Afternoon Tea at Tiffeny's, and other randomness

Categories: randomness, christianity, maths, future-plans, methodism, durham, relationships, madness, preaching, milton-keynes, life-stuff

Tags: Faith, TractorGirl, Graduation, Gym, Preaching, Maths, Future plans

Date: 02 March 2011 22:20:30

It's been a busy couple of months, but as I now have the internet working at home and the rare luxury of a free evening, I've decided that it's about time my blog came back to life again, so here's an update on life:

I think I'm over my mini crisis of faith, and have actually found a degree of settledness and peace. I guess I've finally grasped that it's ok just to be me, and not to try and push myself into other people's boxes, because it doesn't work. I can't pretend I've got my prayer life magically sorted, but I feel relaxed with God, which is a huge step forward.

I'm now a graduate of he University of Durham. The day was amazing, and it was great to be able to enjoy it with my partner, parents and friends. I still can't quite believe I finally made it, and how different I was when I started the whole thing compared to where I am now. I've changed so much for the better.... God is very good.

I'm now a Methodist Local Preacher - don't ask me how that happened! I had my first service early last the month, which went very well, and I'm off out with my mentor in Stony Stratford in a week and a half. It's exciting and scary, but mostly it just feels very right and very 'me' somehow. The bit that scares me is the way the whole ordination thing seems to be inching its way back onto the agenda at unexpected moments...

The banking world is pretty much the same. I'm now at the stage where most of the stuff from my predecessor has been gone through, documented and tidied up, and I can begin working on my own projects, which is a good thing.

I've almost (finally) finished two papers based on my PhD thesis, which I hope to send to my supervisor soon, and then to get published. I miss the world of maths, and want to keep the door open for getting a post-doctoral research position. It's been nice getting back to grips with it all :)

I've joined a gym, and am seriously working on getting fit.

Most importantly of all, Tractorgirl and I have now been together for eighteen months, and I love her more than ever.

At the weekend, I went on a retreat with some friends from Bang! and had a very random dream about a friend of mine directing and presenting a daytime television show called 'Afternoon Tea at Tiffeny's'. I might float the idea to the BBC one day... In the meantime, here's a couple of graduation pictures:

[caption id="attachment_378" align="alignleft" width="272" caption="Me with my parents"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_379" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Tractorgirl and me chilling after the graduation dinner"][/caption]