Thoughts

Harvest

Posted on by JC

Harvest is an event in the North East of England originally based at witton castle in county durham, but now based in Teesside. It is for young people to connect together for around a week, and get to know God in a different way.

I started to go to harvest in 1994, I was around 14 to 15 years old and went with the church I was with at the time called The Tab – I made so many new friends while I was there, and learned how worship could really be expressed by youth and not just hyms in church but actual music you could enjoy singing and dancing too. There was many games, seminars, and workshops of sorts – be it learning, how to put into action or having fun.

There used to be a game – a challenge between the villages of harvest. People were split into 4 colours of village depending on the area you came from in the North East.

The challenge was its a knock out – they played it each year until around 1998 and it has never been seen before. Basics of it was silly games that involved a lot of water – knockout with sticks with foam on ends pushing one another trying to make the other person fall or bobbing for items in buckets aswell as physical challenges but all in the idea of fun. I enjoyed it a lot.

I went to harvest as a participant til around 1999 (aged 19/20 ish) after which I joined the stewarding team. I initially joined because many of my friends were already part of the team, and we were hanging out already. When I started stewarding you still paid to go, a few years in they stopped charging staff and it was kind of just accepted. From this year, they’re asking people to put something towards costs which is understandable but they seem to be getting a lot less people volunteering now.

9 years of helping out stewarding – I’ve seen many ideas on how to work it, how to help and what has or has not worked. People do seem to be repeating past things and don’t often believe its been done before – or not done as the circumstance often is. This year, 2010 I am not doing the stewarding at harvest, I’ve enjoyed my time there but its time to move on like so many friends already have.

Last year (2009) I was on stewarding team primarily, and ministry team secondary – I learned a lot, or so it felt so. People suprised me and opened up and it was good. It is time for me to do something different.

I am not sure what this year I will be doing at harvest if anything, I’d like to go and see how it is without being on the staff side althou I am not sure that is even possable. I think I will apply to be on the ministry team once again so I can help out, but also enjoy the site and see things before ending.

I feel it may be my last year helping out there, and this saddens me as it is an event that has helped me for a long time, over half my Christian life, and about half my actual life. Its helped me meet with many like minded people and has been very enjoyable but just as last year was my last year to steward, this may be the last to help before I am just a visitor.

All in all, Harvest has been amazing for me – so many new friendships and many ups and downs. Enjoyment from wandering, talking, playing, and listening. Its been a good time in life that I am glad I’ve had the oportunity to have.

Some people I made friends with in 1996, I was working with on team in 2005ish – we all said to one another – I know you, but I don’t know how? From photos I found later in the year, I discovered we’d all hung out together as one random group in a tent for a few days one harvest – some 10 years ish earlier but had lost contact – well before internet and email was the norm.

No Dairy, That can’t be good!

Posted on by JC

Over the past few weeks I’ve not been too well. One thing that was pointed out to me was that I may be lactose intollerant… This worried me a lot – I love having milk in many things. I never realised how much I enjoyed milk/dairy stuff in things or how many different things dairy is actually in.

I’ve always had a low tollerance for chesse, and that probably helped with the idea going into my head. I don’t now think I am that as it seems that actually drinking/eating dairy seems to relieve this issues.

I told a few friends and one in particular, gave me a load of good advice on how to cope with it that I would like to share as you could also find it useful.

Some Good Advice

Hanging around in shops reading labels and a LOT of just cooking from scratch.

If you can eat soya, then there are loads of dairy alternatives open to you that I can’t have. Much easier for you to locate safe chocolate too!

Most large supermarkets have a special diets section, have a look, avoid the gluten free baked goods, they are horrible!

This is the butter they get: http://www.puredairyfree.co.uk/ they have it in big tescos and sainsburys.

Biscuits – cheap bourbons, party rings and rich tea biscuits tend to be dairy free.

There is a dairy free ice cream, sold at most large supermarkets, some even have multiple flavours! http://www.swedishglace.com/

This brand: http://www.alprosoya.co.uk/ gets sold in lots of supermarkets, they do nice flavoured soyashakes and mousses and stuff.

I like this because it’s dairy and soy free: http://www2.oatly.com/ I get their stuff from Waitrose.

Pizzas: you could try non-dairy cheese, but it’s a bit weird. They get non-dairy pizza bases, put the tomato puree base on as usual, and load up the veg and bake, cheese free! It isn’t the same.

Beware!

Be careful with pasta sauces, crisps and pre-packed meats, these can all have unexpected dairy. Cereal and cereal bars often contain milk 🙁

List of dairy things in ingredients:

  • Lactose
  • Caesin
  • Whey powder
  • Milk
  • Cream
  • Butter
  • Yoghurt

Useful Links from this post

Kittens, Cats or Meercats…

Posted on by JC

Over the past few months, I’ve looked after my parents cats on and off – I still call them kittens althou they are not that small any more. They have lived with my parents since the end of 2008 when they were kittens.

I’ve found them to be quite entertaining. They do like to fight with one another and attack anything that they can. Never leave anything like a remote control, pen, or phone on a table – it will soon be found on the floor as they’ve pushed it over the edge – to them its just another toy and thats why its there.

The weather has been quite windy here, and the cats still insist to go outside… which is fine. I found it funny when I opened the door and they came running in with large bounds, stretching to double their size and then the wind hitting them and it looking like they are now bendy cats. They didn’t seem to pleased and moaned a lot upon getting inside. Give them food, and they are happy.

Can you convert a cat to a meercat?

If you have cat treats its a suprise what they’ll do. I had them both on their hind legs stretching up for the sticks of random fishy stuff. They reminded me of meer cats – so yeah, its possable to make them look like it – not actually change into them Obviously.

Am I Paranoid?

Posted on by JC

After my last post, some people messaged me to say I should follow up with something about paranoia. I just prefer in life to occasionally have some privacy.

I’ve looked in to the lack of security in IT, and know of many ways that people can see take what may rightly be yours, but take it, twist it and use it for their own means and half the time you would never know until you go and try it yourself.

Is it wrong for them to take your idea, yes… But if you never protect it, its like shouting at the top of your voice your ideas and wondering why someone else has the same plan. Be it email, messengers, facebook, private messages etc.

There are ways to protect your ideas, and help yourself if a little “paranoid” online. From PGP for Email to protecting your conversations in MSN, Yahoo, Facebook chat, ICQ etc using programs such as Pidgin which is an alternative to all the different messengers with one messenger and plugins to encrypt your conversations.

Some Links

So a little privacy is good I think. Would you go round naked, for everything to be seen or use clear envelopes while posting everything. Would you like your personal pin number to be seen by everyone or is that something you’d like to keep to yourself?

Its not like you have anything to hide right? Do you mind everyone knowing your pin number or is that a bit of information you’d like to keep to yourself.

Just a thought

Am I being followed?

Posted on by JC

I’ve had a very strange senstation today – as though some one or something has been watching everything I do… Be it driving, eating, chilling, or even now… while writing this up.

Its not like a person following, but like something seeing what I’m doing – and its in my mind that I feel it – it is quite disturbing. There is nothing that I can do about it, but still I feel I should share it too.

So, Bank holiday weekend – new one in what feels like a long time, so far nothing exciting – the most I’ve done is the ironing I’ve had laid in a pile ready for something to be done with – at least thats sorted.

Hoping to see a friend tommorrow – Not sure what the plan is but at least it won’t be stuck at home with no-one but kittens to talk too.

Anyhow, Hope your having a good holiday / mini break. On another note, a way I don’t mind people following me is twitter: http://twitter.com/OnlyJC

Missing @springharvest Already #SH2010

Posted on by JC

I sit around here just stopped wasting time by watching entertainment on TV – time that over the past week I’ve not even missed having a TV around. Its been Amazing, Sad, Joyful and more but so much was done in the time that was there and so many new friends made there aswell.

The daily laughter and joy, the glorious weather that seems to still be here today and all that we were blessed with. There was a Lot of work to do almost all the time, but it was worth it. Felt so much, learned new things, made friends, re-connected with a lot and remembered where a joy came from I lost so long ago.

For the past week I’ve been helping steward at Spring Harvest in skegness week one. It has been an awesome week with great people coming from all walks of life together to help people as one group. A mixture of IT, Actors, Students, Builders, Teachers, doctors and more – all working together as one body.

When something went wrong, people fell in place to fill the gaps – it was brilliant. We were all tired, somewhat exhausted, by mid to end of week but the joys, the happyness around surrounded us all.

I missed it as soon as I was driving back – so quiet – nice for a bit but no laughter, just a long drive back to the northeast.

Today has felt missing, although I rested well – A whole 6 hours longer than most of the week. No huge breakfast or lunch surrounded with friends, just back to normal – not sure I like normal anymore. Wondering what I’ve learned and what is still to come.

For the first time in a long time, I am looking forward to church and actually want to get more involved again – I’ve stood back for a while, to watch how everything goes but I dont want to watch anymore, I want an active part – some way to help and keep things going.

I hope I never forget my week, and sure I’ll be friends with many for a long time yet – The team worked – like a body of Christ in litteral meaning – we came, worked different parts and together helped.

I do not want to return to meaningless life – filling it up with technology to pass the time. It is a great connector of the world, and will help keeping connections with new friends but it also gets in the way. I hope thats not the way in the future.

It made sense for a little while.

Posted on by JC

Why is it when I get a glimpse of the meaning of everything – I can not find paper or a pen to draw/write it down…. I think I need to get a dictaphone too – althou from what I recall, I don’t think that I could put it into words.

Its happened before when everything made sense, why we are here – how everything seems to come together and makes complete sense. It makes me giggle when it happens – its only ever happened twice – Once, last wednesday night on way to trampolining, and once in the night.

I had some paper, and wrote/drew it all down and went back to sleep – it made complete sense. In the morning the paper did not make sense – there was many calculations, and diagramatic pictures but looked like scrap paper. Some one came in my room and “recycled” the papers in my room to tidy up while I was out at school. I never found the piece of paper again but hoped I would see the meaning again.

It doesn’t happen often – but when it does, it brings a smile and althou I don’t remember why it makes sense, I know that it does but most of the time I don’t understand it.

This may be wierd, but I’m glad I don’t understand why everything happens, or what may happen. I think life has a lot to do with how we get there or anywhere and how we grow. Knowing the answer right away defeats the point and can ruin the acheivement of it all.

Must remember password…

Posted on by JC

So I’ve not updated for a long time and in reality not going to again for at least another week or so, but found my password so thought i’d say – I’m getting there.

Its not a great idea to have everything backed up but forget your passwords – can really screw things up… So back them up somewhere and not just in Firefox or Internet explorer – however if you do save in Firefox – There are tools such as MozExport to backup and restore later on.

Maybe I should’ve take my own advise and backed them up too.

Mini Projects

Posted on by JC

I’ve a few mini projects I’m working on at the moment in the web world. I have things I’d like to be able to do but can’t do and won’t pay somewhere else to do it, or comprimise on some of my ideas of security.

Current Projects 2010:

Twitter-AT.com [TW-@]
Project 1: Twitter-At.com

The idea was to be able to tweet at whatever time you wanted. At present it is only set to run once an hour.

I found other sites that would do it, but they all required you to enter your twitter username and password. I didn’t want to give someone my account details and found there are other ways but they can be more complicated.

My thoughts “More complicated but safer? I could go with that and share it” so here are my thoughts in action – maybe only the first stage but at least its getting somewhere.

W-URL.com - Shrink an url, Create a w-url

Project 2: W-URL.com

Idea to create my own version of the short url programs available online except instead of just one url it makes up 3 for any url entered.

There are filters now on to help reduce the spam and junk mail urls, and a report feature for urls to be reported.

The basic idea was create 3 small urls from an address. See example below:

1. Simple Re-direct
http://w-url.com/yganel

2. Redirect with Preview
http://w-url.com/zganel

3. Redirect with URL masking
http://w-url.com/wganel

Duplicate or backup an IMAP mailbox

Project 3: IMAP Mail Copy

I have a lot of email I have collected over time, When looking back I see emails from 2002 and further back.

I wanted a way that I could take a backup or copy of all my email including all folder structures with all mails inside organised as I left it to another server so I don’t loose everything easily.

I’d not found an easy way online to do it. So thought I’d try making one and share it with others that may have the same or similar issues.

I thought “Why not just copy it?”

I thought I’d try the simple way of using outlook/outlook express and logging onto both servers and copying the data across. This kind of worked, but I did need to copy each individual folder and often create many of them and slowly copy across.

Using this method meant emails were downloaded to my PC, then uploaded to the new server location. With a mailbox of several thousand messages and folder structures this was not good for time or bandwidth and not easily duplicated the next time I needed it.

So I started this project – It started off mini but seems to be growing all the same.

For more information on any of the projects click the images above, you may find them useful.

Chilled Night Out

Posted on by JC

Chilled Night Out

The night was cold, snow and icey around and under – Refreshing change, chilling but fun. The moon was bright and full and making the snow and ice shine as we walked though it all.

I went to a friends 20th on last night (Saturday), drank lots of sweet drinks and cocktails – Felt secure, and safe and very happy. Got to know some I knew by faces only better on the night – it was fun.

It ended so early, met around 8.30pm to 9pm and people left before midnight. Everyone but me had gone by midnight – it felt so early as thou we were just starting but they had things they had to be up for in the morning for work or other things so headed off early.

I couldn’t go yet, I felt an urge to do … something, anything that didn’t involve heading strait to be – not sure I could have anyway with the amount of sugar I had drank – Merry is close to where I got, but was expecting to be out after 2 am so paced the drinks.

I wandered, alone watching the world around me. Noticed a HUGE wheel in middlesbrough where I think before there was a big bottle – maybe it just hides the bottle.

I wandered and went where I felt directed… In the end it was a giant square. I saw so much – so many “drunken” people – it didn’t look like they were having a great time. A LOT of police everywhere – especially on corners. I’ve not really been out in middlesbrough in a long time. I did on my 30th for a little while but not really gone out out… if that makes sense.

I enjoy dancing, and if I was aware that we were just going to be out pre-midnight, i’d have maybe organised to go to the salsa thing in stockton afterwards however didn’t go in the end. Got a taxi home around 1am – about an hour of wandering.

Apparently there was many from work out tonight – i didn’t see them, but was suprised at the sheer amount of people out – only realising its end of month at the end of the night which explains it a bit. Everyone Paid – so out to party.

I enjoyed the night but wanted it to be much longer. Do I appreciate it more as it was short? I dunno as it was so short.

Plans for sunday: Read more of “The colour of Magic” and meet with another friend. Really enjoying reading, althou it does take me quite a while.