1 [Report This]Date: August 31, 2020 08:34 am Title: How It Must Look
This is just... perfect.
1 [Report This]Date: August 17, 2018 07:42 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
This is an absolutely lovely take on all of those inside jokes! The ending was perfect. I love all the thoughts on how that famous Christmas card came to fruition. Thank you for this lovely treasure.
10 [Report This]Date: March 02, 2010 08:41 am Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
I haven't read this one in a while, so I figured I needed to. I forgot how much there was to love in all the chapters. How sweet that he still gets embarrassed about the card.
The boggle timer was my favorite, but I love the banter in Sales Call, too. It's all so precise, everything you write.
Date: May 25, 2009 10:00 am Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
I really loved this - each and every chapter was a joy to read. Discovering your interpretations of what the treasured objects in the mythic teapot could mean to Jim and Pam was fun.
9 [Report This]Date: January 06, 2009 03:17 pm Title: 180
This is my favorite chapter so far. That last line really got me. It's such a wonderful image. Such a sweet back story. Good job.
Author's Response: You know, in retrospect, I think that might be my favorite chapter of the bunch, too, largely because of that last line. Thanks for your review, Pheidias.
8 [Report This]Date: December 14, 2008 09:29 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
I've been stalking mtt forever now, but haven't signed up (no clue). Now I am, though, and this is beautiful. I feel like pointing out the specifics would cheapen the moment. (I'm a bit of an idiot sometimes.) LOL Clearly I love this. And I'm favoriting it. :D Thank you!
Author's Response: Thanks so much for your kind review, jacedesbff. And welcome to our community!
10 [Report This]Date: November 09, 2008 09:21 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
Beautiful! Marvelous and heartfelt! I loved it! Thank you for writing such a poignant and realistic story!
Date: November 02, 2008 06:18 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
Thank you for this wonderful story, Talkative! The final chapter was a bittersweet read for me--I love it, but now I'm sad that the story is over. Please don't make all your loyal fans wait too long for your next story.
There is so much to love here. I like that Pam finds the card rather than Jim giving it to her. Even though you torture Jim so well, it is so nice the way you show them sublimely content and at ease with one another as a couple.
I'm dying to know what's in the card. Dirty in places you say?
Author's Response: Like Jim said, I think the appropriate word is passionate. ;) Thank you for you kind review. I've just put something brand new up, so no wait at all. Enjoy! I look forward to your review.
10 [Report This]Date: October 28, 2008 10:02 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
Oh my GODDDDDDDDD I LOVE YOU. I shall have to come back to this and read it every Christmas. So gorgeous, so perfect. Thanks!
Author's Response: I'm glad you enjoyed it, nin. Thank you for your review.
Date: October 25, 2008 10:40 am Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
Way late with this, but I wanted to reread the entire thing slowly and savor every word. Absolutely gorgeous writing, full of intricate detail that just hits the spot and takes your breath away and transports you back to those angsty days of yore. Having that last bit occur in the "now" brings it all full circle.
Know what I'd love? If in this year's Christmas episode, Jim finally gives Pam the card. We watch her open it through the filter of the blinds, her eyes tear up and she throws her arms around Jim. That's all I'd need and it would remind me of this story.
Thanks for the songs too!
Author's Response: Shamefully, I do have to admit that, now and again, I like using my stories to push my musical taste on others. :) Thanks so much for your kind review, EH. I'm happy you enjoyed it.
Date: October 24, 2008 07:24 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
What an immense pleasure it has been sitting here with a cup of tea, sorting thought the contents of Jim's teapot.
This story is like a love letter to Jim and Pam. This last chapter was beautiful. I love that you only alluded to the content of the letter. I'm sure it would be breath taking.
I really hope you are a writer for realsies, and if you are not, you should be. You have a gift with words.
Author's Response: Hello again, Beeswax. Thanks for yet another thoughtful review. I really appreciate it. I am a writer "for realsies," and, even though this is something of a secret little corner of that aspect of me, I do still consider this to be very real. It's all connected. I've been almost exclusively writing poetry for the past decade (and having some tangible success at it), but my thoughts have started to turn back to fiction. I've just embarked on a rather ambitious project with a coauthor and I'm discovering that I'm a touch rusty. I'm using this as a warm-up of sorts; a way to revisit skills that I haven't had to use in quite some time. Fanfiction, while much-maligned, is a great way for a writer to play with the fundamentals (dialog, characterization, etc.) without having to worry about bigger, trickier issues. In her journals, Virginia Woolf wrote something about approaching the activity of diary-writing much as a prima ballerina does a barre and a mirror - it's a chance to watch yourself, to see what you're doing right and wrong without the steaks being terribly high. I feel the exact same way about this type of writing. I'm glad I can entertain some people in the process.
Date: October 23, 2008 05:52 pm Title: How It Must Look
This line made me have to review your story:
He was holding great cards, diamonds and hearts, suits that throbbed like his pulse.
Wow. Incredible.
A friend recommended this story because she said your latest chapter was to die for, so I'm reading the whole darn thing!
I can't wait to read it all!
Author's Response: ::hugs Beeswax:: I think that's my favorite line in that chapter. Thank you so much for noticing it and for taking the time to review. I've been getting a lot of feedback for this one telling me that someone's going around recommending it. If said recommender (recommenders?) sees this, thank you!
Author's Response: ::hugs Beeswax:: I think that's my favorite line in that chapter. Thank you so much for noticing it and for taking the time to review. I've been getting a lot of feedback for this one telling me that someone's going around recommending it. If said recommender (recommenders?) sees this, thank you!
10 [Report This]Date: October 23, 2008 05:44 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
Aw, we don't get to read the letter? No problem, this is still one of my favorite stories on the site. My favorite part of your writing is when you show just how much Jim is hurting, and so simply ("He hung up and sat staring at his phone for ten minutes.") Absolutely heartbreaking. Can't wait for the next chapter!
Author's Response: Hi, Jamgela - thank you for your review. I've left the card out because a) you all have good imaginations and b) it felt too personal to share (weird, I know). There won't be another chapter of this one, but I'm working on something that I hope to share with all of you soon.
Date: October 23, 2008 01:05 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
Gorgeous, and a wonderful way to end this. Because whatever was in that card (and how perfectly coy of you not to tell us), she knows it all now, and whatever he wanted he can now have, and it is best not to dwell on the anguish and longing that was sure to be in every line.
Fabulous work, from beginning to end.
Author's Response: Hi, lis - I am batting my eyelashes in your honor. Terribly, terribly coy.
10 [Report This]Date: October 23, 2008 10:20 am Title: The Boys Who Loved You
Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. And I LOVE all the songs and the references. Pam's family fits perfectly here.
10 [Report This]Date: October 23, 2008 10:13 am Title: Nothing Like It Was in My Room
Dude. AWESOME. This was so /real/ and spectacularly done -- every bit. Totally a part of my personal canon now.
Date: October 23, 2008 10:08 am Title: 180
Rawr. I loved it. Especially the "boy things"/"girl things" bit. :)
10 [Report This]Date: October 23, 2008 10:03 am Title: How It Must Look
Yay, another fantastic installment. I really loved the language in this -- it flowed together beautifully, and you used such evocative images. Also it was hilarious at parts. :)
9 [Report This]Date: October 23, 2008 07:37 am Title: Sales Call
My friend hjea on LJ rec'ed this to me, and it was AWESOME! I've often thought about going through and doing a fic about that bag of gifts, but I knew I couldn't do it justice. You have. I'm off to read the rest. :D
Author's Response: Thank you, nin! I'm glad you're enjoying it.
10 [Report This]Date: October 22, 2008 11:36 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
Aww! What a great ending to a fantastic piece of work. I love that you left Jim's message a mystery just like the show did. It's really none of our business, is it? :)
And Jim being Jewish has definitely made its way into my own personal canon, thanks to you. I love here that his Jewishness sets him apart from the other characters, and how Pam saves him from Michael and doesn't call him out, and how he gravitates towards the blue and white displays at the mall.... Oh, it's just so good.
I'm going to miss having this story to look forward to! Please tell us you've got something else in the works?
Author's Response: I did write the card, but, no, it didn't really feel like it was any of our business. I've written sex scenes for these people and the *card* felt too intimate. I know the canon is going to contradict me at some point about Jim's ethnic background, so I'm enjoying my version of things while it still makes sense relative to the story proper. There was just something kind of distant about him in that Christmas episode. It brought to mind my own experience of the holiday season, so I decided to write toward that. Finally, I *do* have something else in the works. As I type, Angela is in another browser window, rushing down the stairs at a certain farmhouse, struggling with the zipper on her dress. I'm quite excited to share it with all of you.
9 [Report This]Date: October 22, 2008 10:53 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
what a lovely way to finish this! your attention to detail is great. i love that you left the card to our imaginations - i think it takes a lot of skill to leave things unsaid but your reader so satisfied. this was a fantastic story and i so enjoyed it!
Author's Response: Thank you for reviewing, Little Comment. I'm pleased that you liked it and that you agreed with my choice to leave the card out (I was torn).
10 [Report This]Date: October 22, 2008 08:58 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
What a great ending chapter to your story. Really, really a wonderful read. All of them. Thanks for the great read, Talkative.
Author's Response: You're welcome, Elle. Thank you for reviewing.
Date: October 22, 2008 08:10 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
It's just awesome Talkative, I was so excited to see this updated today. I loved it as I love all of your stories. It's always a pleasure!
Author's Response: Hi, phillyjim - I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for reviewing!
Date: October 22, 2008 07:56 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
Oh, wow. Just wow. I loved every single word of this, from "it" to "really." The call from the mall, the "Snoopy dance" (Buffy fan?), the Hanukkah gelt, the mistletoe moment, buying the teapot, writing the card, finding the card. Gah. I'm definitely going to go back and read this over again. And probably again.
I have to admit I was really hoping you would fast-forward in time for this chapter, and you did it in spectacular fashion. What a fantastic way to wrap up this wonderful story.
Oh, and I lovelovelove the fact that you didn't write what was in the card itself. Because that's been done so many times before, and this way we can imagine it ourselves (dirty in places - ha!). And embarrassed Jim in PJ's is officially the cutest thing ever. (Okay, this is getting shallow, so I'd better finish here.)
Author's Response: Blanca! Thank you! I love hearing that people re-read my fic - tickles me pink. And I'm glad you liked the fast-forward. I knew from "Sales Call" that I was going to end this one in the present with Pam finding the card. And, while I did write the card, I decided not to include it for the very reason that you suggest (though I couldn't resist making allusions to the content - just a bit dirty
10 [Report This]Date: October 22, 2008 07:27 pm Title: Nes Gadol Haya Sham
This whole story just leaves me about breathless. This chapter in particular is gorgeously sentimental.
I love how Pam keeps talking over him when she's aghast at the parents & Santa at the mall. I love how Jim tries to "flirt, implicate himself, and find out if he was getting a present." Perfect little frustrated moment.
Love that Jim sends Michael the link about dreidels ... and that Pam's clearly done her research because she knows that gimel is the winning symbol.
One of my favorite lines has got to be "…maybe queerboy Halpert will have one too many cups of punch and plant one on Packer."
The scene where Pam discovers the card and furtively reads it is precious. And the ensuing conversation, just lovely.
I really, really love the double-meaning of the title. I assume you meant it that way. It really was a miracle that they finally got together. So fitting.
Your writing is outstanding. Nothing extraneous, nothing missing. Pitch-perfect banter. Really doesn't get better than this.
Author's Response: Hiya, Vamp. Thanks for your review. You know, aghast is the perfect word for Pam in that scene at the mall - I wish I would have used it. The double-meaning was definitely intended and there was originally a scene in which "queerboy Halpert" did plant one on Packer, but it didn't quite work (plus, I couldn't figure out how Packer would react). Thank you again.