NS Advent Calendar 2007 - Gifts of Meaning - Complete

[Julie]

This is for those of you who feel like leaving longer, quoted reviews of the fanfiction Gifts of Meaning. You can only find the story at the Advent Calendar, so check it out

[Kit Merlot]

I just read the first chapter, and the story is wonderful!

But it does kill me that Chloe has somehow convinced herself that she isn't enough of a challenge for Lex, and that he is going to leave her.

I can't wait to see what happens next


Oh, and the new Chloe icon looks gorgeous as well

[Kit Merlot]

JUst read the second chapter, and Lex's wanting too build Chloe her own greenhouse for her coffee beans is an incredibly sweet gesture.

Can't wait to see what Dec. 3rd brings!

[Linda]

Sorry, I just found this thread and didn't know that you could leave feedback here as well, that's what happens when you don't take the time to read things properly!!!!Thank you for taking the time to write this amazing story and create the fantastic icons and wallpaper. I love them all especially the black and white Naughty Seduction that was posted tonight.I'm really loving this story as I said it's making me go all gooey! Your Lex is just so sweet and loving and all the things every girl wants for her own.I just hope that Chloe chills out before she does anything rash like breaking his heart cause it will be a blue Chirstmas for both of them is she does.The advent Calendar is a superb idea.

[hfce]

I just read the past three days They were great. I can't wait until day 4. Chloe girl you are a challenge to Lex and he loves it.

[Kit Merlot]

Just read Dec 4th, and I feel so badly for Chloe--she is making herself sick from all of this stress, and it's completely unnecessary.

And on a sidenote, I visited a coffee plantation when I was on vacation in Hawaii and it was damn impressive what the coffee growers have to go through

[skauble]

nonky, I didn’t get a chance to tell you how much I loved this yet, so here it is.

This part was wonderful! I love the misunderstanding that’s happening here. Watching the two of them working at complete cross purposes seems like such a Chlex thing to happen.

Both Lex and Chloe have been really hurt before and had their worth doubted for years; never feeling good enough, always seeming second best. Even though they’ve been together for a while, I think that it’s natural that they still have some lingering insecurities.

I know that we’re seeing Chloe’s here, but I think that we’re also seeing Lex’s, too.

She was Chloe Abigail Sullivan, and what she had to offer wasn't hidden or exaggerated. She was barely twenty-one, had a long way to go before she accomplished anything as brilliant as her lover, and she was holding him back. He deserved to have someone more like himself and maybe she would do better with someone more ordinary than Lex Luthor.

I find it very realistic that if Lex became vague and secretive one of Chloe’s first thoughts would be that he might be tired of her. Clark always left her feeling second best, so with a man who seems to have his pick of any woman in the world, there’s got to be some fear in Chloe that Lex will wake up one day and realize that she isn’t what he really wants.

Add to that that Chloe’s a journalist – a great journalist. She’s probably even more sensitive to the fact that Lex is hiding something from her than a normal person would be. With her self-esteem issues, it’s not surprising that she’d take the view she took, IMO.

Also, is the fact that Lex’s issues are clearly coming to the forefront. Sure, his are manifesting in an adorably sweet way, but they’re still there. He feels like he needs to do these things for Chloe, not because he thinks she needs the grand gesture, but to prove to her that he’s committed to her and their life together. I think that Lex has been told he’s not good enough for or at relationships so often that he really feels the need to give Chloe some kind of tangible proof of his devotion.

I actually really felt bad for both of them here. Lex is so happy that he’s going to be able to show Chloe how much he loves her and Chloe is so sad thinking she’s loosing him. They’re both so desperately in love.

The way that Lex took care of her when he thought she was sick was so tender and loving. I love to see Lex when he’s caring for someone he loves.

Once the door was opening she couldn't bear it, and Chloe sat up.

“Lex? I missed you. I didn't say it earlier, but I did.”

His voice was smiling when he replied. “I love you.”

This was perfect. Even though Chloe thinks he probably doesn’t want her anymore and even though her heart is breaking, she can’t stand the thought of him leaving without knowing that she missed him.

Wonderful update, nonky. The revelation of what Lex is doing is going to be so much sweeter because of the confusion. I can’t wait.

~Sarah~

[hfce]

I love part 4. I can't wait to read the next installment.

[somethingeasy]

Chapter Five
I was ROTFLMAO at how Lex was constantly being thwarted in his determination to build the greenhouse with his own (LOL) ‘carpentry skills’ and his own two hands. ROTFL! The ridiculous madman really expected that he would be able to build a greenhouse from scratch without ANY prior experience in carpentry. I once tried to build a chair, and after completion I was afraid to sit in it for fear that it will collapse and leave me injured with a punctured lung from a wrenched metal armrest rod (I’m serious!).

AT least Lex’s glass suppliers were cautious (and sensible) enough to REFUSE to sell huge panes of glass to the mad billionaire unless he guaranteed that he would be using professional help (of the glass workers variety, although I’m sure they would have been happy to suggest some professional help of the psychiatric kind as well, LOL).

It was hilarious how Lex kept getting wooden splinters from every time he touched the boards. The stupid, STUPID man. Did he learn nothing from his bout as a digger, and he STILL has not figured out the value of appropriate protective gear. I bet he didn’t even think of getting gloves or protective eye wear.

Thank HEAVENS he stopped before he got too far along and really did some serious injury to himself. Chloe is going to have a hell of a time screaming at his foolishness, and then laughing at his naivety, LOL!

He picked up the phone and called the building supply. He ranted about substandard products and generally made the manager antagonistic, until the man sniped, “If it's impractical to sand down the entire structure, it's pretty impractical to have a billionaire novice building the thing! Why don't you do us all a favour and start with a bird house or something?”

LOL! I loved how the manager finally lost his patience, and just let Luthor ‘have it’ with his lost temper. And it’s hilarious how Lex responded to the snippy, snarky tone much better than when the manager was trying reason and logic. I guess Chloe has created in Lex the habit to capitulate ‘only’ in response to a snarky, sarcastic, mocking tone. Heh, let’s hope that Lex’s business colleagues never discover this ‘conditioning’ of Lex, LOL!

The finshed greenhouse sounded beautiful. It turned out to be a good thing that Lex was finally forced to utilize professional help for building it. And I really loved how he ran through all the various proposal techniques, locations, times, and everything.

She'd probably be too distracted by the coffee. I could ask her in bed, but I'd be too distracted. Maybe I'll ask her under the Christmas tree.

ROTFLMAO! Hilarious! Loved this part. And I can’t wait to see how it goes… I look forward to the rest of the story through the rest of the month… Good luck, Nonky.

[somethingeasy]

Chapter Six
I finished reading your latest chapter, and it was fantastic. I really loved how Chloe is mood-swinging between grief and a determination to be cheery and MOVE ON. Heh, poor Chloe! If only Lex was really that easy to get over.

I loved the gift basket and Chloe’s sharp, cynical assessment on what it means to get this ‘seemingly’ impersonal gift from Lex. I have to admit, Lex is not doing a lot in making himself look good if he’s sending over a generic gift basket for Chloe. Of course I’m sure there had been a personal touch in there ‘somewhere’, if only Chloe had been able to work up the strength to look through the poor misunderstood basket, LOL!

I was ROTFL at the way Chloe was even more peeved by the way the basket had nothing ‘useful’ like strong, mind-numbing liquor to help her deal with her pain. LOL! That would actually be a more practical gift for Lex to have presented to all his exes instead of diamond earrings, ROTFL!

Lex had tried his usual gift-giving routine with her three and a half years ago. When their relationship was decided to be a stable thing he had flowers sent every week, along with a little present. Sometimes the present was wonderful and sometimes it was just puzzling. Chloe didn't wear silk scarves and she carried a backpack instead of a purse; Lex sent her purses and scarves. She asked him about it and he claimed to think they were safe gifts, ones she would like and he knew how to choose. She told him presents weren't necessary, he said he liked giving her things and she was charmed.

Two months passed before she received a duplicate present and realized Lex didn't do anything except have someone else send her things. She made herself wait until their next date and told him she didn't want any presents. His face had fallen, and she stood her ground. If she wanted a token of his butler's affection she could date his butler. A long, tedious explanation had convinced him it wasn't the quality or variety of presents bothering her. He insisted he liked giving her presents and even when he couldn't do it personally he took pleasure from knowing she would be opening a token from him that day.

“Buy me something from here,” she had said, stopping him in front of a newsstand. “Something you think I'll like. I don't care that nothing here costs more than $10 or is meant to last longer than a month.”

He asked her to wait and came back four minutes later with chocolate covered almonds and a news magazine. She smiled and marveled at his over-gifting. He had taken three magazines and spent $20. He held out the top magazine to her and the candy.

Squeeee! I loved this part. It was fascinating seeing how Lex had this ‘idea’ on what constitutes ‘gift giving’ in a relationship. The poor idiot dope! He’s really had a BAD education when it comes to dealing with real-people relationships if he thinks that expensive presents delivered on a regular schedule is the best way to keep a girl feeling ‘special and loved’. Poor, POOR idiot sap! I truly feel sorry for him if THIS is the standard and quality of girlfriends he had become used to. No wonder he fell for and latched onto Chloe so hard and fast, if he had been used to THOSE kind of women before her. She must have appeared like an absolute divine angel compared to his former dates.

It was fabulous how Chloe explained (undoubtedly using small and easy-to-understand words) to Lex about how ostentatious, but impersonal gifts are not as special and well-received as the simple, cheap gifts that are bought with thought and care and PERSONAL attention. LOL! At least Lex grasped the concept quick enough.. LOL, so quickly that he rushed off immediately to buy the gift that fitted this new ‘definition’ of gift. His ‘get up and go’ attitude was illustrated in such a darned cute way over here, ROTFL!

The more she thought about it the names came easily. Dozens of guys had shown interest in her, but she was taken and happy. She saw them but never gave them any encouragement. A lot of them were still around, and maybe they were waiting for the day she smiled differently or looked into their eyes. She didn't need to be dating someone. Schoolwork and the newspaper kept her amply busy. Her free time was limited.

Chloe was pretty, smart and fun. She was brave and her expectations were reasonable. She liked pizza and burgers. A date didn't have to be anything more than walking around. She was used to Lex working all the time and never being interested in student functions. There was no arguing the appeal of Lex's designer clothes but she liked casual clothes. She was just as impressed when someone brought her coffee as if he picked her up in a town car.

She'd worked very hard on her self esteem and it was stronger. Lex wasn't the only person she could love. He wasn't the last man who would want her.

I really enjoyed this part as well. It was lovely how Chloe is going through this determined attitude to be ‘happy’, desirable and wanted, no matter how miserable, rejected and lonely she really feels. It’s actually good to see that Chloe ‘could’ have been able to get over Lex relatively easily… once she gave herself sufficient time to get over him. She knows how lovely, attractive and desirable she is… and just because one guy has (seemingly) rejected her, yet again, doesn’t mean that she’s going to think that he life is over. LOL! Although I think there will be quite a few stupid rebounds she’s going to make before moving on for real to another worthy guy.

Jumping up from the bed, Chloe wrote a quick note and taped it to the basket inviting people to help themselves to anything from it. She dragged it off the desk and kicked it into the hallway, locking it out.

LOL! Bye, bye gift basket. I hope there was nothing especially important and irreplaceable in you. Dear heavens I hope Lex didn’t have the bright idea to stick a wedding ring in there, ROTFL!

She was going to look until she saw someone who appealed to her. As it was it seemed like she was months behind Lex in moving on.

Squeeee! This is going to be SO much fun… Let’s find out who the lucky rebound guy is… and how Lex is going to react once he finds out that Chloe has jumped some other man. I can’t wait until tomorrow… Good luck with the update