GrreatTeacher

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Posts by GrreatTeacher

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  99

  New development in my life

  by EdenOne in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  no longer a ms ........................... can't give details atm, for it might be a dead-giveaway and it ain't quite over yet.

  but, it really taught me one thing: if you're trying to fade or stay in, trust no one.

  and i mean no one.. eden.

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  GrreatTeacher

  Wow, your wife? And they say this religion doesn't tear families apart.

  Glad she's come around.
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  67

  December 1,2014 watchtower saying buying house is bad

  by hoser in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  page 15.

  "take for example a christian couple in asia.

  in their younger years, they admired those who could afford to own a house.

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  GrreatTeacher

  When the housing bubble hit the US we were ready to sell and move to a bigger home, but were priced out of the market. So, we remodeled and added an addition that doubled the size of our house. While buying more square footage in the form of a new house was overpriced, building new square footage onto an existing house cost the same as it always had, about $100 per square foot.

  We now own a larger home, and compared to our mortgage payment, we could rent it out for at least double that amount!

  My SIL, however, bought at the height of the bubble and when they needed to move to a larger house because of having kids, they owed more than the house was worth. So, they had no equity to use as a downpayment on a larger house. They had to save tens of thousands of dollars for the next half decade for a downpayment on a new house. The old house hasn't yet rented and they may lose it to foreclosure.

  My point is that you need to educate yourself about finances, mortgages, etc. I obsessively gobbled that information up and even took a college class on personal finance. I bought my first house at age 21, renovated it and flipped it for a profit that was used on a downpayment on a larger home. If I hadn't made it a point to follow real estate trends, I may not have recognized the bubble for what it was and may have ended up upside down on a mortgage right now, like my SIL, who, BTW is very smart, but just never educated herself on real estate.

  Education, education, education! And that is exactly what the WTS discourages.

  They might be kicking themselves in their collective ass when rents continue to rise and renters can't afford to donate anymore.

  Funny, though, how the elders in my parents' congregation all own their own homes and/or businesses. It seems this advice is for the poor sidelined peons in the congregation. Maybe it helps them feel better since they can't afford to buy a house anyway.
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  34

  IF you believe in evolution, theistic or not.....

  by DATA-DOG in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  are you more amazed by nature documentaries now, or were they better when "god did it"??.

  .

  dd.

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  GrreatTeacher

  What I find wonderful is understanding the biochemical underpinnings for emotions and realizing that my cat is probably making just as much oxytocin as I am when I pet him. That suggests that animals "love" just like humans.
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  6

  QUESTION? : Have you joined, thought of joining, or investigated any clubs, Service organisations, or Fraternal Organizations?

  by Balaamsass2 in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  the mrs and i have been invited to join a few "clubs" since leaving wtbts.

  we have looked into a local"moose lodge", but after one visit that particular one got checked off the list ( a sloppy drunk fell in love w the mrs. lol) .

  i got invited to join the freemasons a couple of times, but it just gave me "hebe-jeebees" and bad memories of all those jw conventions at scotish rite temples as a kid- i must admit the shiners do seem like a happy crowd.

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  GrreatTeacher

  I once joined a new mothers club when I had my son. They were more like Corporate Moms when I needed a support group. LOL.

  I just don't think I'm a "joiner." I tend to be more of an introvert. Have you tried an interest based group? For instance, cycling or sailing or gardening?
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  5

  News Article from The Atlantic about the Health Effects of Leaving Religion (Mentions JWs)

  by sd-7 in

  1. social
  2. current

  http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/09/the-health-effects-of-leaving-religion/379651/.

  a particularly curious quote was:.

  the most mainstream research on this is a 2010 study out of pennsylvania state university, which examined data from 1972 to 2006. the study showed that 20 percent of people who have left religion report being in excellent health, versus 40 percent of people currently part of strict religious groups (such as jehovahs witnesses and latter-day saints) and 25 percent of people who switched from a strict religion to a more lenient religion.

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  GrreatTeacher

  It seems they thought the possibility was that the first 2 to 3 years were the most difficult when exiting religion and from that point on people seemed to recover.
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  42

  My best friend died yesterday

  by TimeBandit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  sometimes people make special connections to animals.

  sometimes they bond very deeply and are real friends.

  yesterday was the end of such a friendship that lasted ten wonderful years.

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  GrreatTeacher

  My condolences. I just had to put a cat down last week. She was nearly 20. I cried for days. It's hard to do, but she was really suffering. Sometimes the right thing hurts.
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  56

  Do you pay for air for your tires at your gas station?

  by jam in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this was on the news this morning.

  when you buy gas air is part .

  of the service, it should be free.

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  GrreatTeacher

  It's illegal to pump your own gas in New Jersey. I don't know whether they routinely provide services like windshield washing, air for tires, etc., though.
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  32

  Well it look like AG Eric Holder is finally stepping down.

  by tootired2care in

  1. social
  2. current

  http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/09/25/351363171/eric-holder-to-step-down-as-attorney-general.

  happy day - our incompetent race baiting ag who refuses to actually do his job, and prosecute high crimes right under his down in the irs is finally stepping down.

  good riddance!.

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  GrreatTeacher

  Funny how people who bring racism to light are branded as racists.
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  35

  Autumn...

  by new hope and happiness in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've just glanced out my window and i saw the most picturesque countryside.

  i do believe we're entering autumn.

  so summer has had its day and like an old friend slipped away and we moves on...how do you feel about entering autumn?.

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  GrreatTeacher

  While I think it is beautiful, I have seasonal depression which has been particularly severe this year, starting in August.

  What I need is a winter home in Australia so I can enjoy an endless summer.
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  7

  Wow! Take the grandkids to a professional sport event...$!

  by Gregor in

  1. social
  2. physical

  last week we attended a major league baseball game.

  could not believe the costs beyond the ticket price.

  hot dogs, a slice of pizza, etc are $8.

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  GrreatTeacher

  We always stop by McDonald's and buy a sack full of hamburgers to take. If they don't allow food, cargo pants are good for sneaking stuff in. Do I feel bad about this? No, not after ticket prices and parking fees.

  Also, recycle that foam finger...take it back with you every time you go. Great for annoying people on the train or siblings in the back of the car, too!