Being An Author Square Two

Today something significant happened. I got an email from the digital publishing people to let me know that my first royalty payment is about to come through. This is very exciting for me, because since March of this year I have been writing and publishing digital books, and have not earned one penny. It's been mental at times, but at last I am about to actually move from square one to square two.

If anyone was wondering, that is the reason I haven't been blogging every few days as I did for the previous two or three years. I have been putting my writing skills to a different task - writing books. And it's starting to pay. Now I'm not under any illusions that having got my first £10 royalty check means Im going to be JK Rowling any time soon, or ever, but nevertheless, it just feels good to know that a business I started, selling my own work, from scratch, is about to see the first tiny green shoots of making some money and having some success. Financially speaking I know its nothing more than a couple of drinks at Costa Coffee, but its the inner satisfaction of knowing that I earned that, from nothing. I expect to get addicted to that feeling.

A moment of maturity

Over the last few days, several things have been dawning on me.

Sydney bought me an awesome hi-def video camera last year, and I hooked up my 8-track recorder to it, filmed myself and recorded the best version I could of my best 'party-piece' song, 'Crossroads'. I then mixed the track to a pretty decent quality, added effects and compressors, and listened back to my strongest efforts. They weren't that good.

I remember out in the states when I made a very high quality recording and sent it away to every Christian record label with an address listed in the whole US. I got one response, and that was just someone trying to sell me studio time. Not one genuine response. That is just one time out of the dozens of times I have sent away music demos to record companies, but never got a bite. Ive done it so many times, and each time I have made a demo I have given it everything - 100% of all Ive got, and every time theres just been no interest at all.

I was listening to TFM radio in the car the other day and a new song by Conor Maynard came on, who is a pretty decent artist for a teeny-bopper. Being a bit of a music snob I didnt think the song itself was that great, but I was totally struck by the fact that his voice was lightyears ahead of mine, and so was his performance. Even on a here-today-gone-tomorrow cheesy dance track, my absolute best efforts were well and truly whupped without a second look. That's when it dawned on me. The reason I haven't 'made it' in music is simple. Im not good enough at it.

Most people come to that conclusion early on, and without too much effort, but I have spent much of my life in the unusual position of being a somewhat above-average musician, a big fish in a little pond being constantly told i am good enough, and that the music I am recording is better than 'all that rubbish in the charts' by practically everyone. The truth is, now that I'm approaching 30 and can hear my own music alongside the chart music with adult ears, I know that in reality I've never recorded a single thing which touches the quality of most music which makes it into the charts.

The two things I have always aspired to have been either 'making it' in music, or 'making it' in the church. Making it in the church equals pioneering and or leading a ground-breaking and growing church at which you are the main preacher and are revered and respected. The truth is, I'm fairly confident that I don't have what it takes to do that either. The two great ideals I have always aspired to are just smokescreens to me.

I was thinking about these things, but I realised that the book of Ecclesiastes was right; there is nothing better for a man than to find joy in his weary labour all the days of his life, to eat and drink and find joy. I am privileged to live in the country I do, I am privileged to have enough money to live, to raise a beautiful family, and to have friends and good times.

I have been sold such a lie. It's the TV, Hollywood, the whole media culture in which we are immersed from day 1; 'by the end of the film, everything will work out, all your wildest hopes and dreams will come true, and if not you have been robbed'. That's not the truth. That's not life. I am privileged to be able to work, to have a family, and to enjoy my life. In fact, the Bible says that there is nothing better.

DVD Hack for Sony BDP-S185

I only tested this on the UK model.
Theres a few different sets of codes out there, but this one worked for me...

Buy a OneForAll universal dvd remote with a 'magic' button. I got one from tescos for under £15.


Full procedure for a oneforall remote is as follows:

1. Press DVD
2. Hold the magic button until the DVD button flashes twice.
3. Press 20533  (some websites put just 0533, but this won't work. If you use the actual code for your player this too will not work. It has to be 20533.)

4. Hold the magic button until it flashes twice.
5. Press 994
6. Press Magic Key (don't hold)
7. Press 00189 (if your oneforall remote uses 4 digit or 3 digit codes, use less leading zeros)
8. Press 1 ( this sets it to key 1 - it flashes twice )

9. Hold the magic button until it flashes twice.
10. Press 994
11. Press Magic Key (don't hold)
12. Press 00255
13. Press 2 ( this sets it to key 2 - it flashes twice )

14. Hold the magic button until it flashes twice.
15. Press 994
16. Press Magic Key (don't hold)
17. Press 00095
18. Press 3 ( this sets it to key 3 - it flashes twice )

19. Hold the magic button until it flashes twice.
20. Press 994
21. Press Magic Key (don't hold)
22. Press 00221
23. Press 4 ( this sets it to key 4 - it flashes twice )

24. Hold the magic button until it flashes twice.
25. Press 994
26. Press Magic Key (don't hold)
27. Press 00079
28. Press 5 ( this sets it to key 5 - it flashes twice )

The remote is now programmed and ready to use.

1. Use the remote that came with the player to bring the player out of standby, make sure there isn't a disc in it.
2. Press 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 on the oneforall remote. If the unit turns itself off, you have done it wrong.
3. Put the player back into standby with the Sony remote.
4. Hard reboot machine (remove power).
5. Next time you turn on the player it will be region free for DVD playback.

Rock n roll. This took me HOURS to figure out, so hopefully this guide will make it easier for you!

Invisible Nation

We are an invisible nation

We have no wall

You cannot pin us down

Or draw us on a map

You chase us from one city

We spring up in two more

We are an invisible kingdom

Ruled by an invisible King

how to play Chiggers by Seasick Steve

Tune your guitar to open D, that is instead of EADGBE you need to be in DADF#AD.

The main riff is played with palm slaps on every 2nd and 4th beat, and he wears a slide on his ring finger.


D---------------------------3--0----------------------------
A-----------------------------------------------------------
F#--3p0-1p0-----------------------------------------------
D---------------------0-------------------------------------
A-----------------3-----------------------------------------
D------------------------------------3--0-------------------



D-----------------------------------------------------------
A-----------------------------------------------------------
F#---3p0-1p0----------------------------------------------
D----------------------0------------------------------------
A------------------3----------------------------------------
D---------------------------3--3--0------------------------


Hail to the chief, and happy bluesin'!

To watch his technique in action, see the following youtube clip...

Pride in Christ

Today I was working on a project which has kept me busy for nearly 3 months now... the compiling of the 4 gospels into a chronological harmonised account, with repeats removed.

The project is nearing completion for the World English Bible version, which is a modern version with no archaic language, and so I have been very heavily involved in the gospel texts for ages... submerged in them, if you will.

Today as I was working through some of the latter parts of the story of Jesus' life, especially the scenes from the Passover at Jerusalem where he keeps getting up in public and totally owning the Pharisees in debate, I was just struck by such an overwhelming sense of pride and admiration. I am so very proud to be a follower of this man, he is cool. 

I am someone who likes to cause a bit of a ruckus sometimes, I enjoy a bit of controversy and being provocative, and I have huge admiration for anyone who will stand up with some fire in their belly and tell people exactly how it is whether they like it or not, whether it will make them popular or not. I find Jesus' just complete disregard for the opinion of those with power inspiring, hilarious, and awesome. I want to be like that. 

Joel is talking at last!

My 2 year old son Joel has at last got a little repertoire of words that he knows, and also knows their meanings.

They are...
"Five" (which for a while was his favourite word, and would be shouted continuously throughout the day at random things such as a bus, a tree, or a brick)
"Four" (which for a while meant 'any number that isn't five')
"Three"
"Two" (which he learned today)
"Bye bye" (with a very cute wave)
"Daddy" (which for a while meant any and every adult)
"Mama" (which for a while meant 'give me food')
"Apple" (although at the moment he says 'ap-oo')
"Banana" (which he pronounces 'neenee')
"Car"
"Cow"
"Book" (which he also learned today)
"Pooh" (bear)
"Piglet" (pronounced 'pigguh')
"Ear'" (pronounced 'eeee')

and, for the grand finale,
when I ask him 'what does a sheep say?' he responds "MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

I am very proud of him :)