Coming up, Latrice and Kelsey bond over what a pig their mutual boyfriend is. Sada and Duck Lips tell it like it is to Jon. God, I hate that I agree with Duck Lips. I thought the world would turn round the other way on its axis before that would ever happen but here we are.
As I remarked last time, I had just noticed that Kelsey's earrings are giant safety pins. Now that I see them up close, I see they even have diamonds on them. It's a little hard to take her seriously when those safety pins are swinging back and forth.
Kelsey storms out of therapy and you know who immediately gets up and goes to comfort her? Duck Lips of all people. She even leaves the side of her fiancé, you know the one who's always too hot, to go tend to the poor girl.
You know for many former stars, trying to do a comeback on reality T.V. just hurts them. In particular, I had had all good ideas about Dionne Warwick, I would even sometimes hum "That's What Friends are For" in the shower, that is until she went on Celebrity Apprentice. She was just mean. A real bully. And lazy. All in all I would not want to be her friend. And then there are people who go on reality T.V. and they end up being super cool, likable, and hard-working, and their stint on reality T.V. only serves to boost their image. I'm thinking Kelly Osbourne or Nancy Grace on Dancing With the Stars, both of whom were really hard to hate when they went on that show. Well, Duck Lips is doing some pretty darn fine rehabilitation the past several episodes. Before, I thought she was a fool and a duck. Now I think she's still a fool and a duck, but a nice fool and a friendly duck.
Dr. Jenn goes to her too and basically implies that Kelsey needs to leave Wu-Tang, it's over at this point. This is why Kelsey has a beautiful heart. She says she feels bad for Latrice sort of being in the same position she is in. Who, when they are faced with such a terrible situation, is concerned with how the other woman feels about it? Kelsey, that's who.
Latrice and Wu-Tang are still back in the therapy room. The look on Latrice's face suggests she's a pretty sharp tool in the shed. She says given Kelsey's emotional reaction, you, Wu-Tang, must have said some pretty deep stuff to her.
"I tell her what I tell her," Wu-Tang says. "She got caught up." Pig. Tool. Pig with tools.
Dr. Jenn comes back. She's so pissed. When she's this pissed, she tends to suck her collagen lips in all the way and purses them. It's quite interesting to watch, it looks like she has a giant wad of cotton in her mouth. She tells Wu-Tang that Kelsey is very hurt, and that Kelsey and Latrice need to talk alone.
Kelsey says she wants Latrice to understand that Wu-Tang lead her to believe that he was very serious about her, and that this is some real bullshit. Latrice agrees. Ha. Women will claw each other's eyes out one moment but the second they realize that they both got played by the same man, they're thicker than thieves. The ex-girlfriends club is always fun.
Kelsey, you are someone to admire. She actually wants to apologize to Latrice because she's sure Latrice is hurt. Even though none of this was Kelsey's fault. Wu-Tang should be apologizing, but I'm guessing Kelsey knows he probably won't or if he does it won't be sincere. And this is why that old adage don't judge someone by how they look often rings so true. Kelsey has some kind of bleached out mohawk, a tattoo behind her ear, some other purple spear-like thing stuck through her ear, and giant safety pin earrings. I'm sure our grandmothers would cringe and lead us in the other direction if we encountered her on the street, praying for her as we go. Yet she has one of the kindest, most empathetic souls I've ever seen. You think you're praying for her when really she was praying for you and wishing you health, happiness and prosperity long before you ever thought to do the same for her.
It's important to Kelsey to point out that if she had any inclination Latrice was around she would not have been with him, period. Latrice is upset in her own right. Kelsey tells her that just like she's been learning, crumbs of his love are not enough, you deserve better. Latrice is not sure she can get past this and trust him.
"You ain't gotta worry about me and him no more, that's for damn sure," Kelsey says. Oh thank God for that.
Wu-Tang is outside, head in hands. The future is grim for his relationship with Kelsey. Look, she just fell for me too quick and before he knew it he had some kind of emotionally invested in-love woman on his hands, he explains. What the hell? Why does he keep acting like this was some kind of whirlwind romance Danny Bonaduce style? It wasn't at all. They've been dating a year! And it's not like Kelsey is talking his ear off about marriage or having kids. Geez, a year of dating is a lifetime in Hollywood. In a year the rest of folks like him have already been engaged, broken off the engagement, and now gotten back together and are pregnant due this summer.
Commercials, we're back and Duck Lips is checking in on Kelsey again. Aw, she's very sad for her. Duck Lips is in general an emotional basket case, but I wouldn't say this is behavior typical of a narcissist. It's actually quite selfless. Kelsey reiterates that she's not going to sit around waiting for Wu-Tang to choose, she's done.
Kelsey takes the very wise step of sleeping on the couch that night.
The next day, Wu-Tang sits down with Sarah, one of the resident counselors Dr. Jenn always passes off the work she doesn't want to do, like when Duck Lips and her fiancé were hot.
He says he's never had issues with women like this before. Yeah because you kept it all a big secret from everyone so no one knew they should be upset! Wu-Tang says this blew up in his face like a cigar. Like a cigar? Cigars explode? What kind of cigars is he smoking?
In the evening Dr. Jenn sits down with the group for a "fun activity." Oh, potato sack racing? Hula hooping? She says Teen Duck Lips was oh so very "brave" to do therapy by herself. Oh good grief, this kind of coddling and endless pats on the back is not what Teen Duck Lips needs. I like Duck Lips's no-nonsense approach, basically telling Teen Duck Lips she's f--ed up and that's all there is to it. Ha.
Sarah Gooding and Dr. Steve Oldridge of the online dating site Plenty of Fish are there.
Now, before you are fooled into thinking this is some kind of legitimate endeavor, let's talk about Plenty of Fish. Plenty of Fish was started by a recent college grad and computer nerd named Markus Frind from Canada. He was bored with his day job and thought he could make a boatload of money off an online dating site by making it free but just supporting it with Google's Adsense ads (the same ads we use here on realitytvkids.com). His plan worked. He made millions. He is one of Adsense's greatest "success stories." He boasts that he only really has to work an hour a day on the site. But because it's free, you get what you pay for, and the site has an absolutely terrible reputation for attracting cheaters (a cheater can't have his wife finding Eharmony.com on the family credit card), losers and freaks, and even being so dangerous law enforcement has issued warnings about it. Anyone who finds their future husband or wife on there usually makes up a story about how they met at the gym or reaching for the same jar of pickles at Safeway.
This so-called doctor, Steve Oldridge, is not a doctor in psychology, or sociology, or anthropology, you know something that might remotely qualify him to dissect a stranger's relationship. His doctorate is in electrical and computer engineering, which is probably why Plenty of Fish hired him, because they needed an egghead and statistician to run a web site and make them more money, not Dr. Drew to hold someone's hand. Sarah Gooding just does public relations for the site, so she's no expert. This is just a cross promotion endeavor that has some serious ethical implications that I doubt anyone considered.
Point being, Plenty of Fish is not qualified to analyze a relationship, are not qualified to offer therapeutic type services or understand the ethical obligations of such things, and in my opinion should not present themselves as so qualified. They are qualified to make money off people's need for companionship or sex, nothing more. At least Dr. Jenn said this is just supposed to be a fun game, but in what follows obviously Jon did not take it that way. I wish he knew more about Plenty of Fish before going in.
They pass out tablets for everyone to fill out Plenty of Fish's compatibility survey. Jon already is annoyed by this "game," saying he doesn't need to fill out a dating profile when he already is with his girlfriend. Fair point. The lesbians and Duck Lips just see it as something fun as women tend to see surveys like this. Most of us grew up with Seventeen and know that relationship surveys are just a part of a healthy lifestyle! I think it's mean to make Kelsey and Wu-Tang fill this out when she already said their relationship is over.
Obviously Teen Duck Lips can't fill out a compatibility quiz with a nonexistent boyfriend, LOLOL, so Dr. Jenn has the brilliant idea to make her set up an online profile and go on a date so Dr. Jenn can analyze the date. Oh that's great, I love it and cannot wait. Can they bring her parents in too? The music they are playing is by Switchfoot, which is absolutely one of the greatest most under appreciated bands of the past ten years. They sound like Third Eye Blind only more talented. If you've missed them they have nine albums out, so you can binge listen.
Commercials, and I flip to the Olympics. I'm worried about Bob Costas. If Russia's medical care is anything like their hotel rooms I'd be nervous. Now his infection has spread to both eyes, and it's so bad he's been off the past several nights and that stupid Meredith Vieira "reporter" is filling in. Remember her infamous interview with Kate Gosselin years ago, where Kate cried tearless tears as she explained she had a purse full of bills, Jon took all her money, and that she couldn't even sleep at night?, poor thing. Meredith couldn't ask a follow up question if her life depended on it, like if Jon took all your money why are you in the McMansion and kids in an elite private school, and you fluttering off to NYC for hair extensions every three weeks leaving the kids with a nanny? Is that the behavior of someone whose husband stole all their money and can't even sleep at night? And shouldn't this be a dispute that should be settled by a judge in private, not the court of public opinion?
Day 14, and the Plenty of Fish hacks analyze the compatibility quizzes. Duck Lips and her fiancé are compatible. I think if you are both hot or cold at the same time, that's a good sign you can have a long and happy marriage. There's really nothing worse than fighting over the thermostat every evening.
Kelsey and Wu-Tang are incompatible. Ha, thanks for the reminder, says Kelsey.
The Plenty of Fish hack Gooding says that Teen Duck Lips shouldn't say she wants to get married on her profile because that comes on too strong. I think that's rubbish and that they don't know what they're talking about. I don't buy this crap about that scaring guys off. If a man is scared off because you simply say that you'd like to get married someday, then you don't need him in the first place. A good man will appreciate your honesty and prefer knowing where you'd like to go in the relationship before you're head over heels in love but he was never interested in settling down. Besides, I think Teen Duck Lips has a moral obligation to disclose that she is looking to put a ring on it because any man who does will also be signing up for this woman as their mother-in-law.
The lesbians are compatible, obviously. They're great together. The only reason Whitney rated high in avoiding temptations is because she thought the question meant are you good at saying no to a nice big delicious bowl of melting ice cream. Ha.
Note: This is a stock photo of ice cream. I did not make it or photograph it!
The egghead is very cute for an egghead.
On to Jon and Liz. Egghead says being divorced and having kids can make it less likely to form a successful relationship. What's he basing that on? As the folks here would say, "link please!" Statistics/links actually show the majority of people who get divorced end up getting married successfully again, some pegging it as high as 80%. Of those who do remarry most report high levels of satisfaction in the new marriage as opposed to those who don't remarry. Regardless who he is talking about, so much out of these POF people's mouths seems just flat out made up out of nowhere and it's really getting annoying. You can't just say whatever about something as personal as someone's relationship without knowing what you're talking about, at least I don't think it's right that you should.
Liz and Jon rated low in "family orientation" whatever that means, and that suggests they may feels constrained by their kids. Liz makes a big face and says that's nonsense, what the f-ity f, dude! While they have eleven kids between them and of course that's hard at times, family is huge to them, they're both family oriented, she explains. I wonder if the "family orientation" questions were like the question Whitney thought was about ice cream, like if you were a tree what tree would you be? And if you say willow that means you aren't "family oriented" because it blows around in the breeze a lot.
The have drinking and smoking in common, which actually is a good thing because it's hard for those who choose to abstain to be with someone who does not. This annoys Liz that this is the only positive thing they said about them. Ultimately the POF people say they're incompatible.
Gooding and Egghead admit that the test can't measure chemistry and that some couples like them on their site do just fine, but it's more rare. Jon says he doesn't need a computer to tell him how he feels about Liz. Heck, if he can hack as good as Kate thinks, he should be working for Plenty of Fish, fire Egghead there and put Jon in his spot.
Jon and Liz talk about the test afterward. Liz seems upset too but tries to remind Jon it was just a game. I think Jon hits the nail on the head when he says this reminds him of being on T.V. before, where he would sort of be "set up." I think that is a very fair statement, as I firmly believe that TLC manipulated the situation to an incredible degree, especially financially, to paint Kate as the long-suffering wife and he the bad guy, and ensure that the person who had no problem with filming the crap out of the little money makers just coincidentally happened to get awarded custody, wouldn't ya know it! There is no question about this to me. After finally seeing this scene myself, I think the crux of why Jon is upset is because it's bringing up demons in his past he has never dealt with in a healthy manner. I doubt TLC ever apologized to him for what they did, and I doubt he's really confronted them about it so he could sort of get some closure with it. The POF folks touched a nerve, and his gut reaction is to just call his manager, leave the show and be done with it (although to be fair, he never does call his manager or leave the show, he simply said that's what he felt like doing. There's a difference). I don't, however, think this POF test was a set up. Designed to cause conflict, yes. Deliberately manipulating test results, no. It was a dumb test given by people who are not qualified to give it and Jon and Liz happened to flunk and that's it.
Dr. Jenn comes out to talk to Jon. He says Dr. Jenn was endorsing something bogus. Dr. Jenn said it wasn't a set up, it was just supposed to be fun, scout's honor. She would go "ballistic" if such a thing ever happened, goodness me. She would never allow anything "fake" on her show!
Why do I get a feeling this is also her version of a "rebuttal" to Teen Duck Lip's friend? How sneaky of her. Teen Duck Lips's friend said the whole show was prepared to bring him on and "pretend" he was Teen Duck Lips's boyfriend when he was not, and he even has the emails from them to prove it. This is pretty much what a fake set up is, so I think the lady doth protest too much.
Liz is so upset she's in tears. Duck Lips and the lesbians all admit regardless of the silly test, forget the test, their own personal observations are that Jon and Liz aren't right for each other. This is not unlike what many viewers here have said, and obviously we're not trying to set anyone up, so I don't think anyone is saying this just to screw with them. I think for most people this sort of thing is being said out of concern for Jon and wanting what's best for a guy we've come to sort of "know" through the years via our T.V. sets and wanting what's best for the parents of children we've also come to care about.
Dr. Jenn actually does a pretty good job talking Jon back down. She says hey let's focus on the many areas you are compatible, and we'll give time to the areas you're not compatible, and you both have come so far already. That seems to reassure Jon and he calms down almost immediately. He admits he overreacted, and he says he does feel he's in a safe environment and is comfortable talking to Dr. Jenn. He apologizes to Dr. Jenn and thanks her, and Dr. Jenn is gracious enough to tell him no apology is necessary. That was nice. I give her credit for being patient but persistent with him.
Commercials, and I never thought a Dominos commercial would make me cry. It's about how you might think your pizza maker is just a punk kid but a lot of them are doing really great things when they're not making pizzas, like working on beautiful artwork. It's a commercial about not looking down on someone based on just what you see or where they work, which society seems to need constant reminders about.
We're back, and I guess now this is couples therapy for Wu-Tang and Latrice? Heh. Dr. Jenn meets with the couple.
Kelsey says she can't be mad at Latrice because Latrice is in the same shoes that Kelsey is in. This woman has more insight that most women twice her age. This made me curious who she is and how she could possibly be so introspective at such a young age. There isn't much about her since she's a relative unknown talent, but I did find this interview with her where she talks about her childhood growing up in Indiana:
"I grew up a middle child of 10 kids we moved around a lot, I was a girl that came from a small city with a huge imagination. Growing up at first was a little challenging. I was bullied pretty badly in 5th grade which changed me a lot. So by the time I got to middle school and high school. I was already making a name for myself. I was a cheerleader and a pretty good student with a 3.0 GPA. I was very popular. However I still had my troubles and challenges here and there like being pregnant in high school but I didnt let that stop me it only made me go harder."
So we know she came from a big family with lots of kids in small town America, which explains her genuine personality, ability to work so well with others and her empathy for Jon and Liz's big family. We also know she was fairly smart, maintaining good grades while doing sports, too. She also from a young age turned challenges into opportunities, like not giving up her dreams just because she got pregnant. Hands down, she is the most interesting and admirable cast member of the whole lot of them.
Wu-Tang says he's sorry and he still loves her. Latrice says sorry, sucker, but it's over. I'm not your wallpaper to pick for the guest room. Oh, I love this. He deserves every bit of it. In the course of his quest to choose which ice cream flavor was best for him, he was too arrogant to think that maybe one or both of the girls might decide they don't want to be in his cone in the first place. Ha, Daddy wants a hug from his baby but she won't do it, so Dr. Jenn does the honors. Good luck to you, Latrice, you too seem like you deserve better.
Wu-Tang tells Kelsey what happened and she seems as sorry as one possibly could be about that given the situation. She says she's going to stay on the show for the therapy and to try to be a better person. Kelsey, you're a fine person, and I really don't think there is all that much to work on here, except for a few denial issues which anyone would have in your shoes. I think you were duped by a very good con-artist. It could happen to anyone. I have every reason to believe you will move on from this and find a great man who treats you like you should, and probably soon.
The lesbians ask Teen Duck Lips what is going on with her POF date. Haha, I was wondering that just as much, lesbians! Pop the popcorn, I want to see Dr. Jenn psycho analyze Teen Duck Lips's dates. Teen Duck Lips said she got a few messages saying she was cute but that they didn't want to go on a T.V. show.
Noooo, somebody turned down an opportunity to be on reality T.V.? Can't be. Even guys in Los Angeles don't want to be on T.V.? I thought everyone would do it too.
"Well, I'm just like whatever, if you're not going to be okay with T.V. than f--it you're not ever going to be in my life," Teen Duck Lips says defiantly as she goes off to probably eat another chopped salad. Ha, like she thinks she's going to be on T.V. forever. Too funny.
The lesbians, Duck Lips and her fiancé and Jon are hanging out in the back. You can tell Whitney is trying to be very respectful when she brings up Jon being upset about POF. Duck Lips says that she does not like the way Liz called him a pussy. She says it's very "unfair" to him. Sada says Liz is dominating and belittling. Duck Lips' fiancé says he needs to demand respect from her. I know Jon feels attacked here, but I get the strong sense that every single person who is confronting him about this is doing it because they genuinely care about the guy and don't like what they see.
Jon goes off to tell Liz they're talking about her. Liz comes out to talk to the group. Duck Lips admits they were talking about the relationship, and says look he just needs you to love him. "This demeaning thing you do to him, you [Jon] don't deserve that," Duck Lips says.
When did Duck Lips emerge as such an authority on functional relationships? Color me surprised to be in agreement with her.
Liz's defensive idea on this is that they don't know her well enough and haven't observed them enough. She says these people are horrendous and terrible. Not really. The ones horrendous and terrible aren't even sitting here right now. I like most of the ones here. I'm all for believing that many reality shows encourage conflict, fighting, and drama, but I think these people are actually just trying to help. Just because Liz doesn't want to hear what their observations are doesn't make the observations themselves wrong.
Next time on Couples Therapy, some other stuff happens I don't care about and oh my God oh my God oh my God Debra is here Debra is here Debra is here!!! And she's standing up for herself and saying I never did the things Teen Duck Lips says I did, Dr. Jenn!!! Woo-hoo!!!
Noooo, somebody turned down an opportunity to be on reality T.V.? Can't be. Even guys in Los Angeles don't want to be on T.V.? I thought everyone would do it too.
"Well, I'm just like whatever, if you're not going to be okay with T.V. than f--it you're not ever going to be in my life," Teen Duck Lips says defiantly as she goes off to probably eat another chopped salad. Ha, like she thinks she's going to be on T.V. forever. Too funny.
The lesbians, Duck Lips and her fiancé and Jon are hanging out in the back. You can tell Whitney is trying to be very respectful when she brings up Jon being upset about POF. Duck Lips says that she does not like the way Liz called him a pussy. She says it's very "unfair" to him. Sada says Liz is dominating and belittling. Duck Lips' fiancé says he needs to demand respect from her. I know Jon feels attacked here, but I get the strong sense that every single person who is confronting him about this is doing it because they genuinely care about the guy and don't like what they see.
Jon goes off to tell Liz they're talking about her. Liz comes out to talk to the group. Duck Lips admits they were talking about the relationship, and says look he just needs you to love him. "This demeaning thing you do to him, you [Jon] don't deserve that," Duck Lips says.
When did Duck Lips emerge as such an authority on functional relationships? Color me surprised to be in agreement with her.
Liz's defensive idea on this is that they don't know her well enough and haven't observed them enough. She says these people are horrendous and terrible. Not really. The ones horrendous and terrible aren't even sitting here right now. I like most of the ones here. I'm all for believing that many reality shows encourage conflict, fighting, and drama, but I think these people are actually just trying to help. Just because Liz doesn't want to hear what their observations are doesn't make the observations themselves wrong.
Next time on Couples Therapy, some other stuff happens I don't care about and oh my God oh my God oh my God Debra is here Debra is here Debra is here!!! And she's standing up for herself and saying I never did the things Teen Duck Lips says I did, Dr. Jenn!!! Woo-hoo!!!
521 sediments (sic) from readers:
«Oldest ‹Older 1 – 200 of 521 Newer› Newest»Bridget Novitsky @Brovitsky 3m
@nothinON_YA yeah I know it sucks :( it was my favorite show when I was like 8. I was so obsessed.
Bridget Novitsky @Brovitsky 6m
@nothinON_YA they got a divorce like forever ago and the show ended but kate has a twitter! @Kateplusmy8
Anya Liotta @nothinON_YA 5m
@Brovitsky hahaha I know they got a divorce and it ended..but like we haven't heard anything about then in so long!
==========
Wouldn't this like drive you nuts to like talk to someone who can't write like one sentence without "like?"
cheer perfection @Kassibieber14 51m
@Kateplusmy8 Kate does any of your kids or you have an instagram! Please reply because I need to know if I'm following a fake!
LOL!! How do you respond to that one?
I think some are missing the point here. It's not about how stupid the stupid 'test' is (it IS stupid, lol), it's about how Jon reacted to the stupid test. Is HE stupid? ;)
Honestly, he should know better. What has he learned since he stormed off his show? Anything? Anything at all?
I find Jon and his situation so very frustrating. He's only adding to his kids dysfunctional childhood by being on this show. And all the 'f' this and 'f' that is not exactly endearing. *sigh*
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/16/child-stars-protection-coogans-law_n_4775408.html
Interesting article about Shirley Temple's child star days and how reality TV children aren't protected:
"While Coogan's Law has been updated over the years to include more protection for child actors, minors appearing on reality shows are left completely open to financial exploitation."
"way too concerned about his 'relationship'"
***
But it's a show ABOUT your relationship. Of course he's talking about his relationship. For all we know they sit out there by that fire every night and play checkers, read, talk sports, talk current events, talk kids, family, friends, dogs, movies, whatever, but this show is 45 minutes dedicated to talking about relationships so the 16-odd other hours of irrelevant conversations are cut out. What we do know from the show is there is a heck of a lot of sitting outside shooting the shit out there, so much laughter and conversation that Farrah consistently has felt left out. They must be talking about SOMETHING out there other than relationships.
I think his reaction to a silly test was unnecessary, but as I explained in my recap, I think the reasonable explanation was it touched a nerve about his past feeling manipulated by television producers, which he certainly WAS and he was not the first nor is he the last (Dance Moms). When he was able to express his feelings of anger about his past, fear of reliving it, and hear Jenn swearing to him that's not what happened this time and that he has to trust her, he immediately calmed down and realized she was right and that he feels very comfortable working with her and DOES trust her. No one mentioned he was relaxed and reclined on the couch when he was having this so called "meltdown" which was no meltdown at all but rather calm and rational words of frustration, and no one mentioned that he apologized, thanked Dr. Jenn, and admitted he overreacted. Not a breath of this was mentioned here until I finally saw it and pointed that out. I think he deserves all the criticism in the world for going on this show and for overreacting to a silly test, but that criticism should be fair and should not leave out important information like how quickly he calmed down and apologized.
I don't get the judgment especially about the smoking. Who cares if a consenting adult smokes? Really? At least he doesn't lie about it like I suspect Kate does. Millions of kids grew up with parents who smoke. I really don't care.
He deserves criticism for some of his actions hands down, but I think he also deserves fairness. Even Duck Lips said that what he has been subjected to his unfair, and that seemed to upset her deeply. For some reason she felt this guy was treated harshly and so did everyone else sitting there. They saw something in him that said that was undeserved, and I have to give that a lot of credence. No one was sitting there saying Wu Tang didn't deserve the crap he got for his behavior. They said JON didn't. We don't know Jon, but these people lived with him. And I still firmly believe that most of this has very little bearing on your ability to parent appropriately. We haven't seen him parent his children in years. From what we saw overall I liked it. Unless it's a show about his parenting and showing him with his kids, we have no idea how he is with them. From everything we've heard he's fine with them.
There were several things that stood out to me in this episode.
I was really touched at how Duck Lips (I don't even know her real name!) ran to comfort Kelsey. She held on to her very tenderly, even though Kelsey was ranting and not responding to her hug. When she left, she kissed Kelsey on the cheek and said "I love you." She seemed genuinely concerned and was very sweet and tender. And even though Kelsey couldn't respond, I think she got just what she needed in that moment: unconditional love and comfort.
I loved when Ghost was trying to manipulate Latrice after realizing Kelsey had bailed, saying things like he'd miss her smell, the best smell in the world. Latrice is SO cool and controlled. When the doc asked how she felt hearing that, I almost cheered when she calmly said, "I wonder if he's saying that to her too." YES! He tried to goad a hug and she firmly said, "I'd rather not" and he was forced to walk around her with no physical acknowledgement. Both Kelsey and Latrice are to be admired, each for their individual traits.
It was interesting how Jon reacted to having people stick up for him and try to make him see he deserved respect. He got the SAME look he used to get on the interview couch, almost like a little boy being scolded and he wasn't sure why. He didn't realize they were not attacking, they were speaking the truth in love. I do think he believes everyone is against him, there are lots of conspiracies against him, etc., due to the way he was treated in his marriage. That will take work to overcome.
Farrah is going to end up like Kate - thinking she'll be marketable on TV forever and struggling hard to stay there in the next few years.
This whole thing is a fascinating display of sociological/psychological tendencies/traits.
PJ agree with all your comments. What Taylor did was really nice, I'd be happy to have her as a girlfriend if I'm in a tough spot.
I also thought it was nice for Jenn to say Jon and Liz have come so far and they'll keep working on the things still holding them back, don't worry. You could see how that really helped calm them down. Sometimes I think the stuff she does is nonsense but what she said there was just right.
Great recap Admin! I also noted the blinged out safety pin earrings.
I don't believe anything that Farrah says, and for those of you who don't pay attention to celebrity news, Farrah has been saying that she is a mother and a TV star but is not a porn star.
According to TMZ, she is most definitely a porn star and is quietly making sure that her royalty checks are deposited into her account each quarter.
http://www.tmz.com/2014/02/14/farrah-abraham-porn-star-money-backdoor-teen-mom-vivid/?adid=hero5
Now I also read somewhere, but is it not in the above link, that Vivid has offered Farrah a million dollars if she will take a lie detector test and passes it. However if she does not, then she forfeits all future royalty checks on not just the first tape, but the second one that is about to come out and yes, even a third tape.
I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not holding my breath thinking that she is dumb enough to believe that she can pass a lie detector test. But hey, I've been wrong before!
Kudos, Admin, for another hilarious recap! I can tell how much fun you're having writing these things. Am I the only one who's now craving a bowl of ice cream?
About Jon fearing having been "set up"...that reminded me of when he and TFW would do the talking head spots on the couch and say things like, "It was decided that we'd..." and we'd hear about the hair plugs, or tooth whitening, or whatever. What a strange way to live -- to have your activities dictated by a production company. Years later, it
must still feel strange to be out from under TLC's thumb (although
he certainly did enjoy many rewards from that lifestyle for a while).
Thanks for the recap, admin. I just saw CT today and agree with all of your insights. I was so impressed with Kelsey's maturity and wish her the best. Concerned because her twitter page still mentions GF. I agree Dr. Jenn was way too defensive about defending her believe that everything that the producers set up is a reflection of her and her highest integrity. Giving Ghost a 3- way? No clear goals for the session. Embracing all Teen Duck 'a lies, including the boyfriend we know was fake, the "horrific things" shared in confidence, (no thought to file police reports?) and now defending POF as providing a valid, valuable therapy activity? rEALLY? I hope at least she had a longer conversation with him on the couch. He just comes across as a puppy wanting to be loved. Sweetly pathetic. He is so open to therapy and I hope he continues because he needs to talk it all out (wish a judge would mandate individual and parent counseling for both) his "sorry " at the end was pure impulse. Years of apologizing so he would not be rejected and yelled at.
Also, BV did file a suit (but internet copy not certified) with randazza as attorney against people who were harassing and threatening HIM . Not a work about KG.
Also, she will never address stock photos. Cookbook served its purpose. It got her a book tour to get away from kids and bash Jon. She never cared about selling books.
Thanks for the recap, admin. I just saw CT today and agree with all of your insights. I was so impressed with Kelsey's maturity and wish her the best. Concerned because her twitter page still mentions GF. I agree Dr. Jenn was way too defensive about defending her believe that everything that the producers set up is a reflection of her and her highest integrity. Giving Ghost a 3- way? No clear goals for the session. Embracing all Teen Duck 'a lies, including the boyfriend we know was fake, the "horrific things" shared in confidence, (no thought to file police reports?) and now defending POF as providing a valid, valuable therapy activity? rEALLY? I hope at least she had a longer conversation with him on the couch. He just comes across as a puppy wanting to be loved. Sweetly pathetic. He is so open to therapy and I hope he continues because he needs to talk it all out (wish a judge would mandate individual and parent counseling for both) his "sorry " at the end was pure impulse. Years of apologizing so he would not be rejected and yelled at.
Also, BV did file a suit (but internet copy not certified) with randazza as attorney against people who were harassing and threatening HIM . Not a work about KG.
Also, she will never address stock photos. Cookbook served its purpose. It got her a book tour to get away from kids and bash Jon. She never cared about selling books.
I agree. The doctor built them up rather than tore them down, by saying something positive. That was really good.
I think women are just sort of built that way in general - to empathize with others and want to reach out in comfort. Once at church, I could see this woman next to me (with an empty seat between us) was crying. I elbowed my husband and cocked my head that way and he looked at her and then at me. He sort of shook his head 'no' but it was too late. I slid over and asked if she was OK. This lady THREW herself on me, just started sobbing. Fortunately the music was pretty loud. I asked what was wrong and she said her sister-in-law was so mean and didn't care about her kids or seeing them. Well, I have horrible in-laws and what I heard was ,"they don't care about ME" (but I could be projecting). So I just held her tight while she cried and cried and she asked me to pray for her so I quietly prayed in her ear while she cried for a few minutes. The song ended, the service ended and her friends behind us swooped in and took care of her. My husband looked like a deer in headlights and said, "What the hell was THAT?"
A couple months later, she approached and said I would never understand what I did for her that day. I had no idea what she was talking about or who she was. It's just what (most) girls do. No biggie - and I've been on the receiving end too, like a lot of people. I loved that I got see this person I considered so fake and shallow, jumping to action to comfort a friend in a very meaningful way. It was a beautiful thing!
PJ it must just be evolution for us. In caveman days if a woman was feeling down or sick the other women would set up and help her, even nurse her baby for her. We are wired to be collaborative and supportive so we all can survive.
I read on the CT twitter time line that Dr Jen said that Duck Lips/the lawyer, the Lesbians and Jon and Liz really liked each other, that the six of them really bonded.
It seemed to me that Jon has been more or less really numbed by TCFW's treatment of him, and when Liz repeats some of the same verbal abuse, he just checks out. When the others point blank tell him that he deserves better, it seems to confuse him. I believe that Liz will be the one that realizes she needs to change due to the others continually pointing out to her that Jon doesn't deserve that sort of treatment.
Once Liz softens her attitude, I think that is when Jon will respond and I suspect that we will see some real progress with Jon and Liz before CT ends.
Unless it's a show about his parenting and showing him with his kids, we have no idea how he is with them.
But what a horrible example he's setting for his kids. Really? He can't stop himself from cursing on TELEVISION? I don't care if he smokes until he dies, it's the whole attitude he has that is offputting to me.
If I knew I was going on a reality show that my kids could watch at any time, I would NOT discuss my masturbation habits, nor swear like a sailor, nor allow myself to be treated the way he has. What are his dating age twins thinking while watching this? Why is he not being the best JON he knows how to be? Is this the best Jon?
The kids were dealt a poor hand with these two loons raising them.
Rhymes with Witch said... 182
He didn't seem upset about the finding that neither was family oriented, he was upset about the incompatibility result. 167
Hopd the phone. Jon is obviously family oriented and LOVES his children. I have no reason to think otherwise of Liz.
If the "test" was wrong about that, why would you think it's "correct" about anything else?
***************
Where did I say the test was correct about anything? All I said was that Jon was upset about the compatibility result, not about the family orientation result.
That's how I see it, too, Remona Blue. I hope Jon comes to realize his true worth, for his own sake, for that of his children, and for whomever it is that he partners with, in the short- and long-term.
I suspect that we will see some real progress with Jon and Liz before CT ends.
***********************************************************
I'm curious. What makes you think THIS therapy will help Jon? He's had therapy from Rabbi Schmuley, he's had a life coach, I'm sure there's other therapy he's had I'm not remembering...
None of that appeared to help. This is a reality show first and foremost and I wonder what makes you think THIS time will be any different.
If I knew I was going on a reality show that my kids could watch at any time, I would NOT discuss my masturbation habits, nor swear like a sailor, nor allow myself to be treated the way he has. What are his dating age twins thinking while watching this? Why is he not being the best JON he knows how to be? Is this the best Jon?
&&&
I think if his kids saw it they probably would be embarrassed. But then kids would also be embarrassed by a parent's twitter account, or a parent who shows up at their school early and gives them a big hug and kiss on their birthday, or a parent pulled over for a DUI or a parent who is drunk when they have a friend over, or a parent who decides to wear a bikini around all their friends.
Point being many parents do all sorts of things that embarrass their kids, I don't see what Jon did as particularly different or more objectionable than many other parents, including say Kate's brother in law getting arrested to stealing in homes he was working on. I don't think that makes him a bad father, I have no idea. I think parents make poor choices and it's really a question for the CHILD of whether it's just another "dad you're so embarrassing" thing or whether it's something that will actually scar them.
Kelsey's son may also be embarrassed by all this. Isn't he 10 or so? But I don't think that means she's a bad mother or that he won't get over it just like he would get over her showing up at his school to kiss him.
I have a pretty high tolerance for bad parents because I believe so very passionately that a parent has a right to parent their child without interference or judgement, unless that child is truly in danger either physically or emotionally. I think that's why Kate struck a chord with me because she went so above and beyond that tolerance level to a place of emotional detriment I'd rarely seen before and even in six years of doing family law still don't see that often. The "Jon embarrasses his kids" argument to me is speculative at best and does not take into account the millions of other embarrassing parents out there. Just IMO, as I do understand that sentiment fully.
url/URL said... 17
''I'm curious. What makes you think THIS therapy will help Jon?''
''....This is a reality show first and foremost and I wonder what makes you think THIS time will be any different.''
~~~~~~~
THIS therapy is Couple Therapy for Jon and Liz, who are in a committed relationship. It's just as simple as that.
Where did I say the test was correct about anything? All I said was that Jon was upset about the compatibility result, not about the family orientation result.
---------------
You said that he threw a little hissy fit, which I didn't see at all. I guess not all definitions of a hissy are the same.
Note to sheeple....embarassing your children does n'o make one a bad parent. Smoking does not make one a bad parent. Drinking does not make one a bad parent. Using "bad words" does not make one a bad parent. However, continually for years upon years trying to alienate ones children from their father DOES make one a bad parent.
I'm curious. What makes you think THIS therapy will help Jon? He's had therapy from Rabbi Schmuley, he's had a life coach, I'm sure there's other therapy he's had I'm not remembering...
None of that appeared to help. 17
Imo, the word "appeared" is key. We have no way of knowing.
I think if his kids saw it they probably would be embarrassed. 18
Dare I say that many kids go through a phase where their parents embarrass them by simply existing. No, not all.
Fire extinguishers at the ready.......
The "Jon embarrasses his kids" argument to me is speculative at best
We all see and interpret things differently, for sure. I tend to think Jon's a big ole hypocrite for saying or implying he did this show to pay his lawyers to get full custody.
Why did he give up legal custody to begin with? He knew how abusive Kate was back then, he was married to her.
He says he quit his show because he didn't want his divorce to play out on tv.....yet he's now on tv letting this relationship play out. People find this hypocritical of Jon.
Point being many parents do all sorts of things that embarrass their kids.
=============
Parents don't have to do anything but exist to embarrass their kids. Luckily the kids grow out of it and realize their parents aren't so bad after all.
Capecodmama - Hope everything is going well with you. I read that you're getting pounded with this latest storm.
I think most of us saw & drew conclusions about that episode based on our prior observations and opinions about Jon, as well as our individual belief systems about parenting. Nothing wrong with that, or any one of us. Independent thought is what makes the world go round, even if it does drive the sheeple crazy.
For what it's worth, I don't think most people are flat-out saying that Jon's a bad parent, period end of sentence. A good number are saying that he is doing just fine as a dad; still others are suggesting that he's not living up to his fullest potential, or even his self-proclaimed standards at times. Ergo, not being the best parent he could be, as evidenced by this latest stint on TV. Big difference, IMO.
As I see things, there's a reasonable chance some among us are conflating these perspectives, when in fact, there are important distinctions to be made. If I muddied the waters by doing that myself, I apologize. Fallible as as they might be, my comments are based on my privately held knowledge and experiences, weighed in the balance against all the stuff Jon's made public. Isn't that where we're all coming from?
Regarding smoking:
This article summarizes a a research study on how children are influenced by a parent smoking. Children of smokers are 4 times more likely to smoke than children of non-smoking parents. Older siblings smoking increases the percentage of younger siblings smoking significantly.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/teens-more-likely-to-smoke-if-parent-oldest-sibling-does-study/
Smoking has profound effects on health, and is, in fact, an addiction. I don't agree that this isn't an example of poor parenting, because, being a role model is one of the most important jobs of being a parent.
Over In TFW's County said... 177
Serendipity said...
Thank you for your kindness. I am going to try to pay more attention while reading the posts.
Thank you Dwindle. Your roll out the barrels was very funny! I also sang Roll out the barrels, we will have barrels of fun to my CNA just now because she said, I now have to go and take out the barrels. She laughed so hard. I love her! She is so good to me! Just saw The Waltons the other night and Jason started playing the piano and all the Waltons and others starting singing Roll out the barrels! We'll have barrels of fun! lol
Also, great post, Admin. Wow. That Wa Tang is something else. He thought he could at least talk either Kelsey or Latrice into staying with him. Kelsey has more class in her little pinky finger than TCFW has in her whole rocking body, according to Milo. Kelsey and Latrice both pulled out the forks and stuck it to Wa Tang and they said, he's done.
So funny about the ice cream. As I was reading Admins post, the Andy Griffith show was on and it was the episode when her cousin Bradford came and Andy found him getting out of the trains box car instead of the passenger car. He had Aunt Bee and the family fooled that he was a big international business man. Then after dinner, he tasted Aunt Bee's homemade ice cream. He loved it. Wanted to start 4 stores and take it nation wide, then internationally. Andy told him to leave and then there was a meeting of investors and Andy and ABee had to tell them that he was a con artist. Clara Edwards came in and said she had just ran into cousin Bradford at the train depot and told every one that he had been called away to help with the shipping crisis in the Far East! lol Andy and Aunt Bee were like whew! Andy said that was a lie. Aunt Bee said, well, we don't know for sure he wasn't called to help with the shipping crisis in the Far East! lol
I don't agree that this isn't an example of poor parenting, because, being a role model is one of the most important jobs of being a parent.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
AMEN, Ex Nurse. Being a parent means sacrificing a lot!
Why do people have to pass all kinds of 'tests' to get a shelter animal but anyone can have and raise a child??
AMEN, Ex Nurse. When one is a parent,
Ex-Nurse said... I don't agree that this isn't an example of poor parenting, because, being a role model is one of the most important jobs of being a parent.
Of course you don't agree, because anything to make Jon look bad - that's your m.o......Smoking is not illegal and to infer that smoking equates to a being a bad role model is beyond ludicrous.
Ulysses said... 14
" nor allow myself to be treated the way he has."
888888888888888888888888888888
Let's not forget that those kids (according to Kreider) watch their shows over and over and over. Unless she's had Jon swiffered from every episode, they are seeing their father being treated a lot worse on the realest of reality shows, by their mother. I'm more upset about that.
I'd rather live in a house with drinking, smoking and swearing than a house with the kind of abuse we all saw. Jon is able to turn it off, as seen on Oprah, the View and some other interviews. I am also willing to bet that the kids have been exposed to the eff bomb at school and other places. Did the kids watch the episode of their drunk mother having her foot licked by a stranger? Are the kids exposed to the nightly bottle(s) of wine?
Do I want these kids to have perfect parents? Absolutely. IMO, Jon is the better parent. He seems like a nice guy and a good father. What more can we ask for?
PJ
Looks like her grifting has paid off again.
@Kateplusmy8: Sorry if I haven't RT'ed u.. I LOVE YOU ALL but here's what happened2my entire day!
Ordered parts/glued til then! :( pic.twitter.com/sbrL8A3vw2
@beckybgrimwood: @Kateplusmy8 if you need anything let me know, we live near you and are vacuflo dealers/installers!
@Kateplusmy8: @beckybgrimwood for seriously??! I'm constantly fixing and repairing myself! It gets lots of use here obviously! Email me your details?:)
@beckybgrimwood: @Kateplusmy8 let me know your email...I will email you and can get you on the schedule early this week :)
"For seriously" (what does that even mean), how does she continue to cast a net and always catch something? We all know she doesn't fix anything herself. I wonder if she ever claims any of these freebies on her taxes. Well, maybe this won't be free, maybe they'll charge a service call and then try to sell her something.
I have read that most of our character traits are set by the age of three. What interests me about Jon, is how has being biracial affected him. He was raised by a 100% Korean mother in a mostly white, rich world. In rural PA, he must have stood out like a sore thumb at times..much like his own children do now. How did this affect his self esteem..did he wish to be all Asian, or all white? Did he feel different than his peers? Maybe this has shaped who he is today, more than a ten year old failed marriage.
Paula said... 29
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I agree with ex-nurse that smoking if inside the house, IS being a bad role model in that one aspect. Smoking causes cancer and the kids are breathing in second-hand smoke. There is more likelihood kids of smokers will end up with the habit themselves according to some researchers.JMO.
~~~~~Also:
Why would a broken vacuum take up TFWs entire day??? That's grifting all right! She hasn't lost her otuvh.
Just my two cents . . . smoking is a horrible, life threatening habit, so, yes, I think smoking in front of your children is being a bad role model.
Marie
NJGal51...24
We're fine, thank you. During the previous storm, we only got rain so it pretty much melted all our snow. This last storm brought high wind gusts and dumped 16" of heavy, wet snow on us. Our lights flickered once but the power never went out, for which I'm grateful.
Another great recap, Admin.
"For seriously" (what does that even mean), how does she continue to cast a net and always catch something?
---------------
Not always. She hasn't caught a man in that net yet, although the foot fetish guy has been swimming around it. If her vac needs fixing, how much trouble is it to search on the internet for repair shops in the area?
Marie....you have no idea whether he smokes in front of his children. OMG, the idea that a parent who smokes is a bad parent is about as a disingenuous argument that I can think of.
Kate smokes and drinks. I would never use those 2 items as reasons she is a bad mother. I just am speechless at this newest way to bash Jon.
As we've noted many times, this "damsel in distress" nonsense is
self-inflicted. If TFW had allowed her ex on the property, I'm sure many of these fix-it jobs could've been handled in two shakes of a sheeple's tale. But she made that boundary.
And a day wasted on fretting over a broken vacuum? What about the rest of the to-do list? It's hard to keep up with whatever version of
reality she's presenting from day to day.
Paula said... 38
Kate smokes and drinks. I would never use those 2 items as reasons she is a bad mother. I just am speechless at this newest way to bash Jon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think most people would agree that smoking and drinking in front of kids is not a good example. It doesn't mean they are bad parents. And IIRC, Kate WAS bashed for allegedly smoking. She certainly is for drinking. but it's her other behaviors ( abusing the kids at the top of the list) that make her a bad parent; just because Jon smokes does not make him a bad parent but maybe he should -if he doesn't- smoke outside away from them- try to quit for his own health as well as theirs.
Seems that our opinions about Jon have proved more polarizing than our views about TFW. Don't shoot the messenger, but I'm wondering why that is.
I agree with ex-nurse that smoking if inside the house,
&&&&
He is never shown smoking in the house. They go out back to that porch area, OUTSIDE. Since there aren't any kids on this show, he never has been shown smoking in front of kids.
I don't have a single gosh darn problem with Kate smoking. My only issue with that episode where it looked like she was finishing off a cigarette is that Kate has tried to cover it up. She paints herself as the perfect parent but has taken such great steps to hide her smoking. Just be honest about it: I'm a smoker but I also do so outside away from my children. No problem! It was her dishonesty that was the issue, not the smoking itself. As usual, the bulk of her behavior is usually much more about her being disingenuous than the behavior itself.
If Kate's smoking, drinking, cursing, and boyfriends were my only complaints about her, I wouldn't be here. I really don't care about any of those things.
What's next, Jon drinks too much coffee? Eats too much sweets and sets a "bad example" for his children? Eye roll!
She certainly is for drinking
&&&
Not by me. My only issue with her drinking is when she left her children crying and begging her to stay to go get plastered in NYC with her girlfriend. I felt that was inappropriate and that she should have stayed with them and had her birthday closer to home.
I think it's rather funny all the wine she drinks, because I think she's pretty clueless about wine and often drinks alone, but there's a difference between bashing and just SNARKING. If she wants to drink her boxed wine to her heart's content GO AHEAD, I don't CARE.
Regarding smoking:
This article summarizes a a research study on how children are influenced by a parent smoking. Children of smokers are 4 times more likely to smoke than children of non-smoking parents. Older siblings smoking increases the percentage of younger siblings smoking significantly.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/teens-more-likely-to-smoke-if-parent-oldest-sibling-does-study/
Smoking has profound effects on health, and is, in fact, an addiction. I don't agree that this isn't an example of poor parenting, because, being a role model is one of the most important jobs of being a parent.
&&&
I don't think you're understanding what some of us are trying to say. You're missing the point posting things like this.
Do I hate smoking myself? Sure? Do I think it's terrible? Sure! I do not smoke myself and can't stand the smell.
But, I could pull a similar article that says that overly praising your child and giving them a trophy for every accomplishment is profoundly bad for children. I could pull another similar article that says that divorce is profoundly hard on children and that it's better to just stay together. I could pull another similar article that says that parents who live in poverty have actually been consistently linked to POOR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT in their children.
Point being, there are literally hundreds of things that parents do that COULD harm their children or COULD result in something bad happening. But to stand here in judgment and say that a divorced mother or father, that a mother or father who are poor, or that a mother or father who smokes is a BAD PARENT, is over the top pearl clutching.
I don't require parents to be perfect. I don't require it of Jon nor of Kate. I think they should do the best they can and that they're not going to do everything perfect, nor is every parent. As long as you do not emotionally or physically abuse your kids, I have no interest or desire in being so God damn hard on people. Compassion. Understanding. Leaving people be to parents their own children without constant judgment. All things I value. We as a society have decided we are only to intervene with parents under the more dire of circumstances, anything else you can do what you like.
I don't have a single gosh darn problem with Kate smoking. My only issue with that episode where it looked like she was finishing off a cigarette is that Kate has tried to cover it up. She paints herself as the perfect parent but has taken such great steps to hide her smoking.
================
Where has it been proved that Kate smokes. If you're talking about that one video where it looked like she was exhaling smoke, wasn't that later shown to be just the wind causing the canopy of the tent to billow?
You're stating something as fact that has never been proved. Isn't that what a lot of people here complain about? Someone starts a rumor and people run with it, and then all of a sudden it becomes fact.
I am no way defending Kate, but to state that she is a smoker and is hiding it, is not based on any facts that we know of.
BTW, I, too, am a smoker. I, however, do not smoke around my grandkids, or any people who do not smoke. I have never considered myself a bad parent for smoking, and I'm sure my daughter would agree.
There's a lot a things that make you a bad parent, but smoking isn't one of them.
When I was a kid I knew instinctively my parents were hopeless in their roles. They were both alcoholics, smokers and big partiers, but then so were all their affluent friends, it was the late 50‘s and early 60’s, and the era of "children were to seen and not heard".
When my father died of a massive coronary at 43 years of age, things spun even more out of control with my mother. One day, I asked her if there was any chance she could be like Mrs. Anderson on the television show "Father Knows Best". I can still see her sitting on the couch, cigarette in hand, sipping her drink and saying, "no, there is no chance". I craved stability, routine, and a parent who had an interest in my life, but that was not to be.
So, I will take Jon with all his bad habits (ones I am very familiar with), because he cares about his children and has a genuine love for them. Kate is a pretender, a user and the kids can tell the difference between real love and phoney love. Habits are habits, but love and caring are true.
And as long as we're posting research, research suggests that not only is swearing essentially harmless to children in and of itself (researches documented 10,000 incidents of parents swearing around their children and could not find ANY link to harm), but that it might actually be HELPFUL to children.
Negative behavior is not good for children, but not all swearing is said in a negative manner and not all negative behavior is expressed through curse words. On the flip side, overly positive behavior is bad for children.
From Kate's old hang out!:
http://thestir.cafemom.com/big_kid/153671/5_reasons_its_okay_to
Anyway, we can post articles and research about good or bad parenting until the cows come home, but I really don't care whether a parent wants to curse either, I just don't. Not clutching my pearls over it.
NJGal51 said... 31
Looks like her grifting has paid off again.
@Kateplusmy8: Sorry if I haven't RT'ed u.. I LOVE YOU ALL but here's what happened2my entire day!
Ordered parts/glued til then! :( pic.twitter.com/sbrL8A3vw2
______________________________
Wow. For something that "gets lots of use here obviously," that vacuum is extraordinarily clean. Not a speck of dust or dirt anywhere on it.
Where has it been proved that Kate smokes. If you're talking about that one video where it looked like she was exhaling smoke, wasn't that later shown to be just the wind causing the canopy of the tent to billow?
&&&&
It was never decided either way. I didn't say Kate smokes I said it LOOKED like she was smoking. It's hard to imagine her taking up with Jon, a smoker, if she didn't smoke herself at one time.
I thought I was clear that IF she did smoke then it's hypocritical to hide it. Point being if she does smoke I do not care except that she's tried to be the perfect parent. I don't think smoking makes you a bad person or parent either.
Paula said "I agree with ex-nurse that smoking if inside the house, IS being a bad role model in that one aspect. Smoking causes cancer and the kids are breathing in second-hand smoke. There is more likelihood kids of smokers will end up with the habit themselves according to some researchers"
***************
I was one of six kids who grew up in a house (in the '50s/60s) with both parents who smoked. My dad quit cold turkey in his forties, but sadly died at age 63 from non-smoking related causes. My mom chain-smoked til the day she died of lung cancer at age 80. We kids used to refer to their cigarettes as "cancer sticks" and not one of us ever developed the habit.
My point is: they were flawed parents, but authentic. We kids turned out to be quite productive members of society and our parents' smoking was not the benchmark of their parenting skills.
With sooooooooooooooo many other, more real, examples of poor role modeling, picking smoking as proof that a person is a bad parent seems to be rather one-dimensional and shallow.
April 2007 Poor little Joel- he is in love with his daddy and wants to be loved by me. I do love him… but I hate to say that his father like cluelessness makes me crazy!
Hoffman, Robert (2012-09-27). KATE GOSSELIN: HOW SHE FOOLED THE WORLD (Kindle Locations 7242-7244). . Kindle Edition.
Give me a god damn drink and a fucking cigarette.
PJ
I believe the smoking issue has been discussed ad nauseum...time to move on - jmho.
I came across this by accident and I am horrified by the inhumane treatment of the 2 little children in the movie, Twilight, the Movie with Vic Morrow and Renee Chin, 6 yrs. old and My-ca Dinh Li, a 7 yr. old boy. They were babies!!!
Absolutely appalled at John Landis's arrogance of getting his way filming this movie. Live ammo, live real explosions. Some of the crew had to run up the slope hill to get away from the heat blast from the explosions, the way they were hired, paid, and the helicopter scene was being filmed at 2:30 AM!!! And to top it all off the jerk was acquitted. He even showed up at the children's funerals and spoke to the family's horror.
What is even worse, out of the 4 parents, 1 of them is a doctor, and 1 is a social worker that specializes in abused and neglect.
They should of called the police to have Landis removed. They had the right.
Here is the link: http://www.bizparentz.org/twilightzonetragedy.html
I don't know if she is or isn't a smoker but cigarettes and coffee are one way to keep the hunger at bay and keep from eating. I know because I was a smoker. That's why many people resist quitting because they're afraid they'll pack on the pounds because food tastes good again and they've got to have something in their mouth to keep them occupied and keep their minds off cigarettes.
I just have to shake my head because some of the non fans are now tweeting the vacuum woman. Why do they do it? If they'd just stay off Kate's timeline it would be dead.
Lukebandit, I'm not dissing you or anything I'm just trying to understand why you do it.
I always thought Kate was a smoker even before the "smoking gun" footage of her surrounded by a plume at the beach.
There was so much of her nastiness that reminded me of a smoker in need of a nicotine fix. Normal one minute and crazy the next. It was the Thomas the Tank Engine episode when I first thought this. She was so inappropriately crazy all of a sudden. As an ex-smoker, I recognized the signs. Just my opinion.
Sleepless In Seattle said... 20
You said that he threw a little hissy fit, which I didn't see at all. I guess not all definitions of a hissy are the same.
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I guess not. Storming off and threatening to call his manager to get him off the show meets my definition of a hissy fit. Saying Jon threw a hissy fit and saying the test was accurate are completely different things, however.
Fired Up 4 Kate @MiloandJack 13h
@Kateplusmy8 LOL Kate..only YOU would take a vacuum cleaner apart & I see it looks absolutely CLEAN on the inside! I see its set 4 a lefty!
No, Milo. Not ONLY Kate would take a vac apart. I took mine apart last week and it was as clean as Kate's. Milo, get a room. I never realized I should have spread everything out on the floor and taken a picture of it.
Fired Up 4 Kate @MiloandJack 13h
@Kateplusmy8 Hubs asked if this was the vacuum cleaner N the RV episode? LOL U were N a FEISTY cleaning mode if I remember correctly! :)
Both Gladys and Hubs are idiots if they think that Kate would take her good vac system on the RV trip, drag it over a driveway and rocks in a fit of anger. That vac was an upright, didn't belong to her, and therefore she didn't care if she broke it.
Fired Up 4 Kate @MiloandJack 12h
@Kassibieber14 Not meaning 2butt in..but just so U know...Kate has answered this b4...no Facebk...no Instagram 4her or her kids! :) #Fakes
Of course you mean to butt in. It's your job. Otherwise, why do it? They don't call you Gladys for nothing!
Paula said... 29
Of course you don't agree, because anything to make Jon look bad - that's your m.o......Smoking is not illegal and to infer that smoking equates to a being a bad role model is beyond ludicrous.
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Really? Perhaps you can explain how smoking equates to being a good role model then. You ARE a role model as a parent, so either what you model is good or it is bad. Since you have decided that smoking isn't a form of bad role modeling, I'd love to hear what is good about it. Is it the addictive behavior? The negative impact on those you smoke around? The potentially devastating health consequences? The lovely odor of the home or clothing of smokers? By all means, share the good part of smoking. I'm all ears.
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@beckybgrimwood @Kateplusmy8 Her M.O. on service techs is to talk/make fun of them. Had 2 get towed, She wrote very bad article. He was kind
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@lukebandit @beckybgrimwood @Kateplusmy8 Article was awful. Even mocked his appearance as I remember. Treated him like dirt beneath her feet
I remember that post from the Stir blog. It's actually one of the better ones that she wrote, considering her "theme" was that you can't judge a book by its cover. She started out explaining the Mr. Tow Truck man was dirty, greasy, but in the end, she was grateful for his kindness:
"Despite his appearance, he was a very kind, helpful and respectful soul, and had gone so very far above and beyond the call of duty of a tow truck driver. Extreme gratefulness washed over me as I was reminded yet again of the lesson I've learned in recent years to not “judge a book by its cover.” I had been quick to judge too many times over the years -- and much more often in recent years...Finally! I had reached the front of the line and discovered that the rental place had one last car available and once my new friend, Mr. Tow Truck Driver -- in a move that I now considered typical of him -- confirmed the vehicle was physically present on the lot, I thanked him immensely and he returned to his truck and drove away with my car on board."
I'm a 40 year smoker, minus only 3 pregnancies, so trust me I am not judging anyone who smokes but......I do agree it's not a good thing to do around children even if you go outside. My daughter and her husband were smokers until their first child who is 7 years old now was about 3. They were both pretty die hard smokers too. They quit because they were always planning things around their next smoke. It also bothered them that their toddler was watching them out the sliding glass door and that car trips always had to include stops for them to smoke. If you're a serious smoker like I am and they were you're life is pretty much controlled by that next smoke. When I am invited to go anywhere my first thought is "can I smoke there?". I rarely visit people overnight because of that reason. I've had my two oldest granddaughters beg me to stop smoking and it's not enough to make me quit. Smoking controls your life. I'm so proud of my daughter and son in law for quitting. I think though, the longer you smoke, the harder it is to quit. I had someone recently ask me how I can afford to smoke. I told them, to me, it is like any other staple in life such as food. Luckily I can afford to smoke and pay my bills, unlike many others. When I think of the things I could be doing with those hundreds of dollars a month it sickens me. My breathing is getting worse and I just got over a serious bout of bronchitis. I know I am at the age I am truly playing with fire now. It bothers and scares me every single day of my life but not enough to quit. I haven't really even tried. It's a disgusting habit and I feel like trash when I have to leave my family on an outing to find a place to smoke. I'm hoping something clicks in my head and I stop before something truly serious with my health forces me too. I know I can't quit for anyone else and it has to be only because I want to. I did make an appointment with a psychologist who also does hypnosis but I have my doubts. It's a first step though. In my opinion both Jon and Liz should try to quit not only for themselves but for their children before they get to the point this old lady is at. It's not a good thing any way you look at it.
I wonder if Becky Grimwood knows that Kate expects this service for free?
I just have to shake my head because some of the non fans are now tweeting the vacuum woman. Why do they do it? If they'd just stay off Kate's timeline it would be dead.
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Not only that, .Sue, but when they do it, it makes Kate look like the poor victim -- everyone is out to get her. Tweeting these people, writing letters to companies about Kate only confirms HER point that she is being bullied by haters. I just don't get it.
Did anyone see the latest from Bullyville? He's filing an injunction to keep ECJ and some Jane Does off the internet while he files a lawsuit against them for extortion, bribery, contacting his advertisers, and death threats that have terrorized his wife. His thugs are calling it another St.Valentine's Day Massacre. I call it BV Has Finally Lost His Mind.
Contacting his advertisers is 100% Free Speech. The rest is APPARENTLY, APPEARS TO BE completely made up, at least against ECJ and the Jane Does..He knew the statute of limitations for what he did to ECJ was expiring and I think he got scared that something was coming.
Paula said...
Paula said... 37
Marie....you have no idea whether he smokes in front of his children. OMG, the idea that a parent who smokes is a bad parent is about as a disingenuous argument that I can think of.
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I didn't see anything that said that smoking means that someone is a poor parent. I hear people saying that it is poor parenting--there is a difference.
As far as research goes, it doesn't matter that the smoking is not in front of the children. There is still a significantly higher chance that children of smoking parents will smoke. If either of the twins start smoking, then there is an even higher chance that some of the tups will too. Not smoking in front of the kids does remove the secondhand smoke exposure, but does not change the fact that it is role-modeling an unhealthy, and, very expensive addiction.
Just because TFW is the mother from hell does not excuse Jon's behavior. I have said many times that he is a loving parent. Showing love is just one aspect of parenting. Being a role model is another. I am consistent in my OPINION of what constitutes good parenting and poor parenting. I apply that standard consistently to both of these wretched parents.
I agree that Jon is becoming aware of how he participates in unhealthy relationships, and genuinely seems to be in pain about it. It means that he is teachable. I just don't see the value in this blog acting as a cheering squad for Jon, when, in reality he has a long way to go. And, ultimately, my concern is always for the children and how they are being effected by Jon's behavior.
Lila I don't think that anyone said that smoking makes you a good role model I think that they've said that it doesn't make you a bad parent. You're reading things in to it that just aren't there. Yes, parents are their children's role models but people are flawed. If we weren't we'd all be walking on water. I smoked off and on when my son was growing up and he never picked up the habit. Smoking did not make me a bad role model for him, it just made me a mom who smoked. I also cursed (and still do). Sue me.
It is tiresome to read over and over and over comments that are determined to put Jon in the worst possible light, seeing things that just flat aren't there.
I have to say that for the most part I don’t see that sort of thing on this blog. What is tiresome for me is to have people saying that all posters who aren’t 100% rah, rah Jon are determined to put Jon in the worst possible light.
It seems to me that most posters here agree that Jon is a better parent than TFW, but also is not the best parent that he has it in him to be. Most posters seem to be rooting for him, more or less.
I’m not determined to see Jon in the worst possible light; nor do I think most posters here are. I do like to discuss, and find the many different viewpoints interesting. A statement that says you’re just determined to see him in a bad light shuts down discussion.
No, I’m not determined to see him in a bad light. But I am realistic in the light I see.
He certainly hasn’t managed to portray himself on CT in the most flattering light, and that’s what we have to go by most recently. I wonder if the Jon we’re seeing on CT *is* the real Jon, and if the cleaned up, well-spoken version in some of the interviews is just an act that he turns on for that event.
The off-putting behavior on CT is a little too comfortable and natural to confidently say that he isn’t like that at home. I’m not so sure that the behavior that he turns on and off isn’t ‘off’ at home. It doesn’t mean that he’s a bad parent. Just not the stellar role model of a parent that some want to make him out to be.
being a role model is one of the most important jobs of being a parent.
So true.
Hanging out in bars, swearing frequently (can he get thru a sentence without it?), smoking (even if it’s outside, the kids are still aware of it), job instability, sitting there with a hang dog look when someone yells at him, discussing his masturbation habits on national tv (most people have enough sense not to put the intimate details of their lives out there on national tv where it’s easily accessible by their children at some point).
If it was just one of those things, I wouldn’t think as much of it. But put all those things together and I think low class person.
I don’t think bad parent, but I also don’t think wow! there’s a good parent!
Kind-hearted person? Sure. A fine example of good parenting? Not so much.
What I see is needy, susceptible to addictive behaviors, weak in many ways; someone who is not his own person, he just assimilates the behavior of whomever he’s around.
I hope Jon comes to realize his true worth, for his own sake, for that of his children, and for whomever it is that he partners with, in the short- and long-term.
Yep. And that’s what I think most of us here think. I do have high hopes for Jon. I so badly want him to shake free of TFW. I want him to be able to be the best dad he can be to those kids.
Lila said....
Since you have decided that smoking isn't a form of bad role modeling, I'd love to hear what is good about it. Is it the addictive behavior? The negative impact on those you smoke around? The potentially devastating health consequences? The lovely odor of the home or clothing of smokers? By all means, share the good part of smoking. I'm all ears.
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So would I! What I don't understand is why people try to cut off topics once they have weighed in. It isn't like we are all sitting on Joy's veranda and having a conversation. Sometimes I don't see a post directed at me for hours, and then when I respond, I am told that I am refusing to move on. If people want to move on, then just don't respond. It isn't fair to insist on having the last word.
IMO, when people want to move on, sometimes it is because it has touched too close too home, and then they may feel personally attacked. I have just posted about having compassion and empathy for addicts, and I do. But, I have my own ideas and opinions about what constitutes good parenting, and they are as valid as anyone else's. By all means, if smoking, swearing and drinking constitute good parenting, in your opinion, then, carry on. What does it matter what I think? Why bother respond at all--no one's opinion on this will be changed. There really isn't anything else going on in the Gosselin world.mi guess we could discuss the merits of self-repair and calling a professional for a vacuum repair vs using twitter. Maybe it is just me, but I think that the topics of masturbating, swearing , smoking and drinking are just a little more interesting.
Paula said... 29
Ex-Nurse said... I don't agree that this isn't an example of poor parenting, because, being a role model is one of the most important jobs of being a parent.
Of course you don't agree, because anything to make Jon look bad - that's your m.o......Smoking is not illegal and to infer that smoking equates to a being a bad role model is beyond ludicrous.
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Paula, back the truck up ... whereas it is true that smoking is legal, we are all well aware of the surgeon general's warnings about smoking and remember the commercials of the lady with the open hole in her throat where she smoked a cigarette.
Yet people still smoke. It is an addiction. Even knowing the hazards, young people start smoking to "be cool" and impress their friends. Then later they discover that they can't stop even when they become parents and they don't want to smoke in front of their kids or hey it would be a way to save a lot of money ... but it is easier said than done.
Sometimes it takes a diagnoses of cancer or emphysema or having to go on oxygen that gets smokers to give it up ... but in the meantime I hope and pray that parents that do smoke tell their kids not to start to smoke because it is bad for your health.
Big surprise, I have never smoked as I viewed it as a disgusting habit. Back in the 70s & 80s when my mother would send me to the store for milk, bread and cigarettes I only would remember to pick up the first two items, and when I cleaned her house I refused to clean out the ashtrays. Since both my brother and mother smoked two packs a day each, I lived in their second hand smoke for years.
My mother wound up with emphysema and then spent her last 5.5 years on a ventilator with 24/7 care in her home. My brother and his GF were live in caregivers and they smoked, as well as all the nurses.
One would think that taking care of someone on a vent due to smoking would be enough motivation to give up cigarettes once and for all but no that did not happen with any of the caretakers.
When my brother couldn't take it anymore and moved out, I had to move in and take care of my mom 8 hours a day/7 days a week. Before I moved back home I had a 8x10 photo of my mom on a vent and two girls ages 8 and 10 saw it. I answered all their questions, told them if my mother had never smoked she would not be living on a machine, and they promised me that they would never smoke (I told their parents, both smokers, about them seeing the photo). FTR those 2 kids now in their 30s never picked up a cigarette.
I had hired two teenage girls to be there every day from 3-5pm while my mom took her daily nap at $5/hour so I could work outside of the home (if one did not show up I knew the other would). Three weeks before my mom died at age 64 I was asked, "what brand did your mom smoke?"
So I said to my mom, "hey mom, do you want a cigarette?"
My mom used her voice activator (because of the tracheotomy she had a device she put next to her neck so she sounded like a computer) and said, "YES!!!"
"Sorry, I don't have any. BTW the girls want to know what brand you smoked"
"The brand had nothing to do with it!!!!" She then told the girls how she wished she had never started but she still craved cigarettes to this day and she did insist that all the smokers around her smoke outside and out of her view because she still wanted a cigarette.
Again it is an addiction. When my mom was first put on oxygen and had to give up the cigs her doctor put her on a nicotine patch and she got addicted to the patches!! But the doctor said he preferred her addiction to the patches over the cigarettes.
Call me crazy: Kate is a clean freak/perfectionist type. She is one of those people who will clean a vacuum after every use. Most of us really don't. She probably also clean her frig, thoroughly, as in scrubbing the inside, once a week, as to just cleaning the expired food out. She said a one time that she cleans the van out everyday, to it is spotless. Her house is the same way, everything has a place, is clean. God forbid someone moves something, she freaks out. I would not be surprised if Kate does a white glove inspection. She said I think in a blog or twitter, something about the kids, chores not doing them a certain way. She freaks.
Contacting his advertisers is 100% Free Speech.
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I'm not so sure about that. Admin would know better than I would, though. If it can be proven it was done out of harassment, or to damage his business, or if damage and loss of revenue could be proven, then I would think that there would be grounds there, but I don't know.
Lila, you know very well that not one person weighing in on the smoking issue is even close to implying that smoking is "good". I think you also know (or should also know) that we have all been saying that a smoker for a parent is not going to make or break a child.
Full moon was on Saturday...could explain why so many are being just a little bit testy lately. Then again, CT has really brought out so many differences of opinions, and back and forth arguments! Of course, back to back snow storms and frigid temps can also put many at their wits' end!
Mickey...never said or implied smoking was "good". Both of my grandparents were heavy smokers - luckily my mother was not. But to imply that my grandparents were poor parents or bad role models is beyond insulting to me and to their memory. As I said earlier, it's past time this smoking "issue" was put to bed. It is, quite simply, another sheeple diversion.
Call me crazy: Kate is a clean freak/perfectionist type. She is one of those people who will clean a vacuum after every use. Most of us really don't. She probably also clean her frig, thoroughly, as in scrubbing the inside, once a week, as to just cleaning the expired food out. She said a one time that she cleans the van out everyday, to it is spotless. Her house is the same way, everything has a place, is clean. God forbid someone moves something, she freaks out. I would not be surprised if Kate does a white glove inspection. She said I think in a blog or twitter, something about the kids, chores not doing them a certain way. She freaks.
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You're snarking, right? Kate is most definitely not a clean freak. All of that was her shtick for the show. Cleaning that refrig was done for the episode. She puts her feet on kitchen counters, for heaven's sakes, washes sheets once a month, and walks around the dirty streets of New York City in her bare feet. No clean freak would ever do that.
There really isn't anything else going on in the Gosselin world.mi guess we could discuss the merits of self-repair and calling a professional for a vacuum repair vs using twitter. Maybe it is just me, but I think that the topics of masturbating, swearing , smoking and drinking are just a little more interesting.
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I like discussions about vacuum cleaners. Anyone know which one is best for picking up cat hair? :-)
The following is all ALLEGED: The feedback coming from BV's advertisers is that the ads were never placed there in the beginning, that his site "poaches" ads and he has received many cease and desist letters. Does anyone really think the Red Cross would willingly place an ad on Cheaterville?
If smoking & cussing instantly makes someone a bad parent, then add my name to the list.
I think there are MANY ways for parents to be role models for kids, but I don't think anyone can be held to an unrealistic role model by never doing anything "bad". We are all going to do something "bad", be it yelling at someone for no reason (I've done it) to eating unhealthy (I've done it) to smoking or drinking (I've done it).
I don't drink, but I was a bartender. I quit that job when I had my son because I didn't feel it was the right job for a young male to see a woman doing. Now before anyone goes OMG!, what I mean is, that to be a good bartender you have to flirt, joke, dodge pinches & inappropriate hands all for money. It was a great job, with great money, but it wasn't what I wanted my son's first impression of a woman working to be. BUT, at the same time, I realize my trade off from bartender to housewife just gave him another view of women that was just as limited, but not as negative. Thankfully, he's had my mom as an example of a single working mom.
Parent's AREN'T perfect, we all have bad habits or vices that aren't great models for our kids. But we can balance that out with the positive models we can show or provide. We're going to eat junk food, cuss, possibly drink or smoke. We're going to flip off some idiot in traffic one day or lose our cool over something stupid because we're just not having a good day. We're going to run that light that we swear was yellow a second ago & not red. IMO none of these things make anyone a horrible parent. For ME, I'm more concerned with showing & teaching my kiddo about good healthy relationships than freak out over the fact that I smoke. I would rather teach my kiddo how to cook something/anything, even if it's tacos & burgers, so that when he's out on his own, he has a start on taking care of himself. There are SO many things we need to teach our kids, that obsessing over being perfect w/ no mistakes, bad habits or vices would IMO turn us into someone like Kate, all about appearances & what others think than what's really important...raising self sufficient, well rounded, responsible, working adults.
As a potential customer or donor to a company or organization I have every right to ask them why they'd place an ad on Cheaterville and is that the image they're going for. People have protested to the companies who placed ads on JK+8 and Rush Limbaugh's advertisers are deluged daily with people asking them why the advertise on his show.
Sue said... 55
I just have to shake my head because some of the non fans are now tweeting the vacuum woman. Why do they do it? If they'd just stay off Kate's timeline it would be dead.
Lukebandit, I'm not dissing you or anything I'm just trying to understand why you do it.
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Because I am sick and tired of this woman who takes advantage of everyone she comes across for her benefit and her benefit only. I was just trying to warn a seemly kind person to charge her regular fees that she would charge her customers and not get taken advantage of TCFW's dog and pony show.
Why should TCFW get a huge discount or free things and services just because it is her? She has plenty of money to pay for things. She's cried poor to the church members at many churches while just moving into a mansion with 26 acres. If you were in that dire of finances, you wouldn't be moving in a place like that.
Remember the article she wrote about the Mr. Tow Truck Man? She delights in belittling people, confronting in your face to people helping her and making fun of people. Even a dear sweet kind woman riding a horse.
Remember the hit and run accident? She hit the car, kept on going. They got the tag number and called the police. They came to her door and she told them that she didn't have time to deal with it. Did she ask them if anyone was hurt? I don't know, but when is TCFW ever compassionate.
I will never forget the look on Jon's face when they all did the Oprah interview by satellite feed. Oprah said something about money and TCFW piped up and said, The money is never enough. Jon gasped and had a horror look on his face. I would have to rewatch it, I may have it wrong, so kindness please don't hold me word for word.
I tried to find it, but it is difficult, because they show everything with Oprah interview with Jon and I believe it was an episode on the J&K+8 show. Tried, I can't find it.
If TFW and Cara are vacuum pros why does she need 'for seriously' this Becky Grimwood to help? I don't think that she meant she owuld replace it, although that's what Kate probably wants..
I was one of the people who contacted the Red Cross, totally on my own, about their ad on Cheaterville. They were displeased to put it mildly and asked me to please contact them again if their ads ever showed up on any of those sites again. I don't think the Red Cross representative would ask me to call him if there was anything wrong with what I did.
Ex nurse: Maybe it is just me, but I think that the topics of masturbating, swearing , smoking and drinking are just a little more interesting.
Of course you because then you can pass judgement on those that do any of the above. Especially if one of those people is Jon.
What I don't understand is why people try to cut off topics once they have weighed in. It isn't like we are all sitting on Joy's veranda and having a conversation.
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I've really enjoyed sitting on Joy's veranda, having a nice cold tall one, and talking about our virtual trips. She's always been a very gracious hostess!
Contacting his advertisers is 100% Free Speech.
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I'm not so sure about that. Admin would know better than I would, though. If it can be proven it was done out of harassment, or to damage his business, or if damage and loss of revenue could be proven, then I would think that there would be grounds there, but I don't know.
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I have no idea what goes on with BV's advertisers, poachers, cease and desist or whatever. My comment was a general one in response to 100 percent free speech. If companies are contacted out of harassment, or to damage that company, or to interfere with their business and revenues fall because of it, then I would think that there would be a case if damages could be proven.
I don't follow BV or his lawsuits, or who he is suing or why, or if statute of limitations against "haters" have expired. I stay as far away from that as I can. I don't know why he is suing ECJ (?), what that person has done or is alleged to have done, what death threats were made, or what the thugs have done. The only time I paid any attention was during Kate's involvement to take down the haters, and even then I didn't know who was who in the dog fight, or who his "minions" were.
Who is ECJ that BV is suing?
Where has it been proved that Kate smokes. If you're talking about that one video where it looked like she was exhaling smoke, wasn't that later shown to be just the wind causing the canopy of the tent to billow?
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I agree. As long as you don't say anything libelous you can contact a company if you want and even do so quite vigorously and passionately. And if you are harassing the company that's really between you and the company, not the person you are contacting them about.
If you are saying libelous things about a company or someone, that could be another matter. However not always! At least for CA lawyers we are forbidden from responding to criticism from clients, even if they say blatantly false things about you. We cannot respond, per our Bar. It's frustrating to hear a client say you never contacted them when you have a stack of two dozen emails back and forth proving otherwise, but that's the way it is. If you have an issue with that you need not apply to the CA bar.
The law protects consumers.
Two things I also find bad for kids:
1. Being overtly critical, unforgiving and judgmental of others, which in turn would seem to teach kids to also be critical, unforgiving and judgmental instead of having an open heart towards all kinds of people, cultures and lifestyles even if it's not what YOU would do. .
2. Setting unrealistic expectations for parents, expecting them to be perfect, trying yourself to be the perfect parent to the kids. Devoting all your time and energy to this ideal "perfect" parent. This only sets yourself up to fail. Kids will see right through that and resent you, or become perfectionists freaking out over every little misstep they make and being unreasonably hard on themselves and feel guilt at their mistakes or missteps or imperfections throughout life. Agree with GKD's thoughts. JMO.
IMO, when people want to move on, sometimes it is because it has touched too close too home, and then they may feel personally attacked. I
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That's nonsense and frankly insulting. Not a single person in my family smokes nor do I. It's not "personal" to me. My BFF smoked but she quit last year because her new husband didn't like it.
Sometimes people want to move on because the same things are said over and over and over and over and over and over and over and it....gets....tiresome.
It's as simple as that, Ex Nurse.
Sometimes people want to move on because the same things are said over and over and over and over and over and over and over and it....gets....tiresome
Yes....the same people, saying the same thing over and over again.
Anonymous 51 -- PJ, thanks for posting that quote from TFMJG's journal. Sadly, "poor little Joel" wasn't quite 3 years old at the time she wrote that. How, pray tell TFMJG, is a 3 year old clueless? Just what worldly knowledge is he supposed to possess at that age? As usual, the clueless one was TFMJG and, unfortunately, she still is and will forever more be clueless.
I have questions for those of you who are bashing Jon because he smokes, drinks and swears. Do you have kids? Do you ever take a drink? Ever smoke a cigarette, a cigar, a pipe, a joint, a doobie, a bong? Ever say a curse word? If you can answer "no" to all of those questions, then you have a right to complain. If not . . .
GKD (77): "For ME, I'm more concerned with showing & teaching my kiddo about good healthy relationships than freak out over the fact that I smoke. I would rather teach my kiddo how to cook something/anything, even if it's tacos & burgers, so that when he's out on his own, he has a start on taking care of himself. There are SO many things we need to teach our kids, that obsessing over being perfect w/ no mistakes, bad habits or vices would IMO turn us into someone like Kate, all about appearances & what others think than what's really important...raising self sufficient, well rounded, responsible, working adults."
GKD, you're my kind o'gal! If one day this blog has a "reunion" of some sort, I want to be the first one to treat you to a tall cold mug of rumspringa. You have said it all, and it's well worth repeating: "What's really important is raising self sufficient, well rounded, responsible, working adults."
I'll also add that I don't mean we shouldn't all strive to be our best & to improve our actions/behaviors. BUT, I'd rather live life & be happy than be obsessed over what I"m doing right or wrong every second of every day. I just can't live that way. I'd rather laugh and enjoy each day rather than judge myself on my daily failures. I'm not perfect, I'll never be perfect. Mistakes, failures, bad moments are also teaching moments for not only us but also for our kids. But obsessing over a failure or being too hard on myself isn't constructive or productive.
I was raised, with my younger brothers, by a single working mom. She worked 2 and 3 jobs to support us. We all say the most important thing she taught us was to be happy where we're at in life. You can still strive for better, but if you can't find happiness wherever you are in life & can't laugh at something silly or even laugh at how something might suck at the moment, then you'll never be happy when you don't have problems. (and it's VERY unrealistic to think that one day the problems just stop happening) You have to know how to be happy & enjoy life no matter where you are at that time.
IMO, when people want to move on, sometimes it is because it has touched too close too home, and then they may feel personally attacked. I
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I give more credit to people here than that. If something touches too close to home and someone feels personally attacked, I don't see them insisting that we should move on. They say what they want to say IF they want to say it. They know to use the scroll button and not read posts that they believe might open some wounds that are best left closed.
I was one of the people who contacted the Red Cross, totally on my own, about their ad on Cheaterville. They were displeased to put it mildly and asked me to please contact them again if their ads ever showed up on any of those sites again. I don't think the Red Cross representative would ask me to call him if there was anything wrong with what I did.
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I don't know anything about advertising on sites such as that. Who pays for the ads? Is advertising free? If not, who would pay for a Red Cross ad to show up on Cheaterville and what is the purpose?
Just me being dense...I don't follow websites, advertising, and such. I only wonder where Stephanie is right now.
I'll also add that I don't mean we shouldn't all strive to be our best & to improve our actions/behaviors. BUT, I'd rather live life & be happy than be obsessed over what I"m doing right or wrong every second of every day.
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Agree. That's perfectionism, and it's extremely bad for kids to witness.
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/05/16/good-perfectionism-versus-bad-perfectionism/
But I don't go around saying being a perfectionist is setting a bad example for kids because I try not to judge people like that, that's not my place as long as they are not abusive and doing the best they can. I assume we are all works in progress and as long as we are working in the right direction not the wrong one, it's fine.
I googled "Stop Rush" and got over 30 million results. I think it's safe to say it's ok to contact companies and ask them to spend their ad dollars elsewhere.
From what was explained to me, poaching ads is a trick websites use to get ad revenue that was not intended for them. It's some sort of manipulation that's hard to police. The companies depend on consumers to let them know if a less than suitable site is hosting their ads. I received a copy of three different emails from companies saying they would never advertise on BV's sites and thanking the person for pointing it out to them.
getofftwitter said... 72
Call me crazy: Kate is a clean freak/perfectionist type. She is one of those people who will clean a vacuum after every use.
___________________________
Hi getofftwitter (oh if only she would!) - I know TFW has always tried to maintain that she is some kind of clean freak, but I just don't buy it. I think that was all part of her craftily created image to sell a brand. No clean freak/germaphobe would EVER even consider prancing around barefoot on kitchen counters or have their kids brushing their teeth in a kitchen sink. Robert even wrote in his book that she is really a slob, and that Jon is the neat freak. I think TFW is also way too lazy to be that meticulous, unless someone is filming it. I guess a possible explanation for the spotless vac could be that she has her little army cleaning it.
I commented on how clean the vacuum is in that picture because it made me think of her penchant for using stock photos. Maybe Kirkland can find that disassembled vac online somewhere!
GKD said... 79
''If smoking & cussing instantly makes someone a bad parent, then add my name to the list.
I think there are MANY ways for parents to be role models for kids, but I don't think anyone can be held to an unrealistic role model by never doing anything "bad". We are all going to do something "bad", be it yelling at someone for no reason (I've done it) to eating unhealthy (I've done it) to smoking or drinking (I've done it).''
''.... For ME, I'm more concerned with showing & teaching my kiddo about good healthy relationships than freak out over the fact that I smoke. I would rather teach my kiddo how to cook something/anything, even if it's tacos & burgers, so that when he's out on his own, he has a start on taking care of himself. There are SO many things we need to teach our kids, that obsessing over being perfect w/ no mistakes, bad habits or vices would IMO turn us into someone like Kate, all about appearances & what others think than what's really important...raising self sufficient, well rounded, responsible, working adults.''
~~~~~
I agree with every single word.
Not that I want to drag out the smoking issue, but I have to respond to Paula. It is MY opinion that smoking in front of your children is being a bad role model. MY opinion. Smoking is VERY, VERY harmful. I have had two family members die of lung cancer. So I am well aware of the harm. In fact, I used to smoke. I quit when I had kids. I did not want to send mixed messages, like "Do as I say, not as I do." I would rather tell my kids to not EVER smoke. It can kill you. I look at it as protecting their lives and their health and I won't apologize for that. In my opinion that is what a good parent does.
As far as Jon smoking in front of his children, I don't know for sure that he does, but 13 year olds aren't stupid. They know what cigarette smoke smells like.
Also, I believe that the G kids have suffered other bad parenting by both of their parents, I.e., talking badly about each other in the press and on TV and putting them thru the hell that is reality television. It's really been a nonstop train wreck of bad parenting. I guess why stop now and what's a little bit of smoking gonna hurt? (Sarcasm alert)
Marie
GKD @78 - I agree with you 100%. And BTW, I've seen some of your tweets with pictures of things from your garden and everything looks wonderful.
I'm sick with a horrible cold, in bed, bored, so I was reading some timelines. Some of them really make me laugh, especially the ones who play 20 questions, such as:
Julia RO @my2kittens Feb 13
@Kateplusmy8 What time do the twins have to go to bed?
Julia RO @my2kittens Feb 13
@Kateplusmy8 Do you eat dinner w the kids at 530 or 630?
Julia RO @my2kittens Feb 13
@Kateplusmy8 Do cameras still follow you around PA?
Julia RO @my2kittens Feb 13
@Kateplusmy8 How did you get your arms so tiny and shaped?
Julia RO @my2kittens Feb 13
@Kateplusmy8 What do you do to punish when kids are fighting? I take away favorite things.
Julia RO @my2kittens Feb 13
@Kateplusmy8 Do you do yoga by yourself, with a DVD or at a location with an instructor? Or?
Julia RO @my2kittens Feb 13
@Kateplusmy8 What do you like to read if you ever get a chance?
Julia RO @my2kittens Feb 13
@Kateplusmy8 Do you use a punching bag or rebounder?
Julia RO @my2kittens Feb 13
@Kateplusmy8 Is your fave color still pink?
Julia RO @my2kittens Feb 13
@Kateplusmy8 Does everyone stay up late most weekends? Then have a hard time adjusting on Mondays?
Julia RO @my2kittens Feb 13
@Kateplusmy8 How did you get kids to bus stop this AM w all that snow?
*Did it ever occur to her that maybe there was no school that day?*
Julia RO @my2kittens Feb 13
@Kateplusmy8 Where's the last trip you took? New York?
Julia RO @my2kittens Feb 13
@Kateplusmy8 What's heart shaped for breakfast in the AM?
Julia RO @my2kittens 6m
@Kateplusmy8 Hi! What ya cooking 4dinner 2nite?
Why? What does it matter? Is she planning on cooking the same thing, or expecting to be invited to dinner?
Out here in the west, especially where there are a lot of cowboys, I don't see a lot of young cowboys smoking but "dipping" into cans of chewing tobacco.
In fact 20+ years ago I went to a junior rodeo with my GF who had a son that was entered in the steer riding. I was with her and we went back behind the chutes and I was floored to see how many back pockets of the wrangler jeans had a permanent outline of a can!
I'm just curious, where you live, do you see young kids chewing tobacco or just smoking?
BTW my BF was very much into dipping until recently until he had a mouth sore and thought it might be cancer. So he has slowed down on the chewing tobacco but as a nicotine addict he is now smoking cigarettes but since he has asthma this is not a good idea. He knows he has to quit, but again, it is an addiction that he has to work on.
I don't have children, although I've worked with them in one capacity or another for a good bit of my life. It seems to me that smoking, drinking and swearing (or not) isn't as important as teaching your kids to give and receive love. That it's important to treat other people with kindness and consideration instead of rudeness and disdain because you consider them to be "beneath" you. That it's okay to make mistakes. That it's okay to roll down a hill and get grass stains on your clothing sometimes. That it's okay to get dirty, because kids are washable (and so are clothes). That you try your hardest, but if you can't do something, it's not the end of the world. Not everyone is able to do everything perfectly. It's okay to fail on occasion. That having money (or not) isn't a measure of a person's worth.
NJGal51 said... 66
Lila I don't think that anyone said that smoking makes you a good role model I think that they've said that it doesn't make you a bad parent. You're reading things in to it that just aren't there.
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I responded to a poster who stated that it was "beyond ludicrous" to believe that smoking is bad role modeling. I did not read anything that wasn't there. I stand behind my belief that smoking is bad role modeling. That doesn't equate to "smokers are bad parents" nor does it mean that a parent can't simultaneously be a good role model in many other respects.
Both my parents were heavy smokers. I have no problem stating that they were bad role models in that regard. That doesn't mean I think that they were terrible parents.
There are SO many things we need to teach our kids, that obsessing over being perfect w/ no mistakes, bad habits or vices would IMO turn us into someone like Kate, all about appearances & what others think than what's really important...raising self sufficient, well rounded, responsible, working adults.
*************************
Believing that smoking is negative for children has nothing to do with being "all about appearances and what others think" nor is about perfectionism. To equate it to something like swearing is ridiculous, IMO. Smoking has potentially devastating health consequences. Swearing does not.
Robert even wrote in his book that she is really a slob, and that Jon is the neat freak.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would agree based in the show. For example, the van- Jon was preparing it for the Disney trip and commented on the potties they kept in there and how they has sloshed and spilled and frozen all over the floor. Kate made such a show of her 'neatness' looking back, it seems fake. Jon used look well-dressed and ironed his clothes, did the vacuuming and other cleaning chores.Also the baths!
Now Jon does not seem as neat-looking, idk.
Remember the article she wrote about the Mr. Tow Truck Man? She delights in belittling people, confronting in your face to people helping her and making fun of people. Even a dear sweet kind woman riding a horse.
Remember the hit and run accident? She hit the car, kept on going. They got the tag number and called the police. They came to her door and she told them that she didn't have time to deal with it. Did she ask them if anyone was hurt? I don't know, but when is TCFW ever compassionate.
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Lukebandit -- please read my post #60 regarding the tow truck caper.
The hit and run was never confirmed, nor were any of the details about what she did or what she said. Does it sound like something she would do? Maybe so, but we just don't know exactly what happened, and therefore, in my opinion, it shouldn't be stated as fact.
The person who owns the vac business has never indicated that Kate would receive free services or a free vacuum. If she wants to do this, it's her business. Kate's a grifter and always will be, but there is nothing that anyone can do about it, and tweeting these companies is not going to change their minds about how they handle Kate Gosselin's grifting.
You know what would be nice? If both J & K would disappear from TV/media and tend to the needs and best interest of their kids for the next 9 years,without a word from either of them. Get jobs outside of the media, for God's sake.
Let the kids live a normal life, if it is not too late. Both need to get a job outside of TV/media and move on. Sad and dysfunctional life for the kids. Neither of the parents will ever be "STARS" again. As for the kids, the parents should be putting their interests first.
Quite frankly, both parents need to stop commenting on or using the kids onTV/Twitter or otherwise. They OWE it to their kids. Old and tired. Get a job outside of the kids for God's sakes. Pitiful.
And for the record, Kate is a narcissicist, who will use her kids until the end of time. As for Jon, he needs to move on as well without public media, and I wish the Family Court Judge could cease all media that have to do with the kids, including both parents.
I don't care what these two do, but leave all 8 kids out of your mouth in the media, and let the Family Court Judge decide if a gag order re: these kids is necessary to protect them. No kids should ever have to be the source of ridicule as a result of" Reality Star" parents' desire to put themselves first, above the best interest of their own kids. They both need to disappear from the media until the tups have turned 18 and can respond (if they like) to this circus they have been placed in.
GKD,
Are you the person who posted pics on twitter of growing lettuce in a jar/bowl last year? I don't tweet so I didn't have any way to contact the person, but I was fascinated by what was growing!
If it was you, how did it end up; did it get really big and did it produce enough leaves to make a salad?
BTW, I'm so glad you've joined the conversations here - I so enjoy your posts!
Just catching up for the day, and boy is my scrolling finger tired.
To NJGal15 and Go KingDaddy, i want to tell you (wow!, sorry!) how much i enjoy reading your posts here. Very thoughtful and intelligent. And, GKD, happy to see you here - I always admired the gardening pics you tweeted, and maybe posting here will entice you to share gardening tips, or start your own gardening blog? I would love to learn from you.
Also, to Lukebandit - i would like to second the request to please explain your reasoning behind tweeting several times to a businesswoman who is making a service known to a potential customer. Maybe one kind tweet of warning could be understandable, but to keep harassing the poor woman? Why? I agree that the over the top reaction to everyone that Kate interacts with makes her non-fans look foolish, and , harassing.
I recall one true hater, during Kate's simple tweet exchange with Evan Lysachak, that tweeted out that Evan was nothing more that a one hit wonder to him. Who in the world could be so full of hate that they would feel the need to tell an Olympic Gold Medal winner that he was a 1HitW just because he said "hi" to Kate Gosslin? It's just so over the top sometimes. Again, her tweet timeline is slowing down, non-fans might want to consider just letting go.
Also, off topic, but not really, Dance Moms. For everyone on this blog, including myself, who is truly concerned about the G kids, I don't understand the lack of outrage, both here, and really, in the media, for what the producers of DM are doing to those children. I read Kelly's lawsuit, and it is so clear how producers set up drama. The producers actually took Kelly out of the state before police could come so it would look like she was resisting arrest. Bizarre. How, all these years later, do we as a society allow shows like Dance Moms and Toddlers and Tiara's to continue??? and to come full circle, I am certainly within my rights to contact sponsors of these shows and tell them that I would never buy their products while they support child bullying and explotation.
Believing that smoking is negative for children has nothing to do with being "all about appearances and what others think" nor is about perfectionism. To equate it to something like swearing is ridiculous, IMO. Smoking has potentially devastating health consequences. Swearing does not.
**********
I believe that what some were referring to in regards to swearing was not that it has health implications, but that parents who drink, smoke, and swear might not be the best role models for their children because children learn what they live.
MickeyMcKean, may I suggest Grinds for your BF?
www.getgrinds.com
Grinds is a healthy alternative to tobacco but has caffeine.
Blowing in the Wind @ 109 I agree with everything that you said. Some of the non fans tend to take a rumor and run with it as fact. We don't know that the vacuum woman is giving TFW anything and if she does it's her business (unless TFW starts gushing and tweeting about her generosity). It kind of sounds like TFW has a whole house vacuum system and this woman is a dealer/installer for vacuflo whole house systems. I doubt that she'll be giving TFW a complete whole house system. Maybe they'll repair it for her so it's done right because it sounds like TFW repairs a lot (of course she does exaggerate so maybe she's only repaired it herself once).
She spent an ENTIRE day, taking apart a vacuum cleaner??? Wow, she has wwwaaaayyy too much time on her hands. That should not have taken more then 90 minutes top!
Trust me, she isnt anything spectacular and she didnt even do anything spectacular.
I would like to say that Kate is an ordinary women doing extra ordinary things...but.... she' s ordinary alright...but yet to see anything extra ordinary that she herself has done . It has been all done by paid professionals and she showed up as the model/demonstrator....( and even then didnt do a spectacular job...)
Carole said... 112
''GKD....BTW, I'm so glad you've joined the conversations here - I so enjoy your posts!''
~~~~~~~~~~~
A Texan that isn't on twitter that is SO happy to have you chime in here. There have been so many times when reading your twitter that I wanted to say Atta Girl to you!
I watched a few episodes of Dance Moms when it first aired, but quickly tired of grown woman speaking to each other in such childish and disrespectful ways. This series, as the Real Housewives shows, show women in a bad, bad light - and yes I realize it's all staged and scripted. However, reading what some have written about the current Dance Mom's "drama" is truly disturbing. Either real or scripted, grown adults should not act in such a manner in front of children.
Way to go ex nurse! Smoking is such a disgusting habit and really hard for some to quit, so kudos to you.
Someone asked if us posters had kids and drank, smoked, or cursed.
Yes to the first and no, no, and no. It's really not hard to curb one's behaviour when you have a set of eyes on you watching every move you make. Also, when they become teens, they'll call you out for your hypocrisy if you say "Don't swear! It makes you look uneducated!" and they can return that with "Well, YOU do it!". So, no, not really that hard to practise what one preaches. Perfect? Not at all. But everything I do or say is with my child in the back of my mind. It's just what you do when you have kids, no? They'll grow up soon enough and be on their own and then you can slide back into that behaviour, if you wish. However, if one never starts, one never has to stop at all.
Haven't parents lost custody of kids because of smoking.
http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/legally-speaking/2012/feb/21/smokers-losing-child-custody-cases-growing-trend/
Thanks everyone for the garden compliments! With the way the weather has been, I'm trying hard to delay my desire to start garden planning. I have always said on twitter & will repeat here, my hubby does the majority of the outside garden work. I plan it out, decide what I want, he does the hard work outside. When it comes inside the house, then my work begins with canning & freezing. And I LOVE doing it. It connects me back with my gramma & my mamaw & gives me warm fuzzy happy childhood memories. I love sharing pics of the from ground to table/pantry/freezer stuff. I love knowing exactly where my food came from, and knowing what was put on it to help it grow & keep away bugs. Going thru the canning/freezing stuff totally puts me into my happy place. Last week I made black eyed peas that I had frozen from the garden last JULY! and I could talk forever about how it saves me money literally all year long.
Carole, YES! I'm the one who REgrew lettuce in bowls of water all summer. It's very easy and very kid friendly because it doesn't take forever to see something happening. You do it with heads of leaf lettuce. I used Romaine & it worked better than any other for me. Buy a head of lettuce, cut off the entire top leaves at once, leaving a 3-5 inch root end. Place the end standing up in a bowl with about an inch of water...check the water every day. It will start regrowing in about 3 days. You'll have enough lettuce for 1 salad after about 10 days. I managed to get 2 regrows out of every head of Romaine lettuce. So basically 2 extra salads from every head of lettuce. Doesn't sound like much, but there's something satisfying about growing it yourself that gets me going. You can also regrow green onions/scallions the same way.
I also started a recycled, self watering, 2 liter soda bottle herb garden in my laundry room last spring. I still have tarragon, basil, and dill growing in bottles. Whenever I need fresh herbs, I just go to my laundry room & get what I need. This spring I'm going to try and grow lettuce in bottles.
Midnight Madness said... 117
Believing that smoking is negative for children has nothing to do with being "all about appearances and what others think" nor is about perfectionism. To equate it to something like swearing is ridiculous, IMO. Smoking has potentially devastating health consequences. Swearing does not.
**********
I believe that what some were referring to in regards to swearing was not that it has health implications, but that parents who drink, smoke, and swear might not be the best role models for their children because children learn what they live.
I was not suggesting that swearing has health implications. What I am saying is that equating the two is ridiculous, IMO, when there are tangible, health-related reasons why it is bad to smoke but no equivalent consequences to swearing.
Remona, as a Texan, living in Georgia, Thanks! I may not still be in Texas, but we go back at least once a year to visit family & friends. Plus, if you are a born & raised Texan, then you're always a Texan no matter where you are! Even my kiddo, who has lived in Georgia longer than he lived in Texas, will say that he's from Texas. Hubby & I both still root for our Texas teams. Me: Texas A&M/Houston Texas (I'm a bitter bitter Houston Oiler fan) Hubby: Texas Tech/Dallas Cowboys (oh the fun I have on Sundays!)
I miss the Gulf Coast rain, but not the heat & humidity.
I think Jon deserves just as much scrutiny as his former wife. Why not? He's the one who put himself out there (yet again!) on a reality show. The first show he was on broke up his marriage so what he intends to gain from this show is questionable at best.
Anyone (except maybe Hitler-lol) would be a better parent next to Kate so of course Jon looks the better parent. Who wouldn't look the better parent next to her??
Flo said... 64
Did anyone see the latest from Bullyville? He's filing an injunction to keep ECJ and some Jane Does off the internet while he files a lawsuit against them for extortion, bribery, contacting his advertisers, and death threats that have terrorized his wife. His thugs are calling it another St.Valentine's Day Massacre. I call it BV Has Finally Lost His Mind.
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Just like Kate's suits of big, zero nothing, until a jury is seated and a trial commences.... consider it nothing but pure bloviation.
No, smoking is only a factor in custody if you do so in the same room as your child. It is not a factor if you do so oUTSIDE as Jon is always shown doing. I do child custody. In six years I have only seen one issue with smoking and that was because there was smoking INSIDE and the children had asthma. Since we've never seen smoking occur around the Gosselin children indoors it's an absolutely moot point what may have happened to parents reckless enough to smoke around asthmatics.
GKD,
Yayyyy, you're the lettuce person!!! Thank you for the info. I need to buy some romaine this week anyway and I think I'll buy an extra one and give your instructions a try. :- )
You do it with heads of leaf lettuce. I used Romaine & it worked better than any other for me. Buy a head of lettuce, cut off the entire top leaves at once, leaving a 3-5 inch root end. Place the end standing up in a bowl with about an inch of water...check the water every day. It will start regrowing in about 3 days. You'll have enough lettuce for 1 salad after about 10 days. I managed to get 2 regrows out of every head of Romaine lettuce. So basically 2 extra salads from every head of lettuce. Doesn't sound like much, but there's something satisfying about growing it yourself that gets me going. You can also regrow green onions/scallions the same way.
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GKD - love these ideas! Thanks for sharing them and if you have more, I hope you'll share those also. These are so simple, even the sheeple could understand the steps. Oh, forget it. Silly me!
I gave up smoking in 1977 when I was smoking up to 3 packs a day, I was completely addicted. In those days you could smoke anywhere and believe me, I did.
I quit cold turkey and it was the most difficult thing I have ever done. I was miserable because I loved smoking, everyday was a struggle not to give in and just have a cigarette. I know, without a doubt I would be chain smoking (as Ex-Nurse stated) within a week if I had just one cigarette. That is how strong the addiction was for me.
I never say never except when I refer to smoking, I will never smoke again, because I couldn't put myself through quitting again, simple as that.
IMO being a parent is one of the most difficult jobs anyone can have since your goal is to raise healthy, educated and productive adults.
Unfortunately parents are humans and we all know that no one is perfect. So even if you have good intentions, people, places and circumstances that are out of your control can happen while you are raising your children.
I have no children but I have been around a lot of kids because I believe that if they have animals to take care of they have other things to do like get into drugs. Because I raised dairy goats I have been involved with 4H and FFA kids for years.
My BF has 3 kids all over 18. He and the mother did drugs together but never in front of the kids. When they broke up the mother moved the kids 200 miles away.
3 years ago BF's oldest daughter wanted to come and visit friends but needed a place to stay. When she showed up she was stoned and she said, "I only drive when stoned because it makes me a better driver". I told her that if she gets stoned before she leaves in the morning I will be calling 9-1-1 to have her arrested and if she I'm kidding she better call her dad. She did and he said, "Mickey is serious. If she can tell you are stoned you will never be able to fool a cop. If nothing else you better carry Visine with you but if you get arrested don't call me to bail you out".
Considering my BF used to drive stoned or high back in the day one could call this tough love from a hypocrite. This daughter has not been back to visit and within a year she lost control of her car on a wet road, hit a tree head on and walked away without a scratch. My guess she was stoned or drunk, and since she did not have the right insurance she no longer has a vehicle.
Middle child, son, math wiz. Graduated from high school with honors and was going into the Navy after he took some college classes so he would start off with a better pay grade and would get a full ride to become an engineer. But Navy has a no drug policy and this kid smokes pot and could not stay clean for 30 days so he got a job at the local casino as a janitor. But since they do random drug tests he opted to smoke "legal herbs" and one contained cat nip. Aunt told the family that she had a black out after smoking it but the boy did not listen.
STOP SCROLLING ~THIS PART IS A MUST READ ~ WARNING: BF did not hear from son for over a month but finally got a hold of him. Son told his dad that he was pissed off because he was there when I was selling goats to a Billionaire and when I grabbed his coat to throw him into this guy's truck to sell him as a sex toy his dad did not even try to stop me. Son said he was at my ranch when this happened, yet all his neighbors from where he lives now were there as witnesses.
BF said, "do you remember when I hit you when you pushed her down?" "No" "That is because this did NOT happened!!!!"
This is an example of a bad trip on "legal herb" and to this day the son believes that I tried to sell him. I have told the BF that I do not want his son to be anywhere around me, and since the youngest daughter is calling her brother an alcoholic, I don't need to be put in a situation that if son gets drunk and violent with me because he still thinks I tried to sell him, I will not care if he winds up in jail with a record for assault.
I gotta love my BF. He sees this from my POV and visits his kids 200 miles away without me.
Anyway ... because I don't do drugs I don't have any tolerance for anyone who does so I have been telling people who have kids or know people who do the dangers of these legal herbs and/or rock salts. It may be legal but my POV is that it is really scary stuff.
Is that not what the scroll button is for? I appreciate Ex Nurse's perspective. ....
Me, too. (Ducking and running now.)
GKD, PLEASE give me details on how you grow the herbs on two liter bottles. I have basil and parsley and fennel growing in pots inside, but would love to know other ways to grow things. Your lettuce idea is great! What size dish or pan do you use?
Thanks!
PS to my above post re the hazards of "legal herbs".
The son did not talk to my BF for over 1.5 years because he is convinced that I tried to sell him. He eventually did call his dad asking to move in with us so he could get out of the small town he is currently live in and get a job over here but he was told that only if he would go to school would he get help.
Son is no longer talking about getting an education but is looking for a "flop house" and his dad is saying no. My BF said he knows this is the best thing he can do for his son under the circumstances.
Now if this kid cleans up his act I'm sure my BF will help his son but right now this kid's priorities are only pot and alcohol.
Have there been any not-a-contest updates on TFW's twitter? If those
books were actually sent out, the winners would've gotten them by now.
Unless they made a pact to keep it private, to keep the haterz off their backs?
With regard to smoking, I want to know how people can afford it. I was standing in line behind a gentlemen in my local BJ's Wholesale Club recently. He was purchasing a large bag of confectioner's sugar which I believe costs around $4.49/$5.00. I've bought it myself but I can't remember the price. All I know is that it's inexpensive. When he got to the cashier, he asked for a carton of cigarettes. They're in a locked case behind this particular cashier. Was I shocked when she said the total for his two purchases was $88. and some change. My jaw hit the floor. I don't smoke, never have so I've no idea how many packs are in a carton but holy cow. How much does a single pack of cigarettes cost? Who the hell can afford this habit?!
With regard to smoking, I want to know how people can afford it.
&&&&
I think people afford it like they do any habit. I think it's a silly waste of money but no more silly than wasting 4.35 at Starbucks every morning or eating out lunch every day instead of packing it. People find a way to afford silly habits. My vice is cable T.V., I like my sports and movie channels and premium series so I feed the nasty habit and have a big bill to show for it every month. Everyone has their thing. I'm glad I don't have to fork over the money for a pack of smokes so I can save my money for other nasty habits lol.
STOP SCROLLING ~THIS PART IS A MUST READ ~ WARNING: BF did not hear from son for over a month but finally got a hold of him. Son told his dad that he was pissed off because he was there when I was selling goats to a Billionaire and when I grabbed his coat to throw him into this guy's truck to sell him as a sex toy his dad did not even try to stop me. Son said he was at my ranch when this happened, yet all his neighbors from where he lives now were there as witnesses.
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What are we being warned about?
I had quit smoking then started when my daughter got cancer, ironically stupid, I know. I did not have any kids living here, but only smoked outside so I would not stink up my house. As soon as the grandkids came along, I was not allowed to hold them, even if I smoked outside, as my skin and hair and clothes stank of smoke. So no smoking on any trips to see them. I did enjoy my morning smoke with a cup of strong coffee, really, really did. On this past Christmas Eve, my husband gave me a kit, with the new e-cigarettes, that only discharge vapour, no smoke. He does not smoke anymore, and was able to tell if they made any smell when I would 'smoke' one of them, but nothing was there. Now I wash my hair and it does not stink like smoke when I get it wet before shampoo goes on. So I don't crave the real thing anymore, and I also don't drink coffee anymore as well. I think I will be using these e-smokes for another month or so, then be finished with them. They only have flavored nicotine in them, not the other 3999 other chemicals like regular smokes. I will be very happy to throw it away as well! Maybe those here who want to quit, but having a hard time, should try the e-smoke, if it does it for me, it could do the same for you. Now I can smell things so much better, and I can once again hold babies:)
Call me crazy: I had not thought about her faking it. Only cause when a pic is taken in her house of the main floor, it is always extreme clean looking, like a pic in a magazine. So, you are probably right about her cleaning crew: kids and hired help. As for her having so many things that are not very old, to break. I bet Kate throws a hissy fit and breaks it. I can not even imagine how a fairly new treadmill, can be broken. Or how a vacuum, wheel assembly can get broken, I can see it getting clog with dog hair(I get that a lot during shedding season. To me it looks as if she whacked the vacuum. We all saw how she treated the one on the RV trip.
GKD: I was sick last week and spend the time, planning my garden. Then went and got my seeds, this weekend. I buy some plants(later in may) and do seeds. It's not too soon. I just came in from shoveling the latest snow. Can't wait for the big thaw, thursday. I am so ready for spring.
Admin., you told me to enjoy my new kindle fire, and I am, but whenever I send a post from it, it never gets here. Any idea why? Getting to have a complex! Missed out on my pizza crust baking!
Sleepless In Seattle said... 137
STOP SCROLLING ~THIS PART IS A MUST READ ~ WARNING: BF did not hear from son for over a month but finally got a hold of him. Son told his dad that he was pissed off because he was there when I was selling goats to a Billionaire and when I grabbed his coat to throw him into this guy's truck to sell him as a sex toy his dad did not even try to stop me. Son said he was at my ranch when this happened, yet all his neighbors from where he lives now were there as witnesses.
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What are we being warned about?
________________________________
I've not caught up on my reading, but did see this and have to ask...selling a goat for a "sex toy?????" Am I seeing things?
lukebandit said... 116
MickeyMcKean, may I suggest Grinds for your BF?
www.getgrinds.com
Grinds is a healthy alternative to tobacco but has caffeine.
* * * * *
Thank you for this information and link. I will have my BF check into it.
Tweet-le De Tweet-le DUMB said... 141
''I've not caught up on my reading, but did see this and have to ask...selling a goat for a "sex toy?????" Am I seeing things?''
~~~~~~~~
I (mis)read that ''WARNING'' the same way, but have to say that seeing someone else 'read' the same thing is really funny. I'm still grinning! I'm ready for the blog to get highjacked over ''sex toy'' instead of smoking! REALLY looking forward to the discussion.
I appreciate all the comments on this blog.
OOO 0000 oooo 000 OOO (that's me, blowing smoke rings) Or is this a smoke-free blog? Sorry, I have a weird sense of humour.
PJ
What are we being warned about?
________________________________
I've not caught up on my reading, but did see this and have to ask...selling a goat for a "sex toy?????" Am I seeing things?
* * * *
I am trying to warn you guys about the synthetic drugs that people are turning to instead of smoking pot because if they are working at a job and there are random drug test and they test positive for pot they will lose their job.
Synthetic drugs that people are now smoking include "legal herbs" and bath salts. A few years back there was a guy in Miami who was eating the face off a homeless person. It was suspected that the cannibal had been smoking bath salts but later it was confirmed that he had other drugs in his system.
Still the authorities know that these synthetic man made drugs are causing people to do bizarre things or go on "bad trips". The problem is that these things are legal.
In my case my BF's son who smoked a legal herb that had cat nip in it and who knows what else, is now under the belief that I tried to sell him as a sex toy to the guy who buys my goats. The fact is he has only been on the ranch one time 6 years ago and I was not selling any livestock when he was there.
Trust me, this did NOT happen but how does one convince someone who smoked something to get high that his mind is now play tricks on him? Again he did not speak to his dad for over 1.5 years because he is under the impression that his father was going to let me sell him to the guy who buys my extra goats.
FTR I sell my [goat] kids -- the does are sold to 4H kids for county fair and the buck kids are sold for meat or to be used as brush goats (how people clear out defensible space around their homes in case of fire especially in CA). Oh, and I "pimp" out my bucks to people who do not want to deal with these stinky boys but yet want their does bred.
None of the goats have ever been sold as sex toys LOL
Joy, just before I read GKD entry, I was on Pinterest and saw "Self Watering container ". I think it is exactly what she was referring to.
Fantastic TV day! Lovely ice dancing competition, watching it live with Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinsky is the best! And finishing up with the new edition of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the Roots, many special guests, and U2 performing! Its gonna be a great show.
Where have all the oldies gone? Anymore..I SPEAK FOR MYSELF..reading here feels like I'm watching a soap opera. You tune in on monday, come back on friday and find you have not missed a thing. You can pick up where you left off.
Admin, though it may look like it, I'm not slamming your blog. You do a great job. I have always admired your stance for freedom of speech. I just miss the wisdom of the oldies and long for rule #3.
.
Joy, here's the page that I got the soda bottle gardening from.
http://insideurbangreen.typepad.com/.a/6a00e39824809288330168e925c2a0970c-pi
the only thing I did different was I loosely put the lid back on to hold the wick in place. As long as it's not closed tightly, the wick will still draw water up. I check the water level once a week & add when necessary.
For the lettuce, I just used a small glass bowl big enough to hold the head of lettuce & keep it from toppling over. I used a small glass baking dish & did 3 heads at the same time once I got the hang of it. I staggered them out by buying a new head for a couple of weeks. That way I had lettuce ready to go & some coming up right behind it.
The Empress Was Stripped Bare-Nekkid said... 41
Seems that our opinions about Jon have proved more polarizing than our views about TFW. Don't shoot the messenger, but I'm wondering why that is.
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Maybe some of us feel let down and disappointed. I thought he was above all that stuff we saw on CT.
For some reason, today's conversation seems to be all over the place. Goats, cigarettes, romaine lettuce, smoking, parenting, Bullyville, herbs, vacuum, swearing....did I miss anything?
Anyway, good night everyone. I just can't seem to follow it all today. Have fun and I'll talk to you all tomorrow!
gotyournumberKate said... 61
I'm a 40 year smoker, minus only 3 pregnancies, so trust me I am not judging anyone who smokes but......I do agree it's not a good thing to do around children even if you go outside.....
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Very well said. I am rooting for you, for what it's worth.
I've not caught up on my reading, but did see this and have to ask...selling a goat for a "sex toy?????" Am I seeing things?
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I thought someone was selling a billionaire as a sex toy.
Hello to njay. Maybe I am one of the "oldies" that you are asking about.
Oldie -- in more ways than one!
I am here. Every day.
I am watching Kate's careening life from afar.
Thanks to some other posters who say what I am thinking.
Thanks to Admin for another highly entertaining re-cap.
Thank you, Carrin #154 I appreciate your kind words. It's time, way past time.
Hello, lovely ladies...hope you don't mind a quick personal hijack...
Last night I received a very troubling call from my mother, who's had a lot of illnesses in the past few years (multiple bouts of cancer with all that chemo entails, on top of a recent diagnosis of lupus– Dr. House was wrong!). Things aren't going very well for her at the moment– the doctors aren't really sure what's going on at this stage, and she says she feels fine, but she's scared to death and wants me to move home this summer when my lease is up (I live in NYC, my parents are in Georgia). Am I going to do it? Of course I am. My mother and I don't always get along, but she's my mother and I love her.
Of course, I'm scared as Hell! I kind of assumed I'd be taking care of my parents as I'm the 'late-in-life surprise baby' and my brothers live overseas. I just didn't think it'd be this soon– I'm only 28. Knock wood, Mom doesn't have anything too serious, but it's still going to be a pretty nerve-wracking few months.
Anyway, if you fine Rumspringer Gals would maybe send some positive thoughts my way, I'd sure appreciate it right now. I know I don't post often but I read every day, and y'all have certainly brightened my mood on more than one occasion :)
I thought he was above all that stuff we saw on CT.
Yeah. You want to think that he's a nice guy, but he really isn't.
He's good to the kids, but that's really all he's got going for him, IMO.
Funny, I thought going in that I would have no respect for Duck Lips but she's the one now that I am thinking is a nice lady. I was so touched with how she was trying to comfort Kelcey.
Just a guess here: You are a smoker and a drinker? Just asking....
Nope I have never put a cigarette in my mouth, much less smoked one. As I said before my beloved grandparents smoked ALOT and that was enough to turn me off. I seldom drink - maybe a glass of wine a month.
I know the sheeple cling to and keep going with conversations that appear to put Jon in a negative light but really, stop, please. This is my last comment on this particular subject. Smoking, drinking or cursing has no bearing on the fitness of a parent.
I don't post often but I've been reading here every day for four years. I, too, miss rule#3, but then I still miss Hippie Chick.
I think it's easy for everyone to dislike/have no respect for TFW. Anyone who beats their kids/dog is pretty universally disliked.
Jon is a dichotomy. You want to like him. Sometimes he seems so nice and normal, and then other times he seems like just an immature spoiled little kid.
IMO, he's too old for the behavior we saw on CT. Time to grow up.
Interesting that he is drawn to women much younger than himself, who are immature for their age to start with. And that he assimilates the behavior of whoever he's with, instead of being his own man.
TFW is stuck at 13, Jon is stuck at 20.
ZeldaZee said... 159
Hello, lovely ladies...hope you don't mind a quick personal hijack...
Last night I received a very troubling call from my mother, who's had a lot of illnesses in the past few years (multiple bouts of cancer with all that chemo entails, on top of a recent diagnosis of lupus– Dr. House was wrong!). Things aren't going very well for her at the moment– the doctors aren't really sure what's going on at this stage, and she says she feels fine, but she's scared to death and wants me to move home this summer when my lease is up (I live in NYC, my parents are in Georgia). Am I going to do it? Of course I am. My mother and I don't always get along, but she's my mother and I love her.
Of course, I'm scared as Hell! I kind of assumed I'd be taking care of my parents as I'm the 'late-in-life surprise baby' and my brothers live overseas. I just didn't think it'd be this soon– I'm only 28. Knock wood, Mom doesn't have anything too serious, but it's still going to be a pretty nerve-wracking few months.
Anyway, if you fine Rumspringer Gals would maybe send some positive thoughts my way, I'd sure appreciate it right now. I know I don't post often but I read every day, and y'all have certainly brightened my mood on more than one occasion :) Not to be sexist, but the females often deal with parental illness
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Hang in there Zelda. You will never regret caring for your mother. Tough situation, but hopefully brings some comfort to your mother, in spite of your current relationship. Sometimes tragedy unintentionally helps to build a strong relationship as you are given a chance to care for someone who really needs you. Unfortunately, tragedy can help bring families closer, where there has been a distance. I would encourage you to bring your brothers in to the equation (if possible) as this is a mutual experience as a child, meaning brothers should be part of the process, as well.
Wish you the best!
Hi ZeldaZee -- You & your mother are in my thoughts and prayers. May you be peaceful. May you be well. May you be filled with joy and free from suffering.
Carrin said... 153
The Empress Was Stripped Bare-Nekkid said... 41
Seems that our opinions about Jon have proved more polarizing than our views about TFW. Don't shoot the messenger, but I'm wondering why that is.
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Maybe some of us feel let down and disappointed. I thought he was above all that stuff we saw on CT.
This resonates with me, personally, and I agree. But I can't figure out why a handful of bloggers here are getting so ruffled. If you feel you're being misunderstood or misinterpreted, by all means, try again. But if your opinion differs to the point of being non negotiable, why not let it go & scroll on by?
This isn't meant as a jab to anyone here--absolutely not--but I'm truly mystified by the vociferousness with which several people are asserting and defending their opinions about Jon (his parenting style, his personal habits and relationships). Something else is going on, and I can't quite read the pulse of it.
Maybe Carrin's right in a way that I hadn't considered before typing this comment. That is to say, perhaps some people aren't comfortable seeing Jon painted in an unflattering light, seeing as how it might lend credibility to what TFW's been asserting all along. Cognitive dissonance, of a sort, where deeply held beliefs are challenged by what you're seeing/hearing/sensing in the moment. Where do we put that new information, and how does it harmonize (or cause dissonance) with other, closely held, long-standing opinions of ours? Pondering these ideas over my first cup of coffee.
ZeldaZee, I hear ya. Sending positive energy your way.
Don't think this is because you're a "late-in-life-surprise baby" and your brothers are overseas. It's because you're a woman. Your brothers could be living right next door to your mom and you'd still be the one to get leaned on. Please, please, please do what you have to do, but don't put your life on hold for your mother. Give her as much time as you can, but live your life as well. Force your brothers to help. (Are any of them moving home?) I speak from experience.
PJ
As for the diverse comments on J & K, I believe it boils down to the fact, that THEIR show was cancelled in 2009, Kate Plus 8 followed with her most narcissistic moments shown, and most knew this was not a good idea (for the sake of the kids.)
No one cared what Kate did, but unfortunately, she has continuously used her kids on TV, Twitter non-stop, (photos/what kids said, etc). to keep herself relevant, even after her show was cancelled.
No one cares what Kate does, if she leaves the kids out of it. But she does not do so. Bringing the twins on The View and the other show.
Time for both of these parents to fly solo without using/talking about the kids, except one comment in a general sense.. These kids have earned a right to privacy, and both parents need to keep that in mind. Don't know if the Family Court Judge can enforce that, but waiting to see.
Good time for both of them to stop talking about these kids. Don't care anymore what either do, just stop talking about or using kids to make your point. If damage has been done to the kids in this ugly process, the Family Court Judge needs to hear about this from Jon, as TFW will never admit it. On the other hand, Jon needs to stop as well.
Sad part if both parents can support the kids with current means to have a "normal" lifestyle, but refuse to let their kids have a normal life, even if it means public schools/smaller house. It is most likely coming. Maybe the Family Court Judge can order them to arbitration, as the kids are NOT under contract to perform for Kate, should NOT constantly be mentioned by Kate on Kate's Twitter, nor by Jon as well. They certainly have earned the right to privacy at this juncture.
I guess the smoking comments started because of Jon and Liz? I don't care for the habit, and I hope Jon smokes outside and not while the kids are around, but we don't know. As far as Kate, there's been no hard proof, just guessing, but I would not be surprised at anything. I think her vice is drinking more than anything else. It figures she would have kept that quiet being the Christian woman she pretends to be.
BV uses lawsuits for publicity. I don't believe he is worth discussing here.
I agree we are disappointed in Jon. He's a hypocrite for criticizing reality TV and yet he appears on a trash reality show. He and Kate simply do not have a classy bone in their bodies.
Zelda, I feel your pain. You are facing this at a much younger age than myself. It has convinced me that my husband and I will make arrangements so that our children will not be burdened.
It's been quiet in Gosselinland, so I am guessing we are just discussing whatever, and that's fine with me. I enjoy it. BUT, just when you think it's winding down, we'll be shocked by some Kate ploy. Her birthday is coming up so I expect she'll be overwhelmed with bot well wishes and some photos of the kids. It never fails.
I believe Robert will never publish his book. She has effectively silenced him. He must have been unable to independently verify from others what she wrote in the journal. Some day, though, when her money has dried up, the workers, crew, family members, etc. will come crawling out from under their rocks and finally tell the story. It is just amazing that unflattering books have been written about celebrities, and yet there is nothing on Kate other than Robert's amateur attempt. Too bad. So close. Maybe Jon will publish, perhaps a catharsis event for him.
Maybe Carrin's right in a way that I hadn't considered before typing this comment. That is to say, perhaps some people aren't comfortable seeing Jon painted in an unflattering light, seeing as how it might lend credibility to what TFW's been asserting all along
LOL....um, no. Nothing Jon has said or done lends credibility to what Kate has said...nothing.
ZeldaZee, sending good wishes your way. I looked after my mother during two catastrophic illnesses, and do not regret it. It was hard, with a baby and a two-year-old, trying to main a household, marriage, and family in a new city, but my love for the woman who was my best friend (in an adult way, not like TFW's BFF-ness with the twins) and who cared for me as a child, was well worth it. Be sure to get whatever help is available for respite care, aides to help with her personal care, light housekeeping of your mom's area, and go out/take time out for your own sake.It won't be forever and you will be able to respect yourself that you did what was right. If the time comes and you can't continue, you will know. I have no regrets and that makes life now much easier and less painful to remember the illnesses. Best of luck to you and your mother.
That is to say, perhaps some people aren't comfortable seeing Jon painted in an unflattering light, seeing as how it might lend credibility to what TFW's been asserting all along.
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Even though SHE picked him, Kate can not like Jon if she wants because he smokes and is immature and has a girlfriend in her late 20's. I don't care. But none of Jon's behavior warrants the despicable parental alienation she has done to him. Many people have ex's far worse than the petty complaints about Jon. That does not mean their children do not love them and want a positive relationship with them, and they have a right to that without interference from their mother. It is up to the children, not Kate or us, how they feel about Jon. Trying to take away their right to form their own opinions about their father without her influence and alienation is disgusting.
Hi all! Mel and Empress pointed out interesting point. Jon has good and bad points, he is a dichotomy. And some of his bad points are hot button issues for some posters. Compare his behavior to TFMJG, who has many bad moments documented on film, and not much evidence of positive or authentic behavior.
Zelda Zee, do what you have to for your family. But remember that you have your own life, and think long and hard before giving up your own hopes and dreams and financial independence to be a caregiver. It could go on for decades.
On another topic, Gladys Kravitz sister in law Harriet Kravitz died! that is, Mary Grace Canfield actress who played her for four episodes of Bewitched! She filled in when the actress who played Gladys was sick according to imdb. Mary Grace Canfield was best known as Hooterville handy woman Ralph Monroe on the TV show Green Acres in the 1960s.
I am thinking about putting together a virtual type of Hooterville and environs along with the TV shows that happened in and around there, or had Hooterville connections, like The Beverly Hillbillies. Everyone could stay at The Shady Rest Hotel, ” it is run by Kate, come and be her guest”. There is a Kate connection, I didn't even realize it.
I've not caught up on my reading, but did see this and have to ask...selling a goat for a "sex toy?????" Am I seeing things?
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I thought someone was selling a billionaire as a sex toy.
LOL! And I thought that it was because I'm french speaking that I just couldn't make any sense at all in that "transaction". So... Anywho... What's up with that sex toy-user goat? Crazy, isn't it? :)
Goats? Sex toys?
I'm puzzled. Think I'll ponder those over a cigarette.
I've not caught up on my reading, but did see this and have to ask...selling a goat for a "sex toy?????" Am I seeing things?
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I thought someone was selling a billionaire as a sex toy.
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I'd take the billionaire as a sex toy. How much are they asking for him? The goat, not so much.
LOL....um, no. Nothing Jon has said or done lends credibility to what Kate has said...nothing.
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Or how SHE treated HIM in ten years of marriage.
I agree with you, Admin, that the parental alienation is egregious, to put it mildly. It's no doubt harmful to her kids, and to their short- and long-term relationships with their father. Perhaps other relationships, too, as yet untold. It's worthy of public scrutiny-- condemnation--for sure.
I wasn't speaking to that, however, and maybe I could've been more specific when I posted my (not fully caffeinated) comment this morning. I was examining anew the criticisms Kate lobbed at Jon when they sat on the couch together, during their J & K plus 8 interviews. I believe it was intended for public consumption, at that point, rather than to drive a wedge between her kids and their father. We agree: her M.O. is off-putting and atrocious, loathsome even.. All that having been said: doesn't mean at least some of what TFW asserted wasn't true.
Jon may, in fact, be the better parent. I believe that to be the case, wholeheartedly and without question. But when you lay all out the evidence, CT included, at least some of what TFW said on their show appears now (at least to me) to have had merit. I suspect some of us are revisiting these things in our own minds, with eyes and ears wide open.
TLC said, "I agree we are disappointed in Jon. He's a hypocrite for criticizing reality TV and yet he appears on a trash reality show. He and Kate simply do not have a classy bone in their bodies."
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I've known Jon since the twins were in first grade, but I'm not going to get into that. I am disappointed in his decision to appear on the show, but nothing will take away from the fact that he is the parent who loves his children till the ends of the earth, classy bone in his body or not.
"Anyway, if you fine Rumspringer Gals would maybe send some positive thoughts my way, I'd sure appreciate it right now."
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Zelda -- I'm driving to Florida this summer (crazy, huh?)...tell me where and when and I'll bring you a keg of the real stuff from the Rumspringa Brewery here! Hang in there!
ZeldaZee - I am thinking of you and wishing all the best for you, your mom and your family. Your mom raised a caring daughter.
All that having been said: doesn't mean at least some of what TFW asserted wasn't true.
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I've posted many times before that the truth to what Kate is saying is irrelevant.
For instance, the money issue during the divorce. It may have been for whatever reason there was indeed an issue with their accounts (it was also asserted that she took money that she had no right to take, so it cuts both ways.) That really isn't the point. The point is she used that situation to further alienate him both in the public eye and to his children when it should have been worked out in private in front of a judge who I trust has lots of experience handling finances in a divorce.
It's one of those things where it's not the truth or falsity of what she is saying--it's the alienation. Obviously Jon is not perfect and obviously I'm sure some of his choices annoy her--and yet, wouldn't it solve everything to just get the judge to order Liz is not to be around the children (huh, she is allowed according to photographs), Jon is not to smoke (he's obviously still smoking), Jon is not to curse (he obviously still is).....?
The fact that she's whined so much so often to the public suggests to me that she isn't getting what she wants out of the judge about him. Otherwise she would be happy as a clam. She's clearly frustrated and furious about Jon and the freedom he's gotten out of the family law courts to do the sort of things that annoy her. I have a pretty good feeling the judge has blown off her the bulk of her complaints. Any judge I know would. This isn't a country where we interfere with every little petty whining complaint you have about your ex. We're supposed to be a place where the government does not interfere with your children unless there are true safety concerns. Smoking (unless you are blowing smoke into your asthmatic child's face), social drinkers, cussing and girlfriends in their late 20's don't even come close to the kind of behavior that would remotely concern a judge charged with protecting children.
We may not LIKE the behaviors and I'm sure Kate in all her pearl clutching doesn't, but you need to go to the judge and if the judge blows you off, then there's not much more you can do but respect the judge's decision and try to foster your children's positive relationship with him. Anything else is sick. I'm sure Jon doesn't like that she's a narcissist and has sick ideas about parenting (the globe peeling incident, etc) and that she parades the kids out twitter and on T.V. any chance she gets, but it goes both ways and the judge isn't going to interfere with THAT behavior either.
I think they have BOTH gotten away with being able to make some pretty obnoxious decisions in the family law court. But if Kate wants the judge to stop Jon from things like being with Liz, then she needs to be prepared that some of her behavior that has been pointed out over the years should be stopped too.
It's just not going to work that way.
ZeldaZee, I recently had my mother move in to my tenants' suite. She was getting scared about living alone so we agreed to let her move in. I kicked out the best tenant we ever had so that she could move in. I actually cried when we had to tell him. Like you, I didn't think it was going to be this soon that I would have to deal with the inevitable. I have a stormy relationship with the old gal but I felt that it was time for some healing to occur before it's too late. Some days I want to scream at her for the dumb things she does and other days it's not so bad. I know I am doing the right thing for her and myself. My husband is awesome about it and gives me all the support I need. I wanted my mom to feel good about our relationship before she dies as it has been a rocky one for some time. Sometimes life is about just doing the right thing and not looking back. Good luck to you. I know all too well the apprehension you are feeling!
PA Dutch Mom said... 177
TLC said, "I agree we are disappointed in Jon. He's a hypocrite for criticizing reality TV and yet he appears on a trash reality show. He and Kate simply do not have a classy bone in their bodies."
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I've known Jon since the twins were in first grade, but I'm not going to get into that. I am disappointed in his decision to appear on the show, but nothing will take away from the fact that he is the parent who loves his children till the ends of the earth, classy bone in his body or not.
(((((((((((((((
So PA Dutch, who is the real Jon? The Jon from TLC, the Jon from CT? Somewhere in between? I believe you have said that we would be amazed at all he has been put through by TFW just to see his kids...I wish you could share some.
I still think they were both given a slap down by the judge recently. There have been no more "tell-all"s in the weekly tabloid and TFW has been fairly quiet
I'm weary of the holier than thou people. Who is a perfect parent? I've never met one.
So Jon smokes, cusses, drinks..heck, he even relieved himself in a friend's driveway!
I'm convinced he loves his children
Well, it looks like Kate is grifting again. This time for a: snow blower, snow melt and a shred to keep all of it in. She is a tool!
LOL! And I thought that it was because I'm french speaking that I just couldn't make any sense at all in that "transaction". So... Anywho... What's up with that sex toy-user goat? Crazy, isn't it? :)
__________________
Wait a minute. The goat is using the billionaire as a sex toy? I thought it was the billionaire who was using a sheep as a sex toy?
Too early for a Bloody Mary and an exploding cigar?
PatK said... 173
Goats? Sex toys?
I'm puzzled. Think I'll ponder those over a cigarette.
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...and a good stiff drink.
iPad problem...will try to finish my comment.
He is as far removed from evil as TFW wallows in it.
He's not playing head games with his kids...she is.
He's not isolating them, she is
He's not living off them as she is
I saw him as a young father. I believe he has worth, and tries his best for his kids.
Dd anyone ver get to the bottom of the comment he supposedly made on CT about not wanting kids? Was it taken out of context?
Never seen the show...just read here.
"The Shady Rest Hotel". Is that a brothel?
Barbara Gilmer @BarbGilmer 33m
At least @Kateplusmy8 fri, sat, & sun your area will be in 40's to 50's snow will melt soon enough!
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No, Barb. We're expecting heavy rain on Friday. Any idea what happens when temps are in the 50s, melting snow, with rain all day?
Think real hard. Got it yet?
The Empress was stripped said...
I was examining anew the criticisms Kate lobbed at Jon when they sat on the couch together, during their J & K plus 8 interviews. I believe it was intended for public consumption, at that point, rather than to drive a wedge between her kids and their father. We agree: her M.O. is off-putting and atrocious, loathsome even.. All that having been said: doesn't mean at least some of what TFW asserted wasn't true.
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Could you please elaborate? What did she assert about Jon that was true. It's been a long time and the memories are fading. The things I remember were the slaps and him breathing too loud. I'm asking, in all seriousness.
PJ
Jon is a dichotomy. You want to like him. Sometimes he seems so nice and normal, and then other times he seems like just an immature spoiled little kid.
IMO, he's too old for the behavior we saw on CT. Time to grow up.
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I think a lot of posters on here WANT to like him because to like him is to stick it to Kate even more. But . . . Jon is human and he has his faults. Some are just as bad as Kate's as far as parenting goes. Some people just will not admit that because it may give credence to what Kate has been saying all along. I prefer to call a spade a spade. They both have used the kids and they both have had bad behavior and have been bad role models. JMO
Marie
Marie
Fired Up 4 Kate @MiloandJack 13m
@Kateplusmy8 Do U have time 2clear up a rumor again? Some R insisting U are a secret smoker...have been 4yrs. Please set them straight!!
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Hey, Milo. Ask Kate where she got her new bra. We want to be "set straight" on that!
Does anyone actually think when those kids are in therapy or in mental turmoil or "acting out" (some most certainly will) they will be crying about "daddy smoking"??? Those kids will have worse demons to battle. That particular "bad behavior" is and will be so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. I really doubt any of them will be laying on the therapist's couch delving deep into their souls and have "daddy smoked" as the reason for the dysfunction in their lives. All the links I post are mostly blogs fromsurvivors of narcissistic abuse. They will have a slew of issues to contend with, smoking won't even make the list
Such a shame no one gave Kate a free beach/warm weather vacation this winter. Surely after two years it must be starting to sink into that bleached noggin of hers that she's a has-been.
njay said... 187
"The Shady Rest Hotel". Is that a brothel?
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Yes, and they also provide some lovely goats...if you're into that kind of thing.
Nahhhh, Milo doesn't read here. Bwahahaha
@MiloandJack
@Kateplusmy8 Do U have time 2clear up a rumor again? Some R insisting U are a secret smoker...have been 4yrs. Please set them straight!!
@ljohnson2006
I have no idea where these silly and untrue rumors about @Kateplusmy8 start. All of what the bullies say is false. Kate is not a smoker
@MiloandJack
@ljohnson2006 @Kateplusmy8 We know that...but it has 2come fr Kate herself b4 many skeptics will shut up about it! Kate lives healthy! :)
@ConcernedChick
.@MiloandJack @ljohnson2006 @Kateplusmy8 I'm not saying I think Kate smokes but I know she wouldn't admit it if she did. Just like implants.
@MiloandJack
@ljohnson2006 @Kateplusmy8 Well, the EX & current GF smoke...so 2excuse that naysayers have 2start rumor that Kate smokes as well! :(
ZeldaZee said...
Anyway, if you fine Rumspringer Gals would maybe send some positive thoughts my way, I'd sure appreciate it right now. I know I don't post often but I read every day, and y'all have certainly brightened my mood on more than one occasion :)
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I have several friends who have been in that situation. They're have been some who have said that they were extremely grateful for the opportunity of really knowing their mother and gaining new understanding of each other and a closeness that, while painful because of the circumstances, was enriching and very healing.
I think it is like any difficulty--we can look for the gifts, even if it is imposing unwanted or unexpected demands on us.
My daughter and I had a very stormy relationship ( she takes after me!) when she returned from France with a new husband, they lived with us (was still with husband). They are now living with me again so that her husband can earn a degree. While there have been challenges, we have an extremely close relationship.
Maybe that relationship would have come in other ways or for other reasons. But, maybe it would have never come. I know that this situation is very different. It comes to mind because I used to wonder if we would finally have a relationship at the end of my life.
The one relationship that does parallel your situation, is that my MIL was terminally ill with cancer when I met her. We became very close, and she died within a year of meeting her--several months after our wedding, and 5 months before my son was born. I think that we may have had a very difficult relationship if she hadn't been so sick. But, that situation really focused us on developing a relationship together, and that has really helped me in my relationship with my daughter-in-law. So, while it was a tragedy that she never knew her grandchildren, I feel like she lives on through my relationship with my own DIL, because I learned from my MIL to bridge our differences.
I also lost my father while I was pregnant with my second child. My MIL was 56, four years younger than I am, and my father was 66. So, I appreciate every day that I have with my family. Even though we are all very flawed and imperfect people.
So Milo spends her days and nights tweeting to/about Kate Gosselin and reading this blog. Good lord woman (or whatever you are ) GET.A.LIFE.
But . . . Jon is human and he has his faults. Some are just as bad as Kate's as far as parenting goes.
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Do you actually believe some of his parenting faults are "just as bad?"
Really? Physical abuse, mental abuse, insulting, isolation, controlling food, controlling friends, cutting out family, chore list, no recreational activities, locking treehouse, belittling, burdening them with adult issues, making them go on the today show and the view, guilting them....do I need to go on? NO WAY his faults are anywhere CLOSE to tfws
I believe you have said that we would be amazed at all he has been put through by TFW just to see his kids...I wish you could share some.
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I'm sorry. It might have been another local who said that Kate keeps him from seeing his children. I remember reading that, too, but I don't remember who said it. My comments have been to those who have said that Jon has not done anything to gain more custody or see his kids. The fact is that nobody knows exactly what Jon has gone through, or how many times he has been to court because it's not a matter of public record.
Marie said...
I think a lot of posters on here WANT to like him because to like him is to stick it to Kate even more.
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I do like Jon. It has nothing to do with her.
I don't agree that a lot of posters here like him in order to stick it to her
PJ
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