Just Because You Can - the Video!

My favorite part of this, I think, is that because YouTube picks the frame in the exact center of the video to be the preview, the preview for this one is a blank, black screen. Woo.

Thanks again to Orin's Erin (but not in a possessive way) for the illustrations!

PS - More Oddwalk videos over here!

Hoppy Birdy Two Ewe!

Hey! It's Shannon and Erin's son's and Orin and Erin's Godson's birthday! Noah is one year old! Here's a pic from his birthday party a few days ago.


We should probably do a caption contest for this picture. Perhaps "contest" is the wrong word, because no one really ever wins, and there aren't ever any prizes... But you'll still play, right?

Here's one to start us off, put more in the comments please:

"No one was really sure where that came from, but everyone knew they probably shouldn't eat it."

UPDATED | I'm not sure the train was ever on the tracks to begin with.

Apparently, she claims she "lost her train of thought" because she "wasn't expecting the question." Well. I'm not sure the train was ever on the tracks to begin with.

Reports say that on Tuesday, on the Today show, she'll get another crack at answering the question... We'll see.

---

UPDATE, 8-29-07, 8am: http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2007-08-28-miss-south-carolina_N.htm

By Karen Thomas, USA TODAY

Miss South Carolina Teen became a YouTube sensation early this week after butchering the answer to a question about U.S. geography lessons. By Tuesday morning, the video clip had attracted nearly 3.5 million views in only three days. Caitlin Upton, 18, got a do-over Tuesday morning on NBC's Today show, where she explained she froze during the nationally televised Miss Teen USA Pageant. "Everybody makes a mistake. I'm human," explained the contestant, who went on to finish in fourth place. "Right when the question was asked of me, I was in shock."

A look at Upton's answers:

Q: Recent polls have shown a fifth of Americans can't locate the U.S. on a world map. Why do you think this is?

During the pageant: "I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, um, some people out there in our nation don't have maps and, uh, I believe that our, uh, education like such as, uh, South Africa and, uh, the Iraq and everywhere like such as, and I believe that they should, uh, our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S., uh, should help South Africa and should help Iraq and the Asian countries, so we will be able to build up our future."

On Today: "Personally, my friends and I, we know exactly where the United States is on a map. I don't know anyone else who doesn't. If the statistics are correct, I believe there should be more emphasis on geography in our education so people will learn how to read maps better."

---

Not so sure the second try was all that much better than the first, honestly... Click here if you want to watch. She sounds, well, snotty and unlikable. Ah well.

Oddwalk Records With GIA Publications!

Oddwalk Ministries is proud to

announce our new CD with
GIA Publications, titled

Walk Away Different
To be released Fall, 2007

"an interesting and eclectic mix
of contemporary liturgical music
and music for youth. Packed with
creative arrangements and texts that
come from the heart of their own
faith journeys, this recording is sure
to rouse a surge of spirit in any
community." [from the GIA website]

Click here (or the pic) to visit the GIA
Walk Away Different CD page for
more info, audio samples (soon),
and to order your copy!

Track List: | At Your Name | Bless the Lord, My Soul (Ps. 103) | My Name is I AM | Lord, I Thank You (Ps. 138) | Let Us Go, Rejoicing (Ps. 122) | Show Us the Way | Get It Together | For All Time | Share | To Know Darkness | I Give My Spirit (Ps. 31) | Come to Me | This is the Day (Ps. 118) | I Love You, Lord My Strength (Ps. 18) | In My Heart | We Will Go, Lord |

---

Yes, this is, of course, the "secret project" we've been referring to on the OddBlog, sometimes not-so-subtly, all this time. We're excited today to reveal it to you, in all its glory.

To order the CD, go to GIA directly. We'll have some copies in our possession, mostly when we have an appearance coming up, but best to get the CD straight from them, most of the time. Walk Away Different should be ready by October sometime, if not earlier!

We've redone several pages at our main site, of course, to reflect this big news: the Home Page, the Lyric and Audio Page, and our Merchandise Page. We've also created a new Introduction Page and a new keytarsuperstar.com page.

When we self-produced and released our CD "Let Us Go, Rejoicing" last fall, we had no idea that within a year, we'd have another professionally done CD to add to our credits. Many of the songs on this new CD can be found on "Let Us Go" or "Little Steps" or "For All Time" — but these have all been redone with very cool arrangements, performed by outstanding musicians including some nice singing by Sarah Bauer, and wonderfully produced by new Oddwalk friend Gary Daigle. Additionally, there are four songs on the disc that have never been recorded! All of the songs on Walk Away Different will be published by GIA over the coming months as well. Thanks to Gary and to GIA folks Alec Harris, Michael Cymbala and Laura Dankler for their support and encouragement as well!

Oddwalk friend Wendy Sturgeon (who helped us with "For All Time" and "Little Steps") helped us with the awesome graphic design — here are more examples of her work:

There is some other GIA-type news we're optimistic about too, but shouldn't tell you all about it just yet... just keep checking back here for updates — this is an exciting time for Oddwalk and our family and friends!

We hope you enjoy Walk Away Different! And we hope to see you all very soon.

—Shannon and Orin
oddwalkministries.com

If It Ain't Broke... (and a poem)

So, the OddPoll on the blog's new look is complete, with pretty mixed results. We'll leave it up in the sidebar for a while, so you can check it out fer yerself. We guess we'll leave it like this for a while, but will probably go back to the old one someday — and maybe even a different one altogether - who knows?

We like to keep our fans guessing, after all...

Just so this post isn't completely worthless, here's a pretty-much random poem by Thomas Moore - pictured, of course - that I (Orin) was thinking about tonight. I sang a nifty musical arrangement with these words in college days. Enjoy!

The Time I've Lost in Wooing

The time I've lost in wooing,
In watching and pursuing
The light, that lies
In woman's eyes,
Has been my heart's undoing.
Though Wisdom oft has sought me,
I scorn'd the lore she brought me,
My only books
Were woman's looks,
And folly's all they've taught me.

Her smile when Beauty granted,
I hung with gaze enchanted,
Like him, the sprite,
Whom maids by night
Oft meet in glen that's haunted.
Like him, too, Beauty won me,
But while her eyes were on me,
If once their ray
Was turn'd away,
Oh! winds could not outrun me.

And are those follies going?
And is my proud heart growing
Too cold or wise
For brilliant eyes
Again to set it glowing?
No, vain, alas! th' endeavour
From bonds so sweet to sever;
Poor Wisdom's chance
Against a glance
Is now as weak as ever.

— Thomas Moore

For It's Root, Root, Root for the Cardinals...

Shannon's daughter Madeleine does what she can to help the Cardinals in their late-season surge. Pay attention to the second line. The word she sings is not "crowd". See if you can tell what word she actually sang.

Time's running out...

... to vote on our new look in the OddPoll. So far, it's pretty neck-and-neck, so make sure your voice is heard! The OddPoll is in the sidebar, just under our pictures.

Animals Playing Keytars

Found at worth1000.com:

Bingo!

Tonight, Orin went with Erin H and her mom to play bingo at St. Stephen's in Caseyville, IL. Erin has gone a few times, this was Orin's second trip with Erin.

So, over 26 or so rounds, Orin won twice! There were probably at least 200 people playing tonight too. Here's photographic evidence of Orin's second winning card:


If you're ever in town Sunday night at 6, we'll try to put a trip together - BINGO!

keytarsuperstar.com

Oddwalk Ministries is proud to announce the creation of a new webpage, keytarsuperstar.com - though that address may not be live yet as you read this; it should be within 24 hours. If it's not live, you can also see the same page by typing oddwalkministries.com/keytar into your browser.

At that page, you can find all your Oddwalk Keytar information and links in one handy place.

Stay tuned for an announcement about the upcoming "Keytar Appreciation Day" - and other big news from Oddwalk - in the near future!

Erin H - Simpsonized!

Before:

After:

simpsonizeme.com

New OddPoll - The blog's new look

Lookie over in the sidebar, just below our picture, for the new poll: tell us what you think of our new look! You have about a week to vote, but as always, vote early and often!

Perhaps an even more famous Tylerite than Orin

Thanks to Erin C. for snapping this pic off the Today show this morning. I (Orin) don't believe I know Ms. Oxholm, but happy birthday to her regardless!

And while I was checking the picture mail, I also saw this for the first time. Not sure if it was also sent today or when. That would be Shannon and Erin's daughter Madeleine. Not sure what's on the hands. Probably something to keep her from poking her eyes out or something. I don't know much about kids. Rumor is there'll be a cute video of her singing soon over at Cerneka Family Adventures. Thanks Erin!

Another "Secret Project" Picture

Note: the person pictured is neither Shannon nor Orin.

Father of the Year Indeed!

Oddwalk friends Chris and Katy just had another baby - but in a most remarkable way. Read all about it at the Cerneka Family Adventures. Congratulations!

Do not be afraid!

(to borrow a quote from the late JP2)

We're just trying out a new template, a new look. The old one is saved, so we can always go back if we decide to. All the same info isstill here, and all the old posts too. Let us know what you think, if you wish, in the comments.

Congrats, Emily and Jeff!

Friends of Oddwalk Emily and Jeff got married earlier today, and Shannon and Orin were honored to help provide music ministry at the mass.

The youth choir sang some fun preludes before the ceremony!

The happy couple greet guests after the mass.

Congratulations!

God's Inbox

Based on this article in Time Magazine, Oddwalk friend Michal Horace sent Orin this.  Enlarge it by clicking on it, and make sure to take a look at everything!

An "Epic" Video

From Oddwalk friend Karl Zimmerman and one of his fans:

Thru Wisconsin on the way home

Erin Stops to examine some flowers surrounding a statue of Our lady of Guadalupe at the in-progress Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, WI. The family had breakfast there before Orin and Erin left for St. Louis.

In southwest Wisconsin, Orin snapped a picture of the first school his dad taught at some 50 years ago - he is going to a class reunion of some of his students this weekend.

And now home, safe and sound. Briefly. Oddwalk is off to a wedding Saturday and Orin is up to Chicago Sunday through Tuesday to work some more on the "secret project" - whee indeed.

Minnesota is...

...one of the few places on earth you can find "Red Pop" - behold its glory.

No visit to Tyler is complete without...

...dinner at the local Pizza Ranch, at least if Erin is along.

SNL and Keytars

This one sighted on a rerun the other night.

Seems like, if you search through our other SNL keytar posts, that they only have the one, and keep reusing it when a keytar is necessary.

When exactly is a keytar necessary, you ask? Always.

Baptized!

Three little Boys were concerned because they couldn't get anyone to play with them. They decided it was because they had not been baptized and didn't go to Sunday School. So they went to the nearest Church. But, only the janitor was there.

One little boy said, "We need to be baptized because no one will come out and play with us. Will you baptize us?" "Sure," said the janitor.

He took them into the bathroom and dunked their little heads in the toilet bowl, one at a time. Then he said, "You are now baptized!".

When they got outside, one of them asked, "What religion do you think we are?"

The oldest one said, "We're not Kathlick, because they pour the water on You." "We're not Babtist, because they dunk all of you in the water." "We're not Methdiss, because they just sprinkle water on you."

The littlest one said, "Didn't you smell that water!" They all joined in, asking, "Yeah! What do you think that means?"

"I think it means we're Pisscopailian!"

Happy Feast of Our Lady of the Snows!

Or, as it's more usually known today, the solemnity of the dedication of the St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome:


Orin will be celebrating come 7:30pm tonight as the novena at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows comes to a close.

Yet another caption contest!

Last night, Oddwalk etc. gathered to make music at the Healing and Hope Novena at the Shrine. Afterward, Oddwalk and families, and Ricky, Tania and Craig, and Rick S. the bass player went over to Steak -n- Shake for some yummy food. Orin also delivered to the Cernekas presents he got for them while in Tijuana. During all this, Orin snapped some pics. Please provide additional captions in the comments...

Shannon, having decided that bullfighting was too risky, decides instead to save the 2007 Cardinals starting pitching, beginning down in the Mexican leagues.

Craig was apparently more hungry than we thought.

How does he walk away from this?

One of the most amazing sports-accidents we have ever seen, recorded recently at the X-Games. Not too gory, you know, just a 50-foot free fall...

A couple more novena pics, etc.

Many novena prayer petitions gathered in the Church of OLS.

Erin H. was part of a slide show of pics from a young adult trip to Tijuana. Some of the others on that trip helped with the homily at Mass on Wednesday night. The text and audio of that homily can be found on this page under August 1. The four voices you will here are friend Katie Press, co-workers Donna Eisenbath and Erin Brennan, and friend Ben Smyth.