Maxwell 17: Life After John Left

[Hane]

7 minutes ago, kpmom said:

Steve writes;

"In order to help develop her writing skills, Sarah often reads out loud to Anna and Mary before they go to sleep."

That sounds so sweet, a big sister reading to her little sisters before they go to sleep.

Until you realize the little sisters are, what?  20 and 25?  Something like that.

Also, how old is Sarah this birthday?

How the heck does reading aloud to other people help develop writing skills? Being able to read a wide variety of works by good writers does that, and Stevehovah will never allow it.

[sparkles]

4 minutes ago, church_of_dog said:

My take on this phrasing was that Sarah reads some of her own writing out loud, which could in theory help improve her skills both by gettng feedback from others and from hearing her words in context.  Of course, unless this is a brand new habit, I'd have to say "it's not working"...

If I'm looking for opinions on whether or not two colors match, I'm not going to ask the advice of someone who's color blind. That's exactly what Sarah is doing if she read to Mary and Anna because she wants them to critique her writing. What she SHOULD do is give her stuff to a qualified editor with a firm grounding in grammar, syntax and proper storytelling. But we all know that will never happen.

And I'm still too angry about the forced-birth post to comment without going ballistic.

[onekidanddone]

16 minutes ago, Hane said:

How the heck does reading aloud to other people help develop writing skills? Being able to read a wide variety of works by good writers does that, and Stevehovah will never allow it.

Is she reading from the Moody books? Sarah's writing skill suck, so I'd hardly see her reading her own drivel  to her adult sisters as improving anybodies writing skills.

Steve, we all know you read here. We are all on to you. You may fool the zombie leg humpers, but you don't fool me.

[Jana814]

I wonder if it was ment that Sarah read to Anna and Mary when they were younger. Instead of mom and dad reading before they went to bed Sarah did. 

[mydoggoskeeper]

30 minutes ago, catlady said:

pretty sure Sara is either 36 or 37 this year.

Sarah and I are roughly the same age and both joyfully single (ha!).  For my birthday I'm going to Cabo with friends, wearing a host of defrauding bikinis,  and washing down all the tacos I can handle with margaritas.   

Sarah, if you are reading, you are welcome to join!  Call it inspiration for your next book -- Cabo with the Moodys.  

[fellowunfundie]

Comments on the blog say that Sarah reads children’s fiction for the age she writes for, as well as theoretical books about certain aspects (characterization, plot, etc). Not a bad strategy, honestly. Should we ask for a book list?

[fundiefan]

Awwe. Isn’t that sweet. A 30-somethung woman reading bedtime stories to her little sisters. Whi happen to be 20-somethings.

If that ain’t a glimpse into the kidult life the infantized Maxwells have created, I don’t know what is.

[catlady]

38 minutes ago, mydoggoskeeper said:

Sarah, if you are reading, you are welcome to join!  Call it inspiration for your next book -- Cabo with the Moodys.  

now i want her to write that!!!!

And Max called to Maddy, "we must hasten to the sand forthwith and apply sunscreen to our scapulae!"

To which Maddy replied, "Fuck off, i'm staying at the cabana with Manuel and tequila shots."

[sparkles]

27 minutes ago, fellowunfundie said:

Comments on the blog say that Sarah reads children’s fiction for the age she writes for, as well as theoretical books about certain aspects (characterization, plot, etc). Not a bad strategy, honestly. Should we ask for a book list?

I'd love to see that book list. I can't imagine there's a lot of kid lit out there that would meet the strict Maxwellian standards of acceptability. I mean, they're completely opposed to portraying conflict, even when it's resolved and a lesson is learned. Whatever she's reading, none of it seems to have done her much good. Of course, I've only read the first Moody book that was free on Amazon for a day or so (and FJers downloading it pushed it to #1). It was painful to read and I'm not just saying that because we snark on the Maxwells. It was so poorly written and plotted that self-publishing was the only way it would make it into print. Those of you who've read later books, did they improve much?

[fellowunfundie]

Those of you who've read later books, did they improve much?

Granted I’ve only read through book five, but of the ones I read they are basically the same book over and over. I’m not faulting them for being the same; kids that age do enjoy predictable formula books with consistent characters. However, stylistically, they don’t improve much, if at all.

[OhNoNike]

2 hours ago, church_of_dog said:

My take on this phrasing was that Sarah reads some of her own writing out loud, which could in theory help improve her skills both by gettng feedback from others and from hearing her words in context.  Of course, unless this is a brand new habit, I'd have to say "it's not working"...

It could be this, but it’s worded so oddly.  She reads aloud before they go to sleep?  Does she sit there and tuck them in, too?

Also, that list was really pathetic.  If you are coming up with some little known facts, have more than four.  (And even then, two or three were already discussed at length in blog posts)

”Sarah has artist impressions of Max and Maddie’s footprints tattooed on her right shoulder blade.”

[lilith]

Sarah reading the Moody books to me at bedtime would be very helpful for my insomnia.

[SolomonFundy]

Sarah's reading to her sisters at night because they are still functionally children, and she's still the only mother they've ever known.

But let's stop and appreciate the fun new revelation that celebratory floor candy is a thing in the Maxhellscape.

[OhNoNike]

3 minutes ago, SolomonFundy said:

Sarah's reading to her sisters at night because they are still functionally children, and she's still the only mother they've ever known.

But let's stop and appreciate the fun new revelation that celebratory floor candy is a thing in the Maxhellscape.

Soooo exciting!!

[CyborgKin]

The other week my parents invited a family over for dinner, who have three kids and were married at 18, 18 years ago.  It struck me that they're only a few years older than still-single me, but I didn't consider until now that they're also the same age as Poor Sarah!

Okay time to evaluate her "fundie singles ad":

-Sarah hardly ever skips a workout.

I hardly ever don't skip a workout

-Sarah loves coffee and chocolate. (That’s probably well known not little known:).)

I love chocolate and I like coffee flavoured chocolate, though I don't actually drink coffee.  (Also it sounds like Sarah has 'made an idol of coffee and chocolate  )

-Sarah began a tradition of getting the birthday person’s favorite mini-candy bars and putting them in the shape of the birthday person’s age on the living room floor on their birthday.

That's nice i guess?  I wouldn't say no to mini candy-bars.

-In order to help develop her writing skills, Sarah often reads out loud to Anna and Mary before they go to sleep.

I really need to get in the habit of doing that with my own writing.  More as motivation to write more, since there's more effective and important ways to improve writing skills than reading to your younger siblings who don't read much literature, hint, hint.

-“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”

Um, I'm gonna stick to the NKJV which says "worth" rather than "price".  Cos if you're selling, I'm fresh out of rubies.

Merge-edit: oh, in one of the comments Sarah replies "I read fiction children’s books."

Firstly, do go on, I want to know more about which books and how many.  Secondly, no one says "fiction children's books".

Extra edit: oh I read further and in response to a question she wrote "I read children’s fiction, generally the age group I write for! On my own, I also read books to improve my skill in writing fiction, whether it’s on creating better characters, plots, etc."

She's allowed to read books about writing on her own?  Does Steve know that a lot of those books have examples and quotes from works he would not approve of?  

And what does she mean generally?  It's not like she's written anything not for children, right?  Or is she counting blog posts and photo captions?  Most of those are for children too  

[AllisonWndrland]

Add me to the category of people shocked as hell that Sarah reads books to improve her writing. My mind is blown, y'all. 

[nelliebelle1197]

8 hours ago, catlady said:

pretty sure Sara is either 36 or 37 this year.

Oh, no really? That old? I wish I was not too lazy to go through the archives and figure it out. @MamaJunebug or @Palimpsest or @johnhugh might know.

[AllisonWndrland]

11 minutes ago, nelliebelle1197 said:

Oh, no really? That old? I wish I was not too lazy to go through the archives and figure it out. @MamaJunebug or @Palimpsest or @johnhugh might know.

She is 36. They sort of stopped announcing her age in the birthday post a few years back. I suppose it doesn't speak well for the lifestyle when your 30-something daughter is unmarried, so probably best to stop putting the number in the post title. 

[Black Aliss]

13 hours ago, Eternalbluepearl said:

There must be some reason other than loving babies that fundies have latched so hard onto the abortion issue but I'm not sure what it is. Maybe as a way of ensuring more christians are born for god's army? Maybe as a way of ensuring christians vote for the desired political party? Someone better at history or smarter at these things might know. 

I'm not smarter nor am I an historian but I believe it's not about life; it's about women being allowed to make moral decisions.

Let's not kid ourselves. Having an abortion means ending a life. It is a moral decision to do so. Pro-birthers tend to also be pro-death penalty; they are also against women serving in combat. The latter, especially, involves moral decisions--I have to kill this person in the name of a greater good. I don't see how one can be truly pro-life without also being against capital punishment and, certainly, anti-war.

[Emilycharlotte]

I don't think the motives of most anti-abortion advocates are nearly as complicated or strategic as people are suggesting. I know quite a few pro-life people and their convictions are fairly simple: they truly believe that all abortion is murder, and that standing by silently while unborn babies are murdered would be unconscionable.

It's an extreme viewpoint, and not saying I agree--but it is pretty straightforward and I think most peoples' motives are sincere.

[lilith]

It blows my mind every year to be reminded that Sarah is less than a year younger than me. I have an almost 14 year old daughter who has had far more life experience and who is far more independent than Sarah. To still be living in my childhood bedroom, answerable to my father and “assisting” my mother with vital ceiling fan dusting, reading fucking children’s books (approved by Daddy) to my adult sisters every night (even my 10 year old doesn’t like to be read to anymore - and reads books that would be off limits for Sarah)...... it’s surreal.

[MamaJunebug]

2 hours ago, nelliebelle1197 said:

Oh, no really? That old? I wish I was not too lazy to go through the archives and figure it out. @MamaJunebug or @Palimpsest or @johnhugh might know.

They’ve been hiding her age for quite a while now. When Tina was on the way but hadn’t been announced, the children introduced themselves at a dog-&-pony. IIRC they started with Mary and worked their way up.  “I’m Anna and I’m 16,” etc,  Finally it was Poor Sarah’s turn and she stepped up to the mic and hurriedly said, “I’m Sarah I’m the oldest and also the shortest” and she barely got the last word out before she turned tail & headed back upstage [sic]* to her seat next to Terifying.

So Tina’s what, 4 or 5 now? PSarah's been “a lady of a certain age” prematurely for quite a while now.

*It wasn’t a stage, per se, just a raised platform. And even though neither really played, she and her mother both sat holding guitars like they could’ve played ‘em, while the others actually made music & caterwauled. 

PS: y’know who else wrote and stayed single? Jane Austen, that’s who. I bet Stevi’s blood pressure would spike at the mere mention of the name. I can’t imagine PSarah opening Pride & Prejudice. First sentence, & her eyes would be out on stalks!

[Dandruff]

Why can't Sarah read to herself?  Do Anna and Mary actually enjoy being read to at night?  Holy crap.

[Bethella]

2 hours ago, MamaJunebug said:

So Tina’s what, 4 or 5 now? PSarah's been “a lady of a certain age” prematurely for quite a while now.

Tina is 5 and will turn 6 this summer.

[Triplet3]

6 hours ago, AllisonWndrland said:

Add me to the category of people shocked as hell that Sarah reads books to improve her writing. My mind is blown, y'all. 

I suspect she only started doing that when she attended that Christian writers' course last year.