GadgetVicar

YMMV

YMMV - I've just seen this for the first time and my first thought was that it meant "You make me vomit"! I'm a little out-of-touch with internet culture......

New Blogger

Lou Talbot is blogging from Uganda at Go Therefore...

Mentioned

See Florence's blog.

Unwanted Comments

I have noticed that, on some blogs, the authors don't publish my comments. Over the last few months, this has happened several times. I've been putting it down to the comments getting somehow lost in the wilds of the interweb. It has now happened too many times to be that. After taking time to make a considered response, surely it would be polite to publish it? Or maybe there is a little too much truth in my comments and their readers might be exposed to a different point of view. We can't have that can we?  I suppose that these bloggers have every right to ignore any comment they don't like.

I perceive some unwillingness to listen in those who disagree with or even strongly disapprove of my views on all sorts of things. Some might say there was intolerance at work.

Let it be known that all publishable comments which are not rude, libelous, or personal attacks will continue to be published here. I have no fear of opposing views being aired to the wee band of GV readers. I'm a true liberal that way, you see.

U2 and other Dilemmas

So, I'm preaching on "Frugality" next Sunday morning as part of our series on Spiritual Disciplines.

U2 tickets are currently on pre-sale for fan club members. They are being supported by Glasvegas in Glasgow. But wait for it, in London and Sheffield they are being supported by Elbow! Dilemmas, dilemmas. Should we spend a small fortune on a pair of tickets? And if we do, do we use our membership to get tickets for Glasgow or down south? The latter would definitely not be frugal.

In another development, I have explored a little of the realm of Facebook for the first time tonight, purely for pastoral reasons, you understand. I have learned that people need to learn that typing some things on such sites is probably not advisable. Also that many so-called friends are but acquaintances (but such is the real world too, I suppose). Not sure I feel at home.......

Shunted

One casualty of the Gordon Brown's reshuffle is my old friend, Tom Harris, now the ex-minister for the railways. By many accounts, he was doing a great job and I think was very enthusiastic for his remit. So why was he shunted? Perhaps it was this 'miserable' story in June that did for him? Or is it a cull of Scots in the UK government? Or maybe it's just that his pretty open blogging just doesn't sit well with a government that is looking increasingly shaky. Such openness threatens institutions that like to control what is put in the public domain. Politicians, like church leaders, need to get with it and understand that things have changed: the worldwide interweb has given lots of people a voice they never had before. I suspect a lot of people appreciated the fact that a minister, albeit a junior one, regularly updated his blog on matters political and personal.

Tom will return to the back benches and continue to represent the people of Glasgow South. Who knows, he might well find himself in a position of influence when the current lot find themselves either out of a job completely or joining him on those benches come the next election?

In the meantime, keep up the good work, Irwin C. Gull (2!).

Our Home and Another Issue

Blogging is limited at the moment, mainly because I'm getting back up to speed workwise and trying to be more attentive to the family. In addition, the rectory is undergoing lots of repairs and renovations at the moment which our vestry has graciously agreed to have done. I'm doing the legwork and it's all rather time consuming.

We had tree surgeons doing major work in the garden.

We also have gas central heating engineers about to fit a new system following the discovery that the  old system is on its last legs (the forty year old radiators are past it). I'd hoped that we might get away with a new boiler, but alas that won't cure the system's ailments. It's a big old house and such repairs are major jobs, as there are over twenty radiators. The radiant gas fires have also been condemned as dangerous, so they have to be replaced too. This necessitates a remodelling of the fireplaces and sweeping/lining/capping the chimneys.

The study flooded while I was away in the USA, and we are waiting for an ok from the insurance company for it to be repaired. In the meantime, the study is sharing space with the dining room.

Meanwhile we are also looking at doing up the shower/bathroom room, which is unpleasant, damp and has a broken velux window which won't close..

It all means that our home is and will be somewhat chaotic for a while and that blogging has to take a back seat while we get that little lot sorted out.

To put an inglorious cap on it all, while I was at a meeting last night some numptie pranged our car in the church car park. I am being calm...........

Spotting GadgetvIcar

Grayza is forcing me to try and get some self-publicity by running a "Spot-the-GadgetVicar @ GAFCON" competition. I promise not to streak across the stage today. Then again......

At the very least, dear readers, you might watch and learn from some excellent bible-teaching and helpful lectures.

Raining......not.

Aaargh, it's raining in Glasgow (how unusual is that?). That will dampen the Gala.

It's not like that in Jerusalem. It's currently about 90 degrees. It's hot. Too hot.

Some Anglican bloggers are here:

Matt

Ruth

Any others?

Perhaps we need to all meet up while we are here?

Lots and lots of purple. Mainly African. Some look very young to me. It is said that, "You know you are getting old when the bishops look younger than you do". Their wives are here in force too, looking replendent.

First meeting is tonight.

On Yer Bike

The day after the Labour Party got seriously gubbed in Englandshire, I discovered my old amigo, Tom Harris, (MP for Glasgow South), is blogging again and in fine style. That picture in the middle of his page banner is of Irwin C. Gull, the erstwhile symbol of Irvine New Town from the early 1980's. In my memory, Tom took over the role following the departure of the original Irwin, namely me. I've always said that job helped equip me for ordained ministry. Clearly it fits one for a political career too.

I cycled twenty six and-a-half miles around Loch Katrine today. It's a lovely private tarmac road on which we encountered a mere two cars. Though the clouds were ominous, the rain stayed off and I enjoyed the excellent carrot and ginger soup/brie and bacon panini at the little cafe at Stronachlacher. It was absolutely necessary to imbibe a fine pint of lager on our return to the Trossachs pier. A great day out in fine company. However, I am now in a little pain as my legs objected to the one or two bigger hills we encountered. And just to prove that I'm still wearing ridiculous clothing, just look at that hat!