My Corner of the Universe

Unfortunately, Bob, I didn't see this until af...

2012-04-30T09:07:01.554-04:00

Unfortunately, Bob, I didn't see this until after I had the surgery, but the surgery itself has gone swimmingly. I am recovering quite well and my hand is better than ever. :) I know some people have had bad experiences with this surgery, but it went fine for me. :)

DO NOT HAVE THE SURGERY DONE. Until you have been ...

2012-04-19T01:28:40.584-04:00

DO NOT HAVE THE SURGERY DONE. Until you have been to a Chiropractor. this is the only time in my life I recommend this treatment. I have had several Library friends have the surgery and then they are unable to use that hand again. try the Chiropractor first. then if it fails surgery is the option. Bob

Hi David, I'm sorry I never got to teach you ...

2012-03-20T14:40:54.422-04:00

Hi David,

I'm sorry I never got to teach you in a class, but I'm glad you still had the chance to visit my crazy classroom. Thank you for your encouraging words! You're right that it was difficult to work at a place where my orientation was not acceptable, but I am glad I did work at HCA; otherwise, I would not have met wonderful students such as yourself. :)

--Miss F

Hi Miss French! You might not really remember me b...

2012-03-20T01:30:24.127-04:00

Hi Miss French! You might not really remember me because I wasn't really in any of your classes but did have Chemistry in your classroom. My names david park and i just wanted to say that that I think it's awesome that you can freely express yourself like this (I can only imagine how hard it was for you to work at a place like Harvest where things like this would be considered a major taboo... You have my full support! hope you're doing well!

Love you, friend. :) Always will. :)And will conti...

2012-01-31T09:23:35.991-05:00

Love you, friend. :) Always will. :)And will continue to pray for your love--and my love--for Christ and to others to abound more and more. :)

If you don't mind me asking, what is you posit...

2012-01-27T08:02:45.074-05:00

If you don't mind me asking, what is you position on sex before marriage? If you used to believe in abstention before marriage (which I'm 99% sure you did), have your views changed because LGBT marriage is not legal in all states?

yeah, DEFINITELY dependent on who is doing the ask...

2012-01-16T16:50:54.428-05:00

yeah, DEFINITELY dependent on who is doing the asking, how it's phrased, and their relationship to you.

It is possible that had someone asked me that ques...

2012-01-15T23:12:48.279-05:00

It is possible that had someone asked me that question, that they would have asked because I seemed like a safe person, and depending on the context I might even answer them - ie, if I were teaching a junior high sex ed class and someone was simply curious about how things worked. :)

While I agree this is a rude question to ask someo...

2012-01-15T09:30:56.865-05:00

While I agree this is a rude question to ask someone, I understand the curiosity. Most people's understand how a baby is made and therefore how a man and woman's parts fit together. There are lots of "butt sex" jokes, so it's not a mystery how many gay men fit parts together, but lesbians? People don't hear about it. It wasn't covered for many people sex education. Cultural jokes say it is hot when two women (lesbians or not) make out but that's as far as it goes (unless one has seen Clerks). It's rude to ask, but there's a genuine question there even if it's answered at the level of a middle schooler asking how heterosexual sex works. I don't have to share my personal sex life to give an answer. Most people do a web search for things they are embarrassed or feel would be rude to ask, but that search phrase would probably bring up a lot of porn/sketchy websites that give you viruses. So if you have actually gotten this question, maybe it is because they see you ask safe. You won't give too much information, but you'll be honest.

were going to LEGO land!~ you need to come with us...

2012-01-13T08:52:37.566-05:00

were going to LEGO land!~ you need to come with us!~ i ahve 7 little boys so its going to be a BLAST

Hey Julie, Thank you for adding your thoughts to ...

2012-01-08T16:45:41.990-05:00

Hey Julie,

Thank you for adding your thoughts to my post! I agree that sexuality/orientation/gender identity is more of a spectrum than a strictly black/white issue, and I'm sure there are more than a few contributing factors that combine to cause homosexuality in both men and women. I like that you referenced the Kinsey scale - that was actually created at the university I'm currently attending. :)

I had a similarly strict Christian upbringing and was not able to accept or embrace my sexuality until very recently, and I also did not have much contact with members of the LGBT community until maybe a year ago. Until then, all I knew was that being gay was bad and that if you met a gay person you were supposed to try convert them so they could become straight and their lives would be better.

None of what you said was offensive, and I am completely unconcerned about political correctness, but I appreciate your tact and your desire to communicate effectively. I am writing these posts so that discussions about LGBT issues can be started and so people who have had little exposure to the LGBT community can be a bit more educated about how to relate to an LGBT person or to understand a bit what it's like to be in his/her shoes.

I feel that like much of how we turn out, both nat...

2012-01-08T16:27:12.781-05:00

I feel that like much of how we turn out, both nature and nurture contribute to the LGBT lifestyle. I disagree that is completely nature (i.e. born this way) for many LGBT folks, but I don't think it is completely nurture (rape, abuse, etc) for anyone either.

I have been good friends with many gay men, but relatively few lesbians. Of the gay men, there are a variety of backgrounds (intact families, broken homes, religious nuts, liberal nuts, etc) with virtually nothing in common other than that they like men. However, based on a small sample size of lesbians (and it is small), all of them have been abused, raped, or from particularly broken homes. Now, I have met lesbians with whom I am passing acquaintances or have a shallow relationship and I make no assumptions about their past. And of course I have met straight girls who have been abused, raped, and from particularly broken homes, so it'd be silly to say that lesbianism is a product of rape. I don't think sexuality is a black and white issue. I think everyone is on a different part of the Kinsey scale a variety of factors can push people from one point to another (obviously the Kinsey scale does not cover all aspects of LGBTQ but it's the only one I'm familiar with and illustrates my point).

Basically, I don't think anyone was born a certain way, there are too many factors that affect our personality and preferences.

P.S. I'm incredibly sorry if anything I said is offensive or not sufficiently politically correct to get my point across without offending. I really like and respect you and your thoughts on things, particularly on homosexuality because I know how much thought and prayer you've put into it. Due to the Christian schooling, I did not meet anyone of a different sexual preference until college (well, there was one asexual kid in hs) and most of my conversations directly regarding sexuality was with either the asexual friend or a straight girl with a lesbian sister and almost exclusively gay friends. I'm not used to talking about this.

I love buying gifts for the Angel Tree. It might b...

2011-12-06T10:39:05.956-05:00

I love buying gifts for the Angel Tree. It might be one of my most favorite parts of the holiday season. Truly selfless giving to others, just like St. Nicholas. This year will be the first year we include our sons in helping pick out the presents. I want to teach them about giving too, so that they realize the joy in Christmas is really about GIVING, not opening presents.

Hi Jenni Thank you so much for your kind words ab...

2011-11-28T05:47:07.717-05:00

Hi Jenni

Thank you so much for your kind words about Shadowmagic. Comments like yours makes it easier to write book 3.

John L

Thank you for this. Thank you. I'm dealing wit...

2011-11-18T18:27:02.948-05:00

Thank you for this. Thank you. I'm dealing with this (what have I done to influence the younger generations in the name of Christ before I realized how messed-up our system is?) too, and it's tough. Thank you.

I'm so, so sorry for what you had to endure. ...

2011-11-18T16:14:58.103-05:00

I'm so, so sorry for what you had to endure. Having children of my own reminds me how innocent and precious little ones are, and how disturbed and evil are the ones who would hurt them. May God bless your life, Jenni.

Jenni, Thanks for posting this. What a smart and ...

2011-11-18T15:00:25.176-05:00

Jenni,
Thanks for posting this. What a smart and kind thing for your pastor to do! GO HER! :) Sometimes just saying "this is hard, and I don't like it" makes all the difference in the world! Also, thank you for being brave. My prayers are with you.

Thanks! I posted it, and gave you credit. :)

2011-11-17T17:48:04.611-05:00

Thanks! I posted it, and gave you credit. :)

Absolutely you may post it on your blog. Thank yo...

2011-11-17T15:43:58.626-05:00

Absolutely you may post it on your blog. Thank you for asking. :)

I'd have to agree. I have wondered what it...

2011-11-17T15:42:46.834-05:00

I'd have to agree. I have wondered what it'd be like to grow up with that knowledge the whole time instead of being assaulted again by flashbacks as an adult, but I can't imagine that living with the memories the whole time would have been any easier. I'm not glad for what happened to me, but I am glad that I can work to help others now.

BTW, I didn't have flashbacks, I just always k...

2011-11-17T13:58:15.033-05:00

BTW, I didn't have flashbacks, I just always knew what happened and kept it secret (at first because I was told it was "our secret" and then because I realized it was wrong and I was embarrassed and ashamed). I don't know which is worse...growing up and living with the shame or living obliviously and then being bombarded with traumatic flashbacks. :( I think we both lose there.

I've never reported my abuser either. Although...

2011-11-17T13:54:49.247-05:00

I've never reported my abuser either. Although I have confronted him via email as an adult. He actually did acknowledge how he'd hurt me (tricked abuse) and apologized. According to him, he was just a messed up kid (he was 16) who was also being abused. Part of me feels that was enough, since he swore he'd never done it again. But another part of me feels terrible guilt for not reporting him somehow, even though by the time I was strong enough to speak up and say something it was also way past the statute of limitations.

Jenni, I would like your permission to post this b...

2011-11-17T12:51:00.404-05:00

Jenni, I would like your permission to post this blog on my blog.

No, nothing was ever done to my uncle. I didn'...

2011-11-17T11:33:25.910-05:00

No, nothing was ever done to my uncle. I didn't remember the abuse until a couple of years ago (talk about a traumatic series of flashbacks!), and by then the statute of limitations had passed in both states where he raped me. I am still trying to figure out how to report him now, not to seek justice for myself, but to protect others. However, it's complicated by the lack of inter-state cooperation, so I'm still researching exactly whom I should report to.

Also, I wanted to ask. Was anything ever done to y...

2011-11-17T11:13:50.365-05:00

Also, I wanted to ask. Was anything ever done to your uncle?