I don't honestly know about Paula and the mixtapes. I don't quite see it as her style. In fact I can imagine her not really being into music much at all, and Kevin getting all frustrated with her because she just rolls her eyes and sighs and just doesn't understand how much of a seminal influence the Manic Street Preachers were on the music industry in the 1990s. Oh wait. I think that's actually me talking to you.
We didn't get to it today, but I don't think Alex really had much of a clue about Kev's feelings in that hallway scene. For one, she was in a storm of her own FEELINGS and angst, and she was also freaking relieved about Paula and probably rather overcome with adoration of Tony at that point in time because he was the one to cure her. Plus I kind of like the symmetry of Paula having no clue Kevin loves her, and Alex not realising Tony has been pushing aside his feelings for her all this time in order to be friends with her. It makes the Tony and Kev bond seem so much stronger. Gosh, I really want to write the two of them commiserating; maybe it would fit during 6.04? I'm sure Kev noticed how miserable Tony was while Alex was away. They could talk about it then.
I changed my mind. It wasn't TFM that I put on the stereo, it was 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' by Whitney Houston. Which is kind of both more appropriate and also more fun. And lends itself to less pornographic dancing, too.
He really does love your gf Paula, you know. And that's not even getting into the love-love side of it; she's his bestie. He just fricking adores her. How can that not be a lovable trait? And the glasses, oh yes. What an angel he is. I love how he was doing a Tony and being a tiny bit flirtatious in that first glasses scene. He's such a darling.
I don't want to go back to school. I've had enough. You do the thesis. I'll just be your.. umm.. muse. Yeah. That works.
Paula isn't into music? *is horrified* Paula, baby, come on. *joins Kevin in the obsessive making of mix tapes for Paula*
and just doesn't understand how much of a seminal influence the Manic Street Preachers were on the music industry in the 1990s. Oh wait. I think that's actually me talking to you. Hey, I am dutifully working my way through all your music recs! (Though I do still of a proper listen and thoughts on the stuff you sent me this weekend.) It's not my fault I was too busy listening to and odd combination of angry girl music and country in high school to pay attention to anything else. This is why you have to boss me now. I'm terribly behind.
Yeah, I think you're right on Alex not being terribly aware about how Kevin feels about Paula or his breakdown in 5.02. And I'm quite fond of the idea of Tony and Kev bonding over this one day. I can just imagine them being alone driving to some crime scene or something and Kevin randomly blurting out in frustration something about how Paula has no clue how he feels about her and Tony just chiming in with, "Tell me about it." Yeah, 6.04 would totally be a good spot for it too. Tony and Kevin could totally slumber party it up when Kevin is staying at Tony's place and stay up all night talking about girls.
Gosh, I really want to write the two of them commiserating; maybe it would fit during 6.04? Waha! Prompt for this comment. DOOOOOO ITTTTTT!!!!!
And lends itself to less pornographic dancing, too. Who the fuck wants that? Am I even in the right place? I don't understand what is happening.
Yeah, I do adore the way Kev adores Paula. They're like the best besties ever.
Oh, that works out well. You don't want to go back to school and I can never seem to stay out. How about I work on the thesis and you make me studying mix tapes?
It's not so much that Paula isn't into music - of course she likes it - but more a case of Kev being a bigger music geek even than me. He's at the obsessive level, and Paula just doesn't get why it's so important to have every single cover version ever recorded of Just Like Heaven in one's iTunes.
I shall continue to boss you around then. I'm quite happy with the progress I've made on this front thus far: Powderfinger and Crowded House are pretty damn seminal. Can't you already see the difference having such music in your collection has made in your everyday life? I have to start thinking of more classic Australian stuff for you now.
Yeah, Alex has no idea. Whether this is because she's so all over the place with her own FEELINGS about Tony at that stage, or whether she just doesn't give a toss who Kev fancies, I don't know. She's pretty perceptive in general, isn't she? I think she'd surely notice if she actually paid attention, but she's far too preoccupied with getting her head around the fact that she keeps thinking about what it would be like to snog Tony one hundred and sixty-seven times a day.
This is really tempting me, you know! I'd love to write Kevin (I'd make him so witty and droll, you know, more than he already is), and the idea of the two of them girling it up and talking about FEELINGS is hilarious. I'm not sure I can resist. I'll have a think about it this evening whilst I'm hanging about doing nothing much at all, and see what happens.
I was trying to be a bit subtle and tasteful, with the less pornographic dancing. Obviously this was a waste of time. I shan't attempt such a futile thing again.
Damn, Kev is a hardcore music geek if he's a bigger music geek than even you.
Paula just doesn't get why it's so important to have every single cover version ever recorded of Just Like Heaven in one's iTunes. Do you have every version of "Just Like Heaven" in your iTunes, Amelia? Is this how you knew to point me to that cover of it the other day? *peers into your iTunes*
This girl at work once gave me a mix CD that was nothing but nearly 20 different versions of "Music of the Night" from Phantom of the Opera. It was weird because 1.) Who knew there were so many versions and 2.) I'm very apathetic about Phantom of the Opera in general and don't think I'd ever discussed it with her anyway. After, she kept quizzing me what I thought about the different versions and OMG, BOO, I COULD NOT LISTEN TO THAT MANY VERSIONS OF MUSIC OF THE NIGHT. So, I had to keep lying like, "Oh, the 9th version was amazing but I didn't really care for 12." (This was a totally random and unnecessary story.)
Anyway, yes, having Powderfinger and Crowded House in my iTunes has vastly improved my quality of life. I adore them both and feel much less of a musical sexist already. (Strangely, enough, I'm on shuffle and "Nobody Sees" is playing as I type this.) You give awesome music recs, babe.
I'm really fixated on why Alex doesn't notice Kevin's thing for Paula now for some reason. I'm leaning toward she doesn't give a toss. Aside from an occasional light moment, she does seem to keep it pretty professional with both Kevin and Paula. I don't think she gives a shit about anything personal at work as long as everyone is doing their jobs. THAT IS UNTIL TONY HILL WALKS INTO THE ROOM, OF COURSE. Then it's all, "Oh, where you been, boo? How was your day? You didn't talk to any other girls did you?" *cleavage enhancing lean in Tony's direction.
For some reason, I think Tony and Kevin girling it up and talking about their FEELINGS would be both gorgeous and hilariously weird. If you do write it, I may explode with excitement.
I was trying to be a bit subtle and tasteful, with the less pornographic dancing. Obviously this was a waste of time. I shan't attempt such a futile thing again. Please don't. I found it offensive.
Oh, hayyyy, handsomely disheveled Tony and concerned Alex, you gorgeous bastards! (Though obviously I needed to be more prepared if I was going to pair it with tunes as you suggested. I'm looking at it now with 29,000 Miles an Hour by 7 Year Bitch playing which makes no sense at all. I must require more Amelia schooling before I can get this right.)
Yeah, Kev gives me lessons. And his latest rec, which I am lovingly passing on to you, if you don't already have it, is Laura Marling's new album 'I Speak Because I Can'. LIZ IT IS AMAZING AND BRILLIANT I SWEAR. I liked her old stuff well enough (esp New Romantic which was fantastic), but this album? It's fucking amazing. Like, really really brilliant. In fact, here you go.
Okay. Where was I? Yeah, no, I don't have every cover of Just Like Heaven, but I would like to! I need to work on this, obviously. A friend of mine once sent me a mix of seventeen different versions of 'Umbrella', which was actually kind of cool (the Manics did a cover, omg), but I'm wincing on your behalf about the Phantom of the Opera thing. Just no. Musicals etc are Not. My. Thing. In fact I really don't think I can think of anything worse that a compilation cd of the same Andrew Lloyd Webber crap over and over. Poor you.
Awww. 'Nobody Sees' is sad. Also I am actually attempting to get organised and send you the best live bits of Powderfinger, but my housemate hijacked my computer this afternoon and threw me all out of whack with interwebby stuff. Hence my writing the Alex/Gabriel fic by hand.
I do get what you're saying about Alex not giving a toss/being focused on work at work except for Tony, but remember she was pretty damn cut up in both 4.02 and 5.02 when Paula was at risk. So, maybe she only cares about Paula and not Kevin? Actually I do think Alex cares about both of them, quite a lot (it's Alex, she cares) but she was just so all over the place that she didn't notice anything at all during 5.02.
I certainly don't want to offend you. Consider any and all future dancing I may engage in as supremely pornographic and not at all tasteful.
Aren't they just gorgeous? He looks ridiculously handsome when he's all rumpled and tired like that, and the way he's looking at her is so fucking beautiful. I can't really think of a good track to accompany this moment, except maybe 'Message To My Girl'. Give that a try.
I think I've already said this elsewhere but I love the Laura Marling album so far. (I honestly haven't listened a ton but it's your fault as I've been distracted by your mixes.) You and Kevin give good recs!
Get your as in gear and start collecting some more "Just Like Heaven" covers, woman! Oh, yeah, there have been some awesome covers of "Umbrella." I find it quite amusing that such a wide variety of people have covered it. I shall look up the Manics cover when I get home. I don't think I've listened to it.
I love musicals, Amelia! Something about people singing about shit they would normally just say amuses me to no end! That being said, Andrew Lloyd Webber is not so much my thing at all and I've never gotten the big hype about Phantom of the Opera so a gazillion versions of that song? Pretty much torture. I'm more of a fun, sassy or weird musical kind of person. I find most Andrew Lloyd Webber neither fun, sassy nor weird.
That roommate of yours is something of a bugaboo isn't he? First it's the vuvuzelas everywhere and now with the computer stealing!
I absolutely do think Alex cares about Kevin and Paula. She was obviously torn up both times Paula was hurt (and in 4.02 she hadn't even been there that long so I've always thought it quite lovely how much she cares already). I just think she doesn't so much care about the stuff like who they're dating and who they're crushing on. She is proud of them and concerned for their safety and thinks they're both quite brilliant and awesome but she doesn't so much cross that line of getting into their personal business. If that makes sense? I don't know. Of course, maybe this will all change once Kevin starts becoming baking bffs with John. Whatever the case, you're obviously right, that in 5.02 she's so FEELINGS ALL OVER THE PLACE that not much is registering with her at all.
I certainly don't want to offend you. Consider any and all future dancing I may engage in as supremely pornographic and not at all tasteful. Thank you. It's all I ask for, really.
Thank you! As usual, your cap gazing music suggestion was perfection. "I don't wanna say I want you even though I want you so much." Oh, hey, Tony and the way you look at Alex pretty much every freaking minute of the day.
So glad to hear it. It's a brilliant album. I am a bit in love with Laura Marling right now.
I know I know, I really do need to get to work on finding more covers of random cute Cure songs. And the Manics cover of 'Umbrella' was cute, although you can tell they weren't really putting their backs into it, the chubby little lazy Welshmen.
Err, I do not love musicals. I can see we're going to have to have separate music rooms in our lovely Bradfield house (which I'm thinking should probably be a mansion, yes?) I suppose weird sassy musicals is more doable than just musicals in general. I can handle Disney movies, generally. Does that count?
Awww, I suppose he is a bugaboo. He hijacked my computer under the pretence of 'fixing it', as it's been screwing up to even greater extents than usual, but I'm pretty sure there was minimal fixing going on. It was more about him raiding my iTunes for crap rnb, I think.
This is an interesting point indeed, about Alex separating herself from her team's personal lives, whilst still caring about them and their welfare in general. I'm wondering if it's got to do with her stubornly self-sufficient streak again? As in perhaps she doesn't get involved in their stuff because she doesn't want to have to share her stuff? I honestly don't know. Alex is confusing me right now. I think I might just have to conclude for the time being that she is a hot FEELINGS mess which is entirely inexplicable.
*does little mini porno dance just to keep you placated*
Yessssssss. I love those lyrics. That song is so perfect. It's so Tony deciding to take that step to open himself up. I love it. I'm going to go do some listening/cap-gazing right now, just to get my fix of adorable in love Tony.
You are keeping me in more albums than I can keep up with these days. I rather enjoy it!
Well, I suppose we had to find a few areas of disagreement at some point. I shall work to get past your dislike of musicals if you can work on accepting the fact that I'm not convinced about batwing sleeves. I don't know that Disney movies necessarily count though I suppose they are musical-ish. (I don't generally mind Disney either though I'm not one of those alarming Disney crazy types.)
I'm fine with having separate music rooms in the Bradfield house and I'm content to only blare the musicals when you're out and/or with my headphones on. I don't think we need a mansion as long as we can have magically appearing, multi-purpose rooms like in Alex's house. In fact, maybe Alex can just have an entire guest wing magically appear and we'll move in there. That'll work out nicely, don't you think?
Yeah, I think you could be right that Alex's insisting on staying out of her teams personal lives has something to do about her stubborn independence and need to have boundaries. I also had a new thought about this - I wonder if part of the reason she is so stubborn about these boundaries is that she knows if she crosses them she'd get too invested? I mean we know what a total softie she really is and maybe she's afraid she'll give that away and/or become even more of a big FEELINGS mess about things if she gets involved in the personal lives of her team. Maybe it's a bit of a self-protection thing in addition to wanting to be independent. She was such a mess already both time Paula was hurt/in danger. Maybe she feels she has to keep a certain amount of distance between herself and her team to keep from completely losing her shit when/if things like that happen?
I don't know. That doesn't seem to make as much sense typed out as it did in my head. Maybe we should just go with your 'she's a hot feelings mess' explanation.
*does little mini porno dance just to keep you placated* *stuffs several 20s into your gstring.
I live to keep you in random albums! I am a sharer after all, and I've now developed this thing where if I'm listening to something, I'll automatically think "Will Liz like this? Can I spam her with it?" It's really rather sad.
I think I'd rather we lived right next door to Alex's place, rather than having a randomly appearing guest wing. I just love the idea of us as the incredibly nosy neighbours who are always dropping by and gossiping and being generally infuriating. We'd spend all day out in the back yard on our porch swing and taking it in turns to peek over the fence into Alex's windows. Also, it would probably be cool if our bathroom windows aligned, so poor Alex could be getting out of the shower to find one or both of us waving at her happily.
Oh, we're going to be nudists, by the way. We're naked whilst we've waving happily at her.
I wonder if part of the reason she is so stubborn about these boundaries is that she knows if she crosses them she'd get too invested? You mean like she has with Tony? Oh yes, I can definitely see this. In fact, I wonder if perhaps she hasn't been burned by something like this before; getting too involved with colleagues or something and having some kind of negative outcome from it which I absolutely cannot think of at the moment. Also, let's consider Alex for a moment. She's got FEELINGS. Serious FEELINGS. Just how many people is she capable of having FEELINGS at such an intensity over at once? There's Ben, there's Tony, and I can see her getting very protective and closer to her dad since he's moved in. The poor girl is drained just by worrying about Tony. Maybe she's doing herself a favour by backing off a bit from the others. Also, I think you're right about her wanting to keep herself a bit apart so she can remain clear-headed if something goes wrong. Which, by the way, she's totally shit at, so I don't know why she bothers. But also, she's the boss. She's pretty casual and laidback a lot of the time, and is very friendly with Kev and Paula, so maybe she's got to exert a little bit of distance on some levels to maintain her role as HBIC. I don't know. Whatever. I just think she's awesome, and I don't really care if she hates every single other person around her as long as SHE LOVES TONY.
Amelia, before I get to answering this comment, it's important for you to know that I got my first ever speeding ticked today. I would be upset about this but IT WAS A HOT LADY COP. She was sort of a Paula type and I thoroughly enjoyed when she talked sternly to me. It was almost worth the exorbitant fine I will have to pay. (On a scale from one to Paula, she was like an 8.5. If she'd been anywhere from 9-Paula, I'd say it was totally worth it. Either way, fuck yeah hot lady cop!)
Oh, I'm quite pleased that you keep me in random albums! I love when you send me your brilliant music recs! And I enjoy spamming you in return as well.
I am so down for us being Alex's nosy and privacy invading neighbors. I say we get a trampoline set up in the backyard so we can get some exercise in while jumping high enough to stare over her fence. Two birds with one stone and all of that.
I am also okay with us developing nudist tendencies once we move in and waving happily at her in our nude state in a variety of situations. I'm certain she'll grow to love us eventually. We're delightfully quirky. However, this is undoubtedly just another thing that will add to the years of therapy young Benjamin will undoubtedly be needing to start soon.
Interesting idea about Alex having been burned in the past by getting too involved/close with a colleague and getting burned in the past. It's certainly possible that she was close to a partner or someone who got killed. Or someone she was close to at work got hurt or kidnapped much like Paula did and Alex kind of lost her shit and there was a bad outcome or a narrowly avoided bad outcome? (Or, actually, if your idea about her having worked with Gabriel is true, it could be some carryover from all the messy FEELINGS that resulted there.) That could have been enough to convince her to keep a little distance at work.
Even if it's not that, I do think it's absolutely at least in part about being able to keep a clear head if something goes wrong with one of her team. Which, you are correct, she's total shit at but imagine the fact that, if she were even closer to her team, it's possible she could be more shit at it and that's just scary.
I suppose it doesn't necessarily have to be the case that something bad has happened in the past. As infinite as the FEELINGS may seem at times, I'm sure you're right that there's only so much FEELING to go around. The poor girl would get terribly burned out if she spent as much energy on everyone as she does on Ben and Tony. In fact, she's pretty close to burnt out already with just the two of them. She's got to draw boundaries somewhere or she'd implode and become like this big FEELINGS black hole or something. (My science here is sketchy at best but I know in my heart such a thing is possible.)
Anyway, whatever. We can summarize with two points. 1.) She's a hot mess. 2.) She loves Tony with every ounce of FEELING at her disposal.
Really, #2 is all we need be concerned about.
*gratefully accepts drink even though I don't recall what it's for anymore*
HOT LADY COP!?!?! I am jealous. Never in my life have I ever had any kind of experience with a Hot Lady Cop, Liz. Lots of fat old bloke cops (unfortunately none of them have ever been as amusing and quick with the sarcastic wisecracks as the fat old bloke cops on tv), but no hot ladies. Ok, it's not like I've had LOTS of experience with cops in general, because it sounded like that's what I was saying just then. Also, look at you and your first ever speeding ticket! Oh, my good little law-abiding wife. I've gotten a shitload of tickets in my time. My housemate and I have them all stuck to the fridge. Yeah, we're dags. Anyway, did you hit on hot lady cop? I suppose it might have been a little risky; you don't want to end up spending the night in the nick because you've so comprehensively pissed off the investigating officer that she's banged you up in there. (I never thought I'd get to use that particular Alex quote!) Or, do you? A night in the nick with 8.5-Paula Hot Lady Cop sounds like it could be a good time.
You've just reminded me to get those two links I mentioned yesterday for you. Except I can only remember what one of them was now. Oh well. I'll figure it out.
I say we get a trampoline set up in the backyard so we can get some exercise in while jumping high enough to stare over her fence. Clever! I like this idea! Although I'm a bit scared of trampolines. When I was a kid I had two distinct occasions when I split my head open, and one of them was going flying off a trampoline onto some rocks. It was the 80s, dude, before all these trampolines with netting and safety walls and shit. (The other occasion was when I was like four or something and decided to try jumping backward off of a chair onto the bed and landed on the brushed stone floor. I actually remember that, unlike the trampoline one. Got some excellently gruesome memories of being in the ambulance with my dad holding my head together while blood was pouring into my eyes. Okay you prob didn't need to hear that grossness. Sorry.)
We're delightfully quirky. Yes, this is us. Just in general. I like it! Quirky is definitely my thing. (It's such a nice way of saying weird.)
I've never thought much on this idea of Alex having a colleague who got killed. It's interesting. In my head Jago's wife (Chloe's mother) died of some horrible disease when Chloe was little, and Alex and she were close. I've always had this little scene in my brain of Tony finding a picture of Alex and another Italian-looking girl and asking her about it, and Alex telling him that they were best friends. Basically this is all so Tony can gaze at Alex with sad adoration in his eyes. I love it when he does that. (I'm all over 5.02 at the moment, by the way. I gotta write/do something with that ep.)
Yeah, we really don't need to be making Alex asplode with FEELINGS, do we? Girl suffers from them enough already. I love that about her. She is such a hot mess of emotion. And I love that Tony loves it about her too. This is why I'm on such a great big 5.02 kick; the whole time you can tell he's just gazing at her and thinking 'God, she's amazing. How can so much FEELINGSness be inside one little tiny feisty Scottish chick?' He so loves it.
What are we drinking? I fancy gin, but then again I always fancy gin. Do you have any preferences? And please don't say anything brown, honey.
We didn't get to it today, but I don't think Alex really had much of a clue about Kev's feelings in that hallway scene. For one, she was in a storm of her own FEELINGS and angst, and she was also freaking relieved about Paula and probably rather overcome with adoration of Tony at that point in time because he was the one to cure her. Plus I kind of like the symmetry of Paula having no clue Kevin loves her, and Alex not realising Tony has been pushing aside his feelings for her all this time in order to be friends with her. It makes the Tony and Kev bond seem so much stronger. Gosh, I really want to write the two of them commiserating; maybe it would fit during 6.04? I'm sure Kev noticed how miserable Tony was while Alex was away. They could talk about it then.
I changed my mind. It wasn't TFM that I put on the stereo, it was 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' by Whitney Houston. Which is kind of both more appropriate and also more fun. And lends itself to less pornographic dancing, too.
He really does love your gf Paula, you know. And that's not even getting into the love-love side of it; she's his bestie. He just fricking adores her. How can that not be a lovable trait? And the glasses, oh yes. What an angel he is. I love how he was doing a Tony and being a tiny bit flirtatious in that first glasses scene. He's such a darling.
I don't want to go back to school. I've had enough. You do the thesis. I'll just be your.. umm.. muse. Yeah. That works.
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and just doesn't understand how much of a seminal influence the Manic Street Preachers were on the music industry in the 1990s. Oh wait. I think that's actually me talking to you.
Hey, I am dutifully working my way through all your music recs! (Though I do still of a proper listen and thoughts on the stuff you sent me this weekend.) It's not my fault I was too busy listening to and odd combination of angry girl music and country in high school to pay attention to anything else. This is why you have to boss me now. I'm terribly behind.
Yeah, I think you're right on Alex not being terribly aware about how Kevin feels about Paula or his breakdown in 5.02. And I'm quite fond of the idea of Tony and Kev bonding over this one day. I can just imagine them being alone driving to some crime scene or something and Kevin randomly blurting out in frustration something about how Paula has no clue how he feels about her and Tony just chiming in with, "Tell me about it." Yeah, 6.04 would totally be a good spot for it too. Tony and Kevin could totally slumber party it up when Kevin is staying at Tony's place and stay up all night talking about girls.
Gosh, I really want to write the two of them commiserating; maybe it would fit during 6.04?
Waha! Prompt for this comment. DOOOOOO ITTTTTT!!!!!
And lends itself to less pornographic dancing, too.
Who the fuck wants that? Am I even in the right place? I don't understand what is happening.
Yeah, I do adore the way Kev adores Paula. They're like the best besties ever.
Oh, that works out well. You don't want to go back to school and I can never seem to stay out. How about I work on the thesis and you make me studying mix tapes?
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I shall continue to boss you around then. I'm quite happy with the progress I've made on this front thus far: Powderfinger and Crowded House are pretty damn seminal. Can't you already see the difference having such music in your collection has made in your everyday life? I have to start thinking of more classic Australian stuff for you now.
Yeah, Alex has no idea. Whether this is because she's so all over the place with her own FEELINGS about Tony at that stage, or whether she just doesn't give a toss who Kev fancies, I don't know. She's pretty perceptive in general, isn't she? I think she'd surely notice if she actually paid attention, but she's far too preoccupied with getting her head around the fact that she keeps thinking about what it would be like to snog Tony one hundred and sixty-seven times a day.
This is really tempting me, you know! I'd love to write Kevin (I'd make him so witty and droll, you know, more than he already is), and the idea of the two of them girling it up and talking about FEELINGS is hilarious. I'm not sure I can resist. I'll have a think about it this evening whilst I'm hanging about doing nothing much at all, and see what happens.
I was trying to be a bit subtle and tasteful, with the less pornographic dancing. Obviously this was a waste of time. I shan't attempt such a futile thing again.
Yeah, you do the work and I'll ply you with tunes and pictorial inspiration. Starting with this shot of handsomely!dishevelled!Tony gazing adoringly at concerned!Alex.
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Paula just doesn't get why it's so important to have every single cover version ever recorded of Just Like Heaven in one's iTunes.
Do you have every version of "Just Like Heaven" in your iTunes, Amelia? Is this how you knew to point me to that cover of it the other day? *peers into your iTunes*
This girl at work once gave me a mix CD that was nothing but nearly 20 different versions of "Music of the Night" from Phantom of the Opera. It was weird because 1.) Who knew there were so many versions and 2.) I'm very apathetic about Phantom of the Opera in general and don't think I'd ever discussed it with her anyway. After, she kept quizzing me what I thought about the different versions and OMG, BOO, I COULD NOT LISTEN TO THAT MANY VERSIONS OF MUSIC OF THE NIGHT. So, I had to keep lying like, "Oh, the 9th version was amazing but I didn't really care for 12." (This was a totally random and unnecessary story.)
Anyway, yes, having Powderfinger and Crowded House in my iTunes has vastly improved my quality of life. I adore them both and feel much less of a musical sexist already. (Strangely, enough, I'm on shuffle and "Nobody Sees" is playing as I type this.) You give awesome music recs, babe.
I'm really fixated on why Alex doesn't notice Kevin's thing for Paula now for some reason. I'm leaning toward she doesn't give a toss. Aside from an occasional light moment, she does seem to keep it pretty professional with both Kevin and Paula. I don't think she gives a shit about anything personal at work as long as everyone is doing their jobs. THAT IS UNTIL TONY HILL WALKS INTO THE ROOM, OF COURSE. Then it's all, "Oh, where you been, boo? How was your day? You didn't talk to any other girls did you?" *cleavage enhancing lean in Tony's direction.
For some reason, I think Tony and Kevin girling it up and talking about their FEELINGS would be both gorgeous and hilariously weird. If you do write it, I may explode with excitement.
I was trying to be a bit subtle and tasteful, with the less pornographic dancing. Obviously this was a waste of time. I shan't attempt such a futile thing again.
Please don't. I found it offensive.
Oh, hayyyy, handsomely disheveled Tony and concerned Alex, you gorgeous bastards! (Though obviously I needed to be more prepared if I was going to pair it with tunes as you suggested. I'm looking at it now with 29,000 Miles an Hour by 7 Year Bitch playing which makes no sense at all. I must require more Amelia schooling before I can get this right.)
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Okay. Where was I? Yeah, no, I don't have every cover of Just Like Heaven, but I would like to! I need to work on this, obviously. A friend of mine once sent me a mix of seventeen different versions of 'Umbrella', which was actually kind of cool (the Manics did a cover, omg), but I'm wincing on your behalf about the Phantom of the Opera thing. Just no. Musicals etc are Not. My. Thing. In fact I really don't think I can think of anything worse that a compilation cd of the same Andrew Lloyd Webber crap over and over. Poor you.
Awww. 'Nobody Sees' is sad. Also I am actually attempting to get organised and send you the best live bits of Powderfinger, but my housemate hijacked my computer this afternoon and threw me all out of whack with interwebby stuff. Hence my writing the Alex/Gabriel fic by hand.
I do get what you're saying about Alex not giving a toss/being focused on work at work except for Tony, but remember she was pretty damn cut up in both 4.02 and 5.02 when Paula was at risk. So, maybe she only cares about Paula and not Kevin? Actually I do think Alex cares about both of them, quite a lot (it's Alex, she cares) but she was just so all over the place that she didn't notice anything at all during 5.02.
I certainly don't want to offend you. Consider any and all future dancing I may engage in as supremely pornographic and not at all tasteful.
Aren't they just gorgeous? He looks ridiculously handsome when he's all rumpled and tired like that, and the way he's looking at her is so fucking beautiful. I can't really think of a good track to accompany this moment, except maybe 'Message To My Girl'. Give that a try.
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Get your as in gear and start collecting some more "Just Like Heaven" covers, woman! Oh, yeah, there have been some awesome covers of "Umbrella." I find it quite amusing that such a wide variety of people have covered it. I shall look up the Manics cover when I get home. I don't think I've listened to it.
I love musicals, Amelia! Something about people singing about shit they would normally just say amuses me to no end! That being said, Andrew Lloyd Webber is not so much my thing at all and I've never gotten the big hype about Phantom of the Opera so a gazillion versions of that song? Pretty much torture. I'm more of a fun, sassy or weird musical kind of person. I find most Andrew Lloyd Webber neither fun, sassy nor weird.
That roommate of yours is something of a bugaboo isn't he? First it's the vuvuzelas everywhere and now with the computer stealing!
I absolutely do think Alex cares about Kevin and Paula. She was obviously torn up both times Paula was hurt (and in 4.02 she hadn't even been there that long so I've always thought it quite lovely how much she cares already). I just think she doesn't so much care about the stuff like who they're dating and who they're crushing on. She is proud of them and concerned for their safety and thinks they're both quite brilliant and awesome but she doesn't so much cross that line of getting into their personal business. If that makes sense? I don't know. Of course, maybe this will all change once Kevin starts becoming baking bffs with John. Whatever the case, you're obviously right, that in 5.02 she's so FEELINGS ALL OVER THE PLACE that not much is registering with her at all.
I certainly don't want to offend you. Consider any and all future dancing I may engage in as supremely pornographic and not at all tasteful.
Thank you. It's all I ask for, really.
Thank you! As usual, your cap gazing music suggestion was perfection. "I don't wanna say I want you even though I want you so much." Oh, hey, Tony and the way you look at Alex pretty much every freaking minute of the day.
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I know I know, I really do need to get to work on finding more covers of random cute Cure songs. And the Manics cover of 'Umbrella' was cute, although you can tell they weren't really putting their backs into it, the chubby little lazy Welshmen.
Err, I do not love musicals. I can see we're going to have to have separate music rooms in our lovely Bradfield house (which I'm thinking should probably be a mansion, yes?) I suppose weird sassy musicals is more doable than just musicals in general. I can handle Disney movies, generally. Does that count?
Awww, I suppose he is a bugaboo. He hijacked my computer under the pretence of 'fixing it', as it's been screwing up to even greater extents than usual, but I'm pretty sure there was minimal fixing going on. It was more about him raiding my iTunes for crap rnb, I think.
This is an interesting point indeed, about Alex separating herself from her team's personal lives, whilst still caring about them and their welfare in general. I'm wondering if it's got to do with her stubornly self-sufficient streak again? As in perhaps she doesn't get involved in their stuff because she doesn't want to have to share her stuff? I honestly don't know. Alex is confusing me right now. I think I might just have to conclude for the time being that she is a hot FEELINGS mess which is entirely inexplicable.
*does little mini porno dance just to keep you placated*
Yessssssss. I love those lyrics. That song is so perfect. It's so Tony deciding to take that step to open himself up. I love it. I'm going to go do some listening/cap-gazing right now, just to get my fix of adorable in love Tony.
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Well, I suppose we had to find a few areas of disagreement at some point. I shall work to get past your dislike of musicals if you can work on accepting the fact that I'm not convinced about batwing sleeves. I don't know that Disney movies necessarily count though I suppose they are musical-ish. (I don't generally mind Disney either though I'm not one of those alarming Disney crazy types.)
I'm fine with having separate music rooms in the Bradfield house and I'm content to only blare the musicals when you're out and/or with my headphones on. I don't think we need a mansion as long as we can have magically appearing, multi-purpose rooms like in Alex's house. In fact, maybe Alex can just have an entire guest wing magically appear and we'll move in there. That'll work out nicely, don't you think?
Yeah, I think you could be right that Alex's insisting on staying out of her teams personal lives has something to do about her stubborn independence and need to have boundaries. I also had a new thought about this - I wonder if part of the reason she is so stubborn about these boundaries is that she knows if she crosses them she'd get too invested? I mean we know what a total softie she really is and maybe she's afraid she'll give that away and/or become even more of a big FEELINGS mess about things if she gets involved in the personal lives of her team. Maybe it's a bit of a self-protection thing in addition to wanting to be independent. She was such a mess already both time Paula was hurt/in danger. Maybe she feels she has to keep a certain amount of distance between herself and her team to keep from completely losing her shit when/if things like that happen?
I don't know. That doesn't seem to make as much sense typed out as it did in my head. Maybe we should just go with your 'she's a hot feelings mess' explanation.
*does little mini porno dance just to keep you placated*
*stuffs several 20s into your gstring.
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I think I'd rather we lived right next door to Alex's place, rather than having a randomly appearing guest wing. I just love the idea of us as the incredibly nosy neighbours who are always dropping by and gossiping and being generally infuriating. We'd spend all day out in the back yard on our porch swing and taking it in turns to peek over the fence into Alex's windows. Also, it would probably be cool if our bathroom windows aligned, so poor Alex could be getting out of the shower to find one or both of us waving at her happily.
Oh, we're going to be nudists, by the way. We're naked whilst we've waving happily at her.
I wonder if part of the reason she is so stubborn about these boundaries is that she knows if she crosses them she'd get too invested?
You mean like she has with Tony? Oh yes, I can definitely see this. In fact, I wonder if perhaps she hasn't been burned by something like this before; getting too involved with colleagues or something and having some kind of negative outcome from it which I absolutely cannot think of at the moment. Also, let's consider Alex for a moment. She's got FEELINGS. Serious FEELINGS. Just how many people is she capable of having FEELINGS at such an intensity over at once? There's Ben, there's Tony, and I can see her getting very protective and closer to her dad since he's moved in. The poor girl is drained just by worrying about Tony. Maybe she's doing herself a favour by backing off a bit from the others. Also, I think you're right about her wanting to keep herself a bit apart so she can remain clear-headed if something goes wrong. Which, by the way, she's totally shit at, so I don't know why she bothers. But also, she's the boss. She's pretty casual and laidback a lot of the time, and is very friendly with Kev and Paula, so maybe she's got to exert a little bit of distance on some levels to maintain her role as HBIC. I don't know. Whatever. I just think she's awesome, and I don't really care if she hates every single other person around her as long as SHE LOVES TONY.
But yeah, she's a hot mess. Of all sorts.
*buys you a drink with newfound profits*
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Oh, I'm quite pleased that you keep me in random albums! I love when you send me your brilliant music recs! And I enjoy spamming you in return as well.
I am so down for us being Alex's nosy and privacy invading neighbors. I say we get a trampoline set up in the backyard so we can get some exercise in while jumping high enough to stare over her fence. Two birds with one stone and all of that.
I am also okay with us developing nudist tendencies once we move in and waving happily at her in our nude state in a variety of situations. I'm certain she'll grow to love us eventually. We're delightfully quirky. However, this is undoubtedly just another thing that will add to the years of therapy young Benjamin will undoubtedly be needing to start soon.
Interesting idea about Alex having been burned in the past by getting too involved/close with a colleague and getting burned in the past. It's certainly possible that she was close to a partner or someone who got killed. Or someone she was close to at work got hurt or kidnapped much like Paula did and Alex kind of lost her shit and there was a bad outcome or a narrowly avoided bad outcome? (Or, actually, if your idea about her having worked with Gabriel is true, it could be some carryover from all the messy FEELINGS that resulted there.) That could have been enough to convince her to keep a little distance at work.
Even if it's not that, I do think it's absolutely at least in part about being able to keep a clear head if something goes wrong with one of her team. Which, you are correct, she's total shit at but imagine the fact that, if she were even closer to her team, it's possible she could be more shit at it and that's just scary.
I suppose it doesn't necessarily have to be the case that something bad has happened in the past. As infinite as the FEELINGS may seem at times, I'm sure you're right that there's only so much FEELING to go around. The poor girl would get terribly burned out if she spent as much energy on everyone as she does on Ben and Tony. In fact, she's pretty close to burnt out already with just the two of them. She's got to draw boundaries somewhere or she'd implode and become like this big FEELINGS black hole or something. (My science here is sketchy at best but I know in my heart such a thing is possible.)
Anyway, whatever. We can summarize with two points. 1.) She's a hot mess. 2.) She loves Tony with every ounce of FEELING at her disposal.
Really, #2 is all we need be concerned about.
*gratefully accepts drink even though I don't recall what it's for anymore*
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You've just reminded me to get those two links I mentioned yesterday for you. Except I can only remember what one of them was now. Oh well. I'll figure it out.
I say we get a trampoline set up in the backyard so we can get some exercise in while jumping high enough to stare over her fence.
Clever! I like this idea! Although I'm a bit scared of trampolines. When I was a kid I had two distinct occasions when I split my head open, and one of them was going flying off a trampoline onto some rocks. It was the 80s, dude, before all these trampolines with netting and safety walls and shit. (The other occasion was when I was like four or something and decided to try jumping backward off of a chair onto the bed and landed on the brushed stone floor. I actually remember that, unlike the trampoline one. Got some excellently gruesome memories of being in the ambulance with my dad holding my head together while blood was pouring into my eyes. Okay you prob didn't need to hear that grossness. Sorry.)
We're delightfully quirky.
Yes, this is us. Just in general. I like it! Quirky is definitely my thing. (It's such a nice way of saying weird.)
I've never thought much on this idea of Alex having a colleague who got killed. It's interesting. In my head Jago's wife (Chloe's mother) died of some horrible disease when Chloe was little, and Alex and she were close. I've always had this little scene in my brain of Tony finding a picture of Alex and another Italian-looking girl and asking her about it, and Alex telling him that they were best friends. Basically this is all so Tony can gaze at Alex with sad adoration in his eyes. I love it when he does that. (I'm all over 5.02 at the moment, by the way. I gotta write/do something with that ep.)
Yeah, we really don't need to be making Alex asplode with FEELINGS, do we? Girl suffers from them enough already. I love that about her. She is such a hot mess of emotion. And I love that Tony loves it about her too. This is why I'm on such a great big 5.02 kick; the whole time you can tell he's just gazing at her and thinking 'God, she's amazing. How can so much FEELINGSness be inside one little tiny feisty Scottish chick?' He so loves it.
What are we drinking? I fancy gin, but then again I always fancy gin. Do you have any preferences? And please don't say anything brown, honey.
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