Coupe - Audi TT Coupe
Economy - Smart Fortwo
Midsize Car - VW Jetta
Pickup Truck - Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Luxury car - Ford Thunderbird
Roadster - BMW Z4 Roadster
Sports car - Mazda RX-8
S.U.V. (small) - Honda Element
S.U.V. (large) - Hummer H2
Wagon - Mazda Protege5

I am starting to collect as many old televisions, VCR's, and DVD players as possible. Big, small, black, brown, thick, thin, broken, scratched, black and white, flickering, sparking ... it really doesn't matter. The end result will be a series of art installations and interactive displays. That's really all I can tell you right now.

If you happen to see an old monitor or television (or have an old working VCR or DVD) that you'd like to donate or sell cheap, let me know. Garage sales, flea markets, thrift stores, basements, batcaves ... I know there are lonely ones somewhere out there. Even if you can just tell me where they are, I'll go hunt them down (and bring them to justice) myself.

Thanks!

Dude, I'll not trim my bushes for 100,000 pennies. Yeah, and donate 100,000 more to charity while you're at it!

I just did an overhaul of the PVM Staff Lounge. It's now cleaned up and has a few more features ... if you were on staff at PVM last summer you'll be getting an invite to join the team (so you can post and comment freely) later this week.

Overall, I really like the direction Blogger has taken this year. They've kept it largely free, usable, and attractive ... and features are just rich enough to do nice universal changes with minimal work. I'm hoping that ownership by Google doesn't spoil them into charging a fortune for basic accounts!

The 6th grade phys. ed. classes are finally on their dodgeball unit. It's about time ...

This morning I was thinking about street art in a suburban setting and I came up with what I think is a great idea.

Suburban Assault Vehicle

1. Rent a U-Haul (or borrow a similar truck).
2. Open the rear door and mount a rear-projection screen where the door should be.
3. Install a Powerbook and LCD projector in the back, pointed at the screen (you'll need an AC/DC inverter and something heavy to mount the projector to).
4. Install a camera pointing at the cars behind the truck with a monitor near the PowerBoook.
5. Create an interesting video (topics can vary) and use ProPresenter to overlay text on top of the video.
6. Drive around the suburban streets, watching the people in cars around you, displaying the video on the screen, and provoking thought for everyone. You can personalize it on the fly (i.e. "That's a nice Lexus. Does it make you feel more secure or less secure?", "On the road of life, there are passengers, drivers, cops, construction, pedestrians, deer, 40mph winds, and dead-ends. Do you have a destination?").

People with coughs or cellophane-wrapped candy should not be allowed to enter concert halls. Period.

A pregnant Bronx woman gets in a car accident and falls into a deep coma. Asleep for nearly six months, when she wakes up she sees that she is no longer pregnant and frantically asks the doctor about her baby.

The doctor replies, "Ma'am, you had twins! A boy and a girl. The babies are fine. Your brother from The Bronx came in and named them."

The woman thinks to herself, "Oh no, not my brother... he's an idiot!" Expecting the worst, she asks the doctor, "Well, what's the girl's name?"

"Denise," the doctor says.

The new mother thinks, "Wow, that's not a bad name, guess I was wrong about my brother. I like Denise!" Then she asks the doctor, "What's the boy's name?"

The doctor replies, "Denephew."

I was raised in a very nonviolent home. My mother took care of children and my father served in the military ... as a medic. We didn't play video games or watch movies that contained violence. I wasn't even allowed to buy G.I. Joe's or play with squirt guns. It really wasn't a big deal, my parents just didn't like violence (and it always made sense to me).

Nowadays (as an adult), I have no problem watching a movie with violence, as long as it has context (a war movie, a drama where it's a part of the plot, etc). Same with language or nudity or other adult themes ... if there's a good reason for it, I don't usually find a need to shy away from it. I also love to play paintball (yes, we run around in the woods and "shoot" each other with "guns") and I definitely love watching the ultra-violent sport of american football on television. I see the way God used violence in Scripture and appreciate the complex way it sometimes produces peace in world conflicts. Even the way I talk and write sometimes is surprisingly confrontational (if you haven't noticed).

When violence exists just for "shock-value" or cheap thrills, however, I usually steer clear. I really have no interest in most first-person shooter video games. I don't think I've ever watched a "thriller" or "horror" movie in the veins of Freddy or Scream. I am pretty firmly against the need for any common citizen to own a weapon, especially for "protection" in a domestic situation. The God I worship sent His Son to earth as the ultimate Pacifist. And any situation that involves violence and children really bugs me ... in fact, it makes me sick to my stomach to see kids who like violence.

When I think about it, the past 3 themes at camp have been at least marginally violent (knights, superheroes, and pirates) and next year's could potentially be violent as well. We've been running a paintball program for many years and we're thinking of adding a videogame program (including the latest games) next summer too. Sadly, I feel like we're always justifying or twisting this violence. We reworked last year's theme to be specifically about treasure, not pirates. We try really hard to make paintball about teamwork and strategy (and we try to call them "markers", not "guns"). We emphasize the spiritual focus that we as counselors and adults have (even though many of the kids are definitely focused on the violence). I feel like I'm supposed to set limits on this violence ... to decide exactly what is appropriate, especially when it comes to children.

But the think that confuses me is that I feel like nobody else notices. People just accept our culture's acceptance of violence ... and they might be right. There's been a lot of talk lately about boys and men being Wild At Heart ... embracing a Braveheart-esque manliness and living dangerously. Some families that I respect deeply have no problem with their boys playing violent videogames or watching violent movies (and their kids are turning out just fine).

So I think I might need some help restructuring (or defining) my worldview in regards to violence. What do you think? What are your opinions?

Now this is scary ... I just found this French website that lists webeldotnet among its list of Apple Employee Blogs and Websites. I have no idea how they found me, but apparently there are people out there looking to see if I'll give away "inside information" about Apple:

--- loosely translated from French ---

The employees of Apple do they have weblogs or personal sites? If yes, where do they hide? Marc Geoffroy put itself already the question to the month of May; it explained that the fact that the fans of the corporation be at the hiding-place of the least information on future products made an expression difficult serene. And to mention a poster of the second World War that Steve Jobs a long time would have had in his office: loose lips sink ships.

According to Steve Rubel, a professional that analyzes the impact of the blogs on the public relations of the corporations, Apple would prevent straight its employees to express itself and the latter would be therefore on the point to offend itself. His paper appeared there almost 10 days and numerous are emploied them Apple that were able to indicate the opposite. They say all that they have not any records special, otherwise of not to reveal industrial secrets. In fact, one knows that the competition is prompt to copy Apple and the big fear of Cupertino would be to see a pale copy of a product go out before the original one.

I hate to break it to you guys, but I really don't know any more than the average bear (I think that's what the second paragraph above was trying to say ... pardon my French). And even if I did, I wouldn't post it on my website, yo. So you can stop spying on me. :)

It's so easy to define the presidential candidates by their rhetoric. I wonder how many people define me the same way.

This is indeed turning out to be a wonderful break. We ended the school day yesterday with a big pep rally, after which was the big MVC League Championship for my cross country team. I'll spare you all the details ... but I'll let you know that those amazing young men and women captured a dual championship, winning the first place trophy in both races. They're my heroes.

When I got home, my body instinctively knew it was break time ... I fell asleep on the floor in the middle of the living room. Sleeping in this morning was absolutely wonderful ... but having a lazy morning was even better. Breakfast, conversations with my roommate, playing with the dog ... it's what Saturday mornings (even on a Thursday) should be all about. I eventually went into school to do a couple miscellaneous tasks and find my wallet.

I was planning to drive to southern Indiana tomorrow morning to spend a day or so in a cabin in the woods. My sister's in-laws own the place and graciously offered to let me find some solace there ... but as of 9pm, plans fell through and the cabin isn't available anymore. So I'm going to go to Indianapolis instead to visit my sister's family. It'll be great to be there on a "normal" day ... to play with the kids, pick Grace Eleanor up from school (with the classroom rabbit, "Smokey"), go to a football game, talk shop with Ra-Ra, and wrestle Drewman on Saturday morning.

Tomorrow night I'll be heading to Eaton for the Slam Jam, then it's back to Cincinnati on Sunday for church and the chance to see the Browns clobber the Bengals. That's always gratifying. :)

This world has nothing for me,
and this world has everything.
All that I could want
and nothing that I need.

-- Caedmon's Call

It's good ... so good ... to gather myself, to get my feet under me and just spend time enjoying life. I'm thankful for the blessings I have, encouraged by the people around me, and hopeful in the promises God has laid before me. By this world's standards, I am indeed lonely and poor and screwed-up ... but I'm not about to stop living so this place can measure me up.

As I get more and more confused by what I see around me, I find more and more freedom in a life of conviction, a life lived before the Eternal One alone. I long to be saturated with His wholeness and find delight in the pleasures of His children. What an honor and joy it is to simply spend time with them, investing in their growth, planting seeds of eternity in their hearts, and convincing their cheeks to burst with enormous smiles. I honestly couldn't ask for more.

And I don't think I'm going to ... at least for now. :)

I just don't get those ribbon bumper stickers that are plastered on every other car in Cincinnati. They're so haphazardly slapped on that it looks like people told their toddlers to "put a shiney sticker somewhere on mommy's new car". I've only seen one car ... a blue Toyota Celica, who put actual thought into where the sticker was placed (it was "wrapped around" the antenna).

Either way, buying a sticker hardly "supports our troops" ... it supports the guy who was smart enough to create and distribute the sticker. It might display your ideology, but ideology is dead without action. Anybody can wear a WWJD bracelet and gold cross, but actually living a life that follows Jesus is remarkably different.

I just found out that I have a four day vacation next weekend ... Thursday through Sunday ... with no commitments. The more I think about it, the more I'd like to just get away, to go somewhere new and relax a little bit. Yeah. I could use a little bit of that.

Do any of you have any ideas? Know of any good spots nestled away somewhere? Even better, do you know of anyone that might have a place I could stay for a couple of days? Beach, mountains, cities ... just something new?

I just received what is perhaps the most encouraging note I've ever gotten from a student. It's from an anonymous 5th grader.

Dear Mr. Webel,

I just wanted you to know that you're already my favrite teacher. I'm in 5th grade so I've only had you 3 times. At first I couldn't figure out why you are my favorite teacher but now I know, it's because of your joy. Your the most joyfull person I've ever met and now I know that your joy is from God. I've been going throug some tough times and even though I'm a Christian you have made me want to depen my relationship with God because I want your joy. Every time I see you smile and laugh it brightens my day and every time I see you I can't help but smile. So I hope this note brightens your day.

From,
???

P.S. Please keep being your weird, wacky old self.

Thanks

I'm honestly blown away ... this is why I'm doing what I'm doing. What an incredible confirmation and encouragement. I love living in God's active will!

Yesterday I accidentally superglued my pants to my underwear.