Thought provoking thoughts

So i was bored in between classes today so decided to have a wee surf on the Internet to see if i could find something interesting to amuse myself.
So while listening to some classical Beethoven i came across some web sites dedicated to famous quotes throughout history so i thought i would add a few to inspire, provoke and challenge all four of you who read this thing.

1. “My Mother said to me, If you become a soldier you’ll be a general, if you become a monk, you’ll end up as the Pope. Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso.”
Pablo Picasso - (1881-1973) - Spanish Painter and Sculptor

2. "The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense."
Tom Clancy (1947-) - Author

3. “The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.”
Edward J. Phelps (1822-1900) - Lawyer and Diplomat

4. “To loves one’s self is the beginning of a life-long romance”
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) - Irish Born English Poet, playwright and Novelist

5. "If you lose your temper, you’ve lost the argument."
Proverb

Also over the last few days iv been struck by how amazing creation is. We have squirrels here on campus and even thought they are the gray kind and regarded as vermin by many i still kinda love them. Its amazing how G0d created such a resourceful wee animal how goes on day by day collecting nuts and burying them. I find it a joy to watch them hopping around, maybe I'm a bit of a nature freak but i thought i would just add that in. If you want to learn more here is a link to Squirrel land fun times!!

I have a pretty easy week lined up i think. Going fishing on Thursday and also two of my friends out here have a one year anniversary party im going to it should be good fun.

My beard is back!! and its getting kinda long.

Church was real good this sunday, pastor Rob who reminds me so much of Gordan McDade was speaking on submission as part of his series on holy disciplines. He brought out some real insightful stuff.

Jogging and the like

Hey Hey Hey guess what, I'm back with another fun filled update that's going to enthral and thrill every single reader....... happy days!!!

So i haven't updated my blog properly since 10:59 on the first of September 2008.

That's a whole months and 12 days and so i owe y'all my most sincere apologies.

"So what have you been doing john?" i hear you all asking, well your all about to find out..... ps if i use Americanisms don't worry I'm just trying to wind y'all up. ( i did actually catch my self saying DEfence (emphasis on the D) as a apposed to the norn iron way dfnce....sorry.)

So here it all is in a nut shell.

Since my last update i have been to an american football game, visited my good friend from school andrew wallace down in Auburn, been fishing, started playing "soccer" in a 7 a side team, been sorting out my plans for the christmas holidays, missed my cousins wedding, bought a hat, got addicted to sunflower seeds and been doing a heck a lot of jogging.

So went to see Alabama play western kentucky ages ago now. the stadium was packed with 93,000 people and i have to give it to the americans, they can put on a good show. The game was pretty good, alabama dominated WK the whole match and won out easily 41 - 7. The half time show was pretty good with the band doing some rendition of queens greatest hits whilst sauntering around the football field. On the downside the whole 93,000 people didnt make any were near the sound that windsor park does and the atmosphere felt really forced by the wee cheerleaders shouting Defence Defence Defence, like can they not be a bit more creative than that!! a load of people left at half time and the atmosphere died after that. so iv decided that you need to go to a big game for american football o be exciting.

Like i said earlier i went to see andrew and daniel wallace down in the other big university in Alabama, Auburn. Was really good to see those guys again and i really enjoyed the road trip with Mike, Steve and CJ good banter was had by all. started playing "soccer" for a university team, 7 a side, we have won both our matches so far relatively easily, the standards out here is surprisingly good and our team has a few good wee players. really enjoying playing in a team again, i doubt it will live up to the standard of the COI football team though. All the best lads for the season ahead!!
Other things of note, salted sunflower seeds rock. Also my beard is back. The plan is that i shave the sides and bottom then put on a set of overalls, a checkered shirt and put a can of beer in my hand and become a proper redneck for Halloween how awesome would that be!! il get some photos up of that. Iv been playing pro evo with the guys at mikes house flipping great!!!

Now to my new found love of jogging. Im not sure why i started running round the track here at stillman but three weeks ago i decided i was gona keep in shape while im out here. So i took to the 400m track and started jogging three times a week. Im now up to doin 5 miles a session. I have always found running to be kinda boring especially just running around and around a track but iv decided that in order to teach myself discipline and all that type of thing that i should stick at this thing. Iv found that while im running my mind can be cleared and so iv had some really good times of prayer and fellowship with God. By making the run a spiritual thing it becomes so much more beneficial and enjoyable.
Many of you know that i want to do a full marathon whenever i get back home and so i plan to try and get a real good base fitness when out here, do a few 10 mile jogs and the like and see how i get on.

And so i hope you all are doing well and once again i miss you all very much, looks like i will be home mid may by the way. peace and love

announcement!!

My sister got engaged!! congratulations Erin and Mike!!!!!

Football and the Lighthouse

Hey Hey Hey!!

This is my room mate

Welcome to a new post of life in Tuscaloosa Alabama, home of the crimson tide that is the university of Alabama Football team.
I know im irish and should hate american sports but being in a town that is so passionate about american football is kinda addictive so much so that i actually enjoy watching the sport!!
On saterday night past I went to a friends house. He had a blacked out room with an HD projector which created a scream of 108 inches!!! he had massive speakers recliners and a fridge for the beers absolutely perfect set up for watching an american football game. Alabama were playing Clemson and were slight underdogs as Clemson was ranked in the top 10 in the confrence. but Bama took the game to them and won convincingly 34-10.
Enough about American Football.


Iv found my new home church. Its called the "lighthouse" (ring any bells sophie). Its a church of around 100 - 150 people, they meet in a converted warehouse and as soon as i walked in the door i felt at home. people were casually dressed (last week i was the only one wearing jeans to the church i visited) and engaging in meaningfull conversations with each other. the teaching was awsome the people were so friendly and i had a sense of God's hand in bringing me to this place. I went with my mate Michael and he really liked it as well. we went to the college bible study that night as well which was great as everyone was so welcoming i even got mentioned as the honourary irish student!! fun times

Went to atlanta last week like i said last post we had a really good road trip, John Butler trio were absolutely unbelievably good, probably the best musicians iv ever seen truely mesmorising. we went to a pub after it to get soom food and a few beers, the place we went to had wait for it 100 beers on tap!!! thats right, spoilt for choice. was a fun night.


Classes this week have been grand had a few assignments already completed had to do a speech as well. so apart from all that nothing else has been happening, I really am having a great time out here and as always your prayers have been much appreciated!!

real quick update

Right just wanted to let you all know what iv been doin the last few days and what im gona be doin tonight.

Firstly iv meet some real great guys who go to Alabama state university and so iv been hanging

with them a lot. They live in this place called university village, it has 4 swimming pools, a pool table in one of the pools, a massive club house witha 50 inch tv ect, volley ball court..... its pretty awsome.

Anways Michael brought me to this place called the well. its a college sorta worship thing that happens every week, was pretty big reminded me of manafest only for college student. the band played all hillsongs stuff so i only knew a few of the songs but they were pretty tight. The speaker was good when he was talking about his subject of choice but like a lot of american speakers iv heard he thought he wasa comedian as well.

Played some football yesterday was pretty exhausting playing in the heat. but it was good to get a ball kicking about again. bought mself some football boots and a football for $50. man i love this country!!!

Anyways after class today im heading to Atlanta Georgia to see a band called "the John Butler Trio". I came accross these guys a few years back and was blown away by the guitar playing its truelly mesmorising. so when michael asked me if i wanted to come i jumped at the chance. so tonight shoul be a great night of good music and good banter. il let you know how it all goes.

College begins

Yesterday was my first day of college in Alabama, As most of you know im studying mostly business classes but iv also decided to do a module in safety and first aid, should be a breeze. My classes are all on Monday, Wednesday Fridays an hour each day per module. Class sizes are generally around 15 - 20 and so far my class mates all seem really dead on.
Iv really enjoyed my last few days here im starting to feel more and more comfortable around campus everyone has been really dead on. On Saturday there was a back to school party. The party was held outside in the car park were the DJ's had set up two speakers and their decks. Around 300-400 students turned up. it was so funny all the songs have a set dance which everybody knows. I was really the token white boy and felt totally inadequate when it came to dancing. but it was a lot of fun and im getting to know a lot of people around campus.
Just thought i would let you all know that today we had 35 degree heat and clear skies, sorry bout all the flooding, i saw some of the photos was kinda mental!!
Hope everyone back home is doing well miss you all
I will try and get some photos up soon!!

Very quick observation

White people are in general uncoordinated and self-conscious when it comes to dancing