I'd been planning to blog more recently, and topics have been floating in and out day by day. However, sitting down and blogging is daunting, especially when you've set a benchmark of at least a few paragraphs per blog!
So, this is the start of a new era. Short blogs. And random (perhaps nonsensical - if you're not in my head) blogs.
Cheers.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Steamrolling winners
"No Country for Old Men" was on the agenda tonight; there was no all-star cast, the trailer was not a flurry of explosions on-screen, and there were no side-swiping verbs flashing in-your-face, reminiscent of the 80's Batman and Robin TV series.
Lacking all the usual toys that would "hollywoodise" a film (any film) into essentially an "action flick", "No Country" rolled the red-carpet exceedingly well. The opening scene to the introduction of all the characters encapsulated the audience superbly, and set the stage well for the climax. Unfortunately for the whole thing, there was no climax. It just pretty much the same throughout the whole movie. Although one can say that the classic cat-and-mouse storyline has been done all too often, this movie was unsatisfying in its conclusion... or lack of conclusion.
When one opens a bottle/can of fizzy, one expects to drink it within a few hours, otherwise it will go "flat". "No Country" felt like the producers left it out a little bit too long... inevitably fizzling out leaving an unsatisfying overly-sugary taste in the audience's mouth, which resulted in exclamations of "huh?" to "I want a refund"!
I was initially the former. But due to other "big names" (I know the Coens have a huge fanbase), such as the Wachowski brothers and even Scorsese and their flop-movies, I think I much rather have a refund... although admittedly, this is overstating the non-ending of the movie, I can however, still taste the copious amounts of sugar and that possibly is a much better improvement upon Neo and Co. in the fight against the machines.
Lacking all the usual toys that would "hollywoodise" a film (any film) into essentially an "action flick", "No Country" rolled the red-carpet exceedingly well. The opening scene to the introduction of all the characters encapsulated the audience superbly, and set the stage well for the climax. Unfortunately for the whole thing, there was no climax. It just pretty much the same throughout the whole movie. Although one can say that the classic cat-and-mouse storyline has been done all too often, this movie was unsatisfying in its conclusion... or lack of conclusion.
When one opens a bottle/can of fizzy, one expects to drink it within a few hours, otherwise it will go "flat". "No Country" felt like the producers left it out a little bit too long... inevitably fizzling out leaving an unsatisfying overly-sugary taste in the audience's mouth, which resulted in exclamations of "huh?" to "I want a refund"!
I was initially the former. But due to other "big names" (I know the Coens have a huge fanbase), such as the Wachowski brothers and even Scorsese and their flop-movies, I think I much rather have a refund... although admittedly, this is overstating the non-ending of the movie, I can however, still taste the copious amounts of sugar and that possibly is a much better improvement upon Neo and Co. in the fight against the machines.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Singing Rocks (Luke 19:40)
Well, it’s been a couple of weeks now since Christmas. 'So, did Santa visit you or have you been bad?' That was what one friend asked me. It was in jest, but those words still ring softly in the back of my mind, albeit annoyingly like the fear of your own shadow in a dark alleyway.
I thought about my response for a while, and came up with something like “Santa? Na, none of Satan this Christmas, it’s all Jesus!” We’ve been friends since year 7, so I’m sure he chuckled a little on the other end.
Just the other day, in reflection on that coupled with the whole ‘festive season’ I also thought… “can Christians in the western world (myself included of course!) say and really mean that one awesome verse in Philippians” - “To Live Is Christ and To Die is Gain”? I’m not sure if I can. To live is good stuff, especially here in Australia. Okay, you might whine about the 6 season weather in the one day, and snow in summer during Christmas in Australia (‘traditionally’ it is stinking hot, 35 degrees and as dry as charred toast on a bad day), but generally, life is great, yes even when your skin peels for the next four weeks because you had a ‘great day at the beach with friends’.
I’m not sure about the rest of the world, but here in Aussie land we have everything at our disposal, from having your groceries dropped off at your front door to having your car hand washed and polished for you while you do that ‘Christmas shopping’.
And I suspect the rest of the unbelieving world sees right through the Church, when we preach “To Live Is Christ and To Die is Gain”, when everything we do is revolved around our culture and the person next to us; who is compared to the next person, and the next, and the next, and the next, and the next, and the next…
I was online an Internode Server and saw someone’s nickname “Satan’s Claws”. Intriguing. Why would one select such a name? Well I suppose if other people have nicknames such as “JESUS”, “[GOD] ANGER”, “Jesus the wife beater”, then I suppose “Satan’s Claws” isn’t so bad (context, context, context remember). Just as an aside, there was an interesting response to,“Jesus the wife beater” nickname. Suffice it to say that person wasn’t “valid” on the server for an extended period of time.
So, my old time friend’s comment: “did Santa visit you this Christmas or have you been bad?” Well my answer should’ve been, “I’m always bad, not doing ‘good’ to please even myself, because I cannot, even with all of my willpower. That is why this Christmas, as every other Christmas should’ve been, and every Christmas should be, that Jesus is the be all and end all this season. If Santa had visited me, and I’d “shopped till I dropped” from my work’s Christmas’ bonus then I’d be in “Satan’s Claws”.
Huh, who would’ve thought an encounter online would’ve sparked such profound Q&A.
"Satan’s Claws."
Crude, but effective.
Psalm 40:1-3
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Self-righteousness
How often do you look up?
If you do look up, why do you look up?
Listening to Psalm 123, the reason for looking up is clear; it keeps us --- yes even the elect --- from the many types and dangers of self-righteousness; to wait upon God, for him to show us his mercy.
"I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in Heaven.
As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy.
Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
We have endured much ridicule from the proud, much contempt from the arrogant.
I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in Heaven."
If you do look up, why do you look up?
Listening to Psalm 123, the reason for looking up is clear; it keeps us --- yes even the elect --- from the many types and dangers of self-righteousness; to wait upon God, for him to show us his mercy.
"I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in Heaven.
As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy.
Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.
We have endured much ridicule from the proud, much contempt from the arrogant.
I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in Heaven."
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Gems of Life
...her eyes... they are subtlety perceptive; subtlety piercing and subtlety knowing... reading you constantly... checking your moods in the most unaware circumstances...
...like the sun which shines down on the earth, her eyes are full of light, plummeting the depths of your soul and giving light to the deepest darkest corners of your life. Full of life, her eyes bring comfort for those who make contact with them; bringing a knowing peace and giving a sense of genuine care. The love her eyes bring give hope to countless many...
...I wonder if Adam had similar reactions when his eyes were first fixed on the Crown of Creation that was Eve...
If it is true what they say, that "the eye is the window to one's soul", then her eyes say that her soul is full of Light and Life, Justice and Compassion, Truth and Love; qualities bestowed on from our Father in Heaven, mediated through our High Priest Jesus Christ, and directed by our Counsellor, the Holy Spirit sent by the Father...
...for the Glory of God's Almighty Name.
...like the sun which shines down on the earth, her eyes are full of light, plummeting the depths of your soul and giving light to the deepest darkest corners of your life. Full of life, her eyes bring comfort for those who make contact with them; bringing a knowing peace and giving a sense of genuine care. The love her eyes bring give hope to countless many...
...I wonder if Adam had similar reactions when his eyes were first fixed on the Crown of Creation that was Eve...
If it is true what they say, that "the eye is the window to one's soul", then her eyes say that her soul is full of Light and Life, Justice and Compassion, Truth and Love; qualities bestowed on from our Father in Heaven, mediated through our High Priest Jesus Christ, and directed by our Counsellor, the Holy Spirit sent by the Father...
...for the Glory of God's Almighty Name.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Hebrews 5:11 - 6:3
"We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn.
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
And God permitting, we will do so."
---
Are you ready to leave these "elementary teachings" behind to go on to maturity? IE: how is your foundation of your Faith?
Moreover, have we trained ourselves to distinguish good and evil?...
...now where is my counsel of the Fellowship in Christ...
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
And God permitting, we will do so."
---
Are you ready to leave these "elementary teachings" behind to go on to maturity? IE: how is your foundation of your Faith?
Moreover, have we trained ourselves to distinguish good and evil?...
...now where is my counsel of the Fellowship in Christ...
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