Melissa

instruments:drums and vocals

Nationality: Canadian

Melissa was there at the beginning. Super-soprano hitting the notes that no one else could even dream of.

After Spring Scream Dragon, Melissa moved to Tokyo, Japan for a while. Got married to OzawaSan and took showers down the street. But the elastic band snapped and she and Ozawa showed up in TaiChung again in August, Year of the Snake.

She learned to strum and to drum. She wrote some of 69Across' new songs and sang her way into the Year of the Horse.

Now, Melissa is off to Toronto to study education and become a Master........

December 31, 2003

Hello all,

I finally sit down to write. It’s been a far stretch since I wrote words that will go ungraded. I don’t need to calculate, weigh or reconsider any of this. I can simply spill forth. Make do with the muddle of muck. Please bear with me.

I have spent the past few days trying to put all my picures into order and albums. As most of you (who have suffered the flash of my camera) know, it's one hell of a job. My failing memory has been further confused by three weeks of solid paper writing and I can no longer remember anything. When did so and so (Roshan, Dave, Mea, Dillie, Cathy...)leave Taiwan? When was the retro 80's party, 1998 or 1999 and which halloween was this? Wade, a cheerleader...? Whose van is this? Where was that waterfall? Did Jimi and my brother skate Dadushan before or after spring scream 98? What year was Milk's first show, and Driddas' last show? Whose wedding came first? Whose baby? Ahhhhhhhh!

I have mountains of pictures spanning years of friendships, parties, music and adventures. As I wade through the memories, I get waves of nostalgia and a longing to be 'there' again. Of course, 'there' is not only a place, and it no longer exists outside of the minds of those who lived it together. I have enjoyed replaying the moments captured in my pictures, they seem to form a connection between all of us who were 'there', wherever there was. I feel so lucky when I look at all the beautiful people I have played and lived with. Thank you all for a great big muddled wad of wonderful memories and shared history.

My latest phase of life, back in Canada, is full of old loving friends and fresh new firendships. I am happy to be here. It hasn't been an easy move, but I'm glad to be living it. Change has a way of balancing gains and losses, stumbling over each other in a perpetual cycle of growth and movement. Anyone feel a song coming on? Ha.

So, how are you? Has the end of the year brought any new insights or epipahnies? Care to share any of them with me? I have learned learned learned. A mountain of new questions, very few answers. My pendullum has swung from one side to the other and I reside in a place and space that is diametrically opposed, in many ways, to where I was this time last year.

I was in a warm place; now I’m in a cold place.

I spent my time in leisure and work; I spend my time in study and study.

I was a teacher; I am a student.

I was familiar with the unfamiliar; I am unfamiliar with the familiar.

I knew little and thought I knew a lot; I know more and understand that I know little.

Things that were a part of my life... children, friends, teaching, music, art, Taiwan, are replaced with

things that are a part of my life... study, family, friends, Canada.

It's all good.

and 2004 approaches, hours away.

I sit bundled in my cabin, surrounded by billowing snow. The sun is creeping along the horizon, peeping out under the dark cover of clouds, making it's last exit of the year. Music and the smells of food entice me downstairs. My parents have announced cocktail hour. Time to go.

As I write this I am thinking of all those who will receive this mail. Hoping that it finds you where you hoped to be, in good happiness, and enjoying the first or last hours of the new/old year.

Happy New Year.

Love m

---

September 28, 2003 ~~ I'm up a creek weekly with multiple essays and hundreds of pages of articles and books. I have no time to go out or shop or read email or cook food... but it's all good. I love what I am studying; I'm learning and thinking so much...ahhhh yes, more thinking/ some would argue that it's the last thing I need to do. But it's like eating candy and cake; can't get enough of the environment, the amazing professors, the access to unbelievable resources (some of the things I get to look at require wearing gloves!)