Saturday, July 28, 2012

Odyssey and the Olympics, Part 1

G'mornin', govnors! If you're one of the one billion people watching the Olympics, you might've heard that it's the most watched program on TV! So naturally, everyone in Odyssey's watching it. Which raises the question: what episodes relate to the summer olympics and what are all our favorite characters watching?

Whit's Flop - baseball

Heroes - basketball

The Winning Edge - softball

Better Late Than Never - volleyball

And the Glory - baseball

The Fundamentals - basketball

The Secret Weapon - baseball

B-TV: Obedience - baseball

The Defining Moment - baseball

Pink is Not My Color - basketball

All-Star Witness - softball

Target of the Week - baseball

The Owlnapping - basketball

EDIT: More examples thanks to a comment from Erin!

Poor Loser - volleyball

Memories of Jerry - track (with an emphasis on high jump)

Blessings in Disguise - tennis

Secrets - tennis (and reference to Connie being a table tennis champion)

My Brother's Keeper - baseball

First Love - baseball

A is for Attitude - basketball

Sound off on your favorite AIO sports episodes and let me know which ones I missed (thanks again, Erin!) and your ideas for future sports episodes!

I'll be gone next week from Monday-Saturday at CBM Camp. Ally's coming back today and I'm guessing she'll have something to share while I'm gone! Sorry this post was a little shorter...but I have a busy weekend. The New Kid in Town is partly done; it should be completed by the beginning of August. 

Part II: What Our Favorite Characters are Watching...COMING SOON.


Monday, July 23, 2012

The Deep End Avery Award Results

This year's Avery Award event was one of the funniest, if not the funniest, podcasts in AIO podcast history; perfectly parodying the online fan reaction from the latest news from Connie and Mitch. Click here to hear the event for yourself! And now...on to my reactions (And by my, meaning Josh. Ally's at CBM Camp this week!)


Best Actor
Jon Curry as Alvin York in Sergeant York
Townsend Coleman as Jason Whittaker in The Labyrinth
Phil Lollar as Dale Jacobs in The Labyrinth
Whit Hertford as Jay Smouse in Mistaken for Good
Will Ryan as Eugene Meltsner in Child's Play


My Reaction: Jason Whittaker is a very popular character, so it was no surprise to me that he won. However, I felt that there were two other nominees who should've won. Townsend Coleman has done a great job through the years playing a character who was always conflicted between the serene world of Odyssey and the "world of secret agents, mysteries, spies." (Malachi's Message, Album 32: Hidden Treasures) At the end of part 3, Jason says that he's tired of the labyrinth of lies and deception and is ready to go home, but the setup to that point doesn't bring it up to the level of the payoff. The last two scenes are terrific, as we witness the sadness of revenge and the redemption we get from talking to God and communicating about our faith with fellow believers. If Coleman had somehow conveyed through the first two parts the weariness of living out the lie, he would have been the perfect candidate (so I'm very anxious to hear Home Again this fall). I felt that both Jon Curry and Whit Hertford did that to their characters on their respective episodes. Jay was conflicted with morality while Sgt. York was conflicted with his beliefs, and I thought the actors' performances mirrored those conflicts well.


Best Actress
Georgia Dolenz as Sue in The Labyrinth
Renee Dorian as Gracie Williams in Sgt. York
Katie Leigh as Connie Kendall in Something Old, Something New
Audrey Wasilewski as Katrina Meltsner in To Mend or Repair
Linda Porter as Helen Wilson in Mistaken for Good


My Reaction: I thought Sue was a great foil for Jason in London (my sister would STRONGLY disagree), but although Katie Leigh has like, twenty million Odyssey awards, I felt she deserved another one this season. The comedic sides of Connie were expressed in part one as she tried to put together the wedding brochure and the dramatic sides were expressed as she dealed with Mitch's return in part two. Both were executed wonderfully.


Best Minor Character
Joy and Kyle in Child's Play
Red Hollard in Sergeant York
Jacques Henri in Something Old, Something New
Mrs. Kramer in To Mend or Repair
Mycroft Thugg in The Labyrinth


My Reaction: All five nominees represent different branches of comedy. Joy and Kyle represent childish hijinks; Red Hollard with folksy, clumsy, Southern comedy; Jacques Henri  with the comedy of a foreigner speaking English; Mrs. Kramer with droll, sarcastic comedy; and Mycroft Thugg with British comedy. I enjoy droll, sarcastic comedy (i.e. Parks and Recreation), but apparently the voters like British comedy. For my personal taste, I thought Mrs. Kramer was scene-stealing in the two episodes she was in, and the funniest part of the whole season. Bring Mitzi McCall back, Odyssey team! We'll forget Mrs. Sutton and Mrs. Kramer can be a foil for Whit. This category was a matter of taste, and the rest of the fans have a different taste than I do (in this category anyway, but see Best Line).


Best Sound Design
Winner: Sergeant York


My Reaction: Good call. This episode took sound design in Odyssey to new heights, and it was exhilarating to listen to.


Best Line
"One Hundred Things I Hate" by Mrs. Kramer in To Mend or Repair
Jay Smouse's Morning Announcements in Mistaken for Good
Mycroft Thugg's explanation of his name in The Labyrinth
Red Hollard's description of Alvin York in Sergeant York
Joy's questions in Child's Play


My Reaction: Thanks, voters, for recognizing the hilarious Mitzi McCall! The best line should go to the line that is the most memorable, and that line fits the bill as well as being hilarious. Although I felt there were even funnier lines, it was still my favorite of the nominees.


Best Villain
Vance King in Mistaken for Good
Jay Smouse in Mistaken for Good
Mr. Grote in The Labyrinth
Reggie Fingers in The Labyrinth
Maureen in Something Old, Something New


My Reaction: Frankly, Reggie Fingers was a typical villain, and there was nothing really special about him. Maureen was only a villain to the Connie/Mitch shippers, and technically, she might've even been a hero to some of the fans who wanted Mitch to end the relationship. Vance was a good villain, but he wasn't really memorable. Jay and Mr. Grote were interesting villains. Jay was a great antihero as he tried to discern the morality of snagging money from an old lady. Mr. Grote had an amazing voice, and his last scene is a scene that I will not forget when thinking about Odyssey in 2012 for a long time. In fact, ever since The Labyrinth, I've seen Ron Yuan (the actor portraying Mr. Grote) on many TV shows, including NCIS: Los Angeles (one of Ally's top shows), Touch, and Awake.  I'm hoping Mr. Grote returns; he's a great villain that could do well in another saga like the Blackgaard Chronicles or Novacom Saga.


EDIT: Best Episode
Winner: The Labyrinth
Should've Won: Something Old, Something New  Sgt. York (RUNNER-UP: Something Old, Something New/To Mend or Repair)


My Reaction: The Avery Awards are similar to any event with fan-based voting, such as the People's Choice Awards, Kids' Choice Awards, and Teens' Choice Awards. Compare the winner of Choice Movie Drama and Comedy for the Teens' Choice Awards (The Lucky One and 21 Jump Street) to the nominees for Best Picture at this year's Oscars (The Artist, The Descendants, The Help, Hugo, The Tree of Life, War Horse, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Moneyball, Midnight in Paris). Fan awards tend to favor spectacle and visuals over nuanced performances. Now, while there aren't visuals in Odyssey, except the imagination, the winners of the Averys will usually be the big, exciting episode of the season (Case in point: The Jubilee Singers, The Mystery of the Clock Tower). Unbecoming Jay was the funniest episode of Album 54, which earned its attention. While I enjoyed The Labyrinth, certain things didn't seem to click. For me, the first two parts were merely okay, and then the third part was incredible. The first two parts had humor that distracted from the action or simply wasn't needed (I had similar feelings about The Green Ring Conspiracy; but does Jason really have to make a wisecrack every five seconds?) and some plot threads that didn't go anywhere (the worm). There were certain parts that were incredible (see previous reactions), but the episode as a whole didn't deserve the award, in my opinion. Sgt. York was a fantastic historical story written and directed by Dave Arnold, and four parts was just right for me. It told a good story and shared an important message.


RUNNERS-UP: Something Old, Something New was a fantastic dramedy, seamlessly blending together comedy, mystery, romance, and drama. For the first time, I enjoyed myself on a Jones/Parker detective adventure, Kimmy Robertson was hilarious as Penny interacting with everyone (I especially loved scenes with her and Matthew/Emily), and Connie finally got some well-needed character development and closure. I can only describe it as a beautiful episode, but the same goes for To Mend or Repair, which also blended comedy (Barrett, Priscilla, Jay, Mrs. Kramer) and drama (Eugene and Katrina) well. I voted for Something... because the humor was crisper in the end. 


Thanks for reading this long-winded post! Feel free to sound off with your comments and questions in the comments section below! Later this week, we'll go over FP3: The New Kid in Town.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Kimmy Robertson: Are You a Hoarder?

Unfortunately guys, it looks like I won't have enough time to review the latest Avery Awards this week...I have Academy of Art work today and Relay for Life this weekend...so it looks like it'll happen Sunday night-Monday night. 

Couple quick shoutouts: 
Anyone in California heading to CBM Camp? I'm heading up there July 30 and it would be totally exciting if anyone reading this is going too!

Quote courtesy AIO Wiki: "Karen"

Karen CrosbyThat's what I've been thinking. No matter what happens now, we'll see each other again because we both love Jesus. Sooner or later we'll be in heaven, and then we'll have all of forever to be friends.

This weekend, I will be participating in Relay for Life, a 24-hour walk to represent the fight against cancer. If you're interested in donating to cancer research or walking in an event close to you, please visit here.

And now...for your viewing pleasure this weekend, we present to you...Kimmy Robertson! The lovely Ms. Robertson, who plays Penny Wise (my favorite new character) in Odyssey, appeared in one of a series of videos called And You Know Who You Are. I personally find every one of her lines to be hysterical, but you can watch and find out for yourself! Have a great weekend, everyone!




Wednesday, July 18, 2012

The Adventures in Odyssey Websters, presented by Just Another AIO Blog

Hello everyone! New post coming later this week on my reactions to the winners of The Deep End Avery Awards! Today, we're sharing the nominees for a new triannual awards ceremony called the Websters, created by Just Another AIO Blog to recognize achievements in the Odyssey online fan base. We are nominated for two Websters, and we're very thankful and grateful for the acknowledgement! Send in your votes by the end of August to Alex Jefferson by pming him on the Soda Shop Message Boards or emailing him at CreativeThinker101@gmail.com.


Best Website Nominees: This category includes the best active AIO websites. No blogs.

The Odyssey Scoop

Twists and Turns

The AIO Update

The Changing Times


Best Blog Nominees: This category is similar to the best website category, except it deals only with blogs.

The Unofficial AIO Blog

Just Another AIO Blog

The Voice of Odyssey

Out of Control In Odyssey

Down Odyssey Lane

The AIO Fan’s Life

The Adventures in Odyssey Blog


Best Feature Nominees: This category includes all pages and extra features on websites/blogs.

Adventures in Connellsville (Just Another AIO Blog)

The Imagination Station (TNT and UAIOB)

The U.S.S. Response (Just Another AIO Blog and UAIOB)

The Courtroom (TNT)

Odyssey Addict (The Odyssey Scoop)

The AIO Search Engine (The AIO Blog)

Editorials (The AIO Update)


Best Post Nominees: This category narrows down the best posts of many AIO websites/blogs. 

One Month Anniversary!… And I’m Celebrating with Orbs (TNT)

Nothing New, Nothing Old (The Voice of Odyssey)

Weekly Feature 7/1/12 (Interview with Wooton Basset and The Old Judge) (Just Another AIO Blog)

The Top 5 All-Time Best AIO Blogs and Websites (The Unofficial AIO Blog)

Celebrating Ten Year Since Novacom (The Changing Times)


Best Podcast Nominees: This category picks the best podcast from quite a wide selection.

The Boredom Buster Podcast

The Whit’s End Podcast

The Ceiling Fan Podcast

Abby and Mandie’s AIO Podcast

The AIO Blogcast

The Odyssey ScoopCast


Best Podcast Episode Nominees: The Podcast Episode category will choose the best episode out of all the notable recent ones.

BBP Interview with David Griffin Pt. 1 - 4

AIO Blogcast Sibling Spies Audio Drama

The Ceiling Fan Podcast To Survive and Protect

The Odyssey ScoopCast Interview with Kimmy Robertson Pt. 1 - 3


Best Message Board Nominees: This category will pick the best of the best when it comes to AIO forums.

The Town of Odyssey

Campbell County

The Soda Shop Message Boards

Exclusive AIO Forum


Best New Site/Blog/Podcast Nominees: This category acknowledges new websites that aren't incredibly popular but still just as good.

Just Another AIO Blog

Twists and Turns

The Unofficial AIO Blog

The Boredom Buster Podcast

Down Odyssey Lane

Out of Control in Odyssey


Abby and Mandie’s AIO Podcast

Saturday, July 14, 2012

FP 1: Whit's Visitor

Well, howdy everyone. So glad you could join us today for another Adventure in Odyssey!

Oh wait. It's not. WHATTT? That's right; today we're listening to Whit's Visitor, the pilot episode of Family Portraits, pilot series to AIO. It first aired January 5, 1987 on the flagship show Focus on the Family with Dr. James Dobson himself! And now to our adventure...

(NOTE: Notes on episodes are split into two parts: The Odyssey Times and Episode Review. For more on how reviews work, see this post.) 

THE ODYSSEY TIMES (Notes on the episode):
-Haha, I'm enjoying this groovy synthesized 80s sound for the Focus on the Family theme. -The opening theme for Family Portraits is obviously different than Odyssey since it wasn't composed yet, and the announcer was Mike Trout from FOTF, but I really enjoyed the opening.
-And the narrator welcomes us to the town of Odyssey, Ohio. WHATTTT? So what that they never mention it again...Odyssey could be in Ohio! How do I know this? Well, Mike Trout says that Odyssey's a "small midwestern town in Ohio" and the Odyssey Scoop clearly states that Odyssey could be in Ohio. Ethan Daniels, I didn't have to make a cross-country road trip to discover Odyssey (although you did have to for your McAlister Park, and we thank you).
-The narrator calls Family Portraits  a place where people "face the same experiences that you and I do, and through their reactions, maybe we can learn to cope a little bit better." Odyssey slice-of-life in a nutshell.
-Jimmy, you sly dog. According to AIO Wiki, he returns in a later Family Portraits called Bob and then returns in A Member of the Family as Jimmy. We can call him the Chad Ochocinco of 1987.
-Whit doesn't pay Jimmy that much? My goodness, I believed Whit was a little generous, but he doesn't seem to be the powerful, wealthy, but still lovable and Godly Whit we know today.  So maybe this isn't Odyssey canon.
-Whit moved to Odyssey in 1971.
-Doc McAlister owned a drug store even though he wasn't a doctor, and it was he who came up with the town name (see it dramatized in A Class Reenactment, Album 50)
-Jenny made great coffee and apple pie.
-When Whit mentions that he came to Odyssey and didn't know what to do, so he created a bookshop/coffee shop/conversation place...called Whit's End, this makes me realize that this is not Odyssey canon. AIO Wiki says it best: "These episodes were an experiment so no clear long term mythos was planned out. While many facts of Odyssey that started in Family Portraits remain true, there were some points that were re-written or dropped."
-Tom has a cat named Rosie...and she's had triplets three times.
-Elements of the Robert Louis Stevenson chat between Whit and Tom were incorporated in the first part of Promises, Promises (The Adventure Begins, Album 1)
-Davey Morrison - first kid we meet in Odyssey
-Whit's doggy door - Sherman, you sly dog. You disappeared and hid out until 1991 when a lucky boy named Dylan Taylor found him in The Knight Travelers. (Video Series #1, 1991)
-Whit mentions that he's watching the kids at the playground at the school. There's definitely not a school across the street, unless it was torn down.
-Whit was married 33 years with Jenny.

REVIEW:

The first thing I notice about the intro to Odyssey is that it already feels like a place we know. In fact, this episode has a Welcome to Whit's End kind of feel. In that episode, Chris hosted, and in this one, Whit hosts. The episode begins with a monologue from Whit as he introduces himself and the town. It's a combination of conversation (a la Dora the Explorer and Sesame Street) and monologue (a la Aaron Sorkin). Most of the times, it would not work and be a snoozefest, but Hal Smith manages to pull it off, captivating us and pulling us into a small town called Odyssey. I love it when he introduces himself by saying, "I'm John. John Avery Whittaker. But most of my friends call me Whit." So that's where they get it from! Although I've owned Album 9 for a while (the album this episode is on, as a bonus feature), this is the first time I've ever listened to it, and it feels like a treat.

The episode, however, is not meant to feel like one. It tackles a difficult topic for its first show-divorce. The brave thing about this is that no other children's show on TV was tackling issues like this, and it took a Christian radio show to do the groundbreaking. While the episode is mostly Davey Morrison (a kid who lives across from Whit whose parents may get a divorce) talking to Whit, Steve Harris's writing makes the characters feel genuine and real. The acting was also top-notch. I loved what Whit ended with as he sent Davey home:

"I wish I could tell you that there's gonna be sunshine and birds singing and everything was just going to be the way it should be, but I can tell you two things. First. whatever happens, your dad's always gonna be your dad. Even if he does goes away, you'll still be his sonAnd he'll still love you. And your mom's always gonna be your mom. And they'll be there for you no matter what. And the second thing's even more important. God's gonna be there for you. We don't always get everything we ask for from God. Sometimes people we care about go away even if we ask God to make them stay. But God's real good at taking the situations that look just terrible to us and turning them into good. I don't know how he does it, but he does. What you gotta do is trust him no matter what."

This is the first time we see Whit share wisdom with the children of Odyssey, and it's a real nice moment. In fact, there are many "real nice" moments throughout the show, and the first appearance of Tom Riley is one of them. It's interesting that Tom is played off a little less intelligent in this episode, but maybe that was to express a different view about divorce. Surprisingly, the episode ends with Whit commenting on how sad he is about the state of marriage, with "half of these school kids coming from broken families."  Today, this is still a real issue, and half of all marriages end in divorce. This episode was groundbreaking 25 years ago, and it remains that way today. The ending is powerful, especially since I'm sure much of the audience was not expecting a melancholic ending to the pilot episode of a kids show. But the ending helps the episode make its point; it's the "period of the sentence."

While I loved this episode, some people might be put off by the slow pace of the episode, so it will receive a 90/100, and a

A-

NOTE: Dental Dilemma is FP#2, but since it's also an Odyssey episode, we'll come back to it. The next review will be FP#3: The New Kid in Town. Please comment and let us know how our first review went and what can be improved! Thanks!

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Get a copy of this episode as a bonus feature when you buy Album 9: Just in Time

Friday, July 13, 2012

How Episode Reviews Work

Well, guys, tomorrow is a big day. Tomorrow begins the journey through Odyssey time to discover how many kids there were in each generation, how old Connie really is, and why Mr. Whittaker's voice seems to have changed. And here's how it'll work!

Whenever I review an episode, first and foremost, I'm looking for clues about Odyssey that help us shape the town in our minds (i.e. From The Amazing Loser, we learn about the existence of several shops in Odyssey). Second, I'll review the episode based on its quality.

Things I'm looking for when reviewing:

  • Characters - Are they consistent with what's already been established? Are they interesting?
  • Theme - central topic, subject, or concept the author is trying to point out
  • Acting 
  • Plot
  • Moral/lesson - Is the story organically told so that the moral naturally grows out of the episode?
  • Acts: a beginning, middle, and end
  • Conflict/Kishōtenketsu - See this page for more.
  • Resolution - Is the story ended well?
  • Action - Is it exciting enough?
  • Momentum - Does the story stall in the middle, or does it stay interesting throughout?
  • Climaxes - At the most pivotal part of the story, am I listening intently (i.e. The Novacom Saga does this well.)?
  • Change - How do characters grow throughout the series (i.e. Connie's growth)?
  • Pacing/Tempo - Is the story moving too fast or not well paced?
  • Rhythm - Does the story flow?
  • Color - What is the writer trying to paint? Do I feel it?
  • Mood - Is the mood conveyed well?
  • Dialogue - Is the dialogue smart, written for its character, witty, and/or moving?
  • Feel - Does this episode feel like Odyssey?
  • Music - Does the music help the story along or distract from it?
  • Sound Design - Does the sound immerse the listener, or distract him/her?
Tomorrow, we'll kick things off with a bang. We're starting with Whit's Visitor, the first episode of Family Portraits, precursor and pilot series to Adventures in Odyssey.

If anyone knows where I can listen to While Dad's Away and In Memory of Herman, please let me know ASAP so we can do the eps in order. Thanks so much!


Sunday, July 8, 2012

The Live Show By the Kos

Black=Ally, Red=Josh

Hey this is Ally, not the amazing Josh who writes so much better than I do. I won't be on as much as Josh, but only once in a while, so don't get sick of me yet. A little introduction about myself? Age 14, loving art and writing and AIO, missing Mitch (who needs him?), disliking Emily Jones (She grows on me), and just wanting to go in the Imagination Station for an adventure. I am a much more interesting person than I seem, I'm told (sometimes...) but without further ado, I will stop talking about myself and moving on. 

So you all know that in June, Odyssey had their 25th Birthday Bash in Dallas!!! Thankfully, we got the opportunity to go for the first time (thanks to our parents) and met so many amazing people! It was so great, hearing more about the actors even though we knew what their answers would be, and just seeing them interact with each other, having a blast! Plus I drew a picture (that I wanted to get signed for memories) down below! 

The day before the actual Live Show, Chris Anthony, Katie Leigh, Zach Callison, and Will Ryan were going to be at the Mardell Christian Bookstore, being interviewed by KCBI (Dallas Christian Radio Station). Our family got there way early to record our "Get in the Show" auditions, plus getting there before any big crowds to look around, which was a very smart idea! It was our pleasure to meet and talk with some writers, producers, and so on! And also getting to hang a little with Kevin and Garrett (aka Ethan Daniels and Aaron Wiley from "The Ceiling Fan Podcast"), which was VERY cool! And we both won two VIP tickets each from a drawing, getting the opportunity for Josh to ask Paul McCusker (and me to ask Katie Leigh) a question. Later, we got to take a picture with the actors (totally like "AAAHHHHHH THIS IS SWEET!!!" right there)! 

I loved the Mardel's event because it was so much more intimate that it felt like a family reunion. A hundred people or so who share a similar love for Adventures in Odyssey, the greatest radio show in the entire world, gathered together. So far, the trip in Dallas had not been amazing. The weather was in the 90s and I had a headache; not the best position to be at the Adventures in Odyssey Live Show. Fortunately, God happened to be working that day (in fact, his office hours happen to be 24/7/365)) and honestly, as soon as I saw Brock and Paul McCusker setting up for the event, my headache went away. Snap. Just like that. Meeting the voices you get to hear every week online and on your CD player/radio was one of the most fantastic experiences I've ever had. Brock acted like we had been friends forever, plus he signed my Quest for Truth books and recommended them to me, besides talking with me about Odyssey! (You heard it here first; powerhouse author Brock Eastman has endorsed the Quest for Truth books. I'm reading them right now and will review them when I'm done!) Intern Erin did a great job photographing and keeping the Get in the Show line (I audtioned for fun; I'll post it later) going. I did ask Paul McCusker if there was any info he could give out on Album 56, but as usual, he gave one of his cagey answers like he does with Dave Arnold every Producers' Podcast. xD Oh well. 

We're not Odyssey nerds, we're Odysey gangstas.
The interview with Chris, Katie, Zach, and Will was not an interview; it was a large conversation. I almost felt bad for the interviewer as the actors (and the audience) kept going off topic...but that's what happens when you get to meet for the first or third time. The actors are so warm and personable that it's hard not to like them. Since we won VIP tickets, we were able to take a picture with the actors, and it was really neat hearing Katie Leigh say, "Hey, that's a great picture? What's your name?" even though Ally drew the picture. Will Ryan asked me what my name was, and I told him, to which he answered by replying, "Joss. Wow, don't hear too many of those." That's what happens when you introduce yourself and a hundred people are talking at the same time. One of the most touching moments was when a father won twice, and said he was so excited because he gave the first two tickets away to a family of four, and he won twice, so their whole family could go! Chris spoke about how that was a perfect example of why she loved the Odyssey community (by the way, she was the funniest part of Friday, cracking jokes and cracks a mile a minute). Meeting up with the Ceiling Fan guys (Kevin McCreary and what's his name...oh yeah, Garrett Vandenburg :) was also amazing because we got to meet them for the first time! Their podcast is the funniest Odyssey podcast on the airwaves today and it was so nice to meet them in person, joke around with them, and take a couple pictures (NOTE: If any gang members do see those pictures, we didn't know they were gang signs. Really.) I also had the chance to meet a mom from Pleasanton, in the same region we live in , and she was amazed that THERE WERE ACTUALLY OTHER ASIAN FANS WHO LISTEN TO ODYSSEY. So if you're Asian, and you listen to Odyssey, you're not alone, and besides, race doesn't matter, which we learned in Not One of Us (Album 9: Just in Time). But finally, the coolest part of Mardel's was walking up to the stage after I won. My mom told me that as I walked up, someone said, "Hey, isn't that the Odyssey Nerd?" Yes, yes it was!!!!! :D

The Live Show was at Irving Bible Church, and I gotta say that church was HUGE. Now I go to church in Berkeley, which could probably fit in one of the rooms or so! But it was very impressive and really pretty. To be honest for me, it didn't feel like I was in a church. It felt like I was in like an auditorium or theater, because of the audience size, and just the "big" feel. Since we won VIP tickets, we got to sit in the, well, VIP section. And guess who Josh sat next to! Someone who used to be a regular on Odyssey, with a super long last name, and  guest starred in Album 50. It was none other than Genesis Mullens Long or known as Lucy Cunningham-Schultz Davis! Josh had the opportunity to chat with her before the show, which is VERY cool! Soon, the actors came out, smiling and waving, Chris shooting out questions for the crowd, as bubbly as ever! Then it started!

QUICK PLUG FOR IRVING BIBLE CHURCH: We went on Sunday, and the message was absolutely captivating. God spoke through to me through that sermon as clearly as he does to Katie Leigh through those scripts. If you're ever in the area, check that church out; they also are very warm and friendly.

We were able to sit in the third row thanks to our VIP tickets, and I sat next to a woman and her young daughter. Wait a minute, I said to myself, she looks familiar. No, no...that can't be...IS THAT GENNI LONG? So, of course, I did the logical thing and waited to hear her voice. "Dana, look over there, it's Phil Lollar on the screen." NO WAY. NO NO NO WAY. So, of course, I took the blunt course and asked, "Excuse me, are you Genni Long?" It was, and it was wonderful getting the chance to meet, sign, take pictures, talk, and watch the show with her and her adorable daughter Dana. It was amazing looking around you and seeing the Arnold family, the Callison family, and the members of famous Odyssey crew families! The Live Show was I Slap Floor (Album 34: In Your Wildest Dreams): The Sequel basically, and it was had a Ceiling Fan aspect in that it made fun of itself, which was hilarious. 

Personally, I did like the show, the actors and humor was great. It was indeed amazing to see all the action live, plus Dave Arnold and his son doing foley. But it just seemed... well the storyline seemed so kid like. Like it's been since Album 51. Synopsis: Penny needs inspiration, Connie and her go into the Imagination Station. But then Wootons bad guy from the Kids Radio airing goes with them and ruins all the places where theres beauty, and Eugene and Matthew need to fix how they can stop this bad guy, plus Jason is just wandering around for no particular reason. After all the chaos, and Whit's End almost dying, someone saves the day and they all leave. I still enjoyed it, don't get me wrong, yet I wished for something that us older Odyssey fans could also enjoy without feeling like this is for little kids. 

After the show was over, we then proceeded to a turnstile in the spirit of Disneyland, and also in the spirit of Disneyland, we waited 2 1/2 hours to meet the Odyssey actors. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. As soon as they saw Ally's picture, they were excited to see their character's face handdrawn; the best part was when Katie Leigh saw it and yelled "Hey, it's Ally! Where's Ally?" MINDBLOWN. It was nice talking to the actors like they were old friends. Zach told us to visit L.A. sometime (we live in the Bay Area and our grandparents live in Anaheim, so it's great!) and I told him that his family had amazing hair (his parents sat in the front row). I forgot to mention that if he decided to patent it, he should trademark it as "the Callison Cut (Copyright 2012 Joshua Ko Just kidding)." Katie Leigh told Chris that "Ally's my Facebook friend!" (I now am too, but that's besides the point.) I told Andre Stojka how excited we were to hear his voice at The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh at Magic Kingdom last February (he's a hoot; laugh if you got the pun) and told Kimmy Robertson that I loved Penny Wise (I also love her; she was hilarious all day). Chris talking to us like we were her long lost nephew/niece (she's even funnier in real life; Odyssey team, you don't have to write a script for her) was great, but we forgot to mention our shared love for Castle! (ABC) With that, the show experience came to an end. It was one of the most spectacular weekends I've ever had, spending time with Odyssey fans, crew, and actors. I hope to be back for the next one, and hopefully we left some kind of impression with the Odyssey guys! 

We did learn that beauty is everywhere, and so is inspiration. You just need to search in God, who has so much beauty and inspiration and love that only He can show. That touched me, since I've been having so many writer blocks, and no inspiration to draw. And so many times I keep forgetting about His majesty and power and the way He works through people and His other works. That's the thing about Odyssey. They serve for God and aim to spread His word through their ministry. Their stories can be relatable, giving us understanding to try and find a solution. Sometimes it's just for entertainment, to make us laugh, to stop and listen, cry, make us wonder. What would we do without Odyssey? 

Dah dah dee dee dah dah dah. (Chris, By Dawn's Early Light)






Interested in seeing more pictures, video, or our GITS auditions? Let us know by commenting!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Sunday Morning Scramble School - Idolatry

So in Sunday School for the past two weeks, we've been talking about idolatry. Now, I know that when most of us hear the world "idol," we're either thinking about statues (like Baal in the Israelites' time) or American Idol. But one quote we read from Martin Luther was very interesting:

"As [the First] Commandment is the very first, highest, and best, from which all the others proceed...so also its work, that is, faith or confidence in God's favor at all times, is the very first, highest and best, f rom which all other [works] must proceed, exist, remain, be directed and measured."

Whenever we sin, the root cause is a heart idol, something that replaces God as the most important thing in our lives. As usual, Sunday School reminded me of a couple Odyssey episodes (and an Odyssey song) that deal with idols in our lives.

  • Between You and Me, Album 39: Friends, Family, and Countrymen
  • In My Image, The Truth Chronicles
  • Good Things, Performed by M'kalister Park, Written by Garrett Vandenburg
In Between You and Me, Connie and Mitch begin to spend a lot of time with each other after Mitch's return from the Witness Protection Program, which cuts into Bible study. In this case, Connie and Mitch's idol is their relationship. I love it when Connie gets distressed over Mitch's possible decision and tries to find Whit, but he seems to be trying to avoid her. When she finally gets to talk to him, she tells him that she feels like everyone has abandoned her, even God. Whit looks at her with that sad smile (in my head) and says (in that warm, grandfatherly way), "But who abandoned whom?" This has grown to be one of my favorite Whit scenes, but the emphasis here is putting God preeminently in our lives, not just prominently or remembering him at mealtimes.

In My Image uses the story of William, Affirmus, and Otto to illustrate the idol of ourselves. We don't like God telling us what to do, so we ignore him and rebel by doing what we want to do, which is sin. Thing is, if we're our own god, and we try to get them to follow our ways, it only makes us unhappy. It's only by following God and his paths to find true joy. 

Good Things by Garrett Vandenburg even illustrates how good things, like Adventures in Odyssey, can be idols if they are a higher priority and prominence than God.

It's my addiction
I can't resist the attraction
It's so easy
To lose myself in a place called Odyssey
Is it a sin
If I can't control my reaction?
I can't help but see
That it's starting to take over me
'Cause when good things
Become bad things
You can't exactly trust your gut
And when good things
Become bad things
You can tell because it's never enough
It's never enough
Am I the only one
Who can't control this monster?
Such a simple thing
And it's become such a disaster
'Cause when good things 
Become bad things
When you let them take over your life
And when good things
Become bad things
It gets so hard to see what's right

Thanks for reading, everybody! Hopefully, as you go through life, you can draw parallels from Odyssey to the Bible to your life. 'Cause while there's good things, there's even better: the Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

For more information:
Good Things from M'kalister Park, an Odyssey tribute band

Hey guys, if you have time, it'd be great if you commented and let us know what you think! And hopefully we'll post about our Live Show experience pretty soon (because it was wonderful, exciting, and discoverable).