headwayyouth- phil smith's blog

Northern Alcoholic

Last week, as you may have seen, a report was published which concluded that Binge drinking is 'worst in north'.

There are of course plenty of reasons behind that- so don't judge us onlooking cockneys!- but that is not my point. On Saturday night I went out with some friends on what for them was probably classified as a binge drink. Needless to say, the good methodist I am, I styeered clear of the double vodka and redbulls and limited myself to a few beers. Consequently, I was not the centre of the attention in fact I was the quiet one.

I enjoy a few pints but never it's been a long time since I last got to the point of loosing all my inhibitions and so last night I found myself wondering what Christians offer in this scenario. Besides holding back the hair of Geordie girl when they vommit, those that don't indulge in binge drinking come across as a quiet boring old farts? Hardly the PR we should be looking for?

First post from the Macbook!

So, it's arrived and is oh so sexy! The Macbook is spectacular; looks beautiful, graphics are spectacular, no Microsoft 'fatal errors' and jolly fast. There are downsides however. The main one being that currently neither Zoe nor I really know what we're doing. In the words of Zoe "How do you right click" and what's with all these funny keys eiher side of the spacebar, and why doesn't alt do what it should (or what Bill Gates says it should)!
For those that have made the transition I'd appreciate some tips, especially regarding how best to suscribe to RSS feeds. Thunderbird seems to be a good way to go???

So much excitement

I'm in the midst of moving house for the fifth time in less than twelve month. I'd like to point out that this is not because I'm a bad tenant (though that may be true), but because my landlord is selling up. This has meant temporarily moving about three quarters of my record collection to the in-laws loft; good grief do I really have this many records?

On a much brighter note, tomorrow the Macbook arrives. Unsurprisingly I have that strange Christmas Eve sensation.

Equally good news, as mentioned by Mr Baker, Typepad have finally made tagging accessible for us amateurs!

Is it just me...

... or does hot weather slow down time?

The Producers @ Drury Lane

Last Saturday I went to London for the second time in less than one week. Thankfully it was pleasure and not business; tomorrow is Zoe's parents silver wedding anniversary so they planned the weekend away; clearly a ploy to nullifying in-law jokes.
On Saturday night we went to see the Producers in Covent Gardens and it was stunning. "Don't be stupid, be a smarty, come and join the Nazi party!"  might be a little close to the bone, but in the midst of a camp portrayal of Hitler it was hilarious.
Jason Clark was sharing his love of London last week and increasingly i can see where he is coming from. It's so big and there is so much going on; so many people, so many places, such variety. In contrast Newcastle is somewhat homogeneous; dare I say it boring...

Saying that I don't like the idea of experiencing the current heatwave on the Piccadilly line everyday... much prefer the Tynemouth coast!

So much happening

Just on the train back from London after a great couple of days. The meeting at the Foundation was great and the Greenbelt partners meeting got me very excited about this years festival; the site plan is very different this year with what was main stage becoming a skatepark and headline acts performing on a new open-air stage. Nice to see Paul again to meet Jude (who has the fine job of producing Steve Lamaq's show on Radio 6) and to eat lots and lots of sushi and drink some Traidcraft wine.

It was also good to meet Phil Levermore, husband of Jude who sits on the GB board, and here about Ebico, a non-for-profit an ethical energy provider with a bias towards those on low incomes (well worth a look, eco-minded bloggers).

On a completely seperate note, I was well impressed by David Cameron's speech yesterday. "Hoodies are more defensive than offensive" seems quite a wise observation to me and leads me to like Mr Cameron even more than I did two days ago (a task which I didn't think was possible). The only problems with Cameron are the fools he is leading and the lack of trust I have for the Tory party as a whole. To give an example, Cameron may well talk about hoodie loving, but paradoxically last week to Conservative party voted against a £500,000 budget allocation to improve youth services.

If he led any other party (besides the BNP) Cameron would have my vote, but as it stands that's unlikely, instead I'm going to vote for... blimey who am I going to vote for???

A memorable day...

Today Zoe and I invested.

Today we purchased a MacBook.

Yes that's right my days of DOS and messing around with windows registry errors and other stupid microsoft malfunctions are over. I'm jumping ship and within ten working days the beauty below (left) will be mine, all mine ours, all ours.

Those thinking about making a similar investment here is my tip: hunt down someone with an NUS card! Zoe and I saved over £100 on the laptop itself and £150 on the 3 year warranty.

Incidentally, to those that are interested, I'm just on the trian to London sat next to a girl who is on her phone. In the course of a conversation which lasted just over three minutes she used the phrase "Okey-Cokey" eight times.

Off to the big smoke

Had a great time yesterday at Breakout, a bi-annual event for Methodist Youth, running a seminar on Ethical Living. I'll upload the content of the workshop later this week, but tomorrow I'm off to the big smoke for a Greenbelt get together and a meeting at the Foundation. Really looking forward to the GB get together and looking forward to the festival itself, I'm doing a few bits and bobs in the youth programme including Beyond Ned Flanders, another seminar, somewhat predictably, on ethical living

Reasons to be cheerful- part II

Walking down the street at half seven yesterday morning I randomly stumbled across two novels; one by Chuck Palahnuik (who wrote Fight Club) and one by Bret Easton Ellis (who wrote American Psycho).
Mustn't grumble!!!
But last night my luck got even better. Zoe's TV broke a few months ago so, the loving fiance that I am, I donated the TV that was previously in my bedroom. Of late, this has meant zero TV viewing at the Smith abode as my flatmate moved out and took his TV from the lounge. Anyway last night as I wandered back from Zoe's what should I stumble across but a 20" TV with a note next to it reading "FREE TV :-)".
Not sure if it is a gift from God or an extremely wealthy student, either way I'm jolly grateful!

Books, books, books

I  tend to go through stages of book reading and I'm in the midst of one of those stages right now; having just finished reading Life Stripped Bare (Leo Hickman) and Eats Shoots and Leaves (Lynne Truss) and just beginning Making Sense of Generation (Bob Mayo et. al.) and Stories We Could Tell (Tony Parsons). Those books I've just read I found most enjoyably and not just because of the content; there is something special about the printed press which makes a book or a newspaper better than reading a blog or any other website. Baring that in mind I particularly liked this section of the last chapter of Eats Shoots and Leaves,

"Having grown up as readers of the printed word (and possibly even scribblers in the margins), we may take for granted the processes involved in the traditional activity of reading - so let us remind ourselves.  The printed word is presented to us in a linear way, with syntax supreme in conveying the sense of the words in their order.  We read privately, mentally listening to the writers voice and translating the writers thoughts. 

The book remains static, fixed; the reader journeys through it.  Picking up the book in the first place entails an active persuit of understanding.  Holding the book, we are aware of posterity and continuity.  Knowing that the printed word is always edited, typeset and proof-read before it reaches us, we appreciate its literary authority.  Having paid money for it (often), we have a sense of investment and a pride of ownership, not to mention a feeling of general virtue.

The book remains static, fixed; the reader journeys through it.  Picking up the book in the first place entails an active persuit of understanding.  Holding the book, we are aware of posterity and continuity.  Knowing that the printed word is always edited, typeset and proof-read before it reaches us, we appreciate its literary authority.  Having paid money for it (often), we have a sense of investment and a pride of ownership, not to mention a feeling of general virtue.