A bunch of students invited me to New Years Eve at their place. It's known as the Manor and it is the hang out for most of Showstoppers.
I seem to be becoming the official Showstoppers Weird Religious Mascot.
So be it.
While it is nice to be invited to these things I am unable to attend due to being on Holiday and indeed at my mothers house.
I remind myself that there will be plenty of student parties to attend in the new year. Indeed I have Jo's birthday party coming up.
As I sit here, quietly (my mother is out on the piss) I can't help reflecting that this doesn't feel much like an end or a beginning.
It is a sign of how my life is now University shaped that actually New Year means very little to me. Rather the year for me started in October and finishes in June. My New Year takes a whole three months to arrive. This just feels like the middle - or the end of the first third at any rate. Nothing much will change with the arrival of 2007. We will have the same students same stuff going on. We will go a little quieter in chaplaincy (for the first time since October) as two weeks after we get back we will be into exams.
Its hard to look back on a year since when 2005 became 2006 I was half way through. So I'm not quite sure what I've achieved with this calender year. So much overlaps.
2006 saw the birth of Tunnel Soc. Though not the birth of 'The Myth that is the legend' that is the Tunnel that owes its origin to an e-mail I sent in December 2005. The 13th to be exact.
2006 has seen the start of the Big Tick but that will continue till 2007.
I think the only thing which has been just a '2006 thing' has been a spot of broadcasting.
2006 has seen me on the TV once and one three local radio stations. That is Radio Solent, Power FM and another one.
The only medium left is print. Maybe that'll be 2007. Then again maybe not.
That's the great thing about my job. I actually have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do next.
I hope you're excited too!
Blgging Not Blogging New Year Chaplain
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Friday, December 29, 2006
If my computer had not died I would have spent a lot of Christmas looking at Dave Walker's Blog because I had not much else to do
Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.
Actually it's more like this...
You know blogging is shit. There is only one thing worse than blogging and that's blogging about blogging.
However by blogging about not blogging I seem to have hit some sort of blogging Nirvana.
Blgging Not Blogging
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Another Blog Free Day
Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.
Another day passes without blog...enforced holiday.
My life is like this cartoon...only without the blog.
Blgging Not Blogging
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Blog free post
As blog free life enters its fourth day I decided today that there was nothing for it but to start a diary.
This is what I wrote
Wednesday 27th December 2006
Dear Diary,
Within this blog free universe I now inhabit I have decided to commit my thoughts to old fashioned paper using an old fashioned pen. Sitting at an old fashioned desk, with a dead computer on it.
It is indeed a historic day in which to begin a new project. Indeed as we stand here in the cold dark fag end of the year of our lord two thousand and six, I feel we are on the cusp of something great. A new era perhaps certainly a new page in history. And so it falls to me to record this process within the privacy of my own home.
It feel strange to think that perhaps no one will ever read these private musings of myself being Yellow formerly the Reverend Simon Stevens. Yet notwithstanding the fact that these words will not be directly available to the public through the medium with which I formally communicated viz blog yet in spite of that I shall endeavor to preserve them for some future time.
Who knows perhaps they will be discovered in generations to come who will look back to the beginning of the 21st century or indeed to seven years after the beginning of the twenty first century and there they will see life as it was for us who stood on the very edge of this new age. They will know what happened next. They will have the information we lack, but they will know what we faced in that uncertain future that black anxious thing that is the unheimlich; the future and we stood. We stood unafraid for we knew in ourselves we had the solutions to that which would stand in our way and in our abilities and our faith in our fellow men. And women
And these undisclosed writ tings, forever sealed and unread will bear silent witness to this. So be it.
Had Shreddies for breakfast
Blgging Not Blogging
This is what I wrote
Wednesday 27th December 2006
Dear Diary,
Within this blog free universe I now inhabit I have decided to commit my thoughts to old fashioned paper using an old fashioned pen. Sitting at an old fashioned desk, with a dead computer on it.
It is indeed a historic day in which to begin a new project. Indeed as we stand here in the cold dark fag end of the year of our lord two thousand and six, I feel we are on the cusp of something great. A new era perhaps certainly a new page in history. And so it falls to me to record this process within the privacy of my own home.
It feel strange to think that perhaps no one will ever read these private musings of myself being Yellow formerly the Reverend Simon Stevens. Yet notwithstanding the fact that these words will not be directly available to the public through the medium with which I formally communicated viz blog yet in spite of that I shall endeavor to preserve them for some future time.
Who knows perhaps they will be discovered in generations to come who will look back to the beginning of the 21st century or indeed to seven years after the beginning of the twenty first century and there they will see life as it was for us who stood on the very edge of this new age. They will know what happened next. They will have the information we lack, but they will know what we faced in that uncertain future that black anxious thing that is the unheimlich; the future and we stood. We stood unafraid for we knew in ourselves we had the solutions to that which would stand in our way and in our abilities and our faith in our fellow men. And women
And these undisclosed writ tings, forever sealed and unread will bear silent witness to this. So be it.
Had Shreddies for breakfast
Blgging Not Blogging
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Boxing Day
Well today is my third day without blogging.
I went in the office today and looked at my dead PC. I am cut off from the world.
It is a strange feeling! Yesterday I phoned a friend and told him about my Christmas. He asked about my blog.
"Why haven't you blogged this? Why are you entering into my life to tell me about this?"
It's true I haven't phoned him for ages. I've just read his blog and he has read mine and thus we have avoided the need for actual contact.
We had a long chat about new computers.
It is an isolating experience to be bloggless.
I really wanted to tell the world. But sadly it was not possible.
I went in the office today and looked at my dead PC. I am cut off from the world.
It is a strange feeling! Yesterday I phoned a friend and told him about my Christmas. He asked about my blog.
"Why haven't you blogged this? Why are you entering into my life to tell me about this?"
It's true I haven't phoned him for ages. I've just read his blog and he has read mine and thus we have avoided the need for actual contact.
We had a long chat about new computers.
It is an isolating experience to be bloggless.
I really wanted to tell the world. But sadly it was not possible.
Monday, December 25, 2006
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Virtual Chaplaincy crahes.
So Christmas eve...or if you live in Scandinavia or parts of Germany Christmas Day.
That's one of the things I have learned in my job. It's part of the international character of chaplaincy.
Of course chaplaincy has now closed along with the University and I get a chance to have a rest.
Of course I could be tempted to do a bit of work but sadly one vital aspect of what i laughingly call 'Virtual chaplaincy' is dead...my home computer.
It completely gave up the ghost the other day. It can no longer find any periferals. Internet Explorer and MSN messanger cause errors in parts of the memory and so refuse to start. So that's that then. I can't check my e-mails or chat to students.
More excitingly it means I get to spend £750 or more on a new computer in the week after Christmas. Which is what everyone wants to do at the very time of year when everyone has extra money and not a huge credit card bill that needs paying off.
Anyway this also means that I can't blog. Which is not a problem as I never liked blogging anyway. It was all Nick Bailey's idea to get me to stop e-mailing people. He said I should try bloggingI wasn't convinced!
Still it is strange to be sat at home and unable to just write down my thoughts and post them on the internet. Just think if I had a brilliant idea right now I couldn't blog about it.
I'd have to tell someone.
Strange.
Still so far I don't miss blogging at all.
Merry Christmas by the way.
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton
Friday, December 22, 2006
Lo he ranteth
OK so to rant...
It's this covenant thing You can find it here...
Basically they have said they want to keep all their money. Have the Bishop ordain anyone whoever they want and only have a Bishop (of their choosing) when they need.
Now I could engage with this one theologically but Tom Wright has already done that.
Bishop Tom asks a question. Why now? You see this is an attempt to rid the Biblically minded of liberal leadership. Yet where are these liberals? Oxford? No he's retired. York? No solid as a rock. London? Well not exactly evanglelical but you could hardly describe Bishop Richard as a screaming liberal.
Even though we have in our Archbishop someone who has been something of a standard bearer for Liberalism he has centainly been behaving himself since coming into office. He has certainly not done anything that an evangelical could object to.
Even my own Bishop...Michael Scott-Joynt of Winchester on paper (in Crockfords) ticks all the liberal boxes but he's been moving in a very evangelical direction of late. Even writting stroppy letters to the papers on behalf of UCCF.
At the moment most theological colleges are evanglecial. Most ordinands. Most Anglicans are.
The Church of England has not lept off the evangelical rails recently. No quite the opposite the Church of England has made all its recent decisions in a way the evangelicals would hartely approve of. So why now???
Because now for the first time in years they actually think they have the power to get away with this. They are trying to re-make the Church of England becazuse they think they can.
We can do this we have the money and we have the power. Of course they don't because there are only 31 one them.
Which is why they want people to join them. See the first paragraph.
As to the argument itself... what are they saying:
"We want it our way....or else!"
Or else what? They are not going to leave the Church of England. No, they are desperate to stay because they are convinced that having a sign outside a church with 'Church of England' on it brings people to it. Even if, as in the case of weddings, christenings and funerals for non-christians, they don't actually want to do what those people want. They still want them to come so they can hear the unadultarated gospel.
That's why they are going to stay.
No what they are really threatening is to withold money.
Yet one of their key demands is to be able to withold their quota.
It really is that circular. This is something they want to do and are already doing anyway. They are simply saying if we are not allowed to keep all our money...then...well we're going to keep our money. And encourage other people to do that like we do already.
Fine.
Notice is hereby served. Each and every single conservative evangelical church in this realm of England is instructed, nay commanded to pay their quota in full for the whole of 2007.
This is non-negotaible and must be strickly adhered to.
If I am ignored I will have no choice but to change my name to Yellow.
By deed poll.
See how you like it!
Finally don't get me started about selection for ministry. Just let me say this. Selection for ministry has never been made on the basis of Churchmanship. I have met many many candidates over the year who have not been accepted for ordination and they all pretty much have the same thing in common.
They can't do the job.
That's the point. Conservative evangelical ordinands are welcome in the Church of England they can go to one of the colleges run by one of the signaturies to this bloody convenant but they have to be able to do the job. There is a real need in the Church of England for clergy who are creative, visionary and can actually do this job. I see no evidence that letting a small group of Vicars choose our next generation of leaders would achieve that.
Today is my 34th Birthday and I have to say that I fail to see how a document signed by a bunch of people with a average age of 58 and a combined age of well over 1500 can have anything to do with the future of the Church. It is just an attempt to make the church more like them and ensure it reamains that way long after they have gone.
I think the time has come for liberal vicars everywhere to ask for extended episcopal oversight from Katharine Jefferts Schori.
In fact if I was a liberal vicar (wrong on both counts) this is the sign I'd hang outside my church.
Feel free to use.
If we're going to do scism let's do it properly.
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton Covenant for the Church of England Evangelicalism
It's this covenant thing You can find it here...
Basically they have said they want to keep all their money. Have the Bishop ordain anyone whoever they want and only have a Bishop (of their choosing) when they need.
Now I could engage with this one theologically but Tom Wright has already done that.
Bishop Tom asks a question. Why now? You see this is an attempt to rid the Biblically minded of liberal leadership. Yet where are these liberals? Oxford? No he's retired. York? No solid as a rock. London? Well not exactly evanglelical but you could hardly describe Bishop Richard as a screaming liberal.
Even though we have in our Archbishop someone who has been something of a standard bearer for Liberalism he has centainly been behaving himself since coming into office. He has certainly not done anything that an evangelical could object to.
Even my own Bishop...Michael Scott-Joynt of Winchester on paper (in Crockfords) ticks all the liberal boxes but he's been moving in a very evangelical direction of late. Even writting stroppy letters to the papers on behalf of UCCF.
At the moment most theological colleges are evanglecial. Most ordinands. Most Anglicans are.
The Church of England has not lept off the evangelical rails recently. No quite the opposite the Church of England has made all its recent decisions in a way the evangelicals would hartely approve of. So why now???
Because now for the first time in years they actually think they have the power to get away with this. They are trying to re-make the Church of England becazuse they think they can.
We can do this we have the money and we have the power. Of course they don't because there are only 31 one them.
Which is why they want people to join them. See the first paragraph.
As to the argument itself... what are they saying:
"We want it our way....or else!"
Or else what? They are not going to leave the Church of England. No, they are desperate to stay because they are convinced that having a sign outside a church with 'Church of England' on it brings people to it. Even if, as in the case of weddings, christenings and funerals for non-christians, they don't actually want to do what those people want. They still want them to come so they can hear the unadultarated gospel.
That's why they are going to stay.
No what they are really threatening is to withold money.
Yet one of their key demands is to be able to withold their quota.
It really is that circular. This is something they want to do and are already doing anyway. They are simply saying if we are not allowed to keep all our money...then...well we're going to keep our money. And encourage other people to do that like we do already.
Fine.
Notice is hereby served. Each and every single conservative evangelical church in this realm of England is instructed, nay commanded to pay their quota in full for the whole of 2007.
This is non-negotaible and must be strickly adhered to.
If I am ignored I will have no choice but to change my name to Yellow.
By deed poll.
See how you like it!
Finally don't get me started about selection for ministry. Just let me say this. Selection for ministry has never been made on the basis of Churchmanship. I have met many many candidates over the year who have not been accepted for ordination and they all pretty much have the same thing in common.
They can't do the job.
That's the point. Conservative evangelical ordinands are welcome in the Church of England they can go to one of the colleges run by one of the signaturies to this bloody convenant but they have to be able to do the job. There is a real need in the Church of England for clergy who are creative, visionary and can actually do this job. I see no evidence that letting a small group of Vicars choose our next generation of leaders would achieve that.
Today is my 34th Birthday and I have to say that I fail to see how a document signed by a bunch of people with a average age of 58 and a combined age of well over 1500 can have anything to do with the future of the Church. It is just an attempt to make the church more like them and ensure it reamains that way long after they have gone.
I think the time has come for liberal vicars everywhere to ask for extended episcopal oversight from Katharine Jefferts Schori.
In fact if I was a liberal vicar (wrong on both counts) this is the sign I'd hang outside my church.
Feel free to use.
If we're going to do scism let's do it properly.
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton Covenant for the Church of England Evangelicalism
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Just before I rant
Southampton. It's foggy. It's cold
I can feel another rant coming on. I just can. Which is OK, because this is the Christmas Holidays so there isn't a lot else going on round here.
The trouble is that I wrote something before about how Chaplains and CUs should work together and becuase I linked Chaplaincy and CU that was seen as being anti-evangelical for some reason.
That one generated so much hate mail. I say hate mail I mean speaking-the-truth-in-love mail. I'm still dealing with it. Some of it seemed dissmissive and thought that a chaplaincy could only ever hope to be a sad pathetic adition to campus. That any good on campus was done by CU. There were those who seemed angry that a chaplaincy should seek to work with students that was best left to CU they maintained. As to students who didn't fit well when they accepted the gospel they would fit in. So that wasn't really an issue...
Feel free to engage with either of those in the comments section.
I have to say though all I was suggesting was that Chaplaincy could and should be a home for CU. Not Chaplaincy should take over from UCCF. Not chaplaincy should change the doctrine of CU. Just CU as it is now 'in' chaplaincy.
Anyway that just goes to show how this works. People read this. Decide what I am saying and then attack me for it.
So before I do this again I want to say something. I want to point out where I come from.
I grew up. Religion played no part in my life. I went to school. I did not do very well. I left at 16 with virtually no qualifications (we discovered why afterwards) and I got the first job I could which was making burgers.
In August 1990 I met a student who was working during the holidays. She was a member of the CU at UKC. She talked to me about Jesus. I had been working with another Christian all year and had had many such conversations. So this time I decided to find out more. She took me to her church and later on that month I became a Christian.
I became a Christian because it made sense and because I came to a place where I could see the universe was bigger and more spiritual than I had previously thought. And yes, just for those of you who like to check these things, I became convinced of the truth of Christianity and decided to accept Jesus as Lord.
OK?
Now everything that happens next has to be understood in the light of that. OK so now I can rant...
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Ruth Gledhill
Ruth Gledhill is the Times religion correspondant. She writes a blog. It's very popular. I don't often read it because its mostly about religion, church and theology which are all things that don't really interest me. I like to check in every once in a while.
But then the other day she posted 'Five things you probably didn't know about me'
Now I'm a sucker for a good list so of course I had to read on. She reveals that she used to work for the Uttoxeter Advertiser (one word - WOW!) she tells us she was once a zoology reporter. Which should help her explain the various territorial posturings within the Church of England as well as giving us an insight into the strange markings on the back of many an episcopal cope...if it is indeed, as I suspect, all about breeding.
She goes on to share about her family. A sad story about her brother. Sorry to hear that one...and then...
...then...
...then she reveals that her sister works at NOC. Oh MY GOSH!
Ruth Gledhill's sister is within my pastoral care.
Goodness me. People read her blog. I'm clearly going to have to tidy up around here. What with all the students laying about the place all night (yes we even have students sleeping here now. They can't get enough of it - dissgraceful!) The Times is a classy paper. Not like Wessex Scene. Its a lot more Bill Wakeham than Ben Rogers Trouble is I'm a bit more Ben Rogers than Bill Wakeham.
Well this is an awsome responsibility isn't it? Little old me. Yellow. I mean my first proper job and I get a Gledhill! You're saying "Don't make this all about you, Yellow, Ruth Gledhill was writting about herself." I know but this is a blog and whenever someone writes about themselves on a blog the rest of us are duty bound to make it all about us. Read the comments section on the original posting.
Anyway what was I saying...oh yes...
Maybe I should take her for coffee and we could talk about...I dunno NOC stuff, like fish. Or maybe I should buy her a beer that's what I do with students. Or as she works in the part of the University that is closest to France I should get her a glass of wine.
Maybe I should just go and visit her. Where is the National Oceanography centre anyway? I had a map around here somewhere.
Ruth Gledhill's sister!
Fancy that!
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton Ruth Gledhill
But then the other day she posted 'Five things you probably didn't know about me'
Now I'm a sucker for a good list so of course I had to read on. She reveals that she used to work for the Uttoxeter Advertiser (one word - WOW!) she tells us she was once a zoology reporter. Which should help her explain the various territorial posturings within the Church of England as well as giving us an insight into the strange markings on the back of many an episcopal cope...if it is indeed, as I suspect, all about breeding.
She goes on to share about her family. A sad story about her brother. Sorry to hear that one...and then...
...then...
...then she reveals that her sister works at NOC. Oh MY GOSH!
Ruth Gledhill's sister is within my pastoral care.
Goodness me. People read her blog. I'm clearly going to have to tidy up around here. What with all the students laying about the place all night (yes we even have students sleeping here now. They can't get enough of it - dissgraceful!) The Times is a classy paper. Not like Wessex Scene. Its a lot more Bill Wakeham than Ben Rogers Trouble is I'm a bit more Ben Rogers than Bill Wakeham.
Well this is an awsome responsibility isn't it? Little old me. Yellow. I mean my first proper job and I get a Gledhill! You're saying "Don't make this all about you, Yellow, Ruth Gledhill was writting about herself." I know but this is a blog and whenever someone writes about themselves on a blog the rest of us are duty bound to make it all about us. Read the comments section on the original posting.
Anyway what was I saying...oh yes...
Maybe I should take her for coffee and we could talk about...I dunno NOC stuff, like fish. Or maybe I should buy her a beer that's what I do with students. Or as she works in the part of the University that is closest to France I should get her a glass of wine.
Maybe I should just go and visit her. Where is the National Oceanography centre anyway? I had a map around here somewhere.
Ruth Gledhill's sister!
Fancy that!
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton Ruth Gledhill
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
What you doing here then?
"What do you do in the Holidays" a lot of people ask me.
It's a bit like being a teacher. People don't expect you to exist during the holidays.
Well part of the answer is 'have a holiday' in common with most clergy I have a few days off over Christmas. Most clergy however take their holiday after Christmas. Whereas at the end of this week they effectively close my 'parish' leaving me with no staff or students to support during Christmas week. That does of course free me up to cover for other clergy in the week following Christmas when they all want to have a week off.
But some people seem to view it as almost obscene that an ordained person could have Christmas day off. People still refer to it as 'your busiest time of year' missing of course that chaplaincy is all about 'new ways of being Church' eg dropping Christmas!
They would be even more shocked if they knew I took Easter off and quite a few Sundays too!
Anyway to answer your question (which you didn't ask but I'm anticipating for the purposes of blog) yes it is true that the sun has set on another term, but Chaplaincy is still open. Pop in for a coffee if you're around.
We are looking after the staff, the PhDs, the student Nurses who haven't finished yet. I'm also trying to work on my own research, catch up on my thinking and do a bit of blogging. Mostly I have to write up the three societies I ticked at the end of last term.
So that's that then. Now you know...
Oh yes I also need to tidy my desk. That should take me till at least Christmas.
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton
Saturday, December 16, 2006
The end...
So that was that then…
The most intense 11 weeks of existence that is the Autumn Term in Chaplaincy.
Summer is a distant memory. So are the chaplaincy Bar-B-Qs with which we started the year. At least one of them was accompanied by bright sunshine. Now it is cold and wet.
There have been so many new faces this term and indeed some of the old timers are around a lot more. The Big Tick is going really well too. I’m finding I’m getting to know a lot of new students.
I have been busy…really busy.
Something is happening in Chaplaincy. It’s not so much a green shoot as a whole plant. And it is growing.
But I am exhausted. I have worked every evening for the last 4 weeks. Yesterday I worked a 17 hour day. Today I’ve clocked up 16 hours.
As soon as my head hits the pillow tonight – or rather this morning, I’m off work.
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton
Friday, December 15, 2006
M is for Manga and Anime Soc (Part II)
M is for Manga and Anime Soc
I first heard of Manga and Anime from the people at Games Soc.
Now if you’re like me then you haven’t spent a lot of time exploring Japanese Anime.
It includes the epic and probably best Anime in “Akira” and also “Legend of the Overfiend” which somehow made it to number 72 in the top 100 of Cartoons for a recent Channel 4 programme and seems to be the most perverted vile and abnormal piece of animation ever produced. In fact it seems to be the most perverted vile and abnormal piece of anything ever produced. So that tells you about the sort of cartoon lovers who vote for channel 4 programmes.
There is currently much debate in the Manga world as to the best way to watch Anime. Now a lot of the guys from Games Soc are purists. They maintain that the only way to watch Japanese Anime is online. Whereas the Manga and Anime Society is made up of people who are purists and insist on watching it on a big screen in Physics Lecture theatre ‘A’. Which means that that although Games Soc love Manga and Anime you wont meet them if you go along to Manga and Anime Soc since they don’t see the point in turning up for reasons which are not entirely clear to me. The main point is you have to watch Japanese anime in Japanese or you’re just playing at it.
Games Soc did give me a chance to practice talking about Manga before I went. Which was quite difficult in that I have only heard of two Anime films and haven’t seen either of them.
Mentioning Akira got looks of approving respect and mentioning Legend of the Overfiend just got a sad shake of the head… yes they have heard of it.
So off to Physics A. Firstly I met the president and decided to engage him in conversation. It turns out this is all about Japanese culture. In between watching the videos they like to chat about Japan and listen to Japanese pop music. I know slightly less than nothing about Japanese Pop. So I decide to move the conversation on to the business at hand.
“So Anime…?” I say to the president “What sort of stuff do you watch”
He explains. I don’t understand a word. Everything he says is in English.
“Does that include Legend of The Overfiend?” I ask.
His eyes widen. “No!” he says. He’s heard of it too.
I ask him how many of his members actually speak Japanese. One apparently. It must be the lip sinking that makes it so good then.
So then we move on to the main event. Watching Anime.
It is a little confusing. Basically it’s some sort of cosmic battle and seems to involve seriously tooled up worrier Nuns and Priests taking on the hordes of Satan with magic rocks and exploding crosses. Which sort of affirms my faith. Except I’m not quite sure this is actually what’s going on. It is all in Japanese after all.
The president was very welcoming to me. He introduces me to everyone and then the movie comes up to me.
“That must have been very confusing for you” he says “I bet you didn’t understand any of that.”
“Yeah” I said “it just seemed to be seriously tooled up worrier Nuns and Priests taking on the hordes of Satan with magic rocks and exploding crosses.”
“Oh, you got it then.”
So it seems that it’s not so foreign after all. Just seriously weird. Which is why if this entry makes no sense then I’ve adequately recorded my evening.
I have taken a few pictures of me and people at the society. Most of them were watching Anime so it was dark…
But here I am giving Manga and Anime and big thumbs up!
In the list of 100 worse ways to die on Uncyclopedia “Legend of the Overfiend related fatality” comes in at number 70.
Manga and Anime Soc: Hai – Tick.
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton Manga The Big Tick Southampton University University Soton Uni Anime
Japan Japanese Culture
Now if you’re like me then you haven’t spent a lot of time exploring Japanese Anime.
It includes the epic and probably best Anime in “Akira” and also “Legend of the Overfiend” which somehow made it to number 72 in the top 100 of Cartoons for a recent Channel 4 programme and seems to be the most perverted vile and abnormal piece of animation ever produced. In fact it seems to be the most perverted vile and abnormal piece of anything ever produced. So that tells you about the sort of cartoon lovers who vote for channel 4 programmes.
There is currently much debate in the Manga world as to the best way to watch Anime. Now a lot of the guys from Games Soc are purists. They maintain that the only way to watch Japanese Anime is online. Whereas the Manga and Anime Society is made up of people who are purists and insist on watching it on a big screen in Physics Lecture theatre ‘A’. Which means that that although Games Soc love Manga and Anime you wont meet them if you go along to Manga and Anime Soc since they don’t see the point in turning up for reasons which are not entirely clear to me. The main point is you have to watch Japanese anime in Japanese or you’re just playing at it.
Games Soc did give me a chance to practice talking about Manga before I went. Which was quite difficult in that I have only heard of two Anime films and haven’t seen either of them.
Mentioning Akira got looks of approving respect and mentioning Legend of the Overfiend just got a sad shake of the head… yes they have heard of it.
So off to Physics A. Firstly I met the president and decided to engage him in conversation. It turns out this is all about Japanese culture. In between watching the videos they like to chat about Japan and listen to Japanese pop music. I know slightly less than nothing about Japanese Pop. So I decide to move the conversation on to the business at hand.
“So Anime…?” I say to the president “What sort of stuff do you watch”
He explains. I don’t understand a word. Everything he says is in English.
“Does that include Legend of The Overfiend?” I ask.
His eyes widen. “No!” he says. He’s heard of it too.
I ask him how many of his members actually speak Japanese. One apparently. It must be the lip sinking that makes it so good then.
So then we move on to the main event. Watching Anime.
It is a little confusing. Basically it’s some sort of cosmic battle and seems to involve seriously tooled up worrier Nuns and Priests taking on the hordes of Satan with magic rocks and exploding crosses. Which sort of affirms my faith. Except I’m not quite sure this is actually what’s going on. It is all in Japanese after all.
The president was very welcoming to me. He introduces me to everyone and then the movie comes up to me.
“That must have been very confusing for you” he says “I bet you didn’t understand any of that.”
“Yeah” I said “it just seemed to be seriously tooled up worrier Nuns and Priests taking on the hordes of Satan with magic rocks and exploding crosses.”
“Oh, you got it then.”
So it seems that it’s not so foreign after all. Just seriously weird. Which is why if this entry makes no sense then I’ve adequately recorded my evening.
I have taken a few pictures of me and people at the society. Most of them were watching Anime so it was dark…
But here I am giving Manga and Anime and big thumbs up!
In the list of 100 worse ways to die on Uncyclopedia “Legend of the Overfiend related fatality” comes in at number 70.
Manga and Anime Soc: Hai – Tick.
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton Manga The Big Tick Southampton University University Soton Uni Anime
Japan Japanese Culture
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Christmas cometh
Well the chaplaincy is being well and truly pimped...
We now have a new sign and the ability to do film nights. In addition we are going to paint the door and introduce wi-fi.
also thanks to Christmas decorations chaplaincy blings like the inside of Beyoncé's hand bag.
Tonight SCM had their Christmas party involving much fun and games...and because it is my Birthday in the holidays I got the bumps...
34 of them...Tom's comment made my evening...
"I'm not sure whether I'm just unfit or you are fat or old."
Thanks Tom.
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton
We now have a new sign and the ability to do film nights. In addition we are going to paint the door and introduce wi-fi.
also thanks to Christmas decorations chaplaincy blings like the inside of Beyoncé's hand bag.
Tonight SCM had their Christmas party involving much fun and games...and because it is my Birthday in the holidays I got the bumps...
34 of them...Tom's comment made my evening...
"I'm not sure whether I'm just unfit or you are fat or old."
Thanks Tom.
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Carols on Campus
Carols on Campus today.
FREE WINE
FREE MINCE PIES
FREE COROLS
and 10 minutes of quality stand up delivered free of charge by yours truly.
Consider yourself well and truly invited.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Last of the Mohicans
It feels like Campus is winding down, which really it shouldn't be. There is still a week to go.
Today I decided just for a change to sit through the entire Union Council meeting as an observer. Anyone can go and witness the inner workings of the Union, so where were you?
Consider yourself well and truly shown up!
The hardest part of the meeting was the debate about top up fees.
This involved two powerful voices on the Union (who shall remain nameless....you'll have to read the minutes if you want to know) taking a different line on this one.
The motion was for SUSU to campaign for free education. What continues to astonish me is not that this government wants to charge students for their education it's that students seem to agree with them.
Student after student spoke positively about top up fees. One student even spoke about top up fees being a good disincentive to keep student numbers down thus adding value to degrees. Where this reduction in student numbers will come from is another question...probably from the bottom of the wealth scale is the answer, I believe.
The whole debate worries me because it makes education into a utilitarian thing. Both sides of the argument saw education in economic terms. How much you were going to earn as a result. Were you going to earn enough, was the question. Most of the people round the room seem to think yes which is why the motion was lost. Well I can't blame them for that...in an age when there are some graduates stacking shelves you gotta stay positive, really.
You see education is of value and this value is far more than economic. Education, by that I mean both knowing stuff and also the ability to form your own opinions and shape society and add something to the world around you, is priceless.
At this time of year it is traditional for clergy to call upon the world to turn away from the capitalist orgy that is secular Christmas to focus on the baby for a bit. I find myself more vexed by the utilitarianism permeating educational life.
10 years ago I was an undergraduate and I was campaigning against student loans. We did so because we believed education was worth more than money.
We also fought for a change of government, having lived only under the Tories... well that made a huge difference, didn't it?
Still 10 years later and I feel like a bloke who has been cryogenically frozen and then been reintroduced into a world that has changed beyond recognition. The last of the student radicals who populated campuses back in 1996.
Funny I really enjoy hanging out in the stag, I've loved visiting various societies and I think I fit in on campus.
But today in the Union Council...I just felt old.
Tell me I'm not alone....Please!!!
Today I decided just for a change to sit through the entire Union Council meeting as an observer. Anyone can go and witness the inner workings of the Union, so where were you?
Consider yourself well and truly shown up!
The hardest part of the meeting was the debate about top up fees.
This involved two powerful voices on the Union (who shall remain nameless....you'll have to read the minutes if you want to know) taking a different line on this one.
The motion was for SUSU to campaign for free education. What continues to astonish me is not that this government wants to charge students for their education it's that students seem to agree with them.
Student after student spoke positively about top up fees. One student even spoke about top up fees being a good disincentive to keep student numbers down thus adding value to degrees. Where this reduction in student numbers will come from is another question...probably from the bottom of the wealth scale is the answer, I believe.
The whole debate worries me because it makes education into a utilitarian thing. Both sides of the argument saw education in economic terms. How much you were going to earn as a result. Were you going to earn enough, was the question. Most of the people round the room seem to think yes which is why the motion was lost. Well I can't blame them for that...in an age when there are some graduates stacking shelves you gotta stay positive, really.
You see education is of value and this value is far more than economic. Education, by that I mean both knowing stuff and also the ability to form your own opinions and shape society and add something to the world around you, is priceless.
At this time of year it is traditional for clergy to call upon the world to turn away from the capitalist orgy that is secular Christmas to focus on the baby for a bit. I find myself more vexed by the utilitarianism permeating educational life.
10 years ago I was an undergraduate and I was campaigning against student loans. We did so because we believed education was worth more than money.
We also fought for a change of government, having lived only under the Tories... well that made a huge difference, didn't it?
Still 10 years later and I feel like a bloke who has been cryogenically frozen and then been reintroduced into a world that has changed beyond recognition. The last of the student radicals who populated campuses back in 1996.
Funny I really enjoy hanging out in the stag, I've loved visiting various societies and I think I fit in on campus.
But today in the Union Council...I just felt old.
Tell me I'm not alone....Please!!!
Saturday, December 09, 2006
T is for Theatre Group
I head to the social science building and there I find Theatre Group looking dejected in a corner. I ask them what happens round here. It’s “Open House”. Apparently this means lots of ad-libbing games. This sounds like just my cup of tea…which I think you’ll agree, coming from a Vicar, is quite a compliment.
So we start off warming up with a game a bang. This involves pretend shooting people. They are then out, until only two people are left. Not much acting really. If I’m offering advice then maybe when someone loses this game, instead of just going “Oh!” and then sitting down it could be made more theatrical with a big death scene, probably involving a 2 minute speech on the floor like this:
“I feel so cold *cough* hold me close Julia! I can’t see your face, your beautiful eyes. Hold me Julia. I don’t think *cough* I don’t think I’m going to get through this, and I just want you to know before I die *cough* *cough* that I even though I haven’t always shown it I’ve always cared for you.
Even when I was with Rachael. I was thinking of you. Rachael never meant *cough* anything to me.
Neither did Jill.
Or Sandra, or Betty, or Sue, or Steph, or Anne, or Helen, or Gabrielle, or Phillipa, or Jane, or Eloise, or Dave, or Derek, or Bud, or Skippy or Shep. It was you I really wanted to be with.
Julia are you still there? I can feel myself slipping away *cough* before I go there’s something I need to say *cough*. I need you to…know…that…I…really…really…love…”
See? Much better. Of course this would extend the game from ten minutes to about two and a half hours. But it would be a good two and a half hours.
We moved on to playing party guests. One person plays the host and everyone else plays a character with an unusual trait. The host has to guess the traits. One host, who shall remain nameless had real problems.
One of his guests is only two feet high.
“What are you looking at…is it my orange face?” he says to the host. “Have you got any chocolate. You know this is a nice place you got here. Could be tidier. I know a song about that. We live in trees, back where I come from.”
“OK” says the host “You must be some sort of Monkey.”
“No mate…I work in a factory. What is that? A Mars bar? You total sell out. You’re not going to get a golden ticket in that one, are you?”
“Oh this is so hard” says the host.
OK, lets think about the clues here. 2 foot high bloke with an orange face who works in a factory, likes to sing and is obsessed with chocolate. Any ideas?
The evening finishes with a game of freeze. This is where two players start a piece of adlib and then someone yells ‘Freeze’ and replaces one of the performers creating a new scene. So the other performer has to keep up. They also yell freeze if it’s going too far.
Here are some highlights:
“I’m finding all the joy has gone out of my work. I just don’t like being a prison officer anymore.”
“Well you’ve gotta rediscover what bought you into it.”
“I was beating up the prisoners on G wing the other day and it just wasn’t fun anymore…”
“FREEZE!”
“I never done this with another man before…”
“FREEZE!”
“Bless me father for I have sinned. I have this thing about chocolate. I love melting it in a saucepan and letting it run through my toes.”
“Is it just chocolate?”
“No I love butter too.”
“Isn’t that a bit greasy?”
“That’s the point! What I like to do is…”
“FREEZE!”
The evening ends with me and other guy being catalogue models. Then off to the Stag.
As usual.
Alas poor Theatre Group…I ticked them so well.
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton Theatre The Big Tick Southampton University University Soton Uni Student Societies
Thursday, December 07, 2006
WSA BTS
So after months of procrastinating we finally went on the Boldrewood Tunnel soc big Winchester Adventure.
I put President Tarling in the car and engaged the warp engines on the A33 heading north. Tom keeps looking over at my speed-o-meter.
"You don't break the speed limit much" he says in an affirming way. He uses some mathematical formula to explain how he drives. Basically he uses the formula for the highest possible speed his car could do rather than the highest possible speed which he tells me is the speed of light.
Physicists! So cute!
We arrive at WSA and there Agent Pink is waiting. So now there are three of us. We have 4 hours to 'convert' the whole of Winchester School of Art. It is not going to be easy. So we do what anyone would have done in our position.
We go for coffee.
On the way there we spot the cake stall. WOW! They wouldn't let you have a cake stall at Highfield. What would health and safety say? Anyway they are trying to raise money for fashion things. Over coffee I have an idea. Cakes!
So we go back to the cake stall and buy the contents. We appoint Tom Tarling 'Cake Bitch' which means he gets to carry them all. Thankfully they give him a bowl to put them all in and from then on everyone who signs on the dotted line for tunnel soc gets a free cake. The people working the stall are very grateful for our money so we try to sell BTS to them. They do that thing people do when you don't want to offend someone who has just been nice to but you think is a total weirdo. They smile politely and take our leaflet and make a big show of putting it in their bag 'to look at latter!' but their eyes say 'go away please' so we move on.
We stop someone who is welding something but she doesn't know what Boldrewood is.
"I never go to Highfield." she explains "So I couldn't really make use of the Tunnel." Well that's not really the point, is it?
Someone else takes a cake and refuses to sign up. We could demand our cake back but we decide that giving her a cake is D.I.G.ing a T.U.N.N.E.L. and leave it at that. So she asks for another one for her kid. Which is I think you'll agree, a bit cheeky.
Anyway we are now loosing cakes and gaining no members when Agent Pink (who informs us she has actually put pink socks on today...just for us) spots a friend. The friend listens and nods and then....JOINS.
Then it got easier. A bit like shooting ducks in a barrel. It was like once someone has joined the whole place suddenly became Tunnel Soc receptive. Several other people came over as Nicki Schwodler (hearafter always member 438)is listening and then they sign up as well. Jennie Blake, Charlotte Brennan all ask me to explain it. Then Richard Brennan (member 441) just comes over and signs on. No questions asked. Viki Peerce (member 442) draws a picture of a man running through a tunnel and so now we have real art on our sign up sheet.
And so it goes on. We go to somewhere called the Rotunder where all the graphic artists hang out and sign them ALL up.
BTS WSA is well and truly launched! They get it you see. They understand that in this hard world where everything has a price or a purpose BTS is just flippancy. It is just there to decorate and to spread a message.
Basically it is just art.
After wards we traveled round the campus. We liked the SU which I tried to take an arty shot of.
We like the fact that until recently WSA bar had tabs. I mean Tabs at a student bar! How cool is that. And that the notice canceling them contains the legend "Sorry for the inconvenience."
And we also managed to find the biggest printer in the world ever.
And a piece of art all BTS members could appreciate. It's called "Access Denied".
We journeyed home. Our feet aching clutching our precious sign up sheet. And happy.
We now have WSA BTS. Which of course means that Agent Pink (AKA Leni Toms) is now officially VP WSA.
I put President Tarling in the car and engaged the warp engines on the A33 heading north. Tom keeps looking over at my speed-o-meter.
"You don't break the speed limit much" he says in an affirming way. He uses some mathematical formula to explain how he drives. Basically he uses the formula for the highest possible speed his car could do rather than the highest possible speed which he tells me is the speed of light.
Physicists! So cute!
We arrive at WSA and there Agent Pink is waiting. So now there are three of us. We have 4 hours to 'convert' the whole of Winchester School of Art. It is not going to be easy. So we do what anyone would have done in our position.
We go for coffee.
On the way there we spot the cake stall. WOW! They wouldn't let you have a cake stall at Highfield. What would health and safety say? Anyway they are trying to raise money for fashion things. Over coffee I have an idea. Cakes!
So we go back to the cake stall and buy the contents. We appoint Tom Tarling 'Cake Bitch' which means he gets to carry them all. Thankfully they give him a bowl to put them all in and from then on everyone who signs on the dotted line for tunnel soc gets a free cake. The people working the stall are very grateful for our money so we try to sell BTS to them. They do that thing people do when you don't want to offend someone who has just been nice to but you think is a total weirdo. They smile politely and take our leaflet and make a big show of putting it in their bag 'to look at latter!' but their eyes say 'go away please' so we move on.
We stop someone who is welding something but she doesn't know what Boldrewood is.
"I never go to Highfield." she explains "So I couldn't really make use of the Tunnel." Well that's not really the point, is it?
Someone else takes a cake and refuses to sign up. We could demand our cake back but we decide that giving her a cake is D.I.G.ing a T.U.N.N.E.L. and leave it at that. So she asks for another one for her kid. Which is I think you'll agree, a bit cheeky.
Anyway we are now loosing cakes and gaining no members when Agent Pink (who informs us she has actually put pink socks on today...just for us) spots a friend. The friend listens and nods and then....JOINS.
Then it got easier. A bit like shooting ducks in a barrel. It was like once someone has joined the whole place suddenly became Tunnel Soc receptive. Several other people came over as Nicki Schwodler (hearafter always member 438)is listening and then they sign up as well. Jennie Blake, Charlotte Brennan all ask me to explain it. Then Richard Brennan (member 441) just comes over and signs on. No questions asked. Viki Peerce (member 442) draws a picture of a man running through a tunnel and so now we have real art on our sign up sheet.
And so it goes on. We go to somewhere called the Rotunder where all the graphic artists hang out and sign them ALL up.
BTS WSA is well and truly launched! They get it you see. They understand that in this hard world where everything has a price or a purpose BTS is just flippancy. It is just there to decorate and to spread a message.
Basically it is just art.
After wards we traveled round the campus. We liked the SU which I tried to take an arty shot of.
We like the fact that until recently WSA bar had tabs. I mean Tabs at a student bar! How cool is that. And that the notice canceling them contains the legend "Sorry for the inconvenience."
And we also managed to find the biggest printer in the world ever.
And a piece of art all BTS members could appreciate. It's called "Access Denied".
We journeyed home. Our feet aching clutching our precious sign up sheet. And happy.
We now have WSA BTS. Which of course means that Agent Pink (AKA Leni Toms) is now officially VP WSA.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
L is for Links (St John's Ambulance)
I arrived in the building to a scene of devastation. Outside were two emergency vehicles. Inside someone with a spinal injury was being carefully strapped to a stretcher with a neck brace. Several students were standing around taking it all in.
It could mean only one thing. I have found the St John’s Ambulance Brigade. Yes indeed just in case you only thought that they hung around in the cube I have to tell you that actually they get together to practice on each other in the Lancaster Building on a Tuesday night.
As I join them, a technician is just strapping up his victim and explaining as we go. All the straps need to be very tight, apparently. I see a photo opportunity. I whisper to the guy next to me. “I want them to do that to me.”
“You’re a PERVERT!” shouts the technician without turning round. Whoops! That was obviously louder than I thought.
Following on from the strapping there is time for questions, during which time the poor sod is still strapped. They move on to a major incident. This involves half of them being casualties and the other half dealing with it. They come up with a scenario, because they are a student society they choose to have a major incident that is the warped and twisted Armageddon like aftermath of the foulest and most depraved student party ever.
I’ll talk you through it.
Several people are lying unconscious on the floor, they may have taken drugs or this could juts be alcohol. In the corner there is a pregnant woman. Now this is not the first woman who has found herself pregnant after a studenty night out however this woman is actually at nine months and has just gone into labour. Meanwhile someone has punched someone in the face breaking their jaw and in so doing has made their hand swell up and trapping their ring, thus cutting off circulation. Someone else is having a fit (which could be an alergic reaction to an illegal substance) while I have tripped over another person and broken my femur.
Now if I were a member of the St John’s Ambulance Brigade and I saw that lot I’d just chuffing well call 999 and walk away as quick as possible. But not this is just vanilla to them.
I lay on the floor. I have been told to scream like a girl and be very drink and abusive.
I do.
“What’s the matter.” Says the first bloke to treat me. I spray him with abuse. He walks off muttering something about looking after people worse of than me. I realise I’m not going to be able to complete with unconscious people and someone fitting.
So I just sort of lay there. Periodically screaming and hurling abuse at passers by. They deal with Miss About-to-pop-a-sprog. The technician explains the correct way to lay down a preggers woman. I watch closely. Well you never know, do you?
Finally I’m treated by two people. I am now well into character.
“Get Shoff me! It Chuffin hurts!” I slur at him, then I turn to her. Having spoken to student nurses I know exactly what drunk men are like in A & E:
“You’re lovely…you’ve got nice eyes….I really like you.”
“Um…can you just tell me where it hurts.” She says professionally.
“Can I have your number?” I ask.
“Tell you what you can have the number of the Ambulance.”
They check my foot for a pulse which they find (unsurprisingly because I’m not actually injured) then wrap my entire leg in an orange bag which they then deflate so I can’t move my leg. I then get left.
It’s not a bad way to spend a night.
After that they took me to see the ambulance and because I’m really only six years old on the inside. They put the lights on for me.
Exciting.
Southampton Links: beep beep beep beep beep TICK
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton St John's Ambulance Brigade The Big Tick Southampton University University Soton Uni
It could mean only one thing. I have found the St John’s Ambulance Brigade. Yes indeed just in case you only thought that they hung around in the cube I have to tell you that actually they get together to practice on each other in the Lancaster Building on a Tuesday night.
As I join them, a technician is just strapping up his victim and explaining as we go. All the straps need to be very tight, apparently. I see a photo opportunity. I whisper to the guy next to me. “I want them to do that to me.”
“You’re a PERVERT!” shouts the technician without turning round. Whoops! That was obviously louder than I thought.
Following on from the strapping there is time for questions, during which time the poor sod is still strapped. They move on to a major incident. This involves half of them being casualties and the other half dealing with it. They come up with a scenario, because they are a student society they choose to have a major incident that is the warped and twisted Armageddon like aftermath of the foulest and most depraved student party ever.
I’ll talk you through it.
Several people are lying unconscious on the floor, they may have taken drugs or this could juts be alcohol. In the corner there is a pregnant woman. Now this is not the first woman who has found herself pregnant after a studenty night out however this woman is actually at nine months and has just gone into labour. Meanwhile someone has punched someone in the face breaking their jaw and in so doing has made their hand swell up and trapping their ring, thus cutting off circulation. Someone else is having a fit (which could be an alergic reaction to an illegal substance) while I have tripped over another person and broken my femur.
Now if I were a member of the St John’s Ambulance Brigade and I saw that lot I’d just chuffing well call 999 and walk away as quick as possible. But not this is just vanilla to them.
I lay on the floor. I have been told to scream like a girl and be very drink and abusive.
I do.
“What’s the matter.” Says the first bloke to treat me. I spray him with abuse. He walks off muttering something about looking after people worse of than me. I realise I’m not going to be able to complete with unconscious people and someone fitting.
So I just sort of lay there. Periodically screaming and hurling abuse at passers by. They deal with Miss About-to-pop-a-sprog. The technician explains the correct way to lay down a preggers woman. I watch closely. Well you never know, do you?
Finally I’m treated by two people. I am now well into character.
“Get Shoff me! It Chuffin hurts!” I slur at him, then I turn to her. Having spoken to student nurses I know exactly what drunk men are like in A & E:
“You’re lovely…you’ve got nice eyes….I really like you.”
“Um…can you just tell me where it hurts.” She says professionally.
“Can I have your number?” I ask.
“Tell you what you can have the number of the Ambulance.”
They check my foot for a pulse which they find (unsurprisingly because I’m not actually injured) then wrap my entire leg in an orange bag which they then deflate so I can’t move my leg. I then get left.
It’s not a bad way to spend a night.
After that they took me to see the ambulance and because I’m really only six years old on the inside. They put the lights on for me.
Exciting.
Southampton Links: beep beep beep beep beep TICK
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton St John's Ambulance Brigade The Big Tick Southampton University University Soton Uni
Monday, December 04, 2006
Showstoppers Party
Went to see showstoppers review.
It was rather good.
Now the only problem with this whole 'Big Tick' thing is actually making contact with all the societies. The problem is I can't just turn up and say 'what can I do then?' you have to sort of arrange in advance.
There is always e-mails but not everyone's e-mails are up to date and anyway I need more publicity for the Big Tick so people know it is happening.
So with that in mind I hung around after the showstoppers show to see if I could talk to anyone. I was like a stage door groupie. I should have had a programme to sign really.
Anyway I saw my chance when I noticed them clearing up afterwards. So I just thought, everyone needs help clearing up don't they. No one ever says to the extra pair of cleaning up hands "Look just sod off, alright?"
So I started moving chairs and tables and then there was hot lighting equipment to move and an amp to be carried over to 'arts H' or whatever it is. Pretty soon I'm bantering with Showstoppers. Maybe they were thinking 'who is that weirdo helping us tidy up' but they didn't say it. Oh no!
Then Tim one of the singers turns to me and says: "You wanna come to a party?"
Yeah I say. So I did. There I am sat in the middle of the floor of the Showstoppers after show party. About 50 of us packed into one of the cast members house. You know what I'm sure I'm getting to old for this.
Then again. No!
Woke up the next morning and boy had I pulled some muscles.
Don't you just hate it when you wake up first thing and you're stiff as a board?
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton The Big Tick Southampton University University Soton Uni
It was rather good.
Now the only problem with this whole 'Big Tick' thing is actually making contact with all the societies. The problem is I can't just turn up and say 'what can I do then?' you have to sort of arrange in advance.
There is always e-mails but not everyone's e-mails are up to date and anyway I need more publicity for the Big Tick so people know it is happening.
So with that in mind I hung around after the showstoppers show to see if I could talk to anyone. I was like a stage door groupie. I should have had a programme to sign really.
Anyway I saw my chance when I noticed them clearing up afterwards. So I just thought, everyone needs help clearing up don't they. No one ever says to the extra pair of cleaning up hands "Look just sod off, alright?"
So I started moving chairs and tables and then there was hot lighting equipment to move and an amp to be carried over to 'arts H' or whatever it is. Pretty soon I'm bantering with Showstoppers. Maybe they were thinking 'who is that weirdo helping us tidy up' but they didn't say it. Oh no!
Then Tim one of the singers turns to me and says: "You wanna come to a party?"
Yeah I say. So I did. There I am sat in the middle of the floor of the Showstoppers after show party. About 50 of us packed into one of the cast members house. You know what I'm sure I'm getting to old for this.
Then again. No!
Woke up the next morning and boy had I pulled some muscles.
Don't you just hate it when you wake up first thing and you're stiff as a board?
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton The Big Tick Southampton University University Soton Uni
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Ticks
So far I have been doing this for 3 weeks.
Although I haven't written them up I've visited 6 Societies. So that is an average of 2 societies a week.
I have been involved with two performing art societies, two hobby related societies. One Student Action society. One....er...other society.
I've also done a talk for CU. Don't think that counts because they didn't invite me as part of Big Tick.
I have visited the canteen twice. The Bridge once. The committee room the Lancaster building and The Common all once too.
Next week I'm hoping to do 3 societies.
Don't know why I'm giving you all these stats...some people just like them.
Although I haven't written them up I've visited 6 Societies. So that is an average of 2 societies a week.
I have been involved with two performing art societies, two hobby related societies. One Student Action society. One....er...other society.
I've also done a talk for CU. Don't think that counts because they didn't invite me as part of Big Tick.
I have visited the canteen twice. The Bridge once. The committee room the Lancaster building and The Common all once too.
Next week I'm hoping to do 3 societies.
Don't know why I'm giving you all these stats...some people just like them.
Friday, December 01, 2006
C is for Circus Soc
So…where do you go after ghostbusting, cha chaing around Latin America and exploring the four corners of the Universe? Obviously you run away to the circus.
I’m not sure what I was expecting. Maybe elephants. Maybe bears. Well maybe not, that would be a bit cruel to animals. But maybe a bloke and a woman in matching spangly leotards swinging for the ceiling. You can’t tell me that wouldn’t make your society based evening, can you?
I walked into the Bridge and saw a sight that took my breath away.
People just standing there throwing things. In a student bar for pity’s sake! Anyone else who witnessed this sight would have to think to themselves “Well bugger me! I guess juggling must be the new getting pissed!” Circus Soc meets every Monday to practice their art. Presumably they are trying to improve to the point that they can reach the pinnacle of being able to take part in an Anti-capitalist demo.
Anna and Richard decide to make me their pet chaplain for the night.
“Right come over to the box and choose some toys.” Says Rich. Toys!?!? How cool is that. The box is full to brimming like Tiny Tim’s obscene Christmas fantasy. It’s got giant foam hats for a start! Yes! The trick is to spin them round and have them land on your head. Basically Richard explains the next 2 and a half hours of my life are going to be given over to playing. I like him a lot.
First off Plate Spinning. Now this proved to be quite hard. Actually impossible! It’s all about the wrist. You need strong wrists and good control. So I guess I can cope with not being able to do this one. I wonder if I’m in a room with a bunch of really talented people.
But no. “I’m really crap too.” Lara assures me.
“I can’t Juggle either” I say. Don’t ever say that to circus soc because anyone can juggle. Apparently.
Anna takes me on one side.
“I guarantee you’ll get this inside 10 throws” she says. She passes me two balls and I throw them on the floor.
“Don’t worry about catching them. Just throw.” 6 throws later I CAUGHT THEM. She hands me three balls and explains how to do this one. The key thing is to count as you throw. So I count. One two…drop. One two…drop. One two three…drop. One two three…drop. And so on for hours.
But as I work, all sorts of people come up to me with words of encouragement. They really are a very affirming bunch Circus Soc. “Try it up against the wall, that helped me when I was learning to juggle.” Everyone has a learning-to-juggle-story. Then suddenly up against the wall in the bridge. IT happens. One two three four five six…drop. I DID IT!
So after the triumph I settle down to watch the show they are doing tonight. Not everyone if brilliant but everyone tries. The audience clap and cheer and join in with mock Victorian Circus shouts of “Can’t be done! Shouldn’t be done!” and “Get naked!”
There was juggling, stick spinning stuff and ball related shenanigans (oh I have so wanted to get that word into a blog for some time!)
It was fab. No clowns. Bit of a disappointment that. No spangly leotards either. So room for improvement but one of Big Tick so far. I can’t recommend these people too highly. Go to circus soc! Set fire to something! Have fun!
I went home happy. I woke up the next morning aching like I’ve never ached. WOW! It was like a whole body hangover. My goodness I’ve had fun!
Circus Soc. (drum roll) drrrrrrrrrrrrrr…GASP…drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…TICK!
Update: Mel the Social Work Student tells me the reason I ache so much is because my muscles are lactating.
Apparently you have to stretch.
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton Circus The Big Tick Southampton University University Soton Uni
I’m not sure what I was expecting. Maybe elephants. Maybe bears. Well maybe not, that would be a bit cruel to animals. But maybe a bloke and a woman in matching spangly leotards swinging for the ceiling. You can’t tell me that wouldn’t make your society based evening, can you?
I walked into the Bridge and saw a sight that took my breath away.
People just standing there throwing things. In a student bar for pity’s sake! Anyone else who witnessed this sight would have to think to themselves “Well bugger me! I guess juggling must be the new getting pissed!” Circus Soc meets every Monday to practice their art. Presumably they are trying to improve to the point that they can reach the pinnacle of being able to take part in an Anti-capitalist demo.
Anna and Richard decide to make me their pet chaplain for the night.
“Right come over to the box and choose some toys.” Says Rich. Toys!?!? How cool is that. The box is full to brimming like Tiny Tim’s obscene Christmas fantasy. It’s got giant foam hats for a start! Yes! The trick is to spin them round and have them land on your head. Basically Richard explains the next 2 and a half hours of my life are going to be given over to playing. I like him a lot.
First off Plate Spinning. Now this proved to be quite hard. Actually impossible! It’s all about the wrist. You need strong wrists and good control. So I guess I can cope with not being able to do this one. I wonder if I’m in a room with a bunch of really talented people.
But no. “I’m really crap too.” Lara assures me.
“I can’t Juggle either” I say. Don’t ever say that to circus soc because anyone can juggle. Apparently.
Anna takes me on one side.
“I guarantee you’ll get this inside 10 throws” she says. She passes me two balls and I throw them on the floor.
“Don’t worry about catching them. Just throw.” 6 throws later I CAUGHT THEM. She hands me three balls and explains how to do this one. The key thing is to count as you throw. So I count. One two…drop. One two…drop. One two three…drop. One two three…drop. And so on for hours.
But as I work, all sorts of people come up to me with words of encouragement. They really are a very affirming bunch Circus Soc. “Try it up against the wall, that helped me when I was learning to juggle.” Everyone has a learning-to-juggle-story. Then suddenly up against the wall in the bridge. IT happens. One two three four five six…drop. I DID IT!
So after the triumph I settle down to watch the show they are doing tonight. Not everyone if brilliant but everyone tries. The audience clap and cheer and join in with mock Victorian Circus shouts of “Can’t be done! Shouldn’t be done!” and “Get naked!”
There was juggling, stick spinning stuff and ball related shenanigans (oh I have so wanted to get that word into a blog for some time!)
It was fab. No clowns. Bit of a disappointment that. No spangly leotards either. So room for improvement but one of Big Tick so far. I can’t recommend these people too highly. Go to circus soc! Set fire to something! Have fun!
I went home happy. I woke up the next morning aching like I’ve never ached. WOW! It was like a whole body hangover. My goodness I’ve had fun!
Circus Soc. (drum roll) drrrrrrrrrrrrrr…GASP…drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…TICK!
Update: Mel the Social Work Student tells me the reason I ache so much is because my muscles are lactating.
Apparently you have to stretch.
Church of England Chaplain University of Southampton Circus The Big Tick Southampton University University Soton Uni
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