Archive for the ‘Personal’ Category
July 24th, 2006
Has it really been over 12 months since I last went camping? But it was certainly worth the wait! Last week we’d had some of the hottest temperatures on record, and looking forward to a camp weekend was just the thing I needed to get me through the work week.
As the weekend approached, it got hotter and hotter and as temperatures soared to the mid 30s the good old bbc weather told me there was torrential rain forecast for Saturday in Derbyshire. Well, the weather didn’t disappoint! Amazing lightening and the welcome refreshment the rain brought just added to the fun of the weekend.
So as the rain set in we decided to visit some caves called the Devil’s Arse, so called because of the wet farting noises the river makes when it’s draining away post-flood. Unfortunately we didn’t get to hear the cave’s flatulence, but we did have a very interesting cave guide. She was magnificent to say the least!
Anyway, we got some cool photos, so if you’re interested have yourself a look.
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July 10th, 2006
according to the Wayback Machine roobottom dot com is 5 years old, erm, yesterday! Given my lack of posting lately, it’s surprising I remembered at all, but being just a single day late is pretty good going I think.
While we’re on the subject of posting, give Steve’s Webcam a look, you may at first glance think “this is just a webcam of a random back garden” and you’d probably be right, but if you’re into piles of wood or indeed when he does get the archives working on the offical site you can probably spot me getting out of the car at around 3.30pm yesterday (9th July)… Then you’ll, you know, love it.
OK, sorry, but that’s it again for now. Why? Simply because I don’t feel like writing much at the moment. I know I must be disappointing litterely tens of fans, but you guys will have to cope without me for a while. sorry.
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June 13th, 2006
I’m taking a short break from writing. I’m just feeling particularly uninspired at the moment, and anything I could bring you would just be for the sake of, and sub-standard.
I’ll still be adding photos and live links so keep an eye on them. Thanks for every one’s support and comments over the last year or so, It’s made it all worth it. Here’s hoping I’ll be able to restore usual service ASAP.
Jon Roobottom.
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May 31st, 2006
Today I was reminded again of 1 Corinthians 13, verses 4 - 7 especially.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
It never says it’s easy, never an instant happily ever after, but always striving. Christian or not, I hope that these words are universally true.
Photograph by CookieChick079
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May 8th, 2006
I occasionally give my brain over to thinking about things. One of these things recently has been this very blog/diary/random crap generator which you (you lucky person) are currently reading. Besides pondering over the general design and, dare I say it, new features, I’ve been pondering the content.
Usually ideas for new posts come to me and I mental write them before I sit down at the keyboard. Then I’ll write a little of what I intended, and completely change it. Let me give you an example, are you sitting comfortably? Good, then I’ll begin.
The other week I watched a film called “Dead Man Walking“, which I thought was going to be a load of old crap but turned out to be one of the best films I’d seen in ages. It’s about a nun who befriends a murderer on death row. She shows him the kind of love and compassion you read about Jesus giving people, despite the fact that this guy is a rapist and murderer and everyone else sees him as nothing more than an animal. And it got me thinking what an awesome dude that Jesus guy was, that his message of love made him so dangerous that the authorities put him to death. All this in an age where things like stoning a woman to death for adultery was par-for-the-course. He really did give hope to the hopeless.
And then I think, nah, I couldn’t possibly write about that. I get half way through writing a post, and give up, or it gets stored in my ever growing unpublished folder. So I know I don’t need your permission to write about anything that inspires me, but what do you want? What are the things you’ve enjoyed reading (if anything) over the last few months? What are the things you’ve hated?
As per usual… Over to you.
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May 4th, 2006
After nearly two years I’m moving on from Michelle’s cell group. Steve, Gill & I are joining a brand new cell based in Coalpool, which should prove to be both extremely interesting and no doubt challenging.
While I’m keen to see what the new cell will bring, tonight has also given me a chance to reflect on the journey I started at the end of an Alpha in Michelle’s living room what seems like a life time ago. I’ll miss my weekly meetings with all these guys, it’s been interesting to say the least, and without doubt a lot a fun!
Onwards and upwards. For His glory.
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April 5th, 2006
We watched the Constant Gardener last Tuesday night, which Paul told me was called the Uphill Gardener so really didn’t want to watch it. For those who haven’t seen it, I really would recommend giving it a go, I’m not going to bother explaining the plot (you can read about it on imdb if you’re really that interested) but suffice to say it’s set in Africa, and shows in no uncertain terms the sometimes brutal existence that people live.
The film catalyzed me into writing about something I’ve been thinking about for the last few weeks: How privileged I am.
When McClegg got back from India, he had lots of stories about the absolute poverty that people find themselves in. I can’t even begin to imagine living that life, the gulf between my luxury existence and the hand-to-mouth living that many of this world’s inhabitants endure is almost insurmountable.
As the old saying goes…
It could be worse
…and yes indeed it could be a lot worse. So this got me thinking about “accident” of birth. Is it pure chance that you are born into the family and circumstances you have? Does God control it? If so, it may seem a little unfair that I’m enjoying my decadent life while there are people suffering all over the world from a variety of different evils. I guess we could look at the “big” picture and say that everyone is dying, and the only purpose of this life is to drive us closer to our maker / the answers / any other generic thing that we as a species seek on a day-to-day basis.
I’ll admit, I don’t have the first idea. So over to you guys, no pressure, but I’m relying on you to give me a definitive answer to this…
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March 23rd, 2006
How cool am I? (By the way, this is a rhetorical question, I don’t expect an answer cos I already know). Last night I bravely dived all the way down the stairs. With no thought of my own safety, I heroically lunged down what must have been about 100 steps.
Ok, back to reality. Last night I fell down the stairs. But as Matt pointed out I did the classic ’slide’ manoeuvre instead of the more deadly ‘tumble’. Yeah, so, I’m a bit banged up but nothing I can’t handle (at this point I want ladies to my left for sympathy and dudes to my right for high-fives).
Are there more ways of falling down stairs? In fact it doesn’t have to be stairs, it could be any household obstacle. Have I accidentally invented the coolest new sport since extreme championship dominoes? I mean I’m not recommending you try this one at home kids, unless like me you have Elly to catch you. But I think there may be potential for this sport at the Olympics. Keep an eye out for it.
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March 22nd, 2006
I had such an awesome day yesterday as Josie very kindly let me shadow her teach. Yeah, I was a bit nervous but also dead excited to be out of the office and having fun with a bunch of kids all day. Some of you will know that it’s crossed my mind to go do teacher training in September, so wanted to see what it was all about before I signed up to anything.
It’s weird seeing one of your friends tech a bunch of 8 and 9 year old, to me it doesn’t seem all that long ago that I was their age. I was really impressed with the way she controlled the class, and the obvious affection the kids had for her.
I’ve got to say, teachers work damn hard. They work their collective asses off. Which is a big sticking point for me. It’s not that I’m adverse to a bit of hard work (ahem) but quite a lot of the paperwork seems so unneseccary. I can’t imagine anyone becoming a teacher unless they had a passion for working with kids, and the government seems to be squashing this by putting undue pressure on hard working school staff.
I’m not really ruling out teaching as a possibility, but I’ve spoken to entirely too many people in the profession that are bitter about the workload. I dunno, we’ll see. It’d be good to check out a few more schools (and years) first I think.
The best bit of the day for me was thirty-five manic kids singing me the bumble-bee song. Awesome!
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February 28th, 2006
Over a week since my last post!? I’d been really getting into this writing thing too. To be honest with you I have six draft posts that I’ve half written and not published. Mainly because I’d write a line and then think “Crap, what would people think if they read that?” and given up and gone off to write about “safer” subjects.
Much like Lloydy I have a great desire to spew for all to read (or, in this case, not), but to construct posts of intelligence and wit (feel free to laugh out loud at this concept) and NOT the arbitrary “Today I went to the loo three times, and had corned beef hash for my tea”.
So then what am I trying to say? Maybe nothing, maybe I’m filling the void - bridging the gap until I have something remotely interesting to say. Or grow some balls and say what I really mean.
Until then, I hope this has kept you relatively entertained. I’m glad I could fill up 16 seconds of you day.
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