SYMP Watch: Episode 85 – Jake-ing Up For Lost Time

B.S. Rating:

The rating could be higher, we don’t dispute that. After all, this entry in the SYMP feed had some of our favorite things:

• Little real youth ministry talk. (We love youth ministry, ministers, and youth. We just get tired when there’s too much real talk about it.)
• Jake. In fact, the less hair he has – and he seems to have less every time we see him – the more Jake-goodness there is.
• A show under 50 minutes. FIFTY. Five. Oh. Wow. We were able to get through the whole show in one sitting. Without naps.

While it’s not one of our favorite things, there was one thing that we’ve grown accustomed to that was missing from this show…and we’re not talking about Josh. (or Jana)

The messy table. It wasn’t. It was tidy, orderly, and missing the assorted items normally occupying it. Yes, the Snowball was there. As were a couple of VitaWaters. And a Doug Big Water. And Doug watch. And papers. Okay, it wasn’t as clean and slick as Andy’s head (which made a brief appearance), but it was tidier than normal.

Untidy would describe McGill’s repeated, and seemingly deliberate, mispronunciation of “Palin”. (If Sarah’s husband shaved his head like Jake or Andy, would it be called a Palin-dome?)

Favorite Quotes:

• Matt: “How can he say limericks suck?”
• McGill, again: “I don’t even know where the Ozarks are.”
• Okay, they’re all M&M: “I’m gamer generation.”
• “Politics is this podcast.”

But this show wasn’t about the quotes, though some were good. It wasn’t about Jake, though he was good, too. (Maybe not 4 stars, like he thought, but good anyway.) It wasn’t about familiar or unfamiliar things.

Because for the almost fifty minutes that we watched our guys, we could only think one thing while we looked at  the snazzy ballcap and Van Dyke (that’s what it is, D., not a goatee) that Dr. Fields was sporting.

When did Magnum P.I. start hosting SYMP?

(Really…have we ever seen them in the same room together?)

SYMP Watch: Episode 84 – Last Week We Would Have Been Sleeping Right Now

B.S. Rating:

We’ve been watching SYMP for so long, we need some help – is the podcast a metaphor for life, or is life a metaphor for the podcast?

After a very long – and refreshing – break from the rigors of the weekly show, the SYMP crew was back in their chairs – though not their own – for number 84 in the series. Back from summer break for the first show of the fall, much like school kids returning from summer vacation, days at the beach, trips to grandma’s house, summer jobs, and sleeping in until noon.

This was exactly like that, because it’s exactly what it was. Doug and Friends were back at the table – shifted one seat to the left – and – much like this post – seemed to be struggling to find their way. Really – if we had nickel for everytime someone yawned, scratched, or looked aimlessly into the ether…well, we probably wouldn’t have a dollar, but we think you get the idea.

Most representative of this was near the end of the episode, DF is giving his all, seriously reading a question from a loyal listener, trying to capture some wisdom from the group…while at the same time, unseen by Dr. Fields because of his intense interest in reading the question – a) Josh yawns, picks up a nearby book and begins leafing through it, b) matt completely disengages, and begins glancing around the room, trying to find something that will interest him, and, c) Jana also zones out, becoming glassy-eyed.

Who hasn’t done THAT about 10 minutes into the first class on the first day back at school?

Well, really, we’re doing that now. So, let’s just give you our favorite moments, observations, and points of interest from this episode, and we’ll close up early and call it a day.

Things We Thought Were Prominent: (You have our permission to use this category the next time you play $25,000 Pyramid)

• The Snowball
• Jana’s soda cup and phone
• Matt’s purple VitaWater
• Doug’s soda can and VitaWater
• Josh’s VitaWater
• What looked like laundry on the table
• Nadeem’s nose
• The life preserver Griff seemed to be wearing under his Treesus.
• McGill’s language
• That Fields spoke softly when he said, “I don’t want my kids to know this”. We’re sure they didn’t hear that, Doug.
• M&M practicing how to reel in a bass with his mike cord

Class dismissed. (We’ll start for real next time…be ready!)