Hello everyone,
I think in the wake
of all the things that have been going on in my life, the only thing I
have been able to do for this anniversary is to write this letter. I have been so grateful for this list during the
past years, particularly for the understanding when intentions and
actions were two distinctly different things with me.
I have tried, to keep my word, as I think that is an imperative
part of what TBAA’s message was, to do what one says, and to fulfill
those promises. For whatever reason, it
sort of reminds me that amidst all of the hard times (and there have
been plenty), we are somehow stronger together than we would be had we
closed shop and opted to scattering ourselves out in the fandom. It seems to me that amidst all of the factions
and cliques that are out there, this is the best place to be.
That feeling of
solidarity is one that I have come to appreciate as another year on
this list winds down and gives way to a new one. I
am reminded in a very profound way, that although our numbers are few,
there is a voice here; one that appreciates TBAA as was intended. This is a voice that I believe will continue
to be heard regardless of all the ‘noise’ that may be going on around
us.
I cannot think of
too terribly much else to say that I have not already said in the
past, and I feel that repeating those words would detract from what I
have already said. I am very glad to be seeing this list still
flourishing and providing a presence in our lives, as opposed to the
contrary, which we are seeing outside of the list.
I can only think of two words to say right now…Thank you!
Thank you for
remembering the overwhelming impact of the work of John Dye, Charles
Rocket, Della Reese, Roma Downey and others who brought magic into our
world and inspired this list to start all those years ago.
Thank you to the founding parents of JABB, Jenni and Audrey
(wherever she happens to be). You started
a legacy that will hopefully be around in many years to come.
Thank you God, for
inspiring the best things to happen here in the most perfect way. Thank you for each of us, for the friends that
we have found and will find in the years to come. Thank
you for fun and lightheartedness in a world that is sometimes a
depiction of the contrary. Thank you for inspiring all those other universes (Beauty
and the Beast, Moonlight, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) to
come into this one and create something magical.
It has been an
honor for me to be among you, and it continues to show in every thing
that we do together.
Thank you all for
ringing in another year with us!
Namasté,
Yvette
*~*~*~*~*~*
From
Jenni:
Hi
all,
Okay,
now I'm gonna be
sappy. At least a bit.
So this has been quite a year! I have a feeling I always, if not
write that, at least think it when I sit down to consider the
anniversary. But I truly think this year has a claim on being a
pretty extraordinary year for JABB. I mean Andrew grew a beard
so, really, that was excitingly momentous for us all. ;-)
Just kidding. I mean he did but that's not really what made this
an extraordinary year. Come to think of it, I'm not really sure
what specifically did. I think it may be this feeling I have that
this year JABB has been honest. Or at least more honest than in
years past. Kinda ironic since with each passing year the
newsletters seem to slip a bit more away from reality and into Dyeland
mode. Yet there truly does seem to be more emotional honesty in
JABB than in the past. So that's what I'd like to thank everyone
for, firstly.
I can remember in the early years trying to keep everything funny and
goofy and if not that at least distractingly absurd. And while
it's all fine and dandy to write a top ten when one's spent the week
enjoying classes and watching sitcoms, it was a bit of an emotional
drag to do the same with a sinking Chemistry grade and squabbles
amongst cliques. Yet I felt like that was what was expected from
JABB. After all, most of our feedback did contain some variation
on "That was funny. I look forward to the laughs every two
weeks!" Such messages were appreciated but did make me feel
responsible for continuing to bring on the laughs.
We've
come a long way, babies! How Tess like. :-)
I've so enjoyed the goofy banter and crazy antics of Dyeland. But
I'm grateful, too, that we've allowed ourselves to depict our
characters grieving, angsty, desperate, and more. And not just
our characters but our true selves! I really can't
tell ya'll how much reading and writing these things have helped me
face my own grief, angst, and desperation. I hope it's helped
you, too.
Secondly, I'd just like to
thank everyone for simply being here. Still. One would
think that a girl signing up to co-run a fan group dedicated to a TV
angel of death would be able to face the transitoriness of life a bit
better than I do. But I do miss our former members. I hope
they're living happy lives. I hope sometimes they see a chihuahua
or a bucket and smile and think of that crazy group they used to belong
to. Sometimes I feel guilty for feeling sad about them when I
should be happy that there are still people around. But then I
think it would show a sad lack of humanity to just forget people as if
they were replaceable. So I don't. But I gotta say the
remembering and the unknowns are a lot easier to face when I know there
are still people on the YG that I can talk with and people receiving
this newsletter and getting something outta it.
While I'm being nostalgic...
I miss TBAA. I miss our
anxious chit-chat about what will come
next:
"Maybe the murder trial this
season!"
"Maybe more screen time for
Andrew this season!"
"OMG! He cut his hair!!!"
"Oh... oh... I think he's
crying. Oh, Andrew's crying..."
Fun times. I miss
them... Kinda. To be honest, sometimes I don't
feel like those times are gone so the feeling of missing becomes
nonexistent. I
feel like this past year, more than any other since the 03/04 TV season
started with out TBAA, that excitement has come back for me and I hope
for others, too. And I think the only explanation for that is
that we really are doing a good job of keeping these characters and
their messages alive in our hearts with our chatter and our
stories. So thanks for that, too. Cause, seriously, if
ya'll turned shipper I would probly have to go sit on my staircase and
weep and then weep some more as I thought of poor weeping Andrew.
And
then I'd realize I had no one to commiserate with cause all the TBAA
fans are too busy writing stories turning our poor angels into Romeo
and Juliet. Sad, sad fate which I'm glad I missed! Again,
thanks to you all!
But in all seriousness, thanks
for continuing to give me a reason to do something that (barring the
occasional minor issue, probly more minor than I often realize) I
really love. Thank you for your prayers, kind words,
encouragement, friendship, creativity, and so much more. Thanks
for helping to make up a place where the message "God loves you!" can
still be heard. Thanks for being you!
God bless,
Jenni
*~*~*~*~*~*
From
Liz:
A couple of years ago, I was just going through some websites I had
come across about John Dye when I came across the
site
for JABB. After looking at it as best as I could, I decided to
join up. It was the best thing I could do in
regards
to a site about our favourite green eyed guy.
It's
been a wonderful experience meeting new people in different parts of
the world (I think we can thank computers for
that)
who share similar likes.
I
also enjoy reading the posts of the different characters we have going
in our fantasy world of Dyeland.
I
guess what I'm saying is that it has been a truly wonderful experience
being here and I wouldn't change a thing. The people
I've met have been great and the helpfulness has also been wonderful.
Thanks
to everyone for everything. Long live JABB (even when we're old
and wrinkled, it'll never be forgotten lol).
Liz
*~*~*~*~*~*
From Nicole:
::clears throat::
To my
fellow JABBers:
You rock.
That's a
cool way to start a letter, I think. And it's true! Awesome.
Moving on.
I've been
here with this group for 2.5 years now and I still can hardly believe
it. I never seem to stick with one thing this long. And by "thing" I
mean groups. I usually kind of drift in, peak inside the door, then
drift out. Three months is ordinarily exceedingly long for me. So this
is like an eternity! And yet, it's all gone by so fast so far.
I guess
what I am trying to say is how much I really love this group and the
people in it. I don't have any interest in drifting as I normally
would. And as much as I love Andrew, I have been thinking (shocking, I
know) and I can't really say that it is solely my fascination with him
that has kept me here so long. It's the people in this group. The
friends that I have made. That is what has kept me here.
We're all
different. Not one of us all believes the same things. But that is
okay. It all works out. And it's actually pretty cool also, cause it
means we learn from each other all the time. We can and do have real
discussions about all sorts of things.
And then,
for some reason, weird things happen to us. ;-) Whether good or bad.
But we share in a lot of those things and I like that. We cry together,
get annoyed together, laugh together, and of course, swoon and be sappy
together. It's awesome and I don't think I'd change any of it.
Like I
already said, you guys rock. JABB rocks. We are such a very unique
group. I've said that a billion times already, but it's so true. I
can't quite put it into words how exactly, even
though I've spent some
time trying. Maybe it is a mixture of things. Our friendship, our
differences, and also the fact that we don't only keep the characters
of "Touched By an Angel" alive with us, but we also keep the feelings
and ideas behind the show with us. I may even take that a step further
and point out the idea that we don't just continue to embrace the
obvious in the show. But we ask questions and discuss so many different
aspects of it.
We learn
a lot from each other, but we continue even years later, to learn from
this show and its characters. And that's just really unique in itself.
So maybe
that's a little closer to the mystery. ;-)
Anyhow,
this has sorta turned into a ramble, so I am gonna go ahead and end
this. But if nothing I've said has made sense yet, just know this:
I love
JABB and I love all the people I have met through it. You are some
really great friends and I'm so glad to know you. Thanks for making
JABB (and loving The Loveliness) such a wonderful experience for me.
Happy
anniversary to us!
~Nicole
P.S. Have
ya noticed how totally adorable Andrew is? Just sayin'... ;-)
Thank
you for a wonderful,
astounding,
moving,
hilarious,
life-affirming,
angsty,
goofy,
original,
exceedingly
and
awesomely bizarre,
delightful,
and
amazing
11
years!
Here's
to many, many, many more!
(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.)