Thoughts on The Ties That Bind, Part 1

I love Odyssey because of the seemingly never-ending adaptability that the show can provide. The show can take chances and different formats and still be the same show with the same characters that we love. 

I've noticed that Odyssey has often taken cues from current media in terms of structure and format. At the beginning, multiple episodes were released per year, all not of the greatest quality, but with some great ones in the mix. Stories were largely stand-alone, but they had a couple story threads and serialized storylines that popped up from time to time, including Blackgaard, Connie's road to salvation and Christian journey, Eugene's arc, etc. This is similar to many shows of the day, with more procedural-like formats for the casual viewer with few channels available (a la NCIS, Law & Order) while throwing in a couple ongoing storylines for the devoted viewer. 

Eventually, as the show evolved, the show began to become more serialized as the 2000s came into play. I consider this era to be the Golden Age of Odyssey history, as the character and plot arcs intertwined and moved forward at a blistering pace while creating great lessons and memorable moments (Novacom Saga and beyond, so basically Albums 35ish - 49). TV took this step in this decade as well as serialized TV began to rise, such as 24 and Lost. 

Much as Odyssey this season is exploring marriage & family,
Martin Freeman & the cast of FX's Fargo (parental advisory) are
sparking discussion around the country about morality
and the role of God as a storyteller in our lives.
Photo courtesy The Guardian.

Right now, the current trend on TV is closed-ended series, anthologies, miniseries, and the like. Writers like this format because it allows them to work on something that they know has an end, and they don't have to fill space or think up ideas for next season (see: Fargo, True Detective). Odyssey has taken on this trend and retrofitted it for their own purposes in Album 58: The Ties That Bind, which releases on oaclub.org next week and on the radio this fall. After doing the "concept album" with The Best Small Town (Album 50, 2008) & Clanging Cymbals (Album 54, 2011) and the miniseries/audio movie with The Green Ring Conspiracy (Album 53, 2011), The Ties That Bind looks like it wants to be a concept miniseries, which is definitely an interesting concept in itself, taking on God's design for marriage and family, which could easily easily be a very controversial topic. 

After hearing the first part on the latest episode of the podcast, I threw together a couple thoughts about what appeared to be the direction of the next thirteen shows. My first question is about the idea of creating a "fourteen part episode." Paul McCusker in the interview for said podcast said that he had envisioned 18 - 24 episodes, but they had cut one storyline. The storyline was originally going to be 12 episodes, but they needed more time to finish the story and made 14 episodes. To me, it seems a little bit lazy to call it, Part One and etc. I could cut Green Ring some slack because all of the storylines focused on the conspiracy and the counterfeit money. However, this new album is more of a concept album, with all of the storylines focused on a concept, that of family. To not name episodes individually seems to cheapen them, and it seems a little bit lazy, in my opinion, to not do so. The first episode serves as a clear introduction to a variety of storylines, but the struggle I had was deciding whether to cut the show some slack because of its short running time for episodes. When I watch a good episode of television or a movie, the hour or two hours that I watch is a coherent hour(s). For example, in the episode The Taming of the Two, the two parallel storylines (Bernard and Nick & Edwin and Malcolm) have a coherent theme in teamwork. Green Ring held a variety of themes, but it needed twelve parts to tell its story. The Novacom Saga held a variety of themes, but it told multiple storylines and lessons through multiple episodes that were coherent in theme. I don't mean to pay so much attention to the episode titles, but The Ties That Bind seems to play the same game as Novacom story-wise, and yet it's called a "fourteen-parter" so storylines can come and go as they please. Of course, this could all be rendered invalid when I hear the other thirteen parts.

As much as I was lukewarm towards The Green Ring Conspiracy, it definitely served as the true reboot for the series, as the writers figured out how to better write for its new characters. That holds true in this first part, as Paul McCusker skillfully lays out new directions for the citizens of Odyssey to head out and find conflict and conversation in. 

SPOILERS TO FOLLOW:

- the Parkers
So now, every Parker child has been replaced by their original voice. Jury's still out on this new Matthew, and of course I am strongly biased toward Zach because he did such a great job with a character that originally seemed like another bland Sam Johnson, but the new actor did well. Time will tell, although at the moment, my ideal Parker family includes Marc Evan Jackson (who I've seen all over TV this past year), Amanda Troop, Kelly Stables, Zach Callison, and Sydney Shiotani.

- Eugene and Katrina likely hosting Buck at their house
Loved Connie's little meta commentary on our fan discussions regarding Buck. I don't know how I feel yet about a full-on adoption, but this trial run opens up a lot of possible plot and conflict possibilities.

- Connie fixing up her house, remembering her mom
Nice to see continuity from Album 57 and Connie still realistically grieving over June's death. A welcome addition to the overall discussion and conversation about family. 

- Penny and Wooton at Comic-Connellsville, Penny's lack of depth
Loved the clever references to fan culture and Pin Tweaks, referencing Kimmy Robertson's most famous role in Twin Peaks, an anthology mystery series in the early '90s. I enjoyed seeing Wooton back in the comic world - it was disappointing when Powerboy could no longer be used (some copyright thing). I've since felt that Captain Absolutely, although an equally great character and symbol to discuss truth, wasn't able to define Wooton as that comic genius as Powerboy did, showing his money and fame and his struggles with that part of his life, which could partly explain the lapse of character for him since the new era began. His new secret comic idea could bring that back. Penny's line, "I'm here because Wooton's interested in comic books and I'm interested in whatever he's interested in," might've been sweet, but to me, it only reinforced the lack of direction and character for her character, which is a shame, because Kimmy's a real talent. She has been defined by her interactions with Connie and Wooton, and when she's given a chance to shine, it's an episode where she tries some *wacky* new idea, fails, and gets a gentle sermon from Whit. SHE'S NOT A CHILD! What I just described is what used to happen to the first generation of Odyssey kids! Give her something to grow from! Bring her mother into town (the ties that find, amirite?)...

- the return of Pastor Juan and Jules
Yay for continuity! Good thing Shona lives closeby to Burbank, where they record. I pray Jules is not the Perilous Pen and that it's Penny (which could give her character an intriguing new dimension), but I could be wrong. 

- Whit's new conflict
Oh my. They're tackling it. Very very excited to see Odyssey take on another controversial topic, and I'm glad Andre Stojka finally gets something dramatic to sink his wonderful owl-y chops into. Paul Herlinger stepped in and immediately got Clara (Album 28: Welcome Home). Andre Stojka got Finish What You... (Album 51: Take It From the Top) and Forgiving, More or Less (Album 54: Clanging Cymbals) ("Big scoop, I've got one for the ice cream, har, har" will live on in infamy).

Paul Herlinger said in the interview following the episode release that the team intends to 

"raise the awareness of God's design for marriage and family and then explore it, rather than constantly teach it, but at least explore it in a variety of ways through the different storylines we've created and hopefully give parents and kids a lot to talk about, because in the fourteen episodes, there's a lot there, and it's not all heavy-handed teaching, in fact, I'd say the vast majority of what you've hearing will be subtle lines and references and assumptions on the characters that teach as much as the moments when we're overtly teaching something."

That's really heartening news to hear. In a world where the image of those against "tolerance" and "inclusitivity" includes the Westboro Baptist Church, LGBTQ bullying, and hate crimes against the gay community, it's great to hear that Odyssey intends on exploring these issues with love, not hate, not explicitly, blatantly preaching, but still trying to get across important truths. 

Odyssey was always at its strongest when it opted for subtlety and ambiguity as opposed to preaching. That's how good storytelling works. It whispers truths. It connects with you on a deeper, more meaningful level. I'm dismayed by the fact that you admit to "whining and complaining" when those storytellers weren't always choosing to make it easy for you. 
Is this where Evangelical "artistry" (dare I call it that?) has ended up? Do we demand that the things we already believe be spelled out for as in explicit detail, rather than let ourselves be surprised or convicted by the subtlety and nuance of a good story? 
- Jelly, The ToO

Sometimes the little things, like looking at the nuances, beliefs, experiences, facts, and feelings in these difficult issues and the people that define these discussions, allow us to place a human face on the debates that are currently playing out all around the U.S. In addition, exploring the family doesn't only necessarily mean those members of our communities - it's the nuclear families, dynamics between friends and mentors and teachers, and societal problems resulting from broken families that also need to be addressed. 

And that exploration? Looking at it through a lens of love is great, but if you want to really make an impact - well, you need God's love for that. And his ties always bind.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Listen to Part 1 here!
Sign up for the Odyssey Adventure Club here
Preorder Album 58: The Ties That Bind here

Bernard Walton

Dave Madden, center stage, courtesy of FOTF Pinterest

Everyone who's been a long time Odyssey fan has known all the main characters and the actors that have acted them. Last Thursday, January 16, 2014, I was sad to hear of the lost of our Bernard Walton, and also Reuben Kincaid from the Partridge Family, Dave Madden.

Dave Madden was a great actor who made Bernard into a sarcastic, grumpy, but a funny and dear friend to the Odyssians. He appeared in 94 episodes and played 19 characters on Odyssey in total. Bernard was a great story teller, who told the Bible stories of Joseph, Esther, Job, Saul and Jeremiah, and also some made up ones such as I Slap Floor, one of my favorite episodes. His interactions with the kids showed how much he cared about them through his own humorous ways. His arguments with Eugene, making fun of Connie, mumbling under his breath, and interesting remarks created a funny atmosphere for us Odyssey fans to listen to. His quotes were always super quirky - and who doesn't like quirky?

"Stuff me with spinach and call me a souffle."

"Stuff me with feathers and call me a pillow."

(for more quotes by Bernard check out: http://www.aiowiki.com/wiki/Walton_quotes.)

Bernard was one of my favorite and beloved Odyssey characters and always will be. We miss him dearly, and are continuously praying for his family and loved ones during their time of grief. Dave Madden will always be remembered for his addition to Odyssey and the media world. Thank you, Dave, for making all the characters you've played come to life. We hope to see you soon one day.

Sunday Morning Scramble School - The Latest Summer Review Ever

Hey y'all!

I know, I'm the worst blogger in the world (I'm sorry), and this post is from the summer which has definitely passed (from the early mornings and darker evenings that I see everyday now), :( but it doesn't mean that you can't read it and enjoy it! Hopefully, haha. Like Josh said, tennis, academics, and life in general are getting to me. It's getting busy, which will only increase to my demise. WILL IT EVER STOP SO I CAN ACTUALLY WRITE A POST AND SCRIPTS ON TIME (yeahh... I have a verse though to share with you!)

"28 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.' " -Matthew 11:28-30 

This world is full of stress, non-stop work, and just overall busyness, but in the midst of it all, we can find comfort and rest in our Lord and Savior! Don't forget that as you go through your new week! :) 

Below in black is my summer post, and in this color will be extra comments of mine. Summer here we come! 

{HELLO MY LOVELY READERS. HOW I'VE MISSED THE INTERNET (NOT REALLY...)

I'm in trouble. And I haven't blogged since. Forever. I'm so sorry T_T. To make it up, I'm doing an extra long post. Telling you all about the summer (yay Odyssey Related to Reality). (This will be long. I promise. I should draw you some pictures so you can smile and think "Odyssey"! Or happy thoughts...ANYWAYS) 

Josh came back from Yale yesterday (Yay!) Hope you caught up with his adventures and work and stress on his ILC blog (the work and adventures and stress have not ended - college apps and seniorlyfe)!

I went to a camp called CBM (Chinese Bible Ministries) and it's totally awesome-a week away from the world in the great outdoors with a bunch of well... (majority wise) Asian kids from Chinese Christian churches! You get to meet new friends, have workshops and learn way more about God, and interact with everyone through a whole bunch of games and free time! (Kinda like Camp What-A-Nut - a lot of activities, competitions, the great outdoor experience.) This was my first time at the high school camp. The year before was my very first year at a CBM camp, but I had gone to the junior high camp!

My parents drove us on a lovely Monday afternoon with four of my friends two hours up to the camp! Many became homesick (even when they arrived at my house!) but I was excited. This was my second time at a CBM camp and my first time was totally awesome! I couldn't wait for another week of learning what God was trying to tell me and meeting a whole bunch of kids and seeing some old faces! Things were going to get interesting and God taught me so much - even in six days.

Confession time:
In the beginning and even now...
I admit that I felt like I couldn't hear God speaking to me. Sometimes I'd lie in bed waiting and trying to erase everything from my mind (impossible for me...) and hear Him trying to verbally say something. And I wouldn't be able to hear anything. It'd frustrate me because I thought God wasn't speaking to me. I felt lost, confused, and unsure about what God was calling me to do. I guess that's kinda like Camilla in Your Servant is Listening.

Going off topic a little...
HEY GUYS DID YOU HEAR THE NEW EPISODES HUH HUH HUH HUH :D YAY. I WAS EXCITED. AND I LIKED THE EPISODES. WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT LATER, BUT BACK TO CBM...

We arrived at camp. And like last year, many of the churches had and were arriving. Compared to us, THEY'RE HUGE. Like forty kids in buses or even more. In total I think CBM High School Camp had about...guessing over 200? Lots of Asian people. We only brought five kids from our church o.o in a van. Thankfully my two girl friends (both sisters) and I were in the same cabin so we'd be together and the other two guys (both brothers) would be together. The camp grounds were HUGE compared to the original site where CBM used to be! There was so much walking, but it was good, :D 'cuz we all need exercise right? The bad part about it being so big was that it was harder to make new friends since mostly everyone stuck with their church groups and were more spread out.

I was feeling good as I stepped out of the van, but I got kinda scared. I wondered if I'd fit in with these kids. I wondered if I'd be able to make friends and continue to be friends. I was getting anxious (AND IF YOU GUYS GET ANXIOUS, TELL YOURSELF PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7. :) It's a great verse). And as I tried, I felt it was harder to reach out to make friends because it seemed as if everyone already knew each other and had their own groups. Was I going to meet tons of new kids or just stick with my childhood friends? Man, it was only the first day of camp, and I was already stressing and doubting God's power.

My workshops were "Sexuality in the Bible" and "The Problem of Evil". Total wise, there were six workshops, three on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the other three on Thursday and Friday. Each workshop was lead by a pastor from a different church, and each held a number of kids and counselors who wanted to take them.

In the "Sexuality in the Bible" taught about what God's purpose was for marital sex, and the corruption of sexuality (lusts...) It sounds like an awkward subject right? It totally is, but now I know whenever the lusts or things are shown around me, I shall pursue Christ! That's what we're supposed to do! We're surrounded by a world who makes immorality seem normal- in the internet, dramas, TV, movies, songs, all entertainment. It's like "Soaplessly Devoted" where Erica's favorite show was trashy and immoral (wording from AIO Wikipedia page). 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 tells us to flee this, and we should pursue sanctification instead (1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Timothy 5:1-2). God gives us to strength to get rid of these thoughts and feelings. He gives you and me the strength to say no to temptation and lusts.

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it"-1 Corinthians 10:13

Ever want a great book to read about the idols of our lives, check out Gods At War by Kyle Idleman.

"The Problem of Evil" workshop was very good. The question asked was "If God is good, then why does He let bad things happen?" I had always wondered how to respond to people who asked that.
We learned about four elements:
1. God is all good
2. God is all powerful
3. God exists
4. Evil exists
We proved that they existed from a biblical standpoint.
The fifth element that makes the first four work together is that God has a GLORIOUS purpose for evil. What is that purpose? Romans 3:3-5, Romans 5:8, and Romans 9:17, 20-21, 22 tells us that it's because it's to glorify God. We always think our lives is about us right? To our surprise, it's not. It's all about God. We all suffer, in different ways, in some ways more than others. But we have our Father to call upon.

SPOILER DON'T READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T LISTENED TO THE RECENT ALBUM 57 EPISODES I REPEAT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED DON'T READ THE BLUE BELOW

Like Connie, when her mother passed, she wondered why did God take her mother home now, at this time. At the time, Connie didn't know why this would even happen, but despite the tragedy, Connie learned the lessons of comfort in God, and is going to help out Jeff Lewis in his missionary work. The only way she found out about his work was because of her mother's funeral. I'm not saying that it was a good thing June died, I'm saying God has a purpose for everything that happens in your life, good or bad, whether you know it or not. It's a matter of if you trust Him in the midst of the situation you're in, or you go flying in solo. Uncertainty needs trust, so if you're ever concerned about what God has in store for you, learn to lean on His sovereignty. 

This reminds me of the bible story about Job, and the Odyssey episode of "Bernard and Job". Lisa learned that when life treats you unfairly, the blame should not go to God and that God is in control of all things.
So, in a world of evil in the dark, what are your responses to evil, things that are unfair to you, or suffering? How can you give it all to God when everything seems to be caving in?

One of my highlights of CBM was campfire, where everyone in the whole camp all gather in the amphitheater and we all sing and some people share about their highlights. It's a blessing and an encouragement to hear how the camp has impacted them or helped them in their walk with God, and how excited they are to share about Christ! The sharing definitely involves tears, hearing tragic events that have occurred, but it always ends with God coming through (what can we learn from that? :) He'll come through!) It was definitely cold, but the body heat and testimonies warmed me up.

As the week went by, I met so many people, but I only became close friends with a few. I learned that it doesn't matter how many friends you make, but who you're friends with. These people that I befriended have absolutely been God's blessings to me by checking in on me, praying for me, and being always there to talk about Him. It's awesome to see how God places people in our lives during different stages, and how they affect you during that time. I miss them all so much: my friends, the counselors, the camp environment. But with a week of knowledge, encouragement, and our bibles, we're ready to be God's messengers, to go bold, go strong and go FISH!}

In the summer, my family and I had an awesome trip to Canada! Puppy really wants to post about that trip (and show off his "model" pictures of the house), so I'll let him take care of that :) 

 THIS IS ME. HELLO WORLD. Do you subscribe to Clubhouse? Does your little siblings or cousins or neighbors? Well then you can see my art that I submitted and all the other cool creative games and ideas in the Clubhouse Members Magazine 2013! Second year in a row! (I was in the 2012 version as well!) Both Odyssey related :) I did the theme of the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and tried to incorporate all of them into something the Odyssians could all do together-hence the theater and a Fruits of the Spirit play, which totally go together! Penny and her talent are at work making a poster for Connie who's trying to direct everyone, but of course everyone is going crazy and not paying attention to a surprisingly calm Ms. Kendall. If you see the girl in the background with the black hair and orange tee, I based it off myself hahaha. I know, so original, but it felt so empty there. The whole Odyssey gang is there (except Whit :( maybe he was taking a picture of this chaotic scene). Jay, Priscilla, the Jones, Nelson, Ryan Cummings, the Jones, and the Parkers are all in it to help out! Check it out! It was a lot of fun to draw! :)

So for most of the Internet people I know, I make pictures for their birthdays (and they're always late haha). This one is for Kevin McCreary, The Ceiling Fan Podcast creator, writer, and actor! As you can see, Josh and I are in there, with Garrett Vandenberg and his guitar playing a HBD tune. Kevin's character, Ethan, is with Connie, who he really likes haha. And what do you know-Jimmy Barclay is there too! All old and grown up... with a soul patch! The markers that I used for this picture were COPICS, alcoholic markers that you can find at specialty art stores (super worth it :3)!

Now my life is just: school. School consists of music, homework, and tennis (which is ending soon!), as well as other stuff, like art, letters, and blogging, now and then. It's getting busy, but God has been helping me get through it and He'll continue to help! I just wish I had more sleep... Yay, a long satisfying post :3 (well, I'm satisfied! I hope the same goes for all of you :P) I hope you all have awesome weeks, I shall be back soon! 

CHALLENGE:
HEY - GO COMPLIMENT SOMEONE RANDOMLY AND MAKE THEIR DAY. :) It's so fun to do that, just randomly messaging someone and checking up on them. It's fun for me because I LIKE FELLOWSHIP. IT'S NOT THAT HARD SO IT SHOULDN'T BE A CHALLENGE... JUST GO DO IT!!!! 


  

Thoughts on the Odyssey Adventure Club - An Open Letter

The Odyssey Adventure Club (OAC) has drawn some very strong, mostly negative responses after its official announcement at this past week's webcast. Basically, listeners would pay $180 a year, or $15 a month, for streaming of all AIO episodes and 12 exclusive episodes that fit into the canon of the show. Here's my thoughts, originally posted on Facebook (I know, I know, classy).

Have you thought about using a tier system? Maybe split it into "basic" and "premium"? Basic just gives you the exclusive episodes and Premium would give you the episodes, streaming all the epiosdes and exclusive content. Just a thought. But the way you have it structured now, it WILL fail. Yes, some will pay that price but so many more won't and eventually they will stop listening all together. - another commenter

Dear Focus,

I think the "basic" and "premium" thing is a great idea. Looking at it from an outsider's perspective, I would be very confused if I was a new listener and half of the new episodes released per year were only on a certain platform and half were on the radio/online/digital download. I understand the motives for the move, and the idea of an online streaming service is intriguing and interesting. But to the long-time loyal fans who have no need or interest in the service (note that I'm interested), it disrupts the Odyssey experience (and the Odyssey brand) for many listeners, especially the listeners who simply can't afford a service such as the OAC. And just looking at streaming costs, while I love Odyssey, 700 episodes streaming for $15 a month when millions of hours of streaming are available on similar services for the same cost, if not less money, makes the price absurd. 

ASIDE: If Focus needs a bigger profit margin for Odyssey, what's another avenue to make that happen that a majority of listeners can easily buy into?

On a more traditional route, as another commenter suggested, the radio audience needs to be taken into consideration. While I understand that there's a smaller audience and market there, they introduce a lot of new listeners to the show and have publicized it for the past 25 years. I can't think of a solution to reconcile the radio audience with the new ambitions of the OAC, but something needs to be done. The difficult thing is that Odyssey is often compared to TV shows, where audiences are able to watch each episode for free at least when it airs, and shows recoup their costs through ad money. Since that isn't the case for Odyssey, it makes it difficult to justify airing the episodes, besides listener satisfaction. 

How about story? Characters and important moral lessons have guided the show since its inception twenty six years ago. But with episodes split on different platforms, can continuity still be a thing? I understand that costs need to be made up, but the integrity of the story and the product needs to be taken into account. Think more Wooton in Wooing Wooton than Winston.

There's a lot of important factors and variables to consider when moving forward on this new venture. I don't know what the solution is going to be, but I thank you for your continued efforts to serve the family all over the world and to keep Odyssey going in our homes, whether that's on the radio, online, on our mobile devices, and soon through streaming.

Dear Every Other Odyssey Fan Besides Me,

Hey. Hey. I'm guessing you're probably upset if you're not one of the really excited fans in the comments section of the latest Official Adventures in Odyssey podcast. OAC sounds like a threat to your Odyssey fandom existence, especially if a lot of your friends won't subscribe because they don't want to or can't afford it or you won't be able to join yourself. 

I don't know if I'll be able to join. But I do know this: as fans, our greatest job is to be Odyssey's biggest critics and supporters. We can criticize their decisions and petition for Mitch to return and Emily to disappear, but in the end, we all love the show. I don't know what's going on with Focus (the non-profit organization who produces Adventures in Odyssey) and their finances, but from what I've been hearing, there's a lot of stress happening on that front. I'm not sure if the club is a response to those issues or a new avenue and direction for the show. I don't know if Focus will change their minds and allow everyone to hear the exclusive episodes or not. I do know that if we do feel strongly about the OAC, we do need to let them know. We need to speak with grace and a kind manner and tell 'em our grievances - online, on the phone, in the mail, whatever. But I think that as Odyssey fans, we can do better. When Whit noticed that kids weren't as excited about the Bible, he didn't just whine and complain about the problem. He did something about it, and singlehandedly created the Bible Room, which has spawned the scene for many an Odyssey episode. We can complain and voice our opinions all we want, but I think we can do more. Let's learn more about the situation - the pros/cons of the OAC, the motivations for why Focus created it, and the state of Odyssey and Focus. Then let's rise up together from our fan sites and the ToO and Campbell County and The Soda Shop and figure out a solution together. Is it gonna be hard to figure out something to please every party involved? Yeah. But is it like creating an invention that allows multiple people to travel through doors and go on adventures throughout the Bible and history in their imaginations with other people? Nah. 

Think of it as A Call to Something More.

Please post your thoughts and comments below!

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
The Odyssey Adventure Club website

Memorable May + Jubilant June

Hey, it's Ally! It's been a busy school year, and a busy last few weeks but here I am!
Finally writing another post, I know it's been a while and I'm super sorry about that D: it's called school. And other events which I will enlighten you about! (Don't worry I'll relate them to Odyssey. After all it is an Odyssey blog isn't it?)

In May, our youth group went to an indoor mini golfing place, which is basically mini golfing. Inside. It was awesome to see the crafted courses resembling the Bay Area! I did so terrible though, I hit the golf ball out of our course and into others, I'd get a 6 on most of my holes. It was embarrassing, but loads of fun. Kind of reminded me of Wooton when he played golf with Fox Fletcher in "Nothing But Half the Truth" (Album 42), how he hit the ball of out of the course.

On Mother's Day, I and two of my very good friends got baptized! We've been Christians ever since we were little, but Jesus put on our hearts the desire to proclaim our faith and declaration in Him! To be honest, it was teary, all smiles, and a blessed time, and I was baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Now when I was reading my testimony, I was scared out of my mind. I was sharing my life story to this whole crowd of people. It was crazy and I didn't know if I could do it. But after a little fast praying and realizing it's just all family and friends there in the crowd, I told them about trials I've had, family members with illnesses which led to questioning about God. Even though my loved ones didn't have serious cancer like Karen Crosby from "Karen" (Album 3), they still had faith just as strong that God would heal them. Satan gives us doubts to believe so that we would doubt in Jesus, but "When in Doubt...Pray!". That's exactly what showed how God blessed me, now my family are cancer free and recovering from strokes. It's amazing what God can do and how He made this a way for my faith to become stronger. God does answer prayers! It may not be the way we would want it to turn out, but it's the way God wants it to be.

"I remember an ol Scottish prayer my mother taught me when I was a wee girl. It goes, 'Lord, I thank thee a thousand times for the roses. Help me to thank thee for the thorns as well'."-Fiona Donneral "Thank You, God" (Album 3).

That Sunday was wonderful because we could celebrate my mother for Mother's Day, and my baptism with family and friends! Plus, many college students that have gone to our church came home to see their families so they also could see us get baptized WHUTTTTT. (allGod)

Our seniors graduated in early June, which for both of us (Josh and I) were sad to see go. These seniors were smart, talented, funny, and great leaders. When the valedictorian went up to speak, it reminded me of when Connie was one in "The Graduate" (Album 31), and how the audience sang a hymn after her declaration of not defying her school authorities with her prayer. I wish that our school could do one, but since it's public school, they didn't :(. But it was a great speech, funny and enjoyable to hear! We got to play for our graduates, which was an honor for me!

Right after school was out basically Josh was off at camp and I was driven to Anaheim to visit relatives! I got to see my friend Kara and we went to THE GETTY CENTER IN LA IT WAS SO COOL OH MA GOODNESS ART IS AMAZING GUYZ. (not like i'm great at it but it's so inspiring and just so *girly squeal* too cool) Yeahh I like art guys. I can't be like Penny Wise who is "a very good artist". But I can try my best! Anywho that was really fun (I know I'm a boring person looking at art all day and gawking at it but it's gotta be art I like otherwise yes the museum would be boring). And I ate a lot. Not as much as Wooton does. But I ate a ton and it was great!

THEN JOSH CAME HOME YAYYYY. AND WE WENT TO VANCOUVER! It was awesome!! We stayed at a bed and breakfast called Haddon House, a historical house from the 1920s that was restored! It was beautiful! It's in Burnaby a small city with a lot of history like Odyssey! They even had a museum, a reenactment of the village of Burnaby in the 1920s I believe! IT WAS SO COOL. Like they had an old school house (some of the children from the Haddon house went there and we knew that cuz their last names were Haddon.), we saw an old radio station, the chapel (someone from the 1970's got married there! WHUT.), they even had an old carousel indoors like in the movie "The Sting"! Yeah I like old stuff guys... Like jazz! ME AND BARRETT JONES ARE AWESOME THOUGH CUZ JAZZ IS AWESOME. :) anywho... We went to a gelato place called La Casa Gelato and Ice Cream and get this: IT HAD 218 FLAVORS THERE. No not 9 out and the rest in containers, like literally 218 flavors to choose from. Not a typical Whit's End there but it tasted alright. It was more fun tasting flavors. And eating. We also visited famous parks such as Stanley Park with the totem poles and at the Stanley Rose Garden we saw a TV show that was going to be or was filmed! It was for "King & Maxwell" on TNT (never heard of it) but it was cool cuz everyone was dressed up as if going to a wedding! And of course something disastrous happened cuz the FBI and police and fire department was there (We asked the SWAT guy what was being filmed. hehe). Kinda like Connie and Mitch's wedding except we don't know what happened in this episode of "King and Maxwell". We also went to Vanduzen Garden! It was so beautiful, reminding us of God's creation! It was sad when we had to leave, leaving a beautiful city, a beautiful home we stayed in, and a great vacation, but I'm glad we went when we did!

Vacation's still going on, so it's only the beginning! But what great adventures have you begun this summer? LEMME KNOW I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT :) Yes this wasn't a review of an episode or totally Odyssey related (I'm sorry) but I wanted to share some memories that were made and some things that were related to Odyssey since after all it is an Odyssey blog! Still working on the podcast slow and steady! A post from Puppy is coming up so look forward to that! Thanks for reading!

Thoughts on Candid KOnversations Pilot Status

Hey everybody!

I'm Woofy, and I'll be one of the hosts of Candid KOnversations with Josh and Ally! I'm really excited to work with the Kos again, and this is a really fun opportunity to do just that. I'll be relaying a message to you from the Kos since they're up to some art/school related work right now. So here's your podcast pilot update:

It's getting delayed. Again. Many apologies, por favor. See, Josh and Ally are entangled in a web of putting the podcast in iTunes and copyright issues and legal issues and it's a bit of a mess, really. We're trying to produce the very best that we can for you guys and with that in mind, it's gonna have to take a little more while. Our sincere apologies and gratitude go to you all.  

In the meantime, Josh will finish writing up Album 56 reviews, but the new pilot release date has been pushed back to February. Ally is also at work on an article, which is really cool, and I'll introduce myself in a later article, which is also cool! But you'll mainly find more about me in the podcast, so stay tuned! 

While you're reading this, if you happen to be an aspiring writer, sound designer, or musician; and are interested in joining forces with the Kos, or simply want to be a part of an Odyssey podcast, contact Josh and Ally ASAP if you're interested on working (and maybe acting) on the rest of Season 1 of Candid KOnversations! Email them at jandakocompany@yahoo.com. Click that link, man!

Okay guys! That's it from me, thanks for checking out my first article on this blog, and be sure to see the soon-to-be-released "About Us" section to learn more about the Kos, Puppy, and me! Goodbye for now!

Much obliged,
Woofy Doggy

Thoughts on Candid KOnversations Pilot Recording

Me and Ally snap a photo of our amazing mugs. Well, mine's is amazing.

Hey guys. Guess what...it's a post on this blog FINALLY written by someone other than Josh! Goodness, that boy needs to take a break sometimes, he's too busy. JK (that means "just kidding" for all you non-texters) I shouldn't say that 'cause I'm the busy one! LOL

My name is Puppy Norman, and I'll be playing Puppy Norman on Josh and Ally's new podcast. I like to think of myself as a character actor because I'm a real character when I act and when I don't.  But anyways, I'm nine years old, and I don't want to be prideful, but Stuffed Animal Weekly has called me "the most famous stuffed animal on the planet." I'm co-owner of the Puppy and Woofy Company (but I won't be CEO till I turn 22) and I'm the executive producer of the hit show Puppies on the Stuffed Animal Channel as well as the star of Puppy's Pet Shop. I'm also a recording artist that has had several #1 hits (well, higher than Justin Bieber...BEAT IT BIEBS) like That's What I'm Talking About. 

Me and Woofy record one of our scenes together.

Anyways, on the podcast, I'll be playing an exaggerated version of myself. Imagine me as a more egotistical, mean, even more hilarious than I already am, and just amazing-er puppy. That last part IS NOT EXAGGERATED. And the only reason I'm mean and egotistical on the podcast is because Ally wrote the script. She owes me a new reputation. But amidst the arguing and critical script, I love her... in my own way. On the right is Woofy, my BFF (best friend forever). As you can see, he's...smaller than all y'all'd expect. But he's very friendly, like in the podcast and laughs like an old man. (JK...sorta.) I love that pup. 

Woofy brings the mike down to his level.

Now that you all know me better, since apparently the demographics of this blog don't really watch Stuffed Animal Channel or ANYTHING I do because of your Odyssey love, I'm proud to say WELCOME TO THIS AWESOME BLOG ABOUT A SHOW I DO NOT KNOW! WELCOME! Now you see how we record and you see how amazing we (I) are/am! We hope you enjoy the pilot (VERY LONG PILOT) and thanks for reading! Love you all mwah mwah email me if you want to talk to me (I <3 FANS AND I LOVE WRITING IN CAPS.) So long, sayonara!

-Puppy Norman, the only boy pup who has a high voice and is cooler than Justin Bieber

P.S. Now aren't these pictures more fun than whatever Josh is looking at - some pictures of "Adventures in Odyssey Album 57 Recording" on Facebook? I don't know what that is, but I do know that my pics are way more hip.

Who is that cool puppy? Haha, it's me. 

P.P.S. Josh told me to tell you that we have one more scene to record, one more scene to perform sound design on, and two musical cues to be written. The new target date is Monday, January 28. Yay!

SPOILER ALERT: Okay guys, if you're interested in some KOnversations scoop, check out Proverbs 16:18 in your B-I-B-L-E...it may give you a little teaser of one of the storylines this season! Oh, and our page has been updated with some info on themes of the first season. Check it out!

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.