1 [Report This]Date: January 22, 2022 08:37 am Title: Pretzel Day (April 26, 2005)
You're great at painting vivid pictures with these scripts (if that's the tight word for it?) You really bring them to life. I particularly liked seeing Jim trying to fill his time at reception, and your clip package with the abused microwave. Oh, and happy Stanley with his pretzel!
Thanks!
Author's Response: I don't know why that microwave gag amuses me so much, but I've gotten a lot of mileage out of it. And it is always a treat to write happy Stanley.
Thank you so much! I do think John and Jenna are doing most of the work, but I appreciate it.
1 [Report This]Date: April 27, 2021 02:55 pm Title: Pretzel Day (April 26, 2005)
Hehe, I love the idea of Jim at reception so much. And slightly failing at reception. And playing solitaire (but also leaving the last card for Pam so that she can get her card sound, aww). I really liked the little hints of Jim noticing how effortlessly well she does her job, and that she could be capable of doing so much more. But not being able to say anything. And then the sketch in her desk! So beautiful. (Although also, seriously snoopy cameras). I also loved, loved Stanley actually smiling when he find the pretzels. Stanely does not get enough happy moments like that in the show - I actually just really like the whole concept of Jim and Pam going to those lengths to make it up to him. (I also lol'd at the Leo/Bob Vance aside). I'm not buying at all that this is easier to write just because it's in script format - this is just brilliant writing.
Author's Response: I think it's probably genuinely not as easy as a job as Pam makes it look, and I think he would love the experience of getting a little bit of a better sense of her. It was fun to have him in a different space and have him see Pam from that angle.
The cameras ARE snoopy. I buy that they would do this - really, not nearly as bad as hiding and filming them during their second Casino Night kiss - but you may have to take them doing it with Stanley in the room with a grain of salt. I suppose he might not have noticed with a pretzel to contend with.
There really isn't too much that makes Stanley happy, but he *does* love him some pretzels... and I do like to think of Jim and Pam as the kind of people who would *want* to make it up to the innocent victims of their pranks.
I sharply disagree. BUT I appreciate you saying so, and thanks for taking the time to review!
1 [Report This]Date: April 26, 2021 03:33 pm Title: Pretzel Day (April 26, 2005)
You came through!!!
I wasn't sure if Pretzel day was going to rank but you pulled it off and in some a clever way.
You know how I love when stories get twisted together (pun intended) and this was the perfect way to touch back on the prank that had Stanley all knotted up and still mad at Pam and Jim ( Although maybe he's not - It’s hard to tell when Stanley’s stopped being mad.) But if he is this will certainly get Snoopy and Co. out of the doghouse.
So I got that one - hard not to when you wrote it but I'm not sure which is the other - did it have to do with the sketch at end - if not and even if it did - brilliant but a little heartbreaking.
Fun stuff-
This is Sam, This is Pete - is it variations on using her letters?
Jim can't handle the phones - sounds about right.
I see Phyllis perfectly both in her baleful look and then in her atta boy look.
I also see Michael speed racing out of the office - you don't need to do much but you always seem to nail Michael.
Jim spinning in Pam's chair and using up the pad to throw stuff at Dwight.
Sad stuff-
Pam is back where she always is… and maybe always will be.
The sketch that he sees. (insert sad face here)
I guess by now Pam and Jim are forgiven! After if a hot, chewy roll of buttered dough isn't woryhy his forgiveness than what is?
I really hope I'm not missy the obvious with the other story/author. You will have to clue me in. But I love Easter eggs in stories - they are always such fun (especially when you are in on them).
As for writing continuously about the same thing - NOTHING WRONG with that. I'm going for a fourth story that touches on same thing.
Thank you for another wonderful holiday story. You really have a gift for this and like WW says when are you going to admit which one of the writers you are.
Bravo!
Author's Response: Are you kidding? Pretzel Day's one of the biggest holidays there is. Ask Stanley.
It's actually my considered opinion that Stanley was back down to normal grumpiness before this day, but we'll never really know for sure now, because I'm positive they're free and clear after this.
It did NOT have to do with the sketch. It DID have to do with the names Sam and Pete.
Phyllis and Michael are both a lot of fun to play with in small doses. And yeah, Jim was definitely enjoying his time in Pam's space.
I mean... important to remember, this is back in time. She'll get out from behind that desk, and one day she won't have to draw their hands together from memory, either.
Nah, it's maybe too subtle, but we'll wait to see if the author catches them.
That's true.!
Thank you for taking the time to review! Really glad you enjoyed it.
1 [Report This]Date: April 26, 2021 09:36 am Title: Pretzel Day (April 26, 2005)
So this one was fun. Jim not really being able to do Pam's job does seem to track. I get the feeling that everyone at DM has at least been training on how to answer the phone and transfer calls, but it's been a while for Jim so he's kinda stuck.
I'm thinking that where Pam calls Jim Snoopy is a refernce to another fic. Maybe one from Max? Couldn't tell you the other one.
Nice way for them to make nice with Stanley. Yes, that would be the way to get back onto his good side.
Jim finding that sketch of the hands holding was sweet and little bitter at the same time. Cleary he'd reconginize their hands together, but Pam's drawn hand still has her engagment ring on. So yes she likes him, but she's still got that ring on. It tracks for where they are at this point of their relationship though so well done in that regard.
Nice job.
Author's Response: I read... somewhere in a fic once a line about the Dunder Mifflin phone system being absurdly complicated, which has always stuck in my head. (And now I have to go look it up... it's BigTunette's On Hiatus). So that was more the inspiration to that. Although this version makes sense too. And I'm sure Jim wouldn't have been too eager to pay attention to the training, since after all, he can ask Pam follow up questions.
You got one of them! New Year's in New Jersey... of course it's Pam that's Snoopy, but you can't have everything. The other one maaaaaay be too subtle.
It's my personal opinion that Stanley had actually forgiven them and was back to his usual level of grumpiness... but don't tell Jim and Pam that.
Here's something that I definitely didn't intend but HAD thought of after I wrote it... it's probably not clear to Jim WHAT he saw. He just got a glimpse of clutching hands. Did he notice one of them was clearly not Roy's? Or is he going home tonight wondering what he saw, if he saw what he thinks he saw, or if it's just a sign that it's never going to happen? I do think you hit the nail on the head with Pam... who's clearly thinking about their hands together more, but is nowhere close to imagining that ring off.
Thank you, and thank you for taking the time to review!
1 [Report This]Date: April 26, 2021 07:25 am Title: Pretzel Day (April 26, 2005)
Oh, this is so lovely, and it made me so emotional. I mean, your writing is wonderful as always, and it amazes me how you transfer the story from silly to serious to romantic to heartbreaking and back again to silly so seamlessly and naturally. I have to confess I didn't find the references you've mentioned :( But! The picture of Jim spinning around in Pam's chair is adorable, and the hands' sketch... did I mentioned that your story was heartbreaking?
Anyway, thank you so much for these little gems!
P.S. With deep regret, I discovered that the National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day was celebrated on April 2... oh well, it's just 341 days until this holiday.
Author's Response: I'm really glad you liked it, my friend, and again, I point to canon - the way Jim and Pam go back and forth between silly and serious is very much what drives this.
At least one of the references is very subtle, but the author should notice it at the very least... let's see if they weigh in.
I was happy with the chair spinning especially, it just feels like SUCH a Jim thing to do.
I'm sorry it was heartbreaking... just remember it's out of order, and the sweetness of National Grilled Cheese Day is what's coming for them!
I will make a note of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, but there should be... a few between now and then, if I keep this up. I'm not quite sure how you pulled off this posting every day thing.