DesertRat

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Posts by DesertRat

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  8

  Tough way to get your iron

  by MsMcDucket in

  1. social
  2. current

  119 nails removed from woman's stomach

  ap

  hanoi, vietnam (july 1) - physicians removed 119 nails - many of them rusty - from a woman's stomach months after she apparently swallowed them, a doctor said.

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  DesertRat

  OUCH!!!
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  92

  What keeps you from killing yourself?

  by AlmostAtheist in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  every once in a while, the whole "futility of life" thing washes over me and something inside of me mentions the suicide option.

  not that it's ever seriously considered, but one of the low-level accounting-types in my head quietly sends around a "worst-case scenario" memo that everyone reads, then dismisses.. after all, things always perk up.

  "but," reminds the pessimistic little guy that should've been fired years ago, "they always go back down, too.

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  DesertRat

  I could never begin to count the number of times I have considered suicide as a possible 'way out' of this life of torment (which includes the feeling of just 'never belonging' anywhere--in or out of the Org), but I think I have held back thus far for a number of reasons--among them the devastation that would undoubtedly be felt by those I left behind. I also know that I might very well not live to realize some of my most cherished dreams:

  Taking the keys to my very own Porsche 911 (my father's unrealized dream) & hearing those heavenly sounds echo off the mountainside as I tear up the twisting roads of Arizona's Rim Country..

  Travelling to Europe & exploring my ancestry--Ireland & Scandinavia (maternal side); Germany, Russia, & Lithuania (father's side)..

  Returning to Guatemala one day, this time as an adult & with the special respect & understanding of the culture which I have gained from my ongoing interest & exploration. Meditating in the ruins of Tikal & perhaps having the privilege of a personal blessing by an authentic Mayan priest..

  And now there is the realization that I would no longer be able to come to this site & experience the smiles, the chuckles, & sometimes even the tears that result from connecting with those who came out of similar bondage & who truly understand..

  How could I turn my back on a site that helped to save my life in the first place???

  DesertRat
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  6

  Just want to say Happy 4th to All !

  by restrangled in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  dear members of this forum:.

  we all have different opinions, and can argue our points "ad nauseam" but we live free, are able to speak our minds, and worship as we wish..or not.. i am not registered red or blue, but appreciate living in this country and the freedom to think for myself.

  i am wishing you all a great 4th and am glad most of you are my neighbors in one way or another!.

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  DesertRat

  To my fellow Americans:

  Have a SAFE, HAPPY, WONDERFUL, WORLDLY 4TH OF JULY HOLIDAY!!!

  To our good friends up North: Happy belated (sorry..) Canada Day..

  To all the rest: Peace & love to you wherever you may be..

  DR
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  17

  WHAT MAKES YOU GLAD TO BE ALIVE.............?

  by vitty in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i live quite a mundane and often boring life..................due to circumstances beyond my control,.

  but a few times a week i think "im so glad im alive "..............its usually when i take the dog out for a walk and see the lovely enviroment that im blessed to live in.. but today we fixed some lights up round the garden and now its gone dark finally ( 12pm).

  they look so beautiful, i was stunned, a photo couldnt capture it.

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  DesertRat

  Making new friends on this site, & catching up with existing ones..

  Early morning hikes to Wildhorse Canyon (my special hideaway in the Rincon Mountains)--watching the interplay of pink, orange, and blue as the sun rises over the ridge; hearing the birds come to life; watching the lizards scurry across the trail in front of me; sitting on a rock reading the Bible, the Popol Vuh (Mayan creation story), Tao Te Ching, or other inspirational work--& realizing that I don't need a man-made Organization to guide me in my quest for Truth..

  DesertRat
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  17

  Would you buy a white car?

  by JH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  many years ago, there were many white cars around, but since 10 years around here, maybe 1% of cars are white.

  and most of them are old cars.. i don't know if this is just a local thing, but you just don't see white cars anymore in most new car dealer parking lots.. for some reason, i still like white and haven't had one in years, and i do change car often, and was wondering if white is "out" and old fashioned now a days..... i think that there are many white cars where the climate is hot, but up here in canada, it ain't so..

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  DesertRat

  Here in the American Southwest, white cars are common & actually preferred because they don't seem to get dirty as quickly & are better suited to the hot climate..

  My last car was a white '91 Honda Prelude Si. The first 'sporty' car I ever had & also one of the first signs of my JW rebellion besides the goatee (the looks on their faces when I drove it to meetings or assemblies & parked in that sea of SEDANS...)

  In December 2004 I was driving it over Gates Pass (a very hilly road west of town) on a rainy day when I lost control & it flipped over. Somehow I came out of it with only a few scratches, but the car was totalled. It wasn't until three days later that I saw the extent of the damage, & I became an emotional wreck as they towed it away.

  God, I still miss that car

  DR
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  38

  Best Albums

  by Nosferatu in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  let's compile a list of albums that we can listen to without skipping a single song.

  the albums that don't have a single bad song on them!

  here's mine:.

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  DesertRat

  Here are just a few of my personal Best (in no particular order)..

  Moody Blues--Days of Future Passed

  Kansas--Leftoverture

  Pink Floyd--Dark Side of the Moon

  Triumvirat--Spartacus

  Rick Wakeman--Six Wives of Henry VIII

  Janis Joplin--Pearl

  Styx--The Grand Illusion

  Police--Synchronicity

  Dire Straits--Brothers In Arms

  Traffic--anything at all

  DR
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  32

  Hello...

  by gymbob in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been reading you all for a couple years now, it's about time i post.. the first thing i would like to say is....thank you.

  without this forum, who knows what my life would be like.

  you all have been such a big help to me since i left the witnesses about 4 years ago, and i'm very grateful to you all!.

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  DesertRat

  Warmest welcome to you, Gymbob..

  Yes, transitioning from 'prison' (the Org) to the 'real world' is not without its hurdles (I honestly thought it was just a matter of reading books like C of C & instantly becoming a 'changed person'...right), but it helps enormously to know that we are not alone in that struggle..

  Definitely write a book about your experiences--I would love to read it!!! I have begun a sort of 'life story' (of which the JW legacy is undoubtedly a major part) at the suggestion of my therapist. Not something I would ever consider publishing , but just the act of getting things out on paper is beneficial in itself..

  My very best wishes to you, & please come back often.

  DesertRat
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  36

  What is in your CD changer?

  by mavie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  haven't seen a thread about music here in a while.

  with the summer approaching for us northern hemisphere types, what is in your cd player?thom yorke - the eraserdeath cab for cutiedredg

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  DesertRat

  Various 'Best Of' or Greatest Hits compilations of my three favorite bands (aka my Holy Trinity)--Kansas, Yes, & the Moody Blues..

  DR
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  64

  What's Your Favorite Brand of Beer?

  by tfsm in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i know this is slightly off-topic but i find alot of the discussion here somewhat depressing and most of it is far too cerebral for me.

  i (obviously) live in america and i'm a big fan of beer.

  light, dark, lager, ale, whatever.

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  DesertRat

  Dark beers preferred here--Guinness or Murphy's Irish Stout. The darker the better. Stone Brewing Company in California makes an Imperial Russian Stout that is hard to find but excellent..

  As I live near the Mexican border, Tecate, Bohemia, & Negro Modelo are probably my favorite brands from there. From Canada, Molson & Labatt Blue. Beck's Dark & Spaten Optimator from Germany.

  Cheers!!!

  DR
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  20

  Do you still pass in front of your kingdom hall?

  by JH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  since the last few days, i pass right in front, and i noticed the vines growing on the side of the kingdom hall.

  now, the whole side wall is completely covered with vines.. looking at the vines, it reminded me of a face with a goatee or a beard.

  so, if they can have vines on their building, a brother should be allowed to have a goatee....

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  DesertRat

  Right on about the goatees, JH. One of the first signs of my rebellion. An elder called me into the 'back room' (i.e., inner sanctum) when I was 'fading' to talk about mine (but curiously could not provide me with a Biblical or WT source for the ruling...). Five years later, I still wear it proudly..

  My KH was never easy to get to in the first place, so I definitely see no need to drive by it now!!!

  So true, Lilybird, about the nice shiny new cars in the parking lot. Aren't they supposed to be 'simplifying' materially now that Armageddon is just weeks away??? Probably all of them four-door sedans too (another 'ruling' I could never find the source of..)

  DR