Michaela & Brandon Keilen 5: She Goes By Michaela

[Melissa1977]

Sorry but I only can think how boooooring Brandon must be. No doubt why Michaela was depressed back in Chicago. Sure, infertility was a huge pain, but look at her since she began studying: she's fulfilled and proud of herself. 

[Skeptic55]

Uncompromising in truth can also be a synonym for stubborn or unwilling to grow as a person by examining belief systems.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

16 hours ago, Melissa1977 said:

Sorry but I only can think how boooooring Brandon must be. No doubt why Michaela was depressed back in Chicago. Sure, infertility was a huge pain, but look at her since she began studying: she's fulfilled and proud of herself. 

It may not be Brandon is boring, but being a Stay-At-Home-Wife is boring. 

[QuiverFullofBooks]

21 hours ago, TheGleeTeam said:

I'm getting serious Steve Maxwell vibes by MUSIC being too much of a distraction to her relationship with God??

She said that she listens to a Christian playlist on her phone, so presumably it’s just certain music, or too much secular music not leaving her enough Jesus time. She also said she gave up texting, but for sure she has to text sometimes.

[marmalade]

And how could she give up Instagram if she's doing a Q&A on it? 

[princessmahina]

I don’t think emergency would be a good fit for Michaela. What if someone comes in with something (say a remote) lodged somewhere interesting (say, a rectum).  HOW is she going to stay non-judgmental and professional? 

[The Mother Dust]

1 hour ago, princessmahina said:

I don’t think emergency would be a good fit for Michaela. What if someone comes in with something (say a remote) lodged somewhere interesting (say, a rectum).  HOW is she going to stay non-judgmental and professional? 

I see what you mean, but I worry a bit about her in peds.  Pediatrics goes up til 21. (at least in the U.S. it does)  What if she says something undermining to LGBTQ adolescent patients?   Thats also the age when young people are being taught about their bodies re: sexuality.  What if she discourages a teen girl from taking BC for painful periods?  Of course she could say these same things to adults, but at least over 21s wouldnt be as vulnerable to propaganda like that.  

I hope the above dosent come across as me hating on her.... these days, she's probably my favorite Bates.  But she might do less harm in the ER.

[nokidsmom]

On 10/9/2020 at 5:48 PM, Bluebirdbluebell said:

It may not be Brandon is boring, but being a Stay-At-Home-Wife is boring. 

Going to school to finish up a nursing degree would take up a good amount of her time making less time to focus on other things, like the infertility issues.   It would give her a different goal to work toward, maybe not quite the same goal of starting a family that is eluding her, but a goal nonetheless.   Better than staying at home, with time to spare thinking about what's not happening in her life.   She's taking action rather than sitting around. 

[Sops2]

From the BuB special about the bits left out from previous episodes, Michael says she doesn't hang out at school after class to make friends.

Is she so dedicated to her studies that making friends would distract from this mission in her life?

Does she need to get home to fulfill her housewifely duties as a true helpmeet should?

It' s surely not because she's shy

[Johannah]

5 hours ago, Sops2 said:

From the BuB special about the bits left out from previous episodes, Michael says she doesn't hang out at school after class to make friends.

Is she so dedicated to her studies that making friends would distract from this mission in her life?

Does she need to get home to fulfill her housewifely duties as a true helpmeet should?

It' s surely not because she's shy

Bc her classmates are worldly heathens who would only be a bad influence on her?

[Pecansforeveryone]

@Johannah, I agree that Micheal is a very insular type of fundie who would tend to fear "contamination" by the world. Now if Jill Duggar ever goes back for her LPN, I could see her getting lunch or coffee with her classmates.  

[AussieKrissy]

11 hours ago, Sops2 said:

From the BuB special about the bits left out from previous episodes, Michael says she doesn't hang out at school after class to make friends.

Is she so dedicated to her studies that making friends would distract from this mission in her life?

Does she need to get home to fulfill her housewifely duties as a true helpmeet should?

It' s surely not because she's shy

She might meet someone with green hair and a nose ring. I know that was Erin’s fear... 

[rebeccawriter01]

There could be a lot of reasons for it. When I returned to school to get another degree, I didn't hang out or really get to know the other students. I had two kids at home, a full time job that was demanding, etc. Most of the other students were in the same boat. 

Given that her school isn't a traditional one in terms of the typical 4-year experience people expect from movies and television, there aren't necessarily a lot of opportunities for that. People commute for class and then leave. I've worked at such places. We would have events and activities, but most students had other things to do. 

Just as I said that Michaela is a smart woman but probably lacks confidence in her abilities because of being homeschooled by Kelly Jo who spends most of her time preparing future homemakers and not scientists...Michaela and her siblings don't necessarily have the social skills to talk to people outside their church circle or family. She's friends with Jana Duggar. But that came about because of her parents' choices. It's got to be hard for her to see herself as ready for a conversation with someone with more life experience, knowledge, etc. She comes off as pretty shy, but I would bet there is a bit of intimidation too. Plus it has to be hard with the television show and all to know if people are being nice to you or if they want to get to be on television.  

[LillyP]

If I was a betting girl I'd say that she doesn't hang around with them because they are just too worldly and she seems VERY stuck in her way and rigid to explore a friendship with someone outside the approved circle. Or it could be that she's shy and making new friendships is out of her comfort zone. Or she has Brandon to get home to.

I'm 35, and if I went back to college right now it's pretty likely I wouldn't be staying after to hang out and make friends. Why? Because most college students are 15+  years younger than me  (yes I know plenty of people go back later in life) and I have a husband and toddler at home, plus a business I run.

[Mama Mia]

Her list of things she limits or deletes sounds pretty normal to me. I know a lot of people who put timers or limits on various apps and social media to not get completely consumed.  And/or consciously try to limit media consumption to more positive messages. Not for religious reasons, but just because of the time-suck, detachment, procrastination and negative mood issues. 
 

I do mostly political twitter, so I started following art and humor and nature accounts, just to get a break from the anger in my feed. 

[AussieKrissy]

I’m assuming this would all be pro trump...

[candygirl200413]

I read it and it is obviously trying to be more like "trump will save da babies and save the churches" but I was surprised in a way that they didn't add their own words? Like they probs copied from some website I was really waiting for human life that democrats want to kill the babies. 

[seraaa]

10 hours ago, candygirl200413 said:

I read it and it is obviously trying to be more like "trump will save da babies and save the churches" but I was surprised in a way that they didn't add their own words? Like they probs copied from some website I was really waiting for human life that democrats want to kill the babies. 

The vibe all round feels different from four years ago and I am taking this as a sign that Biden will win

Who needs polling when you have a gut feeling ? ?

[Bobology]

Does anyone know if Michaela has a nursing job yet? Did she ever intend to work outside the home?

[llucie]

26 minutes ago, Bobology said:

Does anyone know if Michaela has a nursing job yet? Did she ever intend to work outside the home?

Not known if she got a job, but she said in the past she intended on working either in emergency or pediatrics.

[theotherelise]

I believe she has talked about wanting to go on and get a bachelor's degree in Nursing and/or become an RN. It could be that she is working to get into a program right now. She did have to study for her LPN certification exam, not sure when the test would have been. Also, ya know, the pandemic makes job searches kind of weird.

I don't think she is working anywhere right now, but if she is or does get a job as an LPN, it would be prudent *not* to share any identifying information. Businesses/healthcare practices don't want attention based on one employee's weird family reality show.

[FaithAndReason]

I just don't see how she can work in any medical field. Even if she only worked with the "precious babies", she would still have to interact with the parents--single moms, teen unmarried girls, same sex couples, divorced parents, drug addicts, the list of "less than perfect" people is endless.  What about people who are Muslim? Hindu? Jewish? Would she be able to work with gay couples? Interact, teach them how to care for a sick infant without including a Bible lesson on sin? What about Brandon? Is he comfortable with all the "regular" people his wife will be exposed to? All the different attitudes and lifestyles? What if she becomes more open minded and tolerant? Brandon comes off as rigid in his beliefs. I wonder how he will deal with that? 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

On 11/23/2020 at 8:00 PM, FaithAndReason said:

I just don't see how she can work in any medical field. Even if she only worked with the "precious babies", she would still have to interact with the parents--single moms, teen unmarried girls, same sex couples, divorced parents, drug addicts, the list of "less than perfect" people is endless.  What about people who are Muslim? Hindu? Jewish? Would she be able to work with gay couples? Interact, teach them how to care for a sick infant without including a Bible lesson on sin? What about Brandon? Is he comfortable with all the "regular" people his wife will be exposed to? All the different attitudes and lifestyles? What if she becomes more open minded and tolerant? Brandon comes off as rigid in his beliefs. I wonder how he will deal with that? 

Interesting! Michael has always come off as the most rigid in her beliefs. I agree I can't see interacting with people who are different from her. Maybe she could keep quiet, but she'd come home in pain about the atheist couple who just doesn't understand their baby needs Jesus. 

I've never gotten a sense of Brandon's beliefs, because he's quieter. I get the sense they each reinforce their beliefs for each other. The Keilens seem less fundie than the Bates, but sometimes you get family members who out fundies the rest of them. 

[just_ordinary]

8 hours ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

Interesting! Michael has always come off as the most rigid in her beliefs. I agree I can't see interacting with people who are different from her. Maybe she could keep quiet, but she'd come home in pain about the atheist couple who just doesn't understand their baby needs Jesus. 

I've never gotten a sense of Brandon's beliefs, because he's quieter. I get the sense they each reinforce their beliefs for each other. The Keilens seem less fundie than the Bates, but sometimes you get family members who out fundies the rest of them. 

But isn’t his mother wearing a wig- so no one sees her hair? That sounds pretty damn Fundie to me to be honest.

[JemimaPuddle-Duck]

1 hour ago, just_ordinary said:

But isn’t his mother wearing a wig- so no one sees her hair? That sounds pretty damn Fundie to me to be honest.

It certainly looks like a wig, but I don’t think we have ever gotten definite confirmation on that, and certainly not a reason why. Wearing a wig that looks like....hair would completely defeat the purpose of biblically covering your hair.