methodwriter85

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTiFNQBRwwU&feature=share This an MGMT cover of "This Must Be The Place" that they did in college. I like it- really cool how it encapsulates the feeling of college in the early 2000's.

Yeah. I loved it was a story about real people, leading relatable lives, through the eyes of an intelligent but seriously socially awkward protagonist. It'd be great if Mark could write something like that again, but I get that he wants to do fun, cheesy soap erotica instead. And it's been a damn fun ride. "CAP" kinda replaces the hole that the dying American soaps have left in my heart.

Well, my family was working class as well, but I was still able to get things like Pogs, Tamigotchis, CD players, etc etc. I don't know- even though there was a lot of crappy things in my life on a personal level, there was something about getting twenty dollars from Mom and thinking that was soooo much money that was great. And of course, the stuff in pop culture was truly great- from early 90's Disney, 90's Nickelodeon, late 90's the WB, the great teen movies like Clueless and Can't Hardly Wait, the fun of the boyband/teen queen pop era. My family got the internet in '99, and back then the internet just seemed really exciting and cool and new, and there was a high level of intelligence at every board I went to. As for the racism, sorry to hear that. I grew up, respectively, in New Jersey, Texas, Delaware, and Maryland, and I don't really remember running into racism. Which was kind of crazy, because Elkton, Maryland was the center of a KKK chapter back in the '90's. The closest to overt racism I've gotten was people asking me "where I'm from", because I'm filipino and I don't really into the black/white dichotomy of the country, so I don't automatically register in people's race-o-meter. Back to late 90's/early '00s pop culture: I think on some subconcious level, I used to buy American Eagle clothing because that's what they wore on Dawson's Creek. And remember when everyone was in love with Katie Holmes? Geez. And of course, we can't forget Cruel Intentions: What an awesome, awesome ending. How incredible was the use of music to match the imagery and emotion?

It's kind of interesting to consider Wade noble, because we've never really had a "noble" protagonist before. JP was borderline sociopathic, Stefan and Brad have a "grey" morality to them, and Matt wasn't that noble either. I actually like that Mark doesn't make these guys perfect people who do everything right, but with Wade we've got a change of pace. There are some things I can't see Wade doing that JP would have done in a heartbeat, and I like that. Keeps the story from feeling repeitive. (I knew someone who told me they stopped reading CAP when it looked like Will was going to be Brad Redux. We don't need a JP Redux, either.)

Here's something I've realized about myself in doing music for "Millenium" and "Poor Man's Son." Hip-hop really ingrained itself on me way more than I thought it had when I was growing up. I didn't consider myself a hip-hop/r&b fan when I was 15, but I gotta admit, when I go back for songs that bring back memories, I'm often heading towards stuff like Eminem and DMX. It's kinda funny how setting my "music clock" back to 2000 has made me realize how the music that plays around you at a certain age can really imprint itself on you. I went to middle school and high school in fairly urban areas, with urban kids, so hip-hop and hip-hop culture was all around me, even though I didn't partake in it. Although really, hip-hop was everywhere, including and not least white upper-class suburban kids. It's really interesting how the music background of one's adolescent impresses itself on you. If this had been out in 2000, there's no doubt in my mind I would have used it for Brad and Robbie for Millenium: And I probably would have used "Peaches and Cream" for Will and John Hobart's hook-up scenes:

I think Wade's never-before-mentioned uncle was openly gay, got disowned, and died of AIDS in the 1980's. As for Tiffany, here's my take. She pictured raising her child with Jeanine. Then when it turned out that Jeanine had cheated on her with Cody, Tiffany then figured that she'd raise the child by herself, with perhaps some babysitting help from Wade, but not NEARLY as much parental and grandparent-involvement as she's gotten. She obviously didn't grow up poor, because of her grandparents, but I think given the kind of early childhood that Tiffany had, she developed a bit of an independent streak. Note her not being all that enthused about being given three private nannies. I think Tiffany feels trapped, not just by Jeanine but by Wade's family and all the expectations and obligations that are getting attached to her son. Escorial is like a gilded cage to her that points out just how in over her head she's gotten- if her grandparents are still alive, I think she'd probably want to jet off to her grandparents with Riley and get a break from the craziness of this world.

Hey Mark, the precocious nostalgia my generation has is paying off in dividends. I remember reading once that bosses who deal with Gen Y like to study generational and cultural touchstones to better understand them. Here are two primers for you to understand this generation better. "You Know You're A 90's Kid When..." "Your Childhood in 94 Seconds" I related to most of this stuff, save for some of the cartoons mentioned. The shot of Bill Clinton getting sworn in for his presidency made me tear up. 90's America really didn't know just how good they had it. When you come up with childhood references for JJ and Will, just think, "90's Nickelodeon" and "pogs". Seriously, you won't fail there.

I'm not sure I'd call this my favorite, but I do think this is absent the structural problems that plagued Poor Man's Son. I've liked this story better for these reasons: 1. There's no jumping back-and-forth between narrators in every chapter. I think that was an interesting idea, but ultimately it broke up the narrative momentum. 2. Wade and Matt have been together, in CAP time, since 1998- a good two-year relationship. There's more weight in their relationship angst than dealing with Will's infatuations, or Gathan's summer fling with Kristin. 3. Will works soooo much better as the high school comical B-storyline. He's an interesting character, but I don't quite think he has the pathos or gravitas to fully lead a story yet. And there's nothing wrong with that, because there's a better balance between Wade's more serious story, and Will's B-story antics. In Poor Man's Son, it was like we were going full blast on the angst stuff on both sides, and it was a bit too much. It's like we were supposed to follow Gathan AND Will as the A-story, and the balance was off because of that. 4. A gay Southern blue-blood with a crazy Southern Gothic family. I mean really, the story just writes itself here. It IS nice that we're getting outside the Schluter/Crampton/Hayes trifecta here and exploring a completely different kind of family. Virginia tidewater tobbacco families have to be so utterly different from Mid-western affluent families, Midwestern blue-collar families, and California new money. 5. 14-year old angst is fine, but there's something about the angst of finishing up your college years, entering your twenties that really gets to me. It's a weightier kind of angst- when you're 14 you're thinking about getting a boyfriend. When you're 20/21, you're trying to think about what you want to do with the rest of your life once school is over, as well as a whole host of really complicated things that you just don't think about when you're a kid. I have enjoyed this.

I used to not be a big fan of facial hair on guys, but lately I've been finding the look pretty hot, on some certain guys. Actor Nick Zano didn't do it for me with his clean-shaven look in Final Destination 4 and the like. But then you add the facial hair and the hipster glasses with his look on 2 Broke Girls, and he suddenly became effin' hot to me. Who else do you think wears the facial hair well? Do you prefer facial hair on guys, or do you like them clean-shaven?

Tiffany, I wish you the best of luck in trying to raise a normal, well-adjusted son who can relate to people outside of his own class.

Chapter 11 -When Wade and Sean confide in each other about their own respective relationship problems. I wish I was Tim's age, so I could have gone to college during the grunge era. What a great time for music. -When Wade wrestles control of his money.

David Henrie would have been about 14 or 15 in that picture. I saw your point about using a picture of David Henrie that would fit freshmen year Alistair, not senior year or college-aged Alistair. I remember when David Henrie started appearing on How I Met Your Mother and then an episode of Cold Case in 2006, before he started filling out, so I still thought of him when he used to be a small, skinny guy with a geeky-cute face. I kinda forget that not everyone would be familiar with David Henrie from before he started gaining muscle and became hunky. You're seriously missing out by not watching Band of Brothers. That was one incredible series. (Hey Mark, that's another cultural reference I'm going to try and get you to work in. It was one of those guy films a lot of my friends liked.)

Ewww? What are you, 12? And you honestly think Damian Lewis is fugly? Have you even SEEN Band of Brothers? But I do like the guy you used. I willingly step aside on that one. David Henrie in his early 20's is hunky. But David Henrie when he was a young teen fits just right. Remember, it's not the age that the actors are NOW that we use, it's what they looked like at a certain point that we use if it fits the look. Otherwise, having teenaged Stefan in CAP looking like present-day Tab Hunter would have been awfully silly, right? When David Henrie was about 14 and looked like this, I think he fit freshmen-year Alistair: Little geeky David Henrie in a suit. Come on Mark, tell me that's not perfect for Alistair. Austin Butler is how I picture Mark's doomed friend in On the Mark; the one who winds up on the streets.

Happy birthday!

The "99 Problems" one is mainly about how no matter how many problems Will has, female troubles will never be one of them. I had friends that joked with me about how, being gay, a "bitch" will never be one of my problems. "Running towards". I think that's a more apt description of how I view JJ's character. He's not someone I can see being content to do what Brad did- getting a house in Malibu, raising a family- I think he's got other things to do, I believe. Which include breaking away from being the ignored middle brother of the Schluter family. I think the thought of moving off into his own away from his family would really appeal to him. (Hence, why I think he'll end up in either Chicago, New York City, London, maybe Paris.) This song has been SCREAMING Gathan to me: A mix of hope and despair, and someone in a new set of circumstances trying to deal with it. Totally how I saw Gathan. This would have been the song playing in the airport scene where Gathan gets all depressive, had that scene taken place in 2011 instead of 2000. Matt Carrswold- This came out when he would have been a 10th grader, and it totally feels like how I imagine his life was in high school.

Teenaged Jessica Alba as Shiloh? I remember starting around 2001-2002, when she was doing Dark Angel, that's when straight guys started sweating her. Definitely one of the biggie sex symbols for this decade. I'd consider her a cultural touchstone for JJ and Will's generation like Christie Brinkley was for yours, Mark.

What songs make you think of a certain character? I know we have "Killer Queen" for Elizabeth Danfield, but I'm kinda curious to see people would see as character theme songs. And why. Will Schluter- It's pretty much inevitable that when this song comes out in spring '04, Ryan and Jason are going to joke that this is Will's theme song. LOL. JJ Schluter- More than anyone else in this generation, I really feel JJ's urge to break away from his family, and go to strike his own pathway. He doesn't seem like someone who's content to stay in southern California his entire life- I think JJ would become a worldly traveler who never stayed in any one place for too long. The alternative theme for JJ- Lose Yourself by Emimem Getting in the zone...I always thought this song was great for any person trying to seize their moment.

Right. Well, there's a reason why I posted the picture of a younger-looking Lucas Till. So Lucas Till's face on that guy's body. (At least pre-puberty.) I can accept that. I just don't think JJ would have an edgy look like Charles Guislan's face- it's too gothic and emo for someone who needs to look like the boy next door. So Lucas Till's face on a short, skinnier body. It's kinda like you having JP Crampton with Ricky Nelson's face, but blond hair and a short body. I think it'd be funny if the revitalization worked so well that people started getting priced out of what had been slummy neighborhoods. Claremont with hipsters. Now that would be funny as hell. (They're to the 2000's what the yuppies were to the 1980's, Mark.)

Even then, that doesn't get around him having more of an andro look than someone who could be called handsome, "cute as hell", and the like. I actually do like this guy's look, but I honestly believe it isn't right for JJ. However, he'd be perfect as some fashion-forward friend of JJ's that gets introduced at some point. Please don't go toe to toe with me on this, Tim. JJ is the one character I'm really, really protective about and will draw a line in the sand with. I kinda have to be. He's my namesake and birthdate-sake. Let's go back and discuss surfing community rituals and the like instead. These kids would be hanging out at the Pier and like, right? Tell me about that, Tim. And about the likelihood of whether or not Will could have sex with Brody Jenner. (Dumb as a box of hammers, but damn he's hot.)

That's IF the revitalization succeeds. Remember, we've got Gathan on deck as the leader of "Future Claremont", and the kid blew through over 100k one single Vegas weekend without realizing it. And the 2008 recession REALLY hammered a lot of urban renewal efforts in the country. Although I do think it'd be funny if, for JJ's 2006 Olympic Hype puff piece, he dons an apron and "works" for a day at the Coldstone Creamery rip-off they opened up at the Shoppes at Claremont Factory. Then walks around the revitalized town and talks about how having such humble Ohio roots really grounded him in understanding the salt of the Earth, Good Christian folk that make up his birthplace and the backbone of America.... ....As JJ reads off of the script while his P.R. manager gives him the "thumbs" up sign. (I'm sorry, but after watching the 2006 Olympic Hype puff pieces of Evan Lycasek and Johnny Weir, I'm eager with anticipation. Those things are truly hilarious. JJ trying to sell himself as grounded and relateable to Middle America will be funny to read about.)

It's really funny that you suggest Alex Prettyfer. I think he'd make a good "post-puberty" JJ as well. You just know pre-puberty this guy had a handsome but somewhat feminine face. Lucas Till is masculine, but if you concentrate purely on his face, it's handsome but in an almost feminine way, which is how Mark has been describing JJ. And puberty will fill JJ out at some point. I just can't see Charles Guislan being described as "cute as hell", "cheerful", "bouncy", "handsome", and the like. It just doesn't work. But if Mark writes in some fashion-obsessed friend of JJ described as a "pale, wan emo kid with an interesting and edgy face", Charles Guislan would work damn well. I do think Mark should write in some emo kids, which should be around in a circa 2000 high school. We're still in pre-9/11 America. I'm sure the body count will start up again at some point. Someone being involved in the War on Terror, given the amount of military involvement that this family has had, seems pretty much like it'll happen. My money right now would be on Frank Hayes dying of a heart attack somewhere in the next couple of years.

And he would work extremely well as some fashion-obsessed friend of JJ's. Not JJ himself. Not someone who's "cheerful" and "cute". Charles Guislan is edgy with an interesting look, but I wouldn't call it "cheerful", "cute", "pretty", or "handsome". From A Summer Love: The first two kids, Darius and JJ, were Brad's sister's kids. The last one, Will, was his kid, a kid he'd had with Jeanine. They were pretty cute. Will and JJ were about five years old, while Darius was about eight. From If It Fits: He had the Crampton looks, though not distinctive enough to raise eyebrows. He was really short for his age, and really slight, definitely a squirt. That was offset by his good looks. He was handsome in almost a feminine way, with sharp, fine features. “Hi Uncle Stef,” JJ said cheerfully. “Wanna play Playstation?” Casey asked helpfully. Darius eyed him; clearly weighing his options, then shrugged his shoulders and went below. JJ followed along playfully. “JJ!” Bitty said. “You are adorable. Come give Mommy a hug!” “Recess,” he said, and I couldn't help but laugh. Typical JJ. Always playful, never serious. I watched JJ's reaction to this interplay. He was a happy boy, cheerful and playful, but this kind of banter clearly unsettled his psyche. JJ is obviously affected, because he is so happy and cheerful. From Bloodlines: This is my brother, JJ,” he said. The kid in front of me was short and slight, probably all of twelve years old, but cute as hell. He smiled and bounced around. “So that makes you my brother,” JJ said happily. “I guess it does,” I said cheerfully. He had a happy manner about him that was so engaging. “I think he is still trying to figure it out,” Stef said. “He is probably the happiest, most naturally cheerful person I have ever met. That alone is a major talent. Beyond that, nothing has emerged yet.” - Stefan on JJ From Poor Man's Son: Still, it would have been easier for JJ to fit in with my friends if he didn’t dress like he walked right out of fucking GQ magazine. Even with the emergence of the bitchy diva attitude, that still wouldn't take away JJ's natural bouncy, cheerful energy. Charles Guislan looks jaded, edgy, slightly scary, bored, and blase. Absolutely perfect for a fashion designer, but that wouldn't work for JJ at all. I could see JJ TRYING to affect the jaded European look, but smiling too much to really pull it off. Kinda like when I was trying to pull off the punk look when I was 15. I smiled too much. (I'm often called "cheerful" and "cute". I've been around guys give off the same vibe and body language as Guislan. They would never get called that.) JJ should look like a pretty-boy actor on a Disney show who dresses in impeccably tailored suits from Brooks Brothers, not an androgynous heroin chic waif who would fit in as part of the cast on some movie adoption of an Anne Rice novel as some evil vampire child. The only thing they have in common would be having blond hair and a slight build, but even then, as Centy pointed out, JJ would have really good muscle tone, even though it was incredibly compact. This kid looks downright 90's heroin chic.

Did Mark ever say what Elizabeth Danfield's maiden name was? It'd be cool to make her a Duke. It would make sense that the Danfields themselves aren't insanely rich, which is why Wade's father got married to La Danfield, and why she always seems to have the upper-hand in their relationship.

I was kind of shocked that the Danfields had that kind of money. I knew they were wealthy, but they didn't seem like they'd be THAT wealthy, going by the kind of lifestyle they live. I had them pegged kind of like Peter from Mad Men- an aristocratic name, but not an extreme amount of wealth. Although it makes sense- they don't have flashy jets and the like, because they're old money and they don't flaunt wealth like the Schluters do.Or the grandparents left Wade's parents a pittance, and all of the money to the next generation, to ensure that the money wouldn't run out. That would mean that between the three of them, Wade, Beau, and MaryEllen have trusts equaling somewhere around 1.2 billion coming their way at some point. That would actually seem to be way more than the kind of money that's going towards the Schluter/Crampton kids, although there's also a lot more heirs to spread the wealth around in.

We "oops"-ed on Wade's birthday. It's actually May 15th.