methodwriter85

I'm just feeling a bit of self-pity at the moment. I'll get over it.

Yeah, because suburban Dallas is the ghetto. *rolls eyes*

I'm just saying...it's awesome being a beta reader, but you know better than anybody the downside to being one, especially when Mark gets into a groove and churns out chapters at a furious rate.

*looks at Sharon and arches his eyebrow*

There aren't really too many places that Mark could take Brad anymore, either. "Millennium" pretty much seemed like Brad's swan song as a protagonist. He's already seen his kids off, either to college to emancipation. His relationship with Robbie is solid again, and he's solved the family issues he's had. I can't really see what Mark could possibly do with Brad as a protagonist that he hasn't already done.

Parker Young from Suburgatory as Travis, Wade's well-meaning but exceedingly dumb hot cousin? (He goes to Duke, doesn't he? Or was that Georgetown?) He just screams, "Dumb friendly jock" looks-wise. Parker Young caught my eye on an episode of Mad Men.

I've got only about three months until my student loans are due, and I still haven't found a job. God, this sucks. I just got a rejection email today for a tour guide job I interviewed for, so I'm feeling a bit crappy. I'm getting to the point where I'm just going to try and go for any job that I can get, instead of one related to my major.

That's the interesting thing about Will's characterization- he bluffed but I think at the end of the day, there's no way Will would have gone through with the nuclear option. If Brad had called Will on his bluff, he probably would have backed down because I don't think Will has Brad's "win at any cost" characteristic to him, whereas you can tell that JJ does. That's probably why Will identifies so much with Wade, while JJ identifies with Matt- Wade doesn't have the mentality of doing anything you can to win, because all of the backstabbing in politics disgusted him. Meanwhile, Matt is an alpha male jock with a strong need to win, and I think that's why JJ got drawn to him- they're both people who will do anything to win without really considering the consequences.

I don't think Cody not stepping up as a dad has anything to do with it, though- I think Jeanine pretty much sees him as a sperm donor, and Cody hasn't done much to dispel that notion. I did not think a 30-year old circuit boi would be into being a dad, and I was right. The other factors, I agree with. I think being the Star Figure Skater's Mother gave Jeanine a sense of identity that she likely hasn't really had in the face of Brad basically treating her like the nanny all these years, and everything rested on making sure that JJ stays the figure skating star. Anything that could keep JJ from succeeding became something to squash quickly, and Jeanine got to see Will as an obstacle to JJ's path to stardom.

In tribute to the 11th anniversary of 9/11... I remember that MTV and VH1 basically shut down after 9/11, and just played videos the entire time with tributes scrolling across the bottom. This is one of the videos that I remember them playing.

Is that a Northface jacket I see on you? Nice. (Seriously, one of the weirdest things about being in Western P.A. was that guys didn't seem to wear Northface jackets, whereas almost everyone was wearing them on the East Coast.)

This is a soap opera. Drama and dark secrets are usually a pretty big part of that. That said, I like your theory better- as Jeanine became a more obsessive stage mom determined to keep JJ happy and in the spotlight, any obstacles to such became a problem that needed to be neutralized, such as Will.

You'd probably make Gathan decide he was gay after you got through killing off JJ and sending Will to military school. (Although, honestly- I could see Will loving the hell out of it. All those pent-up and frustrated guys...)

Well, schizophrenia medication is usually bad for a pregnancy so I could see Jeanine stopping her meds, which would explain why Jeanine started to go crazy during the pregnancy with Madison because I really don't think this is just post-partum depression. It's seriously coming off like paranoid schizophrenia, with Jeanine believing Will is out to get her. And Jeanine being a hot 22-year old lesbian probably wasn't a bad thing for Marie.

That looks like so much fun!

Why do I feel like that would involve Will getting sent off to military school and JJ getting run over by a bus?

That's why I'm guessing it manifested AFTER she had Will- she was young enough when she had Will that the schizophrenia could have manifested after. By that point they would have completely trusted her and not pried too much into her business.

Okay, maybe that statement was colored by the fact that I spent 2 years in Steelers territory while being an Eagles fan. It apparently used to be really bad, though, back in the 1970's and 1980's. So bad that the Vet(the old Eagles stadium) had a jail. Here's an interesting vid that talks about the history of Philadelphia fandom. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhd1roUGHP0&feature=related

I don't know- I mean, we're boorish louts, but Pittsburgh fans are pretty bad, too.

I have a theory that Jeanine is a paranoid schizophrenic- it didn't manifest itself until after she had Wil(she was only in her early 20's when she had Will, right?), and Jeanine kept it secret. As we saw from what happened with Dr. Martin, Brad and Robbie aren't exactly diligent about background searches, and I bet that as the mother of their child Jeanine got the benefit of the doubt and they didn't pry into her personal business. Then when she got pregnant, Jeanine went off her medication and it's no longer effective, hence explaining her behavior.

I'm pushing 30. My freshmen year of college was seven years ago. My 10-year high school reunion is in 3 years. It's a completely legitimate mindset. That I still get carded for alcohol nearly all the time is completely irrelevant. I remember the L.A. Raiders. I used to see their starter jackets around. Although the "Pizza Pizza" bit kind of threw me- there was some other slogan for Little Caesar's? Speaking of which, remember when Little Caesar's used to deliver pizza, before they got cheap?

I liked the "I Kissed A Girl" reference. I remember that song being big that year- I also remember being sure that Katy Perry was going to be a one-hit wonder. The cocaine bit was interesting, because coke wasn't big at UD. It was either pot, Adderall, or oxy. I was actually supposed to try oxy one night but my friend's deal fell through so we just smoked instead.

This is the mindset of this year's entering college freshman class, born in 1994 and graduating in 2016. From Beloit College's The Mindset List: This year’s entering college class of 2016 was born into cyberspace and they have therefore measured their output in the fundamental particles of life: bits, bytes, and bauds. They have come to political consciousness during a time of increasing doubts about America’s future, and are entering college bombarded by questions about jobs and the value of a college degree. They have never needed an actual airline “ticket,” a set of bound encyclopedias, or Romper Room. Members of this year’s freshman class, most of them born in 1994, are probably the most tribal generation in history and they despise being separated from contact with friends. They prefer to watch television everywhere except on a television, have seen a woman lead the U.S. State Department for most of their lives, and can carry school books--those that are not on their e-Readers--in backpacks that roll. The class of 2016 was born the year of the professional baseball strike and the last year for NFL football in Los Angeles. They have spent much of their lives helping their parents understand that you don’t take pictures on “film” and that CDs and DVDs are not “tapes.” Those parents have been able to review the crime statistics for the colleges their children have applied to and then pop an Aleve as needed. In these students’ lifetimes, with MP3 players and iPods, they seldom listen to the car radio. A quarter of the entering students already have suffered some hearing loss. Since they've been born, the United States has measured progress by a 2 percent jump in unemployment and a 16-cent rise in the price of a first class postage stamp. Each August since 1998, Beloit College has released the Beloit College Mindset List, providing a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college this fall. The creation of Beloit’s former Public Affairs Director Ron Nief and Keefer Professor of the Humanities Tom McBride, authors of The Mindset Lists of American History: From Typewriters to Text Messages, What Ten Generations of Americans Think Is Normal (John Wiley and Sons), it was originally created as a reminder to faculty to be aware of dated references. It quickly became an internationally monitored catalog of the changing worldview of each new college generation. Mindset List websites at themindsetlist.com and Beloit.edu, as well as the Mediasite webcast and their Facebook page receive more than a million visits annually. For those who cannot comprehend that it has been 18 years since this year’s entering college students were born, they should recognize that the next four years will go even faster, confirming the authors’ belief that “generation gaps have always needed glue.” The Mindset List for the Class of 2016 For this generation of entering college students, born in 1994, Kurt Cobain, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Richard Nixon and John Wayne Gacy have always been dead. They should keep their eyes open for Justin Bieber or Dakota Fanning at freshman orientation. They have always lived in cyberspace, addicted to a new generation of “electronic narcotics.” The Biblical sources of terms such as “Forbidden Fruit,” “The writing on the wall,” “Good Samaritan,” and “The Promised Land” are unknown to most of them. Michael Jackson’s family, not the Kennedys, constitutes “American Royalty.” If they miss The Daily Show, they can always get their news on YouTube. Their lives have been measured in the fundamental particles of life: bits, bytes, and bauds. Robert De Niro is thought of as Greg Focker's long-suffering father-in-law, not as Vito Corleone or Jimmy Conway. Bill Clinton is a senior statesman of whose presidency they have little knowledge. They have never seen an airplane “ticket.” On TV and in films, the ditzy dumb blonde female generally has been replaced by a couple of Dumb and Dumber males. The paradox "too big to fail" has been, for their generation, what "we had to destroy the village in order to save it" was for their grandparents'. For most of their lives, maintaining relations between the U.S. and the rest of the world has been a woman’s job in the State Department. They can’t picture people actually carrying luggage through airports rather than rolling it. There has always been football in Jacksonville but never in Los Angeles. While still fans of music on radio, they often listen to it on their laptops or replace it with music downloaded onto their MP3s and iPods. Since they've been born, the United States has measured progress by a 2 percent jump in unemployment and a 16 cent rise in the price of a first class postage stamp. Benjamin Braddock, having given up both a career in plastics and a relationship with Mrs. Robinson, could be their grandfather. Their folks have never gazed with pride on a new set of bound encyclopedias on the bookshelf. The Green Bay Packers have always celebrated with the Lambeau Leap. Exposed bra straps have always been a fashion statement, not a wardrobe malfunction to be corrected quietly by well-meaning friends. A significant percentage of them will enter college already displaying some hearing loss. The Real World has always stopped being polite and started getting real on MTV. Women have always piloted war planes and space shuttles. White House security has never felt it necessary to wear rubber gloves when gay groups have visited. They have lived in an era of instant stardom and self-proclaimed celebrities, famous for being famous. Having made the acquaintance of Furby at an early age, they have expected their toy friends to do ever more unpredictable things. Outdated icons with images of floppy discs for “save,” a telephone for “phone,” and a snail mail envelope for “mail” have oddly decorated their tablets and smart phone screens. Star Wars has always been just a film, not a defense strategy. They have had to incessantly remind their parents not to refer to their CDs and DVDs as “tapes.” There have always been blue M&Ms, but no tan ones.’ Along with online viewbooks, parents have always been able to check the crime stats for the colleges their kids have selected. Newt Gingrich has always been a key figure in politics, trying to change the way America thinks about everything. They have come to political consciousness during a time of increasing doubts about America’s future. Billy Graham is as familiar to them as Otto Graham was to their parents. Probably the most tribal generation in history, they despise being separated from contact with their similar-aged friends. Stephen Breyer has always been an Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. Martin Lawrence has always been banned from hosting Saturday Night Live. Slavery has always been unconstitutional in Mississippi, and Southern Baptists have always been apologizing for supporting it in the first place. The Metropolitan Opera House in New York has always translated operas on seatback screens. A bit of the late Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, has always existed in space. Good music programmers are rock stars to the women of this generation, just as guitar players were for their mothers. Gene therapy has always been an available treatment. They were too young to enjoy the 1994 World Series, but then no one else got to enjoy it either. The folks have always been able to grab an Aleve when the kids started giving them a migraine. While the iconic TV series for their older siblings was the sci-fi show Lost, for them it’sBreaking Bad, a gritty crime story motivated by desperate economic circumstances. Simba has always had trouble waiting to be King. Before they purchase an assigned textbook, they will investigate whether it is available for rent or purchase as an e-book. They grew up, somehow, without the benefits of Romper Room. There has always been a World Trade Organization. L.L. Bean hunting shoes have always been known as just plain Bean Boots. They have always been able to see Starz on Direct TV. Ice skating competitions have always been jumping matches. There has always been a Santa Clause. NBC has never shown A Wonderful Life more than twice during the holidays. Mr. Burns has replaced J.R.Ewing as the most shot-at man on American television. They have always enjoyed school and summer camp memories with a digital yearbook. Herr Schindler has always had a List; Mr. Spielberg has always had an Oscar. Selena's fans have always been in mourning. They know many established film stars by their voices on computer-animated blockbusters. History has always had its own channel. Thousands have always been gathering for “million-man” demonstrations in Washington, D.C. Television and film dramas have always risked being pulled because the story line was too close to the headlines from which they were ”ripped.” TheTwilight Zone involves vampires, not Rod Serling. Robert Osborne has always been introducing Hollywood history on TCM. Little Caesar has always been proclaiming “Pizza Pizza.” They have no recollection of when Arianna Huffington was a conservative. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has always been officially recognized with clinical guidelines. They watch television everywhere but on a television. Pulp Fiction’s meal of a "Royale with Cheese" and an “Amos and Andy milkshake” has little or no resonance with them. Point-and-shoot cameras are soooooo last millennium. Despite being preferred urban gathering places, two-thirds of the independent bookstores in the United States have closed for good during their lifetimes. Astronauts have always spent well over a year in a single space flight. Lou Gehrig's record for most consecutive baseball games played has never stood in their lifetimes. Genomes of living things have always been sequenced. The Sistine Chapel ceiling has always been brighter and cleaner. *** God, I feel old, don't you? I still can't believe 1994 was 18 years ago...it seems like just yesterday to me that Kurt Cobain died and I started watching My So-Called Life. My oldest niece was born in 1994, but she was born past the cut-off date so she's still in high school.

Thank you sir, may I have another? I don't know. I guess a lot of times, I think that I probably would have had an easier time with my teens and transitioning into my twenties if my parents had been better with the discipline. At the same time, the fact that I was pretty much free to develop whatever my interests were probably allowed me to become the bright, dynamic young man with a multitude of interests that you know and love today, Mark. So I see your point.

Because even sans money, I know what it's like to have parents that don't ever tell you the word "no", and the utter lack of boundaries you develop as a result because you think you can do anything without suffering any real consequences for them? Are you seriously going to tell me that you think Brad and Robbie DIDN'T give their kids a childhood in which they could do whatever they wanted because the word "no" wasn't in their category? There's absolutely no indication in the way in which Brad and Robbie interact with their kids that they did otherwise. Anyway, back to the chapter...I really think the emancipation will wind up being a good thing for Brad and Will. Brad is no longer the authority figure for Will to rebel against, meaning Brad and Will can go back to being friends again; at the same time, Will is now responsible for his own actions, meaning there's no more teenaged angst about his parents holding him back.