methodwriter85

So I'm going to ahead and get deep, and show off this article that combines the "Just Girly Things" meme with photos that depict the harsh reality of war. You know, given that the Iraq War is on the horizon in CAP-land. Just Girly Things Meets the Harsh Realities of War I know that if Mark decides to cover the Iraq War, he'll do it justice, like he did for 9/11. I guess for me, the tombstone that says "1985" on it kinda got me the most...because it makes me think about the fact that there were so many guys and girls my age who went off to the war, and a lot didn't come back. It just feels wrong for any kind of tombstone to start with dates from the 1980's, you know?

Mugshots of the Three Charged In Case Since I don't think these people will get serious jail time thanks to P.A.'s lack of protecting gays from hate crimes, my hope is to continue the chain of blasting these images out there and hope it follows these people around. It's just crazy though. These people are close to my age and they did that. And it's not like they came from some bumblefuck small town in Alabama or something, either. Definitely eye-opening for me, I believe.

I like that Mark is allowing JJ to have a relatively sweet, chaste courtship, as opposed to the narrators we've seen before him. Let JJ just enjoy his innocence and youth before getting into the wild, passionate stuff. I mean, given that CAP is gay erotica, I get why we haven't seen such relatively chaste characters before this, and why "waiting" is like waiting until the second date if at all, but I like that the multiple narrators allows for Mark to also have an old-fashioned kind of courtship, and at the same time also show two guys playing with handcuffs. I also liked the suggestion that JJ's holding back from getting too riled up, because on some level, he knows that being too forward with Alex is going to turn him off and he knows slow is the best way to go with this. It's a contrast for Will, who when his libido went off, just went full-hog.

Cato from The Hunger Games as Parnell? Alexander Ludwig is probably a nice person in real life, but with that douchey face he was born to play the teen asshole bully.

Chapter 12 -When JJ is kissed by Alex. "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" from The Sound of Music Tell me that isn't EXACTLY the dynamic that seems to be brewing between Alex and JJ right now. Alex wanting to play the suave, sophisticated worldly older guy teaching his innocent princess about love, while JJ plays the demure, innocent princess who may know more than they let on about worldly affairs. -When JJ dances after being kissed by Alex. "I Could Have Danced All Night" by the 101 Strings Orchestra As soon as I read that scene, "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady popped into my head. -When Will and Zach have their little...adventure. "You May be Right" by Billy Joel

I think the main rule is that it must be instrumental. I think in my mind, I have JJ skating to a mix of classical music as well as instrumentals of Broadway standards like Les Miz. (It's been my music picks for him during his competitions, in any event.) You've done a fairly solid job of setting up the family as being pretty regular theater goers so JJ probably knows a ton of Broadway tunes to go along with his classical music collection. It does make sense that JJ has to be a pretty big classical fan- he doesn't strike me as someone who'd go against the grain and skate to Pink Floyd or ZZ Top. In any event...man, it's painful to watch how blissfully naive JJ is going into his first real infatuation. Especially when, as others have put it, Alex will need to find his "whore" component. I do think it's fun how, for someone who is pretty inexperienced save for his abuse, he really does seem to get exactly what he needs to play to get Alex. As for Zach, him and Will really are fun. That was a funny bit.

It'll be interesting to see what happens to JJ as he starts to move into his late teens. I do think JJ is probably destined for a vigorous, but very discrete, sex life. But I don't know if I can really see JJ living his life with hedonistic abandon like Stefan Schluter in Land Whore, especially while his carer is going on. His life is pretty much practice, diet, practice, diet, and yet more practice. No drinking, no drugs, and not really any parties. (Except maybe if he's overseas in Europe away from the watchful eyes of the USA Figure Skating Association.) I think JJ will fit very nicely into the Madonna slot. He can be sexual and like it. He just can't be openly aggressive about it.

Chapter 11 -When Will drives his Ferrari. "Get Free" by the Vines -When Will and Zach exchange the meaningful "I love you"'s. "Amber" by 311

Because in their mind, JJ is still the 14-year old kid who slashed up his body and they don't want that to happen again? From the last chapter: Yeah, true, which makes the fact that he has to play the Disney Virginal Princess all the more funny. He can't be like Will and just bang every cute person that comes his way. There's an image to uphold here. Whatever sexual experience he has, it has to be behind closed, locked doors and with people he can trust. Don't forget that between Regionals and Sectionals, JJ has Skate America scheduled for October 23rd through October 27th. That takes place in Spokane, Washington. Seriously though, is JJ going to expect Alex to come to that, too? It's just not possible for Alex to do all that traveling and still attend grad school full-time.

Blue, I know exactly how you feel. I'm going to have my 10-year high school reunion next year, in 2015. It doesn't feel possible that high school was really ten years ago, but time really flew and damn we're getting old. I also have my 5th year anniversary of graduating from college in 2015, which is doubly weird.

Yeah. All we can really do is shame the hell out of these people. I don't care what you think, but when you act on that, then you need to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Yep. That's why I want to see it, as well. Plus, I'm fascinated in seeing whether or not they can turn a "just for the shits" read into something legitimate.

Internet sleuths help police find the people who were involved with a Philadelphia gay bashing. It's absolutely baffling to me that this happened in Philadelphia in 2014. In any event, I'm glad that these people got caught pretty quickly. Although I'm pissed off to learn that they can't be charged with hate crimes because Pennsylvania doesn't have sexual orientation as a bias for hate crime law. Seriously, why is it that there is so much focus on getting same-sex marriage when this shit still isn't covered? It's ridiculous.

Well, that's good to know. Although this means we have change JJ going to the Trophee Lalique in Paris. Damn. JJ in Paris seems like it would have been an orgy of shopping.

Chapter 10 -When JJ and Alex visit the Revolutionary War sites. The Patriot Soundtrack God, that movie. The scene where the Evil British burn down a church full of women and children and kill Heath Ledger's wife? Ugh. -When JJ reflects over his night with Alex, and how thrilled he was to just hold his hand. "A Summer Place" Theme God, JJ is going to be burned so, so bad from this.

Shit. This one also flew over my head. According to good ol' Wiki, the 2002 Eastern Sectionals were in Pittsburgh. (It's funny that we don't have a date but we have the location.) Oh, well. I'm guessing JJ's referring to University of Delaware Figure Skating Club, which has hosted this event in 1993 and again in 2010. *shrugs* Eh, it doesn't make that big of a difference if they hosted them in 2002, as well. It's a shame though- Pittsburgh is a pretty cool town. Not sure I can see JJ scarfing down on Primanti Bros., though. At the same time, you're putting JJ squarely in Johnny Weir's territory so the "artistic liberty" works here. As for JJ and Alex, JJ really is the perfect Virginal Princess for him. At least until Alex decides it's time to procreate.

Another great view of Philadelphia's current skyline:

There's something interesting about pairing the guy who has never been closeted in his life, with a guy who has to be in the closet for his entire professional life. I just like Zach and Will so much for the fact that their relationship, and the dynamics that go into it, has never really been done before in CAP. I also like that Zach is so different from any Hayes we've met before- he's not a cuddly manwhore who thinks with his dick and gets validation from sex, nor is he a self-destructive guy. I like how single-mindedly determined he is.

I can see that. I'll admit that a couple of times, when I lived in Western PA, I said "pop" a few times instead of soda. I kinda liked saying it that way- I didn't fully embrace Pittsburgh Metro ways, but I did a little.

Chapter 9 -When Will and Zach get all romantic at the end. "Love Song" by The Cure

True, but it's also true that Matt NEEDS to be Mr. Popular. He does. It's been a pretty consistent character trait of Matt that he's a very social guy who needs everybody to like him. He can't stand isolation. Meanwhile, unless Zach cares about you, he could really give two shits about whether or not you want to hang out with him. Which is probably why Zach is actually pretty well suited to the guarded, closeted life he's going to lead. Damn it, I didn't catch that. As a life-long resident of Ohio, and who's only lived in California since the spring 2002 semester, Zach would be more likely to say "highway", not "freeway". Oh, well. I'm going to chalk it up to the fact that I've been rather distracted and on various heightened emotions so I just didn't look that carefully. In any event, I'm glad that Will finally got to have a happy birthday that wasn't all dramatic or traumatic. I absolutely love him and Zach together.

To be honest, that's what bothers me the most. I know two people who have September 11th birthdays, and they can't just celebrate their birthdays because everyone always brings out the 9/11 stuff. I get that it was a huge event that changed America as we knew it, but a part of me thinks maybe it's time to reclaim September 11th as just another day, the 11th day of September, and not have the American media forcefeed the grief and tragedy of the September 11th of 2001 every single year. Especially when it's not a big anniversary year. I mean really, the 13th? Why does the 13th anniversary merit big media coverage?

Does it bother anyone else that every single year there has to be massive media coverage about 9/11? Every single year they have to bring out the 9/11 footage, show off the memorials at Ground Zero, etc etc. I can understand for the big anniversaries- like the 10th in 2011 was a big deal, and there's the 15th in 2016. But really, for the 13th it has to be a big leading new story? There's this deep cynical part of me that doesn't think it's about honoring the memory of the dead- that it's a media ratings grab by re-visiting the biggest news story of the 21st century. 'Cause why don't we do this for Pearl Harbour Day? Or even the anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing, which is still very much in living memory? Why can't we just let September 11th be an ordinary day, and let the victims grieve in peace at their memorials without shoving cameras in their faces? Why can't we let people with September 11th birthdays get to celebrate their birthdays without seeing their Facebook friends pontificate about 9/11 with statuses that end in #9/11Anniversary? I mean, like I said, maybe I'm an asshole for thinking this. But do we really need to drag out this tragedy every single time the calender says September 11th?

Elders React to the 50 Shades of Grey Trailer... I seriously lost it when they started reading the passages. "My very own Christian Grey flavored popsicle..." If the movie wants any kind of chance of being taken seriously, I hope they took out Ana's narrative voice. Dear god.

I went to New York City for the first time in 12 years, and wow, I couldn't get over all the new buildings that have been put up, least of all the new World Trade Center. It really is a breathtaking display of chaos and an assault on the senses. Philly will never really be like that (it would have to get a population of like 10 million to achieve that kind of density), but it'll be interesting to see how the skyline evolves. Here's the skyline when One Liberty Place was new: I definitely think it's come a long way.