Mum

I know. I posted a blog about possibly taking a break. But I felt this should be posted anyway.

I don't like this show, but while my parents were watching Big Brother, and it was announced that the votes were so close they hadn't yet found a winner:

Mum: "Well if it's so close... can't they just make it a draw and let that be it? Then they both win!"

I'm sure that absolutely everybody would be satisfied if they did that... Silly.

Escape

Have you ever felt really happy and strangely sad, at the same time? Well. That's how I feel. I've never felt it before.

I feel so full of ideas and passion and challenges from Surrender, but I'm not ready to blog on them yet, because like Zero Seven, I am still processing the thoughts in my head. They could fill a million libraries. I used this analogy to explain it to Emmalee: The thoughts in my head are like all the sea creatures in the world. They require oceans and seas and rivers and lakes and tributaries to swim in, but instead, have my little mindspace - which is pretty much the kiddy pool at the local swimming place.

I'm also frustrated at some things - about me, other people, and things - and to make it worse, I don't know what it is about a lot of them or why I'm frustrated at some of them. Added to that, there is just annoyance and sad stuff in my head that I don't understand and cannot articulate.

This week I need some sort of escape. I want to think and talk and blog about Surrender, because it was awesome and really challenging. I want to finish my Zero Seven blog. I want to do lots of things, but I think I need more time. For myself.

I might not update much this week, but then again, I might write lots. I write things that hopefully others enjoy occasionally. Sometimes I blog for myself, just so that the thoughts in my head are taken out and put somewhere else. So we'll see. At the moment, I feel like I could cry, have a burnout, be really excited, do awesome things, be really loud, be really quiet, and explode. All at once.

So now I will go and escape somewhere. Sometimes I feel like being alone, but having other people there. If that makes any sense. Sometimes I want to be in complete isolation. We shall see how I make my escape.

Surrender

I shall not be posting for the next few days, due to extreme busyness. I wish that I could write business, and mean busyness, and not business. Comprehendo?

I'm at the Surrender Conference most of the weekend, with various engagements in between. Shall be fun. Will blog about it (Ha! Isn't that what I say about every single thing I do? ... and then never do it?) when I return.

PS. I am in the process of writing my Zero Seven blog. It is extremely hard for me to express, so be patient.

PPS. Toodleoo.

PPPS. Toodlepip.

PPPPS. Happy Bday for this weekend to: Agents K & J. Once again: Am I talking MIB or something much more sinister?

Peace amigos.

Teachers

One of the things I want to do in my lifetime, and it's been a goal for quite a while now, is to be a teacher. Some of the others are to be a missionary, continue running Africa Aid, and more recently, to go into ministry. For pretty much all of those, lots of people - family included - say to me, "Why do you want to do that? You have to give so much time, and get almost nothing in return." Of course, they mean money. But you see... I know you need money to get by. Keywords being get by. I know I need to earn a bit to survive and keep up a standard of living (that will probably be better than that of the majority of the world, as I am part of the lucky 10% or so of Earth's population). I just don't care that much, and don't want lots of money. I never really have. Of course, if a million dollars was to come my way, I wouldn't say no. I'd want to do something good with it though. (and yes. would probably buy some crap too.) I felt weird about it in primary school, because lots of people wanted to be rich (that's not just in primary school I guess). I was more interested in doing something interesting with my life. I feel like I'm being high and mighty. Hope not. I don't want to come across as that.

ANYWAY. This is a video. A speech. A poem - part of 'Slam Poetry'. You might say it's a bit dramatic, but I think it holds truth, and it is like that because of how much passion(fruit) this guy has for teaching. I get the same sort of feeling when I teach someone something, or can see someone learning. Learning is one of the things I guess I value most in life, and to be able to be part of someone else's learning feels special to me. Enjoy. Interested to see what people think of it.

Ramble #2

What is the plural of nemesis? Is it nemesises? Nemesey? Nemesei? Nemesay? Nemesis? Nemeses?...Computer says, nemeses. That's awkward... Computer is now my nemesis.

Imagine the first time somebody gave someone else flowers. "So.. um.. what do I do with them? Cos like.. I could have eaten chocolates or worn a ring but... I'm just supposed to look at them?" (It's amusing to note that I made the face the person talking would have made - the whole time I typed this. Not amused? Whatever. You and computer are now my nemesises. I mean nemesey. I mean enenemies.)

Your in-laws are so because they are related through lawful marriage. So say you're in a long-term relationship, and you're pretty much married, just not actually by law. Is my girlfriend's mum my out-law? Mum-out-law? It probably helps if she's a cowboy.

As if you shorten madam to ma'am. That's like shortening radar to ra'ar. And that just sounds like I'm roaring. WHICH I AM.

It's strange that I can't write "Tell me where it is when it is ready," as "Tell me where it's when it is ready," and make sense, but I can as, "Tell me where it is when it's ready." Its contradictory nation is creating a lot of confuzzlingness.

Can you actually run someone into the ground? Like... actually chase them until they fall over, and then just run on top of them until they're a good 10 or so metres into the ground?

Man screaming while turning into a duck: oh...my...gosh..arrghrgARGRAGHRAGHAHAHRGHARGHARGHARGHARGHquack

The Tall, The Short & The Mongolian

The world's official tallest man recently met the world's unofficial smallest man. They are from nearby villages in Mongolia. Awesomeeeee.

Pictures here.
Video here.

Projection

THIS is the magic we saw on the Opera House, on the 07.07.07

It's not the actual Opera House, so it's not AS magical. But it's still awesome. Try to spot me!



DVD of the entire VIC Road Trip comes out this Saturday, free with the Herald Sun. Get one. Watch it. Love it. Then get out there and lend your hands.

Adventure

Last night I went on an adventure. First, I went to watch LP play netball. Then we went to party at the Hawthorn, which was fun-ness. Here are some important notes from the night:

• If you stand on the dancefloor and stare at people, and judge them because they are dancing and having fun... get off the dancefloor. and then get out of my house.
• If you are with your girlfriend/boyfriend/animal friend and are standing in the middle of the dancefloor, and making out and bumping into people... get off the dancefloor. or I'll be tempted to dance up on you.
• Dancing is fun. Dancing right now. With my pants. on my head.
• I was wearing awesome pants, with a fly that magically comes undone by itself. Usually, if I'm doing anything active, even just walking, they'll slowly sneak their way down. The secret is to dance and do moves that people think are awesome, but you're really just slowly doing up your fly? Luckily, it didn't happen last night.
• Happy Birthday EW.
• You definately feel old, when you've been dancing most of the night, and then can feel your calf muscles tightening, and say, "I'm probably going to cramp soon." I was amused... but that totally wasn't me. Or was it?
• Toilets are disgusting. The guys' had vomit all over the place. I also saw a cubicle that very much looked like a whole zoo of animals had crapped on the floor. And the walls. And the roof. I did not see the girls', so let's just assume it was worse? Ha.
• Overly drunk people are so boring, and if you say things like, "OH mannnnn, I am SOOoooOOO drunk!"... I feel like slapping you. With a wet fish. Covered in custard.

Anyway, after that LP and I walked in the rain to the car, only to discover... the battery was dead. Awesome! Then we found out it would be three hours till RACV could come save our souls. So we got a cab. And I managed to even give directions...on the final street before my house. For those of you who do not know, I cannot do directions. My Melways would need to be a popup book with landmarks.

There ends a fun night of adventuring. And here ends a not so pointless post. Adios.

Serial

The first episode of the McCrae SUFM Serial Drama Movie is now online! Look out for the sharpest and most colourful characters. Then come back here and comment on how good that joke was!/...Just kidding./But seriously. I am totally. Cereal.

Wisdom from Agent K

"It's not change that sucks. It's the people complaining that suck."

I like.

Application

This is a video made by some of the ambassadors from the Victorian team as their application for the Road Trip. I think it's awesome.

WYR #3

On the bus (Bus #3 cats), and on the trip in general, we played a LOT of hypotheticals. For the purpose of consistency, I will refer to them as WYRs. My wingman, Digger, and I entertained the masses with questions. The following are some of the ones we put out there, as well as some I came up with last night. Remember. The first rule of Hypotheticals Club? There is no Hypotheticals Club. But there is. And the first rule is, you must answer. Here goes:

Would you rather...

Your entire family die, and world poverty is solved forever OR It goes on as is? (Yeh I know. It's a bit drastic, but it was a tough one people took a while to consider.)

IF you chose Option 1 from previous: You must now be the one to kill them. Do you still go with it OR Let life go on as is?

See your 10 best friends naked OR be naked in front of your 10 best friends?

Be crucified OR buried alive?

Lead a wedding OR a church sermon naked?

Cheat with your best friend's partner and ruin their marriage OR have your best friend cheat with your partner and ruin your marriage?

Have superpowers that could be used for selfish means only OR no superpowers?

Never love OR never be loved?

Finally, not a WYR, but still one to think about (courtesy of Digger):

If you had to lose three senses, what would they be?

GET ANSWERING!

Zero Seven

Well. I'm home. The Road Trip was one of the best experiences I've ever had, and I'm glad that even through the struggles and stress leading up to it, and even some on it, that it happened.

I'm so excited at the moment, I don't know how to describe it. I thought, before I left, that I dreamt big. But now... I am so full of excitement that I feel like I will explode. I have so much passion, inspiration, desire to do so many things, and belief that I can. It's ridiculous.

I'm not ready to write on the trip yet, because I have so much excitement in me, it just won't happen. But just so you know. It was so awesome that I went, and had it, and that I was around so many other passionate, excited, inspired people. It proves how infectious all of that really is. More than the plague. I'm totally infected.

There'll be more later about my plans, future visions, ideas, dreams, and on the trip. This post in no way sums up how on fire I feel. But for now. Just be excited. I know I am.

Sydney

In 7 hours I'll be in Toorak, campaigning for Make Poverty History.
In 12 hours I'll be on my way to a big press release and media launch.
In 13 hours I'll be on the bus to Ballarat, the first stop of the Zero Seven Road Trip.
In 5 days I'll be in Sydney, at the Opera House, listening to speakers and hearing Missy Higgins and John Butler Trio.
In 6 days I'll be at Live Earth, campaigning with over 500 other young ambassadors.
And in 7 days, on July 8th, I'll be home. Tired.

At the moment, I'm feeling ok. I've been really stressed out with organisation and phone calls and a flooded inbox all week, but I know it'll be much better once we get into the action. I'm a man of action, not a man of paperwork. They call me. Action Man.

Hope all of you have a great week while I'm gone. Be good. Stay safe. Submit your face and others' to Face Up To Poverty. Change your underwear.

Feed the blogs for me while I'm gone.