Kidologist.com: Karl Bastian's Personal Site and Blog
Archive for March, 2005
March 11, 2005 at 10:37 am · Filed under Star Wars, Technology
IT’S HERE!
The next star wars trailer is now here. My favorite scenes are always the ships and space battles.
It is hard to watch the young Anakin turning…
But I’m glad there will be a lot of saber battling… that is always cool!
I’ll admit though, I got a little choked up when Obi-Wan says, “But you were the chosen one.” It is definitely a tragic story,and this chapter will be the darkest. Still hard to believe that cute little kid could become Darth Vader!
DOWNLOAD QUICKTIME: STAR WARS III trailer.
DOWNLOAD AVI: STAR WARS III trailer.
They are both BIG, so be patient!
March 11, 2005 at 8:57 am · Filed under Adventures, Children's Ministry, Humor, Leadership
During the Midnight Madness Exhibit Hall event (sales and performances throughout the exhibit hall) the Fitz Family were letting people try a 6 foot unicycle. I decided to give it a shot – now, I can ride a 3 foot ‘normal’ unicycle, but I’ve always been scared to death of the tall ones! I decided not to tell them I could ride a little one out of fear that they would let go and push me to ride the tall one solo and I’d crash and make a fool out of myself…. they helped me on…
they led me for about ten feet and then something snapped… no, not the unicycle! I just could tell I could do this, I let go of them and took off!
It was a blast! I was flying through the exhibit hall motioning for people to get out of the way, as I’d never done this before!
I looped the entire huge exhibit hall before I realized I didn’t know how to get OFF this thing!
After a full lap, I headed back around one more time so I could cut down the Laflin’s row and say hi to them – finally back in this end row that wasn’t packed with people, I leaned back and let the unicycle roll in front and dropped to my feet. Then a funny (and painful) thing happened. I got off fine, but then collapsed! My legs started trembling and I couldn’t walk for at least a minute, and then wobbly for the next 20 minutes – Mr. Fitz said I used a lot of muscles not usually used and they were fatigued. He was very nice, its more likely I’m out of shape and a wimp! My legs are still hurting two days later, BUT I’m buying me a 6 foot unicycle ASAP!
March 10, 2005 at 8:37 am · Filed under Adventures, Children's Ministry, Internet, Kidology, Leadership, Technology
The only downside to a CPC is that you have to leave. Here are a bunch of fun people that I met or got to see while here…
I know these guys as “Larry and Bob” because they dress up as Larry and Bob to minister to kids.
Sherry and Sam from INCM
Jeremy Lee and Mee
A Kidology member I met in the elevator!
More members that stopped me to say hi
(always makes my day)
Nancy Keith, the newest Kidology CP Team Member!
Rob Biagi and Tanner in the background.
Roger Fields of Kidz Blitz.
(thanks, Roger, for the yummy steak dinner!)
This guy of course has to come back with me…
Tanner has just moved up to full time with Kidology as our Director of Web Operations. On Kidology.org, if it looks sharp – Tanner had a hand in it!
March 10, 2005 at 12:41 am · Filed under Adventures, Children's Ministry, Humor, Kidology, Leadership, Sport Stacking
My favorite thing about CPC has always been the exhibit hall! Where else can you buy a flying monkey!? (picture not available yet) But here are some of my favorite booths – NOT in order of favorite, so please, no hurt feeling by my exhibitor friends, they are in the order that I took them just to keep it random, and many favorites are not shown, because I missed taking a picture, or the booth was too packed due to be others’ favorite as well – so no hurt feelings if your booth is missing! (For many of them, click on the picture for their website)
My wife’s favorite booth… EVERY church needs one of these wonder machines!
This funny guy has had an effective ministry for years!
CEF, while one of the longest enduring ministies, has not always been known for being cutting edge (most known for their flannel graphs) so the flat screens and DVD players stopped me in my tracks! Looks like some good fresh things are happening.
Crosspoint / Centri-Kid is a ministry of Life Way, these guys also provided the eZone where the new INCM.org site Kidology built was launched and featured at CPC.
The Harvest guys (Joe shown here) are great friends and partners with Kidology.
This team is AWESOME – we hope to add their stuff to Kidology soon!
These guys ROCK! Also, creators of Timbuktoons!
(now available in Kidology Store)
This is the most amazing couple, and I’m not referring to their magic! Their love for each other and the Lord is so evident in everything they do. I got to film a testimony for their up-coming promo DVD and I couldn’t say enough good about them! If you ever can have them at your church, JUMP at the opportunity, and give them more than they ask – for they often serve for much less than they deserve or could charge. Their biggest trick is packing so much heart and message into their amazing program! (and that’s a bonus quote not on the DVD!)
Faithful for so many years (since 1974), One Way Street continues to be the #1 place for puppets and other creative tools for ministry. This is Liz VonSeggen, founder with her husband Dale.
Rob Biagi (also available at Kidology) is ‘da bom’ right now in new upbeat music especially for preteen kids! Oh, yeah, that’s Shelly again… stalking Rob too. 
Of course, I HAD to visit Speed Stacks and do some racing. I skipped the big kid and raced the little guy… he still beat me, but only by .03 seconds!
I think the secret is to stick your tongue out while stacking!
Eric has been helping churches gather VBS supplies to enhance their programs for years! Great site! He gathers props for all the major VBS kits and saves you the hunting. Check it out!My Favorite Booth:
Was it the 252Basics curriculum? Nope, (though I am looking at that closely after some buzz on Kidology about it), it was the couch and candy!
March 9, 2005 at 4:17 pm · Filed under Adventures, Children's Ministry, Humor, Kidology, Leadership
Shelly is mentioned below… today she showed up at my workshop wearing a fan shirt…
Shelly, me and her preschool director Debbie
Close up of shirt.
The back of the shirt.
Apparently, this idea was discussed on Kidology, but only Shelly came through!It wasn’t the first female fan, Sherry Davis, INCM store manager pulled a quick one on me! I explaied that my digital camera flashed twice, and that it was the second flash that actually takes the picture. So after the first flash I saw some motion out of the corner of my eye and this was what the picture revealed:
That’s as close as she got!
Posting it here is her punishment. Tanner suggested a new blog theme, ‘the women of CPC’, but I think this is it… I don’t want to be sleeping on the floor when I get home! More pictures of the women (and men) of CPC coming next! But no more stalker or kissy photos!
March 8, 2005 at 11:43 pm · Filed under Adventures, Blog World, Life, Photography
Tannerman and I went out on the town tonight to escape the confines of the hotel, and decided to skip the closest restaurant, an orange owl themed restaurant, and explore further downtown. We ended up in a place called ‘Downtown Atlanta’ – best described for those in Chicago as lower Wacker drive with shops, very retro. It was a bit chilly, but nice to be out. We got back just in time for some meetings that went until after midnight! Here are some pics from our journey…..
Me. In Atlanta. What else can I say?
Tanner taking pictures for his blog.
One of the locals…
Shops….
and more shops…. a happen’ place as you can see!and finally, just for Tanner… (see his meal)
My Dinner. Yum Yum.
(afterwards, of course!)
March 8, 2005 at 11:19 pm · Filed under Children's Ministry, Humor, Leadership
Ron Fugle, also known as “Master Ron” – is definately a master at balloons! He is having a blast making balloons for the attendees of the conference. Here is my favorite so far…
Ron sitting on his balloon wheels…
Scott Nelsen from Harvest Publications took it for a spin too…
The difference between the men and the boys….
(there is no difference)
And, of course, I couldn’t resist burnin’ some carpet with these fancy wheels either…
Definately, a chick magnet!
Here’s a pic without the guys spoiling the view… some pretty fancy work there Ron!
All it needs is a black balloon jacket!
March 7, 2005 at 9:42 pm · Filed under Adventures, Children's Ministry, Humor, Kidology, Leadership
The best part about CPC is meeting ‘fans’ of Kidology and meeting new people that either I’ve only known through the site, or that know about Kidology but I’ve never met yet.
This is Shelly. I met Shelly last year at CPC when a pillar of balloons was slowly chacing her across the room, it was nuts. (it was mysterious, we actually thought there was a person inside the pillar of balloons, but it was something to do with the air conditioning vents.) Anyway, she is excited about a brand new position as children’s pastor.
This is Jamie, our CPC Contest winner! She came to CPC all the way from Canada!
This is ‘balloonpastor’ Dave, a Kidology member who’s become a good friend, even sending me some cool spider man silly string shooters last year that were a blast with my kids.
This is Roger. A Kidology member it was fun to meet.
Larry is a children’s pastor who used to be in chicago but moved to Florida this year – nice tan, eh.
It was really fun meeting these friends from ‘down under’ / Australia. They invited me to come speak there in August 2006 and I told them “YES!” (when my wife reads this she’s gonna freak!)
That’s it for today! Check back often!
March 7, 2005 at 6:58 pm · Filed under Adventures, Blog World, Children's Ministry, Humor, Internet, Kidology, Leadership
Well, it’s off to Atlant, GA for CPC #3. I am speaking twice as well as helping out in the eZone, and free computer cafe for conference atttendees that promotes the all new INCM.org website that Kidology created this year. I traveled with Steve Tanner, Kidology’s Web Operations Director, and Ron Fugle, a friend and fellow children’s performer. (goes by “Master Ron”)
Ron, Me, and Steve
The flight was uneventful. (whew) I worked on e-mail offline while Tannerman put the premeir episode the Amazing Race on his laptop. I brought my little gadget that boosts headphone signal and splits to three headphones so we all three watched. Working on a plane isn’t ideal, but at least no e-mail can come in, and the phone never rings! I can actually catch up! Got almost through the 200+ e-mails I was behind on!!
Tanner looks like he is in pain!
And no ‘Mac vs. PC’ fights broke out!
Once in Atlanta, we opted for the puplic train system over the airport shuttle, partly because the shuttle was $16 per person and the train $1.75 per person, and partly because the boss (me) was treating.
They guys humored me when I insisted on this picture.
The highlight of the trip was watching a grown man travel in public with a bright pink/purple suitcase….
Nice suitcase, Ron!
For more detailed info on our adventures in Atlanta, you can check out Steve’s blog. (If that link is old, the direct link is: Atlanta, part 2
March 7, 2005 at 6:58 am · Filed under Children's Ministry, Humor, Leadership
I have a new scheme – now understand, I don’t actually DO my schemes – I just like thinking them up. (I think my getting saved at age 4 was God’s way of preventing all my schemes) Not that they are all ‘bad’ – most of them are silly, like this one. Here’s my scheme: I think I should visit all the restaurants in town and see if they will give me a free meal if I bring six familes to lunch. Oh, well, I’ll never ask, so it will never happen, BUT I did invite six families out to lunch Sunday after church. Sara was out of town and no sense eating alone! For some mysterious reason, I ended up at the kids table, and the adults all sat over in a giant ‘adults only’ booth. It was a blast!
I got a new digital camera that has one feature I miss from my very first digital camera 7 years ago – and an essential feature with kids – being able to rotate the screen and face it toward the subjects so kids (and me) can make funny faces and see ourselves in the view finder before taking the pic!
“Make a funny face Pastor Karl!”
(hey, don’t say it – I know what you are thinking)
These are the adorable daughters of Kidology’s newest employee, our office manager / my assistant. It was a wonderful lunch. (not pictured: a zillion other kids)
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