Maxwell Conference Spring 2012

[Justme]

They usually head out for their spring tour towards the end of March. Not a date is posted. March isn't that far away, they should have some dates scheduled by now...... :?

[Patsy]

I choose to believe Uriah's in the prayer closet for his debauched nights on the town.

[clibbyjo]

Maybe they will be forced to attend some of the big homeschool conventions where Sarah can meet a man! God forbid they come in contact with conservative,homeschooling Christians for a weekend!

[Phyllis Styne]

Maybe they will be forced to attend some of the big homeschool conventions where Sarah can meet a man! God forbid they come in contact with conservative,homeschooling Christians for a weekend!

That'd be pretty unlikely given how Steve needs to be in control at all times, just think of when Teri read a Bible verse wrong and she didn't seem to know what to do, and he didn't, either, or how he couldn't adlib when his prop Bible went missing. This is all from the truly lost weekend or weeknight, I should be honest, I spent at their conference ikn the midwest. I'm trying to remember other things about Sarah than the fact that she didn't give her age, she just said, "Im Sarah, and I"m the oldest." I remember she gave her lame speech (they were all lame speeches, I'm not picking on her) "on stage' and didn't wait for any applause or smile at the audience, just rattled it off and headed for the back of the stage where she normally stood during their concert (so-called, still makes me shudder). I do remember she seemed to be in charge of Reveral Anna and Mary and she didn't seem particcularly docile, moving around to take photos and such. Let's be optimsitic, let's say that book sales level out and Steve figures out it's better to have Sarah eating from somebody else's feedbag. Consider the savings -- only having to plate out 7 burritos instead of 8! Wedding bells ... no wait, bellls would be too worldly and puffed-up and festive. Wedding vows any minute!!!!

[fundiefan]

The gravy train is drying up. It has no next stop and can't get out of the station. There are, no doubt, a ton of reasons for that. I like to think people are getting smarter through experience and word of mouth and don't want the Maxwell ways brought into their church.

[browngrl]

Does this mean that the Maxwell's will have to do a "family re - org" a la Jeub's? Perhaps get real jobs?

[luckylibrarian]

Other posters have suggested that that's why they started the 1 Ton Ramp - to have another iron in the fire when the conferences dry up. I agree that when the money stops coming in, we'll see all of the kids married off in a hurry. There have been a lot of rude comments from Steve in the past year, and they added the Google verification thing as a requirement for posting. I wonder if they're getting some flack from people other than us.

[ChunkyBarbie]

Dang it. I missed them in my town this past spring, I was hoping they would come to town again. We have lots of churches, lots and lots.

[mirele]

Other posters have suggested that that's why they started the 1 Ton Ramp - to have another iron in the fire when the conferences dry up. I agree that when the money stops coming in, we'll see all of the kids married off in a hurry. There have been a lot of rude comments from Steve in the past year, and they added the Google verification thing as a requirement for posting. I wonder if they're getting some flack from people other than us.

As if Google verification has ever kept me from giving people a piece of my mind when I think they deserve it. Hell, sometimes I'll sign my legal (easy to Google) name to a post if they don't have verification, so they know who is giving them crap! (Not just the Maxwells btw, also ZsuZsu.)

[fundiefan]

Other posters have suggested that that's why they started the 1 Ton Ramp - to have another iron in the fire when the conferences dry up. I agree that when the money stops coming in, we'll see all of the kids married off in a hurry. There have been a lot of rude comments from Steve in the past year, and they added the Google verification thing as a requirement for posting. I wonder if they're getting some flack from people other than us.

Yup. And, that's why Anna was allowed to complete her A+ certification - Sarah makes them money with her books and sessions at their conferences. Conferences are drying up; they need to get another daughter involved in something to help keep the money coming in. Anna won't bring in a paycheck if she doesn't have some kind of skill. Sarah didn't need any; she came of age at the height of their propaganda and just being as he dad told her to be - at home, doing nothing but what daddy says - brought home the bacon. They at least know they can't get away with that twice, so Anna has to do something else.

[Rainbowcolor]

They did give a heads up about "if you want to see us, you better sign up fast" deal before the last trip. I think things are changing in the Maxwell camp.

[skankbiscuit]

Yup. And, that's why Anna was allowed to complete her A+ certification - Sarah makes them money with her books and sessions at their conferences. Conferences are drying up; they need to get another daughter involved in something to help keep the money coming in. Anna won't bring in a paycheck if she doesn't have some kind of skill. Sarah didn't need any; she came of age at the height of their propaganda and just being as he dad told her to be - at home, doing nothing but what daddy says - brought home the bacon. They at least know they can't get away with that twice, so Anna has to do something else.

Anna will be married off soon, me thinks.

[Daenerys]

If I was a headship in fundyland I wouldn't really be listening to marriage advice for my daughters from a man who hasn't managed to marry off an attractive, accomplished young woman in the ELEVEN years since she came of age. Practice what you preach, indeed.

[skankbiscuit]

I don't think Steve wants any other man to have Sarah. She seems to be a second wife of sorts to Steve. Not in a sexual way or anything, but still skeevy. I can't put my finger on it but it's really strange.

[fundiefan]

If I was a headship in fundyland I wouldn't really be listening to marriage advice for my daughters from a man who hasn't managed to marry off an attractive, accomplished young woman in the ELEVEN years since she came of age. Practice what you preach, indeed.

Which makes it all the more ironic that they have a courtship series as part of their conference line up. Two of six adults married off; one at the age of 31 and the other, many years ago before they stopped wading and dove into the deep end.

If I were a courtship believing person, I would take my advice from someone who has actually, you know, married off a few kids and doesn't have a 30 year old daughter still at home.

[Justme]

Anna will be married off soon, me thinks.

That would be so sad. It would be the final "nail" in Sarah's "I'm never going to get married coffin...."

[Daenerys]

Which makes it all the more ironic that they have a courtship series as part of their conference line up. Two of six adults married off; one at the age of 31 and the other, many years ago before they stopped wading and dove into the deep end.

If I were a courtship believing person, I would take my advice from someone who has actually, you know, married off a few kids and doesn't have a 30 year old daughter still at home.

This sort of makes me wonder about the future of the Duggars... since they won't be spawning for much longer, courtship is the likely next step for the oldest. They depend so much on those girls, though, I don't know if I can see them going off on their own, and once Jana hits 25 or so I think questions will be being asked.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Maybe they will be forced to attend some of the big homeschool conventions where Sarah can meet a man! God forbid they come in contact with conservative,homeschooling Christians for a weekend!

It would be interesting. They'd need to retool quite a bit though probably if they wanted to present their stuff as just one of many items on offer at a bigger conference.

A while back I went googling around the Maxwells (yeah, I'm obsessed! They are just SOO alien!) while they were on their tour through the south, and found that some churches DID promote their show as a "free homeschooling conference." That's quite the bait and switch, I think. Only one of their sessions even deals directly with homeschooling at all. I know we talked about that a bit at the time.

The normal Maxwell show is all carefully scripted to run as a single and only thing, from the concert on opening night through the split sessions the next day, one for each member of the family, and Steve controlling the whole thing down to the last word. It would be interesting to see the changes they'd need to make for a larger more "open" conference, absolutely. People might see only part of their message, heaven forbid.

In fact I kinda wonder - do they ever run into women who want to sit in on the "Dad" session or men wanting to sit in on the young women session? What does Steve do then? I can't imagine he'd allow it.

[Sweetpea1]

Maybe they will be forced to attend some of the big homeschool conventions where Sarah can meet a man! God forbid they come in contact with conservative,homeschooling Christians for a weekend!

Maybe someone could slip the kids a real (not Maxwell) burrito and Mom Maxwell some Pepsi.

[clibbyjo]

There only real way to get more money is to do the big homeschool conferences. My fundie sister has a homeschool company. She does about 8 big ones a year,but the bulk of her buisness is because she has a catalog and is constantly adding new things to keep the orders coming in. They write several new books a year and branch out into other products,where the Maxwells do not. Plus, most homeschoolers would rather pay $50 to get into a huge convention center with tons of vendors, speakers, workshops,used currciculum sale etc.... You could get all your stuff in one place and get a chance to see eveything in person. All the Maxwells offer is their own few measely things they have been pimping for years, add in Teri and Sarah's new books and those aren't even curriculum. They would probably do better at one big convention if they just sold their crap at a booth and had Nathan do one of the workshops for I Ton Ramp to bring in new customers.Sarah could even teach a "young lady" class on "writing for young ladies" or something to bring in money. That would be the smartest thing because thousands of homeschoolers hit the conventions. I guess Steve would rather live off "love donations" than rub elbows with those who might actually be less than 50 years younger that the "kids" so they aren't corrupted.

Your welcome for the ideas Steve. Now get your ass signed up for CHAP and you can thank me in person if I schlep all the way out there this spring. :whistle:

[skankbiscuit]

I think their most popular idea was the chore chart/packs - but that is pretty old and most people have figured out you can do the same darn thing yourself by just buying your own multi-colored post it notes. :roll:

[Daenerys]

There only real way to get more money is to do the big homeschool conferences. My fundie sister has a homeschool company. She does about 8 big ones a year,but the bulk of her buisness is because she has a catalog and is constantly adding new things to keep the orders coming in. They write several new books a year and branch out into other products,where the Maxwells do not. Plus, most homeschoolers would rather pay $50 to get into a huge convention center with tons of vendors, speakers, workshops,used currciculum sale etc.... You could get all your stuff in one place and get a chance to see eveything in person. All the Maxwells offer is their own few measely things they have been pimping for years, add in Teri and Sarah's new books and those aren't even curriculum. They would probably do better at one big convention if they just sold their crap at a booth and had Nathan do one of the workshops for I Ton Ramp to bring in new customers.Sarah could even teach a "young lady" class on "writing for young ladies" or something to bring in money. That would be the smartest thing because thousands of homeschoolers hit the conventions. I guess Steve would rather live off "love donations" than rub elbows with those who might actually be less than 50 years younger that the "kids" so they aren't corrupted.

Your welcome for the ideas Steve. Now get your ass signed up for CHAP and you can thank me in person if I schlep all the way out there this spring. :whistle:

You know, that's such a good idea I can't believe they haven't thought of it. Writing stories would be one of the few 'approved' ways for a young fundy woman to spend her time, and it has the lure of possibly a bit of money and status if she gets good at it.

[fundiefan]

I have to wonder how they could make anything homeschool related work anymore. Mary is what, 15? 16? There are, at most, two/three more years of actually homeschooling going on in that house. With all the years behind them and no new material at all, I can't imagine they'd be capable of coming up with anything new when they're in the last years of educating their kids. Yeah, I know a lot of people continue to come up with material, etc. when they aren't actually schooling anyone, but those people regularly came up with new stuff. The Maxwells have been selling the same stuff for years. No new scheduling tips, no curriculum ideas, no revised chore packs, no new book on how to be fulfilled when the kids are done being spoon fed your ideology. No nothing. How long have they been pushing the chore packs and meek spirit BS? When was the last time any of it was updated? When was the last time they actually came up with anything new at all, besides poor excuses for 'books' written by Teri and Sarah?

They would have to tear down and start over if they were going to go the more mainstream homeschool and convention route. They'd also have to get over their phobias of OMG PEOPLE! HIDE THE KIDS!

[ChunkyBarbie]

When they came to my town last spring, I believe it was free to See the Maxwells. Either the church paid their fee or they were hoping for some love offerings and to sell their crap. It can't be cheap to travel all over creation in Uriah. Gas is about $4 a gallon for diesel. Luckily they barely eat, so food is cheap.

[clibbyjo]

When we saw them, the church we saw them at had maybe 20 (probably less) and not very many people bought stuff after the conference(they were most capri/make up wearing Baptists) so I can't see how that evening even set off the cost for stopping. I know it was on their way home from a big conference, I am sure that is the only reason they stopped there as it was right off the interstate and completely on route back to prison(I mean home...)