Another quiz

[Johari]

My brother, did one of these on his blog, so I thought that I'd follow suit. Here is my Johari.

A Moment in Sport

Here are Australian's Top 10 Sporting Moments:

Equal 8-10. Rod Laver; Swans' 2005 grand final win; World Series Cricket
7. Phar Lap
6. Kieren Perkins's win in Atlanta 1996
5. Cathy Freeman's gold in Sydney
4. Anything Bradman
3. Socceroos qualifying for the 2006 World Cup
2. Sydney 2000
1. Australia II's America's Cup victory

I found this list quite interesting. Particularly owing to the absence of Women Sports stars who are absent from this list (however some are mentioned in the article). Most noticeably to me were the Hockyroos (three consective Olympic Gold Medals); Dawn Fraser, Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, Shirly Strickland, Shane Gould, and more recently Susie O'Neil.

Hurt

I became quite a fan of Cash’s music through the movie Walk the Line. Johnny Cash recorded the Nine Inch Nails song Hurt in 2002. Hurt is an amazingly sad song, and the song repainted the film when I listened to it after the film.

I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real
The needle tears a hold
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything

What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here

What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way

I recently found a copy of the video of the song, which features footage from Cash's life glimpses of the cruxifiction scene and the Last Supper. It is quite an powerful, emotive clip.

The Week that Was

Well here we are its the weekend again. This time last week I was at St. Andrews witnessing a few of my friends become deacons. May they in God's strength continue to hold fast to the Gospel of our Lord. (The sermon is available online here). Afterwards it was off to Centannial Park to see Bucksman. May God richly bless his marriage, (and wedding this time next weekend). I'm off to see R and K get married this afternoon which will be great.

Monday night we caught up with people from my bible-study group last year. It was great fun to catch up over dinner. I really enjoyed studying the bible with those guys last year. So thanks to you all~!

We are now back to Netball, this was our second week. It was great fun as always. Strangely though, we've had two forfeits in the two weeks we've been back.

That's about all the happenings of the last week. I am looking forward to meeting more people from Barneys at a pre-church dinner tomorrow.

Two interesting sport-related points.

:: Ul Haq (obstructing the field) ... 16
Only three batsmen have been dismissed this way.

:: During the one-dayer between Australia and Sri Lanka yesterday evening, five batsmen were run out, I can't help but wonder when the last time five Australian's were runout in one innings. (Aside: The fact that the game was won by Sri Lanka means we might have a competitive series)

Random Ten

Here's a blast from the past, I think I did a Random 10 this time last year, so here is a Random 10 tracks from my colletion.

1) There is a Redeemer - Michelle Tumes
Your Love Broke Through: The Worship Songs of Keith Green)

2) Miracle Drug - U2
Live - East Rutherford 5.15.05

3) The Lord is My Shepard - Charlie Hall and Joanne Hogg
Your Love Broke Through: The Worship Songs of Keith Green)

4) I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For//In A Litte While - U2
Live - Montreal 11.26.05

5) Party Girl - U2
Live - Boston Orpheum 5.6.83

6) Momentum - Aimee Mann
Magnolia (Original Soundtrack)

7) Amelia (Orchestral Version) - Joni Mitchell
Dreamland

8) Wake up - The Arcade Fire
Live - Montreal 11.26.05

9) I Will Follow - U2
Live Syracuse 10.9.87

10) Pride (In The Name of Love) - U2
Live 12.31.89

Note:
I guess this more or less accurate reflects my collection. Though it might also highlight how un-random shuffle can be as I ended up with two songs from the same Keith Green tribute CD. However is not really evidence that I have a diverse range of music tastes ;) The list contains 6 from U2, and 7 from U2 Concerts. I guess at least, of the 6 U2 songs, I have no duplicates and a bonus :)

… I Walk the Line …

Friday night, we saw the new biopic Walk the Line, about Johnny Cash. I have to admit to start that I actually knew very little about Johnny Cash, and what I did know was that Bono, and the boys of U2 were big fans, Cash providing lead vocals for a track on U2’s 1993 Zooropa album (The Wanderer). After seeing the preview for the film a little earlier in the year, I decided that it would be a good picture to have a look at. I wasn’t disappointed. After seeing the film, I bought the soundtrack which featured the songs, sung by the cast, which sounded great.

The film begins at the concert in Folsom Prison, with Cash (Joaquin Phoenix) about to go onstage, then flashes back to the days on his parent’s farm, through to his second marriage, to June Carter (Reese Witherspoon). It is a sad and honest story, filled with heartache; the death of his brother in a saw mill accident, his estrangement from his father, his failed marriage to his first wife, Vivian and drug-addiction, but containing some memorable highs of Cash’s life too (the concert in Folsom Prison).

The subtle references to Cash’s songs in the film were beautifully done, from Cash writing Folsom Prison Blues while in the airforce, and walking pass a boy shinning shoes (Get Rhythm) and Carter beginning to write Ring of Fire. The stage chemistry between Carter and Cash was fantastic especially when they covered Dylan’s It Ain’t Me, Babe. Cash proposed to Carter on stage, and it did make me wonder what their marriage would be like – yet history tells us they remained married until Carter’s death in 2003.

Does the film downplay the fact that Cash was a Christian? Perhaps, but I’m not sure I mind. Glimpses of his faith are seen in the film; including comments he makes before the concert at Folsom Prison about Christians turned off by him singing in the prison were not really Christians and (a scene which lasted longer in F’s memory than in mine); after a tractor accident on his property, where he falls into the lake, Cash says he needs to visit his Father, and we see him walk into church.

I wonder if there is something to be said for leaving it subtle so viewers can explore the story on their own.

King's dream lost in a violent culture

"I am going to keep on marching for justice, equality, peace and reconciliation of the human family until I am called home." -
Coretta Scott King
[from NYT, via The Age]

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Prayer Breakfast Washinngton DC: Bono

Interesting facts about this years Oscar Nominations

(Courtesy of The Australian)

The combined takings of all five best-picture contenders are so far less than the $US114million ($152 million).

The 10 most watched films in the US last year received only 10 nominations between them, and most of those were in craft categories.

Munich, which cost $US68 million to make, could have paid for Brokeback Mountain $US13.9 million. Good Night, and Good Luck (US$7.5million), Crash ($US6.5million) and Capote ($US6.7million).

For those interested: Here is a list of full nominations, and the SMH's take on the contenders.

Tribal Mind – Tribal Response

I guess I learnt something about the Internet recently; a few Sunday's ago, David Dale, talked about the nature and values of Australia from the National Anthem. I understand that most of the information he used came from the ABS. What I found interesting was the passion in the responses to his article; I found the extent to which David was personally attacked for his views quite amazing: He was un-Australian; he should leave.

For the above reason, I find the 'Your Say' responses, a very interesting (and perhaps frustrating) part of the paper to read. Not only because I often find myself as part of minority but mainly because of the verocity of the responses.

Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised because it is simply part of the median – it provides an opportunity for a quick, emotional response to a topic.

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After seven seasons The West Wing will end. The current season [7th] in the US is the last one. Being honest, I never really thought that it could continue into another presidency, because the staff would be changing, and they would have to build up the viewers loyalty to another President.

I have been recently watching the first few episodes of the Fifth Season, and had wondered how difficult it would be to keep the momentum of the show going while retaining the realism that made the show so great through a Second term. I like the idea of ending with all the original cast together, perhaps after Leo’s funeral reminiscing and playing poker. We'll see; but I for one will miss The West Wing.