Christmas 2002

Season’s greetings! We left off last year waiting to hear whether The Dead Zone would become a TV series or not. On January 2, USA Network ordered 13 episodes. Development started immediately on new scripts and production commenced in March. Eric is the script coordinator and played a role in developing the marketing and PR strategy for the series. The network agreed to take the promotion to several sci-fi conventions around the country prior to the series launch. The show premiered with huge ratings and finished the season as the highest rated drama in the history of basic cable. The series was picked up for a second season and started production in September. Season 2 premieres January 5, 2003. Check out www.thedeadzone.net for more info.

Debra has also kept busy as Oncology Nurse Clinician for Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills. In April she attended an Oncology Nursing Society Convention in Washington, D.C., while Eric was in Denver promoting The Dead Zone. In October, Debra attended another ONS Convention in Seattle. She was also featured in an ONCC newsletter article because she recruited more nurses for Oncology certification this year than anybody else in the country. And her first-time proposal for Oncology nurse recruitment was selected for poster presentation at the ONS Annual Congress in Denver next year!

In May, we took time (for the first time in years) to venture down to Orange County to spend a weekend at Disneyland and check out the new California Adventure theme park. We even took in Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones at the new theater complex in the outdoor pedestrian mall known as Downtown Disney.

The Dead Zone premiered June 16. Eric helped organize a star-studded premiere party at the newly remodeled Piller2 offices in Hollywood. The entire cast attended, including Anthony Michael Hall, Nicole deBoer and David Ogden Steirs who flew down from Vancouver, B.C., where the series is filmed. A few days later, we flew up to Vancouver en route to join our Cruise Trek pals for Alaska Adventure III (our second cruise to the “last frontier” state). In Vancouver we spent time on The Dead Zone sets and got to visit the production office and meet the people Eric works with via internet and telephone. We took a ferry to North Vancouver and Deb’s Aunt Joyce took us on a scenic tour of the area -- including visits to Capilano Suspension Bridge, Mt. Seymour and Deep Cove. Deb’s Uncle Don joined us in the afternoon.

Our cruise sailed from Vancouver Harbour. We enjoyed all our stops in Alaska just as much the second time around. Our excursions were more daring this time, including a dry-land dog-sledding adventure in the Yukon Territory of Canada with our friends Janie & Terry from Ohio. And in Ketchican we took a scenic tour of Misty Fjords National Monument in a sea plane -- just us and the pilot. The majestic and unspoiled scenery was awe-inspiring, especially from the air. We flew past colossal cliffs and magnificent waterfalls. We even landed on a pristine mountain lake where we witnessed a very large Alaska brown bear looking back at us from the lakeshore. And the trip wasn’t complete without a day of scenic cruising in Glacier Bay watching huge chunks of ice calf from the mountainous glaciers into the icy cold sea.

In July, Eric surprised Debra on our 6th wedding anniversary, taking us to Temecula for a weekend stay at Pechanga -- the largest Indian Casino & Resort in California. The facility was brand new -- only a week old -- and we had a beautiful room with a view of the mountains. We enjoyed the swimming pool, casino and top-notch restaurants at the resort, but the “real” surprise was a sunrise hot air balloon ride high above the local vineyards.

At the end of July, we went to Lake Tahoe for the wedding of Eric’s cousin, Melinda. It was like a family reunion. We enjoyed getting to spend some extra time with Eric’s cousins we seldom see. Melinda and Jeremy’s lakeside wedding was very beautiful. The day before the wedding, Eric even went swimming with the younger cousins in Lake Tahoe.

In August, we went to Las Vegas for a huge Star Trek convention. USA Network sponsored a PR booth for The Dead Zone and Eric was there as a liaison between the convention organizers and his boss, executive producer Michael Piller who was on hand to speak to the fans along with our series star, Anthony Michael Hall.

In September, we finally got to see the hit musical production Mama Mia (which had been sold out for months!). The musical tells the story of a young woman engaged to be married, and the 3 men, one of whom might be the father she’s never known, who she invites to her wedding unbeknownst to her mother. The story is funny and poignant and inspiring and is told thru the hit songs of ABBA -- the sensational 70’s rock group from Sweden. We really enjoyed it -- although Eric wishes we could have seen it on Broadway or in London. While we were downtown, we took the opportunity to visit the newly-dedicated, multi-million-dollar Catholic Cathedral which is across the street from the theatre. The Cathedral is a monument to modern architecture. But frankly, we thought it was pretty ugly, especially on the outside. But Deb liked the floor-to-ceiling tapestries inside. Eric says the restrooms reminded him of those at the Vatican -- nice and new and very clean (just in case you’re in need of a public restroom when in Rome or Los Angeles). J

Sadly, Eric’s great aunt Mable passed away in November. She was 96. We went to Oregon for the funeral. It was our only trip to Oregon this year, and despite the sad circumstances, we were thankful for the brief opportunity to visit with Eric’s family -- including nephew Zach who is growing like a weed. The very next day we flew home to California for a previously planned engagement: Eric’s 40th birthday. Debra had arranged a dinner party at a local restaurant and invited a group of our closest friends to help us celebrate. One of our guests, actress Chase Masterson, had promised to sing “Happy Birthday” to Eric the same way Marilyn Monroe sang to JFK. Never a dull moment.

Now we whirlwind thru December -- the month of non-stop parties and social events. Last week we attended one of Deb’s office parties. On the 9th we attended the world premiere of Star Trek: Attack of the Clone --er, I mean Nemesis at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood and the premiere party with the cast and crew afterwards at the brand new Highland & Hollywood ballroom. The 18th is Eric’s office party at his boss’ home in Hancock Park. Then hiatus officially begins on the 21st and we’re off to Las Vegas for Christmas.

Here’s wishing you and yours all the best in the New Year. May we have Peace on Earth in 2003!

Love,
Eric & Deb