Dan Gets a Haircut

CLICK HERE to watch this scene on Youtube

Dan Drinker and Terri Lynn Mckenzie were students in Mrs. Overcash's 4th grade class together.  Dan was part of an inclusion classroom where he was the only student in the class with special needs.  My mother kept a communication book with all of Dan's teachers.  Dan would carry the book back and forth between home and school.  Below are excerpts from the daily conversations my mother had with Dan's teacher and Aide.

Dan first met Terri in the first week of September.  The first week of school:

9/4/96

Today I spoke to the class about Dan. Everyone was very receptive. His classmates at his table are: Terri Mckenzie, Shannon Kearns, and Fred Chang. Terri was commended today for being so wonderful and helpful to Dan.

9/5/96

Terri mentioned that Dan kissed her at lunchtime. She was very understanding as we spoke to her.

9/6/96

Dan’s friend that sits next to him is Terri. Apparently, he was following her around and not allowing her time to play with other friends. She appears to be a very nice and fair friend. She isn’t truly complaining about him – she’s just suggesting that she be able to play with other kids, too. I talked to him. Could you, too? Some other boys also came up and said they want to play with him for tomorrow. So I felt good about this because they all worked this out on their own.

Those accounts were from Mrs. Overcash and Mrs. Haegel.  The following year, in fifth grade, my mom was corresponding with two other teachers, Mrs. Meyer and Mrs. Kozeniewski.  Terri was no longer in Dan's class but the first week of school was all about her:

9/3/97

He didn’t want to come in for recess. I went out to get him and asked him if everything was okay. He said, “no” and asked for Terri. He asks for her a lot. I told him he could see her during recess. He seems to accept his friends being in other classrooms, but not Terri.

9/5/97

If you could talk to him about how important it is for him to come in from recess in the class line it would be very helpful. He stays outside to wait for Terri. We haven’t given in on his requests for Terri. I’ve been telling him that she is in another class where she is learning, like he is. Overall, we had a great first week. I think Dan and I will have a wonderful year. Looking forward to Monday.

9/11/97

We think that Dominique is replacing Terri. Dan taps her on the head when he walks by her. She seems to be understanding, so far.

Chestnut Hill Local

CLICK HERE to read the article.

Dan and I made the cover of the local section of the Chestnut Hill Local.  A big thank you from both of us to Kristin Pazulski for taking the time to tell our story and to the Local for shedding light on our project.  We met with Kristin twice at McNally's Tavern.  I had a Schmitter and water while Dan had a burger and a glass of wine.

Dan and Sarah's Birthday

CLICK HERE to watch this scene on You Tube.

Dan was born on May 9th. His girlfriend was born on May 10th. They celebrated their double birthday at Dan's favorite restaurant, Halligan's Pub. A very special thanks to Joe Halligan and the entire staff who treat my brother with love and respect on a weekly basis.

Find out more about Halligans CLICK HERE.

Below is a composite made from the three birthday cards Dan made Sarah from scratch.

Click image to enlarge.

I'd also like to point out that Dan has never liked being called "Danny". Since we were young he has reacted rather negatively to those who try to call him anything other than "Dan". I can't blame him. I am the same way when someone assumes they can call me "Bill". With a last name like ours, it's only natural we take names and labels to heart. Dan, however, takes exception to this when it comes to girls. If he's trying to be endearing, like in all three cards he made for Sarah, he will sign "Danny". In the scene above, when Sarah reads "Love, Danny" she pauses and exclaims "Cute!" I guess he knows what he's doing.

Love,
Willy

The Will Drinker Show - Biology Class

In high school when I missed school due to illness I did a show called "The Will Drinker Show" in order to make up for the missed class time. This scene is from one I did for biology class. The focus was primarily on my disease, Hirschsprung's, but Dan is featured in it heavily as are my dad and sister. Enjoy.

Old School

When it comes to my filmmaking, Dan has always been the most convenient and agreeable star. Back to the time when I first began playing with my Dad's video camera my brother was always available and willing to perform. Long before we began this project Dan was the star of the majority of my movies.

STAR WARS

DAN AND DIZZY DISCUSS "TITANIC"

THE PURPLE ALIEN

THE ALL GIRLS CLUB

Dan Votes in the Pennsylvania Primary

CLICK HERE to watch this video on You Tube

When Dan's sister, Emily, returned home from school this afternoon, she found a note on her desk. Dan had typed it on the computer and printed it out and left it for her to find (no one helped him):

This was Emily's first time voting. Dan's note wasn't enough to talk her out of voting for Hillary Clinton.

Dan Drinker Visits Penn State to See Barack Obama

CLICK HERE to watch Dan's endorsement of Senator Obama.

                                                        All Photos by Evan M. Cuttic 

                                                                   (click photos to enlarge)

Directly after "breaking up" with Christine, Dan and I headed to State College, Pennsylvania to visit our friend Evan. He goes to Penn State University and Barack Obama was speaking there. 

CLICK HERE to view this scene on You Tube

Click below to listen to Dan and Will on PSU's radio morning talk show.  My stream timed out shortly into the broadcast so I was only able to record a bit of it.  We were on the air for an hour.

A deleted scene.

CLICK HERE to read an article about Dan in Penn State's newspaper, The Daily Collegian.

Dancing In The Street

Sometimes Dan likes to put on his favorite gear and head out into our street with his iPod. This is not a man who is lost in his head. This is a performance. If no one is out playing, he will wander our neighborhood until he finds people outdoors to dance for. The reason the girls in the background don't seem phased is because they aren't. This is something Dan has always done and something we have always enjoyed watching.

His iPod contains a variety of music. He most exclusively listens to the High School Musical soundtrack (both films). He also frequents Elvis Presley, The Blues Brothers, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, The Bee Gees, the West Side Story soundtrack, Jay Z, Usher, Nelly, Cool and the Gang, Run DMC, The Temptations, The Supremes, Carole King, James Taylor, and his sister, Emily Drinker.

Dan and I recently spent some time searching You Tube for his favorite dance songs. You can find our favorites on right right side of this blog under "Let's Dance!". Fair warning, be prepared to dance. Dan, Emily, our mom, and I were dancing in my room to "Boogie Nights" only moments ago. It could happen to YOU.

He Was Meant To Shine

Dan Drinker at Beach Haven, NJ

I wrote this song a few days ago and recorded it with my sister last night. It is just a demo. Soon, we hope to re-record it more professionally. Let us know what you think. To play the song click the pink circle below.   

The Word of the Day

Dan and I used to play a speech game called "The Word of the Day".  On this particular occasion, Emily was filming, I was dong my best Alfred Hitchcock impression, and the word was "Celtics".

Graduating From Ken-Crest

Dan and his grandmother, Nancy Freedman

Dan spent his pre-school years at Ken-Crest, an early intervention program.  When he graduated, his grandparents presented him with this poem:

Daniel...

Your birth was bittersweet.

But, you soon erased the element of regret

leaving only the mark of pleasure.

Daniel...

Your first year is full of memories. 

Unending feedings, monitor wires, false alarms.

Therapy balls, mouth excercises.

And then off to KEN-CREST.

Daniel...

Your second year of crawling and then learning to stand.

Your love of yogurt in a variety of flavors.

Daniel...

Your third year of learning to walk

with a strut like no other.

Your love affair with applesauce.

Your communicating without speaking

and people totally understood.

Daniel...

Your fourth year of private speech therapy with

dramatic improvement of verbal communication.

Potty training, the hits and misses.

Learning the computer.

And last but not least,

your wonderful relationship with your brother, William.

Daniel...

You muster courage and try.

You have accomplished with pride numerous goals.

You have reached one of many milestones

Your graduation from Ken-Crest.

Daniel...

You made us look at the world differently.

You gave us permission to cry in public.

You bring great joy and sometimes it runs down our cheeks.

You are the best thing that ever happened to us!

Daniel...

We love you very much,

Grampy and Grandy

Dan and his grandfather, Arthur Freedman.

Click on the images to enlarge

Blast From the Past

Click here to see more of Dan's videos on You Tube

This montage is part of a video I made Dan for his high school graduation.  Our father shot all (well, most) of the footage (before he gave me the camera for good).  Watch Dano grow up to a song that might has well have been written just for him.

Two more songs from Dan's graduation video.  Two of his favorites.

Two Memories

Will must have been maybe 2 or 3 and I guess Dan was a year older. We were all at Grandmom and Grandpop's old house on Graver's Lane and it was around Easter (Alex and I lived in Chicago at the time). Will was still very sick from all of his early surgeries and understandably terrified of any type of mask. Someone had brought a whole bunch of bunny masks for us kids to wear and Will became afraid. Dan leapt into action as his younger brother's protector, somehow simultaneously comforting Will while at the same time berating whoever had brought the mask. I don't know why I remember this, but it was so sweet and so obviously instinctual and Will seemed very much secure in the knowledge that his big brother Dan was going to take care of the problem and make everything better.

My second memory of Dan is after Grandpop died. I guess we were all gathered again and I must have been particularly upset. Dan came over to me and gave me the most loving, gentle hug and just softly kept saying, "It's okay, Grandpop in heaven" and it really did make me feel so much better.

Lauren Drinker

(Dan's Cousin)

Visiting Lehigh

Click Here to watch this scene on You Tube

Our family started bright and early and drove to the Martin Guitar Factory for a tour. After lunch, we stopped at Lehigh University to see the Drinker House. Click Here to learn more about the dormitory.

Thanks to Ross Reilly for the wonderful music. Check out his myspace.

The Man With The Cat (Henry Sturgis Drinker)

by Cecilia Beaux

Below is Lehigh's biography of Dan's great great grandfather:

Henry Sturgis Drinker (1905-1920) was an 1871 Lehigh graduate and the only alumnus ever to become president. The alumni endowment fund was established in 1907, the Lehigh Alumni Bulletin was first published in 1913, and the Alumni Association was incorporated in 1917.

A lawyer and a mechanical engineer, Drinker helped solve the problems of building the two-mile-long Musconetcong Tunnel, an engineering feat that made possible a railroad line between Easton, Pa., and New York City. He started a tradition of business-like management of university affairs.

During Drinker's years, more buildings were completed: the original section of Fritz Engineering Laboratory, Drown Hall, Coxe Mining Laboratory, Taylor Hall, Taylor Gymnasium and Field House, Taylor Stadium and Lamberton Hall. Drinker's interest in horticulture led to the planting of many rare trees and plants.

A teacher's course and a business administration course were begun in 1909, and in 1918, the university was divided into three colleges: liberal arts, business administration and engineering - roots of today's colleges. Army ROTC was established in 1919.

Drinker's daughter, Catherine Drinker Bowen, became a historical writer of note. Her experiences as the daughter of a Lehigh president and occupant of the President's House are recorded in Family Portrait (Atlantic Little-Brown).

This is a short excerpt from the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography:

While Henry was apparently interested in Cecilia, she was never taken with him. On one occasion she had been away from home when Catharine and Henry dropped by for a visit. She later noted in her diary "I don't mind missing him." Diary of 1875, Beaux Papers

Tara Leigh Tappert

Always On The Move

Dan and Mom, Summer 1989

When Dan goes to church he never sits with his family, at least, not for too long.  Typically, he will leave us and invite himself to sit with other members of the community.  He will remain with someone ("my friend"), even fall asleep on their shoulder for a quick nap (what we would all like to do during some sermons!).  But, appropriately timed with the flow of the service, Dan moves on a couple more times to different sections to join others in the congregation.

Dan demonstrates the true spirit of "community." What appears to be a simple action is quite complex.  Week after week, I'm used to staying in my comfort zone, sitting with my family in the same place in church.  Inhibitions prevent us from reaching out and opening ourselves up to each other's joy and pain, to that which makes us human.  We lose many opportunities for growth and connection.  Next time, wherever it is, I'm going to move around.

Diane Drinker