Archive for category growing-up
Free-bleeding is a hoax. Or is it?
Posted by crusaderjennblog in debateable, growing-up, life, trends to consider on January 5, 2015
I rarely spend longer than a few minutes on the social network, and by a few minutes, I mean a few minutes because I learned years ago that the social network is a time-sink that draws me in to absorb irrelevant news when I don’t set limits. All that to say imagine my surprise when during those allotted minutes yesterday I saw a ‘friend’s status about free-bleeding. Questioning my eyesight I cleaned my glasses and reread, free-bleeding. I hoped this wasn’t what I thought it might be, but it was and I’m thankful that there wasn’t an excessive number of comments supporting this. For a second I asked out loud, “Are you kidding me? Have I somehow surfed a time-warp that took me back 100 years? How did I miss this?” See the above answer to first appear in bold font in paragraph number one – why I do not spend excessive hours on the social network, The internet is an invaluable resource of true, but sometimes false information, therefore, I did a lot of research. About a year ago, apparently ‘this’ is when ‘this’ became a ‘this’ and there were definitely those who support(ed) the free-bleeding phenomenon and up to the last few months, there were also a great many comments on blogs from those who questioned the idea that perhaps this was a joke. There were also those who concluded that this ‘free-bleeding’ thing might take females backward, which is a correct assessment. Because it would take us backward to where we would have a surplus of blood-borne pathogens related to menstruating females who put everyone at risk because wearing a pad or tampon is too much of a hardship for their underdeveloped sensibilities.
Now, I realize that radical groups believe they are progressive in their idea of free-bleeding, but for a moment, let us utilize those critical thinking skills. In 2015, when we have the ‘technology,’ if you will, to make our monthly a private event, which no one, but the bleeder must be aware, doesn’t that equal forward thinking? But rather than going forward, it appears that some feminists want us to regress and treat this as something, a ‘right,’ to handle publicly, all because there were some males behind the development of pads and tampons. In the midst of this research I read that some feminists believe tampons ‘rape’ us. Now that’s a bit extreme, don’t you think? I guess I’m modest and I love the fact that as a female, I don’t have to make it public knowledge or write a PSA with commonly excused and irrational PMS induced behavior when the monthly arrives. Life goes on, up to, during and after the event because we have the appropriate ‘equipment’ to manage the event. Free-bleeders take your radicalism, your mess and your stink back out to the barn or back to the jungle because in 2015, ‘this’ should not even be a thing. If it is. But then, perhaps the whole thing was a marketing ploy to sell feminine products, which might be considered genius… What do you think?
~Jenn
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Sisters, Sisters, there were never such devoted sisters
Posted by crusaderjennblog in Faith, family, growing-up, Jesus, life, lifestyle on December 30, 2014
Even with 5 years between us, my younger sister and I have a good relationship and I’ve missed her terribly for the past few years being 1000 miles away. Growing up we loved each other, although we fought as siblings do and made-up when my Mom always lectured, “She’s the only sister you’ll ever have.” When Jackie entered first grade many moons ago, at the same private school where I was, I didn’t hesitate to protect her from the line of boys pursuing her. Being older, I was my sister’s first line of defense against boys. She always remained picture-perfect in her dresses, unlike me. It took many years to finally see it, but when I did, I shook my head in disgust. Maybe at myself for obtaining less mud and grass stains on my clothes than the boys while we played red-rover-red-rover/softball/soccer-take your pick or perhaps it was with my Mom for having high expectations of me coming home spotless like Jackie. The most likely scenario for my Mom was recognizing that the countless hours she spent sewing together pieces of fabric to create beautiful dresses like the following were completely irrelevant to me.
As hard as I tried as a kid, this broad-shouldered girl was not demure and I found myself rather confused by all the pig-tailed girls like my sister who were. My goal at recess was to play and play hard, which included returning from recess with a sweaty red face, which equaled intense fun. If grass and mud-stains could be graded at a private school surrounded by acres of grass, I was the valedictorian. Grass stains on my dresses and holes in my tights were consistent. I remember my Mom being horrified when she discovered (after many months) that I came up with what I thought was a grand idea to wear shorts under my dresses and over my tights. For what? To prevent boys from seeing my Underoos when I flipped upside-down from or climbed on top of the Monkey Bars. While wearing a dress. Duh. Meanwhile, my sister likely spent recess with her friends picking dandelions and frolicking. Another pastime at recess was locating who was in trouble and was pounding the chalk out of the erasers at the end of the building because I discovered those little piles of chalk-dust were tasty, or maybe I thought that a saliva coated finger dipped in chalk dust tasted just like Fun Dip. Don’t judge. It’s no different than eating glue paste. I was a good kid and harmless, but I could find trouble or create it with some hair-brained ideas – like the self-made Fun (Chalk) Dip. While I was at school finding shenanigans, my sister was being her teacher’s pet and very helpful passing out things to her classmates or playing the ideal daughter at home as she played with her collection of Barbies.
Through it all, my sister and I survived. I mentioned Jackie’s survival also because I was almost five when Jackie was born and shortly after meeting my new sister, I attempted to help feed her a whole dinner-roll. My Mom caught me ‘helping’ my sister and found it in her heart to NOT cease my breathing-habit despite my misguided efforts to feed my baby-sister solids way too soon. I also ran over her on my bike – not to be mean, but she got in my way and I couldn’t stop quickly enough. Speaking of bikes, I think we were one of the last generations to ride bikes sans helmets. And lived to tell about it. I think we were also one of the last generations who got away with chewing ABC (Already Been Chewed) gum that we innocently discovered on the ground or found stuck to the underside of desks in school. Not to mention how many times lollipops were dropped on the ground, wiped-off and shoved back into our mouths. We survived. A little gravel in the diet was probably good for a colon-cleansing. I would insert an amusing Saturday Night Live parody commercial here for Quarry Breakfast Cereal, but it seems that all links are blocked for copyrighted material on YouTube. Even in the midst of our ignorance, I suspect our foolishness contributed to strengthening our immune systems and we didn’t even have antibacterial hand sanitizer. Yet, somehow we prevailed…
My sister and I could not be more different. I was athletic and therefore, a tom-boy She was and still remains a girly-girl, although with my precious niece and nephew in-tow, ruffles aren’t nearly as practical these days. I read her blog and I don’t want to say that I’m proud because I have no right to be, but I am impressed. She’s a busy stay-at-home-Mom with a six year-old and a two year-old in-tow, creating meal-plans, running a successful blog about life as a Wife and Mommy, that is filled with pictures of her family, creative projects, and dishes she’s made, which includes the recipes. Then there’s me who is not nearly as refined. Me caveman.
Dress-up!I have a great deal of wonderful memories that include Jackie – camping, putting-on shows for our parents with duds from our chest of props and accessories (wigs gowns, etc.), going to the theater to see The Lion King and being the Maid/Matron of Honor in each other’s weddings, scrap-booking… The list goes on and on, but obviously as much as we differ, we’re still bonded and have a great deal in common. I love my sister dearly and am grateful for our relationship.
Jenn
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