minibeasts - keep your eyes open for them

cloud shapes

When was the last time you lay somewhere and just allowed yourself to stare up into the sky spotting clouds that look like something else? There's one cloud formation that seems to catch my eye more than most - other than big bad thunder clouds - is this one. I can't help but think of beaches on which I tread where the tide has retreated. It leaves a rippled effect almost like a cast in the sand of the very motion of the waves.


Yet here it is in the sky thousands of feet above my head.

I am constantly in awe of water. At least, I think it's water that I'm referring to. All the states and forms it comes in. From the effect extreme heat has on it to the beautiful ways it moulds itself at the opposite end of the scale.

How...and why can one thing be found in so many different ways?

skateboarding - nature or nurture?

Of course with any scene there comes the heroes. Skating is just the same. Every generation has their's and within that there are numerous names dependent on your style, attitude and approach that will appeal. I always liked the guys that did things a bit different. Mike Vallely and Rodney Mullen might seem to represent two completely opposite ends of the scale with regards to approach. Just watch any footage and you'll see two very different ways of using the same tool. So what unites them in my mind?


Watching how these guys interacted with their audience/fans/spectators, call them what you will, these guys exhibited humility. There was none of the better-than-you showmanship just simple skill that did all the talking for them. There certainly wasn't any of the self-important nature that can very easily sneak in when anyone gets used to being the centre of attention. Two examples stand out clearly in my mind.


Mike V - having provided a full on demo, riding hard as always, wasn't done when time was called. In fact the sun went down and the pros went home. Mike V got some floodlights and carried on going well beyond what was required and expected of him.


Rodney Mullen - while the rest of the pros on one particular tour enjoyed all the luxuries of a  high class hotel, he went for a skate. He met up with some local kids and hung out with them, helping them try some of the stuff that he can do.


It's this that has made the biggest impact on me. I've never pushed my skating hard enough to be competitive at a local level never mind international but I have made sure that what I have received I give. The best thing about skating, the absolute best thing, is when you bring something different to a local park (sometimes 'old' is still waiting to be promoted to 'retro'). A kid watches on and, despite the grizzled appearance of that crazy old guy doing something he's never seen before, asks how it's done. You share what you know, more often than not they pick it up frustratingly quickly and they go home having learnt something new.

The gospel has been shared...

skateboarding - liberty or loyalty?

Saw a guy once. He'd made himself a simple ramp out of a plank of wood and some bricks. I was a small kid and he was in my primary school's playground on a weekend just skating. And that was all it took.


I'm still skateboading today. I enjoy acquiring new scars. I've got used to comments being shouted out from passing cars as I roll down the cycle path. I delight in being the living expression of the old school while the kids practice nailing the trick that has most recently captured their interest.


To an extent I wish this is what it has always been about but I've definitely walked/skated a journey that has come full circle. Whether it has run parallel to the simple context of life, maturity, values and priorities changing and shaping with the years or not I don't know but I do know the impressionable mind of a young person and the longevity of loyalty can be caught in a moment.

My first 'proper' set up included an Element team logo slick deck. To this day Element are the first port of call I make when seeking a new purchase. I wear their clothing. With pride I kit myself out from head to to toe, displaying the iconic logo with some notion that I'm also making my opinions and thoughts about the environment also known albeit by association.


But what am I associating myself with? With whose values am I aligning my own? It's not just a case of the team either, but specific individuals within that team...but there's too much in this for one post. And so it continues...

and now a word from our sponsor

...that's you. Go on - write a comment. I dare you.

If you need some time to think about what to write why don't you check this guy out? He's called Pete. We work together. We snowboard together. He writes a blog too. He follows me. I follow him.


Thought of anything yet?


No? Ok. Here's a picture of Pete to buy you some time. Can you see what he sees? Why don't you tell me?


I bet there's something you want to say. Go on, it's there on the tip of your tongue. Just shout it out.

the this bone is connected to the that bone and the...other one fits...here?

I love dinosaurs. Always have. Adventures with grandparents that involved the London underground and the Natural History museum have had a lasting affect. From the Plesiosaur to the Dilophosaur these creatures never failed to capture my imagination. I would surround myself with them: books, films, board games and of course toys. Mine was an unquenchable intrigue.


And so it is that even today, as a grown man, I will still sit on the edge of my seat, silently watching anything that reveals new information about this lost world. This time it's the turn of the BBC's Planet Dinosaur...and unfortunately the first time I've found myself thinking "really?"


They tell us about the leaps and bounds in recent discovery over the last 20 years, with regards to new species, and further evidence which ties in with previous knowledge...but then present this to us with tenuous links hoping we won't notice as we are drawn into fancy graphics. Maybe I've been spoilt. I was nurtured into nature through the likes of Terry Nutkins and the Really Wild Show team. These quality programmes were quickly followed by the phenomenon of David Attenborough who has since gone on to present ever improving documentaries himself utilising the latest in photo and film technology.


I don't need 3D. I don't even need HD. I'm a believer but I need to get my teeth into something that I can chew.

the new thing I learned today

Before jumping with both feet into a hot topic that can be incredibly divisive, please read this with the understanding that I am only writing from personal experience and therefore am merely expressing my very personal opinion. Not normally one to shy away from confrontation (I fall into the annoying category of person who likes a good debate sometimes simply for the opportunity of sparring) but I recognise that the content of this post is very subjective. The whos, whys and wherefores of any one situation can influence approach and outcome considerably and I will never tell someone else how to feel/what to do when they are going through the same thing...


but this is what I found out about me recently.


My wife is pregnant. A cause for great joy and utter bewilderment in our house. We are blessed to live in a country where medical science has reached a point that means we can know all kinds of things about it before the day it is born. Things such as size, gender and maybe even a little bit of personality (ours likes to play hide and seek while the poor nurse does her best to check it over and make sure everything is ok).


Unfortunately this also applies at the other end of the scale. At this point I can say with great relief that there is no cause for concern with the development of our baby. But that hasn't stopped me going through all the emotions and thoughts tied to the 'what ifs?'.


And this is where the story gets cut short - I don't think this is the right platform for revealing the innermost processes that I have been through recently - so here is the end result.


I love my baby. I was always going to. I always will. I understand that my situation is very different from many others - that, for all intents and purposes, I am incredibly blessed. My hope is that what I stand by now I will continue to stand by regardless of a change in situation in the future.


I guess what I'm trying to say is this - that, as Paul compelled the early church, I would rejoice always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances. Or, as Joshua states,

"as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

what a difference a day makes

 Same place.

Same time.

Different day.

I love starting the day like this.


Cold and crisp coming together to create an all together otherworldly atmosphere.


Accompanied by some choice music. 

good morning!

How are you?




Who are you?




What are you up to today?




Where are you going?




Who will you see?





Let me know how today was for you when you've found out.



Until then - whatever, wherever, whenever - God bless.

time flies

It's been a week...have I lacked inspiration? Far from it. A busy week, a full week, a week of everything from hiking with a group of Peterborough Utd teenagers to Archery with Yr3 prep school kids. Of kayak skills training and the beginning of going deeper into faith stuff over the rest of the year.


This culminated in a weekend away. A trip home. An opportunity to see family and friends. An occasion to be refreshed and inspired for whatever lies around the corner.


That last bit needs a separate post...or ten.

that sounds like a conversation for elevenses - award winning cupcakes

Have you ever made a long journey then found something to be spot on?

Ever had that 'so wrong, yet so right' thought?

Loading up the car after work we journeyed north with the intention of spending a weekend catching up with mates and family. We had a day to spare so my brother recommended that we should visit a little cafe around the corner. A 'vintage cupcake' place apparently known for it's award winning fare. We decided to try it out and I found myself experiencing what I can only describe as a grown up version of what a child must feel in a sweet shop. Peanut butter cupcake. Sounds simple enough, and indeed it was, but half way through I found it to be more than enough yet begging to be finished. There were others too. Those sampled included Double Chocolate, Eaton Mess and Toffee Apple Doughnut. This was accompanied with tea and coffee all served up in mismatching china. Not exactly the 'it will bounce when dropped' crockery I'm used to but we tried to blend in, pointing little fingers and all. And here's the confession...it was good coffee. The cupcakes were like no other. The decor was simultaneously chintzy and risqué. I'm already wondering when I can go back.

light and dark

I believe I'm right in thinking that darkness cannot exist where there is light. They are not equal in being opposites. Shine a torch into a dark room and you can see where you are going but you can't remove light by bringing dark. At this point please feel free to comment and share your knowledge of the physics of light and dark and educate me with any theories or other methods of enlightenment.

For now though consider how clever your eyes are. Being able to adjust to different types and amounts of light in order for you to be able to see.

On a slightly different note can you answer me this - if the light we see from the moon is merely a reflection of what is being radiated out from the sun why is it so captivating?

every cloud

How often do you see something that simply stops you in your tracks?

Feelings of awe, wonder, fascination, bewilderment...

scenes like these do it to me every time.

And it's always about the clouds.

speaking of colours...

I was once reliably informed that a certain TV series incorporated a lot of yellow into its shots in order to attribute a dream like atmosphere to its story. This was apparently due to there not being much occasion where yellow naturally features in the real world. Having remembered this at a time where I had a bit of waiting around to do recently I took the opportunity to look around and see if this was true. Here's what I saw. I'm not sure what conclusion I drew from this other than actually yellow is a fascinating colour to find naturally. If you're not looking for it then it can tend to blend in. Next to green it is incredibly organic. Once you begin focussing on it however it does seem to jump out at you from every angle.

So today then - have a look around you. What is it that's presenting itself to you in a manner that you may never have noticed before?

that sounds like a conversation for elevenses - theme tunes

Kronk. To some of you this will have hiphop connotations to others this word conjures up a very different image. His 'theme tune' moment has to be one of my favourite scenes in recent animated film history mainly because we all have them. Ok, I have them. If you don't - get one.


Example - you should know exactly what I mean when I say that one of my colleagues sang 'Indiana Jones' during a rescue attempt on today's canoe session. Not my first choice for that scenario but we went with it and all lived happily ever after.


For those that do - what is your theme tune? Do you, like Kronk, hum a generic movie soundtrack(ish) tune or do you have a go-to?

think of a colour...

Out in the gale force winds and the occasional rain you would think it near impossible to stop and take a moment especially when you factor in that you are floating in a canoe on a not-so-sheltered lake, but stop we did and I'm so glad. A colleague had asked "how do you 'get God' into an activity session?" It's not a straight forward formula and really, just as everyone's faith is their own so too does the sharing of that faith need to be individual. So, I asked the question back. How would you?

We stopped and considered the quandary meanwhile focussing on what was around us that we might tangibly be able to experience God in. A challenge given a long time ago reared it's head.

Try and think of an entirely new colour

Not a mix of two or more others, not a shade of an existing one but an entirely new colour. Attempting to do so causes my head to implode. I looked around me for inspiration and noticed just how many shades there are of green. Not just that but how each shade then takes on a slightly different appearance dependent on the time of day/type of day. My thoughts seemed to gather pace at an alarming rate which meant that I just needed to

stop

appreciate

allow myself to be in awe.

So go on - think of an entirely new colour and let me know where your imagination takes you.

that sounds like a conversation for elevenses

There are plenty of times when paths head off on a tangent. In my life this seems to happen most commonly during office based conversations. To make all involved aware that the conversation may have veered slightly off track we have adopted the not so subtle hint "that sounds like a conversation for elevenses".


In the context of this blog, any post beginning with this title will simply be an opportunity for us to explore/discuss/expand upon topics that may not be directly related to anything in particular but will lead us to places that are just as intriguing as where we were originally headed if not more so.

season all change

What's your favourite season and why?

No doubt you'll soon work out mine but for now let's focus on the here and now. A short stroll to the shop this morning included this moment. The transitional time between one and another. Take a look at this picture - what do you see?

A changing of colour? A herald of what is to come or, like me, is there a stirring of memories that brings about excitement? I'm sure I am not alone when I say I'm full of anticipation at the thought of a chill in the air or the smell of rain. What is it that resides there inside of us? That awakens at a smell, a taste, a memory or a hope. Maybe it's just the thought that you could reign supreme when, against all Health and Safety advice, you obliterate your opponents in a much needed game of conkers.

Over to you. Get involved - what is your favourite season and why? Go for a walk - what do you see?

who in the what now?

So you've noticed Ed.


A creation of my wife's nimble fingers, originally made as a companion for journey's on which she would not be able to join me, Ed has managed to prove his strengths as a focal point and conversational piece. I now use him as my stock model, brightening up any mundane scene (you will be seeing a lot more of him). As an aside I also enjoy the many and varied expressions people can't help but display as a grown man photographs a small, knitted monster all the while behaving as if this is completely normal.

explanation of the title

Signposts and Wanderings - inspired by 'signs and wonders'




I love learning new things. I always have. When something captures my imagination I am very rarely happy just to know that it's out there. There's got to be some way of getting involved. The process that follows seems to take the same route.

1. Read &/or watch anything that might expand understanding and knowledge
2. Tentatively take first steps to trying it out
3. Experiment - succeed/fail - repeat
4. Establish some form of success and explore the possibilities

Having done so I then consistently find myself in a position of sharing my experiences with others. This is both in a formalised teaching/instructing/coaching sense or simply sharing time with those that share the same passion. I recognised it first happening while skateboarding in my teens and have seen it continue across the board ever since through the practical/theoretical/theological, at work and play.


...but 'signposts and wanderings'?





The passion that underlines everything for me right now, that surpasses anything, that gives reason and purpose is the hope I have because of my faith. Ultimately none of this is about or for me but for God's glory. I am a signpost. Here to gain your attention but my hope is that your attention - in the everyday and the extraordinary - will be drawn onwards and upwards.


So that's what this is all about. Simply making a note of what I experience in order that you might encounter something of what I hold fast to.

blue sky thinking

I think we can all agree that there are certain times in life where sitting inside, at a computer is not what you want to be doing. Today is one of those days. It's Friday for starters, a group of friends are out climbing and, to really rub it in, the sun is shining in a beautiful blue sky. What clouds there are seem to only add to the vast sense of breadth and depth of this panoramic view.

I love these days though. As frustrating as it might feel actually what it does is inspire me to dream big:

• what would I rather be doing?
• where would I rather be?
• who would I rather be with?

Well, today all I can think about is my unborn baby. I heard it's heartbeat yesterday. Coupled with the sun getting his hat on today, it brings home the awareness that I live somewhere on the scale between intergalactic and microscopic.

I'm sure we will revisit this idea soon though so, for now, enjoy that post work pub garden pint. You've earned it.

initial steps

Are you ready?

I'm not sure I am but let's get going. I don't know where we'll end up but, as with any journey, you won't know until you've set off. With that in mind feel free to invite anyone that you'd like to have with us as we wander. Speak up too - you might have noticed something the rest of us have missed.

Right then...