Mark Arbour

I think the problem with JJ using anger as his motivator is that it's dangerous. He can't maintain it long, and as that was his short problem, it probably won't fuel him through his free skate.

Something else to consider when thinking about Elizabeth...In her eyes, Wade was probably first naive, then a goody-two-shoes, always doing the right thing and being so perfect. When he asked her to slaughter Hammer's life, it was probably a relief to see some evil in him. I'm thinking the Emperor being proud of Darth Vader as an analogy. :-)

It's possible that Elizabeth is truly happy there, at least for that brief period of time. She's at Goodwell (which is a relaxing place for her), she saw her grandson (whom she seems attached to), and she had a pleasant time with her son (who pretty much detested her). That might be enough to perk her up.

For JJ NOT to buy whatever excuse Alex tosses at him he's going to have to angry, rational, and over Alex. I'm not sure the odds are with those three things lining up. :-)

When I think of Alex at Goodwell, I think of a kid at Disneyland. I think that he got so into it, he blocked out the rest of the world. It's possible that he does that when he goes to Bridgemont, and relaxes by shutting out the rest of the world. So I can see how he could become absorbed. On the other hand, he had to know how uptight JJ was, and how much he'd need attention, so to let his trip to Goodwell override that is a bit of a problem.

Thanks Miles. JJ's pride may have been better served, but he wants, no craves Alex's attention, so he's going to pitch a bitch until he gets it.

I think that Alex lives up to his commitments...as long as they're formalized. So since there were no specific guidelines on him being exclusive with JJ, he didn't feel like he had to be. An implied commitment is something he wouldn't understand.

I personally share your viewpoint on the Alex-Mary Ellen hookup, since there was no formal commitment. But I think that for JJ, as Alex noted, there was an implied one. We'll see if Alex can bob and weave his way through that one.

JJ will listen, eventually. He's pissed off and hurt, but he still wants Alex.

We'll have to see how they impact him, but they'll probably wear off by the time he's on the ice.

Late to the party. Damn. Happy belated birthday!

October 25, 2002 Spokane, WA JJ I skated out onto the ice and assumed my starting position, waiting for the music to begin. I was more nervous now than I had been, and that was because Alex wasn’t here. Just knowing that he was in the audience, that he was cheering me on, made things so much better. Then I could shut everyone else out, and pretend I was skating just for him. Only he wasn’t here, so I didn’t have him as my lucky charm. He’d told me

Hating on Matt? The poor guy is being a loyal and loving partner. You obviously like the bad boys. ;-)

I think it serves two purposes for Wade: it gives him something to bargain with his mother for, and it gets this goon out of his way.

Yeah, that was Sharon's version of 9.11. How is anyone really going to find out about that? And if they do, how will they know he's the son of a crack whore? This family is powerful enough (especially in Claremont) to have those stories swept under the table, or at least one would hope.

Seriously? Finnick or Declan? Don't worry...I've got this one figured out. :-)

Thanks Maarten. Well, since we don't know the story about Parnell, and we do know that Hammer has Elizabeth after him, I'd feel more sorry for him. :-)

Not good enough. Going through Security is such a bother.

It's not that I'm sitting here, churning out tons of chapters of Streak and ignoring Valiant. It really has more to do with what I'd already gotten done.

Some thoughts on this: 1. Alex is, at least in my opinion, entitled to take a weekend for himself and go riding, which he loves. JJ has a lot of competitions, and it really isn't reasonable to expect Alex will be at every one of them. 2. As Alex noted, JJ needs to show that he isn't obsessing and dependent on Alex. 3. JJ had to leave earlier than Alex could have, so the scenario would have necessitated two private jets...one for JJ, and one for Alex. Not that money is a huge issue, but that's a bit expensive. JJ demands and expects a private jet no matter where he goes. I can just see his bulging eyes and his total temper tantrum when someone suggests he should fly on a (gasp) airline! All of these guys have their idiosyncrasies, but JJ has been consistently adamant that he wants the easiest, most painless, and most luxurious modes of transportation.

Thanks for that comment. The deal is that I really do appreciate the reviews and forum posts, and I think it's important that I show that by responding. I'm usually pretty good about that, but this semester is kicking my ass.

I see your point about Alex supporting JJ, but JJ has a lot of competitions, and Alex is allowed to have his own life and his own interests. Isn't it just a bit smothering for JJ to demand that he be there for all of his competitions, and then to get bent out of shape when Alex wants to indulge in riding, which is one of his passions?

I think it is less about what Alex wants than what Mary Ellen wants...I would guess that she would be the driver in implementing safe sex, but I could be wrong.

I am so glad I could make your day better!

There has always been a 'rhythm' to Matt and Wade, and how they interact. When they're together, it seems natural, meant to be, and when they have conflicts, it tears at both of them. I think they both finally got that.