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iPope

Hello oddblog viewer, We want to share the following video with you: Video description: The Pope in the newest iPod commercial. Wait for the good part...

Rumor is...

...that this:

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will be a postage stamp for the USA in the near future. I (Orin) do not know this for a fact, it was just one of the images in an email forward I got today.

What do folks think about this mosaic of images? It's a little bit like this painting, which we've already talked about a bit.

Reactions? Praise? Pious indignation? Indifference?

Chris Padgett on Mexican Restauants

Click here for a short film starring Chris Padgett. We all had a lot of fun at the Jefferson City, MO Junior High Youth Rally this weekend. Then we went out to eat.

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Here's what Oddwalk looked like from Chris' perspective.
(Don't bother clicking it; it won't get any bigger...)

Alleluia!

On Friday, Oddwalk had the privilege of doing concert for the K-8 students of St. Clare School in O'Fallon, IL. Our show had an Easter theme and the students were definitely ready to rejoice. In addition to many of the songs we normally play, we dusted off and revised "Hope At the Crossroads", a song from Shannon's first CD.

The show went really well. Oddwalk was especially impressed with the great spirit and respectful behavior of the students at the school. This is saying a lot given the fact that it was the last hour of the day on the last day of the week in the spring. Try and remember how restless you would have been (or were). The students were outstanding.

Thanks to Diane Overmann, Ken Pajares, and all of the staff and faculty at St. Clare for making it a wonderful afternoon.

Fastest guestbook signing ever

Less than one hour after leaving our Easter Event at St. Clare School in O'Fallon, Illinois, Oddwalk was pleased to see this:

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First Name : ellie
URL :
Comment : i saw you guys at st. clare school 4-21-06

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Way cool.

Wednesday Night Surprise

While we patiently wait for the full commercial to be digitzed and uploaded to the internet by someone (please, anyone), for now, we hope you enjoy this poorly-photographed stillshot. The ad is, really, for a Sony Cybershot camera. We're not entirely sure what a ghostly, glowing, "Glenda the Good Witch-esque" princess/rock-star with a keytar has to do with with digital photography, but, well, there it is. We first saw it on Wednesday night's "Daily Show with Jon Stewart."

What is most important about this historic television moment, is that the keytar is not just any keytar, nor is it any *red* keytar; no, it is, once again, exactly the keytar Orin uses with Oddwalk and the one Shannon had as his own growing up.

The lesson learned, hopefully, by the people who used to think Orin was unduly strange, is that perhaps it was their perspective that was skewed, not Orin's reality.

Oh yeah?

My (Orin's) wife has been photographed too:

freeze-frame

Coming Soon: Noah Matthew!

Hello all!

Today, Erin and I went to have an ultrasound done and found out that we are having a boy. We are thrilled, and it appears as though there are no complications. Everything is rolling along just fine. Thanks be to God.

Erin thought the baby was going to be a girl, which means that she was wrong. I think this might be the first time Erin has been wrong since we've been married. That's a pretty good record.

Please keep Erin, Noah, and our family in your prayers as we eagerly await our August 27th due date.

Happy Easter (season)!
Shannon

Happy Easter

A Human Jukebox

Joia Farmer, one of our best friends in ministry, is recording a new CD! As part of that effort, she is inviting people to choose one of the songs she will record. This is a great chance to help shape a recording effort for one of the best voices in Catholic-Christian music. For more information on Joia Farmer's ministry, click here.

You know you want to read more:

Christchurch Bishop condemns Easter Sunday jelly wrestling

The Holiest of All Weeks

Click above for an aid to prayer this week. As pilgrims on a journey, let us always remember that journey we take through Christ's Paschal mystery, and that all we do is in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

A Bit More on the Keytar

I know at least one of you is interested in this (and you'd better say hi!) --

Here, at this link, you can find out more info about Oddwalk's beloved keytar. You can even hear an mp3 of what its demo song sounds like (it's, um, "Last Christmas" by Wham! - best demo ever!). Of course, in practice, the keytar is used as a midi controller (it's a term in the biz) for Orin's Korg Triton, so the audience receives an odd mix of cool sounds and even cooler looks.

While there exist precious few photos of Oddwalk's keytar in action, here's a rough sample of what Shannon and Orin look like when using the keytar:


Except Orin has no tattoos and short hair, and Shannon doesn't look quite so much like Jesus in a "Where's Waldo?" shirt.

edited spelling error, 4:30pm, to make *someone* happy...

Greeting Cards that didn't make it

Borrowed from portraitofapriest and as heard on Wait Wait --

Actual greeting cards that were rejected by Hallmark for publication:

A big smiley face on the outside of the card and on the inside is written: Hi! Welcome back from your coma!

A Christmas card with "Spread some holiday cheer!" on the outside. On the inside: "Or drink alone. Who am I to judge?"

A birthday card, on the outside: "My ex-girlfriend had a cat she called Love because she said that's what it gave her." On the inside: "So I called it bloody forearms. Hope no one gives you a cat for your birthday."

A Mother's day card. Outside: "When I think of you, Mom, I swell with pride." Inside: "At least I hope it's pride. Otherwise, I'm pregnant again."

The Final Four! (audience members that is)

Last night, Oddwalk played a two-hour concert at the Solid Rock Kaffee Haus in Eureka, MO. We both had a great time and really felt like the set came off pretty well. Unfortunately, the weather and the Final Four kept most of the would-be concert-goers away. That's, at least, what we're telling ourselves. Since they asked us to play for a couple of hours, we were able to dust off some songs that we hardly ever get a chance to do, such as "I Am" and "Jammin' with Jesus". That's right, I said "Jammin' with Jesus"! That song might just be the new home for the famed keytar. This idea was born out of a phone conversation that Shannon had with Orin in which he posed the question: "What if Jesus jammed with a keytar?". The rest, as they say, is (recent) history!

Thanks to all of the wonderful staff at Solid Rock Kaffe. If you're ever in Eureka, it's a great place to stop and hang out for a while. We're looking forward to getting back there very soon! Thanks, also, to Shannon's wife Erin and daughter Madeleine for coming along, being supportive (as always), and making up half of the audience.