ktag
Junior Sitter
Posts: 694
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Post by ktag on Jun 8, 2006 3:14:37 GMT -5
I never skip anything, even on rereads. I guess I'm kind of OCD like that. I keep wanting to see if they'll say something new, but of course they never do. Now it's ingrained in my brain. How do people know to call us? Because we advertise. / There are also two associate members who don't come to meetings. One is Shannon Kilbourne and the other is, get this, Logan Bruno! That's right, Mary Anne's boyfriend! Ugh.
There are several cases where a sitter calls another sitter over to help with something. I've always wondered whether the second sitter gets paid as well, or if (more likely) they see it as doing a favor. They're really too generous with their time. Hell, their mother's day surprise where they babysat for free AND paid for everything? Dumb.
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Post by secondhandshoes on Jun 8, 2006 5:52:35 GMT -5
I used to read every single word of those books, including chapter 2 and the baby sitting parts. Now I skip all of that and go straight for the actual story line chapters
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Post by lovelylemontree on Jun 8, 2006 21:08:37 GMT -5
I almost always skip the baby-sitting chapters. They get in the way of the real plot.
What I hate about the baby-sitting plots is how the BSC always thinks it's their job to solve every kid's problem. In Abby and the Best Kid Ever, they're all wringing their hands because Sean Addison is convinced the BSC hates him. Boy is moving away, so who cares? Then in Abby in Wonderland, the BSC take it upon themselves to throw the Pike kids a fake beach vacation that spans several days. There are so many other examples, like Jamie being afraid of his bike and Halloween and all his other hang ups. The BSC took sitting way too seriously. Tell the kids to suck it up and let the parents deal with them.
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macca
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,084
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Post by macca on Jun 8, 2006 22:37:49 GMT -5
I'm OCD like that as well, actually reading the Chapter Two's every time. I feel like I'm cheating otherwise. Why does it matter if I am? Who knows.
Kristy's dad walked out on the family when David Michael was just a baby. Just walked out and abandoned four kids. Can you believe it? Luckily Mrs Thomas pulled herself together and managed to support the family
Also ITA with lovelylemontree, those girls got WAY too involved. I couldn't believe Claudia giving Mrs Addison a telling-off in #26 for not spending enough time with her kids. Uh, excuse me?!
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Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
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Post by Amalia on Jun 9, 2006 4:20:54 GMT -5
I don't skip anything. I even read Ann's little comment at the end of the book.
And yeah, they do get way involved. I loved it when Peaches got pissed at Claudia for constantly nagging her with tips on how to take care of a baby.
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Post by greer on Jun 9, 2006 17:32:57 GMT -5
I read everything too, even though I sadly have much of it memorized.
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Post by sparklymouse on Jun 10, 2006 13:49:55 GMT -5
Hmm. I've never even considered skipping over parts although I do skim chapter 2s. I've never had much interaction with kids so these books totally messed with my perception of them. Not only were the sitters super mature, but 99% of the time the kids were friendly, respectful, used proper grammer, prefered to do projects and play outside rather than watch tv/video games, etc. Any brattiness was for a specific plotline and then it was usually all better.
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Post by morbiddadestiny on Jun 10, 2006 23:03:36 GMT -5
What I hate about the baby-sitting plots is how the BSC always thinks it's their job to solve every kid's problem. In Abby and the Best Kid Ever, they're all wringing their hands because Sean Addison is convinced the BSC hates him. Boy is moving away, so who cares? Then in Abby in Wonderland, the BSC take it upon themselves to throw the Pike kids a fake beach vacation that spans several days. There are so many other examples, like Jamie being afraid of his bike and Halloween and all his other hang ups. The BSC took sitting way too seriously. Tell the kids to suck it up and let the parents deal with them. SERIOUSLY. i was so infuriated with the babysitting subplot of don't give up, mallory. buddy barrett calls the BSC during meeting hours, upset because he lied to lindsay dewitt about being in a marching band for the memorial day parade because he was jealous that she was marching (with her brownie troop). kristy gets all bent out of shape ("buddy said he's in a marching band? then we'll GIVE him a marching band!"), and voila, every other chapter i get ripped away from the ACTUAL plot to read about suzi barrett taping toilet paper rolls to cardboard boxes. UGH.
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Post by booboobrewer on Jun 11, 2006 23:08:09 GMT -5
I know! Like they could really play them anyway. I mean, kleenex boxes?
Speaking of Buddy, he certainly seemed to call the BSC a lot and not just at meetings -- he calls Dawn at home in Impossible Three, I think.
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Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
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Post by Amalia on Jun 12, 2006 0:44:44 GMT -5
^ Yeah, I keep wondering why they thought that those make-shift instruments would actually work. I mean, Claudia was all excited when she brought them over. Dumb.
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wanderingfrog
Sitting For The Arnolds
Official BSC Archivist
Posts: 2,552
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Post by wanderingfrog on Jun 18, 2006 13:07:42 GMT -5
I can understand people skipping Chapter Twos as kids, even though I never did, but it's kind of fun to read them as an adult because they are an absolute gold mine of things to snark. In Chapter Two, the ghostwriter tries to say the same old thing in a new way, and since there are only so many ways you can say the same old thing without sounding completely stupid, a lot of the time the stuff in Chapter Two is completely stupid.
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Post by booboobrewer on Jun 18, 2006 14:28:47 GMT -5
^That's true. I especially like the Lerangis-written chapter twos.
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lilafowler
Sitting For The Johanssens
Posts: 1,163
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Post by lilafowler on Jun 18, 2006 17:41:21 GMT -5
I hate Lerangis. He reminds me of the nerdy teacher in high school who tried pathetically hard to be hip.
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macca
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,084
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Post by macca on Jun 18, 2006 19:14:20 GMT -5
I hate Lerangis. He reminds me of the nerdy teacher in high school who tried pathetically hard to be hip. Total, TOTAL word. I couldn't possibly think of a better comparison. He's someone you'd almost feel sorry for because he just wouldn't receive the reaction he was so desperately aiming for. I remember his acronym love. Like in Stacey and the Bad Girls - "a nose ring is just NMS (Not My Style)". I know there are other examples, but I can't recall them at the moment. Even if the books didn't credit the ghostwriters, I think you'd be able to pick out the Lerangis-written books. They have a very distinct style.
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Post by booboobrewer on Jun 18, 2006 22:59:07 GMT -5
Heh. I found another one (Stacey and the Math Whiz):
"But Ms. Hartley came to the rescue. She gathered us backstage to do Zoo Crew. It's a great exercise she said she'd learned in acting class years ago. You ask yourself what kind of animal you feel like. Then you act it out. I thought, NFM (Not For Me.) Nerd City."
Those acronyms bugged me too. I've also noticed an inordinate amount of "I am soooooooo proud of you!"'s when someone has just won something or performed something well. And starting sentences with "Boy" ("Boy, had I blown it", etc.)
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