tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58533152009-10-10T08:27:29.772-07:00Allthings2all by Catez Stevens - turning the world upside down. Perspectives on arts, literature, culture, science, society, and spirituality. Since 2003.Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comBlogger329125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-34907314334271414802009-04-17T04:28:00.000-07:002009-04-17T04:56:13.175-07:00

I was the 20 millionth and one person to see this I guess. I heart this. She's 47, unemployed and looking for a job, recently lost her mother, sings in the church choir, and has spent the last year and a half doing community work with her church - visiting people in hospital and helping the elderly. She's like the lady next door. Did I mention she can sing? Can she ever. She's been singing since

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-19020295455085546062009-04-09T17:56:00.000-07:002009-04-10T23:03:45.044-07:00

I took this photo just after sunrise at a beach up on the east coast. At the time I couldn't take my eyes off the scene in front of me. I thought of it as majesty arriving. Later I looked at it and it seemed to picture a struggle, perhaps because I had been struggling with a major event that occurred in my life. Death and yet the promise of life. Looking at it now it seems to say that I may know

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-27691296321053150492009-04-07T09:15:00.001-07:002009-04-07T23:51:44.658-07:00

Went to see Slumdog Millionaire recently and have been talking with people about it ever since. It's a movie that works on a lot of different levels, and it reminded me of a Rushdie novel in the way the elements are combined. There a fantastic fairy taleness aspect, a lot of gritty realism, and plenty to chew on regarding questions of responsbility, choices, and human nature. Personally I've had

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-23974125049300269342009-04-04T14:43:00.000-07:002009-04-04T16:00:25.555-07:00

Wondering if your computer has been infected with the Conficker worm? Here's an amazing 2 second visual test, from the group working to defeat it, that let's you know: Conficker Eye ChartCan you see all 6 images? Your system is hunky dory.Twitter: I'm still on Twitter - the experiment continues. There's tons of different apps for Twitter. I've been using twhirl. If you download twhirl it may

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-28161257106707781402009-03-30T02:44:00.000-07:002009-03-30T04:47:43.462-07:00

Been hearing a bit about this lately so I enjoyed The Last Psychiatrist's post To The Brain God Is Just Another Guy. In a nutshell, a scientific study was conducted comparing brain activity with thinking about God. Result - brain scans showed that when thinking about God certain brain areas commonly showed activity. Some of these are areas we use when empathising with people. That really does

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-7241315626276592122009-03-28T03:59:00.000-07:002009-03-28T05:41:44.934-07:00

"There is a time for the evening under starlightA time for the evening under lamplight"- T.S. Eliot, East CokerWell that was enjoyable! I did Earth Hour last night. I came home from work a little early on Friday as I felt unwell. Saturday I picked up, but I was just in the mood for a quiet hour Saturday evening. Combine that with a glorious sunset prelude, and switching off the lights for an hour

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-54732319085553730952009-03-24T01:04:00.000-07:002009-03-24T02:30:48.661-07:00

I joined Twitter. I don't understand it. At the top of the screen it says, "What are you doing?" Underneath you are supposed to put, in 140 characters or less, what you are doing. My problem: Every time I read the question I am on Twitter so the answer is "I am on Twitter". So I have to think about what I was just doing, or will be doing. My problem: Sometimes I actually go and do what I said I

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-65827724297167735792009-03-22T04:43:00.000-07:002009-04-09T17:55:11.425-07:00

So many things have happened since I last posted here, but most this one still is with me daily. Shortly after my planned return to blogging near the end of July 08 my dearest and best friend of 18 years told me she was dying of cancer. It was a rapid illness and she died on September 29. It's taken me from then until now to be able to write anything about it. Something has irrevocably changed. I

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-30928353881278902922008-07-21T04:27:00.000-07:002008-07-21T06:05:18.293-07:00

Was feeling an emotion that I can't describe about not having blogged for time immemorial until I read Charlie's post from the beginning of this month. Our reasons differ - but that's not the point. I suspect the feelings are much the same. For me a sort of "I've let you down" feeling. Well I changed jobs some months back and threw myself wholeheartedly into the change - because I'm like that.

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-22462243965522765242008-01-21T06:37:00.000-08:002008-12-11T09:22:41.075-08:00

"Even the mediocre can have adventures,and even the fearful can achieve." - Sir Ed Hillary (referring to himself), 1919-2008I took this photo at 2.00am this morning, after standing in line for an hour and a half. I, like some others I spoke too, had underestimated my fellow Kiwis and thought that there would not be many people there in the early hours. The line outside the Holy Trinity Cathedral

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-79287303969792375822008-01-09T04:02:00.000-08:002008-12-11T09:22:41.349-08:00

Comes a time when one must set the rest of the world right side up. Hence the photo. I'm going to be travelling to stay with relatives and visit some beaches further up the island on the East coast, so I'll be away for a few days. I will come across some more of our road signs on the way. It seems that people read things from the bottom upwards. (Who knew?)This is a standard feature of life here,

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-76453640837760363952008-01-06T04:11:00.000-08:002008-12-11T09:22:41.925-08:00

Knowing they would be perfect for weaving, the flax leaves have tried to put the blue into a basket.The sea is too joyous and will not be contained. It runs out laughing through the channel and does not stop to take stock of the time.I would fly out too, soaring above, but there is wax on my heart wings and the sun shows no partiality.Is no respecter of persons.Look - a festive heart crossing the

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-8683799119510754142008-01-01T22:39:00.000-08:002008-12-11T09:22:42.696-08:00

"O ye who have your eyeballs vext and tiredFeast them upon the wideness of the sea"- John Keats, On the SeaVery early and quiet as if there had not been fireworks and Auld Lang Syne just hours before. The street lights are still on as I drive toward the waterfront. Dotted like the last of the Christmas tree, and the sky is beginning to change. The sea is, like the inhabitants who nest by her,

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-30743194944268146412007-09-14T23:35:00.000-07:002007-09-15T00:56:44.289-07:00

Bit of a weird week. Been sick on and off. And this is happening. We've waited four years for this and we're ranked no.1. This is the biggest thing since sliced bread and we're into it. The All Blacks are famous for their haka at the beginning of each game. The haka is a dance, and in the All Blacks case it's a war dance. A challenge. I could wax lyrical on the haka for a couple of thousand words

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-7525816297171669172007-09-04T08:21:00.000-07:002007-09-04T17:23:05.841-07:00

I was scooting about in cyberspace a couple of days ago and came across this post, Christian Indoctrination, written by a 16 year old guy who isn't a Christian and who attends a Christian school. He's attended Christian schools for a total of six years, and has spent four and a half years at his current school. Very interesting post, which I will add has been guest posted on his Mum's blog. Since

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-16078100517971387032007-09-01T05:23:00.000-07:002007-09-01T08:49:53.329-07:00

This has been blowing people away around the world. I was unexpectedly undone by it myself.Turn up your volume. I read my Australian friend Kel's post on this at the X-facta. She has some interesting thoughts and info, and she says:"I recall Sunrise showing the clip the morning after it aired in the UK. I had just turned it on to catch the weather report. The next thing I knew I was sitting there

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-57886003389046775702007-08-31T07:27:00.000-07:002007-09-01T04:26:41.969-07:00

The tribute to Princess Diana today, ten years after her death, brought to mind the same two memories that I always have when I think about her. I always remember what I was doing when I heard she had died, and I remember the day I saw her in person. I'm not a royal watcher but her death was so unexpected, and I realised that somehow, even though I avoided all the tabloid nonsense and latest

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-77523696674573718812007-08-30T09:08:00.000-07:002009-04-11T00:34:07.695-07:00

Yes!! The news has just come through from BBC World TV that the seven remaining Korean Hostages have now all been released by the Taliban in Afghanistan. All nineteen hostages who were held hostage are now free! This report has just come through from The Korea Times:"Taliban militants Thursday released the last seven Korean hostages - three men and four women whom they had been holding in

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-13304987109386619552007-08-29T06:04:00.000-07:002009-04-11T00:36:31.681-07:00

Update 30-AUG: All nineteen Korean hostages have been released. See end of this post.Excuse me a moment... woohoo! Now here's the news. The Taliban have begun releasing the South Korean Christian Aid workers, and set eight of the hostages free in two groups - first three women were set free in the central town of Ghazni, and and then a group of five, four women and a man, were released in the

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-12037622498047063882007-08-28T07:56:00.000-07:002009-04-11T00:37:31.212-07:00

What an amazing day! Yesterday was one of those days that we will remember here. For two reasons. Firstly, we've been waiting for three days hoping that Dr. Michael Brewer, who was trapped for three days down in the Middle Earth caves, would be successfully rescued. Last night we saw tv footage from inside Middle Earth as rescuers struggled to try and move Dr. Brewer up to the surface. Dressed in

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-21062088869356648452007-08-28T05:40:00.000-07:002007-08-30T10:29:32.833-07:00

Good news! The Taliban have agreed to release the 19 Korean hostages they have been holding hostage. I've just seen this reported on Al Jazeera TV, which said that the Korean govt. agreed to withdraw it's troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year, and to stop Christian missionary work. That's a bit of clever negotiating since the South Koreans had planned to withdraw their troops by the end

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-72265854610054634972007-08-24T15:09:00.000-07:002007-08-30T10:31:05.445-07:00

I saw this a couple of nights ago on Al Jazeera TV. It's often been said that heroes are "ordinary people who do extraordinary things" and this interview really is like that. The two freed Korean hostages, Kim Kyung-ja and Kim Ji-na, sitting on a bed in a South Korean military hospital, in their pyjamas, speak about how they felt when released by the taliban, and also of their friend who

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-91352050375848453992007-08-22T10:25:00.000-07:002009-04-11T00:41:55.795-07:00

I got the opportunity to spend a night in orbit recently - thanks to the generosity of a relative celebrating a special occasion who decided to treat the family. So into Orbit we went. Three of us travelled in together and we were very amused by the attendant on the ground floor who wanted to know if we had a booking and asked us, "Are you early?" "We're late", I said, aware that a bunch of

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-76586249613320350942007-08-22T07:59:00.000-07:002009-04-11T00:44:43.127-07:00

I just came across this from Chosun.com, who have an update on the still tense and deteriorating negotiations for the Korean aid workers held hostage:"Meanwhile, one hostage gave up her chance to return home to another woman when the Taliban freed two female hostages last week. The woman asked the kidnappers to release the other woman instead of her, saying her health was getting better."Hat tip:

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853315.post-14801804287467094552007-08-20T07:53:00.000-07:002007-08-20T09:49:12.837-07:00

"Pardon me, ma'am," Ally said to the woman with a fur coat and gold jewellery. She'd only been there an hour - long enough to walk to town from the grove where her mother's dimensional portal dropped her. The woman glanced at her and motioned to the man following. He stepped up and hit Ally across the arm with a riding crop. - Dancing in the Ashes, Richard FriesenPeople have a way of being

Catezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14514176885131945814noreply@blogger.com