Flux

[PrivateTim]

 

PrivateTim, on 28 Apr 2014 - 1:56 PM, said:

These characters are "meh" because they are rich and rules just don't apply to them.

Welcome to Twenty-first century America.

 

Seriously? As if caveman Grok who had 20 rocks and 3 mastodon pelts didn't lord it over Ugh who only had 3 rocks and half a musk rat pelt

[Mark Arbour]

Seriously? As if caveman Grok who had 20 rocks and 3 mastodon pelts didn't lord it over Ugh who only had 3 rocks and half a musk rat pelt

 

It seems that every story, you post something that not only makes me laugh, but sticks in my memory, and continues to make me laugh.  This is one of them.    I'm hoping this replaces the quip "horribly unfortunate old, bald, fat Asian man" in my psyche.

[methodwriter85]

Private Tim's an attorney. You almost have to have a way with words, in any event.

 

 

Yeah, if Barry could figure it out, I doubt anyone else is going to be fooled, no matter how many girls Zach dates and has sex with.

 

It gives them plausible deniability, though. In any event, if Troy Aikman can go this long despite the VERY long-standing reports about his sexuality, I bet Zach can do it, too. Although it might go all the way up to him having a beard marriage with some lesbian athlete that needs a cover as well. LOL. This, of course, will lead to the obligatory CAP "gay men have sex with a lesbian to produce a kid" scene when Mark decides it's time for Will to have an heir.

 

I'm calling it- Alisdair becomes Will's beard boyfriend circa 2005. I can totally see the guy being willing to do it, and then Will falling in love with him in the process. Or maybe not Alisdair...but still, it'd be so romantic comedy if Will actually falls in love with whoever he has posing as his boyfriend. But like, with a modern-day twist to it.

Edited April 30, 2014 by methodwriter85

[Mark Arbour]

Re: Will & Zach:

Yeah, if Barry could figure it out, I doubt anyone else is going to be fooled, no matter how many girls Zach dates and has sex with.

 

I'm not sure if that's true.  Barry would have seen much more of the internal family dynamics than the average person.  He would have been privy to Wally's rants about Will's influence on Zach, he would have seen Zach's reaction when they told him he couldn't be with Will, and he certainly would have been clued in when Will's family rained thunder down on him via Cody. 

[Kitt]

Zach's goal right now is a spot in the NFL, so of course he has to stay in the closet. But one needs to remember, he is still in high school. There are a multitude of things that can happen to change his future, anything from a career ending injury to some emotional light bulb going off over his head.  A family tragedy is what brought him together with Will, some other unexpected occurrence could do anything from make him decide hiding his feelings for Will is over to ending his feelings for the boy.  Five years is a very long time to expect things not to change.

[Daddydavek]

Chapter 17 seemed to show some resolution to the major relationship problems plaguing the family and now I expect the action to turn to JP's planned European trip with the boys where I expect the unexpected....

[Mark Arbour]

Chapter 17 seemed to show some resolution to the major relationship problems plaguing the family and now I expect the action to turn to JP's planned European trip with the boys where I expect the unexpected....

 

If that's what you expect, it's sure to happen. 

[Kitt]

 

 Reply from Mark Arbour (author)

Cody makes a return in a few chapters...but who will he target? Matt or Brad?

 

I cannot help but think, considering Cody's past, that he will spend some "quality" time with each of them, and if he goes out to Boston to see his daughter, perhaps the next three way we hear about will be Wade, Tiff, and Cody.  That could have the effect of fathering Tiffs next child and tie all three children together. Reilly and the new baby would share Tiff as bio- mom and new baby and Maddy share Cody as bio-dad.

[Headstall]

Hmmm...could Mary Ellen be pregnant with Matt's child...just wondering...

[methodwriter85]

 

 

 Reply from Mark Arbour (author)

Cody makes a return in a few chapters...but who will he target? Matt or Brad?

 

I cannot help but think, considering Cody's past, that he will spend some "quality" time with each of them, and if he goes out to Boston to see his daughter, perhaps the next three way we hear about will be Wade, Tiff, and Cody.  That could have the effect of fathering Tiffs next child and tie all three children together. Reilly and the new baby would share Tiff as bio- mom and new baby and Maddy share Cody as bio-dad.

 

 

 

    See, I kind of hope that DOESN'T happen, because when it's 2028 in our World and 2016 in CAP world, we need to have teenaged legacy characters that aren't related to each other. LOL. It's why I'm hoping that Cody eventually decides to raise Maddy, because damn it, I want the Riley/Maddy 2014 ship to sail and them thinking of each other as siblings would derail that. LOL.

 

 

Hmmm...could Mary Ellen be pregnant with Matt's child...just wondering...

 

     She also had sex with Darius. By the way, Mark FINALLY signed off on a Mary Ellen:

 

 

     Margot Robbie from the Wolf of Wall Street.The scene where she cockteases Leo was funny as hell. (I would link to it, but it's VERY Not Safe for Work.) She took what could have been a really thankless role and made her into a little scene stealer. I girl-crushed on her quite a bit after watching the movie.

[Kitt]

In a review, Columbus guy said:

 

 For that matter, we are forgetting that for his future, Wade will need a cover, which is where Tiffany has always fit in--and we have seen them being closer at times.

 

 

Wade came out very publicly with an interview and national coverage shortly after arriving at Stanford. He has also attended Washington functions with Matt.  I doubt the political types will have forgotten, making Tiff a cover wife largely useless.

[methodwriter85]

I can't see Wade actually becoming a politician. I can see him being a consultant or lobbyist, but not an actual politician. If he were that interested in a political career, he probably would have just gone to Georgetown University Law, and he would have a bought a house in Arlington, V.A. to start establishing himself as a devoted Virginian resident. At the very least, he would've worked as a page by this point, and we've never got any indication that he has.

 

Wade very much strikes me as the kind of guy who wants to go home at 5 p.m. to play with his kids on their yard and attend his kid's lacrosse games (It's the East Coast rich kid sport), which is something he didn't get as a kid which is why I can see him wanting that for his own. You can't do that as high-powered politician.

Edited May 1, 2014 by methodwriter85

[Mark Arbour]

I can't see Wade actually becoming a politician. I can see him being a consultant or lobbyist, but not an actual politician. If he were that interested in a political career, he probably would have just gone to Georgetown University Law, and he would have a bought a house in Arlington, V.A. to start establishing himself as a devoted Virginian resident. At the very least, he would've worked as a page by this point, and we've never got any indication that he has.

 

Wade very much strikes me as the kind of guy who wants to go home at 5 p.m. to play with his kids on their yard and attend his kid's lacrosse games (It's the East Coast rich kid sport), which is something he didn't get as a kid which is why I can see him wanting that for his own. You can't do that as high-powered politician.

 

I can see Wade as a consultant or a lobbyist, but I could also see him as a politician.  With his pedigree, he doesn't have to go Georgetown Law (Harvard would sound better on a bio anyway) and he doesn't have to work as a page.  He'd consider working as a page to be demeaning at this point.  He's still young enough that Virginia residency isn't an issue, and it wouldn't be anyway, since he probably lists Goodwell as his permanent residence.  He's from one of Virginia's First Families.  How much more VA can you get?

 

I also don't see him as a "get home by 5 and play with the kids" kind of guy.  He's too driven, too achievement oriented.  He's much more likely to be a workaholic.

[methodwriter85]

 

I also don't see him as a "get home by 5 and play with the kids" kind of guy.  He's too driven, too achievement oriented.  He's much more likely to be a workaholic.

 

Maybe I had Wade mixed up with Will, then. Will seems more like that. He's not in any way a slacker, but he doesn't seem all that achievement oriented- more about striving to find a balance in his life between obligations and play. He's got an A-average, but he doesn't seem like he's in National Honor Society or anything like that, which you know for damn sure Wade was probably not only in National Honor Society, but president at his school. I can't see Will as a future workaholic the way Brad is.

 

Wade as an openly gay politician would probably be okay in California or Massachusetts, but sure as hell not Virginia. LOL.

 

 He could probably also try Oregon. That seems like kind of a wacky state.

 

Edited to add: Okay, so it is possible in Virginia. Adam Ebbin was elected as Virginia's first openly gay senator in 2011. I checked because I knew that Mark would give me shit for making a statement and not having the goods to back it up. 

Edited May 1, 2014 by methodwriter85

[Headstall]

Being new to a forum of any kind is very enlightening...this one is particularly so because of how much we have all invested in the characters over such a long period of time, One small facet of this is the stimulation initiated by all the different takes on what has happened or should happen or will happen. So i have been stimulated once again to make my position known with regards to whether Matt and Wade should reunite at some point. For me it comes down to some basics. I have at times, not been a fan of Matt  OR Wade but the bottom line is this incredible connection that Mark has built and nurtured between them over time, at times so real it was capable of lifting me up for days. We all have our own personal stories and experiences...mine is such that i refuse to believe that this kind of connection is easily replaced. If the parties involved are functioning decent people then i say that that kind of connection is well worth fighting for. For some of us it is so easy to not put the work in, throw potential greatness away, and move on. This seems to happen a lot in the gay world that i have experienced(and in the straight world too). As a reader,i don't want to be titilated so much as satisfied...yes i am a hopeless romantic and i do live for happy endings. We are finally seeing the sun again after the devastation of this family by 911 and are witnessing the personal growth of these characters caused by the surviving of tragedy so is it inconcievable that this strengh could be translated into realizing the importance of what they had and striving to regain that connection and commit to saving it? To me that would be the ultimate triumpth over 911. This horrendous tragedy kicked them in the teeth and through taking them away from themselves, took them to the very brink of chaos and self destruction. Now it is time to kick it's ass!!

[rjo]

After reading the latest chapter, I can not get out of my mind Brad holding the box with Robbie's rings. They were the last things he has of Robbie, a symbol of Brad and Robbie's love for each other. all this in a little box. It is so strange how we all sit on the edge of loss, sometimes only saved by a few minutes. About 6 years ago I was going home the traffic was lighter than normal If it would have been heavier I would have been on the bridge when it gave way. Brad lives Robbie died and here are his rings. Not much of a life cut short. Now they are selling his company. How odd the two things happen within a few days. Is this the time to move on?  Can they do it? They kept the condo in NYC , a good place to stay, or maybe the last piece of Jeanine and Hank. If I was Brad would I be moved by logic, and business or by emotion. I am not sure which would rule the day. This shows me how strong Brad can be when he needs to be.

[Daddydavek]

Brad wanting to go and meet the lawyer and get the rings without explaining what he was about makes perfect sense.  Hopefully, the rings will bring a certain sense of closure and finality to the whole nightmare that was 9.11.  You never get over a loss.  With luck, you get past it.   And hopefully this is where it is going for Brad.  

[impunity]

No idea how to reference the conversation in my last review, but I definitely think Brad and/or Steph should be left stranded in Chicago on March 31, 2003, and have to fly (heaven forbid!) commercial to get home. I expect epic ranting would ensue.

[methodwriter85]

   I liked Josh saying that he was talking the "outdated 1980's bar into the new millenium"- this would be right around the time when people started treating 1980's architecture like hideous things that needed to get updated. A couple of years after this, circa 2005, I'd watch homegoers on "House Hunters" bitch about the "1980's decor" of their houses...now they bitch about 90's decor. Of course. LOL.

 

    The bit about the fake I.D.'s was funny, and rang very true. People Matt's age(those who were in high school in the mid/late 1990's) had a MUCH easier time getting fake I.D.'s...by the time people Will's age (those who were in high school in the early/mid-00's) were in high school, I.D.'s were becoming much more specialized (holograms became the norm) so you had to up the faking game. Nowadays, I imagine it's almost impossible to get into a club if you're underage with the computer scanners that are around. I did meet one guy in 2012 though who said that his I.D. actually worked with the scanners, so I imagine that must have been one damn good fake.

 

      Finally...I really would like to be able to go to a bar or a club and NOT get carded, as I'm pushing 30 and it feels ridiculous and annoying to have to pull out my license. If I were still sub-25, it'd be one thing, but GEEZ. Alas, I'll probably be carded until I'm 35. Young faces run in my family, save for one sister.

[Matt Mc]

      Finally...I really would like to be able to go to a bar or a club and NOT get carded, as I'm pushing 30 and it feels ridiculous and annoying to have to pull out my license. If I were still sub-25, it'd be one thing, but GEEZ. Alas, I'll probably be carded until I'm 35. Young faces run in my family, save for one sister.

I wish. Iam sure you will change your thoughts on this sooner or later

[John Prz]

God I don't know how you american can do that.    
Here in Italy there's no age control since there's no law about it, even if usually people usually are from sixteen up.

 

That's probably the reason why US exchange students get wasted on the first weekend they pass here in Italy...   

[Kitt]

 .      Finally...I really would like to be able to go to a bar or a club and NOT get carded, as I'm pushing 30 and it feels ridiculous and annoying to have to pull out my license. If I were still sub-25, it'd be one thing, but GEEZ. Alas, I'll probably be carded until I'm 35. Young faces run in my family, save for one sister.

As the penalties for serving underage drinkers stiffen, you may never be free of being proofed. I was shopping while camping in a state where beer and hard ciders are available in grocery stores and picked up a pack for around the fire. At 50 I was proofed because it was store policy to check EVERY customers id before selling alcohol.  Grey haired me looked at the guy and asked "REALLY!?"  I had run in leaving my purse in the car and had to call outside for my husband to bring my ID in.

God I don't know how you american can do that.    

Here in Italy there's no age control since there's no law about it, even if usually people usually are from sixteen up.

 

That's probably the reason why US exchange students get wasted on the first weekend they pass here in Italy...   

I think the vast majority of kids get wasted first night everywhere they go - college, Italy on exchange, even changing dorms sometimes. I can honestly say I do not think I know a single college age kid who hasn't done that at least once thru their university years. I am sure there may be some around, but I haven't met any.

[B1ue]

God I don't know how you american can do that.    

Here in Italy there's no age control since there's no law about it, even if usually people usually are from sixteen up.

 

That's probably the reason why US exchange students get wasted on the first weekend they pass here in Italy...   

As Kitt says, getting smashed in order to have fun is part of our culture. I don't agree with it, as I don't like being drunk, but it is certainly expected when you are younger.

[Kitt]

Just being away from restrictive influences contributes too.

[B1ue]

“Not really,” he said, and then shrugged.  “Doesn’t matter.  He’s the only person I really want to be with.”  And that saddened me, because as much as I’d loved Wade, I’d never really felt that way.

 

I find this to be an interesting character point for Matt. On the one hand, I don't like seeing him beat himself up over being different from Will. Will's tendency to glomp isn't always the best way to go about life, certainly not always the best way to go about starting a relationship. But, in fairness, Matt's approach isn't always for the best either; it is shown to not always even the best for Matt.

 

On the other hand, perhaps this is signaling an incoming change to Matt's character? Possibly not, but if he perceives it as a problem, I have no doubt he will try to work on it, to what ultimate result I cannot guess. Also, I find it interesting that he's having this moment *after* he's starting to move on from Wade. Perhaps the pressure of being in a relationship, even if it was just in his own head, was preventing him from really thinking about this before now?