Posts by Madame Quixote

33

Anger!!!!

by FlyingHighNow in

yesterday, when i was driving through holland, michigan, i was a little lost looking for the human resources office.

i was heading down a busy divided four lane street unfamiliar, when i looked up and there it was, a kingdom hall in all it's radiant three day quick-build glory.

and for the first time, rather than just the usual cringe, i felt angry!.

There are stages of grief, as I'm sure you've heard: denial (& sometimes bargaining), anger, grief, acceptance.

It's hard to get to the last one - acceptance, esp. since we're not truly grieving a death, (but it always feels that way, esp. in the early stages), and because there is always a small flicker of hope that the loved ones stuck in the cult will come out.

It's like coping with loved ones being in a coma. You accept it one day; but then, one day, you feel stark, raving mad over something that reminds you that your loved one is somehow choosing to stay in their little cult-induced coma.

You're perfectly normal; just don't let the anger eat you up. You seem to be active with your life - doing things outside of just being angry, trying to be part of the solution, rather than just ranting. Your political and social activism can be both helpful and educational, although it's easy to get stuck in the 'i'm right & you're wrong' jw mode. I think you're on the road to recovery, on the right track, though.

BTW, I fantasize about covering up all the local KH signs with bedsheets advertising the silentlambs website, with warnings about how the KHs are havens for child molesters. I will probably actually do it someday. At least doing that isn't vandalism or destroying personal property. It might violate some code or something, but hell, who cares?! As long as the JWs can't make any money for me doing it, I'd be satisfied.

I think it's hilarious that someone throws their trash on the KH lawns. I think I'd like to start doing that, too, although I am totally against littering and really fanatical about it! I have a car full of garbage sometimes . . . But, hmmm!

15

The Handmaid's Tale

by freedomlover in

has anyone read this book?

i found it among a stack of free books that our library has out each week.

it was a bestseller years ago.

Madame Quixote

This is a book well worth reading. I was nursing my daughter and found it compelling and moving at that time in my life. I think that I still would. It is very readable and thought-provoking. I guess you'd call it anti-utopian or something. I highly recommend it. Glad you found it!

6

So, how many "Big Love" Fans out there and why?

by Madame Quixote in

okay, against all my preconceived notions against polygamy i have become an avid fan of the hbo series, "big love.

" i'm totally hooked on it.

and why, if you care to share?

Madame Quixote

Okay, against all my preconceived notions against polygamy I have become an avid fan of the HBO series, "Big Love." I'm totally hooked on it. Anybody else? And why, if you care to share?

I'm fascinated with all the intrigues, manipulation, subtle and not-so-subtle intimidations, innuendoes, hypocrisies of the characters and the overall dramatic, social science of it.

There are many aspects of both the "compound" life of Roman's group and of the more urban subculture of Bill's family that correlate to high-control groups like the jws. I find it utterly fascinating and entertaining. I'm addicted to the show.

47

Big Love: Polygamy Loves Company

by rebel8 in

don't tell me none of you watched this?????

it's a new hbo series on sundays at 10 pm.

it's about a mormon offshoot group, complete with a commune, child brides, and polygamy.

Madame Quixote

Yes, I watched every episode so far, and I'm glad to know I'm not the only one fascinated - er, engrossed - by this show. I fully expected to hate it and decided to watch it just to see if it would be as awful as I expected.

I think it's brilliant and will definitely have a following with people from high-control groups. I don't think it glorifies polygamy in any way, nor does it condemn it. It explores and makes you think about it from more than a few angles, some angles I rarely thought about, even as a social science major.

There are so many fascinating legal, political (macro and micro), and philosophical discussions stimulated by this show: the fascism of the larger culture in protecting primarily nuclear families; the failure of the state to protect minors from religious abuse; role confusion and incest issues; cult/religion as organized crime; numerous feminist critiques from within the show itself and outside; whether or not polygamy could be made to work for families if it were legal; perhaps it really could?

I guess no matter what type of family units you're looking at, there are always advantages and disadvantages . . . what if polygamy were legal and all the wives were "first" wives, legally recognized by the state and protected? I think much of the problem with power struggles and manipulation would be minimized, although certainly not eliminated.

Because our culture is totally a hierarchical one, the family structures is, too, so we're conditioned to believe that's the only way, whether we're condemning or blessing polygamy, polyandry, matriarchy or patriarchy. The hierarchy of that "Big Love" family is pretty much male-domination and female competition for male approval and attention, which typifies not only religious cults, but religion and the state, in general, and, of course many, if not most Western families.

Dependency comes in all shapes and sizes. Yes, things are changing, but in some ways, they stay the same. Oh well, progress, not perfection.

Love this show, I guess for the same reasons I love "The Sopranos." The social psychology (and pathology) of it is fascinating! (And knowing the characters' terrible imperfections and damaged lives seem far more extreme than mine, well, that's definitely comforting, somehow, lol). You know, they're people you hate to love and love to hate, kinda' like the bOrg, I suppose.

99

Sign Governors' petition to President Bush to lower gas prices!

by FlyingHighNow in

our governer, jennifer granholm and other governors have come up with a petition to cap oil company profits and bring the price of gas down.

please read about it.

please sign it and encourage everyone you know to sign it.

Madame Quixote

Danielp - It seems that you understand the entire problem here, but are justifying it as okay when you say that the problem is scarcity,"Whether that scarcity is imagined or real, the perception of scarcity will drive prices higher." Of course, we all know that, (even those of us who've only taken Intro to Econ).

I think the whole point is that scarcity is not truly the issue, but that market manipulation (by the power elite) may be. Pretending that it's okay is reprehensible, especially if such manipulation is costing everyone else in many ways: not being able to care for one's family, get health insurance, go to the doctor, eat right.

Losing out on necessities to pay for fuel to go to work to make the rich richer and the poor poorer, (and to send the middle class into poverty), is simply unacceptable, especially if this scarcity is created artificially by those wealthy and powerful elitists, pontificating about supply and demand from the Ivory Tower.

That is the issue, I think. Note that all of the members of Bush's cabinet are multimillionaires, not people who can relate to middle or working class people, but people who benefit from soaring fuel costs and who suffer no consequences for it.

You can't really have it both ways, as you suggest, contradicting yourself. In any event, it is unhealthy for human beings to think only of the "big picture" without looking at the loss of health and life that results from a top heavy economy as ours has become.

99

Sign Governors' petition to President Bush to lower gas prices!

by FlyingHighNow in

our governer, jennifer granholm and other governors have come up with a petition to cap oil company profits and bring the price of gas down.

please read about it.

please sign it and encourage everyone you know to sign it.

Madame Quixote

I'll sign the petition, but I prefer the idea of everyone - (and I do mean everyone) - joining the boycott of Exxon and Mobil (largest suppliers) to force a price war. It would work. Share the idea with ten other people and have them share it with 10 more,and really stop buying from Exxon Mobil, and whammo! Before you know it, price wars, competition among the oil companies forced to lower their prices due to consumer demands/lack of it. . . much better idea than the 1-day boycott of the whole industry cuz we gotta use our cars, ya' know. The chain mail I got about it the other day claims the idea came from a retired Coca Cola executive. Seems like a pretty savvy idea to me. Pass it on. Why not? I think it's worth a try, so I'm doing just that.

19

TRIPLETS STICKING TOGETHER

by SWALKER in

.

porcupine babies often do stick together!

swalker

Madame Quixote

The baby porcs are sorta' cute, and as for the potatoe with legs, wellll, he's probably cute to his mama. To me, it looks like a root that took some poor rat's teeth. I guess mole rats live under ground, huh? Maybe looking like that protects them? Yeah, it does look like a tuber with teeth and feet, lol!

17

First Ever Birthday Present From My Parents!!!

by SWALKER in

.

my parents are 80 yrs old and today they stopped by with a wrapped birthday present for me!

i don't know what to say..... swalker

Madame Quixote

SWalker - That's so, so, so sweet. It makes me feel like there's hope after all (and there really is). Thanks for sharing that little story.

I think I'd swoon right off the stairwell if any of my jw relatives ever did that. Lovely, just lovely! Thanks again for sharing it.

Also, I'm glad they got you something you wanted. That's too perfect!

And anewme - You made me laugh when you started talking about dishes. I've been growing a little obsession for crystal glassware, myself. A lady I worked for collected art and a lot of dishes, too. And she gave me a few things; now I'm much more appreciative of art glass and crystal than ever before. I keep thinking about buying all these lovely things . . . plates and ceramics and all kinds of artsy-kitcheny glassware. I love the functional, sculptured kitchen gadgets, too.

Enjoy your new dishes, SWalker! And happy belated birthday!

11

My Birthday

by Madame Quixote in

april 21 was my birthday and only one person knew or cared (and it was not my mom or dad).

it was my daughter.

the delights of having a jehovah's witness family do not end.

Madame Quixote

Thanks everybody! I'm definitely over feeling sorry for myself. I treated myself to some new clothes this week and got a cute new pocketbook, too.

Anyhoo, done with being blue (for now).

I really do appreciate the birthday wishes! Sorry I didn't see them before now, and say thanks sooner!

It's really delightful what you do with computer graphics nowadays.

Thanks again, everyone for the well wishes and the birthday wishes and all the adorable piccies!

You really put a smile on my face. Hope I can do the same for you sometime, too!

11

Diet, exercise, post inury -- any suggestions?

by Madame Quixote in

the week before i broke my foot, i resolved to join weight watchers and start exercising.

now, i'm still planning to do it, but have a great excuse not to bother with either one right now.

and in order to deal with anything, i have to go up and down my staircase to get outside!

Madame Quixote

Thanks everyone for all the info. I agree with you about not re-injuring myself. After the cast comes off, I'll start going to the Y down the road from me for a few swims or something. Until then, I'll just try to lay off the fatty things and enjoy the veggies & fruits as much as possible. Maybe I'll start Weight Watchers this week. Thanks again!