Christmas Letter ... Finally

Hello blogging friends. Here's the scoop from the past year ...

CATH was busy this year as a Caterer—though it’s not a profession she’s done before… she pretended well enough to play one on a daytime soap (where she not only balanced a crate of Styrofoam cups …but was also able to deliver 4 lines correctly in one take). We’re so proud of her. (though apparently not proud enough to name the soap in this letter). Thankfully this small job enabled her to join the Screen Actors Guild. A big accomplishment in this town allowing her to Audition more all the time. This auditioning streak has been helped by the addition of commercial and voice over agents which she acquired in 2007. She was able to act in a staged one-act, a short film and church Advent musical (all written by husband Sean), and appeared in a USC graduate film project, and multiple videos for BADD (Bel Air Drama Department).


In between catering and auditioning, Catherine and Sean made a number of Travels around the west coast this year. The first trip was full of mixed emotions as they attended Cath’s grandfather’s memorial. Otto lived a full and adventurous life. We will miss his feisty spirit here on earth, but know he’s cancer-free and truly at home with his Heavenly Father now.


The most amazing time was spent on a road trip to South Dakota for niece Nicole’s wedding. We traveled up through Utah and across Wyoming on the way there, were able to see Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse, and had a fabulous time with the many, many Gaffneys. On the way home, we traveled south, visiting brother Matt in Colorado, then across Utah, stopping at Arches National Park and Zion National Park. It was a trip we’ll remember for a life-time.

Returning from the road, we were happy to get Home, where our sweet cats now hold our hearts in their little paws. We also welcomed many friends and family into our home this year to get some kitty love and restful futon sleep. You are always welcome to our abode when you are travelin’ through the Southland.

SEAN was busy this year writing Scripts. It’s true, he’s not just posting rambling thoughts on the blog, but he also re-wrote a one-act about comic book characters called “The Fantastical Adventures of Mr. Destroyer vs. the Code”, and he began writing short (really short – like 5 minute) films for a number of places including Billy Graham’s organization, a medical company who needed fun-yet-topical videos for a conference, and more.

Meanwhile, he finished writing a prequel to “The Dracula Files” a new original piece meant for many short web-episodes. Drac was filmed this summer and is in final post-production. And because this, in addition to writing for BADD, wasn’t keeping him busy enough, he wrote an hour long children’s television pilot for a Seattle producer.

When his fingers could break free from the keyboard (or the cats) he was Educating many – including students at Biola University, Act One, the Castro Valley Christian Writers Conference, and Rocky Mountain College in Calgary, Alberta; as well as coaching trips to Florida, Utah and Atlanta with Art Within. He also co-taught a class with Cath for their church drama retreat.

Then while waiting to see what teaching or writing job God was going to send him next, he began to do more temp work with Warner Bros. which led to full time employment. Sean is now the Story Administrator for Warner Bros. Feature films with 3 main areas of responsibility: organizing temps, interns and tracking all payroll; updating the archive records; and doing the credit determinations for all features and direct-to-DVD (he looks at the contracts and scripts and makes recommendations for who gets “written by” or “story by” or “created by” credits). It’s a great department, and a sweet commute (only 1 mile down the road from our apartment).
Which leads us to what’s Next … As if God were orchestrating all of this, just in the last few months, Catherine was asked to work
for a new performing arts studio. After much prayer, she is leaving her ticket office job at Caltech (after 5 years) at the end of January and going to be the Manager of Relevé Studios where dance, fitness, acting, voice, and piano classes are offered for all ages.

So…we’ve been busy doing all that.

We pray you had a meaningful holiday season, and offer our best wishes for much joy and rest in 2008.

May God Allow our Family and Friends to be Nearer Every Year.

S&C