The New (Old) Look

New Years Eve with a few friends...
So, Kate says, "My resolution would be to get rid of those [dreadlocks]".

To which I, naturally, say, "Well then, my resolution is to keep them for the year!"

(Or was it the other way around: with Kate provoked by me? Hmmm...)

Tuesday evening (just gone) was the night of the grand chop. All 31 of the little blighters were given the chop and this shows the very last one. A great way to lose 90gms in an evening. Not much, you might say - ah, but that's when they're dry.

People keep asking why, why, why? Fair enough question, I suppose, but not one with a very succinct answer. Ask me about it sometime, if you're got a while to kill ;)

So, folks, here's your final chance. Say your farewells to this guy for the last time:

My New Year's Resolution in Tatters

A handful of you might remember my and Katie's New Year's resolutions for this year. They're not the sort of things we usually go in for; in fact, even this time, I think they were in answer to a question like, 'If you had to come up with a resolution, what would it be?'

Well, I broke mine.

And, Kate kept hers.

Any guesses for what they were? (Next post when there's a correct answer in the comments!)

Goodbye OT Essay, Hello Holidays

This arvo I finished-off my Old Testament essay. Holidays at last :) The end result is less-than-perfect, but you've got to draw the line somewhere I guess.

I read a whole bunch of stuff for my essay. One thing that stood out was a chapter from Hays' From Every People and Nation: A Biblical Theology of Race. I'm a continually impressed by that series: it's fresh, it's rigorous, it's tight, it's biblical theology. (Köstenberger & O'Brien's Salvation to the Ends of the Earth is also proving very good).

On a very cool note, our friends Pete and Pamela recently upgraded their espresso machine and donated their old baby to us! Gosh the College community is generous. As much as we might talk about our difficulties in settling in, there is no question that you'd be hard-pressed to find a more caring bunch than we have around us here. Praise God for 'em.

In other news, our little family is planning on escaping the hum for a few days next week. We'll let you know how that goes.

Coffee & Ethics

No, this isn't a post on Rainforest Alliance v. exploitative trade regimes.

Lovell Roasters - are some boys from college who roast their own coffee (single origin and blends). Kate and I have been enjoying their wares over the last month or so. College is something of a congregating point for rather brilliant people with buckets of initiative, so it's no surprise to me to find people creating their own coffee roasting machines and such. They also offer a cut price deal for the college community. Hats-off to them.

Oliver O'Donovan - For three evenings last week I went to the New College Lectures 2007. It was entirely voluntary (they're a UNSW thing). I won't pretend to summarise what O'Donovan had to say; I'm sure I'd fail dismally! The mp3s / transcripts will be available for download from their site very soon - so check them out if you're interested.

But to give you some idea, he spoke about stuff like ideals and compromise; he explored the (biblical) metaphor of 'wakefulness' for moral reasoning; he spoke about admiring the good in this world and the significance of gratitude. I guess you could say the lectures were foundational, in the sense that they outlined the under-girding of a moral framework, but they were by-no-means simple. I'm glad I went; but I'm glad that this week I'll have the evenings at home :)

In other news: Term 3 is finished. I'm writing an essay on Israel and the other nations in the book of Deuteronomy (very interesting; should touch on stuff like genocide). And, if you haven't already seen it, you must check out the walking-video on Noah's blog.