Officially Banned

Most of you who still visit this site are probably wondering why I decided to now tell my “I” story. As I’ve said in previous posts, I started my research on Mary Kay (if you want to call it that) around March of 2006. My son’s gf had signed up and I wanted to give her information. I started my search with Mksurvivors and PC’s blog, followed by Pinklighhouse and Pinktruth. Along the way, other blogs came along, giving a picture of the pro-mk side of the story.The past few weeks I’ve spent alot of time surfing the net and visiting blogs I do find intersesting. NOTE: I have not commented nor provided information to these sites (as ammunition).The title of my blog is “from my observation”, meaning that the opinions here are mine. I do not form an opinion because someone tells me to or because that’s how the majority feels. That being said, the following is an open letter to Tracy Coenen, aka “Pinktruth”:Tracy: As you know, I have been a member (mostly inactive) of Pinktruth from the beginning. Imagine my surprise when I clicked to visit your discussion board this past thursday and found the following message:

pinktruthban1.pdf 

I immediately sent off an email to you questioning this. I guess I’m not worthy of an answer because you never replied back. You may have a mole in your henhouse but it’s not me. It seems you have ticked some people off pretty bad if what has been said about you is true. Here is one thing I do know to be true, I’ve been around for the past year and a half. During that time, I’ve been involved with a few of the same blogs as you. While you were active, there seemed to be a lot of tension and behind the scenes BS (look at the problems with LR and LJ,). When you left, those problems went away. You’ve treated every other site providing information as insignificant.Remember when Melissa started her new blog. How upset you were, telling everyone not to visit. Were you afraid of losing traffic or that people would find out what you were doing behind the scenes? Exactly what is the reason or need to investigate or do background checks on your posters anyway?

Actually, I’m glad you banned me, I’ve wasted too much of my time visiting there. Unlike you, I actually do have a life, real friends and family and don’t need to control them.

Maggie

MY “I” STORY

I have been promising this story for a long time and today I feel it is my time to tell it. There are some things I don’t remember as this happen in 1988. Here is my experience with Mary Kay, my “I” story:I received a phone call one day from a relative asking if she could come over and give me a facial. After the facial, as we were talking about her new venture, she invited me to a VIP night later that week and another one the following Saturday morning. I had nothing to do so I said Ok.The VIP event had some guest NSD but I don’t remember her name. Looking back, it was a rah rah sessions to get people to sign up. It perked my interest but I didn’t sign up till the Saturday event. Caught up in the excitement and winning the raffle (complete basic set), I took the plunge. I think at the time it was $114.00 with tax. However (and please ladies, help me out with this), my director would not give me my starter kit until a) I booked my first six facials or classes and b) ordered my inventory. I ask for help because I don’t know if this was common practice or just her.

The unit meetings were on Monday nights. When I went to the first one, I was the only new recruit and received from her a gold leaf. We also talked some about inventory (which I could not afford) and made plans to try for a bank loan. She went with me to the bank and as I had no collateral, no loan (this was before the credit card craze). With that avenue gone, it was suggested that I try to borrow the money, which I did but not enough for a star order, which was $1200 at the time for sapphire.

When I told her I had the money (only $250.00), she didn’t want to place and order, instead she came up with a plan. She would sell me $500.00 of her own product and once that was sold, I would have the money to place the ordered. I thought it was an ok plan but there’s more. Right before I signed up, the company had changed the packaging (compacts, etc.) and she gave me all the old stuff. How can you sell from a look book with old product and be a success?

The first few weeks went well, I sold some but no one wanted that stuff. As time went on I started losing interest in driving 20 miles to her meetings and since I was not a star consultant, she never answered calls or took the time to help me. Sending the stuff back was not an option as it did not come from the company.

Looking back, I may have blamed the company all these years but in fact it was one unethical director. I don’t know if she is even a director anymore nor do I tind the need to reveal her name. As for the literature, yes I did READ it and those in MK should Read it too. Maybe if the internet had been available back then, things may have been different.

One more footnote to this: around the same time I signed as a consultant, there was another person in this neck of the woods signed up who recently became an NSD. Cathy Littlejohn rose to the top this past October, she lives not far from here.

CHANGE IS GOOD

By now, most people who read my blog know my feelings about direct sales.  Very simple, NO MEANS NO, NOT Maybe.  If I’m not interested in what you have to offer, don’t continue to bother me.  Personally, if I find I’m interested in the future, I will remember how you harassed me and I will go to someone else.  Better yet, if I did take your card or remember your number,  I’ll probably call you if my wishes were respected.

I thought about closing this blog but I like it.  So, instead of closing, I have been taking it slowly in a different direction.  Sure, I may still write about misdeeds in Mary Kay but I have to follow my own path.  So, with that in mind I hope you continue to read during this transition.

He’s Home!

Good news!  My son is back home from deployment.  He arrived here earlier this morning.

Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes for his safe return.  Please continue your support and prayers for those still away.

American Red Cross Issues Warning to Military Families

There is a new scam out there targeting military families.  I heard about this last night and was just appalled that someone could do this.  Here is how it works:

“The caller (young-sounding, American accent) calls a military spouse and identifies herself as a representative from the Red Cross. The caller states that the spouse’s husband (not identified by name) was hurt while on duty in Iraq and was med-evacuated to a hospital in Germany. The caller stated they couldn’t start treatment until paperwork was accomplished, and that in order to start the paperwork they needed the spouse to verify her husband’s social security number and date of birth. In this case, the spouse was quick to catch on and she did not provide any information to the caller.”

If you get this call, immediately hang up and report it to your local Family Readiness Group or Military Personnel.  Do not provide any information.

For further information:
http://www.redcross.org/pressrelease/0,1077,0_314_6732,00.html

Remember

Where I come from (Philly), this holiday weekend unofficially starts the summer.  The hot spots on the Jersey shoreline start opening up for the vacationers.  I’m sure other areas of the country do something similar.  There will be cookouts and memorial day sales at various department stores and we will all be busy enjoying these.

The reason for this post is I know we all have busy lives and this weekend is no different.  How, this is Memorial Day Weekend, a time of remembering those who have gone before us or who are fighting for our way of life.  Have you thought about what our troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and other places around the world are doing this weekend?  When was the last time you stopped to shake a soldiers hand in appreciation of their service.

Please take a look at this video.  A young girl named Lizzie Palmer, who is 15 put this together.  Even though we talked to my son quite a bit, it truly struck at our hearts as I sure it will yours:

http://www.youtube.com/v/ervaMPt4Ha0&autoplay=1

So please, take a moment this weekend to remember and appreciate our young men and women putting their lives on the line.  You may disagree with the war, but please don’t give up on  them, they need your support!

My son and his unit read here if you would like to leave a response.  Thank you!

DRAMA

There’s been alot of drama going on in the anti-mk and anti anti-mk world lately.  I even invited some of them to use my blog recently as a way to let off some steam.

Some people may be wondering why I haven’t written anything lately or made a comment about this recent drama.  Others may be wondering why they have seen recent comments by me on some of the pro-mk blogs. This is because I chose not to be actively involved in the drama and I speak up when I agree with a point someone is trying to get acrossed.

I have also been very busy and I have a bit of drama going on in my personal life.  As you know, my son is currently deployed (he’s doing very well and will hopefully come home next month).  We’ve also had our share of joy and sadness in our family since the beginning of the years.  We’ve lost a grandson and 4 furbabies since the beginning of the year.

My stepdaughter (24 weeks pregnant), was recently in a car accident and lost the baby.  I am a fanatic about seatbelts but in this situation, if she had been wearing hers, there would have been 2 funerals.  Ironically, the same week we had the services for Aiden, my other stepdaughter delivered her second daughter.

Aside from all the kids, we also raised a family of shelties, we had 6 (all related).  They were pretty old, Rudy (our daddy dog) was 12 and his children were 11.  We also had a third generation.  We lost 3 in January and 1 a few weeks ago.  Currently, I still have a mom and son.

So with all that is happening in my life, I don’t have time for the internet drama.  I also know that life is too short for petty BS.  However, I still visit and read the other blogs, they are my distraction for a few minutes a day.

I know that Sandy has stopped writing her blog but as long as she still has it available, I will keep the link to it.  Mkrules has been busy “keeping it real” for her readers, it won’t change the mlm world but maybe her little corner of it.  The Pinklighhouse is a great site, for current and former Mkers or anyone reading here.  The talk and sharing is not all Mk.

As for a couple pro-mk blogs out there,  Melissa please change the subject or give it it’s own page.  Rebecca, I’m burying the hatchet  and hope you will do the same.  I did enjoy some of your insight on MKS and you do have some positive ideas like mkrules to keep it real.

Now I’m going back to my studying (I’m in college).  Don’t know when my next post will be.  Comments will not be moderated but if you want to be crazy, please take it to the Gathering room

All in Fun

Last night on my previous post “What is a Stalker”, I received some very strange comments.  At first I started to delete them but changed my mind after reading one

“poor maggie. she’s not gonna understand any of this peeps.”

Obviously, there are some problems out there in the blog world and these people needed to have a little fun.

My original plans were to close this blog but I will leave it open for the time being.

All I ask is next time, please use “The Gathering” room for your antics.

What is a Stalker?

There is some disagreement on what a stalker is. I have compiled a short list but it you have more, feel free to add them.

From Merriam-Webster online:
transitive verb
1 : to pursue by stalking
2 : to go through (an area) in search of prey or quarry
3 : to pursue obsessively and to the point of harassment
- stalk·er noun

For those Direct Sellers (consultants and distributors) who:

1. Approach people in Grocery stores, Department stores and anywhere there are people (warm chattering)

2. Knock on doors to peddle your product

3. Operate a booth (and once again approach) instead of allowing the person to come to you for information

4. Continue calling or contacting after the person says they are not interested (ie. no means maybe)

THEN, YOU ARE A STALKER

Ex-DIQ Shares Her Opinion About MK

On your travels around the net,  be sure to check out this post on Cafemom.com: Mary Kay is a SCAM!!!

 http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read.php?post_id=63831

This is great information for those looking to join MK or questioning the business. 

ElleB (aka Done with DIQ) is a frequent poster on the Pink Lighthouse forum and Pink Truth.  The links for these websites is on the sidebar.

For those coming out of the pink fog, there’s lots of support out there for you.