centexhairysub

Another great chapter from what is the best story online in my opinion, I just treasure each chapter like a sailor of the time would have treasured fresh water; it just quenches the soul... I reallly like how Granger handled the situation with the men from his previous crew that was fighting. I have to think he will handle the rest of the situation with two left behind and Conway just as effectively. I do have to agree with Granger, the three that got away may have wished they were hanged before their twenty year sentence of hard labor on a plantation is up... I have to wonder how Granger will be able to convice Conway to leave the ship, you just know that he will... It will also be interesting to discover how Maidstone will take it when Granger and his ship arrive without Conway aboard... I await eagerly the three way with Somers and Calvert. I have always found Calvert to be utterly unappealing, for whatever reason, and really look forward to the addition of Somers to his and George's bed. I guess Mark see's something in Calvert that completely alludes me because like a bad penny, he keeps showing up. The letters the Viceroy will be sending with Granger will hopefully be like a calming balm and help to smooth Granger's next couple of stops. The mail will be off-loaded and be in the hand's of the Viceroys in those locations before Granger probably meets with them. I look forward to Granger's further adventures with true anticipation...

Loved all three of these songs and thought they matched up to the moments perfectly.... God, I was so sick of the bleached blonde hair on some of those wannabees......

I laughed my ass off during this chapter; it was just freaking great... I really like how Will went down and talked to JP. He, thanks to Wade, approached the discussion in a very mature and well thought out way. Will pointed out the issues he had with what JP said and then he and JP both clarified their points. It was a very mature display of communication skills. I really like how Stef was so clued in to what the " kids " are wearing. He had picked up the perfect in pants for Will to try and make sure he wasn't out of place. I just loved Darius's advice about the mirror pep talk and have to say that I didn't think it backfired at all... LOL... Will got a hot college guy at his first Menlo party. I do have to wonder how Pat will play it the next time they meet up; and you just know that they will again during the winter break. Well, Will has his first friend at Menlo, maybe; but he definitely has his first enemy. I know the Will " haters " will be out in force talking about how he just brings it on himself, but I don't see how anything, other than spilling the drink, that happened at the party was Will's fault. Noah already seems to be a cool guy and Carter has already proven to be a racist bully. Have to wonder what the problem with Ella is going to be??? I had hopes that Ella would not be the kind of person that was sucked into the superficial side of life with sudden access to wealth, but that doesn't seem to be the case from this brief view. Hopefully, she was just nervous about introducing Will into her group and that made her drink a little more than normal and react the way she did. I have to say that doesn't appear to be the case but here is to hoping. It is obvious that Ella isn't absorping what she should be from her exposure to Claire and Isidore. Neither of those classy ladies would have allowed the scene to develop the way it did; even back in high school Claire had her stuff together. I am glad that Will was able to resolve part of his issues with Darius; always amazing to me how being in a fight together or against each other can bring two men together... Obviously, I just don't have the right level of testosterone for that to make sense to me... Can't wait to see who Will seduces at Wade's family Thanksgiving... LOL...

I was so excited to awaken this morning and find a new chapter of Odyssey posted and waiting to be read. I devoured it in only a few minutes then went back and enjoyed it again a little slower to pick up anything I missed the first time around. It was magnificient... I really do believe that the Bridgemont series is the best series of stories on the internet in any genre. I just believe the level of detail and writing make it unmatched anywhere... I love how Granger is able to keep his cool even after Winkler was able to confirm his previous information from Cavendish. Granger will allow Conway to keep up his game and set a trap that pulls him down and maybe even provides evidence that will tie Maidstone to the scheme. Granger will give Conway enough rope to hang himself and maybe even damage his boss as long as his actions do not directly risk the safety of the ship or it's crew. I really liked how Granger removed Conway from being in charge of the midshipman; this is a group that would be preyed upon by someone like Conway. Granger always watches out for those under him. Mark, I do hope that you got some rest and was able to recharge your batterries. Your are such a truly talented writer... and that support staff of yours isn't bad either....

Thanks be to God, Granger is back...

I really liked the new chapter. We got to see at least partially the steps that Brad went through to reach his decision about Will's future. I was glad that we got some idea of how he came to that suprising decision. This is the first time in a while that we saw how Brad's therapy has made a real difference in how he relates to others. JP made this great speech that should have given everyone a roadmap on how to come together; then all hell breaks loose just a few minutes later. I know Robbie and JJ missed the speech but someone should have headed them off before it reached that level. Does Darius seem lost to anyone else? It's like he made this great decision to really help out that deserving kid get into the Naval Service Academy; then he just seemed to lose his way. Is there something more going on there then we realize? Great chapter to keep us on pins and needles Mark, hope the sabbatical is going well and you are getting some much needed down time.

Bravo........ The new chapter is up and is really a feel good one...

This is so well said and so right to the point....

I think that several people have called Will on his actions, not just Brad. Claire, Tiffany, Jeff, and JJ have all called Will to task at times for a multitude reasons. The problem with that is both they and Will know that no matter what he has done, Brad and to some extent Robbie have behaved worse than Will has. I am not going to argue the point with those that seem to believe Brad is a saint and Will is Satan incarnate, neither is true... My issue is that Will is behaving in my opinion more maturely, especially over the last six or eight chapters of this story, than Brad has been. Brad's win at all cost attitude and some of the decisions he has made are for me just indefensible. Will has made mistakes but he is suppose to be the one making mistakes, learning, and growing; yet Brad seems to be making more mistakes and worse ones to me. Will isn't mature and ready to really run his whole life; the problem is that Brad clearly isn't either...

I could really see Will leaving with JP and Isidore and JJ living with Claire and Jack... It would bring the action back to the City, where it belongs...

Mark have you considered that your muse might be trapped in a ship floating in the Atlantic??? LOL... Find a balance and make yourself happy, we will be here waiting...

I have voted not sure. I mean if Michael showed up and tried to kill Will and Brad gave his life saving Will, that would be a redeemable act. The problem I have with Brad is that over the last few stories he has seemingly become so ego driven that he is willing to sacrifice anything and do anything to win. Even back in " Be Rad ", Brad was anal in his behaviour but he has become almost sociopathic over the last few stories. I don't even really believe he killed to protect his kids and family but to win, the protection gave him a way to rationalize it to himself but the winning seemed to be more important to him than anything. " Man in Motion " and " Bloodlines " were the two stories that I really seemed to find Brad engaging and personable. In both of those, Brad acted in a manner that lead you to believe his family was the most important thing in the world to him. His behaviour humanized him and made him more enjoyable for me. Although, I will say that I commented during both stories about Brad's offhand comments about Robbie and how it was borderline abusive. That being said, Brad seemed to be more evenly balanced and open in those stories. I don't think we are just seeing Brad's behaviour from Will's point of view. JP, Claire, Stef, Wade, and others have all reacted to Brad in negative ways; Will has a narrator has emphazised that but doesn't change the fact they view his actions with negative connotations. No one can win all the time. It is how we handle defeat and the compromises that occur in your work, personal, and all aspects of your life; that shows what kind of person we are. Brad is turning into Brian for me to some extent. He is becoming more of an aggravation rather than just an annoyance. Brad can be saved but only under the sure guidance of Mark's soft touches.

Well, Will is going to win in the end no matter if he wins the emancipation or not... The people that really count have figured out that Brad has gone so out of bounds that he isn't even really fit to run his own life much less anyone elses. Brad is completely ego driven and his behaviour in this matter simply showcases that. It is easy to see why Brad would be great in business; but like so many that are, his family skills are just not on the same level. In the past he balance his life better but after the battle over Omega and with ABC; Brad seems to have lost touch with the really important parts of his own life. Robbie seems to have decided after all the problems they have had in the last few years to simply allow Brad to act in a manner that ruptures so many of the family dynamics. I really have to wonder if they can ever be repaired in this saga. Robbie seems to be willing to risk a complete implosion of not only his immediate but extended family to feed Brad's ego. As I have stated before, Brad has never been one of my faves in this saga, but he is quickly becoming one I love to hate... Claire, who has always been one of my faves, is proving to be a worthy successor to JP... Will, who has acted like a bratty teen for a while, seems to be learning how to relate to his father on Brad's level; always hard for a parent to have a mirror placed in front of themselves... It seems to me that some people are getting so wound up in their reactions to this story that they may need to take a break more than Mark does... Mark, I hope that all this drama isn't causing any unnecessary stress. I hope you can get to a point that you feel okay with stepping back and recharging your batteries and then coming back with a story even more drama filled... LOL...

I need like ten more likes today, hate that I only have five a day... I have worked with so many young adults, mostly ages 15 to 24, that have parents that really believe " because I said so " is something that makes sense and is right... I have rarely if ever had that turn out to be true. Tim is right about one thing, even more so in Texas than California, your parents can basically kill you and get away with it because they are your parents... I have always believed that is the dumbest idea possible. I personally believe that no one should be allowed to have a child until they can prove that they are physically, financially, emotionally, and mentally fit to have a child; of course, the population growth would drop to damn near zero under those conditions but... Several people have pointed out that Brad loves his children so much that he killed people in a previous story to protect them; well, I think that is laughable. Brad killed them because he was going to win at all cost and they got in his way. He may have even convinced himself that he was doing what he was doing to protect the kids but in reality; Brad decided that he was going to " win " no matter what the cost was. For me, this is how Brad's actions truly differ so much from JP's actions for me. Yes, JP has had people killed, but he did so truly to protect his family or those he loved and cared for. Brad did it to complete a victory over an opponent that was already beaten. I really believe the fact that so many people care so deeply about not just this story, but the whole CAP saga, is a sign of the immense talent that Mark has as a bard. A bard is so much more than a writer or a storyteller. Historically, a bard had a place of honor among the highest of the high and was truly revered. I really believe Mark has the talent and deserves the title of bard...

Okay, I have read the latestes chapter three times now and I still just shake my head and say, Damn... I am not going to get back into the argument of what lead up to this but will say that I am moving more and more firmly into Will's corner. I really am starting to wonder if Brad isn't having a breakdown. We all know about the mental issues that his mother suffered and some mental issues have genetic components. I have never been a huge Brad fan, I thought he was an ass in Be Rad and almost sociopathic in a couple of the more recent stories. JP has exhibited muderous tendencies to protect those he loves but Brad seems to have gone well past anything JP ever did. Robbie is what a few have accussed me of being on here, an enabler. Robbie needs to take a look at what is happening and realize that Brad's behaviour is tearing not only their nuclear family but their extended family apart. I was hoping that JP and Claire by their actions would jar Brad enough to realize what he stands to lose but I am starting to think Robbie maybe his only salvation; damn, he is in trouble. I don't think Brad realized it yet but it appears we are close to a palace coup in regards to dynastic succession. Brad needs to understand what is happening or he could lose his position as successor to JP in the family. I don't think that Claire ever really wanted that role, but I have always thought she was the best suited for it. Claire is all about family, in the end I don't think anything matters to her more; Brad has always been more ego driven. While Brad is concerned for the family; it has never been his top priority. Brad has always been about winning but sometimes with family other concerns have to top the drive to be the best. Mark, I don't know what you are doing right now but stop everything but writing. Wondering about how you are going to have this playout is killing me...

Damn... The new chapter of Paternity is up and well damn... I sort of thought that when he realized that everyone was aligned against him Brad would realize how he was acting and suddenly have a revelation but that just doesn't seem to have happened. I think that Brad is actually suprised that anyone else is taking Will's side in all of this. Mark made a point in a post earlier about how hard it is to deal with someone that is so much like yourself and I think that is really true. The biggest conflicts I have ever had is always with someone on my same wavelength, those that are really different from me seem to be easier to work with in the end. I was sort of hoping that Jack would step up and come down firmly on one side or the other. I can't seem Jack opposing Claire in the end but you know he has to feel for Brad and what he is going through. That is one reason I was hoping that Jack would say something, Brad and Jack have always been so tight that maybe he could have gotten through to Brad. Okay, I am about to head to bed so I will probably post more after I let my feeling marinate and reread the chapter in the morning...

Well, I really enjoyed the new chapter. Will seems to be getting all his ducks in a row. I thought Will's interaction with his lawyer and then with his therapist were well played out. I am sort of suprised that Will would not be more aware of the trust being held for him and more in tune with the family trust. In most families at this level of wealth, the kids are aware pretty early on how much money is there and when it becomes avaliable for their consumption. I sort of doubt the only trust that he has are the ones his grandmother set up, I am assuming Tonto but I guess really it could have been Marie Crampton as well. Marie always treated Brad as equal to Ace and Claire. I thought Jeff's reaction was a little sketchy. Did he come over as jealous or was he just preoccupied? I wonder who his date was with? Tony at midnight would be a great way to finish off Will's exciting day or start the next one. I can say, that I wish Will would stick to sex partners a little closer to his age, both Tony and Jeff are just outside that area. There really could be legal ramifications for both although I think the family would make sure that didn't happen. I get that Will is physically more mature than most of the other 14 year olds around, but every 15 or 16 year old in the state of California just turned straight? LOL... I am not sure but by their reaction and the very fact that Claire and Jack were there; I sort of believe that at least JP and Claire were already aware of Will's move against Brad. I think in a scene we haven't seen yet, Wade probably already told JP to give him a heads up and JP decided to bring Claire in as well. I might be wrong about Claire but I would just about bet Will's trust fund that JP already knew... Damn... I forgot to tell you great job Mark; I can't wait for the next chapter although I do think you owe us two from Bridgemont before the next Paternity

Oh please, he is a pussycat compared to the screwballs here in Texas... Hell in Texas, Todd Akin is almost to moderate to be in the Naz.. I mean the Republican party....

I really enjoyed the latest chapter of Odyssey. I can't wait for them to get further along on their voyage and for the real adventure to begin. I have a feeling that Granger will be substantially richer when he returns to England. I have to worry a bit about Freddie and Davina staying in England but with that heir to major title on the way, I don't see that the King had much choice. I guess it would be terrible for Davina and the child to die in childbirth, happened a lot back then. I know, I am just horrible. I do think that Caroline will be back in full force by the time Granger returns to England. I think she truly learned her lesson and will be more of a force than ever after she is back in society. I really hated to hear about Conway, like Granger there was something in his introduction that I really liked; now everything he does will have a hint of suspicion attached. I figured that Maidstone would have a spy or two aboard but a ship master can create a lot of havoc. I hadn't even thought about the man with the hook being a spy but he has sailed in those waters before so he could be tied to Maidstone as well. Drats, I liked him too... I am not sure but I almost think the midshipman's quaters may have some of the best story lines this trip... I hope that Kingsdale is given plenty of chances to shine... I for one, love the bagpipes...

Okay, I was sitting in church this morning, trying to tune out the visiting preacher who was a little to fire and brimestone for me; when a very depressing thought occured to me... I have been just as guilty in the past as some have been recently about getting so worked up about a person or situation in the CAP series that all common sense just left me... For me it was when Gathan, in the reality of the story admitted that he had basically raped the first guy and first girl he was with. I got to thinking and I reacted as strongly to that situation or maybe even more so than some of the people are to Will's behaviour. Mea Culpa times three... I think it is a mark of just how talented Mark's writing is that we can become so invested with the story and those that populate it that our passions overcome the better angels of our nature. I really do want to apologize to anyone I have recently annoyed with my rants about getting so involved in a work of fiction that they were losing sight of reality. I have been just as guilty as everyone else just under different circumstances. I guess we all have certain issues that can push our buttons; Will's behaviour doesn't do it for me, but the idea of rape being treated fairly casually did for me....

All I am going to say about the first part of your reply is that you seem to be doing the same thing you accuse me of; anyone that disagrees with your belief that Will and his behaviour shows a lack of maturity and is wrong, is wrong in their belief. I have already stated more than once that Will has several issues and if he was REAL would need to be in therapy to help him deal with them. I am not enabling his behaviour but I do believe there are some very understandable reasons behind it. Now to the part of your post that is above... Of course there is consequences to promiscuity not only for adolescents but for adults as well; I have already stated that if Will was a patient, I would be trying to find out why he feels the need to sleep with so many others. Mark has given use the issues behind Will's behaviour; the problem is that you don't believe they offer any justification for his behaviour while I do. Your statements seem to indicate that you find sex without some type of emtional involvement cheaping to the human spirit. This maybe true for you, after all, everyone sets their own belief system and comfort levels; it just isn't true for everyone. You seem to want to discuss everything in absolutes when in reality there are so few absolutes. The study that you are referring to did not take into consideration a differential between straight/bisexual/gay men in their methodology. My experience both personal and professional is that gay and bisexual men usually have significantly higher numbers of sexual partners than straight or questioning men do. Since the study you are referring to averaged the responses from straight/bisexual/gay men together and around 92 to 94 percent of the respondents were straight and have smaller average number of partners, then yes the study is flawed when referring to a gay youth. Yes, I actually conducted a study on this doing my dissertation and although the study was localized to the area of the college I was attending the conclusions bore my reasoning out. I also believe that most studies of this type are inherently flawed in that individuals are rarely completely honest with all of their answer all the questions especially those that they believe have a negative impact on how they or society would view their answers. You can assure everyone involved as often as you want that know one will know how any paticular person answers but they never fully believe it. People want to feel good about themselves and will delude themselves even when they don't have to. My professional and personal experience is that for a gay youth in Will's age range 11 sexual partners would not be extrodinary. It would not be average by any means but not completely out of reason. Even for adolescents sometimes sex is just a physical act, this is neither all good or bad just the reality of the situation. Of course, I personally do believe that sex is better and more meaningful with an emotional or other connection to your partner but even though I believe that, I don't have that connection with each person I have sex with. Even in real life, sometimes sex is just sex; it is a physical release and nothing more. This is a fictionalized account of one family and those in their orbit. In my opinion, it is brilliantly rendered but you can't take everything about it so serious....

I am starting to have severe withdrawal symptoms from missing Granger. This may become a real medical issue soon. Please tell me, we are close to a new chapter???

Okay, Will was ejaculating on stage at a gay club; but this was about two weeks after being kidnapped and raped and as a therapist, I can just about promise he was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and should have been in therapy and not vacationing in Rome. Whether he realized what he was doing or not, Will was trying to take back control of his life and sexuality. Do I think it was completely healthy, no, but was it a sign of immaturity, no. His parents, especially Brad and Robbie, shoiuld have realized you don't just get over something like what happened in Paris and send him on to Rome on holiday. I seem to recall Brad having sex in the dunes on the beach with I believe Lark, maybe it wasn't in a crowded club but it was in public. OMG, on a school trip, a 14 year old had the chance to do drugs and drink and hell, he did both... Call Ripley's; Will was part of a group that did both, while I don't condone the behaviour, once again, this isn't a sign of immaturity but ritualized behaviour that the vast majority of teens go through and survive. Plus, Will had the presence of mind to analyze the situation and realize he would not get in as much trouble as Ryan and acted to protect him, really how childish of him. All throughout Be Rad, Brad partakes of drugs and alcohol. Need we rehash the mushrooms at the planetarium? And now we look at the destruction of his parents belongings; Will never really got any help to cope with what happened in Paris and then his parents leave him with a completely unacceptable individual that they obviously didn't do enough checking up on... This individual instead of working to help Will, physically attacks him and puts him in a sexual situation that just brings up all the issues in Paris back. Once again, do I think it was handled correctly by Will; no, but at this point he was suffering a real breakdown and their was no family there to help him. Brad ran away with Robbie because Robbie's mother wanted him to get therapy and cure the gay away, do I think this works, no... That being said, Brad reacted like a spoilt brat and instead of trying to work things out ran away because he wasn't getting what he wanted. In addition, Brad ran away from several other situations in Be Rad, whenever he didn't seem to get what he wanted. Unlike Will, who at least makes some attempt to face the situation and stand up for himself, Brad just runs away from the situation and divides his family and friends. Brad physically beat up his little brother enough to rupture his testicle and put him in the hospital for outing him and Robbie; this after Brad purposely outed another guy and tried to ruin his life because he was afraid he might out him, oh yes, that is a sign of great maturity. I don't really even paticularly like Will. As I previously stated he is not even in my faves for his generation or those close to him; the issue I have is that some people seem to really hate Will. Most of Will's behaviour issues can be traced to outside sources, not the least being kidnapped and raped, and yes what happened in Paris was rape. From a clinical standpoint, Will's behaviour would not be viewed as immaturity but derived from outside sources of origin. From a clinical standpoint, Brad's behaviour would be viewed as more immature or even regressive than Will's is in this story. P.S. I forgot to get into the number of sex partners. Including the rapist in Paris, I can count eleven without going back and re-reading anything. This maybe slightly off but I don't think by much. From a purely statistical standpoint this is above average for a 14 year old male. That might change though if you look at physically mature gay 14 year old males. Maybe sex at an early age is just more prevelant in Texas now and in the past than it is in California or other areas because several people have expressed suprise at the number and variety of partners Will has had. The ones that would concern me, other than the forced encounter, are those more than three or four years older than him. I guess it will brand me as a slut, but I grew up in rural Texas and was Will's age in 1980; I had already exceeded the count that I have for Will by several as had most of the kids around my same age. Maybe it was just a more sexualized time, but I really don't think so; maybe we were all just bored because there was nothing else to do, but I don't think so; I think everyone matures sexually at a different rate and there can be several factors that contribute to this. On a professional level, I would be concerned about the number and be looking for reasons behind it and I do think there are several. That being said, the number of partners one has doesn't indicate a paticular level of maturity or lack thereof.

Really enjoyed the latest chapter of Paternity, I was glad that the Senator won re-election. I thought there was quite a few great father/son moments during Wade's visit home. I do think that the Senator and Elizabeth are about to have some really intense changes in their dynamic. I can't see a divorce coming yet but there is going to be big changes; of course since he just won again, the Senator would have six years to get the voters use to a divorced candidate. I think that the Senator is going to start taking Wade's side more directly and this is going to bring the conflict more out into the open. It really seems to me that Elizabeth has way more to lose than anyone else involved; SEC, FTC, FEC, and maybe even criminal charges if everything she has done just recently came out. I really don't understand her endgame with Wade; does she really need his money for something or is it all about control??? I do think that Wade will let JP know what Sean told him. I don't think that Wade really wants to be in the middle of a Crampton civil war but he will feel the need to let JP at least know what is going on; this may have been Will's plan all along. Brad has just never been one of my favorite people in the series. I have always found his need to be Top Dog slightly annoying. Several people here seem to believe that age is the great determining factor for maturity and as usual I disagree. I think that Will is already more mature at 14 than Brad was at 17, although this is not a huge leap. But in some ways, I think Will is already more mature than Brad is at his current age in the story as well. Do I think that Will is fully emotionallly and mentally mature, hell no... But I don't think that the fact he is 14 and from a privileged background makes him any less mature than some working class rednecks are at 40 years of age, I am surrounded by lots of those guys. I wasn't but I have known people that at 14/15/16 were much more mature and together than their parents were at twice the age or more. I just don't believe that age is the great maturing factor than some people seem to view it as, experience has a much bigger role to play at least in my opinion. Will is not my favorite person in the series, of those close to his generation Wade, Matt, and even JJ are more interesting to me. That being said, the animosity that Will seems to generate among some of the readers is just astounding to me. I swear, Will could be working on an experiment in marine biology and stumble across something to cure cancer and some people on here would find fault with how long it took him to cure cancer... Sure Will can be a snarky little brat at times but I know 40 year olds that can be the same way; I have to wonder what people are reading into Will from their own lives that make him such a target of animosity???

Both the CAP and Bridgemont series have brought me hours of enjoyment and helped me look at the world in a little different way. I can't say enough about Mark's talent and giving of his time and energy. A special thanks to all those others that have helped him along they way... I am sure he thanks you all but thanks from us as well...