Sparkling Adventures Pt 10 - David Pleads Guilty - Merge

[Rubaiyat]

On January 15, 2016 at 3:18 PM, AliceInFundyland said:

I like some infrastructure with my off-grid rebelliousness.

I love this sentence so hard.  You and I would be friends.  

[DaisyD]

Are you both "elitist about toilets"?

Sorry, I couldn't resist. While I actually don't mind taking care of business out in nature, it gets more awkward the bigger the crowd, so I'm totally for portopotties at large events.

[Rubaiyat]

35 minutes ago, daisyd681 said:

Are you both "elitist about toilets"?

Sorry, I couldn't resist. While I actually don't mind taking care of business out in nature, it gets more awkward the bigger the crowd, so I'm totally for portopotties at large events.

I just choked tea up my nose at this, and now the dog is eyeing me warily from across the room.  And yes!  I'm totally elitist about toilets!!  I loves me some grade-A modern porcelain under my cheeks when the going gets rough.  

Having a name for my predilection makes me feel even more elitist.  Love it, love everything about it.  

[AliceInFundyland]

Don't get me wrong...I've camped out in other scenarios and gone in the woods and it was fine...but that involved less than 5 people. 

And if I am walking home drunk and have to pee I will duck behind whatever the hell is convenien and drop trou.

But in a large group setting, bring on the honeybuckets ( my alltime favorite brand name).

[August]

I volunteered at a Scout Jamboree in high school, and let me tell you that toileting for 100 at a time involves lots of very deep holes. IIRC they were dug with some sort of heavy equipment because they need to be deep enough for worms not to crawl out.

[DaisyD]

6 hours ago, Rubaiyat said:

I just choked tea up my nose at this, and now the dog is eyeing me warily from across the room.  And yes!  I'm totally elitist about toilets!!  I loves me some grade-A modern porcelain under my cheeks when the going gets rough.  

Having a name for my predilection makes me feel even more elitist.  Love it, love everything about it.  

I really wish I could take credit for that one, but alas, it was a terribly clever poster in the Naugler thread. I had the same response the first time I saw it.

[happy atheist]

10 hours ago, daisyd681 said:

I really wish I could take credit for that one, but alas, it was a terribly clever poster in the Naugler thread. I had the same response the first time I saw it.

It is, in fact, a post count title. Reach 2050 posts and it can be yours!

[DaisyD]

53 minutes ago, happy atheist said:

It is, in fact, a post count title. Reach 2050 posts and it can be yours!

Speaking of post count titles, there have been a couple of nominations in the herbs in your vag thread...

[LovelyLuna]

So I went on a Rainbow family internet expedition yesterday, the few decent documentaries I could find were interesting. This is all based on American Rainbow Gatherings. 

On larger scales they have different camps within the camp. They have one for kids and families; they have the best food and water. Everyone is on the lookout for creepers. Another one called Calm for all the energy healers and such. The first aid station is located here and is attended by whoever shows up with medical skills.

They also have an alcohol camp in the parking lot. Alcohol is not tolerated in the rest of the gathering. Pot seams cool as long as your keep your cool.

Several Kitchens show up and the smaller camps are set around them. Breakfast and lunch are served by the kitchen in your home camp. Dinner is is the main circle and each kitchen sends food. everyone sits with their plates and are served while sitting in concentric circles. 

They suggest you show up with bulk food which is handed over to your camp kitchen. they also said to bring snacks (side eye to you Lauren) for personal use. you can also bring money to put in a hat thats passed at dinner (The Magic Hat), they then buy supplies with this money.

Each smaller camp has a ‘Shitter’ which is a long trench for BM only. you must cover you shit with wood ash, not doing so will ern you a talking to. Peeing is done in the woods. Toilette paper is called shit ticks and you must bring your own.

Pictures and video are strongly discouraged. People are aloud to be nakked, but just because someone is nakked dosn’t give you consent (don’t assume they are easy or grab their boobs).

There is a lot of hippy dippy looney tree hugger stuff, but there are also normal people who care about the environment. There are no people in charge, no police, no fire department, no medical. they do everything by consciences. If shit goes wrong (fire, heath emergency) they have to take care of it themselves. there is also no fee to get in and no money involved other then the Magic Hat. There is an area to trade, bring cigarettes and batteries. A ‘Pocket Trade’ Is a fun game where two people agree to exchange a small item without knowing what it is. Cool people bring cool stuff. Asshole give you crap. 

In conclusion, it seam like fun, but I don’t really do crowds. I would probably be that person that stays in camp to tend the fire during the big things. I would love to wonder, people watch and the like. 

[haras1972]

just a little update on Instagram - Aisha is 11 today and heading off from Hobart International (I love that) airport on her own holiday. 

She looks happy, well and excited - but I love the terminology that Lauren uses - "After surrounding ourselves with so many travellers, I had to expect that it wouldn't be long before the girls sought to explore the world without me"

She's 11 - she's hardly heading off on her own accord, on a whim. Lauren would have had to do unaccompanied child formalities, arrange pickup for the other end - my brothers and I spent a few weeks every year visiting our grandparents - we were being farmed out, not exploring the world sans parents. 

 

It's week 2 of term 1 - wonder if there will be school attending children where she's heading. 

[blessalessi]

Thanks for the update.

I hope Aisha is going somewhere safe, where she will be encouraged to share her feelings openly, and where she can be appropriately supported. 

I hope the other kids are OK with her departure too, and that they are allowed to feel sadness, jealousy, happiness or whatever else they feel, without this separation from a sibling being arbitrarily labeled "neutral" by Lauren.p

[Paperplate]

1 hour ago, haras1972 said:

just a little update on Instagram - Aisha is 11 today and heading off from Hobart International (I love that) airport on her own holiday. 

She looks happy, well and excited - but I love the terminology that Lauren uses - "After surrounding ourselves with so many travellers, I had to expect that it wouldn't be long before the girls sought to explore the world without me"

She's 11 - she's hardly heading off on her own accord, on a whim. Lauren would have had to do unaccompanied child formalities, arrange pickup for the other end - my brothers and I spent a few weeks every year visiting our grandparents - we were being farmed out, not exploring the world sans parents. 

 

It's week 2 of term 1 - wonder if there will be school attending children where she's heading. 

Thanks for posting this. I had subscribed to Lauren's Instagram via RSS, but it stopped working a while ago. I thought she just wasn't posting anything! (I'm not sure what's up with it not working anymore. All my other feeds are fine.)

Aïsha looks a lot like her mum. I hope she a great time and someone takes good care of her.

[happy atheist]

There are some unfortunate haircuts going on here, but they all look genuinely happy. It's so nice to see smiles on these girls.

[haras1972]

Should add that Aisha's teeth look like she'll be needing some orthodontic work - I really hope there's the money and longevity to one location that allows that to happen. Those 2 front teeth of hers look like mine used to - being pushed out to the front by overcrowding. 

[alexandracabot]

She has a new blog post up. Shoot me, but it actually seems to be fairly healthy. Acknowledging how damaged she is by her parents' sending her to boarding school, talking openly about her son's death.

[truthseeker]

1 hour ago, alexandracabot said:

She has a new blog post up. Shoot me, but it actually seems to be fairly healthy. Acknowledging how damaged she is by her parents' sending her to boarding school, talking openly about her son's death.

I agree.  Much as I love to snark on Lauren, this post reminds me how much she's been through.  Hope Aisha has a great time - and a haircut and a clothes shopping day!

[DaffyDill]

I do feel for her when she read this email:

Quote

I open the email without assessing its message in advance. I have no time to prepare for the punch to my gut. It arrives in the form of a courteous message from a Queensland police station: “Property lodged at the [station] can now be returned to you. The property consists of:

Baby accessories: Pram/Stroller – Pram, and

Household articles: Bedspreads/blankets – 1 x blue blanket (in poor condition)”

That would certainly hit you like a slap in the face, just coming out of the blue.

I hope Aisha has a wonderful time staying in Melbourne. Not sure who she's staying with; Lauren said "with our Melbourne family", so maybe one of her sisters? Maybe she's going to have her orthodontics done and paid for by the family? Obviously there are orthodontists in Tasmania, but would Lauren have the money for that? Perhaps she'd see it as not "authentic" *eyeroll*

Interesting Lauren says Aisha is looking forward to eating meat  Maybe she's had enough of being vegetarian.

[justwatching]

Wow.  That whole blog post gave me goosebumps, but this:

Quote

As I explain my weeping to the girls, I allow for the authentic expression of my painful memories.

seems like she's scaling a very large obstacle.  I hope she continues to grieve - finally - so she can begin to truly heal and not just suppress.

[samithemage]

9 minutes ago, justwatching said:

Wow.  That whole blog post gave me goosebumps, but this:

seems like she's scaling a very large obstacle.  I hope she continues to grieve - finally - so she can begin to truly heal and not just suppress.

I hope that this means that she will finally allow her girls to view Elijah's murder at the hands of their mentally unstable father (who was also their primary caregiver) as something other than a "neutral" event. I'm not sure I'd be willing to bet on it though.

[Bearos]

Does anyone know if any of David's family are in Melbourne?  It is possible that Aisha is meeting up with some of them - or even David himself.  He could have easily been released already... although I am not sure how easily he would be able to leave Queensland.  He may have been able to seek permission to move interstate to be with family. 

I thought that this last post was pretty open, and wasn't soaked in the usual amount of Lauren bullshit... but who really knows.  And we probably don't need to speculate on where a child is going and why.  But that being said, if David has been paroled, how fucked up is it that he gets released before the fucking pram does?!

[DaffyDill]

17 hours ago, Bearos said:

Does anyone know if any of David's family are in Melbourne?  It is possible that Aisha is meeting up with some of them - or even David himself.  He could have easily been released already... although I am not sure how easily he would be able to leave Queensland.  He may have been able to seek permission to move interstate to be with family. 

I thought that this last post was pretty open, and wasn't soaked in the usual amount of Lauren bullshit... but who really knows.  And we probably don't need to speculate on where a child is going and why.  But that being said, if David has been paroled, how fucked up is it that he gets released before the fucking pram does?!

I'm sure I read he became eligible for parole in late December, the 22nd I think? Anyway, just because a person is eligible for parole, certainly doesn't mean they will be granted it straight away, or even apply for it.

With parole in Queensland, he can apply to go interstate for trips, or even move interstate, but not until the Queensland Parole Board (or a delegate, in the case of short trips) agree to it. All applications need to be made well in advance, and in writing.

http://www.correctiveservices.qld.gov.au/About_Us/The_Department/Probation_and_Parole/documents/factsheet_parole_order.pdf

Quote

You must get written permission to leave Queensland, even for a short visit. You will need a good reason for the travel to be approved, and you will need to ask for a permit well in advance of travel. Permits for up to seven days can be granted by a Queensland Corrective Services delegate. If you are a Queensland parolee and want to leave Queensland for more than seven days you must get permission from the parole board. If you are a federal parolee you must get permission from the Commonwealth Attorney-General. If you go without permission, you breach your order and a warrant will be issued for your arrest. You can apply to transfer to another State. 

So while David may have been released on parole, and he may have received permission to travel to Victoria to see his daughter, he may not have, either...  I can't find anything to say he's out.

One of Lauren's sisters might be living in Melbourne. Renee, the one who was living in Singapore with her husband and kids for a few years, then moved back home. Not sure though.

[blessalessi]

I am glad Aisha has plans to eat meat, and submerse herself in window shopping and city life. It sounds as though she is beyond ready for a break from Lauren's Sparkling Adventures.

I am truly sorry for the very sad time Lauren is having, but she has allowed herself to grieve and express sad feelings on many previous occasions.  When she stops telling her children to treat trauma as a "neutral" event, I will feel more optimistic.

[Mango]

 I actually had a thought the other night that I'm only now getting around to posting, and that's that perhaps all the neutral event bullshit is just her um, unusual way of trying to NOT badmouth David to the children? 

[blessalessi]

On 12/02/2016 at 0:50 AM, Mango said:

 I actually had a thought the other night that I'm only now getting around to posting, and that's that perhaps all the neutral event bullshit is just her um, unusual way of trying to NOT badmouth David to the children? 

Could be, but given the reams of passive-aggressive stuff about David that remains on her blog, I very much doubt it.  

Also, didn't I read somewhere that she pulled the girls out of grief therapy because she had expected it to help her manage their behaviour, and she thought that sending them there "just to play" was a waste of time.

I think the children's grief was just too overwhelming for her, so she nipped it in the bud.  Or so she thinks. 

Run, Aisha, run! 

[samira_catlover]

Slowly slogging through THIS nest of insanity.  Just saw the forklift YouTube video and this has GOT to be a joke. Damned near had a Serious Cardiac Event when they were tossing around the saw blades---and the parents more interested in video than in teaching safe tool handling.

Was it my eyes, but did the girl without the hat seem to have a tattoo or stickon on her chest? (about 3 minute mark)