My family would never go because they thought it disrespectful. A few pioneers in our hall would go, though. Just not a big thing in the hall I grew up in.
GrreatTeacher
JoinedPosts by GrreatTeacher
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33
Today is Christmas, and guess what? Witnesses's were going house to house on my block, TODAY ON CHRISTMAS!!!!!!
by Dunedain ini kid you not!!!!!
my family, and i, were on our way to my wife's brothers house today, which is the families christmas tradition.
we open presents in the morning, and at around 10:30, we head over to my brother in laws for breakfast/brunch, with all the family.. so, as we loaded some presents up in the car, and we all jumped, and drove away, at the end of my block, jehovahs witnesses!
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A Christmas tree, and a Word of Appreciation
by Wonderment ini am looking right now at my 10 footer christmas tree.
is "wonderment" celebrating christmas?
i am not one of those individuals who dropped the wt agenda years ago to hop on the first bandwagon of worldly attractions to cross my path.
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GrreatTeacher
Fortunately, Wonderment, no one will be offended at the fact that you don't celebrate Christmas.
If you don't feel the need, we love you just the same.
You're finally free to do whatever feels best to you personally.
And, I agree that this forum is wonderful and I'm very grateful for it as well.
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The worst gift of Christmas
by GrreatTeacher ineverybody gets one, the gift that stared up at you hopefully from its beautiful wrapping, and then, like a deflated balloon, delivers the worst gift ever.. i'm not talking about the gifts from small children like the "greatest aunt" coffee mug or the red and black lace folding fan.
surely you never would have chosen them for yourself, but it's the thought that counts from small people who love you.. then, there's the what the hell were they thinking gifts.
my mother-in-law has been giving these a lot lately.
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GrreatTeacher
Everybody gets one, the gift that stared up at you hopefully from its beautiful wrapping, and then, like a deflated balloon, delivers the worst gift ever.
I'm not talking about the gifts from small children like the "Greatest Aunt" coffee mug or the red and black lace folding fan. Surely you never would have chosen them for yourself, but it's the thought that counts from small people who love you.
Then, there's the what the hell were they thinking gifts. My mother-in-law has been giving these a lot lately. We got a glass platter back painted with "Merry Christmas Y'all! This is not the way people speak around here, so?
However, the worst gift of Christmas this year with a mismatch between what a grandparent might give a teenage grandson and what said teenage grandson might like was given to my son by his grnadmother. It was in a big box, carefully taped, and when it was finally opened, my son had his very own, brand new BATH MAT! Yes, it was green and fuzzy and one would normally put it at the edge of the tub for stepping out of the tub with wet feet. However, grandmother thought that since my son often runs around the house with a fuzzy blanket or throw around his shoulders (we keep the house chilly) that he would now need something warm and fuzzy to sit on. So, he should place the fuzzy bath mat on his computer chair and then wrap his fuzzy blanket around his body for maximum warmth, and, so, he would not get hypothermic in our chilly house ( So, sue me. 68° is warm enough.)
Have you ever just gotten a really bad gift, poorly thought out and not at all appropriate from the giver?
What was the worst gift this Christmas? And are you taking it back?
(the cat has comandeered the fuzzy bath mat, so no hopes of returning it for something different)
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Favourite Christmas presents!
by nicolaou inmy son bought me a 64gb micro sd card for my phone!
"what kind of geeky xmas pressie is that nic?!
" i hear you cry.
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GrreatTeacher
Yeah, one year I got a Dremel tool for the calluses on my feet from my husband.
Oh, yes he did!
Of course they make these pink pedicure foot smoothers which basically do the same thing without the possibility of sanding your skin off, but, no, Mr. Fixit was going for maximum versatility.
Funny that it now lives in the toolshed...
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American accents, Bette Midler, Clinton, Rick Fearon, Strathclyde, Morningside
by slimboyfat ini used to enjoy being able to distinguish different local accents, but for some reason i've got worse at it.
i was thinking about this today when i was listening to bette midler on the scottish radio.
i thought to myself i quite liked her accent and also that it reminded me of someone else.
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GrreatTeacher
Slimboyfat, yes, race has a lot to do with different accents in America. African American Vernacular is a distinct dialect in the US. If you hear this accent on the radio, for example, or on a TV when you're in another room, you know that it's an African American speaking. There are also some telltale vocabulary and sentence structure that, if you're in tune to that sort of thing, you can tell from their writing (such as on this forum) if the writer is African American.
Here's the thing, though, most African Americans also speak the General American accent as well for formal use. Just like the local Baltimore accent (which is very working class)I wrote about earlier is often used informally, but then speakers switch over to General American for formal situations like work.
So, if you hear a race or class based pattern, you can identify it, but Americans are also really good at switching over to the General American accent ( which often sounds midwestern) that just because you don't hear it doesn't mean that the speaker is definitely not African American for example, or working class.
I can speak with an Eastern Shore twang when I'm home, but switch right over to the standardized General American accent when I'm teaching or at the grocery store or other more public place.
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American accents, Bette Midler, Clinton, Rick Fearon, Strathclyde, Morningside
by slimboyfat ini used to enjoy being able to distinguish different local accents, but for some reason i've got worse at it.
i was thinking about this today when i was listening to bette midler on the scottish radio.
i thought to myself i quite liked her accent and also that it reminded me of someone else.
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GrreatTeacher
Sparrowdown, also the American South drops the g sound on the -ing ending:
Runnin'
Jumpin'
Hollerin'
Cussin'
Also, the days of the week end in an -ee sound:
Mondee
Tuesdee
Wednesdee
Thursdee
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37
What did you have for Christmas dinner?
by GrreatTeacher inmy inlaws are polish, though my husband is a 3rd generation american, but the food traditions have stuck around.. we have christmas eve dinner starting with red beet soup with sour cream, pierogies filled with mashed potatoes or saurkraut, ham, polish sausage sliced and cooked with saurkraut, turkey (that part is american), krischickies (likely spelled wrong) which are crispy pastries dipped in powdered sugar, and apple pie (also american.).
there are goodnatured threats toward bad children who may need to get their dupa busted (butt spanked) and therefore santa will bring figismachen.
i also love golabkis (ground beef and rice wrapped in cabbage leaves), but these were not served this time.
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GrreatTeacher
Hmm, bloody apples. Maybe the wrong holiday, LisaRose? -
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What did you have for Christmas dinner?
by GrreatTeacher inmy inlaws are polish, though my husband is a 3rd generation american, but the food traditions have stuck around.. we have christmas eve dinner starting with red beet soup with sour cream, pierogies filled with mashed potatoes or saurkraut, ham, polish sausage sliced and cooked with saurkraut, turkey (that part is american), krischickies (likely spelled wrong) which are crispy pastries dipped in powdered sugar, and apple pie (also american.).
there are goodnatured threats toward bad children who may need to get their dupa busted (butt spanked) and therefore santa will bring figismachen.
i also love golabkis (ground beef and rice wrapped in cabbage leaves), but these were not served this time.
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GrreatTeacher
Yes, Oub, there's something about eastern Europeans and cabbage...
Chinese buffet and a movie (movie theaters are open on Christmas) is a classic Jewish Christmas. Catching Star Wars this afternoon, Paul?
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What did you have for Christmas dinner?
by GrreatTeacher inmy inlaws are polish, though my husband is a 3rd generation american, but the food traditions have stuck around.. we have christmas eve dinner starting with red beet soup with sour cream, pierogies filled with mashed potatoes or saurkraut, ham, polish sausage sliced and cooked with saurkraut, turkey (that part is american), krischickies (likely spelled wrong) which are crispy pastries dipped in powdered sugar, and apple pie (also american.).
there are goodnatured threats toward bad children who may need to get their dupa busted (butt spanked) and therefore santa will bring figismachen.
i also love golabkis (ground beef and rice wrapped in cabbage leaves), but these were not served this time.
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GrreatTeacher
My inlaws are Polish, though my husband is a 3rd generation American, but the food traditions have stuck around.
We have Christmas Eve dinner starting with red beet soup with sour cream, pierogies filled with mashed potatoes or saurkraut, ham, polish sausage sliced and cooked with saurkraut, turkey (that part is American), krischickies (likely spelled wrong) which are crispy pastries dipped in powdered sugar, and apple pie (also American.)
There are goodnatured threats toward bad children who may need to get their dupa busted (butt spanked) and therefore Santa will bring figismachen. (You get nothing!)
I also love golabkis (ground beef and rice wrapped in cabbage leaves), but these were not served this time. Maybe at Easter.
Americans often get called out for saying they are this ethnicity or that ethnicity (I'm Polish! I'm Irish) when they are third generation Americans. And, point taken! However, it seems that food is where these traditions stay alive the longest! We eat Polish food on holidays because my husband's family has done it ever since they lived in Poland and the last hundred years they have been In the US. I think it's wonderful and helps anchor my son in multigenerational family traditions. God knows there are no holiday traditions on my side of the family.
So, what are you eating for Christmas dinner? Have you created new traditions? Are you following the traditions of your spouse? Your non-JW family? (Do you even like sauerkraut? ) Are you eating in a Chinese buffet?
Do tell!
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Rivalry among the sisters
by Esmeralda001 inwhen i was first introduced to the "truth", i was so distracted by the love and affection that the members were showing me that i was ready to convert into the religion without thinking twice.
i was conviced that jws were god's people (i still think some of them are).
i made it my goal to get baptized as i wanted to be part of the "only" religion that produce such good people.
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GrreatTeacher
Despite their claims of being nothing like the World, their various congregations seem to mirror the local demographics of socioeconomic status. My parents are in a wealthy hall and there is designer purse one-upmanship and vacation home envy. If you can't keep up with the Joneses, well, you'll probably be left out of the social scene.
In other poorer areas, if you advertize your wealth by material means, well, they'll put you in your place by making catty comments and shutting you out of the social scene.
It's because of their strong tendency towards conformity (which they mistakenly thing of as unity). They are like herd animals, anything different is not safe to them. It sends up danger signals in their brains when anyone is different. They must have "unity" to be God's people.