Updated

Posted on by squiznit

Trying to juggle school, work and this new sports program has proven to be quite a challenge. I haven’t been able to exercise quite as much as I hoped, and have decided to put off half of the program till after my HSC, (all you who said I should’ve done that to start with … you can say I told you so :p).

I’m still going to go to the gym regularly, but the soccer side of the program I won’t complete properly if I try to do whilst completing the HSC.

I’ll keep blogging during my HSC, about my random thoughts on life, and when I finish year 12 I’ll begin the three year program again, hopefully with a bit more fitness then I did this time.

Why Not!

Posted on by squiznit

Just recently I was offered something that seemed too good to be true. An opportunity of a lifetime worth up to 4000 dollars, handed to me for nothing. I didn’t believe it at first, but after doing some fairly thorough research, I’ve found that it’s everything it claims to be.
A sports program designed by one of Australia’s elite squash and rugby coaches to fit any and every sport. I haven’t asked his permission to name him, so I won’t say who it is, but it is certainly something with the potential to change my life forever. Lots of thanks to him for giving me this opportunity. I’ve played soccer since I was 6 years old. I’ve developed into a pretty good player, but nothing exceptional.
This three year course will change that. It will develop me physically, mentally, tactically and technically into an elite athlete. When I first found out about it, I was estatic. I couldn’t believe my luck, however looking at it more closely, I realised how much effort and pain that it requires me to go through before becoming this elite athelete. Obviously I knew that fitness doesn’t come overnight and I knew that it takes pain to get there, but I had no idea how much.
Once I realised just how much pain it was going to be, I was less keen and quite nervous that I’d quit halfway through. I’m even more nervous that I’d do it all, complete everything that it requires of me, but still fail to make it as a soccer player.
I had this attitude up until I went and saw the new movie “We Bought a Zoo”. I won’t spoil the brilliant movie for those of you who haven’t seen it, but I will say that it helped me look at this from a different perspective. The movie showed me that life is quite prescious, and that everything you do in life should have a purpose, even if it’s just for the purpose of an adventure. Instead of asking myself why I should do this course, what benefits I will get or won’t get, or worrying that I will fail, instead this movie helped me to have the attitude of “Why Not”. Why shouldn’t I do it.
I know that some things in life you are destined to fail at. I also know that if you put your mind to something, you can achieve anything. With God standing next to me, helping me all the way through this, I will in three years be a completely different person.
I’m going at this with the attitude that there is no failure, but for arguments sake, if I were to fail (which apparently 98% of people do) then I will still be much fitter, mentally and phsically, in three years time. No matter what happens, this will change my life for the better, but the most exciting aspect is the spiritual side. I’ve recently bought a new Message bible so while going through this three year course, I’ve decided to read the bible in its entirety. I look forward to the spiritual growth that will hopefully come with this.
I’ll keep this page updated over the next few years of my progress, feel free to leave encouraging comments, Im gonna need them! :)

What Really Happened

Posted on by squiznit

This post isn’t designed to retell the most amazing story of all. It’s written to point out a misconception of Jesus’ brith. This is one of the most amazing stories in history, but also one of the most misunderstood. In this post I will reveal a misconception of Jesus’ birth so that going into the Christmas period you will know what really happened. Christmas has been adapted to suit the commercial culture of the west, and attracts some of the biggest spending’s each year. There are a few myths which bug me but one in particular which I will reveal the truth with reference to the bible. It is important to note that I’m not saying the Bible is wrong, but certain interpretations were wrong because the culture of the time wasn’t completely understood.

The biggest misconception is that Jesus was born in a stable or a cave where animals were kept. It is true that Jesus was born amongst animals and in a “barn like” atmosphere, but he was not born in a stable. Some kid’s stories say that he was born in a stable outside of Bethlehem because all the Inns were full. Well first of all, we know that Joseph (father) and Mary (mother) went back to Bethlehem because there was a Census and so all families had to return to their place of birth. In this case, Bethlehem was Joseph’s hometown. We also know that Joseph’s family was fairly big. If Mary was pregnant and about to have the baby, then surely Joseph’s family would have made room for them somewhere? It makes no sense for the whole family to snub a pregnant woman on the verge of giving birth. Josephs whole family would have been in town and so staying with them was more likely. Jesus was born at home. It is the style of living in Bethlehem and the misinterpretations of Luke’s account that cause people to believe Jesus was born in a stable.

Luke’s version in the bible says “While they were there [in Bethlehem], the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” Houses in Bethlehem were set out to accommodate for animals because animals were very important back then. They were the family’s livelihood and income and so were looked after extremely well. Most houses were designed to accommodate for animals at night. The house would have a sunken room about 4 steps below the family room where animals would sleep for the night. The house had one large room for everything else, and the more luxurious ones had a “guest room” where guests and extended families would stay. Luke says that there was no room in the guest room, and this simply means that other family members were staying in that part of the house. Modern translations would read as “no room in the Inn”, but there was never any need for staying in an Inn. The original Latin version refers to a domestic definition, not accommodation at an Inn. Houses at this time were very uncomplicated because they were only for eating and sleeping, nothing else was done indoors. Luke says that the guest room was occupied, however some versions take this and change it to Inn because guest rooms are usually at hotels, however this was not the case in Bethlehem. In the sunken part of the house, where the animals are kept, are also usually a manger and perhaps a trough for the animals to drink, so when Jesus was born, he was placed in this. Jesus was not born in a stable, but at home, with family around to help.

A few other misconceptions include the arrival of the magi (wise men) which happened sometime after Jesus was born, and the rush to get Mary somewhere to have the baby; it was more likely that Jesus was born a few days after the arrival of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem.

I hope this post has educated you enough to know what really happened 2000 years ago and I encourage you to research it for yourself if you disagree because I’m sure it will be hard to disprove.

A Subtle Revolution

Posted on by squiznit

A creative writing task, letter to a friend at the dawn of the Romantic era in 1800′s

No doubt you are aware of the sudden awakening of our world. How exciting to see such change in our lifetime, and I dare say we will see a lot more. Before today, they were so stuck in their ways. They claimed to know everything through knowledge and reason. How ignorant they were! Logic, my friend, assures one thing and one thing only. Boredom. But there’s no need to worry about them anymore; a revolution is coming. Not the kind that we have seen in America and France, no this revolution has a more subtle approach; they will use art and literature as their guillotine and emotions will be spilled like blood.

The world, my friend, surely you have noticed how exciting our time is, have you looked at the world recently? Take a step back from your life, perhaps take a walk up an imaginary hill and look over your world. The steam engine! Think of the possibilities now with such a modern device. Our world is finally changing and we are living through it, how privileged we are. Look at all the change. France and America both took a step forward for nationalism, the former perhaps went one too far, but forward nevertheless. They certainly sparked something in the writers of our society; the world won’t be the same. I must encourage you to do what you can to get involved, I just started writing a novel myself, something that I’ve always wanted to do but never had the courage to begin. Reading some of the modern poetry showed me that a crazy idea doesn’t mean you’re going to fail, it just means it will be different, and change (as we are about to see) can be very effective and beneficial.
Let me know your own opinions of the modern world, feel free to say so if you do not agree. I look forward to a visit from you shortly.
Best Wishes,

P.S.You may be happy to know that I finished the book you recommended but I cannot see why you loved it so much. Perhaps it was just me but I can’t see it being a bestseller. The rest of her work was quite good, but sorry, didn’t enjoy this one.

Ethics

Posted on by squiznit

If a dog dies in a family with a young kid, the parents will almost always tell the child a story to cover the fact that the dog is dead. Perhaps they will assure the grieving child that the dog is in a better place and that it went to heaven. Perhaps telling the child the truth is too hard, and so they will make up a story such as “the dog went to a retreat to be with lots of other dogs” or it simply “ran away”. In the TV show ‘Friends’, Ross was told as a child that his dog “Chi-Chi” went to live on the Millner’s farm, when in fact the dog died.

I have recently been learning about the religious trends in Post WW2 Australia and what struck me the most was how far from Christianity our society is moving. You don’t have to study the Australian culture at depth to realize this, but it does help to understand our current social influences. These influences are all around us, we live in what is called a postmodern culture and this influences everyone, even if they don’t realise it (which the majority of people do not). Postmodernism (today’s “philosophy”) is a philosophical movement which places great emphasis on the individual. Postmodernity says that what you believe is your truth. This means that several different religions can live side by side, not interfering with each other and they can ALL be the truth and this also explains why secularism has been on the rise. Personally I believe there is only one truth and I don’t believe in the postmodern philosophy, however I can’t say that it doesn’t affect me because it affects everyone, in a subtle way.
(For more information on postmodernism, visit the links below)

When the dog dies, a modern family, no matter what religious belief (this includes atheists) will feel sorry for their child. Children can often become very fond of a pet and so it is understandable that telling them the dog has died will upset them quite a lot. Whether the parents tell them that the dog has gone to heaven, or simply gone to “the milliners’ farm”; it still shows that everyone needs something to believe in. It’s quite a depressing thought to think that the dog will no longer exist; it (once the playful and happy puppy) now ceases to exist and forever will. This I believe to be true, but Humans I believe are very different. When we die, as a Christian I believe we go one of two places and it’s up to our life on earth to determine which way that is. No matter what the parent tells the child, it shows the need for hope in every single person. Everyone needs to have some direction in their life, because the saddest funerals are those whom the family have no hope or direction. Without this hope, without some sort of world view, there is just nothing. I would encourage everyone who doesn’t have a world view to really look hard at all the possibilities and find the truth. I believe there is only one truth, and that truth can be found in God.

To Understand Postmodernism

http://www.postmodernpsychology.com/Postmodernism_Dictionary.html

http://elab.eserver.org/hfl0242.html

We Will Remember Them

Posted on by squiznit

It seemed that out of battle I escaped thanks to the leaders who led, and no thanks to the leaders who fed. Tonight I lie in a dugout covered in mud while memories of the war flood my mind. The silence of the fields above us is more horrifying than anything I’ve experienced. In the corner sits a young man, hugging his knees and rocking. He was once a fit young soldier, with a strong mind and a good humour but now he is a lifeless entity who jumps at every movement in the room. Some despise him, others send him off for a diagnosis, but I envy him. Soon he will be relieved of his duty, sent back home to recover and in ten years he will be married with kids. The rest of us are destined to join those who lay above us, adding to the silence of death.

I do not fear death. I fear what death will make me. Death in this wasteland makes me one man out of thousands who died for freedom, but I won’t be remembered. I don’t remember any one name from any war in history, so why should they. Why should the future generations remember my name? My worst fear is to be stereotyped as a soldier who died for freedom. We are all very different. We had lives, we had families, and we had hopes and dreams, just like they will. I don’t want to be a name on a wall; I want to be a memory in the hearts of many and an inspiration to future generations. I am a patriot and I have no problem dying for my country, as long as my country recognises it as the act that it is.

…To all the soldiers who died for freedom,
we will remember them

No Time

Posted on by squiznit

I think that in today’s society, people take time for granted. To mankind, time is a constant part of life, the unchanging factor that brings order to society, but when you take time for granted you live your life in the pursuit of happiness, trying to earn money and meaningless things and forget to actually live your life.

The new movie blockbuster “In Time” has received bad reviews by most critics, saying that the director has gone downhill after his last few movies, and that it is a clever concept however it is poorly executed. I don’t agree with this criticism at all. The director has come up with a brilliantly new idea and it is filmed and directed fairly well. I enjoyed the movie a lot, especially the concept that time is currency and there were some very clever and funny moments where they used time puns such as “Who’s got time for that”, meant in the literal sense, and my favourite “You got a minute?”.

Of course if you don’t know what the movie is about and haven’t seen it then this won’t make sense to you, so here is a brief overview with no spoilers:
A sci fi action movie set In the near future; human’s aging gene has been switched off. At the age of 25, all humans stop aging and their time begins. Depending on who you are and where you are born, you start with a certain amount of time (for most it is one year). This time is displayed on your arm and continuously counts down until it reaches 0, then you die. To survive you always need time, which either means working for a payout each day, borrowing some off others with more time then you, or stealing it. The main character works at a factory and earns two days for 8 hours of work. A cup of coffee costs about 5 minutes, a bus ride home costs an hour and costs an hour and a car can cost from 3 months up to 10 years.

This idea is hard to get used to but once you do get used to it, it’s quite clever. Our modern society takes time for granted. So many lives are wasted on trying to find happiness, or buy happiness. Perhaps some people are so busy trying to make the best career they can, or save up to buy the perfect house. Some people will work and work all their lives, trying to make the best life possible, when they aren’t really living. This movie highlights these social problems and has a go at the way that society structures itself. This quest for “Utopia” (perfection) is what drives people today. As John Lennon said, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.

My Educational Journey and the Teachers Who Made it Possible

Posted on by squiznit

On Monday I started year Twelve. Thirteen years at school and it all comes down to this. It’s funny when comparing a third world country to Australia, so many teenagers in Australia would give up going to school to be able to do almost anything else. Australian kids just don’t know how precious this education really is. A kid in a third world country will often walk up to five, maybe even ten kilometres a day to get to school. Every day, walking long distances to get the education that Australian kids have the privilege of, without the hassle of bad schooling conditions and walking long distances (as many third world countries are like). Australian education is luxurious compared to some countries, and yet the kids will do almost anything in these countries for an education because they know that without this education, they will not have a very promising future. Australian kids are so lucky to have the conditions that we do.

I remember that for most of my schooling life, I went through phases when I just wanted to stop going to school. Some years were very hard because of the teacher I had, other times it was because I didn’t have any friends, like in year six I had just repeated and didn’t have very many friends. My parents made me keep going to school and I reaped the benefits. I think the most important part of going through school is having a group of friends and sticking with them throughout school. Without a group of friends, there isn’t any motivation to go to school and it can be hard to get up every day when you just don’t want to. By year seven, I had a good group of friends. We had a very large group (sometimes up to twenty kids) but we all got along and made school bearable. Over the years we’ve had some really memorable times but my favourite years have been the last two. Years eleven and twelve have to be the best years of schooling by far, because all the teachers treat you much better and if you hated someone in year ten, well your best of friends in year eleven because it has a way of making everyone more mature. When my year went from year ten to year eleven, about twenty kids left, making my year very small. There is now just over forty kids in the year and we all get along extremely well.

There have been some really memorable moments throughout the last two years of school. The English teachers have to be the craziest ever, and some classes were just laughing for one period, no work, just really weird and funny times. In maths we had a substitute teacher who looked just like Bruce Willis and he was from America. We called him Mr Willis and he never caught on. And of course I can’t go without mentioning the two on two basketball games that me and my friend played against two teachers, we won almost every time. All these moments and a close group of friends has really made school more than just bearable, they’ve made school enjoyable.

The HSC however, is usually the common goal for every student. A good ATAR or OP is what everyone really wants, and this goal can make the last two years of school very unsocial and quite stressful. It may seem like the end of the world if you don’t achieve the ATAR needed for your university course, and rightly so. Teachers and the media put so much pressure on you to go well in your HSC. One teacher said to me that the last thirteen years have been for nothing if you don’t do well in your HSC, and how wrong he was. One of my more intelligent teachers explained that there are so many ways to get into different University courses, and that your OP or ATAR is only relevant for up to one month after the HSC. It is only used to get into a University course straight after school. This does not mean that you shouldn’t try hard in years eleven and twelve, you certainly need to study a fair bit, but it just means that there’s no reason why you can’t have a social life as well.

The pressure that people put on you for doing well in your HSC is very wrong and shouldn’t be done. Students often put enough pressure on themselves to do well, and sometimes too much pressure can be overwhelming. In my opinion, the most important part of years eleven and twelve is the friendships formed. You must keep a healthy social life if you are going to survive the last two years of school.

For further reading on this topic, “The Shiznit Blogger” talks about his schooling life. Shows differences and simmilarities in schooling now and in the 90′s