Maxwell 9: Woks and spices - what's next?

[SuchABlessing]

New blog post is all about Mary and a typical day for her. 

She gets up, eats, mails stuff, and spends her day watching her nieces and nephews, studying lettering, and graphic design for a job she'll never be allowed to have. She tries to stay "gainfully employed" during her single years even though we know she'll never be allowed to marry. 

[anjulibai]

I'm guessing all the "design" work she does is for her brothers. 

It's funny how they have a whole post about what Mary does all day, but don't show any details. I'd be curious to see her projects besides lettering. 

[anjulibai]

Ah man, I knew they stopped Mary from sewing. She was too good at it. Just like one of the Reversal boys was with that one instrument. 

The Maxwells were asked if Mary still sews. Teri replied that she doesn't do much anymore because she's too busy. Sarah mentioned it's been about a year since Mary sewed something. Now Mary paints and makes cards. 

Damn. I remember reading an article Teri wrote about how quickly Mary took to sewing, and how she kept asking for more projects. They took it from her and told her to do art, at which she's probably mediocre. 

Fucking Steve and Teri. 

[catlady]

and sewing would have been a better life-skill than lettering.  sure, the signs and cards are cute, but there probably isn't a huge market for that type of non-essential item.  but sewing & tailoring are infinitely useful to a lot of people, whether for clothing or home decor or anything else.  

that was a genuine business waiting to happen, and Steve took it away from her.  what a jerk.

[Jana814]

I don't think Steve and in someways Teri don't want their kids to enjoy anything other then what they (meaning Steve and Teri) want them to do.  They probably forced Mary to give up sewing just like they forced their other kids to give up something they liked. 

[Black Aliss]

I can't be the only one who read "A Day in the Life of Mary" and now have the Lumberjack Song stuck in my head.

Quote

I cut down trees, I eat my lunch
I go to the lavat'ry
On Wednesdays I go shopping
And have buttered scones for tea

Could one of the FJ Poets Laureate write some Maxwell-appropriate lyrics for that song?

[LaughingDonuts]

Guys, she watched kids for *30 minutes*! That's half of my commute to my full time job. Poor thing must be tired 

[fundiefan]

In my current single state I am actually gainfully employed. I go to work for 8 hours a day and do a job and collect a paycheck, deposited into my very own bank account.

Piddling around your parent's & siblings' houses every day isn't gainful employment.

Her 30 minute play date is half my lunch break which I can use any way I see fit.  A whole hour to escape on my own; it's a joy no Maxwell will ever know or appreciate.

Steve, you are screwing your offsping out of meaningful life. Your god never commands fathers to suck the life out of their daughters and keep them like 12 year olds for some future man. Most people would run away from a man who wants a 12 year old as a wife; you, however, seem to have made an idol of it.

Your daughters are human beings in their own right, not your tools. 

[SPHASH]

Is playtime always scheduled in half hour increments?  That's all Griselda Teri spends with the grandkids one time a week.

[Coconutwater]

I'm currently single, work full-time, take care of my dog, and go to the gym. I visit my parents when we all have time because we have a life. In my spare time I do what I want to since it's just me.

Steve and Teri have taken every joy out of their children's life. Jesse was gifted with the guitar so it had to be taken away, they all had callings to serve in some way, Chris wanted to be a paramedic, Jesse a missionary, not sure about the others, (John may be the only one truly doing something he is passionate about, but not fully I'm sure), but Steve and Teri said no. It's so sad to see such potential wasted. God gives gifts to be used, Steve and Teri are just horrible people. 

[HermioneSparrow]

5 hours ago, catlady said:

and sewing would have been a better life-skill than lettering.  sure, the signs and cards are cute, but there probably isn't a huge market for that type of non-essential item.  but sewing & tailoring are infinitely useful to a lot of people, whether for clothing or home decor or anything else.  

that was a genuine business waiting to happen, and Steve took it away from her.  what a jerk.

Steve AND Teri are huge pieces of shit! The worst of the worst in fundieland. Steve is awful but Teri should know better, since he made her life living hell she has never EVER stand up for her damn kids, she doesn't care about them. Fuck Steve but fuck her a million times too.

Out of all of the fundie kids, the Maxwells have a talented bunch who are not allowed to develop those talents, Jesse with a musical instrument, Mary with sewing, Sarah with Photography and who knows what the others are really talented at.

I'll say it again: Fuck Steve and Teri a billion times!

[Coconutwater]

In another family or if Steve and Teri hadn't turned into assholes Sarah would probably be an accomplished writer and/or photographer somewhere, Mary seems like she would have been the artsy college student, Chris would be a paramedic and maybe further, Nathan seems to genuinely enjoy IT me would have likely gone to school for it, I think all the kids would have excelled at sports and maybe even a few scholarships, one at least would have probably followed into Steve's footsteps into the Air Force, but I definitely think they all would have gone to college. So sad...

[FloraDoraDolly]

5 hours ago, catlady said:

and sewing would have been a better life-skill than lettering.  sure, the signs and cards are cute, but there probably isn't a huge market for that type of non-essential item.  but sewing & tailoring are infinitely useful to a lot of people, whether for clothing or home decor or anything else.  

that was a genuine business waiting to happen, and Steve took it away from her.  what a jerk.

In fundieland, Mary could make a VERY decent amount of $$$ sewing modest clothing for women and girls, or adjusting store-bought clothes to meet the fundies' modesty standards. Basically, she'd get paid to do what Jana Duggar gets stuck doing with her sisters' bridesmaids' dresses.

[Snarfblatt]

Two things.

1) Mary spends every week day afternoon learning about graphic design and lettering? That seems like a waste of everyone's time. Surely she could spend an afternoon or two a week sewing? 

2) I did more today than Mary and I'm currently teleworking because I sprained my ankle. So I really don't do much right now beyond the parts of my full time job I can do from my couch. 

[Fun-Dee]

8 hours ago, Black Aliss said:

I can't be the only one who read "A Day in the Life of Mary" and now have the Lumberjack Song stuck in my head.

Could one of the FJ Poets Laureate write some Maxwell-appropriate lyrics for that song?

Oh I'm a Maxwell and I'm okay

I sleep all night and I pray all day!

I scrub the floors I eat my lunch,

I go to the lavat'ry!

At night we get together

for Bible time with Daddy Steve!

 

Oh I'm a Maxwell and I'm okay

I sleep all night and I pray all day!

I ship a box, I make some cards

I preach to the elderly!

I make some bean burritos

for the extended family!

 

Oh I'm a Maxwell and I'm okay

I sleep all night and I pray all day!

I play with kids, I bake some stuff,

I drink green smoothies raw!

I wish I could be perfect,

just like my dear Papa!

[Captain Obvious]

8 hours ago, Fun-Dee said:

Oh I'm a Maxwell and I'm okay

I sleep all night and I pray all day!

I wish I could like this 1000 times!

[nastyhobbitses]

I'm six years older than Mary. On an average day I'm up at 5 to eat breakfast/check FJ and the news, go to the gym, come back to get ready for work, commute 45 minutes to work (longer if the subway is being horrible), and then spend 10 hours at work (longer if there's a lot to do/calls with Asia)...and then I meal prep, do laundry, write, or get some shopping done, depending on what time I get off work and what I feel like doing. Maybe if I'm really wild, I'll go out for dinner and drinks with friends to whom I am not related.

[meee]

This makes no sense to me. Like others have said, Mary could make a decent living sewing and altering. Surely that's allowed if Sarah is allowed to make money writing books? People here keep speculating that the Maxwells are short on money, so isn't this lack of training in anything sort of shooting themselves in the foot?

[Foudeb]

A bit of reading, a bit of exercise, a bit of cooking, a bit of work,  a bit of playing around with my crafts and my computer, a bit of family time,... sounds like one my days off. Except I'd sleep in, but that's because I'd be tired after a good week's worth of ACTUAL WORK.

What all the Maxwell girls are missing is a direction, a sense of where their life is going. They're told it's marriage but we all know that ain't happening. Mum and Dad are housing and feeding them for free so they don't even need a career (unless that's what they want) - it could be volunteering. Meals on wheels for lonely elderly people with limited mobility is something that comes to mind for some reason, but they could be hospital clowns for sick children, putting that Lolly costume to good use, or even stay at home under Stevehovah's watch and do respite care for parents of heavily disabled children who need one day off here and there. Or activism if that's what they're really into (I'm thinking of that horrendous forced-birth video - if they sat down and thought about it I'm sure they'd come up with less stupid and unproductive ways to change the world). Or even just a hobby - what is Mary's "lettering" and graphic design going towards? Is she going to start painting with the aim of having an exhibition of her own someday? Or design websites, which could turn into a career? Sarah could train Ellie and do dog shows and competitions. That sort of thing - to give them something to look forward to and to give them a good reason to get out of bed in the morning. They could pick theology as a hobby, even Steve couldn't object to that, and then there would be courses to follow, books to study, something new for them to explore.

This current schedule feels a lot like busy work that leads to nowhere at all, which, considering the family history of depression, is perhaps not the best idea.

 

[Eternalbluepearl]

It's sad how none of the Maxwells actually help people. They spend their days reading the Bible but what about homeless people who need clothes and food? What about helping the public in any way shape or form? They do absolutely nothing but blog from their home and say over and over again how cute the nieces/nephews/dog is. It's maddening. You call yourselves "Titus 2" and you do jack shit. 

[purjolok84]

@meee Possible Mary theory - the reason she's been switched from sewing to arts and crafts is because it has the benefit of creating a product that can be sent out to a customer. If Mary was to tailor clothes or do alterations, she would have to be in contact with the customers, who would bring items to her. Steve has no way of screening every single customer. But he can control the means of production.

And of course what is Maxhell without a little unhappiness? A bit of, 'I'm really good at this but don't do it any more because DaddyGod'?

[meee]

@purjolok84 people do it though.  I found this website by accident once (is it discussed here?) 

https://www.thekingsdaughters.com/

and they seem to be at least as fundy as the Maxwells, so...

But okay, I can see how it being taken away because she enjoyed it makes sense.

[Captain Obvious]

35 minutes ago, meee said:

@purjolok84 people do it though.  I found this website by accident once (is it discussed here?) 

https://www.thekingsdaughters.com/

and they seem to be at least as fundy as the Maxwells, so...

But okay, I can see how it being taken away because she enjoyed it makes sense.

There's also this, run by friends of Sarah's (and mentioned on here) - though admittedly it's only for accessories. https://garlandsofgrace.com/.

I'm sure Mary's skills are good enough for her to make stuff like this... though I can't imagine Sarah would want her to compete with her friends' company.

It doesn't even have to be mixing with Worldly Adult Women. Plenty of SAHMs have micro-businesses making children's clothes, cloth diapers, rompers etc - and they have an endless supply of Maxbabies to practise on. 

I think the issue is more that the girls can't be seen as having their own businesses - and sewing stuff for profit would definitely be their business rather than the family's, since sewing is for girls. Steve would see the daughters having a business as a sign of defeat, and stepping into the man's role.

Instead, they're only allowed to do stuff in support of the so-called Maxwell ministry (hence Sarah's blogging and books, even if she doesn't really want to do them), or in support of the businesses of the Maxwell men. Or just as a hobby - like the embroidery and needlework of middle-class spinsters of yore.

Because misguided reading of Proverbs 31, or something. 

[meee]

Yeah, I don't know the KJV of Proverbs 31, but from what I know of the Hebrew, the Proverbs 31 woman makes clothes, brings in bread from far away, buys land, gives to the poor, and interacts with the outside world (the Canaanite).  Interesting.

But I'm Jewish, so I doubt Steve cares what I think.

[Tatar-tot]

I cannot believe how little Mary does in a given day.   How many packages can go out in their dried up book store every day?  

I thought she was assisting Melanie with the kids with helping with the laundry, running errands, and babysitting sitting the kids.  What takes Mary a day would take me 90 minutes to accomplish.   

The Maxwells are the laziest, most unproductive group of people I have ever seen.