ReadMeLattice

Don't let Maci fool ya, she's one of the trashiest people on the show.

I just poured myself a glass of water, and earlier today I cleaned off a bookshelf. One regret is that I didn't have my camera with me. :(

From what I've read from the CDC, the numbers are between 0.2 and 1.5 out of 1,000, and doctors don't really know how prevalent it is. The most recent CDC study says 0.3. Considering how many people binge drink (way more than 0.3 in 1,000, lol), that's pretty rare.

FAS is incredibly rare. I think he'll be fine.

I don't know, I find the producers' presence pretty interesting. They HAVE to be like journalists or documentary filmmakers or they'd be out of a job and wouldn't get anything good. If you're interviewing a KKK member you don't start telling them what a racist POS they are; you smile and nod and say "mmhmm, tell me more about that. Why do you feel that way? What happened?" The weirdest part to me, and the darkest and most fascinating, is that all the girls, most of whom are very lonely, think the producers are their best friends or something. It almost makes me feel bad for them, to watch Cate be hugged by a producer while she cries and the producer milks her for info. But then, their paydays are massive for sitting around crying, while the producers', for actually working and sometimes even taking abuse, aren't. It's a very bizarre relationship and interesting to watch unfold.

Wow, that's so true. Jenelle and Kieffer actually seemed to like each other on more than just a sexual level, or just a 'this is ok for the cameras' level. Weird.

my thoughts: I get why someone would be with Gary except that he clearly (to me) has some weird ongoing thing for Amber. He 'doesn't know' how to act around her and has to bring up that they used to be together? Just kind of weird to me. That party for Amber was actually kind of nice and Amber and Nicole are clearly in some kind of love. Maybe just platonic, but it's the only real relationship on this show. Taylor and Maci's relationship is a huge sham, but they deserve each other. I was actually feeling kind of ragey today about Tyler's adoption antics. He's the freaking worst. My husband came into the living room during the Simon/Farrah cruise scene and just went, 'dear God,' and wheeled right back out. It was amazing.

Ugh, the supplements. I have a particular hangup about those kinds of things--I was advised by a nurse practitioner to take a supplement for fertility recently and I blindly stupidly did (I'm trying to conceive). It threw me completely off and made everything worse! Sorry for the aside, but that stuff is just so totally irresponsible and horrible. :(

Corey was always reluctant to get back with her and was repeatedly dating others just like she was (though not cheating when they actually were together). In their circles it seems like you're just supposed to marry your baby mama/daddy, or the first or second person you bang (hence Leah's repeated thing with Robbie). I don't think Corey really "loved" Leah any more than she loved him and frankly, he deserved better and likely knows it now. I think he felt bad about getting her pregnant and felt some kind of intense sexual infatuation/attraction. But deep true love? Nah. Not a good match.

I don't think any of the guys we see manipulated the girls into having sex, either, nor have I ever seen that suggested. All of it seems pretty consensual to me from all angles. The women all chose to have unprotected sex and so did the young men. No one 'seduced' one another without the other party being totally willing. I'm trying to think of any exceptions but can't right now. Maybe Adam with Chelsea, and maybe Jenelle with some of her boy toys? Though honestly, Chelsea was crazy into Adam and all of Jenelle's men have seemed into her, so...maybe not. Maci was obviously into Ryan and vice versa, Jo and Kail both wanted it, Leah and Corey, Cate and Ty, Gary and Amber...All wanted it. They were kids. Nobody coerced anyone. I would expect anyone experienced enough to have sex immediately, male or female, to carry condoms. I actually never saw a single one of these teens as inexperienced, shy, or virginal. I've met virginal teens and not a single one of these, boy or girl, seem like they'd qualify! Hence why they're on this show...

I think they mutually decided to have sex, 50/50, and even if one person (male or female) is the aggressor, they are not more or less responsible for the sexual relationship if it is consensual. Their mutual attraction was always obvious. Either way, either one of them could have decided to protect themselves and didn't, so they bear 100% equal responsibility. It doesn't matter if he texted her first or she made him a cornbread cake first. They mutually decided to have unprotected sex. Equally responsible. Condoms are not expensive and intercourse is not required in a sexual encounter. They essentially decided to risk having a child with a stranger. Chance was not on their side. Teen pregnancy rates are at an all-time low, statistically, across the board. There are always exceptions, but statistically it's far, far rarer than it used to be. Hopefully that continues as abstinence-only education continues to decline.

Lolllllllllllllllllll

Let's be fair. I don't think she said "homie." I think she said "thug" or "gangster." Lolllll

I was pregnant and carried a baby to term but thought I might not be able to. I can almost relate to women who've had miscarriages. I was worried about my husband driving home one nights when the roads were wet. I can almost relate to people whose husbands died in car accidents. I thought I might flunk out of school because physics was hard but then I didn't. I can almost relate to people without high school diplomas. I broke my leg once and was on crutches. I can almost relate to disabled people. It was hard to make rent for a while. I can almost relate to homeless people. Lolol

Most teens now use protection or don't have sex. This kind of foolishness and messing with your life and kids' lives is actually quite a rarity now, thanks in part to the decline in abstinence-only education. Unprotected sex in the back of a truck with a near-stranger might be ok/normal in their very backwards neck of the woods (though I doubt it is for everyone), but even in rural areas, teen pregnancy is at quite a low, which is great because it carries a huge number of risks for mom and baby. And once again, Dr. Drew, correlation and causation are different and that's not because of Teen Mom.

I would find it really weird if a 19 year old slept with my high schooler daughter...high school is high school. 19 year olds are college aged. But Leah and co live in a completely different world/culture. I don't think Corey is creepy himself, or predatory at all, but their "relationship" as a whole was always a joke. They had unprotected sex in the back of a truck when they barely knew each other, had TWO children, and rushed to the altar. It's a cautionary tale. It's foolish and disturbing and easily preventable and usually ends in heartache and disaster. That's what it was meant to be before they made these TM girls and their baby daddies into "stars." Now I worry that it's almost glamorized.

It was exactly equally Corey's decision to sleep with Leah. And Jeremy's. Unless it's rape, it's always 100% a 50/50 decision. No more blame on either side for the decision to have unprotected sex. At all. Other things, yes. But not the sexual relationship. That was not "pushed" by Leah on unwilling men. Either one of them could have protected themselves. They didn't.

Exactly. Where are his fruits and vegetables if he hates weight gain and unhealthy lifestyles? Where is his therapist if everyone should go off of meds, according to him, and if everyone should just get themselves "straightened out?" Where are his education and job if he cares so much about ambition?

She likely does actually have PTSD which is a qualifying condition. But I really, really, really doubt she actually got a diagnosis of that...

From what I understand, she admits to using illegally on the show and now she uses legally. Indica is great for severe anxiety. And pot and therapy are not mutually exclusive... psychiatrists often actually prescribe it. But I don't think she's getting any quality therapy except for her awkward filmed convos with Copy Machine Lady. I have no sympathy for those who willfully put others' lives at risk by driving under any influence, though. It's part of why I can't stand Nathan. It's extremely selfish.

And I find that pretty creepy! The age difference, not knowing each other, essentially being children, the other people involved, the vast irresponsibility, lack of education, no sex ed, likely drinking, incredible immaturity--generally that spells exactly what happened. Neglected kids and at least one failed marriage.

I would certainly hope you just *wouldn't* be tempted by an ex at all, especially if that ex was Leah. That boggles my mind too but they seem to have moved past it. Good for Miranda, I don't think I'd ever get over something that awful, engaged/married or not. Corey's reaction to Leah's working highlighted the toxicity of their "marriage." He was angry about the house and also about the fact that there "might be guys there." Which I understand was partially justified because of Leah's unfaithful history...but if you have to be that upset just to get through your spouse's part time day job (which again, I understand was at least partially/mostly caused by her cheating ways and not by a reticence to see his wife working), there's something majorly wrong and you just shouldn't be together. A relationship that's already at that point can't go anywhere. It was mostly Leah's fault, but the entire thing began with a fairly creepy one night stand in a truck and an unplanned pregnancy, so it's not like it was ever exactly going to be The Notebook. Good riddance, really.

These people throw out "everything" and "soulmate" like cheap candy.

Yes, for sure. I hope they do more activities when at his house. I only mentioned Corey because it was Jeff who posted that photo. I don't think they're any more misogynistic than their surroundings. They might even be a little better. Certainly Miranda is a better role model than Leah, that's inarguable. But their community itself is rife with misogyny in a way that many others aren't.

I agree with all that. To me, it's not Corey vs Leah for this particular issue. Their neck of the woods is sexist. It just is. Nothing to do with either. I'd be really surprised if Miranda expressed a interest in anything other than hubby/kids AND if Corey supported it. Would be shocking considering their extremely patriarchal upbringings.