Brass Tacks

I came with open eyes

Big horizons and blue skies

I was ready to discover

To sleuth and to uncover

In the past five months on here

I’ve felt joy, seen threats and fear

I’m learning as I go

About the Myths, the Man, the Show.

What I see are islands, vast

A type of system, cast

Based on which way you believe

And the “facts” that you retrieve

We are a family joined

Our hearts have been purloined

By this man we want know

And his most exquisite show

As with all family trees

There are branches, there are leaves

When a bough is snapped away

The tree’s weaker from that day

This wasn’t always the case

There’s a history to this place

It began as Shippers, all

Unprepared for such a fall.

Shippers see only love

Like a beacon from above

Every gesture, every touch

Means so very very much

When that fall sadly came

And the Two denied the claim

The Anti’s then took form

Once Shippers, now forlorn

The Antis, spitting mad

Dig out darkness, see the bad

Feeling ever so deceived

By the love they once received

The Stans remain transparent

Their task the most apparent

Sam is the goal, the glory

Never waver, never sorry

The Mommies go to war

When others open a door

Explore beyond the script?

Find yourself a new one ripped

While I get their huge devotion

I dislike concealed emotion

As protective as a savage

Yet in dreams of him you ravage

Now a new breed of sister

One less focused on our Mister

One for whom division rules

And they’re using all the tools

These dividers live to block

Exclude others ‘round the clock

They surround themselves with peers

Differing opinions mean mounting fears.

Should I give up on this realm?

With conflict at the helm

And no solid, clear direction

Is it time for my defection?

Or can hope be enough

To sustain me through the rough?

Can we tolerate much more

When so many here abhor?

For now I can stay real

About Sam and his appeal

For he has awakened in me

What I thought could no longer be

So, I’m ready for this day

And I hope to find a way

For all to unite

And give up on this fight

Listen to each other

She’s your sister, he’s your brother

Embrace this family tree

and let your anger flee.

There’s enough sadness outside

Spots where evil does preside

Does it have to live here as well?

Only time can really tell. ❤️

I recently watched this interview with Caitriona and Sam where they talked about fans who feel “lied to” after learning that these two dynamos are not a couple off-screen.

Lies. Deception. Disappointment.

These are strong words.

It immediately transported me back to 15 years ago when I read the first book. One night I found myself wide awake at 2:00am, unable to put it down. In the morning, groggy and slightly forlorn, I reached out to DG on Messenger.

Me: How am I supposed to function in this world now? I have to beg my husband to go out and clean the snow off my car - meanwhile Jamie’s taking lashes for some girl he doesn’t even know!

DG: 😘

Therein lies the magic formula. DG is a modern woman who understands our needs and how to navigate them.

Now, I consider myself a feminist.

So, what is a “hero” today? I’m not talking about some Bubba’s idea of Utopia. I have no passive play-acting urge (sexual or otherwise) or desire to be subordinate.

I can clean off my car. I have the strength. I own mittens.

A hero, to me, is someone who recognizes that I have the ability to clean off my car, but wants to do it for me, anyway. A person who sees how much I would appreciate it. Someone who does these things without prodding.

I need a hero

I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light

He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon

And he's gotta be larger than life

- Bonnie Tyler

When you combine DG’s storytelling with Jamie/Sam, what you find is the kind of incendiary combination that makes fans feel like someone GETS them. Add the strength and scrappy resilience of Claire/Cait and it’s a home run.

We’re not damsels in distress. Jamie’s watchful, protective eye is noted and appreciated by us, but my heart pounds even more when he recognizes how important it is that she be able to defend herself with her own blade.

I mean, the most thoughtful and expensive gift he has given her (thus far) is her medical kit. This is Jamie’s way of showing Claire that he recognizes the importance of her skill and passion for healing. He’s not threatened by it. He’s paying homage to it.

Am I likely to find myself in a castle, bent over a table by some nut job sadist who abuses the power of his uniform to satisfy his twisted needs? Probably not.

Do I wonder if my husband would scale the castle walls and appear in the windowsill to save me “with nothing more than an empty pistol and my bare hands.” Sure I do. So do you, be honest.

Many of us cannot say we’re 100% positive if we’re with a JAMMF at all. It’s not like there are many opportunities to find out. There isn’t a single castle around where I live.

DG has a clear understanding of how hard women have fought (and are still fighting) in the search for equality. But, she’s also not afraid to recognize that we lost some good stuff along the way.

That space - the space where gestures and chivalry are still valued (perhaps more so because of their rarity nowadays) - that’s the space Jamie occupies.

Sam has brought those words, that voice, that warmth and awareness to life. He has filled in the gaps between who our mind’s eye thought Jamie was and who we now know, without a doubt, he is. That’s why some fans have trouble differentiation between Jamie and Sam. Because of how Sam has filled that gap.

Last week I was stepping over a bit of dodgy sidewalk in heels. My husband, without having to be asked, turned around and reached out to help me. Fifteen years later and here we are.

Did I crush him at Scrabble later, my heels in a pile by the door? Sure.

Did it matter? Nope. I had already won that night.

🤣🤣🤣

While I’ve only recently emerged in this particular fandom, I have extensive experience in several others. I have found it interesting to observe how the different subgroups coexist.

I can tell you with all honesty that I have seen myself dipping in and out of almost all of them. Anthropologically, this is a truly diverse society.

However, there’s a group of people in this realm who pose as fence sitters and use their exposure for the sole purpose of tearing Sam down. The level of overt toxicity is tragic, when you think of all the time they’re wasting on someone they supposedly dislike. They call it a “public service.” Delusions of grandeur. I pity you.

For my purposes today, I’m going to refer to them as SLAMs. They are lost and have founds themselves and their kin by slamming Sam relentlessly. They exist under a cloak of double anonymity that is neither honourable, nor courageous. Despite how well you conceal yourselves, the following is blatantly obvious about you:

- You fancy yourselves experts on public relations, yet you refute proof (sent to you in private, as a courtesy) when it is 100% concrete, because it doesn’t serve your disingenuous narrative. You come from a place of NO. I pity you.

- You question the business ethics of not only Sam but his partners, employees, accountants, lawyers, benefactors, family and friends. Do you think Sam has publicly set up this legacy to deliberately scam his fans, not to mention all of the above? This is an international company, who (while based in the US) reports income to several countries. Yet, you think a phone call to the IRS is going to be the thing that finally sh1tcans his career? (As you rub your hands together in hopeful glee). This is not your Uncle Pete’s lawn mowing business. Pick up a book. Learn about charities and partnerships before you comment again and reveal how little you understand. I pity you.

- You claim to be somewhat worldly and yet you do not have even a half-decent command of geography, time zones and privacy laws. I pity you.

- Your grasping, reaching, clawing to find *anything* negative from the tree planting event only served to reveal that: a) You know nothing about trees b) You assume the world plants trees the way you plant trees, c) You’re so resentful that you would begrudge an endeavour like this with no consideration of any good they achieve. I pity you.

- Your comments around the Gala tell us: a) You’ve never been at an event with French Service before, b) You’ve never been to a large conference of any size or kind real acumen and c) Your top (only?) skill is snark. I pity you.

- You demonstrate a new level of guile and hypocrisy by simultaneous accusing Sam of doing too much but also wanting him to do more. Stop calling it charity and using it for publicity Sam, but OH, how come you don’t auction off all your leather jackets, Sam? Which is it, Rainman? I pity you.

You don’t even have the conviction to own your narrative. You reblog every negative claim you see about Sam under the guise of “I just share what I get” as though you have no skin in this game. In reality, this is the only game you’ve got. I pity you.

Yesterday I was not exactly, well, unobsessed with thoughts of Sam in other roles. Since we have no way of projecting what opportunities are coming down the pike, I’m going to plant myself squarely in the past with this post.

Now, let me preface this by saying that I don’t actually hold much stock in reboots (except for my childhood favourite, The Planet of the Apes franchise.) But, were I able, I would make an exception to see Sam play any of these fascinating, nuanced, conflicted characters:

Ed Lealand - Shining Through

Ed’s stoic demeanour and economy of words are an enticing lead up to one of the most sweeping scenes of epic drama I’ve ever enjoyed. People who don’t like this film are usually just not Melanie Griffith fans. Sam would absolutely kick ass in this role. For the Linda Voss, I would cast Margo Robbie.

Charles Driggs - Something Wild

Uncomfortable, awkward Sam is something we almost never see. (When he’s in character, anyway. 😉) I would relish this offbeat opportunity, especially if Lili Collins played Lulu.

Frank Doel - 84 Charing Cross Road

This role would fit Sam like a comfy slipper. The epistolary format is charming. How do you have a poignant love story with no kiss? For the part of Helene Hanff it could be no other than Rachel Brosnahan.

Gary Simmons - Betrayed

I would be so excited to see what he could do with this multifaceted set of circumstances. Simplicity is often anything but. I would cast Anne Hathaway in the Deborah Winger role. Gak! I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

John Keating - Dead Poet’s Society

I would have Sam play this role as a British expat. Keating is all about warmth, belonging and Love as a concept of its own. There are many layers to this emotional onion. “Oh Captain, my Captain.”

Martin Vail - Primal Fear

What we have here is a jaded man who has seen it all. Or so he thinks. What does it feel like to surprise a cynic? For me, Reese Witherspoon would make a great Janet. (And I would build up her role more in my version).

Wardaddy - Fury

Just because he would completely embody this character - and it would be a blast! (No pun intended).

Newton Davis - Housesitter

Talk about an easy buck and great (but not at all on the nose) casting for Sam. Rebel Wison as Gwen would be perfect. We could all have used my version of this laugh fest during lockdowns. How good do you think Sam’s TooRaLooRaLooRa is?

Henry Young - Murder in the First

With the right director this would be an Oscar winning endeavour for Sam. This is gritty as hell. The kind of story that stays with you for a long time.

Denys Finch Hatton - Out of Africa

If I win the lotto, this will become my passion project. Without a doubt I would cast Saoirse Ronan as the indomitable Karen Blixen against Sam’s confident, free-thinking Denys.