Hi. It’s been a REALLY long time since I’ve posted on this blog. I admit, I almost forgot that I had it. But there’s been A LOT of things going on since 2008 (wasn’t that the last time I spewed here)?
My mom died. Did I mention that already? Well, she did. July 2009. What have I done since then? I invested some money. Bought a couple cars. Bought most of my house. I gambled. I spent an obscene amount on a ring, had buyer’s remorse, brought it back and then went to the jewelry mart and designed virtually the same ring but at $7000 LESS than the one the store put together for me and it was a better quality. LOVE my ring. Shameful, I am sure.
What else? I’ve gone on a few road trips with that car I bought. OH, I lost my job too at the time of my mom’s death. And I haven’t been hirable since. WHY? Because I kept having to go travel and be gone at least 1-2 full weeks a month because my brother couldn’t get his act together to manage all the goings on that resulted from her death. And that lasted for over a year. So…no regular job for me.
However….I did get back into direct sales. Two different companies that do two different things and serve almost two different markets. However, I love them and am enjoying them.
NOW — about this coming Friday. The date termed BLACK FRIDAY. I’m having issues. So many of my almost 400 friends in the land called FACEBOOK are gearing up for these SUPER BLACK FRIDAY Deals!! And some of them are the same ones that the other 10 months of the year (not Nov or Dec) spew and rant about not buying things made in China, or from Wal-mart, or to participate in the OCCUPY movement. But heaven help me, let there be a deal on an iPod at Walmart or Best Buy — THERE THEY BE!!
They say they support local businesses, but will they purchase from people that do direct sales? Hardly ever. Hey, I don’t need them to host a party. A referral or two would be nice. A purchase of an item or two would be great. And then for them to GUSH and BRAG about how happy they have something unique that they can’t find in stores would be A-AMAZE-ING!
Because let me tell you — with my DSA membership company that I am an independent consultant for, I have access to group life insurance and some discounted health care; which as someone without a ‘standard’ job does not have the opportunity for.
Did you know, that one of the companies I rep for built a production plant in China? A WHOLE VILLAGE is able to sustain itself. People are able to send their kids off for an education. On top of that, because of this expansion, we were able to expand and purchase a SECOND distribution and embroidery plant within the STATES? So, now we have THREE! We have over 2000 people employed at our US center of operations. On top of that, there are over 40,000 consultants nation wide and we are still growing. I live in a state that only has 80 consultants and maybe 15 or 20 are in my northern half of the state. The market is WIDE OPEN!!
I just started with this other DS Company at the end of September 2011. I’ve just under $800 in sales and 2 people in my downline. As soon as I hit that $800 in personal sales, I’ll be a senior consultant! Which means I get an additional 7% in commissions. And this isn’t an MLM. This is Direct Sales/Party Plan. Meaning, I get paid from the home office on sales my down line makes, not out of my downline’s pocket. I’m not selling product to consultants which then they sell product to consultants and so on and so on. There are real people buying the product as gifts or for themselves.
I’m just irritated by people that say they are looking for unique gifts for Christmas, and yet, they buy something that’s AS SEEN ON TV and give the BONUS DOUBLING to a 2nd person. So, they in fact killed 2 birds with one stone. DUDE…I don’t think people are happy when they get that snuggi and find they only got ONE when they know you got a 2nd one for FREE….
On top of that, why are people waiting until November to shop for the holidays? Didn’t you know that it’s ok to buy year round and contribute that way? Just bundle it up in a bin and put it under your bed or up in your closet or hid it in the trunk of your car until it’s time to give it out.
While my kids would love to wake up to 32 presents for themselves under the tree come December, they know that won’t happen. I purchase things all year round for them that they wanted or needed or just would have been tickled to have someone give to them for no other reason than: I saw it, and I thought of you, so, I got it for you. Because you matter to me on all the days of the year, every second of my day.
And what happens in December? We go do something together! We go to the snow—and when I don’t have the budget for us to all go boarding or skiing, we pull out the sleds and we find a hill! And they bring friends too! And there’s always cocoa available! And there’s always laughter! And maybe a muffled sounded as we get slammed with a snow ball or two. What else can happen? We go ice skating. We go to a movie. We go paint pottery. WE DO StuFF TOGEtHER. We make memories outside of gift wrap. Sure, we still go travel for family gatherings. That’s the neat part. And we don’t have to drag all sorts of packages with us to the other houses so that people will see by shear quantity how much my little family loves each other!
So this Friday? Will I be going to the stores? Most likely not. UNLESS….there is an A-Maze-ing thing that I just simply MUST have that day. But I highly doubt it.
I’d rather play with my kids — did I mention they will be 16 and 18 this holiday/winter season? I’d rather take them to a gallery, or a snow filled hill, or teach them how to quilt, or whatever we want to do. That’s the joy for me to not be run into a certain schedule that day dictated by what Macy’s has or Wal-Mart has or Kohl’s or Best Buy.
How about we find a soup kitchen and donate our time where it counts? or go to the animal shelter and walk a few dogs in hopes of making them adoptable? or help make a blanket for the Linus Project?
I’m not one of those people that has to ‘make a difference’ every day to the community, just my kids. If I make a difference in their lives, they will make a difference in someone else’s — including my own. My own children have taught me some valuable lessons.
Oh, and no. I don’t watch Football. Did I mention that? That pisses a few people off. I don’t know why it would make them so mad. You’d think I killed John Madden or something.
But why would I want to contribute to someone’s earnings because they were good at Football? or any sport really? Give me a line up of my local teams and at least a 3rd are still being allowed to play with all the antics they have pulled regarding drugs, domestic violence, drunkenness, etc… sorry folks, I don’t pay the local meth lab or crack whores to be bad examples for my kids and their friends so I am most certainly not going to pay you either!
Ok, piece said about that. OMG!! I’m going to have to go back and read my other postings. It’s been a long time since I last wrote, like I mentioned earlier. But it feels good. I forgot how good it felt to just type and say what I needed to say because otherwise it sits there and I wonder if I am the only one that feels this way.
That said— here’s my HOLIDAY TIP SHEET
BUY FROM YOUR DIRECT SELLING FRIENDS!
AVOID WAL-MART
IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU BELIEVE IN CHRIST OR THE HOLIDAYS OR EVEN CELEBRATE IT— It’s okay to simply wish someone a Wonderful Day and Hope that life treats them well — Especially if you’re a coffee barista and the jerk in front of me was a complete ASS to you — I promise, someone will treat you nice eventually and wish you many joys and blessings—and someone else will cause that jerk to re-think their own personal situation and attitude.
THE DMV LINE is always tiresome. Go when you feel well if you can. If you’ve watched a young mom with a kid that’s been great for the 110 numbers and you are 4 numbers away but know that mom has another 65 to go — feel free to give her your DMV BINGO number and let her go ahead of you and you take hers….especially if you have no where to go for another 2 hours. It won’t hurt you and it will keep her, the kid, yourself and everyone else from being more than annoyed when the kid has a melt down! It’s not the kid’s fault he got dragged there.
LASTLY — not everyone in the food charity line or hanging out warming their hands by a barrel with fire in in and wearing camo wi/no teeth and hasn’t showered in weeks is completely worthless or irresponsible or lazy and just doesn’t want to work — the worth you take from them is knowing your life is more comfy than theirs. That you will do just about anything to keep from living that life. That you may not be the one blessed in that situation but you feel it, don’t you. You may even decide there are a few comforts that you can cut back on because you don’t need it after all and now you’ve found a new way to save a pinch more each month.
Be happy for the roof over your roof. The food in your pantry. The car that you drive. The warmth of your mattress and bedding. The love that is in your life. The friends that still care and send random messages to you.
USE the USPS to send a letter or card more than twice a year. People love to see something other than a bill in the box! SEND SOMETHING TO YOUR KIDS, EVEN IF THEY LIVE AT HOME With YOU!
I don’t think it will happen, but if I am in a Black mood this Friday after eating Turkey, it must be self-imposed!
OH…and I just got the best phone call ever today… my dad called. We can’t afford to travel to see him both holidays. He called to get our bank account number so he can put some cash in it. He said: Since I didn’t get you anything for your birthday, I want to put a little cash in your account — you guys can go out to a coffee shop at one of the casinos and have dinner. No need to cook.
I love my dad. And regardless of if he had done that, I would still love him. He didn’t “get” me a gift for my birthday last week. but he also knows I don’t ever ask for anything for me either. I only never answer his first call on the day, because I CHERISH the voicemail that he always leaves — he sings Happy Birthday to me each year. Then I call him back. I haven’t really celebrated my Birthday in over 23 years. I’m 38 this year. My grandpa died 23 years ago. He and I always celebrated our birthdays together. I was born a day before his b-day. Other people want to celebrate it, that’s fine, but I don’t throw myself a party or drop hints about it 3 months in advance like a 10 year old. But personally, I don’t celebrate it. I go along with it and say thank you.
And that’s what Thanksgiving day is about for me. But I do it everyday. I remind myself everyday to count my blessings at least 3-5 times a day because I know that at any second, my consciousness can be snuffed out and I won’t even know it and the people I love and am thankful for, they won’t know how I considered them a blessing if I don’t tell them as often as I can. Why wait until November or their birthdays?
Tell them. Tell them everyday you can.
Thank you for listening. Thank you for reading. Thank you for being on the other end of this.