methodwriter85

It's still wild to me that it's 2023 and there still isn't an openly gay football player on the NFL rosters. At this point Zach would have to be done with his career. He would be 38 and the oldest running back in the NFL is 33.

Chapter 24: Engagement -When Brad and Robbie talk to Robbie's psychiatrist, Robbie admits that he killed Neil, and Brad thinks he'll be okay with it. "The Killing Moon" by Echo and the Bunnymen -When Brad proposes to Robbie. "Leather and Lace" by Stevie Nicks and Donley Henley -When the happy couple discover that Greg and Stefan bought them a house in Malibu. "Once in A Lifetime" by the Talking Heads -When Robbie and Brad get the truck that Marty McFly had. And then have sex. "Walking in L.A." by Missing Persons *** 2023 me: From the vantage point of now, it's kind of wild to see 22-year olds trying to settle down like this. It was much more common with Baby Boomers to want this, much less so by the time Gen Xers came off age, and even less so with Millennials. Just a completely different mindset. Gen Z star Millie Bobby Brown announced getting engaged and there was all this hang-wringing about her being too young at 19 to get engaged. In 1986 nobody would have been doing that over a 19-year old getting engaged, even if it was with a guy twice her age.

Chapter 23: The Trial -When Grandmaman decides to accompany the clan for one last trip to France, her homeland. "To France" by Mike Oldfield and Maggie Reilly -When JP and Brad talk about who JJ's father is. And JP learns some disgusting truths about his family, and gets amused by the fact that JJ is really a Crampton. (While he's really a Schulter.) "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson -When the clan has to deal with French media circus surrounding Robbie's case. And Grandmaman turns out to have some connections that'll help. "Under Pressure" by Queen -When Robbie's case is thrown out, they scramble to get Robbie the hell out of there, and the clan breathes a sign of relief when they get back over the Atlantic, heading back to the US. "Major Tom" (Coming Home) by Peter Schilling Gee, I sure hope Robbie never goes back to Paris. - When Stefan realizes that Lou is the child he helped save from the sort of childhood he had, back in 1973. And the true meaning of Christmas is revealed as the Cramptons, Schulters, and Hayes close out 1985 strong after a tough bout. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid

Seven real-time years went by. Damn. Mark has decided to do a bit of "prequel"-like action as he's announced a re-write of A Summer Love. I've always thought that if and when Mark catches up to present day he'll do prequels or stories that take place in years that weren't covered, i.e. 1996 and 1997 could be covered in a story that takes place between If It Fits and Bloodlines. I'll be curious to see how Mark handles the transition to the Generation Z characters like Riley Danfield and Madison Graves because that generation is soooooo politically correct. He's also going to need to brush up on anime because that generation is obsessed with it. LOL

That works.

Chapter 22 - Prison -When the clan strategizie, along with the lawyer, about how they can help Robbie. "Invincible" by Pat Benatar -When Brad and Robbie have some goodbye sex, and Robbie says he wants Brad to be free to mess around, so long as it's not with Max. "Broken Wings" by Mr. Mister -When Brad gets to Claremont, plays with Darius until his nap, then bonds over watching Jeremy at the hospital, the newest addition to the crazy Crampton brood. "We Are the World" from USA for Africa -When Brad sees Bitty in a crack house. "White Lines" by Grandmaster Flash -When Brad and Jeanine have sex. "What's Love Got to Do With It" by Tina Turner

Chapter 21: Arrested -When JP and Brad talk about their options, and Brad is adament that he won't let Robbie go down for killing Neil. "I'm Going Down" by Bruce Springsteen -When Brad and Robbie's lawyer talk. "An Innocent Man" by Billy Joel - In the courtroom, where they succeed in getting Robbie out on bail. "The Confrontation" from Les Miserables (1985 musical) -When Robbie and Brad have sex, using fisting and letting Mouse watch the action. "All Through the Night" by Cyndi Lauper

Chapter 20: Murder -When Brad gets back to his apartment, paranoid as hell. "Private Eyes" by Hall and Oates -When Brad and Mouse screw each other, in the heat of the moment. "Add It Up" by The Violent Femmes -When Brad and Robbie work things out about what happened to Neil. And then have make-up sex. "Head Over Heels" by Tears for Fears -When JP and Mouse reconcile. "Better Be Good to Me" by Tina Turner -When Robbie gets arrested by the police. "Police On My Back" by The Clash

Mark just re-edited Man In Motion, the 1985-86 story about Brad and Robbie's stormy relationship.

Mark picked it. It's Kelly Slater: He was directly referenced in text as looking like Kelly Slater. I'm assuming Scott still has hair, though. I felt pretty free to pick a pre-surgery Lark as long as he had blue eyes because we had to assume he had extensive plastic surgery. Other Mark picks: JP's face is based on Rickey Nelson, but he's small and blond. Jeff Hayes, Fred Hayes, and Robbie Hayes were essentially based on Tony Dow: There have been various Stefans but none that really "hit" it, so to speak. Feel free to use your imagination on that one. Andre, who is Ace's father and died in 1962, is based by Mark on Bernardo from West Side Story: I don't think we've ever really settled on a Brad, although I guess if Mark likes my Asher Angel pick, just imagine Asher Angel as an older guy. Brad and Will are supposed to be pretty much exactly alike.

Lukas Gage as Lark's original face? He has this slimy feeling to him that feels perfect for the surfer boy formerly known as Lark. Like I would hang out with him a few times but would never, ever trust him. LOL

Chapter 19: JJ -When JP tells Brad that Mouse doesn't want a second chance, and Brad comforts him by reminding him of Roger. "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" by Elton John -When Brad and Robbie nearly get into a fight when they talk about their plans for next year, but Brad backs out of it before it happens. "Age of Consent" by New Order -When Brad talks to Marcel about Lou and essentially tries to set them up. "The State of the Heart" by Rick Springfield -When Brad confronts Robbie about his bitchy behavior, and then finds out Bitty gave birth to a baby boy that Saturday. "Time" by Culture Club -When Robbie gets blackmailed by Neil, leaves the apartment, and then Brad proceeds to kick Neil's ass. "Don't Come Around Here No More" by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

I think we decided that Jeff looks like Hallmark hunk Trevor Donovan in his Abercrombie days so he's got that going for him, at least. In all seriousness though, I gotta agree with you. Anyway, the Shane suicide storyline was quite intense. I did think it was interesting how Mark took this very secluded, very structured world that JJ was living in (being cosetted by both his mom/Tiffany and the rigidity of his skating life) and just shook everything up starting with this storyline. Like the skate world stopped being this safe space that JJ was allowed to hide in, and Mark forced JJ out into the "world," so to speak. He was always the more innocent one compared to Will, and a lot of that was down to JJ being smaller and less physically mature than Will is. (Remember, Will looks and acts like he's 19 years old in this story.) However, it's that physical immaturity that helped make JJ a target for his predatory coach. It's weird to think that despite Will's age, I don't think the skate coach would have been that interested in Will because he would have been too tall and mature looking for him.

It's summer 2023 and I'm definitely still seeing jockish guys rocking "modern" mullets. They're usually pretty subtle like on Jamie Flatters...you could just barely called that a mullet: But then there's the Morgan Wallen look: I can see Stefan and Wade Danfield recoiling at that. LOL This seems like the happy medium: Mark, have you been seeing the mullet resurgence in the wild at your university yet? I feel like over here it started showing up around 2021-22.

Chapter 18: Lou -When Brad and Marcel argue about Jerome, and then Brad talks to Robbie about making sure Marcel plays safe. "Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats -When Brad meets Lou, and drops some serious dough on the guy at the clothing store. "Sharp-Dressed Man" by ZZ Top -When JP finds out about Mouse and Marcel, and JP tells Marcel about our good buddy Jake, who's dying of AIDS in a hospital and has no visitors because of the selfish way he treated people. "All By Myself" by Eric Carmen -When Brad catches JP and Marcel having sex, and talks to him about Mouse. "Only The Lonely" by The Motels

Chapter 17: The Louvre -When Marcel admits what he did, and Brad and Robbie lay some ground rules about how they will deal with Marcel. Before having sex. "Borderline" by Madonna -When Brad gets seduced by Dr. Cambronne. "Get It On" (Bang A Gong) by Power Station -When Marcel ah, "steps in" for Brad with Dr. Cambronne. "Lovin' Every Minute of It" by Loverboy -When Brad tells Robbie about Dr. Cambronne and Marcel, and they make love without a condom as a sign of the trust they have with each other. "We Belong" by Pat Benatar

I read Mary Ellen's voice in Wolf of Wall Street Margot Robbie's voice, and she was pretty hilarious.

I don't think Jeanine or Robbie do. I'm pretty sure that Brad has the legal custody of JJ ever since his biological mother Bitty died in If It Fits, which was set in 1995.

It's the Midwestern rust belt mentality. Seriously, I remember spending time in Western PA. Stunningly beautiful landscapes, but there was a melancholy to the people there that you just don't see in the bland Northeastern suburbia that I come from.

I've always pictured a 20-something JJ, sitting in the back sipping some mead and making catty comments to his teenaged cousin Courtney about the various debacles of their family members during holiday gatherings in the early 2010's.

That makes a lot of sense. The other possibility is that Curtis made a deal with the devil, and he must sacrifice his second born son before the age of 18 and the devil's due.

I don't know if I'd say that- he and Brad are still (as of 2004) working out the damage that their relationship had in this story. That said, I did remember having a strongly negative reaction to this storyline, and it was reinforced when I had to watch an emancipation storyline on the ABC nighttime soap Nashville with the Maddie character that I couldn't stand. LOL It took me until 9/11 to fully like Will as a character. But at the end of the day, this is a soap, and soaps continually excuse characters from misbehaviors because you can't have everybody on the canvas ushered off into jail.

Chapter 16: Mistaken Identity -For the family dinner back at Escorial JP introduces Marcel, announces that he's HIV negative, and Claire announces that she is having their first grandchild. "Our House" by Madness -When Brad and Robbie get back from the States, have sex, and Marcel is again watching them. And Brad admits that he likes being watched. "Pretty Young Thing" by Michael Jackson -When Brad goes to the dig, admits to JP that he withdrew from the Sorbonne, and tries to figure out his next step. "It Ain't What You Do( It's The Way That You Do It) by Fun Boy Three with Bananarama -When Brad gets really lit, has sex with what he thinks is Robbie, and gets confused when Robbie comes in and seems really pissed off. "Eyes Without A Face" by Billy Idol *** Can I just take a moment and say...DAYUM, Billy Idol had one amazing face circa 1984! So beautiful and expressive, yet also cruel and tough. Absolutely fascinating. Whoever came up with the concept for the "Eyes Without A Face" video was a genius, capitalizing on the utter photogenic face of Billy.

Chapter 15: Negative -When Marcel's stepfather sells him for 600k francs. "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits -When JP learns that he is not, in fact, HIV positive and he and Brad celebrate. "Dancing in the Street" by David Bowie and Mick Jagger -When JP tells Robbie and Mouse that he's not positive, and kisses Mouse passionately after declaring that he won't leave him. "Never Surrender" by Corey Hart -When Brad and Robbie have sex, and Marcel watches them. "Rhythm of the Night" by DeBarge

It took Adam ten years to do it, and I'm glad he did. I think a big part of why Adam walked away a couple of years after he did is because he accomplished what he wanted to do and he realized he was struggling to stay invested in his online community after doing so.