30 Days of Thanks - Day 30 - Marc Summers

I know it is a little strange to be thankful for that guy who hosted a game show in the '80s and '90s but hear me out on this one because the man deserves some sort of award. Yes, Marc Summers was the host of my favorite game show as a kid - Double Dare. The sloppiest quiz show on television, Double Dare had a lengthy run and a few spin-offs. The highlights of the show were the physical challenges and obstacle course at the end that resulted in everyone being either slimed, pied, or just plain messy in some of the most awkward ways imaginable. My memory brings about images of human burritos, finding a flag while picking a gigantic nose, and a chocolate-covered slide into a giant sundae. It was messy, funny, and enough to keep the kids (and parents) interested.

So, sure, it was a good show but Marc was also a good host. He would dive right in to the fray and had a way of describing the action like a serious sports announcer despite the oddity of the scene. What makes him worthy of mention in the 30 Days of Thanks is that Marc Summers, who would often end up like this

had an Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder that made him want everything to be neat and tidy and orderly and "just so".

Marc should be an inspiration to us when we are facing something we really do not want to do - something that would require us to leave our comfort zones. His success was derived from his ability to take a big step into that which he despised just to bring some entertainment and joy to others. He is an example of what can be done if we will put our desire in something greater than our fears.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 22 - Stand-Up Comedy

I think my enjoyment of stand-up began somewhere in middle school. It was just nice to hear someone else complaining about those things that irk you but doing so in a way that makes you laugh and feel less perturbed by them. It is all part of that shared human experience/misery loves company thing. It can be empowering and comforting. It can also introduce you to new subjects or new ways of looking at life. As Stephen Hawking is quoted as stating, "Life would be tragic if it weren't funny" [1]. I'll post some clips from YouTube of a few of my favorites.

Brad Stine

Tim Hawkins

Bob Smiley

These last two may not be appropriate for all ages or all tastes.

Rob Paravonian

Taylor Mali

[1] "The Science of Second-Guessing", The New York Times. 12 December 2004.

30 Days of Thanks - Day 10 - Doctor Who

He is a cross between James Bond and MacGyver, travels through time and space (and, occasionally dimension) aboard a ship that looks like a tiny police box [1] but is far bigger on the inside, is of a species of regenerating aliens known as Time Lords, fights off various fiends who would enslave or destroy, tries to hope for the best from others, enhances his companions lives, has found more uses for a screwdriver than you could imagine [2], and genuinely enjoys the adventure of it all. What is not to like? [3] Honestly, the character has a special place in my heart - a heroic potential that beckons me to influence the lives of others for the better even if it may seem crazy at times.

[1] His TARDIS (or Time And Relative Dimension in Space) has a faulty cloaking device so it is stuck looking like a 1960s-style London police box (a phone booth for police communication or calling the police). Note that this was done before Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.

[2] The sonic screwdriver is a wonderfully nifty plot device.

[3] Granted, the best Doctor by far was the Tenth, played by David Tennant who decided to pursue the actor's path at the age of three because of his love for Doctor Who (specifically the Fifth Doctor, which is slyly referenced in the Children in Need 2007 mini-sode below).

30 Days of Thanks - Day 6 - Childhood Trauma

I know that I have blogged before about my childhood but I wanted to give a special salute to childhood trauma in general. I believe that those horrid experiences can be used to help us develop into uniquely gifted adults. They allow us to develop the endurance, knowledge, skills, and compassion to help others along the path. A weakness or fear due to past experiences can even be transformed into a strength later in life. I am reminded of when Rabbit tried to rid Tigger of his bounce, which he saw as a nuisance, only to be rescued by that same thing when it was adjusted and used for a noble purpose [1]. I am not suggesting that the trauma is good, but that good can come from it. Such traumas can also give you an idea about the present mental and psychological state of the child such as in the example that follows.

Recently, Jimmy Kimmel asked parents to film their kids as they were told that mom and/or dad ate all of their Halloween candy. He thought this would be funny, it turned out to be both traumatic and comical. The results also tell a lot about the kids. You can actually predict, to some degree, how these kids will end up. Here is the clip followed by brief synopses [2] and commentary.

Kids #1 and 2 (aka Woody and Buzz): Kid #1 drops to the floor in shocked exasperation as Kid #2 is already whining before being told his candy is gone as well, at which point he hides his face behind the couch. These kids share in each other's pain. Kid #1 is a dramatic type and will end up being the expressive sort. Kid #2 will be the quieter, more reserved type, but ultimately the one who will offer you a shoulder on which to cry. I am predicting that he may play wing-man to his brother in the future.

Kid #3 (aka Your Whiny Neighborhood Spider-Fan): He collapses with his Spiderman pail and a shocked expression on his face, then sits on the floor and cries with his head down. Kid #3 reminds me of some kids I played soccer with when I was little. When life is unkind, sit down and cry. You will still get a trophy and you get to check out for a bit while other people take care of the work. A little dramatic but ultimately he will grow up to join the ranks of the 'normal' folk.

Kid #4 (aka Delayed Reaction Boy): This boy takes a bit to long to process what has been said before flinging himself back into a high pitched squeal and stressed expression. I am fairly certain that this kid was already in on it all and was just doing something so mom could put it on YouTube. This kid will be a fine actor once he learns proper timing.

Kids #5 and 6 (aka Wrapper-Toss Girl and Mild Disappointment Boy): The girl asks where the candy is, sees the pile of wrappers in front of her dad and starts weeping before she even makes it to the table. The boy does not really seem to care but has a slight frown. The girl then throws the wrappers at her dad. Kid #5 will end up in some fights as she grows up. She expresses herself physically and does not seem to understand appropriate reactions. She has a high level of vengeance. Kid #6 will be okay. He seems to have already worked out in his mind that the situation does not make sense. His bigger concern is: "Why are our parents doing this to us?" He will grow up with some gap of trust with his parents but able to sort things out fairly well. He has developed a healthy dose of skepticism.

Kid #7 (aka Seriously, How Old Is This Kid? Will The Other Middle School Boys Tease Him About This?): This boy looks shocked, goes over to check his candy bag on the bed, and then slams his face into the sheets in bitter tears. He turns around, leans his head back, and wails in agony. My main concern here is that the boy does not appear to be THAT young. I would guess at least the sixth grade. Granted, the early hormones of oncoming puberty do lead to some interesting waterworks at times, but this kid is deeply hurt that his candy has been eaten. He never even questions the logic of the situation and he does not even try to twist it to his advantage. This kid is going to be pushed around quite a lot as he grows up. I am slightly worried that this will just further a victim mentality in this kid.

Kid #8 (aka That Was A Funny Trick Girl): This girl has a mildly unhappy face but then laughs when told it was all a trick. Kid #8 will be able to handle whatever life throws at her. She has a genuinely happy outlook and does not mind a few tricks. She likes to be able to laugh along and will do well.

Kid #9 (aka I Hate My Mom Girl): Girl runs away from her camera-happy mom who tries to justify it saying, "You know I like candy." When asked if she still loves her mom, she replies in the negative. This girl is going to have some serious trust issues with her mom, which may not be a bad thing considering how much her mom seems to enjoy this. I have a feeling this instance may induce the skepticism she needs to deal with the rest of life.

Kid #10 (aka I Have A Secret Stash Boy): The kid replies with a not-so-much-shocked-as-confused "What?" then rolls his eyes as his mom tries to explain that she gets really hungry since she is pregnant (kind of a "I've heard this before"). He then smiles, laughs, and goes off to his secret stash of Nerds. This kid I am not so sure about. On the one hand it seems that he can roll with the punches and be prepared in any situation - a cool kid who will do well. On the other hand he displays some remarkable similarities to a drug addict.

Kid # 11 (aka That Will Teach That Wall And Piece of Paper Boy): Kid slaps the wall and throws a piece of paper on the ground as he storms off angry. This kid is on the same road to anger-management as Kid #5.

Kids #12 and 13 (aka Sleepy Boy and Critic Girl): The boy just 'sleeps' through all of this but the girl shouts, cries, and tells her dad that he is ugly. The boy will continue in life as a disaffected teenager, then a disaffected college student, then a disaffected grad, etc. The girl will continue to deal with her anger (and situations that do not make her happy) by insulting them, thus trying to self-justify. Good luck with that one, parents.

Kids #14 and 15 (aka Math Prodigy and Are We Sure He Is Not A Teenager?): This one deserves a full transcript:

Mom - I ate all your candy. You have no-no more Halloween candy left.

14 - (Slightly whiny as he continues to scratch his belly.) What?

15 - (Lounging with his arms behind his head.) She ate it! The heck!? (Exasperated sigh.)

14 - Ahhhh . . .

Mom - Don't you guys think you ate enough candy last night?

15 - No! I only had like one bite of candy. Are you serious!? And then you ate the rest.

15 - (After an angry pause. Now with sarcasm!) Oh, good for you! Now you're gonna have-probably get a belly ache. (Pause.) That's why you shouldn't eat so much candy. Mom, that's two!

Mom - Two what?

15 - Two bags of candy.

14 - (Started while 15 was still talking.) Two plus two is-(pause to look at brother who just finished speaking, as 14 holds four fingers up)-Two plus two is (brother leans over to whisper to him) equals five!

15 - It's really four. You did - you were so close. (film break)

15 - Did you see how much I had? I went to a lot of houses.

Mom - I know. I ate it all, it tasted so good, especially the peanut butter cups.

14 - (Gasp of realization as 15 lifts his eyebrows.) YOU SNEAKY MOM!

These boys are going to be fine. #15 is definitely a little man as is. He makes sure to take care of and encourage his little brother. He has also mastered the art of sarcasm. I am mildly surprised that he did not make a comment about his mom's weight after the belly ache remark. The little brother is sweet and able to brush off things as they come. He also just enjoys being a part of the situation. These boys really deserve their own sitcom.

Although I am thankful for crazy things in my childhood that have brought me to where I am today, I really just wanted to share and comment on that video. I am thankful to Savannah for introducing me to the video, it gave me some good laughs and some things to analyze. I am also thankful that I have time to write this tonight (Saturday) and set it up to post tomorrow (Sunday) as I will be extremely busy then (teaching middle school Sunday School, church, Go Orange, eat/reorganize time, middle school youth, high school youth, talk to other youth leaders, get home late). At least I get an extra hour of sleep before that. Have a joyful Sunday!

PS - Yes, I know this is not a letter, but I came across something before I actually posted this. I do not want to call it an edit so much as an addendum. I found the original video of the last two boys. It serves to show that these kids figured their mom was a trickster but the kid in red is kind of sweet and concerned about his mom. He is actually pretty chill and logical. His mom may be dealing with another me - poor woman. At least they got some laughs out of it.

[1] Current reading: The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff.

[2] I'm afraid that this will disappear from YouTube after awhile.

My Favorite 'Twilight' Involves No Prissy Vampires (Or, How Rod Serling Taught Me About Life)

Last weekend I discovered that Netflix has started to carry the entire original series of The Twilight Zone. I've loved the ethic dramas of Rod Serling and others for years. These stories have motivated my interests in stories and films of philosophical depth. These stories also have a heavy connection with my childhood. Because of this, I have been on a nostalgia kick while analyzing the roots of my psychological development.

I don't remember exactly when I first watched an episode, but I know I was around six- or seven-years-old. I would get up past bedtime to watch it and keep the set volume low so as to avoid confrontations with mom or dad. The stories Rod Serling presented would terrify and inspire me. Even as a child, I began to connect the terrors of the show with the realities of the world around me. I began to understand that the fears and desires of men - as well as their best intentions - could be their undoing or lead to great evil.

A few episodes still stick in my mind all of these years since.

A Nice Place to Visit taught me that Hell is getting everything you ever wanted, thus removing any sense of adventure - and any reason to live.

The Little People taught me to tread lightly in dealing with others as, although I may be above them, someone else is ultimately above me. This also gave me some hope when dealing with bullies in the many years to come. In addition, I learned never to think too highly of myself.

Nothing in the Dark taught me that I had nothing to fear from death as "What you feared would come like an explosion is like a whisper. What you thought was the end is the beginning."

The Obsolete Man taught me the value of ideas and of every individual. It taught me that even my death should be used to promote truth. As I grew older and watched it again, Romney Wordsworth's words further impressed on me the importance of actually knowing of God for myself. "You cannot erase God with an edict!" This may have inevitably triggered the Grand Search that led me to Christ.

It's a Good Life, that iconic episode, frightened me to no end. I learned that any power I may be equipped with should be used for the benefit of others and not to control them. The torment of Anthony's family and neighbors taught me that personal control of everything was not something to be desired, nor was the suffering of others just because they make you unhappy or hurt.

The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street (my favorite episode - the first I saw and often cited as the greatest episode of the series) taught me just how dangerous fear and ignorance could be amongst people. Fear leads to faulty conclusions and false knowledge. I remember identifying with the character of Tommy who, regrettably, provides the 'silly' concept that fuels the fear of the entire group and later has that fear directed toward him.