Home alone!

This week is half term, which means... nothing! I still have work, I still have Uni work and meetings to attend. That kinda sucks! But on the plus side my housemate has gone away for the week! Don't get me wrong, he's great, but it feels brilliant to have a nice big house all to myself. Delicious. I've decided that too reward myself for completing my first year at Uni (a bit advanced I know), that I will buy myself a dart board. I will put up in the living room and enjoy playing darts so that I can actually get to a level where I can play in a pub and not get kicked out for making holes in the wall.

I imagine that my house will gradually get in a worse state over the next few days, but I think I'll try to increase it, not just maintain it, but increase the quality of it! A tough challenge, but I'll keep you updated. My mentor suggested that I should look after my house as it sets the tone for other aspects of our lives. We shall see if that works.

With regards to my previous blog... I guess I'm trying to block it out really, pretend it doesn't exist. It does of course, but I'm just distracting myself. Is that healthy? No idea.

Not understanding.

I just found out that someone I know has been taken from us. He was a guy who worked for YFC last year so I knew of him, but as a result of doing Sports Team meant that I knew him a bit. My housemate told me 10 minutes ago and I don't know what I'm thinking. I dont understand, I know that much. There's friends of mine that know him better than I do and I guess that's what I'm concerned about. I don't feel its healthy to go into too much detail on here about how he died but it does leave me with questions about how this could have happened. This is helping though, I'm collecting my thoughts and trying to make sense them so that I can type, that helps. I dont understand why God allows this to happen. Someone so young going in a tragic way when there was SO much potential. Is there anything that we (or YFC) could have done better to support him and give him accountability. Is that our fault? Was it God's plan? How does that fit in pre-destination?? Flippin heck! This is shit. I guess I'll post updates on my thoughts here as I need to sort my head out somehow. In the mean time I guess I should pray. But what the hell for?!?! COME ON!! I NEED ANSWERS LORD! But I'm placing it in your hands cos I trust and love You!

Zone 1 Day

Friday (the 20th) saw the second Zone 1 London Underground Challenege. 29 of us, in 18 teams met at Oxford Circus to sort out details, such as team names (thought mine was quite clever!) and which station we all started from. I only decided to take part the evening before and therefore didn't have a route. So once the start station was decided I wrote out a new route in about 10 minutes. Some people had VERY detailed routes for each possible start station (and there were 34 of them!!). So at about 1pm I set off eastbound from St James Park armed with my AFC shirt, a travelcard, a bit of paper and a bottle of water. I did not have a Way Out map, which is vital to shave seconds and minutes off your journey but I still managed to come 7th which was the highest placed "Zone 1 Virgin". My time of 3h10m51s was over 40 minutes quicker than last place and only 13 minutes slower than 1st! A bit more research and effort and who knows! I've done the whole system 3 times but I'd never done Zone 1 on its own. I was happy with 7th! The next Zone 1 day is planned for September some time, let me know if you wanna run round with me - it is GREAT exercise. Check out the Tube Challenge link on the side for more details. Highlights were meeting everyone from the online community, having only met Geoff before it was great to put faces to names. Another highlight was Anthony's rap CD. Hilarious! Oh and we all went down the pub after we'd finished!

Belgium Guanabana Results

Tim has now sampled the wonderful delight of Guanabana - however he was not quite as impressed... "it wasn't exactly a party in my mouth and everyone's invited, but it is good and i'll get it again". So that is a thumbs up, just not one to write home about (or write a blog about?!). I began wondering as to why he wasn't dancing around Liverpool Street naked after tasting the Rubicon delight. My conclusion was this... and that is to fully appreciate Guanabana, one needs to sample it with a Chicken Roll Naan Bread from H&H (and therefore needs to sampled in St Albans as well). So Tim, come to St Albans and we will have parties in our mouths!

Deepening of the blog...

I have been challenged tonight by a certain Kieran Murphy, I don't really know Kieran, but I do know King. This evening I discovered his blog and probably for the first time I discovered aspects of Kieran and not King. And i liked! Bit of background for you all here... I used to work with King at LCET last year. He is a VERY funny guy and I loved spending time in the office with him. To say that we had a shallow relationship was probably quite fair. Very much based on humour and not a lot else. Certainly a wasted opportunity.

This brings up issues from last year. Mainly I was questioning as to why I did not have any REAL friends. Only now can I say that I am fortunate enough to have friends who honestly care, thanks largely to Soul Survivor. But I yearn for those friendships to have good solid roots. Looking back I questioned why this had not happened sooner. I questioned whether it was because I was commiting too much time to my work or to my then girlfriend. But I quickly realised that this was not true at all, not even close. I only saw her every 2 weeks (at the most) and in between that I had the right balance of rest, play and work and all the way through this she was committed to praying for me to have good strong male friends, and now thanks to the mercy and grace of God that has happened.

But why not sooner? I was changing as a person over the summer months of starting CYM. I was not happy with just being the joker and wanted people to see who I was, which is slowly taking shape. My blog has mostly been about jokey and shallow stuff (and food and drink... explains quite a bit!), but I feel challenged to let others know what I'm feeling but at the same time to not just restrict my true feelings to the computer. Don't worry though, I will still be posting random items of fun (I know you loved the Guanabana one!), that's part of who I am (the fun part - not the Guanabana). It's a question of revealing the true me, and that is a subtle (why have a B in subtle?!) blend of humour and a deep caring side. Feel free to explore...

And Finally... to all you Kieran's out there, don't be afraid to come out into the open. People will still remember and love King, but they will love and envelop the Kieran side of you too. Here's to you King Kieran!

Home sweet home!

I've been pondering recently as to where my "home" is. I work in Hertford/Ware, live in Luton, parents live in St Neots, and my friends (mostly) live in St Albans and of course I support Wimbledon. There are cases for which is my home for all places but Wimbledon gets discounted straight away. I love the place, and am investing in the club for at least 5 years and therefore am investing in the community but to call it my home would be ridiculous. St Neots also gets chalked off the list due to the fact that I did not grow up there and only lived for 8 (excellent) months. I like St Neots a lot and enjoy my visits back there (which I should really do more often) but again St Neots isn't my home.

So that leaves me with Hertford/Ware, Luton and St Albans. The reason why I'm thinking about this is because I need to work out 2 things for the academic year. Firstly where I'm going to live and secondly where I am going to go to church. St Albans is a brilliant city, I love the people there so much, the nightlife is excellent, the church life is prosperous and there is a great sense about it that easy to spot and capture. This mix of course makes house prices huge and due to this I believe I cannot live there next year. Having tried a few churches has been good, and I know it will take time to became part of the community of a church but the time I can invest is limited. So St Albans is awesome, but it isnt my home, but I can EASILY see it becoming that one day.

That leaves two options, Luton and Ware.

I grew up in Ware for near enough 18 years and have never felt as at home at a church like I have done at Christ Church Ware. I love the church but I'm not sure how much I love the town of Ware. I love the memories but is this combination enough to call it a home? My family home where I grew up is lived in by my brother and sister-in-law and soon a nephew/niece of mine :). I have been working at Christ Church since shortly before easter helping to run the two youth groups which I came through the ranks of. I have a huge heart for the youth setup of the church and desperately want to invest in this. But I do not know if I can live there. The town doesn't have a nice nightlife (don't feel safe) and my friends feel a long way away in St Albans.

Luton is awesome and I love it. Negatives of me living there: little friends (number not height), and further from work. Positives: cheap rent, great house, good housemate and the town has a great sense of God doing great works in it. I really do love Luton. Ive done a LOT of growing up in Luton, mostly mental and spiritual, but also physical (belly). At this crucial time of year I have no major yearning to leave Luton, I can pray for the town whilst living here and possibly invest financially in the minstry here too. Since leaving St Hugh's I have not been able to find a church that captures me, probably quite a big problem.

So in conclusion... very little! I would LOVE your comments on this. Can i have two homes? can I invest in two home towns? Does Ware have a Guanabana outlet? Leave your comments, either serious or jokey ones and I'd love you for that!

Embracing Belgium!

My good friend Tim, who I "study" with text me t'other night! He has been reading my blog and had two separate things to say. I don't have a photo of him on my computer so I've put the two best photos I have to sum him up...



Firstly he wanted to get him a can of Guanabana to bring to Uni for him to sample. Cracking news! The love of the drink will soon be spreading... worldwide! (well, Belgium). Secondly he has informed me the answer to a question I asked early on in my blog which was along the lines of "is the word blog in the dictionary". His answer goes like this (in a weird Flemish accent)...

"...blog is short for Weblog, and no, it's not in the dictionary."

Thankyou for that Tim, that makes a lot of sense.

Grounds 83 - 87

In my mind I had planned to update each time I'd been to a new ground. But I forgot. I apologise. So here's the updates pop pickers!

Ground 83 - Tooting & Mitcham United FC
Ground 84 - Enfield Town FC
Ground 85 - Burgess Hill Town FC
Ground 86 - West Ham United FC
Ground 87 - Woking FC


Tooting & Mitcham Utd is a swish new ground. I had to leave about 10 minutes early when we (AFC) were losing 1-0. We came back to level 1-1 so it was all sweetness. Really impressed by the terracing here. 6/10

Enfield Town. Why did I go? Great question! Wanted to go to a new ground really. AFC Ladies were playing away here and I popped down on the train. Missed the connection and got there 10 minutes late (stupid boy) and have to leave 5 minutes early to get the train back. Still I saw most of the goals in a 7-2 thriller (!) (to AFC of course!). This poor ground was done favours by the sunshine. But they're improving all the time! 3/10


Burgess Hill Town Since Enfield it had been 2 weeks and I was thirsty for grounds and Burgess (in the depths of Sussex) was to be the first of 3 new grounds in 4 days! Hot day, beer on tap, last day of the season. Did I care for the football? Well not really, just enjoyed watching and not chanting (for once) whilst soaking up some rays! Shocking ground by the way! 3/10

West Ham United To all men - I apologise for going to this game. FA Womens Cup Final. I was embarassed. New ground though! That's why I went! Football quality was surprisingly good, crowd was shocking in numbers and quality but the ground was delicious. Just one side of the ground let it down. But thats ok. Gives it some charm! 8/10

Woking Great night out! Cup Final with AFC at what appears to be a great ground. And it was for the setting. We had the best (and only) stand, 2000 of us going mental. Rest of the ground was shocking and non league to a tee! This stand was championship standard. Extra mark for a memorable night. 6/10

The drink for all...

Ok so first of all I apologise for the long delay in blogging! no excuse. i'm sorry. suitable punishments on a postcard! my favourite kebab place in the world, H&H, is very famous for its Chicken Roll Naan Bread (£2.90), and the normal tradition amongst the St Albans people is to get a Rubicon Guanabana to compliment it (60p). The first time I tried it I was amazed, a fizzy drink that it absolutley spot on! Just one problem however! It seemed like H&H was the only place that sold this canned delight from heaven. Kebab shops that sold Rubicon didn't have Guanabana flavour, very disappointing!

But then the world became a brighter place when the shop next to my house changed its fridges, they expanded, and all of a sudden Guanabana had moved 12 miles up the road to Luton! Praise Jesus! AND it's only 50p there! Other places have since been spotted selling it and they are Morden Tube Station and Treats (Liverpool St). Seriously you have to sample this drink, most recommended with a Chicken Roll from H&H.