News about Album 52

So I have heard from a little birdie that Album 52 is being recorded over the next several days in Burbank! And guess what - there is a Christmas episode! YAY!! Looking forward to it! :)

New email!

YAY!! Our new email address is officially up and running! It is the same as before just at gmail instead of hotmail. It is

a i o f a n p o d c a s t at g m a i l . c o m

(ignore the spaces. I just put them in so bots can't read it and start spamming everything again). I have not updated the link under contact us yet as I am planning on replacing that link with a security image that bots can't read (also known as a captcha) - like the ones with random letters you have to type in when registering or logging in to gmail or amazon etc. If you have any questions you can leave a comment or send an email. I will check the old email for the next thirty days and after that, we probably won't get anything from the hotmail account.

In other news, I might have a surprise in the works for all of you. Stay tuned.

Finally, Game for a Mystery airs today. Turn on your radio, or hop on over to www.whitsend.org/radio for a listen.

Sarah

Deleted Scenes!

YAY! So I just discovered another GREAT reason to buy Take it From the Top. First, of course is to support Focus on the Family so they can keep making new episodes. Second, the really cool insert about each of the characters in the album and behind the scenes info. Third however, is that there are pretty awesome deleted scenes in the album. So far I've gotten two or three in The Inspiration Station part 1. (you can hear the Parker family discovering Matthew's tinkering as well as Connie having a nightmare leading to her return to Whit's End) Both are worth a listen! Part two has some extended scenes with Mortimer in the Library (which is as far as I am right now)

This discovery has solidified my choice (I hope) to not listen ahead so I can notice the differences.

Reviews are coming soon, I promise, but now that I know there are differences, I want to re-listen to both versions of each show aired so far again.

Feel free to point out any you noticed in the first three episodes of the season!

Sarah

Clutter

I apologize everyone for my disappearance over the last week. I had a crazy week in Virginia doing wedding planning with my Fiancee, and I had to take a last minute exam which I passed and I am now an official graduate of Liberty University - YAY!!!

I returned home today and had a wonderful surprise waiting for me - Take it from the Top! At the moment, I am not sure if I should listen to all the episodes now, or be patient and wait for each episode to come out. I seem to recall when we first learned that the albums would be released at the same time as the radio episodes, that I was adamantly against "cheating" and listening to the album. I may be able to hold off, but man is it tempting to listen especially since I was not expecting to get it! Some god friends of mine *wink* surprised me and sent it to me, so friends, Thank you! heehee!

In other news, Clutter aired this weekend and if you have not heard it yet, hop on over to www.whitsend.org to listen.

Unfortunately, my fiance ran out of time to show me some of the blogger tricks, but he should be able to do so remotely, so there should be some cool pictures and stuff up for you soon. (and for those who are wondering, I will post a wedding picture of us both after we get married)

Finally, don't forget the Act Like Odyssey contest going on now until March 31! Hurry and get your tape in for the possibility of winning all 51albums of AIO!

Ooh and Chris got back to me while I was away and gave his thumbs up for the new email address. I will make a separate post about that within the next two days and let you know when it is live.

Later all!

Sarah

Inspiration Station Part 2 is UP!

Hey all, part 2 is up and here it is! listen here or hop on over to whitsend.org/radio to take a listen!

Running Time: 25:28

I took a quick listen but need some time to gather my thoughts before posting about the episode. That and I'm flying to Virginia in the morning to see my fiancee and friends from college for about 10 days - yay! But don't worry - this is actually good for the podcast/blog! "How?" you may ask. Well, I'll tell you! My fiancee is a tech whiz and he has agreed to help me/teach me how to use this silly blog so I can actually post audio stuff and pictures etc - all the smart stuff Chris knows how to do, but didn't get a chance to teach me before he left (sound familiar anyone?) so YAY! Hopefully I will be back and improved in a few days with the help of my amazing fiancee Eli! also, starting sometime at the beginning of next week, we will have a new e-mail address that I will post as soon as everything is settled!

Sound good?

As always, post your thoughts and let us know what you are thinking!

Love ya,

Sarah

Excitement! :D

Hey everyone, I have TONS of new stuff for you guys, and as soon as I can figure out how to post it here in blogger(pictures, sound bytes etc), you will have it too!

Until then, hop over to www.whitsend.org and check out their "Act Like Odyssey" contest! The deadline to submit your entry is March 31 and you could win all 51 albums of Adventures in Odyssey - YAY!

Sarah

E-mail problems

Hey everyone, I just wanted to let you know about a little problem I discovered with our email. Apparently hotmail is having problems and for the last few months has been not delivering or sending emails at random, so if you have sent us something and haven't gotten a response that may be why. We have not been able to respond to every email that we have, so know that we may have it and haven't gotten to it yet also. Either way, don't panic! I have already contacted Chris about a solution, and it may take a week or so for him to get back to me. Rest assured though, as soon as we have an answer, we will let you know! Thank you so much for being such loyal fans. We love and appreciate each one of you!

Love, Sarah

The Inspiration Station Part 1

Hello Friends! I know it has been a while since I blogged, but I'm back again and with great news this time! ALBUM 51 is HERE!!! YAY!!! While I do not have my own copy as of yet, I do have the internet, so like many of you, I will be listening along via the web and attempting to post my thoughts here as I go. I do want to try and record a podcast at some point while Chris is gone, but until then, hopefully the written word will suffice. I just pulled up the Whit's End website player so I can take a listen. I'll probably just post my thoughts as I go, so hopefully no one minds a stream of consciousness type post from me.

So are you ready? Hang on tight, cause here we GO!

Whoah - forgot about different Whit voice, but I think it works ok for me.

Who is Whit's friend? – no answer. Sad day.

When the computer shuts down, it strikes me as odd that Whit doesn't seem to know what’s going on - like his tech iq has dropped a bit...but at least Eugene is back to his intellectual self.

GOOF ALERT!!! They have too seen stuff like this in applesauce and in the Blackgaard's castle episodes.

It is definitely weird hearing stuff about all these electronic devices. This seems like such a slice of life episode from the early days and then BAM! you have headphones, cell phones, DVR, GPS, laptop, dvds lol!

lol – I love mom saying let dad handle things then jumping right in to take over. Typical mom - I love it! I think this family - least parents to kids have great chemistry. Gotta wait a little on the bro-sis stuff. Olivia reminds me of Sarah from the middle years. Matthew reminds me of a young Eugene. Dad is a mix of Dale Jacobs and George Barclay. Overall, I like the Parkers. The parents definitely remind me of the Barclays.

Connie reminds me of “Promises Promises” changing herself for the better - only it seems to be working this time. Ok I take that back - meltdown. Her addiction is also like Zachary when Jason made him walk (“Where is Thy Sting?”?... whoah great foreshadowing with Connie telling Whit about her pet peeves then they all happen.

Connie - Eugene banter. YAY! Whit is still kinda off for me but getting there. He still sounds too much like other actors (so far I've heard Bernard and Jack in Darien’s Rise. and Tom a little here). However, when Whit asks Eugene about changing the shop he totally sounded like Hal's Whit - awesome! I think this is going to work out fine. 

lol at Connie not being ready to talk about it. This happened in another episode that I can’t remember right now. Help?

Whit wanting to talk to Connie about her experience in the Inspiration Station hearkens back to Whit wanting to talk to Eugene about his trip in the imagination station in the Mortal Coil and following episodes... (Note – Eugene took the trip in MC and whit wanted to discus it with him in the episodes in On Earth as it is in Heaven.)

Uh oh - Connie sneaking in to Whit's End doesn't sound good.

Background music during closing reminds me a lot of the video theme.

Ok well that wraps up my play by play thoughts. I listened twice through, first just to listen and the second to take notes. I really enjoyed this episode. It was a total slice of life with a hint of mystery added in for fun. If this first episode is any indication of the rest of Album 51, then we are in store for some good stuff in my opinion. I love that I could listen to this twice in a row and it wasn’t boring.

I thought the acting was great and I LOVE the Parker family. The dad’s voice to me is a blend of Phil Lollar and Dave Arnold. Ok maybe I’m weird, but I’m ok with that. It works and it is a great dad voice. Mom is wonderful too. I think this family has more potential to be the new Barclay family than any we have had so far. Great chemistry between mom and dad and parents and kids. As I mentioned earlier, I’m not so sure the kids as siblings have that chemistry yet, but I think it will come and will be great. Let me hear a good fight or two and I’ll let you know. I hope the Parkers are around for a long time. Matthew reminds me of a young Eugene and because of that their interaction is great!

As for Andre – I think this is going to work out fine. It will take me a little getting used to still I think, but I’m excited for the day when he does become Whit for me. I don’t think it is too far off. 

Story so far is great, I’m excited to hear part two. Also, loved the sound design and score in this episode. It really reminded of the early days of AIO where there was little music and it was only there when needed. Not over the top or even noticeable. I heard it when I listened for it, but when I wasn’t, it just blended in. Maybe I have it all wrong, but to me that’s a good thing. It added to the show, instead of taking away from it. It wasn’t over the top, but just right.

So as of right now, I give this show 4/5 stars depending on how the rest of it plays out.

Great job AIO Team and Welcome Back!

Love you all,

Sarah

In Loving Memory of Paul Herlinger May 1, 1929 - February 2, 2010

Dear Friends,

Today I bring to you the sad news of the death of a man who was a dear friend to all of us. I received news this afternoon that Paul Herlinger, the voice of Whit from 1996-2008 passed away last week. He will be dearly missed by all. As I sit here writing this, I am not even sure what or how I feel. I know I am terribly sad, but I'm also glad that he is no longer ill or in pain. I feel very disjointed. On one hand, I never met him. On the other, I feel like one of my closest friends just died.

I had to stop in the middle of writing this post to scour my room for what is now one of my most treasured possessions - a letter from Paul. I wrote to him two years ago to express my gratitude for all he has done with Odyssey and let him know just how much he influenced my life for the good and for God. To my amazement and joy, he wrote back. It was a sweet yet simple letter typed on what appears to be a typewriter with a handwritten signature at the end. But now this letter means more to me than almost anything else I own. It came from the heart and will forever remind me of my childhood hero.

I know that Paul and Whit were not the same person. I know that Whit is not dead, nor is he real. However, for some reason that I cannot understand, I feel an inexplicable sense of loss and sadness. Whit will never be the same. I will never be able to hear a Paul episode again without experiencing some sense of loss. I'm sure it will fade with time, as it did with Hal Smith, but right now, I'm not sure how. The work that this man did, the character he brought to life, has changed my life so much and strengthened my faith in more ways than I can count.

I remember my excitement while writing my letter to him and getting his address. I remember my joy at finding out I actually got a response! I remember how my hands shook and how I could barely contain myself when I opened and read the letter! I remember seeing him on the video screen at the live show in Colorado. I remember hearing that he was very ill and would no longer be with AIO after that show.

And yet, in all these memories, I never met him in person. My loss, our loss as fans, is nothing compared to those who knew and loved him. So today, I ask you to pray for those at Focus, from AIO, and especially his family and friends who are missing this wonderful man. Pray for their comfort and salvation. Pray for God's love and compassion to be showered on them. Pray for their healing.

Here's to you Paul.

And remember: the best is yet to come.

Sarah

Album 51 Episode Titles!

Okay, so if you haven't seen the latest video podcast on the Official Site, definitely check it out! At about 8:45 of the podcast, they unveil the album artwork for Album 51: Take It From the Top! I thought they might keep the episode titles a secret until closer to the actual release date, but I guess they decided it was okay to reveal them. In fact, you can see all twelve episode titles!



Some of the words are a little unclear, but here's what I've deduced so far:

1. The Inspiration Station I
2. The Inspiration Station II
3. Clutter
4. Game for a Mystery
5. Target of the Week
6. For the Birds
7. When You're Right, You're Right
8. Grandma's Visit
9. Finish What You...
10. The Jubilee Singers I
11. The Jubilee Singers II
12. The Jubilee Singers III

I also noticed there will be a few bonus features included in the album. Glad they've decide to keep this up!



As far as the aesthetic changes go, it's worth mentioning that the characters have been completely redesigned, and so far I'm liking it! I think it'll be slightly weird seeing Eugene's eyes (presuming he retains the new hairstyle), but not nearly as strange as it will be seeing a different looking Whit! Is it just me, or does he remind you of some earlier illustrations? I'm definitely getting flashbacks to Paul McCusker's The Stranger's Message, as depicted below.



My only complaint about this new album (and future albums) is the fact that they've decided to change up the logo. I'm not a fan of the way the word, "in," is no longer in-between "Adventures" and "Odyssey." It somehow makes the logo appear less symmetrical. But I'm sure I'll get used to it. Haha.