Thoughts on See You at the Pole

Tomorrow is See You at the Pole Day; a time where kids all around the world gather all around the flagpole and sing and pray together. Our school's revamped Christian club (which started last week to 60+ members, praise God!) is organizing one, and we heard it in the announcements in second block. 

My radio teacher, who's a spiritual guy who picks and chooses from different religions, felt that that was infringing on separation of church and state, and that it shouldn't be near the flagpole as it associated Christianity with patriotism. I strongly disagreed, and we lightly debated both yesterday and today before moving on. Yesterday was a terrible day in general, and so I did my homework till 2 AM and moved on. 

Today was different. Fresh off my positive reactions to my James Madison impersonation (for A.P. U.S. History class), I remembered The Forgotten Deed, where a similar event happened where Whit and the gang tried to protect Whit's End from being shut down since it was on government property. I emailed him with evidence from policies passed by President Clinton and several sources about other religions using patriotism for their own personal gain, and he responded with this:

Okay , so I am flatly awestruck..

how do you manage Calculus, tracking this rather "tentacular" issue .. and info digging / exhcange with a mentor / teacher / learner ? ..  

I do NOT have any real concerns about religious meeting on campus and never have .. i rather thinks is enviable .. stylistically,  this flurry is curious and interesting to me .. as there are , necesarily, over and undertones ..

and this confusing era .. I observe that what works .. and that I seem to get right along the best with, all those who attend to the deepest heart of thier compassion and citizenship teachings  .. I do believe that only the meek inherit ( can have a right relationship with ) the Earth .. a miraculous manifestation of the mind and glory of G[od].  

I post this not to paint my teacher as a Cryin' Bryan Dern. The point of this is to show you that the spectrum of people, personality, and thought is infinite...God's incredibly creative. Point is, don't label non-Christians as people who don't want to hear anything about Christ. While the battle between good and evil is black and white, our human nature is grayer as we are natural sinners, but God can also use us for good if we let him. My teacher is an agnostic (believes in some sort of spiritual force), but his goal for the radio station is to change the world by playing music from all cultures and introduce musical and cultural diversity around the globe. I'll be on the air next week and will let you know when I'll be on!

Don't be afraid to speak up to your teachers when they say something you don't believe. Don't be afraid to question Christianity; go online, ask a pastor, friend, or family member! And don't be afraid - God is blessing Odyssey, and he will bless you too. He's just waiting for you to ask. (NOTE: Not a prosperity gospel promo - don't take that TOO literally, you guys)

I'm hoping to eventually cover apologetics, The Truth Chronicles, and Odyssey with you guys; I really just need more hours in the day! I probably won't be out at the pole tomorrow 'cause I have jazz, but hopefully some of you will be up with me early in the morning.  As I'm jazzin', I'll be praying for all of you!

And now, back to my regularly scheduled APUSH/AP Calc etc. homework. Whit's Flop when I have time...

Thoughts on "The Golden Age of Odyssey"

Hello everyone! Sadly, it's another busy week in the high school environment, and not enough time to do a review of Whit's Flop. Instead, today, I present my view on whether the show today is "funnier than ever." This was originally posted on the Soda Shop topic about The Golden Age of Odyssey. Enjoy, and hopefully when I return from my music retreat, I'll be so audibly inspired that I'll write A LOT OF REVIEWS! 

*Wishful thinking, Josh. You have lots of videos and projects to work on when you return.*

Well, a teen can dream, can't he? Enjoy, folks, and if you enjoyed what you read, consder joining an Odyssey message board. Learn about them here.

Apologies to everything highlighted in white. My favorite color is red; this was not my choice.

While the writers haven't changed, sometimes the writing changes. For example, often when a character voice changes, the character itself is written differently. We've seen this through the three incarnations of Whit, Katrina (seemingly not as intelligent-sounding), Aubrey (not as annoying), and Olivia (not as annoying). With this reboot in mind, to some listeners, including myself, it does seem as if the writers have tailored their writing more toward 8-12 listeners. Now, that's fine, well, and good, since the show is meant for them, but I think it's possible to write for all ages and have those 8-12 listeners enjoy it just as much. The best example I can think of is Toy Story 3 (which was nominated for Best Picture), a movie about toys that also subminally discussed life after death, loss, imagination, love, being wanted, dignity...these are all themes that anyone can relate to. It's disguised as a "kids movie," but the movie is crafted for everyone. That's what I love about Odyssey, and why I was disappointed with the first couple albums after the relaunch. Like Ben said, humor was spreadout through the characters. It wasn't always so intentional; it was natural - and hilarious. Albums 51-53 seemed to purposely try to make the listener laugh, which didn't make me chuckle. It almost felt at times like the writer was communicating via brain waves..."Come on, come on...laugh here!" As the writing was aimed more toward tweens, the humor seemed almost dumbed down at certain times. 

Quote:

Ben Warren: "Forgiving More...or Less" features one of the most painfully awkward moments in Adventures in Odyssey history. The moment is awkward because John Avery Whittaker, my childhood hero and role model, says one of the most embarrassing jokes I've ever heard: "Big Scoop? I've got one here for the Ice Cream! Har. Har". Surely Camilla could have laughed. Someone could have laughed. Do we really want Whit to be portrayed as a bumbling, out of touch, geezer? If I remember correctly, the Whit I grew up with was a relatively funny guy who knew how to say a clever joke. Sigh. I suppose even role models say bad jokes, too.

I don't say all of this to bash the relaunch, but to lead to the current time in Odyssey history. Since Album 54, the writing has began to go back to those roots of Odyssey humor, of placing moments of laughter in between moments of happiness, and sadness, between many different moments. Jay's sense of humor finally won me over in Unbecoming Jay, and I loved the new dimension to his already multi-dimensional character in Mistaken for Good. The last two scenes of The Labyrinth were terrific, and I loved the dramedy balance in To Mend or Repair. Something Old, Something New took that approach as well with the comedy aspect of the Jones and Parker Detective Agency (finally, a case I was interested in...with the hilarious Penny as an excellent addition to the case) and the thoughtful, dramatic aspect with Connie. There were also great slapstick moments and a great end scene with Whit and Connie. Penny has been my favorite addition to the cast, as she adds to the list of characters who don't purposely mean to be funny RIGHT THIS INSTANT, but naturally IS Penny with her wonderful dialogue read by Kimmy Robertson. 

Going with CT's comment, I don't agree as well that the new era is "funnier than ever." I have laughed out loud at Unbecoming Jay, To Mend or Repair (the terrific Mitzi McCall as Mrs. Kramer, another great addition), and Something Old, Something New. As we prepare to hear The Grand Design this fall (unless you abandoned your radio ways and BOUGHT THE DOWNLOAD EARLY...sigh...), the new era might not be "funnier than ever," but it's getting there.

Sunday Morning Scramble School - God is our Father

NOTE: Elements of today's SMSS are taken from Pastor Peter Wang's sermon at CBM Camp on Wednesday, August 1, 2012, entitled "Born of the Spirit," and covering Luke 15:11-32 and John 3:16-17.

Hey everyone; if you've read our Camp What-a-Nut Experience post, you'll know that we learned a lot at CBM Camp, and we intend to share it all with you! So today we'll be talking about fathers, which is conveniently a topic that Odyssey has talked about in many an episode.

Our fathers are not perfect. They're flawed human beings who have just been around a lot longer than the younger generation, and although they're not perfect, they can be very wise and instructive in teaching their kids about the Bible. Adventures in Odyssey has done a great job at showing fathers at both ends of the spectrum. There's always been a strong family figure in all of Odyssey's history, most notably George Barclay, Mike Mulligan, Ed Washington, and David Parker, although there have been many more. We also see examples of fathers struggling to be a "good father" or not trying, like Carson McKay. Album 46: A Date With Dad (and Other Calamities) has a central theme of fatherhood. Eugene, with Mr. Whittaker's help, searches for his long-lost father; Tamika and Ed learn about respect for parents and acknowledging the stages of kids' lives; the Washingtons learn about the difficulties of adulthood; Mandy learns that parents don't always do what their children want them to do; and Grady learns about our heavenly Father.

God is "our Father in heaven." What does that even mean? Ephesians 1 has a lot to say about the blessings we have in Christ. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will." (Ephesians 1: 3-6, 11 [NIV]) God chose us, before the world even began, to be His children! Whit tells Grady in Three O'Clock Call (Album 46: A Date with Dad and Other Calamities) that "Like a father, God loves us, protects us, and teaches us. He's the perfect Father, better than any father on earth. God will never disappoint you."

Ephesians 1:5 says that we have been adopted as his children through Jesus Christ. Jesus bridged the gap between us and God - he gave us the WAY to God, the TRUTH of the Gospel, and a new LIFE in Him! In The Prodigal Jimmy, Jimmy disobeys his dad and squanders all of his money on video games. When he acknowledged that he sinned, and humbled himself, he was greeted with a great big hug from his dad. The parallel to the parable of the Prodigal Son doesn't include the older son, who asks why the younger son gets a party when he doesn't. This attitude is religion-based (see the previous SMSS post on right and wrong beliefs about Christianity) and the wrong attitude that Christians should have for the lost. We should join the party and rejoice when someone commits their life to Christ because they are receiving new life!

Romans 8:23 (NIV) says that "Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." As we grow in Him, we should get ready for when Jesus comes back; the "redemption of our bodies." This is exciting news! As Kelly learns through her adventures in Odyssey, she is chosen, not only by her temporary stepparents, but by God himself (The Chosen One (Album 47: Into the Light) and The Imagination Station, Revisited (Album 50: The Best Small Town)). If you haven't accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, talk to someone you trust who's a Christian to find out how you can adopted into God's family and be one of His children. He loves you very much, and he's willing to adopt you, but it's up to you to "sign the adoption papers," to borrow the colloquialism, or lack of one. 

Hope you enjoyed today's SMSS! It's been a busy week with not much time to post (EVIDENCE: I slept for an average of three hours this past week.). We'll see if things slow down this week...but I'm trying to finish our entry for the GITS Music Video Contest, working on a logo for another video, and doing research for new clubs that I joined (the Model U.N. Club, Philosophy Club, Literary Magazine, Interact, Key Club, PBinJ [People Believing in Jesus], and the Naptime Club), so hopefully we'll get some stuff up! The fall season of Odyssey will kick off October 6, and you'll be able to read our reviews of Album 56 as they air! I'm also starting to write the review for Whit's Flop and updating the Phone Book to line up with where we are in reviews. Thanks for reading!

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Purchase Album 46: A Date with Dad (and Other Calamities) on CBD
Read past Sunday Morning Scramble Schools

AIOOOOOh, Thank You!

Wow. Thanks to your help and your votes, we were awarded the awards for Best Blog and Best New Site/Blog/Podcast at the 1st AIO Websters! What are the Websters? If you've ever heard of the Webbys (the Internet version of the Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, Tonys), this is the Odyssey fan version of the Webbys. It was put on by CreativeThinker101 at Just Another AIO Blog (click on the link to see the rest of the award ceremony) and he did a great job. Thanks for all your support, and thanks for CreativeThinker101 for putting the whole thing together! Here's our acceptance speech...we hope you enjoy! Look, I even wore a suit. 

Lyrics to "Odyssey Connection", to the tune of "Rainbow Connection," inspired by an article by Alex Jefferson on Just Another AIO Blog entitled "The Lovers, The Dreamers, and Me"

So thanks for voting on...Just Another AIO Blog!
Thanks for voting our names.
The sweet sounds that brighten up the Odyssey community, (Communicate!)
These voices are one and the same.
We've heard you too many times to ignore it,
it's something that we're supposed to be...
Someday we'll find it, the Odyssey connection,
The lovers, the dreamers in Odyssey!
La la la la la la la, la la la la la la...dah dah dee dee dah dah dah.

One final shoutout to the Old Judge. In his latest post, he seemed a little disappointed on not getting a Webster. I just wanted to say that if I could, I would give you a Special Achievement AIO Webster for both making the Odyssey community a bright, thriving place and creating a site that gives the lowdown on every Odyssey fan site. Your encouragement to all Odyssey blogs/sites/podcasts and compilation of all Odyssey news from all sites is unparalleled, and you are an integral, as well as unique, part of the Odyssey community. You are truly, as CT101, would say, one of the "involved" as well as being a terrific encourager, friend, and Odyssey nerd (AWWWW YEAHH). 

That's all for today, folks. Thanks for reading, and have a beautiful day.

NOTE: What's coming up? A campaign, a music video, a secret project, Odyssey reviews, SMSS, and much, much more. They're coming!

SIDENOTE IF YOU'VE WATCHED THE REST OF THE AWARDS CEREMONY: Garrett, you forgot to mention to thank yourself for "cooling" the Ceiling Fan. That is all. 

FP#9: A Different Kind of Peer Pressure

Happy Labor Day! Be sure to check out the results of the 1st AIO Websters at justanotheraioblog.blogspot.com! I'm hard at work editing my church's Get in the Show music video, but we'll try to get out a post or something soon. In the meantime, enjoy!

THE ODYSSEY TIMES (Facts, notes, and quotes about Odyssey from this ep):
-Earl Boen's first appearance on Odyssey!
-The Hudsons are at the mall, though we can't be sure that it's in Odyssey.
-The not-so-popular girl doesn't want to hang out with the nerd? Uh oh, any moment now, we're gonna get someone singing something from High School Musical.
-Odyssey has Eskimo pies! I actually have no idea what they are, though I've heard of them.
-The crowd decides what the average teen does. Nowadays, the media is trying to determine what the average teen buys, plus hipster culture has been established. While certain schools still struggle with stereotypes and cliques, other schools have different struggles; this school illustrates the first kind of school.
-Jerry Winters, who sounds like a hick, is played by Jack Angel, who would later play Homer Fremont, another hick, in Honor Thy Parents and George Washington/John Adams in The Day Independence Came.
-Discrimination in the workplace continues today in all forms.
-Thank goodness Rich Hudson's drowning his sorrows in coffee and pie instead of another intoxicating beverage.
-Was the term "nerd" invented in the 1980s? 'Cause nowadays, nerds are an integral part of hipster culture. Oh, and there's more categories of nerds now, like this one.
-"Right is right, and wrong is wrong." -Whit, and a subtle mention to absolute truth
-yuppie: "young, urban, professional," a term invented in the mid-1980s
-"Your bill? Oh, right. No charge for the counseling? No, that's on the house." -Richard Hudson and Whit
-Conformists Anonymous would start another chapter in With a Little Help From My Friends (Album 27: The Search for Whit).
-Whit will later make that Romans 12:2 reference again in a later episode. I don't remember the exact one.

REVIEW:

Well, we've come to the last of the Family Portraits to review (the rest are Odyssey episodes and will be reviewed in the near future). This last one is a lot shorter than all the other ones, and that might explain why the reconciliation, or the conclusion, felt so abrupt.

Earl Boen and Hal Smith were terrific as Richard Hudson and John Whittaker, respectively, but I could not say the same about the rest of the cast. Blair's yelling started to border on irritating and I'm not sure if she was supposed to come across as likable at all. I was disappointed that she was only in one scene (even though she was loud in her only scene); I felt that there needed to be a conclusion with her in it. 

It's interesting that this episode has the "customer comes to Whit's End and gets advice from Whit behind the counter" motif, but this is the first one where the adult goes for advice. Later, George Barclay and Ed Washington would also go and get advice. 

I was saddened that this episode could have gone deeper into discussing discrimination with the Richard Hudson incident, but instead stayed only on conformity. With a Little Help From My Friends, a episode loosely inspired by this one, focused on conformity and peer pressure as well, but the stories suited that theme. This "portrait" stayed on the surface, but could have aimed to swim into deeper waters; it didn't reach its full potential as an episode.

AIO Wiki notes that "In the opening wraparound of this episode, Dr. Dobson and Mike  Trout talk about some of the negative mail...about...Family Portraits. One letter did not inclusion of the teen/parent arguments in the program and another thought the programs sounded like they were from the 1950s." Well, it seems like Focus took those criticisms and geared Odyssey toward 8-12 year olds and made the shows seem timeless. But it's "portraits" like Whit's Visitor, The Letter, and even this one that make you wish for something that teens can listen to that specifically is geared toward them. Ben Warren writes in his post about the possibility of a spinoff:

"Way back before Adventures in Odyssey aired, Dr. Dobson, President of Focus on the          Family, was vocal about the importance of counteracting negative programming by providing alternate, biblically-based entertainment. Sadly, 25 years after Adventures in Odyssey began, Focus on the Family still hasn't provided that successful alternative for teenagers. I'm not sure why they haven't. Teenagers are members of a family too--and the most difficult, dumbest ones...the reality teenagers are dealing with choices we are allowing "Glee," "Degrassi," "90210," and "Gossip Girl" have the first and last say. Providing entertainment with good morals is not only a great idea, but one long overdue."

Well said, Mr. Warren, though I wish I could have indented your quote. I know we're just getting out of a recession, but an audience would be there before the show even began, and that's a testament to an already great show that has been produced for 25 years. I'll be posting my spinoff idea eventually and bring another candle to the spinoff discussion.

Back to the "portrait." While having some quality acting and writing, Peer Pressure conforms to many acting and writing cliches that weaken its overall message, with a shortened timespan that reduces the impact of its conclusion. I give this episode an 82/100, or a

B-

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Listen to A Different Kind of Peer Pressure by typing in "again" as Secret Word #6!
AIO Wiki: A Different Kind of Peer Pressure

NOTE:
That concludes our Family Portraits review series! Hopefully, you enjoyed going through the beginnings of Adventures in Odyssey. If you ever find a way to listen to While Dad's Away and/or In Memory of Herman, let us know and we'll review them! Starting after the next SMSS, we'll begin to review the Adventures in Odyssey audio series, beginning with Whit's Flop.