Do you believe?

So, is it a ghost or not. The photo was taken by closed-circuit security cameras at the former crib of Henry VII outside London, England. The guard at the Hampton Court palace said they have nothing to do with the video and assure the media that it is no hoax. What do I think? Hoax or no hoax it’s one of the coolest pictures I’ve ever seen. I personally lived in London [Kentucky] for almost three years and never saw a ghost, goul, spirit, or spook, but maybe I just wasn’t looking hard enough. The full story of the crib crasher is here.

SkypeMe . . . Please

Well, after being in Central America for 3 months, I’m a little bit behind the technology curve but catching up fast. I downloaded and installed Skype a couple of days ago and I need some folks to try it out with. Skype uses P2P technology (made popular by the likes of Napster and KaZaA) to allow users to make calls over the internet.
If you’ve tried, and been disappointed with those other services (i.e. Net2Phone), put away your hard feelings and give it a try again. I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about Skype and I want to form my own opinion. Here’s what you need to make it happen . . .

- A computer running Windows 2000 or XP

- Cable, DSL or equivalent broadband connection to Internet

- Money – NOT! It’s totally free!

- 10 MB free disk space on your hard drive

- Full duplex sound card (most sound cards made after 1998), headset

There you go. There’s the list of things you need. My guess is that most of you have every single one of them. I especially want to talk to these people – because I know they will think it’s as cool as I do.

- Ryan & Melissa – You should be doing this. That way, Jeanna and Melissa can talk all they want whenever it’s convenient.

- Lodge – I hope you got our Christmas present. I’m not sure if you meet the OS requirements but if you do call me up like Donahue (Phil, that is)

- Mis Padres – I know you don’t have a high speed connection at home, but you both have them at work. Maybe when I’m home for Christmas I can set this up. You in?

- Eric - Just go buy a friggin mic. There’s a Radio Shack about 100 feet from your office. It could save us both some carpel tunnel surgery down the road – all this instant message stuff is hell on my hands.

- You - for now, the offer is open to anyone reading this. Go ahead. Skype Me

No excuses. Lets all put an end to long distance phone calls. Besides, it will be fun.

What I Learned

It seems like after we pass the 5th or 6th grade we stop being asked, “What did you learn at school today?” That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep asking ourselves. Here’s a photo summary of what I learned in school over the past few months.
You can’t always pick your neighbors, but you can always be nice to them.

Some things happen by accident (wind, thunder, stars, love, and sunsets are not included).

It’s OK to be silly.


The two greatest things in life are friends and family. Do everything in your power to preserve the relationships with both.


Life doesn’t have to be hard. Keep it simple.


God is everywhere. We just forget to look for him a lot of the time.


Don’t just stop and smell the roses. Stop and smell all of the flowers.

Find something your passionate about and go be passionate about it.


I’m the luckiest man in the whole world.

Thanks for following along. We’ve loved sharing all this with you and feel like we’ve gotten to know you all better in the process. Although they probably won’t be updated daily, a form of this weblog will continue on the main page at www.stuboo.com . Have a happy holiday season.

The Voice of Adventure

Those who try to keep their lives will lose them. But those who give up their lives will save them.
Luke 17:33

There is a rawness and a wonder to life. Pursue it. Hunt for it. Sell out to get it. Don’t listen to the whines of those who have settled for a second-rate life and want you to do the same so they won’t feel guilty. Your goal is not to live long: it’s to live.

Jesus says the options are clear. On one side there is the voice of safety. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry and
safe. . .

Or you can hear the voice of adventure – God’s adventure. Instead of building a fire in your hearth, build a fire in your heart. Follow God’s impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. Make a difference. Sure it isn’t safe, but what is?

From “Grace for the Moment”, by Max Lucado

This passage was sent to Ryan and I from our friend Jessica just before we left the country. The words had a huge impact on me. Jessica sent the email at the perfect time – just as the fear had set in because we had purchased our plane tickets and realized there was no turning back. Selling our house, quitting our jobs, parting with our furniture, and leaving our featherbed mattress wasn’t hard. It was leaving the comforts of routine and habit and entering the world of fear and the unknown that was hard.

I have read this passage several times since returning home and it still has a profound impact on me. I can only hope that Ryan and I will continue to hear the voice of adventure and follow our hearts wherever life may take us.