As a kid how did you survive the meetings?

by Parousia 35 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Parousia

  Recently my brother, sister, and I talked for the first time about how we survived the meetings when we were kids. I loved hearing their stories.

  I had a whole imaginary world I went into. Once the songs were over and the talk started, I would focus on the speaker to look like I was listening and then zone out. I never allowed myself to go into this imaginary world during regular time so I would have something to look forward to at the next meeting.

  I discovered my brother did the same thing. He told me he did fun things like ride a dirt bike in his imaginary world.

  My sister remembered trying to figure out ways to sleep though the meetings.

  How about you guys? I bet there are some good stories out there.
  Parousia
• 

  Beans

  Me and Quotes would always look over at each other during the song and just start howling immitating some of the wild singers in our cong and make singing jestures according to the words.

  We had a few hottie sisters who were older than us and it was always a pleasure druling over them and trying to hold down the force in our polyester pants.

  Beans

  http://Quotes.JehovahsWitnesses.com

  Edited by - Beans on 2 February 2003 21:32:9
• 

  Aztec

  My sister and I used to write notes back and forth on the margins of our Watchtowers. I bet that was pretty common though. My other sister used to try and provoke that sister by pinching her arm or tugging on her eyelashes to see if she would react. She was kinda sadistic no? My best way to survive, beyond daydreaming, was to space out bathroom breaks and water breaks just so I could get up and MOVE...LOL

  ~Aztec

  Edited by - Aztec on 2 February 2003 21:36:35
• 

  Elsewhere

  I slept through them
• 

  roybatty

  My sister and I used to write notes back and forth on the margins of our Watchtowers.

  Not one woman in my copy of the WT was left without a mustache or beard.
• 

  MegaDude

  When I was a kid, I daydreamed through them. I created whole fantasy worlds and stories in my head that I added to as I was forced to attended hundreds of hours of excruciatingly boring meetings.

  When I took the JWs seriously and began reaching out, I realized it wasn't my fault....the meetings were horribly put together and they were mainly conducted by people who couldn't speak well, so I just read my Bible.
• 

  blondie

  Played anagrams with the words in the publications.

  Drew cariacatures of the people at the meeting.

  Studied something else in the Bible. I was never turning the pages when the speaker was.

  Wrote shorthand to fulfill my 10 page daily assignment.

  made words from the letters on the edges of the columns (biggest ever was 7 letters and once it was 10 t's in a row)

  Counted how many times the WT conductor blinked (it was a pet peeve of mine).

  Counted how many times people said, "the magazine says," "the society says," "the paragraph says," "the slave says."

  Made myself burp loud. I could never master farting on command.

  Pinched the little brother next to me and made him cry and volunteered to take him to the backroom. (mean blondie)

  Blondie
• 

  MegaDude

  One more thing. I would note that Barbara G. Harrison who wrote the best book on JWs (in my opinion) noted that JW children were highly creative and had strong imaginations. I tend to agree with her, and I think JW children's imaginations are nutured by the desire of the mind to be elsewhere other than the depressing kingdom hall.
• 

  Aztec

  Really Mega? That's very interesting! What book did she write? I totally agree! Not only did we have to stay awake for 5 hours of meetings..we had family studies and hours upon hours of field service to spend in our dream worlds...I managed to be in the top 3 every year in the young authors contest due to my fantasies... Thank you WTBTS! LOL

  ~Aztec
• 

  cruzanheart

  I did what Parousia and Megadude did: fantasize. I had running stories (wish I'd written some of them down) in my head and it kept me awake and seemingly paying attention. Of course, in St. Croix I had those two geckos to watch that I mentioned on another thread. My son would always fall asleep right after the first prayer, no matter what time of day or night the meeting was. I have this horrible image of him going to college, sitting down to listen to a lecture, and passing out for the whole class. I don't think we learned very good habits from the meetings. (DUH!!!)

  I was painfully reminded of them yesterday: I attended a Southern Living At HOME rally, i.e., assembly day. It was, alas, about as boring as a JW assembly, and the only differences were at JW assemblies they didn't give us pom-poms and expect us to stand up and yell periodically. (Yes, I did, and yes, I felt REALLY stupid.) Also, all the speakers were women (surprised?) and every one of them could've benefited from a stint in the Theocratic Ministry School.

  Nina