07:14 pm August 9th, 2005

The hiatus- Week One



Well, I know I wasn't gonna write JABB during my hiatus but figured this wouldn't hurt. I journal anyway. So I thought it might be interesting to journal my progress, checking in once a week, to see how my first hiatus in 7 years is going.

Hiatus mode hadn't completely set in yet. Partly because I first wanted to get the web pages up to date so spent the first couple days doing that. Then yesterday (August 8th) I decided to put shots of JD on those pages that had previously only had our bucket logo. THEN earlier today I added a couple messages to the graffiti board. So I'm sure whatever reaction I will have to hiatus won't set in til next week. Though... I'm beginning to rethink if hiatus now was such a good idea. It's unbearably hot in my room with the hot summer temperatures. Which means I spend a lot of time on the computer since, with the TVs generally claimed, it's one of the few diversions left. So it's really tempting to sit and write newsletter after newsletter. And oh the ideas I have! I have two ideas of how I want my LJA character to resurface. I'm thinking it'd be fun to have a story where some unlucky Dyelander becomes enchanted and can only speak in song lyrics and have you all name the songs. Top Ten Things Andrew Can Do with LJA Gone. Top Ten Obsessive Things Jenni did *While* Gone. Heck, I even was trying to figure out how to do a "Rent" tribute.

I suppose it's really not been a very pleasant experience. But, nonetheless, I feel it's important to continue. Not sure why, just is. I'm sure it will get easier once I have a job or something at least to occupy my mind! Well, guess that's it for now!

God bless
Jenni

11:12 am August 17th, 2005

Hiatus- Week Two



Well, it's been a lil over another week. I was glad to see "Colleen" got the newsletter out with out any difficulties. I hope it's the same for my other helpers. This week has been much better than last as far as not obsessing over JABB. Well, except for when I noticed a typo on the Encyclopedia. I sooo want to fix it. I love that page probly more than any other. Which is why I *can't* fix it. Cause then I'll spend hours on different parts of the page. I did relent on the no webpage resolution to spend time fixing the chat. Since that doesn't involve writing or lovely A/J graphics, I figured it was okay.

I've actually been revisiting the stuff I loved pre-TBAA. Like "Christy", a short-lived series that ran on CBS. I had a HUGE crush on the doctor on that. Well, the guy's still awesome but... he's not Andrew. Sigh...

But really much better than Week One. Though I still really, really want that "Rent" tribute. ::Tries to erase image of a Dyelander serenading Andrew with a rendition of "Out Tonight"::

God bless
Jenni

10:19 am August 30th, 2005

Checking in again!



Gave up on checking in every Tuesday. Just plain not much to say. But I did conclude in this past week that, at this point, unless I have some fantastic change in my life... I need JABB. I need to spend two minutes debating over whether the light pink color background looks better than the sage textured background on a certain page. I like spending a few minutes considering what Andrew might think about something and then writing that out. Life can just be a total mess so it's nice to have a part of one's life where the worst that can happen is your FTP program gets a bug or you can't remember a certain HTML code or if "ya'll" would be part of Andrew's lexicon. So... to paraphrase the fantastic characters of Jonathan Larson's RENT "Viva la vie Androoler!"

12:56 pm October 25th, 2005

Nearing the end of hiatus!



Oops. Kinda forgot about this for two months. Possibly cause I kinda forgot I was on hiatus. With the hurricanes and Aud's wedding and my obsession with onthisside.net, seems like I was doing regular JABB stuff this whole time. Then I went and wrote the Halloween issue which isn't even due for nearly a week in September. Lesson learned from hiatus? Hiatus is bad and pointless. I can't even really remember what the point was. I think the point was to let fantasy aside for a bit and confront the Real World. Thing is, the Real World has a way of tracking one down anyhow. Might as well keep that childish, goofy element around to go bide your time with when you can slip away. But that's enough of that. I'll be back officially soon and thank goodness for that. Been trying to get the web pages up to date so when I return on Halloween I can make a fresh start.

A fresh start but one with a tinge of sadness to it. A week ago yesterday I found out about Charles Rocket's death. Spent the last week alternately trying to convince myself it was a "Curse of 'Saturday Night Live'" inspired rumor, getting angry at all manner of entities, crying, and I guess acceptance comes now in the form of yarn angels (taller than my usual, as well they should be) holding turkeys. Can't say I ever thought the 5 Stages of Grief (never did get to bargaining, though) would apply to "Adam" or "Dadcula." In all this I wondered if, perhaps, we needed to let Adam go. Make him a deep-cover angel embedded somewhere in Thailand or who knows what. Outta Dyeland, outta JABB. But like I found myself telling a friend "If Adam goes away, so does JABB." Sure, it's the John/Andrew Bucket Brigade but, to me, Adam's vital. But I didn't want to make people sad by continuously bringing him up, as I seem wont to do since he's in 4 of the past 10 newsletters. In the end, with some guidance, I've concluded it'd be more sad to not have Adam around. May be others wouldn't know but every time I'd write a JABB with out him, knowing that had things not happened as they did Adam would be in it, all I'd see is a gaping "Adam-sized" hole. So JABB will continue as it always has. With plenty of Androoling but props also to the one that came before (and his turkeys).

10:56 pm October 29th, 2005

I'm coming back!!



Woo hoo!! Finally get to send a new JABB I didn't write months ago tomorrow! Okay, so I wrote it a month ago but that's way better than, say, last July. Anyhow, thought I'd say a few things about what I hope to be new features on JABB.

First, I think we'll start every newsletter with a quote from now on. Why? Because we can and if the newsletter itself is lame, at least that way may be ya'll can get a nifty quote. :-)

Second, gonna start stepping away from the midi files. Cause it doesn't seem like many use them and I'm rather sick of searching them out. Plus, nowadays, most JABBs are written while I'm listening to songs. So I've decided I'll start posting a playlist where the midi link used to be. In some cases, like JABB 163 and this latest issue, they'll serve as sort of soundtracks to the action described in the newsletter. Other times they'll just be seemingly random songs I happened to be listening to when writing. I'll try to include a couple songs available for free download when I can.

Third, it's high time we pick ourselves a narrator and stick with it. So we'll try a few different narrator styles out and then have a vote. And if no one votes, well, I guess I get to pick *my* favorite.

Actually, gonna try to give the whole of JABB a more democratic flair. In the next issue I'll be sending you a list of ideas for future JABBs I came up with during hiatus. If one appeals to you, let us know and we'll try to do that one for sure!

Finally, gonna make an effort to feature more about non-Andrew John Dye characters. Whether my Andrew-lovin' heart can abide by this remains to be seen. But I will try and hope others pipe up, as well!

God bless,
Your semi-prodigal co-prez

If you'd like to read the Halloween story-contest please go to JABB 177 Option 1- Dyeland’s October Fun Festival!

JABB TOC
Newsletter 178


(Photo Credits: The photographs used on this page are from "Touched by an Angel" and owned by CBS Productions, Caroline Productions, and Moon Water Productions.  They are not being used to seek profit.)