mountain masala

we have an emo fire alarm

it's true. our fire alarm suddenly wants to be the centre of attention in our house.

of course, it doesnt really want to be the centre of attention. most of the time its happy to be there, unappreciated. and then remind us of our mortality. again.

once it would only beep if there was real smoke. now the iron sets it off, and someone has to go and wave a large book or something overhead and ask it directly to calm down a bit.

it's not that its not a valued member of our household. its just over-sensitive, demanding and attention-seeking. and frankly, whatever it says just sounds the same. am I missing something?

fire? again? we're all going to die? no, we're just ironing...

we're thinking of getting a new one that is more accurate and comprehensible. i presume that's a dick smith brand.

our new college

Last night we launched our 'new' college at our presbytery/synod meeting.

We had a jazzy-gospel band featuring the fergusons... Andrew Dutney preached on 1 Corintihians 12, and managed to connect that with the new college being like the bit of the travel guide that you rip out of the book to put in your back pocket while you're visiting that town. ie. this initiative is current, contextual, provisional and temporary. a great metaphor I thought.

sigh

finally got data from broken computer TODAY!
life now complete although 3.5 weeks younger I think.

and received computer itself. in pieces.
bagged like a corpse. not that I'd know.
(a minute's silence please)

awaiting insurance people
no holding breath

2nd work Mac acting dodgy for days - aka this one
new work Mac desktop ordered - cheque in hand
am holding breath

home G3 laptop finally died
(paid $6k for that in 1998!! or whenever. what was I thinking?)
just bid on a G5 iMac on ebay. (urrrk!! what was I thinking?)

still praying for steve's health...
(jobs. you know. no, the other kind)

not surprisingly, I led a full day workshop today without a data projector...... gasp.
maybe thats why it struggled.

mark pierson visit

just a quick email to say that we're working on having mark pierson from auckland here 14-17 september for a participatory series of workshops on creating alternative worship, public sacred space, etc.

this is wonderful and I'll post more shortly.

launching the "new college" tomorrow. editing final video tonight. Ihad sound and lighting glitches so much.... errr. and crap footage and photos. i need a real pro here to make it look fabulous....

[re]generate again...

[re]generate is on again, finally!  Monday 27 April

A pub conversation about fresh expressions of church

Sarah Agnew & Craig Mitchell talk about churches visited on their recent travels to the UK and USA.

Astor Hotel, cnr Pulteney St & Gilles St.
6.30 pm for drinks, 7.00 pm meal. Mains from $10.
Menu here

RSVP by 23/4 8416 8427 or email Nichola Shaw

the worst of times, the best of times

new logic board arrived.
multiple other problems.
computer stuffed, basically.
gnashing of teeth.
new machine necessary.
new mac models released recently.
"dear insurance people..."
open refrigerator and bubbly bottle to celebrate.

Orbit portable speaker

i picked up this Altec Lansing Orbit portable speaker today. Apart from the obvious travel use, what I had in mind was something I can easily plug into an iPod for worship installation use. Its made by Altec Lansing and cost $60 here in Australia, and $40 is the US. While there are both cheaper and more expensive portable speakers, I like the single speaker and its compactness, as well as its sound (of course the bass is wanting & boxy!). It runs on 3 AAA batteries and puts out a decent volume. It has a little zipup case, and er, a belt hook thing...?

My other portable speakers are Logitech and they're USB driven, so not much use without a laptop to drive them. And bulkier, cos there's two of them.

Everyone who has seen this babs wants one!

Now if I could just get those old Altec Lansing iMac bubble speakers to work without a Mac...

AAAAARRRGGHHHHH!

JUST RANG THE COMPUTER PEOPLE. THEY GOT IN THE RIGHT LOGIC BOARD (ON MONDAY WHEN THE GUY WAS OFF SICK) BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE WRONG LOGIC BOARD. THE FIRST LOGIC BOARD THAT THEY SENT BACK WAS THE RIGHT LOGIC BOARD... THEY HAD THE WRONG MACHINE SERIAL NO. IN THE JOB SPECS....

THEY SAY THE RIGHT LOGIC BOARD WILL BE IN TOMORROW....

IT WILL BE 3 WEEKS THIS FRIDAY...

MEANWHILE ADOBE CS4 SITS LONELY ON THE FLOOR...

shuffle

the new ipod shuffle is very nice...

as i waved goodbye

luka bloom celebrates st patrick's day