Saturday
Aug072010

I'm feeling better

One of the reasons I'm feeling better--I found this picture on the interwebz today:

 

 

The first week of Dan 3.0 has come and gone, and the reality of my situation is setting in: this is really happening. The transition from "Dan 3.0 as an idea" to "Dan 3.0 as a reality" has begun and while the technical side of things has gone as close to perfectly as anyone could have asked for (The fine folks at Revision3 have been wonderful to work with), on a personal level things have been a bit challenging.

 

On one hand I'm really, really excited. This is going to be a life-changing, envelope-pushing year. All the right pieces have fallen into place and we're launching the project on a grander scale than I ever imagined when concocting the idea. On the other hand, however, lots of hype means high expectations, and high expectations means lots of pressure. While I'm confident that we'll find a rhythm with Dan 3.0, I can't help but to occasionally wonder "What if it all goes horribly wrong!?"

 

Cue last Thursday's breakdown: http://revision3.com/dan30/badday

 

But you know what? I've had a chance this weekend to sit back, relax, and think critically about what needs to happen and I'm ready to buckle down. While the stress I've been under is a many-headed beast -- I miss my girlfriend, I've been under the weather, I'm adapting to a new filming/editing style, etc.-- I'm ready to start cutting off those heads one by one. We had some technical hiccups, sure, but those problems are small and fixable. More important is the fact that this crazy concept for a show has gotten off the ground, people are diggin' it and the next few weeks are shaping up to be fan-freaking-tastic.

 

Thanks for all your love and support! I hope you're as excited as I am for this next week! I get to hang out with Hank Green :D

« Planning Dan 3.0: September-November | Main | Dan 3.0: Week one »

Reader Comments (38)

I got upset when I found out you were feeling so stressed about Dan 3.0 and I'm happy that your feeling better. I've been trying to get you to come to Ireland on the tasks but it's so hard. I hope we'll be able to get you to come cos it's so fricken annoying not getting to meet anyone and were always left out so it's upsetting. Feel better :)

August 7, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterLaura Killeen

It's kind of selfish, but I'm glad that you made your first real blog post on this site (I don't consider the introductory post a REAL blog post because it was just introductory). Wow, I am really selfish, thinking you exist to provide us with entertainment (which I highly know that you do not) when I should be concerned with your stress levels and your happiness. I am sorry.

August 7, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterDanny

I'm glad you're feeling better. You were being stressed about small things and you should be happy that this is all happening. It's supposed to be fun for everyone, and that includes you. I hope you don't feel like a rag doll, we'll try to treat you well (:

August 7, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterMyles

If Hank Green can't put a smile on your face, nothing will. I am very excited to see where this project goes, and I hope you feel less stressed in the weeks to come.

August 7, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterEmily

Surely having to listen back to your own whiny, affected and annoying voice on a daily basis is going to drive you insane or is that all part of this utterly self absorbed meta meta challenge?

August 7, 2010 | Unregistered Commenterjb

Dan 3.0 is awesome, its fun putting up ideas and seeing how many votes you can get (personal record is 61/63). And if they don't get accepted? Ah well, at least i know that that many people think my idea is cool. Keep soldiering through, it'll be a long but fun year.

August 7, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterKarl

Dan, whenever I'm feeling down, my background picture on mah mac cheers me up. Thus, I share it with the interwebz.
http://nickbeaver.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/kitten-in-a-box.jpg

August 8, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterMatt

Just think about it this way: a year from now, when it's over, you'll be wondering what you did when the internet wasn't deciding everything for you.

Yes, it's stressful - big changes usually come with some form of stress. Even extremely happy changes (like getting married or having a baby) come with things that make you want to rip your hair out. Just keep on keepin' on and things will only improve from here. You just gotta find the rhythm that suits you. The project is "Dan 3.0" after all - it doesn't exist without Dan. And we certainly don't want Dan going crazy. =D

August 8, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterKenzie

I think you are a genius for coming up with Dan 3.0. It's a really cool expirement! You will have a ton of awesome memories when it's over.

August 8, 2010 | Unregistered Commenter5nikki50

Dan. Get a production team! Having to work hours a day on video-editing is too stressful. Perhaps ask your clone in Europe, who knows your editing style.

August 8, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterAnonymous

Sorry to say this, but this is not living up to the hype at all. In 5 videos we have one completed task, one failed task, and several that have been put off until a later date. You had months to get used to the technical stuff, it should have been a hint on your pre-3.0 blogs (that you canceled) that it would be a huge time commitment.

The old Dan Brown (daily videos about world topics and such) was better.

August 8, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterAuthor

Dan,
You need to save this thing, and you need to save it quickly. People are already feeling disappointed and are losing interest. In 7 days, you've done 1 thing that was asked of you (walking to that town), and that has clearly been the high point of the project so far. There's a lot of negativity being projected out of this thing right now, give it a nice kick in the butt.
Do something bold, and do it soon. I'd say 1 out of every 5 comments on YouTube either asks you to cut your hair, or buy a new shirt. DO IT! Even if it hasn't been voted to the top, just make a video that's a real crowd pleaser. Stephen Colbert shaved his head and people went nuts over it.
There's a lot of really great ideas in the decision engine, some of which are very simple. One of them asked you to hit an apple with a baseball bat. I don't have to tell you how YouTube works, or what the general audience desires, but people genuinely want to see things like an apple getting smashed. Almost as much as they want to feel in control of you.
While you spend the next few weeks figuring this whole thing out, buy yourself some time by knocking out these little tasks, keeping your audience tuned in, and maybe gain some new viewers along the way.
Best of luck to you.

Jonathan

August 8, 2010 | Unregistered Commenterjonathan

I'm so sorry that you got stressed out with things, but I'm really glad that you're feeling better. it was the first week, it's going to take a while to get used to things. but I know you can do this project, you have the motivation to do it, you just have some things trying to get in the way of things going smoothly. I'm sure this week will be better for you and I'm excited to see what's in store. You have my full support :)

August 8, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterToni

fuck you dan seriously! this whole project is just so you make more money! you don't care about us or any decision we make for that matter. The only question that pops in your head is : hmm is this good for me? fuck that! and do your fucking tasks! I'm sick and tired of you whinnying and crying. Just do your fucking job ass whole and do it well or I'm unsubscribing.

August 8, 2010 | Unregistered Commentersteve

Dan, i'm disappointed that there are the few trolls that are trying to ruin Dan 3.0 with their negativity, but the majority of us support you and want this year to be amazing for you!

I must say I'm absolutely elated that you are getting together with Hank Green! I adore both Hank and John, as well as you of course! Plus I'm guessing you're a Stumbler because I came across that photo too. I never actually "lol" but I must say that one did aha.

You get Double Awesome points for Supporting Nerdfighters and Stumblers <3

DFTBA!

August 9, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterMakela

This project is:

20% Talking about the format of the episodes.
20% Complaining about tasks.
30% Rejecting actual tasks.
30% Ads.

I don't know why anyone would watch (or sponsor) this.

August 9, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterWow.

That's great that you're feeling better Dan! I know how annoying it can be to be 'feeling under the weather' when you need to make videos! On the other hand I don't know how annoying it can be when you're feeling under the weather, and you have hundreds of thousands of people counting on you. Good luck, dude.

August 9, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterThePedroChannel

Hey Dan,
i wish you all best for Dan 3.0. I like this idea a lot and im following every single episode with huge excitement. :D.
But could you maybe number each of your episode? :/ When I'm bored, I'd like to watch all episodes in the right order so its easier for me to follow the ''process'' of Dan 3.0..sry for my bad english xD
Anyways, good luck :D.

August 10, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterMe

You know, I'm wondering if this project will work out to be like Brotherhood 2.0, in the sense that you'll continue doing it after it's supposed to be over.

Speaking of Brotherhood 2.0, YOU'RE MEETING HANK! I'M SO JEALOUS! I honestly cannot believe that Hank hasn't said anything about you coming to see him on his videos.

August 10, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterJohnPlaysGuitar

Did you know you're going to be on family guy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKWRckxH1Cs

August 10, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterNick Reinhart

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