cereality

Alyssa kept saying she passed out and also said that Whit tried to catch her. My guess is Whit tried to catch her/was able to catch her or at least slow her fall and ease her onto the ground which happened to be asphalt. So Kelly takes that as - OMG she hit her head on rocks [and I was scared ME ME ME]. Alyssa did say they called Evan - so chances are EVAN is the one who said nah don't bother with an ambulance, she doesn't want to go/they won't do anything/bring her home. Yet EVAN wasn't worried enough to be like OMG I'm driving out there?? I imagine he had the kids but who cares? Wouldn't most husbands who 2 mos ago were teary on camera going on about how they can't be more than 5 ft away be throwing the kids into the car seat and high tailing it to wherever the wife was? Rather than hoping some strange men walking by would carry their wife to the car? And these 2 need to pick a lane. Every few weeks they come onto IG and explain how bad/dire things have been. Yet they have not adjusted their lives one bit to those circumstances [besides Evan staying home]. Guess what if things are dire for real, then people stay home - they don't run from Sbux to Sonic to church to BSB to shopping to nails to Big House to pool day at the sweet church friends' house to vacation. They don't carry their young kids around asphalt church parking lots or concrete pool decks. And sure then people end up getting pretty depressed at being home all the time, so a spouse/relative will take them to visit relatives or out someplace AS AN OUTING, NOT DAILY. Like Evan could take her to visit her parents or 8 million sisters for a 45 min visit like normal people, where she could be sitting down?? Not staying up her parents' home until 2 am in the same week where she had an episode in the parking lot?? In this case if Carlin HAD to go shopping and things were so dire, why wasn't there a plan in place? Like ok we'll go but it's going to be a quick 45-60 min trip bc we aren't going to wear you out, so no we aren't walking the whole mall to get to Sonic or Sbux. Whit will drive, drop everyone off at the door, they are to sit on a bench outside the store if there is one or proceed into the store, and Whit will meet them after parking the car. That way if anything happens Carlin is either sitting or on store carpeting, she's not standing on asphalt. But then the way this family handles problems is by denying them so by having backup plans in place and/or limiting a trip to 45 min maybe you are admitting a problem and/or not trusting God to take care of you?? I wonder if Carlin now regrets cutting off Erin the way she did. Erin having her own health problems post Covid and having her parents/family act like they were NBD to the point where she had to have her MIL come from Okla to help her - would probably understand what Carlin is feeling now.

I def think they know more about what her condition is than they want to tell because they want to keep the storyline alive for YT hits. I mean I'm not saying it's all figured out, but Carlin yesterday reverted back to saying - they don't know if it's my heart. Uh Carlin it's been 2 months. Your cardiac tests from 2 mos ago have been read + if they aren't sending you for additional testing/other cardiologists, you KNOW it isn't cardiac. Having had a ton of cardiac testing over the years, they don't let you wait on that testing for months UNLESS they can explicitly say - this isn't an emergency, you can get it done in the next few months when you have time. So then it isn't an emergency . . . and you don't act like it. Pick a lane Carlin/Evan. You KNOW they are watching their YT stats very closely as they want social media to be their full time income w/o Evan going back to work. They KNOW that the OMG Medical Mystery videos get 300-500k views, while all the "regular" ones even moving into the new house, house reno etc. never get more than 150k on avg. It's pretty well understood looking at analytics that they are making around $5 per 100k hits. The difference is huge - 150k hits this week = $750 this week. 400k hits = $2000 this wk. Given that they're looking to replace Evan's income of at least 70k + have to buy benefits, they KNOW they need way more $2000 wks than $750 weeks. Anyone notice that they have NOT been able to deliver 2 videos per week as they promised once Evan was home? I just think they know they don't have the material and if they start making boring - watch us play in the backyard videos - people will lose interest and won't even tune in for the "emergency emergency - we need to update you" videos. The only other types of videos for them that get 200-300k hits are the pregnancy/birth/gender reveal type of videos yet they know that storyline is gone maybe forever but at least for a long time if drs. are telling them they can't get pregnant again next year.

Well these people treat nails + Sbux/Sonic + vacations + the Big House + BSB like the rest of the population treats actual jobs. And oh wait they don't treat Evan's ACTUAL job as a job - that he's free to skip under the guise of his wife needing him 24-7, even when she's out getting nails done with her sisters and hanging with Whit at BSB. I mean I guess she thinks BSB is a real job but it really isn't one that requires her there or even working more than 10-15 hrs/wk. They have no storefront. They get cheap crap shipped to them, they have employees who unpack it and then pack it up when someone orders from them. All the other stuff they do - deciding what to order [though I have a feeling they're stuck in a LulaRoe situation where they've signed contracts where stuff just keeps coming to them - hence having way too much inventory] + deciding when to do sales + tracking finances is all work that can be done on a laptop from home in like 10 hrs/wk. But then how would Whit get away from her kids all day and how would she and Whit pal around all day? I wonder if she and Evan fear that Z&W will edge her out of the business if she's sick and unable to show up. After all that business now needs to generate household income for Z&W, it's not just side income for Whit so they REALLY want all of it, but now E&C also want the business for household income so E doesn't have to go back to work. But what goes around comes around - if they could edge out Erin for being sick, there's no reason Whit can't edge them out. I'm not saying neuro activity has anything to do with taking care of yourself, but do they think it'll hurt to take care of herself? She was having episodes during the week when Alyssa was there, including in a freaking parking lot, yet Saturday morning she and Evan are headed to the cash and carry doing an IG being like oh yeah haha we stayed up until 2 AM at the Big House last night. WTF??? You're freaking unwell, you look unwell, you've already seen your sister who visited your home + saw you pass out in the parking lot + expressed sympathy unlike the rest of the fam -- can you really not get yourself in bed by 10 pm, knowing you'll be at BSB all day the next day?? Interesting that on today's IG she clearly says that drs. say this is likely caused by some disorder she always had but didn't know it until it got triggered by birth. Wonder if that means they're 2 and done or if the issue is "solved" they'll put it in God's hands in a few years and try to get a brother for Zade. I mean clearly they don't enjoy having kids besides carrying them like Gucci bags -- it cramps their style of staying up until 2 am, living on Sonic corn dogs etc.

Alyssa was in Tenn. before and during the cash and carry. So she and Carlin went out shopping BEFORE that sale for BSB and that's when she passed out -- i.e. when she and Evan were either confused about whether she was to take meds again and/or they had called the dr after she passed out and were told yeah you need to be back on meds and they said -- uh yeah we're not doing that until after the cash and carry. Because it seems like she had an episode w/ Alyssa before the sale + one at the sale itself last weekend and THEN went back on meds this week -- i.e. missing prime day -- and is just now resurfacing on IG this weekend.

So looks like Alyssa is the first one of the family to openly say - something is going on with Carlin, it is not normal to pass out like that, don't downplay it. It's in this week's Alyssa video which was about her trip to Tenn. Apparently they went out shopping last week- Alyssa, Carlin, Whit, and Mama B - and Carlin passed out in the parking lot. This fall seems to be a lot as Whit tried to catch her but she still ended up hitting her head on rocks. She was out for like 20 min and 2 strangers carried her back to the car so they could drive her back home. At Carlin's house, Alyssa is telling what happened and Carlin is downplaying - saying it wasn't that bad etc. As Alyssa was like YES it is that bad, it needs to be figured out, you're only 24 this isn't normal. Kelly is sitting there and all she says is - it was so scary, it was scary to us, her being out for 20 min was scary. There's something very subdued about Carlin with her own parents - which you don't see in front of Evan's parents. Like every time Kelly said it was scary [for HER], Carlin just shut her mouth as if it to be like - ok you can have your moment, sorry I upset you. Whereas Alyssa was the one making it about CARLIN. But then we've never seen Evan's mom act like that. She has passed out MANY times in front of his parents and Evan's dad was catching her, mom was being super re assuring when she came to etc.; I'm SURE his parents were scared too as it's a scary thing, but we've never once seen them make it about THEMSELVES. Alyssa as much as she annoys me seems like she has sympathy which Kelly doesn't [nor Katie - Reddit said that Katie was imitating Carlin's seizures on some video and then shut up about it when Carlin got really quiet/offended]. But then Alyssa went thru her cardiac issues really young and she 100% knows how much her parents were NOT there for her. Mr. and Mrs. fly in for the procedure, get your IG pics praying over her, head straight back to the airport before your daughter is out of recovery and before she's released home -- while your son in law alone deals with picking up and turning Alyssa in bed and sitting her up and feeding her because she could not move. And yeah why is Carlin asking on IG tonight whether mild episodes are still episodes or side effects of the meds?? Carlin these are questions that you and Evan need to ask the DOCTOR. She was complaining about this same thing like a month ago when she went on meds - in that month have they not seen the dr and/or can she not put in a call to ask about that + whether she needed to go back on meds + her missing test results??

For whoever asked - this is week 8 of FMLA for Evan, meaning Monday begins week 9. These two are so stupid it defies belief and/or they think their audience is so stupid it defies belief. Though perhaps the audience looking to send them gifts IS stupid. Neither of them realized she was supposed to go back on meds after the EEG? Bullshit. Bc before going off the meds she made a teary video from a playground about how she has so much anxiety about going off of them for a few days to get them out of her system but she needs to for the EEG. Implying that they KNEW this is for a few days. And oh BTW that was a freaking month ago. So even if there was some confusion about it, would someone who is only worried about health and not social media stories not just call the dr 2 days later just to confirm? Evan also recently said the BS regarding they have no test results back - neither the EEG nor the heart monitor. Her heart monitor was immediately after Law's wedding TWO months ago - bc they were still with the inlaws. Having had a dozen+ heart monitors in the last decade, it takes 2-3 days to get them back; if a place is really slow [yes maybe w/ covid] + loses things/doesn't send them back to the right dr etc., ok you're looking at 7-10 days. Certainly not TWO months?? I mean if your caretaker is so stupid that he can't listen/ask questions when the dr speaks + can't chase down test results, maybe he need not be home with you full time?? And as for Evan owning his own business - LOL. These people stay up until 2 am regularly and roll out of bed at 10 am. When he was an apprentice and 2x/week had to leave the home by 6 am and came home at 9 pm after class, they were constantly ready to throw him a parade because he works SOOOO HARD. If he were to own his own business, that's how it would be every day for years until the business was big enough to where he could hire licensed employees to do the work and he could sit back and have checks rolling in. I mean I'm no fan of Kelton but notice the life that he and Josie live is a lot different.

While this was a "smaller" visit, it was still - G&K, Zach's 6 person family, Carlin's 4 person family, Michael/Brandon, Law/Tiff, Warden, Isiah, Addie, Ellie, Callie, Jeb, Jud. That's 23 ppl right there. Jeb and Jud seem pretty feral and then there were 6 other kids under age 6. Yeah . . . . have a feeling Mama Jane and Papa Bill are lounging in their recliners grabbing coffee from their industrial size coffee maker all this week as they recover. The Bates are selfish that way. They HAVE to go to the farm on July 4 bc that's the vacation THEY want. I doubt they even ask Mama Jane if it's ok, if she prefers they come in smaller groups etc. I mean I get it, it's Papa Bill's bday so maybe you want it to be somewhat of a celebration but a celebration can be had if say 5 guests show up instead of 23 and the other 18 people can make plans to visit at different times. I mean seems like Alyssa and Erin go to the farm specifically when other Bates are not going - presumably to actually spend time with the grandparents rather than just be there for the "fun" chaos. Josie just doesn't go so there's another option - lol.

I mean they both don't want Evan back to a regular 8 hr/day schedule, when right now it's all about sleeping in, driving Ms. Daisey, taking care of the kids, vacation, blah blah. Too bad they can't say that. Not driving = spouse stays home full time?? Really? Do they realize that there are people who just don't drive for various reasons and that doesn't mean anyone stays home with them full time. Instead they rely on Uber [which they can clearly afford given how they spend], rides from others when really needed [uh Gil, Kelly, Addie, Ellie, Michaela, Tori, etc. come to mind], and plan errands like grocery shopping when their spouse is home. He sounds like a jackass with "my job is protected." I'm a federal court lawyer and homeboy may be want think harder about that. Sure they can't fire him for having taken a leave of absence. BUT if he gets back to work, the industry has slowed down and they don't need as many electricians, yes son they CAN get rid of you. And 99% of the time on FMLA that's how it happens - you're gotten rid of later after you return because the company has realized it got along just fine without you and suddenly doesn't have enough work for you, and there's nothing you can do because it ALWAYS holds up in federal court. And here there is a real slowdown looming in construction. Don't strut around too confidently that your job will be there for you once you decide you're ready to finally get some real post-apprentice experience. But hey they don't care, bring on week 7 of FMLA next week . . . . There are social media business people posting on reddit saying looking at their analytics, E&C are making $2800-8900/month on YouTube; another Redditer says its about $6900/mo; this is with their recent switch to 8 videos/month. The high end of that range lines up with what I had been saying that they're making $5 per 100k views. In any event that puts them at annual YT income of $33,600-$106,800. I'd imagine they're in the higher end of that range in the 80-100k area. The high end of an electrician salary is going to be 70-80k in Tenn. and that'd involve Evan having to be gone 40 hrs/wk, working in hot sweaty construction sites, rather then strutting around on camera with his wife -- so you know both of them are like, use this 12 wks to see where the Lord is REALLY leading us . . . . It's all well and good until people lose interest in you and they will . . . . While their medical and pregnancy videos garner 300-500k views, the rest of their videos are usually around 150-175k views, even re the new house -- meaning half the money . . . .

How desperate are these hanger-oners to get in with the Bates?? So apparently they let the girls read secular books and Allie asked John to buy books as she'd read everything they have already. And lo and behold a box stuffed with books like Curious George, Bernstein Bears, Pinocchio, [and the requisite kid prayer book] showed up at Alyssa's door from some complete stranger . . . . I don't watch her boring videos but I imagine she put it out there that Allie wanted new books and some fan jumped to it. If those are new books, it's at least a few hundred dollars worth. So hopefully someone was instead cleaning out their attic. And BTW have Alyssa or John not heard of a library? I assume money is tight because John always says it's tight and now with gas/food prices up it's prob tighter; so I can see him not wanting to go to Barnes and Noble as a book for each of the older girls would still be at least $20 if they chose the cheapest book - and he's just not gonna spend that kind of money on girl children's non Godly interests. And Alyssa can't seem to grab a damn sponsorship with something useful like Amazon. Yet this magical place called the library would allow his girls to check out as many books as they wanted each week for free and on the plus side would give his dumbass wife someplace to go during the day.

I do have a feeling that Josie/Kelton are more about sticking to bedtimes and routines and don't upset that every time there is some Bates gathering. J&K seemed to only pick up dinner for themselves, suggesting they had already fed the girls who'd be going straight home to sleep. E&C OTOH treat Layla and Zade like their college roommates; if they want to stay out until midnight, oh well the kids will drag along and just fall asleep wherever. I do think there is something up between Josie and Carlin though - may not be actual beef as much as just a lack of interest or commonality in each other or some mild disdain for each others' lives? I mean I just realized yesterday they all go to the same church - as Katie was holding Zade at church but then Josie was posting pics of Trav singing at church, meaning all of them were at the same church. Yet never once has Carlin posted any pic of sitting with Josie or the cousins together at/after church. Seems like E&C have made sweet friends at church and are in the pastor's circle, and Josie/Kelton are not a part of that. And when Katie is in town, they share her instead of all 3 playing together. Last night was Katie going to dinner with Carlin/Evan; watch in a few days it'll be Katie hanging exclusively with Josie. That's what they did last time - Katie spent like 2 days with Carlin/Evan at their new house/packing etc. and then escaped and spent the rest of the time with Josie, shopping for Hazel's bday, attending her party etc. Given that Katie doesn't live in town and Carlin was busy with her move, you'd think Josie could have stopped by to hang out with her sisters at Carlin's - nope. I'm sure Josie didn't want to be roped into helping with the move, but given that you live in town + your sister has been having medical issues in/out of the hospital, you really wouldn't stop by to visit when your other sister is also there and IDK maybe bring some food or pack up her make up for 15 min to show you care? I think the only sister Josie hangs with is Tori, which she doesn't post all that often bc I think Tori prefers not to be all over IG. But we've seen a few pics of her girls playing with Tori's kids. Meanwhile the one time we saw Kade at Carlin's house, Carlin literally was like - do you know who I am, thank you for visiting - suggesting the kids don't know her at all. Makes sense as it seems like everyone avoids the Carlin/Whit clique except Katie who jumps back and forth between cliques.

Week 5 of FMLA and they're spending the day chilling at the pool. Carlin seems fine enough and even with her family MIA, seems like they have enough sweet friends that he could leave her and the kids with someone at least 20-30 hrs/wk and work if he wanted to. Hell the girl who scrubbed their tub and has acted like Carlin's personal assistant for two weeks could probably watch her and the kids 40 hrs/wk esp. now that Carlin doesn't seem to actively need anything. I tend to agree with others, clearly something was wrong with her. BUT I also have a feeling that they've figured out what that was/or if they don't know the source, how to manage it for now. I mean Carlin has been running around 24-7, carrying babies, no one is necessarily 5 ft from her and at times no one is even in the same room with her [like yesterday when she was videoing her master bedroom, bath, closet for all to see]. Yet they're keeping this whole thing going . . . . I wonder what his parents think of his newfound the whole family stays home and just makes money off of social media, lifestyle. I doubt FMLA involves fraud investigations the way disability does [though maybe it does, who knows], BUT Evan is a brand new electrician, dependent on his union right now to be placed in jobs. They're 100% dumb to think no other young electrician [or perhaps one's wife] follows them on IG/YT, notes that they are living it up during Evan's FMLA, and oh look it suddenly gets discussed in the break room at work. In a time where all construction related trades are preparing for a slow down, do you think it works to your advantage to have zero experience + the reputation of someone who doesn't care?? If Evan goes back and it's like - we need 5 guys on this job but there's 6 to choose from, does Evan think his winning personality gets him staffed? And in these kinds of professions, you don't get staffed on a job, you don't get paid.

So it looks like Carlin didn't have any episodes while she was on the monitor; she must be disappointed as they were hoping that if she was having episodes anyway, she'd at least catch one. They're still hoping that something about her brain waves/sleep allows drs. to draw some conclusions. 100% what has changed is their closeness to HIS family and how much his family has stepped up for them in the last month. They always relied on his family more - even before Carlin's health issues, they were driving to Nashville like every other weekend usually as they clearly trust his parents watching Layla as they go out on weekends; the times they went out of town [like to Joy Annas] without Layla, they left her with HIS parents, not hers or her 37 siblings. And now with this they basically lived with his family for nearly a month and clearly feel comfortable there; clearly Carlin doesn't feel like - this is my ILs house, I need to not be lying down or whatever. I mean his family is coming to help them move?? She has a million siblings/relatives in town and moving is hardly specialized help like taking care of someone in a medical issue?? Clearly E&C prefer the Stewarts' organized/thoughtful help more than the Bates' haphazard/attention seeking/I won't help myself but send you a 12 yr old - help. I think they're looking at the long term, realizing that maybe Carlin has some continuing health needs that flair up from time to time, or say they have kid #3 and then some other health thing goes wrong, they probably feel like they want to be near his parents + siblings/sibs in law as a few of them are in nursing with real health system experience. Job wise if they decide being a social media star won't be FT income forever [and they won't decide that until viewers absolutely fall off and income falls], at least they're in a good position. Evan is a union electrician - the union can easily place him in a job in Nashville instead of Knoxville. Though as they're running about assuming social media income is it, clearly they're not thinking big picture; I think we're about to see a BIG construction slowdown - as commercial and residential building will fall off a lot as interest rates keep going up, meaning way fewer jobs for electricians with no post-apprentice experience; now would be the time to stack some cash to get ahead on the mortgage + pay off the hospital bills and social media will always be around say 12 wks from now when the union has no consistent electrician jobs to send you out on.

The bloom is off the rose on that marriage. After running around like crazy sightseeing on their honeymoon, presumably so Law would get Tiff back to the hotel room too exhausted for her to want to do much, he now features her in an IG story yesterday making waffles. He goes on about Tiff is going to show him how it's done bc he has noooo idea, and she snaps back "I just read the directions . . . . " Uh yeah Law having XX chromosomes + a ring on the finger doesn't make a person any more responsible for cooking than you. And he can't even chalk that up to oh I married a girl whose mom didn't train her for wife life bc freaking Erin, Tori, Carlin, Josie, and Katie have gone on and on about how they don't cook/can't cook/learned how to cook after marriage in Erin's case. If Tiff looked at her siblings in law and noted that Zach and Kelton cook; Chad and Bobby do a ton of childcare; Evan seems generally like he helps with some cooking, dishes, childcare - she may be realizing that's not at all what she got. Hers is a true fundie man who feels he doesn't need to cook [or presumably clean] bc she's the wife but oh yeah he doesn't want to touch her either + she needs to bring in the money [or she did at least in the form of a down payment on their house].

Well given that no one cares that Callie has been working like a dog since last week when Evan and Carlin returned to Knox, I'm sure no one cares or even notices that she hasn't changed her clothes in days. She legit looked tired in Carlin's last few IG stories. Last week she was scrubbing Carlin's new kitchen, putting in shelf paper, etc. Supposedly Kelly and Callie went over there to help but Kelly as usual parked her a$$ in a lawn chair, put on her reading glasses, and was scrolling her phone as a 12 yr old ran around doing work. And then when Kelly decided to "help," she still didn't move her a$$ out of her lawn chair and instead just pulled Layla in her lap to cuddle. And then that wasn't enough, Callie has apparently been lent out to stay with Evan and Carlin at the old house and pack. She legit looked tired as Evan handed her full boxes that she carried into the living room. There was one set of IG stories where legit Evan and Carlin were both freaking lying down in bed and CALLIE was still on her feet packing?? Sure Katie "helped" but it seems like Katie packed a box or two and then was like uh I'm not spending my 3 days in Knox doing this and ran off to Josie's -- she went to the mall with Josie; was shown at the party; stayed the night with Josie last night -- and now as of 6 am is headed back to Phila. anyway. And it seems like Ellie is/was off in Fla. with Alyssa; I'm guessing Addie is watching Jeb/Jud/Whit's kids. But not poor Callie has no where to run off to, she's indentured to Carlin and Evan since they need help and Gil and Kelly have decided THEY aren't going to personally help but will offer family assistance; when that nurse was there yesterday hooking up the EEG Callie was lying on the couch looking EXHAUSTED as Evan and Carlin sat there joking around filming it all.

Plus they have aspirations of building. Evan was crowing about - we REALLY want to build our own house. As a freaking student at the peak of the market, they went to go see McMansions being built and I think really though they could get one for like 3% down; this was during the phase of the market where all cash offers or offers for 50k over asking were NBD. So I think reality slapped them in the face for now and they found a sweet friend from church to buy from ASAP. All of that was before Carlin's health thing and all the time they've spent in Nashville, so now I imagine this isn't the forever home bc they will move to Nashville in the next 1-5 yrs, as it's clear as day that's where their family support is, not with G&K and whatever siblings remain in Knox.

Who are these hanger oners who are so desperate for time with the Bates that they'll scrub Carlin's bathroom and spend 2 days scrubbing her tub?? This girl that's been with her all week must be related to the "friend" who is routinely shown cleaning Alyssa's house. I mean I expected she's a sweet friend from church who volunteered to help given Carlin's medical troubles; but it's one thing to have sweet friend drive you to Home Depot bc you can't drive and another to ask them to scrub your bathroom so it's move in ready. And Mr. and Mrs. Moneybags are spending money like there's no tomorrow, can they really not spend a few hundred on a cleaning service to detail the house rather than asking friends to scour tub nozzles with a toothbrush??

At some level, I think Tiff bought into the Bates' BS if only to "justify" how Law was with her when dating. If a nearly 30 year old man isn't hugging or kissing me or wanting to sit real close or anything, oh it's bc RELIGION, he's SUCH a Godly man. Whereas it's like come on, any nearly 30 yr old man whether they have religious parents or not, when they are away from their parents - they are going to kiss and hug and show some kind of physical affection towards you, even if you guys don't believe in sex before marriage. And BTW they are also going to look at you and let you speak, rather than constantly smiling at themselves in the camera. At the wedding and now, she may actually be realizing the shocking truth that he just isn't into her [or having a wife? or girls altogether - unclear]. I mean the kisses at the wedding were just awkward. Maybe you can chalk it up to well he isn't used to kissing with people gawking, but really has Law ever been shy? And even given the benefit of the doubt if it was that he was trying to be "respectful" in front of his and her parents, sorry but the pics they took by themselves after the wedding - in front of that famous San Diego statue - were the dead giveaway that he's not into her. You're married now, alone with your photographer, about to head back to the hotel presumably to get it on - and you kiss by sticking your lips out and craning your neck as far as possible bc you don't want your body up against hers? Dude something's not right. Fundie wives normally are able to twist themselves into pretzels to not see the truth [see Anna Duggar; whoever David Waller's wife is etc.]. But Tiff isn't fundie. Sure she grew up religious but she also grew up in a very secular Hollywood world. She has seen how boyfriends and gfs act if they like each other from like high school onwards. Law is so vain, does he even realize that if any Bates marriage ends in divorce, it's most likely to be HIS? The other couples either are too fundie to ever divorce or genuinely happy/in love. Tiff OTOH is not a fundie and if she gets the sense that they are not falling in love, even after marriage when anything is allowed - I could see her ultimately deciding she won't live in a loveless marriage where he ain't even the provider. Marrying at 21 + having 1-2 babies + then divorcing when you realize that you hardly knew yourself or him when you married/he's a loser = practically a tradition in many religious places esp in the bible belt. It's all about sex so they marry young, divorce, and then marry for real and start your life in your 30s. Though hopefully for Tiff, she leaves before babies OR makes him move to Cali before having his babies so HE is the one who then has to live in Cali for 18 yrs for shared custody or he can abandon his kids; would hate for her to be stuck in Tenn for 2 decades.

Funny how this have soooo much money to be wasting on covering real hardwood with laminate - a totally unnecessary renovation which REDUCES the value of the house that the HAD TO BUY at the peak of the market. Yet at the same time Carlin just posted a pic of staring out the window at the rain as she works on paying hospital bills this morning. And it looks like they're "applying" for some sort of aid/assistance/reduction from the hospital or Medicaid or somewhere bc she shows forms that she's filling out. IDK about everyone else but my bills from drs offices/health systems do not come with forms I have to fill out with sections for patient information and "was this visit for work related issues." Most places you give them your insurance card upfront and you just get the residual bill for what insurance doesn't cover [copays; coinsurances; out of network specialists]; it looks like a credit card bill and often you log onto a portal to just pay it. And yet yesterday on top of the flooring and a date night, Evan is measuring the wall for the biggest TV it'll hold. So I guess money isn't that tight? Or they hope someone steps up with hospital bill money or gifts them a TV? Though she didn't dwell on the bills, she was sure to mention them . . . . Just saying most people just starting out + a spouse on unpaid leave + rent + mortgage + 2 kids + hospital bills, would be like we have a TV, the giant TV that'll cost $1000+ (and likely more bc Evan only likes top of the line electronics) will have to wait. I don't think he's going back to being an electrician full time ever. I think he is all too happy to be home renovating + working at BSB [like Zach; complete with ironic videos about working for his wife] + keeping the social media train rolling. I think like Zach they'll make a huge thing about how "the Lord put it in his heart" to invest in Carlin and the kids in this season of life and to spread their ministry -- i.e. YouTube; and then he'll pick up electrician work here and there if/when money gets tight.

They walked in and out of the movies as if they are platonic friends or coworkers, not newlywed husband and wife?? She's going on and on with compliments [Lawson can do everything Tom Cruise can do but better - uh - delusional and/or sucking up much??] and at one point Law exits without even holding it the door open for Tiff for a second. It nearly slams on his 100 lb wife??? WTF? I know he didn't want to mess up his camera shot by letting her go ahead of him, but my god you can extend an arm to hold the door open behind you for a second until she gets there. Their road trip from Cali to Tenn was similarly unenthusiastic. They don't have the vibe of people who are just recently having sex and thus sooo in love with each other physically. She seems like she WANTS to be that person, despite the fact that she was seriously depressed when they crossed into Tenn. and was like - uh I haven't accepted I live HERE yet. Yet despite that she seems like someone who WANTS to be excited about her newlywed husband and have him feel the same way. He acts like this is some kind of business arrangement. Even the other day, she shows the house and it's a giant mess and she says that she's been unpacking the kitchen and breaking down boxes all day. Dude is in the background on his computer paying no attention to her. I know fundie men don't help their wives, but at this stage - I think they do bc they see it as - if I help and we get this done faster, more time to screw around - let's hurry up and do this. Even the ugliest fundie men with zero personality seemed THRILLED to be newlyweds [Nathan; JD Duggar]. Law legit seems like he does not want to be married, sex or not.

So Evan is on week 3 of FMLA and hanging out at the store with Carlin, after stopping by the house yesterday to pick up dozens of packages and make a moving plan for two weeks. Is it me or do they seem a little too "vacation-ish." I mean I understand why he needed time off initially when they had no idea what was happening and it was all an emergency. As of last week she was saying she was on meds and when she was having episodes she could feel them coming on and they were milder; sure she didn't feel well, but seemed like if he had wanted to work, his family could have handled her + 2 kids for 40 hrs. I mean seems like she's handling the kids - IDK whether she's supposed to or not - but she walked into the new house carrying Layla rather than letting her walk. Seems like maybe this week she has to go off the meds to do the multi day EEG; I could see why he'd need to be around for that - though IDK if that necessarily starts TODAY as they started their morning at the store, Sbux in hand. Why on earth is he using his unpaid FMLA like this instead of working in the weeks in which he can work and then using FMLA when Carlin needs him at home, they need to go to drs. appts. etc. Like are they making SUCH a killing on YT that it's like a regular paycheck, eh we don't even need that? Because it seems like he could have worked for like 1-1.5 wks of the time he's had off. That's not nothing in terms of pay esp when you have rent + mortgage + driving 3 hrs back and forth to Nashville isn't getting any cheaper given gas prices. Meanwhile he's cleaning out his parents' garage, planting flowers in his parents' home, mowing his parents' yard, and gushing over how great his new house looks, and talking about how the next two weeks will be crazy for packing/moving . . . . Added - and now off to Lowes to pick flooring . . . . Weirdest use of FMLA ever. I guess FMLA isn't like sick or disability leave. I knew a guy who took disability leave after surgery/medical issues to recover; apparently he had recovered/didn't want to come back to that job so he was just out using his "time off" - got spotted playing basketball at a local park and was out the door. Guess FMLA isn't like that bc it's for whatever family help is needed - whether that's going to work with your wife or going with her to pick floor and decor?

Honestly I wish people would stop enriching these morons by watching their YT videos. There's enough of a recap here that you'll have a sense of what's going on. Last one I watched was like 4 mos ago - Carlin's hysterical breakdown re what if we never get a house; I have no need to see Carlin in labor or Layla meeting baby bro or the latest episodes. I mean on one end she's unwell enough that Evan can't go to work and they have to live in his childhood bedroom. She's unwell enough and so miserable that Evan took her out to get her nails done yesterday - bc that's what people do when they're unwell. On the other hand today - face full of perfect makeup filming an effing fashion show with Evan showing off all his clothing from Cuts. No doubt he got it all for free/discounted but really let's not play the OMG Evan is not even working right now, look at all our bills - while modeling for a place that sells pants for $120 and shirts for $80. And champagne tastes on a beer budget dude - $200 outfits to lounge at home?? When you get dropped by them - which you will as these companies go thru tons of influencers and most of the sisters have been dropped by numerous hair care lines and thus are always hocking new ones - going back to Old Navy or Target pants will be an adjustment. Take care of her medical problem and get on with it. And I agree with whoever above said you KNOW they'd expect Michael to wait on Carlin hand and foot, watch the kids full time, AND be filming too bc otherwise what happens to their YT empire? I can see how Michael would be ok with the first two of those things but not filming on top of it.

Unless the meeting with drs. is on camera [and I'm not watching their videos], I think we can assume drs. said she couldn't be left alone + asked what the caregiver situation was; I can't imagine any dr. saying NO it can't be her parents, inlaws, or sister, YOU the husband MUST go on FMLA. I have a feeling he assumed his parents would 100% take care of her + the kids bc in an early video after 2-3 episodes he was going on about - well we have family help so if we could do this without me taking time off . . . . Yet I feel like his aging parents said no on watching her + +2 babies alone esp when at that time she had to be run to the hospital multiple times and told him he needed to stay too. Yes if they were logical and not worried about YT hits, they'd absolutely be asking Michael if she'd stay days with Carlin, esp. now that Carlin seems to be on meds so while she needs to be watched/can't drive, it likely isn't as emergent/dire now as 3 weeks ago. Frankly his parents may now be willing to watch her + take care of the 2 kids if she's past the stage where she needs someone within 5 ft of her - so he could leave her there and go to work for the week and return on the weekend, esp since he works 4 days/wk; they could do that for say 2 more weeks and then back to Knox and having Michael around for a few weeks/month. I'd be shocked if Michael said no. She's a natural caretaker who is gaga for babies, I can't imagine she'd be put out by this request.

But think of the YT content for months - being broken hearted about selling the dream home in Knox; money worries from selling a home right away that they bought at the peak of the market; goodbye party/being broken hearted to leave the Bates and Whit and BSB as if they're moving to Australia or something; finding a place to rent in Nashville; the actual move/unpacking w/ the Bates brothers in tow; lamenting about how hard it is to buy a house in Nashville - complete with Carlin's anxiety that they'll never own a home . . . . . Frankly if they are considering going down the YT road, I see them making this move just for the content it provides. But as you say YT stars tend to be short lived unless they are REALLY interesting. I'm a bit older than their age group and the only ones I follow are the travel bloggers - think traveling to or living in a new country monthly. Some others I know follow the true entertainers that are giving you a glimpse into Hollywood/red carpet life. Some follow the mommies - budgeting, cooking a new recipe daily etc. Sorry but people have their own lives and don't need to watch your made up content like t ball or k graduations bc they have that stuff in their own lives - whereas jetting off to Paris for two weeks, they don't have that and like that fantasy. So even if they make the move to Nashville and that gets them say 8-12 weeks of content, then what? We're back to made up camping trips at a ditch by the side of a road, which they have done once as I assume they had nothing to show that week. I suppose Evan and esp Carlin who has zero idea of how actual jobs reporting to bosses work are like - so what Evan is soooo smart and went to all this school, if YT doesn't work out past the year, that's a whole year we got to be together and in 2023, he can get an electrician job. Uh yeah except the bigger union electrical jobs aren't putting can lights into a house sweetie, they are working on new construction commercial buildings; his apprentice job had him working at a health system that was adding a new building. As the economy is slowing + cost of capital is rising, new construction of commercial buildings will slow - meaning less of a need for union electricians, contractors, plumbers etc.; and unions work by seniority - while they try to get all their members on jobs, when the jobs thin out, they go to the members who've been with them for 10-20+ yrs not apprenticeship only.

YouTube star is a legit “professional” aspiration for people their age. You and I may think it’s nuts but attention whores like them think there is NO better job. I do think that’s part of what’s going on here. After 5 yrs of Evan being in school + apprenticing, they are seeing what it’s like to have him home 24-7 and you know Carlin likes it given that’s what she’s seen from Gil + most fundie males + Evan likes it bc he’s salivating at the idea that just being their annoying selves = $$$. I do think they’re trying to figure out if they can be full time YT stars and pay the bills (though hopefully are taking a long look at union health and retirement benefits) OR more likely are looking to live Z&W’s life w $$ from BSB + YT + Evan picking up electrical jobs to supplement/working the min part time hours required to stay in the union. And I think this would be long term planning not just bc Carlin needs him home for a wk or two.

While Carlin obviously has a very real medical issue that needs to be sorted out, E&C have obviously fallen into the trap of - OMG how can we get YT hits off of this, what if our "loyal" viewers forget us - there goes our $200-500/wk income if people stop watching. Within 2 weeks they've gone from the first episode at the boutique to seeing a specialist who has already put her on some meds which now need to be regulated. That's fast. Many people these days are waiting months for specialist appointments/testing. No no one is saying it's all good - but there's nothing about the day to day recovery that's so fascinating or IG worthy. The person will be sitting around the house mostly, they'll go out when their partner or parent/inlaw can drive them to go somewhere to get out, they'll play with their kids/take care of their kids sitting down, and may be tired/sleepy/napping as meds are adjusted. You know that has Evan and Carlin FREAKING OUT bc their first thought is OMG what are we going to put on IG, what are we going to do for YT this week if we don't go anywhere/do anything?? Cue a worthless K graduation + weekly t ball game - OMG we have to go. Yet in their heart of hearts they know these videos don't generate 100k views/wk like weddings/trips/medical stuff bc let's be real their YT audience is mostly young moms who have their own kids' K graduations and t ball games to attend. So then cue the discussion of - can Carlin attend; is she well enough; would she rather try to attend even though she shouldn't; ok would she rather go sit in the car then; should we make a big fuss about how she spent Evan's family's gathering sitting in a lawn chair while Evan played hide and seek with Layla [never mind that there were a TON of lawn chairs at the gathering so I'm guessing others were sitting down too so it was hardly a big deal].