What Are You Gonna Do with Your Life?
Isaiah 42:16
“What Are You Gonna Do with Your Life?” is episode #351 of the Adventures in Odyssey audio series. It was written and directed by Paul McCusker, and originally aired on April 20, 1996.
Summary
As Connie tries to decide on a career, she experiments with several new jobs.
Plot
Connie is facing a dilemma. She doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life, and it seems that everyone around her has his or her life completely planned. She asks Jason about how he and Whit decided what they wanted to do. Jason tells her that it was a combination of interests and opportunity. That doesn’t help Connie much, so Jason suggests that she explore and examine her life to find out what she likes to do. Careers have often been made that way.
Connie starts on her quest. First, she tries working at the perfume counter for Osborne's Department Store. That job ends when she starts disagreeing with customers’ choices. Then, she tries being Harlow Doyle’s secretary, which is a disaster. After that, Eugene gives her a homemade aptitude/personality test, which reveals that Connie has no personality and is best suited for a career gluing corrugating to cardboard boxes. Finally, Connie believes that working at Whit's End should be her career, but when she tries to take on more administrative duties, she fails miserably at that, too.
Jason gives her the rest of the day off to contemplate her future. Connie visits Tom. He tells her that, despite what her career guidance counselors and school friends are telling her, she shouldn’t be in such a rush to make a lifetime decision in just a few days. She needs to give it time, play around with different options for a bit, and most of all, pray. If she does those things and keeps her eyes and ears open, God will help her work out everything.
- This plot section is too short and should be expanded. »
Discussion Questions
- Why did Connie think she had to make such a quick decision about her career goals?
- Do you think God really cares about what kind of a career you have?
- Why or why not?
- Do you know what you want to do with your life?
- If so, what is it?
Cast
Heard in episode
Mentioned in episode
| Character | Mentioned By |
|---|---|
| John Whittaker | Jason Whittaker |
| Miss Turner | Harlow Doyle |
| Stella Doyle | Harlow Doyle |
| Tom Riley Sr. | Tom Riley |
Notes
- Trivia
- This episode was an attempt to steer Connie in a new, more “grown-up” direction.
- Allusions
- Harlow says that one of his cap guns is a genuine duplicate from The Rifleman TV series.
Quotes
Harlow Doyle: Ahhh, now I can eat my breakfast!
Connie Kendall: It's nearly time for dinner...
Harlow Doyle: Hey, you can eat PopTarts (TM) any time of the day!
Eugene Meltsner: First question: If a train leaves the depot at 3 o'clock, traveling south at 6 miles per hour against a north-westerly wind of 30 miles per hour, and has only 65% of its weight capacity on board, what color would you paint the train?
Connie Kendall: What color would... Is that really what it wants to know?
Eugene Meltsner: Indeed.
Connie Kendall: If you're on a blue train at 2 in the afternoon, and a giant tomato hits it at a 45° angle, what would you say on a scale from 1 to 10?
Eugene Meltsner: Ahh... A truckload of prunes.
Connie Kendall: Ok! Welcome to the "figure out your life" club!
Harlow Doyle: I know. How about secretarial work?
Connie Kendall: You mean like filing, mailing letters, answering phones, and stuff like that?
Harlow Doyle: No. I mean secretarial work. Meaning that I need a secretary. My last one had a nervous breakdown. You interested?
Connie Kendall: In having a nervous breakdown?
Harlow Doyle: If it'll help you do the job, sure. I think you'd make a terrific secretary.
Connie Kendall: Do you want me to lock up on my way out?
Harlow Doyle: Oooh. Better not. The last time my secretary did that I was stuck in here for three days.
Eugene Meltsner: Obviously my test needs work. Not only did it have you working in box manufacturing, but it suggested Jason's personality was best suited to painting figurines of cartoon characters in Korea!
Connie Kendall: I don't think he'd have the patience for that.
Eugene Meltsner: Exactly!
Harlow Doyle: Excuse me, young lady, but may I have a word?
Connie Kendall: Oh! Harlow Doyle, what are you-
Harlow Doyle: Detective Doyle, if you please.
Connie Kendall: Oh, are you on a case?
Harlow Doyle: Ha! Am I on a case! Am I on a case! Am I on a case?
Connie Kendall: Are you?
Harlow Doyle: Hmm. No.
Connie Kendall: Oh, I can see it now, Eugene in his little playpen with a telescope in one hand and a chemistry set in the other!
Eugene Meltsner: Don't be absurd! It was a microscope and a small blackboard and chalk so that I could do my physics equations.
Connie Kendall: I don't suppose it would hurt to try.
Harlow Doyle: Ha, ha, ha! You have no idea how much it'll hurt!
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