[Editor's note: Thank you to Lauren for kindly stepping in to help me out during an overscheduled May by editing this month's newsletter. --Paula]      

It's an honor to be guest editing this month's issue of News For The OBSSEsed. I know you are all probably looking at this and thinking, "What are they doing to my newsletter?  I'll only read it if it's edited by PAULA. I started reading this newsletter because of Paula's editing and I'm not reading it if she leaves. No Paula, no read. That's it. Do you hear me?  I'm SERIOUS HERE." Hear me out before you make such cruel decisions and start badmouthing the OBSSE press machine for promoting my new position so vigorously (Autumn, you are promoting this, right? Right?) When I first heard that Paula was looking to "cut back her schedule" and "spend more time with her family," I knew that it was only a matter of time before the Elders would be looking for someone new to work in the Newsletter offices. And when they plucked me out of the relative obscurity of recurring guest roles in other newsletters and Editerminator 2: Punctuation Day, I knew that it would be a lot of work to get you, the fans, to accept me.

I, however, hate doing a lot of work, so instead I'm trying to persuade you by offering fantastic, informative and funny articles by the likes of BDodd, Pteropod, Cherish, Serin and Nina the Resident Fungus Expert. We also have a hilarious filk by our own Sister Adrianne, an excellent Karatoon, and of course the brilliant contributions of our regular columnists. Enjoy the newsletter, and don't worry about Paula. She'll be dropped back into a field, carrying an alien virus and waiting to be buried alive then resurrected in no time.

Lauren


E D I T O R S
Paula R
Lauren
Autumn Tysko

D E S I G N   &   G R A P H I C S

La..
Aderyn

C O L U M N I S T S

Sister Lens of Science
Cathy B
Kara Zod
Sister Skull
Lauren

C O N T R I B U T O R S   t o  No. 40

Betsy Dodd
Pteropod
Nina
Serin
Cherish

Thanks to Haven and GAWS for image assistance





By Sister Autumn

It's an exciting time here in the Abbey, what with the new little William Sculder appearance to stir things up. Everyone seems to be in a jovial mood. Even those silly noromos. So, we're throwing our own little baby shower version of the newsletter to celebrate. Not only did we get a schmoopy ending to season eight (my God whoever thought those two words would go together back in the days of season three), but Scully managed to have a baby that did not bleat like a little goat alien. Which means none of us have to go to jail for killing Chris Carter so that's all good. Orange is so not my color, and I'm really not into the jumpsuit look either.

OBSSE and NF Awareness Month

Unless you've been locked in a closet in the Abbey throughout the month of May you know this has been a big month for us and our work with NF, Inc. Not only have our marathons been a huge success (with a few more yet to go), but we were also able to make a donation of eight marathon t-shirts to the annual GAWS auction that Gillian signed herself. A big thanks to all those sites that helped us promote these events especially GAWS, fandom.com, and About.com for their support throughout the whole month. 

Official Magazine Features OBSSE

While it did not come out early enough in the month to give us much of an attendance boost, the Summer 2001 edition of the Official Magazine in stands now has a short interview with me on page 9 about the OBSSE and our marathons. They used three quotes from me. On the OBSSE: "We decided we wanted to give something back and say thank you to Gillian because we've all become such good friends." On the marathons: "We thought this would be kind of a unique idea. Plus, we get to sit on our butts and watch The X-files. It's a win-win situation." On the lovely and talented Ms. Anderson: "I've had the opportunity to meet her a few times now and I've always been struck by how she really tries to connect with people and how good she is to her fans."

 
link
FEST 2001 - It's Going to be a Ball

Not only is it going to be a ball. We're going to have balls as well. No, not in honor of John Doggett you perverts. GOLF BALLS. And if you've been excited about the prospect of the first and last annual OBSSE Miniature Golf Tournament, well, that is but the tip of the iceberg for what we have in store this summer at Winter Park.

Only the OBSSE offers you a chance to commune with your fellow brothers and sisters at high altitude. We'll be dressing up our action figures as Maternity!Scully, we'll be enjoying a riverside BBQ in the Rockies, we'll be having a cheese tour (which is, by the way, a much BIGGER event than a simple presentation of the cheeses), we'll be mocking just about everyone, we'll be watching another year's fabulous video by our own Tammy Perpetua, and besides all the secret things I can't tell you about there is the be all and end all of special events the OBSSE Cabaret. 

So, stay tuned for our annual Special Fest edition to see just what happens when an Abbey descends upon a small town. See you all in Winter Park!

 
 

We still have a few more marathons to go but as we wrap up the month of May, Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month, I want to thank EVERYONE who joined us for this year's marathon. Amazingly, our current total raised is over $48,000 and we still have a lot of counting to do. Stop by the marathon site by clicking the banner above for all the latest info and to view pictures and reports from all the `thons.  - La..               


Gillian Anderson recently held a Yahoo! Chat about her work with NF, Inc. Here is what she had to say about our marathons:

Q: In light of the Scully marathons run by OBSSE, a few of which we are attending soon, we were just wondering what message you'd like to give to all the fans traveling to meet up and support both you and NF, and how you feel about that going on?

Gillian: Oh, I think it's so awesome. I think it's just incredible. I LOVE the idea of all these people getting together and it seems to be primarily women. I think it's just wonderful that people are finding other human beings they like to spend time with. And have like interests. They tend to have like personalities, too! I think it's fantastic. I hope that within all of the partying that takes place, that perhaps there's some contemplation and mindfulness to not just the NF aspect of it, but to how we are as fellow human beings in this world and what effect we can have on the world around us by the choices we make, and how we can best be of service. Not just in volunteering or in charitable ways with events and raising money, but also in the way that we behave and react to the other people in the world around us. That's where it all begins. That's the most important place. Being peaceful human beings. Not stirring up unrest, unnecessarily. Etc.

Q: Hi from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We had our first brazilian marathon last  saturday and it was amazing! More than 90 people attended and the donations will go to Brazil's NF chapter. How do you feel when you know that you are such an inspiration for volunteers all over the world ?

Gillian: Oh my God! That is fantastic. Wow. Wow. That's so great. You know what I wish more than anything? That somebody could have video taped it ... I wish I could be a fly on the wall and just see what really takes place in all of this. But this episode that's airing on Sunday .... it seems to me that it would be good to add in a Scully marathon. Not that it's about Scully so much ... but that she gives birth! It's exhausting! You get to see the best and worst of Scully in this  episode. It's pretty intense. It's actually some of the most intense moments I've seen on the show. Between the birthing and the scene it's cut in with. It's nauseating. LOL! :)