Woman obligation parties.

Tupperware. 

Miche.

Stella and Dot.

Thirty-one.

Pampered Chef.

And the list goes on and on. 

I have now had to decline a second party in two weeks.  The first was for jewelry.  The second party is for handbags and such.  These are two themes that I've had to decline before. 

1.  I work at an art gallery, am surrounded by beautiful jewelry comprised of real stones and whatnot.  I don't mean to be a snob, but when I do buy myself the rare piece (with birthday money), I want it to be the real goods.

2.  I am horrible at the womanly obligation to have 10 million bags that I change 14 hundred times.  I carry what could be termed as a wallet on a string.  I only change it for a similar, but beady, wallet on a string for weddings and special occasions that require me to wear heels.  I do not like purses.  I only carry one because I have to and I only carry one that fits the essentials.  I do not carry make-up, books or have a need to tote a sippy cup any longer.  I'm good with my $1.50 leather purse that came from the thrift many years ago.  I don't want to sit and watch convertible purses and magnetic, changeable fronts.  I don't mean to be mean, but I just don't care.

I've been invited to stamping parties and Creative Memories parties.  My good friend Rachael is a stamp girl.  She is fantastic at what she does.  If I need to acquire anything stampy, I could just pay her for her excellent services.  Creative Memories?  I know people love it, but I'd rather stab my eyes out with pencils.  I went to one of those 4 mini-course things for a friend of mine.  She was going to be a CM consultant, ended up only having 1 of the mini-courses and so I paid money for essentially nothing.  At least it wasn't a lot.  I learned to use the tools, which was helpful later.  Still, I was bored to death.  I know I do the art gig, but this just didn't work for me.

Tupperware and Pampered Chef, I find, pretty much sell themselves.  Those two involve a cultish following of woman, sitting amongst ladies generally of a similar age, that talk, compare and are able to state at the drop of a hat exactly how many pieces of each they own.  I find that Tupperware's need in my life is pretty much replaced by the much cheaper disposable containers from the mass marketers.  Pampered Chef is one that I do claim cannot be beat, I have a few items that I love, but I only have a 1008 sq ft ranch, one that could not possibly contain all of the Pampered Chef items that the consultants are hawking anyhow.

Ladies at church that hardly know me have invited me to handbag sales, jewelry sales, lotions and potions of the like and children's toy parties.  If you don't know me well enough to call me up on the phone and talk about this, that and the other, please don't include me on your list.  I don't mean to be rude, but I admit-- I have a hatred for these parties.

I've been invited to adult themed parties and if that is something up your alley, good for you.  If that is something that I did want to purchase, I certainly wouldn't do that in the company of a bunch of woman that I don't know, while getting schnockered on wine and other alcohol to encourage more sales.  I don't care if they take you to a little room and send you out with a little plain brown package.  Nothankyou.

In an economy that is up and down, essentials of life going up substantially in price, why do people keep having these parties?  Perhaps I'm one of the few that just don't get it.  I know that part of my issue is that I work retail and would love to leave everything retail at the work doorstep until I'm due in on my next day.

All right.  Have at it.  Give me your thoughts. 

Smiles in my day:
-  I made a three-fruit cobbler for dessert tonight.  We're celebrating my in-law's 45th anniversary and I needed a dessert.  We were supposed to celebrate it on July 23, their actual anniversary, but K- was busy fevering and whatnot.  She is well, so the party moves on.  I hope that the cobbler is good.  I'll have to let you know.
-  Rain has fallen then last two days, which has freed me from my evening watering duties.

Have a great day!