Pro Life Propoganda

I went to church with mum last night. We both got a hymn book and a mass book and a church bulletin. But Mum also got a couple of pictures inside the bulletin as well. No one else seemed to have one but then I wasn't really paying attention and it may have been a 'in every few copies' thing. It wasn't until everyone went to communion and I was doing some reading off the back of the bulletin that I noticed the pictures properly. Very little shocks me any more, if anything it interests me. But when I showed it to Mum and she noticed the dead foetus she was horrified. We came back home and I showed them to Dad, and Martyn and Jen, all of them equally horrified at the fact someone could put something like that into a hymn book. But surely that's the point of the picture? If it offends us it's for a reason, this picture was surely always drawn to shock. But does that necessarily make it right to put it in there?? I'm a firm believer that we shouldn't necessarily be protected from anything. I will never apologise for studying God as I told someone last month who warned me to be careful. I wont avoid issues which don't fit in easily with what the Church teaches. And I positively watch and read things that contradict everything I've been brought up to believe and accept as truth. But in the way I don't expect to be protected, should these groups respect their sheep, let them see what they want to and protect them from what is uneasy. I want to say no, we should be able to talk, express our own opinions and yet tomorrow I'll go into school and teach the children all the things I've spent the last 2 years doubting, I'll encourage them to live the life I'm not able to live at the moment, and I'll protect them from the 'truth', as much as truth is ever true, by giving certainty in things we can never be certain of. Does that make me a hypercrite? Should I say yes, take that out of the hymn book or should I just understand that whatever position I take I'm going to be contradicting my own values and beliefs.

New Wigan Arcade

Had to pop into town today to pick up a couple of bits and pieces so decided to have a wander round the new arcade that opened this week. The grand opening is later on in April with McFly and the Wigan Youth Jazz Orchestra (that our Simon's playing in). It's nice inside, Wigan now have a H&M, a TJMax, a Waterstones (yay!!!!), a HMV, a Costa Coffee (which is good cos its fairtrade) all these shops that we've had to head to the city for in the past. I had a brief look, and they're not huge shops, the Waterstones for instance doesn't have an extensive RE section or choice of international language books. But it will do I suppose! The question is now whether or not it ruins the rest of the town. There's been talk of it creating a ghost town, and the galleries failing as the major shops have moved to the arcade, but I don't suspect it will make all that much difference. To say it's only been open for 3 days, I'm not denying it was packed inside today, but the rest of town was equally busy as well. We'll have to wait and see the long term effects though.

Premonitions

This week has been a long week in school. I've been up at 6am everyday and kept busy all day every day between re and the chaplaincy. But it's been good. A lot of what they teach isn't that different from what I learnt- I guess I'm not that old!- but one section I've enjoyed observing is the year 10 classes is religion in the media. Using films like Keeping the Faith and Sister Act, which I've bored you all to tears with in the past, the kids have been looking at what religious morals and issues come across in T.V and films. I went to the cinema tonight to chill with Jen. We had no idea what to watch and randomly chose Premonitions, with Sandra Bullock. It is packed with issues to do with the church, although almost subtly done, not appearing until three quarters of the way through the film. I've just been looking at some of the reports on the film and it's got a lot of criticisms. But for me, it was one of the best films I've seen in a long time. It's the sort of thing I'd have watched with Mis late at night last year, not my typical choice of genre, but definitely definitely worth seeing as far as I'm concerned!!

And just for a few thoughts, remembering the faith scene in keeping the faith, this one tells us 'Faith is just searching for somthing beyond yourself. like hope....and love' It also talks about the 'danger of the faithless' being a 'curse' or a 'miracle'. As usual I have my own opinion on these phrases but watch the film, and see what you think yourself!

September 2007: GTP

After a mad confusion this week I can now actually confirm, having spoken to the boss myself, that I'm all sorted for next year :-) I didn't know anything about the GTP course this time last year. I found out about it after the deadline and somehow managed to get scam them into giving me a late application. I was then in hospital when I found out about getting an interview and it was debatable whether or not I'd make the interview. Having been told in the interview that there were no spaces for R.E teachers available but that I had a good application so they were letting me through the first round anyway I figured that would be where it all ended. And somehow I've found that the school have made a place for me having decided not to put me through the second interview stage and skip to just offering me a place in the school next year to train to be a teacher. I'm still in complete and utter shock! I've gone from six days work experience to a permanent position next year and that really excites me and terrifies me at the same time! But it's a good school, I get on well with the Headteacher, Head of R.E and chaplaincy team and am looking forward to working with them all over the next twelve months. I thought you might all like to see the school that are destined to put up with me and if you're REALLY interested this is their website:
http://www.st-maryshigh.wigan.gateway.talmos.net/default.html
now I must go and live up to the G in GTP (Graduate Teacher Programme) and get that degree of mine!

communicating

Last January Jimmy introduced me over msn to facebook. It quickly became an excellent and easy way for me to contact my friends at home. I could poke them letting them know I was thinking about them while they were all busy with finals. When I came back home I was able to use it for communication with friends from Helsinki, especially recently as more of the Helsinki crew have joined it. I could also quickly make friends in Durham and not feel like I didn't know anyone as everyone started adding me. Then in the last few weeks it's started to take off with all the people I went to high school with, most of whom I haven't seen since I was 16. So all in all I've used it in a variety of ways to communicate with different areas of my life.
This year has been the first year that our freshers have had it since the beginning of their university career and we've seen groups set up like 'campaign to get x and y together- how fed up are you that they're not yet a couple' and little missions like that to thoroughly humiliate each other, which makes us look on and think 'thank God we didn't have it in our first year!'. Then this last week a student in Durham has died and his profile has been flooded with messages from friends. It was a completely surreal experience reading some of his wall and seeing a new way in which the same thing can be understood. I've been looking at the internet a lot recently for an area in my dissertation and how it can influence and portray specific groups. Communications a weird thing anyway, especially in writing. There can be no limits to interpretation but it just fascinated me how many depths could be found to something that actually has no depth at all.

Eurovision Final

It's nearly the Easter term...that means it's nearly Eurovision!!!! I went swimming with Becky yesterday and we were chatting about holding a Eurovision party this year. It's never been done officially before in college but it's kind of known to be a bar event so this year we want to go all out! (She says with her finals ahead of her!) I've just been sent James has a lot more information on this years competition in general so I wont repeat it (although I don't necessarily agree with some of his comments!!!) but bring on May 12th...it's going to be a good night!

Newsflash: Groundbreaking Discovery

I discovered today that the best thing in the whole world is...................Fresh Air!!!! Lol. Yes I think I am actually going insane. There's just four hours of lectures left of my degree and with 5 days left of being able to show my supervisor anything of my dissertation, I'm ever so slightly stressed out with work!!
For that reason I've been locked in my room for two full days. I stepped outside today and I can't even begin to describe the elation of, 'my God, how good is fresh air!', and instead of staying in and doing some work I went for a walk for a little over an hour. It was amazing!!! I fully recommend it anytime...
Having said that, last night I had a CD on and was like, how beautiful is Pachelbel's Canon (whatever Rob Paravonian might say!) I think I'm that absorbed in my degree I've become overly appreicative of everything!!
So while I'm on the recommendations rant...yesterday I watched a film with some of the girls in college. We watched Devil's Advocate because two of them hadn't seen it before, and if you've not seen it you HAVE to. One of my lecturers gave a talk last week on the Devil in Cinema and he said it was his favourite portrayal of the Devil. But it's one of Keanu Reeves' better films and Al Pacino is just amazing (as usual). Definitely, definitely worth a watch.
I also started listening to the song 'The Spanish Train' by Chris de Burgh to see whether it was relevant to my dissertation. I don't think it's stopped playing since. I'm worried as to how fond I've become of it, and even dedicated a whole section of a chapter to a theme around it- I like it :-)
And last but most definitely not least we watched a French-Canadian film in our lecture course a couple of weeks ago. It's called Jesus of (de) Montreal and is directed by Deny Arcand. It's become a firm favourite of mine and I've been sat looking at it on play.com and amazon since wondering if I should just blow the money and buy it (which I'm blatently going to do). It's not as hardcore as the other Jesus films we've been watching as it's an allegory rather than a biopic, but it is absolutely outstanding. Everyone must see it!! It's just...amazing. So if you're looking for something to do this Easter- watch this!

Catholic laughs

For the last thirty or so hours I've been completely engrossed in my dissertation, I have to be! Today I've been writing about a Bishop who exorcised ghosts from Oxford Road Football Club, an airport, in Thailand, who felt they were cursed and needed to be exorcised before any more planes could leave, a shoe shop who believed their shoes were possessed by a ghost, celebrities hiring exorcists so they can get married in haunted castles and a church named after Tom Jones in California that uses his music for baptisms, marriages, funerals and exorcisms!
I've just come across a joke published by a Catholic writer. Apparently he told people to lighten up on religion and get a sense of humour and everyone wrote back saying you never make fun of the Catholics! And this was what he wrote:
'Have you heard about the new method of Catholic exorcism? The mother phones the Devil to get the priest out of the child'
hehe. Having been known as 'the priestmaker' for a number of years that joke feels dangerously familiar!!
The small article then finishes with 'See, us Catholics can give it and take it. So to speak.' ahem, I'll let you decide exactly what he means by that!!

theology laughs

After a talk tonight a couple of us went for a drink and I couldn't help but laugh when Mat said (in quite a surprised- the stereotypes are really true?!- voice) 'aren't scandinavians really serious!!!' and proceded to tell a story of someone in the department this lunchtime. But what has really made me smile, in addition to Theo saying when I go and visit her in San Diego we'll go to the Creationism Museum dressed as gorilla's with an umbrella and very 'English' accents, is this quote that she put on her facebook status that reads as follows...
"Consider the problems of taking showers with [Christians]. They are, after all, constantly going on about the business of witnessing in the hopes of making converts to their God and church. Would you want to shower with such people? You never know when they might try to baptize you!" Stanley Hauerwas, "Why Gays (as a Group) Are Morally Superior to Christians (as a Group)." The Hauerwas Reader pp.519-21.
I'm sure the amusement, tickling inside of me shouldn't be so sinister!!!

small mercies

It was in first year that I heard that during the results period in June they close the towers in the Cathedral so that students can't do anything stupid...
Maybe it's just that time of year, or the fact there's still so much to do and no time to do it. February was a particularly tough month for me, and when I wasn't in trouble I was causing it because of everything else going on. It all reached it's climax last Wednesday (28th) when I had a dissertation meeting. Two hours of tears later my supervisor had cancelled most of my terms work and set me a specific timetable for the next week. Tonight I was beginning to panic again having sat staring at a computer screen most of the week so I took myself out of my room and to H House. When I went in they were having a discussion about who has less value and should die! It's also a well known fact that if someone in your house commits suicide you get a 2.1 for that year because of the grief and trauma (or at least that's the rumour...I don't know how true it is- thankfully!) The difference with this discussion was the willingness to volunteer from people! It's dissertation time, everyone's out of their mind with stress and I don't think things are going to be as bad during exams but we'll have to wait and see! In the meantime I did actually get some work done. Not a great amount but more than I would have done in my room (the irony that more work gets done in a suicidal room than in my room full of happy photos and music) so at least I have something to show on Wednesday now :-)

Close-knit communities

On Thursday I bumped into a mate of mine in town. I did music A level with Ed at Runshaw and then the week after our exams he moved down south. Ed went on to do a gap year and then came to Durham to do music in my second year. We've probably seen each other 5 or 6 times since (Although he was actually in Helsinki for a few days last Easter when I was there...) So as usual it was a HEY!!! event. He introduced me to the person he was talking to at the time saying 'Ben this is Maria who did A level music with me'. Ben said, yeah you know her brother don't you? To which I thought...how does he know who I am?! And Ed said, yeah I did an education module with Martyn in first year. What?!? The next night I went to Jazz Rock and Cocktails and Ed comes in! Twice in two days...wow. Ben comes over to talk to us (apparently he's from Aidan's) and introduces Ed to Jonny, his house mate and band mate, who happens to do theology with me. Meanwhile I find out that Beckie who was the first person I met this year in the theology department lived with Ed last year. Agggggghhhhhh!!!!!!!! Durham's claustrophobicness. A blessing or a curse?! I'm off teaching now where I become Miss Bajkowski for the afternoon anc none of this incestuous closed world goes on!

making maps

I just typed 'uk map' into google as last week I was trying to explain where places were for the kids when we were reading a book. I resolved to take a map of the UK and a map of the world with me this week. So I found a clear enough map and printed it off. When I went to pick it up from the printer there were random comments made on certain places in the UK which could only have been made by someone in Durham. 1.- What are the chances of the 859,000 maps available, that I chose this one to print off. 2.- How completely and utterly random!

An eclipse of thoughts

Tonight was another Jazz, Rock and Cocktail evening in the JCR. I didn't really get any sleep yesterday and have consequently sat for about 6 hours today staring at the computer screen and getting nowhere with my dissertation. I'd promised to ring home this weekend and so on the way went to visit Becky. Having just split up with her girlfriend this week and needing a shoulder of support I somehow found myself going along with her to the JCR when all I really wanted to do was curl up in my own room and sulk! Half way through the evening someone announced that there was a lunar eclipse happening outside, so out we all ran to have a look. I guess it was exciting to begin with, I don't know- astronomy's something that's never particularly bothered me, probably because it scared me so much when I was little. All around me everyone was talking about how unimpressive it was, and how it was probably better to see elsewhere in the world to England and it was at this point that I was drawn into the conversation. Someone else said that it was a great astronomical thing to see and someone else said it was more of a great theological thing to witness (?!) It reminded me of the film Angela's Ashes and the way in the film it represents an end and a new beginning, and it made me think about what else may seem so different in other parts of the world, and how things are in this country. And things in my life at the minute that are ending and beginning. And my degree. And the world. And then we got bored, and went back in to watch the rest of the performances!

Munchkin!!!

Went to Stuart and 'Tasia's last night for Stuart's '16th Birthday Party'. He was talking about being 28 on the 28th, and with horror I realised that this year I'm 23 on the 23rd...I'm getting old... But I was sat with my lecturer at the time who's 31 and Stuart and 'Tasia, I couldn't get too distraught!! I wasn't really looking forward to last night, I wanted to stay in and sort out my life but went along anyway. We had a really good night. Towards the end of the night they decided to start playing a game called Munchkin!!!!! :-) I was so tired, I couldn't tell you the rules really. I just sat there looking vacant whilst hiding the cards me and Davina weren't supposed to have and looking after our levels so no one else knew how we were doing, while occassionally throwing frogs (that were part of my 'Princess Maria' party bag) at Pam when we got the card 'flying frogs'. I just got very excited that there was an actual game called Munchkin! Think that may have to be an investment at some point in the future...