In recovery, the onslaught continued.  Vitals checks, chaplain visits, and still waiting for hubby, who upon hearing the news had to get from the venue back to the hotel and pack up before embarking on the mind-numbing, four hour drive to us.  
Baby B was busy fighting for her life with a whole team of nurses, who during her three month stay would filter through and tell me that they remembered the day she came in and how far she'd come.  One day, I would finally ask how bad it really was and a nervous neonatologist said they were very concerned the first 72 hours.  I had to state which funeral home I wanted to use and with all we had been through over the past year, I was all too familiar with our wonderfully helpful local director.
When there is this kind of loss, everyone wants to help, however, they can.  To my dismay, most of them wanted to talk.  They would push and prod and I was busy trying to hold it together for everyone around me.  That and I still had school work to do all the while.  The staff dressed Baby A and wrapped her in a blanket and brought her to me in a comfort cot.  It was a bassinet with a cooling system under it, so I could keep her with me and hold her for as long as I wanted.  I kept her in my room til the day I checked out.  The bereavement specialist offered to do hand and foot castings, have a special volunteer photographer come, and even make special arrangements to allow big sister to come visit.  I took her up on all of them.  Anything I could do for my little girl, who was already gone.
The other thing people would keep doing throughout was implying I needed to be medicated.  This is a sad experience and I am allowed to be sad about it.  I am allowed to cry.  I am allowed to be disappointed and angry and hurt.  It will never go away, but I will never give up.
As you've read, Multifacet Mom is many, varied things.  This is just one more unique part.  After my time in the hospital, I would add "mom who has a child waiting for them in heaven" and "NICU mom" to my never-ending list.
Tonight, say an extra prayer for every mom who came home without their baby and see #prayersforbabyb for her miraculous struggle.

What do you say to people when you have to break news?  How do you do it?  Who do you tell?   Especially, when it is something so personal and makes you feel that you have let everyone down.  How do you hold it all together to do all that needs to be done at a time like this?  You take a deep breathe, put your head down, and just do it.
As we drove, I quickly contacted people I needed to tell.  A quick note to work, "They sent me to the hospital. Lost at least one. Don't know when I will be in next.  Will keep you updated."  Not sure what passed through my supervisor's head.  Hopefully, he hugged his own twin daughters a little harder that night.
Then my best friend, who was expecting me for quiz bowl practice just two days later: "Won't be in Wednesday. Headed to the hospital. Pray for me."
Next, I had to tell the most difficult people, my mom, grandmother, and husband something.  I knew hubby was still working so just sent, "Call me as soon as you are free."  I didn't want anyone to worry.  My grandmother, who was watching my then three year old, got, "Heading to the hospital.  Be home late."  Finally, my mother, who had been most excited about this and maybe the biggest disappointment she would ever get, "Going to hospital.  Will be home late. Bad, just bad."
We arrived at the hospital and my dad asked if it was ok for him to come in with me.  The security guard had to escort us up to maternity and said, "Oh, exciting day, huh?"... Like, read the room, dude. As we reach the desk upstairs, they had decided to skip the triage room and send me directly to a labor and delivery room.  I got into a gown and situated in bed still waiting to hear from my husband.
The specialist arrived with his equipment and scanned and searched.  Then, I'll never forget, he said, "We need to have an adult conversation."  In a multiples pregnancy, the babies are labeled by how close they are to the exit.  They could't find a heartbeat on Baby A and Baby B was not doing well.  I had a choice to make: do nothing or have an emergency c-section.  (The nurses in NICU would later tell me that they were under the impression that the staff was pressuring me to let the babies go.). I asked how much time I had, said I just wanted to talk to my husband, and asked what Baby B's chances were.
One hour.  They needed to start the process and perform the section within the hour and maybe Baby B would have a 50/50 shot.  I, finally, was able to talk to my husband who also spoke with the doctor, but really, I had made my decision.  If we had a shot, we needed to take it.  
The whirlwind began.  IVs, a shot to help surfactant production, and a fetal monitor that a nurse had to sit with me and hold in place to try to watch the baby's vitals.  They asked if I wanted my dad in the operating room.
"Yes. He's a pastor.  He needs to baptize them.  Does he need to be in the room to do that?  I need to make sure they are baptized."  The consensus was that yes, he would need to be in the room.  The nurses brought him operating room gear to change into.  One kind nurse noticed my phone and asked if I would like her to take pictures.  I wouldn't realize til later how grateful I would be for those shots.
We headed to the operating room, and the anesthesiologist did her thing. They laid me down and got me situated, but all the medication made me so sick, I felt like I had tunnel vision as I projectile vomited over my left should.  I told them frantically, I felt like I couldn't breathe and it was in my nose.  They must have given me something else because then, I calmly stared at the wall as I felt all the pressure and pulling of the procedure.  They had asked me if I wanted to see the babies as soon as they were delivered.  I said that I would rather they get all the medical attention they needed first.
Later, my dad noted how busy the room was and I would think about how much I had traumatized my father.  There was the doctor, anesthesiologist, dad, me, and fifteen nurses.  Five busily attended to me, five to Baby B(who he rushed over to baptize), and five who just stood around...there was nothing they could do.  A cleaned up Baby A was brought to my dad on my right side and I watched, trying to keep it together, as he baptized her.
From the drive over to the hospital to when I was sitting in recovery, less than two hours had passed.  Less than two hours and everything had changed.  So much had happened in those two hours, and there was so much more to come.

When you've been a lot of places, you've "gone" a lot of places, but where is the best place to go?  I have been privileged to be able to tour on four continents. By plane, train, car, or bus, no matter the method of travel, sometimes you have to make a pit stop.  There is one amazing restroom that will always stand out in my mind as the best of all.  What country wins the prize for privy perfection? Japan.
Now, I  know you are thinking, "Yea, yea, we've all heard of those robot toilets."  My dears you may have heard of them, but have you experienced them?  Besides that is not all.  Let me paint you a picture.
As you approach, huge, frosted, clean, bright doors slide open as if you were entering a futuristic space vessel.  You enter and come around a curve, for added privacy to see a large sign.  Upon inspection, you realize it is a map of the restroom detailing stall locations and toilet types in each.  There are squatty potties, American toilets, Toto toilets, and special stalls with extra space and a sink for people with medical needs (like colostomy bags).  On top of all that, there are red and green LEDs that show which stalls are vacant and which are occupied for added efficiency.  It also helps because the old "peek under the door to check for feet" trick won't work here as the doors extend almost completely to the floor for added privacy.
Squatty potties take a little practice to get used too, but are said to be great for movement alignment.  They resemble a urinal if it was mounted in the floor.  As the name states, you simple squat over it with one foot on either side, easy peasy.
American toilets, as there are labeled in the region, are just that.  They are just like something you would find in a typical home in the U.S.  One feature most have for added efficiency is the low power or high power flush option depending on your requirements.
For the piece de resistance, the automated toilet (Toto is a brand name and most commonly heard of.) is an awesome luxury.  Some people avoid the bidet option, mostly due to lack of experience and don't appreciate how many trees it can help save.  There are a variety of options on these.  Most have front and back wash with adjustable oscillation and temperature.  Others have seat warmers, in bowl lighting, dryers, and even an option for music to play to cover any bodily noises and help eliminate stress for shy eliminators.
Amazing, efficient, bright, clean, and so many options!  What could be more of a relief when relieving yourself? Enjoy your evacuations!

Ok, now that you have found plenty of acting positions to apply for, what do you need to have to apply?  Every position is different.  The basics you will need are: a headshot, a resume, and a monologue.  Remember, this is based on my experience working in a variety of acting positions.

Headshot
You need properly printed 8"x10" headshots.  This should be of your head and shoulders and needs to look professional.  You may have a different shot that you submit for comedic and dramatic work, but this is totally up to you.  It does help to have a photographer with experience in taking headshots to do this for you.  Make sure to look at samples of their work to be sure that you like it.  Also, prior to booking a photograph, make sure you will have the rights to reprint the work and will receive high quality digital image/s as part of your package.  You do not want to be stuck having to go back to them each time you need to print more.  You want to look like the best (recent) version of you and often a professional can make sure the lighting and angles are just right to help you achieve this, especially if you don't have a lot of experience in front of the camera.  

Resume
You need a formal resume that lists all your performance training and experience.  This should not contain any extraneous work experience, but you may add hobbies and special talents.  As I stated previously, make sure these are truthful.  This resume should be printed on the back of your headshot.  If you cannot do this, you need to very carefully staple or paste a neatly trimmed resume (standard paper is 8.5"x11" and your headshot is 8"x10") to the back of your resume.  There are many examples out there, but most importantly, it should be neat, easy to read, and contain accurate contact information.

Monologue
You should always have at least one, one minute long monologue prepared, in case a director would ask to see something else.  It is really best to have at least two: one comedic and one dramatic.  It is important to pick a piece from a role that you could actually be cast in and stay away from anything too well known (Romeo, Romeo, where for art...NO!).  Be realistic about the range that you can play.  Can you really still play a high school student?  Also, make sure to read the entire work that the piece is from.  You don't want to just memorize words, though this is important, you want to show in that minute that you can make choices, develop the character, and make sure you are keeping the context of the piece as a whole in mind.  Yes, this can take a lot of time and effort to do properly.  The standard for any live performance is to spend at least one hour of rehearsal for each minute of performance time (90 hours of rehearsal for a 90 minute play, minimum).  There are reasons that not everyone does it.

Other things to think about.
Do you need training?  No, it is not required, but it definitely helps to have practice.  You need to be able to do cold readings (Be handed a script and read from it. Not just read, perform it.), recite lines, and maybe even do some improvisation.  I did have a degree in Theatre when I was working in these positions.  If you don't have a degree, that is ok.  There are classes and opportunities to learn everywhere if you look for them.
Will you need to sing or dance?  Possibly.  It depends on what positions you are applying for.  Are these things you may need training for?  Probably.  If you are going to go after Broadway style performances, I would highly recommend both taking extensive dance lessons and getting a vocal coach to help you prepare for singing auditions.
Am I too (young, old, thin, fat, tall, short,...) to act?  Absolutely not!  TV, commercials, movies, stage shows, and web series all need to be relatable, so there are parts out there for all types of people.
Do I need to join a union?  This really depends on how far you want to go.  I never have, but not being in a union or being in a union can both put limits on what work you can do.  This is really a question that you will need to ask yourself as you progress in the industry.

Good luck and get that gig!

"I can't believe I am telling you this."

Hubby had made it safely to Chicago for a week of work which in January is a feat in itself and I had enlisted my father to drive me to my afternoon appointment.  It was the first day back to school after Christmas break, but I had written my supervisor to be sure it was ok that I do some grading from home that morning.  We were hoping the appointment would hold some answers to help resolve my discomfort.  Who knew? Maybe they would put me on bedrest.
I hadn't felt great, so I had a blueberry muffin first thing in the morning, no coffee (because I was being super careful and not allowing myself any caffeine), and submitted the last assignment I had to complete for my second Master's.  I made sure I was ready to go and grabbed an apple just in case I got hungry.  Grandma arrived to watch big sister, dad texted that I was in the driveway, and big sister came to give me a hug.  "I won't be long, just a couple hours for the babies appointments, and I will be home with you," I told her.
I grabbed my purse.  After all, all I needed for the appointment was my ID and insurance card.  The drive to the doctor was only about 30 minutes.  I wasn't too uncomfortable, but I was glad that I didn't have to drive.  Dad needed a couple directions to make sure he knew where we were headed, but my "Vehicle Operator" father (No, really. He literally, actually wrote books (textbooks) on the subject) didn't let me down and we were at the office door in no time.  "Be back soon.  It usually doesn't take long."  He headed to the neighboring Kroger to look for deals and wait out the exam time.
Things were normal.  Check in and present ID.  "Do you have any changes to your address or insurance?" they asked and I sat to wait to be called.  They called me, weighed me, and sent me to the ultrasound room.  All normal.  I explained the past week to my tech as she slathered on gel and started her scans.  
I was having a lot of difficulty laying for the exam.  As most pregnant women know, you really can't lay on your back after a certain point because all the pressure of what ya got going on up front, will cut off circulation to your extremities.  All the weight and pressure made it hard for me to breathe and I had to set up every often to catch my breath.  The kind staff offered me a Sprite and kindly let me remove my mask to try to alleviate my discomfort.
Another thing most pregnant women can attest too, is how excitedly ultrasound techs like to point our features and print out pictures.  Not only was this not the case, but the tech stopped out to get the doctor, who usually doesn't appear until you are move to the next room.  The tech kept focusing on the same area and didn't chat.  I have dealt with many nurses and techs recently...How many do you know that don't chat?
The tech left and the doctor came in.  "I can't believe I am telling you this," she said.
I stopped her.  "Twin transfusion (that I had been asking and asking about) happened.  Something's wrong," I said.
"We can't find Baby A's heartbeat," she said.  My mind flashed to the times I had complained that they shouldn't be able to kick me in the ribs and the hip at the same time, at least not so early.  "I called a specialist (who I was familiar with because we had been referred to him for a scan for my first child after mentioning the same concerns that we stated with these...when there was only one and I was five years younger) and he will meet you at the hospital with his equipment."
I texted my dad, held it together til I got to the car, and dad drove.  Luckily, all the main hospitals were in the same direction from the doctor's office.  It took me a while to get it together enough to tell him which one.

No, I have never lived in L.A., New York, or even Chicago.  
No, I have never had an agent.  
No, I have never been part of an actor's union.  
Have I been paid to act? YES!!!

There are many variables that go into performing positions and many people have different end goals.  I have had the privilege of performing live, in films, and in commercials.  Did they all pay a living wage? No, not all of them, but there are definitely opportunities for people who want them.  Now, I write about opportunities and experiences that I have had.  Your path may not be the same.

First, you need to decide what an acting position is to you.  If you have read my "Best Job Ever" post, you have heard about a position where I was able to perform for a three month contract in relation to a promotional position.  I have also had an opportunity to learn a script and perform shows live that most people would label a sales position.  Most acting work is one gig at a time whether it is the length of filming a movie or a fun job I had working on a series of commercials.  One position I particularly enjoy is working as a standardized patient where I act like I have certain conditions and follow a scenario(improv experience helps here) to help train a variety of students in the medical field.  There are also traditional acting positions in stage productions, tv, film, or even web series.
Next, you need to figure out how far you are willing to travel and what compensation you will require.  This is totally up to you if you are freelancing and have no union or agent, so decide what you want.  You may also want to consider what experience you have.  You may be willing to work a few gigs for copy, credit, and concessions if you are working to build a reel.
Then, practice, practice, practice!  Acting classes, improv classes, memory work - you need to build up your skills and be prepared to learn quickly and perform.  This work can help you expand your abilities.  You never know when you will need a British or Irish accent...(Yes, I have performed with both).  Any skills that you can add to your resume could help you be cast, and don't be tempted to add things you've never done unless you are prepared to master them quite quickly...(Don't do it!)
Now, it is time to look for positions.  I keep profiles on a variety of job sites that help me submit for jobs and get booked.  Yes, you need a headshot and a resume for this.  Some of these sites include IMDB, Backstage, and even CraigsList.  I cannot underestimate the importance of safety here.  Make sure you have back up.  Make sure people know where you are, ask for portfolios, do your research to make sure you are not put in a dangerous position!  Another great place to look for positions, if you are building a reel, if to check out local colleges and look for student film postings.  There are also a plethora of acting groups on Facebook that you can check into depending on your region.  Most importantly, never underestimate the power or networking!  I can't tell you how many positions I was awarded because I knew someone who knew someone.
Finally, be ready!  I have had last minute gigs come up, like same day last minute.  I have needed to have a monologue in my back pocket.  The more flexible you are and the more ready to perform, the more you may have the opportunity to book.
Enjoy your hunt!

I spent several years considering my options to become a teacher.  Some things that concerned me were making sure I still had time for my family, being sure we were in a good place financially (since you cannot hold a full-time position while student teaching), getting the knowledge and experience that would make me a great educator, and making sure I would be able to pay for this new adventure.  
Western Governor's University was something that I had researched as a licensure path for a long time.  Their courses are self-paced and when you pay for a term, you can complete as many classes as you want in that six month period.  Their pricing is also very reasonable and there are no textbooks to buy.  I was even able to apply for a TEACH Grant for my course of study.  They also make sure that graduates of their program will be eligible for a teaching license in their state.  This can be a little tricky because WGU is based in Utah, but the make absolutely sure that you will able to get a license.  Due to this fact, they only offer certain licensures for each state, so do your research.
I earned two Master's with WGU.  The first earned me an initial license in teaching Life Science for grades seven through twelve.  With observation and student teaching requirement, this took me three terms.  The second, let me add Integrated Mathematics for the same grade band.  Student teaching experience is greatly abbreviated for already licensed teachers and I was able to complete my second degree in only six months, or one term.
Is WGU right for everyone?  Absolutely not.  WGU wants you to succeed and assigns a mentor to help keep you accountable.  There are also course instructors that reach out to help.  Student success resources have a wide range, but if you are not self-motivated, it is easy to not answer calls and emails and let that six months that you are paying for tick away with no progress.  You have to want it and be willing to put in the work.  This could mean asking for help watching a little one so you can get a test completed, working late after work, or sneaking studies in during breaks.  It is doable, but you have to make the commitment to yourself that you will get it done.  Again, you are not alone.  Your mentor will help you come up with short and long term goals and instructors will support you academically, but you must do the work.
To get through your courses, there are two types of evaluations, or tasks, you may have to complete: objective assessments, performance assessments, or a combination of the two.  Objective assessments are like a traditional multiple choice test.  Something I love about these assessments is that each has a pretest that you can take and it will help you find what specific areas you need to study.  I always liked to take this once, go over questions and areas I missed, then retake the practice test before taking on the real thing.  Don't forget, this is a virtual program, so when you are ready to take your assessment, just schedule with the online proctor service, set up your webcam, and complete your assessment in the comfort of your own home.  Another great aspect of this program is that these "tests" are graded immediately, no waiting to find out if you passed.
Performance assessments, on the other hand, can encompass a wide variety of written work.  You could be submitting observation hours, writing reflection essays, creating lesson plans, or answering a variety of questions.  These are completely open book, just be sure to properly cite any sources you use.  These do take a little longer to receive feedback because an evaluator will go over the rubric that you are provided when you read the assignment and they will give personalized feedback on the task.  Currently, WGU's goal is to get these back to you in 72 hours.  If there are any parts that you did not pass right away, you can just fix that area and resubmit the assignment.  Questions on why you missed something?  This is a great time to reach out to your course instructor for assistance.
This is just a brief synopsis about some of WGU's benefits and how completing a course really works.  If you are interested in furthering your education in a variety of subjects (information technology, nursing, business, education, or more), check out wgu.edu.  Make sure you get the $65 off application voucher, so you can apply for free.  Have your questions ready, because they will contact you ASAP to try to get you all the info you need to find the program that fits your needs.  Happy learning!

What is better that traveling?  Getting an amazing discount!  
My husband and I had the opportunity to go to Sandals for our honeymoon.  It was something that I had been wishing for since I first saw an advertisement for them many years ago.  There are many different Sandals resorts on several different islands and things are always changing.  At the time, my sister-in-law recommended Sandals Whitehouse(now Sandals South Coast) in Jamaica.  We had an amazing time and booked an anniversary trip a few years later.  We thought that this resort was a little large for us and decided that next time we would test out Sandals Royal Plantation in Ocho Rios.  It was also exciting that this boutique hotel(only about 73 rooms) was an all Butler resort.  Since this class of room is the most expensive, we thought this might be our only chance to try it out, but as I would learn there are plenty of options for savings.

Sandals Select
This is Sandals' loyalty program.  Signing up comes with a ton of savings and perks.  One great thing is that you accrue points for every dollar spent that go toward discounting future stays.  You can also get bonuses for things like booking a stay during your birthday month for travel anytime. You will receive special gifts at certain milestones as well.  After 70 paid nights, you will earn the ultimate travel discount, a voucher for a free one week stay.  To see all the awesome perks check out sandalsselect.com/benefits.

Loyalty Discount
When you are on resort and book a return trip within the Sandals' family of resorts, you get a special discount based on the room level that you book.  This discount is 10% off a luxury room, 11% off club level, or 12% off a butler room.  There are some special rules with this type of booking, so be sure to read the fine print.

Anniversary Night
If you book a seven night stay in a club or butler level room within 30 days of your anniversary and register it here(https://www.sandals.com/anniversaries/free/) within 14 days of booking, you will get one night free!  That is 14% off!  You will have to submit a copy of your marriage certificate for this one and there are some special rules.  If you are already getting a free night through a booking offer, you cannot use this deal.  You can also not use this deal in conjunction with the Loyalty Discount.

777 Deals
This is one to keep an eye on.  Every week starting on Wednesday at midnight Sandals releases a special extra 7% off of seven different rooms across seven different resorts.  If you have your eye on a special room or particular resort, it is worth checking out every week.  This great offer can but used with just about any other discount.  You do have to watch for blackout dates. 
www.sandals.com/specials/best-value-suites

Last Minute Deals
This option is best for people that have flexible travel dates and want a short vacation.  You have to check back often to see which dates and which resorts are available, but if you book 3 or 4 nights during these deals, you get one of the nights free!  Beware that since these are last minute bookings, you may have very limited room choices, but if you are staying at a beautiful beach resort, how much time will you really spend in the room anyway?
sandals.com/specials/last-minute-travel-deals

Service Personnel Discount
Finally, if you or your travel companion are military, a fire fighter, FEMA worker, or police officer, make sure to register your booking right away for an extra 10% off!  This discount is compatible with all other discounts, which we love!  Again, make sure to register your booking (https://www.sandals.com/specials/firefighter-military-police-savings/) right away.  You should get a confirmation email.  Make sure that when you get to the resort you have your ID or discharge papers.  They will be checked and it you don't have it, your discount will be revoked. 

There are a few other special options.  Sandals does offer a rewards credit card.  I have never found it to be particularly helpful since I have other cards with better rewards, but it is an option.  Also often Sandals will promote special gifts at time of booking.  Be sure to follow all directions to register for them right away.  I also find it helpful to mention things like free candlelight experiences or massage credit when you arrive on resort to make sure you can get these things scheduled.

We love these resorts and hope you will too.  If this post has been helpful, when you make your first booking and enroll in Sandals Select, contact me for a special referral code to help you start earning benefits fast!  Happy traveling and even happier saving!!!

As you can see, I've had a little experience in many different fields.  There are reasons that I have not continued in many.  Sometimes the position was no longer a viable option because I chose to have a family. This was the case with touring for both theatrical and promotional purposes.  There were times that I loved my positions, but the contracts ended.  Again this is a problem with working long term promotions, theatrical work, and even some educational positions.  If the position is discontinued, you will just have to find another.  Other times I moved on for other reasons.  I left banking to pursue my education in education as well as spend more time at home with my then nursing baby.  The position I had working at Target ended because I returned to college for my senior year.
There is one position that I walked away from and never looked back.  What was it?  Telemarketing.
That's right for one and one-half days I trained and worked making calls for a charity to businesses.  It was for a good cause and it was kind of like acting.  I mean there was a script, right?  It just was not for me.  To be perfectly frank, during my calls on my second morning, a gentlemen started yelling at me for calling and asking how I had gotten his number and I had to be rescued by the floor supervisor.  I was in tears.  They asked if I wanted to take the rest of the day off and I did.
The next day, I called and formally quit the position.  I don't like to give up on things and I definitely don't recommend quitting anything, but I knew no amount of money was worth continuing in a position that would make me miserable.  You know what?  It all worked out.  A few days later, I was offered a completely different position.  It was one that had some benefits, I excelled in, learned a lot doing, and, most importantly, I enjoyed.
Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is know when your happiness and your sanity is worth more than a position.  Know what you are worth.  Happy job hunting!

Direct sales opportunities get personified as the worst of all pyramid schemes.  They were designed to distract unsuspecting homemakers from their honorable duties.  They must be stealing time and money from all the vulnerable people out there... But what are they really?  There are so many out there. It would be hard for someone to not name a few friends that are involved with one company or another.  As always, I have had experiences with several of these companies, but I cannot speak for all companies or all people that work with them.
So when I say several companies....  Let me start by saying I like things that I like and if I like them, of course, I want to share them with others.  There are things about every company that I have worked with that I truly enjoyed.  That being said, I have been a representative for Pure Romance, Dove Chocolate Discoveries, It Works, Damsels in Defense, Java Mammas, and RevitalU.  I still am a rep and still utilize products from RevitalU at this time (revival.com/rayna).
While there were opportunities for the people who recruited me to make extra money because they recruited me, I never thought it took away from what I was doing and I never thought it was undue.  If you can sell a sales gig, you deserve a percentage.  That is kind of what sales is about.
I was very lucky to appreciate all of the products that I worked with.  Very important: Don't sell something that you don't believe in.  I can attest to this because I still have my Damsel in Defense stun gun, a few It Works wraps, some Java Mamma coffee, and some...special souvenirs from Pure Romance ;).  I love the companies I have worked with and no one should be bullied out of this lifestyle.
Some people don't realize that these "party" platforms are a lifestyle.  They give representatives a drive to go out and spend time building connections and making new friends. In this TikTok world, real-life connections are desperately needed.  These positions also encourage presentation and communication skills that can be used in any avenue of life.  Finally, this opportunity is built on teamwork.  I have gained some great friendships by joining a company and working with a team to learn about product and how best to present services.
And never underestimate the importance of...FUN!!!
Most of these companies offer great opportunities for rewards trips, meetups, leadership seminars, and more!  Who doesn't need a reason to get up and go somewhere and listen to a few empowering speeches?  Even better, who doesn't have time to get some free swag?!?!  I mean really!  What is a conference without a free sample here, a prize there, a complementary drink, even a nice dinner out?
Most importantly, can the average person make money with any of these companies?  Absolutely!  I can't say that I have gotten rich off of any single company and I will say that I am currently not working with several that I had a relationship with.  I have, however, made money, bought Christmas presents, and gotten through my year because of these opportunities.  I do enjoy all these products and if sales, parties, and chatting with new friends is your forte, then, this may be for you.
Go out and explore.  If you find something great, why not introduce your friends and family to it?  Experience the lifestyle.  Don't forget to support your friends doing the same.  Join a group, like a post, purchase a stocking stuffer, and feel great that you are supporting a friend!