Date: September 03, 2021 04:44 am Title: New York
An interesting look at the night before the interview. I do like all these extra moments you give us both in the present and in the past.
On a personal note, my sons grew up in that museum - they were city kids, but we spent more time in the whale room room than on the dinosaur floor. In nay case, that part touched my nostalgic side.
I did really like the analogy you used with the seven minutes and the lightness which was Pam. Nice touch that she would know of his museum story from childhood where Karen would not.
Author's Response: I LOVE the whale room, almost as much as I love the dinosaurs. I’m pretty in love with the entire place, and the Met for that matter. I definitely want to move backward and foreword in time and just showcase lost time we weren’t able to see and my take on it. Thank you so much for your reviews it means a lot!
1 [Report This]Date: August 31, 2021 11:06 pm Title: New York
I really like the concept here - onscreen it sorta looks like Jim turns on a dime because he gets a few last minute reminders, when it seems clear he must have been deeply torn and unsettled in the days leading up to the interview, and you acknowledged both of these realities effectively. I love this memory of Jim's trips to the museum and getting lost (such a scarring experience for a kid that age), and how it stuck with Pam. The fact that Pam, with whom he banters plenty, knows what he needs to hear at this moment says so much...
Author's Response: Ugh, thank you so much! My heart breaks for them and I love the idea that he had been talking to her the night before and then the gentle reminder of what they’ve had for years between them in his bag is enough to throw him over the edge and just go back.
1 [Report This]Date: August 31, 2021 09:48 pm Title: New York
I liked this one. Jim still not feeling right the day before his interview feels right. Outwardly he's probably putting on an act for Karen and when they're there the doc crew. He's saying and doing the things expected of him. But what with Pam's recent beach side speech and his former memories of the city one can easily see how it would lead him to do some soul searching. That Pam is up late too also tracks. We can really get their connection. Even more so with that last text she sends. Really good precursor for why just a simple note and yogurt lid make Jim shift so hard and head back to be with Pam. Nice job with getting into his head there.
Author's Response: I agree- a lot was said during Beach Games and I think that it stuck with him more than he’d outwardly let on, especially with Karen around. I think that he’s putting on an act like you mentioned to cope and get through, and it’s been his normal for so long now. I think Pam is most definitely stuck in his head from the moment she speaks to him on the Beach until that interview almost a week later, so I wanted to show why that move for him to just leave Karen in the city and drive back would have happened from more than just the note. Albeit beautiful, I think there was more :) thank you for your review !
1 [Report This]Date: August 31, 2021 12:39 pm Title: Ketchup
This was the perfect amount of heartbreaking and very sweet for that first date. I love them talking about what they really want to do, and Jim's gentle encouragement of her art, and the way you've written how they are around each other, with Pam not able to stop laughing. This is also very Pam, and sums up her feelings so well:
“Im engaged,” it sounded like more of a question.
This was great!
Author's Response: Thank you so much! I really wanted this first interaction to be instantly flirtatious but have that moment of Pam pulling back as soon as he takes one step forward. Even from the beginning she’s just not sure what she wants, especially when she meets someone so…different than Roy.
1 [Report This]Date: August 30, 2021 11:08 pm Title: Ketchup
Always fun, sweet, and a bit heartbreaking to read of the famed first Cugino's "date." Still they have a delightful banter and all the signs of the relationship they'll one day enjoy. Yes it'll take some time to get there, but the foundation seems to have been laid here and it's strong. Nice job.
Author's Response: I love this idea of their time at Cugino’s and what that must have been like for both of them. I feel they had that instant connection upon meeting and I really wanted to bring that to life in this chapter. Thank you so much for the kind reviews!
1 [Report This]Date: August 30, 2021 11:04 pm Title: It's such a good feeling
Ok so I loved this. The addition of the Mr. Rogers elements brought back a ton of feels for me. In my adult life I've often gone back to find clips of Mr. Rogers to hear some of his simple wisdom again. It's helped, a lot.
Cece is ok which of course is the biggest thing. Seems like Jim has learned his lesson too. Good for him. Feels like another reminder that he needs to pay attention to what really matters most, not what he thinks matters. Sometimes we just have to learn lessons over and over till they stick.
Still this one was a great way to cap the second half of this arc.
Author's Response: Mister Rogers was a huge part of my childhood and although he went off the air in 2001, we’ve continued to make it a part of our girls childhood too. We sing “it’s you I like” every night since they were born, and his virtues and moments of wisdom have truly taught both me and my children life lessons we won’t forget. His show also brings such a sense of patience that today’s television shows for children don’t include, and we love how simple things are. I wanted Cece to have that simplicity to her childhood too, and something she held onto in times of comfort. I’m so glad you enjoyed the reference. :)
Date: August 30, 2021 10:59 pm Title: Striking Out
You can just feel Jim's guilt here. For pushing Cece to do something she doesn't want to do. For ignoring her symptoms. Everything. No wonder he's pacing so hard at the hospital. Really great writing to bring all that out.
Author's Response: Thank you! This is based on an incident in my own life and real fears as a parent of missing cues while also tip toeing a fine line to make sure your kids are active and healthy but also happy. That guilt is very real.
1 [Report This]Date: August 30, 2021 10:58 pm Title: Bangs and Barettes
I think you nailed just about what every other parent has felt. Yes there were advantages to life before kids. There were stresses that we didn't have to face. However even with the new stresses and changes in life that come with children, we wouldn't trade it for a moment. That's what I saw coming from this one. Great job to get that vibe going.
Author's Response: Thank you so much! There were so many things I miss before being a parent and so many things I love now that I am. It’s truly a balance and at the beginning I think most parents have a mourning process of that loss of freedom. It’s common and I think rarely discussed because it’s perceived as being a bad parent, but truly it’s just the natural reaction that comes from only having to worry about oneself and maybe their partner to the next day there being a person who needs you for every aspect of their life. Thank you so much for your insight and wonderful review!
1 [Report This]Date: August 29, 2021 11:49 pm Title: Ketchup
"She wasn’t cold, but she was curious about how that jacket smelled, and the way it would feel against her arms." Ouch, but also yes.
And Pam drawing the ketchup portrait is just... oooof. Come on, you two. It should not take you four or five years to get it together.
Really good details here!
Author's Response: Ugh that curiosity is real, wanting to take his jacket, knowing she shouldn’t. She lets herself have it for a moment on this date that’s not a date. I wanted to create their dynamic from the beginning and the natural ease around each other came instantly. Thank you so much for your review!
1 [Report This]Date: August 28, 2021 01:33 pm Title: It's such a good feeling
Ahh, these are all so lovely! I haven’t read as much about Jim and Pam as parents, and the way you’ve captured their support for each other, and these little moments of them struggling/not being completely perfect is really sweet. Cece is great in this too, I like the idea of Jim being really enthusiastic about getting her into sports and needing a moment to realise she’s not - it feels quite realistic and in character, and the moment between them at the end is gorgeous.
Author's Response: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!! I definitely have a similar desire to push my girls to doing things I love and want them to get interested in, and they’re still very young so this is something I worry about. I love looking behind the scenes of jim and Pam as parents because I feel as though we missed so much of that on the show that it would have been great to see those realistic scenes of them at home with their kids.
1 [Report This]Date: August 28, 2021 05:18 am Title: Striking Out
That's parenting - sometimes we know what is best for and sometimes we are just struggling to figure it out too, having never been the parent in the situation before. And because of that sometimes we / Jim make mistakes and that is okay too. It was a little scary this one but glad all was okay in the end.
I do like the way you doubled up with the errors - the stomach and the softball. But to give Jim a break - it was out of love that he pushed her- his wanting her to have the same love for sports she does. eventually, you do have to let them make their own choices and their own mistakes too.
As a parent who has been through a lot I really appreciate this look at The Halperts as parents.
Well done.
Author's Response: Thank you so so much! Jim definitely had good intentions but it’s so hard when you’re a child not feeling heard too. I love their dynamic and giving Jim and Pam a place to be real parents here on MTT has been a joy. More to come!
1 [Report This]Date: August 27, 2021 07:06 pm Title: It's such a good feeling
The image of Cece holding Jim's face between her hands and touching his forehead is worth the entire price of admission.
Author's Response: It made me melt and I wrote it down lol thank you so much for reading and reviewing! I love this family so much :)
1 [Report This]Date: August 25, 2021 10:58 pm Title: Striking Out
A scary and humbling moment for parents. And I appreciate you letting Jim fail as a parent here, if only just for a moment - it's a tough gig, even the people who are trying to do their best for their kids are going to miss things sometimes.
Author's Response: Thank you so much, I think people often attribute Jim and Pam to perfection and I think just like everyone else their flawed and parenting certainly brings that out in you. It can be challenging to go through situations when you think you know what’s best and balancing the line between making all decisions for your child and then letting them start making their own and when and how to do that appropriately. Thank you so much for your kind reviews!
1 [Report This]Date: August 24, 2021 01:57 pm Title: Bangs and Barettes
Wowwww this felt so real. I know these feelings well and you captured them perfectly. Feeling guilty that you miss a life before kids while also never wanting to go back to a time they weren't here. It can be complicated, but so worth it. Well done!
Author's Response: It's so hard to deal with that guilt but desiring it none the less, it's definitely something all parents deal with and I love these missed moments from the television show we didn't get to see- so I like to fill them in :)
1 [Report This]Date: August 24, 2021 10:21 am Title: Bangs and Barettes
I think you did really well with this. It's striking in some ways how fast Pam and Jim ended up having kids - for two people who waited a long time to be together and felt so strongly about each other, they really didn't have a long time in their own before becoming parents. It certainly makes emotional sense that Pam would miss that time of them being able to enjoy each other.
You've also I think captured well the exhaustion of parenting a young child, and how much it takes out of mothers especially. You feel Pam's loss and mixture of happiness and desperation and guilt. Very visceral, very personal. Nice work.
Author's Response: Thank you so much for this, I think that they fell into having children very, very quickly, and the same thing happened with my partner and I, and I can relate to them. And I think there's a part of them that misses the lust aspect as well of wanting each other, and everyone misses that moment in their relationship. Thank you so so much for your review!
1 [Report This]Date: August 24, 2021 09:15 am Title: Bangs and Barettes
I liked this, one of those glimpses at what we didn't see onscreen between them during what was a very monumental time in their lives as new parents.
Your story and end notes resonated with me. It had been quite a long time since I was in Pam's/your place as a new mom but I can still remember like it was yesterday after my first son was born the feeling of being overwhelmed and thinking "what have I gotten myself into" and pacing the circular driveway in front of my city building with the stroller, crying hysterically along with my baby, not caring who saw while waiting until my husband returned from work.
I can also tell you how it gets both easier and harder but it is the most rewarding thing I've ever done and I wouldn't change it for the world, despite having many more moments of struggles, self-doubt, and tears (both happy and sad) through it all.
I love seeing personal experiences in fics and I can tell you it can be cathartic to put them down even through surrogate characters. (I've done it myself, which regard to my own mom status). I look forward to seeing more of this.
Author's Response:
Maxine, thank you so much for this review, I truly appreciate all the thought you put into it. I always tell my partner sometimes I get what I jokingly refer to as buyers remorse--that feeling of, what have we done? Tonight was one of the nights where the baby was just crying non stop, and nothing was working and we were both so so tired. I am waiting for the gets easier part lol, and knowing we will trade in things for easier and harder aspects of parenting.
It's extremely cathartic to work through it with other characters, thank you again so much, and i look forward to your reviews!
1 [Report This]Date: August 23, 2021 09:44 pm Title: Bangs and Barettes
This gives me all the feels. It's a very authentic new parent experience and you nailed it.
Author's Response: Thank you so much! Being a new parent is like 100 emotions all at once, so I definitely wanted to put that into words somehow.