St Marks Fitzroy

Alright! I love going for the Chorale concerts at the St. Marks Fitzroy, a beautiful Gothic bluestone church building. Yesterday was no exception. they sang from mainly sacred music songs from the 16th - 18th century. The singing was extraordinary. Sweet, divine, melodic, angelic, holistic, soulful, harmony in perfection, extraordinary. I can't get enough of this kind of singing. its like candy for the ears.

In contrast, the singing and music at my pentecostal church in Surrey Hills was ... loud and noisy in comparison imho.

Which makes it a little bit sad. The loud, noisy kind of music- full of clashing cymbals- is popular. The young people - people of my generation and younger- simply don't care for the older Sacred music. Don't care or even... detest. This to me- plus the rise of (80% of) Modern Art- is a damn good sign that the world is coming to an end- that people have abandoned the good and cling to the bad and ugly.

I usually ask a few pple from my church and fellowship to attend the St Marks concert. But hardly anyone comes.

Its sad. The singers were singing mainly to an empty church. Tragic.

Meanwhile, my Surrey Hills church is planning to purchase a warehouse site to build a multimillion dollar building.

I wish they would consider purchasing or using the buildings used by older traditional churches. They are beautiful with their stain glass, gothic designs, and teak flooring. Most of these churches are also dying out as their congregation gets older. Its very sad. Its my prayer that the newer (pentocostal churches) would try and cooperate and help out in these older churches. There's still much to learn from them. It might also temper the more radical loose cannons that we have in the new churches.

But spending money is easier than cooperating.

Australia post and ebay

Just received a handmade vintage chess (50+ years old) set from England, over a 1000 miles away. I was amazed at the speed of the delivery. I bought it on 17th Feb. It took less than 10 days to get here by surface mail! Woah!!! And the delivery cost was about AUD$5.50 (B$2.30). Compare that to a book I bought from Frankston, Victoria, 2 hours drive from my place (also from ebay) which cost me $9! Australia Post is really strange.

First Post

Hi and welcome to my blog. I'll try and be as candid as possible here. But first up - something about me. To give me something to write about occasionally- I'll try and ration things out.

I like running listening to Linkin Park. I'd put on my CD player. Put in a burnt copy of "running music" which includes the movie soundtrack to Last of the Mohicans, Rent Lola, Gattaca, and Linkin Park. Running is a terribly boring event- from one point of view. What's the purpose anyhow? You're just running to get fit. But you're also running nowhere. In the past, you had to run- to deliver stuff- messages, food, medicine etc.. Now you're just running.

Listening to running music helps me - enter into that zone. What or where is "that zone" Its a bit like praying or meditation. Your body metabolism starts to kick in- your brain starts pumping endorphins. And you are just in an amazing place.

The question is how to get there? Waking up at 6 in the morning, gritting your teeth in bold determination- doesn't quite help. I get my hifi player to schedule a song from Last of the Mohicans- I think its called the Deer Hunt. It starts off with a dull slow drum beat. That's the first thing i hear in the morning. Then I put on my running gear, put on my CD walkman, and out the door I go. No fuss. No need for car keys. Just Go!

I run to a park close to my home- Ruffey's Park. Its about 3km there. The walk/run circuit in Ruffey's Park is about 4 km. Then its another 3km run back home. Ordinarily, I'd only be able to run 5 km. But by pushing myself that much farther and stepping off. You push yourself to run that much extra. Somehow the run back home - flies by. I distract myself by thinking of taking a hot shower, hot breakfast, hot coffee. mmm.