"Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;" - Isaiah 40:30

“Dan, you’re going to Japan.”

It was a nice day this past March, a Friday, as I was setting up for a teen event in the Loft at the Library. One of my coworkers came and told me that the library director wanted me to cover the desk. I was slightly irritated as she was the one who told me to come in on my day off to hold this teen event in

the first place, and now she wanted me to work at the front desk for an undetermined amount of time? Seriously! I headed down to the desk, and began checking in items. A moment later, a camera crew runs up to me and a producer states “Dan, you’re going to Japan.”

“Dan, you’re going to Japan.”

I may not have won $250,000 dollars, but those five words were a prize in itself. “Dan you’re going to Japan.” I don’t travel that much, especially outside of the United States. “I would scream, but I’m in a library.”, is what I managed to mutter. A couple of weeks later, I was swept off to Japan, all expenses paid, with my fellow contestants and members of the crew. I told myself I had three goals. One – try and not take a single thing for granted. Enjoy Japan. Enjoy the experience.

Two – Don’t get eliminated first. And three – win the $250,000. Well, two out of three ain’t bad. While I would have loved the money, I beat out thousands upon thousands of others simply for place on the show, and for that I can be thankful. Out of a total of ten episodes, I was in seven – 70% of season two on a national television network. Not too bad. I got to say “Oh my word” on national television – total plus! I can also be thankful for meeting some extraordinary people. I feel more at liberty to play favorites with the remaining players now that my time is done. Linda, Megan, and Cathy are three people I hope to be friends with for the rest of my life. I really want one of them to win the whole thing. “Gun to my head” I would have to choose Linda, and I told her this in a letter I wrote in the Majide house to be read if I was eliminated. Linda is one of those people that has a perfect balance of girl-next-door innocence and fun-loving humor that makes her a joy to spend time with. We had some great discussions in the house, and we have a lot in common - I think the world of her. In an extremely close second, Megan is the life of the party, but also has a caring side you don’t get to see as much of while watching the show. She saved my bib from the show and had it framed for me – and she was also the first person to call me from the cast once the show was all done. She is so amazing. Cathy is a great mother, despite my comments on the show – she is someone every parent should look to for tips. She made everyone’s Majide experience a little more enjoyable. Brent is a really nice guy, I just didn’t get to know him that well. I wish him the best in all of his ventures. Justin is the miserable idiot he is being made out to be. He was the biggest attention whore of the season. If he said something funny, and you laughed, he had to repeat it again and again, as if he was so happy he made you laugh once he wanted the credit over and over again. I am pretty sure it has a medical disorder, so I am not going to rake him over the coals – I just would encourage him to seek therapy. If Justin wins the show, buy stock in the alcohol industry as $249,000 would be surely spent on booze and the other $1,000 would be spent on cab fare to get him to and from the package store. I really don’t care to have much to do with the idiot until he passes out of his druken college phase, and it has nothing to do with the fact he beat me in the elimination game. I give him total props for winning “You Look Funny Stuck on a Wall” – he rocked it. If you watched last week’s episode, you may have noticed that I wacked into that dragon numerous times in the elimination game. I was so sore and injured from that game (still have a nasty bruise – come on guys, shoulder pads??) , I knew my days in the Majide house were numbered unless I had a miraculous healing. I would have lost to Mama San had I been facing her in elimination at this point in the game. I knew the second I saw the game I was in trouble, but it didn’t stop me from giving 100% of the 40% I had left in me. I decided early on after losing the second team game that I did not want to put Megan through the stress of an elimination game if I still felt so sore come game time. That is if she and Justin didn’t volunteer themselves to play – but I knew they wouldn’t. If I thought I could beat Megan, I would have gone up against her, but I was in so much pain that I said “screw it, I want to at least try and take out Justin” as some of the Majide games are pure coin-tosses. Unfortunately for me, this one wasn’t. It’s all good though.

The Red Robots team was a train wreck from the start, and I am sure I was stuck on that team to be totally out of my element on camera. While the Green Tigers were praying before challenges, our team was backstage just being miserable or rude most of the time. I tried to be so positive with my teammates every step of the way. I’m sure they are all good people in their own circles. Maybe. Eh, Yari might be cool at least. Every RR teammate annoyed me on some level though, and it was just flat out frustrating. But hey, this librarian and virgin outlasted the junior olympian, chatty Latin chick, the muscle, and the looker – so I can live with that.0

One thing many of the contestants would ask each other along the way was “Do you think this show will change your life?” At first, I said no. Looking back on it though, I guess it did in a way. For one, being a realty show fan for so long, I loved seeing the behind the scenes elements that few ever get to know about. I cannot watch any reality show the way I did before.

I love competition and was so thrilled to get this strange and fantastic chance to get out of my comfort zone. None of my friends were surprised to see I was on a reality show, but most were shocked when they discovered which reality show. I am not a costume type of person, but I told myself to just have fun with it. With the exception of the bunny suit and the tutu, I had a blast transforming into each outfit every week. So I guess the show helped expand my comfort zone a bit.

Also, the notierity has been a mixture of flattering and creepy. I went to a local grocery store the other day and got stopped by more than ten people, some of which who looked in awe just to see me. I appreciate all my fans, but seriously, I am just the same Dan who works 40 hours a week and puts on my pants one leg at a time. Some people have been too kind!! I don’t get how real celebs put up with it! If I seem stand-offish to some of you fans, it’s not that I don’t appreciate it, I just don’t think I deserve it. People are risking their lives in battle for our country every day – be their fans. I put on spandex and bunny ears – nowhere near as noble. Other online people have been downright nasty, and I guess that comes with the territory. I don’t get how people can be so mean when they don’t even know the cast members other than for a few minutes of talk time in each episode. Oh well. They are the ones with the sorry lives.

I’m not going to recap the games in this episode. You watched it right? If not, just hulu.com it. I got eliminated if you haven’t guessed.

It’s over – WHAT A RELIEF!! No more secrets!! When I got eliminated, the weight of the competition lifted instantly, and I felt a rush of excitement to return home to family and friends. Now that my elimination has aired, I have a sense of closure and joy that this crazy chapter has come to an end and I am still smiling. I want to thank everyone for watching. I want to thank all of the fans, both those online and those I know personally, for cheering me on. I want to thank all of the fellow contestants, even those I am not fond of, for making the “ISAJGS” process an absolute trip, and I will never forget any of you, for better or for worse. I want to thank everyone who came out to my viewing parties, and those that held parties of their own to cheer me on. Not that they’ll ever read this, but I also want to thank Rome, Judge Bob, and Mama San – they are characters on the show, but in “real life” they are really amazing and talented people who rocked their roles on Majide. I want to thank the production team for working so hard to put out this crazy show. And I truly do want to thank God for giving me this gift. It wasn’t His will for me to win the $250,000, but He gave me an experience I will never forget. He gave me new friends. He gave me a dream of mine, and for that, I am so blessed. Keep watching – who knows what will happen, and heck, I’m still in the theme music intro!

I will continue to recap the show and write other rants – check back on my blog often. A friend of mine also does a lot of really good writing, so I would encourage you to check her site out too - http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/445132/lori_berkey.html

In conclusion, I guess nice guys don’t finish last after all – they finish sixth. The producers told us they received thousands upon thousands of applications to be on the show, and they couldn’t even look at all of them. One of the questions on the application was “What is your biggest fear?” My answer: To grow old and not have expierenced all life has to offer. I think I’m well on my way. With that, ISAJGS Dan says “Sayonara” to you all, and normal Dan says “Hey. Who are you? Why are you reading my blog?”

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." - Psalm 139:13

Fox recently announced they are going to stop the planned airing of an episode of Family Guy that they originally ordered for the network. The episode involves the hot-button topic of abortion. You can read the full story here. I am left scratching my head for two reasons - one, why would Fox stop this episode when they have let numerous other offensive things into that show (anytime Jesus or God in animated form comes into the show, I change the channel), and two, who out there that watches FG would stop watching because of the topic of the episode. I would watch. I have always said that the issue of abortion is the issue that keeps me from calling myself a proud democrat - I cannot believe preventing/ending a life is even an issue anymore. I am certain FG couldn't change my stance if they tried, but why come down of the episode before we've seen it. I will defend the show's right to say whatever the heck they want. The 1970s show All in the Family was all about breaking barriers and making people uncomfortable.

Even if Family Guy took a pro-abortion stance, it would get more people talking, and I would like to think people as a whole are smart enough to realize that taking a pro-abortion stance in this scientific day in age is sheer stupidity. Debbie Kaufman from the show "I Survived a Japanese Game Show" and I got into a heated debate about the topic. I love hearing pro-abortion advocates state their case - they sound so incredibly foolish and selfish. "There's no heartbeat by this time", "It's just a fetus", "It's my right", "You wouldn't know, you're a man" are just a handful of responses. Let's break those down:

"There's no heartbeat by this time." - I'm not sure the exact day a fetus gets a heartbeat, but does that even matter? Knowing something is going to get a heartbeat, and preventing it from getting said heartbeat is pure evil, in my humble opinion.

"It's just a fetus" - When I was in high school, a speaker came to talk at an assembly. She was the victim of a botched abortion. She tackled this statement the best I have heard it argued. She said that if you were to scrape out the woman's womb, and put it's contents on mars, you wouldn't hear news stories saying anything but "LIFE found on Mars."

"It's my right"- Technically, you are correct. Technically abortion is the only legal form of murder left in the country. When laws about abortion came into place, there was enough evidence to know it was murder, but now, in 2009, there is so much more evidence proving how early into conception the fetus is alive. And why is it if our laws state abortion is a woman's right, why when a woman who is pregnant is murdered, the killer in question is charged with a double murder?

"You wouldn't know, you're a man." If that is true, than I guess I don't understand that the Holocaust was evil as I'm not a Jew. I guess slavery might have been cool because I'm not black. I guess breast cancer is a cause I shouldn't walk for because I don't have boobs. Are you kidding me? Just because I don't have the ability to kill something, doesn't automatically cut me out of the discussion.

So that's my abortion rant - it might not be eloquent - it's early in the AM, but you get my stance. I welcome any comments. And see, I never would have posted this if Stewie Griffin and the gang at FG hadn't provoked me.

"When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin." - Job 8:4

FILM REVIEW:

So I just saw the movie Orphan. The film has a talented cast, led by Vera Farmiga (Nothing But the Truth, The Departed), and Peter Sarsgaard (Jarhead, Flightplan), as well as newcomer Isabelle Fuhrman as the title "orphan" Esther.

Haunted by the memories of a still birth, a couple with two children decide to add a third. When "kid-shopping", the parents meet Esther. She is charming, old-fashioned, and mature beyond her years. She is perfect.

The couple takes in the nine year-old Esther and the family is happy....for about two minutes. Things begin to happen that trigger worries in the mother, but due to a substance abuse problem in her past, nobody wants to believe her. Instead, Esther is free to wreak havoc amongst the neighborhood.

I don't want to spoil anything, so I will stop with the synopsis there. Let me just say that the girl who plays the orphan Esther can expect to have zero friends in her childhood. She gives a brilliant demonic performance that is arguably award-worthy. That just won't help her in the friend-making department.

The movie is an effective thriller, despite its moments of sheer stupidity, most coming in the last fifteen minutes. One has to ask the question though - did this movie need to be made? Every year, there are a handful of movies that get people all up in arms, and usually I discount their protests as silly and unwarranted (although I will defend their right to protest.). This time though, I can understand why the adoption groups are angry with the film. The groups say the movie casts a negative light on adopting an older child, and they are totally correct. One could argue that a family swayed by a movie on whether or not they should adopt should not have been adopting in the first place, and I might agree. The twist in the movie is so dang creepy though, it could get people thinking, and that's not healthy. That being said, as a movie, and a movie alone, I would give this *** out of ****. If the ending (not the twist) hadn't been so silly, I would have thought this to be one of the most effective thrillers in years.

"With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause." - Psalm 109:3

This past week's episode of "I Survived a Japanese Game Show" was pushed back an hour by President Obama. During President Obama's press conference, the president took the time to go out of his way to call officers from Cambridge, Massachusetts out on an incident he knew far too little about. President Obama said these officers acted "stupidly" when dealing with Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. If you are not up on the story, click here for a summary from CNN/Time. I am not going to recap everything - I am not pretending to be a news source. In short though, if you haven't heard about the case, it is basically an honest mistake turned into an over bloated racial issue.

Upon arriving home for a trip abroad, Dr. Gates, a black man, struggled to get into his residence. A neighbor mistook him for a robber, and called the police. The police, including Sergeant James Crowley, a white man, came to sort things out. Dr. Gates was shocked and angered that the police came to his residence, and would not cooperate as he felt he was being targeted because of the color of his skin. Throwing a fit, he was then arrested for disorderly conduct.

Sgt. Crowley wasn't the most friendly of officers when dealing with Dr. Gates, but frankly if there is someone breaking into my house, I don't want a cop with a girl scout demeanor showing up. I would rather have someone harsh and ready to solve the problem. His gruff response should never have boiled down to a black vs. white issue, but Dr. Gates decided he would seize this opportunity to get into the public spotlight and promote a documentary he has been working on - and in doing so, drag the Cambridge police force down simply for doing their jobs.

I believe racism is a problem that will never be solved. That being said, the country has come a long way in a short amount of time. I mean, who is sitting in the Oval Office right now? Dr. Gates is fanning the flames of racism by acting like a child and then trying to defend his actions. President Obama should NEVER had gotten involved in the issue - I mean, over 90% of African Americans voted for you in the last election - who are you trying to win over now? The other 10%? If you know me at all, you know I worked on the Obama campaign. I voted for him, and went to the inauguration. I still respect and support him. I just think he made a major misstep in judgement by defending the real racist in this issue.

What if someone now does try and break into Dr. Gates' house? Would you want to be an officer sent to his home to investigate? In my opinion, I think any calls from the Gates residence should go unanswered by the police. Dr. Gates is the black equivalent of a clan member - hating a white person for reasons that run no deeper than the color of his skin. Sgt. Crowley is thinking about taking legal action against Dr. Gates for defamation of character, and I hope he does. Dr. Gates deserves to be punished for his actions. While I would never condone theft, there is a part of me that would be overjoyed if someone did break into Dr. Gate's house now and take everything that means anything to him. It would be better still if two black robbers did the stealing. What would Dr. Gates do then? Blame white school teachers for not doing a better job raising the black robbers when they were little? It's sad the way certain critics, usually African Americans, try and make racial issues out of things that are not.

So Dr. Gates, you need to get a life, you pathetic, repulsive, abhorrent piece of racist scum.

"But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful." - Psalm 68:3

I don't have much time - I'm on my lunch break (the blogger clock is totally whacked out below - the posting times are never correct!). For work, I had to design a logo. It's supposed to be a conversation starter. I am posting the logo below - try to guess what it means in the comment section - I'll reveal the answer in a few days. If you know me personally and know the answer, don't spoil it for people who want to guess.

Oh, and I appreciate all the comments and links I am being sent either in comment sections or private messages. I try and check out everything, but I don't always respond to each individual. It's nothing personal - it's more of a time issue. Just know I appreciate every comment and read a lot from the links of what you all have to say!

"Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them." - Exodus 32:10a

Another Majide Wednesday and another Red Robot exit. This week, Jamie returns to the snake pit comprised of Justin and I after defeating Drew in the raw squid challenge. The old saying "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" can be inserted here perfectly. I wanted to just shake her and yell "This is a game! This is a game! This is a game!" Her "Drew blinders" were on though, and I guess the thought of sleeping in the Majide bed alone was too much for her to take. I thought Jamie was awesome, fun, and entertaining up until this point in the game. Now things were just tense. This is also about the time where Justin proclaims himself to be the "puppet master", so hopefully that makes him happy (I wrote something else here originally, but I really am a nice person so I didn't post it.).

The first game of this episode involves bobbing for raw fish and squid. It was so cold and miserable, and I was the only RR able to get a fish. One wasn't enough for us though, as the Green Tigers got 3. The second game, "fan favorite" Baby Go Boom Boom involved a whole lot of milk, giant babies (us), and me wearing a grandma suit. This was actually so much fun to play. I really enjoyed this game. The RR's do horribly, as usual, but at least we had a blast getting a third of the milk the Green Tigers do. Justin did so well on our team - I was really impressed. I made the comment about this game being like the drunk experience, and that's probably why Justin did so well. This was just a "been there, done that" for him.

So the punishment and reward both involve sumos, which really couldn't be more boring in my opinion. Either way, watching obese people rub up against each other and grunt isn't my idea of a good time (no offense Bobaloo.) The punishment was rephrehensible and I cannot remember a time when I have been so angry. That sumo in the show was really naked - it wasn't just an editing trick. He came in and was just like "shower time." I hope his parents are proud. While it was supposedly an honor to set foot into the place, I found cleaning the subway station to be more fulfilling. I hope Drew was laughing his head off watching tonight because had I been eliminated last week, you better believe I would have been relieved not to have taken part in such a terrible punishment.

So then the elimination challenge comes, and for some reason Justin thinks he is a mastermind for letting Jamie decide the outcome. I don't know, help me out with that logic. So Jamie thinks I will be easier to beat as I am a librarian. Let me set the record straight. I am a YOUNG ADULT LIBRARIAN. Librarians in all shapes and forms rock, but a YOUNG ADULT LIBRARIAN is different. We're in touch with youth. Many of us are active, athletic, and know what having a good time is like. We have to know what teens are into to do our job well. This involves staying very active. We're perfect candidates for Majide, and you challenge one of us to a fight, we're going to fight like heck to send your pretty little behind home. That said, she chooses me and off we go to the throw-a-ball-into-the-dragon-nose game.

Basically I get 3 balls into the dragon nose, she gets 0, and it's peace out Jamie. Back to America. Back to Drew. When she left, I really was sad. Before the whole relationship thing, I thought the world of Jamie. And I want to clarify - the relationship thing did not bother me at all as a relationship, but only from a gaming standpoint. Maybe Jamie and Drew weren't Rob and Amber, but I would rather be sending one of them home than sitting on my own return flight thinking "why didn't I see that coming?!" In the end, Jamie wasn't the greatest competitor in challenges, but frankly, there is nobody on earth, including myself, who would be expected to rock these crazy games. Jamie brought a sense of fun and entertainment into the house. She would call me "My Evan" as she thinks I look like Michael Cera from "Superbad." She has an infectious laugh, and a smile that is magazine-cover worthy. I really hope Jamie and Drew work out if it's what's best for them, and then they both will have won something from their time in Japan.

Vote in the poll on the right. Jamie is not there as the poll was made before her departure, but there will be other poll questions in the future that she will be a part of. What did you all think of tonight's episode? Leave your comments below - and remember, you DO NOT have to be a Blogger member to leave your feedback. Peace!

"Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die." - Proverbs 15:10

"Hell's Kitchen" began on Fox tonight. If you've seen "I Survived a Japanese Game Show", you will notice some similarities. The shows are created and directed by the same people. Both shows have personalities that clash. Both shows have a reward/punishment segment. Both shows have an animated host. I am not going to recap the episode - too many people involved right now. I sort of feel obligated to watch it though I as have met many people involved of bringing the show to the small screen. Even some of the cameras you can catch hanging on the walls look like the same kind hanging above my Majide bed. Pretty cool. I don't LOVE the show, but it's passable summer entertainment.

In totally unrelated news, do you use Twitter? Well, Twitter is really cool. Not because I'm on it or friends are on it, but because of the notable public figures that "tweet." In what other place can you hear what Ashton Kutcher is eating for dinner followed by what Sarah Palin is planning to do with her future? Where Dane Cook gives a movie recommendation while Jaszon Mraz let's us know about a concert - Twitter is pretty cool. Yeah, I'll admit, the "who cares" factor does kick in, but I love that you can be rich, poor, boring, or famous, and you still only get the same 140 characters to get your message across.

Remember, the next episode of "I Survived a Japanese Game Show" is airing an hour late on the east coast because President Obama. ABC at 10PM. Don't miss it!

"If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also." - Luke 6:29a

When 4.5 million people are watching you make a fool of yourself on national television, there are going to be people out there ready to jump on your every word and gesture. I told myself going into the whole reality show process that if I was lucky enough to get selected for "I Survived a Japanese Game Show", I would not let people "get to me." I told myself I would laugh off the negative, and take in the positive. Thankfully for me, things have been mostly positive. Here is just a small sampling of nice things out there (note, I'm not listing things from my Facebook fan page as it would be expected to hear nice things there - and it would take too long to copy over as everyone there has been great!):

"I liked Yari, but I was glad Dan won. He seems like a nice guy." (Responding about episode 2)

"I hate all the contestants on this show except Dan (and Yari before she was eliminated.)" (Responding about episode 3)

"Dan is so adorkable when he is riding the drifting race car. "Oh.... my word!""(Responding about episode 4)

"When he talks he reminds me so much of him. Like he got all the best parts of John Mayer and Michael Cera or something. Whaddya think?" (General comment under heading "Dan=Michael Cera?)

Norahs Infinite Playlist LA Premiere - Arrivals"> (John Mayer, musician, on Left, Michael Cera, actor, on Right, for reference)

Now, of course, it hasn't been 100% positive. I'm not going to take the time to link the negatives, which fortunately don't appear that often, but I have been called a few pretty nasty names. One other funny thing to note - most negative comments have come after this past week's episode, where my virginity becomes the joke. Seriously people, I am proud of that fact but I don't judge those who aren't. I never attacked Drew in the past episode for not being a virgin - everything was total game as explained in an earlier post.

My biggest laugh is when bloggers say any of the contestants suck at the games. It's like because we agreed to be on the show, we should be experienced at games like "Pin Clothes on Judge Bob" and "Wheel of Human Torpedo." It's not like if one was to go on Jeopardy! and not answer any questions correctly, or appear on any episode of Cops where people might really suck at life. This is merely a fun summer show, and the lengths to which people get nasty on message boards is very, well, pathetic and humorous. There have been a couple of comments about fellow contestants that have irritated me as I know the people personally and how great they are in real life. I have wanted to defend them on message boards, but decided dignifying these outlandish comments with a response would probably just get the bloggers going all the more. I never looked at message boards in my "real world" life, but must admit to checking them daily now. When the show is done, I will stop, I'm sure. Just remember though, if you're in the message board world, what you write about a major celebrity will probably not get back to them. What you write about a real person who has had a once-in-a-lifetime adventure though will probably reach their monitors in some way, shape, or form. Just keep that in mind.

And if Alex. S. really wants to punch me in the face, he can name the time and place to try. This librarian is ready to go all Majide on his.....Have a great Sunday everyone!

"The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame." - Proverbs 3:35

This past week the Emmy award nominations were revealed, and well, my favorite shows did very well! When you're a single guy like me, you watch a heck of a lot of television. My favorite two shows, "30 Rock" and "The Amazing Race", got the love they deserved. "30 Rock" actually set an Emmy record of 22 nods in a single year. All of the primary go-to-for-a-laugh characters were honored with a nomination in their respective catergories, and even guest stars like Jennifer Aniston and Steve Martin made the cut. "Family Guy", one of the smartest shows on television that people either love or hate became the second every animated show to get nominated in the best comedy category. The only other animated show to get that honor was "The Flintstones" - which surprised me as I thought that "The Simpsons" must have somewhere along the line, but no. Another long time favorite of mine, "How I Met Your Mother", finally got a nomination for best comedy series - but in my opinion, it got this honor the first year it didn't deserve it. Oh well, it's still nice to see it included. One MAJOR snub of note - no nomination for "I Survived a Japanese Game Show." Oh well. Next year, haha. While I was honestly not shocked "ISAJGS" wasn't chosen in the best reality competition program category, what's with all the love for "American Idol?" I watch every episode, but from a techincal standpoint, it's really just a glorified karaoke competition. While genuine talent does surface, that has more to do with the specific person/artist as opposed to the production elements of the show. I think "Survivor" or "ISAJGS" would have filled that slot better. I was also hoping Rome Kanda would get a nomination for his hosting work on "ISAJGS." Before I was on the show, I didn't know what to expect with him. When we met him in person upon arrival at the Majide set, we got to know him as the warm, friendly, talented individual he is. He works so hard, and I would have been thrilled had he been included in the hosting category. As far as the dramas go, I am guilty when I say I don't follow any of those shows. I watched "Lost" for a season and a half and grew impatient, although now I hear it's excellent. "Dexter" made me sick to my stomach. "House" is a show I think I would like, and actually own two seasons on DVD but haven't had the time to get around to them. I recently tried getting into "Big Love" but couldn't (sorry Tara!). "Mad Men" is a show I have been wanting to see for quite some time, again, just haven't gotten the chance to catch it, and the other two nominees, "Damages" and "Breaking Bad" have not crossed my path yet. I guess when I watch television I'm doing it more for the entertainment value with comedies and reality, as opposed to looking for a thought provoking challenge in dramas out there today. I was a big fan of "Dirty Sexy Money" but that got the axe. I like "Grey's Anatomy" a lot, but I saw none of last season - waiting for the DVD. Lately though even that show has become more of a soap. I watched that show "Private Practice" for a little while, and loved the medical/moral dilemmas but could not STAND everything else in the show. Oh well. What do you watch? What are your favorites? Peace!

"The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message." - Acts 15:31

Wow! So I put a counter on the blog, and we're over 200 hits in less than a day. Totally cool. I brought up my blog on a different computer and the header graphic was chopped off completely - on my widescreen monitor it looks fine, but if you have a small monitor, this page might not look as great. I apologize to Linda, Megan, and Bobaloo who get chopped out of the picture.

Okay - I need to stop for one second. As I am blogging, sitting on my couch next to the window, a van outside came to a slow stop. When I looked out, presumably making eye contact with the driver (I can't tell), the van speeds off. The same van just did that twice. Creepy.

Back to it now...okay, I feel a little guilty. I work in a library and I haven't offered a single tip for a good book to read. As it's the summer, I personally go for thrillers. As well written as some books are, the dramatic sad stuff is just something I have a hard time getting into. So if you are a romance, heart-tugging, sapfest type of fan, you may not love the following suggestions. If you want the perfect summer reading list for adventurers though, read on. If you're like Justin from the show "I Survived a Japanese Game Show", you will find this post of no use as the only time he reads it's off a bottle of alcohol so he knows what to pour into the shot glass next. Oh, just kidding - that's just a jab in response to this video Bobaloo took on YouTube. Here we go:

First off on my "must-read" list is Intensity by Dean Koontz. This is truly the only book to ever keep me up at night. Koontz creates the best villain in modern beach reading history, in my humble opinion. The nightmarish yarn is about a young woman out to save the life of her best friend from within the grasps of a killer who has already taken the lives of countless others. It's a race against time, and it kept me turning pages faster than I ever have. If it gives you nightmares, don't say I didn't warn you.

A little less horror based, but still immensely entertaining is White Cargo by Stuart Woods. What if you thought your family was murdered, but a few months after the crime you got a mysterious phone call from one of the people you assumed was killed? That is the basic premise to this thrilling book that shows a father's dedication and bravery all to save a loved one amidst the backdrop of the dangerous Colombian drug culture. They actually have made two quite horrible movies that draw from this book for inspiration, "Dead Calm" with Nicole Kidman and "Collateral Damage" with Ahhhhhhnold, but neither comes close to doing the source material justice.

If you want to try something a little different, Standoff by Sandra Brown may be just the thing. Telling the story of a convenience store hold-up, Brown uses the "real-time" element to tell the story. It's a really fast read that while slightly hokey, still keeps the pages flying until the dramatic conclusion.

More on the literature side, but still incredible, is one of, if not my, favorite novels I have ever read. The Road by Cormac McCarthy is one of those books that takes a little while to "get into", but once you do, you will be sucked in and never want it to end. This is not a geeky sci-fi novel, but it does take place in the near future after nuclear war has left mankind is disarray. Most of the world's population is assumed dead, but two survivors, a father and a son, are embarking on a journey south. The two follow a road in hopes of finding a better life - finding an area where cannibals aren't seeking human flesh to eat due to a food shortage. I feel like my description of this story doesn't begin to do it justice, but trust me, it's great!

Those should get you started. If you have any further suggestions, or have read any of the above books, comment below. Remember, you don't have to be an official Blogger user to comment. Peace!

^"Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you." - James 1:21

I Survived a Japanese Game Show Episode 5 recap ***SPOILER WARNING***

Week five begins in the house, and now that Bobaloo is gone, I get to do much of the narration! I used to weigh 270 pounds, so maybe it's a vocal thing, but whatever the case, my first narration of the night is how I am unhappy that Jamie and Drew are "hooking up." Frankly, in the real world, I could care less what those two did in a bed, but in Majide world, it's only natural when you seclude yourself, people will talk, and talk I did.

So the first game begins, which is called "Soccer Time with Grandpa" where we were told to hike up our socks and stumble out into the Majide set like we were old folk. Rome (the host) lets us know we need to send one member of the Robots to the Tigers to even things up. We had discussed this earlier, and Cathy goes back where she came from. There were a lot of different scenarios we thought out, but the safest thing at that point was just to restore things to their original place. The game begins - basically we need to put on vision impaired or "drunk" goggles and try to score goals. This is certainly a game you have to watch to appreciate, because it was a riot to see but really boring to explain. The Tigers win 5-3 (Jamie and myself don't score), and Cathy continues her winning streak.

The second game, "Stuck on Golf" (which was not the original name of the game - a press release from ABC already called the game "Mini-Golf with Sticky Balls", but I guess that was too risque for the show) was one of the grossest team games yet - I'm not going to go into it in full detail, but basically players tried to remove balls from a sticky surface. The Tigers win again, and get a trip to a sake brewery. For me, the never had a drop of alcohol kid, I was like "big whoop" and actually looked forward to the punishment which was working as a seaweed harvester.

Bring on the drama! Justin and I decide to team up as Jamie and

Drew obviously have teamed up - in the bedroom anyways. Justin and I decide to vote for "the lovebirds" and they in turn vote for us. To be fair, Jamie originally was willing to step up if I also stepped up, but read on. So fortunately for Justin and I, we played a better all around social game compared to the lovebirds, and the Tigers honored their word to us to put in Jamie and Drew if we forced a tie. Now to the $10,000 question - why did I step up in week two to be in the elimination game but not today? Well, at the beginning when the team still had six players, Jamie, Drew, Justin, and I agreed to fight to be the final four standing on our team. We wanted things to be fun, and handle the big decisions carefully, basing elimination decisions on performance. I thought it was very conveinent how Drew tried to peg me not getting a goal in the first game as why I should go in, but never brought up him falling in the sticky stuff in the second game when he had no restraint like I did. I thought it was funny how when Drew was throwing balls off the course, many were bouncing off the wall in the studio and back onto the course. So if Drew had rocked it and I had totally sucked, I would have stepped up, but unlike falling on a treadmill, this time it was not "black and white." Jamie also annoyed me in this episode, with her "I stepped up because I sucked, Dan should too" type speech. Did she step up in episode one when she fell on the bunny plank? No, so don't get all hypocritical on me now sweetheart. So I had not an ounce of guilt with the way things went down.

The elimination game was repulsive, and involved squid and stockings, and basically Jamie managed to pull it out and send her loverboy packing. Not since Kimberly did the other contestants jump for such joy at a dismissal. When Bobaloo, Debbie, and Yari went home, things were somber - but for a lawyer who threatened to "F" my life up if he came back, well, peace out buddy.

Keeping it totally real though, prior to Jamie and Drew being "Jamie and Drew", I really liked both of them. As this is Drew's exit episode, I will comment on him prior to the sorry end. I think it was the second or third day into the game, and a bunch of us were in the Majide house living room playing a game Megan or Bobaloo devised where we would all write questions on slips of paper and put them in a hat, and when you pulled one out, you would have to answer. They were questions anywhere from "What is your least favorite movie?" to "What is your favorite sexual position?" Well, Drew took a turn and got the question "Who do you think you will stay in touch with after the show is done?" It was early in the game, and he had a hard time coming up with an answer, but he said he thought he would most likely stay in touch with me. I was really touched - I mean, you try and make a good first impression, and I guess I did. Drew also played talk show host in the house as another means of getting to know people. He was really fun, and I enjoyed those moments together.

So while things were tense in the end, I truly wish him the best of luck. Peace!

"You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?" - Matthew 23:33

This morning, I placed a call to Regal Entertainment Group. They own one of the largest movie theater chains in the country. I spoke with a very friendly woman, Maureeen I think, who worked in customer relations.

The call went as follows (I literally read her the following as I wanted to keep my facts together):

"Yesterday afternoon at around 6:30PM, I pulled into the Westboro, MA. Regal Cinemas 12. As I was early and the parking lot was not busy, I decided to read a magazine in my car for a little while, waiting for the 7:10PM screening of "Public Enemies." At about five minutes to seven, I made my way into the theater. The place was pretty slow, but as a few movies were starting up around that time, there was a small line going. After a few people purchased their tickets, I came to the desk and handed the ticket seller an official Hollywood MovieMoney pass for $7.50 off admission for "Public Enemies." I had printed the movie money that day from my computer. I visited Hollywoodmoviemoney.com to see if you were one of the theaters

that accepted Hollywood MovieMoney, and you were listed. I actually used movie money at this theater just the week before to see "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." So I handed the clerk my movie money, and she tried to put it through, and then said the computer would not take the code as it was only good for $7.50 off admission, not the whole evening admission price of $10.50. I had a credit card in hand, and said I was already prepared to pay the $3.00 difference on my card. She told me she couldn't ring in anything manually, and the only way I would be able to see the movie is if I had $3 in cash - which I did not. I asked to speak to a manager, and a large, I would guess around 60 year-old man came over and asked what the problem was. He said that the MovieMoney was a quote "pain in the @ss" and that if Regal's computer system wouldn't take it I would have to find another theater to see the movie. I told him that I use Movie Money there all the time, and that I see movies there all the time, and this has never been a problem before. He gruffly said "Fine, we'll try it one more time!" The movie money did not take, and the original clerk said "It's because he wants to pay the difference on a card, not in cash" and the manager said angrily, "Well, he's going to step out of line and go somewhere else." I was embarrassed thoroughly as there were other people around and the two employees were making it seem like it was my problem not theirs. Basically, because your computer system could not charge me $3.00, my night was ruined. I work nights and have other evening commitments, but Monday is my free evening and I had been planning on seeing the movie for quite some time. The customer service at the theater was horrible, and I was left feeling embarrassed, sad, and without seeing the movie I had gone to see. And the fact that I didn't even go on a busy night. If the theater was close to selling out, yeah, the customer service would still have been bad, but I could have realized they were stressed 'cause of the busy night. But no - it was a dead Monday and one guy who is a loyal moviegoer cannot get in when he is TRYING to pay using legal means. I literally see over 70 movies a year in theaters, and at least 25 of those are at Regal Cinemas. I have never theater-hopped in my life, and never snuck in outside food or drinks. I always turn off my cellphone, and never talk during movies. I am the type of moviegoer you want in your theaters, but now I feel like I cannot go back as I was treated so poorly. I cannot believe that these two individuals are what you as a corporate office want representing Regal Cinemas as a whole. I believe that I am owed something now, as I wasted time and gas, and was embarrassed in front of people. ((I almost used the following line, but decided to keep it out unless I needed further ammunition)) When I go to the movies I go to be entertained, not to be the entertainment. I felt like I was two-feet tall walking out of your establishment, and something should be done."

The woman was gracious and forwarded my complaint on to a regional manager and a district manager (whatever that difference is) - and she told me she is sending me two passes to see any movie of my choosing.

Take that Regal Westboro 12!

Don't cross Dan. He will cross you back.

"I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives." - Ecclesiastes 2:3

FILM REVIEWS:

In the past two days, I've seen two movies, and so, here are my reviews....

First off "Public Enemies", Michael Mann's true life story of the bank robber John Dillinger (Johnny Depp.) Set in 1930's era Chicago, the film chronicles both the crime life and the love life of one of history's most notorious felons. It's an exciting look into a part of history that never ceases to entertain. The movie was not without it's problems though. First, Christian Bale who plays the man assigned to catch Dillinger has once and for all proven that he cannot act aside from in a Batsuit. One does not have enough appendages to keep track of the number of different accents Bale uses to try and bring his character to life, and it annoyed the living heck out of me. The second problem I had with the movie was the lack of bank robberies. For a film ABOUT a master bank robber, there were far fewer bank robberies than I had hoped for, and the ones they did have were quick and not thought out on camera at all. Those criticisms aside, the film is well shot, well directed, and is entertaining despite it's slightly overlong running time which nears two and a half hours. I would give this **1/2 out of ****.

The other movie I saw in the past two days was "The Hurt Locker." This was one of my "Five Films To See This Summer", and I went into Boston to catch it as it was only playing in two theaters in the city. The film, which stars absolutely no A-listers, is truly an edge of your seat experience. Throwing viewers right into the life of those that defuse bombs in Iraq, the tension in almost every scene will be more than some viewers can take. For a film about bombs however, there is very little graphic violence - aside from one scene which had me squinting. The film's unique vision and feel (which will draw some "Black Hawk Down" comparisons) are to be praised, and if it weren't for a couple of silly narrative turns, I would be giving this movie an even higher rating. It's still not to be missed though, I would give it ***1/2 out of ****.

"Then they said to him, "Please inquire of God to learn whether our journey will be successful." - Judges 18:5

FILM REVIEW:

American Beauty is one of my favorite movies. I liked last year's Revolutionary Road. Sam Mendes returns this year with a movie quite different than those two - a movie that actually has a happy couple at the forefront. Krasinski and Rudolph are brilliant as Burt and Verona, a couple (never married, never will) who have discovered they are pregnant, and set out to find the perfect place to raise a family. This is a road trip type movie, as the couple bounce around the country, and even into Canada, visiting friends, old coworkers, family members, all hoping something jumps out at them as the answer of where they are supposed to settle down.

The film is an odyssey of sorts, as each destination the couple visits represents something the two are trying to avoid once they settle down. The supporting characters are brilliant and the stories these characters tell pack an emotional wallop. You really start to root for Burt and Verona, and become invested in their choice of where to settle. I won't spoil it for you, but let's just say if I didn't like the ending, I wouldn't be giving this movie four stars. **** of ****. This and Up are my favorite movies this year.

"And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." - 2 Corinthians 11:14

FILM REVIEW:

A few years ago when "Borat" hit screens, I refused to see it in theaters. It looked vulgar, crass, offensive, and obscene, and I wanted no part of it. A couple months after it's release, it hit my local discount movie theater, and due to extreme boredom paired with curiosity over it's rave reviews, I went to see the movie. And I laughed harder than I ever have in a movie theater in my entire life. I was offended, I was turned off, I was angry - but I was laughing so hard it really took me by surprise. With the release of another one of Sacha Baron Cohen's off-beat character films, "Bruno", I felt I owed it to him to see the movie on it's opening weekend.

And now I feel like I need to take a shower.

Where "Borat" was funny and offensive 90% percent of the time, "Bruno" is basically just disgusting and offensive 90% of the time. We learn that Bruno is a second rate fashion guru, shunned by his peers after a fashion week disaster involving a velcro suit. His goal is to go to America, and become a giant star so the world will love him. From this point on, if your idea of a good movie going experience is watching innocent Americans be subjected to graphic male nudity and homosexual acts one scene after another, you'll giggle yourself silly. I am not one of those people. Saying "Oh my word" didn't cut it for a couple of the scenes. I counted four people running for the exits during my relatively busy screening.

In defense of the movie, if you go to see a movie by Cohen, you have to expect to be offended - I just was hoping it would be funnier. Frankly, all of the funniest parts were in the trailer, and the controversial bingo scene was completely cut out. The best sequence in the film in my opinion involved Paula Abdul as Bruno's first guest on his talk show. Not having furniture, Bruno convinces Abdul to sit on a Mexican handy man who is bent over on the ground. Aside from that and the trailer, this is one comedy that really fails to deliver. I would give Bruno * 1/2 out of ****.

"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." - Romans 15:4

Today at work I was asked to imagine what the library I work in would be like in ten years. The exercise was part of a branding company workshop that the library felt it was necessary to bring in. As this is a public blog, I am going to keep this professional when I say I did not enjoy this exercise. When I saw the library in ten years, I wasn't going into "Imagination Land" like the presenter had the audacity to suggest, but instead I fell into a panicked state of "Holy crap, will this building even be open then!?" I want to think the library will continue to be a vibrant and bustling center for education and recreation, but without the support of more people in town, I fear that is a dream that may never be realized. I am not a pessimist, but instead a realist. I love libraries. I have worked in them on and off for nearing ten years now. I remember going to the library at a very young age and being in awe at all they had to offer. There is something so important about libraries and their role in the community, so it tears me up inside when I see towns devaluing these centers and deeming them a "luxury" instead of a necessity. I could write for hours upon hours on all the library has to offer, but I want to avoid being overly detailed and preachy. If you haven't been to your local library in a while, go today. Go utilize the resources - many of which you may not even realize they have. Go lend a hand if you have the time. Simply, go while you still can.

"When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought joy to my soul" - Psalm 94:19

So I e-mailed my publicist and asked what exactly I am allowed to talk about when it comes to "I Survived a Japanese Game Show" as I know information that most people don't. He said I was allowed to discuss things that have already aired. So that's what I am going to do, specifically last nights episode. If you didn't catch it, don't read on as I will spoil things for you. If you're looking for a more thorough recap, go to this blog which also recaps the show, just with less of a bias and more information about the games (it does contain strong language.) The first game of the night was "Snap Attack", which looked terrifying. Now, I volunteered to sit out, but

it really had nothing to do with the pain factor. I used to weigh 270-odd pounds and I have had major hip surgery - let's just say being half-naked on national television was something I wasn't comfortable with, and as we had to sit someone out, I was thankful to my team for allowing me to do so. I really felt bad for Cathy though, as normally I would have been the gentleman, but this was just a rush of emotions I wasn't ready for and so, I got to sit out. The game was just a glorified coin toss to which the Red Robots, my team, came out victorious. The second game, "Paint Splash Madness" was incredible. Players have to catch paint falling from the sky and toss it into a container another teammate is holding at the end of a small runway. First of all, I didn't know my position in the game as "The Catcher" was going to be so useless. I expected to be able to move the cup and try to catch the paint, not just sit there and spin. The Red Robots actually talked strategy beforehand about how I would try and spin around as fast as possible, but as soon as we watched the Green Tigers go, we realized my position

was just "sit there and don't fall off" - luckily I accomplished that. So the Red Robots got almost twice as much paint and won the reward of safety and Tokyo drift car racing. Drifting was incredible - I had a blast, and "Oh my word" really does sum up the entire experience. Justin can "L" me all he wants (which is his way of saying I'm a loser), but I frankly am not looking for a social status ranking from a future member of AA.

Megan and Bobaloo head into elimination and well, I had total mixed feelings. From a personal standpoint, I liked both of these people a lot. I felt Megan was a stronger competitor though, and for that reason alone I was sort of hoping Bobaloo was going to win the elimination challenge. The game "Alien Took My Teddy Bear" involved just running on a bunch of treadmills and spinners transporting teddy bears. So awesome. Bobaloo goes first and totally rocks it, getting a bear really quickly. At this point all of the Robots are watching and thinking "this dude might actually have a chance!" Unfortunately for Bobaloo, it was all downhill from there. He did about as well on the treadmills as I did during the "Pin Clothes On Bob" game a couple weeks ago, and his one bear score was narrowly defeated by Megan "Long Blonde Extensions" Bentley. The best part of the episode (aside from my "Oh My Word" montage) was Bobaloo's Japanese fan's screaming for him not to go. I laughed so hard - so hard. That was incredible television that is Emmy-worthy. Here's a fact you might not know: Bobaloo is a house cleaner, but also a comedian. I recently had the chance to watch some of his stand-up on DVD and there is some pretty funny stuff. It's not for the kids mind you, and a couple of jokes had me thinking "OMW", but his delivery is impressive and in time I can totally see him doing more things in the public spotlight.

So that wraps up the summary of episode four. So long Bobaloo! You will be missed.

"But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful." - Psalm 68:3

Last night I watched "The Great American Road Trip" on NBC. Now, any contestants who come accross this blog while googling themselves, let me make it known: your show.....was better than it had any right to be. Your host is an Andy Richter wannabe, the challenge involving the presidents looked like it could be done at any summer camp, and the Southern "Bush-loving" woman, Amie (pictured),

who looks like a cross between a golden retriever and Paula Deen officially creeped me out. So why did I like it? The answer is simple: most of the people. Now that the rich brat family has been sent home (even though they really weren't that bad), the families left seem like they are just there for a good time. My favorite family is the Faverey's. They are this down-on-your-luck hispanic family from New York City who don't ever go on vacations and NBC cast them, in doing so giving them some much needed time off. I want them to win. The one person who I really want gone though is nine year-old Jake Coote. Half of the time he talks like he is auditioning for an "Exorcist" remake and the fact that he describes himself as wanting to always be the center of attention has me hoping their early win in the first game doesn't translate into more successes. Mind you, I more than ever understand the power of editing, so all of the families could potentially be amazing or horrific, but for my time, this show is a trip worth taking. My word though, doesn't that Amie woman look like Paula Deen!!

Okay, enough of that. So tonight is another episode of "I Survived a Japanese Game Show." I never wrote my thoughts about the departed Debbie. Debbie, the "stable hand", has very little "stable" about her. Just kidding, I just wanted to write that. Now, her bickering with Bobaloo was really more her bickering ABOUT Bobaloo, as he really didn't say much about the matter as it happened. She really was upset at him, but a recent YouTube video (contains profanity, be warned) shows they have since made amends. Debbie reminded me of a polite little kid. Everything that would happen to the group of us, she would be the one with the biggest smile on her face. She always had to say something positive about everything, which honestly, got a little old at times. I didn't always have nice things to say about her, but when she got eliminated, I was actually sadder than I thought I would be. I told her though that she had an awesome exit costume - a penguin - seriously, so cool!! So make sure you all watch the show tonight and I will blog about the departed, even if it's me, later tonight and after every episode for the rest of the season.

Again, if you're looking for my old blog, I took it down because frankly, now that I am an R-list (reality) "celebrity", I don't want random people reading my uncensored rants. Be blessed, and leave a comment if you wish! You don't have to be a blogger member to leave some feedback.

"He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." - Job 8:21 (NIV)

Sorry it's been so long since I have updated the blog. If you watch television, you may understand why I've been so crazy lately. I am a contestant on the show "I Survived a Japanese Game Show." The show is basically a cross between Big Brother and Double Dare, and was put together by some of the most talented producers in the business. I want to encourage people to watch the show.

In my real world life, things have been really cool. The show, despite faltering ratings, has made me recognizable on a very small scale. I am honestly thankful that more people don't approach me on the streets as it's so awkward. I wasn't on the show to gain exposure, but instead have an experience of a lifetime. A couple of people in my local Subway sandwich shop the other day were like "Hey, were you on a show?" When I told them I was, one responsed (he was like 12) "YOU SENT THAT CHICK HOMMMMMME!!!", referring to Yari from the second week's episode. A bunch of people have come into the library and let me know they are cheering me on. It's nice, it's my "15 minutes", and I want to enjoy them.

Outside of the show, there really hasn't been that much exciting (pretty sure being on a major network reality show is busy enough!), and that can be a good thing. I love my job at the library, but things have been really stressful lately. The library was hit with budget cuts that on one level seem really small but when you actually work in the place and see all the changes, it's devasting. For instance, I used to run two to four programs every month for the great teenagers in Shrewsbury. Now because of staffing reductions and redistribution of tasks, I am limited to one program every three months. This kills me as I know the teens in the community deserve more, and they did nothing and could do nothing from preventing the cuts to the library budget. In layman's terms: it sucks.

I went to see "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" the other day, and enjoyed it somewhat. While it was overlong and really nothing that new, it was a nice way to get 2 1/2 hours of air conditioning. I hope to see "Public Enemies" soon, but what I'm really exciting about is "(500) days of Summer." I love indie films, and this one is getting rave reviews. I have to run, leave comment if you would like, and I posted the trailer for "Summer" below: