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I’m feelin’ a little weird doing this. It was hilariously funny. They sussed it out and sent a nice little apology.
Why am I doing this. Well just to follow up on the story. Maybe I should have just left it at that. But what the heck.
from Clint Word <cword@godtube.com>
to
date Wed, Mar 5, 2008 at 10:36 PM
subject GodTube Customer Care
Dear Members,
At GodTube, we take the responsibility of monitoring site content 24 hours a day very seriously. We are the Christian site where you can feel assured you will find clean images and dialog.
We’ve been made aware that on March 4, you may have received an email that appeared to be from our Customer Care department. If you did receive the email, we offer our apologies. The subject line and content of the email was not GodTube sanctioned messaging nor does it fit within our standards. We have taken appropriate measures to lesson future occurrences.
Your support is vital to our continued success and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any questions, feel free to contact our Customer Care department.
The GodTube Team
Why am I am member? I really don’t know. But for this I’m glad I am.
So. It’s here. Christmas. You may be reading this on Christmas day. What are you doing on the Internet on Christmas day? Family sucks? Guess its the problem a lot of people have. Understandable. Boxing day? Again, why aren’t you opening all those boxes? Not believe in Christmas? Again, Family suck? It’s okay, I understand.
Yeah Christmas has come once again. It always comes quicker than expected. It’s really only in the last two or three years that I have begun to realise the real meaning of Christmas - though I can’t help but put a pause in that sentence and ask for a hands-up for all those who really celebrate Christmas today? Very few of you, I’m not entirely surprised. I’m not big fan of the real meaning behind Christmas, though I am a fan of the fact that family will always play a big part in the meaning of Christmas for me.
Though in this Christian country and time of Christian celebration I feel that it would be a good time to think of all those who will not get presents in this time of giving. Yes, lets take some time to reflect all those who will not be given gifts by their loved ones. Lets think about the non-Christians.
It’s a strange thing to think about, though having recently, be-friended someone of a non-Christian up-brining, it has made me think about those who don’t know of Christmas and the traditions that revolve around it. I have never known someone who didn’t know of Christmas and the ways in which it works. Simple things like Christmas Crackers - I was even asked what the meaning was behind them. I’m going to guess it’s just a part of the celebration, happiness and so forth - and probably of pagan origins.
I believe we should spend time reflecting on those who don’t have anything to celebrate on this Tuesday…
Well, in the last week or so there have been a few gigs, I had my last few days of work until this Friday, a whole week off work, and general partying. Having spent the the last three nights drinking, plus tonight if you include the wine I polished off.
On Thursday I made the decision to go to Gifted in the Empire. Starting promptly at 9:30pm, Geoff Gatt got the small crowd warmed up for what was to come, with a full band, so to speak; camel on lovely vocals and occasionally gazing lovingly into the eyes of Geoff as he sang songs likely to have been inspired by her. He was also joined by Bongo John on the bongos and Cully of the Delawares on bass guitar. This was I’m sure an attempt to create a fuller sound for the Empire’s large hall, though so early in the night and with so few punters through the door as would soon cross the threshold it wasn’t as well received as it one day will be, though none of that could possibly have taken away from the Geoff the great entertainer.
Cat Malojian, were next to the stage, hailing from Lurgan they have a brilliant sound which I have longed to hear since first seeing them perform in May of this year as part of the NIMIC CD launch in Custom House Square. They were great.
I hadn’t heard of Kryon and The Strangels before just a few weeks ago, though having listened to their Myspace tracks a few days before the gig I found myself singing along, which was nice, and doesn’t often happen. Check out the tune ‘Walking My Dog’!
The Delawares. Not to seem blasé about them. In fact not in the slightest. If I ever say ‘they were as good as ever,’ I mean that with the deepest respect and love. For I do love their music immensely, and each time they play I don’t understand why they are not bigger that they are. Well in a way I do, if analysed, maybe something to do with the fact that it’s not completely ‘mainstream’ music. But that is the idea. Their music is not mainstream at all. They never claim to put under that huge umbrella of ‘popular’ music. But someone please see the large audience, and potential audience they have!
On Friday Boathouse played at Common Grounds Café. They were superb as always.
Serpentine Smile also played, I’ve only managed to see them since beginning a few months ago. Paul’s song writing is great and the music that goes with it is enjoyable to listen to. He likes to keep busy with various projects, this one is an odd mix of guitar, vocals and drums, though you can’t go wrong with Bongo John’s drumming.
Saturday was spent at my own house, when the crew from Common Grounds, as I live with 2 current employees and one ex-employee, I guess it made perfect sense.
On Sunday I began my Christmas shopping. Went to a party. Left my phone there. Went to Auntie Annies for Cutaways, Panda Kopanda and Clone Quartet. Such a great lineup.
Soon it was Monday. Christmas Eve. Hard to believe. I woke up, hungover, and with less than 50% of my shopping complete, I had to get into to the city centre as quickly as possible. Within three hours of leaving the house, I was back again and chillin’ with two of my house-mates, with a beer in my hand.
I could finally relax. And here it is. It is Christmas Day. I hope you all have a great one!
And so it’s that time of year again. It is indeed nearing the Twelfth of July; Marching Season is fully upon us. I am in no way politically minded. In fact, I fucking hate politics. But this is Northern Ireland/Ireland and it’s not going to go away too quickly. Although things are getting a hell of a lot better, and if I dare to say it, a little more peaceful, as I read somewhere recently, the trouble these days is mostly with the youth of the nation. The ignorant youths around this country who insist on trying to carry on something from their past generations when they know very little about how it all really is.
It’s all about the way you were brought up. I was brought up to be indifferent to it all, and I am very pleased about that. I was brought up with politics rarely spoken in the house. Although in some areas I know I am pretty ignorant, I am glad that I don’t have strong feelings one way or the other. I just feel its about time we all just learn to get along. Of course it is easy to say. Point being, these days, there is a lot of diversity in this country. In many parts, people are learning to get along with each other. We just have to try getting through to the youths. It could take time…
Thankfully this week will be quite short, 3 days of work, 5 days off work. Yes, 5 days, ‘cos Sunday is my BIRTHDAY! I’m going to be twenty two! I’m not much looking forward to it. I feel it’s all downhill from here. Definitely no longer a child now. Nope, most certainly an adult. And its bloody scary. I don’t want to get old. I got ID’d going into a bar last Monday. It is a pain in the ass, and I did say to the bouncer as I handed him my ID, “You’ve ID’d me before, I’m 21, could you please remember!”, though I also like looking young. OK so it probably isn’t really anything to be that proud of. I should probably have a little more facial hair, maybe I shouldn’t have such a high-pitched laugh at times - but fuck it, I am comfortable in myself and I like my own immaturity, sometimes, and just don’t care. I don’t want to get older…
This weekend hasn’t been that exciting, not half as exciting as just about everyone one of the last weekends of the last few weeks, cos I know that my posts lately have included me saying somewhere how good my weekend was. Friday was spent drinking with some friends, though also in my own world (head) much of the time too. Saturday I spent with my family, as they are off to Florida for two weeks. I could say I’m jealous, but I’m not in the slightest ‘cos in 47 days, 23 hours, 16 minutes and 43 seconds I’m heading to the states myself for 3 whole weeks!
Well, this is possibly the most I have written here in while, and possibly the first time I’ve written anything slightly political, it won’t happen again, not for a while anyway. So here are the photos.
12th July Parades, Belfast 2006
Also, I updated my Myspace profile yesterday with a few of my favourite live photos. Check em out by going to my Myspace and clicking on my profile pic.
Don’t forget, I update my Flickr often with lots of new photos!
Favourite lyrics of late:
And start giving me something,
A love that is longer than a day
- Rufus Wainwright - Movies of Myself
But why’d you have to break all my heart
I could have ripped apart and thrown into the river
Wonder if there’s hearts that will deliver
- Rufus Wainwright - 14th Street
I fell in love again
all things go, all things go
drove to Chicago
all things know, all things know
we sold our clothes to the state
I don’t mind, I don’t mind
I made a lot of mistakes
in my mind, in my mind
- Sufjan Stevens - Chigago
Are you struggling with undesired same-sex attractions? Maybe you have been a Homosexual for a long time, but now are searching for a way out. You have come to the right place! Love God’s Way is offering hope and help to people seeking freedom from being Gay. We believe and we have seen in thousands of lives that this freedom is possible through the power of our C.H.O.P.S program working in our hearts and minds.
Struggling, undesired, searching for a way out, hope, help, freedom from being gay…
The above is an excerpt from Donnie Davies’ site www.lovegodsway.org. It is quite undecided whether Davies is a genuine comic, or a genuine tosser. Whatever he is - he is brave to be so anti-gay. C.H.O.P.S stands for Changing Homosexuals (into) Ordinary People. Donnie himself is a reformed homosexual and likes to quote Oscar Wilde apparently a reformed homosexual also.
By letting people know that “God hates a Fag” I am doing Gods work, I’m preaching.
He had a myspace page until this morning, strangely enough, and some of his videos have been removed from YouTube, though there are are some there now. He is very proud of his song ‘The Bible Says’ by his band The Evening Service. It can only be taken as humour with lines like “The Bible says, plain as day, with a man, you shall not lay.†Followed by the chorus; “God hates a fag, God hates a fag, If you’re a fag, God hates you too.”
The biggest give away that this is an act is the section of the site listing ‘gay‘ and ‘safe‘ bands. Each
category definitely has some questionable choices. By ’safe’ does he mean they are definitely not gay, or good wholesome Christian music? Either way, the Dresden Dolls and Cyndi Lauper are safe. But watch out for The Scissor Sisters, Interpol, The Doors, Phish, The Strokes, The Killers, Metallica, Sufjan Stevens, Jay-Z, Nirvana, Frank Sinatra, Arcade Fire, Audioslave, and of course Elton John.
In one of his video message put on Youtube yesterday he says “…its a wonderful message, a message of Jesus love, he does love you but god hates you and thats just the bible” I’m not quite sure what that means.
Whatever he is he’s good at it and seems to have quite a fan base from both perspectives, and plenty who just hate him. I think he’s growing on me - as a comedian. Plenty of theories to go around.
Does this say something about the Christian church or this mans morals as a ‘Christian’.
Bottom line - no man can really be that superficial, can they?
Every so often something happens that makes me re-evaluate my life. This normally happens after spending some time away from home and my normally routine, in this case it was the time spent at my grandparents house over the weekend. Although they live within walking distance of my own house it made for a great change of scenery. Armed with my wallet, phone and camera I spent much time out of the house partaking in various activities I wouldn’t have done had I stayed at home as usual.
On Friday I took some snaps of a flower my Granny acquired to paint, and her paintings are amazing.
I’m not the most religious of folk, but at the same time I don’t like to disappoint my grandparents and so I went with them on Saturday to church, a special service running for nine days from Friday. I do however enjoy the architecture; such intricate details in every available space. Each time I go to a church service now I cant help but think about the meaning of it all and what it means to all the people present to be praying and listening so intently to the man standing behind the alter proclaiming the teachings as they chant the words they were taught by god in professing their faith. I have much admiration for them, especially my own grandfather; a devout Christian who spends all of his time passing on the message to his children and grandchildren.
Later, we had a close call with some locals, their stall and a tight squeeze. Though I praise my granddad’s damn good driving!
Recently I have been drinking a lot of coffee, and enjoying much of Clements finest. Though when I noticed that the price on the till computer of the Iced Cappuccino and Mochaccino was 10 pence more than that on the menu I was determined not to pay the extra, I know my rights. The first time this happened last wed/thurs there was no fuss, I was able to pay the original price easily. Though when I went to the Clements beside the City Hall on Saturday afternoon the staff were not easy to back down. They had the cheek to say, “its only 10p.” This was not a concern of mine, its the principle. I even made sure I gave the exact coinage so they didnt decide to give me less change. I wasnt happy. I got my (almost completed) card stamped and went back to my seat. Once my drink was finished I didn’t hang around.
Our feet led us in the direction of a brass band playing in the grounds of the City Hall. A great scene for the summer. These two tourists also enjoyed it.
The local kids, however, were otherwise pre-occupied.
Later I saw a cool biker dude
The weekend ended perfectly with coffee accompanied by a fellow coffee lover (thanks!).
So what have I learnt - that its a lot of fun to spend lots of time away from normal routine every once in a while. I just don’t want to use my PC as much anymore. Unfortunately I gotta for editing photos…
Hope your weekend was as good as mine.
It came to my attention this morning that today is Easter Sunday. What I want to know is what do people do on this day and how is it celebrated? Okay, so we could all go to church, but not all of us want to do that. The only other option - and you can do both - is to eat lots and lots of chocolate. I remember the days when I got 5, 6 or 7+ easter eggs. Oh what joy it was to visit my relations and be given chocolate. I did get an easter egg this year, from my brother. I ate it on friday. I sometimes eat too much chocolate, but when the only thing I went off for lent was lent itself, Friday seemed like as good a time as any to get stuck in. And that was that - Easter was over for me; over before it had started. Jesus had barely died before being risen by my eating of hollow egg shaped Nestlé chocolate. Do people say “happy Easter” to each other? Phone each other up and ask what sort of easter egg they got? What about other gifts? There must be plenty more marketing opporunities out there to exploit these poor people. So other than it being a call for celebration of sorts, nothing is really different. Oh yeah - the shops are closed.
Do shops have to close today? Aren’t there still people who want to do shopping today, what about all the fine non-christians? There are plenty of them? No one should be forced to work, but some people may want to. I read this week that shops may no longer have such strict trading laws limiting the hours they can stay open on a Sunday, and banning trading on Easter Sunday. There are many people with the view that “shoppers should be allowed to do their shopping whenever they want”, particularly the members of the lobby group Deregulate, which is backed by many large retailers. Then there are groups like Keep Sunday Special, supported by churches and MPs and currently they have 1764 names in their petition. Are we not moving to a complete 24/7 society where we can do anything anywhere at anytime? Theres nothing wrong with keeping things sacred, but will religion always control our shopping habits? Im certainly happy for the few days off work.
Whatever way you spent your day, and plan on spending the next few days I wish you all a happy Easter.