Happy Days in Random Chatter 10

[UffishThought]

I used to enjoy the awkwardness of chastity-lesson Sunday, but now I flat out hate them. I can't stand being told that guys' sex drives are more powerful than women can or will ever understand. I can't stand being told that it's inappropriate for women to ask men out, because that's the men's priesthood duty. I can't stand being told that THE reason God asks us to be modest is so that people around us can keep their thoughts pure.

I keep hoping that maybe family wards don't teach that kind of garbage, and that their chastity lessons are more about "love yours spouse and try to make them happy," but I'm sure there are faulty assumptions and opinion preached as doctrine at every level. I guess I should learn how to just mentally say "nope! I think you're wrong, so I'm going to forget about that and go on with my life" instead of fuming and letting it ruin the rest of my meetings. Any suggestions on how to accomplish that?

[Katya]

I keep hoping that maybe family wards don't teach that kind of garbage, and that their chastity lessons are more about "love yours spouse and try to make them happy," but I'm sure there are faulty assumptions and opinion preached as doctrine at every level. I guess I should learn how to just mentally say "nope! I think you're wrong, so I'm going to forget about that and go on with my life" instead of fuming and letting it ruin the rest of my meetings. Any suggestions on how to accomplish that?

Unfortunately, I had a pretty terrible chastity lesson one of my first weeks here that was basically "You can't ever allow your husbands to interact with any women or they'll cheat on you," which I take great issue with not just because it's false, but because it leads to huge problems with women being marginalized in Mormon-heavy workplace settings. BUT, I will say that chastity lessons aren't nearly as frequent in family wards, in my experience.

Frankly, if you had a good idea when a chastity lesson is coming up, I'd just go home early that day. I'm always happier when I let church meetings work for me instead of making myself a slave to them.

[thatonemom]

BUT, I will say that chastity lessons aren't nearly as frequent in family wards, in my experience.

Frankly, if you had a good idea when a chastity lesson is coming up, I'd just go home early that day. I'm always happier when I let church meetings work for me instead of making myself a slave to them.

That's been my experience, too. Since I've been married I can only think of one chastity lesson and it was when I lived in Wymount (BYU married student housing). It was on a week where the Relief Society President taught, and she did a great job. Maybe because the focus was all on women, not men. There was a big discussion on affairs, and what might lead a woman to have an affair, and ideas on how to strengthen yourself against it.

Sometimes when people are teaching crazytalk I like to ask a question or comment that points back to something in the lesson or from the manual. When that doesn't work I try to share a scripture or give an example that illustrates what the truth is. (This usually means contradicting someone. I have never done that when it's been the bishop teaching because that scares me). Or I zone out. Which is maybe obnoxious, but I come to church to learn about Jesus and His doctrine, not listen to people spouting their own opinion/political view/things that are just plain incorrect.

[bobtheenchantedone]

I'm the kind who will just walk out when things like that are said (it's better than sitting there crying, which is unfortunately the other alternative). On occasion I have also brought things like that up with the bishop, especially because my current bishop knows that I struggle to come to church and opinion-as-doctrine/other inappropriate material is one of the reasons why.

[wryness]

What do you teach? That actually fits in really well with some things I'll be doing with my junior English classes in the next few weeks -- apparently they need to be taught how to read infographics?

Whoops, this reply is a bit late--but I teach English to grades 10-12. Fun stuff, usually.

[UffishThought]

I'm going to a medieval-themed halloween party, but can't easily pull together a medieval-themed costume. Solution? I'm going as Amy Pond, and my boyfriend is going as the Doctor. They're at home in any time period!

[Giovanni Schwartz]

*slow clap*

[Tally M.]

I'm going to a medieval-themed halloween party, but can't easily pull together a medieval-themed costume. Solution? I'm going as Amy Pond, and my boyfriend is going as the Doctor. They're at home in any time period!

That. Is. Awesome.

[mic0]

My professor emailed me asking if I want to review a paper someone submitted to a conference and she is supposed to look over. O_O I have never been asked such a thing by a professor. Of course I'll do it. I'm just a little shocked!

[Whistler]

haha, she's just foisting her own work on you, but having a little say in such things is a nice feeling

[mic0]

I've never had work foisted on me!! This is so cool.

[Tally M.]

I'm going as Fem-10 to a party tonight (first time wearing a tie, kinda weird) and then just finished putting together my Vin costume for next Thursday. Super pumped.

[Portia]

It's fun to see which people in my high school graduating class went bougie, which ones are in med school, which are reformed Mormon hipsters, which are apostate Mormon nerds, and of course, who they marry and what social class their spouses come from.

In some ways, I feel like one of the ones which might surprise people (I've lived a wilder life than I think could have been predicted at the time), and yet, I'm still very much me (I was the most well-read, discovered my talent for writing, and won the foreign language award). I am certainly not "marrying up" to marry up, which feels authentic to the person I was then but even more the one now.

It's mostly pleasing to see that the vast majority have their lives together, have meaningful work, and seem to like where they live. I know the class two below me had a lot of drug addiction, unplanned pregnancies, and so on.

[vorpal blade]

I am currently the Stake Primary President in a very active, fast-growing stake. I am in charge of running stake baptisms every month. This month we have 20 baptisms (which is very much a record high. Our biggest prior to this since I was put in in May was 12. And that had us scrambling.) And my entire presidency (except me) will be out of town. And we share the building (and thus the font) with another stake currently. And we have the same baptism day. So we'll be doing two sessions of 10 kids each and having to get out of the building before the other stake comes in. Which is a big session by itself. I'm… a little overwhelmed. And a little stressed. I know it will all work out and I already know who I will be requesting help from. But it's still going to be a little insane. Pray for me.

How did it turn out?

[thatonemom]

I just signed up to do NaNoWriMo this year. I'm all kinds of excited right now but we'll see how I feel in a month.

[Portia]

I just signed up to do NaNoWriMo this year. I'm all kinds of excited right now but we'll see how I feel in a month. :)

Hmm, I might join you, but December would be better.

[Dragon Lady]

I am currently the Stake Primary President in a very active, fast-growing stake. I am in charge of running stake baptisms every month. This month we have 20 baptisms (which is very much a record high. Our biggest prior to this since I was put in in May was 12. And that had us scrambling.) And my entire presidency (except me) will be out of town. And we share the building (and thus the font) with another stake currently. And we have the same baptism day. So we'll be doing two sessions of 10 kids each and having to get out of the building before the other stake comes in. Which is a big session by itself. I'm… a little overwhelmed. And a little stressed. I know it will all work out and I already know who I will be requesting help from. But it's still going to be a little insane. Pray for me.

How did it turn out?

It's this coming Saturday. And now we've got morning sickness to add to the math. Funtimes!

[Portia]

Got accepted to a fiction writing workshop that starts today. I applied today. B-) The authors are fairly well-known. Should be a blast!

[bobtheenchantedone]

I carried my NEW CANON REBEL OH MY GOODNESS around campus today because Random wanted me to get pictures. I thought it would be a pain, especially since I don't have a case yet, but surprisingly it just felt... right.

/sappiness about inanimate objects

[Portia]

I'm glad you've found a meaningful relationship, bob. I expect the announcements next week.

I realized today that I actually would rather my putative children not be in daycare, so I may do the PT work thing sometime, ZOMG, my 20-year-old self is freaking out.

Climbing the corporate career ladder for its own sake seems so hollow, not because I'm a woman, but because of what I value. I'm glad I got the college degree more for that point than "earning potential." (And yes, I know life happens, if I have to play the dual-income game or primary earner, I'm capable.)