Mark Arbour

Thanks LEN!

Going back a little farther. One of my all-time favorite songs. I liked it even before it was in that gay movie. Plus, gotta have some old surf music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I0jy1H5qTo&feature=related

A time out. I like that. Wonder if would work in the Middle East?

Yep. I think that Wade is making Will think beyond the battle, and to what this may really mean, and may really look like. He's finding that exciting and scary at the same time.

LOL. Sorry I've become your heroin. I think that Brad's actions with Michael were more about expediency, and reducing the damage to the family. It seemed to work for everyone but one guy, and that one guy is pretty pissed off about it. :-)

Said no parent ever. Seriously though, I don't know of any parent who lets their 13-14 y.o. have a co-say in family rules. 16-17 y.o., yes, but 14? I just cannot see it happening except by someone very permissive. And maybe that's the issue. Stefan was never a parent and certainly had no problem letting kids do anything they wanted, and JP was always content to let Isidore (I can't believe I had to look up her name >.<) raise the kids. Honestly, I just do not see how all these adults can sit there with straight faces and believe a 14 yo kid, much less one with a history of extreme over reactions and scorched earth vindictive tactics is mature enough to be emancipated. Will does not have a history of mature or good decisions. At this point I hope Brad just steps back and let's Will do it without any further contest. Just watch him fail and let him deal with the consequences all on his lonesome, maybe learn the lesson that all 14 y.o. learn; that he isn't as clever or mature as he wants to believe. Two things: Actually, Wade said that, and you're right, he's a parent, but he's also younger, and more able to relate to where Will is coming from. If I were Brad, I'd probably do just what you suggested.

Horse apples? LOL. Perhaps.

November 10, 2000 Escorial, CA Will “You OK?” I heard Wade ask, interrupting my introspective gaze at the lights of the Bay Area. His words actually preceded his arrival outside. We instinctively walked together to the porch area. “I don’t know,” I said. There was a swing on the porch, so we sat on that and gently began to swing back and forth. It was kind of cold, but I was comfortable enough in my hoodie, and Wade never seemed to get cold. Then again, he could be freezing,

There are a few times of year that generally kick my ass. The beginning and end of a semester, or when I'm travelling. Sometimes I have enough things rolling along that you all don't notice those bumps in my real life, but sometimes I don't. We're at one of those times when I don't. So a new semester has started, and it's sapped my creative abilities for some reason, and I just haven't been writing all that much. I've got half a chapter of "Odyssey" penned, but most of that will be shit-canned because I don't like it. I have chapters 62 and 63 of Paternity in the works, so those will hit on schedule, but I have some big re-writes to do on 64, and I've barely begun 65. That means I'm prepping you for a current and/or future lull in posting. I'd kind of hoped that I'd get my act together and generate some chapters, but it hasn't happened, so I wanted to be candid with all of you and let you know my status. My priority right now is to make sure that chapter 64 of Paternity gets finished, and maybe 65, because that closes out a lot of the issues we've been dealing with. After that's done, I'll try and rescue George from the middle of the Atlantic.

God that's funny. It's too cheesy, even for me.

Damn, the story's over and I forgot to do that. Wait a minute. No it's not. :-)

This was stunningly insightful. Wow.

Thanks guys. It certainly isn't intentional. I try to take a break from time to time and rediscover my muse.

Well, you'll have to wait longer than that. Not happening today. The truth of the matter is that I simply haven't had time to do much writing lately, and the Odyssey cupboards are bare. Sorry everyone. I'll work on it when real life cuts me some slack.

You all have done a fantastic job of delineating the conflict here. That's why I've said I don't see a pure right or wrong here, and why I don't think Brad is a bad person. Or that Will is. I think the issues are more complex than that. But when the family rallies around Will, I can't help but visualize that it has a lot to do with Brad's decision making, as B1ue mentioned.

I think everyone backed Will up because he was pretty embattled, and because the power dynamic would possibly be overwhelming for anyone else. I'm assuming, too, that they think it may be good to separate Will and Brad. SPOILER ALERT: Wade is the one who follows him out.

First of all, sorry for posting a blank response to your last review. Sometimes the system doesn't like me. :-) I think it's pretty insightful of you to think of Will's feelings, digging deeper beneath the immediate issues and battle.

I don't think Claire has much to win in this. She gets her way through formal or informal power. I think the problem here, and one I've pointed out in the forums, is that Brad and Will, while not clones, are very similar, and that means they don't communicate well when they're pissed off.

No surprise at all. You've been pretty clear about how you feel on this, and I'm fine with that. You've been nice about it. :-) As far as Michael goes, how do we know Brad didn't do that?

I think that mental illness can take many forms. In this case, I think Jeanine got out and was thrust right back into a very toxic situation. I really hope that JJ figures out how he all but pushed her into it, so she can do better when she gets out next time.

I think that's an interesting concept, that a huge explosion can actually bring people closer. Very interesting.

I really appreciated your review, and the way you made your point. I've seen 14 year-old kids like that, but I'll grant you that they're statistical outliers.

I think they both have good arguments to back up their points, so I'm not sure there is a true right or wrong position here.

Thanks! I don't think that's implausible, when emotions run high, for the child to exhibit more adult-like behavior.

I'm so glad you liked it. It scares me that I write pissed off people best of all.