Happy iDay!

Today, at 6pm local time, all across the country, Apple Inc. will unleash it's iPhone upon the world. (We at the Oddblog are happy to provide this informational service, as we're certain none of our readers have heard anything at all about the iPhone recently.)

The world may never be the same. What have you done to prepare?

Yet Another Hint

The picture below plays a significant role in our "secret" mission, previously mentioned here and here.

I know this doesn't tell you much, but all will be revealed soon!

A Heavenly Keytar

Oddwalk friend and recent YSP participant Jennifer Smith uploaded this photo (and a few others) recently to our Behold, the Oddwalk Keytar Facebook Group page.  On the first day of YSP, Jennifer graciously donated the small, yellow keytar to Orin and Oddwalk.  We were told later, I think by Helper's Team member Eddie, that the keytar belonged at one point to a teenage mutant ninja turtle.

Thanks Jennifer!

A couple more YSP photos

It's all over now, but here are a couple more Oddwalk-type photos from the week.  To see more, click here.

UPDATE!

More pics and videos here!  An Australian Oblate, Fr. Fini, was a youth minister for the week, and sent some reports back home - enjoy!

Fun at YSP

In a previous post, we mentioned that Orin is part of the staff of Youth Sing Praise (YSP) this year. It should also be mentioned that Orin's wife Erin and frequent Oddblog-reader, Megan Cline, are also part of the YSP staff. In addition to that, Marianne Cline (Megan's sister), who also frequents our blog, is in her last year as a participant in the program. Here are a few pictures from the week:

Marianne attempts to spruce up her dining experience

The Helpers Team pulls a prank on Orin. That picture is of Orin from his college days.

Here, Megan swears to protect Erin, their fearless leader

If you have some time on your hands, head to the Shrine on Saturday night, June 23rd for the YSP performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The performance will be at the Shrine Ampitheatre, starting at 7:00pm. Admission is free!

Thou Shalt Signal?

The Vatican has released a set of 'commandments' for driving safety. There are probably a lot of other things the Vatican could be spending its time on that are more important than this, but we don't get to make those kinds of decisions.

The "Ten Commandments" for drivers, as listed in the document, are:

1. You shall not kill.

2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.

3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.

4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.

5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination and an occasion of sin.

6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.

7. Support the families of accident victims.

8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.

9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.

10. Feel responsible toward others.

You can read the CNS story here.

YSP 2007

Youth Sing Praise 2007 is off and running, preparing for the performance of "Joseph" on June 23.  Please pray for all our participants and staff, one of whom is Orin, as assistant music director.  Shannon has also been involved in the week, in the past, as a youth minister.

You can find more info on the program and even see a few photos of the week at this website.

Join us if you can June 23, 7pm the Shrine Amphitheater - free admission!

How Does That Go?

This was found at amiright.com:

"Doxology" (Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow)

Misheard Lyrics:
Praise Him all preachers. Here we go!

Original Lyrics:
Praise Him all creatures here below.

Daddy!

Happy Father's Day from Oddwalk Ministries.

Lazlo’s Chinese Relativity Axiom

No matter how great your triumphs, or tragic your defeats, approximately one billion Chinese couldn't care less.

Prayer Request

Oddwalk's friend Erin Brennan (formerly Simmons, also know around here as "That Doodiepants lady that carried her trash around with her this past lent") has a prayer request:

Hi all, If you get a few moments today, would you please pray for a friend of mine (he’s actually my sister’s boyfriend). His name is Pat Boland and he went into the hospital a couple nights ago with what he thought was an insect bite. After surgery and antibiotics, it was determined that he has MRSA—or a superbug anti-biotic resistant Staph infection—which required another emergency surgery yesterday. He’s only 19 and without any insurance, and it’s the scariest illness I’ve ever heard of, so please keep him and his family in prayer. Thanks.

Sit and Savor: Video Proof

On Saturday, June 9, Orin helped out (without Shannon in tow) at an event called "Sit and Savor" that took place where he goes to graduate school, Aquinas Institute of Theology. He was told he should "be funny for 15 minutes or so." Orin's wife didn't believe he could do so, and couldn't be there in person to find out. Thankfully, there is digital proof available!

Here, Orin describes a partly-fictional scene where he learned that athletics was not what he was to be about in life:


In this clip, Orin sings both "Oh St. Joseph" and "Old Irish Blessing" -- we know we have a clip already which includes "Old Irish Blessing," but this one proves that it actually is a funny song, regardless of what Oddwalk's wives think:


Enjoy!  (And thanks to David Brinker for recording!)

catholiccolbert.com

Now, one-stop shopping for all you Stephen Colbert Catholic references: http://catholiccolbert.com.

At the top of the page as of this posting is the funny dance he did at the end of a "Strangers With Candy" episode to the tune of "The King of Glory," sung himself - we've posted it before, but here it is again:

We just got a pretty funny spam email

Guess the Cosmological Event

Guess in the comments please - what is this a picture of?

Answer here.

Food 911

Snopes is great for debunking urban legends - especially those forwards we get in emails incessantly. Here's a great, funny piece about an actual (but possibly not real) 911 call made a couple years ago. You can read, and even listen to the whole thing on the Snopes site. Part of the conversation:

Dispatcher: Ma'am, then I suggest you get your money back and go somewhere else. This is . . . this is not a criminal issue. We can't go out there and make them make you a cheeseburger the way you want it.

Woman: Well . . . that is . . . that . . . you're supposed to be here to protect me.

Dispatcher: Well, what are we protecting you from, a wrong cheeseburger?

Woman: No . . .

Dispatcher: Is this like . . . is this a harmful cheeseburger or something? I don't understand what you want us to do.

Life Changes

Oddwalk (and others) got this note today from our friend from Over the Top Ministries, Anne Marie, known around here (sometimes) as Cribbly. Please keep her and thoser she mentions in prayer.





Dear friends in ministry,

Some exciting news is brewing on this end. On Tuesday I resigned from my postion as director of youth ministry at St. Jane's effective August 31st to persue itinerant ministry full time. It's been an amazing (and exhausting) time of discernment and I am really excited about this new adventure. I ask for your prayers during this time of transition for me and for the good folks at St. Jane's and our beautiful young people.

Hoping your summer is off to a great start!

In Christ, Anne Marie

~Cribbs

Tijuana Mission Trip

Deadline: June 12
Price: $350 - for flight, food and lodging.
Dates: July 23 - 31 (also the locals are asked to attend Novena Mass on August 1 at Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows)

This trip is in conjunction with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and their Novena to Our Lady of the Snows. It includes time for service work, visiting with the people we will be serving, and retreat and prayer opportunities. This is a once in a lifetime chance to change the world while changing yourself! Please email (via the below website) with any questions!

Courtesy bellevilleyam.blogspot.com

Erin the Entrepreneur

Shannon's wife Erin has started her own E-bay business. Those of us who know Erin well know how creative she is. As of yesterday, she has started making diaper cakes to sell:



Her first one is listed here. Oddwalk is very proud of her and wishes her the best of luck!

We're also tunneling under your house right now

Orin, twirled

One of Orin's coworkers at the Shrine got a new iMac today. Orin was playing with the built-in camera and software... Whee.

"Event" at Vatican Today

Usually things are pretty light around here at the Oddblog... Hard to make light of a "deranged" man attempting... well, no one's sure quite what he was attempting this morning.

He was wearing a pinkish shirt, and the Pope didn't even seem to notice, if you watch the video.

We don't see events like this every day. Let us hold all involved in prayer.

Where have we heard this before?

A friend of Oddwalk's has posted on his blog (that'll remain anonymous, at least for now) a number of items he has learned from his 6-month old baby. In the middle of the list we find this:

7. Just because I can roll over, doesn't necessarily mean I should.

Where have we heard this before?

Mmm, Social Justice

We want to quench the naked too!

"He moves in mysterious ways"

First we discovered a song Elvis sang about the Rosary... now this:


"Let Us Pray" - From the 1970 movie "Change of Habit"

Sit and Savor

While not really an Oddwalk event, Orin wants to bring to your attention this "Coffee-house-esque" event coming up soon at Aquinas Institute, a fundraiser to help send AI's librarian Sr. Pat on a "Witness for Peace" trip to Colombia (spelling fixed!) - the South American country, not the city in IL or MO.

There will be lots of good music, storytelling, dance... and Orin. If nothing else, come for all that other stuff, I guess.

I was told I'd play a couple songs on the piano and then "be funny for 10 or 15 minutes." No, really.

Anyone got any ideas?