Maxwell 53: Escaping the Borg by Marriage. Who'd Have Thought Sarah?

[IReallyAmHopewell]

FINALLY Back in FreeJinger!!

Holy Crap-a-moley!! SARAH!!!!!!! Happy Days are indeed here again! Pop a Pepsi, someone!!!

NOW, who remembers THIS gem? Anna or Mary was learning the....wait for it... BOWED PSALTER! Yes, indeedy! Nothing says "no would-be husband need apply" like sawing on a bowed salter in public! (psaltery??)

I"m so happy for Sarah and so happy to be back in here at FreeJinger!

Edited July 19, 2022 by IReallyAmHopewell
typos

[Caroline]

8 hours ago, feministxtian said:

Like I said above, I have a lot of food-type issues and an utter reluctance to try anything new. 

I'm the same way, and one thing I dread is being invited to dinner by someone who doesn't know me and my food weirdness.  Next week my husband and I are invited for dinner with some work friends of his.  Fortunately they want to go to a restaurant.  Much better plan for me.  I can usually find one thing of a menu that I'll eat and it usually involves chicken.  

[fundiefan]

12 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

The only spice I actively hate is anise. I hate black licorice or anything with that sort of flavoring. I even hate the smell. I think most other spices are fine. Unless it’s hot. I’m a baby when it comes to hot stuff. 

Oh man,  me too! Just the thought of anise makes my lips pucker. Anything black licorice needs to be miles away from me; I can't even stand the smell. 

I don't think there are any other specific spices I don't like but there are flavors. blends & combinations I am not a fan of. 

[Black Aliss]

I can't think of anything I absolutely cannot eat although there are some foods I'd eat to be polite.

Cilantro is okay, but it doesn't need to be in Every Damned Recipe! (are you listening New York Times Food writers? Same goes for your effing red pepper flakes.)

I cannot stand cloves. It irks me that I can't find pickling spice mixes that don't contain cloves because even after picking out all the cloves, the residual flavor ruined all the dill pickles I put up last year.

Just pass all the black licorice and anise cookies and black jellybeans and black gumdrops over here, please. I'll take care of them.

 

 

[feministxtian]

1 hour ago, Caroline said:

I'm the same way, and one thing I dread is being invited to dinner by someone who doesn't know me and my food weirdness.  Next week my husband and I are invited for dinner with some work friends of his.  Fortunately they want to go to a restaurant.  Much better plan for me.  I can usually find one thing of a menu that I'll eat and it usually involves chicken.  

I stick to restaurants and fast food places I'm familiar with or cuisine I'm familiar with. If all else fails, order chicken, a hamburger or a steak. I'm enough of an introvert that I'd stay home and have a fried egg sandwich (yes, the yolk must be broken) with cheese. Keep me in shredded "Mexican Blend cheese", colby jack, provolone or mozzarella and it's all good in my world. I can't do tomato sauce. it will come back up air express. I refuse to eat at Panda Express (ewwwww), certain burger places (again, way too much grease for my non-gallbladder having self) and usually stay away from fried food (the aftermath ain't worth it). But, it's not like I couldn't afford to miss a meal or two (or more) anyway, so I usually just eat enough to stop feeling hungry. 

I never realized my eating habits were so weird until now., 

[Hellothere]

1. If you haven’t heard of them check out Penzeys Spices if you like to cook.

2. I have no allergies and will eat or try pretty much anything, except cilantro, really runny eggs k& Vegemite. 

The DNA testing was interesting to learn that there are true genetic reasons for certain things (like wet vs dry ear wax, easily tanning, snoring) and food dislikes.   I can drink several  cups of coffee and not get jittery or feel like it made a big difference in waking me up…now I know why.  For those of you interested I put some of the food related comments from the DNA test below: 

“Bitter Taste: Each time we eat, our taste buds are bathed in the many molecules that make up our food. Sugars, fats, salts, and other compounds combine to form the flavors we sense. But amidst the jumble of molecules, some pass by undetected—and this can be a good thing! Some foods, like broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, are loaded with bitter compounds that likely help deter animals from eating them. Some people can taste these compounds, while others can’t.  DNA controls this.

Cilantro aversion : Cilantro is a leafy green that’s used in cuisines around the world (as are its seeds, commonly known as coriander). But just because it’s used globally doesn’t mean it’s universally liked. Some people report that the leaves taste and smell bad, often describing them as soapy or dirt-like in flavor. So why do some people love it, while others hate it? The answer may involve our sense of smell and how it’s affected by our DNA.

Caffiene Metabolism : How does caffeine affect you? Maybe you’re all too familiar with the “caffeine buzz” that leaves you feeling awake and jittery. It only lasts as long as the caffeine does—shortly after you consume it, your body starts to metabolize it, which decreases its ability to keep you awake. How fast this process happens is partly dependent on your DNA. You may need more caffeine to wake up.”

Sorry to hijack this Maxwell thread . . . Now back to our regularly scheduled programming!

 

[JermajestyDuggar]

I don’t know if it’s in my dna but I don’t react to mosquito bites. Not a bump or a bit of redness. Nothing. And I’m grateful. 

[caitrona]

7 minutes ago, Hellothere said:

1. If you haven’t heard of them check out Penzeys Spices if you like to cook.

2. I have no allergies and will eat or try pretty much anything, except cilantro, really runny eggs k& Vegemite. 

 

Love Penzey's.  And Vegemite is gross, Marmite is much better. 

[Howl]

43 minutes ago, feministxtian said:

I'm enough of an introvert that I'd stay home and have a fried egg sandwich (yes, the yolk must be broken) with cheese.

I just discovered fried egg sandwiches about a month ago.  I don't do gluten and rarely buy gluten-free bread, but did an impulse buy of gluten free bread at Trader Joe's.  The rest is history.  I like my fried egg over medium, but haven't quite mastered that consistently. So far, lots of mayo, horseradish, a thin slice of tomato and the egg. 

[Mela99]

That shower picture ! Her boobs are touching him! Why hasn’t he spontaneously combusted!?

[libriatrix]

1 hour ago, Mela99 said:

That shower picture ! Her boobs are touching him! Why hasn’t he spontaneously combusted!?

This sounds very different without the context of "wedding" in front of shower.

[FiveAcres]

8 hours ago, Hellothere said:

Sorry to hijack this Maxwell thread . . . Now back to our regularly scheduled programming!

One of the things I like about FreeJinger is that off-topic is a common thing and it is considered almost impossible to hijack a topic. It's even a rule 😀! The digressions keep threads alive when the fundy in question isn't doing anything particularly notable, and frequently provide useful information. As an example, I think I may be a slow metabolizer of caffeine! I did not know this was a thing until just a few minutes ago.

If a long-winded discussion ever has an outbreak of comments about pets, nail color polish, or where to find troll food, readers might be getting tired of said long-winded discussion. 

 

Edited July 20, 2022 by FiveAcres

[WannabeHistorian]

9 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I don’t know if it’s in my dna but I don’t react to mosquito bites. Not a bump or a bit of redness. Nothing. And I’m grateful. 

Lucky! I puff up like a balloon. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

10 minutes ago, WannabeHistorian said:

Lucky! I puff up like a balloon. 

My dad doesn’t react either so we’ve decided it must be genetic. But my husband definitely reacts. He’s jealous of my non reaction. 

[anachronistic]

Genetics are fascinating. I just found out yesterday that what my doctors decided ‘must be a really weird opioid allergy’ 5.5 years ago may have been an episode of something called malignant hyperthermia, a genetic disorder where you react very badly to some anesthetics. I’m just glad that it’s not an allergy, and finding out that you had a near-death experience so many years later isn’t stressful because it’s easy enough to avoid those anesthetics. 
 

Um, who were we talking about? Sarah? Well. One thing most of the fundies we follow here do well is marry outside of their gene pool. Except for the Amish and the FLDS, there’s enough genetic diversity there that genetic disabilities are random, not due to being some variety of cousin.

[Granwych]

It’ll be interesting to see what food is served at the Bollinger/Maxwell wedding reception.  I’m hoping for a sizeable, nicely decorated cake and any foods that aren’t totally tasteless.

[byzant]

Genetics is amazing. Had a medical emergency last week and first ever surgery during which n we worked out I've got the gene mutation that sometimes goes with red hair meaning morphine does nothing to me_ had the dose  given to an elephant and not a single impact. Lucky me I also get soapy coriander taste. 

[Hane]

Any idea where they’ll be getting married? I’m hoping it will be Kory’s church. It looks as if there’d be a big circle of friends to cheer them on and contribute to the festivities. It’s one of the nicest things about having a healthy church community—people share each other’s joys as well as sorrows and love to step up to help each other out.

[Captain Obvious]

On 7/18/2022 at 7:20 AM, Hellothere said:

and the food at past Maxwell weddings has just seemed very sad. Not very celebratory or special. John and Chelsea’s reception was visually attractive and had some fun aspects (cute coffee bar) but soup as the main entree is just…..wierd!

That's normal in their culture though. Fundies usually get married at around 2pm, at a time when their guests would be expected to have already have lunch, and their receptions are short and usually have finished by dinner time. They do serve a proper meal - but it's at the afterparty, for a smaller and closer group of guests, and after the bride and groom have already left.

The only reason the Bontragers even served something resembling a meal is because it's a Mennonite tradition to do so.

On 7/18/2022 at 10:25 PM, Bethy said:

After growing up in a family that was all about "keeping their children's hearts" and banning friendships, does she even HAVE a cherished childhood friend or two who have been waiting for the chance to stand up with her and are so excited that the day is here? Or does she just have her sisters and SILs, and some taller nieces, and Kory's family to choose from? Hopefully she and Kory are in agreement about the number in the bridal party and neither side is feeling pressure to find more attendants to balance both sides of the photos.

We may never know, depending on what gets published online and by whom. I'm just thinking back on being a somewhat "older" bride and trying to find bridesmaids, and wondering how much harder it may be for Sarah.

She has a few friends that she's mentioned or visited regularly: Lolly and Sharia Hale who are in Alaska, Rachel and Micah Leake (Texas), a girl called Tiffany who is connected to Elissa, a girl whose name I've forgotten who lives in Colorado, and CJ who lives in Idaho. They're all around the same age as her or slightly younger. The first two are married with 16 kids between them, but none of the others are married AFAIK. I hope for her sake at least some of them can make it and be in her bridal party, but it's pretty short notice and a lot of travelling.

1 hour ago, Granwych said:

It’ll be interesting to see what food is served at the Bollinger/Maxwell wedding reception.  I’m hoping for a sizeable, nicely decorated cake and any foods that aren’t totally tasteless.

This is where it's going to be interesting - because Kory's church is Southern Baptist rather than IFB or fundie, I am wondering if their wedding traditions are more mainstream as well.

Afternoon weddings with short receptions and minimal food are expected in fundie circles, but they might not be expected in Kory's circles. That might not sit well with Steve if the expectation is that there is a proper catered reception and that the bride's family has to contribute to paying for it.

That said - I think Sarah probably has been saving up for her wedding for 20+ years, Kory probably has decent savings too, and neither Kansas nor Oklahoma are expensive areas. I think they could afford to host something decent and properly catered without needing Steve to contribute. 

1 hour ago, Hane said:

Any idea where they’ll be getting married? I’m hoping it will be Kory’s church. It looks as if there’d be a big circle of friends to cheer them on and contribute to the festivities. It’s one of the nicest things about having a healthy church community—people share each other’s joys as well as sorrows and love to step up to help each other out.

I think it'll be in Kansas but possibly not at the Open Door church. It's not terribly big and there are large families on both sides - Kory is one of 11 siblings IIRC and there are plenty of in-laws, nieces/nephews etc. Plus I suspect that quite a lot of fundies who only loosely know Sarah will be keen to attend because the Maxwells are well known and Sarah getting married at 40 after waiting for so long is the kind of testimony they love. 

Nathan and Melanie got married at the main chapel at Fort Leavenworth military base, which Gigi has attended for 20+ years and likely still attends. If they want a bigger venue I think that will be it. 

Edited July 20, 2022 by Captain Obvious

[Coconut Flan]

The SBC church the neighbors attend has the cake and punch in the social hall tradition even in southern California.  People who do "lavish" receptions get gossiped about for the next five to ten years.  

[Zee]

9 hours ago, libriatrix said:

This sounds very different without the context of "wedding" in front of shower.

That was my thought too 🤣

3 hours ago, WannabeHistorian said:

Lucky! I puff up like a balloon. 

I have to slather myself I hydrocortisone cream as soon as I get bit or I end up with hand size bruises 

[JermajestyDuggar]

27 minutes ago, Zee said:

That was my thought too 🤣

I have to slather myself I hydrocortisone cream as soon as I get bit or I end up with hand size bruises 

My husband likes this stuff for the itch:

https://www.benadryl.com/products/benadryl-itch-stopping-gel-extra-strength

[fundiefan]

14 hours ago, Hellothere said:

1. If you haven’t heard of them check out Penzeys Spices if you like to cook.

Penzey's. A hometown product. We love them! My cabinet is nothing but Penzey's. Their headquarters are in my backyard - at one time, for 8 years, I worked right down the street from them & you can bet I paid them frequent visits. I LOVE their Sunny Paris & Fox Point blends. 

10/10 recommend. 

Edited July 20, 2022 by fundiefan

[Black Aliss]

12 hours ago, Mela99 said:

That shower picture ! Her boobs are touching him! Why hasn’t he spontaneously combusted!?

I expect Steve did, if he even saw the photo.

6 hours ago, FiveAcres said:

One of the things I like about FreeJinger is that off-topic is a common thing and it is considered almost impossible to hijack a topic. It's even a rule 😀! The digressions keep threads alive when the fundy in question isn't doing anything particularly notable, and frequently provide useful information. As an example, I think I may be a slow metabolizer of caffeine! I did not know this was a thing until just a few minutes ago.

Yes. The thread drifts are wonderful and eventually they always return to the original snark.

Coffee never had the slightest effect on my until I was diagnosed ADHD and prescribed a stimulant. WHOA! That second cup of coffee had me seriously buzzed. I guess for me the caffeine was just an over the counter drug for the ADHD.

[Mela99]

Lucky! I puff up like a balloon. 

I do too - have you tried the little suction tool you can get from Amazon? They’re 9.99 and suck out the venom, makes a huuuuge difference