Posts by BeautifulGarbage

51

Body Image and Little Girls

by Princess in

jw
friends

i thought it would be around 12-13 years old.

this from a child who has heard how beautiful she is from strangers every day of her life.. who knew how cutthroat and competitive kindergarten girls are?

a thousand strangers calling her beautiful just can't compete with one five/six year old telling her she is fat and has ugly hair.

I wish I had good news to report, but it generally doesn't get better with age. The comments made can be brutal and the pressure to be "perfect" and "thin" only more intense, especially during the middle school years. Peers yield a mighty sword in this area.

Someone made a comment that those celebrities and models are "really" thin because the camera adds 10 pounds. That may have been true at one time, but not anymore. With the advent of computers, photos are easily brush and models "thinned". I saw an interview with a model that revealed that her photos were altered regularly, with the area of her waist being a place that was easily made smaller with computer software. Apparently, our daughters are trying to live up to something that even the models, themselves, cannot live up to.

Even the cameras on television fool the eye. Did you ever notice that celebrities rarely have any lines on their faces. Diane Sawyer, who is nearly 60, doesn't have a line on her face thanks to the camera lenses used. They even have TV camera lenses that "elongate" them so that they will appear thinner and taller.

12

Man-shaped pillow for solo sleeper

by ThiChi in

are men really this indispensable?

man-shaped pillow for solo sleeper.

by kaori hitomi in nagareyama, japan.

BeautifulGarbage

To be realistic, it needs to snore.

52

Do you like your name?

by Xena in

jw
friends

desib77 started a thread about changing her name.

made me think about my name, i've always liked it.

i doubt i would ever want to change it....so would you ever want to change yours and if so, to what?.

BeautifulGarbage

Growing up, I never liked my name. It's my parent's middle names put together. It's somewhat uncommon, but it's the spelling that always gets people confused. Even after 18 years, my sister-in-law STILL misspells it! Though, I have learned to take it in stride because it happens so much. I also answer to the variations of pronounciation.

But, what really used to get my tamale hot was that I could NEVER, EVER, buy one of those cool bicycle license plates as a kid. Geez, I hated that and was willing to change my name to Debbie, Anne, Betty, ANYTHING so I could get my hands on one of those babies.

35

Hot Saucing your children

by desib77 in

jw
friends

to me this seems cruel.

after my divorce i heard from a friend that my ex-husband's new wife was doing this to his son to stop him from telling lies.

i was very upset about it especially since he had learned to lie from his father.. i think it is mean, what do you think about it?.

BeautifulGarbage

That chick that played "Blair" on Facts Of Life, is a big advocate of hot-saucing kids.

I'm not suprised. She's a fundy. Spare the hot sauce, spoil the kid, and all that. However, I disagree that it teaches kids how to be cruel to their own children. My Dad did terribly cruel things to me, and my siblings, as children, and I vowed as a child that I would never do those things to my own kids. It's a vow I have kept. As for hot sauce, I'm extremely sensitive to spicy, or hot, food. It would have been cruel beyond belief if done to me. And, I would have carried the resentment until the day I died. My kids probably would not have been affected much. They like spicy foods. (Sorry about the italics, I couldn't get it to turn off)

45

A Very Sad Shell-Shocking Day

by Amazing1914 in

jw
friends

why is it our lot as former members of the watchtower organization to suffer so much emotional pain?

just when we think we have reached some level of putting it all behind us, something new pops up to bite us hard.

a couple that i have been very close to just sent me a very sad e-mail.

BeautifulGarbage

Yesterday, I get a long e-mail detailing how they finally got sick of ex-JW site, which only tell half-truths about the Watchtower Society. They went into how I am working and taking a stand against Jehovah. Finally, they talked about how they prayed, and asked Jehovah for help, and before long pride melted away, and they have seen the light. Their e-mail notified me that they were reinstated earlier this month. They concluded by urging me to leave the dark side, and return to Jehovah.

Jim,

I regret that you are distraught over the loss of your friends to the WTS. However, the dubious reason given does not convince me. Actually, it comes off as a being rather convenient one. And, quite frankly, most of us know that there is much more ?gentle? things to read than there are hostile. Also, there much more fact than fiction. In true diehard JW fashion, they CHOSE to focus on the hostile and the fiction and I refuse to take responsibility their decision.

Again, I do hope they can find their way out again. The choice is theirs.

12

Spoiled Children....

by desib77 in

jw
friends

i can't believe people actually pay this much for a birthday party.

spoil system fao schwarz has a birthday party to impress jaded juveniles -- and parents pay the price.

by laurie sandell

BeautifulGarbage

I'm not criticizing anyone. In fact, I don't even have children so it certainly wouldn't be my place. However, without generalizing that all children who are given what they want are spoiled I have just pointed out that some of them if not most of them are.
Also, if you'll notice the story I started the thread on wasn't about a child who has too many toys or is allowed to do whatever they want. Rather, it was about parents who spend $17,500 - $26,000 on one birthday party. In my opinion this is excessive.
I didn't say anything about adults not being spoiled. I know I am. I probably do have too many shoes....but that really wasn't the point. I wouldn't, even for myself or my husband, ever spend nearly $20,000 on any sort of party.

Relax, will ya?

Jeez.

I wasn't speaking to you specifically. k?

I was just presenting another angle. And I believe it to be a revelant one.

12

Spoiled Children....

by desib77 in

jw
friends

i can't believe people actually pay this much for a birthday party.

spoil system fao schwarz has a birthday party to impress jaded juveniles -- and parents pay the price.

by laurie sandell

BeautifulGarbage

I agree. Children from lower income families can also be spoiled. However, I tend to think that children who are given things constantly are most likely to not appreciate them.

Well, that can be true for adults, also. Most of us don't think anything of turning on the faucet and expecting CLEAN water to flow. We whine when the supermarket shelves on not stocked to the brim, or if we don't get good serivce. Many people on this planet cannot even dream of such things. I bet not many Americans stop to appreciate just how fortunate they are.

How many of us (especially us women) have way more pairs of shoes than we would possibly would ever NEED? We have so much stuff that we rent storage units, have garage sales, donate junk to charity,and now, even have TV shows telling us how to organize, and get rid of, all of our excess stuff.

Now, I understand the point of this thread. I know of a couple of families with kids that, in my opinion, over indulge their children. I have a friend whose house looks like a branch of ToyRUs. Toys everywhere. He has one son and this child is not spoiled. He has tons of toys, but is not a brat. Actually, I feel sort of sad for him, and I have expressed this to his Dad. I don't think kids should get everything they want. If finances allow, they should get something once in a while. Or, earn the money to purchase it themselves. I can remember, as a kid, wanting some toy, or some whachamacallit. Of course, being JWs I didn't have the option of getting it on my birthday, or Xmas. But, when I did get something I so desperately wanted, I can still remember the THRILL I felt at receiving. it. And that is why I feel sad for my friend's son, he will never know what that thrill feels like.

I agree with the "money is relative" quote. I feel very fortunate in my circumstances. We're middle class, own our home, and have a few nice things. However, to someone who has "more means" we live quite modestly and don't have much (like a plasma TV and a Hummer).

I suppose my point is, before we criticize, we need to take a look in the mirror first.

11

Bi Polor disorder

by Little Miss Eco Worrior in

im 20 years and i had been "studying" for a year, convinced that the world was going to end and if i didn't do as i was told that i would go with it.

encuraged to leave my parents and live on my own so i could reach my "potential" as young, no comitments etc...pioneer ugggh... creepy.

discuraged from going to uni, whats the point i might well focus my energy on more "productive" things.

BeautifulGarbage

I have two cousins that have Bipolar disorder.

One was raised a JW.

One was not.

The JW struggled for years. Told to "pray it away" by JW Mom. "Go out in service more" by her Elderette sister. Deemed family "black sheep" her life is marked by extreme emotional highs and long, very low, depressive states. Finally, she sought medical help in her early 30's. She still struggles, life patterns being difficult to change. Can't hold a job. Having a large JW family doesn't help, either. For the most part thinks the WTS is bull, but stays for the sake of relationships. Also, "The Dream" is hard to let go. On occasion, she lets slip how "in the new system" her condition will magically disappear.

The "worldly" cousin got treatment as soon as her parentes realized there was "something" wrong. Had her evaluated and began treatment. This cousin graduated from college and has a good job. She lives on her own and continues to have her condition monitored by a medical professional. Life is good.

I'm glad you are stable, going to school, and were able to break the WTS binds. Even if you were just studying.

Best wishes go you!

11

Bi Polor disorder

by Little Miss Eco Worrior in

im 20 years and i had been "studying" for a year, convinced that the world was going to end and if i didn't do as i was told that i would go with it.

encuraged to leave my parents and live on my own so i could reach my "potential" as young, no comitments etc...pioneer ugggh... creepy.

discuraged from going to uni, whats the point i might well focus my energy on more "productive" things.

BeautifulGarbage

I have two cousins that have Bipolar disorder.

One was raised a JW.

One was not.

The JW struggled for years. Told to "pray it away" by JW Mom. "Go out in service more" by her Elderette sister. Deemed family "black sheep" her life is marked by extreme emotional highs and long, very low, depressive states. Finally, she sought medical help in her early 30's. She still struggles, life patterns being difficult to change. Can't hold a job. Having a large JW family doesn't help, either. For the most part thinks the WTS is bull, but stays for the sake of relationships. Also, "The Dream" is hard to let go. On occasion, she lets slip how "in the new system" her condition will magically disappear.

The "worldly" cousin got treatment as soon as her parentes realized there was "something" wrong. Had her evaluated and began treatment. This cousin graduated from college and has a good job. She lives on her own and continues to have her condition monitored by a medical professional. Life is good.

I'm glad you are stable, going to school, and were able to break the WTS binds. Even if you were just studying.

Best wishes go you!

20

Settle a bet please... Prounciation of Ramen Noodles...

by Confucious in

jw
friends

please help me settle a bet.

i can't find anything on it on the internet.

i say "ray - men" noodles.

BeautifulGarbage

Never heard them pronounced any other way than RAH-MEN .

Kids in our area also like to eat them RAH, opps, I mean RAW (meaning uncooked)