A glorious year! I've heard from or about almost all of you. I've also had something of a revelation-it has been a worthy idea to write this letter each year, but it's a much better idea to wait until I've gotten your Christmas letters to try and draft it. So, my intent is that from here on out, the "Christmas letter" will actually be sent around New Year's...How are the Goses? I'm still teaching Great Books and film. Janice and I have been looking at homes in Santa Barbara as we inch towards retirement. Creedance graduated in April and has been working in Horizon Media in Century City and enjoying it, although she still thinks about the possibilities of getting back to Europe.

I've heard Carlos and Gladys are doing very well and that Carlos continues to be a prosperous producer (actually I added the adjective, I liked the alliteration). Kimmy Jo and Dana are still in Hawaii, but the big news is that Monica is hosting a shower for her in January because the bigger news is that they are expecting in March! Shannon reports that it is surprisingly cold in Korea compared to Guam, ha, that Brady and Ian are doing very well, and that, and this is great, Sheldon is often able to get home for lunch, and almost always for dinner with the family, which I know many of you necessarily busy parents will envy. Jon has received a major promotion, Camille has been able to become the Block family C.E.O. full time, and Madeline and Abigail looked absolutely adorable in the Christmas picture, a picture with Mickey at Disneyland. Jon taught Business Law again at Pepperdine this past term as well. Midori, Bill, Christopher, and Brandon have moved back to the Pacific Northwest, Seattle. I've got to get my web site assistant back on the job to update our site with the new pictures. Christopher and Brandon's smiles are representative of the happy faces so many of you sent this year. Kristy, Brad, Toby, and Westyn's pictures look like they were taken in a Toy Store, although the other evidence suggests that it is actually one of the kid's bedrooms. Kristy stays active with MOPS, an acronym that continues to amuse me. Had the great good fortune of being at Kathy Bristow's marriage to Danny. A wonderful time! I also believe that it is my duty as a reporter to report that Kathy was (of course) a stunning bride. Tim (and Nicole) and Cristina were there. Tim has received another major promotion with AOL and is in progress to moving to California. Nicole was a major news person at the Olympics, actually staying in the Olympic village. We also met Cristina's intended, and learned of her plans to move to Chicago, where Tom Goolsby (and Catherine) have just made arrangements to move to as well, Tom being transferred to Chicago with a promotion to Director for Financial Planning for Ameritech. They were closing the deal on a house there when I heard from him. I can say quite honestly that my happiest moment as a senior faculty member at Pepperdine was when Tanja was hired to teach here. There's great reassurance that the Heidelberg legacy will continue at Pepperdine with Tanja, Kim, and Karin here. Karin has been promoted to the position of Director of Athletics Merchandise Operation at Pepperdine. Check out Wave Wear at Pepperdine.edu/Athletics. Karin's Christmas card with the picture of her three dogs was a highlight of the season. I missed having Kim help me with the Softball class I sometimes teach in the Spring semester, but Luke, Micah, and Isaac apparently felt it was better to lend Scott to me as the co-teacher. Zoila (David, and Matthew), send me a phone number or e-mail address to mgose@pepperdine.edu so I can reconnect. Becky, Russ, Kaley and Cameron report they are doing very well and staying active business, church, and family wise. Char reports that she is still an NP at the VA, that she has been teaching Yoga, and that she and Jim are working on their fourth year together. Caroline and Jeff had their fourth, a baby girl, Katelyn Joy, born March 15th! Monica and Jesus, whom I am sure are speaking for all of you who are now parents when they write "we are so thankful for our two precious gifts (Jordan and Brandon) who fill our lives with love and joy." Monica also mentions that she misses teaching but has been great to be able to stay home with the two boys. Shayne reports that he is still working as an attorney in the Century City area, and I hope he is speaking for everyone in saying how he appreciates the Christmas letter. Carolyn reports that she really likes her job and the company that she works for and that she and her boss got a patent on an invention they developed. She also wrote my favorite line of the Christmas letters, but maybe you have to actually have a cat to appreciate it: "The cats are still doing great and boisterously hacking up hairballs." Jeff and Shelley welcomed Kaylee Joy and report that she is already walking and that they have moved to northern California. Their Christmas card has a picture of Kaylee apparently riding their dog. I suspect it is a superimposed image, but then thinking of Jeff nearly leaping into the Rhine Falls, maybe she is already taking after him? Brett and Karen report "same house; no kids" and that they have been traveling the world, and that Brett has founded several Internet companies. Danielle and John mention that Camille is 7, Tim 5, Bennett 4, Jacob 2, which reminds me how difficult it will be to try and keep my promise to take all of your kids that want to go to Heidelberg before I retire. If you know your modern Church music, you will share my amusement of Jacob's updating of the song "Rise and Shine and Give God the girly, girly." Kevin and Michelle have moved close to us, Kevin taking a job with Amgen...and I suspect I will get to see them soon since the Pepperdine Basketball season is already underway. Mark and Michelle's Christmas card features Miles and Zachary, two more adorable second generation Heidelbergers. Curiously we get more and more pictures from the real Heidelbergers, but we scarcely know what any of you look like anymore since the pictures are almost always of the kids and/or pets. Erin continues to live and work in one of the most beautiful places in the world, Monterey/Pacific Grove. She finished her M.A. at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and is working as a Training Administrator for CTB/McGraw Hill, developing an internal corporate university (which, given my interests, sounds particularly intriguing). Cindy and Arno sent a collage of pictures of their two girls, Annika and Andalyn (born 11/14!) and Cindy is about to go back to work at Torrey Pines High after several months of maternity leave. I talked with Brian and Ronda by phone this week and it is evident that Elias is Sweetness the II. Naturally we discussed the 20 year reunion set for the last weekend of June, 2006. Connie and Rick are now the proud parents of three: Rachael, Emma, and Andrew! Patrick has been teaching at CSUF, expects to complete his dissertation over this holiday, is applying for faculty positions at various places, and clearly has found a significant other in Ann-Margaret. Michaelann and Curtis have the best stationery I've seen, the "masthead" features shots of them and each of their kids. They continue to work with FOCUS ministries, but the big news was the birth of Joshua Caleb, born July 31st. When we pick the year to take your kids to Heidelberg, it's clear some of the kids are just going to have to visit or start college at the wrong time. Dena, Matt and Karina have moved into a new home; Dena working for the Bank of America Investment Services, Inc. I heard from Kathy that Tim Maz has a new home in Hollywood. Steve and Fred have a new loft condo in San Francisco which I can hardly wait to see. Steve is now Director of Client Operations for eAssist Global Solutions. I heard from Kowanda some time back and it was great to reconnect with Ron, Derek, Doug, and Karina. They are still in central Illinois and doing very well. Don and Kim have just bought a new home in Southbury. Their kids, and the Heidelbergers seem to have a monopoly on this, are obviously quite precocious. Their twins are going to be pundits. Elise (4) queried, "Doesn't Al Gore know that a circus is supposed to be a good thing? And Corrine (4) asked, "did you know Jesus painted his nails on the cross?" Cristina and Kathy reported that Diana (still Frig to me) is doing well in Colorado. Cara and Mike welcomed Bryce Richard into the world March 8th. You can see the pictures: www.mcgrecords.com (look under "gospel babies"). Brad has been able to visit Malibu to see his parents (like Kevin and Michelle, likes to make the basketball games). He reports that Margaret, Hannah, Benjamin are doing well and that he continues to enjoy teaching and coaching. Julie reports that she is loving living in Dallas, Texas, working for a telecom company in the product development department, where she is developing the department's intranet site, doing cost analysis, and some data programming. Brett tells me that Paul Tyler has started his own legal firm. Kim and Kevin (and Luke) welcomed Kyle James on April 20th. Kevin has been teaching at Biola and Kim says that she is "still enjoying the life of Bon-Bons and Oprah." Carrie (and Andy and Jenna, Jessica, Michaela) were the first to get out their Christmas letters, partly because they were moving yet closer to the alma mater, with Andy taking a ministerial position with the Conejo Church of Christ. I think this is the first year ever I haven't heard from David and Gayle and I don't have a phone number to catch up with them? Eric's already sold the dot.com firm he joined in the Bay Area. I think he continues to consult with the new owners, but the really hard to imagine part is that Jennifer reports that Eric is "handy around the house." Jennifer is also about to get back to her dissertation, which I particularly mention because of my selfish desire to see her teach at Pepperdine. Just talked with Todd; may get to see him soon while he is on a business trip to Anaheim. He says his family is healthy and happy. Stephanie (and Kevin and Connor and Drew) welcomed Katharine Ellen into the world February 23rd. This was truly another "productive" year for the true Heidelbergers. Stephanie hears by way of a mutual friend that Audry and family are doing very well, still in northern California. By the way Stephanie has volunteered Michaelann, Midori, Kim Lambert, and herself to plan the children's activities for our Malibu reunion in 2006. (When I talked with Stephanie New Year's Day, Kevin and the boys were out sledding in the snow; meanwhile it's supposed to be in the 70s here in Malibu.) Debbie and Tracy are pg, expecting a third girl April 1st; Debbie has been able to job share, and has the great delight of having her daughter, Alexa, in her class! Having had Creedance in my softball and Great Books classes, I can attest to the fact that that is a special thrill. Was able to get ahold of Janille and John's Joshua, age 6, this early New Year's morning. He reports that his mom and dad are being very good to him, that his brother, Christopher, age 3, is doing very well, and that Santa was good to them. They must be great boys because Janille and John managed to still be asleep at 9:30, either that or Janille found the recipe for "winter killers" from the infamous Heidelberg drinking establishment. Rumor has it that Dane, Maya, and Lisa are doing well, but Dane, let me hear from you.

Strong Movie To See Recommendation, Roger Ebert considers it one of the ten best movies ever filmed, it's a truly amazing film, and one that deserves your full attention so watch it when you are somewhat rested-42 Up. It's a film my Michael Apted. He interviewed English school children when they were seven years old, and then he went back when they were 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 and re-interviewed them. It's absolutely amazing. I mention it here because it's a good recommendation. And because each time, not all the individuals wanted to be re-interviewed by Apted. Some times they dropped out; other times they came back. I feel some of Apted's dilemma. I'd like to be in contact with all the Heidelbergers, but at the same time I'd like to respect each person's privacy. There are a handful of real Heidelbergers I didn't hear from this year. That's entirely okay, as long it's fully clear I would have enjoyed hearing from you. Professor David Lowry once stated aloud what I've often thought, "a student of mine is a student for life." I am confident that he did not mean that he expected to maintain a professor-student relationship, but if there was something further that he could do for a former student, he would. I have felt since 1985 that Heidelberg was a great opportunity for perspective. Most of us were living in another country for the first time. That lent a certain perspective. We have all made different life choices since then, which is another perspective. You are all older than Janice was then, younger than Creedance is now, and approaching the age I was then, 38. Your own family ages with you; our ages are more fixed in time for you; that offers still another perspective. I am also aware that such a letter as this may inadvertently make for invidious comparisons, which it should not. We do want to celebrate your more obvious successes such as marriages, significant others, children, jobs, homes, accomplishments. But in truth it is a spiritual journey, and our failures may do us more good. But there will invariably be plenty of those, so I will wish you only the very best for the New Year.

Be good, michael, Janice, Creedance