Shannon and the Inflatable Velcro Wall

Recorded at the Galveston-Houston Junior High Youth Rally, Houston, TX, February 10, 2007:

Happy Birthday Orin's Dad, Part II

Orin's Dad got a surprise call as part of Oddwalk's set at St. Henry's on February 15:

The Cubs Song / Old Irish Blessing

Oddwalk filled a couple requests from the adults at St. Henry's, Belleville IL after our set with the PSR folks. Here's Shannon's "The Cubs Song" and Orin's "Old Irish Blessing" —

ComedySportz - Houston

As part of Oddwalk's recent trip to Houston, TX for their Junior High Youth Rally, our chauffeur and all-around "take care of Oddwalk" guy Paul


<--- that's him







invited us to a night of improv comedy at ComedySportz Houston.

During the evening's fun, Orin was picked as an audience volunteer for one sketch. Whee! Just following the sketch, this other photo was taken (it was a special Valentine's Day "Battle of the Sexes" night).

The next day Paul and some other ComedySportz folks were an entertaining part of the youth rally. Thanks to Paul and everyone at ComedySportz Houston for a night of fun and a lot of laughs!

"Doc" Johnson's Birthday!

Hey! It's Orin's Dad's birthday today! He turns 82 years young. That's him on the giant slide show from NCYC 2005. He goes by Doc to friends, but his given name is Orville.

You might suspect that he has a website, like, say, www.orvillejohnson.com; while that looks like an interesting fellow, that's not him.

If you want to drop a birthday wish - he always appreciates them from random strangers - you could email him at docandeva@frontiernet.net.

Happy birthday Dad!

Happy St. Valentine's Day

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight.
For the ends of being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise,
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints---I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

—Elizabeth Barrett Browning

And it is sufficient in our faith as well

From the old tales of the Balem Shem Tov and the Hasidic rabbis:

When the great Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov saw misfortune threatening the Jews it was his custom to go into a certain part of the forest to meditate. There he would light a fire, say a prayer, and the miracle would be accomplished and the misfortune averted.

Later, when his disciple, the celebrated Magid of Mezritch, had occasion, for the same reason, to say the prayer, he would go to the same place in the forest and say: "Master of the Universe, listen! I do not know how to light the fire, but I am still able to say the prayer." And again, the miracle would be accomplished.

Still later, Rabbi Moshe-Leib of Sasov, in order to save his people once more, would go into the forest and say: "I do not know how to light the fire, I do not know the prayer, but I know the place and this must be sufficient."

Then it fell to Rabbi Israel of Rizhyn to overcome misfortune. Sitting in his armchair, his head in his hands, he spoke to The Holy One: "I am unable to light the fire and I do not know the prayer; I cannot even find the place in the forest. All I can do is to tell the story, and this must be sufficient." And it was sufficient.

Harvard U. names first female president

Harvard has been around for 371 years... it's about time!

"Drew Gilpin Faust recalls her mother lecturing her that "this is a man's world, sweetie, and the sooner you learn that, the better off you'll be."

It was a lesson, she wrote in a memoir, that she refused to accept.

On Sunday, Harvard University named Faust the first female president in the school's 371-year history."

Read more here.

Creatures of Habit

even at our churches:

But how about malt-o-meal?

Vista: Cancel or Allow

Thinking of installing or (perish the thought!) switching from Mac to Vista? Watch this "I'm a Mac..." ad and you may reconsider!

When Orin went "all rock star"

"My favorite part of the DCYC trip was all of the live music, especially from Oddwalk Ministries. When Orin went all rock star style and when Chris, from Limit 3:16, was bombing on the guitar Jimi Hendrix style!" said Thomas Adams, an 11th grader from Our Lady of Guadalupe.

-- referring to the Diocese of Austin DCYC in January, 2007 in Catholic Spirit

Oddwalk responds: Righteous.

Your Prayers Are Needed

This past Thursday, my half-sister Sherrie passed away in her sleep. Sherrie was one of five children from my dad's marriage to Janie. She is survived by her husband, Tim Aldridge; two sons, Brad (Laura) Cleamer of Belleville, Ill., and Timothy Aldridge of Belleville, Ill.; her daughter, Janelle Aldridge of Belleville, Ill.; four grandchildren, Savhanna, Hailey, Jimmy and Austin.

Please join us in praying for Sherrie and her family during this difficult time.

-Shannon

Snowball's Confession

Warning: Snowball's confession may include the word "poop."

Of course, so does this page now.

Week of Worship

Oddwalk's visit to Columbia, IL (Immaculate Conception Parish) made front page news! Read more about it online here.

Actually, only the picture makes reference to us, and even then spells our name wrong. We're not mentioned at all in the article... But still! Any publicity is good publicity, right?

Key question:
<--- What about that girl!?

Sacred Space?

Super Bowl XLI is finally here! If you aren't a fan of the Indianapolis Colts or the Chicago Bears, it's a chance to watch some clever commercials and hang out with friends. If you are a fan of those two teams, you are probably out of your mind right about now. One pregnant Bears fan is going to extreme measures to try and see the game today in Miami. Click here for the story.