Sunday

Rob Bell is an author, Christian speaker, and pastor. He's got such refreshing insights on the teachings of Jesus. This video, one of many in a series entitled "nooma", addresses the common misinterpretations of religion. Inspiring stuff he has to say, despite the somewhat cringe Americanness of the video itself!

NOOMA 04 - Sunday - Rob Bell (Legendado) from Marcelo Mioto on Vimeo.

June Strangers

Right so the month of June has been over for a while now I know, but I'm only just coming to terms with the fact that summer is over. It proper hit me today when walking home from a lecture I didn't understand on the economy, in Belfast's best wind and rain. Miserable. But somewhat expected.

We tend to think back on our lives in terms of the people in our social spheres. People who are close to us. People who drift from us. People we don't like. People we can relate to. We hardly ever take into account those who are unknown to us. We acknowledge their existence, but we do not remember them.

At the beginning of the month of June, I met quite a few interesting strangers, which is why I decided to keep track of them all for a month. I wrote a few notes down at the time but am only getting round to putting a blog together now, when I actually have better things to do. The point? To account for a few of those I would normally forget all about within 24 hours.

- I was on my way home from having had lunch with Josh. This elderly woman with a walking stick and crazy teeth got on and decided she was going to sit on the seats that were highest from the ground. She got a bit stuck, hanging somewhere between her chosen seat and the floor in front of it. I shouted across the bus asking if she needed help. She screamed YES. I threw down my ipod, phone and bottle of diet coke and rushed to help her. Not as easy as I'd hoped. Frail elderly women are heavy. Another guy had to come over and help out too. He was rather attractive so his assistance was welcomed for many reasons. We finally got her onto the seat, she mentioned something about us having to go through this when we were her age as well. We chuckled. And went back to our ipods and phones and diet cokes.

-Danya and I were sat in Plainpalais sipping pints and catching up on some outside tables one evening, when the woman sat at the next table started talking to us for about half an hour. Her name was Anne and her eyes wondered a little. She was about 30. Actually she was 29, as she mentioned something about having been 19 ten years prior to the conversation. Anyways, she was a little drunk, would have able to beat me up if she wanted to considering her build and was Swiss through and through. She was rather chatty, telling us about the jewelry course she was on and how she went traveling a lot in her youth and was a hobo for 10 years and how she always wanted to get out of geneva and how she always wanted to find 'the one' and how she found someone and had a kid but how she hated how much he loved her and how tied down she felt and how she wanted to break free of it all but that she wasn't the kind of person to do that and that we should make the most of being free and single and not settle down ever! Then she moved on to the people sat on the other side of her.

- Short, drunk, homeless man with a Father Christmas beard, only it was a dark beard not a white one. In fact, he looked EXACTLY like J. K. Rowling's description of one of those goblins in Harry Potter who guard Gringotts bank. Only fatter. Not much taller though. He was stumbling round the bars asking for money. I spared him some loose change. He kissed me on the shoulder. Tit for tat I guess.

- Zambian man. He overheard us speaking English and proceeded by asking where we were from. After my response he said 'Your country colonised mine'. I appologised. He walked away.

- Mr. G's dog. Walking back up to the station with Jiwan and Dustin after having watched Australia get smashed by Germany. A dog caught our attention. It had no back legs and therefore had a 'wheelchair'. A weird contraption was strapped around its lower body with wheels attached to it, whereby it pulled itself around. Its owner was German and had four other dogs with her. She was friendly. Ja.

- One of the highlights of the month of June, possibly one of the best moments of the whole summer, was when the Swiss took Spain on and won! The low-light was when the Honduras match was played and the result meant the short-live Swiss glory was over. Thais and I were sat in Brasseurs as per usual for the game. At the next table were sat the most improbable threesome. One was a giant. He was from Nigeria and had become a successful businessman in Geneva. He looked and dressed however as though he had lived on the streets for decades, and was quite intimidating. The second was a scrawny white-boy aged 20 who didn't even need to tell us he was Swiss. The spiked up hair he should have grown out of when he was fourteen, the silver chain around his neck and matching one around his left wrist engraved with his name gave his nationality away at first glance. The third did not speak to us, in fact I am not convinced he even spoke to other two. He was French, at least I think he was considering he was dressed like a chav from Marseille, and was the only person in Geneva obnoxiously cheering for Honduras. The Nigerian was endlessly purchasing Colones of beer, and kept snatching our glasses and filling them to the brim. As soon as the match drew to a regretful close, Thais and I rushed out of there, much to the disappointment of the ones we left behind who were clearly hoping to get something from us in return.

Legend

"Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters — sometimes very hastily — but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, “Dear Jim: I loved your card.” Then I got a letter back from his mother and she said, “Jim loved your card so much he ate it.” That to me was one of the highest compliments I’ve ever received. He didn’t care that it was an original Maurice Sendak drawing or anything. He saw it, he loved it, he ate it."
—Maurice Sendak

Golden Graham's golden year.

I figured I would put together a list of highlights from year one at Queen's, while they're fresh in my mind, as they are worth remembering! I could probably write a whole blog about each of them. I've also probably missed out a whole bunch. I also apologise in advance for the length of this blog. If you have no interest in my life, stop reading now.

- Teriyaki Chicken. Must've spent half my money, and Gemma's, this year on Subway. As in the fast food place, not the mode of transportation. Gemma's constant ability to get her hands on coupons meant that family feasts consisting of 4 subs, 4 toasties, 4 cookies and 4 drinks for a tenner were a regular activity/sport. For a while there we went at least twice a week. Beautiful.

- Meeting Plum. Katie Wallis is the one person who I can clearly remember meeting (no offense to the rest of you). We were on a treasure hunt in Fresher's week. She had her bright pint Queen's Student Union brand new hoodie on, and it was the main subject of our conversation. I thought she was fake. She thought I was a bitch. We got over that. She's quite possibly the least fake person you will ever meet. Honest. Genuine about what she thinks, who she is, what she feels, what she loves, and who she loves. I admire this. The way she pronounces plum I also admire.

- Butting in. One day I walked past Clement's coffee shop. I noticed Becca sat there. I had met her once. I decided I would go in and attempt to befriend her. She was with Mary and other people. I sat with them. We went shopping. Our relationship grew from there.

- Tina Turner. Becca and I bonded properly when walking back from town. It's Belfast, IE it rained. and the wind blew. Becca's usually styled hair lost its perfection. Tears were shed as we fought against the wind on our walk back to Elms. Metaphorical tears.

- China China. All-you-can-eat chinese buffet. 6 pounds. Desert included. Not much else is needed to be said really. So many fond memories. Too many, almost.

- Diet Coke. It came to the rescue on a regular basis. Sometimes along with Gemma. The two got me through some trials and tribulations. Don't know where I would be without them.

- Meeting up with Megan. Randomly. My old neighbour. In Belfast Centre. For lunch. And a shop. Out of the ordinary. Fantastic.

- Skype. USA-Australia-New Zealand-Laos-Switzerfrance-England-Belfast. Made the distance seem not too distant. Enough said.

- Hendrik's house parties. Christmas, pancake-day, Lasagna and Poker night. Unlike anything I've ever been to. The mulled wine I'm convinced was spiked. Trippy evening. The pancakes made German Disney music sound normal. The Lasagna was one of the nicest things I've ever put down my throat. The poker night was less about the poker and more about the whiskey and cigars. Never felt more masculine. Hendrik, and Anne-Catherine, thank you.

- Free lunches. Tuesday's soup, Thursday's sausages and Friday's atmosphere made life, and bank balances, happy.

- Amy's 'sick' visit. Take sick. Think of it in every sense of the word. Now you have an idea of our time together. She arrived with a cold. We went clubbing. It was a fun night. Amy spoke to me about yoghurts in her sleep. We woke the next day. Amy was borderline dying with illness. Managed to hit up China China with Gem though. In bed by 9 that night after watching The Little Mermaid. Amy was even more ill, if possible, the next day. I went to class, she slept. She joined me for lunch. We went into town. We hit up Frank's for dinner and drinks. Home. In bed by 9.30. Slept through 3 alarm clocks and woke up after her flight had taken off. A bit of bad language followed. A few phone calls. Booked another flight later that day. Back to sleep. Lectures. Amy in a cab. Sick visit.

- Calvin Harris. We were up on the North coast of Ireland with surf club. After a day of no surfing due to severe water conditions, Antonia, Justyn and myself were buzzing to do something exciting with our evening. We found out Calvin Harris was playing at Kelly's that night, so got a ride with James. We managed to get in half price as we pretended to be part of a DJ's 'friends and family'. Fantastic evening, including A and J pretending to be French, and me translating for them, some Up Your Viva madness, a fantastic show by mr. Harris, an hour's walk, and a taxi ride with a pervert, driven by a Irishman with a crazy handlebar mustache.

- Robin Hood. The Disney classic was central to me and Plum's first bonding experience. 'Seize the fat one!'. Our last trip to the cinema of the year we watched the new Russel Crowe film.

- Twirls at Chestnut 4. I think I spent more time in their kitchen than in my own. In fact, I'm pretty sure I did. Movie nights, Xfactor, Over the Rainbow, parties and endless chats about the smell of the place made the deserted weekends priceless.

- Church hopping. With Sam. Epic.

- Globalisation. How I loathed Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11am first term. LOATHED. Despite everyone's obsession with Eric, and John (?), the hour sure as hell dragged on a bit. Christmas was even made dull. I miss it.

- Film Studies. Went to 2 tutorials and remained awake during 5 lectures and 4 films. When I wasn't asleep I was scared. When I wasn't scared I enjoyed it. What a peculiar course.

- Movie House Cinema on a Tuesday. Most Tuesdays the cinema called our names. 3 pounds entry meant that even films like 'Edge of Darkness' felt worth seeing.

- Australia. A 40 degree Christmas holiday. I don't think I even have to say anything else. Too much went down. Best 3 weeks of my life.

- Josh's visit. Arrived just in time for Lucy, Becca and I's Birthday celebrations. Fantastic night at Stiff. Followed by a fantastic few days with Josh. Highlight: Potato farls, beer and Glee.

- GHREH.

- Epic results moment with Plum. In her room. The Journey pumping out on the radio. Both of us doing far better than expected. Beautiful.

- 'Have you booked your flights yet Gina?'. She took her time.

- Lucy's. After watching 500 Days of Summer, we proceeded by blasting some music. Lucy went mental. It was brilliant.

- Various jogging partners. Started with Christie. Then moved on to Katie. Becca joined once. And then Rory stuck. I'm going to miss that route, and the conversation. And Rory's outfit choice for each run.

- Discovering Ava 6, and recruiting Stu. We went to see a crappy house with Becca, Mary and Katie. Complete mess. We liked the road so called another number we saw on another house. Mrs Cassidy answered. We got a viewing the next day for a house across the river. We fell in love with it. Somehow we recruited Stu to join us, who also loved the house, despite the state it was in when we visited it with him. What better way to celebrate than at Maggie May's, and then at Nando's. Not on the same night.

- Sunday roadtrips. Well, Sunday roadtrip. It was meant to become a regular thing but only happened once. It was the time Fiona, Jocelyn, Katie and Becca and I went up to the north coast for an afternoon. Beautiful day, fresh air, great company and food. Perfection.

- Carole visits. Bed by 10 first night. Second day consisted of lectures, free lunch and shopping, followed by a trip to the cinema, nando's and a walk back home stopping off at every pub on the way back. Wednesday, St. Patrick's Day, was spent in bed with pasta and the OC, then a few house parties around Elms, topped off with a fantastic night at the Limelight. Got back around 3, got given lollypops on the way in which is always nice, watched just enough of A Knight's Tale to see Heath Ledger smile, and then sleep for 3 hours before having to walk down to the bus station so Carole could catch her flight. Walk in the rain I might add. Joy.

- Unlimited texting. A new phenomenon for me. This meant that lots of time was spent telling Gemma trivial things about my life. I tried it with other people too but I think they got bored of me.

- Theology games. With Rory. Nothing to do with the Bible or Quelle. Just became an entertaining pass-time. By the way Kelleher, I've come up with more categories we need to put to use.

- Tesco's. Food shopping, never something I thought I would enjoy. Maybe it was the possibility of seeing Mary behind the counter, maybe it was thinking up new meals, or even the excitement of being able to choose what went in the trolly. Whatever. Epic.

- Sandwich making. Justyn had to make about 1044300343003245002134230001 sandwiches for some event and called me up for some support. We had a pretty efficient system going down. Ate a fair few once we were done, to make sure they were suitable for others.

- Cooking. NEW. FAVORITE. HOBBY.

- Meeting Niall was creepy. We were at a gig. I was introduced to him. A while later he tapped on my shoulder and asked me if I was Abi's cousin. I am. Turns out the person she told me she knew at Queen's also went to the church I had started attending. Small world. Creepy.

- Abundant Life Church. Wonderful people.

- ICELAND. 5 Anthropologists crashed our house in Geneva for what was meant to be 5 days. We had a TON of good laughs. Busy week. Lots went down. Including mountains, museums, food, food, food, wine, boats, buses, shops, coaches, french towns, walks, parks, deception, disgrace, sun, sleep, theological 'debates' and hot men. The week came to an end. Had our last night out on the town. Woke up the next to discover flight cancellation due to ash in the sky. In the sky, ash. We consequently spent 4 days tanning, and ended up getting a coach from Geneva to Gatwick. And then a flight from there 12 hours after arriving in London back to Belfast. Adventure and a half. An adventure, and a half.

- Josephides. Semen, pigs, wigs, shells, and who knows what else. She was a fascinating lecturer. Only attended her so-called lessons in an attempt to understand her brain. Unsuccessful. She puzzles me.

- Trip up north. Finally got myself up to Coleraine with Gemma to visit the Wilsons minus Kiki. Fantastic weekend. Food was plentiful. Company was wonderful. Weather was delightful. Charity shop shopping was successful. Emma returned content.

- Maggie May's. FOOD.

- Flashing Christie. Speaks for itself really. It was accidental. And rather humorous.

- The library. The only place where revision was even slightly efficient. Library dates became the only activity to do with others that was guilt-free.

- Botanic. The so-called heat wave that hit Northern Ireland the weekend before our exams started caused a great amount of people to fill Botanic Park. Never thought I would get a suntan in Belfast, nor did I think revision would ever be fun.

- Wakeboarding. After snowboarding, is the best sport ever! We eventually made it to some lake in Southern Ireland somewhere after the McCune beast of a car broke down on the way. Mikel fixed it. And we wakeboarded. And it was awesome.

- Kiki's list. I was ecstatic when I discovered a list of 30 things to do in the month of June from my pretend-to-be-Asian friend. Beautiful.

- Becoming Gemma's bodyguard. A strange man had the key to her house and was staying in there. As she is a weak woman and I am strong, I stayed with her for several nights to keep her safe and protect her soul.

- Post-exam all day banter. After exam number one, a large group of us sat in Speakeasy for about 8 hours doing absolutely nothing. It was when I realised how much I was going to miss the Anthropologists.

- Continental Markets. A 4 day event. I went 3 times. Once with anthro folks. Got some Tartiflette. And some noodles. And some Spanish Churos from the French stand. And a beer from the German beer tent. Then went with church folk. Got a Venison burger. And a Smoothie. And the most amazing doughnuts I have ever had. And then went with Gemma. Got a flipping huge burger. And some melted chocolate poured lavishly over strawberries and fudge. I miss it.

- Cleaning number 88. Gemma forced me to help her clean her rather filthy house of the mess that she wasn't even responsible for. Turned out to be a fun evening. Highlight was finding 2 pounds that I kept.

- Loading boxes into Gina's car. Well not so much the loading of the boxes, but the fact that she was willing to let me load boxes into her car. And take them to her house for the summer. Let's hope she doesn't get burgled, for many reasons.

Well, my life just became easier.

Check this nonpareil out. Number 6, Ava Avenue, none of our food shall go to waste!

p.s. I thesaurused 'wonder', and they gave me 'nonpareil'. What a great word!

No Gina, this blog is not about you.

People watching is my thing.

The other week I was on a plane coming back to Belfast from East Midlands Airport. Where is that? From what I can gather, in the middle of England somewhere. Upon arrival it says something about it being the gateway to Lincoln, Nottingham, Birmingham and other places, so I'm guessing near them, somewhere.

Anyway, I had been over there to visit my grandparents for a couple of nights and days. Why? Because I missed them. Because I hadn't seen them in over over a year. Because I desperately wanted to travel somewhere. Because every year during exam season I take procrastination to a whole new level.

I was sat behind a mother and daughter. But not just any mother and daughter, the kind of mother and daughter who, from first glance, you're unsure as to who is the mother and who is the daughter.

The daughter must have been about my age, give or take a few years, but dressed and looked as though she was in her late twenties, and acted as though she was a spoilt 10 year old. The mother looked about 31, but was most likely a little older than that, unless it was a case of childhood pregnancy. They both had slapped on an extreme amount of fake tan, were tattooed all over, wore "seductive" "travel" outfits, and acted as though being given attention was the only reason they bothered breathing.

In other words, I wanted to slap them.

After they had held up half the people getting onto the plane by rummaging through bright pint fake gucci bags attempting to uncover headphones, knocked out the man in front of them by dropping one of the bags on his head, stocked up on the not-so-reasonably priced Ryanair booze and upset the whole cabin by screeching during turbulence, I began to warm up to them. A little.

The Nottingham-accented daughter was sat next to a Belfastian young man, who seemed to be enjoying the attention he was getting from this obnoxious pair. In fact, the two 'youngsters' hit it off.

As they chatted their way through the length of the flight, a whole 45 minutes of getting to know each other, I listened with great amusement to their flirty conversation.

The plane landed, applause rang out from the men on a stag weekend at the back, and your man and your woman exchanged phone numbers and facebook details, saying they would arrange to meet up over the weekend, and then I walked off so heard no more.

The point of this story? None really. It just made my day. Reminded me once again that I should really give people from all walks of life a chance, and not write them off as being fools. And it was the first time I thought 'must write a blog about this'.

So I did.