YLCF deathwatch....

[bea]

What the HELL is up with YLCF? Reprinting insipid poems from their print publication in the nineties? Journal selections from ten years ago?

I mean, I know Gretchen is busy, and that the rest of the "board" has bailed entirely, but dude. End the site gracefully, don't drag it out like this.

[silvia]

I was wondering the same thing. Plus, some of the rehashed YLCF Journal pieces now being posted are themselves reprints of stuff that appeared in, like, the 1800s. You can only reheat leftovers so many times before they start to cause serious indigestion.

[flojo]

They lost their best writers... It was by far bestnwhen Natalie was there. Thoroughly enjoyed the discussion on the yuku forums where she showed up a few months ago - would love to know more about how she is and where she is now.

[silvia]

I agree, flojo -- it would be great to hear more from Natalie. Unfortunately, I think someone said she'd decided not to post on here any more out of a desire to protect her dad, who I think is the president of Moody Bible Institute. (I wonder if her parents asked her not to, or if she came to this decision on her own?)

[bea]

I respect the fact that Natalie isn't going to contribute - that's her right - but due to my Mad Research Skillz, I can at least give an update on what she's doing. None of this comes from Natalie, or her friends, and is all a matter of public record. Cook County allows a full text docket search. I research because I'm curious, and also because I think Natalie has had, almost literally, a HELL of a time the last few years.

Shortly after having Baby Ethan, she ditched SkeevyJames and moved back in with (I believe) Mom and Dad Nyquist in Chicago. She became a "Senior Editor" for Titus2: At The Well, where her bio states she lives in Chicago where she's raising her son. Her Facebook fan page and Twitter were switched to the name "Natalie Jacobs," and she talked a lot about finishing her Christian Writers Guild courses and doing book proposals. Showing what I think is remarkable good sense about the fact that one cannot live on book royalties unless you're Stephen King or JK Rowling, she also enrolled in Loyola University Chicago (my alma mater, FWIW) in their Paralegal program. Her Twitter posts indicate that she's joined an Orthodox church in Chicago, perhaps leaving the whole right-wing fundie legalist nonsense behind in favor of....um. Older and more historical right-wing fundie legalist stuff. I reserve judgment (I kid, I kid, I judge all over the damn place).

Natalie filed for legal separation from James in March in Cook County, which is where she's living (Chicago is in Cook County). She also filed for temporary custody and child support. Both were - I believe - allowed.

In April, the petition for legal separation was changed to a petition for dissolution of marriage. Which, I imagine, surprises no one. Since then, it looks like Natalie and her lawyers have simply been trying to track down SkeevyJames. Since that "ProblemSolvers" segment that featured him as a crook and where he said his wife had left him and he was living out of a car, there was a followup segment on the same channel that indicated he hasn't paid back the people whose money he took and no one has been able to contact him. Including, it appears, Natalie. It's hard to divorce someone when you can't serve them papers. Most recently (this month), an order was issued for publication. As far as I can tell, that means the court is allowing Natalie to essentially take out a public notice that says "James Ference, you deadbeat shit, I'm divorcing you."

I do feel for Natalie. This has got to be hard. She's been raised to believe in PURITY AND BEAUTY AND RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS IF ONLY YOU FOLLOW THE RULES and she DID follow the rules and what she's ended up with is two divorces, raising a kid as a single mom, living with her parents and looking at being a single working mom for the forseeable future. Which sucks, considering she's been raised with the idea that being a stay-at-home wife and mother is the ideal that every woman should aspire to, and it's just not possible for her.

TL; DR Natalie's life continues to read like a soap opera, I hope she's getting counseling, James Ference is a douchebag.

[hoipolloi]

Agree that YLCF is in sad shape. They're not even phoning it in.

Thanks, bea, for the updates. I'd gathered some of this from Natalie's FB & Twitter data but hadn't followed the court case.

Her case should be an object lesson for all those who warble on about the wonders of purity, courtship, rules & happy endings.

[silvia]

Gretchen has a teenaged sister, Jessica, who--while obviously bright--seems to be bent on upholding the rigid, self-righteous family heritage. She wrote on her personal blog recently that she felt sorry for anyone who had to learn history from secular textbooks (tear, tear), and she makes offhand remarks like, "Thoreau and Emerson are not my favorites, just because their philosophies were completely wrong" (I'm sure the authors in question would be chastened and humbled if they could hear her 16-year-old wisdom, snerk). Wonder why she hasn't offered to take up the YLCF torch yet?

[bea]

Where's Jessica's blog? And didn't Gretchen's brother get married not that long ago?

[Rosa]

Thank you, Bea! I was wondering!

[silvia]

jessicaharpson.blogspot.com

[silvia]

Gretchen's brother, Will, married a cute Southern girl named Natalie--apparently, the two of them met at Patrick Henry College. You can just tell that Will is grooming himself for a future in ultra-right-wing politics *shudder*: www.phc.edu/alumni_glaser_w.php

[hoipolloi]

You can just tell that Will is grooming himself for a future in ultra-right-wing politics *shudder*: http://www.phc.edu/alumni_glaser_w.php

Agree. Will & Stephen Hammer will make quite the pair of fundie legislators or whatever they're planning to be. Ugh.

Somewhat OT: It's interesting that Gretchen didn't go to university (AFAIK) but brother Will not only goes to college but law school, and not the correspondence schools that pass for higher education in fundie world (e.g., CollegePlus or Oak Brook Law School).

[DamnPrecious]

jessicaharpson.blogspot.com

Yes, because I just LOVE reading about some idiot who decides to take a donkey on and plane then "forget" to give it an oxygen mask. So it suffocated and they threw its body out. SOOOOGREAT! :angry-cussingblack:

[LucySnowe]

Oh, agreed (with the original thread title but ditto the dead donkey). These days it's still in my check-once-a-day-or-thereabouts list but most of the time I skim the opening paragraph and don't bother clicking the link.

This was one of the exceptions:

http://ylcfDOTorg/2011/08/emotions-the-christian-young-lady/

A dainty little post about 'emotions and desires'. SEX DRIVE, I THINK YOU MEAN. Complete with a photograph of a young lady who is, judging from that collar, wearing something that aspires to be a Jessica McClintock prom dress circa 1988.

[silvia]

Oh, agreed (with the original thread title but ditto the dead donkey). These days it's still in my check-once-a-day-or-thereabouts list but most of the time I skim the opening paragraph and don't bother clicking the link.

This was one of the exceptions:

http://ylcfDOTorg/2011/08/emotions-the-christian-young-lady/

A dainty little post about 'emotions and desires'. SEX DRIVE, I THINK YOU MEAN. Complete with a photograph of a young lady who is, judging from that collar, wearing something that aspires to be a Jessica McClintock prom dress circa 1988.

Oh, boy. Here's a quote from the post you mention:

"Are you willing to pass up something that appears good and even desirable for that which is BEST? If your answer is yes, then you, my friend, will never reap the sorrow and regret that awaits those who head heedlessly down the paths of this world. Your fulfillment, and mine, will be unmatched with anything that frivolous dating relationships can offer..."

Yet another insinuation that courtship and "waiting instead of dating" will somehow prevent women from experiencing the pain of life and will lead to unsurpassed fulfillment. Gee, let's ask Natalie Ference how well that worked out for her...

[bea]

So Gretchen is the only remaining original member of YLCF, and seems to be filling the site with.....whatever dreck any of these new wives and SAHDs submit. I've kept the site in my Google Reader, hoping against hope that the writing improves, but I'm beginning to think the site is done for. The stuff is awful even by fundie standards.

I say we're going to see less and less in the way of updating, and then the site will close or serve only as an archive for previous posts (minus Natalie's stuff, of course, because all of her contributions were deleted). Gretchen has three little kids, a farmer husband, and seems to be doing a lot of (paid?) techie stuff on other fundie women's blogs - YLCF just isn't a priority.

For a while, I suspected that Gretchen intended to turn the site over to someone else, but it doesn't look like she's been able to find anyone who can do that. She's switched up the board of directors quite a few times, but it appears that people keep leaving - Lanier, most recently. Ashleigh. Natalie, though she was booted. Others I can't think of right now. Anyway, the "board" keeps switching around, the posting schedule is erratic, the writing quality is pitiful, and , but the people currently contributing are SO AWFUL that I can't see how making any of the contributors the editor-in-cheif would lead to anything but the end of the site. Besides, I can't see Gretchen willing to let the YLCF "brand" turn into just another collection of insipid blog posts by young women who've never dealt with anything more serious than a hangnail.

The site had a good run, but I think it's pretty much over. RIP, YLCF.

[ChunkyBarbie]

Lettuce Pray... :pray:

[onlyorganic]

I'm only familiar with this in terms of the courtship stories they post... what did Natalie do to get herself booted? Also, it seems like laziness that she can't find anyone to take over. There are a ton of SAHD bloggers who I'm sure would love to take over and would do a good job. I'm thinking of the Brookshire sisters for one. Their blogs are gorgeous and they run a home business and at least one of them does web design. I'm sure a gal in this circle would be honored to take over. To just let it die without passing the torch seems silly.

[AnnoDomini]

Young Lesbians Coalition for Family?

[Kitty]

Young Lesbians Coalition for Family?

:lol: :lol: :lol: We wish.

[demgirl]

Good riddance to bad rubbish, if it closes. y677777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

[Kitty]

Good riddance to bad rubbish, if it closes. y677777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777

Is your cat saying good riddance to it too? :P

[demgirl]

Oh Lord. Yes. I didn't even notice. :lol: He thinks he has a lot to say on the internet and he does so by standing right on the keys.

[bea]

I'm only familiar with this in terms of the courtship stories they post... what did Natalie do to get herself booted? Also, it seems like laziness that she can't find anyone to take over. There are a ton of SAHD bloggers who I'm sure would love to take over and would do a good job. I'm thinking of the Brookshire sisters for one. Their blogs are gorgeous and they run a home business and at least one of them does web design. I'm sure a gal in this circle would be honored to take over. To just let it die without passing the torch seems silly.

Long story short, Natalie's life didn't turn out right, so Gretchen erased her from the site. The old site had a bunch more on it.

Maybe Gretchen is trying to protect her brand? I'm not sure....it's puzzling as to why she's letting the site slide downhill so fast.

[flojo]

I dunno... It has diminished so much in quality, however, I question whether Gretchen will fight to keep it around out of longevity...its been around since she was a kid in some form...