Date: January 26, 2009 01:24 pm Title: Revolutionary Tea (The Chicago Tea Party Song)
i prefer dress 2.
great story so far. i loved indie rock and keds.
Author's Response: Thank you! I'm so glad to have you sticking with me through another lengthy story. Let's have some fun with this, shall we? :P
Date: January 26, 2009 12:21 pm Title: Revolutionary Tea (The Chicago Tea Party Song)
I'm on Team Dress 2! It seems to fit Pam's personality better. Love love LOVE this fic :)
Author's Response: Thank you!
Date: January 26, 2009 12:27 am Title: Slightly More Domesticated, A Little More Crazy
I didn't get a chance to review three before four went up so maybe this can be a combo review, is that okay?
First things first. I am a fan of dress 2, I think the sequin lace would look stunning, especially if the wintertime wedding locale was the Nature Museum's South Gallery. While I am, in no uncertain terms, not a fan of the snow, I do know that a blanket of freshly fallen shimmery snow is beautiful. Seen through South Gallery's floor to ceiling windows with Pam in a dress that also has that shimmer, the vision has breathtaking written all over it. So there is way too much of my opinion.
I love chapter three! Pam's friends are all kinds of awesome! I am kinda scared, though, of how often I find myself agreeing wholeheartedly with Kelly. Pam's fiance shirtless fixing things is 100% hot. I happen to be a fan of a man who can fix and/or assemble things. It is not a talent I have, so when I find a cute boy who can, I like to support the habit. Pregnant Angela is so cute, my sister is pregnant, and she sleeps constantly too. Growing babies need lots of rest and I cannot wait to be an auntie! I have an amazingly creative friend like Karen too. I always find myself jealous of her super-cool apartment and outfits she just happened to design and sew for herself, just because she felt like she wanted to wear a new dress.
Oh Jim, if you want me to have a new bike from Target, we can go for bike rides together whenever you'd like. I think it's sweet he wanted Pam to have a bike so they could share bike rides together.
It goes without saying that I am a fan of chapter four as well. After Pam spent the day with her friends and came home missing them and the city, I am glad she finally shared her feelings with Jim. It was lovely that, after their talk, they spent the day being friends. Bowling and betting, which I love, because no one is ever cool while bowling and the gambling took me back to your Indie Rock story, when they were more carefree. Adopting a cat, or rather, being adopted by a cat, since he came in and made himself at home and getting cat supplies, trying to figure out what the newest family member would want. And finally, my favorite, turning the living room into a night club! I always have living room dance parties and they are the best thing ever! Oh, oh, oh I cannot forget the beautiful ending, where Jim really had to make sure that Pam was happy. He is the sweetest, Pam has the best future baby daddy ever!
Okay, I am finished with my random rambling, sorry for my extra long sentences and misuse of the comma. Thanks again for awesome fic! Keep up the amazing work.
Author's Response: Wow- I have no idea where to even begin in response to this amazing review so I'll just get to it.
First off, thank you for the amazing review. It was such a pleasure to read, and has inspired me with hope for the rest of the story as I struggle with which direction to take it. I'm so happy that you enjoyed these past two chapters, and the hint of who Jim and Pam used to be before they became this domestic couple who is constantly stressed and is struggling to figure out how to go about living together. I have a feeling they'll be back to their old selves soon enough. What a relief right? No more drama!
I'm glad you enjoy Pam's friends in the story, as each one is quirky in their own way and offers something different in terms of advice or just being there for Pam. They're all so different, and it's kind of hard to imagine how those four mesh together at all, but I like to think it's pieces to a puzzle.
And dance paries! Ahh. So much fun. Brings back memories of how I spent New Year's Eve, dancing in my living room with friends. It doesn't get much better than that, does it? Who needs to go out to a night club when you can have one at home? Also, thank you so much for your opinion on the dress- it offered new insights that I hadn't thought of before and I have a feeling you will be seeing hints of that in the last chapter when Pam (finally) makes her dress selection.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. You never have to apologize for rambling, since that is all I ever do and I love it. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing.
Date: January 24, 2009 10:30 pm Title: Slightly More Domesticated, A Little More Crazy
Great chapter. I love that they got out more in the open how they were feeling, but I feel as though it wasn't totally resolved. I love that they have a kitty baby and they're working through things together. So great.
Author's Response: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, and I'm happy that you noticed how Norm is kind of the little hint, hint that Jim and Pam need to realize that they must work through things as a team to achieve happiness together. ;)
Date: January 24, 2009 05:24 pm Title: Slightly More Domesticated, A Little More Crazy
ooh, I liiiike.
like, alot (:
Author's Response: Thank you!
Date: January 24, 2009 07:22 am Title: Slightly More Domesticated, A Little More Crazy
Oh, how I loved everything about this chapter. I loved the honesty at the beginning of the chapter, that Pam told Jim how scared she was about everything coming at her and changing her life. I loved the impromptu talk about where they could live and why or why not. The ease of that lazy morning, I just thought that worked so well.
The bowling together, leaving stressors behind and just relaxing into a good ol' fashioned competitive afternoon of bowling. It was great seeing them just having fun together, buying $5 socks, and mocking one another as they are so good at. It was a nice reprieve for them to just be reminded of who they are outside of all the other pressure going on in their lives.
The surprise addition of Sir Norman McSchnugglebug Beesly-Halpert was also good fun and I hope they're able to keep him. Get him all checked out and officially add him to their clan. And then later with the night club, again, another great moment for them to just be the giant dorks, especially Jim. And finally, I also appreciated their final talk, because again with the honesty. Nothing is perfect, but if you have one another to hold onto, you can get through it. I'm glad to see that they do. Can't wait for more!
Date: January 23, 2009 07:39 pm Title: Slightly More Domesticated, A Little More Crazy
Damn that was one hell of an amazing chapter, like it seriously blew my mind in to a gazillion pieces. Seriously I say this a lot, but I always read a chapter and think, “she cannot do better than this, this is perfect”, and you go and freaking well do it, and you don’t just out do yourself young lady, you… well, you just rock my world!!!!!
Everything about this chapter was amazing. The way Jim cooked her breakfast, even though they’d not really spoken over the last 12 hours, and how he really would do anything to see her happy. How Pam finally opened up to Jim about what’s bothering her.
Your stories are so real, and I don’t just mean that in the sense that the characters seem real, but the whole story itself is just so relatable. Who isn’t afraid of growing old and paying off loans etc?
When Jim suggested moving to Florida I so lol’d, it was just so randomly perfect… and then you brought in Scranton and Jim thinking that it’s just full of Amish people – UTTERLY PERFECTO!
The whole bowling story was seriously amazing, and I had to read it a couple more times before I reviewed, because once was not enough. Everything from Pam realising she didn’t have any socks, to their bowling names and dancing on the lane – it’s just how I imagine this Jim and Pam, and I would do anything to jump in to your fic and tackle him to the ground.
I loved the group of teenagers lusting after Jim… it’s probably wrong how hot I find it when people (even in ficland lust after Mr. Halpert.)
I LOVE that they found a cat in their apartment, and that they want to keep it. I can see Jim being all eh, but then actually falling in love with it lol. Pam begging Jim and using her pouty face was awesome, I could just imagine him not being able to say no to that.
So, the highlight of the chapter for me was when Jim took Pam out to the “nightclub” and put on a CARDIGAN…seriously that is my weakness, men (John Krasinski) in a cardigan. As soon as I read that I think I died a little inside, my brain literally over heated.
I cannot wait until the next chapter. Seriously, you are one of the most amazingly talented writers out there, and I thank you for writing this sequel eeep.
10/10 :)
Man my reviews are long and stoooopid, I sorry :)
Date: January 23, 2009 06:46 pm Title: Revolutionary Tea (The Chicago Tea Party Song)
I’ve been sick and not able to sign online and I was beginning to suffer from some serious withdrawal symptoms… so THANK GOD I AM BACK.
I have never wanted to hug fic Jim so much in my life as I did in this chapter. He seems so unhappy at work and he deserves so much more than that *cries a little for Jim, * and don’t get me wrong, I LOVE Pam, but if the guy wants to build shelves naked in the middle of your apartment, then let him… oh, he wasn’t naked? Oh, in my head he was ;) I just want to slap her for being so cool with him at the end though – BE HONEST WITH HIM PAMALA MORGAN =)
I LOVE the way you write Karen, Kelly and Angela. Kelly seriously has me in stitches; I could imagine her at school and being JUST like that.
Jim bought Pam a bike, that was so adorable, but when she said she was happy and he then replied she should tell her face that, omg EPIC LOL MOMENT.
I wish I could reply to your responses – but I’ll just end up repeating how much I adore this fic and love you and want to see Jim in glasses and shaving… GUH you made me happy.
Author's Response: Aw, Hannah_Halpert, I hope you're feeling better! Get some rest, take your meds, drink lots of fluids. :)
I love that you enjoyed Pam's time with the girls, as each one of her friends is weird and quirky in their own way and each have their own set of wisdom and inspiration to share. (Karen is personally my favorite, because she's just so cool with her little bohemian apartment and crazy sick fashion sense, but I would love to have a Kelly around for comic relief. Which sadly, is basically all I use her for in this story, for a little uplift here and there. I'd love to start a fanfic just for her so she can get the wondeful fairy-tale story that she deserves. Ha-ha.)
Do you like how I'm sneaking in those Jim fantasies that we talked about? Yes! I even added another to the list. Jim with a feline friend. How hot is the idea of Jim sitting on the couch with a cat purring in his lap? Because it was totally a sexy idea in my head when I decided to write it. So I hope you enjoyed it. ;)
Life right after college is so tough, and poor Jim! I will have to bring indie!Jim to life so you can give him a hug! Growing up sucks. :(
Date: January 23, 2009 06:43 pm Title: Slightly More Domesticated, A Little More Crazy
Why am I excited that they got Norm's at Woodman's?
Author's Response: Because Woodman's is awesome, silly. And thank you for reminding me of the awesomeness that is Woodman's. Shout out! Any cool restaurants that you know of in Kenosha that I can send Jim and Pam to, per chance? ;)
Date: January 23, 2009 06:13 pm Title: Slightly More Domesticated, A Little More Crazy
Really beautifully written. It's so great that you are letting them work through their adjustments without too much drama. This story makes me very happy.
Author's Response: I'm glad that this story is continuing to bring you cheer. :)
Date: January 23, 2009 05:24 pm Title: Slightly More Domesticated, A Little More Crazy
This line is quite possible the most beautiful things I have ever read. Ever. "I want you to feel like you have a home with me." That just slays me. In a good way, obviously. You rock. Please continue to amaze us with your awesomeness. :D
Author's Response: Aw, I'm glad you enjoyed Jim's little speech. "Pam... Don't you understand? He just wants to take care of you. Go bike riding with the man, woman! Don't make me come up to Kenosha and smack some sense into you."
10 [Report This]Date: January 23, 2009 02:52 pm Title: Slightly More Domesticated, A Little More Crazy
This was quite possibly one of the most perfect chapters in the history of fanfiction. Absolutely amazing.
Author's Response: Wow. How to I begin to thank thee with words? Thank you! You are too kind. :)
Date: January 22, 2009 05:43 pm Title: Revolutionary Tea (The Chicago Tea Party Song)
I don't want to smack her in the head. I completely understand how she's feeling.
I want to be Karen basically. She seems so cool and thrifty and creative. I want to live like that someday. I love shopping at thrift stores and forever 21. lol. seriously Forever 21 is amazingly cheap. I have an adorable party dress that looks like it would be about 200 and I got for 30 dollars. no joke.
Ya I miss that cute young Jim and Pam couple that you created. Just because they are going to get married, doesn't mean they have to grow up all of a sudden. Oh man I love both dresses! Good choices! they would be perfect for Pam. But I think I'm leaning towards number 2. Such a lovely silhouette :) oh how I love wedding dresses...
Author's Response: Isn't Karen so freakin' cool? I am insanely jealous of her. When I write her character, I'm constantly thinking, "I'm basically writing who I wish I could be. This is so not fair. Why am I not living this super amazing, thrifty, fashionable life?" So, yes I completely relate to you here.
I hope you enjoyed the little flashback to that cute, fun couple Jim and Pam in the newest chapter. Poor Jim- it's like now that they're getting married, all of a sudden they have to act like they're in their 50s and have to go bike riding on the weekends and Pam is thinking, "Um, no. I'm only 25. Let's live it up while we can." I think those two need to find a happy medium.
Thank you for your dress vote. I'm loving all of your opinions because as I've said in another review, as readers- this is your story, too. So please keep letting me know what you think, and there may be some other wedding decisions coming up soon that I will try to get you all involved in. Yay for interactivity!
Date: January 22, 2009 04:20 pm Title: Revolutionary Tea (The Chicago Tea Party Song)
Heh, I'd want to smack Pam upside the head if I didn't relateto what she's going through so much. Because I kinda felt exactly the same when I first moved in with my significant other, especially when I first finished college. I wanted to be grown up and engaged and moving ahead and yet... There was still this part of me that felt like I was settling down too quickly and wasn't I too young and how do I know and really, everything about being in your 20s is transitioning from one thing to another and fighting almost every change. You know, until you finally get to that point where it just...settles, somehow and you don't even mean to do it. It just happens.
I sympathize with Jim and Pam here. Jim isn't happy with his job or the place he is in his life, but he's focused himself on life at home because it's the one place he can escape and maybe have control on making things better. Pam, on the other hand, sees Jim gung ho on something she's still unsure about, not showing his own insecurities because eh's so focused, missing her friends and the life she had grown so accustomed to, in a new job, and everything is as far from settled as possible.
I'm glad Angela and Kelly and Karen all saw through her just moved in jitters and kinda cut them down. no one's perfect and nothing is more apparent than when you first move in. The honeymoon period you think is going to happen is kinda over that first weekend.
I thought Jim's gifts were thoughtful, but in the face of just having a good tiem with friends and coming home to her husband(basically) who wants to be Mr and mrs Suburbia, it just didn't ring as strongly as it could've. Because Pam is fighting it all so hard. Even compromising how she would paint is more than she wants.
I wonder if Pam would actually be happier if they were working in the city. If Jim was still wanting to be all old married like still even if they were in Chicago. I'm glad Jim saw through all that and kinda called Pam on it, but there's just so much he can do to make her happy if she's so dead set against it. I'm looking forward to tis exploration because, as always, it's so very true to life and my sympathies fall on both sides.
Oh and as far as the dress, I prefer #1 because of the bust line, as well as how it's fitted down the hips. The bust on the second may not be as complimentary for someone with a larger chest, as Pam has.
Author's Response: Ah, I'm so glad that you can relate and completely sympathize with both characters as they struggle through these rough changes. With Pam and Jim, I just feel that for them... Moving in together is just so hard, and you may think that the communication between you and the significant other was good and honest UNTIL- you live under the same roof, and all of a sudden you find yourself biting your tongue in certain situations because you're living with this person and... Pam seems to avoid confrontation at all costs, so of course she's not going to say anything. She's realizing that Jim has all of these little quirks, and his new hobbies may annoy the crap out of her, but deep inside she knows he's doing it, not only out of love to create a home for her, but because he needs it, he needs something to do where he feels useful and that someone will appreciate, instead of those silly fluff pieces in the newspaper that nobody reads... So once again, I feel like you are right there with me in this chapter, which is amaaazing. :) I just hope that I can keep their relationship as real and honest as any other couple out there, because love is hard work- it isn't always a fairy tale. But if you can work through all of the tough times together, then you have truly found someone who is your meant-to-be.
Date: January 22, 2009 03:55 pm Title: Revolutionary Tea (The Chicago Tea Party Song)
I've been enjoying these stories, but just registered so I can review. I grew up in Waukegan, live in Chicago, and my brother lives in Kenosha so I've enjoyed that part as well. At one point I even thought "Why didn't Pam and Jim go to Woodman's instead of Meijers?"
Other possible wedding locations: The topfloor of the Harold Washington library-Crystal Room, Shedd Aquarium (seriously they have fancy shamcy facilites), Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest, just some ideas. I look forward to reading more!
Author's Response: My darn Meijer mistake! I knew I should've looked up store locations BEFORE writing the chapter, because I was then informed that there actually are no Meijers in the state of Wisconsin, which is such a shame because Meijer is kind of amazing, although I've never been to a Woodman's so who knows- Woodman's could be more amazing- how would I know? I think I need to visit! Ha-ha.
Thank you for all of the lovely wedding location ideas- they are actually a tremendous help. Theknot.com can only do so much for me. So thank you, I have filed those locations away in my own "good idea" folder that goes along with this story. If I use them, I promise to dedicate the chapter to you as a nice little shout-out. ;)
It's about to get cold up here in Chicago. Stay warm tomorrow!
Date: January 22, 2009 03:43 pm Title: Dinner at Eight in the Suburbs
Love the story. Also, I thought I should tell you that I actually live in Kenosha, WI, and I went to Tremper High School. weird, eh?
Author's Response: Allow me to channel Kelly for a second when I say, "OMG! That is so cool!" If you have any ideas on places for Pam and Jim to visit in the area, please let me know! I've never been to Kenosha before. :(
10 [Report This]Date: January 22, 2009 03:05 pm Title: Revolutionary Tea (The Chicago Tea Party Song)
I love this story and I'm on team dress 1!
Author's Response: Thank you! I've tallied your vote!
Date: January 22, 2009 02:55 pm Title: Revolutionary Tea (The Chicago Tea Party Song)
Dress 1!
I think Pam is spot on as someone who just moved away from her friends b/c of her Fiance/husband/whatever.... Not that I have any personal experience. But yeah, I am totally feeling Pam in this chapter.
Author's Response: Well, I'm so glad that you can understand where Pam is coming from in this chapter because I was kind of worried that she would come off as being a little too harsh. Poor girl is just learning how to cope with all of the changes. :( And thank you for the vote!
Date: January 22, 2009 02:32 pm Title: Revolutionary Tea (The Chicago Tea Party Song)
Poor Jim and Pam. I can totally feel those growing pains and him feeling upset and inadequate. Moving from Chicago back to a suburb would be very tough, especially when friends are out having fun and going on without you. Hopefully they can go back soon. She needs to do something for Jim to really assure him because she's been a little mean when he's just trying to help.
FYI: I love Garret's cheese popcorn. It is my FAVE. I also love dress 2 better, but Dress 1 is great without the flower. Distracting.
Smut coming up maybe? I love seeing them more domestic.
Author's Response: Garrett's popcorn is amazing. Am I even spelling that right? I never notice the spelling when I'm there because the smell of popcorn overwelms me with its amazingness. My parents also force me to pick it up at O'Hare when I fly down to visit them in Dallas, and if I show up without a bag of popcorn in hand, they will leave me stranded at the airport. No joke. It's that serious.
Poor Pam has been so hard on Jim, and probably not intentionally- she's just learning to cope with this new life she's entered and being a grown up and all- but I think she'll finally realize that everything Jim is doing is out of love and that she's one lucky woman to have him. :)
10 [Report This]Date: January 22, 2009 01:45 pm Title: Revolutionary Tea (The Chicago Tea Party Song)
I vote for dress 2! I can actually emptathize with Pam -- it's hard when you're a part of a couple starting a life together and all of your friends are still single and having fun. Being a grown-up sucks!
Author's Response: Being a grown-up so sucks, and I'm slowly beginning to realize that myself as I try to find a job here in my last year of school. I wish I could stay in college forever. My pocketbook would hate me, but dude- I would be a genius!
Thank you for the review, and I have tallied your vote! (I like dress 2, also. ;)
Date: January 22, 2009 01:04 pm Title: Revolutionary Tea (The Chicago Tea Party Song)
guhhhh, this story= awesomer every day.
&& the music? tres chic dear, I know every song (:
Author's Response: Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the music as well. You, my friend, have excellent taste in music.
Date: January 22, 2009 11:57 am Title: Dinner at Eight in the Suburbs
Loved the mention of my favirite band, Paramore!!!
Author's Response: Love, love Paramore!
Date: January 22, 2009 11:01 am Title: Revolutionary Tea (The Chicago Tea Party Song)
I'll vote for dress 2. I really like 1,but I think Pam would add a veil and the one flower accent doesn't seem 'her' to me...I could definitely see a cluster of small ones though. Good grief, I have no idea why I have such an opinion on the matter :)
I'm enjoying this story to the nth degree, which is helping keep my desire to spank Pam in check. I'm about five years older than they are in the story, so I'm pretty familiar with the loving-what-you-are-doing-but-afraid-it-is-making-you-old-and-stodgy. You write Jim and Pam's take on changes like that so in character both for who they are on the show and the differences you have created in your AU. Oh, and your username always makes me smile.
Author's Response: Thank you for your vote! I love to hear what you think. After all, this is your story, too. ;) Also, I was kind of leaning towards dress 2, myself. Shh... don't tell anyone. Ha-ha.
I'm so glad you're enjoying this story, and that you find it true-to-life and relatable. Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to review.
Date: January 21, 2009 09:00 am Title: Diving a Dumpster
Awww, poor Jim! Really enjoyed this chapter, I like where you're going with this story. Keep it up!
Author's Response: Thank you! Poor Jim is trying his hardest to make a home for Pam, he's just not off to the greatest start. :(
Date: January 21, 2009 06:24 am Title: Diving a Dumpster
Yay! I'm glad you decided to continue with this! :D These were two very amazing chapters.
And comparing Jim to Nate Berkus? Niiice. :D Keep it up! (that's what she said...)
Author's Response: Ha-ha, yes! Can Nate Berkus remodel my house, Oprah? Pretty, pretty please? I won't steal him from you, I promise.
Thank you for the review, I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.