Audience of One is the weblog of Matthew Weston, a UK student, Christian, technophile and musician.

Phew!

Well, that was a long break from blogging. I get hit by comment spam, my web host disables my blog software, I take quite a few months to realise I can actually do something about this, and, of course, no intricate technical process would be complete without it being a procrastination from revision. (With exams coming up, I always seem to end up fixing this blog/fixing my computer/breaking my computer etc. etc.)

The plan is to redo this site to make it more interesting for you and less of a waste of time for me. That said, I still want to get tags sorted, and maybe a redesign, and maybe some form of Flickr/Twitter integration. Maybe once exams are out of the way. For now, add me once more to your RSS readers – I know the website’s called Audience of One, but that’s a theological point about worship, rather than a request to limit my human readership…

Matthew @ 14:13, January 19, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (8)

2007 in review

In keeping with tradition (2006 and 2005’s entries), I thought I’d go for a round-up of the year, as well as a quick update on the status of this website.

This year began with me agreeing to lead a Christian Union small group in my hall of residence, which entailed staying on in hall for another year. I went through ups and downs with regards to staying in hall, sometimes looking forward to it because of friends staying on as well, sometimes dreading another year of institutional food and no kitchen. (So far it’s been great!) My degree continued, not really interfering much with everything else until the start of my second year, so I was quite involved with different CU activities outside the hall. I took over the hall small group at the end of March, and quickly realised that I didn’t really know how to lead Bible studies after all. (Still not got the hang of it, but I’ve got better.)

Easter brought a fund-raising concert tour for my dad’s work, for which I was employed as a roadie. I ended up going to Word Alive via London and Newcastle. Word Alive with the CU meant talks on the Trinity, Hebrews, and late night telling of surreal fairy tales involving time travel, bad puns and violent deaths.

I went to Uganda in the summer, the experience of which is very hard to describe. A group from the hall CU went to help in a school and a church run by the same guy; my friend Will and I tried to be an African Rico Tice between us (in other words, we were the speakers for a Christianity Explored course), and we also ended up speaking on Ugandan radio and going white water rafting on the Nile!

October brought a very difficult term for various reasons: a co-leader of the hall small group dropped out due to illness; my degree more than doubled its intensity meaning I got behind very quickly, having expected it to be easier; on top of everything, I was having quite an unsettling time spiritually with God teaching me a lot. On the plus side (not that God teaching me stuff isn’t) I joined a new church, one than my old church planted back in April. It’s small, meets just round the corner from my hall, is full of wonderful people and has much more scope for getting involved.

So, 2008. Well, first off I’ve got a blog to get sorted again. My web host disabled my blog software months ago (part of the reason for no updates) and I need to sort that out. I’ve got a lot of reading and thinking to do which I want to be digesting properly, and blogging about it is a good way of doing that. So that’s the plan. My CU responsibilities continue, and my degree will continue to be difficult. I now know more what to expect, but no doubt God’ll bring all sorts alongside that I don’t expect. It’s good to be kept on my toes.

Matthew @ 14:08, January 1, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

20

Hmm. Ten years ago I was looking forward to being a teenager. Now, I’m wondering where it went*.

* I just said this because it’s stereotypical; in fact, it’s a lie. I know exactly where it went.

Currently listening to Regina Spektor – Us

Matthew @ 15:50, January 10, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (4)

2006

A day late is better than never.

2006 was a varied year, like 2005 before it. I started off by working in retail, and quickly realised I wanted to do something with more moral worth than attempt to persuade customers to buy things they didn’t need. So I went to work for a church in Japan.

My time in Japan doesn’t feel like earlier this year – it feels like another lifetime. Still, looking back it was one of the best experiences of my life, even though I found it a real challenge a lot of the time. I still hope to go back one day, hopefully soon.

I started university after a packed summer. I was ready to go. In many ways I was fed up with home, having had two and a half months looking after myself in Japan. I was also fed up with Oxford, and ready for a new city.

University, so far, has been full of great experiences. Conducting and accompanying a choir; leading a chapel service; playing piano in Pizza Express; the CU weekend away; getting to know hundreds of new people. Next term is shaping up to be even more exciting. I love my new friends, the CU is great, my church is great, the hall CU is awesome, and I’ve learnt a lot spiritually (and as a result see even more how much I still have to learn).

So, what does 2007 hold? More of the same, I pray.

Matthew @ 22:08, January 1, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Fopp

I sat down to write a blog entry, but realised that the only reason I wanted to do so was to show off my indie-cred by posting what song I was currently listening to.

I tell you, the arrival of Fopp in Oxford is simultaneously the best and the worst thing that has happened to me since getting back from uni. The best, because their “suck it and see” policy means I can buy music and return it if I don’t like it, and so am now experimenting in various bands such as Modest Mouse, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Broken Social Scene and The Shins. The worst, because they’re all so darn good and my bank balance is not looking healthy.

Currently listening to Broken Social Scene – Anthems For A Seventeen-Year-Old Girl

Matthew @ 21:46, December 21, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (4)

Talk

You know that feeling you get when you’ve got loads of problems, issues and thoughts going round your brain, and you talk it all over with someone, and even though they haven’t actually solved your problems or given you any advice you weren’t already taking, you come away from the conversation feeling so much happier about everything?

Yeah, it’s good. Pity it’s two in the morning, I’m unable to appreciate it fully.

Matthew @ 02:05, November 26, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Kilt etc.

A pity really – I managed to miss the fancy dress music department social due to getting into a conversation with the deputy warden in the senior common room (normally off-limits to mere students). So, no kilt or pink hoodie, then. (The theme was “come as you aren’t”. I’m not Scottish, or indeed a pink-wearing girl, so I had two options.)

As to which of the three is the lie, I can reveal that I have broken into the house and church (the former being my own, the latter due to the best man being late and not unlocking the church for the wedding I was setting up sound equipment for). I’ve also hacked into a library computer (the reason for this one is, er, something I’m less proud of), and I’ve never stolen clothes from Oxfam. However on the CU weekend away, a second year girl was almost certain that I had at some point shoplifted from a charity shop, at which I was horrified. (She was also quite embarrassed when I told her the truth. She can have comfort in one fact – I can’t remember who she was.)

Currently listening to Switchfoot – Living Is Simple

Matthew @ 22:35, November 17, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Post-Essay

I feel I should have started reading for my essay weeks ago – it would have been fascinating. Pity I only started yesterday and it was due in today. Lesson learnt*.

The new James Bond was really good, though if I hadn’t been told beforehand it’s supposed to be a “reboot” of the series, like Batman Begins was, I’d have potentially got confused. The film gets a positive vote from me, due to far fewer sex scenes/less graphic sex scenes than normal, plus being vaugely realistic. No super-villians plotting to take over the world with spaceships or lasers – just good old-fashioned middle-men funding terrorism.

Of course, if gritty violence and tense set-pieces aren’t your thing, it’s probably not for you. But then, Bond never would be. I’m coming round to actually like the whole franchise at the moment. I’ve never been such a fan of ridiculous, over-blown plots like the last few. This was more sophisticated. Not my ideal film, but then action never is.

The chocolate raisins were good.

Department social tonight, to which I am potentially wearing a kilt. That, or a pink hoodie. I may explain later, but I’m off to meet my cousins for coffee.

* Yeah, right.

Matthew @ 15:42, November 17, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (4)

Essay

Music

Art

Web pages

Books

Food and drink

Sunshine

Number of words

Nine hundred and twelve – more than half way there!

Evening activities

Matthew @ 13:50, November 16, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Accomplishments

Yesterday, I:

  1. I would have given them back eventually, but one of the hall tutors found them before the barman noticed. He gave them back, and then it was noticed, as when the barman reached to get a cup he found them stacked a metre high on the bar top.
  2. I should probably add that the barman is a friend of mine and that he’d asked me earlier to entertain him. I thought I’d oblige. Oh, and I did actually pay for it.

Matthew @ 10:10, November 12, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (3)

Unusual

Today is the day that I have more lectures than the medics.

Given that medics normally have six hours of lectures a day, whereas I have six hours a week, this is a strange experience.

Matthew @ 18:51, October 11, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (13)

First CU meeting

The offence of the Christian message is that God does not give us what we deserve. He is not fair. He is gracious.

That was the message of the talk at the Christian Union meeting Saturday evening, and it was powerfully presented by Andy Paterson, pastor of Kensington Baptist Church (for those who don’t know what uni I’m at, let’s just say the location of this church gives it away). I met the CU president afterwards, and got recruited to play the piano at future meetings. I also had a great chat with Paul, a hall CU leader, on the way back.

I’ve used the word too much recently (I blame this hall, the new people I’ve met and Caroline’s artwork) but the CU looks like it’s going to be awesome.

Currently listening to Nick Drake – River Man

Matthew @ 08:43, October 9, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Quiz + Karaoke

Amazingly, during the entire evening of karaoke (pronounced “ka-ree-oh-ki”) I didn’t once think about the correct Japanese pronunciation (“ka-ra-o-ke”). I also ended up singing Californication by the Chilis with a guy who forgot the tune to the pre-chorus. Bon Jovi’s Living On A Prayer should be banned from karaoke for ever, unless those taking part prove their voices are high enough. And far too many people know all the words for Summer Nights from Grease. As for the quiz, I now know that tegestologists collect beer mats.

Freshers’ week has so many random things going on. Apparently the medics go on a three-legged bar crawl. I confess myself jealous. (In other news, I have been made an honourary medic and messed up my vocal audition. The former makes up for the latter.)

Matthew @ 23:49, October 5, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Or maybe I will

So I’ve been at uni for two full days pretty much, and there’s so many new people (of course). It’s been fantastic so far. I’m not at Oxford, but the hall of residence I’m in is just like I imagine an Oxford college to be like (architecture as well as atmosphere). It’s a great community to be a part of from what I’ve observed and heard. Already I’ve met loads of Christians (they seem to be all over the place! This hall has a Christian warden and an active hall CU – so there are loads of Christians but not too many) and got in touch with the local UCCF worker. I’ve also met the music students in my hall (they, along with the French and German students, are my hall brothers and sisters, with our non-linguist non-musician mother and a Portuguese-studying father), and there’s a load of like-minded composers (the guy directly above me has actually turned his room into a recording studio). The room I’m in is pretty huge, and I’ve got my new keyboard set up in a corner. Most of the people I’ve met are lovely, though there are a few exceptions (as there are anywhere). Generally, this place is awesome.

And yes, I said I wasn’t going to post for the next couple of months. I had twenty minutes before going out with the guys in my block and the girls next door, so I decided I’d try and keep this relatively up to date. I’m not mentioning the university or city to keep out of Google searches, so please don’t mention it if you know. So yeah – uni is great, this one in particular. The advantages of Oxford (pretty much a college, great academic reputation, good churches) and with fewer disadvantages (slightly less expensive, far larger green spaces). So yeah. I’ve said that already – and my neighbours are probably waiting.

Matthew @ 18:14, October 2, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (13)

Holiday

Well, I’m off to uni on Saturday, and for this term I’ve decided to give blogging a rest as I settle in. I may occasionally write stuff, but I probably won’t until December. Have a good couple of months everyone!

Currently listening to Frou Frou – Let Go.

Matthew @ 18:00, September 25, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (11)

May all your mornings be delightful

Obviously the generic “Have a nice day” became too generic – on cancelling my Lovefilm account due to the expiry of the free trial, I was instructed to “Have a wonderful day”. Much as I’d love to, I was just about to head outside with my camera to capture the fresh smells and sights (or maybe just sights) of the post-rain landscape, when the rain decided to return with force. At least the sound of raindrops is relaxing.

Matthew @ 11:16, September 14, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Garden Centre

Today, on the hottest day we’ve had since July, on a day of a ridiculously high pollen count, on the day I forgot to take my hayfever medication… I went to a garden centre.

It’s quite a large place, and every time I go there they seem to change the layout so that I can never, ever find my way around. We were looking for manure, which was over on the other side of the centre. Then on the way back, I noticed they had a load of fish in a building to my right.

By this time, my eyes were reasonably sore and a tissue was almost permanently held to my nose, so a break from the pollenated air in the cool confines of the water feature section was just what I needed. So I went to have a look at the fish.

They had a load of Japanese fish for sale. “Japanese Doitsu-Koi” said a sign next to one of the aquariums. “Doitsu-Koi” translates as “German carp”, making the sign read “Japanese German carp”. You know all those t-shirts and things we sometimes see with incredibly bad English? Yeah, the reverse can also work. I still remember the story of the man with a tattoo of a Chinese character he thought said “strength” which in actual fact meant “broccoli”. Also, it’s spelt “Doitsu-goi”, but never mind.

So, after a couple of minutes looking at fish, I wound my way through corridors of plants and shrubs, looking for the exit. I could feel the hayfever symptoms increase as I did so… and then, somehow, I couldn’t find the exit. I kept on turning corners and coming into walls of evil-looking orchids bent on poisoning me with their pollen. It’s the kind of thing that, if I had nightmares, would probably be a regular occurrence in the summer. No exit, only flowers and more flowers, hemming me in….

(In all honesty I found the exit within thirty seconds, but has exaggeration ever been unusual on this website?)

Currently listening to The Decemberists – Eli, The Barrow Boy.

Matthew @ 16:25, September 11, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0)

The second camp

There’s a slight problem in writing about this camp, in that I can’t write anything that might be indentifiable. In other words, I can’t say anything that might lead to anyone realising who these people are, where we were, etc. etc..

Therefore, I present to you the highlights of my diary of the week:

Day One

The camp begins with a change of plan: I’m with the youngest boys rather than the older ones. The main memory I have of working with this age group is of a chemistry class I helped with last year:

Kid: What’s this?

Me (quickly figuring out what’s gone into the test tube previously): Oh, that’s a kind of weak bleach.

Kid: Cool! (Throws bleach across table at me.)

What fun.

Day Two

This day is themed on the Stone Age. This conversation took place at breakfast:

Dorm member: Hmm, I need some Stone Age clothes… (to Fellow Leader) hey, can I borrow some of yours?

…I think the first time I really noticed there was such a concept as “style”, I hated the mere thought. I mellowed, but I was at least fifteen before I really started to care a bit. That said, these guys’ concept of style seems focussed around non-sleeved basketball tops, silver necklaces and hair gel.

Day Three

I’m still recovering from my previous camp, so ask for a bit of time off in the afternoon while all the kids go off site to various activities. The morning passes in a slight haze – I get to sing African music (the person leading doesn’t know any more specifically, but I guess probably central to south) with no Western time signature, leading to great fun teaching the rhythms to non-jazz-trained ears.

Due to tiredness I forget most of what we talk about at lunch, and as the kids go off site I end up lying on two beanbags in the leaders’ room while the designated on site leaders watch Narnia (ostensibly looking for talk illustrations). I fall asleep soon afterwards.

The evening meeting has the theme of “Judgement”, lead by my Fellow Leader. It’s not an easy subject. We all deserve death, and we all deserve separation from God. Why? When Adam sinned, all sinned.

Not easy, really, but the evidence stacks up. There is no-one in the world whom you can look at and say “this person has never sinned”. The idea of original sin (Romans 5:12) makes complete sense of this. It’s hard to accept, though, because we all think we’re okay. In the sermon I gave in Japan I talked about how important the concept of spiritual death is in evangelism. Without an understanding of the depths of depravity (we use simpler words with the kids), the death of Jesus means nothing.

We all need to accept that we are sinful and in need of rescue. It’s something that only God can show to us; not something we can logically deduce, because it’s completely against our nature to admit it. God has to change our hearts to reveal this to us. As a result, we’re praying loads for the kids. One in particular hates the idea. He keeps on talking about “rescue”, but his idea of rescue is God helping him out in every day life – rescue from bad results, bullies and things like that. He has no concept of a far greater rescue that’s needed, or indeed Jesus’ promise that the world will hate those who love him, and that persecution is part of being a Christian.

Day Four

The afternoon heralds activities in the pedestrianised shopping centre of nearby city. Half the leaders dress up in funny costumes (gorilla suit, leopard skin and top hat, sackcloth etc.) and wander round the streets while the members look for them in dormitory groups. I’m responsible for my dormitory, as Fellow Leader is off wearing the leopard skin somewhere.

Somehow, as the coach arrives to take us to our destination, all the boys manage to sit at the back together. Cue coach ride of football chants and irritating repetitive songs (“Hail to the bus driver”, various “songs” insulting various football teams, World Cup/European Cup chants that are so old I remember people singing them when I was nine, and “I’ve got a song that will get on your nerves”, that ironically got on the singers nerves so they stopped singing after a couple of verses). Half way there, the girls decided to fight back by singing “Old MacDonald had a farm”, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “Do Re Me” amongst others. The boys laughed at the girls when they heard Old MacDonald, then later realised they’d run out of songs and started singing it themselves.

Once in the city, we start work trying to find the various leaders. Each leader has a token we have to collect, but in order to collect it we have to complete an activity. We discover Fellow Leader in his leopard skin almost straight away, so he runs away, weaving in and out of the shoppers to get away. I then have to not only keep up with the boys without bumping into shoppers myself, but also make sure that they don’t send anyone flying.

Our first task is to act out a scene from history. Luckily, we’d caught Fellow Leader on a side street, so our enactment of the parting of the Red Sea doesn’t get in the way of shoppers. We do, however, have to pause and wait for a car to go past.

One of the tasks set for us by Mrs Supremo (the wife of Mr Supremo, who runs the camp) was, using only questions with yes/no answers, find out who the Bible character she was thinking of was.

The answer was Goliath, but for some reason it took us absolutely ages to come up with him. I’d asked “Was the character around before the time of David?” to which the answer was “yes”, as technically he was. However this threw me and so all my questions were to do with Abraham, Moses, Joshua etc.

One of the other activities was to sing part of a Christian song with actions. Our dorm chose “Lord I lift your name on high”:

Boys: “You came from heaven to earth, to show the way;
From the earth to the cross, my debt to pay;
From the cross to the grave,
From the grave to the sky,
Lord I lift your name on high.”

The shoppers got a gospel message from a bunch of kids who possibly don’t even believe it themselves. Impressive.

The rest of camp

(In which I run out of diary-writing time at camp and have to summarise massively.)

Day Five includes an interview with the Bible (portrayed by Fellow Leader in black clothes with black face paint, and “Holy Bible” written across his t-shirt in silver ink). I hear the following comment from a twelve-year-old girl afterwards:

I think the Bible is my favourite superhero.

Day Six includes the following statement in our dorm Bible study from one of the kids:

Jesus died for everyone. Well, he died for those who believe, anyway.

He’s eleven years old, and already he’s decided he’s a Calvinist.

Day Seven found me up front, giving a book review of a book I’d bought when a member of this camp six years ago (Mr Supremo was my dorm leader at the time). Unfortunately I had no party trick to do for the group (as was required of all interviewees/book reviewers), so was asked to gargle “Bob the Builder” instead, along with a fellow reviewer. When she (being South African) asked how the tune went, the entire camp erupted into song. Apparently there are actual verses – I never knew. Luckily I didn’t have to gargle them.

Later in the evening was the entertainment. I performed (with various people) the African songs I’d learnt earlier in the week. I also took part in the ancient game of “Topple”, which involves squatting on the ground in a ring and using palms only to knock the opponent out of the ring. (I got off lightly. Mrs Supremo and another female leader had to “sock wrestle” – in other words, attempt to get the others’ sock off before she gets your sock off you.)

Day Eight brought with it the camp photo, farewells, and the journey home. Hopefully the kids have learnt something.

Matthew @ 20:40, September 7, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Signs

Join TalkTalk and get free broadband. Please drive slowly. Units for sale/rent. 2go Sandwiches and Coffee. Book online. Summer’s here. Flash: Britain’s cleaner. Local police, local knowledge. Stores across London. New office development. Baldwins Crane Hire. Site Access. New road layout ahead. No stopping at any time. Give way. Sold subject to contract. Controlled zone. Hardwood Finishing Specialists. Dental Surgery. Sevenways Newsagents. A Mars a day. Daily Mail on sale here. Made to Measure Blinds. Open Every Day. Free Delivery. Coca Cola. Phoenix High School. Weak bridge 2 miles ahead. No animals on A40. Unigate Dairies.

Reading signs out of the window was so much more interesting in Japan.

Currently listening to Radiohead – Life In A Glass House.

Matthew @ 14:41, September 5, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mix

  1. Apologies for the Mighty Boosh in-joke.
  2. By up north, I mean north of Oxford. About twenty miles or so.

Currently listening to The Guillemots – Made-Up Lovesong #43

Matthew @ 14:36, September 1, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (9)