Florida

Dear Jeanne,

I know being a Floridian is a huge part of your persona.  I don't totally get it, but I respect that it's part of your self identity.  But I feel that this is a good time to explain something to you: There are 49 other states.  No, really, and just as you've said that God loves the swamps, it has to be possible at least that He loves the 49 other states (that He created, remember) just as much.

I know this will come as a shock to you, but people love the other 49 states as well, and actually choose to live in them.  I am from Southern California, and thus, have had my fill of beaches and ocean.  I'm actually not a big fan of the humidity in Florida and prefer my native California to it.  I know that's hard to believe.  But in fact, a number of years ago when we moved our family due to my husband's job, we actually had the choice to move to Tampa, and chose Minnesota (with it's snow and all) over the Sunshine State.

I have no doubt that Florida has many wonderful qualities.  Truly.  But not everyone wants to move there.  And your insistence that we do, followed by your apparent threats that we'll hate it when we get there because we'll be outsiders, doesn't recommend it to us.

By all means, love your state.  But it would be lovely if you could entertain the idea that other people love theirs, too.

Respectfully,

The woman you hoped the Gators would eat when she got to Florida

Top 60 Ghetto Names?

Really, Jeanne?  Really?  The woman who appears to pride herself on her progressive thinking, thinks this is an appropriate post?  I know I should have a more developed response, but all I can think of is, really?

Updated Look?

I used to try to make this blog look as much like a mirrored copy of Jeanne's as possible.  But, to be honest, her blog has gotten so garish, I no longer can stand to keep mine the same.  I love a customized blog as much as the next girl, but hers has become downright painful for me to look at.

So, I'll keep mine as I wish, and will at least let the posts mirror hers.  I hope no one minds that I take a break from time to time.  Sometimes she's just too much for me.

Peace!  (Well, you know, as much as any uptight Northern Homeschooler can desire such a thing)

The Faith And Family Debacle

Interestingly, I got Facebook messages about the Faith and Family comments Jeanne made.  By the time I went to check it out, her comments had been removed.  But it seems Jeanne had the effect she usually does.  First she left readers perplexed, and then offended.  But you know, what can people expect?  After all, we can't all be super-cool Floridians who know everything.  Some of us are getting by without all of Jeanne's wisdom all the time.  Some of us don't totally get Jeanne's wisdom and wonder if she does?  What does it sound like in her head, and how is it that someone who is supposedly a published writer has such difficulty expressing herself through the written word online?

So many questions, so little time.  So, what exactly happened, anyway?

The Faith And Family Live! site apparently spends one day a week talking about marriage.  The post seemed innocuous enough.  It was a call to encourage people to share about marriage.  No big deal, right?  Only to Jeanne, I think marriage and family is always a big deal, and I've never seen her react to what has actually been written.  This was no exception.

The comments responses are quite telling, and worth a read.  I can gather that Jeanne must have said something about women not being able to think for themselves.  A thought that wouldn't come up at all from what was actually written thus far in the post and comments.

Due to the comment being (as per her usual) incoherent and totally out of place, not to mention generally uncharitable and generally antagonistic, it was removed by the Admin.

In response, Jeanne wrote a scathing blog post.  Once again, she was being censored.  Not because she rambles, insults, and is thoroughly unkind and condescending.  No! Of course not!  It's because people are mean and unwilling to have their minds opened by the gracious Floridian.  She goes off, responding to things that simply weren't there, but which she believes to have been there, just under the surface.

Jeanne is a great Catholic, and believes that people should be Catholic.  And yet appears to despise other Catholic women.  I don't get it.  I think Freud would have some ideas though...