Can you feel the excitement!? Thanx to Shreck for inspiring me to put this on my blog
Friday, March 23, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Return of the Mc...Crea
Ok,
So I was purely having a giraffe (a laugh) with the whole resurrection of the old Basil McCrea joke. I honestly thought that like Jennifer Lopez's acting career, that this was over. I thought that like Bill Clinton and Monica Legwinsikissiieiki, that this had been put to bed. I really thought that like Tupac, this was dead and buried. I sincerely thought that like Jennifer Lopez's singing career, this had reached a dead end. I genuinely thought that like Jennifer Lopez's marriages, that this had finished long-ago. I had thought that like Jennifer Lopez's...ok, I'll stop with the J-Lo jokes.
I did think this was over though. No more Basil jokes. No more Basil...maybe...
That was until my mum rang me a couple of weeks ago...
It was an ordinary afternoon, just before the elections in Northern Ireland and I was sat in my room in Manchester. The birds were singing, trees were swaying in the wind, the sun was shining and Jennifer Lopez's...ok, so really, I'll drop it...
Then my mobile rang..."Mother" appears on the screen...
In a friendly Northern Irish accent I said, "Hello" (I seem to say that a lot when I answer the phone)
"You'll never guess who has just been to our door!" comes the female tones of my excited Mother.
Now this is where the fun really began. Who could have been to our door in Dromore, Co. Down, Northern Ireland? My first guess was the ghost of Freddie Mercury. My second guess rivalled that with Michael Jackson's former best friend/monkey Bubbles. It was neither of those two though.
Who could it have been? I guessed again with Seal, while singing the song from Batman, "Kiss from a rose". At this point, I thought I was close but the words coming from my mother's mouth weren't ones of excitement or congratulations but rather frustration mixed with a hint of, 'yes-you-are-my-son-but-you're-not-as-funny-as-your-blog-make-you-think-you-are'.
I gave up. Who could have called at our door in Dromore, Co. Down, Northern Ireland? Who could have appeared at our door that would warrant my own mother ringing me to disturb the birds, trees and sunshine that I was gazing off into from my house in Manchester?
Then came the magic words...those words that I never thought I would hear again from another human being...those words that I thought only existed in my dreams and political ambitions...those words that inspire, gladden and enthuse any young man who hears them...those words that rival any cries of, "Long live the true King, Aslan", "For Frodo" or "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"...
"Basil McCrea"
Tears of pure joy, excitement and inspiration formed in the corners of my eyes and soon started falling down my wee Northern Irish cheeks. The man, the myth, the legend, Basil McCrea, had graced our house in Dromore, Co. Down, Northern Ireland with his very presence.
I now proudly own a signed copy of his political manifesto,
"To Jonathan, from Basil" as he inscribed for me with his own political hand. My own sister took a picture of him through the window after my dad had ran down the road after him, grappled with him, took him to the ground and helped him write those life-changing words, "To Jonathan, from Basil".
Maybe someday you too, like me, will get the chance to glance at those words, written beside his shining face on the front of his own beliefs and principals that come printed in a handy and not-too-cumbersome leaflet.
That might happen if I ever get the scanner to work.
So I was purely having a giraffe (a laugh) with the whole resurrection of the old Basil McCrea joke. I honestly thought that like Jennifer Lopez's acting career, that this was over. I thought that like Bill Clinton and Monica Legwinsikissiieiki, that this had been put to bed. I really thought that like Tupac, this was dead and buried. I sincerely thought that like Jennifer Lopez's singing career, this had reached a dead end. I genuinely thought that like Jennifer Lopez's marriages, that this had finished long-ago. I had thought that like Jennifer Lopez's...ok, I'll stop with the J-Lo jokes.
I did think this was over though. No more Basil jokes. No more Basil...maybe...
That was until my mum rang me a couple of weeks ago...
It was an ordinary afternoon, just before the elections in Northern Ireland and I was sat in my room in Manchester. The birds were singing, trees were swaying in the wind, the sun was shining and Jennifer Lopez's...ok, so really, I'll drop it...
Then my mobile rang..."Mother" appears on the screen...
In a friendly Northern Irish accent I said, "Hello" (I seem to say that a lot when I answer the phone)
"You'll never guess who has just been to our door!" comes the female tones of my excited Mother.
Now this is where the fun really began. Who could have been to our door in Dromore, Co. Down, Northern Ireland? My first guess was the ghost of Freddie Mercury. My second guess rivalled that with Michael Jackson's former best friend/monkey Bubbles. It was neither of those two though.
Who could it have been? I guessed again with Seal, while singing the song from Batman, "Kiss from a rose". At this point, I thought I was close but the words coming from my mother's mouth weren't ones of excitement or congratulations but rather frustration mixed with a hint of, 'yes-you-are-my-son-but-you're-not-as-funny-as-your-blog-make-you-think-you-are'.
I gave up. Who could have called at our door in Dromore, Co. Down, Northern Ireland? Who could have appeared at our door that would warrant my own mother ringing me to disturb the birds, trees and sunshine that I was gazing off into from my house in Manchester?
Then came the magic words...those words that I never thought I would hear again from another human being...those words that I thought only existed in my dreams and political ambitions...those words that inspire, gladden and enthuse any young man who hears them...those words that rival any cries of, "Long live the true King, Aslan", "For Frodo" or "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"...
"Basil McCrea"
Tears of pure joy, excitement and inspiration formed in the corners of my eyes and soon started falling down my wee Northern Irish cheeks. The man, the myth, the legend, Basil McCrea, had graced our house in Dromore, Co. Down, Northern Ireland with his very presence.
I now proudly own a signed copy of his political manifesto,
"To Jonathan, from Basil" as he inscribed for me with his own political hand. My own sister took a picture of him through the window after my dad had ran down the road after him, grappled with him, took him to the ground and helped him write those life-changing words, "To Jonathan, from Basil".
Maybe someday you too, like me, will get the chance to glance at those words, written beside his shining face on the front of his own beliefs and principals that come printed in a handy and not-too-cumbersome leaflet.
That might happen if I ever get the scanner to work.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
A Musically Blessed Week
Hello again everyone,
I was just having a wee joke there about the old Basil McCrea. It wasn't a real blog. It was just a resurrection of an old, yet very funny joke. Basil McCrea.
Anyway, on with the blog...
So I really have had a blessed week that has involved a lot of music it would seem.
I saw The Feeling at the Apollo in Manchester on Tuesday night. They put on a good show but I wasn't as impressed with them musically but I think part of that was that 1. I have listened to their album and wasn't a huge, super, big fan to start with and 2. The Fray were supporting them and if you've not heard the Fray, they are superb! I think I was so impressed by the Fray that by the time the Feeling came on I was ready to go home.
The Feeling did do covers of The Buggles, 'Video Killed the Radio Star' (that was the highlight of the Feeling for me) and Queen, 'Fat Bottomed Girls'. Of course, they had everyone singing along with, 'I love it when you call'.
The blessing on Tuesday night came, not really from the music, but by being back with old friends. Matt, Lee and I went together and it was just great for the three of us to hang out like that. Lee and I got a bit lost on the way to the Apollo, as did Matt who was going separately from us. Ohh how we laughed! It was just fantastic that the three of us could hang out like that and enjoy a gig together. Good stuff.
I think the biggest thing for me this week was being in Poynton High for the Big Deal with Blush. I was only in on Thursday and Friday as I had other commitments Monday-Wednesday but it was cracker to be in with Blush and with Sue on those two days. It was the first time I had seen a full day too. At Hazel Grove High I had popped in and out with Andrew to see bits of lessons but hadn't seen what it was like at breaktime, at lunchtime and other times outside lessons. The Christian pupils in Poynton High really encouraged me as they were just so up for the Blush girls being in and supporting them as well as being so friendly to the rest of us. It was super to get to know Nic, Jess and Lucy a bit better too when we had free periods between classes.
The gig on the Friday night went well. Not sure what the response to the Gospel was but I know a few young people went to some of the response team and gave them details about themselves so we'll see what that looks like on Monday morning when we're back in the office.
The skip that was set fire to at the back of the school did cause some disruption at the end of the gig though...
But everyone was safe and sound when all was said and done. God is good.
You know (and here's the deep and meaningful bit), the heart of what we do at Christians in Schools is relationships. It been amazing to see how, since joining Christians in Schools, God has really shown me, very clearly, what relationships are about.
Since joining, He has given me new, great, wonderful relationships and at the same time, He has given me other relationships that have been tough and challenging.
It's like He has cleared everything aside and put relationships under a microscope just so I can study them, enjoy them and love them so much more than I ever have done. He really has brought into sharp focus what it means to relate to people.
It's not easy, it's not always a joy but when He does bless those relationships, when you do put yourself second and focus on God, and God alone first, then that's when you see how rewarding, fulfilling, encouraging and special those relationships really can be.
I was just having a wee joke there about the old Basil McCrea. It wasn't a real blog. It was just a resurrection of an old, yet very funny joke. Basil McCrea.
Anyway, on with the blog...
So I really have had a blessed week that has involved a lot of music it would seem.
I saw The Feeling at the Apollo in Manchester on Tuesday night. They put on a good show but I wasn't as impressed with them musically but I think part of that was that 1. I have listened to their album and wasn't a huge, super, big fan to start with and 2. The Fray were supporting them and if you've not heard the Fray, they are superb! I think I was so impressed by the Fray that by the time the Feeling came on I was ready to go home.
The Feeling did do covers of The Buggles, 'Video Killed the Radio Star' (that was the highlight of the Feeling for me) and Queen, 'Fat Bottomed Girls'. Of course, they had everyone singing along with, 'I love it when you call'.
The blessing on Tuesday night came, not really from the music, but by being back with old friends. Matt, Lee and I went together and it was just great for the three of us to hang out like that. Lee and I got a bit lost on the way to the Apollo, as did Matt who was going separately from us. Ohh how we laughed! It was just fantastic that the three of us could hang out like that and enjoy a gig together. Good stuff.
I think the biggest thing for me this week was being in Poynton High for the Big Deal with Blush. I was only in on Thursday and Friday as I had other commitments Monday-Wednesday but it was cracker to be in with Blush and with Sue on those two days. It was the first time I had seen a full day too. At Hazel Grove High I had popped in and out with Andrew to see bits of lessons but hadn't seen what it was like at breaktime, at lunchtime and other times outside lessons. The Christian pupils in Poynton High really encouraged me as they were just so up for the Blush girls being in and supporting them as well as being so friendly to the rest of us. It was super to get to know Nic, Jess and Lucy a bit better too when we had free periods between classes.
The gig on the Friday night went well. Not sure what the response to the Gospel was but I know a few young people went to some of the response team and gave them details about themselves so we'll see what that looks like on Monday morning when we're back in the office.
The skip that was set fire to at the back of the school did cause some disruption at the end of the gig though...
But everyone was safe and sound when all was said and done. God is good.
You know (and here's the deep and meaningful bit), the heart of what we do at Christians in Schools is relationships. It been amazing to see how, since joining Christians in Schools, God has really shown me, very clearly, what relationships are about.
Since joining, He has given me new, great, wonderful relationships and at the same time, He has given me other relationships that have been tough and challenging.
It's like He has cleared everything aside and put relationships under a microscope just so I can study them, enjoy them and love them so much more than I ever have done. He really has brought into sharp focus what it means to relate to people.
It's not easy, it's not always a joy but when He does bless those relationships, when you do put yourself second and focus on God, and God alone first, then that's when you see how rewarding, fulfilling, encouraging and special those relationships really can be.
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