milton jones comes out

milton jones (comedy maestro) was at greenbelt. i first saw him about 7 years ago (at the epicentre venue!) at greenbelt, and it was good to see him back again. he performed twice. the first one the queue was huge, and i didn't get in. (by the way, it was good to see queues again at greenbelt - back to the good old days! 20,000 people, sunshine and queues). anyway, the second time i planned ahead and maria and i arrived in plenty of time. he performed a new piece he has been working on which is basically a comedy evangelistic monologue telling about the gospel. it was so great that he was totally relaxed and open about his christian faith, and that he was passionate enough about it to write the piece.

eco-living

i went to a great seminar at greenbelt by a guy called leo hickman. he is basically a totally ordinary guy (who happens to write for the guardian) who decided to try and be more ecologically friendly for a year. it started with two "ecological auditors" arriving at his house and assessing his lifestyle (sounds terrifying). they then advised him on his first gentle steps towards a more greener life. the main two things they recommended were a) to look at where he buys his food and b) to try and cut his rubbish. food is probably what we spend most of our disposable income on - and much of it is imported from abroad. food imported from abroad causes much more pollution (aircraft fumes, refridgerated lorries) and uses much more packaging than locally sourced food. he began to shop (where possible) at farmers' markets - buying seasonal products, etc. it was a really good seminar because leo was so down to earth. he did not make unrealistic expectations of himself, and said at the end of the seminar that it is about trying each day to make small changes to your lifestyle. bravo!

greenbelt poem

i read a poem about greenbelt that was posted as a comment on si johnston's blog (http://sijohnston.blogs.com) - you might have to search around a bit, but it is there. it made me a little sad (it's quite negative about gb), but i could also recognise what the writer was saying. any big gathering of people can have a flip side - you can feel extremely lonely and inadequate - especially if you find yourself on your own. i think that i have had some of my lowest times at greenbelt as well as some of my best.

digi

i am thinking of investing in a digital slr. i am quite excited at the prospect, but also a bit nervous.

pete rollins

pete rollins (my theological hero) was at greenbelt. his mind works faster than any brain i know of (and i know some very bright people) and what he has to say is awesome. i think i will be buying that seminar cd and listening to it bit by bit over the next couple of months. you can find a taster of his musings at http://blogs.ignite.cd/pete

old friends

well, i actual-lee bumped into lee - who is also a blogger. way more obsessed than me - he even blogged from greenbelt via his mobile phone. that's dedication - you can find him at http://splee.livejournal.com

also bumped into sam chaplin (www.jazzbomb.com) - and one of the first things he said to me was "i have recently started listening to this guy called rufus wainwright, have you heard of him?" needless to say i have heard of him.....

fairweather friends

hey, well i'm back from greenbelt05, and for those of you who are regulars at this site - i'm back for good now (cue cheesy mid 90s take that tune). no more excursions. back to skool on monday.

for me, greenbelt is a little slice of heaven. here are some of the reasons why i love greenbelt so much:
* you get to see people that you only really see at greenbelt. i have been going to greenbelt for 16 years (and i haven't missed a year since 1990), and it becomes like the very best sort of family reunion
* every day there are opportunities to blow your mind - to think about something in a fresh way, to learn more about world politics, to hear new points of view - oh, and there are also some seminars you could go to
* greenbelt has maintained an open, questioning, inclusive ethos, despite years and years of pressure from various parts of the christian church
* the "stars" of greenbelt (who are well known to regular greenbelters, if not to the british public) wander around with the rest of us - no vip bodyguards. this includes the vaguely famous simon mayo (who may even pitch his tent in the general campsite?).
* i used to think that greenbelt was like a holiday from church, but now i realise it is my church.

sensual-lee

it was good to catch up with the (mostly ex-) new malden baptist crew at greenbelt - although, as usual, i never seem to spend that much time at my tent.

lots of hilarity over alan partridge as always. it is pure comedy genius after all.

this morning before we left the campsite phil announced that he would like to rub baby oil into lee's naked chest. there is such a thing as over-sharing phil....

s is for salsa

and suzy ... and sweaty.... and sexy

so i had lots of fun as usual at salsa (even without karl, who is on holiday for a couple of weeks *sigh*).

there are a couple of new boys at salsa.

moments of tenderness

i went to see the film "me and you and everyone we know" last night. it was very good - 'a tender, funny, intelligent and passionate meditation on the search for love and belonging in the modern world' according to time out. there are some exquisite moments of tenderness. one storyline in the film has been criticised by some groups - it involves a 6 year old boy typing sexual suggestions into a chat room. eventually his correspondent suggests they meet up on a local park bench. when they meet, it is clear that the boy understands the woman's intense loneliness, and reaches out to her in friendship. there's also a gorgeous 11 year old girl who is collecting her "dowry" - a toy chest full of things she will need when she gets married - a matching towel set, a food mixer etc.

i won't ruin any more of it. highly recommended.

literally overused

jane and i had a discussion about overused words whilst we were away. i think it started with the overuse (in christian circles) of "really" and "just" - especially in very sincere prayers. anyway, we decided "literally" is the most overused word - especially in the wrong context: as in "i went into town and the queue for the car park took literally hours" or "i've got literally nothing to wear."

vive la france!

so i have posted a few more holiday snaps. i'll try not to bore you too much with them.

the campsite we stayed in ("ubertrop") was basic to say the least. i have posted a photo of the shower block - two cubicles that were pretty much open to the elements. luckily the main "element" was beautiful sunshine, so it was quite nice to shower there.
i have also posted a couple of photos of the main attraction - no! not me! - the beautiful swimming pool. there are so many reasons why i love the campsite. the guy who runs it is so laid back he is horizontal (hence the basic facilities) - this also means he has done no promotion, and at any given time there were maybe 3 other families or groups staying. as you can see, the pool wasn't crowded. so it was very peaceful, even in the middle of august.
the surrounding area (la drome) is exceptionally beautiful, whilst also having an off-the-beaten-track feel about it.
we really had the perfect holiday - lovely sunshine, great food.
and i come home to cold rain and bland food. ah well.

wish you were here? i do 

waterbabes 

very ubertrop 

champagne and olives? 

fairweather friend

the weather in the uk is completely and utterly miserable - rainy and cold. i am beginning to feel less-than-enthusiastic about the prospect of camping at greenbelt in a few days' time.

blushing bride

the photo below shows my grandmother (on my mum's side) on her wedding day. i think she looks very beautiful, but maybe i'm biased?

nana's wedding day 

taize

many of you will have heard about the death of brother roger of taize. it has been a very strange and difficult couple of days for jane and i. at the end of our holiday we had always planned to go to taize (it is quite close to where we were staying), and we turned up to spend the day there on saturday. we had been away all week and hadn't heard any news at all. we didn't know that brother roger had died earlier in the week (let alone that he had been murdered in front of worshippers in the church). the very surreal thing is that we spent almost the whole day there without knowing. we arrived, went to the midday prayer service in the church, bought some books in the shop, had lunch, sat out on the grass and read our books, wandered around. then, at about 6pm we wandered into the church. a girl had told us when we arrived that brother roger "would be in the church between 3 and 7pm". she didn't tell us that it was his body! we had seen several people in suits wander into the church (presumably to pay their respects) and there seemed to be more people around than i would have expected. anyway, we went in to see what was happening. i expected to see brother roger in a chair blessing people, and was shocked to see his body laid out. we didn't understand what had happened and so i rang my mum. as soon as i said "we're in taize" she said "oh, isn't it terrible?" and i said "what? what has happened?"

it is an incredible testimony to the wonderful community at taize that jane and i spent the day there without realising the deep, deep grief and suffering the brothers must be experiencing. we had the privilege of talking to a girl who was there on tuesday, who told us that within minutes of the fatal attack (he was stabbed by a disturbed woman in front of 2500 worshippers) the congregation had begun singing, and continued singing and praying well into the night. almost everyone who was there on saturday would have been present at the service that tuesday evening.

i have been to taize twice - once briefly with carey about 9 years ago, and then for a week on my own about 4 years ago. it is a wonderful place of peace and prayer. it means a lot to so many people around the world.

if you are the praying kind, please pray for the community at taize, and especially for those people present at the service last tuesday.

for more information see www.taize.fr

big sunglasses and apricot juice 

lazy afternoon at ubertrop 

jane gets her caffeine hit 

ubercool

well hello blog-fans. good to be back. although jane and i had a fantastic time in la belle france. we stayed at a great little campsite in provence called "ubertrop" (a strange fusion of german and french that actually doesn't mean anything). it was the most basic campsite i have ever seen - apart from the swimming pool, which was divine. we spent 6 fabulous days doing pretty much nothing apart from sunbathing, eating, reading, swimming and sleeping. i will blog a bit more about it all once a) i have had some sleep and b) i get some more photos back.

suzy brech is away (again)

i will be back blogging on sunday 21st august.

salsa politics

kirsty and i have got a good idea which men we want to dance with in the "freestyle" section of the evening. we don't have much choice in the lesson because the teacher swaps us around every few minutes. but it is interesting after the lesson in freestyle. some of the guys are just learning, but are sweetly apologetic - those guys are fine - even quite fun to dance with. some of the guys have no rhythm and seem to be totally oblivious. those guys don't help us to learn at all. then there's 3 or 4 guys who are really good. only one of those 4 guys is really great to look at, and i think you know who i mean. kirsty and i have to play a kind of game - stick around long enough to get 2 or 3 good dances, meanwhile you kind of have to dance with whoever asks you. it's quite funny really. there's one or two (older, sweaty) guys who we try our very best to avoid. it has become a game - can we look away at just the right moment? can we excuse ourselves and go to the bar just as he finishes a dance? i failed miserably tonight and ended up with the sweatiest guy right at the last song. and now i have three solid weeks without karl.

perfect day

today has been crammed full of wonderful people and wonderful things. the day started with a phonecall with rachel in oz. amazing that we can speak so easily across thousands of miles. (sorry to hear it is cold in melbourne....don't look up the forecast in nyons for next week - you'll be sick with jealousy). i miss her very much, but the good news is that she is coming over in december!

then i went swimming - and managed to do my 20 lengths without too many little brats getting in the way.

i had lunch with marcus t gibbs, which was a treat. it has been a good couple of months since i have seen him. we had a lovely lunch and even spent some time praying together, which was great.

then i drove to richmond to have coffee with kelly. we managed to squeeze in some shopping, which was fun.

on the way home i took a wrong turning and ended up outside kew gardens. it was about 6pm and a beautiful evening, so i stopped the car. i am a member of kew gardens, so i can get in for free. the gardens close at 6.30 so they were almost empty and i spent the most wonderful half an hour wandering along the paths. it was very romantic - shame i was on my own.

then to top off an already fantastic day, it was salsa tonight. the lessons have been a bit rubbish recently because we have had to "share" the men one between two. but karlos was on top form tonight - and i think i danced pretty well too. it was good to have a giggle with my friend kirsty too.

potted king 

m&s raspberry mousse

rachel and i used to have long chats at work about yoghurt and mousse (well, as long as you can have in the 10 minute breaks we used to have). we concluded - after extensive research - that the king of all potted desserts is the m&s raspberry mousse, pictured here. i have just enjoyed one and can heartily recommend them.

professional advice

so my meeting with the photographer went well today. i showed him some of the (many) photos i have taken in the past year - and he was very encouraging, which is great. he also gave me some constructive criticism, and advice on how to improve. basically 99% of my photos are portraits taken at weddings (because it's an occasion at which people look their best, and have a reason to smile!) rather than "wedding photos". he said i need to take more group shots, preferably full-length. he also liked the few "details" photos i have taken (of rings or wine glasses, or flowers) and said i should try doing more of that. i agree with him, although now i am not sure whether i want to be a wedding photographer - it is portraits i really want to do. anyway, he was a nice guy and said he would have loved to have me assist him at a wedding this weekend - but i am away on holiday.

little pink baby

i have a little pink baby (ipod)! she is so cute. i'll post a photo of her eventually. i am looking forward to spending a few hours teaching her some choons.

wedding photos

i have posted a few photos i took on saturday. i am reasonably happy with most of the photos i took, although i am being hyper-critical of myself as i have a meeting tomorrow lunchtime with a professional wedding photographer - and he has asked me to take some of my photos with me. i am going to take my laptop with all my images from all the weddings i have done. i hope he will be gentle with me! i am hoping to do some work experience with him at a wedding later in the year.

bride's cousin 

mother of the bride 

wedding guest 

bride 

birthing pool

carey, bump and i went for a swim today! we had the wimbledon college pool to ourselves, which was really nice. carey is on maternity leave - and she chose to spend the first day with me! i am so excited about little baby radcliffe. we spent rather a long time talking about labour - carey is remarkably philosophical about it - or maybe that's just to hide the terror underneath? she knows that i - or mike for that matter- would do anything for her, but we can't give birth to this baby.

photographic phrustration

well i have had a good (and busy) weekend. on saturday i went to a wedding - mainly to take photos. i really enjoy taking photos, and it is good that people think i am talented enough to ask me to weddings specifically to take photos. it went pretty well, and i think i got some nice portraits, but bloody snappy snaps (to whom i am rediculously faithful) have had ongoing problems with their black and white developping machine, and so i haven't been able to get the films developped yet. bah humbug. will post a selection of good shots (if there are any!) as soon as i manage to get them done.

blogging maths

holidays + (boredom)2 = blogging

the kite runner

i have just finished reading an absolutely mind-blowing book called the kite runner by khaled hosseini. it has taken me ages, not because it isn't good - but rather because it is so moving - i had to allow time after each chapter to contemplate and allow it to sink in. the cover blurb includes the following adjectives: extraordinary, shattering, inspiring, devastating, powerful, unforgettable.

dangerous liasons

vikki and i went to see the ballet "les liasons dangereuses" at sadler's wells this evening. it was brilliant. i love ballet anyway - it is one of the few things that totally absorbs me in the moment. i love the fact that the human body can express so much just in movement.

this production was directed and choreographed by a guy called adam cooper (www.adam-cooper.com) - who (as unlikely as it seems) grew up in tooting. he is also straight, which must be a rarity in the ballet world. it makes him so much more attractive - as if the fact he isn't gay means he is going to divorce his wife (who also happens to be his leading lady in this performance) and marry me.

the performance is very raunchy (lots of writhing around with very few clothes on). almost every character ends up betrayed or heart broken : the moral of the story is - too much sex can really **** you up.

my friend john 

my friend john

i had a fantastic experience today! i bumped into an old friend on northcote road. his name is john and i met him about 5 years ago when he was begging outside sainsbury's on queenstown road. i am always deeply suspicious of beggars and tramps, and usually scurry past without giving them anything. i try to at least acknowledge their presence, but i don't give them any money. i don't know why john was different, but he was. i bought him some food at sainsbury's, and sat on the street chatting with him for quite a while. for about a year i saw him every couple of months. he was intelligent and articulate - although he had obviously had a rough time. he said he had run away from glasgow because he was the main witness in a murder trial, and the family of the convicted man had threatened to kill him. i think i am a pretty good judge of character (this is something i have inherited from my mum), and i instinctively liked him and wanted to trust him. he was open and honest about his lifestyle and why he was on the streets. the last time i saw him (about 4 years ago in brixton) he had very bad infected sores on his legs (caused by circulatory problems - a side effect of drink and drug abuse). it had been so long since i saw him that i began to think he had probably died (he had been mugged several times and stabbed a couple of times). i still thought of him often and said a prayer now and again.

anyway, today i was buying myself some lunch in starbucks and as i took it outside i saw a trampy guy begging at the tables. of course i thought "oh no, i wonder how i can avoid giving him some money" when he looked at me and we recognised each other. what was so fantastic was that he immediately said "hi suzy" and gave me a big (smelly) hug. i was so bowled over that he remembered my name after all these years. i gave him half my lunch and we chatted for about an hour. he said he has been thinking of me often these past few months, and he remembers all the things i did for him all those years ago (most notably i bought him a book that i thought he'd enjoy, although it pretty much immediately got stolen in the hostel).

his leg is pretty much healed - he narrowly escaped having an amputation. unfortunately he has been diagnosed with hiv, and doctors have refused to prescribe the medication he needs until he is more stable. it seems unlikely he will ever be more stable, as he has been in and out of hostels for years.

i asked him if he needed anything and ended up giving him a reasonable amount of money. i don't know if he will spend it on what he said he would (he needs to pick up some prescription glasses for reading), but i guess i have to allow him the dignity to spend it as he wants or needs.

if you are the praying kind, i would be so grateful if you could say a prayer for him. my prayer would be that he gets off methedone, as last time he did his overall health improved loads. obviously i hope his hiv does not develop into aids. but ultimately i pray that he would find a way of living with dignity and hope.

mobile photos

i have posted some photos below from my mobile phone. it has taken me ages to find the time to install the software, so most of the photos are out of date. the one of me, christina and jp is very old, but very cute. i thought it was about time i had a photo of kelly on my blog, seeing as she is a very good friend of mine. the photo of me and chloe isn't that old - taken just a couple of weeks ago. it makes me laugh because it is so blurry and we are obviously laughing.

just the 4 of us 

funny photo of me and chloe 

kelly 

another paul lemmon original 

super snooze

most of you know that i almost always have a snooze in the afternoons for a couple of hours. well, having spent the night before on a coach, i decided yesterday afternoon to have a snooze. i got into bed at about 3.30pm and set my alarm for 6pm - leaving my terrace door open and my washing out. 10 hours later i woke up! that is the first time i have got into bed for a snooze and slept through my alarm! to avoid jet-lag i read my book for a couple of hours and then went back to sleep. i was obviously seriously in sleep-debt.

i love pgl

despite the fact that this year's trip was marred by some very annoying boys - i still think it is a fabulous trip. almost every person i have met working at pgl has been fantastic - enthusiastic, hard working, responsible. one of the things i think is so excellent about a trip like this one is that it allows the boys to meet non-academic adults and to learn to listen to and respect them. most of the staff at pgl disliked academic work (they generally excel at sports) - and yet they are mature and authoritative. it is great for teenagers who are used to highly qualified bods (like me i suppose) telling them what to do - to have the opportunity to see other (very different, but equally worthy) role models.

french sunset (from the coach) 

lunch and mr wilden 

view from the viewpoint 

kids at the viewpoint 

segs - pgl centre 

soft skinned boys

yeah man, right, when we was in the med, yeah, there was this fit guy, yeah. anyway, he had a cool motor(boat) yeah, and i says to him "hey, can i cotch wiv you on your motor for a while?" and he goes "yeah, whatever", so i was sitting behind him on the seat and he was so tic - man his body was buff...

roughly translated that means i got a motor boat ride with a very handsome pgl instructor. this involved me sitting pillion (behind him on the seat) and holding on for dear life. the sea swell was quite high, and i was pretty terrified. that just meant i had to hold on even tighter. ah well. tough life huh? sunshine, sea and handsome men.

the title of this post comes from a line from a rufus track.

it's a small world after all

the river section of the trip (where we canoe a 30km stretch of the river ardeche in southern france) is my favourite part. this year we had a great river guide called john lea. (he might be in one of the photos - he has a ginger beard). he was fabulously funny - making everyone on the coach laugh and laugh and laugh. we laughed until our bellies ached. but also he went to manchester uni and studied biology, so we had a good time chatting about various tutors and lecturers. and on top of all that it turns out that his mum was the administrator for the biological sciences department at manchester - mary lea. she was the loveliest woman, and i used to pop in and see her every couple of days. in fact, she was so special that i bought her a bunch of flowers on my graduation day (to say goodbye). amazing coincidence.

my big purple souvenir 

no mousses allowed

well, as you can see from the rather unattractive photograph (apologies to those with a weak stomach, or for those reading the blog over their lunch) - i have come home from the activities trip with a big purple war wound. it was incurred on the biggest rapid, which is called "pas de mousse" - which could mean "no mousses" - but actually means "footstep of the mousse". miss matthews (who was at the front of our canoe) leant the wrong way, and we capsized. there is photographic evidence of the capsize, which i will attempt to scan and post.