Pierced Angel

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Posts by Pierced Angel

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  23

  PLEASE GIVE BLOOD

  by Tina in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for those who can,please do today!

  tina.

  carl sagan on balancing openness to new ideas with skeptical scrutiny..."if you are open to the point of gullibility and have not an ounce of skeptical sense-you cannot distinguish useful ideas from worthless ones.

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  Pierced Angel

  I'm giving blood for the first time today.

  I hope others will too. Now's the time to show that we are care about others.

  Anne

  "When caught between two evils I generally pick the one I've never tried before." Mae West
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  48

  Coming to Toronto this month? Sign in here!

  by peterstride in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hey all,.

  just to get an idea as to how many people are coming to toronto for the next apostofest, in case i need to make reservations at various places...all because the toronto international film festival will be taking place on the same weekend!

  when you let me know if you're coming, also state on which day you'll be arriving and which day you'll be departing.. thanks, .

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  Pierced Angel

  Of course I'll bring something.

  I don't go anywhere without bringing treats or surprises Peter.

  Anne

  "When caught between two evils I generally pick the one I've never tried before." Mae West
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  76

  I Said Goodbye

  by Farkel in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my father was rushed by ambulance from his rest home to st. marks hospital in salt lake city, utah friday, but i only just heard about it.

  i received a call from the floor nurse and she told me he is not expected to live.

  his lungs are filled fill up with fluid and are continuing to fill u with more fluid: he has pneumonia.

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  Pierced Angel

  I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. Your actions will speak louder to your mom than anything or anyone else right now.

  When my grandmother, who had been a faithful jw for over 40 years, recently passed away, it was a disgusting shame the way her congregation acted towards the family. It was one of the major reasons I started to evaluate the whole religion.
  The elder my aunt called to discuss funeral arrangements was very rude. He had absolutely no reason to be since my aunt is one of the nicest, easygoing people you'd ever know. His first response (instead of trying to be comforting) was "Don't you have a sister that's disfellowshipped?". She said, "nooo, she's disassociated and besides, what does that have to do with anything?"
  He started acting like it would be "difficult" to do more than a very basic service and that they probably wouldn't be able to serve a meal in the Kingdom Hall afterwards. He made her feel humiliated and she wasn't even asking for a meal for the family, just a service and someone to speak. When my grandpa, who overheard part of the phone conversation, heard how he was acting he told the elders that they didn't want to have it there anyhow if that's how they were going to act. So, they didn't and it spoke loudly to all the people she had studied with for years and all the old friends and family who wanted to send flowers, etc. were appalled when they heard about it. Not a very good way to spread the good news, eh?

  It's so sad to know that she isn't getting the support she needs right now. I hope that changes when a few more hear about it.

  Anne

  "When caught between two evils I generally pick the one I've never tried before." Mae West
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  48

  Coming to Toronto this month? Sign in here!

  by peterstride in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hey all,.

  just to get an idea as to how many people are coming to toronto for the next apostofest, in case i need to make reservations at various places...all because the toronto international film festival will be taking place on the same weekend!

  when you let me know if you're coming, also state on which day you'll be arriving and which day you'll be departing.. thanks, .

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  Pierced Angel

  I'm really trying this time, I'd say it's about a 70% chance so far, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and getting my work done so I can come play too!

  Anne

  "When caught between two evils I generally pick the one I've never tried before." Mae West
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  17

  risk taking

  by joelbear in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well, i'm getting closer and closer to turning my life upside down and breaking away from my 43 years of conservative living.

  any risk experiences out there?.

  the risk i want to take is leaving banking, living a much more bohemiam life, maybe work as a waiter or bartender or something, go to school, travel, work on my furniture art, write, read, live.. aaaack.

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  Pierced Angel

  GO FOR IT!

  The best times in life come from taking chances. Keep this in mind Joel, you can always return to the boring working world grind. You could always claim temporary insanity, whatever, but it will always be there.

  How bad do you want to do this? Really, how bad?
  If you have confidence in yourself and that you can support yourself (even if you have to be a beach bartender or something) you'll be able to experience real living without following someone else's time schedule.
  If I had stayed at my decent paying, albeit, tedious and restrictive job I would have gone crazy with depression. I made the leap and will never, ever return to working for anyone else. I am now living my life exactly the way I want to. I'm a food writer who does web design on the side and last year I was wined and dined in France as part of my "work". Alain Ducasse's staff treated me like I was a celebrity (you should see my office, a computer sitting in my tiny little kitchen, ha ha). I never know what's going to happen next, but it's possible because I have time to pursue things most people chained to a 9-5 job can't do.
  All kinds of things have been happening since I broke away from the traditional route. I get all kinds of gourmet treats sent to me from around the world, Businessweek did an article about me all because of an email I sent one of their columnists about one of her columns. I've dined with Madonna's family at their winery and am able to call her dad by his nickname.
  It took a few years, but I make more money doing what I love than I ever could have at the airlines. And, I don't work full time, only when I want to. Just recently, I emailed Emeril Lagasse's editorial manager at Emerils.com. She invited me to become one of the regular feature writers. I'm sorry to brag, but I absolutely love what I do!

  If I ever do another column or series of articles it will be to inspire others to go after a real life and quit the rat race. It's been the most fulfilling aspect of my life and I cringe when I hear the horror stories of mother's missing their kids first steps or people only living for the weekend.

  Go for it, you won't regret it and you can always find work, you know that, don't you?

  Good luck,

  Anne

  "When caught between two evils I generally pick the one I've never tried before." Mae West
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  174

  get a life -- 10 facts

  by joelbear in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i thought it would be interesting for people to just post a few things about themselves so we can get to know each other just a bit.. try posting 10 facts about your life.. joel.

  1. i was born and raised in south georgia.. 2. my favorite subject in school was math.. 3. i was in the fulltime service (bethel and pioneer) for 4 years.. 4. my favorite color is blue.. 5. mitch and i have been together over 12 years.. 6. we live in a suburb of atlanta georgia.. 7. we love to eat out and have friends over for dinner and board games.. 8. the only sport i was ever any good at is tennis.. 9. my favorite tv show of all time is the simpsons.. 10. we are both naturists and wish we could lay on the beach naked every day.

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  Pierced Angel

  Great posts, I love reading them all. Here's mine.

  1. I was born three months after my parent's wedding in 1967. I was my mom's ticket out of a very scary, disfunctional situation. Her alcoholism and becoming a JW during my childhood made me just as eager to leave home (well, not that eager). I had a lovely little girl out of wedlock that I nursed 5 minutes after saying "I do" to Joel, my husband and best friend.
  For that matter, I nursed both my children (now ages 5 and 11) for two years each.

  2. I was a witness most of my childhood until age 14. My parent's could no longer keep up appearances at the Hall and with their worldly alcoholic buddies, so we got a break. My brother, sister and I went trick or treating that year for the first time in our life. Stupidly, I felt guilty about leaving Jehovah and headed back into the hall after the birth of my daughter.

  3. I change my color preferences with the seasons, but I'm constantly drawn to vibrant fuschias and oranges.

  4. I love to cook and I'm a food writer. You can read some of my articles at Emeril Lagasse's website or in various food magazines.

  5. We have a Persian kitty named Bijou and a Sheltie called Lucy. I've always been more of a cat person than a dog person, but I love all animals. Cats are just a lot more cool.

  6. I love to travel. So much so that I worked for the airlines loading luggage for several years just for the free flight benefits. After becoming pregnant with the last one I called it quits.

  7. I'm part Native American, Potawatomi to be exact. Ok, there's about 10 other nationalities in there too, but they're not as interesting.

  8. I love to read just about anything, except western romances or stuff like that. I love Roald Dahl and reading for the kids is one of the highlights of my day. The BFG is one of my favorites.

  9. I played the violin for two years until the pedophile teacher I had moved on from asking me stuff like "do you love me?" to trying to touch me inappropriately. I was finally able to stand up for myself and get my parents to let me quit. I didn't tell them the real reason, but my mom suspected it and I told her more details years later. He was arrested several years later in another state for molesting children. I've just now started to be pissed that he ruined my love of music for me and am thinking of taking violin lessons again.

  10. I recently got pierced in an unusual spot. I think I mentioned that already though. ;-)

  "When caught between two evils I generally pick the one I've never tried before." Mae West
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  8

  Saying Jehovah's name

  by jurs in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i first started studying 10 years ago with jw's i felt uncomfortable using jehovah's name.

  i can't explain why but i avoided using it.

  after awhile it became a beautiful name to me.

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  Pierced Angel

  Same thing here. I keep saying "Father" instead of Jehovah. My five year old son still asks me things like "Why did Hovah make this, or that, etc." and I think it's cute, but I try not to use it as much around him anymore, just doesn't seem right to use it as much now. I'm trying to draw closer to Jesus and part of that makes me really confused. Should I be talking to Jesus, Jehovah, God, who?

  "When caught between two evils I generally pick the one I've never tried before." Mae West
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  10

  Waiting on Jehovah

  by jayhawk1 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what i am about to say is very sad.

  i would like some support over the next week.

  august 24, my dad took his life.

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  Pierced Angel

  Hey Jayhawk,

  The anniversary is real hard to think about, I know. My brother died in the fall,when the leaves change colors and I don't look forward to it anymore. My cousin left many unanswered questions when he committed suicide and made a lot of us feel like we should have done much more and that we should have known that he was troubled. It's so easy to overanalyze and find excuses for why we are responsible. Don't fall into that trap. Your dad wouldn't want you to feel that way, no one would wish that on their child. If they thought beforehand about how much they would inflict guilt and pain on their loved ones they never would do it, but they aren't thinking of anyone else, are they?
  Someone that depressed isn't reachable anymore and anything you may have said or done wouldn't probably have changed anything in his mind. You're arguing about the beard issue wouldn't have made him think all was lost, it should have been somehting that would have spurred him on to win you over once again to the truth. That would be my instinct as a parent. And, under normal situations,that's what most parents would do. The thing is, he was obviously too depressed and didn't pursue that because his own pain was overwhelming him. You can't sit and think about how if you were attending meetings regularly and being an obedient little witness that he would have decided to not commit suicide. It probably wouldn't have made much difference, especially since his real depression came from the lies told by the WTS.

  Don't let it kill your spirit though. Try to embrace the good things and the good memories you have of him and show his memory honor. Let that be your special gift to him and to God. Show honor by doing things that help you remember the happier times.

  I wish I could say more, but all I know is that it gets easier with time. We don't know what is going to happen, but I have a strong feeling that I'll see my brother and cousin again. You'll see your dad and all this won't even matter anymore.

  Anne

  "When caught between two evils I generally pick the one I've never tried before." Mae West
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  81

  Anybody else had visions?

  by philo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i was separating from my wife and leaving the jws, i had some visions.

  for some strange reason, i decided not to eat for a day, then when i found my thinking clearer and my emotions mellower, i fasted for another two days.

  so after the third day, i was walking down our street and i saw the houses burning after me, i felt this was an affirmation that marriage was decay and destruction, or wasteage.

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  Pierced Angel

  My mother loved Roy Rogers.
  His movies and music reminded her of some of the happier times in her childhood and she collected antique Roy Roger photos, watches and lunchboxes as part of a collection.
  One night she woke up as if she had heard a loud noise and my dad asked her what was wrong. She said in an eery voice "Roy's dead". He said "Roy who?" and she of course, said Roy Rogers. I know he's dead. Then she said she went back to sleep quite easily (for her that's odd). She happened to look at the clock before she went to sleep and it said something like 3:30am
  When she got up in the morning and was watching the news she heard that he had died in the night at home around 3:30am. She and my dad said they felt really strange. She thought for a second maybe she had demons or something, but later dismissed it and figured there must be some connection between life and death out there, but refuses to think much about it now that she's back to the meetings.

  I read about it online that he had died and called her early, thinking she wouldn't have heard it yet, but she told me all that and I got goosebumps. Neither she nor I remember hearing that he'd been sick or anything so it was really odd.

  "When caught between two evils I generally pick the one I've never tried before." Mae West
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  37

  Just got Home/Elder Dad just realized I'm Apostate

  by MrMoe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well, just got back from a big talk with my parents.

  i finally let them in on the fact that i question the society.

  (dad is an elder and mother has been in it for 67 years since birth.

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  Pierced Angel

  Just be honest. You're not out to hurt anyone, you just want to know the truth and you have nothing to hide. You've done nothing wrong, so don't let them make you feel like you have.
  If they come to talk to you, just tell them you don't have time, that you're very busy and you'll have to get a hold of them when you have some free time (and just don't call back). You can probably do this along with pretending to not be home for a little while until you feel prepared enough to state clearly how you feel and what you want to say.

  I feel for you and I'm feeling sort of anxious inside because I know it's going to be hard when I'm in that situation. Just know that you're not alone and we all have to make our stand for truth. Funny how I used to think the same thing about the organization I belonged to.

  Good Luck (I mean that)

  Anne

  "When caught between two evils I generally pick the one I've never tried before." Mae West