Date: September 28, 2019 04:36 pm Title: One foot in and one foot back
Resolution and honesty would be nice (are we going to get a "honesty isn't her strong suit" callout?). This fic is killing me but in a very good way. I am not usually a fan of fics in which JAM didn't work out the first time, but this one is highly addictive because of the emotional work you put into it for both of them, both on why they broke up and on why they would each want to find each other again, without invalidating what came before. Also, from your intro: "doing grown-up things"--why is it that grown-up things (in addition to sex) always means completely emotionally screwed up, self-deceiving bullshit? Not blaming you for the accurate description, just saying that "grown-up" so often means, as here, "fundamentally childish."
Author's Response:
Oh, Comfect your reviews always get me thinking long and hard about how I've approached something. I appreciate that so much! I didn't know that Reconnecting Jam wasn't typically your thing so it means that much more that you are so invested in this one. Thank you!!
And, I get what you're saying, but it's a redemption story, friend! There has to be some major deviance to make that work AND to emphasize how self-destructive they both became after losing each other. I'm a sucker for people stumbling a little until they fall face first and then pulling themselves out of it. But that warning was mostly for the people who like Puritan Jam. Cause... this isn't that (as much as I love good fluff with no drama :D). Seriously, your insightful reviews are always so appreciated! And I'm really glad you're back. :)
1 [Report This]Date: September 17, 2019 07:37 pm Title: Somebody that I used to know
Oh my gosh this story is amazing!
It’s now 3:35am and I’m still awake because I couldn’t stop reading!
I LOVE everything about this! I love the characters in this context and the way you write is honestly beautiful! I can honestly picture everything and can hear their conversations... you write so naturally!
Thank you for this masterpiece - please update soon!
Author's Response: Wow! Rach, that is such an amazing review. Thank you SO MUCH! As twisted as it sounds, it is an amazing compliment to have someone sacrifice sleep in order to read your work. That in and of itself is such a compliment. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the updates.
Date: September 05, 2019 08:10 pm Title: Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice
Oh hi, it's just me. Calling this meeting of the Karen fan club to order. (Are you happy now? Because I'm so confused as to how I got here.)
First of all, I'd completely forgotten about this song you used for the title. Such a great choice! But back to the story.
Karen and Pam have weekly Gossip Girl dates. Of course they do. And when the three of them go to lunch and it takes less than an hour for Karen to be all "Just kiss already, you two?" Love that.
Also love how she's like, it's cool... we're friends now Jim, so go get me that guy's phone number."
Listen. I didn't come to this story with the expectation that I was going to not only ship Karen and Paul, but become fucking invested in them and their relationship and let's just go right into the scene that is their fourth date because I have so many things to say about it.
It's not just that she's in deeper than she wanted to be and that she's all but begging him to sleep with her (that's all great!) but its the tiny details of her trying to make things happen; what with the Sinatra, and the getting him to pick her up, and the black dress and she brought a toothbrush with her.
Karen's kind of a genius. And fine, she's just looking for an easy lay but she ends up with a husband and god, these two are perfect for each other and I don't know how you did it.
I don't know what it says about me that one of my favorite parts of Karen's backstory is that Josh's wife is named Jasmine, because the alliteration of that just delights me. Obviously, I hate the rest of the Porter portion of this story, but you put these tiny little moments in and I feel the need to comment on all of them. Not sorry.
But like. Why DID Paul piss on a cop car?
So, I love that both Karen and Paul have been there for Jim and Pam's story since the beginning. It makes Paul's protectiveness of Pam in the previous chapter so much more real.
Do I love that present day Karen and Paul fight over Pam and Jim? I mean, no, but also yes? Because they're really good friends. And he's still calling her Chief. *swoon*
But now we're to the Karen and Jim showdown and you know that gif that's just the guy settling in with his popcorn? That's me right now.
And I'm not disappointed. I love Karen's initial wariness, but I especially love how she almost immediately can't escape the familiarity of their friendship. Even she isn't impervious to Jim's charms. God bless her for teasing him about the Raya profile.
But hey. Thanks for the mini heart attack in which for three seconds, you had me scared that Pam OD'd in New York. But no, it was Ryan. And Pam was there. Why was Pam there, hmm?
" Pam never tells anyone about her dalliances while in New York. She doesn’t talk about the pills or the random hookups or the blackout drinking." This is a lot and I need a minute, but also I want all the details of these dalliances.
Ugh, I relate too much to Karen's instinct to smack some sense into Jim. I appreciate her wanting to take things into her own hands and fix their problems for them and I know way too well how hard it is for her to bite her tongue, offer vague suggestions, and then sit back and wait for these two idiots to sort themselves out on their own.
Maybe Paul SHOULD take her to the range. She probably has some aggression to work out after all of that.
This is one of my favorite chapters in a story of favorite chapters so... good luck topping this. ;)
Author's Response:
Man, this review is full of so much that I'm just blown over.
So, in short, yeah I kind of fell in love with writing Karen and Paul. Way more than expected. If I was an author IRL they would get their own spinoff series. And the cop car thing was related to a stray football, the cop getting unnecessarily authoritative, and one too many Long Island Iced Teas.
I knew the OD would have that reaction; it was only for a minute that I considered dragging out that revelation. You're welcome. ;)
Thank you so so so much for this incredibly kind review. I won't lie. I'm a little worried about topping this chapter now. :D
Date: September 05, 2019 07:47 pm Title: Just wanna keep calling your name until you've come back home
I can't believe I haven't reviewed this yet. Please forgive me.
I mean. This whole flashback is just punch after punch to the gut. In the best of ways, of course. Pam's going to Philadelphia. She's wearing The Dress. She's got ideas of grand speeches and apologies and what could go wrong? EVERYTHING. Everything could go wrong.
"It took four hours to get back to Scranton. There was a wreck that added a little time, but mostly it was the stops that prolonged the trip. One stop to pull over and vomit at the thought of… everything, all of this. Another stop to buy a bottle of water. Another stop to embrace the fury that pushed her to call Jim.
Pam was fully prepared to release a string of expletives toward him along with her theories that he must have cheated on her, that this was why he didn’t fight with her on ending things between them, that she knew all along she would never be enough for him. She wasn’t prepared for the annoyed man who answered and said something like, ‘Yeah this ain’t Jim’s phone I done told ya’ before ending the call abruptly." SHE TRIED TO CALL HIM AND IT'S NOT HIS NUMBER ANYMORE.
So like, I just need to know. Do you enjoy the pain you cause me with these flashbacks? Just me, wondering.
We need to talk about this scene at Paul and Karen's house. It's just perfect start to finish. I love Pam being comfortable enough to go through Karen's bathroom drawers. I adore Paul threatening to call Jim. I die because his nickname for Karen is Chief.
"Yep, just call me the Patron Saint of Relationship Rejuvenation and Realizations" I laugh a little bit every time I read this line, and I love the self-awareness of everyone else needing to work at their relationships when they realize Jim and Pam couldn't keep it together.
"Pam, emboldened by comfort and wine, rolled her eyes without restraint and looked at Karen. “A rebound is fucking an Australian one night on vacation. Not getting married. Jesus, Kare, it’s been three fucking months.” She leaned forward and picked up her refilled glass. “It took him three goddamn years to tell me he loved me and three more to not propose so… Now he’s engaged to the perfect lawyer from college. The one I didn’t think anything about when she suggested he get a haircut and he fucking listened to her. Cause men only listen to women they’re fucking about haircuts —”
“Okay, you’re getting cut off.” Karen ceremoniously moved the wine bottle to the floor. “You say ‘fuck’ a lot when you get twisted.”" Here's another question for you: Are you TRYING to make me the president of the I love Karen as Pam's best friend fan club?
Let's just say, if elected, there will be wine at every meeting.
And here we are at my favorite scene of this entire chapter. I know, how could I pick just one? But this next morning scene has everything. Kelly referring to her and Ryan as the next Kim and Kanye is golden. So here we are, deep, deep into this chapter and I've felt a lot of feelings akin to rage and sadness and well, it's been a Lana del Rey song, you feel me? But then we get here and you just have this way of throwing in these absolutely delightful details that make me laugh and laugh and love you just a little bit more each time.
Pam created a fake facebook account. Pam named herself Stacey Carosi. STACEY FUCKING CAROSI. This is the kind of pop culture add-in I need in my life and honestly, I'm so, so, so sad that no one else has praised you for it.
Stacey Carosi. You're the best.
I love New York Pam's habit of hate-reading Hannah's facebook. HappyHalperts, my ass. How'd that work out for you, Hannah?
But then I'm so proud when she deletes everything. And that teeny tiny little Ryan moment? LOOK WHO GOT A GLOW UP INDEED.
And then we're in present day and I almost forgot there's a present day to this story because that flashback was just so fucking good. But now we've got Erin and Pete and her boyfriend Drew, and Pam and Karen mocking the Raya profile, and Darryl being Darryl and everything is light and fine and happy!
Except nah, you're gonna throw one more dagger into my heart. It's fine. I still like you. Pam and her phone and the unspoken deal with her friends and family that she doesn't know what pictures they're talking about blah blah blah, you fucking pulled out the big guns for this final gut punch, didn't you?
That photo. THAT photo. That. Photo. It's fine. We're all fiiiiine here.
You know I love this story a lot, right? Just checking.
Author's Response:
First of all, you will forever and always be the President of the Karen and Pam as BFF fan club. I'll be at EVERY meeting with champagne and cupcakes.
See, this is why I can't with your reviews. You catch the things that make me giggle like the idiot I am while writing. The patron saint bit. Paul calling Karen Chief. STACEY FUCKING CAROSI.
I'm glad everything else worked as I hoped it would. Especially that photo. Yup. THAT photo.
So glad you love this story so much. xoxo
Date: September 04, 2019 12:16 am Title: Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice
I'll be honest, I was a little hesitant about this being from Karen's POV, since I'm literally chomping at the bit for more JAM. But, her background on her friendship with Pam and feeling conflicted about the current state of affairs was really good intel and very relatable. I also really liked her staying out of some of the questions he asked her and lobbing it back to him to go talk to her and find out for himself. I know how hard that restraint is, LOL. Really hope we get some truth out there soon, the tension is killing me (not in a serious way).
Author's Response: Oh, BJB, thank you for this review. I get it; not everyone is in the Karen Fan Club. Thank you for taking a chance on it!! While writing, it was a fun exercise to frame Karen in this world how we watched JAM as viewers in those early seasons. "WHEN WILL THESE TWO IDIOTS SEE WHAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM?!" And we are completely on the path to getting some truth; thank you so so so much for hanging in there. I always appreciate your honest, insightful reviews.
1 [Report This]Date: September 04, 2019 12:00 am Title: Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice
Karen as a friend I like. Karen as a diehard JAM shipper I love! I also love the idea (and it felt very true to character) that had Pam had some forewarning, i.e. a dear friend gently pointing out that she was in love with Jim, prior to Casino Night she may have handled it a little differently. That you had Karen as the catalyst for this - amazing. Is there a Dundie for best efforts in reducing the wrath against Karen? You somehow manage to make her all the more like-able, something canon never really accomplished...
I very much enjoyed the Paul/Karen backstory too. This story is such a lovely read, I’m always thrilled to see you update 😊
Author's Response:
JB, first of all, "Is there a Dundie for best efforts in reducing the wrath against Karen?" just thoroughly made my MONTH! What a compliment!!
But also, you hit on the other thing that I always think about. Where (in canon) were Pam's girlfriends?! I feel like (again, in canon) she probably didn't have many who weren't also connected to Roy. This gave me the chance to play with that aspect of how important female friendships are. I'm so glad you caught that. Thank you for leaving such a wonderfully generous review.
Date: September 03, 2019 08:42 pm Title: Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice
Oh my God, DC, this was so good. I was completely absorbed. I love the way you give so many tiny details so I can see exactly what's happening. Please give us another chapter soon.
Author's Response: Thank you, Sprinkles! Reviews like this warm my heart! Sometimes I get worried that those "tiny details" I so love adding in just bog down the story. I'm glad to hear that it works for you!
Date: September 03, 2019 05:20 pm Title: Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice
Oh I like this. Karen PoV was great, but I can totally see it being something you don't want to overdo. The story progression was wonderful, which feels weird to say about a chapter that's mostly flashback, but it was necessary to ground why Karen would feel the complicated mixed up way she does about Jim--and JAM. I'm hoping for some Pam PoV next, paradoxically because I'd like to let our view of Jim stew a little rather than getting his immediate reaction to Karen's meddling. But you do you!
Author's Response: Comfect, thank you! I'm so glad you liked Karen's PoV and how it moved the story along. I always appreciate your reviews!
Date: September 03, 2019 01:34 pm Title: Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice
So that was quite a lot to take in. Interesting perspective, hearing Karen's backstory like that. It does provide a lot of depth to her character in this story though. She's not perfect, she's made mistakes, she's overcome them. She's also learned that while you can help someone else fix their mistakes, you can't fix someone else's mistakes for them. Even if the path is rocky and hard, it's best to let others fix themselves. That's what I got from her conversation with Jim there. She knows how powerful it is to endure trials and come out on the other side. It's Jim and Pam's turn to do that. I like that she's there to help point them both in the right direction, but then she's willing to step back.
Great way to flesh out this character.
Author's Response: Thanks, Warrior! Sounds like everything I was going for hit the target. Thank you for taking the time to review.
1 [Report This]Date: September 02, 2019 11:17 am Title: Just wanna keep calling your name until you've come back home
I could go on and on about this story forever. The writing is so raw that after every chapter (which I have reread so many times), I come away from it feeling like I’ve witnessed the heartbreak of my best friends. I’m just dying to read more into how Jim and Pam navigate this period of their lives together. Can’t wait to read more- hopefully soon??
Author's Response: Wow! Thanks for that review, ScrantonSantiago (oh my god, best name!). That is too thoughtful and kind. A new chapter is coming soon; I hope you enjoy it. :)
1 [Report This]Date: July 28, 2019 12:41 am Title: Just wanna keep calling your name until you've come back home
Pam putting THAT dress on, only to have the wind knocked out of her in the worst way, was devastating! I can see why she’d be cautious to rush into any sort of reconciliation in the present day. I say this every time, but this may just be my favorite version of Karen to ever exist...
Author's Response: Aw, thanks, JB! I'm glad the added pain of THAT dress came through for you cause I hesitated with it, but it felt too right to add to Pam's pain. I'm so glad you enjoy this version of Karen! The next chapter is from Karen's PoV; I hope you will enjoy it.
1 [Report This]Date: July 23, 2019 02:39 pm Title: Just wanna keep calling your name until you've come back home
Okay, so first of all, the fact that Pam is sitting here thinking about how everyone else is moving onward and upward and that spurring her to actually do something is great. Fancy New Beesly needed a kick in the ass, right?
Making up scenarios in her head is just so REAL and also heartbreaking because sometimes I remember that this was a TV show and things "just happen" for characters because it was "meant to be," but here she is acting like a lovesick puppy and your characters are less fictional and more real.
Oh. Oh she's. She's *wearing the dress*. Do you enjoy seeing me get emotional? Because it gets worse. Because she *walked in on his engagement party* DC. THAT HAPPENED. Her BIG JIM GESTURE led her STRAIGHT TO HIS ENGAGEMENT PARTY. Ya done did it.
I cannot imagine the embarrassment and fury and literal hell hole of emotions that she went through, but you seem to have put it all into these little eloquent words that made me cry (on vacation, mind you) and I just.
Poor Pam.
Can I just say that I love your Paul and Karen? They're the best. Especially since Paul is as mad at Jim as the rest of us and wanted to do something about it.
Pam realizing that she "didn't set anything on fire" is fucking HEARTBREAKING. She wanted to do something, and she couldn't, and she lost him, and this is the most tragic kick in the ass to change your lifestyle that I've ever experienced.
The fake Facebook killed me the second most. Maybe it's because I empathize. maybe it was the descriptions of the wedding hashtag and how I felt like I was in Pam's shoes as she scrolled. How do you do that? How do you make me feel like I'm living inside these stories?
(Also. Hannah is *that* Facebook person that I want to punch. Was anyone *really* concerned that Nancy's dress would fit? Were they?)
I love that you still have Pam being timid, even in New York. You don't just move across the country and change lifestyles. Pam does things in baby steps, so I love that, while she moved to New York, she wasn't all of a sudden being super bold and painting the town red, but she was still eating lunch by herself and not going to museums yet.
Of course, when the snap happens, it happens big. And I love that she deleted social media. Such a bold move, honestly. Why am I proud of a fictional character?
I LOVE Kelly's involvement here. She WOULD be a NY fashionista with Urban Decay samples. However, if there isn't a scene where Pam and Ryan do drugs together, I'm going to write FanFiction about your FanFiction.
"Did we break each other?"
No, but DC BROKE ME, THANKS.
"My boyfriend Drew." *snorts*
Honestly, DC. You write the whole "sulking over an old love" story TOO well. The bit about the pictures was EVERYTHING. Of course she still had them. Of course she got nervous about going into the pictures app.
But what killed me the most? You use *that* picture. You gave a story to *that picture.* And the "I love you so fucking much" ACTUALLY shattered me. I have no idea why. But I did cry. I did have to put a hand to my mouth in shock because that line ended me.
And now I need more. Holy shit. I bow.
Author's Response:
Dude. Your reviews are so freaking amazing and you have no idea how much I appreciate them.
First of all, you pick up on all these little things like the dress (I don't care if it was over the top; I went for it), THAT picture that you knew right away, and the Drew thing (I snorted when I saw that you snorted). But also, I really love that you appreciate the heartbreaking moment with the whole "I didn't set it on fire" thing. Cause I think that was such a Pam thing, to see everyone around her be brave or know they would be and she isn't and then live with the regret of that. I'm so glad that worked.
You are so right. No one in the history of the world gives two figs about Nancy's dress. Also, there will be only one more reference to Ryan and it won't be that. (I mean, Idk, I say that but this whole thing was supposed to be three short chapters and I have 20-ish planned now so there's really no telling.) BUT I can think of a story where Pam and Ryan's bad behavior could be fleshed out (no pun intended) nicely... ;)
Thank you SO MUCH for reading, reviewing, and feeling these characters. You're the best.
Date: July 19, 2019 11:12 pm Title: Just wanna keep calling your name until you've come back home
D'aw. I loved the "It was a ‘hello, old friend’ hug. Nothing else" because I'm a sucker for (near) title quotes. But also this did a great job of tugging the heartstrings while also giving us more of that wonderful, wonderful Pam-Karen friendship.
Author's Response: Hey, you! Thanks for this, especially your continued support of Pam and Karen's friendship. :)
1 [Report This]Date: July 19, 2019 11:41 am Title: Just wanna keep calling your name until you've come back home
I gotta tell you, it’s not rare for one of these stories to bring up real emotion in me. I truly get very invested and as stupid as it might sound, I truly feel the stories. I feel happiness, fear, anger and I’ve even been known to cry when reading a few. I have to say though, it’s pretty rare that I get the emotions that I’m getting from the story you’re telling. I get that twisting sick feeling that is riddled with anxiety in my stomach. It’s almost a feeling of dread. Like, I’m anxious and eager to read what you’ve written but I also truly dread it. You’ve made me feel a real burning anger at Jim that, well, I don’t know if I’ve ever felt quite like this. For him to just let Pam go, not even try to get her back after all he went through to have that relationship in the first place, it just makes me kinda livid. The fact that he jumped not just into sex, not even just a relationship but an engagement and marriage so soon after Pam, while she was still hurting over him.... I don’t even have words to describe exactly what that makes me feel. Makes me feel like he never deserved her. I remember in season 9 in the episode Paper Airplane when Jim and Pam finally had that breakthrough. When he was leaving for Philadelphia and she went after him with his umbrella and he finally took her in his arms, I remember during that thinking, Jim you need to DO something. You need to make her understand that she’s the MOST important thing to you or you’re gonna lose her and you probably won’t get another chance you certainly won’t deserve one. Here in your story we basically see the other result play out where he didn’t make the move to save things and actually did what Jim does, jumped into a rebound relationship where I have no doubt he never loved her and he put them all through so much pain. I’m dying to know so much more about how and why the engagement happened. Pam thought that in pictures Jim’s parents didn’t look so thrilled, or awkward or something, I’d love to know her w family and friends felt. I’m also wondering if Hannah’s dad had anything to do with the engagement and marriage. I don’t know, probably stupid but I keep thinking something like, ‘if I’m going to invest in the company I’d feel a whole lot better if you were married to my daughter’,or something like that. My thoughts are so all over, I swear this doc is shattering me. Like I keep thinking of Pam being at the engagement party, all dressed up and ready to get Jim back only to stand there and have to see them together. Also her looking at Hannah’s social media, it cut to MY heart when I’m reading where Hannah is posting saying he's her soul mate or whatever and saying about just needing to wait... those things had to literally crush Pam. I mean, I would think it would make it feel like everything she felt about her own time with Jim became nothing, was wasted. Certainly Pam had felt that she was Jim’s soul mate and I know she had to wonder if Jim now felt that Hannah was his. Oh oh and what really gets me is none of this would have happened if Pam’s dad hadn’t felt the need to make Jim fl so insecure and like he wasn’t enough. The one thing I will say is if Hannah’s dad was in favor of th relationship/marriage it had to be a real boost to his ego after what he went through with Pam’s dad. I do hope that Pam knows or at least finds out that her dad is the sole reason he didn’t propose. It doesn’t take Jim completely off the hook because after the way he fought for that relationship I felt he owed it to Pam to talk to her about her dads comments and how he felt about it and how Pam would feel about getting married without her dads blessing. At the end of the day, they were very much adults and Jim needed to man up and not lose her because of her dad. Anyhow, I could probably go on forever with my scattered thoughts about this one. I have to say though, I think your an extremely talented writer to bring out such raw emotions in me from just reading this. I mean, when I think about the story I feel that rawness, the twisting in my stomach. I cannot wait to read more.
Author's Response:
Oh, man. Where to begin. I mean I've read this a few times just to process, and first of all thank you for taking the time to read and review this so thoroughly. I mean, when writing I always appreciate when some sort of emotion is evoked but I don't think I ever meant this! When I read it the first time I wanted to write the next chapter, make it sappy, and call it the end just to get rid of the twist in your stomach when you read it. :)
But you really hit on so much. I do think this has turned into my Appreciation Manifesto for Season Three (the benefit we got from them growing independently) and Cautionary Tale for how bad Season Nine could have been. And an unintentional theme that has developed here is "what happens when you just let life happen?" for both of them really and then how do we try and fix that in the right and wrong ways. While I certainly don't want to have you riddled with anxiety over this I am So Incredibly Thankful for the insight. It really does help to know how much to flesh out why these idiots keep doing what they're doing with reviews like this. BUT, I do hope that it turns around and eventually your stomach isn't twisting in knots to read this. :) Thanks again for the feedback!
Date: July 18, 2019 12:16 pm Title: Somebody that I used to know
This story is truly outstanding. The writing, the angst, the raw emotion. It’s great and I anxiously await your updates.
Author's Response: Wow! Soupsnakes, thank you so much. I appreciate that. Hopefully another update will come soon. Thanks for taking the time to read and review.
1 [Report This]Date: July 18, 2019 07:27 am Title: Just wanna keep calling your name until you've come back home
Fuck fuck fuck!!! Well you answered my earlier questions that I pretty much already knew the answers to... and fuck!!
When I first read “did you know I was there“ a few chapters ago this is what was going through my head...
Somebody said you got a new friend
Does she love you better than I can?
There's a big black sky over my town
I know where you're at, I bet she's around
Yeah, I know it's stupid
I just gotta see it for myself
(Dancing on my own, Only the more emotional Calum Scott version) And yeah, I need some Ben and Jerry’s and a super fluffy fic now. You are so good.
Author's Response:
Oh man! BoY your reviews are too kind! I appreciate you taking the time to read and review. I won't lie; it brings me some (granted, evil) pleasure to elicit four fucks AND the need for Ben and Jerry's out of you. :D I'm only a little sorry.
And that SONG! That VERSION! Oh! It is so good and mopey. I have to add it to the playlist for this fic. Thank you!!
Date: July 18, 2019 03:27 am Title: Just wanna keep calling your name until you've come back home
That flashback was perfect. And so painful. I truly cannot imagine what that was like to see and then find out he changed his number. Double punch to the gut. I will be really curious to hear Jim’s side in all this. And Pam catfishing (ish!) especially after Jim tried to search for her on social too over the years. The whole move to NY makes 100% sense now. Especially relating to the fact that seeing everyone she stalks have this great social life too, and she feels left behind or stuck. I won’t lie, I would love to see Jim’s reaction if/when (hopefully when) this all comes out and she tells him she went to get him back. I feel like it’s such a keg thing that broke them even more, especially given her move to NY’s impact on him. There’s a part of me too that of course thinks they can only be happy together and heal together but sometimes reading this IDK. Personally I’ve never been a big fan of Pam being the “guilty party” in relationships so hopefully Jim thinking about getting her back too for awhile comes out to alleviate some of that. Always takes two.
This review is way too long now but alas, excited for what’s next. Even if this kills me sometimes
Author's Response: Man, Bayjb, you hit the nail on the head every time with these reviews. Everything you said is so true about real relationships; even the right and perfect ones are complicated and messy sometimes. I hope you continue to enjoy this story.
Date: July 18, 2019 03:22 am Title: Just wanna keep calling your name until you've come back home
DC this is so good. I love this universe. I love the detail you're including. The angst is so...delicious. She showed up at his engagement party? Ugh. Karen is such a good friend. Kelly being an influencer. It's all perfect.
Author's Response: Oh, Sprinkles I always appreciate your reviews so much. Ha! And to hear that the angst is delicious is, well, that's a compliment of the highest order. I hope you continue to enjoy where this is going. Thank you for taking the time to read and review!
Date: July 17, 2019 11:34 pm Title: Just wanna keep calling your name until you've come back home
*Sees a new chapter for this story, thinks to himself, it's okay warrior, you're a big boy, you can handle this, deep breaths*
That flashback though, ouch. Yeah that more than kinda hurt to see Pam go through all that. I'm sure I could go on and say something more profound, but I don't think I'm up to dragging my heart through that again tonight.
Getting to non-flashback. Quick thing there is that Eric or Erin that Pam is bringing over to Jim's table?
Past that, the image that Pam had built up a fortress around her heart with all things Jim was a good way to put it. Though she left a weakness with keeping all the pictures. Now it seems she's thinking that weakness is actually a new opportunity and here's hoping she grabs it with both hands.
I'm sure you'll put Jim through something just as heart wrenching with then next bits of this story. So I'll just say I'm hoping the non-flashback parts of the next Jim chapters will make up for it.
Author's Response: Hey Warrior! Thanks for your review. I mean I'm kind of sorry for dragging your heart a little but also that's what I was going for so... No, really, I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for leaving a thoughtful review and, yes, Jim will get his Hurt in a few chapters. And, yeah, it was Erin who Pam was taking to Jim. Eric was still with Jo trying to get his resume printed.
Date: June 19, 2019 05:40 pm Title: When your eyes meet mine I lose simple skills
I'm gonna be honest with you DC, this isn't your best wo-- Sorry. I can't even type that with a straight face. OMG, imagine a world in which I'd be all "you could do be better." Impossible. This story continues to be one of my favorite things ever, and this chapter is brilliant from start to finish.
You've already heard a lot of my comments so what I really want to talk about is why I'm mad at Hannah for taking her shot with Jim but appreciate Jason's seduction of Pam. I'm pretty sure it's only 37% because of his accent.
Like, I get it. Jim and Pam both need to move on. They're both trying. It makes sense. Eventually, they were going to need to sleep with other people. They just didn't need to marry them, JIM.
I'm going to continue thinking about this for far too long.
Pam's to do list killed me, especially that last item. It's such a great little detail and I love that when she's talking to Karen later, she stays true to herself and doesn't mention it.
Another great detail that delighted me? "Your thirty dollar Target shoes scream gold digger"
When Jim finds out Pam's teaching a class and gets all proud and calls her Beesly? Twice? My heart grew two sizes. He's so proud of her!
And then Pam tells him he looks fuckable and I scream into the void because well, yeah. But also because I just sincerely enjoy this Pam so much.
His Raya profile is everything I want it to be and more. The picture. The SONG. No wonder he lands models. Gold star for including the term "douche canoe." It's a personal favorite.
And that phone call at the end! It's nothing major but like, its still an olive branch extended and they can't help but fall back into the easy banter and the teasing and listen, I'll fight anyone who disagrees that Pam's dating profile song has to be Blank Space.
p.s. Can I get a short one-shot to this story where Jim and Pam leave work early to watch the Met Gala red carpet? Please?
p.p.s Always choose Drake.
Author's Response:
Ugh, your reviews kill me every time. I love that you always catch some of my own favorite details. :) Awwww, I'm so glad that you picked up on how proud Jim was about her teaching art class. Ha! I'm so glad that you appreciate Jim's dating profile; I was thinking "Getaway Car" for Pam's profile song but "Blank Space" is a really good one, too!
PS Hmmmm...but what would it be ABOUT?
PPS ALWAYS choose Drake...
Date: June 17, 2019 09:47 pm Title: Somebody that I used to know
This story is so insanely good. You are so talented. Don’t ever stop writing.
The build up and tension are wonderful. I can’t wait to read more, hopefully soon! XOXO
Author's Response: Oh, Soupsnakes! Thank you so much! I hope there will be an update soon-ish. Thank you for your kind words about this story.
1 [Report This]Date: June 17, 2019 08:22 pm Title: Somebody that I used to know
DC, I love this story, and your writing, and these two idiots. This chapter was amazing. You painted such a clear picture with the flashbacks that I felt like I was watching a movie. I had to take breaks while reading because...heartbreak, but oh so good. The scenes after each of them have their encounters with other people, and all they can think about is each other....heartbreaking.
I basically cackled when Pam told Jim he looked fuckable. OMG. I love this Pam. I was thinking about her choice to not move to Philly but to then turn around and move to NYC, and I totally get it. She wanted to move for herself, not for him. She didn't want to be given ultimatums.
You can keep torturing us all you want with the heartbreak as long as you promise to make it up to us with the ending. :-)
Thank you for the writing, it's wonderful.
Author's Response: Sprinkles, as always, you are too kind! Thank you for your kind words about this story. And you aren't wrong about Pam having a realization that she needed to do some things for herself. That's going to be a Big Theme in the next few chapters. Thank you thank you thank you!
Date: June 17, 2019 06:26 pm Title: When your eyes meet mine I lose simple skills
The flashbacks were a tough read, not going to lie. But it's reality.
Between this and the last chapter, a thought came to mind after reading the review of them both being broken. The idea that they both broke over multiple things, that then spun them out in to making other choices. Their breakup being the first thing.
IMO, it seems like Jim broke more over Pam moving to NY (thus spinning the DUI), and she broke over him getting engaged so quickly after they split. That didn't come out as overtly but I sense it in the words. Like he needs to know why she did that (the move) and she needs to know why he didn't want to marry her and could move on so quickly.
And without getting that answered, they can't totally heal together and maybe come back together. It's the elephants in the room that neither can fully get beyond yet.
I also feel like being around Pam again reminds Jim of how life was before they split or how it could have been. He's so unused to it and may be realizing now how shallow or hollow he's been without some of those grounding things that only she can give him. So while it's holding her back a bit now because she doesn't know how she can compete, for him it's a reminder what maybe what else he needs or missed more than he allowed himself to while he was trying to go against it.
All of this could be reaching but that's my POV. Love it and can't wait for more.
Author's Response: Hey, um, BJB, did you break into my brain and take notes on this story?! Because ALL of this is IT. Every single bit of their history that you touched on will be in the next few chapters and both of them will spend the rest of the story being reminded of what they missed out on in the last few years together. Man, I appreciate your kind words and Deep Thoughts on this story.
Date: June 17, 2019 01:58 pm Title: When your eyes meet mine I lose simple skills
Still very much here for all of this, think you're doing it beautifully. I'm not going to go into paragraph raptures but only because I like to keep these short, so: well done, so glad you're still doing this, liking both Karen and Hannah a lot.
Author's Response: Comfect, your concise words always feels like "paragraph raptures" (I literally laughed out loud when I read this) so thank you for your kind words. Glad you like Karen and Hannah; hope I continue to not make you hate Jim. ;) Seriously, thank you for continuing to support this story; I appreciate it.
Date: June 17, 2019 08:27 am Title: When your eyes meet mine I lose simple skills
Auch, MY heart! This really hurts and I am a masochistic loser for hoping for the next chapter to come soon.
(Loves it, though)
Author's Response: Thank you, K3! I hope it comes soon too. I'm at a bit of a roadblock so I might try for not quite so much pain next chapter. How does that sound? But no promises! :) THank you for always being so supportive of this story.