Maxwell 33: Managers of Their Vests

[mango_fandango]

I have noticed the other daughters-in-law calling Steve and Teri “mom/dad” in posts. But yeah, we know how close Chelsy is to her parents; not sure about the other daughters-in-law. 

[MamaJunebug]

It seems to be completely individual. 

Big Mama JB and Nig Daddy both revered their own parents,  but while Mama had no problem calling her in-laws “mom & dad,” Big Daddy, OTOH, rarely talked with his in-laws  (language barrier) and referred to them as “your parents” when discussing with Mama.. 

I was thrilled when my in-laws’ first grand baby came along, so I could call them  grandma/pa. I was not worshipful of my folks but it grated on me to call anyone else “mom or dad.”

The ex’s siblings in law had no problem calling those same people mom and dad, though none of us liked the parents (May they RIP) nor held them in high regard. 

So: We all held our parents in respect, some of us could have “two moms” and some couldn’t. I expect Steve & Teri require the sobriquets but I doubt that any of the Maxwell DILs even think about doing otherwise. 

Edited October 9, 2019 by MamaJunebug

[Palimpsest]

3 hours ago, mango_fandango said:

I have noticed the other daughters-in-law calling Steve and Teri “mom/dad” in posts. But yeah, we know how close Chelsy is to her parents; not sure about the other daughters-in-law. 

Puh-lease!   They call them Dad Maxwell and Mom Maxwell.  Dad must ALWAYS come first.

I've been taking a break from Maxhell for my mental health and need to catch up.

However, I am dropping in with a bit of good news.  Last weekend for a grand total of $0,50 I removed a copy of Making Great Conversationalists from general circulation.  By the pristine look of the book and condition of the spine the original owner only read the first 25 pages before sending it to a second hand bookstore.  And it was in the clearance section there. 

I'm only on Chapter 4, but it is even more snarkable than I thought from the previews.  Would anyone be interested in me reviewing it here if I can find the time?

 

Edited October 9, 2019 by Palimpsest

[formergothardite]

16 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

I'm only on Chapter 4, but it is even more snarkable than I thought from the previews.  Would anyone be interested in me reviewing it here if I can find the time?

Please do! I never see their books around here

[mango_fandango]

I think someone linked to a review of it on When Cows and Kids Collide, but it could be useful to have a review here on FJ. From what I remember of reading the blog, the advice was shit. I have ASD, and people with ASD can have a very distinctive way of talking, and the advice in MGC was actually very like how a person with ASD might talk, stuff like turning round the conversation so it’s  about something *you’re* interested in, sticking to a script, etc. 

[Palimpsest]

11 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

Please do! I never see their books around here

There's apparently quite a little nest of Maxwellites around here.   I grabbed this book in a 2nd hand store close to the church where they had a conference in 2014.  I also look for Moody books and Sarah's latest masterpiece.  No luck on that so far.  

2 minutes ago, mango_fandango said:

I think someone linked to a review of it on When Cows and Kids Collide, but it could be useful to have a review here on FJ. From what I remember of reading the blog, the advice was shit. I have ASD, and people with ASD can have a very distinctive way of talking, and the advice in MGC was actually very like how a person with ASD might talk, stuff like turning round the conversation so it’s  about something *you’re* interested in, sticking to a script, etc. 

That is very much what it is like. The Maxwells want to turn every conversation to God and themselves.

Except it is worse in a way as they don't have ASD (AFAWK).  They have been deliberately  trained to be absolutely clueless on picking up on normal social cues.  Like monosyllabic replies to the recommended  (quite rude and invasive questions) meaning their victim does not want to talk to them.  

And thanks.  If When Cows and KIds has already reviewed MGC I probably won't bother to reinvent the wheel.   I'll take a look and see what she said.  She's usually got a really good grasp on Maxhellion strangeness. 

[defraudingjezebel]

Not gonna lie, the diet blog post is giving me flashbacks to when I was with an abusive ex, who was also on the Fuhrman diet. He tried to force me onto it as well- it was the most miserable week ever (food-wise). It makes me wonder if Teri is on the diet willingly, or out of obligation/obedience.

Correct me if I'm wrong- was their Operation Christmas Child fundraiser only attended by their family? Seems strange to use the formal label of "fundraiser" for an event attended only by close family.  

[Palimpsest]

2 minutes ago, defraudingjezebel said:

Seems strange to use the formal label of "fundraiser" for an event attended only by close family. 

The Maxwells are strange.

[scoutsadie]

33 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

 If When Cows and KIds has already reviewed MGC I probably won't bother to reinvent the wheel.   I'll take a look and see what she said.  She's usually got a really good grasp on Maxhellion strangeness. 

Could one of you guys link to said review, please?

[Palimpsest]

41 minutes ago, scoutsadie said:

Could one of you guys link to said review, please

With pleasure.  Part 1.   http://whencowsandkidscollide.blogspot.com/2018/07/making-great-conversationalists-preface.html

There are multiple chapter by chapter followups.  I'm still reading.

Cows and Kids has reviewed it in far greater detail than I would have, but is picking up on exactly the same things.  The Maxwells are so weird.   She's also rather humorless about it, but then I either laugh, rage, or try not to cry at the Maxwells.  I have to laugh and snark sometimes as a coping mechanism.

Isn't Cows and Kids the person who thinks FJ snark is beneath her?  I know I have read there before.  She is very serious minded.

[sparkles]

2 hours ago, defraudingjezebel said:

Correct me if I'm wrong- was their Operation Christmas Child fundraiser only attended by their family? Seems strange to use the formal label of "fundraiser" for an event attended only by close family.  

Nope, you’re correct. Family only.  
 

Either the Maxwell girls are very short or Abby is extremely tall for her age. ? 

I find Cows and Kids pretty snarky herself so I’m not sure she would think FJ snark is beneath her. But who knows...

[fundiefan]

The only thing different about this year's "fundraiser" is that it wasn't in July/summer. How did they buy 100 packs of pencils during back to school sales without having been given money by their family yet? 

They do this every year, with their family and no one else. I don't know why they bother because you know there are spreadsheets with exactly how mcuh each family gives every year so they don't forget and give the same amount next year. It's not like the girls or the kids have to do anything to get more money out of someone - sell something, perform, whatever, like typical fundraisers. Just another night in Maxhell, really. 

[johnhugh]

stud John and Mel looked like they just didn’t want to be there in the ‘Fellowship afterward’ sic picture, whilst Chrissy and NR Anna look like they are at the house party of the year. Looks increasing likely that they will take over the compound and Tits2 skipping over Nate, being seated at the head of the table. (I’m sure Stevie puts it in his schedule to allocate the seating plan. No sign of Jesse? plus Joe and co seemed to have pissed off after the dinner breakfast at dinner time.

Edited October 9, 2019 by johnhugh

[Wolf in Sheeples’ Clothing]

5 hours ago, defraudingjezebel said:

Correct me if I'm wrong- was their Operation Christmas Child fundraiser only attended by their family? Seems strange to use the formal label of "fundraiser" for an event attended only by close family.  

I was thinking the same thing. They are so bizarre! 

[FloraKitty35]

It's nice to see Arnold. He's my favorite Maxwell. 

[Hane]

On 10/7/2019 at 7:11 PM, louannems said:

According to the book they are following, they eat no meat, no dairy, no sugar, no non whole grain pasta, bread, no oil, no salt.

Why must they be so rigid about everything?  Why not cut back instead of cutting out everything?

 

Hold up, everyone! Stop dead in your tracks! I’m about to agree with Stevehovah about something!

A couple of years ago, when she was in her early 50s, my youngest sister was diagnosed with Type II diabetes, and she Was Not Having It. She immediately got dead serious about exercise and following food guidelines similar to Stevehovah’s. She continued to cook as usual for the rest of her family, but got super scientific about what she ate herself (after all, she is a science teacher). She’s dropped a noticeable amount of weight, and her blood sugar levels are much better, too. If she does go off plan for something like a piece of birthday cake, she compensates for it. (For her last birthday, she asked me to make her a pot of our grandma’s minestrone instead of a cake!)

Here’s the main reason she gives for all this: wanting to be there when her kids have children. Her son and daughter essentially grew up without grandparents, as she and her husband were change-of-life babies and had their own kids in their 30s, so both sets of grandparents had passed away while the kids were still quite young.

All that said, Stevehovah can go get stuffed.

ETA: In my family of origin, both sides called their in-laws Mom and Dad, and nobody thought anything of it. Maybe it’s an Italian thing, but plenty of my aunts and uncles by marriage weren’t Italian.

Edited October 10, 2019 by Hane

[PennySycamore]

@Hane,  I have read there have been studies done that show that some people with Type II diabetes  can reverse the diagnosis by following a vegan, whole foods diet.  The absolutely no oil and no salt thing gets to be really difficult although I don't think that was part of the regimen that reversed diabetes.  It isn't that this diet totally avoids fats.  You can still eat nuts, avocados, olives, and coconut in limited quantities.

[Melissa1977]

I have a relative who was turning practically blind and a very restrictive diet helped him to stop his vision getting worse. I was little back then, but I remember it was a vegan or macrobiotic diet or something like that.

I know it does not always work, but if Steve is feeling better, I'm not critisizing him for that. I just hope the 4 kidults can still have their ultrasugared coffees...bad for the health, but their only pleasure for sure!

[danvillebelle]

On 10/8/2019 at 9:31 AM, quiversR4hunting said:

always find it a little odd when people refer to their in-laws as Mom/Dad. It just seems weird to me. 

It would have seemed weird to me also to call my in-laws that; I never did (I called them by their grandparent monikers).  

But...my son's girlfriend started calling me Mom soon after they got serious and it doesn't bother me at all; I feel incredibly honored that she feels comfortable enough with me to call me that.  

[mango_fandango]

I noticed that the Maxwells still have the word DAD on their window. Good to know who they really worship in that family.

[Jana814]

19 minutes ago, mango_fandango said:

I noticed that the Maxwells still have the word DAD on their window. Good to know who they really worship in that family.

I noticed that too on a different post. That was my exact thought he’s the one the worship. 

[PennySycamore]

I was checking Dr Barnard's weight loss book and Forks Over Knives latest night and early this morning to see how the books handled added fats and salt. As far as I could tell, there are no added fats (oils) in any of the recipes, but there can be added fats in the form of peanut butter, avocado and tahini.  Neither book completely eschews salt in the recipes.  In fact, most of the recipes have some form of salt in them: regular table salt, sea salt or things like tamari/soy sauce.  

Some nutrients are better absorbed when you also eat fats at the same time.  Salads are a good example.  You probably get more nutritionally out of a salad if it's dressed and not with any of that fat free crap.  You just don't need to go hog wild on the salad dressing.  Some nuts help, too.  

ETA: Dr Fuhrman had nothing to do with either of these books.  Dr Barnard did write a book on reversing diabetes.  I haven' checked the recommendations in that book out, but they are likely similar to the weight loss book.

Edited October 10, 2019 by PennySycamore

[wuppypup]

I consider diets to be similar to religion, whatever you do is fine but for the love of Rufus, don't force it or preach it to everyone else around you.  Given his track record on keeping his religious beliefs to himself....(ahem)..., the fact that he's bamboozled Terri into doing the diet with him is no big shock.  That being said, when you change up a diet in such a dramatic way, it does help to have your partner on  board with it.  

I can't snark too much on the diet they're following, I have a friend who is following an identical one after reading multiple studies (some admittedly hokum, some legit) on the effect that meats and fats have on everything from the development of types of dementia to cancers to cardiovascular disease.  There's just enough real science on those subjects to potentially build a case for that kind of diet if you have a family history of any of those diseases.  It's definitely not for everyone though, and said friend is now a pain in the butt when it comes to food and telling us we're all going to die because we don't eat like him.  

[LilMissMetaphor]

I'm pretty sure breakfast casserole and cinnamon buns are not on Steve's to-eat list.  So did he get a Mason jar of salad? A teaspoon of breakfast casserole? A smidgen of cinnamon bun? So curious.

[LurkerOverThePond]

It's almost time for OCC, how fun!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait to read more about their OCC traditions!!!!!! Maybe they include something new this year!!!!!!!!! Or maybe not!!!!!!

FFS!!!!!!!