Literata

James is quite simply the best Duggar ever.

While I agree it's inappropriate to speculate on the sexual orientation of minor children, statistics tell us two of the kids could very well be gay ... and my heart breaks for those kids. My only hope here is that Amy, who probably has a gay friend or two, will be someone they can go to for kindness and understanding, and that eventually, they can learn to live on their own in the world, without the need for their family's approval. Seriously, can you imagine how hard life is going to be for any child who comes out as gay in the Duggar family?

It did!

I'm so confused by the fact that Jill and Derick are married in real life, but not on the show ... I found myself thinking, "They're married; why would they need a chaperone?" :)

I was downloading some NPR shows and other heathen podcasts this weekend, and I decided to see what iTunes had available in the Duggar realm. I found two episodes of Josh appearing on some fundie radio show, and he actually wasn't as smug as he comes across on the show, although the show was, IMO, obnoxious. The high points: 1. He's sometimes overwhelmed by the needs of his kids. 2. He and Anna argue, mostly over responsibilities having to do with the kids, but make sure not to go to bed angry. 3. Although he gave the standard party line about Boob and J'Chelle being wonderful parents, he conceded that when he was growing up, he and his siblings didn't always get along, but that his parents weren't into tattling (big surprise, as refereeing sometimes requires effort) and urged them to work it out. 4. Re: courtship, he said something interesting about the fact that it's common for courting couples to "slip" and do more physically than they had "purposed" to, but then it's critical to "pray and get back on track." 5. When he was 15, he briefly questioned the values with which he had been raised. (My guess: That's when he was sent to the Alert Academy.)

Judging from his blog, he seems to think Boob is somewhat of a giant dick.

My guess is that she took her religious conversion to the "nth" degree. I've always speculated that she's the one driving the Gothard bus, and Boob goes along with all of it because he's still shocked that she likes him.

"Purpose" used as a verb Beds with no sheets on them Female howlers with uncombed hair Generic-brand anything

Thanks! Agreed. I think Jana looks a LOT like her Aunt Deanna; we saw some old photos in one episode, and Deanna was lovely. In the looks department, Josh remains the wildcard for me. No idea who he looks like. He doesn't have the standard Duggar look.

Yes! That's Jana. Scroll about halfway down.

Apparently a bunch of the Duggar and Bates girls went, according to some stuff I found on other boards, so Jana wasn't being punished, apparently ... but she did go more than once. She's on his freaking TUMBLR! Boob and J'Chelle would come unglued.

Sorry, I am still shipping the fact that Jana is on Frank Sun's Tumblr. If only there could be something happening there...

Sorry -- here you go. http://www.whenifeel.com/archive

Holy tater-tot casserole. Check this out: Frank Sun's Tumblr. And there's Jana, looking rather breathtaking. http://www.whenifeel.com/

Speaking of Michael, I've always been surprised that that's her actual name. Naming a female baby a traditionally male name seems as if it would be something Gothard would frown upon.

I wonder if they're allowed some fashion leeway when they're courting/engaged. I can see Boob questioning a fashion choice, but if Jessa replied, "This is how Bin likes me to dress," he'd have to back down, right? I remember J'Chelle having mentioned that all the girls chose to wear their hair long and bizarre because "Daddy likes it that way."

Love this.

Stopped by the Bateses' website to see what's new and exciting. Not much, but I took another look at the family photo; I wonder if a Bates has to be engaged to get his/her significant other some photo time. If so, Michael appears to possibly be engaged. On another note: That is a seriously good-looking family. Some of the Duggars are attractive, but IMO, all the Bateses are cute. http://thebatesfamily.com/

I hate that episode, too. IIRC, J'Chelle and Boob were very careful to talk about the fact that his death really wasn't going to be that sad, as he was going to get to be with Jesus. When they lost the baby and J'chelle was so bereft, I thought back to this episode and disliked her even more.

Mine as well. I can totally (totally!) see her in a traditional high-school setting, playing on the softball team and running for student council.

My hair was long and outdated for years; I was holding on to an '80s style I felt was flattering for me. After MUCH cajoling, my daughter, who was about 20 at the time, finally persuaded me to update my look, and it was the smartest thing I could have done. I know the girls tried to get J'Chelle to flatten out her mess of hair, and straighten it ... IIRC, it looked really nice. It's a pity she didn't continue to listen.

Totally agree. But the saddest thing, to me, is that the kids are not allowed to even explore what their potential MIGHT be. Some of them may be intelligent; who knows? I don't think Jill is stupid by any means; she simply suffers from a lack of exposure to ANYTHING. Josiah, to me, seems like a smart kid. Maybe Derick will become less enamored with the Duggar way of life as time goes on, and maybe he and Jill will become a bit more lenient; as others have noted here many times; it's possible to be a conservative Christian and NOT be nuts. I don't operate under any illusions that Derick's family voted for Obama, but his mom does wear pants and have a job; it would be so, so wonderful if some of her mainstream ways rubbed off on her daughter-in-law.

Every mention of "sweet" rankles me to no end. If anyone creates a Duggar drinking game, "sweet" has to be in there.

Sorry to be dense; who are the Hartanos?

Agree with all of this. Unfortunately, though, the die has been cast, and Jessa and Ben WILL marry -- guaranteed. I think J'Chelle and her sisters are coaching her to be "sweeter" to Ben, but ITA -- she's not that into him (and has anyone else noticed, seriously, that his head is too small for his body?). My prediction: This will be, a few years down the road, an unhappy union ... but I'm not sure the Duggar kids understand the concepts of being compatible and happy, so maybe they'll simply accept being unhappy, pray about it, and put on a happy face. (We're already seeing Jana do that, right?)