Travel in Time with Dan: Interview from the Past with John P. Holland

 🎤 Travel in Time: Dan Blanchard Interviews John P. Holland

Location: CT's Submarine Museum – Year: Timeless*

Dan Blanchard: Mr. Holland—first off, what an honor. You’re standing here in Groton, Connecticut—home of the nuclear submarine force, decades after your Holland VI changed everything. How does it feel?

John P. Holland: (Chuckles softly) It’s like waking up inside a dream… or rather, a prophecy fulfilled. When I was testing my first models in New Jersey and later here in Connecticut, people thought I was eccentric, or worse. To see this? The Nautilus? It’s staggering. I can hardly believe these marvels were born from the small spark I carried.

Dan: You were ahead of your time. What drove you to push boundaries—designing vessels to travel beneath the sea when no one believed it was possible?

Holland: Necessity… and curiosity. I was a schoolteacher from Ireland with a head full of ideas and a heart full of rebellion. I believed navies needed a stealth advantage—small crafts that could travel unseen, strike quickly, and disappear. I believed in underdogs. And I believed technology could level the playing field.

Dan: Your Holland VI eventually became the first commissioned U.S. Navy submarine. What was the biggest challenge in getting it there?

Holland: Convincing people it could be done. I didn’t have government support in the beginning. My early tests were on the rivers here in Connecticut, with only a few curious onlookers and the occasional funding from private supporters. But the hardest part was staying committed through failures. Each sunken model or faulty ballast tank tested my resolve—but I kept going.

https://www.amazon.com/Travel-Time-Connecticut-Timeless-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CYM3WB22/

Dan: That persistence rings true today. Groton is now the Submarine Capital of the World. How do you feel seeing your early vision become part of such a massive legacy?

Holland: It humbles me. The USS Nautilus, the Virginia-class submarines—they’re not just machines. They are testaments to discipline, innovation, and quiet courage. I see generations of silent warriors—the “Silent Service”—and I know I played a small part in that.

Dan: You did more than that. You planted the seed. Our state, our nation—owes much to your spark. And speaking of leadership—today we teach young people that true strength doesn’t always make noise. What’s your take on that?

Holland: A submarine doesn’t announce itself. Nor does a true leader. Leadership isn’t about shouting orders—it’s about seeing clearly in murky water, staying calm under pressure, and trusting your crew with your life. If I’ve learned anything from my time under the surface—it’s that silence can be the most powerful form of strength.

Dan: That’s beautifully said. I always tell students and educators alike that the best leaders often lead when no one is watching—and many of them never seek the spotlight. But they change history all the same.

Holland: Aye… just as Connecticut has. From Bushnell’s Turtle to Electric Boat’s nuclear marvels… you’ve led from the shadows. Quiet. Strategic. Unstoppable.

Dan: Last question, Mr. Holland. If you had the chance to speak to a young leader today—maybe a student visiting this museum—what advice would you give?

Holland: I’d say: “Don’t wait for approval to follow your vision. Build what only you can imagine. Fail, if you must—but don’t abandon your mission. Even the deepest oceans yield to persistence.”

Dan: That’s powerful. Thank you, Mr. Holland—not just for the submarines, but for reminding us that the future often begins with a quiet idea and a determined heart.

Holland: And thank you, Dan—for keeping the story alive. Every child who walks through this museum deserves to know what’s possible… even beneath the surface.

---

Travel in Time with Dan: Interview from the Past with Cass Gilbert

 🎤 Travel in Time: Dan Blanchard Interviews Cass Gilbert

Location: CT's Abandoned Seaside Sanatorium – Year: Timeless*

Dan Blanchard: Mr. Gilbert, it’s an absolute honor to speak with you today. Your work has shaped some of America’s most iconic spaces—from the U.S. Supreme Court to the Woolworth Building. But today, I want to talk about something closer to my home: the Seaside Sanatorium in Waterford, Connecticut.

Cass Gilbert: Thank you, Mr. Blanchard. I’m pleased someone still remembers Seaside. It was one of my most humane and hopeful designs—less monumental than my other projects, but perhaps more meaningful.

Dan: I’m glad you said that. The Seaside Sanatorium wasn’t just another building. It was a response to crisis—a stand against the horrors of tuberculosis, especially for children. What inspired your design?

Cass Gilbert: In the 1930s, we were losing far too many young lives. The state of Connecticut asked me to design a place for healing—one that didn’t feel like a cold institution. The guiding idea was heliotherapy. Sunshine. Fresh air. Nature’s remedies. The architecture needed to support that.

Dan: And you certainly delivered. The open-air ground floor, the southern exposure, the gentle curve of the building—all brilliant. But it almost feels ironic now, doesn’t it? That such a place of light would later become so dark?

Cass Gilbert: (pauses) Yes. Buildings often outlive their first purpose. But they carry memories. When Seaside became a geriatric hospital and later a mental health facility, the light dimmed—not just literally, but symbolically. These were some of society’s most voiceless people. And when the care faded… well, the building could only echo what was happening inside.

https://www.amazon.com/Travel-Time-Connecticut-Timeless-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CYM3WB22/

Dan: And that’s the hard part. I’ve walked the perimeter of that property. It’s beautiful—Long Island Sound shimmering, gulls flying—but there’s a stillness that feels… haunted. Not by ghosts, necessarily, but by forgotten stories.

Cass Gilbert: Precisely. Architecture is storytelling in stone. But if no one listens… the story fades. That’s why what you’re doing—bringing these hidden histories forward—is vital. The past has value when it teaches us something.

Dan: Thank you. One of the leadership lessons I’ve tried to draw from Seaside is this: Real leaders advocate for the forgotten. People often think leadership is standing at a podium or holding power. But true leadership means standing beside someone who has no voice.

Cass Gilbert: I couldn’t agree more. In my day, I advocated through design. Today, you advocate through storytelling. And both are necessary. Tell me, what do you hope happens to Seaside now?

Dan: I dream of someone with imagination—and resources—transforming it into something new. Maybe part museum, part hotel. A place that honors the past but brings joy and purpose into the future. Just like you intended: sunlight, healing, and fresh air.

Cass Gilbert: (smiling) That would be a second life worth living for a building born of hope. Let’s hope your generation doesn’t forget.

Dan: We won’t. Not if I have anything to say about it. Thank you, Mr. Gilbert.

Cass Gilbert: And thank you, Mr. Blanchard—for listening to the stones and the stories they still carry.

---

🧭 Post-Interview Reflection:
Cass Gilbert may be gone, but his vision lives on. And now, the torch is ours to carry. The lesson of Seaside is clear: beauty and pain can coexist, and leadership often means shining light into forgotten corners.

www.GranddaddysSecrets.com

Travel in Time with Dan: Interview from the Past with Both CT Governors Named Samuel Huntington

 🎤 Travel in Time: Dan Blanchard Interviews the Two Samuel Huntingtons

Location:  Connecticut State Capitol Rotunda, CT – Year: Timeless*

Dan:
Welcome back to Travel in Time. Today, we’re exploring one of the most paradoxical and profound chapters in Connecticut’s history. I’m joined by not one—but two Governors named Sam Huntington. One was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and Connecticut’s White Governor. The other, his enslaved man… and simultaneously, Connecticut’s Black Governor. Gentlemen, welcome.

White Governor Sam Huntington:
Thank you, Mr. Blanchard. It’s… unusual to speak of such things across centuries.

Black Governor Sam Huntington:
Grateful to be here. My story has been buried too long.

---

The Duality of Power

Dan:
Let’s start with the basics. Governor Huntington—white Governor Huntington, that is—how did this “Black Governor” system even come to be?

White Governor Sam Huntington:
Well, it was… a form of governance within the Black community. The elections were held after ours, and the leaders chosen—though enslaved—were tasked with maintaining order among their own. It gave us a way to, shall we say, delegate cultural authority.

Black Governor Sam Huntington:
Let’s be clear—it gave you convenience. It gave us a voice. A constrained voice, yes. But a voice nonetheless. We were expected to maintain discipline, resolve disputes, and serve as the middleman between two very different worlds.

---

On Being Both a Slave and a Governor

Dan:
Black Governor Sam Huntington, how did it feel to be a Governor… yet still a slave?

Black Governor Sam Huntington:
Strange. Heavy. I wore chains in one world… and was called “Governor” in the other. I had to uphold laws I didn’t always agree with. But it mattered. My people needed leadership, and I could give them that. Even without full freedom, we had dignity.

White Governor Sam Huntington: (softly)
And yet I must admit—I saw how your people looked at you. With respect. Perhaps more than they looked at me.

https://www.amazon.com/Travel-Time-Connecticut-Timeless-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0CYM3WB22/

---

Power and Performance

Dan:
Governor Huntington—white Huntington—did you ever truly consult your Black counterpart?

White Governor Sam Huntington:
On occasion. If tensions were rising or disputes needed settling, I would say, “Governor, handle it.” He knew better how to reach hearts in that community than I ever could. And frankly, his presence preserved peace.

Black Governor Sam Huntington:
But let’s not pretend it was equality. I couldn’t vote. Couldn’t own land. Couldn’t even protect my family fully. I governed… within a cage.

---

Representation or Manipulation?

Dan:
Some argue the Black Governor system was just a tool of control—a trick to pacify the enslaved. How do you both respond?

White Governor Sam Huntington:
There is some truth in that criticism. But I also saw leadership rise where few expected it. It was more than pageantry.

Black Governor Sam Huntington:
It was a system of control… but also of survival. We took what little power was offered and made something of it. We found pride, even in paradox.

---

Leadership Lessons from the Past

Dan:
So what do your stories teach us today, in this age of DEI, representation, and continued racial reckoning?

Black Governor Sam Huntington:
That real leadership doesn’t wait for the perfect system. It leads anyway. It listens. It serves. Even when the chains are still on, mentally or physically.

White Governor Sam Huntington:
And that those with power must do more than tolerate leaders from the margins—we must respect, elevate, and follow them, too.

---

Final Reflections from the Burial Ground

Dan:
Some say your grave, Black Governor Huntington, may lie unmarked in Hartford’s Ancient Burying Ground. How does that sit with you?

Black Governor Sam Huntington:
History forgets what it finds inconvenient. But I hope, with shows like yours and people like you… the next generation won’t forget me or us.

White Governor Sam Huntington:
May our intertwined stories remind future leaders that dignity, paradox, and power often coexist—and that progress sometimes begins in the most unlikely arrangements.

---

Dan:
Thank you, both, for this powerful conversation. Connecticut’s dual-governor system may seem contradictory—but it holds deep truths about resilience, resistance, and leadership. Until next time, keep traveling in time—and don’t forget the leaders history tried to forget.

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[Fade out to image of the Ancient Burying Ground. Soft music playing. Text on screen: “In Memory of Connecticut’s Forgotten Black Governors.”]

www.GranddaddysSecrets.com

Travel in Time with Dan: Interview from the Past with William Gillette

 🎤 Travel in Time: Dan Blanchard Interviews William Gillette

Location: Gillette Castle- East Haddam, CT – Year: Timeless*

Visionaries Build What Others Can’t Yet See

Dan Blanchard:
Good afternoon, Mr. Gillette. What a surreal experience it is to be here, sitting inside this fantastical castle of yours! Before we dive in, can I ask—why a castle, and why here?

William Gillette:
(laughs softly) Why not? I spent years in the public eye, dear Dan—bright lights, long tours, every hotel room like the last. I needed a sanctuary. And I didn’t want a dull country house like everyone else. I wanted something… uniquely me. This bluff overlooking the Connecticut River? The perfect canvas.

Dan:
You certainly made a masterpiece. Forty-seven different doors, trick locks, secret passages, and mirrors—were those just for fun, or was there a deeper purpose behind the eccentric design?

William Gillette:
Ah! Both. Life is far too short for ordinary doors, my friend. The truth is, I wanted to amuse myself. But also—this castle reflects the inner workings of my mind. Creativity, privacy, control… perhaps a hint of mischief. It’s a reflection of a life lived on my own terms.

Dan:
You definitely lived boldly. But I heard your path to success wasn’t easy. Your parents didn’t support your dream of acting. How did you keep going?

William Gillette:
They thought acting was a fool’s errand. Wanted me to follow politics or law. But I had no interest in becoming a replica of someone else’s expectations. I had a voice. I had a vision. And when Mark Twain—dear neighbor from Nook Farm—offered me a role in The Gilded Age, well… that was the match to my fire. I seized it.

Dan:
And it led to your legendary portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. Some say you defined the detective as we know him.

William Gillette:
A curious turn, isn’t it? “Elementary, my dear Watson”—yes, that line was mine. The pipe, the posture, the mysterious demeanor… I invented what the world now imagines when they think of Holmes. But more than that, I proved that an American actor could lead the world stage. That hadn’t been done before.

Dan:
You truly put America on the theatrical map. And then you retreated here, to build what many called your “castle of dreams.” What leadership lesson do you think your life and this home teach?

William Gillette:
Vision, Dan. Leadership is vision. Everyone sees what is. But leaders? We build what others can’t even imagine yet. You don’t ask for permission. You create. Boldly. Unapologetically. Even eccentrically.

Dan:
I love that. “Build what others can’t yet see.” Now… what’s the deal with the train that once ran around the property?

William Gillette:
Oh, yes—the miniature steam train! Delightful, wasn’t it? Three miles of track winding through woods and tunnels. I built it to entertain guests, but honestly, it delighted me most of all. It was playful. Mechanical. Joyful. Why not indulge in wonder?

Dan:
It’s like you built your own leadership playground. You even had early Hollywood legends visit here, didn’t you?

William Gillette:
Indeed. Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and others. This place wasn’t just a retreat—it was a lab. I dabbled in lighting experiments, reflections, and shadows. Silent films were rising, and I wanted to understand how visual storytelling could move an audience, just like theater did. Film needed new tools. I was happy to invent some.

Dan:
A visionary, an innovator, and an artist. Mr. Gillette, what would you say to young people today—especially those told their ideas are “too different” or “too impractical”?

William Gillette:
(smiling) I’d say: nonsense. If people understand your vision right away, it probably isn’t bold enough. Build it anyway. Create what you must create. And remember—every door can open to something wondrous, even if the lock looks peculiar.

Dan:
I think you just gave us all permission to get a little more creative and a little less conventional. Thank you, Mr. Gillette—for your time, your legacy, and for teaching us that real leadership doesn’t just follow the script—it writes the next act.

William Gillette:
Well said, Mr. Blanchard. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I believe I have a few guests still trying to figure out how to open the liquor cabinet.

(both laugh)

www.GranddaddysSecrets.com

Travel in Time with Dan: Interview from the Past with Elihu Yale

 🎤 Travel in Time: Dan Blanchard Interviews Elihu Yale

Location: Yale University, New Haven, CT – Year: Timeless*

Dan Blanchard: Mr. Elihu Yale! What an honor to travel through time and sit with you on the campus that proudly bears your name. You’ve left quite the legacy here. How does it feel to see this university thrive centuries later?

Elihu Yale: Ah, Mr. Blanchard, the pleasure is mutual. To see these hallowed halls filled with students, scholars, and ideas of every kind… it fills me with a deep sense of pride. Though I could not have imagined this scale when I sent that chest of books and a modest sum, it’s heartening to know those seeds bore such fruit.

Dan Blanchard: That gift of books and funds you sent in the early 1700s was transformative. Today, Yale is one of the most prestigious universities in the world. What inspired you to make that contribution?

Elihu Yale: Education, dear sir, is the true wealth of nations. Though my fortune was earned in trade and governance in faraway lands, I knew that knowledge was the only inheritance that could transcend time and place. My donation was a gesture to promote learning among the youth of the New World.

Dan Blanchard: And your name is now forever etched into American academic history. Speaking of history, Yale played a fascinating role during the American Revolution. What would you say about Yale men like Nathan Hale and their spirit?

Elihu Yale: Young Hale—what courage! “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country”—those words echo still. Leadership forged in education often matures in crisis. The very purpose of a university is to shape minds that will one day shape nations. That spirit of sacrifice and principle? That’s precisely what I hoped Yale would nurture.

Dan Blanchard: Let’s talk leadership then. One of the key lessons I’ve taken from Yale is this: Leaders are lifelong learners. You’ve led in business, diplomacy, and now—as a patron of education. What advice would you give to modern leaders?

Elihu Yale: Never assume your learning is done, Mr. Blanchard. The moment a leader ceases to question is the moment he begins to fail. Ask boldly. Listen intently. Reflect constantly. And surround yourself with those who challenge your thinking, not just echo it. I daresay even an old merchant like myself had to adapt with every tide.

Dan Blanchard: Beautifully said. And what about the lesser-known parts of Yale’s story—like the university’s role in missionary work and its impact on other cultures?

Elihu Yale: Ah, a difficult truth. In my day, the intertwining of education, religion, and empire was commonplace. But hindsight gives us clarity. We must all confront the parts of our legacies that caused unintended harm. Institutions must not only celebrate their victories but also learn from their missteps. That too is leadership.

Dan Blanchard: Wise words. Before we wrap up, let me ask you this: If you were teaching a leadership course at Yale today, what would you call it?

Elihu Yale: "From Commerce to Conscience: Leading with Purpose.”
I would remind students that influence is not in what you accumulate, but in what you contribute. Lead not only with intellect, but with integrity.

Dan Blanchard: Mr. Yale, thank you for your time and timeless insight. Your legacy is living, breathing, and evolving right here in New Haven—and far beyond.

Elihu Yale: And thank you, Mr. Blanchard, for ensuring the stories of the past serve as lanterns lighting the path ahead.

Learn mor about Dan: www.GranddaddysSecrets.com

Travel in Time with Dan: Interview from the past with Benedict Arnold

 🎤 Travel in Time: Dan Blanchard Interviews Benedict Arnold

Location: CT – Year: Timeless*

 “Ambition, Betrayal, and Legacy: A Conversation with Benedict Arnold”
From the “Travel in Time” Series with Dan Blanchard

Dan Blanchard: Hello everyone, I’m Dan Blanchard, and welcome back to Travel in Time, where local history inspires lifelong leadership. Today’s guest… well, he’s a controversial one. Born right here in Norwich, Connecticut, once hailed as a war hero, now remembered as America’s most infamous traitor… please welcome General Benedict Arnold.

Benedict Arnold: Dan, thank you for having me—though I imagine I’m not the most popular guest on your program.

Dan: That’s fair. But your story is layered, General. Let’s start with the early days. You were a hero—at Fort Ticonderoga, Ridgefield, and Saratoga. What drove you back then?

Arnold: I was fiercely loyal to the cause of liberty. I believed in America’s fight for independence and gave everything I had—my body, my fortune, my reputation. I was bold, decisive, and effective. Washington knew it. The soldiers knew it. But… over time, others in power chose to overlook that.

Dan: Let’s talk about that turning point. You felt underappreciated. Promotions passed over. And then there was Peggy.

Arnold: Ah, yes, Peggy. My wife… a loyalist by birth, but she saw things I refused to. She told me the truth I didn’t want to admit: the Americans didn’t truly value me. She whispered what my pride already suspected. That resentment festered.

Dan: And financial problems didn’t help, right?

Arnold: No. I was drowning in debt. Trying to maintain Peggy’s lifestyle and uphold appearances took its toll. The British offered money… and respect. Two things the Continental Congress had long denied me.

Dan: Let’s not sugarcoat it, General. You planned to give West Point to the British. And potentially deliver George Washington himself.

Arnold: That… is true. The breakfast at my quarters, the precise timing—it was all aligned. Had Major André not been delayed… Washington might’ve fallen into British hands. It would’ve ended the war.

Dan: And instead, it ended your legacy. How did it feel—running to the British side? What did they give you?

Arnold: A brigadier general’s title. One star. Less than what I had with the Americans. And whispers behind my back. Even they didn’t trust me. In the end, no one did.

Dan: Then you come back to Connecticut… with a sword, not a flag. You helped burn New London. You stood by as the massacre at Fort Griswold unfolded. Colonel Ledyard… stabbed with his own sword.

Arnold (sighs deeply): That moment… it was beyond orders. Beyond honor. I can’t defend it. I can only acknowledge it. It sealed my fate in Connecticut’s eyes—and perhaps history’s.

Dan: Let’s shift gears for a moment. You were brilliant, no doubt. But your ambition became a double-edged sword. What’s your advice, then, to future leaders?

Arnold: Guard your integrity more than your title. Don’t let ego—or debt—decide your future. And beware who whispers in your ear. It matters who you let influence your path.

Dan: And what would you say to leaders today—those managing top talent?

Arnold: Appreciate them. Publicly. Privately. Constantly. Because if you don’t… someone else will. And you may lose your stars. As the Americans lost me.

Dan: That’s powerful. Final question, General: What legacy do you wish you’d left behind?

Arnold: I wish I had been remembered as the man who helped birth a nation, not betray it. I wish I had chosen purpose over pride. Had I stayed the course… perhaps cities would bear my name in reverence, not revulsion.

Dan: Thank you, General Arnold. For your time—and your honesty.

Arnold: Thank you, Dan. May my story be a lesson to all who lead.

Dan (turns toward audience): That was Benedict Arnold—brilliant, broken, and complex. His story warns us: ambition without integrity is a trap. If you’re leading others today, ask yourself… Are you building trust or burning bridges?

Until next time, this is Dan Blanchard, reminding you: Travel in Time, and lead with character.

www.GranddaddysSecrets.com

Travel in Time with Dan: Interview from the Past with Mark Twain

 

Dan Blanchard Interviews Mark Twain at Nook Farm

Location: The porch of Twain’s Hartford mansion, a summer breeze rustling the leaves as history stirs to life…

Dan: Mr. Clemens, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me today. Standing here in Nook Farm, I can almost feel the echoes of the past. What was it really like living in such a remarkable neighborhood?

Mark Twain: [Chuckles softly] Dan, it was an odd and wonderful thing. You see, Nook Farm was less a neighborhood and more a grand experiment. We left our doors open—not just to neighbors, but to new ideas. Some folks kept dogs. We kept intellectuals. And they howled just as much on occasion.

Dan: That’s incredible. You were neighbors with Harriet Beecher Stowe—the most famous woman of your time. What was your relationship like?

Mark Twain: Ah, Harriet! That woman could write a sentence that stopped wars. We were more than neighbors—we were kindred spirits, both chasing truth with pen in hand. She struck the heart with her moral thunder, and I… well, I poked society with a sharp stick and made it laugh at its own foolishness.

Dan: Your approach to leadership was… unconventional. Would you say that satire was your way of leading?

Mark Twain: Precisely. You see, humor is the last refuge of the honest man. Society tends to ignore sermons, but it can’t ignore its own reflection in the funhouse mirror. I made people laugh—and then think. Sometimes, that’s the only way to sneak truth past their defenses.

Dan: And yet, despite your fame, you nearly lost it all with the Paige Compositor. What happened?

Mark Twain [Sighs] Ambition can be a wily beast. I saw a future in mechanized typesetting and bet the farm—almost literally. The machine was brilliant but flawed, much like its backer. When it flopped, I lost my fortune and my beloved house here. It wasn’t just bricks and mortar—it was the heart of a community. My exit dimmed the fire at Nook Farm.

Dan: Some say that your departure led to the decline of Nook Farm’s golden era. Do you believe that?

Mark Twain: I wouldn’t flatter myself that much. But I was, as they say, a nucleus. Without the laughter, the stories, the evening readings—I suppose the air grew a bit stiller. Even Harriet’s writing changed after that. More inward. As if mourning what we all knew we were losing.

Dan: You and Stowe influenced a nation—through words, through stories. What leadership advice would you give today’s youth?

Mark Twain: Surround yourself with people who challenge you. Argue. Disagree. Make each other better. Nook Farm was powerful not because we agreed—but because we cared enough to keep talking. Leadership isn’t volume—it’s proximity. Be near brilliance, and your own light will grow.

Dan: That’s powerful. And personally meaningful. You see, I used to deliver the Hartford Courant—the very paper shaped by the thinkers right here in Nook Farm.

Mark Twain: [Leans forward, eyes twinkling] Then you, sir, are part of the lineage. Every paperboy, every reader, every thinker—you’re all links in the same chain. Keep tugging on it. See what changes.

Dan: Final question, Mr. Twain: If you could write one more story about Nook Farm, what would the title be?

Mark Twain: Hah! Easy: “When the Doors Stayed Open.” It’d be about a time when people trusted each other enough to leave locks off and minds wide open. A tale we might want to read again today.

Dan: Thank you, Mark Twain. For your wit, your wisdom, and for still guiding us through history’s pages.

Mark Twain: My pleasure, Dan. Now go shake a few foundations, would you?

Learn more about Dan: www.GranddaddysSecrets.com