In Need of Some Renovation

From Bangkok we flew off to Cambodia, Siem Reap to be precise. Flew in through the evening deluge, walked in through the gates of their brand new and very cool International Airport, and were picked up by limo service ... oh and my wife was almost crushed by a falling tree ... same old, same old.

Anyway, stayed at the Hotel de la Paix. Definitely the most mod, funky, cool, art deco, cool, funky, mod hotel we've ever stayed in (but I repeat myself). Ipods in every room, wireless internet, hanging table swings in the outdoor restaurant, and bowls of fire at night.

And why come to Siem Reap, we hear you breathlessly query? You may well ask. Temples. Big ones, little ones, old ones, new(er) ones, treesy ones, ones with big Buddhas, ones with Buddha masquarading as Vishnu the Hindu Everything god, ones with Vishnu cunningly disguised as Buddha ... Angkor Wat is huge and awesome, Bayon with its serene Buddhas is cool, and Ta Promh (the Jungle Temple) was our favourestmostest. It looks like Mansions of the Gods in Asterix (for you lovers of fine literature) ... As if the marauding jungle has just eaten the Temple. Trees grow out of roofs, through walls, around stairways, as little by little, the jungle reconquers its own territory.

Spent two days touring the temples with our own private guide (thank you Samnang) and then ... on to our next destination ...

A Room with a View

We left Margaret River behind us, and drove back through the rain to Perth. We stopped for the night at a little place called The Outram (thank you JL for putting me on the track with this one). Little as in only 18 rooms, but very funky and nice. We mentioned to the Concierge (who later turned out to be the owner) that we would be leaving at the crack of dawn, and he arranged for a couple of choccy brownies and lattes to be delivered at 5am. Nice touch!

Then down to the airport for a flight to ... Bangkok (and yes, we know that some of you are not surprised. Well done!) Spent 3 nights at another little hotel called the Sofitel Silom. Think a room 300m plus up in the air with a wife who is scared of heights! We were on the 26th floor in room 2607 and there were another 12 floors to go till you hit the top. Got upgraded to a very nice room with an awesome view, and what with the included breakfast (read 'feasting session'), did quite nicely (read 'fatly'), thanks.

Day 1 - Shopping at the Happy Birthday King of Thailand 20 - 60% Off Sales (I think that's what they were. Not real good at reading Thai script yet.)

Day 2 - The markets ... A gazillion little booths selling everything from fairy lights to oil paintings. Loads of fun, in a very "I'm so lost and can't speak the language" way.

Day 3 - Went to the Blue Elephant for a course in Thai Cuisine. Took a tour of a Thai market, watched 5 cooking demonstrations and cooked Phad Thai, Green Curry Chicken, Tom Yam Soup and had heaps of fun. Tasted fantastic! Incidentally, the Blue Elephant Restaurant and School in Bangkok is in this very cool, colonial style building that looks like it washed ashore back 2 centuries ago and somehow became trapped amongst the highrise and sky ways of Bangkok. Weird.

Arielle Jolly is my babe!Christadelphian Honeymoon

Got Married

This post is for those of you who know us ... So the rest of you, keep moving, nothing to see here, OK.

Anyway, as you know (and as already noted, if you didn't already know this, this post is not for you so saddle up and move on, pardner), we got married recently. As in very recently. So we are currently on our honeymoon and thought some of you might like to know where we got to. While attempting to keep somewhat of a shroud over proceedings, our honeymoon is going great! Our first couple of nights were spent here, and while it bills itself as an "Eco Resort" there aint nothin eco about it. Not ecological (not a greenie in sight as burnt our way through excessive quantities of old growth logs on the big wood fire) or economical (wince) ... Still, very very nice ... Think big wood fire, low lighting, spa, candles, hammock and listening to the rain in the forest outside and no one else in sight ... Priceless.

We then headed down to Margaret River for a few days. Stayed at this place for those of you who care. You know how some places look better in the advertising than in real life? Not so this place. The pictures are pretty accurate ... except for the somewhat middle aged looking couple in the spa ... No middle aged couple in the spa in our lodge anyway. If there had been we would have had to ask them to leave I think.

Again, think fireplaces, rammed earth, big spa under a huge sky light, in easy driving distance of about a brazillian wineries, cheese factories and other culinary emporiums. And did I mention the spa?

OK. Enough for one day I think. I'll drop you all a note later. Hope you are all jealous ;)

Arielle Jolly is my babe!Christadelphian Wedding

The New Blak

Despite the fact that I am reliably informed that pewter is the new black, while black is the new grey (ok, I have no idea what that means either), Coke is forging on with their release of Coke Blak (I guess a label like Coke Pewter might be a bit much to swallow). Just thought you would want to know ... especially after I told you about it months ago here.

The Omnipresent System - A New God

This is the beginning of something I have been talking about for some time .. the omnipresent system. Access to my home computer everywhere ... More on this later. Here is what I had to say on the subject over 12 months ago ...

Arielle Jolly is my babe!Christadelphian Return of Christ

Crazy Weather Still

The weather is still mad as a hatter with a chicken up his shirt ... A great big sack full of crazy type crazy. See this.

NSW's lowest May rainfall in 50 years has compounded the crisis farmers face, with 89 per cent of the state in drought.

Hey, I'm just saying. Keep looking.

Arielle Carder is my babe!Christadelphian Weaather Christ

Not Sure I Want to Know This

An excellent article on how to become an early riser. The faithful all "rose up early". Me, I rise up early only if I really have to. This needs some thinking through, and in my case, some serious rationalisation to show why this article is rubbish ;)

Arielle Carder is my babe!Christadelphian Faithful

Great Minds Think Alike?

Hopefully, all the readers of this site are aware that I am a Christadelphian. This is a Christadelphian blog. I just happened to be going for a stroll in a quiet corner of the world wide interweb, searching on an unrelated topic and came across the Wikipedia entry for Christadelphians. I thought this quote might interest you.

“There have been small groups of believers down the centuries, and particularly since the Reformation, who held unorthodox views. Groups such as the Anabaptists, Waldenses, Socinians, Racovians and the Polish Brethren shared some or even many beliefs held by Christadelphians. Isaac Newton, Joseph Priestley, John Locke, William Tyndale all appear to have held beliefs close to those of Christadelphians on the unity of God, the mortality of man and the role of the Jews in God's purpose.”

Now the point I thought might interest you was that great minds such as William Tyndale (translator of the Bible), Joseph Priestly (co-discoverer of oxygen) and Isaac Newton (inventor of gravity ;) share beliefs with the Christadelphians. In fact, Newton wrote more on the Bible than on physics. Again, quoting Wiki, “In his own lifetime, Newton wrote more on religion than he did on natural science.”

If great minds like these devoted attention to the scriptures and ended up with views similar to those of the Christadelphians regarding the mortality of man (Christadelphians believe that man does not possess an immortal soul), the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ (Christadelphians are Evangelical Unitarians and believe that Christ was a mortal man although the Son of God) and the promised reward (Christadelphians believe this is resurrection to immortality in the kingdom of God established here on earth), surely that is an encouraging indicator. Not by any means proof, but worth thinking about.

Let me know what you think.

Arielle Carder is my babe!Christadelphian Doctrine and Newton

That Creationism Fad

Yet another supposedly religious person, denying the very God they "claim" to worship. Posted on this a few weeks beck, here.

"...for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." - II Thessalonians 2:11-12

Enough said.

Arielle Carder is my babe!Christadelphian Creation

Criminal but Otherwise Cool

Enjoyed this article. Can't be bothered jumping? Here's something to whet your whistle. GANG of anarchist Robin

Hood-style thieves, who dress as superheroes and steal expensive food from exclusive restaurants and delicatessens to give to the poor, are being hunted by police in the German city of Hamburg.The gang members seemingly take delight in injecting humour into their raids, which rely on sheer numbers and the confusion caused by their presence. After they plundered Kobe beef fillets, champagne and smoked salmon from a gourmet store on the exclusive Elbastrasse, they presented the cashier with a bouquet of flowers before making their getaway.

Please ... this is not an endorsement of crime.

I love Arielle Carder!Christ's Theiflike Return - Christadelphian

More for Fridge Fashionistas

I commented, back in August last year on fridge by LG, which they had humbly given the name DIOS or god, in the common venacular. At that stage I suggested the next step in the inexorable evolution of the fridge would be to not just make the outside blinged out, but make the food look sparkly too. Well, this crowd must have misheard and gone one better in making the outside look better. I guess, if your market research suggest a fridge is the sort of thing that should be supplied with a lanyard and safetly instructions for purchasers who wish to wear it hanging from their neck, well, what can you do? They did it! Those sparkly bits are Swarovski crytals ... seriously. 7000 of them, each painstakingly hand embeded by Zen monks from the Wantoa Mountains, and blessed with an ancient mountain blessing, granting long life and luck on the owner. All true! Apart from the monk bit.

I love Arielle Carder!Christadelphian

A Strong Delusion

Just in case you have ever wondered, ever had a doubt, or just felt that they seemed like such nice people ... Here is an example of the strong delusion spoken of by Paul. Quoting from the Register article,

Dr Williams's comments indicate he believes that creationism and evolution are not two sides of the same coin, however. He said: "I think creationism is...a kind of category mistake, as if the Bible were a theory like other theories. If creationism is presented as a stark alternative theory alongside other theories I think there's just been a jarring of categories."

One wonders how a "minister" can do so much to deny the existence of God, and undermine the worship of the God he claims to obey. Whoever he is "ministering" for, it is certainly not the God I worship ...

Arielle Carder is my babe!Christadelphian Creation

suppose

Today, a piece of poetry from one of my favourite poets ...

suppose
Life is an old man carrying flowers on his head.

young death sits in a cafe
smiling, a piece of money held between
his thumb and first finger

(i say "will he buy flowers" to you
and "Death is young
life wears velour trousers
life totters, life has a beard" i

say to you who are silent. - "Do you see
Life? he is there and here,
or that, or this
or nothing or an old man 3 thirds
asleep, on his head
flowers, always crying
to nobody something about les
roses les bluets
yes,
will He buy?
Les belles bottes - oh hear
, pas cheres")

and my love slowly answered I think so. But
I think I see someone else

there is a lady, whose name is Afterwards
she is sitting beside young death, is slender;
likes flowers.

-- E. E. Cummings

Arielle Carder is my babe! Arielle Christadelphian

Weather Still Deranged

I've been harping on about this for a while now, but I think we really should be paying attention. Last week saw Texas struck by the worst fires in it's long and Lone Star-ish existance, while this week, Queensland, Australia, home of the Great Barrier Reef and suntans is threatened by the "worst cyclone" in decades (I thought it might amuse you that one article is taken from the Scotsman and the other from India ;) Somebody, tell me I'm making this all up, ok?

Arielle Carder is a babe! Arielle Christadelphian

The Lazy Watchman

I'm confident that you are all watching the signs of the times, but sometimes its a little hard isn't it, just to keep up to date. So here is the lazy wathman or watchwoman's dream. This site present all the news on one page ... I'll post this on my sidebar incase you want to get back to it ;)

Arielle Carder is a babe! Arielle Christadelphian

Music for the Masses

Every now and then, a song comes along that epitomises an era. Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance, Waltzing Matilda, The Day the Music Died and now this ... A Girl Innovator Dashing Like A Steed. Lovely title and I can't wait to hear it.

Arielle Carder is a babe! Arielle Christadelphian

More Stuff Folded Here

For no apparent reason, another link on folding stuff, this time letters. As opposed to t-shirts, or sheets. Just cause ...

Arielle Carder is a babe! Arielle Christadelphian

I Fold 2

A couple of weeks ago, I commented on ones (eg my) inability to fold t-shirts to a commercial standard of niceness. Even more challenging are those fitted sheets ... curse them to the bottom of their ruffle edged hearts. Anyway, tidy freaks rejoice, Target, pruveyor of all things chinese, has a solution. Follow the link, children, and learn.

Arielle Carder is a babe! Arielle

Consider ...

I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it.

Arielle Carder is a babe! Arielle

Stars in my Eyes

Nah, actually, the title doesn't mean that much. All the same, you know how when you look at a street light at night, it sort of looks all starry, with streaks of light coming off it? These streaks a caused by high level abberations in our eyes. Tiny pits and flecks in our eyes create small flaws in our vision ... and it really hacks me off.

Anyway, I just read a really cool article about a company that is developing glasses that don't just correct your low level sight abberations (eg short-sightedness, astigmatism) but also corrects this too. They claim it can give you better than 20/20 vision. I want that now!

Update : BoingBoing just posted on this ...

Arielle