For those of you worried about Dan… or if he’s still alive… or if he ever really existed at all, let me tell you that I have three confirmed Dan sightings from yesterday: two posts on the Rumor Forum and then one post in his shoutbox located to the right.

I was never within range to tag the wild Dan, though my supplies are handy. The creature must sleep at some point.

If you or anyone you know has contact with Dan, please respond to this post immediately. Your actions may save a life. Please do not neglect your duty as a citizen this Christmas season. Do the right thing for people everywhere.

-Roger
Thoughts From the Monkey Exhibit

OK, this is Dan’s blog, so some of you may have had a heart attack just now when you read the title. Rest assured that Dan isn’t writing on married life. My name is Chris, I’m an aquaintance of Dan’s, and several weeks ago now he invited me to guest post on his blog. It’s only tonight that I’ve found the time to write that post… but I guess that’s part of the story.

Several times over the seven-and-counting years of our marriage, people have asked how the marriage is going, what we’re learning. And as I think over it, I can point to one huge thing that marriage (and to an even greater extend, having children) has taught me is this: I am selfish. Now, I’m not one of these six-nights-a-week-are-mine-and-leave-me-alone-woman selfish types, but I can’t begin to count the number of times that I’ve had to squelch that inner voice that is asking “why the heck are you doing this right now? wouldn’t you rather be spending your time doing _____?” And often the answer is that yeah, for me, I would like to be doing something else. But what I’ve come to observe and learn is that my time is much better invested in my wife and daughter than it is in me.

This brings us to today. It’s Friday, a normal workday for me would have me at my place of employment from 7 AM to around 3 PM. But about 8 my wife called and said she was sick, throwing up, and could I come home and watch the kiddo? (The kiddo is Laura, our 16-month-old.) So I left work and headed home. It wasn’t exactly how I wanted to burn a day of vacation, but it needed done. It ended up being a pretty decent day, though. I got to spend the day with Laura. We went to the mall to finish Christmas shopping. Becky got a bunch of sleep. Tonight she went to sleep early, which is allowing me the time to finally guest post.

So tonight it hits me: this is what married life is all about. OK, so we don’t want every day to be like today, but a day like today provides opportunities to serve, to love, to grow. God uses it to make me more like Jesus. And that’s what it’s all about.

– Chris
House of Cakeboy

I fell in the river
At the McQuarry place
I was swining on the rope
You know the one
We’d play on it often
And wonder what it would be like
To just let go
Where would it lead us
If we just had the courage

I’m not a strong swimmer
I’m lucky to stay above water
I’m treading for my life
But these clothes
My material possessions
Are weighing me down
I kicked off the boots
And jeans some while ago
But I’m not that strong a swimmer

All this time I’m struggling
Just to keep afloat
I didn’t want to drown
Just to let go
From my point of view
I’m just bobbing here
But to the static spectator
On the side of the river
Not caught in the current
I’m finally getting somewhere

-Roger
Find poetry and more at Thoughts From the Monkey Exhibit

Hi, my name is Nick. Daniel and I have been friends for a long while, and one of the things we do from time to time is take pictures. Here are some of the pictures I have taken that relate to both Daniel and myself. Both he and I are in them, as well as his sisters.