MERRY CHRISTMAS from Tabz, Myboyfriend (Machu) and Jack!
Since I sent out Christmas cards, but no letters this year I figured I’d make a paperless Christmas letter. This has been a pretty crazy year, I can’t really believe it’s almost the end of 2011. Here’s what’s been going on in the life of Tabz.
1. I graduated with my Masters from Wilkes University. I started the program back in January 2010 and it’s hard to believe this January will be my last trip out to Wilkes-Barre, PA. I was part of a low-residency Creative Writing Program and am finishing up work on an MFA (which is slightly different than the MA I already received). My thesis was a YA novel called “The Wrong House” and, thanks to my fantastic mentor, Nina Solomon, I got the thing done. Now I’m finishing up an actual thesis on vampires as heroes in modern culture and will be doing an internship for the next six months and graduate with my MFA (Lord willing) next June.
This is my bound thesis (and Igor, since he’s in the novel):
2. I wrote another book – Machu the Cat is Very Hungry. This is the follow up book to my first one “Jack the Kitten is Very Brave” and both can be found on Amazon.
3. I’ve spoken with five different schools about my books. It’s really awesome to go into an elementary school and talk about my kids books. The kids love the books and I hear stories about how they’ve been going around the house saying pirate-y things like “Argggh” and “Walk the plank” because of “Jack the Kitten is Very Brave.” I even have two large stacks of fan mail because of my school trips.
4. I went to Colorado and Utah. I visited my awesome friends Kim (Colorado) and Heidi (Utah) and had a blast (even though I got a horrible head cold). It’s the first time I’ve ever went in a hot water tub in the middle of the snow.
5. I moved. This part wasn’t super awesome, but the way God worked it out was awesome. Our landlord in San Pedro had been super nice to us since Dad and I have both been unemployed for a long time, but she needed the place back. So, after a couple months of searching, we finally found a great place in La Puente thanks to an old friend from our church that I grew up in. It really made life hectic though trying to write a novel, a thesis and move! Big huge thanks to Lisa, Liane, Dan and Terin who showed up along with several of Dad’s friends to help us move.
6. Lisa and Tabz get lost in LA.. a lot. One of my podcast friends moved out here in January and we’ve been having a blast doing things together in LA. We’ve been to “Pirates Dinner Adventure Theater,” a movie screening, a taping of a pilot directed by Neil Patrick Harris, “The Thrilling Adventure Hour” (an audio drama theater experience) with folks like Nathan Fillion and Joshua Malina, the movies (Pirates/Thor the same day even), the beach, a long Buffy filming locations tour with Laura (from Canada), Dan and Terin, Universal Studios City Walk (with Liane, Paige, and it was Dan/Terin’s first date), The Hammer Improv show with Felicia Day, Jeff Lewis and Sandeep Park, a little theater in Torrence to see a really funny murder/mystery play, a Doctor Who convention, a Castle convention — whew, it’s been a busy year.
7. I turned 30. And, yes, I’m still awesome.
8. I joined The Daniel Plan with our church and lost 30lbs. And still working on losing more. That’s the rents and I with Austin from “The Biggest Loser.”
9. I’m working as a TA for Ashford University. It’s a part-time, online job where I grade a lot of papers, but I’m really enjoying it. I still don’t have a full-time job and money gets super tight, but God has been good and keeping my head mostly above water. With the help of some of my friends I made it through a super rough time earlier this year. Thank you to everyone who helped pay our rent.
10. I’ve been knitting a whole bunch. It’s been fun to pick up knitting (I started last January). For graduation gifts I knitted everyone in my class a scarf. I tried to match their personalities and tastes, I think I did pretty well. Since we don’t have a lot of money this Christmas it’s been a super hand-made Christmas!
11. I got to go to New York City! I crossed off one of the things on my bucket list (go to every major city in the US). I went to New York before attending class this June at Wilkes because two of my classmates had their plays read by professional actors in NYC. My awesome friend Cristina let me stay with her and we took the bus up to New York for the day. It was a blast. Now to try and mark off my other travel bucket list items (go to every state and go to England and visit Emma).
So it’s been a crazy year and I’m hoping 2012 brings many more awesome things and a full-time job. This going 2 years without a full-time pay check is for the birds. Know that I love you all and hope you have a fanTABZulous Christmas.
Love,
Tabz
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2 Comments
this is awesome!! some of the things you did this year i knew about, but it was neat to read about your thoughts of those things. i enjoyed reading about some of the places you visited and how you have been able to accomplish so much despite some of the financial challenges that you have been facing. i am honored to call you my friend and one of the places you’ll need to visit is florida so we can meet finally and share a day together!!
*hugs*
lisa
A busy year, indeed!