Today I got a call from a casual acquaintance who said she wanted to meet with Shaun and I. By casual I mean I've seen her at church meetings before, can vaguely recall her face to match to her name, and couldn't tell you whether she has kids or not. So really I barely know her. I was at first surprised to hear her ask to meet with BOTH of us. The last time that happened I got a church calling... and I KNOW that's not what this is about. When I asked more questions to figure out what it was regarding she said she wanted to talk to us about something she'd mentioned to him at the 4th of July fireworks show. That should have been my first clue... I, myself, barely talk to Shaun at that show 'cause he's BUSY. Busy setting up gear, songs, mics, etc. I know well enough just to take a plate of food, mingle with those nearby, and chat with him later about it at home.
Anyways, she had called while he was, as usual, on a business call and I couldn't discuss arranging a time to meet right then and said I'd have to call her back. Thank goodness for that, because it gave the lone hamster manning the wheel in my brain time to process the fact that I'm 99.9% certain this is regarding a "business opportunity" of the multi-level variety.
I cannot convey enough the absolute abhorrence I have for these types of businesses. Now, don't get me wrong - I am NOT talking about the cooking/scrapbooking/cosmetics/jewelry kind of business. Those are all fine and dandy for the right person and if I attend one of the many parties displaying the wares, I fully expect to hear about joining the company. I'm AM, however, talking about the Amway/Legal Help type that seems to be very profitable - for those at the top. If that's what you choose to do, hey, more power to you... but DO NOT weasel your way in to my home under vague pretexts, DO NOT preach to me the joy and freedom that your product/service provides and DO NOT proceed to waste hours of my time that I will never be able to get back. Just STOP IT.
Let me clue you in people. Shaun is his own employer. To some this might mean that you frequently have down time in between clients (like in construction) or that you don't have enough to really fill your day. But not to us. To us this means that he has found employment doing something that he loves and is passionate about which can easily consume an 18 hour day on average and sometimes several days while he's gone on location. Luckily, we've been able to relocate his office to the backyard so he's able to join us for dinner and the kids can stop in his office for a couple of minutes of perusing the candy store he keeps above his desk.
This then makes what little time is left to our leisure rather precious. We don't do dates, we do events! Dinner and a movie becomes an evening in Hollywood going to the El Capitan or Mann Chinese theater with Dewar's ice cream afterward and a picture taken with Superman. You get the idea. Here's what then takes priority from those requests we receive from outside the family...
Top priority: you somehow need him in his official church calling capacity. Next in line: you are having a computer issue that is threatening some sort of bodily harm (and banging your head against the monitor or smashing your fists on the printer does not count). Puts you on the waiting list to be visited in the next 3 months: having a computer problem that just makes you feel stupid (like missing sound or a getting a virus from opening an email). Yeah, probably not in this lifetime: anything else needing his help, although feel free to explain it to me in detail, with me making appropriately sympathetic responses and helpful suggestions that don't require his involvement.
I'm now officially creating a new category in response to the phone call entitled "Guaranteed not in the next lifetime either". So, congratulations, casual acquaintance, for accomplishing what telemarketers and spam couldn't!
Okay, rant complete.
2 comments:
I'm right there with you...You couldn't have said it better. Thank you. We had an acquaintance at church who did Amway (this is many years ago) who cornered Steve or I as often as possible to rant the joy and financial benefits of selling Amway, making so much money, wonderful products, meet new friends, make lots and lots of money, et al. Finally after putting up with this for way too long I girded up my loins, looked him in the eye and said that "Steve and I make lots and lots of money, enough for our needs and then some (just a slight exageration) and if the money was so great why didn't he and his family have a pot to piss in?" (That was one of my meanest out of control responses to date except for the time I told a Bishopric member that I didn't like him even a little bit in response to him saying he didn't think I liked him very much!) They barely made ends meet with both of them working AND Amway so how could they tell me the joys of making SO MUCH MONEY!
Boy, look at the memory lane you took me down! Rant over.
Love you, Auntie P
Yes, I think you're right, we are related!
Well said, what a writer you are! Thanks for letting me lurk on your blog-- it's great to see what's up with your big little family! Hugs--Ingrid
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