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TLDW #2

I haven’t had time to do much with AIO lately, as you all have probably noticed. But I have been keeping up with things that have been going around lately, and I have a WILT in the works. So anyway, here are a few of my brief thoughts. Elsewhere in Odyssey The new story going on with the Barclays and Rathbones in Tokyo. I have a few thoughts on that. This is probably just a minor gripe, but can Donna please wear some different clothes? I know the artists are probably just trying to ensure people can recognize her, but we had the entire previous comic series with her wearing the purple outfit…I think we get the idea now. Anyway, that’s probably just me. I really like how they’ve done Jimmy! Mary doesn’t look like she’s aged a bit. Kinda wish Steward would say and/or do more in the stories. As for the Rathbones, the only thing I am confused about is Rodney. They don’t really explain what in the world has been going on in his life. Also, how old is he supposed to be? As far as I can see, he’s still acting like the annoying kid from “Aloha, Oy.” The free monthly strip for November was…interesting. Idk how I feel about how they based it off the ‘canon’ Richard Maxwell returns arc. Though I do like how the strip itself went. The free strip for October was funny, but I have questions about Jason’s art. Is it just me, or does something about him look off? Wooton and Penny were great, though! Album 76 “Keep it Together” The art. Hmm. The art. It’s not, um, it’s not very good. Here goes my rant. The sky does not look good at all. Maybe for a more unrealistic cover, like 69, but this is a real scene! Have you ever seen the sky look like that before?? Emily’s eyes are bugging me. In her previous art, she has never had green eyes the same color as her clothes. They have been blue. Is this just laziness on the artist’s part or something else? I’m not sure what’s going on here. I wonder what Morrie is carrying… I get what the spirit of this artwork was supposed to be. I just don’t think it was well-executed. (also, kinda feels sad without Matthew, but what can I say?) The Best is Yet to Come – A Brief Word This episode surprised me in a couple ways. First, the AI Eugene was pretty decent. I think it was a good solution to wrap everything up. The Buck and Jules faking church thing was tough to listen to. I did like the bonus track of their rendition of “Amazing Grace” though. I must say, I was not a fan of Buck’s “remix” of “I’m Just Me.” I was surprised that they moved, though it shouldn’t have surprised me. I wonder how they will deal with this change in future episodes. I’m curious about what will happen with Buck being gone, especially, since he is the one whose storyline was most active. Phew. Thanks for hanging in there with my rambles. See ya next time!

From Odyssey Obsessors • 18 hours ago

Carla Perkins Markets to Sell Butter Popcorn Perfume

In a world filled with mundane fragrances, one audacious entrepreneur is pushing the boundaries of olfactory delight. Meet Carla Perkins, the fearless mastermind behind an unthinkable creation: butter popcorn perfume. Yes, you indeed read that correctly. Forget about normal mundane scents; Carla is revolutionizing the perfume industry, one kernel at a time. Odyssey, a small town that’s never been known for its innovation, has suddenly found itself at the center of a fragrant adventure. Carla Perkins, a quirky resident with a penchant for peculiarities, has set her sights on marketing the most bewildering scent imaginable. Inspired by her own daughter, Bridget Perkins, who one night made popcorn for them to enjoy. Instead of enjoying their snack, Carla rushed to the nearest computer, positive she must send her daughter undercover to investigate the scent at a local movie theater. Bridget now works on staff at a nearby theater. The concept may sound absurd, but Carla stands by the irresistible allure of her butter popcorn perfume. According to her, it’s not just a fragrance; it’s an experience. As she eloquently put it, “Why merely watch adventures unfold on screen when you can immerse yourself in the buttery ambiance of cinema wherever you go?”

From AIO Writer's Block • 2 days ago

PREORDER SALE! 2024 Bill Kendall’s Exes Calendar Collection!

LOS ANGELES, CA – ENDING SOON! For Cyber Monday, take 40% off your purchase of a 2024 Bill Kendall’s Exes calendar! Bill Kendall released this calendar to commemorate all of his exes that have some strange trait in common. Each of his former significant others gets one month in the calendar along with one month dedicated to his younger daughter Jules Kendall.

From AIO Writer's Block • 3 days ago

A News Post! Been A While…

Is has been a while since I have done a news post, so that’s what I’m going to do in this post. Seriously, it has been quite a while. I used to write a lot of AIO news posts, but I seem to not be doing as much anymore. However, this changes today! The team here at Odyssey Obsessors is committed to keeping you informed and up to date on the latest AIO news!!Okay, enough introduction. Without further ado, here is the latest Adventures in Odyssey news! AIO Christmas It is the Christmas season! This means that there are a few fun Christmas things going on for Adventures in Odyssey fans.First, the AIO Team has designed some new Christmas cards, featuring families from Odyssey. Some of the cards feature characters that have never been illustrated before. You can get them from the Adventures in Odyssey Club, or from AIO’s social media. The official Adventures in Odyssey Facebook page has been promoting them. Just go to this page and fill out the form to get yours!There’s also a new Christmas page on the Official Site which is filled with some cool deals. It offers the “Very, Very Merry Christmas Bundle”. If you give the gift of the Adventures in Odyssey Club, then you will receive 2 Adventures in Odyssey New Testament Bibles. Scroll down on the page and there’s a link to the form for the Christmas cards. But that’s not all! If you scroll down a little further, then there’s a free AIO Christmas episode to listen to! It’s the classic Christmas episode “A Lamb’s Tale”.It’s a fun page. Just go to www.adventuresinodyssey.com/christmas to check it out! 1000th Episode I remember that back in 2o18 or 2019, Bob and Jesse mentioned in an episode of the Official Adventures in Odyssey Podcast that the AIO writers had finished working on the 900th episode. Jesse said something along the lines of, ‘we’ll be at the 1000th episode before we know it.’ Well, The Time Has Come! The AIO Team is working on the 1000th episode as we speak! We now know what is being done for the 1000th Adventures in Odyssey episode, thanks to a special announcement done on the AIO Facebook Page. It’s a live show! The promo image Not many specific details have been released just yet. It will be in Colorado Springs, Colorado from August 2-3, 2024. The coming weeks will reveal details about times, dates, and ticket information. Just keep checking this page onegrandparty.com periodically for updates and details! I know that I’ll be visiting it quite often. Album 76 Spoiler alert!!! If you don’t want to know the title or episode titles of Album 76, then please skip over this section! Okay, you’ve been warned. The AIO Team released the title and cover art for Album 76 on the AIO Facebook page some months ago. The title is: “Keep it Together”. The cover art (which I will not be posting here just yet, because we’re planning to make a post about it) shows Suzu, Cooper, Emily, and Morrie. So far, no album summary has been revealed. But according to its AIOWiki page, we do know four of the episode titles. I’ll include the episode titles and links to their AIOWiki pages below: “Right Notes, Wrong Key” “The Rydell Realizations, Part 1” “The Rydell Realizations, Part 2” “The Rydell Realizations, Part 3” The album will be release on CD sometime in 2024, and I assume on the Adventures in Odyssey Club later this year. Nothing has been officially confirmed yet. Album 76 is available for preorder on Christianbook.com on a page called “Adventures in Odyssey #76 CD” which is basically empty. I’m sure it will update as the AIO Team releases details. I’m interested in what this album will hold. Be sure to preorder it from Christianbook.com! We’ll probably do a post at some point about Album 76 in which we’ll go through details and give some of our thoughts. Stay tuned for that. Blackgaard Chronicles Book Series So, what happened to book 6 of the Blackgaard Chronicles book series? In my last post about it, I wrote about the information that we had about it and how I had contacted the Focus on the Family bookstore inquiring about it. I was told that its release date is June 2023. However, as you can see, it has not been released anywhere. There’s not even a place to preorder it from, apart from Koorong (I’m considering placing an order for it from there to see what happens). We have not seen any announcements about it being released anywhere. Unless it has been mentioned on the Official Adventures in Odyssey Podcast, which I am very behind on. I have not looked into it just yet, but I plan to in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for that. Well, that’s all the news I have for now. It was good to do one of these again. Hopefully I’ll be doing more news posts in the future.Is there anything I missed? Any news that has come up that I should’ve reported? Do you have further information on anything I wrote about here? Feel free to leave a comment! Your interactions, engagement, and feedback are always appreciated! -Signed, Polehuas53

From Odyssey Obsessors • 4 days ago

Album 75 Now Available: “The Best Is Yet to Come”

Adventures in Odyssey has presented so many twists and turns during its 36-year run, and Album 75 is no exception. This time, Odyssey’s “resident genius” is at the center of attention. Album Description: Everything has led to this moment. A new technology created by Odyssey’s own Eugene Meltsner could change medical science as we know […]

From The Odyssey Scoop • 5 days ago

Get Ready for One Grand Party!

The award-winning Adventures in Odyssey series is getting ready to celebrate a huge milestone of 1,000 episodes. To celebrate, fans are invited to be present for the big party in 2024! What We Know So Far: “In 2024, we’ll air the 1,000th episode of Adventures in Odyssey! And we want to celebrate with every member […]

From The Odyssey Scoop • 2 weeks ago

A AIO-Countdown To Thanksgiving

Hello! And welcome to my little corner of the internet:) Tomorrow begins a 5-day countdown to Thanksgiving. I really enjoy these 1-per day episode countdown to holidays. So of course I have for you a list of AIO-Thanks-Themed-Episodes to countdown to this holiday. Whether you’re on a car ride to see family, cleaning up and decorating the house, spending long hours cooking, or just enjoying the holiday, you should take some time each day to listen to these episodes to prepare for Thanksgiving Day. DAY 5- November 19th- B-TV: Thanks (#383) To start off, we have a classic, goofy, historical review of Thanksgiving. Fans of old Odyssey will remember these 14 episodes formatted like a TV-program that included history lessons, poems, Bible stories, and skits. (You can read my post about it here :)). B-TV: Thanks is a fun way to review Bible verses and themes to help prepare ourselves for Thanksgiving. Day 4- November 20th- A Thanksgiving Carol (#173) To help resolve yet another argument between Connie and Eugene, Whit uses KYD’s Radio to put on this not-so-classic-retelling of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. Day 3- November 21st- Thank You, God (#049) Around Thanksgiving dinner Whit recalls the story of how Fionna Donneral, his stepmother, taught him how to give thanks in difficult circumstances. Day 2- November 22nd- A Thankstaking Story (#675) We’re almost there! After being snowed in on Thanksgiving day, everyone started to get board. So Whit, Eugene, and Connie of an evil man-reminiscent of the Grinch- Scrunch who tries to ‘steal Thanksgiving’. Thanksgiving! November 23rd- Thanksgiving at Home (#132) Happy Thanksgiving! I hope y’all have a better day than George and Mary! This is an older episode, but to this day remains (imo) one of the funniest episodes ever. Jimmy and Donna try to save Thanksgiving day, but they have no idea what they’re doing. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving break and a lovely time with family and friends! And I hope you’ve enjoyed this post:) “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!” -1 Chronicles 16:34 ~The Perilous Pen~

From Perilous Pen • 2 weeks ago

Editorial 60: Thanks for the Memories

It's time to talk about Album 75: The Best Is Yet to Come. Now that the long-anticipated four-parter has aired for all Adventures in Odyssey fans, we can share our thoughts, emotions, and reactions together. I discuss my initial reactions in my latest editorial, Thanks for the Memories. How did you feel while listening to The Best Is Yet to Come, Parts 1-4? Head to Editorial 60 and let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!

From AIO Update • 2 weeks ago

100 Posts of Odyssey Obsessiveness

THIS IS OUR 100TH POST!!! I’ll say Happy Halloween, or Happy Fall, or All Hallows’ Day, or whatever you say today since it is October 31st. But that aside, The Odyssey Obsessors now has 100 posts! That’s right, 100 posts!! I was thinking about what to do to celebrate this moment. I made a featured image (which I’ll probably edit later, since it didn’t turn out the way I wanted), but I wondered what to do in the actual 100th post. I could do a regular post and just mention at the end that this was our 100th post, but I wanted to do something more than just that. The 100th post is very monumental in any website. So, why not dedicate a post to it? After thinking about it and being very indecisive, I decided to do a bunch of things in this post. Odyssey Trivia Here’s a trivia question for you: what is the 100th episode of Adventures in Odyssey? The answer would be “Ice Fishing”. A very fun episode that I might listen to soon. Here’s another: what is the 100th Club Exclusive episode on the Adventures in Odyssey Club? The answer would be “The Way of the Comic Book”. Check out our review of the episode if you haven’t already. The Odyssey Team dedicated their 500th episode to celebrating 500 episodes, but The Odyssey Obsessors still has a while to go until then. John Whittaker’s 100th episode was: “The Very Best of Friends” Eugene Meltsner’s 1o0th episode was: “The Last Resort” Connie Kendall’s 100th episode was: “A License to Drive” I would ask who the 100th character on Adventures in Odyssey was, but I’m not sure and that would be very hard to calculate. But if anyone out there has any idea, let me know! (Special thanks to AIOWiki for providing me the information for all these random facts) (I was going to post the 1ooth comment on this site, but I couldn’t find it…) 100th Post Reflections I would post my favorite posts, but we usually do that at the end of the year on each anniversary. I will just say that I have really enjoyed making posts for this site. I’ve learned a lot of things. I’ve learned a lot about website designing on WordPress. Before we began the process of creating this site, I had no idea how designing a website worked. I had previously read a lot of WordPress blogs but had never run one myself. I am very glad to have this experience on hand. I’ve learned that to be extra safe, you should back up the posts you’re working on in case something happens; Power/internet outages, or even forgetting to press the “Save draft” button can end badly. There have been a few times when I have lost all my progress on a post, and I had to start all over again. I’ve learned that as life goes on and as you get older, you get busier. Busy to the point that you do not have the leisure to spend hours at a time working on Odyssey things. I remember there was a time that we used to spend literally all day listening to Odyssey and doing Odyssey-related things. Definitely don’t have time to do that anymore. Which is making me quite sad to think about. But I suppose it’s part of the process of growing up and of life going on. Things will change. And with change, you’ll need to adapt. You need to make more effort to do the things you enjoy. This is something that I hope to do. I’ve learned that God can speak to you through anything. This includes Adventures in Odyssey. I won’t get specific because I want to write a post about this sometime, but I can definitely say that there have been times when I happen to listen to an episode and feel like it was directed specifically to me. I’ve learned, and am still learning, time management. It’s a fascinating concept. I will always remember and try to actively apply what I have learned during my time here. I look forward to the additional lessons that I will learn in the future. Hmm, I feel like my latest posts have become very reflective and philosophical. I’m getting old. But, either way, I suppose I’ll end here. All this to say, I have really enjoyed posting on this site, and I look forward to the posts to come! -Signed, Polehaus53

From Odyssey Obsessors • 4 weeks ago

Still Digging Through My Writings

Greetings and salutations! It is October, so I guess I’ll say Happy Fall, or Happy Halloween, or whatever is said during this time of year. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since I wrote that post about never posting what I write. This time I was looking through the various drafts of posts I started for this site. About all of them are still publishable. Except for one post: a post I started working on back in 2021 about my hopes and theories for Album 71: A Slippery Slope. As I wrote in my other post, this is also now outdated. However, I thought I would just publish it. This post was very lazy; I essentially copied and pasted what I had written on the Soda Shop message boards. It was also very messy; it wasn’t fully organized. If I had posted it here as it was, then I would personally have considered it spam. However, I have gone through it and somewhat organized it to be readable and coherent. And, of course, it wasn’t finished. I had only written only about the first episode and hardly anything about the other episodes. I’ll let you read it and then I shall do some further reflections. Here it is: My Old Theories and Hopes for Album 71 Alright, here we go. The title, episode titles, summaries, CD release date, and cover art for Album 72: The Long Road Home have all been revealed. It will begin releasing in the Adventures in Odyssey Club on December 16, 2021. In this post, I’ll be going through the things I hope will happen in this album and my predictions for each episode. I have written a few things in various places on the Soda Shop Message Boards, so I thought I would bring them all to one place. Episode BreakdownI’m now going to go through each episode and discuss what I think will be happen in each one. “The Team” Summary: In the aftermath of Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off, Emily Jones must deal with whether or not to join Morrie and Suzu Rydell’s team.Theme: Teamwork Now, as far as this episode is concerned, let’s just say that I’m concerned. I have a lot of thoughts on the first episode. The last scene of “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” ended with Morrie and Suzu asking Emily to join their “team”. What do they mean by “team”? I assume that this team is a detective agency Morrie and Suzu want to form. That’s what seems most likely. Here is a basic outline of some of the things I think will happen:I predict that the episode will begin with Chris giving a “previously on Adventures in Odyssey” intro, and then the episode picking up where “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” left off. I think that it will start with Emily initially refusing to join their team. I assume this “team” they’re inviting her to join is a detective agency they’re forming, since Matthew is no longer doing mysteries. After all, right before they ask, Morrie and Suzu compliment Emily on her on solving the mystery.Emily will refuse to join them and perhaps walk away. However, throughout the episode they will reason with her and get her to join. And I think Whit will encourage her to join them. I don’t think the entirety of the episode will be about her trying to figure out whether to join their team. I don’t know how she will be convinced, but somehow Emily will reluctantly agree to join their team. Either that, or the three of them will get thrown together and be forced to work as a team. Which actually sounds more likely.Since we know that the episode’s theme is “Teamwork”, I think its plot will involve a mystery. Soon after Emily agrees to join the team, they stumble into a mystery. Hopefully not a fake one, but a real one. During this mystery, Emily and Morrie and Suzu will work together on something as a team, temporarily putting their disagreements aside.Oh, and Morrie will say the word “good” in this episode. That’s probably most likely to happen if nothing else. I’m not sure how it will end. Perhaps with Emily either warming up to the Rydell kids or being even colder towards them than before. I don’t know. But we know that Emily will lose her faith in this album (and hopefully will get it back by the end of it), so I predict that something will happen in this episode that will lead up to it. Maybe Emily runs into Whit and questions everything he says, or Morrie will challenge her faith, or something. Either way, it will cause Emily question her faith, which will result in her ultimately losing it in another episode in this album. The Official Adventures in Odyssey Podcast recently released an interview with Atticus Shaffer and April Hong, voices of Morrie and Suzu. Atticus gives a hint about “The Team”. He says that Morrie and Suzu will, “actually end up helping Emily against a different antagonist character that comes into play.” I’m curious to know who exactly this “different antagonist” is? Valerie Swanson? Or some entirely new character? The Rest of the AlbumI can’t make out a head on the stretcher on the cover art, but I agree that it is most likely Emily. I also think an injury would be enough for her to lose her faith. One idea I have is that the entirety of album 71 will be leading up to the cover art and then she loses her faith after the injury. Hopefully by the end of the album, she will get her faith back. I’m going to assume Emily doesn’t lose her faith right away. I think the episodes before “Triple Decker Sundae” will show the events leading up to it, and the episode “Triple Decker Sundae”, since it has the theme of faith, will be the main event where Emily loses her faith; the next three episodes will be about her getting it back. I also think the episode, “Higher than Our Ways”, since it has the theme of grief, will feature some event which will ultimately be the act that causes Emily to lose her faith in the episode that comes next, “Triple Decker Sundae”. I bet Morrie and Suzu will do something to her that will be or lead up to the cause that Emily loses her faith. [Here the post stops, as I never finished] Thoughts After Reading This Why on earth do I do this? I started to write something, and then I never finished. It’s basically the same thing as that last post about this. To be fair, this draft was started in 2021 and I recall I had a lot going on at that time, but that does not excuse it. Like I said last time, I missed an opportunity to write and post something that was relevant to its time. But since I waited, the value and relevance of the post diminished to almost nothing. I guess one could get amusement from seeing how wrong my theories were now that the album has been released. I like how I had assumed that it would be Emily who loses her faith in the album and never considered that it might be someone else. At the time we were in the midst of the Rydell Saga where “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” had just been released after the controversial “Rydell Revelations” episodes, so in my mind it seemed reasonable. Apart from interest in what my thoughts were at the time, there is not much else to be done with something I failed to post in time. Why bother posting it? Well, I’m a bit of a hoarder, and I can’t stand the idea of deleting something that I worked on, regardless of the minimum effort I put into it. But aside from that, I think putting it out there for everyone to see also serves as a lesson of humility for me.I may seem like I’m on top of things and posting consistently, but the fact is that I’m not. I literally start every single one of my posts saying “hopefully I’ll be posting more consistently soon” but I never do. I have not been managing my time well lately and as a result I’m desperately trying to find things that I can post. This results in posting outdated writings that have been sitting around for two years. I am honestly busy. I suppose that comes with age; as I get older and things in life happen, I get busier. My priorities do not often include Adventures in Odyssey. Is that bad? Not necessarily. That happens to everyone. In life outside of this website, I’m doing alright with managing my time, but I am not managing my time well in regard to running Odyssey Obsessors. Priorities change as you get older. However, let me say that I want to include this website as a priority because I really enjoy running this website. I believe that if there’s something you care about, then you should and will make time for it. Adventures in Odyssey is definitely one of the best things I’ve ever had in my life, and that’s something I genuinely care about. I want to be able to include being an Odyssey fan as one of the things that is important to me and that I will prioritize. Because I really enjoy it. In life, or at least in my life at the moment, you get caught up in everything going on. You…well, speaking for myself, I don’t make time for the things I like doing because of everything that happens at once. I believe that there should be a time in which you should take a step back and do something you enjoy. For me, that is being an Adventures in Odyssey fan and doing all the fan-related things including running fan websites. I’m pretty sure there’s an episode with the theme of finding rest, but I can’t recall it right now. Either way, finding rest is something I want to do better in. Hopefully I will be able to achieve that goal. Whew, this turned into a long post. What are your thoughts? Feel free to leave a comment! Also, this is the 99th post on this site. Stay tuned for our 100th post! -Signed, Polehaus53

From Odyssey Obsessors • 4 weeks ago

Editorial 59: Fathers and Daughters

John Avery Whittaker is like a father to Connie Kendall. They've been through so much together, helping each other on the journey of life, from Album 1 to the present. In my latest editorial, Fathers and Daughters, I talk about their unique connection. Whit and Connie's father-daughter relationship is one of the things that makes Adventures in Odyssey special. Check out Editorial 59 and then let me know your thoughts in the comments section. What are some of your favorite Connie and Whit episodes?

From AIO Update • a month ago

Album 75: The Best Is Yet to Come airs on the radio and online

The time has come. Album 75: The Best Is Yet to Come is finally here! The new album release is now available on all platforms. The first episode airs today on the radio and online. Check it out on the official website. In this first episode, As Far As It Depends On Me, a mysterious phone call brings up something from Penny's past, along with painful revelations. New episodes will continue airing for the next five weeks. Other episodes will include a story about Emily Jones and Suzu, as well as the long-awaited reveal about the fate of our own beloved Eugene Meltsner. As usual, please avoid posting spoilers in the comments until after each episode has aired. You can find Album 75 in full on the AIO Club, on CD, and as a digital download on a variety of music platforms.

From AIO Update • 2 months ago

Extended Cut Review

Hello, once again! Over the past year, I’ve had several post ideas pent up behind busyness, other projects, and, of course, college preparation. But of course, I couldn’t neglect AIO Writer’s Block during one of its most felicitous times of the year: anniversary time. So join me this week as I unpack my latest thoughts and revelations this week for AWB’s third anniversary. Without further adieu, let’s get into my review of Evan David’s latest mark on Odyssey. I have to say that, in my opinion, the comics have been quite hit-or-miss. Most of them seem like fan service to me, unnecessarily drawing out ideas that, for the average fan, would be passing thoughts or fun thought experiments. I also don’t quite appreciate Elsewhere in Odyssey’s weight on the Adventures in Odyssey canon. Having major plots (such as The Acolyte series) completely club-exclusive feels wrong to someone who was a Clubless fan for so long. Gradually introducing characters is one thing, but hashing out entire plots is something different. All that being said, when I saw the latest EIO comic storyline was an imagining of “A Day in the Life,” the movie from the episode in 1991, I was slightly relieved. Granted, putting that much effort into creating a plot from a one-off episode seemed, again, unnecessary to me, but I’m not in charge of how Focus spends its resources, and if the actual AIO canon wasn’t affected and the fans were happy, who was I to judge? That was until Sunday morning when the latest Adventures in Odyssey Club episode was released to the public. Not ten seconds into the episode did I realize, once again, that I was wrong about seemingly innocent intentions. This was a whole episode devoted to continuing that one 1990s episode. But setting my emotions aside for a minute, and only a minute, let’s review the episode on its merit alone. Music Rating: 3 out of 5. The music for this episode was slightly above average. I’ve noticed a few leitmotifs that go off every time Connie goes on one of her little rants and her usual asking-for-forgiveness scene afterward. I believe this highlights a more significant problem, but I’m getting ahead of myself; we’ll go over that later. Making Rating: 3.5 out of 5. I found this episode delivered quite well, especially in terms of acting. Hearing former actors in a new setting is always refreshing; Heather’s is no exception. It reminds me of when Jana’s actor reappeared on the scene several years ago or hearing a grown-up Monty in GRC and The Long End. Additionally, Shona and Andre did exceptionally well, capturing both the excitement of old fans as well as the humor of the episode. Whit balancing his expected reprimand of Jay while also being enamored with the sudden attention was an enjoyable touch. And the “Professor Walrus doll” scene was honestly one that got a chuckle out of me. However, the writing was a bit lacking, feeling a bit rushed. Although Evan David has writing experience (questionable as it may be), I have to cut him slack as he’s breaking into a new medium with this episode. This next section will tie into Plot. For a first-time episode writer, it really does alright, but the balance between exposition to re-introduce a plot from the ’90s to anyone new and creating a sense of nostalgia for those who have heard the episode seems really hard to pull off, and this episode… doesn’t do it. It has the backing of the recently released comic behind it, but as I keep trying to emphasize, the plot should not really need enhancement from such exclusive stories. Now, this is a Club episode, which annoyingly makes it harder to criticize. Ideally, the average Club member has already read the latest storyline, but to make the main medium of Adventures in Odyssey a story about what appeared to be a different one-off story is different levels of extra. Moral Rating: 2.5 out of 5. The message the episode tried to get across was good. The message it unintentionally delivered was a mistake. On several counts now, Connie has gone off on generally innocent people, generally without reprimand, as it’s now considered part of her character. However, the general lack of it is becoming concerningly excessive, as she has even called out in the past (i.e. Eggshells). Of course, Connie apologizes for her outburst at Heather and it’s all hunky-dory at the end (per the usual), but it’s still something to think about. Outside of that, the message the episode actually does convey is a good one, and perhaps it’s one Connie can take to heart. Emotional Weight Rating: 3.5 out of 5. This episode did lean a bit into the emotional side, without getting too feely, mostly following Connie’s process through all this. It was also a bit humourous and as I’ve mentioned, purposefully nostalgic, all elements that seemed to be put together with intentionality. But after getting those out of the way, allow me to describe the main focus of this review. The Bottom Line: This episode, and everything that revolves around it, is fan service. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the occasional subtle versions of fan service, those tidbits that people passionate about Odyssey will appreciate. 28 Hours, hints at Jason and Jillian in the latest Averys, things to keep the fans guessing. But this seems overboard. In concept, it’s not even unbearably bad. I love the throwbacks and connections, and the comic is one of the better ones so far, it just all feels very… on the nose for me. Of course, if someone wants to be fully engrossed in this storyline, it’s easy, it’s all right there in the Club. However, the Club isn’t advertised as some high-level fan club, it’s supposed to be an AIO community for kids. A Day in the Life wasn’t supposed to be some kind of multi-avenue saga, it was a one-and-done episode. A classic, yes, but not one to drag out like this. In principle, it’s not the content of the episodes, or the comic storyline, but the intent behind them. Adventures in Odyssey is not to be substituted through a comic strip, and the Club is not a means to shell out unnecessary fan service. If this trend of drawn out storylines continues, AIO may have a worse of future than intended. So ultimately, I give this episode Rating: 3 out of 5. because the episode itself was good, but the more profound implication was much worse. However, I do still recommend you give it a listen, and I’ll even say you should read the latest comic series because it is well-put together. For AIO Writer’s Block, I’m Donald Treply. Thank you!

From AIO Writer's Block • 2 months ago

The Avery Awards

In this post, I’ll be listing every single episode of the Avery Awards. The Avery Awards, one of my favorite parts of the Official Adventures in Odyssey Podcast, are now very hard to find with the redesign of the Official Site. In this post I’ll be giving two links for each episode. The link on the episode number will go to the episode’s respective AIOWiki page and the link in the album distinction will go to the episode’s page on the official site. I hope this post helps anyone who is trying to find any episode of the Avery Awards. Currently (as of September 30, 2023), I have collected every single Avery Award episode onto this page. I am planning to eventually further improve this page by finding the missing episode number for the Albums 71 and 72 Avery Awards and by writing down the history of the Avery Awards. So, keep checking back on this page to see my progress. Epsiode 443: Albums 73 and 74 Avery Awards September 20, 2023: Buckle up – in more ways than one! It’s time for the Album 73 and 74 Avery Awards, where the winners of Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Sound Design, Best Script, Best Scene, and Best Episode will finally be revealed…in dramatic fashion. Journey through the many rooms of Jesse’s new house as Bob announces all of the Avery Awards, with cameos from many Odyssey cast and crew members. It’s going to be a bumpy ride. Episode ???: Albums 71 and 72 Avery Awards September 2022: It’s time for the “Slippery Slope” and “The Long Road Home” Avery Awards! We’ll reveal the Actor, Actress, Sound Design, Script, Scene, Episode, and more that you, the listeners, voted as winners! Also this year, you’ll get a look behind the curtain of the REAL Adventures in Odyssey Headquarters that has long been kept secret from the public. Our hosts Bob and Jesse will be your tour guides. However, an accident may just change the course of this episode – and the very names of our hosts – forever! Episode 390: Albums 69 and 70 Avery Awards September 7, 2021: Reliving the glory of Avery Awards past, Bob and Jesse present the awards for Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Surprise, Best Sound Design, Best Script, and more… all while diving under the ocean and meeting an underwater scuba set launching Jesse into the Scub-all of Fame. You have to hear it to believe it! Episode 364: Albums 67 and 68 Avery Awards September 8, 2020: Bob and Jesse are trapped in the podcast studio and forced to reveal the winners of Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Scene, Best Sound Design, and the ultimate prize – Best Episode! Don’t miss this exciting podcast! Episode 338: Albums 65 and 66 Avery Awards September 10, 2019: Welcome the new and improved, super hip, super relatable, ultra rad, lit, on fleek, Dab, EPIIIIIIIC Avery Awards! We’ve got mail! And it’s the results from your votes on the Avery Awards for Odyssey Album 65: “Expect the Unexpected” and Album 66: “Trial by Fire!!!” And this year, we’ve taken it to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL! We’ve ditched the old style Avery Awards, and we’re doing this one like the kids do it! Episode 310: Albums 63 and 64 Avery Awards August 14, 2018: It’s a lovely day at the track and we got a lot of great contenders all vying for Avery Awards gold. And who knows? Maybe this year, one of our racers just might take home the legendary Avery Awards Triple Crown! Hear the competitors raced for “Best B-TV Sketch,” “Best Actor,” “Best Actress,” “Best Scene,” “Best Place Wooton and Penny Visited,” “Best Villain,” “Best Sound Design,” “Best Script,” and “Best Overall Episode.” Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who voted! Episode 283: Album 61 and 62 Avery Awards August 2, 2017: Bob and Jesse put on a New Time-y Radio play to hand out awards for two Adventures in Odyssey albums! Hear the winners for “Best Actress,” “Best Actor,” “Best Sound,” “Best Song,” “Best Scene,” “Best Comical Pair of Characters,” and “Best Overall Episode.” Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who voted! Episode 254: Album 59 and 60 Avery Awards June 22, 2016: Bob and Jesse hand out awards for two Adventures in Odyssey albums! Hear the winners for “Best Actor,” “Best Actress,” “Lesson Learned-est Moment,” “Best Host,” and “Best Overall Episode.” Be sure to listen for several surprise (and surprised!) guests. Thank you to everyone who voted! Episode 219: Album 58 Avery Awards February 17, 2015: This round of the Avery Awards takes place at Odi-con, an Odyssey fan convention. See the winners for “Best Actor,” “Best Actress,” “Best Scene,” “Best Sound Moment,” and “Best Overall Storyline.” Episode 187: Album 57 Avery Awards November 25, 2013: Bob and Jesse take a podcasting class and learn the bizarre methods of predicting the winners of the Avery Awards. Episode 166: Album 56 Avery Awards February 6, 2013: Bob and Jesse present the awards for Album 56: The Grand Design. The awards include: “Best Actress,” “Best Sound,” “Best Actor,” “Best Script,” “Best Scene,” and “Best Overall Episode”. Episode 150: Album 55 Avery Awards June 27, 2012: Hot on the heels of the historic 25th Anniversary Odyssey Live Show in Dallas, Jesse decides to broadcast a LIVE Avery Awards broadcast for Album 55. But all is not well when they arrive a protest of Adventures in Odyssey. Thank you to everyone who voted! Episode 142: Album 54 Avery Awards March 7, 2012: Bob and Jesse take a break from recording the podcast to relax on vacation…until they get an urgent call from Odyssey coordinator Evan Reedall. Episode 126: Album 53 Avery Awards July 27, 2011: Brock and Bob are on their way to the Avery Awards ceremony for the “Green Ring Conspiracy” when Jesse arrives with bad news — a plane has crashed into the awards venue. Episode 114: Album 52 Avery Awards February 9, 2011: Bob and Jesse host the Avery Awards, including awards for Best Sound Design, Best Script, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Episode! Plus, a few special surprise visitors. Thank you to everyone who voted! Episode 97: Album 51 Avery Awards June 16, 2010: Bob hosts the Avery Awards, including awards for Best Sound Design, Best Script, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Episode! Plus, a few special surprises. Thank you to everyone who voted! -Signed, Polehaus53

From Odyssey Obsessors • 2 months ago

Digging Through My Writings: Never Posted, Now Outdated

Greetings and salutations! I’ll be starting this post with my usual “oh, I’ve been busy but hopefully we’ll be posting more content more consistently in the coming weeks”. Hopefully that will become a reality soon. My excuse, although the same, still remains true. I have been pretty busy. A little too busy. Hopefully, instead of merely acknowledging the fact, I will do something about that. Hmm, there might be an Odyssey episode about that… “The ‘No’ Factor” and “Finish What You…” are ones that come to mind. Anyway, I was looking through one of my files filled with my various writings. I came across the section containing my various drafts/ideas for posts on this website and The Soda Shop Message Boards. It was then when I saw the following topic: Things I’d like to see happen in Odyssey. Pretty cool, right? You might be asking, “Why don’t you post it?” Well, that’s what this post is for. However, there’s a problem with my post. What’s the problem, you ask? First off, it’s not completely finished. Secondly, it is now outdated. What do I mean by that? Well, at the time I wrote the post, everything that I happened to write was reasonable. But looking back at it now, everything I wrote is irrelevant. But I’ll let you read it first before I say anything else. Here it is: Things I’d Like to See Happen in Odyssey (Started on January 6, 2022, around 9:40am) As we start 2022, I would like to give a list of some things that I hope will happen on Odyssey in the future. Who knows, maybe some of my wishes will come true this year or next year. Here I’ll give both general and specific things I had. Buck or Jules in the Imagination Station or Room of Consequence We have not yet seen. Apart from “The Ties That Bind, Part [?]”, where Jules mentions that she was going to check out the Imagination Station, we have not seen them use either one of Whit’s famous virtual reality devices. Proper Character Send-Offs Specifically, Edwin Blackgaard. I would actually rather have the AIO Team give each character a proper send-off before the actor dies. Jack and Joanne Allen are an excellent example of this. As are the Shepherd Family. I’m trusting that the AIO Team will do their best for Eugene. Giving closure to important characters in Odyssey is important. Renee In the Mainstream Renee D. Carter needs to step out of the AIO Club and into the real world. AIO Update wrote an excellent article a little while back about this subject called, “The Case of the Missing Carter”, so go check it out. It was hinted at/confirmed in Official Podcast December 2021 Team Q and A by Dave Arnold that Renee will appear outside the Club at some point. I believe that her becoming more central to the show and stepping into the role of Eugene is something that should be done. [Here it cuts off, as I never moved on to my next hope, nor wrote a conclusion] What Makes It Outdated There are a few reasons why this post is now outdated. For one, my first point about Buck or Jules going in Whits’ inventions isn’t entirely outdated. However, (and I’m going to avoid spoilers here) with the release of “The Best Is Yet to Come, Parts 1-4”, the logistics of this happening is a little more complicated.In the section for character send-offs, I meant to focus on the send-off for Edwin Blackgaard. I had planned to write a whole outline for an episode about his character’s send-off. However, with the death of Earl Boen this year, it is now not a realistic possibility or hope for my episode to be recorded.As for my wish that Renee Carter would appear in the actual albums, it is now pointless to write about because my wish has become a reality. Renee appeared in the episode “Renee Renewed” in album 74: Buckle Up! which released later last year. “Your point?”What’s the point of me going through this? Well, I think there are some lessons that can be learned by reading this. For one, that I shouldn’t leave things unfinished. I know for a fact that I meant to write multiple paragraphs about each of those points. However, I never got around to writing the rest of what I had intended to write. I probably thought whenever I did happen to see the unfinished post, “oh, I’ll get to it”. But it goes to show that things you didn’t plan for will happen. Because I waited, I missed out on the opportunity to make a fun post about the future of Odyssey. That’s not to say I still can’t. I definitely have things I still can write about. But for this post specifically, because the things I wrote about don’t have a likelihood of happening, the fun of hoping for those specific things in the future is now diminished. All because I did not finish it sooner. It is kind of disappointing. Why didn’t I post this right away? One factor is that my file of writing isn’t as organized as it should be. That made finding the post harder. So, I should have better organization for my writing. Also, like I mentioned in the beginning of this post, I have been busy. I need to manage my time better. Hopefully I can take these lessons and apply them to my future activities. Well, that’s all I have to say for now. Have you ever not posted something? Any suggestions for me? Feel free to leave a comment! Your feedback is always appreciated! -Signed, Polehaus53

From Odyssey Obsessors • 2 months ago

B-TV: Nostalgia

hello:) and welcome back to my little corner of the internet! In the world of Odyssey, B-TV is a TV channel that broadcasts only to the small town. Filmed in a tiny-studio ‘the size of an outhouse’ this channel is targeted towards the kids of Odyssey. Bernard Walton created B-TV to have a Biblical program suitable and enjoyable for kids. The B-TV episodes are formatted like a TV-program- a glimpse into entertainment enjoyed by the characters of Odyssey. It was hosted originally by Bernard Walton, and later on by Connie Kendall. It features many reoccurring characters like Whit, Eugene Meltsner, Edwin Blaggard, Walter Shakespear, Guy Feldstien, and Bryen Dern. And in addition, in an attempt to make it more relatable to it’s target audience, it also features many of the kids of Odyssey: Mandy Strausburg, Alex Jefferson, and Sarah Prachett. This show offers an opportunity for the aspiring actors of Odyssey, both young an old, to have experience with acting. These 14 episodes are all based around Biblical themes and topics: Grace, Envy, Compassion, and Thanks to name a few. Additionally, B-TV is mentioned and discussed in episodes I Want My B-TV (#298) and Nova Rising(#460). These fast-paced and funny episodes are packed full of pop-culture references that you might miss at first glance listen. The B-TV episodes aired periodically from episode B-TV: Envy (#317- aired June 3rd 1995) to B-TV: Idolatry (#869- aired August 1st 2019). These iconic episodes will come to the mind of every long-time Odyssey fan at any mention of Bernard, Christmas shopping at the mall, or being chased by a giant nose. As someone who grew up on albums 1-46, listening to these funny-if not cringey- episodes always brings laughter and good memories. I know this was a shorter post today, but I hope you enjoyed it! “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Let’s take a look at what it means to dwell on these things.” -Philippians 4:8 ~The Perilous Pen~

From Perilous Pen • 2 months ago

Editorial 58: Things Not Heard

Why am I so passionate about Focus on the Family Radio Theatre's return? Because it's amazing. Allow me to elaborate on that in my latest opinion piece, Things Not Heard. In this editorial I talk about my experience growing up with Odyssey and Radio Theatre, and why we need them to continue for the next generation. After you read Editorial 58, you can check out the fan campaign to bring back Radio Theatre. Ten years is too long to wait for new productions. The team that creates Radio Theatre wants to create more, but they need our support. Find out how you can help with the Radio Theatre Postcard Campaign.

From AIO Update • 2 months ago

Your Guide to ‘The Odyssey Jokester’

hello:) and welcome to my little corner of the internet. Over the years many beloved ‘jokesters’ and ‘pranksters’ have come and gone. It can be hard to to keep track of them all, so here is your comprehensive guide. The Easygoing Comic Relief These beloved characters are often the funniest personalities that bright comic-relief to any serious or intense moment. Bernard Walton (#106-#722)(additionally #969) -With his sarcastic comments and dry wit, Bernard is one of the oldest characters that has brought smiles and iconic quotes since 1990. My favorite episodes with Bernard are his retelling of Bible stories (Bernard and Esther #165&#166, Bernard and Job #399, Bernard #541, and Bernard and Jeremiah #601). Some iconic quotes include: “Well, paint me with three eyes and call me Picasso!” “Well, pin a tail on me and call me a donkey.” “Stuff me with spinach and call me a souffle.’ “Well, stuff me with feathers and call me a pillow!” “Well scratch my ears and call me sparky.” “Well, smack me with a stick and call me a pinata.” “Well, stick me with needles and call me a pin cushion.” “Well, cover me in rust and call me a pickup.” Wooton Bassett (#472-#954)- Statistics (that I don’t currently have but just imagine I put them here) show that Wooton Bassett is the overall favorite character in Odyssey. This is no ordinary mailman/comic-book artist. His fun-loving attitude, attraction to adventure, and all his ‘Wooton-ing around’ makes in appealing to listeners of all ages. He is by far the most quoted character in my friend-group. Some of his memorable quotes include: “February is my seventh favorite month!” I’ve got 560 box tops in my cupboard! I’m saving up for a yacht!” “Sorry, I was having a Bassett orange level crisis.” “Hey, would it cheer you up if I showed you how I can fit a pair of tongs up my nose?” “Wow, you look lower than my stock in powdered meat!” Hadley Bassett (#752-#764)- Wooton’s mischievous cousin Hadley only appears for a short time but brings with him to small amount of chaos. There isn’t much to say about him, but anywhere Hadley goes, humorous chaos follows. Hadley Bassett: “This is an amazing computer room. It reminds me of the one in Captain Absolutely!”Wooton Bassett: “Oh, yeah, this was the inspiration!”Hadley Bassett: “And I’m standing right in the middle of it. Can I take a picture?”Eugene Meltsner: “If you must.”Hadley Bassett: “Great! I’d like that one over there, of Whit with the President. It’s got a cool frame!”Eugene Meltsner: “You’re very literal-minded, aren’t you?”Hadley Bassett: “I’ve always thought of myself as a conservative…” Jimmy Barclay (#31-#639)- (I have to admit, Jimmy is probably my favorite character on this list, next to Wooton of course.) Jimmy is the youngest son of the Barclay Family- one of the longest running families in Odyssey. He is imaginative, creative, and sarcastic. As his family goes through difficult circumstances and trying times, Jimmy brings comedic relief and sarcastic and hilarious quotes. He is written to be relatable to young children, but is often found relatable to people of all ages. Jimmy Barclay: “All that excitement for a piece of tire rubber. Anyway, we drove for a little while and then stopped at one of those diner kind of restaurants where all the waitresses call you “honey” and look just like my Great-Grandma Benson right before she died.” The Prankster Curt Stevens (#103-#639)- Like many school bullies, Curt had a rough home life (#150-Home is Where the Hurt Is) and copes by teasing and pranking others. Pranks for the Memories (#120) is one of the funniest episodes of old odyssey, and a classic. Curt is best-frienamies with Lucy Cunningham-Shultz throughout middle-school and appears in the touching reunion of og-Odyssey kids in The Triangled Web (#638&#639) Curt Stevens: “It’s like.. like salt on a potato chip. It gives the speech flavor to… taste good.Lucy Cunningham-Schultz: You’re making this up!”Curt Stevens: “I’m not! Ask any politician. Potato chips always taste better with salt on them.” Jay Smouse (#659-#972)- The new-Odyssey replacement for Curt, Jay brings humorous quips, and chaotic mischief to any and every event. As much as he tries to be a ‘super-macho-tough-guy’ Jay’s small stature, obsession with himself (and Elvis), and lack of common sense leads him to be a not-so-intimidating bully. Jay is best known for his love of Elvis, and his failed pro-acting career. “But no time to talk. I’ve got to buy a life insurance policy, return a bike, and go get grounded. Probably for eternity. Au revoir-voir!” “Hey wait a minute, I didn’t do anything wrong this time, I admitted I fell asleep! hahaha, Good for me.” “Anyways, to put it in a little Spanish lingo: I’m donerito!” “I’d love to stay and chat, but that would keep me from, uh, leaving.” Jason Whittaker: “It’s an area we used to tell stories about—you know, ghosts and monsters and those kinds of things? I’m sure you and your friends have a place like that.”Jay Smouse: “Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, but we call it the school lunchroom.” Jay Smouse: “I just overheard the worst news.”Olivia Parker: “Like what?”Jay Smouse: “Well, it started when Katrina came in and Eugene called her his Little Buttercup – seriously….” Jay Smouse: “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Barrett. Skinny as a carrot, mangy like a ferret.”Barrett Jones: “Huh? Oh. Hi, Jay.” (There are too many great Jay quotes to write… Maybe it should be it’s own post. Feel free to comment your favorites!!) The Funniest Episodes (In my not-so-humble-opinion) part 1 The Other Side of the Glass pts. 1-3 (#616-#618)- This parody of the mystery show Psych is a family favorite and is definitely the funniest trilogy in Adventures in Odyssey. (Includes both Wooton Bassatt and Bernard Walton). Wooton Bassett: “I love what you’ve done with the place; it looks like just a regular meeting room in a basement!”Mr. Henderson: “That’s because it is just a meeting room in a basement.” Do-it Or Diet (#513)- In this episode, Connie searches for God’s will for her. In an attempt to try physical fitness as a career, Connie puts Whit, Bernard, and Wooton on a diet and exercise plan-against their wishes. Bernard Walton: “Okay… here it is… chocolate gold. “ Wooton Bassett: “It’s a little squashed. Bernard Walton: I was practically running a marathon with it.” Wooton Bassett: “Yeah, and it’s… it’s sweaty.” Bernard Walton: “Yeah, salt adds flavor.” Wooton Bassett: “Well, there’s gravel in it.” Bernard Walton: “I dropped it once! Or, maybe twice.” Wooton Bassett: “Oh, that explains the shoe print.” This post is long enough, so maybe I will write a part two… Let me know what you think of this type of post! “He will yet fill your mouth with laughter    and your lips with shouts of joy.” -Job 8:21 ~The Perilous Pen~

From Perilous Pen • 2 months ago

Between You and Me

hello! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet:) While Adventures in Odyssey is radio show marketed towards children; it’s notoriously loved by teenagers and young adults. The show has many loveable things to offer: nostalgia, humor, and lessons that continue to hold valuable truths throughout life. The ‘teenage years’ are known for being long, challenging, and confusing; and this ‘dream’ has not passed me up. In the past several years I have dealt with many struggles, such as time management, overwhelming anxiety, intense depression, and codependency issues. I’ve found comfort, peace, and healing in many forms. This post is not “how to fix your mental health issues” instructions, but instead a display of things that have helped me. God is a God of peace, and only He brings true healing. But He can show you His comfort in many forms. I’ve found solace and advice in music, books, therapy, exercise, helpful conversations, and (funnily enough) Adventures in Odyssey episodes (see? I am finally getting to the point). If I wrote one post about every episode that has changed me and helped me to become the person and Christian that I am today then it would be pages long and probably not very fun to read. So in this post I will only write about one. When consuming media, I typically latch onto a fictional character that I find extremely relatable. AIO has many characters that I relate to and can see myself reflected in (which is a staple of a good show). As I’ve grown up I’ve seen myself in several characters (Aubrey, Alex, Mandy, Jay, etc.) but recently I have really attached myself to our beloved Connie Kendall. Between You and Me (#503) Official Summary: “Connie wonders if she’s spending too much time with Robert Mitchell. Then he gets an offer from the FBI … to move to Virginia.” (aio wiki) In this episode Connie and Mitch spend lots of time together, so much time that they neglect their other responsibilities and friends. When struggles occur, Connie realizes she has neglected the only people and things she used to rely on. This episode shows an increasingly common struggle, codependency issues (an unhealthy dependence on relationships-mental health america). This episode really ‘hits home’ for me. I’ve struggled with hyper-fixating on something, or someone, to the point that I don’t know what to do without it. This issue is brought up in the Bible as ‘putting something before God’. Your priorities, even if they’re good, can be damaging if your relationship with God is not #1. I don’t have an ‘one-size-fits-all-answer’ and I don’t truly don’t believe there is one. I think this episode brings up a common issue and the depth of it’s consequences. Recently I have acknowledged the fact that I struggle with it and I’ve been working to improve. I couldn’t do it alone. I constantly rely on God, my sister, and my friends. I truly cannot express the positive impact I’ve received when I asked for the prayers of my boyfriend and other close friends. If nothing else, I hope this post showed hope. Hope for my future, and hope that your struggles are not the end of the world. My intention for this post is to bring you comfort, peace, and for you to see that you are not alone. The Evil One lies, and constantly tries to isolate us. You are truly not alone. I hope this is a reminder of the comfort and peace that God will bring you if you ask. Mark 11: 24-25 “24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” ~The Perilous Pen~

From Perilous Pen • 2 months ago

why don’t you see for yourself when you join us on our next…

hello! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet:) why I was gone I’m back! (If you couldn’t tell). I stopped posting for a while for several reasons. I got super busy, I got overwhelmed and didn’t have much time, and to be honest I really lost all my creative juices for this project. It seems that every other post is a “heyyy I’m backkkkk” so no matter what happens, this will hopefully be the last one. I won’t have a regular posting schedule but I will hopefully pop-in whenever I find inspiration. what to expect in the future While I enjoy the new episodes, and I have many ideas, theories, and hopes for the future of Odyssey, I’ve realized that the theory and argument posts tend to take a lot more out of me than I can offer to this site right now. I have posted several different types of content on here in the past, and a couple were memorably enjoyable to write. I am not making this site to argue my beliefs, gain followers, or even practice my writing skills. When I was first familiarizing myself with the internet I found a couple AIO blogs that I reallyy enjoyed, and they inspired me to create my own. It made me feel connected, and I loved having a community of people who all enjoyed this show. I hope my site will be a place that die-hard AIO fans can come to nerd out and have fun. I hope to spend time working on my posts and produce high-quality fan content. And I hope to bring a smile to your face and encourage you. So… What’s next? In the future I see myself writing more posts about overall themes in Odyssey, and about my perspective and recommendations. “Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (Num. 6:23b–26). ~The Perilous Pen~ I hope you enjoy my site and content. I would love to hear any recommendations or feedback! DISCLAIMER: The images I use or post are NOT MINE. I typically find them on Pinterest. I would love to give credit (if it’s not in the image). If there is a image I use, and you know who to credit, please let me know via comment or PM.

From Perilous Pen • September 14, 2023

Odyssey Nostalgia

Hey everyone:) Welcome back to my little corner of the internet! If you’re familiar with my site, you’ll know that I am a longtime Adventures in Odyssey fan. Sometimes when I’m feeling blue, I’ll turn to my longtime favorite episodes for familiar and comforting nostalgia. NovaCom- One of my earlier memories is my parents getting home from a long trip to Colorado Springs Colorado, bringing with them the gift of the NovaCom Saga. This 28-part series tells the story of a mysterious new company in Odyssey, and how the folks of Odyssey handle grief, deception, and spiritual warfare. I’ve listened to these episodes countless times by now and I always find something new and exciting in them. Mandy’s Debut (#448)- These two plays done by Mandy always intrigued me (a die-hard theatre kid). I loved these comical plays that always made me smile, and see my interests played out. Potlucks & Poetry (#447)- While it may just be the Shepard family, this episode brings back to me many good memories of car rides and late nights with my sister. This episode is full of humorous lines, that I still quote with my friends. (“Red light means stop, green light means go, …”) Personally, the Christmas season has always held a special place in my heart. I have many traditions like shopping with my dad, singing with my siblings, writing letters to my best friend, and long walks. Like Christmas music, Merry Larry, or the smell of peppermint tea and cinnamon rolls, the AIO Christmas episodes always bring me a deep sense of comfort and nostalgia. Recently I have come to enjoy Grandma’s Christmas Visit (#678) and Un-tech the Halls (#800), but in my opinion nothing can beat the memorable episodes of The Star pts. 1 and 2 (#176 and #177), and A Time for Christmas. There are so many more that I would love to talk about or recommend! Stick around if you’d enjoy a part 2. Thanks for reading! Go spend some time with family and friends. Make those memories to look back joyfully upon. ~The Perilous Pen~

From Perilous Pen • September 12, 2023

Take Every Thought Captive – A Brief Review

I’m back. And I’m really tired because this month has been insane. But I survived, somehow… Anyway, I listened to this episode a few days ago for the first time in a long time. I believe it was only the second time I had heard the episode. So I was a little surprised for reasons I’ll get into. First off, what in the world, Valerie, telling your followers to go and bully someone? Idk, I don’t have much experience with social media, but I feel like she was blatant to the point where she should probably get in trouble with site admins. But then again, I don’t know anything about social media, so perhaps this happens in real life too. Hmm. The other really notable point about this episode is the references to Valerie’s apparent past belief in God, when she was a kid, to quote her. I would really love to hear more about this. How did her faith journey begin? Was it related to Whit’s End and Whit’s inventions? That’s sort of the impression I got when Valerie was complaining about the inventions being for when she was a kid. Quite interesting! Was Valerie just another face in the crowd of the early albums? Growing up in that environment and then drifting as she got older? It made me think about what could really plant lies into a person’s head. Going back to the passage that the title was pulled from, 2 Corinthians 10, Paul writes about how Christians should keep in mind that they are not waging war “according to the flesh” and that our weapons are made of divine power. "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete." - 2 Corinthians 10:5-6 (I may or may not be obsessed due to studying the book of 2 Corinthians this summer) Valerie’s lies were certainly not physical, tangible foes. This brings up an interesting point. How can something intangible be so harmful? What causes these lies to form? Loss of the truth? If that’s true, that’s a bit of a scary thought. Could we really have such lies floating around in our heads, affecting so much of our lives and actions, just because we are lax in our “training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16)? hm. I wonder if we have an unconscious lies. However, we always have the tools to combat them. Well, this devolved into a philosophy discussion. Back to the episode. The third thing that surprised me was the ending and the continuity. At the end, Valerie did seem shaken and willing to make a change. However, as we know, this adventure did not seem to change her from her ways. As we see in later episodes. I normally would peg this as one of the disadvantages of the Club episodes, but now that I think about it, could it be looked at from another angle? Yeah, people can go through events such as Valerie’s adventure that shake them. Make them look at things from a different perspective. But it’s not a guarantee that the person will change their ways. That’s up to them. It’s a conscious choice they will have to make. I suppose Valerie did not make that change, or perhaps she did at first, and then once she got her phone back, everything slipped back to her lie-run normal. Hm. Why am I being so philosophical today… I’m in a mood tbh. So yeah. Sorry for that weird review. Maybe I’ll be back later.

From Odyssey Obsessors • August 31, 2023

Editorial 57: A Little Guidance, Please

What was the punchline to Officer O'Ryan's joke? Who played the Goat-man? And how did the episode recordings of Malachi's Message almost get lost forever? All these questions and more are answered in the Official Guide. The guide is an amazing book with many behind-the-scenes details, including stories that you can't find anywhere else. In this latest editorial, we discuss ten secrets included in the Official Guide that will make you love and appreciate Adventures in Odyssey even more than you already do. If you don't own the guide, you probably won't know most of these, and maybe it will inspire you to get the Official Guide for yourself. And if it's been a while since you read the guide, you might have forgotten some of these fun facts. Check out Editorial 57 and then add your thoughts and reactions to the comments section.

From AIO Update • August 23, 2023

Odyssey’s Best Dinner Scenes

Greetings and salutations. I have returned. I was pretty busy but now am back and ready to get back to posting, hopefully more consistently. So, what am I discussing in this post? Well, I’m discussing dinnertime. What about dinner? Not the food that is eaten (perhaps I’ll make a post about Odyssey food moments in the future), but the interactions that happen at dinner. Whether it is having casual conversation or playing card/board games during it, eating dinner with others is something that I enjoy doing. Some of the best interactions you have with fellow humans are when you have a meal with them. This proves to be true not only in the real world, but also in media. Oftentimes mealtime is an activity which plays an important part in the plot of a story. During a dinner table scene, you get to see how the characters interact with each other. These interactions become quite memorable, whether because they reveal pertinent information or because they are plain funny. It is a time where you can get to know the characters better. There have been a lot of Adventures in Odyssey scenes which take place at the dinner table. In this post, I’ll be listing my personal favorite dinner scenes. They’ll be in no particular order (aside from chronological), because I’m having difficulty ranking them. I might update this post to include other ones. Family Values In this scene we see the Rathbone family eating dinner together in the dining room―a concept Doris and Rodney are unfamiliar with. It’s a drastic change from having always eaten in front of the TV. Their motive is shown here: they want to win the Family of the Year contest, so they are willing to try this out. There are also some hilarious moments here, from the reactions to the classical music, to Rodney not knowing what a napkin is, to the giant mess made by Rodney accidentally pulling out the tablecloth. There was a great enactment of this scene done for the Act Like Odyssey contest some years ago. Relatively Annoying This scene shows Alex Jefferson and his grandparents having dinner. Alex is attempting to appease his grandparents but his efforts go unnoticed due to their lively conversation. Or could it even be considered conversation? Neither of them listen to each other: Grandpa Jefferson complains about food, saying they can get their stomachs pumped. Grandma Jefferson talks about people she knows having medical issues. Grandpa’s complaints about the food are hilarious. “There’s a toenail in my ketchup!” The whole scene is good because it not only sets up the rest of the plot (with Grandpa’s “old gang” and George being established) but also calls back to what was previously established: the ketchup that’s homemade by stomping on tomatoes. That’s what makes the toenail line (and all of Grandpa’s other comments) so funny. It also shows the personalities of Alex’s grandparents. Overall, a great scene which I have listened to multiple times. My Favorite Thing This whole episode is basically a dinner scene. We have the setting of a fancy restaurant and each character has their own motive: Ed is trying to make it a special birthday dinner for Elaine, Marvin is trying to finish a school assignment, Bart and Doris are trying to get free food, and Tamika is… uh, trying to save lobsters (I could examine some of the issues I have with this episode, but that’s another post for another time). We get to see the Washington family interact with Bart and Doris Rathbone and the people in the restaurant. There are some fun moments with Doris almost swallowing an earring, Marvin interviewing people, and everyone being kicked out of the restaurant. This is a very fun episode featuring a memorable dinner. Happy Hunting The scene with Connie, Whit, Wooton, and Penny sitting down for dinner to eat Wooton’s cooked salmon is extremely short (just a little under a minute and a half), but extremely memorable. Penny, in her search for happiness, has decided to eat Omega-3 which is said to increase happiness which is said to be in salmon. This scene shows how it backfires when Penny discovers that she is allergic to salmon. Her face starts to swell up as a result. The main thing that makes this scene so memorable is the line that Wooton gives when everyone starts to panic over Penny’s face: “Where did her eyes go? Find her eyes!!” It’s pretty funny. Nathan Hoobler writes in The Official Guide that this line brought recording to a standstill because everyone in the studio was laughing so hard. I also laughed pretty hard when I first heard this scene. Not only do we have some fun lines (including one about Paris, Arkansas, which I’d like to visit), but I just like the way the scene begins: with four friends sitting together and having a meal. It is through this simple act and scene that the plot is able to continue: Penny takes the next step in her search for happiness. It is one of the pivotal events which brings her to the conclusion that it is only through God that she can find true happiness. Something she wouldn’t have realized without the dinner scene. Un-Tech the Halls Ah, yes, the Parker family using technology during dinner in the second scene of this 800th episode. I love this one. What makes it even better is that the scene before it, is a scene where Eva is trying to get everyone to the dinner table. It’s like a pre-dinner scene which sets up the actual scene perfectly. Eva scolds everyone for letting the food get cold and for the gadget usage in the house. Her point is further proven with David still watching the game on his phone and Grandma Lucia posting on social media. Very well done. The lines about Lucia’s posts (“I already have fourteen likes on my last post!” “Well, I would like it if you came inside so we can eat!”) and David realizing he’s contributing to the problem are hilarious! We not only have some fun moments, but it is from this scene that the plot of the episode is driven. Without the dinner, we wouldn’t have the additionally funny moments in the rest of the episode. Dinner Roll Models Another Parker family episode, but this one is quite different from the previous. Matters more serious than technology at the dinner table are going on in this episode: Wooton and Penny are there to have premarital counseling, and the Parker kids are trying to be a good example to Buck Oliver. Like “Un-Tech the Halls”, this episode also has an opening scene which sets the tone for the dinner scene: The Parkers eating breakfast and discussing dinner that evening. A lot of fun things go on during breakfast, but let’s focus on the actual dinner scene. So many great things about it. It sets up further conversation with Wooton and Penny. Camilla’s line about not sharing sweaters is hilarious because it perfectly references the scene at breakfast. The vague, cryptic comments that Wooton (and Buck) give about their pasts that Parkers don’t know how to respond to were funny. The awkward silences are spot on. The part with Camilla and Olivia spilling the ice water all over Wooton is great. The ending lines, with Olivia saying to Buck that “it’s usually not like this!” was perfect. Well, those are some of my favorite dinner scenes. They are quite memorable. It is at dinner where you can get to know the characters. These scenes set up things that can be important later.Like I said, the same goes to real life, not only in fictional media. After listening to these scenes, I now feel like I want to be more intentional about eating with others. I enjoy eating meals with people I know, but if I’m honest I really don’t think about how important a factor it is in building relationships with them. I started reading a book called If I Had Lunch with C.S. Lewis by Alister McGrath. He writes that asking someone to eat a meal isn’t merely suggesting to eat food, but a request to get to know them better through the conversation. It is the conversation had over the food that brings us together. This is something that I have been thinking about recently. I think it’s something quite true. I hope that as the years go by, I try to be more intentional about eating with the people in my life to build those relationships. Who knows, maybe I’ll create some fun memories, such as the ones in the Odyssey episodes I’ve just discussed! Well, those were some of my favorite dinner scenes in Odyssey. What about you? Are there any meal scenes that you like? Any you’d add on to my list? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to leave a comment! -Signed, Polehaus53

From Odyssey Obsessors • August 23, 2023

Thoughts on The Best is Yet to Come? | Audio Update

From Adventures in Opinions • August 15, 2023

July 2023 Inventory - 1,825 Items

Busy summer. Adding dozens of new items to the museum

From Odyssey Fan • July 28, 2023

“Two’s Company, Four’s a Crowd” – A Brief Review

Welcome back. It’s been a minute since I’ve done an episode review. *insert nervous laughter* Spoiler Warning for Album 75!!! Without further ado, my thoughts on “Two’s Company, Four’s a Crowd.” I honestly wasn’t really looking forward to this one. Another yawn episode in the Rydell saga that I have been pretty much burned out on. However, I didn’t have too many problems with “Value in the Process” so I was a little more hopeful for this one. Now that I think about it, the title should have given me a clue, but I was pleasantly surprised that the episode touched a lot more on the theme of friendship than I anticipated. Yeah. It wasn’t really all about the mystery, as I had expected (or, come to expect, is more like it. Just think about “Further From the Truth” or “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”). And to me, this is a good thing! As I said, I’m a little burned out on Rydell mystery episodes :P. So we FINALLY get to the root of the problem: Whit knew about the escape room. We FINALLY get that conversation. Are we all happy now? I’m kind of underwhelmed at this point. What else did we expect? Isn’t this what we all wanted to happen? And now it happened. Enough said. Anyway, on to the mystery. The first thing that stood out to me was, why didn’t Morrie go along to solve this? But as soon as I thought that, I thought, honestly, I’m done speculating about him, so let’s just ignore that fact. (this turned out to be a good decision, I think.) I found the Suzu-Emily differing commentaries on Kari’s (Carrie? idk why my first thought was with a K…) room hilarious. Suzu trying to butter her up and Emily just being like “She’s weird.” This was indeed a weird mystery. Towards the climax, I did get a bit confused when Suzu kept referencing Emily’s feelings towards Suzu. I assume that means dislike, but she was being extremely vague. Skipping ahead to the Whit quote that made me laugh: “I say a lot of things.” Okay, I know there has been pushback about Emily befriending the Rydells. And it’s all well-reasoned. I agree that they hurt Emily. However, I feel like I heard some say that she had every reason not to want to be friends with them. And I agree that there is one way that this makes sense: I probably wouldn’t want to be close friends with them if I were in Emily’s shoes. But I think this episode brought up a good point regarding this. Yes, Emily was hurt by them. Yes, she probably shouldn’t be super close friends with them. BUT… Those reasons are not excuses for ignoring the Rydells. I’m thinking of Matthew 5. Love your enemies. Verse 46-47 always hits me hard: For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? This is in no way saying that Emily has to become a doormat for the Rydells, or even become their close friends. But simply to love them. She has struggled with this, and this episode showed her taking a step in the right direction. Now, back to friendship. Emily takes the step in the right direction by standing up for Suzu, but it’s interesting how Suzu translates that into friendship so quickly. Hmm. I don’t know what to say about that. Simply standing up for someone does communicate some level of concern from one person, but is that enough to make a friendship? Probably not at this point. No doubt Suzu would fawn all over Emily like she did with Kari, but Emily would be slow to trust. Understandable. And then the ending made me kind of snicker: “It’s been a long time coming.” Hmm. In more ways that one, I would say. I was a little surprised that this was an Abigail Geiger episode. Hm, so was the previous episode, now that I think about it. The Bottom Line… It was a pretty decent episode, I would say! I did like the mystery because it was different than the usual Jones/Rydell situation. I was talking with Polehaus53 and he kind of wished that the motivations of Kari and Nicole had been discussed a bit more, and I kind of agree – that was an interesting dynamic, but not really the focus of the episode. Perhaps we will see them in future episodes (but probably not). Anyway, I’m feeling a bit better about the Rydell Saga these days, but where will it go from here? Until next time…

From Odyssey Obsessors • July 25, 2023

Save Radio Drama with Postcards

We've moved to the next stage in our campaign to save Focus on the Family Radio Theatre. As you may or may not be aware, the same team that brought us Adventures in Odyssey has created award-winning classic audio dramas under the Radio Theatre brand. These include titles such as The Chronicles of Narnia, Ben-Hur, Anne of Green Gables, Bonhoeffer, The Secret Garden, the Father Gilbert Mysteries, and many, many more. Unfortunately, Radio Theatre has been out of production for several years. And so, fans have started a campaign to bring it back.This week we are starting the postcard campaign. We are asking fans to send in postcards to Focus on the Family's upper management, requesting that Radio Theatre enter production once again. We're hoping that if enough fans send in postcards, Focus will see the support and consider our request. Find out more and join the postcard campaign.

From AIO Update • July 17, 2023

Editorial 56: A Time for Children

It feels like it was just yesterday, but it's been seven years since Wooton and Penny got married. This month's editorial is all about them. Though Odyssey time works a little differently, a lot has changed in those seven years. Pastor Wilson Knox came to town, Tom Riley's farm passed into the care of his sister Rebecca, Mr. Skint came face to face with justice, Jillian Marshall arrived and was later revealed to be a government agent, Morrie Rydell's plans were revealed, Olivia went through her faith struggle, the Meltsners adopted Buck, Jason saved the world from the Chairman again, Buck and Jules officially started dating, and Renee Carter escaped the club.Despite Wooton temporarily losing his memory after the honeymoon, and a few other hiccups, Wooton and Penny's marriage seems to be going pretty well. And as fans, we're naturally looking ahead to the next stage in their relationship. Will they ever have kids? Would it be right for them as characters? Is it even possible on a long-running radio show like Odyssey? Check out our thoughts in Editorial 56: A Time for Children.

From AIO Update • July 12, 2023

Instant Posts will be Threads now

It’s simple. The fan creator community is changing. I’ve wanted to talk about it for some time now. I’ll be relaxing, listening to an episode of Odyssey, when a post idea will pop into my mind. But as badly as I want to write one, I lack the one thing I assume is the case for most Odyssey fan creators: time. Unfortunately, this is the reality, and a sure reason written fan content has appeared relatively sparsely over the past few months. Personally, I know that writing a sit-down post is not a viable option anymore. It’s not like I’m not active anymore; I constantly try to make short-form content through stories on Instagram (reviews, etc.). We got Twitter last year simply to share posts that arrived on this site. But as Twitter is not really considered an Odyssey hangout spot, unlike what I’m sure Threads will be. Considering all this, when Threads arrived, I hopped on the bandwagon. Do I think it’s suspicious privacy-wise? Probably. Might it just be a trend that’ll die after it gets over-featured? Perhaps. However: This is big enough and well-timed enough that I’m willing to use it as a new creative platform. So if you’re a creator, I say give Threads a chance. And if you’re a reader, I say the same thing. What are your thoughts? And instead of these comments, I’ll catch you on the latest thing. Ciao for now,Don

From AIO Writer's Block • July 9, 2023

How to Save Radio Theatre

It's time to take action. Focus on the Family Radio Theatre, which has produced classic audio dramas like The Chronicles of Narnia, Bonhoeffer, Oliver Twist, the Father Gilbert Mysteries, and many more, is no longer in production. No new dramas are being produced. This is a tragedy for all those who love good stories that are well-told. It's a tragedy for all those families who are looking for God-honoring content in an increasingly hostile world. FOTF Radio Theatre needs to be revived. Here's what you can do to help:​1. Sign the PetitionThe first thing you can do to show your support for Radio Theatre's revival is to sign the petition on change.org. Started by audio drama fan Thaddaeus McCandless, this petition calls on Focus on the Family to bring back Radio Theatre. It's currently over 300 signatures. The goal is to demonstrate that there is plenty of support out there for more Radio Theatre dramas. After you sign the petition, make sure to share it with your friends and family.2. Join the Postcard CampaignFans of Radio Theatre are starting a postcard campaign to help get more dramas made. We all know that sending a postcard or a letter will always be more effective than shooting off a quick email. The upper management at Focus on the Family is in charge of whether Radio Theatre gets made, so they're the ones we need to contact. Honestly, this is probably the most impactful thing you can do to bring back Radio Theatre. Find out how to join! 3. Write an EmailWhile you're waiting for your postcard to arrive at Focus on the Family, you can also fire off an email to ask that Radio Theatre productions continue. Maybe mention a few of your favorite dramas and ask that more get made soon. You can direct your emails to help@focusonthefamily.com 4. Buy Radio TheatreDid you know that Radio Theatre has produced a whopping total of 40 audio dramas? A great way to show your support for new Radio Theatre productions is to purchase these existing Radio Theatre dramas. The best place to do so is the Focus on the Family store. Focus gets the most money from these purchases than if you bought them from another store. You can get dramas on CD or digital download. What if you already have all of these dramas? You can get them as gifts for friends and family. The Chronicles of Narnia would make a great gift for a family with kids.5. PrayIf you believe in the mission of Focus on the Family Radio Theatre, then consider adding it to your ongoing prayer list. For myself, I'll be praying that the management at Focus make the decision to revive Radio Theatre, that the funding will be there to create these high quality productions, that fans will rally to support it, that new fans will fall in love with these stories, and that God will use it to touch the lives of countless people.6. Spread the WordAnd finally, spread the word. We have a chance to get Focus on the Family's attention and revive Radio Theatre. Tell your friends and family to get involved with signing the petition, sending a postcard, and writing an email. Share this post on your social media too. The more people that know about this, the better! You can download the PDF of a brochure we created to spread awareness. You can also use the hashtag #SaveRadioDrama online.​ Focus on the Family Radio Theatre remains the gold standard for high quality audio drama. It would be a great loss if these family-friendly dramas were forever discontinued. We need more quality Christian content in this world. Radio Theatre needs to be revived.​

From AIO Update • July 6, 2023

I’m WILT-ing! (#1)

Welcome back to the madhouse! This is something new I’m trying. Have I been active on AIO websites? Nope. Have I been listening to AIO? YES YES YES YES! And I do have thoughts on the things I have been listening to. Will I write long, in-depth posts on them? Probably not. And thus leads to… What I’m Listening To (WILT) (*not every single episode has been included for the sake of my sanity) The Novacom Saga As always when I listen to this saga, I find it a bit slow to start, but when it gets going, it gets going! I feel like this is such a golden saga that so many people have written about that I couldn’t really say anything unique about it. Thrilling as usual! Especially when we get to the Novaboxes. Usually, when I hear Novacom, I hear the rest of the Connie-Mitch arc as well. Is it just me who does this…? Idk, it’s always felt like an appropriate aftermath to me. All Things to All People I think this is one that the Randomizer gave me. This is the one about Seth Young and Aubrey Shepard’s attempts to convert Nick using the strange acronym “J.E.S.U.S.” I actually started a rant analyzing each step of the method and how some parts are good, and some parts not. Maybe I’ll turn that into a post. But anyway, the bottom line of this episode is really good: Be yourself, people aren’t case studies. This is one episode that definitely dives a bit deeper into the nuts and bolts of Christianity. A Friend in Need This Club episode got me thinking about friends who don’t share many common interests – oh, by the way, I’ve been listening to a lot of the friendship-themed episodes in Odyssey, because I’ve been thinking about friendship a lot this year. Anyway, this was an interesting one also because of Jay’s family dynamic, which is GREAT! I wish they would do more of the another-side-of-Jay episodes, but I suppose they don’t want to overdo it. I also really liked the other family dynamics, of Buck and Zoe. A great episode! Mile 151 Okay, this episode was a mix of cool and annoying. I was annoyed that Jay had to do community service. Seriously? I never thought that Jay would be one to get in trouble with the law. That sounds more like a Vance King/Rodney Rathbone path. The Jay I’ve come to know wouldn’t. But idk. That could be just me and my Jay gripes. I did really like the Mrs. Randolph appearance! I laughed so hard when I heard her singing “Old McDonald” in the background of her first scene. Especially when she started snorting like a pig. The Club’s “Snow” Saga I have a couple of gripes about this, but I think that overall, it was a good series. “The Snow Must Go On” was the best one in the series. It was an excellent Calhoun family episode and was a perfect setup for the rest! It was “Sew on And Snow Forth” that I really had problems with. Wilson and Whit were both acting kind of weird. And Delores just confused things with me wondering if she was related to Doris. I did like “Snow ‘Em Who’s Boss.” Haha I don’t have too much to say about it. All I can say is that this is one time where Wyatt wasn’t too annoying. Probably because his survival knowledge was actually applicable to the situation. Also, “Make Snow Mistake” felt a little anti-climactic. Idk. Maybe it was just me, but Jules getting injured was not high-stakes at all. Why? Because it was a Club episode. They can’t kill her off or paralyze her in there. I also didn’t really like the closing line (“I do need you like I need a hole in my head” paraphrasing…) It seems like they drew the conclusion for the whole entire series out of a random line that was just barely mentioned at the beginning of the episode. But I get it. And Buck and Jules were being a little bit immature. Buck especially. Really? A food fight? Ew. Well… Whew. There is a lot more that I’ve listened to since starting this post, but I’ll leave it at that. What have the rest of you been listening to?

From Odyssey Obsessors • July 2, 2023

Eugene’s Puzzles 2023

Greetings and salutations! Can you solve these perplexing puzzles? July 2023 Fill in the grid below so each row, column and colored shape includes the numbers 1 to 5. That means no repeats, either horizontally or vertically. If you think you have the answer, click on the puzzle. This second puzzle is even harder. Complete the grid so that each row, column and three-by-three colored box contains the numbers 1 to 9. When you finish the puzzle, click on the image to see the answer. Proverbs 3:13 says, “Happy is a man who finds wisdom.” These puzzles will get easier with practice, so try your best and have fun! June 2023 Complete the grid so each row and column contains every digit from 1 to 4. The number pairs in the shaded rectangles form simple equations. The total is shown in the top-left corner, along with the mathematical operation involved—addition +, subtraction –, multiplication x or division /. If you think you have the answer, click on the puzzle. Now try the bigger puzzle, using numbers 1 to 6. Again, you cannot use the same number twice in any row or column. When you finish the puzzle, click on the image to see the answer. May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 The post Eugene’s Puzzles 2023 appeared first on Focus on the Family.

From Clubhouse Magazine • June 22, 2023

Editorial 55: Virtual Dilemma

Renee Carter is now part of the mainstream albums. Previously, she had only appeared on episodes exclusive to the Adventures in Odyssey Club. With Album 74, Renee made her debut in the episode Renee Renewed. So we thought this would be a good opportunity to look back on Renee's club episodes and how her character has been featured so far. In this new editorial, we discuss an interesting trend we've noticed with Renee episodes. We talk about her virtual life, ethics, and how she could feature in future stories. Check out Editorial 55 and then add your thoughts to comments section below.

From AIO Update • June 17, 2023

Editorial 54: A Predicament of Comical Proportions

Have you been keeping up with the Elsewhere in Odyssey comic strips? You can read a free monthly comic strip on the official website. And if you're a member of the AIO Club, you also get access to weekly comics. If you've had a look at the comics, what do you think of them? What's your favorite one? There certainly have been a lot of interesting things happening in the comics, especially recently.In our latest editorial we talk about the various storylines that have been created in the Adventures in Odyssey comics so far, and speculate about what future comics could be created. Check out our thoughts in Editorial 54.

From AIO Update • May 30, 2023

Am I leaving the Odyssey community?

Hey guys! It’s been a while, and I come once again. Now for those who have read my short Odyssey articles, saw how it was frequent, then died out about two years ago. The reason for this is that I decided not to hyperfocus on Odyssey. I decided to focus on my family, friends, school, and now a Christian website for teens. The website is not fully published, but we will hopefully have a youtube channel and instagram one day. Does this mean that this is my farewell debut to the Odyssey community? No, it is not. I hope, but won’t promise, that I will get some content up in the summer. Hopefully if things work out I will have some videos and podcasts up as well. (I usually have lengthy converstations with my friends about Odyssey, and I hope to tape them so that you can enjoy our rambling, sarcasm, and imput on Odyssey.) So for now, this is just a notice that I am alive and doing well but busier than ever. This is Mel, signing off for now.

From Adventures Happening in Odyssey • April 28, 2023

Bernard returns to Odyssey, surprising residents with his new nose job

ODYSSEY, USA – After an extended absence from the town of Odyssey, longtime resident and window washer Bernard Walton returned. Friends and neighbors of Bernard threw a welcome home party for their friend at local ice cream parlor, Whit’s End. When Bernard came through the door of Whit’s End, many gasped at his new look. To the surprise of everyone present, Bernard had gotten a rhinoplasty, commonly referred to as a “nose job.” What once was a glorious nose that would put Pinocchio to shame was now a small, normal looking nose. Local professor and distant cousin of Bernard, Eugene Meltsner said” Mr. Walton! To borrow the colloquialism, I am stunned! What, praytell have you done to your proboscis?!” As Bernard prepared to respond, he was suddenly cuffed from behind by local Private Investigator Harlow Doyle. He said, “You are under arrest for impersonating Bernard Walton! You look like him in every way except for that nose. Come with me downtown.” Bernard responded, “Well steam me up and call me a teapot, I am Bernard!” The party guests looked on as Harlow dragged him out of the door.

From AIO Writer's Block • March 31, 2023

Better Than a 3-Foot Bunny

Dear B. Log, A lot of people think about chocolate bunnies—I know I do—and some even wonder what they have to do with Easter. But what I think about more are those little yellow marshmallow chicks. At least a chocolate bunny doesn’t really look like a bunny; otherwise I wouldn’t eat it. But those little yellow marshmallow chicks look real (shudder). Well, never mind, the main thing is that it’s almost Easter. Easter was always a big occasion at Bassett Manor. When my twin brother, Wellington, and I were kids, we thought Easter was just for hunting eggs and eating chocolate. Every year, Granddad would buy us each a 3-foot chocolate rabbit from the local chocolate-maker in Anchorage. The gumdrop eyes and licorice whiskers were my favorite part. I remember one special Easter when I was 10. Our butler, Bradford, had invited my whole family to a sunrise service. Everyone thought sunrise came too early. But I’d never been to church, and watching the sunrise sounded exciting. Besides, I liked Bradford. He always had time for me and told me amazing things about God. That Easter morning, I heard how God’s Son, Jesus, let himself be killed. Why? Apparently so I could be forgiven for the bad things I’d done. I remembered lying about who broke the toaster (me) and lying about who painted the marble floors lime green to match his slippers (yep, me again). So I asked Jesus for forgiveness. And then the preacher said Jesus rose from the dead, and we could live with Him forever! I thought, Anybody who’d do all that for me must love me a lot. So I wanted to ask Him to be my best friend, Lord and Savior. Bradford helped me to turn my thoughts into prayers, and I felt as if the world was all brand new. I was brand new. And I couldn’t wait to tell my family about Jesus. I was full of joy … until I got home. That’s when I discovered Wellington had eaten my 3-foot chocolate bunny—and his! He’d waited for me to leave, snuck downstairs and eaten 6 feet of rabbit. Was anything left? Only two chocolate ears, half a licorice whisker and one gumdrop eye, which hit the floor when Wellington jumped after I shouted, “Gotcha.” You can imagine what I wanted to do to my brother. But as I looked at the broken bunny pieces, I remembered how Jesus got hurt for my sins. After about five seconds, I wasn’t mad anymore. I forgave Wellington, even though he didn’t apologize. (But I could tell he was sorry by the way he groaned and held his tummy.) Anyway, I forgave my brother because I love him, which is exactly what Easter is all about. I was also glad it only took me five seconds to forgive Wellington, because five seconds is exactly how long you can let something sit on the floor and still eat it. (Well, not really, but back then I thought the five-second rule was for real.) Anyway, I scooped up those broken candy bits and ate them with a smile on my face and a bigger smile in my heart. (Thinking.) I wonder what that spy, Miss Ulily Mae Willow, is doing for Easter. The post Better Than a 3-Foot Bunny appeared first on Focus on the Family.

From Clubhouse Magazine • March 24, 2023

The Mom-Over

“Thank you for driving the girls, Olivia’s mom,” my mother said as I climbed into Mrs. Parker’s car before school. “No problem… Tori’s mom,” Mrs. Parker replied. Olivia and I stared at each other. “Does your mom know my mom’s name?” I whispered. Olivia shrugged. “Maybe she forgot.” I couldn’t believe it. Olivia and I were best friends. How could our mothers know nothing about each other?! “We have to fix this,” I said. Olivia agreed. “Let’s make nametags.” “Or,” I said, “we could organize a mom-over!” “A what?” “A moms-only sleepover. They can watch movies and have pillow fights. By breakfast, they’ll be best friends.” “I don’t think moms pillow-fight,” Olivia noted. I grinned. “There’s only one way to find out.” Olivia was correct: Moms do not pillow-fight. The slumber party started OK. Mrs. Parker, Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Grant arrived at my house, wearing their cutest pajamas. They ate veggie pizza. Olivia and I painted their nails. Then they watched television… in total silence. “What do moms talk about?” Olivia asked. “I don’t know—chore charts?” I said. “Maybe my dad has an idea.” Olivia and I went upstairs and knocked on my parents’ bedroom door. My father peeked out. “Dad, how do we get Mom to talk?” I asked. He laughed. “Track mud on the carpet.” “I’m serious!” I said, close to tears. “If Mom doesn’t talk, she won’t make friends. She’ll be ‘Tori’s mom’ for the rest of her life.” Dad gave me a hug. “It’s sweet that you’re worried, Tori. But your mother is a funny, interesting woman. She could make friends with a brick.” Suddenly, we heard music blasting downstairs. Followed by singing—well, sing-shouting. And lots of laughter. Olivia and I crept back to the living room. My mom had pulled out our old karaoke machine. She was howling a rock song alongside Olivia’s mom, while the other ladies cheered. “Way to go, Sumiko!” Mrs. Jones shouted. I felt warm all over. My mother had friends. I don’t know if the moms slept that night. They stayed up late, talking and giggling as they snuggled into their sleeping bags. At one point, a second sing-along erupted. Dad had to ask them to quiet down—which only led to more laughter. As I lay in bed, I thought about my mom’s new friends. They didn’t bond over pizza or pillow fights. All they needed was time to enjoy each other, to stop being moms (just for a second) and reveal the funny, interesting women they’d always been. Olivia sighed contentedly. “That was the best mom-over ever,” she whispered. A few minutes later, she sat up. “Hey, Tori, what’s your dad’s name?” The post The Mom-Over appeared first on Focus on the Family.

From Clubhouse Magazine • March 23, 2023

Why I Left AIO To Be a YouTuber

It seems every AIO content creator eventually burns out and suddenly stops posting their articles, podcasts, or videos. Sometimes they’ll even leave without a trace, with no acknowledgment (at least not through their AIO outlet) of their leaving. I wanted to at least acknowledge that I probably won’t be posting on Adventures in Opinions anymore, at least not nearly as much as I have in the past three years. Why? To be completely honest, I don’t know what started it all for sure. One of the big factors was my trip Europe in the summer of 2022. It’s crazy how that already feels like such a long time ago. And it was nine months ago that it started. Spending a few months away from my normal schedul

From Adventures in Opinions • March 2, 2023

Actually, Odyssey’s not in Ohio

NOT OHIO- Interviews with Focus on the Family revealed that Odyssey is not anywhere close to Ohio and that fans please stop associating them with that state. According to Odyssey mayor Hicks, “We no longer want our beautiful town to be connected with Ohioans any longer. While we are honored that outsiders would believe this way, we are respectfully distancing ourselves from any Ohio-related incidents.” Apparently Odyssey has been stateless for the longest time, and that clip from Family Portraits was just a blunder. In other news, Danville and Springfield’s mayors have also distanced themselves from any states with whom they have been associated.

From AIO Writer's Block • February 17, 2023

Connie Excited For Yet Another Valentine’s Day Spent Single

Odyssey, USA – Today resident ice cream shop employee Connie Kendall expressed her total joy over yet another Valentine’s Day spent single. On her show Candid Conversation with Connie on KYDS radio, she delved deep into her dating history. During this radio segment, she talked about her relationships with both Jeff Lewis and Robert Mitchell. She discussed how she is very happy with her single life and does not need anyone else to complete her. Witnesses however, noticed that a dark figure who looked uncannily like Phil Lollar passing Connie cue cards during the live recording session.

From AIO Writer's Block • February 15, 2023

U.S. Military Shoots Down Mystery “Object” Flying Over The Midwest

Today, the Department of Defense released a statement about a recent incident miles above the earth that had many civilians scared and bewildered. Spokesman Karl Stanley told a crowd of reporters “Although many details of this case are classified, I can tell you that our satellites picked up an unknown object flying above the earth. We perceived it to be a threat to national security and it was eliminated.”Many critics have spoken out against this use of force by the government as “unnecessary” and “excessive.” They wonder what was so dangerous about this object that necessitated such a reaction.Karl Stanley reassured his listeners that “the government is always looking out for the safety of the American people and you can always trust us because we are never unwise and we would never abuse power.

From AIO Writer's Block • February 11, 2023

Dave Ramsey Revealed To Have Sponsored The Episode “A Little Credit, Please”

NASHVILLE, TN – Today on The Ramsey Show, host Dave Ramsey revealed a partnership he had with Christian ministry Focus on the Family. Back in 1995, Ramsey joined hands with writer and director Paul McCusker to craft an episode that would teach children about the dangers of credit cards while they were young. Ramsey said “I have the ear of many adults for financial advice, but I wanted to reach some children with my important message. Thanks to this episode, millions of children learned about this very important topic. I hope Connie’s example sufficiently scared them away from the idea of ever using credit cards.” A recent study conducted by the Campbell County Community College revealed that children who grew up listening to Adventures in Odyssey were 74% less likely to own credit cards than their non-listening counterparts. Dave Ramsey is proud of his accomplishment and hopes to roll out new content for children that will scare them away from credit cards in the near future.

From AIO Writer's Block • February 8, 2023