Christina87

Exactly!!! Plus it seems that Chelsea’s sisters don’t have any problems working. However, we all know Chelsea’s attitude towards work. I would totally watch a special episode, set five years in the future, where she has to work. She’d be calling cole ten minutes in. “Coleyyyyy!!!!!!! I can’t find my pen! I set it down, and now it is gone. WHAT DO I DOOOOOOOOO?!”

I’m watching now, and I laughed when Jinger said, “I try to dress classy.” I kind of interpreted that as, “I try to dress how I think Jeremy will like.” Why would she say “I try?” Nothing wrong with her trying on different identities, like a college freshman, because she wasn’t allowed to do it before. I just hope she is being the person she wants, and not just desperately following jeremy, and doing what she thinks he wants.

That is just so horrible!!! How can they threaten to fire people for something beyond their control?! It makes me mad, because there are so many sensible, empathetic people in the world, and so few of them seem to be bosses. Why should it matter as long as the work is getting done? I really hope that one of you can stay home if you need to. I’m also dreading the financial crunch if I have to make that choice, but it might be worth it to buy food, gas, and not much else. And I would be saving on gas! Ughhhh. My biggest hope is that most of the kids at my school choose online, so very few come back in person. I also feel like you are in a no win position. It’s so sweet of your mother, but like you said, not fair to her if she gets sick. Hopefully she would be okay if the kids did online school, but I wouldn’t want to take a chance with my mother either! And I would also be enraged about the church thing. No easy answers for anyone right now. I feel like things were sooooo much simpler in 1918, when most families either lived on farms or had a stay at home parent (Sometimes two with rich couples!), and there was no question about online school. something I keep coming back to is my grandparents. I was researching NC school laws, and it wasn’t until 1942 that they added twelfth grade, and that they mandated the school be in session for SIX months! That means all four of my grandparents went through eleventh grade, for less than half the year each year, and turned out more educated than many kids today! 3/4 of them went to some kind of college, And one grandfather was a dentist, while the other was a pharmaceutical rep. They were very successful, intelligent people, despite attending one room schoolhouses, and later very small high schools, for way less time than kids today! I know it seems like kids are missing so much school, but it doesn’t when you consider how things were less than 100 years ago. People back in those days never would have considered sacrificing health and safety for school! I will say, though, that I feel like one of the little children forced to climb in to the machine in the early 1900’s factory for the almighty dollar, though!

Thank you, everyone! I love you guys! I’m just really faced with an impossible choice. I’m waiting to see what exactly the plan is from my school, but I know we will be required to do both in-person and online teaching. That makes no sense, as it’s twice the work! I am going to look into leave policies too. In the public schools, you can take a year’s leave and go back to your job. I’m not looking forward to the frugal lifestyle I’ll have to lead if I do that, but I might get lucky and find something else. I would probably lean towards taking the leave, though, if the school’s plan is ridiculous. However, I’m not sure charter schools have that option, and I really don’t want to let go of this job! I’d love to go back in a year when we can (I hope to god) have concerts and plays again, and the kids can move around, dance, sing, play instruments, and be happy! I’ll have to see what they offer. I also really feel for my coworker whose husband is in the final stages of dying from cancer. What decision is she going to make?! As you can imagine, she is completely torn. I feel like my school should close, since it’s in a high risk area, but I know they won’t. I’m going to try to take the next week to think about it without stressing, and then try to come to a decision. It makes me sad, because about this time last summer, I was so excited about going on interviews and choosing this job! I really don’t want to quit. Bad situation all around!

We’re going back! I’ve been crying for about an hour. I really think I could probably swing it to not work for a year if I was really frugal (my roommate said I could stay for free, and she adamantly is discouraging me from going back), but I was just out of work for a year, and that’s not exactly what I want to do again so soon! True, I might find something, but now is a really bad time to be job searching. Please pray for me if you are the praying type! I’m waiting to see what my school’s exact plan is, and how covid is in a couple weeks here. I want to be there more than anything, and I definitely don’t want to lose this job! I’m also going to look into any kind of leave of absence they may offer. I feel so conflicted. I can’t imagine not having this job anymore, but I also can’t imagine risking my health! I didn’t think I’d even consider leaving until this happened, but now it seems more real. Ugh. So conflicted!

My family went to the beach too! We went to cherry grove (near Myrtle for those who don’t know), and had a nice, relaxing time! We had a huge balcony where we were, and we only walked on the beach at night, when fewer people were there. We took all our pets and had an awesome time! I’m attaching some pics from my beach trip! 😍 Our governor makes the announcement at 3 pm. I am so nervous!!! I’m not sure I can watch. I might need to just read about it. I could only get these two to upload! LOL! But we had a great time with the pets!

I wanted to be a child actor too! My sister and I used to write scripts for our own TV shows and film them with my dad’s VHS camera, haha! It sounds like you have been having a pretty good time! It’s funny what you mean about extraverts, though. I would be lonely without my roommate, but as an introvert, I’m loving quarantine for the most part! I’ve been wanting social distancing my whole life lol! I think the sub issue will be huge! My school barely ever has subs, and we usually combine classes. We won’t be able to do that with social distancing! And our state has said they will “encourage teachers to use sick data.” What about the subs?! Most are retired teachers, and few will risk their lives at that age to sub.

Ugh. I so feel this.

This is what makes me really wonder how things would have gone if Jessa and Jeremy had married instead. Jessa seems to have doubled down on her family’s ways, and seems thrilled to be willfully ignorant. Would she have been that way with Jeremy? I could see several different possibilities. She might have ditched their lifestyle in half a second to look glamorous, and gotten a kick out of being pretentious and superior in exactly the way he is. However, I could also see her insisting that the Duggar way was right, and fighting like cats and dogs with Jeremy over a tater tot casserole vs. salmon and asparagus, or wanting to wear a stretched out t-shirt when Jeremy has a business suit picked out for her. It’s been an interesting social experiment to see the results of Jeremy having a totally blank slate wife. I wonder if Jessa would have been that way, or if she would have fought to remain her breed of ignorant. She seemed to realize what a joke her family was before marriage, and IMO has doubled down since counting on started to keep the show, but who knows?

Yes! It’s not going to be “normal” no matter what. My school says if we return, we can’t sing or play instruments. Online, we can at least sing! In the spring, our classes weren’t required. We were supposed to teach every day, but they were optional. I taught about composers, and also taught piano online! The kids pulled up digital pianos, and I could still teach them! We also had a class period each week where they could request songs, and we all danced. That was really fun! I didn’t see many kids since my class wasn’t required, but I built good relationships with the kids I did see. Also, they got a lot out of it, because the composers interested them. I’m glad we got to do that! As for this coming year, I’m totally not sure either way! If we’re in person, we can’t sing or play instruments. That doesn’t leave many options! I’m thinking about teaching drama and pop music history for the older ones, but I have no clue what to do with K-2! If we go online, we could sing, ironically. I just hope my class is required this time if we are online! I feel so lucky that my school is a STEAM school, so they can’t really advertise that they’re a STEAM school and then cut the arts! Bottom line, though, is that nothing will be normal. We won’t be able to have concerts or plays at all (which is my favorite thing!). The kids LOVE playing the instruments, and won’t be able to do that. The younger kids love moving around, and they’ll have to stay in their seats. It’s going to be a mess whatever happens. I can’t imagine how it will look either way, at least until we have more guidance and details!

@Scarlett45 thanks for asking! Online school was an adjustment, but things have been going pretty well. It’s hard not being able to really socialize, but I thankfully still do live with my roommate, and have really been enjoying her company! She has been working from home too, so I’m glad to not be alone! I’ve also been able to stay in really good shape and exercise outside a lot until about a month ago. Now, it is too hot, and gyms still aren’t open here. How have you been doing? It is so tough for single people! I haven’t really been getting anywhere with dating because of the pandemic, either. Definitely not the best time in the dating world! @Jenniferbug I hope your family can make the right decision too! I’m torn, because I feel so lucky to have this job. I quit my last job because I was being bullied by the principal, and didn’t find another teaching job for a year! It is tough to find something when you only have teaching on your resume, much less in this recession! Last year was my first year here, and it was busy (different grade level) but I loved it! I’m praying for some kind of miracle that lets me take a year of absence, like winning the lottery, lol! And there is still a chance that my state could make the right call. I just don’t want to give up this job because I really do love it! It’s a small school, and I finally know all the kids, too! I know I might have sounded harsh when I said I didn’t bring the kids into this world, but I didn’t, and my family is my first priority! As much as I care about the kids, I can’t imagine putting them above my dad, who had a heart attack in March. He’s also technically elderly, so as morbid as it is, I don’t want to give up a year with him when I have no guarantee that he will live a long life, especially in good health! Ugh. There are just no good options right now. I’m praying so hard that our governor makes the right call! I love those kids, but I can still love them online!

You couldn’t have said it better! I feel so much for parents who rely on the schools for childcare, but for me, where I draw the line is that I didn’t choose to bring those children into the world. Of course, the parents brought them into the world knowing that school attendance was compulsory. There are no easy answers, but I’m not sure why me risking my life is necessary. I’m so worried for my dad, too. Realistically, he doesn’t have THAT many years left, and I don’t want to miss a whole year with him. I hope that if schools start, they will shut down, and then I can see him after two weeks. I can’t imagine not going home for thanksgiving or Christmas, but that’s what I’ll have to do to keep him safe if we go back! And I have it easy compared to a lot of teachers. Imagine all the teachers whose high-risk parents live with them, or even teachers who have spouses my dad’s age, and in his condition! i feel like we are so fortunate in this day and age to be able to do school online, unlike with the Spanish flu. It may not be perfect, but it’s safe. As for the childcare piece, I wish I had a good answer. At least middle and high school kids could stay home alone, and even responsible 4th and 5th graders. It really has shown us a big weakness in our society. I can’t imagine having to make those decisions either! also, our ridiculous lawmakers decided to move our start date from August 31 to August 17. Why, exactly? Teachers have to go back August 3!!! Nobody can convince me that it will be safe for the entire staff to meet (and have a pep rally!) in August 3. Why in the world didn’t they move the start date back, maybe after Labor Day? There would be a chance of numbers improving by then.

I’m at a charter school for K-8, so sadly, that wouldn’t help me. If the governor doesn’t say we all have to do online, my school will definitely open! They’re headquartered in Florida, and keep sending, “rah rah sis boom BAH we’re gonna be open and it’ll be AWESOME!!!!!!!” emails to us. It’s so annoying! They will want to open with the least possible restrictions, and do next to nothing to keep us safe.

Their stans insist that it will! And then they’re like, “cole can go back to work, and randy can fund them!” Okaaaaay? What kind of job is cole going to get that supports a huge family in style, after this gap in his resume? And as someone with a dentist dad, let me tell you, he makes a good salary, but he cannot support a family of 5+ who loves luxuries along with his own family. Plus randy has so many children and grandchildren! The money needs to go a lot of ways.

Wow, 2020 really is sucking for everyone! I just got caught up. This “summer” has been terrible so far, because our governor keeps putting off the announcement on schools, and our cases are surging! I’m just terrified to go back. My asthma makes me high risk, and I don’t want to be as sick again as I was last year with the flu! Plus, my dad had a heart attack around when corona started, and I would potentially have to go the entire school year without seeing him. That is a LOT to ask for a job without very good pay, and no respect! Yet the parents are demanding we go back, saying that yes, some teachers will die, but the kids will get used to it after the first few deaths (seriously!). They’re also accusing us of being classist and thinking we’re special, since other occupations have been working. Well, we ARE special! None of those other professions are in a small room with hundreds of different people over the course of the week. Even 50% capacity doesn’t do anything to help specials teachers like me, because I will still see every kid every week! I am absolutely worried sick, because social distancing cannot be done in a school setting. The kindergarteners can’t even get the gist of sitting in a circle for a month or two! I just fail to see how these measures will keep people safe. My veterinarian won’t even let people come into the waiting room yet! Yet the state has admitted they won’t provide PPE, and will rely on “community donations.” Basically, that equals “teacher donations.” I’m going to pay to keep myself some measure of safe, and let’s not pretend that this won’t exacerbate inequality between rich and poor schools! yet some of my coworkers (like 5% of them) are on Facebook proclaiming, “I will gladly sacrifice my health for the children! Everything has to go back to normal!” Well, no, I’m sorry. One, it won’t be normal. Two, I am not willing to risk my health for other people’s children! I care about them, but I love my family. I don’t want to go a year without seeing my dad! I know parents have to work, and there’s not an easy answer. But bottom line, they brought these children into the world. I didn’t! I shouldn’t have to risk my life for them (and can you imagine how awful it will be when the kids are being super disrespectful, and teachers snap because they realize they are risking their lives to have this interaction?). My job is to educate them, which can be done remotely. I don’t know what the answer to the childcare question is, but I. Am. Scared. I literally have an anxiety attack every time I think about it too much!

So HER privacy is important, yet she’s willing to scam her fans and make them give up their privacy? She couldn’t even film wedding dress shopping, yet constantly films aubree being stood up by her dad, and now she’s scamming fans out of their own privacy? How do people like her? The wax figures are way more realistic! If anyone took a picture with Chelsea and claimed it was at Madame Tussaud’s, people would say it was poorly done! 😂😂😂

I reeeeeeally don’t get what look she is going for here! She looks grimy and dirty, and like she’s trying to dress like a rebellious teenager with prim, country club parents. I can’t imagine being a mother of three and walking around like that! I hope it doesn’t come across as elitist, because I’m far from glamorous with my Walmart look...no makeup, t-shirt, and messy (but still neat-ish) bun. But I still look clean and neat, albeit casual! She looks like someone coming home from camping for the first time, after a week out in the wilderness with no showers.

Hugs, @Scarlett45! Just know that I understand. It’s horrible to go through these things, but we are with you. ❤️❤️❤️

This reminds me of Stacy and Clinton: “color, texture, pattern, shine!” Oh, how I miss what not to wear! The Duggars would all be great candidates for it. I’d love to see them help Jinger discover her own true style (and they love blazers, so they could help her rock that professional look if she wanted it!). I would also love to see them help Jill embrace the direction she’s already going in. I think it would be a lost cause on the others, though. But I think Stacy and Clinton could be non-judgmental about their modesty standards, and help them still look nice within those standards.

If he had worded it like this, it would be profound! He’s just not smart enough to think of that. I’m 100% sure jeremy was the kid in English class who claimed to see symbolism / deeper meaning in texts where it wasn’t really there. He certainly was the insufferable asshole who always tried to correct the professor.

YES, Jeremy! Yes, we can comprehend it! This is one of those cut and dry things that shouldn’t be made into some sort of sermon, or “thoughtful” Instagram post. He’s literally saying that felicity is going to be a big sister in the first paragraph. That’s literally it. Yes, we can comprehend it. he is SO insufferable! He has to make everything he says sound so profound, but not everything is profound.

Ohhhhh, they were sooooo slick using those stock photos from 2-3 photo shoots. We definitely thought all those pictures were taken on the day they were posted, lol. They sure fooled us!

LOL that was actually on fb! They had an article about malls reopening, and some dummy actually made that comment. It was hilarious, because everyone replies, “how are you going to get sunshine and fresh air in the mall?! Nothing is stopping you from going on a walk outside right now!”

I agree! My state loosened restrictions on Friday, and cases in our county have gone WAY up this week. It’s ridiculous how hateful the “my rights!” crowd always is, too. They love to write things on Facebook like, “u can stay locked up inside but I ain’t stupid r we gonna stay inside 4 the flu n what about H1N1? R we gonna just hide from everything? No I ain’t got time to stay locked up u can if u r gonna let fear rule ur life u do u but don’t ruin it 4 the rest of us. How many people have 2 loose they’re jobs 2 make u feel safe? If a few people die who cares people die from the flu every year n probably more people died during wwii. I need sum sunshine n fresh air n I will go to the damn mall to get it! I ain’t wearin no mask either I could suffocate n die if u think a mask is helping u then u r dumb.”

That is so unfair! It boggles my mind how the #reopen people keep repeating, “if you’re so scared, stay home!” without thinking of the employees who will be forced to serve them if things open back up. I wish these loud complainers could staff all the businesses until things return to normal! Exactly! I just feel like they’ll have to close the dressing room. People touch clothing with their faces, and there’s no way it can be sanitized besides washing. Then, someone will get the virus, and blame the store for not doing everything they could to sanitize the place. It’s a lawsuit waiting to happen!