shazdancer

Hi rhino, Yeah, I was not amused that TurboTax didn't email its prior users and let us know ahead of time. It cost me $40 to file a straight-up return. I may reconsider that next year, but I was in a hurry this time. I filed state separately, because my state has its own free e-file.

Neat, Paw. I will probably buy about $100 of Amazon stuff (Amazonia?) per year over the next 3 years. Too bad it wasn't last year, when I was still buying textbooks!

And in case you're interested in "borrowing" someone's work, copyright now extends to 70 years after the author's death. (I believe Sonny Bono helped make that law happen -- yep, here it is: http://www.keytlaw.com/Copyrights/sonybono.htm .) And a work does not have to be registered in order to be copyright protected. It just has to be in a fixed form (i.e. written down). Registration helps when it comes down to proving date of origination, and is used when deciding on the amount of plagiarism fines. I once found a copy of the Stiles book at a used book sale, and took it home and compared the QandA section with my Holy Spirit book. Yep, identical, even some insignificant portions were word for word.

I think involvement in a cult should bring up a few aspects that the therapist should consider when working with a client, such as: What motivated the client to become involved in a cult? The willingness to "join" something so outside the mainstream may yield clues to the client's way of dealing with life. When did the client become involved, and for how long? Sometimes maturation is suspended while the ability to make one's own choices and to evaluate the world for one's self has been taken away. How deeply was the client involved? The depth of involvement may relate to the depth of loss. In what way was the client abused by the cult? The harshness and personalization of the abuse, and how much the client internalizes the abuse, will relate to how much trauma was suffered and is still suffered. How much of cult doctrine is still carried by the client? The client's perception of the world and of the client's own part in it may be related to cult teachings. Go get 'em, Cindy!

There are a few out there who want to equate what Wierwille wrote with the Bible itself, and think that Jesus will descend from heaven with a PFAL book in his hand...

I did not think that the Corps was about being "toughened up," per se. I did think it was going to be "disciplined training," and had heard that that included an aerobic jogging program for fitness. That didn't faze me. In fact, even while in rez, the basics of the discipline didn't faze me, because I'd already had to have plenty of discipline as a dancer my whole life, and as a dance major at the college level. What I didn't think qualified as toughening up was when older Corps, the Corps coordinator, or course instructors thought that it was okay to insult or belittle us. As I later read about how shoddy some of the LEAD training was, I don't believe putting people's lives in danger qualifies as godly "toughening up." When I was in it, I just had a feeling of cognitive dissonance, of disconnect between how I thought Christians should be "especially kind to the household" and what I was seeing. I was ready to forgive, thinking these people were, after all, only human, and could have bad days and make mistakes. It was only later when I saw outright, purposeful disregard, that I finally got it that TWI was stinky because the head was rotten.

Waysider, Your remarks about the "toughness" of theater directors hit home, since I lived it with dance teachers and choreographers from an early age. I think my own inability to distinguish between strictness and emotional abusiveness stemmed from a dad who didn't know the difference, was built upon by the dance discipline (they criticize, you work harder), and opened me to putting up with the cognitive dissonance of abusive husbands, bosses, and TWI's elite. Luckily, there was still something in me that had a sense of "the way life should be," and I was able to pull away from all of it, sometimes by the skin of my teeth. And I respectfully disagree -- I think there are ways to direct that respect the actor and require something different from him, at the same time.

Have a happy, and remember, it WILL stop snowing, some day....

My avatar says I couldn't be bothered to select an avatar on the last upgrade. :D Shaz

The slogan for the program is "It Is Written," just like it was for the Way Corps. But what is written on the SOWERS website is exactly what gives me pause, and what is written there is all I have to go on. If they had any attention to detail, they (and anyone thinking of joining them) should have noticed: "The S.O.W.E.R.S. program is full time 24/7. (4 hours work/4 hours study per day, plus various challenging program opportunities and projects)" sounds like they are giving themselves permission to interrupt your sleep or any private time you have for projects they haven't even thought of yet. "Program to be administered on an honor basis. Any volunteer may be dismissed at any time and/or program may be cancelled at the sole discretion of those charged with oversight" sounds like they can send you packing at any moment, with no redress. The whole program might get cancelled even if you didn't do anything wrong. You might want to have enough savings stashed that you won't be homeless if this happens. If you think it can't happen, talk to those who it did happen to, once upon a time. "If you are unable to do things that are outside of your comfort zone, then this is not for you" tells me that they have already decided that they plan to make you UNcomfortable, on purpose, and see if you can take it. Since "It Is Written" is the motto, I'd like to see a chapter and verse where planned hardship in order to toughen up believers was ever part of a Biblical leadership training. I can think of plenty of times when times were tough and the believers endured, but none where such things were planned as a way to strengthen others. For that matter, I don't see a Bible verse or a note of caring or concern in anything written on that site. I don't know those people, but I would think that their loving intent would naturally exude out of what they are writing about a project of this magnitude. And I just don't see it on what is written. -- Shaz

Thanks, dear exy. I will be finishing the report on the survey in the next couple of weeks. The results were interesting. You Greasespotters and the students on my course were my "control group," and a couple of Lyme groups I frequent were the "patient group." The survey was meant to examine how Internet information is used by seriously ill patient groups in the patient-physician relationship. What it showed is that most people who become seriously ill go first to their doctor, not to the Internet, for information. That was a surprise, actually, since many Lyme patients are accused of being hypochondriacs who are looking for a disease on the Internet to claim as their own. In reality, it was the less-ill control group that chose to go to the Internet first. If the patients are not satisfied (which might happen with many of the more difficult or chronic diseases), then they go looking on the Internet and other sources. They invariably took what they found to their doctor, who often rejected the information they brought, sometimes pretty abruptly. The patient, more often than not, would then fire the doctor and go looking for a doctor who would listen. The controls, on the other hand, also brought Internet information to their doctors, but were pleased with the responses they got and stayed with their doctors. Of the few controls (five out of 35) who responded like the Lyme patients (doc-Internet-tell doc-fire doc), at least three were speaking about a serious illness. This is the kind of nerdy stuff I've been up to.... :D Shaz

Dave, I'm listening to the Barn Rats on the link you sent. Wonderful! And there are links to Bela Fleck, ooh.... I'm not gonna get any of my work done, fer sure. :D 'Scuse me while I turn up the volume, Shaz

Thanks, Dave and Shell! I will be hanging out in the café more in a few months. 'Til then, Shaz

Thank you, thank you, Chef!

That was really enjoyable, particularly when he goes off on "Bonaparte's Retreat" --sweet! I have a version of "Hoedown" done pretty well by LAGQ, and you get the same feeling. that folk instruments lend something authentic to Copland's Americana work. Thanks for the link. Shaz

Whoa, I are impressed! Thanks for the link, George.

Thanks so much kris, Shell, and George! Yeah, Shell, if you're looking things up through the state medical board, you are getting some good info. Just be careful of those "rate this doc" boards, because they mean very little. And wishing you all good results on your surgery. David, I didn't use the polling function -- just hit reply and fill it in, or copy the survey and PM or email me. I have some responses from others and will combine them in my results.

Good point, sky, that by PFAL '77 we were a little bit older and just a little bit less naive. Just a little, because for me it took another 6 years to be fully out the door. Loved the jade plant, though.... :D

I have been a busy shazzy the past 2 years, working 3 jobs and doing grad school in library and informational science. I have only 3 months to go, yippee! The survey below is for a course on consumer health information. There are only 5 questions. No names or usernames will be divulged in the results. If you would prefer to email the survey, please send it to shazdancer AT danceart DOT net (you know how to make that into an email addy, dontcha?) THANKS SO MUCH! I will share the results of this survey in about a week, once the results are in. ** Please type an X after the answers that best describe your situation. FOR EXAMPLE: Do you use a computer at home? a. Yes X b. No Here are the questions: 1.) Think back to the last time you got ill. When you first became ill, where did you first go to seek quality information about your illness? (Please choose one answer) a. Primary care practitioner b. Healthcare specialist c. Hospital d. Public library e. Health library f. Internet g. Friends, family, or other individuals h. Other (please describe) _____________ 2.) In the course of finding out about your illness, where else have you gone to seek quality information? (Choose one or more answers) a. Primary care practitioner b. Healthcare specialist c. Hospital d. Public library e. Health library f. Internet g. Friends, family, or other individuals h. Other (please describe) _____________ 3.) Have you ever discussed what you learned on the Internet about your illness with a healthcare professional? (Choose one answer) a. Yes, I have discussed what I learned on the Internet with a health professional b. No, I did not discuss what I learned on the Internet with a health professional c. I did not use the Internet 4.) Have you ever changed healthcare professionals based in part on a negative response to the Internet information about your illness you discussed? (Check one answer) a. Yes, I have changed at least one healthcare professional in part because of a negative response to the Internet information we discussed b. No, I have stayed with my healthcare professional(s) in spite of a negative response to the Internet information we discussed c. No, I have only had positive responses from healthcare professionals to the Internet information we discussed d. I have not discussed Internet information with my healthcare professional(s). 5.) Is there anything else you would like to share about seeking, finding, or discussing information you have found about your illness with a healthcare professional? (Please type your response below)

It is lovely up here, and not a cloud in the sky! The moon is down to a sliver at the moment. -- Shaz

Aw, dooj, they are very sweet! That a took a ton of work from everyone, congrats.

Personal timeline supporting the "women as second class citizens" doctrine. 1.) "The Way, Living in Love" book -- Wierwille states that he had respect for the man who led him into tongues because of the way he "handled" his wife (which was to tell her that what he was doing was none of her business) 2.) PFAL, Wierwille doesn't mention that King David's sin was adultery (because "all the women belonged to the king"), but rather that he put Uriah on the front battle lines to be killed 3.) In the Christian Family and Sex class, Wierwille teaches that wives will be blessed when they obey their husbands 4.) Got French kissed by HA as a greeting -- not exactly a "holy kiss" 5.) Marabel Morgan's "The Total Woman" recommended to the corps -- and we were taught that a suggestion from the MOG was tantamount to a command 6.) My husband is kicked off of staff for drinking, so I am fired, also. Wierwille assigns us, overnight and without consulting me, to AZ. I try to see Wierwille to ask him to reconsider, and am refused. Don W. tells me "Dad" had said that I would be blessed if I went with my husband. The limb support for my husband we had been promised evaporated. I was never offered help. All the fun that comes with an active alcoholic were part of the "blessing," ending in divorce. 7.) New Limb coord (4th family corps), on hearing that I am a dancer, makes lewd remark to my husband in my presence about how great I must be in bed. Gee, and I have a great sense of humor, too.... 8.) Yet another Limb coord's wife (4th corps) tells me that if I washed my hair more often, my husband would want to stay home with me more and not drink 9.) Responding to Wierwille's form letter about not going to the Rock that year, I told him in all humility that I was not getting any corps support. He scrawled something in the margin of my letter about my being "bitter," which I wasn't. Now, lest Bumpy think I am just a whiner, that all happened a long time ago, and my life is quite different today. But I would have to concur with Potato, who said she was taught, "you just stay and become ever more virtuous and God will reward you and you'll inspire that man to be a loving husband." That was my experience, right from the founder of TWI. You can pick it apart and argue about who really meant what, but these are my experiences and impressions.

Um, WW, I don't see a place where appropriate self-defense comes into play. Been there, done that, didn't have to kill anyone, nor "beat them down," but needed to be physical in order to save my own life.

Aw, they could link to it here, we love that sorta thing!

My prayers are for you and yours, Plotty.