Mary Kay Sucks

I spend entirely too much time over on what used to be called the "Mary Kay Sucks" blog, but I'm sorry it is so addicting. Well, I read this post today and it literally describes my story to a T. Amazing how so many of these stories and real life situations are exactly what I experienced in Mary Kay and could see coming down the pike.

Here is the quote from today's post:

Maybe it’s time to move some of our “I” or “me” stories into this section as all of you are aware how much data is really on this blog. I’ll go back and construct my story, luckily I wasn’t in it long enough to go too deeply into debt, but I did feel as though I was “conned” or coerced into this “opportunity”. When I was actually recruited, the frontloading happened and I was “convinced” that that was the only way to go as I had planned on holding skin care classes etc, to “make some money”. But as time went on, being a single mother, drawn away from my son and what really frustrated me more than anything was the lack of training which I was promised and I truly felt that the weekly meetings were soooooo much more about recruiting and finding “5 sharp women” to bring as a guest to our meetings. I actually made a “list” of those women and two of them were my customers. As time went on, I started thinking, why in the world would I want to “recruit” my customers!!?? That was a lightbulb moment for me, and then I was sick of the childish foolnishness which would happen at the meetings, that fakey smile my recruitor would slow out at us. The sad thing is, I really do like her and I believe that she’s a good person if I could just get through that phony Mary Kay outer shell of hers. I wonder if she’s really as sweet as she appears to be. So as time went on, for each meeting, internally, I hated using up all of my samples (but I was thinking I was just being greedy/selfish), but ya know what, I PAID for those samples for MY business, not to use at training sessions to put on my own face all the time. Then they (recruitor and director) kept saying you should just buy the full size products to use instead of samples, because you could write those off as demos/supplies for your business on your tax return. Of course, they also told me that whatever make up, nail polish etc, that I purchased for my own personal use could be taken as a tax deduction too because I was “demonstrating” the product. Puleez…..I really wondered about that one.

So I started searching the internet, because God Forbid if you even hinted to ANY negativity at your weekly “training (aka: recruiting”) sessions. (that always used to get me too, I’m sooooo glad I NEVER brought a guest) and of course, none of my friends wanted to ever hear anything I had to say about Mary Kay. In the beginning, I was spewing Mary Kay. I even tried to warm chatter with my perfume samples. That poor girl!! I live in a small town and I’m guessing if that girl ever sees me again, she’ll probably avoid me like the plague. So glad I didn’t try to get her to hold a skin care class. That would have made it even worse!! Back to my internet search….I honestly don’t remember what I typed in, but I went searching for groups of other women who were in Mary Kay to see how they were running their business and I came across a few groups, some HOT pink (no negativity allowed there!!!), some mildly light pink, they still had issues with any negativity, because they were trying to do things the right way, but at that time, no negativity was allowed, no true feelings were allowed, no support was given for our feelings. So I FINALLY found a place where I could vent and get it “out of my system” to know I wasn’t alone. I just felt icky prior to going to the meetings, then of course, after the meetings, felt that maybe, just maybe I could do this (ahh, brainwashing at work (learned that one later too). I held the product for about one year and returned it in time to maximize my return and for some reason, I still feel “addicted” to this blog? I wonder why, I’ve said it sooooo many times, why can’t I JUST let this go? Why are women finding this blog who left Mary Kay over 10 years ago and they’re saying things to us like, I am SO glad to now know that it WASN’T ME, it was the system of Mary Kay!! It amazes me how these women have struggled with this for so many years and they’re now just getting some validation to realize they truly weren’t losers or quitters. They were simply following their gut instincts and knew that something just didn’t smell right.

So anyway……..

I had no intention of writing my “I” story right this minute, but once it started flowing from my fingertips, I couldn’t stop, so here is my story. Shortlived as it may be, but nonetheless, my story. I am so glad that I got out when I did and that I was able to find online support to help me do what was best for me and my child. I still had my full time job which was a job I loved and still love doing to this day. I believe I’ve learned my lesson and I have no interest in ever trying to do Mary Kay again, mainly because it has such a bad name and people avoid a “mary kay” lady around my neck of the woods, like the friggin’ plague. They don’t want to host parties, they don’t want to hear it, because for a period of time, I know that the one who recruited me, tried to recruit (with some luck I might add) several others and as I mentioned earlier, we live in a very small town and this “recruitor” (very very short lived director I might add too - she couldn’t keep up production and also got a divorce -claims it was his fault, but I REALLY have my doubts about that one too), but she could sure sell that product though!!. She alienated many of these women from the thought of even being involved with Mary Kay because she was sooooo pushy. I’ve talked to others and her name always came up. I wish I could rescue her more than she knows, but the last I checked, she didn’t feel as though she needed to be rescued, so I’ll just check back in with her from time to time. She’s aware of this blog and I wonder if she’s been reading all this time. Something tells me that she might, but she won’t admit I’m sure. Why do I care? Why do I want to ’save’ her? Crazy huh……

source:

Could it be?

Technorati

Well, today I'm going to try and get linked in with Technorati. This is one of the bigger blogging networks. This will be interesting to see how this works.

Technorati

We Lost George Tonight

This is such a sad day for me and I'm just not sure where to start. Have you ever met someone and you immediately make a connection, you just have this bond of friendship that the two of you can not ignore. It's not a sexual connection, but more like a brother and sister, best friends who didn't have enough time to really be able to nurture that friendship for as long as we would have enjoyed. That makes me sad.

Tonight, I lost my very dear friend George Lee. He was in a motorcycle accident on Thursday night, September 21, 2006, headed towards Eldred, PA. I had seen him earlier that night at the Two Mile Inn in Port Allegany. He was out and about, having dinner and a few drinks. I got three hugs from him that night and I just wonder why? Did he know something or was God preparing him to say goodbye and we just didn't know it? From that night, I remember that this was the first time he had ever officially met my friend Dawn, in fact it was her son Josh's birthday and the first time Josh had ever met George either. George kept fussin' about his fish not being cooked. Just ask Hartle. He had to take it back to zap it and even then it still wasn't cooked just right. Apparently, George really knew his fish and apparently was a good cook himself. I can still see him setting at the end of the table, poking at that fish saying "look how rubbery it is". I can't eat this!!! It's NOT cooked.

George always greeted me with a warm hug and that friendly smile. He was only 39 and left his daughter without her dad. I know that was not his intention, because he loved her so much. He absolutely adored his daughter. George always wanted to have more babies. That's all he ever talked about, his daughter, his job and wanting to meet a woman, younger than him, who would want to have more of his babies. He hadn't met her yet and he felt that his life was just starting over again. He shared custody of his daughter with her mother. I had met both he and his ex-wife on Valentine's night, 2003 at Mo's in Port Allegany. It was a wonderful evening, filled with laughter. He never forgot that night, nor did I. We had such an instant connection the first time we met. He always commented to me how he felt that same connection, we couldn't explain it, it was just there. He was a great friend and I will miss him. I still can't believe he's gone. He was so full of life. Can I say that George was filled with "piss and vinegar"? That would be George, always with a twinkle in his eye and he always looked like he was up to no good, in a good way of course. One thing for sure, he always had a smile and a hug for me, without fail, no matter who else was around.

I will miss his happy go lucky attitude, the love of his daughter and the wonderful connection that he and I shared as friends. This all really sucks. I'm thankful for the fun times hanging out and sharing laughter with George. You know what I keep thinking about is his email address: "livetoride" I wonder if while laying in an induced coma for two weeks, if he finally gave up with living because maybe he knew that, due to his head and chest injuries that maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't be able to "ride" again and I think that would have killed him spiritually if he couldn't do that. This man loved his Harley, I would dare to say, second to his daughter. I understand he had a dog as well and I'm sure the dog rated up right up there. I don't know, it's so hard to say what people feel and think when they're in that situation. Are they aware? I think he probably lived a full and wonderful, yet short life, with hard times like the rest of us, but he always made the best of it. This is a tribute to my friend. I will go to his funeral, to let his family know how important he was to me and that he will be missed.

Below is the news article which gives details about his accident and his obituary below that:
09/22/06

A Port Allegany motorcyclist was hurt in a mishap taking place late last night on Route 155 just south of Route 446 in Eldred Township Troopers said George Lee was headed north at about 11:00 p.m. when his Harley Davidson failed to negotiate a curve and struck a road sign, before sliding to a stop along the western berm. Lee was taken to Olean General Hospital by Eldred volunteer ambulance. (Source)


George J. Lee

Published: Sunday, October 8, 2006 11:58 PM CDT
BUFFALO George J. Lee, 39, of Port Allegany, Pa., died Friday, Oct. 6, 2006, at the Erie County Medical Center.

He was an engineer.

Survivors include his mother Catherine Lee of Genesee Pa.; father, George C. Lee of Genesee Pa.; a daughter, Taylor Kaye Lee of Port Allegany, Pa.; a sister, Karen Fox of Port Allegany, Pa.; a brother, Stephen Lee of Lititz, Pa.

Calling hours are 7-9 p.m. Wednesday at Olney Funeral Home & Cremation Service.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Eulalia Catholic Church.
source:

George, I will miss you.

Luanne