1 [Report This]Date: December 30, 2023 03:08 pm Title: Home Sweet Home
Wow. This is brilliant, and quite unsettling, all at the same time.
1 [Report This]Date: December 30, 2023 03:03 pm Title: Closing Time
Nice to have you back posting, Max, very intrigued as to where this takes us!
1 [Report This]Date: December 22, 2023 10:31 am Title: Music of the Heart
I'm really not liking Roy in this world. Mainly because he's still the overgrown teenager I always depicted him as in high school. Just bulldozing through any of Pam's objections, failing to see how he might be the cause of any trouble, gaslighting Pam by saying things like "you were acting all psycho," caring more about a thing than a person, expecting to be forgiven just because. Really can't stand him here.
Some real interesting take away's from Pam's POV though. More and more memories of Jim and also of Real Pam starting to push through. She's getting more clear views about how her life would have been with just a little more courage. Though of course it's growing through trial, especially with that CD and that track list.
Interesting backstory for Steve there. How he eventually grew up, and how Roy didn't. The comparison was quite shocking for sure.
Is is kind of bad that I kind of hope Pam just royally reams Roy out right now? He's let her down so many times he needs to hear it. Maybe she's not quite there yet, but it feels like its coming. Feels like there's progress being made with her for sure.
Date: December 17, 2023 07:13 pm Title: The Crash (into the wall)
I'm finding it partially infuriating and partially interesting watching this Pam give Roy chance after chance after chance. Yes this Roy after the dinner party may have been contrite and that did a lot to settle her down. Roy did have his moments of real emotion in canon. He wasn't all dumb brute, just most of the time. So that kind of fits.
However this alternate Pam also seems to still be looking for ways as to why he's wrong for her. Spying on him at the bar. Looking for the phantom note. Trying to figure out why the Travis CD was there also why The Hunted was also also there.
I get the feeling she knows deep down that there's just something off about her life, but she just can't figure out what it is. However she keeps getting hints as the to the reason. His presence may be subtle, but regardless of everything, she's never forgotten about Jim and what he once meant to her. That glimpse of what she once had, still feels like it means more than anything she's ever had with Roy, with the possible exception of her pregnancy. Still hard to figure this one out, which means I'm looking forward to the next chapter.
Roy's still a boorish idiot who doesn't deserve Pam.
Date: December 10, 2023 05:38 pm Title: The Blob on the Ceiling
Pam's mind is really in an odd place. I think that's the best and kindest word I can use too. She's still looking for someone other than Roy to fulfill her need for friendship and validation. Roy clearly isn't giving her either one so she seeks out friendship from Sam. At least she's wise enough to keep things truly platonic this time though. However what's concerning is her idea that the baby will change Roy. That's dangerous thinking to be sure. Roy's had every opportunity to change and hasn't. It kinda feels like someone could just come up and scream in her ear, "actions speak louder than words," and she'd still ignore it. Which is kind of sad to be honest.
There's a few glimmers of hope though. Her remembering a Jim prank from after the Real Jim and Pam got together. The proverbial drawer staying open. They seem small, but I've got a feeling something big is going to start out of something small.
Author's Response:
First off thanks for all your reviews, I appreciate hearing all your thoughts, always. Like you say, Pam is struggling with a lot in this existence and thus the need to compartmentalize (in 360 it was boxes, here it is in drawers) but what happens when they get left opened...we will see...
Date: November 26, 2023 10:12 pm Title: Home Sweet Home
Going into this one I figured it was going to be rough. That thus Pam didn't call off the wedding seemed to have triggered a whole new series of events for sure. That somethings stayed the same but other are drastically different makes sense. The phone call with Jim going cold, Jim coming back then leaving so soon. Ouch. Makes sense but still ouch. One thing that didn't seem to change is Roy. He's the same guy who takes her for granted at every opportunity. Jerk.
But then to find out she and Roy bought the old Halpert home? Holy crap. No wonder she's stressed out. I mean seriously how many skeletons are in her closet? All in all it seems like a continuation of the previous Pam/Roy relationship. Grand plans that either don't come true or take forever.
What is interesting is the things from the real world that seem to be sneaking through. The burn on her hand and Jim's list of what's really important. Really looking forward to seeing if more things like that will make it through as well and what it'll mean for her.
Also heartbreaking to hear of her difficulties in getting pregnant. Feels again that Roy wasn't any help in the whole thing. Regardless of anything having to go through all that multiple times must have been soul crushing.
Feels like things are going to get a bit worse before they ever get better though.
Date: November 17, 2023 06:57 pm Title: Missed Calls
First off, loved the Christopher's reference there. Well done. Needed to cover the really important bit of the review first off.
Oof, Pam's in a way here for sure. Kind of felt like a shifting through to an alternate reality thing there in the bathroom with Roy's voice. And from that brief bit it seems like he hasn't changed. More worried about himself than her. Which of course is in direct contrast to Jim. Multiple calls and voicemails wondering what's going on. Offering to be on the first flight home. Yeah, big difference there. What I also found really interesting was that Alternate Pam was able to throw some snark back at Roy. So that version of her has some moxie to her for sure. Makes me wonder what else is in store for Alternate Pam and what's all going to happen.
The final bit about how she'll miss even the ugly clown picture is telling. Moves are always hard for sure. Transitions are challenging. Especially this one. To move away from all the support systems she's known her entire life to somewhere completely new? Yeah, that's a lot to take in. Transitions have never really been Pam's strong points either. Usually she comes through them stronger than when she started, but the process tends to be hard for her. I'm seeing that here in spades.
Date: November 10, 2023 07:08 am Title: Closing Time
Interesting start.
I always kind of thought Pam was suffering
from depression when she was with Roy,
and I have to say that sometimes Jim didn’t help
matters like with the way he treated her when he came up from Stamford and even when jim started the job in Philly, and blamed Pam for missing the dance recital when Jim made the decision to
miss it.I’m also wondering if it’s not really a
bug that is making Pam sick. 🤔
Author's Response: Thanks for the review,,, gotta agree with that observation...and you could be on to something...stay tuned...
1 [Report This]Date: November 10, 2023 05:48 am Title: Closing Time
First of all, welcome back. Glad to have you posting again. Second a quick little typo I saw there. "Let it Be" as opposed to "Let it Go." I'm sure Else could belt out the Beatles with the best of them though. Also, did you set up a camera in my family van? Frozen and Cars are the two movies we have on repeat in there ever since our copy of How To Train Your Dragon died.
Okay onwards to meat of this. Absolutely a feeling of dread starting to build. Especially with the story description. Waiting to see how it will all start to play out and how Pam will respond is leaving me on pins and needles. So a great set up that's leaving me craving more. Lots of great details woven throughout as well. Looking forward to more as always.
Author's Response:
HUGE BRAIN FART...Thanks for letting me know about Let it Go - hey I'm poet...
There will be lots a stuff woven through this one - Looking forward to hearing what you think... Thanks for your interest and review.