Justin and Claire: Woe Is Me

[AussieKrissy]

2 hours ago, nolongerIFBx said:

I've always done a double-take when I saw him because he looked so different. But now I'm seeing a resemblance to Josie.

 

oh yes i can see it now and josie is like a mini blonde mechelle to me 

[AussieKrissy]

4 hours ago, LilMissMetaphor said:

Claritin is such a perfect shipper combo.  Who came up with it first? It makes me want to invent more fictional couples to fit medicines.  (Prometheus & Zachary = Prozac, Rita & Lincoln = Ritalin, etc...)

thats why I am hoping for a lauren james combo I am tossing Lame/s into the hat. I do personally like my Travistie suggestion for Katie Bates lol 

Claritin is a crack up 

[AprilQuilt]

7 hours ago, Sullie06 said:

So my husband and I are high school sweethearts he he was the only serious relationship I had ever had. When we started dating my husband was 16 and I was 18 (he turned 17 the next month) and we were married young (he was 21 and I was 23) but that's where the similarity stops. We waited to have children. We traveled, went to school, worked out our careers and finally had our family ( a very modest 2 kids) when I was 30 and 32. I 100% believe that young relationships can and do work. But they need to be organic. My best friend has been with her husband since they were 15 and 16 and were also married young at 20 and 21. But these Duggar kids and in-laws are forced into these very serious relationships with basic strangers and expected to build a life on very little foundation. That's where the issue comes in for me, not so much that Justin is 17 (almost 18) and I know people who literally married directly out of HS and it worked but again there was an organic relationship that formed. 

well that's precisely it - you and your now-husband presumably felt free to pursue your relationship for as long or as short a time as you both wanted to be in it, you sat back, saw where life took you, pursued your own interests, education, skills and careers.

But the Duggar model utterly discourages any kind of personal growth. For Justin and Claire, this is all there is. They sealed it basically at the point they began 'getting to know' one another - it's a total cul-de-sac. You like this girl? OK, so you'll be marrying her. And then you'll have babies as soon and as often as possible, for the rest of your reproductive life. No time or money for travel or study, you're going to be playing house and paying bills from the age of 18, and if you are one day dissatisfied with this then the fault is with you, you need to try harder, pray harder, ask yourself why you're now rejecting the one person God made for you.

What is so wrong with these kids dating for two years and then realising they've gone in different directions? I think it's really sad that the Duggars and families like them are unable to place value on any relationship that isn't marriage, cannot see that if Justin and Claire don't stay together forever it doesn't mean their relationship isn't enriching and important. I'm not with my first girlfriend but I'm grateful for the time we had together and I still really care about her - we aren't similar people at all any more, but we are still important to one another. That time we had won't ever not be precious to me. Conversely, I have friends who did marry and have children after dating from age 16, but like you they got to do all sorts of other kinds of living too. And there was no expectation that they would stay together, they just kept growing that way.

I look at this pair and see a kid with his first proper girlfriend. Which isn't to diminish it at all, first love is powerful stuff, but the lack of any choice from hereon in is really sad.

[clueliss]

I think Josie looks like a smaller girl version of Jackson 

[nst]

2 hours ago, Satan'sFortress said:

I believe it was me. I've never named a couple before!

I agree 100%, but I don't quite know why. Maybe if I looked back at comments from early Ben/Jessa, we all thought the same thing then? 

this lady just looks older and justin despite his desperate need to look older with the facial hair doesn't 

they are not even in jessa and ben's league 

they are in league of the turd and anna....

[Kelsey]

I'm a little uncomfortable with all the comments about Claire's looks and age. She is also a very young person. She is not some creep trying rob a cradle and is most likely just as much a victim and immature child as Justin. 

The way some of the comments read, you'd think she was Mary Kay Letorneau or something.

[VeryNikeSeamstress]

Watching the two of them in the video clip in the episode, they both look like high school kids.

I remember being in my late teens, depending on my outfit/makeup/styling I could be percieved as anywhere from 16-22. I think that's the case with Claire.

[QuiverFullofBooks]

8 hours ago, CatMom said:

I mean, at least when they air the "all about Justin" episode right before the wedding episode, I might actually learn something. Untill now I was barely aware there was one named Justin. 

Even TLC’s skills at padding out a small amount of material might be challenged by that. It’s interesting that they never use old unaired footage. The production company must have a vast amount, and sometimes it could be interesting when background characters become more important (look, here’s a new fiancé at someone’s birthday party years ago!).

[Bluebirdbluebell]

9 hours ago, SassyPants said:

What about a cargo pilot, like for Fed-Ex? I don’t know anything about what is required for that line of work.

So I didn't know anything either. Here is what Zip recruiter says:

Quote

The qualifications you need to become a cargo pilot include a commercial pilot license. Before earning this license, you must obtain a private pilot certificate as well as the instrument and multi-engine ratings, which allow you to fly more complex planes in adverse weather conditions. Finally, you must obtain a certificate as an airline transport pilot. Fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of this position requires a commitment to safety and excellent communication skills. The job of a cargo pilot is to transport and deliver items or freight for a company, often at night or in the early morning.

So it seems doable, but no one has done yet as far as we know. 

Cargo pilot

[just_ordinary]

5 hours ago, AprilQuilt said:

well that's precisely it - you and your now-husband presumably felt free to pursue your relationship for as long or as short a time as you both wanted to be in it, you sat back, saw where life took you, pursued your own interests, education, skills and careers.

But the Duggar model utterly discourages any kind of personal growth. For Justin and Claire, this is all there is. They sealed it basically at the point they began 'getting to know' one another - it's a total cul-de-sac. You like this girl? OK, so you'll be marrying her. And then you'll have babies as soon and as often as possible, for the rest of your reproductive life. No time or money for travel or study, you're going to be playing house and paying bills from the age of 18, and if you are one day dissatisfied with this then the fault is with you, you need to try harder, pray harder, ask yourself why you're now rejecting the one person God made for you.

What is so wrong with these kids dating for two years and then realising they've gone in different directions? I think it's really sad that the Duggars and families like them are unable to place value on any relationship that isn't marriage, cannot see that if Justin and Claire don't stay together forever it doesn't mean their relationship isn't enriching and important. I'm not with my first girlfriend but I'm grateful for the time we had together and I still really care about her - we aren't similar people at all any more, but we are still important to one another. That time we had won't ever not be precious to me. Conversely, I have friends who did marry and have children after dating from age 16, but like you they got to do all sorts of other kinds of living too. And there was no expectation that they would stay together, they just kept growing that way.

I look at this pair and see a kid with his first proper girlfriend. Which isn't to diminish it at all, first love is powerful stuff, but the lack of any choice from hereon in is really sad.

I think we all agree that the Duggar’s approach to marry off young people is plain creepy. Their model has so many red flags it’s impossible to say anything good about it. 

People bringing up their own good experiences with marrying young is more a reaction to all the comments that generalise that people at 18/19/20 or even 25 are naive, irresponsible children completely driven by hormones that cannot make adult decisions in that regard. Or that missing out on party, alcohol and travel will rob you of an highly important experience and lead to misery. (Slight exaggeration might have happened.) It’s a side discussion. I don’t think anyone feels those Duggar marriages are a good idea, especially with the extremely young partners. At least Jana, while still being treated as in need of a headship, as experienced things. Still in a very narrow way but it’s there. 

Edited September 23, 2020 by just_ordinary

[church_of_dog]

10 hours ago, LilMissMetaphor said:

Claritin is such a perfect shipper combo.  Who came up with it first? It makes me want to invent more fictional couples to fit medicines.  (Prometheus & Zachary = Prozac, Rita & Lincoln = Ritalin, etc...)

Zora & Frank/Frannie = Zofran

Pepe & Tomas = Pepto

Violet & Grant = Viagra

[AprilQuilt]

3 hours ago, just_ordinary said:

I think we all agree that the Duggar’s approach to marry off young people is plain creepy. Their model has so many red flags it’s impossible to say anything good about it. 

People bringing up their own good experiences with marrying young is more a reaction to all the comments that generalise that people at 18/19/20 or even 25 are naive, irresponsible children completely driven by hormones that cannot make adult decisions in that regard. Or that missing out on party, alcohol and travel will rob you of an highly important experience and lead to misery. (Slight exaggeration might have happened.) It’s a side discussion. I don’t think anyone feels those Duggar marriages are a good idea, especially with the extremely young partners. At least Jana, while still being treated as in need of a headship, as experienced things. Still in a very narrow way but it’s there. 

But in my post I haven't made a single comment of the sort you refer to. I'm not saying anyone is wrong to stay with the person they fell in love with as a teenager, I'm agreeing with the OP and other posters that like any other relationship, sometimes those first loves work out, sometimes they don't. Either way is OK. But the Duggar kids aren't given an option and are simultaneously expected to make adult commitments at a really young age, but also to remain frozen at that young age forever. There is absolutely no option to be more than or different from what you were at 17, on any level. That's my issue.

[Irishy]

I think Justin is very like Joy. Especially the wide smile.

Mind you, this is the first time I’ve really looked at Justin.

[mstee]

I think there’s such a huge difference between choosing to stay with your first love and marry them and basically being told to marry them ASAP because you’ve both shown some interest in each other so you better rush to the altar before you inevitably kiss. I love a good high school love story where it all works out but the Duggars are not that. I think that’s the biggest difference between the stories being shared here and what the Dugs are pushing their children into, and most of us understand that. Their model takes away choice and it sets the kids up to be unhappy, neither of which I’m sure JB or Michelle care about. They’d probably tell an unhappy married kid to pray more, keep a smile on their face, or have more kids. They want their kids trapped in their lifestyle. The level of dysfunction that they have created is truly amazing. 

Edited September 23, 2020 by mstee

[Glasgowghirl]

I actually hate couple names and cringe when I see them. I don't know what it is but I find it annoying. 

[viii]

17 hours ago, nst said:

this lady just looks older and justin despite his desperate need to look older with the facial hair doesn't 

they are not even in jessa and ben's league 

they are in league of the turd and anna....

Your comments towards Ben and Jessa are so unsettling. 

[LilMissMetaphor]

9 hours ago, Irishy said:

Mind you, this is the first time I’ve really looked at Justin.

Probably the first time JimBob and Michelle have either.

[nst]

47 minutes ago, viii said:

Your comments towards Ben and Jessa are so unsettling. 

in what sense? that they are not in their league or that the fact those times are over

 

Edited September 23, 2020 by nst

[viii]

1 hour ago, nst said:

in what sense? that they are not in their league or that the fact those times are over

 

Honestly? I often find your comments towards Ben and Jessa to be predatory, uncomfortable, and sexualized. You've mentioned your age before, and so I know you're older and I just find the way you talk about Ben and Jessa to be really inappropriate. This is an ongoing theme with you, and the comment today was just the one that made me go 'blech', but I often find myself making a face when reading your comments towards Ben and Jessa. 

[nst]

15 minutes ago, viii said:

Honestly? I often find your comments towards Ben and Jessa to be predatory, uncomfortable, and sexualized. You've mentioned your age before, and so I know you're older and I just find the way you talk about Ben and Jessa to be really inappropriate. This is an ongoing theme with you, and the comment today was just the one that made me go 'blech', but I often find myself making a face when reading your comments towards Ben and Jessa. 

predatory - that is disgusting. sexualized ...are you insane?

they are a couple of people I have never met, who have horrid views, showed how horrid their views are.

my point being is Jessa and Ben were the it couple for a time, they were basically the same age range as justin and this girl and and things have changed in the household....it' is just different from how it was.

I talk in jest about ben and jessa and haven't lately as you mention I am not in the same season as they are...so I have stopped talking about them but I can and will discuss them ...am i posting pictures no..so don't show me to the prayer closet

...however, it's a message board and if I think that her brother and his new whatever she is are similar yet different to the former golden couple excuse me.

are you asking anyone else about their age range? I mean should I be only discussing Michelle who seems to be in the same season as me (and yes I am using the word season) ageism please.

check yourself before you accuse me of sexualizing people I don't know. It's not like I have his bicep photo on my computer at the office, again a joke.

boy this place is aggressive as of late

as a fellow Canadian be kind and rewind
 

Edited September 23, 2020 by nst

[Not that josh's mom]

I skim the aggressive things, but it's been pretty boring lately. (To me anyway). Pregnancies- oh yeah more of them. A new courtship - well we saw one coming, didn't we?  Faking social distancing?  Badly! Let's get some thing new!  Really, that's all they've got. 

 

[viii]

@nst Hey, you asked, and I answered. 

[RosyDaisy]

On 9/22/2020 at 6:07 PM, Giraffe said:

This is what’s sad about it. How many of us are forever grateful we didn’t marry the person/people we dated as teenagers?!

ME!  If I married my high school boyfriend, I would be a Church of Christ preacher's wife.  So glad that didn't work out.

[WiseGirl]

What the hell. They should be going to prom together not getting ready to run down the aisle. 

[Vivi_music]

These are Anna's pictures of last year (2019) ugly Christmas sweater party. On the first picture (Meredith and Spurgeon), is that Claire sitting on the couch and looking at the camera? ?