Two years to the event

This day two years ago I was in Austria, trying to solve a dilema. I was on Easter Break from school, and my school friends were going out in the evening of Good Friday to celebrate the break, and I couldn't decide if I should or not.

I really wanted to - I'd only been in Austria for a month or so, and wanted to see Altstadt at night, and go out and have fun with my new friends, but it was Good Friday, and it just felt wrong to go and have so much fun on the anniversary of the death of the most important person in my life.

I didn't go, and spent the day in silent suffering - from indecision and PMS that brought on homesickness. I guess that was one way of looking at Good Friday, but I've been thinking about it today, and I think that if I was given the chance again, I would go.

Jesus died. That's sad. But he rose again. That's happy. If he hadn't died, he wouldn't have risen again. So that makes his death a happy thing.

Good Friday is for reflecting on his death, and what it brought (hoorayness for us), and I think it's very understandable to want to stay at home and not do anything fun at all, but if you are just wasting that time, wishing you'd done something else, then it's not the best use of the time. I suspect that had I gone, I would have spent the rest of the day in much more worthwhile reflection.

So if you're going to spend time at this time of the year in reflection, make sure you make it worthwhile, and don't umm and ahh about whether you should or whether you've got time or whatever, just do it.

Anyway, that's a bit of a ramble, just a warm up to my real post really. Maybe. Probably. Prossibly. Possibly.

What's been happening lately? Not all that much really. I'm back at uni, studying ArtsLaw, with German and Medieval History for my Arts subjects. I'm loving them. For Law I'm studying Contracts and Torts (if only it was that delicious). They're kinda interesting, very applicable to everyday life, which is a nice difference from my arts subjects.

I'm currently avoiding doing my contracts summaries, which involve lots of highlighting and A3 paper. I'm so easily distracted today. Georgie (my cat) has been a great distracter all day... Later I'll go to Tenebrae, a service which celebrates the actual crucifixion of Christ, with lots of drama and candles and drums.

I've booked my flights to England, hoorah! I'll be there for Greenbelt too, which I'm pretty pumped about! I keep talking to Emma (future sister in law) on msn, which is great. She's very excited about us being there for Greenbelt too. Then I'll be off to Austria for a few days, which will be fantabulastic I reckon, looking for nice cheap flights there at the mo...

Well I'm hungry right now, need to go find some food.

Watched Bruce Almighty last night. I've seen it before, but I really like it. It's not perfect, but has some cool points to think about. Such as, what would happen if God gave us everything we 'want' ("who really knows what they want?")...

Hot Fuzz

Hot Fuzz. Go see it. Haven't laughed at hard at a movie for quite a while! Cop spoof that really does the spoof thing well. Had some beautiful little touches. For the same people as Shaun of the Dead.



Pan's Labyrinth. Also fantastic. Mexican fairy tale for adults. Odd ending, but sadly happy. Quite violent, but excellent effects and unusual story. It's use of the grim Spanish Civil War reality intertwined with Ofelia's dangerous involvement in the mystical Pan's Labyrinth, is intriguing, as is the juxtaposition of the two stories.

Kraftwerk - Hokey Kokey

Foreign Police Sirens

Bill Bailey examines Cockney Music

Bill Bailey's Love Song

I've gone on a YouTube Bill Bailey hunt in case you hadn't notice... Just to share the joy...

Chaucer Pubbe Gagge

The Truman Show (spoilers)

Watched The Truman Show today. I've seen it before, and I know it was the coolest most thought provoking film like evA about 5 years ago, but I'm 5 years behind, and in light of several conversations I've had over the past few days, it got me really thinking.

The Truman Show, for those who haven't seen it and haven't clicked on the link, is about a guy (Truman) who's the unknowing star of the ultimate Big Brother show. He was born on live television, and has lived in a world created solely for watching him live out his life since then. It is all directed by Christof, down to the consoling lines spoken by Truman's 'best friend' when Truman is suspecting that there's more to life than he's been led to believe. Truman starts to fight this pretend world, wanting to explore outside it's walls and see more of the world.

Truman's struggle reminds me so much of the fight I see some people facing when they start to wonder if there's a God. When they believe, there are just as many obstructions as Truman faces when he wants to do something that isn't acceptable to the others living in and 'controlling' his life.

Truman starts to really wonder about the truth of his life in Seahaven when little things strike him as a little strange - a light falling from the sky explained as a plane shedding equipment midair, an encounter with a man who looks like his dead father, who gets whisked away. Explanations for every strange event are found in the newspaper the next day. All these, plus an episode from his school years, start to make him wonder and question what's going on. But the more he questions, the more obstructions he meets as Christof tries to prevent him living his own chosen life. Within one day he discovers there are no flights to Fiji available, the bus to Chicago breaks down, and when he takes dramatic action to drive out, he is stopped by a convenient nucular leak that has forced roadblocks and an evacuation zone to be set up, preventing him escape via the road. And yet he keeps trying.

We see the people barracking for Truman at the Truman Bar, in the bath, the carpark, hugging pillows with Truman's face on them, in Japan, learning English from the show. We see Laura, the girl who 'they' didn't want talking to him, and got taken off the show for doing so, leaving an indelible memory with Truman. And these are the people who rejoice when Truman steps out of the set, after refusing to bow to Christof's pressure and give in to the fear of leaving the safety of Seahaven.

Truman faces death to find the truth, as Christof uses increasingly extreme methods to try and force Truman to turn around back to the 'normal' life. But he keeps going, and this is the message I want all you people who are looking at life, wondering what it's all about, whether there's a God, whether he's worth following to take from this post.

God can't force us to do anything, that's one of the beauties of him, he gives us free choice to do what we like. Of course there's a way he'd like us to do things, and he makes sure there's always opportunities to do it his way, but you can take a different road if you wish, although where you'll end up is not the best destination for the rest of eternity. As in The Truman Show, there are always obstructions, some major, some minor, but you'll get through if you believe in the end goal.

The Truman Show reminds me a little of the book of Job (about the guy who's faith is rigorously tested by the devil) and also the Lost Son (guy gets early inheritance from dad, goes spends it all on sex drugs and rock n roll, then returns home crawling and dad welcomes him and throws a massive party). Those of us who believe in God, Jesus, Father, whatever you want to call him, are members of that party. We are barracking for you, like the audience of the Truman Show, and when you choose to push away the 'normal' life - the life of a non-christian, we throw a massive party, as does God (Jesus made wine - of course God likes a party!).

I just want to encourage anyone who reads this to keep searching, keep testing the boundaries of what you believe. You don't have to believe in Him, but He believes in you.

I'll be praying for you.

May you let God guide your steps, and may you see the work he does in your life.

God bless,
Imo

Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to seperate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:39

Children of Men

Went to see Children of Men today. Go see it. I thought it was fantastic, made really well. It was directed by Alfonso Cuaron, the director of the most recent Harry Potter, and has a similar dark atmosphere. The use of humour to lighten and highlight the desperation is perfect. I can't say how it compares to P.D. James' novel, although I intend to find out soon!

Clive Owen plays Theo, a former activist, living in 2027 when all women are sterile. The world is going insane as a result, with the government handing out suicide packs and anti-depressants. Theo is put into the situation of feeling obliged to escort a miraculously pregnant woman (Claire-Hope Ashitey) to a safe haven.

The scenes of the refugee city are especially poignant when one considers the war-zones of today, and part of the power of the movie is that this 2027 world is so similar to our world today. Cuaron does not distract the audience with unfamiliar technology, the little that we see can be recognised as simply a more advanced version of today's technology.

I was a little confused at times about who was fighting whom, but I think it was the government fighting the rebels standing up for the refugees (anyone not a British citizen is forcefully removed from Britain).

Go see it. It is a violent at times, but not to be would contradict the position of the world at the time.

Imagine - the Bush Remix

Here's a YouTube video worth watching. Imagine - The Bush Remix

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Portable Film Festival

Click here for losta really weird but cool short free films. One of my favourites, out of the few that I've watched so far, is Soap Opera. Hands up, Your Betel Nut or Your Life is pretty good too.

These are all movies designed to be watched on phones, iPods etc etc.... Can download them into iTunes and stuff too.... Great idea I reckon!

You have to sign up to watch them, but it's gotta be one of the easiest sign ups I've ever seen!

So go and check them out, great for procrastinating!!!

P.S. Check Maestro out too.