just had a work out

and by golly I'm gonna be sore in the morning.
Feels GREAT!

coversation

7:20pm Benvolio
how you doin babe?

7:20pm David
how's it going blood?
I'm good thanks
think I've finally worked out this website thing
and how it could work

7:21pm Benvolio
go on then

7:21pm David
which I'm pretty chuffed about
ah
not yet
I need to speak to a few people first

7:22pm Benvolio
which people?
run the concept by me

7:22pm David
you about tommorrow?

7:22pm Benvolio
n0ap

7:23pm David
The concept is simple, getting people listening to the music they want to find

7:23pm Benvolio
...
explain fully wihle I great chease

7:23pm David
nah, I really think facebook is lame for speaking over
I need to write things down
sketch some stuff
but I think I've got the FUNdamentals sorted in my head

7:25pm Benvolio
well if you can't explain in a few sentences what the basic premise is then it sounds like the core idea is too complicated
but I'll manage your operations division when you're a trillionare

7:27pm David
heh

7:28pm Benvolio
seriously - what do you mean let people lsiten to what they want?

7:28pm David
it's not about making money
I mean goth kids who have just become christians
and are gutted that they have to stop listening to the music they like
and walk away from parts of the culture that make them who they are
I mean youth workers who want to use music and music videos as a way of cummunicating the gospel

7:29pm Benvolio
so your website is an introduction to Christian music to a young demographic?

7:30pm David
I mean parents who don't want to say "stop listening to that music" to their kids because they are affaid they will 'rebel' and want to give them music they feel comfortable them listening to

7:31pm Benvolio
so it's for parents?

7:32pm David
its for parents
kids
youthworkers
the curious

7:33pm Benvolio
okay...
So to put it in a phrase, it's a website to offer a general introduction to contemporary Christian music

7:34pm David
it's for young (or older) christians who want to share music with people without having to ignore how much their faith may(or may not, I'm trying to change that) reflect their tastes in music
why general?
why does it have to be an introduction?
why be limited like that?
why not cover all genres
?

7:35pm Benvolio
is not limitiong... is trying to get a clear statement of what you're trying to acheive. lucidity is a virture when outlining the concept

7:36pm David
the idea is to bring everyone in on it
to make it just right for that person
so they see the content they want

7:37pm Benvolio
what is the main competition?

7:37pm David
ha
um
christianbands.co.uk

7:38pm Benvolio
how will you do it differently?

7:39pm David
have you even been on that site?

7:39pm Benvolio
no

7:39pm David
well I think you'll see

7:40pm Benvolio
lol
if your page loads without a php error message it'll be better already

7:41pm David
haha, that was my point!

le sigh

Today I was trying to learn all about how to take Go Ape orders but all I could think about was naked lady folk.

neh.

Couple of things

I'm currently working in a call centre type place and you know what I like about it? No Paper work! So that's all nice, and I like the fact I'm actually earning money, however, (yes, there is a however) I've got to start learning how to do a new product this week- Go Ape.

If you haven't heard about Go Ape, basically you walk about tree tops about 40 feet in the air and climb on things and jump off things... here we find our problem, I'm really scared of heights. It goes back to a climbing trip I went on with my school in year 7. The instructor decided it would be "funny" to let me drop a bit while abseiling and after I went off and had a bit of a cry I was left with my confidence in tatters. Tomorrow I will be visiting Go Ape and going all around it so I can speak to customers and talk about my own experience of it all and I'm pretty scared.

Speaking of scared and being a coward, I didn't contact person 3. Part of me wants to wait for them to call me, but the other part of me knows it will mean SO much more to them if I make the first move. Maybe after I've completed the course I will take my new found confidence and apply it to something useful like my relationships with other people.

oh, and I'd also like to learn the cello, I tried asking if anyone had one I could have or borrow on free cycle but got no responses. If you know anyone, please let me know. (that said, I'm pretty sure cellos are crazy expensive so I'm not really surprised.)

Oi! Check this out.

(The House of God forever, taken from Jon Foreman's new EP)

E and stuff

No update on person 3, will give them a call tomorrow (the time I suggested wasn't suitable).

I've been playing around on my guitar with what I think is call the open E tunning which is instead of E A D G B E it's E A E E B E.

Apart from the inital "oh no, I can't play G to D to Csus2!" like I would normal out of habbit, it's been rather fun making new sounds, finding really easy ways to play songs normally not 'complete' on an accoustic guitar (e.g Chris Tomlin's version of 'When I Survey the Wondrous Cross' which I just found has Matt Redman in it...?). What I mean by 'complete is what makes that song (in my opinion) is the bassline and that's pretty hard to do when playing by yourself on an accoustic. Open E tuning solves that.

Anyway, so I'm playing alot more...and writting lyrics. Last week (or was it the week before) I had written something and done a quick demo recording using my phone. It was "very bland" and "even tim hughes and matt redman would find it monotonous" apparently so the other day I had a bash at doing it again using open E tuning and I actually like it alot more.
There is one chord that I have no idea what it is, HOWEVER I do know it was featured in a track called Chaos by Unkle at about 54 seconds in after the line "feeling more dead than alive".

	unkle - chaos.mp3
	Found at skreemr.com

I forgot how much I loved that song. I think I spent the summer of 2002 listening to that on loop as I lay in the sun. Brilliant!

Also, that reminds me, U.N.K.L.E did track called 'Rabbit In Your Headlight' which I happen to believe has one of the best music videos I've ever seen. A bit disturbing but what a finish! (also, this video was banned for a while, and interesting fact, the same company who did the effects in this, did the Guiness video that featured the horses running in the sea. Remember that one?)

Person number three

"Dave, I've just had a thought- why is it that we've lost contact? Then another one - it's silly that we've lost contact, so consider this as me bridging the void. X"

I didn't expect that.

"Hey, I've been thinking long and hard about that for ages. And while I know the answer, I feel it would be wrong of me to text you my thoughts. I also feel I'm too tired to be able to call you and say exactly what I mean (and what I should). If it's OK with you, can I call you at around 6ish tomorrow evening?"

Your prayers appreciated.
*deep breath*

View the video for "I Can Barely Breathe"

Manchester Orchestra "I can barely breathe"

Life with God in it and how it relates to being kicked in the crotch

This morning my housemate and I met for bacon sandwiches and read the bible. It's something we haven't done for a while, this is mostly due to me sleeping in til about 11 and him being really busy but it's always really cool.

Anyway, so we were reading 1 Peter in which is a part (verses 3 to 9) which says:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

I can't remember when, but at some point during reading 1 Peter the conversation goes
"Wow, it's just struck me, God wants all of me in exchange for all of him"
"Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!"

Later in the day after grabbing some lunch at Anglia Square my house mate was singing (to himself) "purify my heart, let me be as gold or precious silver" (classic song, at the bottom of this post) then he stops.
"That's a song taken from 1 Peter isn't it?"
"Yeah, I think so"
"So I'm singing a song asking for suffering!"
"Yeah, pretty much..."
"I think I better think more about what I sing, that's a pretty big ask I'm not sure I want to ask for suffering." (pretty fair point really)
"Yeah...you said earlier that it's pretty mind blowing that God wants to exchange all of you for all of him. I suppose there is a price to be paid and if you think about it, it's kind worth it...Could I kick you in the nuts for a million pounds?"
"heh, yeah!"
"Can I kick you in the nuts everyday for a week for 7 million?...obviously, if you're guaranteed that you don't get testicular cancer or anything"
"Yeah...I suppose so"
"Surely, if that suffering is worth it, how much more is having and knowing God completely?"
"Fair point."

Sunday

Yesterday at OG was very cool.

The congregation seemed to be like how it used to be. People responded, people prayed for each other, thorns were being pulled out.

It was good to be back to normal again.

Is she still about?

Link (scroll to the bottom)

6th June 2008

I've just received word that my great aunt has died aged 97.
I had only met her once a few months ago and she seemed to be a kind lady who I wish I had known more than I did. It was kinda weird meeting her, I had this same feeling I had went I met my new nephew the other weekend (really need to post some pictures about that weekend). I didn't know her, but she was family and so I loved her. What made it more special for me though was that she had my granny's eyes and I can't help but feel I have lost the last living connection to her. I feel kinda harsh saying that but that's how I feel.

I am very pleased that I managed to record a short video of her on my mum's phone so at least I won't forget her very easily.

Hillary's speech

I'll be honest, I didn't really care watch she was saying, it's the people in the back ground that amused me.

There are four types of people I want to focus in on here.

Firstly, there is the Super Fan. He's the guy in the yellow shirt on the left.
He knows the slogans, he knows the party members, he feels like he's part of the Clinton Family.

Secondly, there is Miss Non-committal. She is on the bottom right and while Super Fan is cheering his lungs out, she is trying to get away with the least amount of clapping and cheering that is humanly possibly. However, if you look very carefully, she bobs like Wii Mii character so her subtle references to Nintendo score points in my book.

Next to Super Fan we find out third character, Embarrassed Best Friend. Embarrassed Best Friend sincerely supports Hillary Clinton. He agrees with her views on education reforms and creating opportunities in rural America, however, when Super Fan said he'd got "good seats" he didn't realise he was going to be on international news reports. Fortunately, Embarrassed Best Friend managed to pick up a 'Hillary for President' banner on the way in so he is atleast able to hide behind it when the pressure gets too much.

Lastly Mrs Smiles. Mrs Smiles lives on Sesame street and is on the seat in front of Super Fan. Not much really needs to be said about Mrs Smiles.



Important Moments you need to watch out for:

17 Secs :
Super Fan goes nuts.
Embarrassed Best Friend has been falling asleep, fortuanly, he has his companion Super Fan to wake him up with a start, he then looks at the floor for the first of many times in the evening.
Miss Non-committal, not really sure what to do says "oooooh" and waves her flag a bit.
Mrs Smiles, well, she holds that expression for nearly 20 seconds! Impressive!

23 Secs:
Embarrassed Best Friend looks over and envys the person near the emergency exit.

40 Secs:
Super Fan "I'M ON TV!!!!"
Embarrassed Best Friend forces a laugh, shakes his head and says to himself "never again..."

51 Secs:
Super Fan & Mrs Smiles "HILLARY CLINTON DART CARM"

53 Secs:
Miss Non-committal "...dart carm" Smiles and nods.

59 Secs:
Super Fan takes a deep breath and begins concentration the severe constipation that has just crept up on him, while this lookslike a short ordeal, 5 seconds is a long time on live TV. It takes the poor guy over 25 seconds to get over the soreness!

1 min 42 secs:
Like Phil Heald at a buffet, Super Fan leads the way.

1 min 44 secs:
Hold up a sec! Hillary is thanking people who are involved, why are the three women behind Super fan and Embarrassed Best Friend hugging!?

1 min 47 secs:
Embarrassed Best Friend "yeah, cheers super fan, keep stealing the attention to people look at us...

1 min 48
Embarrassed Best Friend "...dick!"


You get the point, keep watching!

Worship Leading or Worship Assisting? (Updated)

Just got home from the pub with Pete and a few mates, as Pete made a cheese spread and thousand island dressing sandwich (nasty boy) I started playing 'Lord I lift your name on high' in that slight reggae style that I've heard. Pete started singing so I ended up fumbling my way through the following:

'Majesty' the Chorus
The splendour of the King
Hungry / On Fire
Jesus (Holy and Anointed one)

and afterwards Pete prayed for a bit. It was all good and I liked the impromptuness of it all.

Though, I have to admit, I didn't really sing much. It was mostly to help Pete know what I was playing then I'd follow what he was doing...

More than a few weeks ago I was at a delirious gig in London.

After I got over the fact people were really rude, I managed to find a good spot near the front. It was all good, rude pushing guy had moved on, the guy who said my hair was sticking in his face and said "so are you gonna move then? Off you go!" was now about two people away from me and I was settling in for a good show. The only problem was the south American kids behind me. I think they were from Brazil, they seemed like they had heard of delirious before, they even knew the tunes, but unfortunately, that was as far as it went.

They 'laaa'ed they way through most of the worship and totally killed it for me, and it really wound me up. I can remember thinking "this is stupid, I need to do something about this" and was half temped to tell them to zip it in a not quite so polite way. However, I had an idea, I got the words from the song up on my phone, turned around and gave it to them. After showing them how it worked they (about 5 of them) crowded around my phone and sang their hearts out. What stuck me though was the moment that I gave them the phone, as I passed it to them I kinda, I dunno, uncontrollably blew out air, it was like the Holy Spirit came upon me and it felt like a "ah, you're getting it now aren't you!?".

Going back to sitting in my lounge with Pete, seems I'm learning about this whole worship leading thing and what it means...but I prefer the idea of worship assisting.

MORE THOUGHTS

I was reading Three Chord Wonder the other day and he linked to an article on Ragamuffin Soul. While I suggest you read it, he summarised it like this: "The gist is that it's no good to be passionate in worship yourself if you don't teach others how to do it; that's the difference between Leading Worship and Leading the band."

It was an eye opener of an article and gave me lots to think about (like "how do you teach sincerity or passion to a group?"...or have I just totally missed the point?) but I think how it differs from assisting people in worship is that the people who need assisting pretty much know what they're doing. That said, in the living room of a terrace house it easy to find out where someone is at, in a sports hall in front of 140 people this isn't the case.

Person number two

Found them on facebook.
Here goes nothing...