ARG!

Weddings. they are of the devil. I've only been working on mine for a couple of weeks and already i feel frustrated at them! Lets start with the wedding dress:

Do i want white? off white? white with a pattern?

What colour of white should the bridesmaides where?

Should i order the fabric online or from the store?

Should i order the trim for the dresses now or later?

Should the capes be velvet or satin or just some cheap black fabric?

What sizes should i make the capes?

Should i use the accent colour on the capes?

should i use our accent colour on the dress?

Should i request that the bridesmaides dresses have a hint of the accent colour???

Should they carry flowers or something else?

Should i carry flowers or something else?

And just think...i haven't even gotten to the colour of the table clothes yet:P

Weather Pixies

Just in case anyone is wondering about the differences in the weather pixies, here is what's new with them.

The one on the left still depicts the weather for the Sydney Australia area. The pixie on the right depicts the weather for the Salem, Oregon (USA) area.

Not that I expect anyone to really care, but I wanted to be able to get the weather for both my homes at once.

wedding...

Okay, i've found the PERFECT wedding dress. It is in the form of a pattern. Yes, that is right, i'm making my own wedding dress. This is turning into a real pain in the a$$! Let me give an example.

I go into a fabric store and ask the lady at the counter about a specific fabric. She gives me a blank stare. i re-word the question, "Will this fabric be warm in winter?"

"This is wedding material, dear." she says.

"yes," i reply. "I'm getting married."

"Oh, your getting married in December?" she seems pleased with herself to have guessed my date.

"Um, no. July." I reply.

and we're back to the blank stare.

i'm so proud!

I was chatting to my mum about different places to shop around the area. She told me that Wal-Mart was around but she refused to shop there cause they abused their workers!

I think i must be having some sort of an influence! She is boycotting a company that doesn't support her values! SHE CARES! i feel so proud of her!

Well, my work here is done;)

We need to talk

Okay leaving australia was terrible. One of the hardest things i've ever had to do. But they say that with every cloud comes a silver lining. my silver lining came in the form of Chris. (no he didn't come with me to the USA)

At the airport just before i was ready to start down that long coridor to the security check and further on, the plane, Chris pulled to a quiet cornor of the airport. (surprisingly, there was one!)

"this will do" he said.

He then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I (of COURSE!) said yes.

So now that i'm here in the USA i'm working with mum to make a wedding dress (which is going to be AWESOM!) and counting the days until i can return.

(Note to adele: just cause we're getting married doesn't mean that i get into the country any easier) sigh....

The Flight of Kristin

Well i finally booked my ticket today. It was a painful process. 3 hours of working to find an afordable ticket and figure out how to pay for it. oi!

well, now that it is booked i can report that i will be officially leaving the country on 22 September 2005 at 11:30 am.

The bad news (as if the previous news wasn't bad enough) is the flight itself. for 10 hours i will fly to China. Once i get there i'll have a five hour layover then fly again for 11 hours to that states. Once i reach the states i'll have a couple hour layover in San Fran then spend another 3 hours on a plane to Oregon. (will some one PLEASE shoot me?!)

sadly, this is the better of the two flights i've booked. The return flight is a REAL nightmare. well, maybe not cause i'll have something like 16 hours to get out of the plane, walk around the city...yeah, that i will be nice. I'll get another stamp on my passport!

Isn't life wierd?

Today i woke up early. I didn't recognise the room i was staying in. Probably because i'm at Avondale for the weekend.

I woke up thinking about this trip back to the states.

Will i find work?

Will i be able to further my career?

How much will distance from Chris hurt?

What will my relationship with my Aussie friends be like when i come back?

Is this the best thing for me?

Is this the best thing for my friends?

Is this the best thing for Chris?

There are so many questions. Not enough answers. but life's like that really. (Or maybe its just my life) Lots of questions not many answers. At least not many answers until you ablsolutely need them.

I'll miss it here.

Thank you!

Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to thank you all for your prayers. While it doesn't appear that i'll be able to stay in Australia, i do have peace with my decision.

You probably all want to know what that decision is...so here it is... (insert trumpets)

I'm going back to the USA for a few months. I hope to be able to return in a few months time to a job that offers sponsorship. If not well...maybe chris can sponsor me (wink wink)

We considered going to New Zealand (thanks Ben for the offer!) but we decided it would be too expensive to do that for as long as would be required.

I'll miss australia more than words can convey, but i am looking forward to seeing family and old friends again.

Thank you again for your prayers. It is the only thing getting me through this.

Now what??

I opened my mail today to find a letter from the immigration department. I have been refused a visa for further stay in australia.

Now what?

I feel like my heart has been jumped on from a huge height. Who knew i was so in love with a country that detains immigrents in a jailcell??

I could try and fight this...but...can i? i'm not sure i have any options left except to leave.

i need wisdom. Quick everybody PRAY!

i just want to know what to do next...

Genocide

Last night I had a terrible time trying to sleep. In the end, I don't think I slept much at all last night. I kept thinking/dreaming of people being killed.

Reason? I watched Hotel Rwanda yesterday afternoon. It is the true story of some of the happenings of the Rwanda Genocide. I cried. How could a world not care about the killing of millions of people??? Didn't World War II teach us anything??

In 1999 The Guardian reported:
The West must share the responsibility for killings in Rwanda and Bosnia.

Watching the film tore me apart inside. Reading the news articles about it ripped my heart again! Caring about the fact that people hacked eachother up with machetiis requires me to feel! and it hurts badly!

So I'm left with a problem. Do I continue reading these issues. I have very little power to do anything about them. I live in a foreign country and have little or nothing to do with my own. I have no political sway.

If I ignore the cries of these millions of people (because genocide is still happening TODAY) does the blood of the victims fall on me?

Australia...get it right

Australia is often misunderstood. Even in uncyclopedia it is completely taken out of context.

Check it out!

Mars and Snickers on the loose!

It wasn't long ago that Mars and Snickers bars were taken off the shelves of Australia. Now, they're back

If it weren't for the fact that i'm now scared forever into believing that candybars are easily tampered with, i might go out and buy one to celebrate....

then again, i might just go out and buy one anyway.

Adventism and social justice

I was reading an article in the Review today about 4 Adventist friends (two African Americans, one Caucasian, one Latino) in the 1960s who marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. They marched to make a stand against the racism in their country.

The official church stance on racism at the time was, "don't get involved". These four men where discouraged from marching, they were discouraged from socialising together, they were discouraged from being friends. But they were and they did.

Over the years, many of these men have distanced themselves (to varying degrees) from the denomination due to the churches reactions to their stand on racism.

Today, the church (as a denomination) has a "no comment" stand on social justice. Many of the members (aka The Church) have made pro-active comments about the need to support social justice in the world. Their efforts are noticed and appreciated by those of us who often feel distanced from their denomination.

But without an official stance from the denomination, we are seen as renegades of our religion by those outside our faith.

Our faith will continue to challenge us to act. That won't change. But a little support might be nice....

Please send more help

I was asked to write a quick letter to a friend outlining the best and worst of my highschool. It took me almost no time at all to remember the worst thing my highschool ever did, asking Mr. Fignole to leave.

He was an amazing teacher. He was my handbell teacher. He taught rhythm and music...But mostly he taught us respect. We respected him and he respected us. Sadly, he was not the most loved teacher in the music department.

Due to some shady dealings on the part of some of the richer families, this man was asked to leave the High School. Well...Asked to leave is a bit harsh, "his contract was not renewed".

The school let go of a man who had more experience in music than ANY teacher we had yet been introduced to. Sadly, the new teacher to replace him was a fresh graduate with very little expirience compared to Fignole. We missed him terribly...we eventually grew to like our new music teacher...although for myself, i never was able to appreciate him like i appreciated Fignole.

So where ever you are, Mr. Fignole, here's to you! You are great, just like you've always been!

Coma

There was a report on the news last night about a woman who woke up from a 20 year coma. According to the report she had knowledge of events and music that happened while in that comma. Immediately, the news reporter used this as evidence that we shouldn't "be so quick" to let a coma patient die.

BULLOCKS I say. For every one person that wakes up after 20 plus years there are hundreds more who NEVER wake up. There are two reasons this story made news here:

1. We just had a person die because they were taken off the machines instead of being forced to continue living. Therefore, it comments on current events

2. But mostly it adds fuel to the debate. It says that the hope that someone will wake up should be enough to pay thousands and thousands of dollars because one day, they might wake up! And if you don't do this, your being cruel because the person is still inside that being, although science and medicine both say there isn't much brain activity happening there.

Being that this is my blog and I like to mix things up...Try this on for size.

Even if there is a person who is aware in that comatose state, is it fair to the family to go through the mental trauma of having a family member but not having them? Is it fair to the children in the family to have the expense of a family member in hospital put upon them? Is it fair keep a spirit captured inside the brain with any way of expressing itself?

Maybe all these things are nothing. Maybe if I were put into a situation I would feel differently...But for now, I tend to think that death is better than a comatose life...For the patient and the family!

Islam...

Have you ever thought that your country should be ruled closer to the principles of goodness? It isn't a foreign concept. Most people want their government to do good things for the people. They want their government to be moral.

The Islamic political group, Hizb Ut-Tahrir has the following purpose:

To revive the Islamic Ummah from the severe decline that it had reached, and to liberate it from the thoughts, systems and laws of Kufr, as well as the domination and influence of the Kufr states. It also aims to restore the Islamic Khilafah State so that the ruling by what Allah (swt) revealed returns.

In the United States there is a Christian political group called, The National Reform Association. Its mission is:

to maintain and promote in our national life the Christian principles of civil government

In Australia, the Christian Democratic Party says,

The Christian Democratic Party has for over twenty years represented the concerns of people who support Christian values, schools and caring institutions, family life, and who uphold the importance of the Commonwealth Constitution.

Now, explain to me the difference between "Christian Values" and "Islamic Values". Much of their Bible is shared, so the values can't be THAT different.

No matter the similarities, it is still Hizb Ut-Tahrir that is under investigation. Is the investigation a necessity? Maybe...But you won't find as many resources going into the Christian activists who are trying to liberate Chapel Corby. They aren't a threat...They don't post threats, attack Embassies, or speak in hate-filled terms. Not like those damn Muslims!

Quick update

I'm busting my butt keeping out of trouble, moving chris into a new house in sydney, working, and occationally looking for real work. But you can read all about it by clicking HERE

Immigrating...

I feel, being an American citizen, that I have the right to point out the stupidities of my country.

As a temporary resident of Australia, I feel I have no rights what-so-ever to point out that their immigration system is one of the most difficult frustrating systems I've ever encountered.

When a call is placed to the immigration office the person on the other end of the phone either is super HARSH or has an accent so thick you struggle to determine if he said hello or f*ck off.

This of course is contrasted with the "hold" operator who continually mentions how happy Australia is to have people apply to stay within their borders.

In the end, I bang my head against the wall to make sense of it all. This works, a concussion seems to help it all make sense!

But like I've said before, I'm only a temporary resident and have no rights what-so-ever to point to their flaws.

Walking...

Torture. It demoralises a person. Makes them less then human, in their own eyes and in the eyes of their torturers as well.

So why do we* allow this to happen?

I don't' know. But we do. We turn a blind eye to it. We create an environment where we can take advantage of people whom we fear.

From Australia's refugee detention facilities, to America's Guantanamo Bay, we continue to accept that our governments, while making a few mistakes, still have our best interest in mind.

But do they? By locking up people in places we would NEVER willingly send any family member to, they are perpetuating myths about other cultures. We are perpetuating fear of that culture. We are raising children to fear and hate others who have a different religion.

Is this really in the best interest of our society?





*we being humans from western countries

What are we?

Australia has a refugee problem. This problem consists of people who claim to be refugees coming into the country and just EXPECTING the government to accept their cry for asylum.

The Australian Government has decided that the best way to combat these "so-called-refugees" is to lock them up until they end up in a mental institution then give them a temporary visa that states, as soon as the government can find somewhere else to send them, they have the right to deport them there!

I know the immigration department claims it is making it easier for those in detention centres to get a visa and get out, but this is ridiculous! By the time they are possibly getting this new visa, they have already been in detention for too long! Then, once they have this new visa, they must deal with the prospect of being kicked out as soon as the government deems it fit for them to go back to their country. If I were these people, I would DEFINITELY be worried that the government might decide that its safe to go home too soon.

Perhaps I shouldn't be critising the place I'm hoping to live for the next couple of years. But I'm happy to stop critising when they stop treating refugees like criminals!

Bono & me (part 1)

This is U2's lead singer, Bono. He is one of the biggest campaingers for world peace.

Bono & Me (part 2)

So in my attempts to bring about world peace, i've taken to dressing like Bono. The more people that look like him the more peace we can inspire. (that's how it works, right?)

Scalping

What is happening to this world??

In my home town of Boise, Idaho a woman has scalped, thats right SCAPLED!, a teenage girl.

It appears that the teenager offended the woman in some way and she made plans to remove the teenage girl's mohock. When she didn't have a raser for the job, she took out her knife and decided, "heck, why not take the whole thing off!" So off came the hair AND skin!

Okay, it may not have happened like that, but i'm appauled!

It is said that humanity is only 2 meals away from barbarianism. After an action like this, i'm starting to think they might be right!

Watch for falling rocks

Top 7 things i hate in the World:

7. Hatred
6. War
5. Corupt Politics
4. AIDS
3. Poverty
2. Death
1. Selfishness

Top 5 Things I love in this World

5. Dreams
4. Love
3. Hope
2. Forgiveness
1. Compassion

The list of hates is long, but i believe the list of love is 10 times stronger. It is through our hopes, dreams, forgiveness, and compassion that the world can be change. It is our choice to make the effort. Will you?

Bush & Justice?

In the wake of the London bombings US President George W. Bush, speaking at the G8 summit, told reporters: "We will not yield to these terrorists, we will find them, we will bring them to justice."



But what would the justice be?? Would it be the kind of justice that is currently being served at Guantánamo Bay?


It seems that this is the only sentence that Bush EVER says. He is always claiming to "not yield", "find", "bring to justice". But let's think about this. Has those responsible for the World Trade Center attacks ever really been found? Short answer, no. Has he brought anyone to justice?...Well...No. (note: torture is not a form of justice). Has he yielded? No, he has instead spread terror and fear throughout the middle east and brought stronger prejudices to the West.

Lastly, I would like to point out that London is not the territories of the USA. Bush has no right to be the police for another country. Let England do what it wants to do as far as "justice" goes.

But let me add this one thing to the USA and to England...Please remember that Torture is NOT a form of justice. I support the need to capture and prosecute those responsible, but do so with mercy and love. Let this set us apart from the terrorists.

Live 8

Did anyone see the Live 8 concerts the other night? Sadly, I was only able to watch the highlights of them due to the lack of cable television here in the dormitory.

Wow! I couldn't believe so many bands, so many people, so much money was spent, just to get the G8 to take notice that there are starving people who could benefit from some fairer trade.

I suppose the next few days will determine what happens. Can we actually begin the process of making poverty history???

I pray we do!

Make Poverty History

I'm sure you've heard of the movement. It's been in the media for quite some time now. Its the big campaign to pressure the G8 into increasing aid, drop the debt, and make fair trade laws. Honestly I'm praying that it works. I would love for the poverty we see in so many countries to be eradicated.

Will it work? I don't know. A friend of mine constantly says that the debt is just figures on a page, meaning nothing. I don't know. I tend to think that removing the debt of these countries,(most of whom are in debt because at one time they were run by one of the G8) is the right thing to do. It seems that it would free up much of the funds that are currently just going back into the pockets of the richest 8 countries.

But will it work?? I still don't know. It has potential. But humans are corrupt. Corrupt governments can sneak a "little off the top", and the people will still be suffering.

In the end, I suppose it depends on a lot of individual humans. Will they sacrifice their greed for a better world?

Support Make Poverty History

Humiliation

Bob Ellis, an award-winning Australian columnist, wrote an article for AdBusters in which he suggests that the photo of Saddam in his underpants is a rouse by the Americans to humiliate him and make his followers stop supporting him. He points out many of the weaknesses of such an act, suggesting that this will only hurt the American's cause not help it.

He further comments that humiliation is part of the American culture. From Little league to Spelling Bees, Americans are all about the winners and losers.

My qualifications on this matter are limited, but present. Having grown up in American culture, I never remember thinking in sole terms of winners and losers. Humiliation was never part of my discipline or culture, thus, his conclusion that humiliations is entirely based in the American way of life, I feel is a bit harsh.

While humiliation makes great public entertainment, it does not win friends. Growing up, I remember valuing friends more than winning. But then again, it is possible that I was a unique case.

I'll accept that. Both my parents have worked to create a culture where their children would learn to empathise with others. They probably succeeded more than they planned.

My empathy leads me to feel for Saddam. I don't like or agree with the kind of horrors that he supported and carried out, neither do I like or agree with the kind of horrors that GW Bush supports and carries out.

War is never pretty. Loss and shame will be felt on all sides before it is over. History will be our ultimate judge. Today, my generation judges the Vietnam war with skepticism and shame. Will tomorrow's generation feel the same about this war?

Something different....

Last night I sat through another conversion story told by an aspiring minister. He told how his life was saved from sex, drugs, and alcohol and he was brought to a life of servitude to Christ. While interesting and occasionally inspiring, I hate those conversion stories. They remind me how inadequate my conversion is. No, not inadequate, boring. My conversion story is boring.

From the first moments I can remember, I remember knowing that God was real. I knew He was because I talked to him constantly. I used to pray when I was playing on the play equipment, running around the field and in the dark in my room. I told Him about the monsters under the bed that I was scared of, and He reminded me that monsters under beds aren’t real. I told Him my desires for the day, He told me to have fun. When I was 11, I was baptised into the church. From then on, I still told Him everything. I told Him about boys I liked. I told Him about my dreams, I told Him my excitements. Then I started high school.

This is the part of the story that, if it was a typical conversion story, I would tell you I got pulled into drinking, drugs, and sex. But in this story, it didn’t happen. While I may have been interested, to varying degrees, in all of those things, I didn’t participate in any of them. Maybe it was because of my belief system, maybe it was my desire to be different to all those TV teenagers whom I despised, maybe it was God. I think it was a combination of all of these things. I never touched any of these “usual” sins.

This isn’t to say that life was easy. Being a teenager is hard and not always much fun! I found myself constantly trying to figure out who I was supposed to be in this world. Matters weren’t made easier when my parents hit, “mid-marriage crisis”. Life was hard. How can you control all the feelings inside? How can you get those feelings and hurts outside yourself? Then a close family friend died and I lost the plot. I sat in my room for hours and hours on end; staring at the ceiling. No, this isn’t the part where I start doing drugs. This is the part where I realise the vast amount of things I don’t like about the world, about my parents, and most of all, about me. I told God everything. I told Him I hurt. I told Him I was angry. I told Him I didn’t like things the way they were. He whispered, “I know.”

This isn’t the part where things get easier. In fact, from this part onwards, they get harder; more friends die, friends leave, parents, well, parents are parents, and I fall in and out of love several times. I’m not going to gloss over these heartaches by saying, “but at least I had God.” Because while I did, those times didn’t feel easier because I had Him. Looking back, however, I can see that it was through His intervention and planning that I made it out in one piece.

So the big thing I had to overcome was my teenage years, and let’s be honest, as hard as they can be, most people survive them. My conversion story does get more interesting from here on, though. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your view, there isn’t any sex, drugs or rock-n-roll in it. What happened was a fulfilment of many of my childhood dreams. I had dreamed of travelling outside my native country. I dreamed of seeing places that no one I knew had ever seen. I wanted to see Paris, London, Sydney, and many others. Thus far, all my dreams from childhood have been fulfilled. Now I have new dreams and I know that my story will continue, more dreams will be fulfilled, more dreams acquired. I don’t keep God around just in case I get into trouble. I don’t keep Him around at all. He chooses to be with me, and I choose to share my life with Him.

So there you have it, my conversion story without any conversion. I told you it was boring.

Attack

Many of you who read this site, probably have never heard of Schapelle Corby, but it is because of her high profile court case that relations between Indonesia and Australia could fall apart.

Corby was arrested in Bali several months ago when 4 kilos of marijuana was found in her boogie-board bag. Due to the fact she left Australia via Sydney airport, it seems unlikely that she was attempting to smuggle drugs into Bali. In fact her defense team made a good case for baggage handlers using her bag to smuggle drugs into the country.

The Indonesian courts, however, did not see things her way. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison. This was a devastating blow to her and many of her sympathisers here in Australia.

Last Friday, someone in Australia attacked the Indonesian Embassy. An envelope containing an unknown bacteria was sent to the embassy. In response to this, Australia has upped its security at the Australian embassy in Indonesia.

Sadly, this seems to be the way of the world. When one person is mistreated, retaliation occurs which incurs more retaliation. When will the violence end? It is terrible that Ms. Corby was sentenced for so long, but one must be glad that the Indonesian government didn't push for the Death sentence (which was their right).

Life rarely happens the way we want it to but we must keep our wits about us. How can we as a human race ever hope for peace if we are constantly seeking revenge? Peace must begin with me taking responsibility and control of my actions. That is the only way to stop the violence.

Did you know?

World Debt Day. Sure it has already happened and most of us have moved on (if we even noticed it at all) however, I must highlight a few points.

In the 1980s UK Bands got together for a project entitled "Band Aid". This project raised over 200 million dollars for Ethiopia famine. Unfortunately this money was only able to cover the monthly bill for the debt of the country. While this was helpful for the month it was sent, Ethiopia is no better off today than it was 20 years ago.

This is a great reason why the world bank needs to start canceling the debt of third world countries. The countries can not afford to pay the bills AND pay to import food. These countries have already paid back the money they've borrowed but the interest of that money is still hurting them today. For the sake of a few million dollars the World Bank lets millions, even billions of people die. Is this fair? Is this worth it?

Consider Terry Shivo. Her family, her government, spent thousands of dollars to keep her alive. For the sake of a dollar, the World Bank allows a person to die. For the western Christian world to let this happen is an outrage. Take a stand, write to your local government and ask the cancellation of the debt of the poorer countries.

for more information visit: TearFund

In Honour of

In honour of Wold Debt Day, i would invite everyone to click this link.

http://www.sun.com/one/

It is a powerful message. As Nelson Mandela said, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. . . . Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure".

Don't you think it's time we used our power?

Sudan

You know, whil i consider myself a strong activist, i must admit that my knowledge is limited to only what i can find in out-of-the-way places, at least most of the time.

On the news the other night, i saw a 10 sec clip on a war in Sudan. If it wasn't for the fact i had heard about it from Amnesty International previously, i would never had known what they were on about.

Here is a brief overview provided by Amnesty International:

In February 2003 a new armed opposition group, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) took up arms against the government, because of what they perceived as the lack of government protection for their people and the marginalisation and underdevelopment of the region. The support base of this armed group came mainly from the agricultural groups in the region. Shortly afterwards another armed group, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) emerged.

The government of Sudan responded by allowing free rein to Arab militias known as the Janjawid (guns on horseback) who began attacking villages, killing, raping and abducting people, destroying homes and other property, including water sources and looting livestock. At times government troops also attacked villages alongside the Janjawid, and government aircraft have been bombing villages sometimes just before Janjawid attacks, suggesting that these attacks were coordinated. The links between the Sudanese armed forces and the Janjawid are incontrovertible, the Janjawid are now wearing uniforms provided by the army.

With this war on, women and children are bearing the butt of the conflict. With Rape the weapon of choice for this war, the women suffer.

How can the world not be involved? Why don't we pay attention? Could it be that the world sees Sudan and sees little to gain financially by helping?

I have heard it said that Idealism sells. If we can show that with little improvements we're saving the world than we will do it. I'm not sure. Maybe that works for some, but i think most are more interested in the lining on their own purse.

Identify

i've been reading Isaiah lately. It has struck me that all my life i have accepted that all the good stuff was written for me but the bad stuff was written for someone else. I mean, i honestly try to follow God. I try to do his will...so doesn't that automatically make those good verses for me?
Take for example, isaiah 3: 10-11:

10Tell the innocent how fortunate they are, for they shall eat the fruit of their labours. 11Woe to the guilty! How unfortunate they are, for what their hands have done shall be done to them.

I don't consider myself innocent. In fact, i think i'm far from it. Television has robbed me of most of my innocents, curiousity, and stubbornness have taken the rest. So what part does that leave me then? The guilty. I am guilty and the verse clearly states that what i have done to other will be done to me. Thus, it is a warning to me to be careful how i treat others, but not just the others i see.

By buying clothing i know has been made in sweatshops i dirty my hands. I help poeple take advantage of the poor. This will come back on me.

There are lots of verses that talk about the poor. I've often thought of myself as poor...but the truth is, i'm part of the richest 6% of the world. I have more money, education, healthcare, and other benefits than 94% of the world. 63.3% of the world survive on less than $3 AUD a day. This means that there is literally billions and billions of the world that are significantly poorer than i am. Now what on God's green earth would make me believe that i am poor??

It could be the advertisements that are constantly telling me i need more. I could be the mentality of keeping up with the Jone's. It could be television that tells me i'm always poorer than the average family. It could be all of these things. But i am not a subject of the advertisers. i am not a subject of the television. I am a subject of God's and as such i should be looking at life through His eyes and not anyone elses. This reminds me that i have a big responsiblity when it comes to my wealth. My responsiblity is to those who don't have it, to share it responisbly, and not to waist it on things that won't last.

Our life is not our own.

Hate vs. Peace

"When you find peace within yourself,
you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others."

Mildred Norman, The Peace Pilgrim
----------
"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten
we belong to each other."

Mother Teresa
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"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Mahatma Gandhi
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"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides.Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encouragesthe tormentor, never the tormented."
Elie Wiesel
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Baha'i Faith:"Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself."

Buddhism: "Hurt not others in that you yourself would find hurtful." --Udana-Varga 5:18

Christianity:"As you wish that men would do to you, do soto them." --Luke 6:31

Confucianism: "Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto you."--Analects 15:23

Hinduism:"Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you." --Mahabharata 5:1517

Islam: "No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself." --Sunnah

Judaism:"That which is hateful unto you, do not imposeon others."--Talmud, Shabbat 31a

Wicca:An ye harm none, do what ye will."--Wiccan Rede

-------------------

Are we all that different??

Turn it in

I was listening to triple J's program Hack last night. There was a report on a new plagiarism prevention system that been incorporated into Universities around Australia. It is an American company called Turnitin. How it works is, a university pays for a license to use this company's program. Then the Uni can send in essays, assignments, whatever, to this company. They will check it against all the other essays, assignments, whatever, in their database and make sure it has not been copied from somewhere else. Hmm...Sounds okay, right? Wrong.

The intellectual rights of a paper belong to a student. Thus having a company KEEP a copy of the student's work and then use it to make more money is wrong...Unless of course the student agrees to it. This is where it gets hairy. Every student must sign a statement for each paper they turn in that says this is their own work and that the school can check it for plagiarism. This statement, essentially gives turnitin the rights to keep the paper and make money off of keeping it while the student gets...NOTHING. But a student can not complain about this because, they MUST sign the statement if they want their paper marked. This seems a bit wrong to me.

On the other hand, I don't really want other people copying my work, so...What is the solution?

any ideas?

I am an activist

I am an activist. I wasn’t always this way. Maybe it was the social justice class I took a while back. Maybe it was hanging out with friends who cared about what was happening in the world. Maybe it was my own research into environmental and humanitarian issues. Or maybe it was a combination of all these things.

The point is, I’ve found myself getting into more and more trouble over my beliefs.

At Christmas, I offended my mother by refusing to wear a pair of shoes she had bought me until I found out whether or not they can come from a sweatshop. She felt I was being rude for not just accepting the gift. I think she was very hurt by it.

I also offended a woman I stayed with during the holidays. I made it clear I thought America should be pursuing peace instead of profit. She thought I was not paying attention to all of the facts and turning my back on my Christian upbringing. We were both so angry at each other by the end of our “conversation” that we were both crying.

The other day I firmly rebuked someone for throwing paper out instead of putting it in the recycle bin. I think they felt I was invading their personal space and telling them what to do. I probably was, but it was for a good cause!

Recently I was asked to name some of the most important things in my life. I named environmental and humanitarian issues as two of my real passions. I was then asked if I had given them to God. To be honest, I hadn’t. I had heard of giving God things like, relationships, time, energy, etc. But these are REALLY BIG issues. I’ve never prayed for world peace or to save the rainforest.

My friend says its all useless because the world’s coming to an end anyway. She says no matter what we try to do, its all coming to an end and therefore, our efforts are pointless. I suppose she has a point. Why clean the house yourself, when the maid service is on the way?

I gave it some thought. I thought about it long and hard. I came to a conclusion. I don’t agree.

God is supposed to be a BIG God. He’s supposed to be able to tackle even the biggest problems, right? Someone once told me,

“Don’t tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big your God is!”

My friend is right, “God is coming soon”. But He’s been coming soon for quite some time now. And while we wait, we shouldn’t trash the waiting room or abuse other people in that room.
I guess all this should bring me to a closing paragraph. What are my conclusions? I’m still an activist. I’m still likely to offend you by telling you off for knowingly buying products made in sweatshops. I’m still going to take my paper (and yours if you’ll let me), to the recycle bin. But now, I’m more willing to pray for peace or for God to save the environment. I know it sounds funny. I mean, even I laugh when I read it, but hey, what can it really hurt?

Video

Some of you may notice that i've got a video playing on this site. What do you think?

Like the song?

Hate the song?

Like the idea of a video?

Too distracting?

Let me know...i'm always interested in new ideas.

btw: if you do like the video idea, check out kristin's picks for another video clip.

Revolutions

I'm sure you've heard of the American revolution, you've probably also heard of the French revolution and possible even the Industrial revolution. So why am I about to embark on a long rambling essay on what a revolution is? Simple, some people (including my history lecturer) doesn't seem to know. This is not to say she's stupid or anything, many leading Historians disagree on the meaning. But as Allen Steele says, "Perception is reality".This leads to the question, "what is my perception of revolution?" Well, here it is:

Revolution is a change in beliefs or thinking that causes, or attempts to cause, a new way of life to emerge, either culturally or politically. This change can take place over any number of years so long as there is not a lapse in movement of growth.

So by my definition I can count the current social and ecological awareness movement a revolution, right? I'm not sure. Because while it is a movement that is looking to change the way of life and politics for everyone around the globe, it isn't always an organised movement and it isn't always moving in one direction. Sometimes it takes an extreme approach while other times it takes a very moderate or even conservative step (usually backwards).

Hmmm...I guess I need to do some more research. I really HAVE to be able to define this better.

Not for male eyes

Okay, ladies, I've got to share this with you. As you may know, we use far more disposable products then men. The main reason being the monthly visit from "aunt flow". I've been thinking that it would not only save a lot of money in the long run, but it would save a lot of landfill space, trees, and cotton (and all that goes with that) if we had another choice. Well, it turns out that we do! Kasper is selling "Glad Raggs". These environmentally friendly feminine hygiene products allow women the comfort of underpants while going a little easier on the environment.

So I sound like a walking advertisement, don't I? Well, its cause I really would like to try this. I mean, it would increase my washing, but...What is a little bit of extra washing compared to the smaller footprint I will leave?

There is, of course, the catch. I'm a student with no money. So until I get my own job and no longer have to pay school fees, I'll be using the cheap stuff:(

Pinky and the Brain...

To illustrate the points raised by the previous article, click this link.

The antichrist of retail?

A recent article on the Slate website spoke out against Wal-Mart. It took a press release by H. Lee Scott Jr and analysed it. The press release claimed that Wal-Mart wasn't a bad company. Its average employee wage was $10USD an hour and compared to other local retailers, it had more full time employees and offered more insurance coverage to its employees. Timothy Noah, the writer of the article, claimed that average wage would be silly thing to look at the average because high paid employees (whose income was well above the sale clerks income) was included in the average. He estimated, though various sources of reference, that the medium wage of an employ was $8.50 an hour. He also found that "full time" in the U.S. was usually considered 40 hours a week, except at Wal-mart, where it was 34 hours a week. Noah calculated that the average income for a sales clerk would be about $1000 under the poverty line in the USA.

The UFCW also ran a story on Wal-Mart, claiming that the store used overseas, sweatshop-made, clothing while simultaneously campaigning to "buy American". The UFCW found that Wal-Mart imported 10% of ALL China's exports. It also found that sweatshops for Wal-Mart often refused its workers access to healthcare, forced workers to work overtime, and locked bathrooms so workers could not use them during working hours (and this is just the short list). In 2002 Wal-Mart was forced to pay the huge fines for 1,436 child labour infractions. In the china sweatshops, workers are women between the ages of 17-25. They are housed in a dormitory type setting with 15+ to a room. They are monitored 24 hours a day, work for a mere 12-28 cents an hour, and fired when they reach the age of 25 because they are "too old".

Wal-Mart is cheap and easy, just like a whore. But they aren't a whore, they are a pimp. They sell the goods of others to the benefit of those on the very top. The chief executive officer of wal-mart, H. Lee Scott Jr., makes around $29 million a year, including stock option grants. His workers make barely enough to survive. Why do we put up with it? He isn't the only one that makes million off the little guy, Michael Eisner, CEO of Disney, makes obscene amounts while those making plush toys for him starve.

So what can we do? Do we boycott the companies? We can, but usually it hurts the workers more than those at the top. Do we scream and yell and pretend it is helping? We can. Write letters, make songs, legislate ethics? All of these things have been tried to various forms or another. In the end, it is always the little people that gets screwed. So drop the soap and bend over, the big guy wants your action!

True Activism

As most of you know, I'm usually the first to step up and start declaring a boycott on some company. I genuinely want to make the world a better place and the injustices that companies often perpetrate get in my way of making the world better. Thus, if they start showing signs of being stupid, I'm first to vote them off the earth.

I recently came across the Nestle boycott. The boycott is placed on Nestle because of its practices in distribution of baby foods in developing countries. According to one website, Baby Milk Action, Nestle knowingly went against a code of practice for selling baby food/milk to poorer countries. I read the report shown on their website and was shocked. Not by the horrors that Nestle committed but by the fact, I felt that Nestle was perfectly within their rights to do things the way they did them. This is not to say I endorse their marketing style, but what company wouldn't market to its fullest potential?

If Nestle had been advertising that their milk was better than breast milk OR that mothers should give up breast feeding and ONLY feed by the bottle, I would have thought, "these guys are some sick bastards". Instead I find that they send aprons to nurses (with their own label on it) in pediatric wards. They market products at a cost that is as low as possible in many countries. And they are always saying things like, "It is almost as good as breastfeeding". This says to me that they are telling their customers that breastfeeding is the better option.

Okay, so they manipulate the system. What company doesn't do this? A better solution than boycott is information. You don't like what a company is telling people, you think it is wrong or misleading? Then go and give them the RIGHT information. Don't refuse to buy...That will not do nearly as much as an organized effort to properly inform the consumer.

Heroes of old

Heroes are mythical creatures that fly out of stories and make a nest in our imaginations. They build themselves up to be greater than life and when the truth is revealed, we feel let down.

Real heroes do exist. Not the superheroes that we see in movies and comic books, but heroes from history and daily life.

My heroes are not conventional. They are not perfect. They often have a bad reputations. Genghis Khan for instance. He did the unbelievable, bringing together tribes and uniting them into one nation. That is incredible! His life was full of battles and trials, yet he held true to his convictions and made a name for himself that is not forgotten, even thousands of years later.

Malcolm X is another example. He's often had the reputation for being racist and violent. But reputations are not always all they are cracked up to be. While his violent reputation may have preceded him, he was never involved with a violent demonstration. But was is more interesting than his reputation is the fact that he was able to grow personally. He was able to leave behind old opinions that had been publicly and LOUDLY proclaimed by himself. He was able to say, "wait, I think I have had it wrong". His ability to learn from life is a lesson to us all.

What is it about these men that I admire?

I admire the their faith. Neither one worshiped in the same style I do. Neither one ever claimed Christianity as their religion of choice, but both men believed that their God was listening to them when they prayed. They believed, even when things went wrong, even when their religious leaders turned out to be hypocrite or frauds, they still believed that there was someone listening to their prayers and answering each one in His time.

I admire their achievements. Both of them changed the world with their leadership. Khan united a nation and brought prosperity to many many people. Malcolm X changed the way African Americans thought about themselves, how they interacted with others, and helped them stand up for themselves.

I admire that they were both able to realise that they were wrong. Malcolm X publicly changed his beliefs. It is a hard thing to admit your wrong, it is even harder to admit to the world, you were wrong. Khan always kept the same goals, he never wavered, but he was able to say, "this plan didn't work, we will try another". That is hard to do when you have thousands of people following you because you say that you can bring them prosperity. Failing never looks like a good option. He was able to use his failures and renegotiate his ground with each battle.

These men are not angels. In fact, both of them have often been vilified by various sources. But they were strong men who were human, with all the strengths, faults, and failures that brings. This gives me the courage I need to change the world. After all, the world doesn't need perfect heroes, it needs humans.

Pests and Toxins

Okay, so we all know that some of the stuff we spray to get rid of spiders, ants, months, and other insects are harmful. We hope that it is only harmful to the insects and NOT to us. Unfortunately often the same toxins that kill the insects can hurt our bodies as well.

So what can we do? Live with the bugs??

Thankfully, there are other options. The Greenpeace website has listed some very handy ways of getting rid of your common household bugs. Check out their website to find out more!

Long Awaited for

Alright everyone. You've heard rumours about it on the tagboard. You may have heard Becky or myself refer to it...but IT IS HERE!

Becky and i have decided to go in together to make the newest blog, tHe c0LLaBorAtioN. We're not really sure what it will feature, probably mostly drivil, but...it will be GOOD drivil, and hopefully, you'll enjoy reading it.

On a slightly less important note. Kristin's Picks has had a make-over, and you might be interested to see the newest design.

Happy Blogging, everyone!

Saving the world, three people at a time

I recently did a radio spot on donating blood. For those of you who know me, you know that i have never donated in my life! I'm terrified of the idea of sitting in a chair with a needle sticking out my arm for 10 minutes. So why would i be so hypocritical and suggest that other people do it?

It started as a simple assignment to research blood donations. Once i started i realised it was going to be a lot more complicated than just simply putting words on paper. If i was going to write a script asking other people to give blood, i was going to have to be willing to give myself, which is a BIG ask!

In my searching i came across BloodSaves.com. It is an american site, but it was still very helpful. I found out that one donation of blood (1 pint or 470ml) can save up to three people! I learned that blood only has a shelf-life of a about week (depending on what part of the blood is being kept). This means that from one week to the next, new donations are needed.

I also learned that 30 per cent of the blood donated goes to help people who need it on a regular basis, such as leukaemia patients.

This got me thinking.








Still thinking....











Thinking....








It might just be worth my terror to give some blood.




Now would someone please remind me of this article next time the blood van comes to campus!?

New Pics

My birthday photos are here. Or rather some of them are there. Others can be found by visiting Melody's site or just clicking here. ENJOY!

Coffee and Me

Coffee is one of those drinks that is everywhere. You can hardly get into a shopping mall without being inundated with the smell of it. But have you ever stopped to wonder where that coffee comes from?

Did you know that one fifth of the world's coffee is consumed by America? Did you know that most coffee growers get only 3 cents for every $3 cup of coffee sold? This is not enough for most farmers to live off of. The Fair Trade movement is trying to change this. Fair Trade Coffee is sold at several locations around Australia and at Starbucks upon request. By buying a Fair Trade Coffee, your not just having a cup of coffee, you helping to make the world a better place. Now doesn't the day feel better already?

For more locations where Fair Trade Coffee is sold visit the Oxfam website. Or for american readers, visit Fair Trade.

Your friendly Environmental reminder

Clean water is something that most people enjoy drinking. Or at the very least, they prefer it to polluted water. In disaster zones or war zones the need for clean, drinkable water is keenly felt. In Australia we often forget that our water supply will not last forever. In fact, at the current rate of consumption, water will be in scarce supply in only a year! America, your situation is not much better. While water is more available to you, your current rate of consumption for some of your states causes you to use up supplies from one own state while looking for more water in other states. If this trend continues, the earth's water resources will be gone before my generation's grandchildren rear their ugly little heads!

But why stop with water? Australia has a HUGE hole above its head. The ozone is depleting. Why? Because as citizens of earth, we've neglected to be careful with what we were sending off into the sky. We've burned a hole, and we don't even seem to be interested in mending it or at least slowing it down.

My mother once told me that she could not be a conscientious consumer because she didn't have the time to research each and every company she bought from. This is a fair enough statement. I don't think many people have that kind of time. So here is a few little tips (or click here) for you. You can find out what companies are polluting in your areas. You can find out how much they are polluting. Thus, your level of knowledge can increase. But BEWARE with knowledge comes responsibility. Are you ready to become responsible for your own ecological footprint?

Wanted: NEWS -dead or alive

While not every bit of news that gets its face flashed in the newsweb or newspaper is good, some is at least interesting. Such is the case with this story. A man, who was hit by a car was pronounced dead. It wasn't until the medical examinor was recording his wounds did he notice the man's shallow breathing! If that doesn't chill your bones, i don't know what would!

What we don't know, Won't hurt us

The California mud-slides killed 10 people, by last reading. During the rescue operation, a statement was made by a rescue worker, "this is mother nature at her worst". I was shocked. Had he forgotten about the tsunami that had taken the lives of more than 200,000 people only a few weeks before? Did he know that rescue workers in Tsunami effected areas were (as of last night) still finding an average of 1000 bodies a day?? I decided to check see what the American news was reporting. So I went to msn. The leading news headlines were:

1. 36 die in worst day for U.S. in Iraq
2.Calif. train derails, at least 10 die
3.Bush to Iraqis: ?Defy ... terrorists?

I know that often msn isn't the leading source for news so I checked CNN. The leading news stories were:

? General: Chopper crashed in bad weather 3D model
? Bush: I have 'planted the flag of liberty' Transcript
? Rice wins confirmation Panel OKs Gonzales Video
? Music mogul surrenders in drug money probe
? SI.com: Kidnappers demand $3M for MLB player's mom
? 10-pound meteorite hits Cambodia, sparks fires, prayers
? No UK charges for Guantanamo four
? Entire staff of NYC radio show pulled over tsunami slur
? Passenger subdued on Southwest flight

At least they mentioned the Tsunami. However, the story really had nothing to do with the disaster. I had to do with radio shows being careless in their broadcasting.

SBS is a leader in new for Australia. Its top stories were:

1. Deadly Day for US Troops

2. 10 Die in Train Crash

3.BUSH UPBEAT ON IRAQ ELECTIONS

4. Auschwitz liberated 60 years ago

5.Tsunami toll reaches 280,000

6.Cops strip in the line of duty

There used to be a saying, "If it bleeds, it leads". Could it be though, that people are more interested in hearing stories that don't make them feel bad? The America government gave $350 million dollars to the tsunami relief. In addition to this many of their celebrities donated more than $10 millionUS. England gave 76 million pounds plus cancelled debts of the countries which totaled about $3 billion USdollars. Along with that the soccer clubs have pledged $1.8 millionUS . Australia has pledged $6 billionAU over the next 4 years. Not only that but the television networks worked together to raise a further $20 millionAU. While each of these countries were willing to give something, both England and the USA have been out done. Could it be that Americans and Britain's don't want to know where their money is going? Or do they not want to know where someone else's money is going?

The obvious argument against this is that Australia is closer to these countries effected and thus, has more to gain by helping them. This is true. Can't argue against it. But when you think that England and America are BOTH much wealthier than Australia, have bigger populations than Australia, AND had a bigger death toll due to the tsunami, it is pitiful.

For more info about the tsunami. Go to Wikipedia.

News about ME

Okay, i haven't updated anyone on what is happening with me in quite a while so here it goes....

LAST WEEK:

Went to avondale to start my marketing job/training. My superviser had gone on holiday and my trainter was no where to be found. Went to the boss of the superviser and found out that she didn't know what i could do at all. So for an entire week i had no job. It wasn't too bad. I got to do a bunch of catching up with stuff i needed to get done for the drama in May.

LAST WEEKEND:
Came down to Sydney with Chris. Hung out with Melody a lot. Watched a few movies and decided to stay in sydney this week due to the fact i was unsure if i could get work in Avondale immediately. (we have a national holiday on Wednesday so i don't know if starting this week is really going to be an option) ANYWAY....Jillian (chris' mum) asked me if i would be willing to work for her for a few days instead. So i said yes! She wants me to help develope a degree (a BA in communications) for Pacific Adventist University. So far it is heaps of fun!

THIS WEEK:
This week i'll be in Sydney until Wednesday whereupon i will travel up to Avondale and spend the next week and a half up there.

Now you know what is going on with me. Wish you hadn't have read this, don't you?

Random info

I've started a new blog that is much more random. I'll post comments about movies, other blogs, websites...etc. and then rate them out of 10. If your interested have a look!

Response to Admiral

I am a History minor. It may surprise you to find out, but I actually do know something about history. I know that history is first and foremost subjective. It is subjective because of people’s beliefs, the culture of the time they live is, and their way of life, to name a few things. Thus when people right history they write from their understanding and knowledge which will not be the same as our current understanding and knowledge.

If I had lived, with the knowledge that I have now, during the time of WWII, I may have been apposed to the war¼then again, I may not have been. I don’t know. The reason I don’ know is because I don’t understand what it was like to live during that time. What is often said about Hitler was that if America hadn’t have joined in the war when it did, the Nazi party could have taken over the whole world, causing persecution and general death everywhere. I don’t think this is likely. First of all, there is a limited number of sources that think Hitler wanted to concur North America. Secondly, the war had already started turning against the Nazi’s when America decided to come on board. These are factors I have not often heard discussed in a typical history lesson. Neither is what is about to follow. Forgive me if it sounds anti-semantic. It is not meant to be racist but rather to give another viewpoint on the subject.

If Hitler had gain control of most of Europe, and continued to suppress those of Jewish decent, it would be very unlikely that the Zionist movement would have started in, what is now known as Israel. In fact, there wouldn’t be an Israel. The lives of millions of Palestinians would have been saved. There would be more peace (not completely peaceful, but definitely no fighting between Palestine and Israel) in the Middle East. This peace would save the lives of thousands of soldiers who have been sent to this area from all over the world.

But all this is speculation. We don’t know what would have happened. We don’t know if the flame that fuelled the Nazi party would have burned out in 5 years. We don’t know if he would have concurred the world. There is just too much we don’t know. And we can’t know because we don’t have the resources to find that out. What we can know is what is happening now. We know our own current culture better than our grandchildren ever will. With this knowledge we can look at the present and make evaluations on what is right and wrong for NOW¼Just like those living during WWII did.

A time and a place for everything

I was reading an article, The Phantom Weapons... , which was written by an Iraqi girl. It broke my heart. She paints a picture of a life that isn't too dis-similar from my own, except, she is facing a war that threatens to destroy everything she knows. Can it be right to do this to a country? I've been asked many times if it was right to go to war against Hitler. I don't know. I didn't live during that time period. I can't just read the history books because, as GB Shaw says, "History tells lies, like always". The winner writes "the truth". So all i can judge on is what i see and understand now. I can only decide what is right and wrong for this moment. So...is it right for America to send troops over to Iraq? Well, if i judge by the american democratic way (greatest good for the greatest number of people), no. From the news i am getting, it seems that more people are living in fear now than they ever were before. More people are certainly dying now than they were under Sadam. True Sadam was not the nicest of leaders but the same could be said for bush. His tourture of non-americans in political prisons is terrifying. The implimenation of signed agreements to wave all personal rights of appeal on entry to the usa is rediculous! As so many poets have said, freedom is only an illusion.

ARG!

Get permenatant residency
Apply for job in Adventist system
Apply for job in non-Adventist System
finish project for becky
catch up with friends
Don't let family down
Don't forget friends
Write emails
Update blog
Pray
Make food
Go Shopping
Think ahead
Get reimbursed for luggage
Track down Qantas representatives
keep the room clean
Pay bills
Do work
finish internship
don't stress out

but whatever you do, don't drop the ball.

My Baggage

Well, they found it, returned it, and washed their hands of it. Or at least that is probably what the airlines believe. My bag was returned yesterday with a GIANT hole in the side of it and the strap ripped off! My beautiful LEATHER bag is now unusable! (F&#$ing bastards) So now, i've got to find all the paper work and make a claim. grrrrr....it all takes up time and energy that i would rather spend on chris....er...i mean, working and school work....yeah! anyway...generally, i'm annoyed.

On a more exciting note. Melody will be arrive here in australia this Thursday. This means many things. Long talks. Late nights. Exciting work expiriences! and best of all, my twin back in the same country!

Home again...well almost

We are back in Australia. I'm staying in the SAN for the moment. I'll be back at avondale in a couple of days.

The trip was interesting. When we checked in at Portland, the airline we were using agreed to check our baggage through, all the way to Sydney even though we were changing airlines in LA. When we got to LA we found out that we had to go through security to check ourselves in though and come all the way back through security which ended up taking almost 45 minutes. grrrr. Finally we make it to our terminal and board the plane (which is delayed for an hour). We are a little bit nervous because if the plane doesn't make it to Sydney by 11 pm the plane gets diverted and we have to go to Brisbane or Melbourne to spend the night and get up early Sunday to catch a flight into Sydney. oi! So in order to make it on time, the pilot goes extra fast. This causes A LOT of turbulence. Which means a lot of people on the plane get sick. I had a lot of fun. It was like riding a rollercoaster ride for 13 hours....okay, by the end it wasn't as much fun but it kept the ride interesting. All the jarring about actually made it easier for me to sleep. It was like getting rocked to sleep. Chris, however, didn't find the trip nearly as enjoyable. I think he was feeling a bit sick by the end of it himself. Anyway...We made it. As in Chris and I made it...Sadly our luggage was not so lucky. We were able to get our bag of warm winter clothes here but all our books, and chrissy presents are lost somewhere. Hopefully the airline will find them and get the bag to us today. But we have to call them to tell them where to deliver the bag...oh damn! I was supposed to call! I've got to go.

surprise!

Last weekend a friend showed up at my house whom i wasn't expecting to see. Some of you may know him as the American Jesus, others just call him Brandon. Either way, i was more than a little suprised when my sister was followed into the house by the last person i expected to see. I was more than a little shocked. In fact, i don't think i said more than "Brandon!!!" for the next hour. It was great to have him here. He stayed for New Years while we lit fireworks. Then came to church with us and dealt well with my parents showing him off. (they were actually showing me, my siblings, my boyfriend, and all friends off...there was no discrimination on the humiliation) But everyone had fun. He stayed sunday while we played games and watched movies all day long and stayed Monday while we did more of the same! it was great! It hurt terribly when we had to say goodbye. No one likes to see friends leave, but it is always worse when you don't know when you'll say hello again. However, i suppose it is all for the best, i mean, Becky and he were getting a bit too friendly. (they slept together the last night he was here).

life, i think.

So Chris and i have been in the usa for something close to a month. we've gone sledding, swimming (in an indoor pool), out to a movie (or two), and we've discussed the disgraceful ability of the US media to turn a disastor in Asia into a story about the USA. It could be just me, but i'm pretty sure that the usa is paranoid that an event might happen that they have had no control over and has had nothing to do with them directly. We have gotten more coverage here on little boys giving all their money (all $35 in change) to the relief effert and families of missing tourists then of what actually happened. It is really amazing! But even as the US media pats america on the back for being such a giving and concerned nation, full of charity and help, it shows pictures of soldiers killing people in falusia (sp?) and tells stories of those Palestinians who should give Israel the Gaza Strip, because they are obviously taking up too much land for themselves. I can't believe the kind of double-speak we have happening here! Can no one see that death by drowning is no more pitiable than death by gun??

a brief update

I've not posted anything in ages. So i'm thinking i probably owe an entry. So here's what i've been up to.

First: Surprised my father with a visit to america. His jaw hit the floor, blounced and then came the tears. (not from the jaw but from the eyes)

next surprised my bro in Idaho. He did the same thing except, no tears. We spent a week in idaho where we visited many of my friends and went to a wedding. I was very disappointed that i only had time to see people once, but my schedule was so busy, i only had time to see people once.

We left idaho, kidnapping Jenne (a friend from high school) and taking her with us back to oregon. We got here just in time for more a visit from my mother's brother and his family. That was nice, i haven't seen them in several years.

This morning, we put Jenne on a plane and sent her back to idaho. I tried to be strong, but alas, i cried. i miss everyone so much. I hate to say goodbye but time still rushes on...so goodbye.

Goodbye

Well, this morning i said goodbye to Becky. I hate saying goodbye. There were tears all around, well, actually i don't think the guys cried, it was just Adele, Bec, and I. I didn't want her to go. I still don't. I would love for her to stay here in australia until...well...until forever. She doesn't have to live with me, or even right next door to me, but it would be very nice if i had better access to her year-round. Oh well...i'm sure mum and dad feel the same way. Maybe i can convience Mike to come down here now that becky is back in the states....

A letter from the Home Office to the People of America

The following was stolen from Melody's Mind Cave. (sorry mel). It was too good to pass up. Please realise that this entry is said with tongue in cheek and ENJOY!

A letter from the Home Office to the People of America

In the light of your failure to elect a suitable President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of Your independence, effective today. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories. Except Utah, which she does not fancy.

Your new prime minister (The Right Honourable Tony Blair MP; for the 97.85% of you who have until now been unaware that there is a world outside your borders) will appoint a minister for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded.

A questionnaire will be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed.

To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

1. You should look up "revocation" in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then look up "aluminium". Check the pronunciation guide.

You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it. The letter "U" will be reinstated in words such as "favour" and "neighbour", skipping the letter "U" is nothing more than laziness on your part.

Likewise, you will learn to spell "doughnut" without skipping half the letters.You will end your love affair with the letter "Z" (pronounced "zed" not "zee") and the suffix "ize" will be replaced by the suffix "ise". You will learn that the suffix "burgh" is pronounced "burra" e.g. Edinburgh.

You are welcome to respell Pittsburgh as 'Pittsberg' if you can't cope with correct pronunciation.Generally, you should raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. Look up "vocabulary". Using the same twenty seven words interspersed with filler noises such as "like" and "you know" is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication.

Look up "interspersed". There will be no more 'bleeps' in the Jerry Springer show. If you're not old enough to cope with bad language then you shouldn't have chat shows. When you learn to develop your vocabulary then you won't have to use bad language as often.

2. There is no such thing as "US English". We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter "u" and the elimination of "-ize".

3. You should learn to distinguish the English and Australian accents. It really isn't that hard.English accents are not limited to Cockney, upper-class twit or Mancunian (Daphne in Frasier).

You will also have to learn how to understand regional accents - Scottish dramas such as "Taggart" will no longer be broadcast with subtitles. While we're talking about regions, you must learn that there is no such place as Devonshire in England. The name of the county is "Devon". If you persist in calling it Devonshire, all American States will become "shires" e.g. Texasshire, Floridashire, Louisianashire.

4. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as the good guys. Hollywood will be required to cast English actors to play English characters. British sit-coms such as "Men Behaving Badly" or "Red Dwarf" will not be re-cast and watered down for a wishy-washy American audience who can't cope with the humour of occasional political incorrectness.

5. You should relearn your original national anthem, "God Save The Queen",but only after fully carrying out task 1. We would not want you to getconfused and give up half way through.

6. You should stop playing American "football". There is only one kind of football. What you refer to as American "football" is not a very good game.

The 2.15% of you who are aware that there is a world outside your borders may have noticed that no one else plays "American" football. You will no longer be allowed to play it, and should instead play proper football.

Initially, it would be best if you played with the girls. It is a difficult game. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which is similar to American "football", but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full Kevlar body armour likenancies).

We are hoping to get together at least a US rugby sevens a side by 2005.You should stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the 'World Series' for a game which is not played outside of America. Since only 2.15% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable.

Instead of baseball, you will be allowed to play a girls' game called "rounders" which is baseball without fancy team strip, oversized gloves, collector cards or hotdogs.

7. You should declare war on Quebec and France, using nuclear weapons if they give you any merde.

The 97.85% of you who were not aware that there is a world outside your borders should count yourselves lucky. The Russians have never been the bad guys. "Merde" is French for "Shit". French is the first language of a country called France which is in Europe. Europe is one of the continents in the world other than your own.

8. July 4th is no longer a public holiday. November 2nd will be a new national holiday, but only in England. It will be called "Indecisive Day".

9. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and it is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean.

All road intersections will be replaced with roundabouts. You will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

10. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips.

Fries aren't even French, they are Belgian though 97.85% of you (including the guy who discovered fries while in Europe) are not aware of a country called Belgium.Those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called "crisps". Real chips are thick cut and fried in animal fat. The traditional accompaniment to chips is beer which should be served warm and flat. Waitresses will be trained to be more aggressive with customers.

11. As a sign of penance 5 grams of sea salt per cup will be added to all tea made within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this quantity to be doubled for tea made within the city of Boston itself.

12. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all, it is lager.From November 1st only proper British Bitter will be referred to as "beer", and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as "Lager".

13. From December 1st the UK will harmonise petrol (or "Gasoline" as you will be permitted to keep calling it until April 1st 2005) prices with the former USA. The UK will harmonise its prices to those of the former USA and the Former USA will, in return, adopt UK petrol prices (roughly $6/US gallon - get used to it).

14. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers or therapists.The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist then you're not grown up enough to handle a gun.

15. Please tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us crazy.

Tax collectors from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all revenues due (backdated to 1776).

Thank you for your cooperation.And this ought to teach you Americans not to abuse the right to vote.

I'm DONE!

Guess what everyone! I'm finished with exams! I just finished (moments ago) and i'm now ready to....wait...i'm not ready to do anything...i want to go to bed. That sounds like a better idea than planning where i'm going to live for the summer, packing boxes, or even snogging Chris! [oh my!] Goodnight everyone...i hope to meet you all in my dreams!

my rant for the day

After doing a bit of searching, I have been unable to find any social justice blogs worth mentioning. I can find some serious political blogs but I still fail to find what I'm really looking for. So maybe I'll be the small voice that cries out for social awareness. PLEASE PLEASE realise your impact on the world. We only have one world, we all are one people. Don't just leave all the work up to god because, by the look of things god has left the solar-system.

Then again, you probably don't care. You have things to do. You have events to plan for. You can't take time out to worry about the family in Iraq, the starving Asians, or the aids victims in Africa...These are all far away. Let someone else worry about them.

Its funny, as I was growing up I often thought that the holidays season was supposed to be about being nice to those who were less fortunate than I. Today I think it has always really been about reminding myself how lucky I am not to be one of those "other" people. I don't like this ideology. I'm starting to think the whole holiday season is just bollocks!

Buy Nothing Day!

26 November is buy nothing day!

To find out more click on the site!

set, lights, and videotape

I have recently finished my 3 minute short film. i would like to say it is Oscar material, but i think i would be lucky if it were tropfest material. I do like it and it says exactly what i want it to say, but...i suppose an ethical stance on war is probably not the most popular thing to be saying right now.

I was reading this article and it said the most common cause of world hunger was war. There was a protest in America against the Palistinian and Israeli conflict a while back. One of the posters said, "Today I helped Kill a Palistinian. If you pay taxes, so did you!" It is horrifying to think the country that so loudly promotes Christianity, so lavishly spills (or helps to spill) blood on the basis of enthic cleansing, racial discrimination, or greed.

Sorry if i have offended anyone...but as the song says, "paranoina strikes deep".....

Thankful

For the last two days i've been running around mad, like a chicken with its headcut off, trying to get a major project for one of my classes done. As i would run between one building and the next i would pray, begging God to help me get the project done on time. Well i guess God didn't have the power to help me squeeze 5 weeks of work into 3 days...but he did have the power to convience the lecturer to extend the due date til 22 Nov. WoW! so much time! Believe me, i'm not waisting my time. I'm working quite hard at writing this blog....searching for pics on the net (for my project, HONEST!)....and um...eating...

So keeping with the working hard tradition...i'm going to lunch!

living on borrowed time

I currently have an essay due today (which i have an extention til wednesday for) an essay due tomorrow, a major project due sometime in the next few days and i'm typing a blog entry! WTF am i doing!???







oh...um...Got to go.

Check this out

I've been involved as co-editor for the Avondale College student publication, The Voice (as some of you may know). This week is the last week we're accepting votes for the entries of our, Finding Your Voice Competition. Normally, we would keep voting to the student body, but most of the student-body seems ambivalent to the competition. So I'm opening it up to everyone. Check out the site, vote and leave comments or suggestions to these up and coming writers. All of these writers would really like some feedback on style, content, and general overall impressions. Thanks for your help!

The Bigger Picture?

I have never considered myself particularly socially minded. In fact, I would say that most of the time, I am happily unaware of the abuses to developing countries that happen because of western politics and industry. Lately, this has started to change. I'm beginning to see that there is a connection between my faith and need for social ethics. I can no longer sit back and be merely shocked by what is happening. I demand that my senses be raw and I feel the pain of others. My affluent lifestyle should not numb me to basic human empathy

Pictures

Maybe i'm harping on the subject...it is perfectly possible. I mean, i've only mentioned it twice on the tagboard, and half a million times to people on the phone. But i thought i might try one or two more ploys to get people check out the pictures i have finally posted on the msn photo album. The first ploy would be this entry, the second ploy is going to be a mass email to everyone i know telling them to LOOK AT MY PICTURES, DAMN IT!

Maybe you all have already looked at my pictures...perfectly possible that you clicked on the link, saw the pictures and moved on. But no one has left a comment saying, "i saw the pictures and i really liked the one with you and the thumb." I have heard nothing...from anyone, not even my own family! Sigh....that is okay...i know that you all are just very busy people and just don't have time to look at my pictures....[sniff sniff] its okay, i'm not hurt at all.

Look everyone! the new batman suite comes without nipples!!!

(if the image doesn't turn up, click here)

The trip to Queensland

Day 1: Plane arrived at 10 pm. No public transport to our hotel. We hired a car and drove the 2 hours up to our hotel...whereupon the night manager slept through our attempts to ring him. We slept in the car until 6 am.

Day 2: Got up and rang the night manager again. He answered the phone and i said, "we've been here since one and since you didn't answer the phone we slept in the car." His reply: "Oh SHIT!" He let us in, we went up to our rooms and slept...for an hour. Started moving properly at noon. Had food, and started our 1.5 hour trip to Brisbane to return rental car. Returned rental and took public transport back...it took us 5.5 hours to get back. [side note: Waiting for Queensland public transport to come is like giving a eunuch a blowjob.] we finally get back to our hotel at 8:30 in the evening. We go to bed.

Day 3: We are tired of traveling. We sleep, watch TV, and read, all day long. Becky leaves the hotel room once to pick up the chocolates left for us by the night manager. Other then that, we don't leave.

Day 4: Swimming and beach walks are on the agenda. We find out that there is a slippery slide in the pool of our hotel. I find out that Becky is scared of slippery slides. hehehehe

Day 5: We decide public transport was created by the mentally deranged and we hire a car for the day. We go to Movie World. Heaps of fun. We ride rolercoasters, watch street shows, and check out Warner Bro.'s set for various movies. On the way back to our hotel, we get sidetracked and end up going through Brisbane in the middle of rush-hour traffic. We get back to our hotel at 8. Almost immediately i go to bed.

Day 6: Travel all the way back to Brisbane with the night manager who forgot to wake up on our arrival. He dropped us at the trainstation and we ride the train all the way to airport. We wait for the plane. Get on the plane. Land, get off, rush to meet a train. Becky gets off at Horsby and goes to work. I change trains and come all the way back to college.

The end....