methodwriter85

Good points, Mark. I think I figured that because UD, at the time I went there, was only 18 percent Greek, and the Greeks that were on campus were pretty strictly regulated. There was no big, out-of-control frat scene complete with frat wars at UD in the late 2000's. We also had events like Walk A Mile in Her Shoes and I never picked up on some big msygonistic vibe there, as opposed to the vibes I've gotten from real party schools like Penn State. Which makes sense, because the school was about 60 percent female. But you're right- that's something I can't really know. In any event, it's a crazy story.

CollegeHumor put out this funny sketch that makes fun of the whole Millennial phenonmeon of 20-somethings who bitch about feeling old. I am SO guilty of this. [media] [media] The ones that really nailed it for me: "Did you know that Eminem is 41 years old?" "Blake Griffin is 25. I'm 26!" "I read on Buzzfeed that if Bart Simpson were a human, he'd be 37 years old." "Do you guys realize that we've been out of college almost as long as we were IN college?" "When I smile now, I have like, lines." "Kids born in 2000 are TEENAGERS now." Was this like something that has always been around, or is it just particular to my generation? Did 20-somethings in the 1970's bitch about the fact that Beach Blanket Bingo came out 15 years ago and that made them feel old?

Which seems to go hand in hand at party schools. UD's a semi-party school- absolutely nothing like UCSB, and thankfully sexual assault wasn't a huge problem on campus. It happened, but I wouldn't say it was an epidemic on campus. Of course, University of Delaware by the late 2000's was pretty strict on their fraternities. I know that back around 2003 or so, TKE got kicked off campus for a lot of bad stuff they did. My older sister said that there' a rumour that they raped a girl after roofying her, then left her at the train track, where she was ran over and died. I think there's a permanent ban on TKE at University of Delaware, so who knows? I think it's entirely possible. It's crazy when you look at that kid- this good-looking guy in a BMW who has clearly been handed every advantage in life, yet he was a raging sociopath with a deep-seated hatred for women. What a stark reminder to remember that the Boogeyman doesn't always look like it. I seriously don't get how women deal with all this msygonistic crap in society and guys like this- milder version, yes, but it seems like there's no short supply in guys who really do expect that women "owe" them sex because they dare to look pretty.

Holy shit. I know you don't go there anymore and it's unlikely you know people who still do, Blue, but I know I'd be shaken if someone had shot up the UD or IUP area. My condolences. Crazy world.

Well, to be fair, Los Angeles IS embarking on a high-rise building boom, just like most cities that are not D.C. It probably sees some benefits of Manhattanization. *Manhattanization is a term for cities that started to build denser, higher buildings, changing the apperance of the city in a significant way. It was perjorative term used by critics of the 1960's and 1970's highrises that were built in San Francisco. Yeah, but you're playing to live in San Francisco or New York City. That's the trade-off. I would totally be down for Austin, though. They're a cool city that still has afforable real estate. There is a trend towards living in the city as opposed to living in the suburbs. Not that suburbs are about to die off, but Millennials seems to prefer a nightlife and walkability as opposed to suburban living. That's probably why it seems like Los Angeles is doing what they can to revive their downtown and lure that 25-36 year old age group with shiny new high-rise condos. I do have friends that are doing the "house in the suburbs and 2.5 kids" deal, but probably not as many as it was for Sharon and Mark's Baby Boomer generation, back when you were expected to start families by age 25. And of course, suburban living was built on the idea of cheap gasoline, and these days...you do a leap of joy if you find that the gas is at $3.25 a galloon as opposed to $3.75 or so. Damn, you think that Philly might actually get 2 million people again? I can't see that happening. I think that Philly might eventually be able to stabilize at a 1.6 population, possibly even get back up to 1,700,000. Right now it's about 1,553,000. The 2013 growth slowed a bit from 2011 and 2012, but at least it's not a decline. I do think Philly's better off than Pittsburgh, which is actually pretty nice but people are still leaving that area in droves. You're way more optimistic than I am, but I like it. Philadelphia needs people to stay invested in it. Too bad we can't get more optimism for Wilmington. LOL.

You know, I heard someone say that Phoenix currently resembles 1980's Los Angeles, which is why they filmed this 80's nostalgia film called "Take Me Home Tonight" there, which was set in 1988 Los Angeles. Tim, as someone who was an adolescent in 1980's Los Angeles, can you deny or confirm the similiarities? Austin and San Diego seem like pretty cool places, though. Although San Jose...seems like a pretty boring-looking place and it's basically what you said- a few skyscrapers and a bunch of suburbs. I think the one thing Philly really has going for it is getting all those hipsters that were pushed out of living in New York City. I hate Comcast but I'm glad they're there- Comcast Tower II is going to be a big game changer, especially if they can get more tech companies to locate here. Anyway...for a "2002 pop culture moment"....does anyone else remember the Mountain Dew Guy in those commercials from 2002? Holy shit, he was hot. I wonder what happened to him? I think he was an Abercrombie model or something. In all seriousness, I thought Channing Tatum did a good job of representing that shaved head, urban styled white guy, as opposed to jocky boy next door type. I think that's why he stood out to me back then. Kinda thuggy enough to be the bad boy, but not TOO thuggy. It's crazy to think that 12 years later, Channing Tatum's probably one of the biggest male box office stars in Hollywood right now. He just kinda quietly plugged away for ten years, slowly taking his dues, and then just exploded in 2012 with The Vow, Magic Mike, and 21 Jump Street. I never would have predicted 5 years ago that he'd become an A-list movie star.

It's still got a long, long way to go, though. The city needs more white-collar, high-paying jobs, and it needs a desperate overhaul of the school system if it wants to maintain being a growth city and not slip back once all those hipsters decide they want to start families. I think they estimated that within the next 15 or so years, Philadelphia will fall out of the Top 20 of most populated cities, because while it's holding up way better than it used to, it's nothing like Phoenix, San Antonio, Austin, San Diego, etc etc....I think Phoenix has already overtaken Philly. Of course, Phoenix for damn sure doesn't have a cool skyline like Philly does. Although I think the best Pennsylvania city skyline has to be Pittsburgh. Hands down. Western Pennsylvania may be a bizarre time travel trip back to the 1970's, but it sure is beautiful.

Chapter 21 (Revised) -When Brad makes his last, final, loving gesture to Robbie. "Make You Feel My Love" by Trisha Yearwood I was avoiding this tune, because frankly, hearing the Lea Michele version absolutely guts me, but since Mark didn't seem to like my other tune...I thought I'd go with this one. Chapter 23 -When Wade tells Matt that he's lonely, and realizing that the freedom comes with a price. "Harder Now That It's Over" by Ryan Adams -When Brent shows off Robbie's 1968 El Dorado, the car he drove as a teenager. "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf -When the 2002 4th of July event gets underway, and Matt and Wade joke about the rednecks. "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue" by Toby Keith This was number 1 on the country charts at the time. Damn. People were out for blood then. No wonder the Iraq War happened.

Thanks. That was a good one. I've lived just an hour south of Philadelphia for most of my life, but I didn't actually step foot there until maybe 2003 or so, so I missed out on seeing gritty 90's Center City. I do remember when the National Constitution Center was just opened, and the streets seemed pretty vibrandt and cool. I also remember seeing Moliere's School For Wives at a theater on Walnut Street in 2007, which seems to be Philly's regional theater district. Also, I used to go with my swing dance club to hit up UPenn's fish frys...although that's University City, not Center City. That campus is GORGEOUS. It'll be interesting to see if Center City will finally be able to do something about the Gallery at Market East. I first went there in 2003, and even then it was pretty much a dump, although I did like the bourbon chicken at the chinese place in the food court. It seems insane that a place that centrally located, in an area that's becoming rich, is still so low-rent and downmarket. They're apparently going to renovate what used to be the K-Mart, and a New York City retail store called Century 21 is going to move in. I think Century 21 is supposed to be similiar to H&M? In any event, it's pretty cool to see how well Center City is doing, and that it's the third most populous downtown in the United States.

This week in Throwback Thursday...watch as the Philadelphia Flyers win the 1974 Stanley Cup: The Flyers were a bright spot for Philadelphia in the 1970's, which was frankly going through hell as industry and population were fleeing. The Eagles and the Phillies were in a down era, and the city was starved for a champion, which the Flyers provided. That must have been a magical moment to watch in real life. Tet, does your father remember the 1974 Stanley Cup?

He's cute as fuck. And a nicely developing comedic supporting character actor.

Yeah, Mark, I know they're called Freeways in California, due to the very funny scene in Clueless: "WE'RE ON THE FREEWAY!!!!", but I prefer to use "Expressway." I'm just trying to figure out how comments about earthquakes prompted Private Tim to talk about hippies. Anyway, I don't associate L.A. with hippie-dippies...that's for NorCal...if anything...this is how I view Los Angeles living: I'm going to admit right now I've always had a guilty pleasure lust for Brody Jenner. He seems like a vapid meathead, but what a looker. And he's always kind of pinged my "generally straight but willing to play on the other side if you get him drunk enough"-dar. This is the other way I view Los Angeles living: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_J7kPNe7fI ;-) BTW, I learned that Dangerous Minds was not based in South Central L.A. like I thought, but in East Palo Alto, which was the big ghetto of the 1980's and 1990's, but the soaring property values of the Bay Area has even managed to hit there and cause gentrification. It went from 60 percent black in 1990 to about 15 percent now, and is now 65 percent Latino and 28 percent white. Pretty interesting. East Palo Alto Facing the Gentrifcation Wave Having Facebook right outside their border does seem like a big gamechanger for them.

Valerie Bertinelli as Brenda Hayes? She played a bible-thumping bitch once in a t.v. movie where she was a rabid pro-lifer who refused to get an abortion even though the fetus was non-viable and threatening her life once, and turned on her sister because she dared to be against her contining the pregnancy. I do picture Brenda having big hair. Evangelical Christian women always seems to have big hair. Valerie does have that "Middle America" look to her.

Not really. Although to be honest, it seems like Riley is traveling with Tiffany, JJ, and Maddy most of the time. Riley's not that huge a part of Wade's life, either. That will change a little when they move to Boston, but they'll still be traveling a lot.

I love it when I'm driving 75 on a 55 mph in the slow lane, and I still get passed. Or when I get honked at when I used my turn signal to make a legal turn. Not California, but I did hear that Virginia is actually a really big stickler for speed limits- like, they'll literally pull you over for going 5 miles over the speed limit. Here in Delaware, the only time I was pulled over, I was 17 miles over the speed limit...15-20 miles over tends to be when you might get pulled over, but you almost HAVE to go at least 10 miles over the speed limit in Delaware.

People are brutally mean to Luke about not being Abercrombie-ready like his brothers are, but I think the guy is attractive in a real, "normal person" kind of way. Anyway, James Maslow from Big Time Rush got REAL hot after he cut his hair and bulked up:

Oh my god, I wouldn't last 2 weeks. 10-lane expressways scare me. LOL.

I got Philadelphia, Rochester, and Newark. Shocker. This is a girl from Delaware doing an accent test, and since she doesn't sound Slower Lower to me, this has to be close to what my accent sounds like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO31RnLlmew Interestingly enough, go down like 40 miles South in the state, and you got the Slower Lower Delaware Accent: You can pretty easily tell if someone is from Northern Delaware or Slower Lower Delaware. Central Delaware (which is Dover and Smyrna) is a toss-up, naturally. I think the north Delaware accent is mainly just a slowed down, monotone version of the Philly accent. I don't do the "crown", "wooder", or "crick" thing. I do the Delaware accent when I say "home" or "on", though.

These would be the ages of the CAP family n friends characters at the time of the 9.11 Museum ceremony on May 15th, 2014. (At least, the people I can see being there) : Frank- about 78 JP- 77, getting ready to turn 78 Stefan- 68 Brad- 51 Ace- 51 Jack- About 50 Claire- 49 Max- about 49 Lou- 44 or 45 Marcel- 44 Cody- About 44 Tiffany- About 38 Matt- 34 Wade- Just a couple days short of turning 34 (his birthday is May 18th, 1980 I believe) Maryellen- 32 (ish- I think she's supposed to be a year younger than Wade) Darius- 32 Gathan- 31 Ella- 30 Beau- 30 Zach- 28 (almost 29) JJ- 28 Marie- 28 Ethan- 28 (I THINK his birthmonth is April 1986 like Marie's, but I could be wrong) Will- 27 John- 26 Courtney- 18 Maddy- 13 Riley- 13 *Not sure of the ages of Isidore or Elizabeth Danfield. I was thinking though....wouldn't that actually be a great closing to the CAP series?

Huh? I'm not sure what exactly you're responding to? I was talking about Los Angeles getting it's "Big One"? *is really confused*

I'm watching Mega Disasters: LA Quake right now, and dear god...the landscape and weather is beautiful, but the price! Geez. I would live in constant fear that "The Big One" is coming...San Francisco has at least had theirs. Los Angeles hasn't had theirs. I wonder if San Francisco will get another "big one" before L.A. does, or if L.A.'s luck finally runs out. Could you imagine being stuck in a Los Angeles subway when L.A. finally gets their 7.0+ quake? It's pretty incredible when you look at the footage of the 1994 Northridge quake and realize it was only a 6.7 and was not a "big one." I actually talked to a bunch of Cali people one time, when they were visiting IUP (Western P.A.), and they thought it was cool seeing so many brick buildings, because California doesn't allow new brick buildings to be made, which was because of the 1933 Long Beach Earthquake. Interestingly enough, we've never seen our CAP clan survive a big California earthquake. I kind of wish we could've seen the 1989 Earthquake...I bet they would have had some interesting experiences in that one.

Chapter 21 -When Brad makes the biggest, last gesture of love that he can make for Robbie. "Heaven" by Bryan Adams

Hey, guys, I know that plenty of you guys in this forum were reading JWolf's story, The English Year, before he went on hiatus back in '13. I just wanted to let you guys know that he's back, and Corbin is about to grace us with more of his lovably neurotic ways as the gay diva of the Fall 2008 Old Dominion University social scene!

I really like that Will has a moral center to him that frankly, Stefan and Brad do not have. I think he'll probably relax a little bit as he gets old, but I don't see him going entirely grey in morals the way Stefan and Brad are.

Happy 51st birthday, Mark!!!