I don't live a high style life, far from it. However, I have had the good fortune to experience some of life's little pleasures. A great music, or theatre performance, a Christmas cocktail party, dinner at a great restaurant. Rare but memorable occasions for me.

We were once invited to go see the Radio City Rockettes Christmas show. Complete with limousine. We had some extra tickets.We asked several different mormon couples. They all acted like we were inviting them to a strip club. They have no idea what they missed.

I've been to and hosted several Christmas High Teas. They are fun and beautiful parties that can really put you in the Christmas spirit. I had one for my book club. I served several different kinds of herbal teas. The food was beautiful and fabulous. Not one single mormon lady showed up.

My husband occasionally gets free tickets to baseball games. He asked several father son pairs at church to go with him. They all turned it down. He was stunned. The reason they declined? Because alcohol is served at the games, and the fathers didn't want their sons to see that. Wow.

They are so fearful of the outside world, they miss out on so much. They never know a good glass of wine with dinner, a rare old scotch, a hot yummy latte, a beautiful cup of tea.

They miss out on great theatre, art, and many forms of entertainment and dance.

To me they seem culturally backward when it comes to the arts and etiquette of enjoying some of the fine and not so common things of life. A lot of unnecessary deprivation.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/2012 04:40PM by Mia.

As I looked around at handbags at RS ... I noticed they don't seem to miss out on ALL the "finer" things in life

sooo many pricey names on those bags made me gag

also, when I took the opportunity to get some clothing from the clothing bank .... I really appreciated some of those ladies' taste in fine clothing... I selected the best

bad mindlight
can dress the part .... smoke and mirrors...smoke and mirrors

lol



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/2012 04:47PM by mindlight.

Hmmm. maybe it's where I live.

The women here dress like bag ladies. I swear some of them have worn the same 'church dress' for 20 years. I've never lived in Utah, and I've usually lived outside of major cities. Maybe if I lived right in the city I would see it differently.

For me, the "finer" things in life have more to do with experiences and aesthetic choices, not conspicuous consumption. That's just my take.

I attend a well to do ward in CA. The women are very nicely dressed, no denim jumpers, no t-shirts, everything up to date and fashionable.

I'm not sure, the stilettos and handbags might be knockoffs, but the women for the most part look great.

Oh yes, here in Spokane, I found the nicest name brand things. Some even had the price tag still attached. Of course they were mainly black, but that suits me fine.

I kind of got the feeling as the ladies came in to donate... it was at the local church for drop off.... that the women got some degree of pleasure out of donating especially nice items.

The lady doing the intake of clothes would look in the bags and thank the ladies... with extra comments like " Oh a Coldwater Creek" and such.
I pretty much ignored that.... I thought it was awesome to have a chance to pick up some nice pieces.

They helped me try things on, which I thought weird, but Oh well.

I am still appreciative of the clothing



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/2012 04:56PM by mindlight.

I agree with your observations. Can't tell you how many great powder days I missed while at church on a Sunday. Enjoying a beer, coffee or glass of wine in any number of social settings. Being Mormon isn't so much a badge of courage but unnecessary deprivation of some of life's little pleasures.

They deprive themselves for crazy reasons. All in the name of looking more righteous. It makes no sense.

A small town I once lived in was very into Christmas. Groups of us would go caroling from house to house. It was very common to be invited in for hot buttered rum, or hot chocolate. Mormons wouldn't go caroling for fear of being offered a drink. Just too much for me.

It's not so much about how they dress or what they own, it's about life experiences missed. Not going out to dinner with the boss and his wife because they have a glass of wine with dinner. Dumb!

They act like being in the same room with a glass of wine is going to send them straight to hell.

I'm a film snob, of sorts, and I find it highly amusing that "Napolean Dynamite" is sole mormon contribution to cinema (I don't count movies that only mormons watch). Needless to say, I hate that movie.

Also, trying to get my mormon friends to watch an artsy movie is like trying to get them to renounce JS. There are a few exceptions to this rule, but generally it holds.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/2012 09:04PM by archytas.

Oh so true!
I have some relatives who watch napoleon dynamite over and over. They think its the best movie ever made.

I tried to get them to watch "Chocolat". They were appalled I'd watch something like that. I left it in their movie collection. I'm pretty sure my niece watched it later.

Oh ya, Chocolat is a great movie for exmos!

I am far from wealthy, though I am comfortable. I am lucky in the sense that I have friends and family who have spent a lot of money on me: sports events, fine food, top of the line barley beverages, even money to play Black Jack with.

Any dad who won't take his kid to a ball game because there is aclohol there needs to have his own head shoved up his poop shute.

On a side not I love Napolean Dynamite.

Totally cool. My point wasn't to knock fans.

I just find it telling that nothing really edgy or groundbreaking ever seems to come out of Mollywood.

They put their foot down at Santa Croce. I had already been in Santa Croce, it is the resting place for some of the Renaissance's most famous authors, artists, and scientists, definitely something you don't want to miss.

The hang up, it was Sunday and they didn't want to spend money.

To MORmONS their BS LDS dance festival, BYU Valhalla Dancers, MORmON tabernacle choir is the absolute apex of culture and refinement. MORmONS can not comprehend that anything else could be better. which leads to an interesting question: how come they play pop music at their dances? why dont they just play Mo Tab even at Church dances?

I took my wife to Phantom of the Opera a many years ago. On a Sunday, no less.

After the performance we went out for ice cream and, on a whim, ended up getting a hotel downtown (this was before we had kids) and called in sick to work the next day. It was wonderful.

When we mentioned the play to our LDS friends later on in the week they were concerned with two issues: 1- We went on a Sunday. 2- The main character wears a mask and masks allow people to hide behind them.

Amazing.

yeah, that could be satan behind that mask.

My dear Dad, EQP, HP, HC loved to go to Vegas and take in the midnight stage shows (with my dear MOM wardRS Pres.)with all the topless dancers, etc. he also like to play the slots, as did she. They didn't drink, didn't smoke, were honest and true and never saw any harm whatsoever in enjoying a little recreation in Sin City....

This is such a true observation. It must spring somewhat from the tribal mentality and the need to have everything organized too - maybe if the Young Adults all went together to a play then it would be okay, provided they planned it ahead a month before and assigned who would drive etc.

But just to spontaneously take in a bit of culture on an afternoon? Crazy.