Compromising Situation Tonight!

[K8-EEE]

Cripes...you know those parties that your friends invite you to, to sell stuff? Well I got one on my calendar...."home decor items" I fully expect there to be nothing even remotely that I want!

I really like the "hostess" who btw still has her Kerry lawn sign, ha...and I hope she does well cuz I understand that she's a working person just trying to make some extra scratch.

My plan is to go for morale support and be all nice and all that and by some miracle slip away without writing a check.

Knowing me however I will prob find something in the cheapest category and by it for my sister, who loves any and all STUFF!!

[K8-EEE]

1. PS -- My Sister

Whom I love -- actually has one of those vacuum cleaner covers that looks like a rabbit in order to amuse, who? Moths? Because the thing is always in the closet except when her maid is using it!

I think she embodies the opposite of our quest here -- but at least she voted for Kerry!!

[Lorien]

2. A vacuum cleaner cover?

Good Lord! I 've heard of useless, but that sounds like something beyond, that belongs in a whole other category of it's own!

[Longhorn]

3. They actually make sense if you keep your vacuum in a corner

of the room instead of a closet. You can store the vacuum in plain sight if you don't have another place to put it.

[K8-EEE]

7. Yeah But Does It Have To LOOK LIKE A BUNNY?

With a coat and a bowtie?

I'm sure the maid enjoys taking this thing off & putting it on again, NOT!

[Longhorn]

11. I agree with you there.

The ones I've seen are not exactly my style -- overly cutesy! :D

[kayell]

17. What's the problem with a vacuum cleaner looking like a vacuum?

It's like those crochet toilet paper covers. What is the problem with things looking like what they are? I just don't get it. :shrug:

[K8-EEE]

18. My Friend's Grandma Sells...

DRESSES FOR THE DISH WASHING LIQUID BOTTLES....DIFFERENT COLORS DEPENDING ON YOUR KITCHEN...SHE MADE ME ONE ONCE...I 'MISPLACED' IT.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

22. In the mid 1980s in Japan

there was a fad of "clothes" for telephones. I wish I were making this up, but when I visited people's houses, the phone had a cloth or knitted band around the receiver and a matching "dress" for the main body of the phone made of the same material, with holes for the dial and the receiver hook.

It was truly surreal to walk into a Japanese house and see a phone that was decked out in red gingham or material that looked like a shag carpet.

[K8-EEE]

26. My phone...

Seems so naked now, I better call the tailor!

[Lorien]

4. Tell us how it turns out

'tis the season for such "compromising situations"!

[K8-EEE]

13. Sharing My "Prize" With Lucky Forum Members! ENJOY!

OK so of course there's a guessing game, kind of like a bridal/baby shower? SIGH...

The game was, guess which one of the stunning items on the table is the favorite of the hostess.

EZ for me, I guessed the Black Iron Votive Centerpiece Basket, SIGH REDUX!

so I won a cunning little recipe book with appetizers from Southern Living Magazine, which I was just about to toss into recycling bin when I opened it and...HEY THERE'S SOME GOOD ONES IN HERE!

Here's a lovely & frugal recipe for your lovely & frugal holidays. It says to make it with black eyed peas but that scares me -- I've never even had them but I don't like the looks of them on the cans I think you gotta be Southern to like those or grits.

I'm switching it to black beans! Feel free to switch it back, red state residents

BLACK BEAN CAVIAR

2 15-oz cans black beans, drained
1/2 cup roasted red pepper packed in oil, drained & chopped
1/2 cup minced purple onion
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons course-grained salt
2 teaspoon coarse-grained mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow or green pepper, seeded & finely chopped

Combine all, stir will, cover and chill several hours. Serve at room temperature with pita chips.

I'm making this!! But besides changing to black beans, I'm switching out vinegar for limes (I have a lime tree!) and switching chili powder for the mustard. In the summer I would add some of my "Golden Boy" yellow tomatoes.

And instead of the pita things, I say, cuban crackers and cream cheese!!

Wow, tough posting this on my kinda-fasting day.

[Longhorn]

16. Black-eyed Peas are GREAT!

And I'm one who normally doesn't like beans and I sure don't like green peas.

If you eat them on New Year's Day, you'll have good luck the rest of the year!

Thanks for the recipe!

[PretzelWarrior]

5. ICK! ICK! Home Interiors, Candlelight, Tupperwear....

they are all preying on the poor who want to make more and end up forcing their friends and relatives to by more Chinese-made GARBAGE.

THe best favor you could do to your friend is to tell her there are better ways to make money than FEEDING THE BEAST.

[K8-EEE]

8. I Caved

TOTALLY caved....oh the pressure, the PRESSURE!

First of all my pal if the "party" made X amount of money she got Y or whatever. Then the lady who was giving was sooooo....EXCITED ABOUT THE PRODUCTS!

I ended up getting a vase, SIGH! I mean at least I LIKE it...I'm a gardener and most of my stuff I put in spaghetti sauce jars but this one has one of those tops that look like a grid, you know? So you can stick sprigs in the little squares? And it's that groovy retro color green like an old blender...

SIGH!! ALL RIGHT DON'T KICK ME OUT! Back on the wagon today. I promise!

Hey I didn't TOTALLY cave. WOULD YOU LIKE A MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION FOR ONLY $whatever? NO. You qualify to by this wine caddy for only $whatever NO. Are you interested in becoming a hostess and getting whatever? NO, NO, NO AND A THOUSAND TIMES NO TO THAT ONE!!! CAN I PUT YOU ON MY MAILING LIST OH GOD NOOOOOOO!!

[K8-EEE]

10. PS -- WINE CADDY

Yeah ok...so when you buy something you "qualify" to by this "wine caddy" for only $13 instead of $27 or something.

This thing is a black iron bottle shapped basket that fits a wine bottle.

It really makes me wonder how the hell I ever get a bottle of wine from point A to point B without a CARRIER! GOD...NO I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THE 'SPECIAL PURCHASE WITH A PURCHASE!'

[jhain]

19. Oh No

Now I am coveting a vase like that....

it *IS* hard to resist at those parties because you are, in fact, supporting someone's business.

better than buying it at Wal- Mart.

[Lorien]

6. I suppose one thing you could do

is offer to help her set up and clean up after the event. At least then she wouldn't have any issues with the fact that you hadn't opened your wallet!

[K8-EEE]

9. Hey!

That's a really good idea! Wish I woulda done it.

[Kenneth ken]

12. use that idea next time

and maybe "forget" to bring your cards, checkbook or cash?

You have my sympathy, it's hard to go into a situation like that and not buy anything. I applaud you for getting away with only one item. :thumbsup:

:hi:

[yardwork]

14. I think it was good to support your friend who supported Kerry

We need to stick together nowadays. Maintain a close relationship with your friend, and eventually you may be able to get her onboard with the idea of conscious consuming.

Buying things is relaxing for a lot of people - it's almost an addiction. It's tough to give it up right away. We have to plan for the long-term.

[K8-EEE]

15. I Agree!

I've taken a real gradual approach with my family. If you're too big of a hard-ass everyone starts to resent it. I want to do little things to make our life simpler and nicer.

I totally understand people wanting to give up the idiot box. But we like watching Daily Show & the hub likes his football and stuff on the weekends, so we changed from Mr. Murdoch's Direct TV to the slightly less evil Dish. Hey who wants to write a check to Newscorp every month?

I do mention to friends the stores & services I've switched from and almost to the person they really warm up to the idea of substituting more progressive companies.

I've also found a lot of new adventures - new hiking trails and a Sunday picnic at the nearby Buddhist temple that is open to the public, now that I'm looking for stuff with a new criteria. I don't want to not have any fun for four years -- I just don't want to contribute to the evildoers any more than absolutely necessary.

[yardwork]

20. That says it well!

I see this as a win-win for me and my family. If I can succeed in getting us to simplify our lives, consume less, and buy what we have to buy in a conscious manner, then our lives will be better for it.

My husband is fine with this - he pretty much lives this way anyway. The kids are another story. Slow and easy is essential here....

[Lydia Leftcoast]

21. Years ago my landlord invited me to a party where he sold the

world's tackiest Christmas kitsch.

I was looking frantically through the catalogues to find anything I could buy without vomiting. Finally, I found some little metal tree ornaments in the shapes of musical instruments that were actually rather attractive, and for only $8.00.

I felt that I got off easy and preserved good relations with my landlord.

[K8-EEE]

24. LOL!! I KNOW THE FEELING LYDIA!

$8, there was no such thing at this one...

What they REALLY want is for you to do it, I mean, be a salesperson! They want you to Have An Exciting, Flexible Part Time Business Making People Pressure Their Friends. Huge pitch, lotsa negatory responses.

What was funny is that she started the pitch with how she luuuved the company & products and she goes "I've made my living being an actress for many, MANY years so I didn't NEED to do this, I just fell in LUV with it!"

So I whispered to my friend, "next time can you get Susan Sarandon?" Of course now we are calling her that and I can't even remember her real name.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

23. Right now I'm faced with another issue (no pun intended)

My nephew is selling magazine subscriptions to raise money for his school. Evidently, this is required of the students.

I hate this for three reasons:

1) I already subscribe to as many magazines as I have time to read

2) Most of the magazines on the list are ones I wouldn't even want to read free at the newsstand, and, most of all,

3) The fact that the students are expected to sell magazine subscriptions to support their school in an affluent suburban district is yet another symptom of how warped our society is.

:sigh:

[K8-EEE]

25. Give Him A Donation....

Oh cripes I've had to sell girl scout cookies, wrapping paper, subscriptions, ugh ugh ugh I'm sick of it. Where is all this Lottery money the CA schools were supposed to get?

If the subscription costs your $20, the school only makes $10 anyhow...so you can either do that or I suppose or you can get a progressive mag like Mother Jones for a Freeper friend, ha!