"A day without laughter is a day wasted."
~~Charlie Chaplin


Hi there!

Yesterday was Adam's (observed) birthday so this newsletter is devoted to him!  And while I'm sure his friends and family showered him with kind messages, I'm actually not going to offer those up this time.  I feel like a change is due so, instead, this newsletter features an interview with Adam and my own musings about the Adam-centric story "Triad."  I hope you enjoy!

God bless,
Jenni

An Interview with the Birthday Boy

Hi!  So I guess I got to missing Andrew's and my old interview schtick.  I decided that it'd be nice to have recentish interviews with us all to show newbies when they come.  It would have been nice to have this prepared when Eilish, Behnam, and Isra came (will also need to work on a kid-friendly version) but better late than never!  Since it's his birthday, I thought my little project should start with our beloved Adam.  So here goes!  ~JenniAnn

JenniAnn:  So, Adam, what's been the most surprising thing for you when it comes to life in Dyeland?

Adam:  You and Arthur.  I'm serious!  I did NOT see that coming for Andrew and Monica.  But it's great!  And now I'm an uncle!  Really I guess it's the whole thing between us angels and you humans.  I'd heard...whisperings, bits of stories, references in records... about groups of angels and humans who were very close but to be involved in something like that?  It was no where on my radar.  It makes me very, very glad that God's guiding my life because He came up with a much better one than I would have. 

JenniAnn:  Aww!  Great answer!  I can't imagine Dyeland or the Friends without you.  Speaking of the Friends... are you liking playing Merlin better than Pilate?

Adam:  Well, that's kind of a hard call.  I like Merlin as a person much better, of course.  But Pilate's also tied up with all those memories of working with Joshua and drawing close to Kylie.  But, then again, I get to work with Kylie a little in Camelot, too.  If only she hadn't banished me...  ::chuckles::  Oh and Merlin's costume is way more epic.  I prefer mystical to militant.  In the end, though, it's always about the community for me.  I think I'd have a blast working with all of you no matter what role I had.  Or even if I didn't have a role.  It's just fun being there at St. Genesius'.

JenniAnn:  Definitely!  But now a question about one of your real life roles...  Could you tell us a little about your recreational therapy program?

Adam:  I'd love to!  So it was Joshua's idea and, of course, he oversees it.  Azrael helps pinpoint who would best be served by participating.  I meet with each angel who is recommended to me and then plan out some activities that I think would help them.  For example, if an angel is frazzled then I might suggest knitting because it's easy to do while talking and the repetition of it can be really calming.  If another angel is dealing with a lot of anger, I might point them towards Andrew and they can release that negative energy into, say, pounding together a table.  Painting is really popular.  I'm not very good at it myself but that doesn't matter.  Seeing favorite colors splashed together can be very rewarding.  A lot of them also do really well with animal therapy.  They joke that I'm just making them work but learning how to care for the turkeys, sheep, horses, etc. and then bonding with them...  It can be miraculous.  I've seen angels who have completely clammed up but end up venting to your Yonah.  After a few nuzzles from him, opening up to another angel isn't as difficult.


JenniAnn:  Now I'm all tearing up!  Yonah, Mary, and Silly definitely love the company!  You're doing amazing things, Adam.

Adam:  With a lot of help and support, JenniAnn.  I really do appreciate how helpful everyone's been.  And creative!  And cute!  I have a whole lot of angels who tell me watching Belle run around and laugh and shriek with glee does them a whole lot of good.

JenniAnn:  That's so nice to hear!  I'm going to write it down in Belle's baby book!  She just loves helping her Uncle Adam!  But now onto another of your roles... angel of death.  What's your favorite part of your AOD work and... if you want to say... your least favorite?

Adam:  I'll start with the second part first so I can end on a light note.  Violence is definitely my least favorite part.  I've seen too much war, too much cruelty, too much callousness.  But, on the other hand, I also get to see people reunited with loved ones and meeting God, face to face, and soaking in His love and showering love right back on Him.  That's always beautiful and heartwarming. 

JenniAnn:  Sometimes I can't imagine seeing that ugliness...

Adam:  Try not to.  Focus on imagining the other part, JenniAnn. 


JenniAnn:  You sound like Andrew.

Adam:  Good.  Andrew's a smart guy.  Usually.

JenniAnn:  ::laughing::  Yeah, usually.  Questionable taste in shoes, though...

Adam:  You're never gonna get over those tassels are you?


JenniAnn:  Nope! 

Adam:  Well, all relationships need a little spice.


JenniAnn:  True!  Speaking of relationships... final question.  What's it like being one of the few... if not the only... angel to go on a honeymoon?

Adam:  ::grinning::  Really, really great.  I had an amazing time with Clay and Kylie.  More people should do that!  I don't mean we should get rid of traditional honeymoons but going on trips with your friends?  Loads of fun and a great way to become even closer without the distractions of "real life."  I was completely spoiled this year with two great vacations with even greater friends.

JenniAnn:  And now we're going to spoil you for your birthday.  Come on!

Beaming, my interview subject made his way down to the Willowveil ballroom where he was mobbed by his fellow angels, Friends, nieces, nephews, proteges, and two anam caras.  And I know his Boss is smiling down on him with love.

Thoughts on "Triad"

Yeah... so...  I'm really kinda burnt out on the whole birthday thing.  So I was trying to think of another Adam-centric thing I could do that was NOT writing birthday wishes from assorted characters for the umpteenth time.  Kim suggested I write about "Triad" and why I wrote it.  I used to do this frequently on the Author's Cut but writing and documenting the stories themselves got too time intensive.  But I've missed it so here goes!

So why did I write "Triad"?  I suppose first I need to go back and explain how the trio of Adam, Kylie, and Clay evolved.  I just really loved the Adam and Kylie dynamic in "The Carpenter."  I liked that Kylie had an initial reaction that was a lot like many TBAA fans:  "Who is this flippant, irreverent, flirtatious, loud guy?!" before realizing that Adam does have a sensitive, caring, quiet side.  Although she didn't realize it, Kylie was also befriending a person who had considerably more power than her (infinitely more power when you consider she was also bonding with Joshua!)  Yet, unlike her awful husband, Jett, neither Adam nor Joshua ever exerted their power against Kylie.  Adam encouraged Kylie to express herself and to learn about things that interested her.  Both guys were also with her, and helped her get away from, what was probably one of the worst... if not the worst... moments of her life: when Jett was threatening to kill her.  I can't really imagine not staying close with two people who got one through that horror.  So Adam and Kylie were for keeps.  If this was 2 or 3 years ago, I probably would have paired them off and called it good.  However, I feel like between Andrew/JenniAnn and Monica/Arthur, I've pretty much done what I can with human/angelic asexual romances.  Plus, for my own purposes, Kylie had to marry someone. 

It felt like a big deal that Joshua actually drove Kylie to a divorce attorney.  I never meant for it to seem like Jesus would be "Yay! 
Divorce!" because I don't think He is but I do think He is incredibly hurt and angry when someone turns the gift of marriage into an opportunity to abuse and control their spouse.  Why would He want that sham to be someone's only experience of marriage?  Further, I don't believe He stands in judgment of those who enter into a marriage in good faith and with a love-filled heart only to discover their partner isn't who they thought they were.  To bring all these ideas home, I needed to show Joshua not only helping Kylie to get a divorce from Jett but also supporting her embarking on a new relationship and, eventually, celebrating her marriage.  And, as we all know, angels are neither married nor given in marriage.

So then it came time to select a prospective groom!  I wanted it to be someone within the circle of eventual Friends because Adam was staying in the picture.  It would need to be someone who would recognize Adam's place in Kylie's life from the very beginning and who wouldn't get jealous or try to push Adam away.  Ideally, the fellow would be someone Adam could have a good friendship with and enjoy talking to.  Clay was ideal.  For one, he really needed more love in his life.  For another, I felt like he was someone who would truly value a woman's love and commitment.  After all, he knew the flip side of having a faithless fiancee.  Third, as a veteran, I felt like he would be someone Adam could confide in after a particularly brutal assignment.  They likely both saw and experienced things that they'd just as soon keep from Kylie.  With each other, they can express those things.  Finally, Adam was present at what was probably one of the best experiences of Clay's and Kylie's lives: when they came to know for sure that Joshua was God Incarnate.  If that doesn't bind three people up, I don't know what does!

So that's the short version of how I settled on that particular trio.  As for why I decided to write a whole story about them, it's mostly because I've fallen in love with the whole anam cara idea.  However, I didn't want it to seem like that only happens in seemingly heteronormative, one-on-one relationships.  Other triad anam cara relationships have been mentioned (chiefly Maryam-Yeshua-Yosef) but never fully explored.  Plus, delving into the Mom-Child-Dad relationship isn't exactly a rarity in stories.  A story about Adam-Kylie-Clay would be something that I'd never really done before.  So off I went!

I wanted to highlight another way Adam-Kylie-Clay was going to be different from the Davidsons.  None of the former are saints or divine.  They're not perfect.  Adam also didn't exactly choose to be the odd man out.  Joshua was denied the romance and companionship that Maryam and Yosef shared and while we may sympathize, we also know he chose that.  He set his parents up.  He chose to grow up in a household with two enamored people, knowing that was never going to be for him.  Conversely, Adam didn't at any point think "Gee, I'd like to find myself in a close-knit relationship with two people who are going to be in love and kiss and live together and have sex and bring children into the world while I sit around and smile beatifically.  Make it so!"  Adam's status, though, is what makes it perfect to me.  Again going back to Jett, he was threatened by any communication Kylie had with other males.  He was so controlling and possessive that he'd outright make stuff up... like assuming she and Adam were having affair based on nothing more than a Post It note.  Now here's Adam who got Kylie through a really tough time, befriended her, loved her, and then, without laying a guilt trip or being manipulative, steps aside so Clay can romance her.  Similarly, Clay never tries to sabotage Kylie's and Adam's friendship and, instead, actively encourages their shared activities (mainly acting).  And, yes, you could argue that Clay knows Adam and Kylie aren't going to have an affair because Adam simply can't.  However, Clay knows plenty about Andrew/JenniAnn and Monica/Arthur.  He knows how close angels and humans can get.  But he trusts and loves Kylie and Adam and wants them both to be happy.  He has no interest in coming between them because their unhappiness would be hurtful to him.  Thus, Adam and Clay are the complete opposite of Jett.  That lack of destructive jealousy was really nice to write about after the awfulness that was parts of "Shadowlands." 

Finally, I just wanted to give Adam his own over-arching story line simply because I felt he deserved it.  Up until "Triad," his relationship with Kylie and Clay had been the B or C plot.  I'm sure the plot line could have been just as satisfying in many ways if I'd swapped in Henry or Kelly or another angel.  But there was something about Adam...  I think, maybe, it goes back to "An Unexpected Snow."  Imagine having to beg an invitation to your friends' Thanksgiving dinner!  And then to have them initially rebuff you!  Then, once you finally do get an invitation, they ask you to do something you're deeply comfortable with... like slaughtering a turkey.  Frankly, that episode doesn't exactly put Monica and Tess in a favorable light.  Now, I'm sure there's no lingering resentment on Adam's part but I wanted to create for him a friendship where he would always have a place at the table.  So now he does. 

This newsletter is dedicated to Charles Rocket for looking like a Roman.  Ha.  I have no idea why but I've always thought that in Season 1 of TBAA and in MDWA, he looked like a Roman.  I think maybe it was the distinguished, handsome features and short hair.  Regardless, that's why I cast him as Pilate and, really, it was that which set everything in motion first with Kylie and then with Clay.  So while I personally prefer his long hair, I'm pretty grateful for the short hair, too.

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(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.)