methodwriter85

I'm not sure what style you'll call this, but it's ugly as hell. This is what they built for the new library on Kirkwood Highway in Delaware.

Fandom wars are always funny. Of course, this particular fandom war is stoked by the fact that these girls all have Twitter and the like. It's funny though- how does The Wanted's success threaten 1D's, and vice versa? N'Sync and BSB ruled the airwaves back in my day. There was room for both.

If Will does wind up going to Menlo School in Paly, I think it would be a pretty good thing for him and JJ as brothers. When you're in the same grade and in the same school, it's really, really hard not to be biting each other's heads off. I've seen that a lot of times. It'll suck having wasted all that Harvard-Westlake research and development we did, though. In any event, if Robbie does go through with trying to ban Jeanine from JJ's career...holy hell, I'd hate to be Robbie because the claws are going to come out. In terms of "JJ the Empty Diva" stuff, I don't doubt for a second that Mark is going to add layers to the guy, but as it's only 2000 and Mark seems like he has a hell of a lot more stories planned, you can't develop JJ too much or you won't have anywhere to go with him. I do feel like 2006 is going to be a pivotal year for JJ- he's 20, it's the Olympics,and if he doesn't make these Olympics when he's at his peak, it's not likely he'll ever be good enough for the Olympics. How he deals with that should be pretty interesting. As for the Darius stuff, I can see your point- but the other thing to keep in mind is that sometimes, people just aren't meant to be major scholars. Not everyone has that capacity, even if they try hard at school and get good grades. Just because someone's in a scholarly family doesn't mean they're actually scholar material themselves. It doesn't make them stupid- they're just not wired that way. Darius seems like he's very emotionally intelligent, in terms of being able to read people, which isn't something Will exactly excels at, and JJ flat-out sucks at. Even though Will was trying to be an ass in trying to call Darius stupid, I thought there was likely a kernal of truth there- that he's just not as smart as Will. The jury's still out on JJ- I think he probably could do well in school if he wanted to- but I could also see him thinking "Well I'm going to be a professional figure skater so what do I need with college?" And I'm relenting on the relationship stuff with Brad- they do have one, just not a particuarly tight relationship because there's just not that much JJ has in common with Brad. And because, as Darius pointed out, each parent took a shine to one of the kids.

Thanks. His name is Jarrett Sleeper. He's on a web tv series called MyMusic. Kind of reminds me of what a scuffier, less pretty boy version Robbie Amell would look like, which seem suited for Cole.

JJ's not even 15 yet. There's plenty of time for that. Even then, I hope he stays a fierce diva bitch. My thoughts: 1. It does seem like Jeanine's issues go way deeper than just post-partum depression. On one hand, the cool chick we met in Man In Motion doesn't seem like someone that would become that cold and distant to her son. On the other hand...I can almost see how living as a glorified live-in nanny for 15 years would slowly turn her bitter. It almost feels like Jeanine is being prepped for an exit...I can't see how she redeems herself at this point. Isidore and Brad had their differences but Jeanine just seems to hate Will. It makes me think of Mary Tyler Moore's cold rage towards Timothy Hutton in Ordinary People. 2. Why didn't they bring up bisexuality as a possibility for JJ? I got Mark's reasoning when he said Brad wouldn't think of bisexuality when he was musing on JJ's sexuality in Millenium, but there's no way two openly gay teenaged guys in 2000 wouldn't have thought of bi. I knew what the term "bi" was when I was 9 and watching My So-Called Life in 1994. There's no way Will wouldn't think of bi as a possibility. Especially since Will's buddy Gathan is bisexual himself, and he's not a "confused" bastard. 3. JJ's attitude towards Evan...god, that kid is hard to figure out. It might just be that JJ's bitchmeter is always on, even when it comes to people he likes. I think JJ is probably charming in a superficial way- traces of the happy cheerful kid he was pre-skating- but he can't maintain interest in people long enough to be an actual friend. And because Evan is competition for JJ(Evan places second at this meet), I can see that the diva act being on high. 4. Claire, once again, being the voice of reason. I loved that. 5. Also, JJ has a relationship with Brad? Really? Wasn't the whole point of Will slamming Brad and Robbie and shaming them into going to Norway in the first place acknowledgement of the fact that JJ DIDN'T have much of a relationship with his Dads? Wasn't the whole Norway trip Brad basically acknowledging that he had to work on both Will and JJ? Then again, teenaged pity parties aren't always the most logical.

Chapter 51 -As the tension mounts between Will and Jeanine.

The End of Joe Paterno University I really do feel for the alumni of the school. "I went to Penn State" is going to be a cringe-worthy line for a long time. But this is what happens when you base what the school is about on its football program and the gnarly parties the students throw. Those riot videos showed the deep roots of what's wrong with that school, and it's going to take a good two-three years to change that culture. Honestly, if Penn State football isn't banned for a year, USC really should just be given their championship season back.

I'm not fixated on the boyband, per se. I'm fixated on the parodies of the boyband.

Aside from Robbie Amell, I could see a 20-pounds heavier version of this guy as Cole, too. Cole does strike me as a guy who'd probably neglect to shave often and have messy hair.

I cannot imagine what the school will look like after all of the lawsuits run their course. Penn State is a high-tuition school already. I can't imagine how high the tuition is going to get after the school has to dip into their endowment. "Joe Pa" indeed. What a freaking joke. You know that when Joe Paterno passed away, people in Western PA were treating it like a saint had died.

I'm posting this here because it was filmed in Malibu. Also, it's funny. As a side note, the blond guy they have playing Niall is actually kind of how I picture Private Tim.

Frank Lloyd Wright...now THERE was an architect.

I definitely agree that in a lot of ways, JJ was "hers" in a way that Darius and Will weren't. He was the preemie newborn with a crack-addicted mother and a dad for whom his existence was an inconvience to be ignored. How could your heart not go out to him? Brad didn't develop those paternal instincts for JJ in the same immediate way that Jeanine developed those maternal instincts for him, and he was, for the most part, wholly her child all throughout his childhood. I think once JJ became a figure skater, Jeanine's identity went into being a figure skater mom, and her whole being was dedicated towards making sure that JJ's a future Olympian. I mean, remember when Jeanine was telling Brad that JJ was considering dropping out of school to fully pursue skating? I don't doubt that Jeanine had something to do with putting that idea into JJ's head. Although I don't think it's just Jeanine that doesn't want JJ to grow up- I think JJ himself isn't ready to grow up yet, either. He's in an environment that encourages you to at least put on the image of childlike innocence. And it's easy for JJ to do stay that way, because he's a latebloomer. Which makes a great contrast- you've got Will the 14-year old who wants to be 20, and you've got JJ the 14-year old who wants to stay 12.

Yeah, those buildings are pretty fugly.

1960's and 1970's buildings are just horrible. It's like the architects of the time were on a collective acid trip. I'm bothered when solid buildings from the 1950's and before get demolished, but I have no such sentiment for the "groovy" era buildings. I wonder how many acid trips THIS architect went on.

It's not about the car being easy to get; it's about the car not being something that a lot of the SoCal kids would be rocking. I was thinking mini-Cooper because, like I said, it's fitting for JJ's personality- small, compact,Euro-centered, flashy colors, kind of odd. Maybe he'd get something classic, like an Austin Healy? What kind of car are you thinking of, Blue? I do think it would be good for Will to go off to Palo Alto and attend Menlo School with John, Marie, and Ella, at least for a semester so people can get things sorted out. Of course, it would be hilarious if Will STILL was having a lot of problems, and he started to realize that it might not be his parents that are entirely the problem here. Back to the reviews, I stated that I didn't think JJ would ever wind up inviting Will to come out to his competitions, and Mark responded with: I didn't really read Will and JJ's relationship as having that "whipping boy" element to it. Mainly because Will has never given into JJ's tantrums or humored them, or taken any of his crap, which isn't how a "whipping boy" relationship goes. And if we're talking about how the parents treat them, with the exception of Jeanine, Brad and Robbie don't let JJ slide on everything while piling on Will. Because really, other than JJ being a bit of a bitch, he's a generally harmless kid who's pretty much kept in line by that dream of being on a Wheaties box someday. Other than the fact that JJ's been a bitch to Gathan, seriously, what exactly would Brad and Robbie have to get concerned about? Meanwhile, Will toked up and got wasted on his school camping trip, trashed his parent's house and went on a vacation to Hawaii, and everyone felt sad and contrite when he got back, and he got rewarded with a fun trip to Norway, ostensibly to be supportive of his brother. Exactly how would you characterize everything that's happened lately as Will getting dumped on by his parents while JJ gets away with murder? I'm just really not seeing how or why JJ and Will's relationship can be described as "JJ the Prince and Will His Whipping Boy". That just doesn't jibe with what you've depicted so far in CAP. It's more like "Will the Golden Boy Prince Everyone Fawns Over and The Bitchy Ignored Middle Child No One Cares About."

JJ's tantrum was good, but for it to have reached a Jeremy-As-A-Teenager level, JJ really needed to have either thrown something at Will, or broken something while screaming his head off. Otherwise, there was the Level 10 tantrum I was waiting for! (Yes, before you ask, I underwent anger management when I was 17, leading to the calm and level-headed young man you see today.) Over in reviews: I think JJ in general is one very repressed kid. I think he knew about Tiffany's Nicole Bobek story and was paranoid about it happening to him, so he overcompensated by making sure he fit the Disney Image to a tee. It works for now, but as Will noted, it won't be so easy when JJ is 17 and much deeper into puberty. Especially if JJ turns out to be anything like his biological father, or his eldest biological half-brother. Those two have at least three illegitimate children between them. (I wouldn't be surprised if there were more.) I'd hate to see all of the HW friends go to the wayside, because Mark did a really good job at making them interesting, but Paly might be a good option. Plus, we'll get to know John, Marie, and Ella better- I'm assuming if Will went to Paly, he'd go to Menlo with them.

Tim, good point. I'm just saying that I don't think JJ would get a mainstream car that all the other kids at his school had...he'd get something that'd be different and make him stand out more. JJ would get shit for having a Mini-Cooper, I think, but he'd also like the fact that he got something that not too many people in his area were rocking. (A BMW would be far too common, I think, for sure.) I was thinking Mini-Cooper because personality-wise, it fits- small, compact, kind of odd, and a bit flashy. I think JJ wants everyone to be focused on him, and he doesn't get why every gets so focused on Will while he gets ignored. I think that drives him crazy- a diva like him thrives in the spotlight, and not getting the attention kills him inside. I'm not sure JJ even knows why he needs that attention so much- he just does, and therefore he'll do what he can to get it, whether it's throwing a tantrum or putting on the "I'm Such a Great Diva" act. Which he doesn't realize actually makes people less inclined to want to be around him. JJ really is one incredibly complex, interesting character, Mark. Lots of places you can go with him.

There's the JJ freak-out that I was waiting for! All that was missing was JJ jumping up and down, and then throwing something, and it would have been a Jeremy-level temper tantrum! Seriously though, I'm thinking this is the last time JJ invites Will out to one of his competitions.

Chapter 50 -When JJ goes on his rant against Will.

Right, but you gotta remember that a defining JJ characteristic is that he's not about blending in- he likes being different and going against the grain. I can see him obsessing over European cars and style and the like, rather than being like other SoCal rich kids. Kind of like how Johnny Weir was obsessed with all things Russian, I can see JJ obsessed with all things Euro. I think that's why he has a kindred spirit in Alisdair, who is similiar in that regard. In a normal environment, it's not embarrassing. But in an environment where U.S. figure skaters are expected to act like chaste little dolls who wouldn't even think of straight pre-marital sex, let alone gay pre-marital sex, I can see why JJ feels embarrassed. He's trying to uphold his Disney-friendly image, and tales of his brother fucking his way through the line-up doesn't help him any. Anyway, does anyone else feel like Mark's setting up a parellel between JJ/Jeanine and Billy/Isidore? In the sense that both relationships were co-dependent and enabling? JJ being almost 15 helps with that comparision, I think.

It's been interesting going over the events. Aside from the obviously big event of that year, 2001 ushers in legal same-sex marriage in the Netherlands, and I can't picture that NOT getting mentioned. (Although they didn't mention same-sex civil unions in Vermont happening in July 2000, which I was kind of surprised about.) JJ turns 16 in 2001. I wonder what car he'll get- he screams Mini-Cooper to me, or something European.

Happy birthday!

Tom Daly's face doesn't really set me on fire, but his legs are hot. I love hairy legs.

Happy, well-adjusted people who generally go thorugh life with an upbeat attitude and a "can-do" spirit are nice to be around in real life, but kind of boring to read about in a soap opera.