methodwriter85

He turned 19. Because we have the same birthday, it's always kind of fun to compare just how mundane my birthdays were compared to his. For my 19th birthday, I was still in high school because I repeated 1st grade in 1993-1994. I believe I made a boxed Duncan Hines chocolate cake, put creme cheese frosting on it, and took it to school. I got serenaded with "Happy Birthday" in my AP U.S. history class as people ate cake. Then I got presented with a homemade birthday card from my winter track team by my coach Mike. He's a die-hard conservative so his card included a photo of John Kerry, who had just lost the election. It was the first American Election I could vote in, and I remember really thinking that John Kerry was going to get elected. LOL I really don't make big deals of my birthdays at all. My most recent one (39th) I spent walking around the King of Prussia Mall, the ultimate American mall for a mallrat like myself. I actually might go back there for my upcoming 40th because they're opening up a Netflix Experience and I believe they're doing a Squid Games experience. I was thinking about trying to take a trip to somewhere I've never been (like Montana or the Mid-West) but I'm trying to enter a new field so I don't want to commit myself to anything. I feel like the idea is that Jeremy isn't going to mature if he doesn't join the rat race in some way. Although I don't know, I feel like you've done a good job of maturing him, teaching him about accountability, and getting him to learn boundaries in a way that feels right for the character. Another factor is that you've written most of the main characters as being very driven, very ambitious career-minded individuals so them coming across a character like Jeremy, who doesn't seem "driven" so to speak, feels like a break from the formula. Although personally I'm kind of seeing it as this generation is benefiting from the work that the previous ones did so they don't actually have to have a career. Hell, even with Will, who has made so many incredibly great business decisions already, doesn't seem that interested in "conquering" the business world in a way that Brad and Stefan did. Because the dude is already covered. So is Jeremy. I mean, the foundation of the family was built on the affluent Mid-Westerner work ethic, but we're so far from that now. I'm sure if Crampton Construction was an international conglomerate or something none of those kids, including Richard, would be working. LOL

While I was studying to analyze fact patterns for an assignment in my paralegal course, I watched a video from a lawyer about how to get off on drug charges and it boiled down to "find someone else you can pin it on!" I felt so dirty that I had to take a moment. LOL

So I started the job application process to try and get started on my paralegal career. I'm not going to lie. I haven't applied for jobs since 2015 and I'm trying to break into a new field. It's really hard not to think about the three years I spent trying (and failing) to break into the museum field when I got my master's degree. In 2015 I finally got real and started working a retail job I've been in since, save for the lost COVID year. Going on the advice I've been given, I'm trying to look at legal assistant/administration jobs as well as file clerking. I'm also thinking about volunteering with the legal aid society for my state if I can't find anything in a couple of weeks. I've been saying to myself that every Wednesday (which had been a class day) will be spent advancing my employment goals. I did stick to that today, starting up an Indeed profile and sending my resumes in to two different places. I've also sent off my resume to one of my professors to get a reference letter. So yeah, if you're a lawyer or you're a paralegal, I'm totally open to advice!

Damn, you mean Chris Carmack lied to me?

Is that in the O.C.?

Yeah, Drew Starkey has strong "psychotic frat boy" face. Lol

Yeah, luckily with CAP you've got me until we hit about 2018 or so. LOL (I was 32 that year and it feels like the last year I actually was locked into current pop culture.)

I'm using this opportunity to post my Big fancast. Man. There's just something about Drew Starkey. He looks like such a dick but he's just a big ol' softie.

Thanks! I really threw myself into it and it was a pretty cool time.

Now what? No clue, but we'll see! I'm leaning towards starting out by applying for file clerk jobs, and see where things go from there. I'd say I'm probably most interested in contracts, torts, or probate. Now I'm just going to take things in and see where things go.

I like that Kris seems to "get" Jeremy but he's also willing to call him out on his crap. At the same time, he's willing to work with him. Jeremy's never really had someone challenging him to be better. Zanie was riding him for his money; also she enjoyed being a bitchy snob with Jeremy on her arm. He was roleplaying for Alex. And Carullo just kind of took Jeremy's crap although I think Jeremy generally stayed on better behavior with Carullo. It's a good pairing that really just kind of came out of nowhere and I've thoroughly enjoyed.

You hinted at this in On The Mark that your parents bought extremely, extremely well in the hills of the Bay Area in the 1960's before things went insane.

I remember we used to have a ton of jokes about the boys who attended Sallies, which is the premiere Catholic boy's school in Delaware. Kind of wish I had attended but knowing my ways I would have been stuck on a guy I never had a chance with while ignoring guys I actually did. LOL

Chapter 77 -When Jeremy and Kris get all mushy gushy after laying it all out on the table. "Brighter Than Sunshine" by Aqualung -When Will, Finn, and Travis do very slutty things. "Salt Shaker" by Ying Yang Twins

Thanks for your analysis, Tim. I wonder if the previous lawyer was trying to get him to plea deal but he refused the notion of even trying for prison. If they aren't wealthy they must be going massively into debt to afford Alan Jackson. He must be commanding an astronomical salary beyond my comprehension. Lol

Hey, Tim, are you following the Malibu rich boy car crash car? Back in '23 Fraser Bohm ran over and killed 4 Pepperdine University sorority girls. Anyway, the case got some renewed attention because the defendant's family fired his lawyer and hired a hot shot lawyer Alan Jackson. Alan Jackson just scored a phenomenal win in the high profile Karen Read case. Here's his full closing: Just amazing. I was reading up on his Wiki and it looks like he tried to be LA District Attorney but failed, and upon failing, turned to private practice and became the rock star he is. Anyway, I'm curious to see what Private Tim's opinion is about the Pepperdine case. Do you think the kid will get off, or is he cooked?

I get what you're saying but Mark has been pretty firm on the idea that Jeremy will never have an official job because he doesn't have to have one so he doesn't want one. (I don't think Claire ever got an official job, right?) If he does anything it's going to be in a strict voluntary capacity like the debutante he is. I do think Jeremy's more than capable of working his ass off at something (he didn't just get handed a gold national figure skating medal) but it also kind of feels like he's just checked out on throwing that much of himself into anything ever again. I will say though, as someone who's been around in the non-profit and community performing arts world we DIE for people like Jeremy. Bored rich people who don't "work" but need to focus on something to give them a purpose.

I can't imagine how many lawsuits you've probably settled involving men who chased after a pretty 20-something and it went bad.

Right. I was thinking about Jeremy probably having a litany of workouts that he cycles through. I guess Jeremy's doing pickleball? LOL I can just see him being someone who takes it too seriously.

Maybe he'll take up pickleball instead when the pandemic hits.

Yeah, I see that after watching the video. Definitely a lot of daytrippers, it looks like. They do own property in Wyoming though, right? I thought they brought property there during the Matthew Shepard storyline in Bloodlines. I can't remember if they ever turned that into a ski chalet or not. I figure we don't get skiing scenes in CAP because Mark isn't interested in skiing so we don't see the characters do it. (I do think realistically Stef and Jeremy would be skiers while I can see Matt being into snowboarding. Matt is just so that late 90's jock boy. LOL)

Someone sounds like they're in the discovery phase of a really big, "I can buy a new Mercedes!" case. Maybe you can take a vacay to Catalina Island after it's done? I don't think Mark has had the CAP characters stay on Catalina Island, has he? It's probably a bit too close to home for them, giving "staycation" vibes. The "no car" thing would bum out most of those characters as well. I can't see any scenario in which Will and Travis don't settle down in Los Angeles, provided they're still together in 2025. Or Mark can choose a different tragedy and have them lose their house in the 2018 wildfire. A bunch of Malibu people got affected by that one.

As an aside, if anyone's interested in checking out the aftermath of the Los Angeles wildfires particularly the destruction of Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and a bit of Malibu... Holy crap, this was a sobering look. It's wild to think of the homes that we thought were spared are uninhabitable and have to be gutted and rebuilt because of the toxic fumes that were spread. It's like they "saved" those houses for nothing. That gorgeous 1924 Craftsman house of the yoga mom might as well just get demolished anyway. Geez. I started tearing up at the end when we got to the elderly couple tending to the garden of an Altadena home that doesn't exist anymore after living there for 47 years. Like how do you possibly start over at 72 years old? Just the emotion on the old man's face- wanting to maintain a sense of normalcy and dignity and knowing what an uphill battle he and his wife face at trying to rebuild.

Which still makes him quite a bit younger than 50.

It's actually wild to believe this, but Jack is only supposed to be about 40 years old. He and Claire had Marie while they were still in College. Nowadays you're more likely to see a 40-year old with babies or small kids, not teenagers. Especially in educated affluent circles. The expectations regarding marriage and childbearing are so wildly different now as opposed to the mid-1980's.