Rachel’s coming out

Ok, so I’m a little slow on the uptake and never read this before today, but it just occurred to me that the tmf_Drabble4 piece is a prequel drabble on how Rachel came out in TSS. How did I not know this?

Anonymous asked: Hi there, what is the name to the TSS sequel. I'm kind of looking blind in the drop box. Thanks

There is not a direct sequel to TSS.  However, there is Psychology of the Unconscious, which is more of a spin-off/different point of view than a sequel.

You may also be thinking of the original form of TSS, And Isn’t This Exactly Where You’d Like Me, which is different from TSS in several ways, but the original concept—Rachel discovers that Quinn is a stripper—is the same.

Hope this helps!

Anonymous asked: Is there a sequel to TSS?

Nope. That’s why Faberry post-TSS is so interesting to discuss.  It ends in such an ambiguous way, anybody’s interpretation is a good one.

I will, however, offer you this.  Consider it an alternate perspective on TSS.

So remember when TMF put that preview to the sequel of TSS on her tumblr?

WELL.

You can now find it in the Tumfslove dropbox.  Here.

Thanks again to the lovely seriouslyaskew!

I’ll put a permanent link in the Works section shortly.

ebriustegan asked: That is a good point, but I think maybe Rachel dislikes asparagus because, well, she IS a vegan, and with so many vegetables on earth, surely there's one she doesn't like? Even people who love meat (like me) have certain meats that just aren't appealing to them. I, for one, do not like ham. It's tolerable, sometimes, but most times (especially when it's cold) I would prefer to eat something else.

This is a very valid point.

I suppose the antagonist in Fuck Asparagus: The Musical would have to adore asparagus above all other vegetables.

ebriustegan asked: i personally do not like asparagus. i used to, when i was a kid, because my mom told me they were trees. but i think that quinn and rachel dislike asparagus because it's nasty and it has nothing on artichoke!!

While I agree that artichokes are amazing, I am also a huge fan of asparagus.  I suppose I find it odd that Rachel would dislike any vegetable because of her vegan lifestyle.  I mean, of course, vegans can like and dislike whatever they want, but generally all vegetables are welcomed with open arms.

From Diannascelery:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/7p5wyh

Here’s a download to “and isn’t this exactly where you’d like me”

I forgot that I had downloaded it to my phone a while ago and I just now found it. Enjoy! :)

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!  This will appear on the Works page soon. :)

fallintolife asked: two things: first, my favorite line of TSS is and always will be, "are you fucking the onion?" and second, in regards to whether or not Faberry will last post-TSS, I don't have enough information to confidently say. I feel as though we needed to see more of them. they had been together less than a year, and while they made it separately through huge stresses, those weren't as a couple, which is the real test.

What a classic line!  TMF, a true genius. :)

It’s true—the majority of the crises Quinn and Rachel go through in the story are not together as a couple, but as separate parties.  Both parties provide support, but they are not acting as a conventional unit.  It does call into question whether or not they would be capable of overcoming obstacles as such.  Interesting indeed.

Anonymous asked: ... I actually called that out (Rachel's unreliability) in a review back when the story was still in progress. :P But Quinn, to anyone who has been through similar life experiences that would make them afraid to verbalize feelings, sends some very LOUD signals that she cares, even early in the story, or at least that's how I felt.

Well, yay for being an astute reader :)

I agree.  Quinn’s cautious when something is important to her. The more she cares, the more cautious she is—essentially the polar opposite of Rachel’s reactions.

Anonymous asked: Bear in mind, Rachel is an unreliable narrator for most of the story (which isn't fully revealed until the middle), so don't trust her interpretative skills. Trust the observations of actual words/behavior. Also, the whole story is littered with examples of how much Q succeeds once she puts her mind to something, so. I think they're safe, in the long run. Will they still fight about things? Absolutely, but that's *normal*.

 This is usually how I interpret Quinn and Rachel’s prospects for a future post-TSS, Anon, so I’m right there with you.  They go through so freaking much to get where they end up.  The question the others seem to be raising though is whether or not where they end up is actually a solid place to be.

I think it’s interesting, however, that you bring up Rachel being an unreliable narrator, and use that as a reason to justify looking outside of Rachel’s romanticized/idealized viewpoint to contextualize the relationship, rather than a reason to call the relationship into question.  It’s also interesting that you mention Quinn’s inability to verbalize her feelings for Rachel in a conventional sense, but see that as more of a “tip of the iceberg” type of thing, rather than a red flag.

I can’t help but wonder if that reasoning is a direct result of TMF herself emphasizing the idea that “just because Quinn doesn’t say ‘I love you’ doesn’t mean she doesn’t it feel it tenfold” on her blog several million times.  Keep in mind, this is information we as readers wouldn’t normally have if, say, TSS was a novel.  Most authors don’t explain those otherwise unknown aspects of their characterizaton.  And even if they do, a lot of people don’t know it until much later.

I suppose the next step would be to try to interpret Quinn’s behavior towards Rachel, ignoring all of that.  Do her actions indicate that she is in this for the long hall with Rachel?  Do they indicate that Quinn understands the necessity of both trust and communication in order to maintain a successful relationship with Rachel?

I dunno, Anon.  I need to read it again.