1 [Report This]Date: March 03, 2023 04:20 am Title: Expired Yogurt
I don't know how I didn't read this story before. It is fantastic. All the chapters you wrote could take you right back to the original series. Well done!
Date: December 14, 2021 10:14 pm Title: Ski Trip Pt.2
This came up on the Advent and I was reminded of how fiercely I love this little mini episode in particular.
Hope you're well, friend!
Author's Response:
Ah, thank you so much!! I hadn’t even realised this was in the advent (and that there is in fact an entire advent calendar of Christmas-themed Jam stories, which is AMAZING) - so thank you!
Hope you’re well too! I am vastly behind on all things on this site atm, but hoping to catch up in the Christmas (/post-Christmas lockdown?) lull…
1 [Report This]Date: August 11, 2021 05:41 am Title: Third Date
Rediscovering these - absolutely beautifully written.
Author's Response:
Ah, thank you so much!! That’s so great to hear :) Jim and Pam *actually* being together is really nice to write.
Date: June 11, 2021 04:14 pm Title: Expired Yogurt
You are sod good at this. I have been toying with the idea of writing that post episode story but I don't know if I can anymore because your version is perfect !!
In fact the entire story, each chapter. I feel ashamed that I never got around reviewing each chapter but I want to say that all of them have been incredible. My favorite has been this couple discount episode and the company picnic in their second season. Again favorite doesn't mean I like others any less. Because I don't. I don't Basscop, I really don't trust me.
Author's Response: Ah, thank you so much! I'm really glad you enjoyed it haha - you definitely should write your version though, I feel we need more fic about what happens after that episode (it's a great one!) And thanks so much for your lovely feedback on the rest of the story, that's so great to hear :) Thanks very much for reading and taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it!
Date: June 11, 2021 04:14 pm Title: Expired Yogurt
You are sod good at this. I have been toying with the idea of writing that post episode story but I don't know if I can anymore because your version is perfect !!
In fact the entire story, each chapter. I feel ashamed that I never got around reviewing each chapter but I want to say that all of them have been incredible. My favorite has been this couple discount episode and the company picnic in their second season. Again favorite doesn't mean I like others any less. Because I don't. I don't Basscop, I really don't trust me.
Date: May 13, 2021 05:23 pm Title: Dukes Up
Lady, this was so good. You really honed in on the emotions and feelings around that night and everything leading up to it.
What really struck me was the recognition that they needed to talk - but they needed the intimacy too - like it was one of the ways back to each other -even if it felt somewhat different this time.
The whole bit about Brian and Jim's recognition of what he himself had been like when she was with Roy - you really had the dialogue and feelings just right.
And things seem like they are going in the right direction until he misreads her and she him and they are still miles apart. Him not realizing that the last thing she wants is to move and her feeling like its something she needs to do for him.
"But maybe that’s ok. Because Brian’s ideas about fighting and not fighting didn’t include a third option, which is compromising." This was so perfectly put and so what they needed to make things right in their world again (even if takes a bit longer to really come to that).
Great job as I've come to expect from you.
Author's Response: Thanks so much! And sorry for a very slow reply 😱 I'm really glad you enjoyed it - and yeah, my thinking on them needing intimacy too came from that moment in the episode where Pam goes to hold his hand and it seems like a bit of a surprise to both of them. Which was quite sad to watch. I did think Brian's ideas about the fighting/not fighting were a bit off and didn't really apply to Jim and Pam. Thanks so much for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it!
Date: May 12, 2021 02:58 pm Title: Dukes Up
Oooooof. This was not a fun read, in the best way possible.
You did really well capturing two people who are just not mentally prepared to deal with each other on this level because their relationship is so much different than this. They have a lot of love and a lot of history between them and it's making it a lot harder to have the discussions they need to have. And I appreciate the work here putting their conflicts in the context of that history, especially with regards to Pam not voicing her opinion about the Philly move. (You also managed to make Jim's rationalizations of why this is all actually okay feel like the real Jim, which in my opinion is a trick.)
And finally: you have made it definitively clear how poor a choice deleting the scene where she shows him this sketch is. *shakes fist*
Author's Response:
Thanks very much - and sorry for slow reply! Ha, I originally had in my head that I was going to make it fun when I started, because it's a relatively sweet ending in the episode, but...alas. I am telling myself that all of these rationalisations were definitely there on the show and we just didn't see them (the phone call after Cece's recital is especially hard to watch from a Jim perspective otherwise). My other interpretation is that he's just not used to going after things for himself, so doesn't handle it very gracefully when he does.
And yes! on the deleted scene. I also couldn't find it on YouTube when I tried to look, which was slightly devastating.
Thanks so much for taking the time to review!
Date: May 11, 2021 04:12 pm Title: Dukes Up
So this one is a very interesting take on all of this. You really filled out the rest of the night well. How just saying they're going to go home and fight took most of the fight out of them. There's still a ton of unresolved feelings. Guilt on both of their parts being the big one. Jim's thoughts that he won't be another Roy for her tracks for me. However in so doing, he's actually not that far off. So they're close, but still not 100% honest with each other.
Nice job in bringing out all those feelings. I thought it was going to be a lot worse to be honest. They still love and support each other even if they're not quite eye-to-eye right now. We know they'll get there, but there's still some work to go and you brought that out well.
Author's Response: Thanks so much! And sorry for the slow reply - really glad you enjoyed this one though! And yeah, I did watch that episode and wonder exactly how that fight would have gone...it does feel like Jim and Pam are in a slightly better place (on the surface) when it gets to the next time you see them on the show and she's coming up for the job interview, so I figured it couldn't have been an entirely angsty/terrible fight. Or at least that what my reasoning, lol. Thanks very much for reviewing!
1 [Report This]Date: May 11, 2021 01:16 pm Title: Dukes Up
Ugh I hate angst but this is SO well written, as usual! The way they both misinterpreted what the other meant when they said it wasn't working was so believable. And Pam trying to convince herself she'd be happy working in Philly because she sees how happy it makes Jim is heartbreaking but also so accurate to who Pam is as a person. It's also a good explanation as to why Pam agreed to it in canon despite her own unhappiness where that might have been confusing to the viewers. The parallels between Jim and Roy and the inner conflict that it causes her was interesting too.
Author's Response: Thanks so much! (And sorry for a slow reply eek, have just realised this is now nearly a month later...) Sorry about the angst too haha. But yeah - I was interested in that in canon, ie how she went from definitely seeing Philly as Jim's part time job, to applying for a job there even though she didn't want to - and then misinterpreting felt pretty standard for them, lol. Thanks so much for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it!
1 [Report This]Date: April 10, 2021 01:16 pm Title: A Couple of Times
So usually the stories about Pam and Jim’s sexual encounters are not quite my thing - unless they are part of a bigger story. But I really liked this one. The realism of it and the way you so accurately and humorously had them interact through the encounters were great. Also Jim’s self consciousness about seems like it would be right on point as as him not wanting to hear about Roy. And the line about his faulty penis just plain out made me laugh (not at him, mind you)
This was a great addition to this anthology.
Author's Response:
Thanks so much! Yeah, I’ve read some fantastic stories about Pam and Jim’s sexual encounters, but I don’t really have the skill to write them myself…writing awkwardness, on the other hand, I love. So I’m really glad you liked it haha - and really pleased it came across as realistic, that was the main reason I enjoyed that moment on the show. And yes lol, sorry Jim. Thank you so much for reviewing! :)
1 [Report This]Date: April 10, 2021 01:16 pm Title: A Couple of Times
So usually the stories about Pam and Jim’s sexual encounters are not quite my thing - unless they are part of a bigger story. But I really liked this one. The realism of it and the way you so accurately and humorously had them interact through the encounters were great. Also Jim’s self consciousness about seems like it would be right on point as as him not wanting to hear about Roy. And the line about his faulty penis just plain out made me laugh (not at him, mind you)
This was a great addition to this anthology.
Date: April 06, 2021 04:19 pm Title: A Couple of Times
Well that was interesting. Yeah I think I'd be with Jim. Not really comfortable having something that private out in the open. Fortunatly, Pam takes it all in stride. Seveal times it seems like. This also feels very realistic. The times it happens to Jim feel very much like the spirit is willing but the body is weak kind of thing. The end there was just delightfully sweet and sexy. Nice job.
Author's Response:
Thanks so much! And yeah, the realism/Pam taking it in her stride was something I really liked in the scene on the show, so I’m really glad to hear that translated across :) I think I’d be also be with Jim on that not totally wanting that shared with the entire office and a camera crew though, lol. Really pleased you liked the ending!
Date: April 06, 2021 10:44 am Title: A Couple of Times
You know, it honestly hadn't occurred to me before that Pam wasn't just making it up.
I like that you managed to make this adorable and relatively unfraught... even at a time in Pam's New York period where it easily could've been. It's nice to see two people who are taking a certain amount of joy in just being together and are comfortable enough to at least wrestle with this super awkward moment.
You found a strain of realness in their relationship, letting them be imperfect and awkward both with Jim's performance issues and with moments like them nearly stumbling into the candles and letting it just be more of them loving each other anyways.
(Jim's observation that either option was pretty unpleasant to consider with Roy was too real.)
Author's Response:
Oh haha: it hadn’t occurred to me that she might be making it up! But actually, I could see that. I think I just really liked that it felt like a very realistic thing. And that Pam seemed quite comfortable with it. My reading was that they were telling the truth up until Jim started embellishing about all the sex they’d had. Thanks so much for your lovely feedback, I’m really glad you liked it! (I did want to write something non-fraught for a change).
Date: April 06, 2021 07:59 am Title: A Couple of Times
Um, hi. How did you make me love a story about ED? Because you definitely did. Haha I just love your writing style and the way you have absolutely perfected these two characters in any setting.
Author's Response:
Haha, thanks so much, that’s really kind! To be fair, I’m not sure a story about ED would have been top of my list to write before…but I just really liked that moment in the episode, it felt very real. I’m really glad you enjoyed it! :)
1 [Report This]Date: November 28, 2020 04:57 pm Title: Jury Duty
A very fun peek into the craziness of having two under two - having lived through it - you made me wonder how I ever did. All with the heart of Jam in the middle. Well done.
Author's Response: Haha - yes! Thanks so much, I'm glad you found it fun (and sorry for taking so long to reply to this review!)
1 [Report This]Date: November 15, 2020 07:38 am Title: Expecting
This was just lovely. The whole thing but I think my favorite line was
He’d grabbed an entire armful of pamphlets on their way out, and Pam thinks it’s the most excited she’s ever seen him about paper.
But what a lovely picture or the excitement and nervousness of the new life growing inside of Pam.
Author's Response: Ah, thanks so much - and yeah, I enjoyed writing that line :) Thank you for taking the time to review all of these chapters: I've fallen slightly behind, but was a really nice thing to come back to! I really appreciate it.
Date: November 09, 2020 10:51 am Title: Laundromat
They really did have a LOT to catch each other up on between the year they spent not talking and the years they spent not saying certain things, and this is a fun trip through them finally sharing those sorts of things - especially when paired with another scene we didn't get to see! You've invented some really funny moments here, ones that I could absolutely picture happening. (The Ring incident is genius.)
I also loved the little times of Pam experiencing relief at all the ways in which Jim is just plain better than Roy.
Author's Response: Thanks v much! And yeah, there was seriously so much (especially given how much they normally talk to each other/how well they know each other once they finally do get together) - it was really fun to write about. I'm not going to lie, the idea of Meredith terrifying Michael in a black wig does crack me up. Thanks for the review :)
Date: November 09, 2020 10:07 am Title: Jury Duty
This just feels very true to the experience of parenting two young kids -moments where you're just blown away by the cuteness popping up among utter, exhausting chaos. You never want to be outnumbered there.
Author's Response: Thanks so much! :) And god no on being outnumbered...
Date: November 09, 2020 10:00 am Title: Expired Yogurt
This is a really great slice of early JAM. This feels very true to who Pam was pre-Jim - someone who tamps down her frustrations and blames herself for the problems in her relationship and ends up really willing to accept whatever scraps she's offered even when they don't make her particularly happy. And you've done a great job of illustrating how much more of herself she can reveal around Jim and how he makes her see that she's not herself around Roy, and the sharp contrast between how much Roy notices her and how much Jim notices her.
"Yeah, Jim thinks as he sits down next to her on the bench without looking at the sky. Shame." is a fantastic line.
And it's fascinating seeing this important moment in Pam's mind as the small, unremarkable thing thrown in among the office craziness and actual bonding moments it must have been from Jim's perspective!
Author's Response: Thank you! Yeah, I was really interested in writing that moment from Jim's perspective as he seems so bemused in that scene where Pam tells him about it. I seriously can't get enough early JAM. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave these reviews, I'm really glad you've enjoyed these chapters!
Date: November 09, 2020 09:23 am Title: Kevin's List
Wow. You have managed to hit on not one but TWO themes I've been working on fic on here - the idea that their first summer together couldn't have been completely perfect and the absolute ludicrousness of Pam and Jim never having even thought about sex in the office until they'd been together for years. Great minds think alike. But also fools seldom differ.
Anyways. I am now far more hesitant in posting mine, because I think you may have hit the nail on the head here. It's just such a good mix of these moments of Jim still being blown away by the newness of it all and how free he is now to do the things he'd thought about doing and on the other hand all these mines they've left buried over the previous four years that they're going to sometimes stumble onto. (There was a 0.0% chance that Kevin was never going to bring up that list again in the worst possible context.) They're both going to have some insecurities to work through, and they're not necessarily going to be able to pick the moment for it.
And I love the explanation of WHY they haven't engaged in sex in the office, too. Very funny - and such a great reference to DMI!
As always, really well written.
Author's Response:
Sorry for very slow reply to this - but ha, that's amazing! I'm going to go for great minds. Please please post yours - you 100% should! (I've not been on the site for a while, so don't know if I've missed it?)
And lol, yes, I was surprised we never saw any fall-out from that list...
Thanks so much for the review :)
1 [Report This]Date: November 08, 2020 03:51 am Title: Couples Counselling
When a writer uses the exact same words the reader has floating in their head to describe a situation, it is a rare and magical thing. You did that in Couples Counseling, particularly the taxi scene of Paper Airplane.
I've always thought, from the third viewing on (the first two viewings were just pure emotional involvement for me), that Jim was drowning and Pam was the only person or thing that could save him. Your Couples Counseling writing evoked the same emotional reaction.
Your language choices are lyrical and compelling. I noticed my reading speed kept inching up all through this piece. That's always a good sign; you drew me onward. There was absolutely nothing in your writing that distracted me or took me out of the ambiance you created.
The party sequence was such a good choice to create the crisis. You have both Jim and Pam's inner monologues completely within their characters, yet you managed to expand our understanding of canon. You did Jen Celotta proud.
Good onya.
Author's Response:
Sorry for taking so long to reply to this - but thank you so much this review, it was lovely to read. I'm really touched. And really glad that you enjoyed it, and that it had that emotional reaction - that's exactly how I felt when I was watching it too.
I really appreciate you taking the time to write this - thank you :)
Date: November 07, 2020 10:38 am Title: Kevin's List
I like this bit of beyond the cameras story. I'm very sure that Jim told Kevin to make that list mainly to get him to shut up. A bit of poor foresight on Jim's part here it seems. You'd think he'd realize Kevin would have written down things such as this and then blabbed all about it to Oscar and Angela. So very much get that Jim actually gets a little upset at Kevin for it. Kind of a heat of the moment type of thing.
However there's also lots of other things to love about this chapter. How flushed Pam is to realize Jim notices her new clothes and the reasons behind it. Jim helping her pick out the new top and the reasons for the new top and everything that follows.
The mentions of how they just kind of melt together away from the office.
Pam opening up to Jim about some insecurities. Very much felt like they're still gettting used to really having clear open communication and it's lovely to see.
The sneaking back into the office and then sneaking back out because yeah, that would ruin things for sure.
Great chapter.
Author's Response:
Sorry for incredibly delayed response - but thanks so much for this review! Haha yes, I feel like there was definitely huge scope for that list to backfire on the show...
I'm really glad you enjoyed the chapter :)
Date: November 06, 2020 08:34 pm Title: Third Date
This one was really fluffy but I love me some good fluff.
I worked for the ad agency for Fisher Price (even wrote copy for a few ads and catalogs) during the Puffalump era and we all got one. I still have my dinosaur Puffalump and it even has a squeaker inside to make it roar so you can imagine I loved the bit about Wally.
Author's Response: Thank you! And haha that is amazing about the Puffalump
1 [Report This]Date: November 06, 2020 05:01 am Title: Dorky Dancing
So I've been meaning to get to this fic for a while now - there's so much to read being a newbie to the site plus everyone is posting like mad lately. Anyway I finally got to it and now I'm sorry I waited so long because now I'm way behind and I loved this first chapter and I anticipate they will all be a joy to read.
It might take me a while to get caught up since I want to really devote attention to the words because I think you have great insights and a great way of portraying the scene and I want to give my due attention.
ON to review
First off, the you/them stuff, the camps - yeah we've all been there thinking we were on the outside (at least I've been there at times), wanting to be on the inside. I love how you describe this.
And how Jim comes up, reads the situation and the Irish Cream banter very on point for them.
The dancing is great fun - I actually think they both dance pretty dorky - ever notice Jim dancing on show - he reminds me of the Peanuts characters when they show dancing scenes - even my son says the same thing. There's a scene in episode where they do the cold opening with the lip synch dance where it is so apparent. anyway I think the way they both dance is just one more reason they mesh so well.
Jim's lankiness description hits home because to me it does make him so endearing.
I love the way you tell the back story (could see it happening just like that ) and give both points of view that mirror each other in their conclusions.
The way you tie her comment about being blind to his feelings about it being easier if he were is perfect.
Coconut shampoo - seems to be the only scent available in Scranton - I've used it for Jim and I've seen it in so many other fics but LOVE it.
Really enjoyed this first chapter - Hope you enjoy my review - I know I love to hear about the things that resonate with readers. Can't promise I will always have the time to go on like this but I plan to read more.
Author's Response:
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this review (I also love hearing about the things that resonated with readers, and I really enjoyed this one) - so it's hugely appreciated! And as another newbie, I am also struggling to keep up with all of the great fics on this site...
I can definitely relate to the us/them - I was also interested in writing about it from Pam's POV because I feel like Jim is naturally more confident and sociable than she is, but I don't think that's an issue when they're in the office (and it's not ever to him anyway).
I definitely agree that Jim is a dorky dancer! I was thinking specifically of his dancing in Cafe Disco when I was writing this. I love that episode mainly because of his dancing - I think it's the bouncing up and down on the spot for YMCA that does it.
And ha I'd not realised that about the coconut shampoo...I do also love it though.
Thank you again! :)
Date: November 05, 2020 09:57 pm Title: Expired Yogurt
You really write pre-camera Jim and Pam well. Especially this early in their relationship. Really interesting look into the dynamic with Mrs. Anderson. Though I also have to say wow, warning signs right from the start. For the mother of the groom to want to have that much input in the wedding seems really off.
The first when Pam and Roy got home also seemed to ring true. Roy not really giving her the true time and though she really wants. Pam not really pushing to say what she really feels. very believable.
Early Dwight is also on form. This is the harsh and unyielding Dwight that hasn't had years of pranks thrown at him to smooth out some of his more rough edges. No wonder Jim and Pam seem bent on taking him down a peg or ten.
However it was also really sweet to have the yogurt moment. Their friendship is really starting to bloom here and it's nice to see. Hang on you two. It'll take awhile, but you'll get to each other in the end.
Author's Response:
Thanks very much! Ha, I do really enjoy writing pre-camera Jim and Pam (I mean, also, that's a whole 3 years that we never got to see...)
My inspiration for Mrs Anderson actually came from something I read about Jenna Fischer thinking that a big reason Pam stayed with Roy was because their families were close, and I thought Roy's mom being overly invested in the wedding tied into that.
And yes, agreed on Dwight - considering how much he mellowed just over the course of the show, I always thought he must have been even worse at the very beginning!
Thank you so much for leaving these reviews, I always look forward to reading them :)