Date: June 03, 2007 01:48 pm Title: Chapter 3: Sometimes I think I'm happy here, yet I still pretend
I really love the way you're not painting Karen with a terrible brush; you were great to her in the beginning, and even here, you're protecting the fact that she's not ALL bad.
(She's just not, you know... right. But anyways...)
This is good stuff!
Date: May 24, 2007 08:53 pm Title: Chapter 6: I am still inside here; a little bit comes bleeding through
Reading this after seeing the finale it's really fun to see how close you were with the characterizations and motivations, even if the exact actions were off. And the ending with them revealing their secret knowledge of Dwight and Angela was so much fun! I can't wait to see how that actually plays out - because you just know the writers are salivating over that particular scene!
Author's Response:
Thanks so much for saying that! I kept getting emails throughout the finale from Starry Dreamer (who beta-d this for me), going, "OMG - are you FREAKING OUT!?!? He asked about her feet!" Hee. I was glad to see that there were some similiarities - happier even to see that the writers gave even more of a happy ending than I did! (And that was a big old TWSS if ever I've written one!)
Thanks for reviewing!
Date: May 19, 2007 05:07 am Title: Chapter 6: I am still inside here; a little bit comes bleeding through
Colette, you should definitely check it out. Oh my.
Wild horses couldn't stop me! Thanks for the tip (are we insane or what? ;-)
Ending with them bonding over Dwight may not involve smut, but that shared sense of irony - simultaneously mocking/being affectionate about the characters around them - is just as visceral a part of their deep connection. (Like pranks were a form of language, nay almost foreplay, when they couldn't go any further.) So, longwinded way of saying, well done, Ms. girl7. Very apt, as usual. And Jim telling Karen that the corporate thing just wasn't him? Him realizing that is kind of it in a nutshell, IMO - Karen's boyfriend, this James Suit Halpert - is a figment of their imaginations. FNB gave him a good shake and he woke up (and as you know, I've recently given some thought to ways she could, ahem, wake him up ;-) Our national bad dream is over (melodramatic much?) If this sounds even more scattered than usual - I'm still a bit addled from the joy that was The Job. But, in sum, you manage to write another entire saga about those two and somehow keep it fresh and absorbing. Not an easy feat.
Author's Response:
In answer to your question: Yes, we are insane, but I defy any red-blooded, heterosexual female to take a gander at James Purefoy as Marc Antony and NOT turn into a drooling nutcase. ;oD
I'm so glad the ending worked for you! I had my reservations - worried that it'd be a letdown (particularly for people who usually read my stuff and have come to expect smut -- or at least a healthy dose of steam!), but I really was trying to go for something that was plausible in terms of what we could/might see on the show. (And while I was one of the few people who remained optimistic about the finale, I have to say that the writers still knocked my socks off!)
You said it best (as usual): an end to our national bad dream!
Thanks, as always, for such a succinct and thoughtful review!
Date: May 18, 2007 02:34 pm Title: Chapter 7
Fantastic, as always. And I'm a sucker for poetry, girl7. Thanks for this!
Author's Response: Thank you so much, nej!
Date: May 17, 2007 11:22 pm Title: Chapter 6: I am still inside here; a little bit comes bleeding through
I love that they bond, after all that, over the fact that Dwangela does indeed exist. Just seems right. Love that Jim didn't interview at corporate and that he broke it off with Karen. Wonderful story.
Author's Response:
LIke I keep saying - I think it'll be a really cute moment when they both do figure out the other knows. hee.
Thanks again for taking the time to review all the chapters; you rock!
Date: May 17, 2007 10:51 pm Title: Chapter 5: I'm writing on a little piece of paper; I'm hoping some day you might find
Wow...that was emotional. I love that Pam didn't back dwon from what she said and that she knows Jim well enough to see that he's struggling with the corporate job.
Author's Response:
I'm glad it impacted you that way -- I worked hard on that chapter, let me tell you. :o)
Thanks for reviewing!
Date: May 17, 2007 10:44 pm Title: Chapter 4: I can't remember how this got started, but I can tell you exactly how it will end
I love that Jim was hesitant about the interview to begin with...that makes me feel better. So appropriate that Karen was the one that talked him into it. And Michael would so read Glamour. Love that Pam couldn't be mad at him even after what he did all day...very Pam. Just spot on characterization all the way through.
Author's Response:
That's really the way I envisioned it happening - that it was less his desire to go for it himself as it was her encouraging him to do so.
Thank you so much for all the reviews!
Date: May 17, 2007 10:40 pm Title: Chapter 3: Sometimes I think I'm happy here, yet I still pretend
I love that Jim realizes that nothing has felt right since CN. (Hasn't felt right to me either).
Author's Response: Amen to that, sister. Here's to a season four of everything feeling RIGHT again! :o) Thanks for reviewing!
Date: May 17, 2007 10:35 pm Title: Chapter 2: I can feel their eyes are watching in case I lose myself again
I can't believe it's taken me this long to catch up...amazing how pretty close you were to what actually happened! Love that Pam was thinking of the CN night as she crossed the coals. Amazing.
Author's Response:
Heh - as I was watching the finale, I almost fell off my sofa at the Beach Day flashback when he asked her how her feet were. :o) I'm glad you liked the CN/coal walk connection - I just kept thinking that Pam would surely have drawn on how scary it must've been for Jim to have lain it all on the line like he did the year before (and with such disastrous consequences, however temporary).
Thanks for reviewing!
Date: May 17, 2007 12:17 pm Title: Chapter 6: I am still inside here; a little bit comes bleeding through
Look at you getting all descriptive on me. That first part with Pam's POV was amazing. Just perfection. And I'm loving the new ending. Fantastic!
Author's Response:
Heh, I'm glad you liked it - I added that little part in after the fact and was too impatient to post it. (Shame on me, I know.) Thanks so much for the review - and for all the help you gave me on this story! (I don't think the original ending would've worked AT ALL - so thank you for steering me more in this direction!)
10 [Report This]Date: May 17, 2007 10:09 am Title: Chapter 6: I am still inside here; a little bit comes bleeding through
i wish this would be how tonight's episode goes. i'm not holding my breath.
WONDERFUL STORY!!!
Author's Response:
Heh - who would've thought that the episode's happy ending would blow the pants off this one's??? I had my hopes, but I never would've thought we'd get to see such amazing flashbacks to Beach Day, a callback to OO, AND Jim securing a date. Oh, and Pam's tears at the end - OMG. Perfect episode.
Thanks for reviewing!
Date: May 17, 2007 08:35 am Title: Chapter 6: I am still inside here; a little bit comes bleeding through
this is a wonderful ending! i seriously can't wait for them to tell each other that they know. i love that being the catalyst that brings them back to normal.
Author's Response:
Thanks so much - as I mentioned earlier, I definitely think it'll be a "moment" when they realize that they're both in on that secret.
Thanks for reviewing!
Date: May 17, 2007 06:17 am Title: Chapter 6: I am still inside here; a little bit comes bleeding through
I'm so happy you let them discover their secret of Dwight/Angela together. Great chapter and I am glad I gave you a good laugh last chapter. :)
Author's Response:
I'm convinced that it'll be a bonding moment for them at some point! Thanks for reviewing - and yes, you gave me the biggest laugh ever. (But you also did me a HUGE favor in pointing that out, because - as I said - you were absolutely right; it did read as though he'd said it out loud.)
Thanks again!
Date: May 16, 2007 09:40 pm Title: Chapter 1: I believe I can see the future....
I loved this!
Pam - "Oh, my god." I love how she can put a different spin on that phrase everytime.
Jim - sleeves:rolled up. Forearms alert! Holla!
Bantering. Bantering! Oh, banter how you've been missed this season. *sigh*
Smooching? N-o Smooching?
Fuh. Refund! :-P
Kidding! I loved it all. Just the thing to read to quell the finale anxiety that has been gripping me on and off all day. Lord, beer us all strength to get through tomorrow.
Forgot to mention in my last review that I loved the Hallelujah quote. I was just listening to the Rufus Wainwright version yesterday. Great song and very on point.
Aw, Smiley!Jim icon is happy too! Yay, for girl7!
Author's Response:
Oh honey, you know I'm the WORST about falling into the forearm lust in my fics; I totally blame the beauty that is John Krasinski's forearms, simple as that. Hee.
And yeah, no smooching - totally unlike me not to finish with a heaping helping of smut, eh? (There's a TWSS in there, I'm sure of it....) But with this one, I was trying to speculate as much as possible what I could envision happening on the show (though obviously we wouldn't get to go to Karen's apartment with Jim, that sort of thing, LOL).
And yaaaay for Smiley!Jim icon!
Thanks for reviewing!
10 [Report This]Date: May 16, 2007 09:15 pm Title: Chapter 6: I am still inside here; a little bit comes bleeding through
I'm constantly pained and frustrated at Jim currently about his situation - however, I'm not a guy, so how could I relate? It is so very frustrating, though.
This ended nicely, like all of your fics, because what's better than laughing at Dwight? ;D
And also, eerily so, I was listening to Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley a while before reading chapter 5. xD
In fact, I have to write 30 Rock fic inspired by that song now. Ah, I know, Liz shall be singing it from her iPod. *OT*
Author's Response:
I hear you - so much of this season was frustrating, but I think they really made it worth our while. (And Jim totally came through, IMHO.)
I started tuning in to 30 Rock fairly late in the game (okay, so it was when Jason Sudekis started guest starring - whatevs), so I didn't get your reference (though the image it invoked was enough to make me snicker a little).
Thanks so much for reviewing!
Date: May 16, 2007 07:59 pm Title: Chapter 5: I'm writing on a little piece of paper; I'm hoping some day you might find
Okay, I just have to say that Hallelujah just breaks my heart. They played it at a good friend's funeral last fall and now, it's wow, much more powerful for me. Except when they play it in Shrek ;) Onto the next chapter.
Author's Response:
Oh wow - I can't imagine hearing that song at such an emotional time anyway; it must've been heartbreaking. That's one of those songs that always, always gets me, too, and I'd never thought about it with regard to Jim and Pam before. But as I was writing, the lines that I quoted literally just popped into my head, so I ran with it from there.
Thanks for reviewing!
10 [Report This]Date: May 16, 2007 07:37 pm Title: Chapter 6: I am still inside here; a little bit comes bleeding through
How simply perfect that it ends with them laughing together at Dwight. That's their foundation, their touchstone. It's them.
And poor Karen. I'm sure she was really ready for a long drive and a job interview after that. Still, I, too, wish her well in all of her adventures far, far from Scranton...heh.
Author's Response:
No kidding about poor Karen (that did occur to me as I was writing the scene). But yes, I'm with you: Wishing all the success and happiness and even love in the world to Karen...just nowhere near Jim. :o) I'm glad you liked the ending as well; I was going for as plausible as I possibly could here, so that's why I went with a little more understated of an ending.
Thank you so much for all of your feedback!
Date: May 16, 2007 07:14 pm Title: Chapter 6: I am still inside here; a little bit comes bleeding through
This is... just... I'm speechless. Talk about incoherent reviews, huh? Seriously though, I've really loved this! And I'm sad that it's over. But happy that they're so happy!
Author's Response: Wow - I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Azlin! :o) And yes - happy endings all around, no?? (TWSS...?)
10 [Report This]Date: May 16, 2007 06:58 pm Title: Chapter 6: I am still inside here; a little bit comes bleeding through
Perfect ending! :) Thank you for a wonderful story!
Author's Response: I'm so glad you liked it - thank you!
Date: May 16, 2007 06:08 pm Title: Chapter 1: I believe I can see the future....
Guh. The roof is just love. Damn. No. I'm wrong. This is love:
When she ducked her head slightly, one hand swiping her bangs and tucking them behind her ear, the familiarity of the gesture made him realize that in that moment, everything he wanted was right here. That maybe he'd be a fool if he ran away from it again.
This is just gorgeous, and I want this on my teevee tomorrow night.
Author's Response:
First: I am so sad that your special icon doesn't show up when you review, because it makes me giggle every single time. :o)
I'm really glad you're enjoying this! And yes - oh my god, the finale is in less than twenty-four hours!
Lord beer us strength....
Thanks for reviewing!
Date: May 16, 2007 04:46 pm Title: Chapter 5: I'm writing on a little piece of paper; I'm hoping some day you might find
So you know how much I love this story, but I've gotta say, this chapter is particularly good. I love that the last scene was so hard for both of them. Of course, I wanted them to just talk it out, but for some reason I loved it even more when they just couldn't do it. Well done!
Author's Response:
Thanks so much - I was hoping it wouldn't be too frustrating that neither of them could really say it; I was just trying to keep it as close to the show as I could (and god knows these two aren't the best at communicating). Thanks so much for the review!
And I'm enjoying your latest, too, by the way (in case you can't tell by the almost incoherent reviews)....
10 [Report This]Date: May 16, 2007 12:40 pm Title: Chapter 5: I'm writing on a little piece of paper; I'm hoping some day you might find
You're absolutely breaking my heart. And that's why I love this!
Author's Response: Thank you so much! I'm glad in a very non-malicious way that I'm breaking your heart. :o)
Date: May 16, 2007 11:38 am Title: Chapter 5: I'm writing on a little piece of paper; I'm hoping some day you might find
Wow I wasn't expecting Jim to recite song lyrics. Can't wait for the last chapter.
Author's Response:
I want you to know that I have been laughing hysterically for the past two minutes (seriously, I was wiping tears away) because I did not intend for that to read as though he'd actually said them out loud -- and when I went back and re-read it, it totally did come off that way, which turned that moment into something absolutely hysterical. (Maybe I have a sick sense of humor, but I'd written it like he was standing there staring at her, then all of a sudden burst out with those few lines from "Hallelujah." Oh my god, my shoulders are shaking...)
All this to say: THANK YOU for pointing that out (and for not asking me what the hell I was thinking in your review, hee). Seriously. Oh god, I'm wondering how many other people read that and thought, WTF??
My god, I am STILL laughing....
Thanks so much for the review (and the giggle fit!) --
10 [Report This]Date: May 16, 2007 09:41 am Title: Chapter 5: I'm writing on a little piece of paper; I'm hoping some day you might find
But it was a fleeting regret, because if she'd learned one thing over the past year, it was that the regret she suffered over all the things she didn't say was far more encompassing than the worry she felt when she contemplated saying too much.
That's plain, simple truth, right there. I've been struck by (and written about!) how tired Jim has looked this last half-season. I'd imagine engaging in a facade relationship and desperately trying to pretend you're not in love with the girl who sits six feet away would be really exhausting.
Author's Response:
Yes - I think colette coined the phrase "psychically tired," and it really resonates. He has seemed just exhausted this season, and as you said, for good reason. I definitely think that was a deliberate choice on the part of the writers.
THanks, as always, for reviewing!
Date: May 16, 2007 06:38 am Title: Chapter 4: I can't remember how this got started, but I can tell you exactly how it will end
Wonderful updates, I am so glad i popped in to see what what was up. Can't wait for more.
Author's Response: I'm really glad you're enjoying it! The final chapter will be up in a few hours!