ChasUFarley

Will she be as good of a queen as ExWayDarryl? :D-->

WWTWISAY = What Would TWI (leadership) Say? What would TWI say about the Schiavo case that's so dominant (and rightly so) in the news today? This is such a bomb of medical/ethical/political issues... What do you think?

A slew of $hit-fitters A wallow of wanna-be's A fountian of fart-knockers A swallow of spit-flingers A ream of red-faced baboons A valet of vein-poppers

I'm so glad I didn't have kids when I was TWI... I can't imagine the "challenge" my 3 year old would be to leadership now... We'd be getting those talks ("Krista, could you please meet me in the family room after fellowship? And please bring Kristopher. Thank you.").... LOL! ============================================ Let's talk about leadership's kids... As with many things it seemed like leaderships' children had way more grace in situations than Joe-believer's kids did. It seemed like people felt sorry for them, in a way, because they were separated from their parents so much. On the other hand, I noted that a lot of the kids had a aire of entitlement about them - they expected to be treated different or better than the other kids. Did anyone else notice this? ================================== Another thing... Many of you mentioned how there was no longer a children's fellowship - how it was considered a "family fellowship".... In the early 90's LCM mandiated there would no longer be a Teen Stage or any of that at the ROA because teens were separating themselves off from their families and twigs for the week. He "suggested" (Way Math: Suggestion by MOG = Revelation = Just Do It!) that fellowships divided by age groups - i.e. children's fellowships - be elminated or reduced to just special meetings or whathaveyou... There was an "incident" at the last ROA where some teens got into some serious trouble by... let's just say... "sharing a tent"... (I'll leave it at that...) I'm now wondering if that incident - and perhaps others that happened - could have been better avoided if the teens were provided with more age-appropriate activities, rather than becoming their own "activity director"...

Here's the link to the trailer - awesome! http://movies.channel.aol.com/feature/starwars/trailer.adp

Lucas calls new 'Star Wars' a titanic tearjerker LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Director George Lucas had a message for fans as he previewed a glimpse of the final tale in the billion-dollar "Star Wars" film franchise: leave the lightsabers at home, but don't forget the tissues. "It's not like the first one. It's more emotional," said the director of the upcoming space adventure "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith," which arrives in theaters May 19. "I describe it as a 'Titanic' in space. It's a real tearjerker, and it will be received in a way that none of us can expect," he told theater owners at the ShoWest convention. ShoWest is a major gathering of movie theater owners in the United States and a launch pad for Hollywood's summer movies. Film studio 20th Century Fox teased a packed house here with the first six minutes of "Revenge of the Sith," marking the first time the scenes had been shown to audiences. Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) wage a furious fight against their adversaries in a battle of deadly spaceships. In this episode, Skywalker becomes the notorious Darth Vader. Lucas and the promotional clip did not divulge much about the "tearjerker" love story. But Senator Amidala (Natalie Portman), who married Skywalker in a secret ceremony witnessed in the last movie, plays a key role. If Lucas's comparison to "Titanic" is to be believed, there must be heartbreak in "Revenge of the Sith" because 1997's tale of the doomed ocean liner stirred audiences with its tale of an ill-fated affair between characters played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Love can work wonders with movie audiences. "Titanic" is the highest-grossing movie of all time with more than $1.8 billion in worldwide ticket sales. In the No. 2 spot is "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" with $1.1 billion. The "Star Wars" films are no box office losers, either, but there hasn't been much romance in them -- not yet, anyway. The adventures began with 1977's "Star Wars" and have sold nearly $3.4 billion worth of tickets at global box offices.

"Slick shoes! Slick shoes!" Goonies (??) (Sorry I can't bold this - I can only post via the quick reply window) Next: "Nobody puts Baby in the corner."

Raf - I had a thread like this started about a year ago. I'm sure some of the more qualified techies will chime in on this thread for you, but here's the link to the thread I started a year ago when I was looking for a new ride...: http://gscafe.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/7...52/m/7826053775 By the way - almost one year later and I'm still happy with my purchase and would recommend the HP to you, too.

Can we add a category to this? { } I'd post more often but life is too busy at the moment (work, family, etc.)

Belle - there were some women at the ROA - especially in the early 90's - who probably coulda used those urinals with no problem!

I left my husband in the fall of 97 - our divorce was final almost two years later. I stayed in TWI until January 2000 when I decided I had had enough. At first I felt like I had been through TWO divorces... My first husband was very controlling, suspicious and quick to "think evil" of me. I seldom got the benefit of the doubt in any situation where something wasn't black and white - i.e. if he caught me talking to another man - even at work (I worked retail mostly while we were together). The TWI leadership I expereinced in my area when I returned wasn't much better. There were some bright spots but overall they were very controlling, suspicious and quick to think evil of me. I was lost when I first left my husband. I had had hobbies and interests but they had all taken a back burner because we were so busy with the ministry and what was the profit of pursuing them? I was into reading novels, watercolor painting, sewing, music, etc. before I had gotten married or super involved with TWI. I spent a lot of time by myself getting into whatever I wanted for hobbies - it was FUN! It was also FUN to make decisions for myself. For once I wasn't asking someone if it was okay for me to take a new job or buy a new outfit - yippee! I'd go on daytrips - just get in my car and follow a road - I found some great corners of New England that way! I think it was in getting back in touch with those things that made me happy and getting my self-esteem from myself - not from my spouse - that made me see how controlling TWI really was and to consider leaving. After leaving TWI I wasn't really lost - the main thing I was missing was friends outside TWI. Not just people who had left and lived to tell about it but NON-X-TWI-ers. I'm the kind of person who doesn't have a lot of friends but the few friends I have will be friends for life. It didn't take me long to gain in that area of my life either. The most valuable thing I learned in all this is to not be afraid of failure. TWI taught us to point fingers the moment failure happened - (i.e. lack of planning, lack of believing, not enough abs, etc.) - rather than to just take ownership for something and MOVE ON! Sorry this is so long - but sweet sister Belle I think we've got a lot in common and I couldn't help but share what I've seen and where I've been... Hope it helps....

I have 2002 (10.0). Yes, I have a valid CD key for it, if that's the same as the registration key that I had to enter when I registered....

This is sort of for fun and sort of serious... Hubby's band has a benefit gig next weekend at - of all places - a nursing home! His band plays mostly oldies rock & pop, some top 40, some R&B, and a little country. Just jokingly we decided maybe they shouldn't play songs like "Knocking On Heaven's Door"... We also came up with some spoofs on some songs. Like "Taking Care of Business" got turned into "Taking Care of Bedpans"... So, this being the sick bunch it is here at the Cafe, I thought we could have some fun with this...

A dear friend of mine took a stab at it and what he came up with was very close. After I reviewed the pdf he sent me I was able to figure it out... - here's the thing... Since the document was letterhalf size it needed to have facing pages checked in the document set-up rather than have readers spreads selected. Then, in the printing options I checked off the option to center the page on the paper and to reduce the page by 90% so that it would fit on the paper since most printers won't print exactly to the edge of the paper - print area is usually about 0.25" (some more, some less) than the actual paper size. So it was several options that needed to happen to get the desired results... Thanks again for your help - I thought you might like to know what the outcome of my little mystery...

Thanks for all the answers - I can always rely on youse guys for help! So, the real question now is.... Anyone selling a copy of MS Office Professional?

Not me. Hubby 1.0 was in TWI when we met and had been M&A'ed the year before we divorced. We were married almost 7 years. I met Hubby 2.0 via Waydale in 2000. We married in August of the same year and had our second baby almost one month ago. Incidentally, Hubby was in TWI I - I was in TWI II.

Just think of all the nights I wouldn't have to get up with the baby if I could just buy that thing and fill it with milk... The kid would be 18 years old before it would be empty!

I'm so disappointed... I saw the words "Moving Topics" and reached for my box of Kleenex thinking it was going to be a thread that would rival an episode of Oprah.... Well... my mascara is still intact...

Bob - In that case they can just wish those numbers were a membership headcount! LOL!

Have things in TWI really changed? Personally, I left in 2000 by my own choice. I am in touch with some people who are in but am amazed at what they don't know about the ministry they are supporting. I'm wondering if it's on a regional or national level or just a state level.... So.... What were you told about Martind@le stepping down as president of TWI? What reason(s) were you given? What were you told about the lawsuit that Martindale was named in, along with the current board of trustees and a communications department operator from HQ? How was the outcome of the lawsuit explained to you? Was the fact that your ABS $money$ was used to pay for lawyers and eventually a settlement in the case explained?

Well, if the web site was manditory reading (since according to vaden it's not...) then we could have a headcount of the number of members here on this lovely graph that Bob was nice enough to post. (Good work!) I would also guess that some of the traffic is from us GSC members checking out their updates - I know there's been several threads about that. Vaden - about your subscriptions. Don't kid yourself. Your LC probably still gets a monthly report about who has current subscriptions - STS, Way Rag, etc. It wasn't eons ago when people were tagged about letting scripts lag - better be current on stuff than get called on the carpet, don't cha know. By the way, since you have no stress in your area do you mind sharing why it was that you were on spiritual probation or M&A'ed and then allowed to return? You don't have to answer if you don't want to - but as someone who did go through that junk, I'm curious about your outcome with it... p.s. Nice web site - beautiful photos!

Okay... you know I love irony... So, in 1999 LCM tells us all to stay off the internet... TWI gets a @&^%$* web site. NOW the TWI web site is "required reading"?!? ROTFLMAO! This is too rich.... God, I love that cult. At least now they're more entertaining than they were. (Next thing you know they're going to ask for you to ask permission to get a form to ask permission to come on grounds to visit the cemetary.... )

Ah... what about the damn dress codes for the meetings? I think I went weeks at a time (3 classes total in Rome City - 1 worked, 2 as a student) without wearing blue jeans. Blue jeans - the debbil's garmets! I wonder if it's because Levi's is out of San Fran-purple triangle/rainbow flag waving/full of fruit loops-cisco....?? Yes, room inspections were the norm. I know of a case where someone was SENT HOME because his room was too messy. I also know where someone was sent home because he had the nerve - THE UTTER BRASS BALLS - to question how LCM handled the worship manifestations in the opening session of one of the classes. I believe LCM called on one extra person to profit-sigh and after the class the guy went up to LCM with a copy of RTHST to reprove him. *GASP*! Needless to say the guy was out the door quicker than you can say "Egomaniac!" As far as Galen's experiene goes - here's my theory: There were pockets of goodness in TWI. I think that's still true today. I moved all over the place and even had some sweet fellowship in cities that had really nasty leaders - we just steered clear of the jerks and had ourselves a good time! Then there were other fellowships or branches or even limbs that were "snake pits"... My husband who was in TWI and left TWI before I got involved (1981-1988, I think...) had an overall good experience. He went WOW, didn't get as far as the advanced class, but doesn't have the horror stories I have. He says, "I left a church... YOU left a CULT!" He's still in touch with many of his old TWI friends. Most left with the POP - in droves. The TWI that you and I knew, Belle, had more snakes. The good-hearted people were either gone, going or too entangled to be "good" anymore... They were just in survival mode... Just my theory... for what it's worth...

If you do a 90 degree turn in 2 years - or 45 degrees every single year, then that means you have the potential of being back at the 45 degree mark after 5 years (360 degrees = 4 years). So if that's the case, then wouldn't you believe half of what you did when you were in TWI? You'd believe that God wasn't a trinity but 1.5 gods... The dead aren't alive - they're half dead.... There's no angels - just half-angels (one wing & a "c" shaped halo?)... You don't ABS 10+% - just 5+%... The MOG is just a half-MOG... (MOG = Man Of God)... Leadership is right just 50% of the time... You're only half a cult member... Speaking in Tongues is almost perfect prayer... You only have to be half debt free (the top half? or the bottom half?) You only have to finish class sessions 1-6... Logical? Not really. So how can you say measuring one's beliefs is logical? As Belle said, life isn't that black & white. If you think it is then I hope you're comfortable in your closely measured and calculated little world. As for me, I'd rather glean that which is or was good and move on with life. For me, that means never getting caught up in another bottom-feeding organization like TWI turned out to be. Pity. Such a waste.

Mark -- I able to successfully turn the file into a PDF - but for whatever reasons I can't get it to show up as reader's spreads. That's the real problem. The sick thing is that I've done this before and gotten it in the format that I needed. However, I think that whatever part of my brain that memory was a part of was attached to the baby... In short, I've lost it! BTW - This is version 6.5, and I have the book as well. I'm sure there's just some little step I'm forgetting to do - it's frustrating! (This is going to be one of those V8 moments - you know, when you slap your forehead in disgust because the solution was right infront of you...) The document is in letter-half - 5.5 x 8.5 tall. Double sided, facing pages. It's 105 pages long but should be about 53 pages as a PDF - if done correctly. I've downloaded the Adobe Post Script driver and installed it. I've made sure that this is selected for the export of the document to PDF.... as well as reader's spreads... AAAARRRRRRRRRRRgggggggggghhhhhhhhhh!