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[RokofAges75]

I need to finish Where the Crawdads Sing!  I started it toward the end of summer and then got distracted reading other stuff and haven't come back to it yet.  The pace was a little slow for me, but there's no denying it's well written.  I know a lot of people who loved it, so I'm sure it gets better.

I think you're right about Nick being the baby of the group.  That's another factor that gives him a certain vulnerability that's fun to exploit, especially when writing stories that take place in the early days of the group.  I think the fact that, up until recently, Nick's only real support system was the other guys plays a part in that too.  Lately I've tried to twist that dynamic around with storylines where I hurt big brother Kevin instead and force little brother Nick to step up and be the protector, but poor Nick still usually ends up being knocked down somehow.

[RokofAges75]

Too many times I found myself rewriting other people’s stories in my head to fit with what I wanted to happen. Probably something every writer secretly does.

Ooh, this would be a good question.  How would you change specific stories you've read?  What would you have happen instead and why?

[nicksgal]

I stopped reading fanfic long before I stopped writing it, so it’s been awhile. I can recommend some books to read though. I’m almost done with Where the Crawdads Sing and it’s been terribly sad but awesome. The Institute was a great SK suspense and if you enjoy lawyer drama The Guardians by John Grisham was awesome.

Ooh, actual book recommendation s! The last few things I read in order were:

1. My twice per decade reread of Les Miserables. It's my favorite book and I've found that over the years, I get different things out of it.
2. The Crazy Rich Asians series. I wanted to read it before the movie came out, failed, eventually read it anyway and loved it.
3. The Konmari books. Team self improvement in 2020 over here, basically.
4. The second Hyperbole and a Half book "Solutions and Other Problems". You can always use a good laugh!

And I bought and keep meaning to read American Gods, it just hasn't happened yet.

[nicksgal]

I think you're right about Nick being the baby of the group.  That's another factor that gives him a certain vulnerability that's fun to exploit, especially when writing stories that take place in the early days of the group.  I think the fact that, up until recently, Nick's only real support system was the other guys plays a part in that too.  Lately I've tried to twist that dynamic around with storylines where I hurt big brother Kevin instead and force little brother Nick to step up and be the protector, but poor Nick still usually ends up being knocked down somehow.

When I was trying to figure out the other three gifts for my little holiday story, I went on a binge of their youtube channel looking for inspiration and was rewatching the video where they talk about their breaking points and perspective. And when Nick was talking about Now or Never and said, "I was just trying to rebel against my family like all kids do," that stuck out to me on that vulnerability note. I think that's why he kind of seems like a mix of all of them a little bit, maybe not necessarily all the best qualities of all of them, mind you.

Nick would go in guns blazing if Kevin was hurt, get knocked down, and get back up again guns blazing. There's that vulnerability, but I think at the end of the day he'll get back up again for them and do what needs to be done.

[RokofAges75]

Absolutely!  That brotherly relationship is a big part of why I love the boys, both in real life and in fanfic, and why I keep writing them as main characters in my stories.

I loved hearing Nick talk about Now or Never recently.  That whole album definitely has that "college kid who's in the process of discovering himself" vibe.  Some of the songs are kind of cringey, but others still hold up as some of his best solo work.  Even though it was the beginning of a rough patch for Nick, that era made me a fan of him individually.

[nicksgal]

"Band of Brothers/Family of Choice/True Companions" is my life's weakness. It's all their faults for sure. I'm team boy bands forever, but I feel like none of the others really had that dynamic and that's why the Boys are the best.

I think I've said it before, 22 is hard for everyone for that reason and I think overall he might have been more okay without that break... And then Kevin leaving a few years later, poor guy. Do I Have To Cry For You and Help Me are two of my absolutely favorite songs. I Just Wanna Take You Home is a bop, but definitely cringey... Miss America I've enjoyed less as the years go on... Those ones stick out. I think overall I've enjoyed it more than his other albums though.

[RokofAges75]

I do think that's the main reason BSB have stayed together all these years.  They genuinely love each other.  So many of the other manufactured boybands didn't have that same kind of bond.  Another reason is that BSB have figured out the right balance between being a group and allowing each member to shine individually.  They didn't let Nick wanting to make a solo album break up the group the way NSYNC did when Justin went solo, and they're not five wannabe solo artists like One Direction was.  I think they've realized they're at their best when they're singing together, so they're content to keep doing that.

Yeah, I think Nick was a little lost without the other guys during the hiatus between B&B and NG.  He surrounded himself with toxic friends and girlfriends and made some bad choices.  But sometimes you have to learn things the hard way.  I'm proud of the person he's become.

DIHTCFY is such a great ballad.  My favorites from NG will always be I Got You, Blow Your Mind, and Who Needs the World.  I've enjoyed all his solo projects, but my favorite is All American.  It's such a fun album.

[nicksgal]

I feel like the genuine love really permeates all their things. Though I feel like they had some odd management issues when NON was released... Didn't Nick stay with their management while they were trying to fire them? I think it's a tough balance to figure out, especially if you got put together by someone else. I feel like part of their saving grace was managing to throw off Lou as soon as they did. Then they really had a chance to sit down and be like, yo This Is Us (pun absolutely intended) and figure it out. As much as I hated it at the time, I think Kevin leaving was honestly the perspective they all needed. Like "Oh, we can be *this* together," (gestures roundly), "but I can also be *this* on my own." (gestures up and down), "And *all this* will be there in the meantime." (gestures AIHTGly) I'm just glad they made good on their promise, 90's teeny me wished so hard "Please be around forever" and it worked, haha. They definitely bring out the best in each other on and off the stage, so whatever makes them happy.

Same, proud of our boy! Maybe he's even better for it having learned the hard way.

I love all those ones too. Heart Without A Home was also up there in my Wednesday driving rituals. Girls in the USA was one I used to love that I like now, but not love ("omg, he mentioned Colorado specifically, that's me obviously!" It was not me...) I've enjoyed that they're all different and experiment in different ways with his sound and the times. If 80's Movie is any defining indication for the next one, I'm stoked as hell.

Also, I'm happy to see you wrote in acronyms. I forgot that was a thing until I was saying something recently about a poster I used to have in my room when I found some old pictures (we were talking about whose childhood bedrooms were frozen in time and whose weren't) and my friends were like, "The hell is SMTMOBL?" And I was like, oh no... we don't do that? Alright, let me type out a lot of words...

[RokofAges75]

LOL It's the Boys' fault for having such long song titles!  But you're right; I only write in acronyms when discussing BSB with fellow fans online.  No one in my real life would have a clue what any of those meant either.  It's kinda like a secret code! LOL

I'm just glad they made good on their promise, 90's teeny me wished so hard "Please be around forever" and it worked, haha.

We are seriously so blessed to still have them around!  When I look at other boybands and their fans, I realize just how rare it is to have a group like this last as long as BSB has without breaking up or taking a super long hiatus.  This proof that we picked the right boyband back in the BSB vs. NSYNC days.  Suck it, NSYNC! LOL

[nicksgal]

LOL It's the Boys' fault for having such long song titles!  But you're right; I only write in acronyms when discussing BSB with fellow fans online.  No one in my real life would have a clue what any of those meant either.  It's kinda like a secret code! LOL

OMG, right! So many very long ones. Although, I feel like in recent years, they've gone the other way and named so many of their songs with one word titles. And then you'd have the opposite level of confusion. Like we couldn't say. "I really like I, it's one of my favorite songs they did." Because which one is that? I think I did it on accident with non-BSB friends because a week or so before, we were talking about singing to ourselves in our bedrooms as children (something that had to do with Masked Singer in some way, don't remember) and I said, "My poor mother probably wanted to tear her hair out every time I sang IYWITBGGGYABB as a pre-teen, because I sounded terrible. Also the thick 'intercourse with you' implications of the song." But I typed it out and was like, can I acronym the next time one of these comes up? I think I'm going to acronym. That was a lot.

We are seriously so blessed to still have them around!  When I look at other boybands and their fans, I realize just how rare it is to have a group like this last as long as BSB has without breaking up or taking a super long hiatus.  This proof that we picked the right boyband back in the BSB vs. NSYNC days.  Suck it, NSYNC! LOL

As long as there'll be music. A bold, but true statement. And I always like how there like, "People forget how young we were when we started, so we still dance and everything." Any time I watch that NKOTBSB concert from the O2, I'm always like, did NKOTB ever dance? It seems like they didn't dance. Other than the "oh oh oh oh" ball change. The Boys were always all around better than NSYNC (not biased). Like I have plenty of friends who were like, "I was hardcore team NSYNC, but I definitely skipped half the songs on the albums." And I was like, same for NSYNC. Not the Boys. There's definitely songs I like better than the others, but I've never skipped a song no matter how many times I've listened to the albums. Though "shuffle all" makes it more fun.

[RokofAges75]

This is random, but reading-related.  I hate how on AO3, when you click on a story title, it takes you straight to the first chapter and not a table of contents.  Inevitably, I always start reading Chapter 1 of Tracy's story instead of the chapter she just posted, and it takes me a few sentences to realize it and remember to go up to the top and find the right chapter LOL.  I swear I've done this for at least four updates in a row.  It's like Groundhog Day; it's always Nick's birthday LOL.

I guess maybe I should read on AC instead, but I don't because I can't review there.

[nicksgal]

Haha. Is Nick's birthday a good groundhog day for you and him or just kind of mediocre?

See, I think I would read everything on here that I can and keep track of my thoughts and reviews in a google note or something.

I also hate that it just goes to the chapters. I think the layout is super weird. I hate it. Hey universe, make AC the great place to be again with no spam, thanks!

[RokofAges75]

It's kind of depressing, considering Nick feels alone, like he doesn't belong.  Every day.  LOL

I don't wanna have to go back and forth; it's easier to just leave a comment at the bottom of the chapter.  I miss reviews on AC.

[nicksgal]

What a horrible way for Nick to feel, especially on his birthday. Thank goodness Brian comes along to pet his hair, haha.

That's fair. Convenience is a big factor. I think the little thumbs up are weird. Like yes, this has reviews, but you can't see them.

[RokofAges75]

The thumbs appeared when reviews were turned off, but they're only on very old stories, not all stories with reviews.  I think they're just on stories that were given star ratings back when that was a feature on the site?