Gosh, how the world seems to have changed over the last year! Everytime I switch on the news (be it ITV, BBC News 24, France 24, ABC) it all seems to be full of doom and gloom. This credit crunch (which I stil don't fully understand, especially when a lot of the downturn in the markets 'seems' to be caused by PEOPLE) has really instilled a lot of fear and worry. But since I don't have lots of money anyway, I don't have much to loose (well maybe my massive Star Wars novels collection). I just wish people in the media would stop focusing on the fear and worry; this creates more panic than what it is actually worth (although not to take away from the genuine worry posed by the current economical downturn). At least the price of oil has dropped, and petrol is now below the pound mark in the first time in AGES!
Anyway, enough of the despair; I am heading away this Sunday for a few days with some friends to the Slieve Donard. The aim here is to get a nice break from things, relax, and have some banter. I probably can't really afford it, but to be honest, its worth getting away for a couple of days, and Bag did manage to get us a pretty decent deal (well at least for it being the Slieve Donard anyway). So for the next few days, I am not going to be thinking about the credit crunch, or work, or all the other things that cause me headaches, but just relaxing in the company of good friends, and maybe for a couple of days, we can imagine the world is a great place with no worry!
That being said, I do have LOADS on at the moment. I am preparing to take a youth weekend with a Church in Antrim. I am looking forward to it, but seeing as it is my first time doing a weekend, I am more than a little apprehensive. But hey, the way I will look at it is just a series of conversations (which I am more than good at!). I also have to deliver a report to my bosses in the next couple of weeks. Now it is just a routine report (I try to give one every 6 months), but it will quite possibly dictate the direction the youth work, and possibly the Church, will take for the next few years. So I am feeling a little bit of the weight of responsibility, as I want to make sure I get everything I need to into my short 10 minute report, and try to show a glimpse of a possible way forward.
