Wow, this has been an inspiring couple of days. I'm really looking forward to participating in Project 316: Walk Against Cancer and Project A.F.U.: Walk Against Alcoholism in 2003.

My mind's been racing, thinking of all the good we could potentially accomplish in the name of Van Halen. I've been brainstorming ideas and would like some more input from y'all. My vision is for a series of walkathons over the next few years in which we raise public awareness about various matters of societal importance. I think it will be hard to do more than two walkathons per year given the time and effort involved in setting them up, so I'm going to assume 2 a year and no more (one in the spring, one in the fall). I also think that, like this year, the walkathons should be thematically related.

That means we've got 2003 -- Walks Against Disease -- covered already with Project 316: Walk Against Cancer and Project A.F.U.: Walk Against Alcoholism. Here's my vision for the years ahead:

2004 -- Walks for Ex-Singers
Project Little Dreamer: Walk Against Exagerration (to benefit Sam's accuracy problems)
Project Jamie's Cryin': The Walk for Gary Cherone (to keep food on Gary's table)

2005 -- Walks for Handouts
Project Somebody Get Me a Doctor: The Walk for Nationalized Health Care
Project Everybody Wants Some: The Walk to End "the end of welfare as we know it"
[note: this assumes Democratic control of both the White House and Congress; we may need to rethink these Projects depending on the results of the 2004 elections]

2006 -- Walks for Families
Project Black and Blue: Walk Against Spousal Abuse
Project Bottoms Up: Walk Against Obesity

2007 -- Walks for Tolerance
Project Best of Both Worlds: Walk for Bisexual Pride
Project Spanked!: Walk for BDSM Acceptance

Pulling this off is going to require a massive effort that will have to bring together a diverse group of interests and coalitions, but I am willing to undertake this. I realize that every one of us -- though all Van Halen fans -- is an individual with views on certain of these issues that may or may not differ from the goal. Get involved with the ones you support, and politely disagree with the ones you don't. Live and let live, as long as your heart's in the right place.

All I ask for a little help and support from fellow Van Halen fans who want to do something positive.

I'm interested in feedback on these ideas, and I am totally flexible and open to new ideas, themes, etc. -- these particular Projects, and the years in which they take place, are not set in stone.

I'm really looking forward to combining Van Halen with social activism, both "on the internet and beyond." "See you down the road," as some have said.

So who's with me?