My Mum's Birthday!

Well as Mum loves gardening so much i decided i would take her to Magnolia Gardens (see below) which i heard was a beautiful plantation with exceptional gardens - it didn't disappoint. Mum absolutely loved it and we were able to walk around the huge plantation before going inside the gift shop.
Then we headed back to Jonathan and Melissa's where a surprise Birthday tea party had been planned (see above) this was so nice and just topped the day off for Mum - i mean a cup of tea and cake after all that walking around, heavenly!

My Mum is here!! :)

Coming soon . . .

Music Review: Scratch Perverts - Volume 4

Coming Soon . . .

Music Review: Scratch Perverts - Live at Fabric 22

Coming soon . . .

DVD/CD Review: Delirious? Live at Willow Creek

Coming soon . . .

Film Review: Amazing Grace

Coming soon . . .

DVD Reviews

Here is a little snapshot on each film i have seen recently:

Brick - modern noir thriller with depth, genuine creativity and its own world - extremely memorable in its fantastic story (4.5/5)

Gridiron Gang - based on a true story about a juvenile detention and how a guard turns the ragged into a great team and men of integrity, with The Rock and Xzibit. (3.5/5)

Half Nelson - unusual, upsetting and flawed but poetic. The story of a drug addict teacher and a student and how their lives weave into each others and how they become friends. (4/5)

Stranger than Fiction - brilliant story that grew on me and i just couldn't wait to find out how it ended, sweet, charming yet odd with fantastic performances from all. (4/5)

The Protector - Forget Jackie Chan or Jet Li, Tony Jaa is the new face of martial arts and even though this is no where near as good as Ong Bak its pretty incredible. (3.5/5)

Film Review: Zodiac

If you like your films to be riveting, tense and thoughtful then this is for you, based on the 1960's serial killer Zodiac and his relationship with the local papers which he sends his letters. A cartoonist played by Jake Gyllenhaal starts to uncover who the Zodiac might be, but will he in time or ever?

A superb cast surrounds Gyllenhaal including Robert Downey Jnr (both pictured below) and Mark Ruffalo as the detective who is out to catch the murderer.

The story pans over many years and for the first 1/3 is quite fast paced and tense and then it slowly builds as the bodies stop turning up and Zodiac goes undercover.

This really will keep you on the edge of your seat for nearly 3 hours and it was trully magnificent, it is violent especially at the beggining but this is near essential viewing. (4.5/5)

Spurs can't stop scoring!

Oh my goodness what a crazy season its been for the Lilliwhites but most recently its been on the up we have won 6 of the last 7 and drawn the other with Chelsea at their place of all teams! In those 7 games we have scored 23 goals!!

We are still in FA Cup after a memorable display against the unbeatable Blues, i really hope we can do em at White Hart Lane, we are in the last 8 of the Uefa Cup after beating FC Braga 3-2 twice over two legs and are 8th in the league which isn't bad.

We are currently struggling with fixtures and injuries (King, Robinson, Zokora, Jenas, Assou-Ekoto) but we are holding together and Lennon, Keane and Berbatov (below) are just on fire presently and long may it continue.

England vs France - Six Nations

I didn't see it but i was so happy to hear we beat the French 26-18 on Saturday with an odd team but with some good old faves in Jason Robinson (above) and Mike Catt as captain, what a legend. Glad to see the new lads pulling there weight too but i think unless Italy pull off a miracle against Ireland and we absolutely destroy Wales, we will not win.

Still hopefully we have learned some important lessons - its not long now til the World Cup.

Holy Terrors off to a flyer!

Wow i am playing alot of football; Saturday Soccer, sundays for Home Stars (mens league where we have won 1 out of 3 but i have scored 4 goals) and this Monday we started our Spring Season for the Holy Terrors which is Co-Ed. And what a start, we creamed the team we couldn't beat in 3 attempts last season 8-1. Count em 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 goals!!

We played some liquid football even with 4 new faces (3 girls and a guy) due to 2 injuries and 2 leaving the team for a season. I scored a simply goal and crossed for Rob to score a superb header - 5 years he has been waiting for that apparently. Rob helps me run Soccer Saturday with his son what a legend and a very fit 47 year old. Other goals were scored by Kristen, Casey, Wiksell, Chris and Paula i think.

So a great start and no-one left who we have played before we haven't beaten however we are now in Division II and there are new scalps to be made!

Kid Koala is coming to town!

On April 2nd (My Dads birthday) Kid Koala will be playing at the Village Tavern a cool tiny little music bar on Mount Pleasant - which is like him coming to The Ship in Marlow, totally crazy but i am pumped. How often do you get to see someone so cool and amazing that close i may even get to meet him - i'll keep you posted.

Don't know his music check out: http://myspace.com/kidkoalaonesandtwos

Driving Test this Friday!

So please pray i pass the test which is an eye test, a written/signs etc test and a short practical driving test - otherwise i won't be able to drive as my insurance will be stopped and i will be stranded, its very important. I have been studying the book very hard and feel very comfortable driving here but a test is a test.

I'll let you know how i get on, keep praying, thanks :)

Pancakes, tornadoes, scare cuts and Lent!

This picture has nothing to do with the title, its just a cool photo of me and my boys Myles and Benny - its been cool to have been in touch with you both recently.

Well the last couple of weeks have been interesting we had a tornado warning but i didn't realise as i have given up TV for Lent :) Thankfully everyone around here was ok, but in Georgia a school roof collapsed with students inside, which is awful.

What else has happened oh yeah Shrove Tuesday was celebrated in an awesome way, a huge Pancake Supper that over 200 maybe 300 attended - but here you have sausage (which looks like mini burgers) and crispy bacon too :)
Melissa kindly cut my hair but then got a little carried away and gave me a crew cut but cut Jonathans beautifully afterwards when i had given a couple of tips - Mum you would have been proud. Its grown out very nicely now and i won't need another scare cut for a considerable while lol!

The weather has started to show signs of summer with mid 20 degrees most of the time which is just so sweet, i have even taken walks on the beach to revel in it. What hasn't been so nice is my toilet keeps blocking cos its got a weak pump - oh Sid i could use you mate :)

My lifegroup continues to stretch and bless me - one of the boys has been re-homed with his family so we won't see Derek again, which leaves me with mix feelings. I spoke at a Church called SeaCoast the other Saturday night about the LG which was cool, we are trying to gain help for the care of the site and maybe help with the boys. We are playing football in the back yard most weeks now after studying a chapter of 'Matthew' and i am starting to dominate at Mario Baseball on the game cube and have even played on a Nintendo Wii. I have also been playing alot of Fifa on the xbox at either Jonathan's or with students in the youth room - i beat Will who was france with Wycombe Wanderers on Sunday!! :)

Last week on Thursday and Friday we as a team were up at Camp St Christopher for a Diocesan Youth Leaders overnight which was ace, we had Rob Reinow speaking about the importance of family and how Biblically it is there that the spiritual discipleship should happen, at least first. Check out 'Visionary Parenting' ( http://www.visionaryparenting.com/aboutvp.htm ) which he teaches on, its excellent.

I recently spoke to the High School boys about Self-Worth and what God and the Bible say about how He values us, it was a powerful night. I have been kindly invited to a few students houses for dinner which has been great a) the food but more b) spending time with families is priceless for building community between the children, parents and us as leaders.

Next Friday we are running a Barbarian and Princess Night for the Middle Schoolers over night where we can encourage them to be the men and women God has called them to be - which will be so fun. Tomorrow we are watching Shrek together after Storm and I continue to run Soccer Saturday which is very fun although i keep getting kicked on the shins which hurts alot!

Finally My Mum is coming out to see me next week, which is gonna be so great, i can't wait to have a break and show her around all the wonderful beautiful places that are here to enjoy.

Storm @ Blackbeards Cove!

What a blast this was, as all the 8th Graders were away for their confirmation weekend we took the rest of the MS gang 'Storm' to Blackbeards Cove as it was one of our volunteer leaders birthday - and he and his wife paid for everyone to go!! Must have been over $500, how kind and servanthearted is that, i still can't believe it.

Anyway we had fun on the go karts and mini golf (its called putt putt here :), bouncy castles (again jump castles) and video games. Before pizza, drinks and cake for all who came.

Music Review: Truth Spoken Mixtape - Lateef

Lateef the Truth Speaker has one of those voices and flows that is just instantly recognisable and on this his first mixtape of sorts he pulls no punches. I got this direct from DJ Shadows website ( http://www.djshadow.com/home.php ) as he is one of the orignal Quannum boys and longtime friend of Shadows, Blackalicious and Lyrics Born etc.

This has all those guys on here as well as; Talib Kweli, Chali Tuna of J5, Gift of Gab, Maroons, Herbaliser, Latyrx, Quannum MC's and General Electriks plus many more.

Its mostly good uplifting hiphop powerfully and brilliantly represented by the great artists above, a sweet treat of a record that glides along effortlessly. (4/5)

DVD Review: FREEZE - Dj Shadow + Cut Chemist

Only Ben Stock might remember all this, but back in 2000 Dj Shadow and Cut Chemist were pioneering a phenomen of playing and mixing old 45's, thats vinyl to those of you who have only ever bought music on itunes. I love vinyl but not as much as Dj Shadow who has over 60,000 records and is a real artist when it comes to 'digging' for gems, he as Cut says has the 'spidey-sense'.

Well to cut to the chase this is live recording of the now famous 'BrainFreeze' show held in the Bay Area of San Francisco and what is recorded is a marvel, an incredible journey that will get you noddin' your head, smiling and agasp at the dexteriority of these two seemless DJs. (4.5/5)

What a week for Tottenham Hotspur!

Robbie Keane is on fire at present and with fine wins over Fulham last weekend, away at Everton (1-2) and Bolton Wanderers (4-1) this week we have found ourselves in the FA Cup Quarter Finals and back in the top half of the Premier League table. Long may it continue!

Enland on the ropes again

What a spanking we got from the Irish last weekend, terrible stuff - we gave it to them on a platter! So one convincing game and then two poor ones - have we solved any of the problems, only time will tell - but we must not A) ask Wilkinson do all the work and B) let Farrell play again instead of someone who can run!

DVD reviews

Well i have been watching as always a few films so i will give you a soundbyte on each:

Crash: 2005 Oscar winner for Best Picture (pictured above) is gritty, emotionally and racially charged with some trully breathtaking scenes that leave you gasping, a must see (4/5)

Elf: Silly Will Ferrell movie that did make me laugh at times but overall sappy and unmemorable (3/5)

I recently rewatched Dead Poets Society which is one of my all time favourites, We Were Soldiers and Braveheart which are both incredible too but for different reasons. I have also seen two music dvds but they are reviewed seperately.

The Proposition: Bloody but brilliant western style movie set in Australia starring Guy Pearce (pictured below) Ray Winstone, John Hurt and Emily Watson, only for the hardened (4/5)