Date: June 14, 2021 07:31 pm Title: A Benihana Christmas
“She wonders if he misses being the guy who didn’t care about his job any more than was absolutely necessary to not get fired. She wonders if he hates the man he was. She wonders if she made him hate the man he was.”
oh my GAWD my heart 💔💔💔
9 [Report This]Date: April 10, 2008 10:38 pm Title: A Benihana Christmas
I love this one too. I love the idea that Jim picked the "teapot" in the end just like Pam did the year before and that Michael, without even trying, helps Jim see the truth. Really nice!
Date: December 03, 2007 04:04 pm Title: A Benihana Christmas
"He goes home and thinks about how, despite everything in between, he was happier this time last year than he is now. There was heartache and pain, but there was her."
That was just beautiful. Sad and heartbreaking, but beautiful.
Date: December 01, 2007 08:37 pm Title: A Benihana Christmas
This story is simply fabulous and I'm glad you found this fandom. So many excellent lines. Mine are listed here:
She can’t stand the thought that she made him hate the man he was, not when that’s the man she loves.
It’s a new sort of pain, smiling and laughing with Karen and knowing that the poor girl has no idea of the mess she’s walked into, has no idea of how the shy receptionist is pining after her boyfriend. She wonders if this is how Jim used to feel.
He tells himself that the new him doesn’t hurt as much.
I also love how you mention their New Year's resolutions. Pam wants to become more confident; Jim wants to let himself love Karen. The writers so often mentioned S3 as Pam's parallel journey to Jim's in S2 and you have definitely captured that theme in this story and especially this chapter.
I can tolerate the sadness knowing that nowadays, Pam is shopping at the Steamtown Mall, picking out a saucy red teddy to surprise Jim with on Christmas eve. No lime green undies for Beesly. :)
Looking forward to the rest of your story.
Author's Response: Thank you! I'm glad I found this fandom too, and it's a such a brilliant one for fic writing since we see so little of the actual relationships in the show. rnI love the idea of Pam having a sort of parallel journey in s3 to s2 Jim. That always gets me when I watch s3, my little comments switch from 'Oh, Jim' to 'Oh, Pam."rnAnd yes, these days Pam is having a wonderful Christmas and looking forward to many more to come.rnThanks for reading :)
Date: November 29, 2007 05:18 pm Title: A Benihana Christmas
Oh my god! I've got parallels coming out of my ears (in a good way). I never realized that there were so many ways they intersect. Fantastic insight, as always, especially: And after all, she did pick his teapot.
Author's Response: Thanks :) I actually hadn't thought of the parallels myself until I started to write this chap and I couldn't rewatch any clips (youtube left me high and dry) so I read the MTT ep guide for the s2 and s3 Christmas eps. The parallels just wouldn't go away. Thanks so much for continuing to read and review, it means a lot to see people are following this story.
Date: November 29, 2007 03:26 pm Title: A Benihana Christmas
I absolutely love this story, especially this chapter!!!
Date: November 29, 2007 01:38 pm Title: A Benihana Christmas
This is absolutely wonderful. You've delved inside their minds with such accuracy. I kept thinking, "yes, that's exactly what Pam/Jim probably thought" while I was reading. The resulting behavior was so painful for us to watch but you've helped explain where the behavior may have come from. This is great:
She thinks of all the gifts she’s got stored away to give. Her favorite is sitting in the drawer to her left and she’s decided today is the day to give it to him. She’s decided that every day for the past week. She thinks gaining confidence will be her New Year’s resolution. She’s decided that every year for the past ten. She hates irony.
Please keep up the excellent work.
Author's Response: Wow. Thank you so much. I'm new to this fandom, I only got into the show a few months ago and this is honestly the first fic for this pairing I've ever written. Obviously I'm hyper aware that I don't really know the characters inside out so I'm terrified of going out of character because I know how easy that is in new fandoms. It really made my day to read that you find this accurate. Thanks for reading!
Date: November 29, 2007 12:47 pm Title: A Benihana Christmas
maybe I'm just hormonal lately, but the HOPE that these two were experiencing-- and we all know those hopes were dashed so many times!! It's just killing me- and you've captured that so well. I do not cry over fanfic, but you've struck that hope chord with me so many times in this story... it's kind of making me nausous. In a good way!
Author's Response: Wow, thanks so much. For what it's worth, I apologize for tugging on your heart strings but at least I can promise (with 100% certainty) a happy ending :)rnThanks for reading!
Date: November 29, 2007 11:39 am Title: A Benihana Christmas
please continue, i just read all the chapters and i'm really enjoying all the angst and whatnot.
10 [Report This]Date: November 29, 2007 09:14 am Title: A Benihana Christmas
Loved it! Keep going :) The teapot/CIA plot was a great comparison.
Author's Response: Thank you! Don't worry, I will! Writing this is like therapy for the s3 angst :) I'm glad you liked the comparison, I'd never really noticed it until I sat down to write this chapter and looked at both Christmas eps together.
10 [Report This]Date: November 29, 2007 08:21 am Title: A Benihana Christmas
that was a great chapter! :-)
Date: November 29, 2007 07:18 am Title: A Benihana Christmas
Really great work, again. I have thoroughly enjoyed your wonderful retelling of these classic JAM moments. Very well done, very enjoyable read.
10 [Report This]Date: November 29, 2007 06:20 am Title: A Benihana Christmas
It's a great story, and this chapter in particular. Such melancholy but with a touch of hope. Sigh.
Date: November 29, 2007 03:15 am Title: A Benihana Christmas
I'm so happy to see an update and so glad you decided to do this episode! There were so many emotions boiling underneath what we actually saw in this ep, and you captured them all so beautifully! I just loved this:
She thinks it’d be better than the teapot if he’d just stand here and smile at her sometimes.
I never really thought about the parallel between their two gifts, but wow, you wrote that so well.
10 [Report This]Date: November 29, 2007 01:58 am Title: A Benihana Christmas
How could anyone forget this story!? I love this particular style - it took me awhile to acclimate myself to the 'hellos' and 'goodbyes' - once I sat down and really read between the lines, I felt heartbroken and anguished and anxious for JAM all at once. Can't wait for more installments!!
Author's Response: Thanks so much. I'm glad people are responding to the style because honestly I don't even really know what it is. I'd had a million ideas to dive into JAM fanfic but I could never seem to start and when I finally did, this came out.rn
Date: November 28, 2007 11:47 pm Title: A Benihana Christmas
I love it. You stay so true to their voices .. more please!
Date: November 28, 2007 10:23 pm Title: A Benihana Christmas
So heartbreaking, yet promising because the love is still there lurking for both of them. Thank goodness they found it. You did an amazing job putting the feelings behind their actions into words. Bravo.
Now, what I would really like is to read about Jim and Pam's Christmas THIS YEAR. That would be a happy Christmas.
Author's Response: What I'd really like to SEE is Jim and Pam's Christmas this year. But I guess fic will have to do!rnThanks so much for reading. I'm glad you found the hope in this chap because it's definitely what I've been looking to find in all these dark s3 moments. It's getting harder though, I'm positively dreading The Negotiation...rnrn
Date: November 28, 2007 08:58 pm Title: A Benihana Christmas
Wow, this was really good. Don't feel nervous at all! So many interesting insights and well-written sentences. I'd quote them all here but there'd be too many. Seriously, great work. Looking forward to more!
Author's Response: Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to comment. I'm new to the Office fandom so I'll really glad you think I've gotten some good insights down.
10 [Report This]Date: November 28, 2007 08:56 pm Title: A Benihana Christmas
Great chapter! I especially like that Jim realizes the parallel between the level of effort in the two Christmas gifts. I hadn't even thought about that.
Next soon?
Author's Response: Thank you :) I honestly hadn't thought of that parallel until I sat down to write this chapter. rnrnNext soon indeed, it's almost finals time so I should be uber busy with studying... which means I'll probably be writing this! Thanks for reading
Date: November 28, 2007 08:46 pm Title: A Benihana Christmas
Oh happiness! A new chapter!
Love the parallels and the differences, and for how you found the tiny little morsels of hope in A Benihana Christmas.
out of nowhere, he picks the teapot (yay!!!)
He vaguely wonders why it’s Michael who always seems to be the one to draw the truth out of him without even trying. That is like the little secret of the relationship between Jim & Michael. It's like Michael is this savant, or maybe that when Jim thinks he's helping out Michael, he's really helping himself.
You have inspired me to get moving on the December calendar, too! I'm feeling better about including screencaps from S3 Xmas now that you've shown these moments in a whole new light. Thanks!!!
Author's Response: It really is the secret of Jim/Michael. I love their little moments.rnI didn't know what you meant about the calendar (and shame on me for that) so with a little stalking (ok so I clicked on your profile and then your LJ) I found them and WOW. They're seriously amazing. I can't wait to see Decembers and I'm glad I inspired you a bit.