Posts by Madame Quixote

11

Special Talk on Saturday @ 3PM?

by Morocco in

jw
friends

i was talking to a friend and he said the co (i think) was coming down this saturday for some special talk at 3 pm.

i don't ever recall special talks on a saturday, or as late as 3 pm -- what could it be?

unless i misunderstood that it was the co, maybe it was someone else.

Madame Quixote

Whenever a CO or DO visited, (in the 'late '70's/early '80's), there often were "special" talks on those Saturdays. <p>

Thankfully, the traveling overseers - or whatever we used to call the bloated bastards - didn't visit too often. <p>

Usually, people were expected to go out in field service with the overseeers that same day and some lucky lady got to do the big shabang dinner for him too. <p>

I vaguely remember one such talk was a slide show, with some stranger bragging about the world wide work and the visitor's travels to some distant land.

2

Mail feature disabled?

by Madame Quixote in

i am using a new computer, so i'm pretty sure it has something to do with that; but, i don't know the solution.

any suggestions as to how i can use the mail feature at this board again, if i need to?

thanks.

I am using a new computer, so I'm pretty sure it has something to do with that; but, I don't know the solution. Any suggestions as to how I can use the mail feature at this board again, if I need to? Thanks.

24

Southern Minnesota Meetup.com group

by Abandoned in

hey, i've been looking into setting up an ex-jw meetup group on meetup.com.

according to their site, there is already 29 people within one hundred miles of rochester who have signed up to the site saying they would be interested in a meetup.

the problem is it cotst either: $19.00 for one month, $45.00 for three months, or $72.00 for six months.

Madame Quixote

January?! In Minnesota?! I'd only come up there on a mighty warm day, even to see your cute face, Abandoned! Catch you there in the summertime, maybe? I'm used to this hell-hole weather in North Carolina - hate the summers here! I think it's close to the 70's today (Jan. 3). I have my windows open. It's supposed to go to 74 tomorrow:

http://www.weather.com/weather/local/USNC0760?sourceid=mozilla-search

Don't think I could take Mn. weather this time of year. C-U in the summer.

7

What do you do.......

by Heather in

when your jw family member tells you it would have been so much better if you had just faded instead of daing yourself.

that to them daing yourself is much worse then dfing yourself.

if only you had hung in there and faded they would treat you as family but now it tears at them that they can't talk to you.

Madame Quixote

Heather - I wish I had an answer to this, other than to say that "what's done is done" and your personal integrity matters more to you than it does to your mom, apparently. She is still talking to you, afterall, although perhaps not about things you'd like to talk about.

You asked:"Do I just tell her how I NEVER want to go back again or just lie and play along and hope in 20 years she will speak to me like a normal family member. "

I've been waiting over 25 years for that to happen since my d'f'ing at 15, and no such thing's happened, although my family, esp. my mom, bent the rules a lot, off and on over the years, only to pull away very strongly whenever "counselled" - (or, rather, reprimanded for their waywardness) - to do so. I found, eventually, that it's just too painful to keep putting myself and my child through a kind of "Stockholm Syndrome" situation, where my wishes were not respected.

I've just chosen to stay away from them. For me, that's the best course, although it doesn't have to be that way for everyone.

I myself have often thought about getting re-instated and then fading away, but I feel it isn't worth the trouble. Would it be worth the hassle to do that for you? Only you can decide.

You can also set boundaries with your mom, since she's still talking to you about it; and just tell her the truth; it depends upon what you are able and willing to put up with from her and from the Society. Personally, my tolerance for all the boundarylessness of such a situation is completely gone, and I am A-Okay with setting my boundaries as I have. But it took a lot of years to get where I am, with no support from anyone who really understood the 'lowdown' on JWs. There are a lot of people here who have tried and successfully done other things than my way, and many who, like me prefer to be brutally honest with their JW families and leave it alone.

Whatever you do, do what's best for you and your children. Above all, be happy!

15

back after a strange year. update

by fairchild in

jw
friends

hi i am back.

haven't posted here in a long time.

i even went back to the jws for a while and then quit again.. i lost my best friend to throat cancer in march 2006. we had been very close for 14 years and i was convinced that i would still be able to 'feel' him, or best case scenario, 'talk' to him after he died.

Madame Quixote

Hey there, fairchild. Sounds like you've been through quite an emotional rollercoaster. I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. May you find new friends and comfort and wholeness as you continue your journey. Sounds like you've been doing a little denial and bargaining - totally normal grief reactions to such loss. I hope you can stay and keep us up to date on your growth. I am glad to hear that your other friend survived his ordeal and sorry he had to go through all that. It seems awful for him; it is common to experience that kind of reaction to NDE, as well. Some say it is a spiritual thing; others have different theories. Regardless, if the experience helps a person to live a fuller life afterwards, then perhaps the trauma is worth it; I hope so. And I hope your friend recovers well. Glad you have returned to this forum. Best wishes!

25

What makes you HAPPY about life when it all seems so FUTILE?

by hamsterbait in

jw
friends

just saw the film "perfume".

that poor baby.

aaaahhhhh.

Madame Quixote

(((Hamsterbait)))

Knowing my daughter is growing up in a way that allows her to grow and accept things as they are - rather than being brainwashed as we were - makes me happy.

Knowing that IF I am living on a "sinking ship," - as the JWs would have me believe - and knowing I haven't sunk yet, makes me happy!

Life is challenging and often depressing, but it is never futile to steer your own ship.

No matter how calm or stormy the seas may be, it is not futile to hang on and get past the rough patches.

Been there, done that; this too shall pass. I promise.

If you need help, get it. Here for you!

You will have better days; sometimes you just need to cry and move on when you're done. Someone suggested a timer and a pity party; that's okay, too. Just try not to exceed your time limit for that.

Someone mentioned they sleep a lot due to depression; that's okay as long as you can get past it. It's always been a challenge for me not to oversleep. I've been sick and dragged myself to work Monday and Tuesday, but stayed home in bed 'til 2 today. Don't want to make it a habit; sometimes you need a "health" day, though.

Hope you're feeling better soon, Hammie!

27

Is it wrong to be proud of achievements?

by free2beme in

jw
friends

i don't want to have this come across as bragging, but i have to explain this to ask this question.

okay, where i work is a call center and i do sales, along with customer service.

for the last five years, out of 2500 representatives online nationally, i have been number one in sales for all months and years.

Madame Quixote

Be proud, be gracious, and move on. This company's managers probably have someone over them wondering what the heck is going on because many people are willing to take a pay cut for the prestige it offers and to get out of sales because they hate it. Don't you think they moved into the management positions before they started making more than their bosses? How many upper-level managers NOW make what you make? They probably took the offers to move up before they reached the ability and skill level you've attained. There probably is a mgr up there who was and is out-shined by you, and now's the chance to show you up. I agree with what avidbiblereader says. Put yourself on the "auction block" and show them up, instead of remaining a moving target. Good luck and do be proud and gracious! You have worked long and hard; you deserve better for your efforts.

53

would you all consider this a serious threat????

by annalice in

jw
friends

let me start by saying that i have posted here before about my wacko sister -in-law.

this time it is bad.

we recieved a phone call from my husbands father on friday night asking about how we were and what we were up to ,no biggie just odd since its only maybe the second time in over a year that he has called.

Madame Quixote

Annalice - Thank you for taking time to respond here. I am glad to hear you are okay. Stay well and get your blood pressure down. Things will be fine if you let it go to the authorities; hope the lawyer isn't going to be very expensive.

When you say your SIL is whacko, you do mean crazy, right? If so, it really is best to just let the police and postmaster deal with it.

She started it with nasty letters and stalking you.

You do have the right to live your lives in peace.

Congratulations on the baby to come. When are you due? Take care!

(Again, I'm really glad you responded here; there are a few crazies in my JW family and if I got mail like what you got, I'd be a bit concerned. Not everyone can relate to it, but that's okay; not everyone has relatives who've been confirmed mentally ill).

10

What is the societies cut on bethel tours ?

by 5go in

seems they must get something from them ?

i mean it's a company that runs soley on jw's going to thier holy sites.

lol

Madame Quixote

"foregleam" or "Phlegm"?

20

My Article On Prof. Tom Wessels Online - Evolution, Bible, Climate Change

by Seeker4 in

i had posted part of this article earlier, and said when the full text went online, i'd post the link to the magazine.. this is the third issue of a new magazine i'm working on with two friends who started the magazine idea.

the link will bring you to the current cover, and just hit "feature story" on the left hand side.

http://www.peoplesvoicemagazine.com/.

Madame Quixote

Very nice article. I enjoyed reading it. Wish I could write like that for income!

I agree with the question about "reciprocal altruism." It is not likely that homonids would have survived into, or past, the H&G stage of existence without evolving some form of reciprocity at some point in our history; however, calling such reciprocity "altruistic" is perhaps merely a problem of semantics.

I believe reciprocity of all sorts evolved for very functional reasons, while altruism is a very debatable philosophical theory. Proving such a philosophical theory with scientific, archaeological evidence might be more daunting than establishing general theories on reciprocity, but Wessell apparently knows more than I do about it.

Anyway, it is a very nicely written article and the guy sounds like he really knows what he's talking about. He is very articulate. I would love to see an elaboration/continuation of the discussion about the "stalling of the Gulf Stream" and about the historical record on previous global climate changes.