Sparkling Adventures in Child Neglect: Now with Rats!

[lilith]

I doesn't sound like she's going Christian again to me - I'll believe that when she mentions Jesus. I think she's just moving towards a more structured form of spirituality. Lauren likes rules and clear behavioural expectations, but she's also very attached to her "alternative" label and rainbow tribe membership. I think she'll gravitate towards one of the stricter forms of Buddhist practice or a bastardised version of Hindu belief or maybe find herself a guru. I can see her joining a new agey cult (of which there are plenty on the edges of the hippie/alternative/rainbow community)

[lilith]

She also made a joke about jacking off in the last couple of days that I don't see Christian Lauren making. Lauren doesn't tend to do things by halves - she's either a micromanaging control freak or doesn't parent at all, she's either a conservative Christian following all the "rules" or a spiritual being connected to the divine pulse of the universe.

[August]

Does it tax your ego so much you have to whine about on Facebook? ;)

Please! What do you take me for? It's not whining, it's sending my displeasure out into the universe as a plea for the spirit that lives within all of us to send healing emanations of love and bathing facilities.

[Crazytripletmommy]

Perhaps she is going to take up a devotional group dedicated to the rats?

[salex]

Perhaps she is going to take up a devotional group dedicated to the rats?

OK, well that made me think of this

sorry it isn't working right, here is the link

[Vex]

I doesn't sound like she's going Christian again to me - I'll believe that when she mentions Jesus. I think she's just moving towards a more structured form of spirituality. Lauren likes rules and clear behavioural expectations, but she's also very attached to her "alternative" label and rainbow tribe membership. I think she'll gravitate towards one of the stricter forms of Buddhist practice or a bastardised version of Hindu belief or maybe find herself a guru. I can see her joining a new agey cult (of which there are plenty on the edges of the hippie/alternative/rainbow community)

Such a shame Sri Chinmoy isn't around any more. His cult organisation is, but no more Guru for Lauren.

(PS: Anyone interested in cults should definitely read Cartwheels in a Sari. The author is not just ex-cult, but she was actually meant to be the incarnation of the perfect disciple of the cult. Really interesting stuff.)

Perhaps she is going to take up a devotional group dedicated to the rats?

Ah, you jest, but at least then those poor rats might have a chance at the good life.

[ShadowyOne]

Perhaps she is going to take up a devotional group dedicated to the rats?

Something like that...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karni_Mata

[ladyaudley]

Please! What do you take me for? It's not whining, it's sending my displeasure out into the universe as a plea for the spirit that lives within all of us to send healing emanations of love and bathing facilities.

:D

I'm sure the Divine will send you an army of willing leghumpers who will let you mooch off them for a while.

[Vex]

Something like that...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karni_Mata

I have always wanted to go to Karni Mata temple! So many sweet little ratties running free and living a safe, happy life. My worship would stop short of drinking from the same bowls of milk as them, admittedly. I make it a point never to drink things with rat raisins floating in them.

[August]

Suburbia continues to surprise me. I may look like a hippy with my flower-strewn bus, beaded dreadlocks and barefoot children, but I’m simply the obvious one. As we travel, I discover that more and more “normal†houses are populated by cultural subversives.

Yes, Lauren, if you'd ever bothered to open your eyes you would have noticed that years ago.

[happy atheist]

Lauren certainly is full of herself.

[MajorMajor]

-snip-

FTFY

[lilith]

She's so fucking judgemental:

"These suburban hippies understand the possibilities that life has to offer. They recognise the relationships that reflect their own strengths and weaknesses back at them. They’re constantly assessing themselves, questioning their motives and — somehow — feeling trapped in a life that is not what they originally aspired to."

Of course they must feel trapped and unhappy - they are Doing It Wrong.

If they were truly "authentic" like Lauren they would forget about all responsibilities and just live day to day on the kindness of strangers like the Sparkling One does!

Fulfilling work, an income, a home, education for one's children, stability....... all traps on the road to sparkling authenticity!

She pisses me off so much.

And her interview with the surrogate scares me. Surely nobody would be insane enough to allow Lauren to be a surrogate? I can see her loving it - all the attention and accolades for being generous and selfless, without having to deal with a baby at the end. But you could guarantee that her relationship with any couple she bore a child for would turn toxic and fucked up. She's not good with relationships that last more than a week or two.

And her constant use of the term "surromama" is intensely irritating.

[miffy]

She's so fucking judgemental:

"These suburban hippies understand the possibilities that life has to offer. They recognise the relationships that reflect their own strengths and weaknesses back at them. They’re constantly assessing themselves, questioning their motives and — somehow — feeling trapped in a life that is not what they originally aspired to."

Of course they must feel trapped and unhappy - they are Doing It Wrong.

If they were truly "authentic" like Lauren they would forget about all responsibilities and just live day to day on the kindness of strangers like the Sparkling One does!

Fulfilling work, an income, a home, education for one's children, stability....... all traps on the road to sparkling authenticity!

She pisses me off so much.

And her interview with the surrogate scares me. Surely nobody would be insane enough to allow Lauren to be a surrogate? I can see her loving it - all the attention and accolades for being generous and selfless, without having to deal with a baby at the end. But you could guarantee that her relationship with any couple she bore a child for would turn toxic and fucked up. She's not good with relationships that last more than a week or two.

And her constant use of the term "surromama" is intensely irritating.

I don't even know where to begin with the suburban hippie thing. UGH! She is such a poser, jumping on her bandwagon, putting everybody in labeled boxes.

[happy atheist]

So, because this one "surromama" (agree that's an awful word) was able to emotionally detach from the baby she was carrying for her friend, that proves it's an easy thing to do? I think Lauren is ignoring reality (again) and presenting this in the most sparkling way possible. I think surrogacy has the potential to be a very difficult thing, and that should not be minimized. I do think it can work and be a good thing, I just think everyone should go in with their eyes open.

[August]

So, because this one "surromama" (agree that's an awful word) was able to emotionally detach from the baby she was carrying for her friend, that proves it's an easy thing to do? I think Lauren is ignoring reality (again) and presenting this in the most sparkling way possible. I think surrogacy has the potential to be a very difficult thing, and that should not be minimized. I do think it can work and be a good thing, I just think everyone should go in with their eyes open.

I think being emotionally detached from those she gestated is one thing Lauren is very, very good at.

[happy atheist]

I think being emotionally detached from those she gestated is one thing Lauren is very, very good at.

That's a good point.

[ladyaudley]

I think a bigger problem she's encounter is that I doubt potential parents that would use her as a surrogate would be okay with Lauren "freebirthing" (I love how even she notices that "unbirthing" is an idiotic word) their baby in a van in a flooded field with no medical help or professional staff around while filming the whole thing for youtube. No sparkly authenticity in that birth!

I think even thinking about surrogacy (which is illegal in Germany, France and Switzerland btw, as is egg donation in Germany) a year after you buried your infant son is insanity. But then, this is Lauren we're talking about.

[wild little fox]

She also made a joke about jacking off in the last couple of days that I don't see Christian Lauren making. Lauren doesn't tend to do things by halves - she's either a micromanaging control freak or doesn't parent at all, she's either a conservative Christian following all the "rules" or a spiritual being connected to the divine pulse of the universe.

Thank you for your input, Lilith. I always appreciate your insight.

[Blahblah]

If the surrogacy thing was pursued even slightly then wouldn't she be obliged to undergo some sort of psychiatric evaluation? Can't see it proceeding much past that point really.

But if she somehow convinced someone to let her be a surrogate for them, who on earth would condone their surrogate living the way that she does? Or is this some sort of sneaky way to give up her truck and live in a normal house again? As in "we had to do it because of our surrogacy contract"?

I can totally see her expecting the surrogacy parents to let her and the girls move in with them so that they can experience every sparkling moment together. And then she could show them first hand how sparkling it is to unschool and unparent and unwork and unfuckingeverythingelse. Or she would expect them to stump up for a suitable home for the duration of the pregnancy.

And I really don't think she enjoyed Elijah's freebirth anyway. So having any surrogate baby in a fully equipped hospital could also be blamed on the surrogacy contract.

[happy atheist]

I'm not convinced that Lauren is really hoping to be a surrogate. I could see her encouraging other women to try it though.

[Artemis]

So, because this one "surromama" (agree that's an awful word) was able to emotionally detach from the baby she was carrying for her friend, that proves it's an easy thing to do? I think Lauren is ignoring reality (again) and presenting this in the most sparkling way possible. I think surrogacy has the potential to be a very difficult thing, and that should not be minimized. I do think it can work and be a good thing, I just think everyone should go in with their eyes open.

Well she's detached from her children, presumably, it's even easier to detach from a baby she would barely see. I mean, when the death of a child is neutral then surrogacy is obviously easy.

[Blahblah]

Just a brief comment on Lauren's intention to obtain a didgeridoo for the girls. In many indigenous groups this instrument is restricted to men only. I once had it explained to me that because of the muscular tension in the abdomen required to play it using the circular breathing technique, it is thought of as dangerous for women because it pushes the diaphragm down and could interefere with fertility by pushing on the reproductive organs.

I hope she ensures that she obtains one from an area in which women are permitted to play it otherwise she isn't being very authentic.

[Patsy]

They don't live north, which is where it was played. Nothing fucking authentic about that. I know I've said this before, but it shits me when Aboriginal men outside that one particular area play didge and then go "but women can't". Um, NEITHER CAN YOU, if your ancestors were born around here.

[Blahblah]

They don't live north, which is where it was played. Nothing fucking authentic about that. I know I've said this before, but it shits me when Aboriginal men outside that one particular area play didge and then go "but women can't". Um, NEITHER CAN YOU, if your ancestors were born around here.

Hi Patsy. Can you explain how that works? When/where is it appropriate for which group to play? I have very little knowledge about this but find it fascinating. Thanks.