Disqus - Latest Comments for Laaur

Re: Off Brand

Laaur — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 07:43:44 -0000

I am not even a mother (yet), and I cried reading this. Sarah, your writing is just incredible. And I know you write and speak and preach because you want to and because doing so is a gift to yourself, but just so you know : it is also a gift to so many others. You came to my town and preached when you were pregnant with Maggie, and you and I spoke briefly in a café afterwards and I still think about that little conversation and how it made me feel safe & alive. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with the world.

Re: The Sanitized Stories We Tell

Laaur — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 14:15:21 -0000

Oh, Sarah. Thank you so much for writing this. I have never had a baby, but I have other traumas in my past and I definitely have that same affliction of self-deprecation and jokiness no matter how dark the story. I feel it also dovetails with how people don't KNOW how to respond to a sad or dark story, and it makes us all uncomfortable -- but people know how to laugh. Sometimes I'll even begin a story honestly, but end it with a jokey comment, just because I don't know how else to end it.

Re: When you feel a bit selfish for pursuing your calling

Laaur — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 12:07:43 -0000

You have no idea how timely this post was for me. In fact, I'm going to have my husband print it out when he goes to work tomorrow so I can read it more thoroughly and save it. I just (literally just, like three hours ago) started a 'grown up blog.' Like, I am paying a (n admittedly small amount) of money to have my own domain name, no-really-I'm-an-adult, BLOG. Because I haven't been able to stop thinking about it for six months. Because I want a place to write and share my love of poetry and baking. Because I need the skills for my slightly-crazy career aspirations (social media/psychology researcher...if I can make it happen). And it has taken me this long from first-had-the-idea to launch because I DO feel selfish, and sort of...silly and frivolous. Like, who am I to think anyone wants to read my thoughts? But this came at the perfect time and is so beautiful. Thank you. (And even though I feel 900 kinds of awkward doing this because of all of the above, I am going to share a link to my AHHH NEW blog here anyway. Erp. www.herownwoman.net)

Re: This is the point where you wish you could quit :: on climbing mountains and metaphors

Laaur — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 15:23:27 -0000

Awesome job, Sarah. And awesome post. I love the bit about doing your praying with feet, muscles, and hands.

Re: Ask Away

Laaur — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 13:45:09 -0000

What advice might you give to a young writer? :) I am planning to start a blog this fall and have been doing planning work since early spring, but I still have a lot of fear that the personal essays I write won't be as honest, true, or well-written as I want them to be! How do you write with courage instead of fear? (Also, thank you for mentioning Elizabeth Gilbert's podcast Magic Lessons, I've been listening to it!)

Re: A Suggestion

Laaur — Fri, 29 May 2015 09:23:48 -0000

For almost 7 months I maintained a practice of reading a poem per day. I was working through an anthology called The 20th Century in Poetry. My late father and I read poetry together and it brings me back to him. I lost my habit as my wedding neared and my days got crazier, but I will try to pick it up again. Thank you. :) Have you read any Karen Finneyfrock? In particular, What Lot's Wife Would Have Said: http://eating-poetry.tumblr...

Re: What I’m Into (Spring 2015)

Laaur — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:06:40 -0000

I'm finally reading The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown and it is a book that makes me cry about 2x a page, and also makes me go find my husband and read a paragraph aloud about every ten minutes. So important.

Re: What I’m Into (Spring 2015)

Laaur — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:05:29 -0000

Kim Possible is the BOMB. I highly recommend it.

Re: Lace Curtains

Laaur — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 20:22:51 -0000

I mean, to clarify: wow. This was one bit of writing of yours in particular when I thought (felt!), "she is an artist."

Re: Lace Curtains

Laaur — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 20:22:18 -0000

Wow.

Re: You Voted. Now Find Out Who Won the APW + Squarespace Scholarship!

Laaur — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 16:32:50 -0000

YAY I am so excited! I grew up with Sophie and haven't stopped following the APW blog even though my wedding was like 3 months ago, and I was surprised to see her show up on here! Slowly saving up my grad student pennies for earrings. :)

Re: Sunday Superlatives 1/18/15

Laaur — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 18:43:02 -0000

That photo/video is incredible! It actually hurt my eyes to look at, it was so busy. I just read this blog post and it really resonated with me: http://bellejar.ca/2014/03/...

Re: Melinda Gates on the importance of access to contraception worldwide

Laaur — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 10:37:22 -0000

I've worked with the issue of domestic violence in the United States, and there are many women who seek contraceptive methods that they can use without the knowledge of their boyfriends/husbands. Those women know better than I do what their best bet is for safety. Because I trust them, I recognize that sometimes contraceptives are the best solution at a given time. Of course I'd love to magically rescue the people I work with who are in situations involving domestic violence, but DV isn't that simple. One of the most dangerous times for a woman in a DV situation is when she tries to leave. Another very dangerous time is during pregnancy. Creating access to private contraceptives is a way of supporting women in DV situations that is necessary all over the world. The reason that Ms.Gates is discussing/working on this issue in Africa is that, as stated above, that continent has a greater need than the US, due to the relative availability of BC here in the US. (Some info about pregnancy and DV: https://www.uua.org/documen...

Re: On Forgiveness and Abuse

Laaur — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 19:46:34 -0000

My thoughts went sort of far after reading this. If you're interested, RHE, they can be found here: http://lauraloulabelle.tumb...

Re: On being ‘divisive’….

Laaur — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 22:27:15 -0000

Fellow queer person who loves QUILTBAG as an acronym. :) Fuzzy, pronouncable, and came out of the community itself.

Re: I don’t always tell you

Laaur — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 17:15:12 -0000

More thoughts. I have been struggling a lot lately, with my religious beliefs but also with like everything else in my life, depression, constant weeping...etc. I recently was able to spend some time with a friend who is sort of a mentor to me in some ways, and you know what? She prayed for us. And I didn't feel an amazing earth shifting PRESENCE OF GOD come down and hold me, but I did feel a lot of love from that friend, and I felt encouraged to pray even if it feels like I'm praying into darkness. I don't know. Maybe that's way more of "religion" than I realized -- praying into darkness.

Re: I don’t always tell you

Laaur — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 17:12:37 -0000

Rachel, as someone whose religious identity is a source of debate (Christo-Pagan? What's that?) and whose sexuality is under fire ("bisexuality isn't real! pick a team!")...I feel you, so much. I hurt a lot but I also have found such growth and love in religion and in people of faith. I didn't grow up religious and chose to enter this nutty world as an adult and despite all its pains, I have found so much good. It is really hard. It must be even harder when you're under the spotlight. Hang in there and take time to look at the blue sky, breathe, read non-religious books (gasp) -- whatever you need. And in a pinch there's always 2-minute meditations (this is my favorite thing for when stressed by grad school or work -- calm.com. Seriously.).

Edited because what is grammar?

Re: We need feminism…

Laaur — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 08:20:43 -0000

This is my experience too! Women's studies major, I work in feminist organizations and spaces...I have not known these feminists who supposedly exist.

Re: We need feminism…

Laaur — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 08:20:01 -0000

Wow, that makes me sad about Jessica Valenti. I've read at least three of her books and follow her online and have never seen her make such an argument, so if you have a source I'd love to see it. I find her feminism to be very white and second wave-y, but generally I admire her.

Re: “Why I Use Birth Control”: 10 Women Speak Up

Laaur — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 15:05:05 -0000

Out of curiosity, do you support the choice to use Western medicine to treat illnesses? Some people of some faiths do not. For example, some Christian Scientists do not support the use of chemotherapy for cancer patients. If a Christian Scientist family owned a business, do you think it would be acceptable for them to refuse to supply payment for chemotherapy for their employee or a dependent of their employee?

Re: “Why I Use Birth Control”: 10 Women Speak Up

Laaur — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 15:00:08 -0000

I would really encourage you to speak up or find a different place of employment if at all possible. That's really immoral and upsetting, and confirms many of the negative views I have of crisis pregnancy centers.

Re: “Why I Use Birth Control”: 10 Women Speak Up

Laaur — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 12:58:37 -0000

So I'm 24 and engaged and I am no longer using any birth control aside from condoms. I started using birth control (the pill) when I was 18. I was in my first relationship with a male partner. Although I had had sex previously, it was always with other girls/women, so pregnancy had clearly not been a concern. When I realized how serious my relationship with this young man was, I thought I might as well begin the pill. Thanks to comprehensive sex education at my liberal high school, I knew that it took some time for a woman's body to adjust to the pill, and sometimes tweaking with different prescriptions, so I started early. Around 5 months later, at the age of 19, I became sexually active with my loving boyfriend. He and I had a relationship for three years. At one point we had no sex for eight months because I was struggling with my history of sexual assault. Throughout the relationship, I was on the Pill to prevent pregnancy. We were extremely cautious, and I once took the morning after pill when a condom slipped off, even though I was on regular BC. After we broke up, I stopped taking the Pill because I wanted to experience my menstrual cycle without medical intervention as sort of a spiritual thing. Now I live with my fiancé, who is a different person from my first boyfriend. When he and I first became sexually active, I didn't want to go on the pill because I was on other medications and interactions could have been complicated. We use condoms and I have once taken the morning-after pill when we thought there MAY have been slippage (again: very cautious). But yeah, I became a Christian last year. I still am a Christian. I have sex out of wedlock. I have had sex with multiple partners of both genders. I am a good person with loving, healthy relationships, and I sometimes use birth control. I love Jesus and spend a lot of time in prayer and reading the Bible. And I'm a feminist, to boot! :)

Re: “Why I Use Birth Control”: 10 Women Speak Up

Laaur — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 12:01:03 -0000

To be honest, I find this really frustrating and disappointing. Most women who are on birth control are on bc because they are having sex and don't want to be pregnant. Not because they are waiting to have kids with their husband until later, or because they already have enough kids. Because they have sex for fun with multiple partners and don't want to get pregnant. And that is okay, and thinking of those women as sinful and slutty is not okay. This comic really brings it home for me: http://www.upworthy.com/a-w... I will post my story in a bit.

Re: Jesus Jukes and Why We Need To Know Where You Stand (by Ben Moberg)

Laaur — Sat, 12 Jul 2014 22:32:20 -0000

I agree with you about Jen Hatmaker's post. And I'm queer and can't really accept anything less than someone saying that homosexuality is not a sin as any kind of loving viewpoint. Nor am I willing to let such people very far into my life. It is too hurtful and people fail to understand that. This is just a little video but I think it does a good job of showing how words hurt in this case. https://www.youtube.com/wat...

Re: 5 Ways Progressive Mainline Churches Can Welcome Disenfranchised Evangelicals

Laaur — Tue, 08 Jul 2014 21:02:52 -0000

On the website for the church I now attend, there was a link to their Facebook account and I loved it. I remember looking at the Facebook page and seeing posts from various members about service projects and browsing through the photo album of the annual "hanging of the greens" Christmas event. Through looking at peoples' casual cell phone pics, posts, etc. I got a real feel for the congregation. Yay social media!