra prepared, I shower before bed so I get an extra 10min sleep in) dawdle around in my gown, let Jet inside, wake Russell to see if he can ‘help’ me make my lunch (help meaning, do for me), get dressed, sometimes put a little makeup on, go to the bus stop, wait for the bus in the freezing wind, get on bus for an hour and finally arrive in the city for work at 8am.
Last night I was: Watching t.v. with Russell eating ice-cream with nuts and hundreds and thousands
If I was an animal I’d be: a bird…Id only fly away….nah, I reckon I would be an elephant, they are cool…I’d get up to a bit of mischief with my trunk…
A better name for me would be: I’m not really feeling creative, so if you can think of a better one, put in the comments section :)
Tomorrow I am: Coming to work…surprise surprise
Tonight I am: Chilling out with Russell (I’m pretty lucky, that’s the 2nd time this week!)
The 7 people I miss the most are: Nana and Pop, Sara and Elise, Uncle Alan, Uncle Gary, Aunty Deb, Aunty Jan, Harry, Austen, The whole smith side of my family, the rest of the Furlongs – though I don’t think I missed any.
My heart is: beating…thankfully
31.7.07
A little bit of fun...
Gambling with the kids
Russell came home from youth on Wednesday night really excited. He had organised a night where the kids could come up with an outreach night to their friends, and they have to organise it all themselves (delegation…right on!).
They had a brainstorming session where they all came up with different ideas of what they could do. After throwing a heap up on the board they decided to go with a casino night.
Russell was encouraged as it seemed like the first time the kids were really excited about something. They were all looking forward to it and planning how things would be done, and it was a vibe that we have rarely seen at youth.
They decided each kid would pay a $2 entry which would give them a certain amount of chips that they could use for the duration of the night. The money would go towards the Youth’s sponsor child, Nancy, and you could only buy one round of tips…once their gone, that’s it.
Russell came home all excited and enthused…until he spoke to me. My instant reaction was to irk up and say a straight out ‘no’. ‘You’re the leader, you need to set guidelines and not let the kids do just whatever they feel like’.
We then had a long conversation about the ‘pro’s and con’s’ of the night. In the end, my view was coming from the fact that the culture associated with the word ‘casino’ is a bad culture/environment and that I didn’t think it is something that the youth want to stand for. And, Russell doesn’t want to just conform because people may get offended.
We then had an hour long discussion at small group last night (This is after our 2hr discussion on Gods Perfection – see below – it was a pretty full on night).
If we give the kids macaroni pasta and not chips, would this validate it? If we only played poker, would that be ok? If we didn’t use the word ‘casino’ would that change the whole perception for people?
I thought last night about the fact that, we as a small group could talk about it and nut-it-out for the next 5 hrs and in the end decide that there is nothing wrong with it, but we don’t have that chance or time to explain our reasoning to parents and their kids. The parents have a 10min space of, ‘Mum, I’m going to a casino night at youth, can I have some money…” and their first thought will be the generalisation of what society associates with casinos. We can’t talk and nut-out with the parents our reasoning like we can in small group. The parents get a small 10min window – and I’m afraid that the instant thought they will have is ‘no’ or ‘this isn’t good’.
For the 2nd time in the night, (at small group) we were discussing our thoughts and opinions. How we could word the night…would that make any difference? Could we change the games or instead of having chips have macaroni noodles? Would that make any difference? Considering this is an outreach night for the kids to bring their friends to, is it ok then?
Russell was starting to feel down about it all. The kids had come up with this night on their own and they were all excited about planning and organising it. Now, he is looking like, he is going to have to go back to them and say, ‘no-can-do’ and crush their spirits. Hopefully, no spirits will be crushed, but we are still a little at a loss as to what to do.
Is having a casino night at youth an absolute no-go? What would be a better alternative? Or is there simply none?
We have discussed the ideas of having a talk at the end of the night about the trappings of gambling and about spending our money wisely. We have discussed having different games, not using the word casino, and of canning the night completely.
This is another one of those issues I am interested to hear peoples thoughts on. I already know what I would say/do, but I want to hear other people’s thoughts. Maybe someone out there has had a similar experience in their ministry. Maybe someone has a brilliant solution!! Give them to me! I want to hear them!
Random updated Pics
Before we headed off to Shane & Kims party we took some random photos.
We are both so unco and unphotogenic that we can never get a nice shot. So...we took a few trys...I still dont think we got there in the end anyway!!
1st attempt
2nd...
still not happening...
better...but still not quiteShane & Kims Engagement
Playing 'Duck, duck, goose' - Kim didnt know the game so we had to teach her
The groomsmen dressed the bride - hopefully wont be happening for the actual ceremony!
Kim & Shane chatting about how they met and their plans for the future
Shane trying to explain where Chiang Rai is in relation to Bangkok (or Chiang Mai, can't remember)
Cutting the huge cake!
Feeding each other - A tradition from Norway apparently
mmm...the chocolate fountain!!
Feeding each other again!! 27.7.07
Perfectly Flawless?
Had a couple of really interesting discussions at our small group last night. One of them was about God’s perfection. The differences in our point of views on God and on our understanding of perfection. The other was on whether it is considered ‘right’ or ‘ok’ to have a casino night at youth for outreach.
They were both very interesting discussions…some people getting fired up…others getting defensive…it was very interesting.
Usually I jump right on in and love to ‘get my hands dirty’ and really dig and have a go at trying to nut things out. This time though I tried to just sit back and watch, and listen (at least I think I did). It was interesting to see different people’s reactions. Ways that people would get uncomfortable and defensive. We all need shaking every now and then, and I guess some people don’t like it. I like to be challenged on my belief’s, it usually gives me more ground for what I believe and only strengthens me. Some people though, these discussions can be very detrimental to their faith. Some people thrive on it, some it can shake them too much and push them down a different path.
We as Christians can’t always have the attitude of ‘It’s in the Bible and that’s it.’ Russell made a good comment about seeing something that people are doing that is good and true and right, and meeting them there and getting along side of them. Then pointing out that this, what you’re doing, is good and true and it is what God intended. That way your not walking up to someone saying, yeah, what you’re doing is great, but you need to do it this way and do it for God. It shows no care in the situation and it more than likely pushes people away rather than bringing them closer.
I diverge…
I guess I was just wondering what other people’s opinions are about God’s perfection.
Does he have flaws, weaknesses, vulnerablilities, did Jesus ‘sin’?
Is this foundational to any Christian faith? Or does it not matter, as long as you believe in God, you’ll get to heaven, won't you?
I’m just interested to peoples views…feel free to comment Pete ;) I like the way you think and challenge us :)
Oh, and I’ll post about the whole casino thing soon :)
26.7.07
Postsecret
Found another new site. Its a bit sad but also really intriguing.
Go check it out. I reckon you'll get hooked!
25.7.07
Big News...again
For some really big news, click here!!
Yay!! Im so happy for you both, and I hope that you enjoy this time and dont get too stressed or bogged down with other peoples wishes and wants.
24.7.07
New Blog
Im on a roll with my posting at the moment!!
Just found fletch has a blog....awww...finally!!
Here is a link...and look...Ive already added it to my links!!
Just quickly...the mobilization cafe is a blog encouraging people to chat about mission (correct me if Im wrong Greg). And the blog, Lead by Serving is about the family (again correct if wrong).
Yep. Well 50% correct. leadbyserving.com doesn't have a blog....yet.... Ummm...leadbyserving is a work in...umm...evolution. It started out as my family website, but over time, I expect to turn it into a place to discuss servant leadership. I suspect it will have a group blog...eventually. Mobilization Cafe is a bit more specific too. It is a place to resource and encourage people involved in helping people find their place in the Great Commission...all in the "virtual" atmosphere of a cafe table. It is just getting its feet, but I see some promise for a healthy growth in coming days...with the blog, links and a podcast, talking to people involved in "Mobilization" in different places and orgs around the world....stay tuned! :-)
Go have a squiz and leave a thought or comment...Im sure it would be greatly appreciated.
'Arry Pottaaahh'
Last week Russell headed off to the movies for a well overdue date (I never said we were perfect!).
I had been given 2 La Premiere tickets for my birthday and we wanted to see a long movie to get the most out of them. Sad, I know.
We decided to see the 5th Harry Potter flick. I would have to say that this was the best one of all. I don’t claim to know all the facts, as I’ve only read the first 2 books, but this was one ripper of a movie.
The kids are starting to grow up, and along with that the magic is getting darker. There is a wicked fight scene at the end and it is done really well. I have enjoyed all of the Potter flicks, and in my opinion, they just keep getting better.
It was a little scarier than the previous ones and in the first couple of scenes I had my hands over my eyes (peeking through though) and getting genuinely scared. The character of Luna is great. Amazingly she was just a girl (the actor) sitting at home reading the books and decided she loved the character so much that she wrote to J.K.Rowling and asked to audition for the role! Who woulda thought!? She did a great job. The imagination and the story line is always great, and after seeing this movie, it has prompted me to pick up the books I haven't read yet and finish them off.
Has anyone else seen this movie?
Does anyone not agree with the Potter books and flicks? If so, why? Or do you think they are fun and cause no harm?
I always find the Potter books/flicks an interesting topic for people, particularly in the Christian circle, so let me know your thoughts. I’d love to hear them!
While looking for pictures to stick up with this post I found this picture of some fan that I think has taken it a little too far!
alright already....
Jeepers you people push!!
Since Sarah and Greg (fletch) are pushing and proding and trying to guess my news....I guess I better spill.
We bought a house! I know in the past I have said that we didnt want to buy and that we are happy renting (still are), this opportunity came along and we decided that we would give it a burl and see what happened.
We weren't looking to buy a house, it kind of just landed in our lap.
Now, dont go thinking that we are buying a house so that we can have babies either. I have always been of the opinion that you dont have to own your own house to have kids....thats just stupid! Whats the point in owning a nice big house, but not be able to fill it with kids.
I always thought we would rent till we were maybe 40, and then we might buy...but this kind of all just happened.
Hopefully, this wont put off our timeline for having kids (it better not) and we will still be able to fill our house with them. We may be living off baked beans on toast (like Eliza) but we will be happy.
Our only problem at the moment is that we are going away for all of Sept, and settlement is on the 2nd of Oct. We will also have to be paying for a months worth of rent and a mortgage at the same time!! This is causing me the most stress. We are furiously saving for Thailand and so that we can have at least a little spending money, and we are now having to save to pay for rent and mortgage all at once. We will be fine after Oct, its just all the stress of planning and what not.
Im sorry if I disappointed anyone by buying a house. But I believe that we are doing it for the right reasons. We aren't buying because its the 'thing to do'. We arent buying because we dont think we cant have kids without our own place. We are buying however, because we are trying to be faithful and wise with our money and we decided that this was an opportunity brought along by God and we decided to jump!
Please pray that God provides for us in the months leading up to settlement and that we wont stress too much over anything.
So, thats our news....a big debt. Yay!!
Oh, and the house is on Disney Road. For those of you who know me you will know that this is a perfect Road!! (I'm a big Disney freak!)
Tada!!
Quote of the day
I saw this on the notice board out the front of the Trinity Church on St Georges Terrace this morning. I quite like it myself.
"Competition always brings out the best in products and the worst in people."
- whoever put the letters together on the sign this morning...Trinity church
23.7.07
Quote of the day
"Don't worry that your children will never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you."
- Robert Fulghum
Purple Knees
I have two bruises on my knee caps from last night. They cane real bad too! It really hurts when you smack both of them at the same time...on solid wood!
I was getting ready to hop into bed and Russell was already in bed waiting for me. I asked him if he had warmed up my side of the bed and he said ‘no’.
I went into silly mode.
I thumped my fist on the bed saying in a silly voice “Why not, why haven’t you been working on my side of the bed!?!” or something along those lines.
I then started to bounce on the bed with my knees, but I misplaced myself and instead of jumping up onto the bed, I slipped off the edge and smacked both kneecaps on the bed frame.
I was rolling around in pain claiming that I would never walk again and that I couldn’t move my legs.
Now, get this…
The only sympathy I got was laughter and “see what happens when you are being silly?”
Me: “I wasn’t being silly….ah ah I cant feel my legs” (still waiting for some sympathy)
Russ: “You were being silly”
Me: (whispers) “No I wasn’t…sniff sniff”
Russ: “ggggrrrr….” (kiss on one knee, kiss on the other) "sigh"
I jump into bed and claim to be healed.
Although, on looking back, I probably was being silly, as my knees are so sore sitting here at work.
Ah well, scored free kisses off it!!
20.7.07
Like Sands through the hourglass so are the days of bek #6
I think this will quite possibly be the hardest post I have ever had to write. It’s always hard to share the things that hurt the most and that always seem to find a way to come back and haunt you just when you think you’ve dealt with them.
For years I’ve thought I should put my thoughts down on paper but never have, and we are now at that stage where I think I need to.
I’ve been writing a bit about me and my upbringing in an attempt for at least ONE person be able to ‘get’ me. The series is all under the label ‘Days of Bek’. I always feel that I am misjudged, misunderstood, that I have no credibility in certain topics, and that I am just plain odd. I don’t know if any of this series has done anything to better clear things up or if I’m just pushing people further and further away. But, I have to keep going, I need to finish it…not that this is the last post either :)
The first couple of years after I left school were really tough. Some people may say high school was their toughest years, but mine were the years after.
I grew up a bit of a loner. I enjoyed being on my own (still do) and am not fussed if I have people around me constantly. Russell is the one who really organises our social life as I would rather sit at home on my own doing…whatever. I can be very independent and have never had a real close friendship with a girl – like a best friend kind of thing. I never went home after school and spend all night on the phone to friends. I just sat in my room and read or went into my own imaginary world outside. I played ‘barbies’ with my sister when I was in Year 11 because I loved the world of make-believe. That soon stopped after she decided to tell all my friends at school. Ggrrrr…
I still don’t have any friendships where I can completely open up with anyone. I have certain topic friends. Eg. One I chat to about marriage, one for work, one for church, etc. I don’t have that one person (other than Russell) that knows everything about me. Girls need a friend that knows everything and I often get jealous of girls that have been friends for 10+ years and do everything together. I don’t have anyone that I can call at 1am when my world is falling apart and no-one to call me when theirs is. I sort of miss having that, but know I have Russell, but who do I talk to when my issue is with Russell?? I know I know, I should go to him about it, but sometimes you need someone to give you a little clarity.
Growing up in the church with your dad as the pastor is pretty rough. It has its good points, and I would never change my life or family orientation. But it was rough. When I got to the young adult section for youth I started going to a youth group which the youth pastor lead. You know the whole rule of “what’s said in the group, stays in the group”? Yeah, well… apparently that didn’t apply to me (it never had during my younger years, so why did I expect it now? hmmm…maybe I expected a little maturity). I thought I had found a group where I was able to express myself and my thoughts, my struggles, and my joys. However, some of the things that I expressed where then expressed to my dad. I couldn’t say anything and couldn’t trust anyone. I then went from group to group as I had at youth group growing up. It’s not nice to feel like the one that was left out of confidentiality agreements and that I was different simply because of who my dad was/is. I started to realise how much I was being left out on. I was never invited out to supper after church and didn’t have any friends that I could go to parties with.
I was lonely.
There I said it…the biggest thing that I had to deal with when I was in my teen years was loneliness.
You may not think it is that big a deal, but it’s something that still plagues me today. I went to the movies with Russell a few months ago and I couldn’t concentrate on the movie because there was a guy sitting in the cinema on his own. I actually cried because my heart was breaking. I didn’t know his situation…he may like to go to the movies on his own…but I knew what it felt like to go to events on your own and feel like the biggest loser because you don’t have any friends, no one to look out for you.
The day that this all came to a head for me was the year I went to ‘Church Together’ on my own. Everyone at youth was going and had all organised lifts with each other, except me. I wasn’t even asked by my small group. It didn’t bother me driving myself to church together on my own, but once I got there I just wanted the earth to swallow me up. I realised that I didn’t have anyone to sit with, I didn’t have anyone to talk to or anything. This was Church Together for goodness sakes and I was there on my own. After enduring the service I headed back to my car and decided to drop by Macca’s on the way home and get a cheeseburger (my favie). As I was sitting in the drive through I looked inside the store and saw my small group sitting together having dinner together, laughing and being merry. Here I was eating on my own, in my car, on my way home…by myself…left out again. I say again because growing up at church I would watch the girls stand in the foyer making plans to go over each others house for the day and would never get invited. I was always left out. I would be standing within 60cms of one girl inviting everyone except me and she would just ignore me. They have apologised to me now, but it still hurts. I cried all the way home that night. I felt like an idiot, thinking I had friends. There was nothing special about me and there was no-one in the world who wanted to get to know me.
Now, the last thing I want is for people to think this is a big pity party. I don’t think I have over-exaggerated on anything and I think that my feelings are completely valid. Every story I have shared has been true and I haven’t tried to exaggerate things to get my point across. This is really hard to share these things and its really embarrassing sitting at work crying and keep having to run off to the toilets. Just wanted to set things straight.
Here are a few of things that I was doing that made me realise years later that I was actually really lonely. At the time I didn’t think I was, I just thought that people didn’t like me (they probably didn’t but its nice to think people generally like you).
One of the things I would do…..ugh this is really embarrassing…..I would drive around to where I knew people were having supper and I would sit outside in my car, wishing someone had invited me. I would sit for maybe an hour and then head home. I would lie to mum and dad and say that I had been invited to supper after church and would see them when I got home. No, I would see the youth invited and everyone ‘looking out for their friends’ and inviting them, but because I didn’t have any, I wouldn’t be invited. I just heard them all talking about it and would just drive around to see how much fun they were having.
Another thing I would do…and I had done this for years without realising…was walk around the church as though I was looking for someone. This didn’t hit home till I was talking to my Granny last year and she was saying how lonely she gets sometimes (people avoid her because she’s the pastors mother-in-law – AHHH!!) and that she walks around church looking for someone to talk to. I realised that I used to do that too. After sitting in the foyer with my so called friends and hearing them inviting each other around to their houses I would get up and start to walk around looking for someone to talk to. I would pretend (unintentionally) that I was trying to find a certain person that I needed to speak to. I never found that person (‘cos I didn’t know who it was – ‘duh) and by the time I had done a few laps of the church it was time to go home. It makes me laugh a little at how silly it is, but if you have ever done this you know how much it hurts.
I am still very insecure today. I think why I had such a huge reaction to Scott at the Forge Intensive was because I was reliving the fact that I didn’t think I was important enough to be spoken to and I felt lonely and wanted to be swallowed up by the floor. I can’t go to a movie and enjoy myself if I see someone sitting on their own I just get too upset and can’t stop worrying about them. I try extra hard to be nice and friendly and show an interest in those who I see as lonely. There is a lady at my work who is an extremely lonely, bitter woman. I try so hard to be nice to her and I can slowly see her opening up to me. I just don’t want her to feel as left out and as stupid as I did and still do sometimes. It’s funny how things always come back to you. Just when I think I am over my insecurity of being lonely, it hits me in the face again. At my current church we did a ministry personality test thing. I was the ONLY PERSON to have a certain mix. I am an INTP and I was the only person in the church to have a NT. This made me feel even more detached and isolated than I already was. If you want to read about an INTP or whatever look here. It's scary how exact they can be. They have an explanation for all different scenarios down the bottom.
I know I’m not the easiest person to get to know. Poor Hamo at the Intensive was trying to chat to me and I kept giving him one word answers. I get really shy and clam up. That’s the trouble I think. Either I clam up and don’t give people much to go on, or I get verbal diarrhoea and can’t stop talking about all my problems (stemming from having no close friends to do this to I think). I wish people would invite me out for a coffee sometimes and take the time to get to know me as I always try and put the effort in with other people.
I don’t know if God allowed me to go through this so that I would be able to understand other lonely people or not. I just know that it is still something that I struggle with and is a part of me that I don’t tell anyone. I think I’ve only ever told this to Russell before. So, obviously the next step was the wonderful world wide web :)
Anyway…that’s just another little part about me, and I’m glad that I have finally been able to put it down on paper.
I think I can, I think I can...
Alrighty, scrap that post.
Around June and a bit of July, I decided to take a few weeks off from church. I couldn’t handle it anymore and was just getting sick to death of feeling like I was being spiritually choked. I visited a couple of churches and had a couple off altogether. I even caved in one week and went back to my current church because Russell was doing communion that morning and I felt like I needed to be there to support him. By the way he is preaching for the first time at this church (don’t get me started!!) on Sunday. Very exciting.
I came back after my little ‘holiday’ and thought that just maybe, just maybe, there would be a chance that God may want me still at this church. Well, I’ve changed my mind (I must’ve heard God wrong ) and I’m back to where I was before I took the break.
Thing is, at the moment, I don’t know if I’m just running from this particular church, or church in general. Its hard and frustrating and exciting all at the same time. I don’t like emotions, I don’t generally like to feel anything, so having all this going on at once is annoying.
WHAT GOD WHAT!!??!!
Frisky Business
Last week I had to take a pregnancy test. This would have been the 4th time since being married. The first 3 times were out of my “forgetfulness” to take a certain pill. This last time, there was no reason other than a girl knows when something isn’t quite right. Oh, right, your all probably wondering what the result was. Nudda, zip, zero, zilch….nothing. Nothing is there. For the first time I can actually say this is a relief. We have just done something (other than doing what it takes to get pregnant) HUGE! I can’t say yet, and that’s why I haven’t posted much recently for fear of having loose lips. I’m sorry, I just can’t spill the beans yet.
ANYWAY….onto my frisky business, or should I say someone elses.
Last week when everything was stressful and I had to take this little test, I was talking to a girl I work with who I have known for over 10 years. Its really weird working with your old Sunday school teacher! I was talking to her in the lunchroom about how I had taken the test and that if it had of turned out that I was pregnant it would be ok and God would provide no matter the circumstances. God has always provided, and that’s just life. Things happen…I can’t control them (though we so often try to….and we always try and control things with contraception…that’s a whole other issue), but that I was confident that no matter what, we would pull through.
Yesterday morning she came up to me and said that her and her husband have started trying for a baby. She said that what I had said to her last week hit a nerve and they decided rather than waiting for their own perfect timing (which will never happen…nothing in this world is perfect) they would just trust God and wait on him.
So, I am the cause of a certain couples Frisky Business….I couldn’t have been more proud! :)
18.7.07
How to tell your a 90's kid
How true is this?!? I was shocked when I read it....it made me feel really old! I got it off digger over here.
Oh, and TMNT totally rock! And couldnt agree more about the Saturday Disney thing....its not like it used to be back in the day :)
You know your a 90's kid if...
You can finish this [Ice Ice _ _ _ _ ]
You remember watching:
- The Bugs Bunny Show
- Ren & Stimpy
- Pinky and the Brain
You just cant resist finishing this . . . "Iiiiiiin West Philidelphia,
born and raised . . ."
You remember:
- Playschool with Monica
- Step by Step
- Family Matters
- Dinosaurs
- Boy Meets World
You remember when it was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons. (Saturday Disney, anyone?)
Paul Jennings and Andy Griffiths were the funniest authors of all time.
You watched Round the Twist!
You took plastic cartoon lunch boxes to school.
You said "NOT" after (almost) every sentence . . . not
When everything was settled by:
- Rock, Scissors, Paper.. ROOCK OFF!!!... some of us 90's kids still do it :P
- Dip dip...
- There's a party by the pool, would you like to come?
- Eeny, meeny, miny, mo!
When we played Tiggy, Safe, 40/40 and Hide & Seek until our legs grew numb.
You used to listen to the radio all day long just to record your FAVORITE song of ALL time.
Tazos owned chip packets.
The Spice Girls had serious girl power...
...and the Backstreet Boys simply ruled.
Captain Planet. He's a Hero.
You remember when Super Nintendos and Sega Genisis became popular.
You remember watching Home Alone 1, 2 , and 3 . . . and tried to pull the pranks on "intruders"
You remember watching:
- Agro's Cartoon Connection
- Sale of the Century with Glen Ridge & Nicky Buckley (hopefully only
with your parents).
You remember when Yo-Yos were cool.
You remember those Where's Wally books (and if your lucky, the cartoon!)
You remember eating Warheads.
You remember watching:
- Ninja Turtles *first and the best!!!*
- Jurassic Park
- 3 Ninjas movies
You remember Push Pops and Lucky Dips.
And YoGo gorilla... and the original Cocoa Pops monkey: "It's just like a
chocolate milkshake - only crunchy!"
Tamagotchis had to be banned in school because of their popularity. (I cried when mine died)
Furby. (still own two - anyone want to buy a furby?)
Basketball cards and the arguments as to whether fleer or upperdeck were the best ones.
FastFoward was the greatest sketch show on TV.
You haven't always had a computer, and it was cool to have the internet.
"Emo" didn't exist.
You watched the original shows of Rugrats, Power Rangers, and Ninja
Turtles. None of that modern manga crap. (I even used to watch x-men, spiderman, etc...they rocked too!)
You knew Michael Jordan was the best all-time basketballer who played for the Chicago Bulls, even though we don't follow NBL basketball.
World 4 Kids, before Toys R Us.
The original five dollar notes.
You understand when I say "Cheez TV".
You collected all the Troll dolls. (I wasnt allowed one)
If you even know what a walkman is.
You know the Macarena off by heart.
"Talk to the hand" . . . enough said
Before the MySpace frenzy . . .
Before the Internet & text messaging . . .
Before iPods . . .
Before PlayStation2 or X-BOX . . .
When light up sneakers were cool.
When you rented VHS tapes, not DVDs.
When petrol was $0.65 a litre & Caller ID was a new thing.
When you had to be one lucky kid to get a mobile phone before you were 16.
When we recorded stuff on VCRs.
When we called the radio station to request songs to hear off of our walkman.
You had slap bands!
Way back.....when you could fly on Ansett to Melbourne and get the kangaroo creek gang
fun packs with your meal!!
When roller blading was more popular than skateboarding. (I had a cool purple and bright yellow pair)
Sega mega drive was awesome as well as master system.
Korn and limp bizkit were hard core and when there was a good balance of
music genres between rap and rock.
When drinking red eye energy drinks were as legally close as you could
get to being pissed.
17.7.07
Quote of the day
"There is a loftier ambition than merely to stand high in the world. It is to stoop down and lift mankind a little higher."
- Henry Van Dyke
Forrest Gump
This is quite a funny little one :)
The day finally arrived. Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven. He is at the Pearly Gates, met by St. Peter himself. However, the gates are closed, and Forrest approaches the gatekeeper.
St. Peter said, “Well, Forrest, it is certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you I must tell you, though, that the place is filling up fast, and we have been administering an entrance examination for everyone. The test is short, but you have to pass it before you can get into Heaven.”
Forrest responds, “It sure is good to be here, St. Peter, sir. But nobody ever told me about any entrance exam. I sure hope that the test ain’t too hard. Life was a big enough test as it was.”
St. Peter continued, “Yes, I know, Forrest, but the test is only three questions.
First: What two days of the week begin with the letter T?
Second: How many seconds are there in a year?
Third: What is God’s first name?”
Forrest leaves to think the questions over. He returns the next day and
sees St. Peter, who waves him up, and says, “Now that you have had a chance to think the questions over, tell me your answers”
Forrest replied, “Well, the first one — which two days in the week begins
with the letter “T”? Shucks, that one is easy. That would be Today and Tomorrow.”
The Saint’s eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, “Forrest, that is not what I was thinking, but you do have a point, and I guess I did not specify, so I will give you credit for that answer. How about the next one?” asked St. Peter.
“How many seconds in a year? Now that one is harder,” replied Forrest,but I thunk and thunk about that, and I guess the only answer can be twelve.”
Astounded, St. Peter said, “Twelve? Twelve? Forrest, how in Heaven’s name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?”
Forrest replied, “Shucks, there’s got to be twelve: January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd… “
“Hold it,” interrupts St. Peter. “I see where you are going with this, and I see your point, though that was not quite what I had in mind….but I will have to give you credit for that one, too. Let us go on with the third and final question. Can you tell me God’s first name”?
“Sure,” Forrest replied, “it’s Andy.”
“Andy?” exclaimed an exasperated and frustrated St Peter.
“Ok, I can understand how you came up with your answers to my first two questions, but just how in the world did you come up with the name Andy as the first name of God?”
“Shucks, that was the easiest one of all,” Forrest replied. “I learnt it from the song,
“ANDY WALKS WITH ME, ANDY TALKS WITH ME, ANDY TELLS ME I AM HIS OWN.”
St. Peter opened the Pearly Gates, and said: “Run Forrest, run.”
Give me a sense of humor, Lord.
Give me the ability to understand a clean joke,
To get some humor out of life,
And to pass it on to other folks.
12.7.07
Money doesnt grow on trees and bills suck
This is number 4 in my little series.
I don’t know what it was, but before we got married, we thought we were financially stable and that we had so much money that we could afford whatever came our way and still have leftovers. Boy, did we receive a rude awakening.
Now, I am of the stance that if you are with someone, possibly engaged, and are holding off from getting married simply because you don’t have much money, then you are taking things into your own hands and are missing out on learning just how much God can come through for you (whoa that was a long sentence!).
I am not saying to do foolish things and jump into marriage with only a $1 to your name (though it would be quite an adventure). You need think about things obviously.
When we got married I managed Bras ‘n Things in Belmont. Russell was studying and working at KFC part-time. We didn’t have much but we didn’t want to put off getting married because we didn’t have well paying jobs. We thought we could get by (which we did) with what we had. I mentioned before that we had a bit of a rude awakening which is true. Instead of being able to go out with friends to movies and dinner and all the social things that cost money, we now had to put that money towards…bills. I had always paid my own bills at home. I didn’t pay electricity or water, but I paid my board and whatever else I wanted I had to pay for myself. I was a least a little used to the whole ‘bill thing’. Russell on the other hand, was not. He did not pay board or his phone bill (he may have closer to our wedding, but for the most of it, he didn’t) He was not used to the whole ‘bill thing’.
When it came time to pay for bills and rent and car rego’s we did not handle it very well. We were too used to the lifestyle of doing what we wanted when we wanted, no matter the cost. We did not budget and we lived week to week, paycheck to paycheck.
We got to the point at one stage where we had $6 to make it through a whole week! This was due to poor budgeting and planning.
Do you want to know the good thing though? God pulled us through! God didn’t once leave us hanging or in need. We laugh now at the silly things we did. One night we didn’t have much food in the house and I decided to whip together dinner out of some bare essentials, using my brain and creativity to come up with a meal. I boiled water with a few stock cubes chucked in some spaghetti pasta and chopped up one big carrot. That was it. We didn’t go hungry, but it wasn’t very pleasant.
Thankfully we have learnt how to budget (better than before anyway) and I have been blessed with a well paying job. God has certainly looked after us and I wouldn’t have started our marriage off any other way. I cant stand it when people say we need to own our own home before we have babies and own certain things before we can do certain things. I’m not saying its bad to own a home but it shouldn’t/doesn’t have to come before kids or marriage or whatever! I would much rather rely on God to provide our every need than rely on our own ‘powers’ to look after ourselves.
Oh, and bills still suck.
6.7.07
5.7.07
like sands through the hourglass....so are the days of bek #5
Wow, the last time I updated this little series was in January! Far too long ago I say. You can read the previous posts, here, here, here, and here.
High School. Dun dun dun duuuunnnn….
High School for me was a little tough. Year 8 was great. Thinking I was ‘all that’ because I was a teenager now and was in high school! Year 9 was spent looking down on all the Year 8’s who thought they were ‘all that’ and was mainly spent in the girls toilets. I used to ask my teacher if I could go to the toilet before recess and then would stay there till late afternoon. We had a couple of showers in our toilets and I used to hang off the shower curtain pole and walk up the wall, along the roof and back again for hours on end. This was of course spent with my best friend who was such a bad influence for the next few years. The one class I did turn up to was music. I loved music and was the teachers pet. You could not tear me away from that class no matter how hard you tried. I don’t remember learning anything else that year. Also while in Year 9, decided that witchcraft was the thing and I started to dabble in it quite a bit with my friend. I was so easily led along and I thought I was so cool being a rebel. Year 10 I had one too many freaky experiences with the whole witchcraft thing and decided to give it up. I got more involved in my school work and enjoyed sport a lot more. I stopped music because my teacher left the school and I couldn’t stand the new teacher and his style or should I say groove. I competed in a couple of running and high jump carnivals and really enjoyed myself. I started becoming good friends with a girl who happened to be the sport legend at our school. She held most swimming, running, athletic records at our school and I could never keep up with her. Just once I wanted to beat her in a sport, but I don’t think it ever happened. I beat her in my English and that’s about it. Not that our friendship was all about competing against each other, but it did start heading down that track. My favourite sport would have been the cross country and the high jump. Boy, did I love whipping off my skirt and parading around in my bummies (or as they say here in WA – bloomers) because I didn’t want to knock the pole off with my skirt (the school soon sorted that out by introducing shorts).
Year 11 our school decided to introduce the TEE system. Our class were the guinea pigs. In previous years the school had always run on the PACE system – learning at your own pace – in my opinion, this system was and is crap. We were so far behind all other schools and we were given a rude shock when we started TEE. I decided to only do English and Art as TEE subjects and for all the others I just did TAFE courses. Most of what I remember in Year 11 is that I was constantly told off and reprimanded in my Art class for "being too abstract" and to "just do it" normally – I thought art was supposed to be expressionistic!
Year 12 I dropped Art and kept up with my English. I found English to come naturally and didn’t really apply myself as much as I should have. I still passed, but I didn’t pass with any flair.
I wasn’t a prefect and I wasn’t considered anything special. I couldn’t get a boyfriend and I felt like the chick who had to make up for all her flaws with her humor. I was silly and outgoing and completely comfortable in my skin. I didn’t have mangos I had mosquito bites (if you get what I mean….boobs). I couldn’t wear a strapless dress to the ball like all the other girls ‘cos there wasn’t anything there to hold them up. And…stop reading if you’re a boy….I didn’t get a visit from Aunty Flow till the year out of school. You could say I was a late bloomer.
Boys….feel free to re-join :) I bet you didn’t stop reading anyway did you!?
I never really felt like I fitted in at anything at school. I wasn’t one of the pretty ones, I wasn’t one of the smart ones, I wasn’t one of the sporty ones, I wasn’t one of the musical ones (any more), and I wasn’t one of ‘the couples’. I was my own person. I didn’t care! I did my own thing. Said what I thought, thought about things after I did them and never backed down in a debate. I was passionate about what I deemed important and it wasn’t until I stopped hanging out with my friend from Year 9 that I got serious about God and became more involved genuinely at church and school. Our class put together Awakening ’01, the year we finished school. Awakening was something we did once a week during lunchtime and was a time of worship and prayer for high schoolers only. We got quite a regular crowd and people genuinely enjoyed it. At our graduation we handed over Awakening, and still today it is still going, currently Awakening ’07. Its nice to have a little memory still going at school from our class.
I didn’t have much of an idea of what I wanted to do career wise. I went on a couple of work experience placements and ended up deciding I would persue media. In Year 10 I went on work experience at Armadale Hospital. I desperately wanted to be a midwife (since I was 5 or something). I went into the labour ward for a couple of days and during the course of the week managed to pass out twice on my head nurse. After deciding it wasn’t for me I did a couple of other placements, cant remember all of them, and the last one I did was with the ‘Weekend Examiner’ a small newspaper based out of Armadale. I did really well and got quite a few stories published, and a couple with a by line - meaning at the top of the article it says By Rebekah Furlong. I really enjoyed this and decided I would continue with my English studies and head off to Uni, but thats a story for another time.
This has ended up being much longer than I thought and has sort of turned into something different to what I thought I would write about.
I guess high school really did a bit of shaping for me. I developed a sense of humor and a personality of being loud and abrupt and silly and chaotic all at once. I was secure in who I was but felt insecure in my standing with people. I was yet to go through a personality crisis….if you can have one at 18.
still sniffing
In the quiet darkness last night, the following occurred…
Me: *snif* *snif* *snif* *snif**snif*
Russ: What are you doing?
Me: Sniffing my fingers
Russ: Where have your fingers been? hehehehe
Me: (choosing to ignore his question) They smell like orange
Russ: hehehehe (still giggling at his own joke) Stop sniffing!
Bitter Sweet
Victorious Qld4.7.07
Courtesy of Dodgy Pete - not that its really dodgy #2
A blind (sorry, "sight challenged") man walked into a department store with his trusty seeing-eye dog. No-one paid much attention to them until a woman screamed, "Oh my goodness, What are you doing?" The blind man had picked up his dog by the tail and was whirling it around and around above his head.
Security was prompt, and the man was made to put the dog down.
When he was challenged to explain his actions, he replied, " I really don't know what the fuss is all about . . . . I was just looking around."
