25 responses so far ↓

• 1 nee // Jan 31, 2007 at 11:15 am

  I had a rectal exam today.

  ’nuff said.

  Hey, you asked.

• 2 John // Jan 31, 2007 at 4:35 pm

  Nee, was your exam in response to this challenge?
  I sent out emails to a couple of public personae I’ve been wanting to talk to for over a year now. Perhaps there will be more later.

  I may also knit in public (I usually balk at this), but won’t have the opportunity for a day or two.

• 3 nee // Jan 31, 2007 at 6:48 pm

  I knitted in public today, too. That was just before the exam, which was not in public.

• 4 John // Jan 31, 2007 at 11:12 pm

  Tonight I will have nightmares about public rectal examines. Chevy Chase will play some role in them.

  Some more details on my challenge response: I emailed Hugo Schwyzer and the pastor of the Irvine United Congregational Church to set up chats/interviews with them about gender studies and religion. Hugo replied positively already; still waiting for the Reverend.

• 5 Bored in Vernal // Feb 1, 2007 at 6:12 am

  Cool, John–why don’t you do a podcast?

• 6 Bored in Vernal // Feb 1, 2007 at 6:12 am

  (NOT of the rectal exam!)

• 7 Elise // Feb 1, 2007 at 8:52 am

  I have something two things planned in response to this challenge. I should finish them both by Sunday, so I will return and report!

  John, at first I had no idea what I should do to get outside of my comfort zone. I was just thinking about two different things I’ve been procrastinating doing this morning, because they both scare me a little, and then I thought WAIT a second, those would be perfect to accomplish in response to John’s challenge! We’ll see if I can work up the courage by the end of the week.

• 8 Miko // Feb 1, 2007 at 5:26 pm

  I took a practice test today…does that count? It is outside my comfort zone, but I had to do it, so I didn’t choose to do it :-p

• 9 pilgrimgirl // Feb 1, 2007 at 6:13 pm

  I wrote a note to a colleague to set up a meeting. Not to give too many details, this was not a comfy thing for me. Unfortunately the meeting didn’t happen when I had wanted it to (this afternoon), but I’m still hopeful it may happen in the near future.

• 10 nee // Feb 1, 2007 at 9:26 pm

  And what’s with this ‘return and report’ stuff? Thanks for getting temple rituals stuck in my head.

• 11 Miko // Feb 1, 2007 at 9:37 pm

  wow, okay, that makes me curious about what happens in Mormon temples…Catholics just get a go-now-in-peace-to-love-and-serve-the-Lord. Maybe we should have been made to report back!

• 12 John // Feb 1, 2007 at 11:17 pm

  It seemed the most appropriate thing to say. Miko, I’ll explain more–maybe this weekend.

  Plus I can get revenge for nee’s putting sentimental Michael Mclean lyrics into my head.

• 13 Bored in Vernal // Feb 2, 2007 at 7:34 am

  Oh, great, now we are all singing, “You’re nooooooooooot alone” in our heads.

• 14 nee // Feb 2, 2007 at 9:35 pm

  “Maybe we should have been made to report back!”

  Miko - isn’t that what the confessional booth is for?

• 15 nee // Feb 2, 2007 at 9:45 pm

  John, I had paranoia instilled into me when talking with a friend who flipped out on me when, in conversation about creation, I once said “matter unorganized”. Some (most?) members take the covenenant about what not to reveal to the furthest conclusions. As a result, I felt bad at times just thinking about the temple words while I was sitting around the house in my jammies. And there was the time I momentarily feared being smote when my ex was about to leave to get some fast food. I asked if he had any money. He paused and said he had sufficient for his needs and then busted out laughing! I nearly crouched in fear of the impending lightning bolt I was sure was coming. My ex said he was sure God had a sense of humor.

• 16 Miko // Feb 3, 2007 at 3:41 pm

  nee: I guess…I always had the feeling that the confessional wasn’t really for confessing but rather to make you feel better about sinning…Tom Lehrer said it best: “Get into that small confessional/There the guy who’s got religion’ll/Tell you if your sin’s original/If it is, try playin’ it safer…”

• 17 John White // Feb 4, 2007 at 3:08 am

  *sigh*

  I agreed to go dancing. I’m terrified.

• 18 pilgrimgirl // Feb 4, 2007 at 8:45 am

  Oh my, I’m scared for you, too, JohnW.

• 19 John White // Feb 11, 2007 at 8:58 am

  Ok, I put my dancing shoes on. Lots of fun.
  http://john-with-an-h.blogspot.com/2007/02/hightop-and-abc.html

• 20 Elise // Feb 12, 2007 at 12:22 pm

  Admitting that I am totally lame for procrastinating Wednesday Challenge #1 for so long, I am going to reply anyway:

  I had two things I wanted to do and did one this weekend. We had someone from the local church stop by, drop off cookies, invite us to church, etc. and I was general and vague and uncommitting. I’m afraid of confrontaion and of offending LDS members and find it easier to play the role of a non-interested, inactive, non-church-goer-in-general. So yesterday I called her back and, instead of being vague, I was politely honest and explained to her who we are and that we have not simply slipped into inactivity, but specifically choose non-attendance and distance from the LDS church.

  She was kind, polite, friendly, and actually thanked me for being honest rather than dodging questions and pretending to be something I’m not. She asked me if I was bitter or if I would prefer zero contact, and I responded no to both but also clarified that I wasn’t interested in attending Sunday services or local events. I was surprised at how warmly she accepted my explanations and how comfortable the conversation was. We talked for about 15 minutes. I was glad that I told her the truth instead of just ignoring her attempts to be friendly.

• 21 Miko // Feb 12, 2007 at 4:55 pm

  Wow, good for you, Elise!

• 22 John White // Feb 12, 2007 at 11:09 pm

  Way to go, Elise!

• 23 John // Feb 12, 2007 at 11:57 pm

  Elise, I’m glad that you had the courage to respond (and I’m glad that they responded civilly). You set a great example.

• 24 Miko // Feb 13, 2007 at 9:23 pm

  It’s late, but this weekend I’m going golfing. I think that definitely qualifies as “outside of [my] comfort zone”. Details to follow.

• 25 Miko // Feb 21, 2007 at 8:55 am

  well, I did it. I went golfing. I even wore capris while doing it *shudder*.

  [shifty look] I enjoyed the golf, tho…[/shifty look] I still don’t think it’s a sport but I could agree that it’s a game and one that can be fun

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