It has been a busy year, and we wanted to share the past year with you... The year started with us getting stranded in a blizzard in Indiana returning from Florida where we visited Janet’s father for the holiday (the last time she would see him). Since January 2015 was Janet’s 20 year anniversary as a vegetarian, she asked John if we should make any plans, and he suggested (since his job took him to India regularly) that we visit the town of Visakhapatnam in India in January...

It was fascinating as a vegetarian (where it is so common) and as a woman (where women are considered second class citizens there) to see both the culture and the architecture. (Janet even released the journal and photo book Bon Voyage! about the trip, through Amazon printers in the U.S. and Europe.)

In the beginning of February, John found out that Pfizer was buying the company he worked for, Hospira. (Pfizer bought Pharmacia, the company he worked for in 2002, and his plant was shut down and he was out of a job for 6 months.) Since we knew he was now in a higher position that would probably be eliminated, he looks at other Hospira locations in the country, and found out that the Austin, Texas plant (the largest producer of saline bags for hospitals in the world, going there would mean a safe job, better pay and better weather) wanted him to move there. Although
Chicago is Janet’s true love, having a job to pay for your home (or even multiple homes, until we can sell out Gurnee house) is better than being unemployed. So John took all the steps to start working in Austin August 17th this year, while Janet waited for house repairs, then movers, then agents, then all of the other little details to put the house on the market (which only happened in late October, once the school year started, so if you know anyone this winter who would like a huge and well-priced house with 3 bedrooms and a big kitchen and 2 fireplaces, tons of space, and a huge bathtub with jets and even a sauna, let us know).

While packing up the Gurnee house, Janet also found a replacement host for the poetry & music open mic she ran for over half a decade (that has been running since December 1996, and thanks to Dave Gecic for continuing the open mic). It was wonderful hosting the Chicago open mic the Cafe Gallery, because it was the only
one of its kind that posted not only YouTube videos but also a weekly podcast. It is because of this that before Thanksgiving this year (in addition to the literary magazines and collection books Scars Publications releases) Janet released open mic features writings (with YouTube links) in the paperback book the Chosen Few. Janet did many last-minute shows and readings in Chicago, and although it took a while, she was finally able to leave our home of 15 years, move away from Illinois and travel with John to Austin permanently.

Life in Austin? Well, it is warmer, and the culture is cool too (after joining the poetry scene here, everyone really seemed to respond positively - can’t wait to get out there for Janet singing and reading and John playing guitar). And when we are so used to traveling for a Kuypers family Thanksgiving dinner, it was nice to invite over our niece and family (thanks for coming by, Laura, Scotty and little Rylan) to our apartment for Thanksgiving (and it’s nice to set up a tree in an apartment with 10’ tall ceilings). Hope everyone had a great year - and have a wonderful 2016!