methodwriter85

Thanks, Tommy, you're giving me a real clear picture of what the school is like! God for Arbour when he gets around to covering the high school for a future story. (His CAP saga characters Will and JJ Schluter will be the Malibu High Class of 2005.) As for hierarchy stuff, I was asking about it because I went to a performing arts high school, so we didn't have the whole jock culture deal. The football quarterback wasn't the top of the hierarchy, it was the lead star in the musical or the cutest punk artist. And we generally weren't mean to each other unless we were competing for roles in the spring production or the showcases. And remember Laguna Beach, the Real OC? I was curious to see if Malibu had that same kind of environment- snobby rich kids who are total Mean Girls making things hell for everyone. But from what you're saying, Malibu sounds like a much more laidback environment where everyone just does their thing.

Nah, I knew a guy once who was like a king at convincing straight guys to go there, and even he couldn't convince every single guy. Some dudes just aren't interested in going there.

Right, Carson could easily have lied and said that Robbie intimidated him into a relationship. I don't think it would have been that out of left field for a guy to accuse another of sexual harrassment in 1999. I remember watching a news special back in the '90's about a guy who worked on an oil rig that claimed he was sexually harrassed by the workers there. Kevin's lucky to get that car, but can you imagine what the insurance is going to be for a 19-year old boy who has a sports car? LOL.

I just really loved the use of it in Lost in Translation.

Chapter 9 -When Brad reads the newspapers, which has paint him as some sort of religous guy, and Brad broods on some of the horrible ways religion has been used. "Terrible Lie" by Nine Inch Nails http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKW-fpx_Hw0&feature=related -When Brad tries to break up with Robbie, but Robbie makes him promise to stick to December 3rd. "Where Do Broken Hearts Go?" by Whitney Houston -When Brad and Robbie talk on the the plane as they fly to Robbie's secret destination. "Just Like Honey" by Jesus and the Mary Chain You know this one, Mark? It came out in 1988. I heard it in the movie "Lost in Translation", and it's really grown on me.

In the East Coast of the United States, poutine is called Disco fries- melted cheese, fries, and gravy. It's a very popular diner food, and perfect for after a night at the bar. It's related cousin are the Mega fries- fries with cheese, bacon, and a side of ranch dressing. It's so bad for you, but it tastes so good.

Yeah. One of the things I really liked about Be Rad was how much it reminded me of On the Mark. I kinda figured that Brad was like you in terms of personality. Although he's hunky, and you're more of an adorkably cute guy, I think. Brad's life had been basically stable since 1986. I think he needed to be put through the paces. What better than being in your late 30's, having your husband essentially dump you, having business issues, and seeing your oldest son about to graduate from high school put you in a mid-life crisis spin? I do think what's funny about the whole thing is that Brad doesn't seem to realize how screwed up he is...he just thinks Robbie's the one having the crisis.

That's cool. If you want to put up songs that make you think of CAP stories, there's a fan music thread called 'Songs that Make you Think of CAP" in this forum. As for being earlier than '99....not really a big deal. I'm mixing in a lot of older songs for this story, mostly because Brad is older and I already had Bloodlines as a music showcase for the mid/late 90's.

How is Brad his cousin?

Incest is seriously not a problem with this group of people. LOL.

It was pretty great. The sun could have been better- it was slightly overcast, but the humidity was low for a 92 degree weather day, which was nice. I spent at least a good two hours crisping in the sun. I don't have to worry about sunblock because I'm Filipino. We're genetically engineered to be sunburn-proof. I've never gotten a sunburn in my life. And it was just nice to see the various gay couples throughout Rehoboth. I counted four couples holding hands, which just made me smile- especially when it was these two teenage guys holding hands while walking with a crowd of their male and female friends. There's this section of Rehoboth Beach that's considered the "Gay Beach"- it's known colloquially as Poodle Beach. I was struck not just because it had a high amount of gays on the beach, but also because you saw kids and straight couples there as well- that there wasn't some imaginary segregated barrier. Gay and straight, mixing together in an ordinary way...but really amazing when you think about. You ever see one of those little moments that just reinforce your faith in humanity? I had that today. I was at the Gay Beach, and there was this adorable black gay couple. They taking pictures of each other with a camera phone. A straight couple were walking by, and the woman stopped. She went over to the gay couple, and asked to take a picture of them with their phone. She snapped the picture of the couple standing together, smiled at them, and then went on her way. Moments like THAT, and moments like two teenaged boys holding hands on the boardwalk like any other summer lovin' teenaged couple...that makes me feel hopeful that no matter what laws get passed or what bans get upheld, the side that wants gays to disappear back in the closet like they were pre-1969 have already lost.

Chapter 8 -When Brad has fun with his boy toy. "Mambo Number 5" by Lou Bega -When Brad has the press conference. "Around the World" by Red Hot Chili Peppers http://www.youtube.c...h?v=wKe-oqJVgZI -When Brad pulls a Sugar Daddy rountine for Sergio, buying him a new car. For which Sergio thanks him in the only way he should. "Candy" by Mandy Moore God, I LOVE this video. It's so sweet and simple and very endemic of the late 90's teen pop craze.

So it sounds like Malibu kids go over to Santa Monica a lot because there isn't that much for teenagers to do in Malibu? Am I getting the right impression there? As for size, I went to a school that had 800 students in 6th to 12th grade...performing arts school, and is currently only 18 years old. It really does affect the way you go through school- you really "grew" up with everyone, and you knew everyone in your class. Sometimes it was a good thing, but other times it got on your nerves to be surrounded by the same people, all the time. You always had classes with nearly every person in your class. And gossip spread FAST. I'm assuming the same has to hold true for Malibu as well. So...culture of the school. Like, are people really into the whole popularity hierarchy deal ala Mean Girls, or is the school much more laidback than that? And are football players treated like gods there ala Friday Night Lights, or is the whole jock culture thing not really the dominant force at the school? And is there a good amount of politcal activism there, or are the kids there mostly apathethic? Also, are kids ultra-competitive with each other about grades and such? I had friends who went to this really acamically competitive school who got really jacked on Adderall and other stimulants to stay up and study. Thanks again for your input, Tommy...I'm serving as Mark Arbour's research assistant this summer, and I really appreciate it!

I do think it would be interesting if both Robbie and Brad re-evaluate their parenting styles. Robbie seems somewhat distant, while Brad clearly favors Will over the other two because Will is most like him.

*shrugs* I can always admit I'm wrong. So I'm wrong. I forgot that these are rich peoeple, not the middle-class. The helicopter parent is more of a middle/upper-middle class phenomenon. The kids turn will have to wait. With 9/11, the Iraq War, JJ and Will being of voting age in 2004, Hurricane Katrina, the '06 Winter Olympics, the Virginia Tech Massacre...there's plenty of stuff for Mark to explore with the kids when its their turn. I do think Robbie, Brad, and Jeanine are better parents than JP, Sam, and Isidore were. The three brothers seem much closer and more stable than Ace, Brad, and Billie were.

Hey Tommy, I remembered in Mark's Be Rad story that the characters hung out at Stanford Mall. The Mall was a big hang out in Palo Alto. Is there a mall in Malibu that most kids from Malibu High hang out at? Or is it generally not cool to hang out at the mall? I'm from an area where the Mall was the big hang out for teenagers, so I'm curious to see if that's true for Malibu as well.

I can't really see how the boys can play any real central role in the story- they make sense as background characters. Darius is 17, straight, and more concerned with partying and picking a decent college than the goings-on with Amphion. And JJ and Will are 13 years old. Too young to be in the middle of the action just yet. They serve as minor characters that show what kind of fathers Robbie and Brad are- Robbie seems a bit distant, Brad seems more involved, but neither seem THAT involved with their kids. Which seems about right for affluent parents of teenagers- the kids get spoiled because the parents feel guilty that they just don't have time to spend with them so they make up for it with material stuff. And in any event, teenagers generally aren't that involved with their parent's lives, either. By their age, most kids are just doing their own thing.

Chapter 7 -When Brad and Robbie make love in the morning. "Angel of the Morning" by Juice Newton -When Brad tells Stefan about just how he plans on handling Robbie. "My Favorite Game" by the Cardigans http://www.youtube.c...feature=related -When Brad finds out about the Palm Springs plan, and has his typical even-headed, rational responses. "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morisette -When Brad and Robbie fool around, and Robbie brings up the other guys that Brad has been with. "Happy Now?" by No Doubt http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

I feel like that's the reaction a lot of people are having- he's got a boyishly cute face. Therefore he's going to be prime meat in prison. LOL.

Chapter 6 -When Brad has sex with Kevin. Er, I mean Sergio. "New Girl" by Third Eye Blind http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MfXT25R5Hs -When Robbie comes home, and the two fight before Brad and Robbie wind up having sex in the shower. "Heartbreaker" by Mariah Carey -When the family has dinner and Robbie realizes everyone hates him. "Better Days' by Citizen King

Rich kids doing actual time? C'mon. I'm sure he got off with a slap on the wrist.

That's be kinda cheap of Mark to make the mystery person someone we've never actually met. I don't think Mark would do that. I feel like it's got to be someone we met in Be Rad or MiM. It just seems so stupid that someone is going to hold a grudge against Brad for something that happened 14-19 years ago.The person's gotta be crazy and somewhat pathetic.

Dan Church? I totally forgot about that dude. The car crash theory is pretty neat, too.

Jason's in Mexico living the Mexican mafia life. I can't see him doing it.

Mark, he also listed Whist. Silly goose.