Monthly Archives: August 2012

Facebook Fan Give Away!

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Did you know  that only 12-18% of emails get read?  In a business like mine, that is terrible when you are trying to reach customers and potential customers with information regarding specials and new items!

I’ve decided to get a fan page going for my Avon business.  I already had the fan page, http://www.facebook.com/MarvelousWithMarti   but I really need to grow my fan base.  SO I’m having a give away.  3 makeup bundles of the items needed to achieve the looks you see in the photo below.  One winner will get to chose the bundle for the look they want and I will mail it all to them.  There are rules, like the contest closes when there are 300 likes/fans (not to worry I will have more such fun events).  The winner must live in the United States or Canada.

SO go like the page and get in the drawing for the awesome bundle and I will contact the winner once the page hits 300 fans and a drawing is held!

If I Had A Gun That Shot Sh*t….

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Growing up I have fond memories of going to my grandparent’s house on my dad’s side.  We have about a million cousins,  or at least it seems so.  Dad was one of 10 kids, all but one of whom had married and had children of their own.   There is quite an age spread between the 10, resulting in us having second cousins in the mix before too long.  Sundays seemed to be the day we’d see everyone there, with a ton of food if it was near meal time.  Grandma had  this pot that she made  popcorn in, on the stove top, that was ancient, covered with black stuff on the bottom (seems it was key to the perfect pot of unburned, fresh popped corn).  In the pantry on the shelf was a heavy, ceramic teapot full of Smarties candy.  And she made mint iced tea all year  round from mint that grew along side of the garage, by drying in on long tables covered in newspaper in the basement.  Some cousins started their own mint patch with transplants from there.  Grandma and grandpa are long gone but those mint beds are still around and that reminds me I need to get a starter from one of them.

Not the best photo but you can still see the big, cement flower boxes on the porch! And the driveway under the dinning room windows.

Anyway, grandpa and the aunts and uncles would be sitting around the massive dinning room table while sharing stories.  Mostly grandpa did the sharing, using curse words now and then and grandma yelling “now daddy” from the kitchen because of all the young ears in the house.  We always knew it was going to be a good story when he used bad words.  Old, black oscillating fans moving the air in the room (no A/C in the house)  while we kids were playing under the table (I’m not kidding,  this thing was solid, huge and you were pretty safe under there) or on the living room floor and porch, with toys from the toy bins from under grandma’s bed.  We were packed in there like sardines, but no  one seemed to notice or mind.  Beer came in bottles then, and there was always cold beer being drank along with the iced tea.  Outside under the windows was the driveway with old tricycles rolling by with cousins riding those, by standing on the back platform that ran between the 2 back wheels, bent over holding the handlebars.  No, we did not have bike  helmets back then.  The gentle creek of the front porch swing, glider, and the smell of flowers in the huge, cement flower boxes sitting atop the brick rails….ah the memories.

One of the things I distinctly remember, aside from his voice which I can still hear in my head as clear as day, was grandpa making reference to,  ”if I had a gun that shot sh*t mounted  on the machine…”.  The car was referred to as the machine.  The gun was always to have been aimed at some well deserving soul.  There were plenty of those.  That part of life has not changed at all.  In fact if anything, there are countless more fools  in the world on the roads and other places that are just begging to receive a nice, warm, soft, smelly round of poop launched on to them from said mounted device.

This morning the recipients would be the roofing crew a few doors down.  At 7am I woke to the sound of large packages of shingles being dropped hard on the roof top of the house  they are working on.  It is Saturday for crying out loud!  And one of the few summer nights that windows could be left open to sleep!  SERIOUSLY WTF????  I get it on week days as most folks are up and headed to work.  But is is SATURDAY! People sleep in on Saturdays.  Unless you live here, where rude roofing crews are starting the day.

Once I determined the  source of the rude awakening I was laying in bed thinking of that picture on Facebook that floats around about people who would be dead if it weren’t for prison.  I daydreamed about taking target practice with the 9mm, but if my skills  at shooting targets look anything like my abilities at dart throwing, a lot of innocent folks and pets in the houses on either side would be in danger.  That was when I remembered grandpa’s poop shooting bazooka!  YEAH that would  do it!  Pull up in front of the house with my car that is branded with my Avon business and business number in large font across the back window, aiming that big gun at one roofer after the next, firing large loads of nasty, gooey cow manure,  hitting each and every one!  Neighbors calling me (thanks to the number on the car) thanking me profusely for eliminating the annoying, rude,  early rising workers, and ordering large amounts of  Avon  products in appreciation for my efforts.

Ah one can dream.

Thanks, grandpa, for the visuals this morning that made me laugh out  loud.  RIP old man.

Military Moms, Babies, And Awesome Shoes!

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I know, you are sitting there trying to figure out what those three  things have in common.  Pour another cup of coffee and I’ll explain it to you.

This morning I received an email from Anya Sarre, a stylist with ShoeDazzle.  Mind you at first, me being ever the skeptic, thought “yeah, and I’m Mother Teresa”.   But I did look into it and sure enough, she is!  Right along with Kim Kardashian.  This woman found my blog and wanted to know if I’d mind sharing something with you, my readers.  When I looked at it, I was on board right now.  While I’ve never been a military wife, I did have kinship care of my Navy cousin’s children for a year, experiencing a small taste of what the moms must go through.  I also know plenty of vets and military wives, and know how hard that time apart can be, especially if a baby is due while daddy is away.  I’m all over doing my part to support our troops, and one of those ways is to help their wives while they are deployed.  To make it extra special, it is helping the expectant mothers while their men are deployed.

YOU can help now too!

Here is a message from Anya Sarre  herself:

Anya here! I have some great news on a wonderful partnership that ShoeDazzle has made with Operation Shower! ShoeDazzle is a place that welcomes you to your own personal style paradise—by offering shoes, handbags, and jewelry personally selected for you by our fashion experts for a great monthly price with free shipping. Operation Shower is about celebrating and honoring military families–non-profit organization that provides joyful baby showers for military families to ease the burden of deployment.

We have come together and ShoeDazzle will be contributing 100% of all profits made from the “Monroe” shoe to benefit Operation Shower. Shoe designer, Vanessa Lachey, designed the Monroe shoe with the military in mind!  The faux snakeskin, high-heeled bootie has a steep platform and multiple buckles for a hard edge that channels the tough aesthetic of a training camp combined with a very sexy style that is still ultra feminine.

Support Operation Shower and military families around the world by spreading the word—one amazing shower at a time.

 Anya

Here is the “Monroe” shoe, it is screaming at me as the perfect addition to my throttle therapy attire.  I’m certain that pairing it with my riding jeans and a Harley Davidson shirt, and the occasional pink in my hair would be one rockin’ look.  Hopefully they don’t mind my putting up the photo, if you click it,  it will take you to their site, where you can purchase it for yourself.  It would look fantastic with so many outfits, not just the ‘biker chick’ look I’m aiming for!  Frankly it is a STEEL for only $39.95 too!

THANK-YOU for contacting me, Anya, it is my pleasure to spread the word for this very worthy cause!

Dear Future Husband ~ It’s My Heart, Thank You Very Much

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Dear Future Mr. Marvi Marti,

Gosh I love that…Mr. Marvi Marti.  You see, it is likely that is what you will be known by, as I am just that much of an over powering presence.  I tend to out shine, out last, out speak, out love, out argue etc, any man in my life.  I am quite a force to be reckoned with, no doubt.

Speaking of “out love any man”, however,  yes we DO need to talk about that part at some point and now is as good a time as any, as to date the position is still open for the future Mister.  This is because as of now, if someone likes it, they haven’t put a ring on it. You know the song.

Monday marked what would have been my 24th wedding anniversary to Lord Voldemort.  Yes, by the way, it is said in fun so just get the hell over it, oh readers who love to run tell him what I write about him. He doesn’t give a rats ass and I say it in complete fun.  Sorry, dear ex-hubster, if your “friends” feel the need to report what I write, perhaps it is time to trade them in for ones who respect your ‘claimed’ wishes to not tell you.  And SO sorry, future one of mine, I hijack my own posts once in a while, get used to it.  I’m told it is A.D.D.

My dear, future spouse, you must accept something very important.  I was married for 2 weeks shy of 22 years.  In that time I went from loving my spouse, being in love with him, to loving him with every fiber of my being, every cell in me.  It didn’t come about over night though.  That kind of love grows through many trials and difficulties, and many more happy good times.  Nearly losing him 3 times to death grew that love which is why I stayed through the shit storm life seemed to always throw our way.  Watching him be a daddy, comforting our children, those sights burned that love into my heart.  Supporting him and watching him achieve dreams, it carved him deeper  into my heart.  Yes, to this day I love that man very much, that will simply not change.  True, real love doesn’t die.  And that is why the divorce was so painful and still is for me, knowing that the love that I had for him was one sided.  He loved me, but not like I loved him.  Not with the kind of love that comes from every part of someone, that keeps promises made, the love that never gives up and stays when someone is most unlovable (rest assured he was very unlovable at times and is not the saintly  husband some think – and you can bet I can play a tie ball game in that regard).  To know that you gave someone your best years,  love from the core of your being, only to have them toss it aside like a waded up receipt, that kind of pain you just don’t bounce back from in 2 years time.  When I looked up and saw the date, 8/13, I cried all over again.  I miss the man that held me when I cried over losses, who snored softly beside me when he slept, who made me laugh at stupid, silly things, was the object of my fantasies, and made me excited just by the sound of him pulling in the driveway.  The man who could raise my desire simply by touching me.

That part of my heart is now very much closed.   I don’t know that I can ever love on that level  again.  No, it is not impossible, but it is highly unlikely.  Because when you lose the person you loved that much….it is a pain beyond words.  It hurt to even breathe.  No, it doesn’t hurt quite that badly now, but I’m still pretty raw and vulnerable on those depths.  I’m not sure we can love like that more than once in a lifetime.  Because self preservation closes those depths in the heart and seals them over.  To hurt the deeply more than once…well frankly the thought is unbearable to me.

I can love you, be your best friend, companion, cheer leader.  I can and will be faithful, there will be only you if we make a commitment.  But the deepest part of my heart is not within anyone’s reach. Even the one I loved that much could never hope  to pry that place open again.  That is why, should hell freeze over and he ever wanted to patch things up, the answer would be a concrete NO WAY IN HELL.  For one, I could never trust him again.  And of course, that love I had is locked up so tightly away now, my heart could never freely give it again to someone who threw it away.

I will use everything left in me to love, cherish and adore the man I marry, should I ever go that route again.  If that is not enough, then my dear man, I am not the one for you.  Keep looking for what you seek and I hope you are able to find it.  If you want someone who keeps those promises made in the wedding vows, “through richer or poorer, good times and bad, sickness and in health….” yada yada yada, then  please, pursue that road with me. I honor my vows and take them very seriously.

It’s MY heart, and even if I thought I could love on the level again, I don’t know that I would, and that is my right.

I’m Channeling My Inner Creamsicle

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Yes…my hair is now a lovely, pastel orange.  I look like a Creamsicle.  That or I’m a bit premature in my excitement for Bengals pre-season football to begin.  Never  one to take myself too seriously, and therefore I don’t expect anyone else to take me seriously all of the time,  I thought I’d share.

Thankfully my stylist is going to fix this later today.

Here is a Vlog so you can experience the full visual effect too.

Rambling & OMG Grandma’s Face Is Melting!!!

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Okay so it isn’t melting, but this heat wave is making for a sweaty, not quite as Marvelous one, a total waste of makeup!  I’m thinking I will be skipping the makeup routine more often than not, it’s only going to end up running off of my face anyway.

I haven’t taken time to sit down and write lately, had a lot on my mind but wasn’t ready to really put it all in writing.  And I’ve been rather busy to say the least.  But I need my therapy session of spilling the inside jumble of ever changing thoughts out on to the computer screen.  I’m armed here with a glass of red wine and some microwave popcorn, it’s time to start purging the brain onto my blog page.  Reader beware, this could go all kinds of sideways before I’m finished.

First order of business is that today my son, his wife, and little girl found out the newest addition to their family (due in late December) is a little boy!!!  I am more than excited to be gaining my second grandchild. I’ve found that of all the roles I’ve played on the stage of life so far, being a grandma is one of the very best!  And I’m still very young for the job, at only 49!  I have therapy with my crochet hooks coming up as I make a bunch of fun stuff like blankets, hats and booties for this little boy, not to mention the tons of stuff I am going to be buying.  But not just for him! I know how hard being the older sibling can be when the baby is getting all the goodies, so Little Red, my adorable granddaughter, will be getting some fun stuff from me too.

Lately I’ve been in a mode of letting bygones be just that, bygones.  Water under the bridge.  I’ve forgiven those that needed it, and those that didn’t.  It may be seen to some as ‘poking the bear/bitch’ but I have even hit the old friend request on about a dozen past Facebook friends and life/lifestyle friends as Facebook has thrown them into my “people you may know” feed.  Who knows, maybe they too are ready to let it all go and move the heck on.  If not, their loss.  Life is just too damn short to worry about it all anymore.  I have my life, it is fun, wild and crazy, mellow and easy going, full of laughter and good times.  Happiness is a choice I make, joy is something I’ve found in the simple things.  Some will tell me I’ve lost it, or have a few screws loose.  Hell not a single screw is loose, but many are bent and twisted!  :)   So be it.  The bible say that as much as possible be at peace with all, and that is my goal.

I’ve had my share of throttle therapy lately, and frankly cannot get enough.  More to come, way more to come!

Just the other day I had a total light bulb moment.  Or a “squirrel!” event.  Depends how you look at it I suppose.  I had read another person’s blog about their NOT doing so hot in a direct selling business, and replied telling them maybe it was because they failed to treat it as a job, and instead dabbled at it like a hobby.  ”BING!” on went the light bulb in my brain.  I’m working my business, and not doing too shabby, but wondering why I’m not up there higher just yet, and it dawned on me: I’m NOT working it like I did my jobs in the past.  If I were to have put the effort into past employment that I am now with Avon, I wouldn’t have had a job for long.  SO…obviously I need to get a more focused approach.  I’m also starting a second job with another direct selling company, but more on that later.

Okay who out there has had Bunco parties/clubs?  Just found out tonight that I’m going to be in one.  I have NO clue what it is all about but sounds like a great reason for a girls night out once a month so I said I was in!

I ALMOST went back to blond locks recently, but the hair color I was using wasn’t meant for removing the red.  SO I dyed it deep red again.  Heck I have about 700 of 1000 business cards left with my red hair photo, so I am figuring it would be good to remain a firey little red head for a while longer.  Besides I DO like this color and it always gets a conversation started wherever I go!

The past few weeks I have been on the quiet side when it comes to posting.  I’ve been reflecting on things I was told about not sharing so much about others.  Or myself if it involves others.  I’m evaluating that one, because…well it’s a respect thing and um…never gave it a lot of thought.

I had plenty to say on the whole gay marriage (I support it) and Chick-Fil-A (support them too) events, on Facebook, but I’ve chosen to leave it out of my posts.  Face it, no one is changing anyone’s mind on the subject.  The President only, IMHO, changed HIS mind because it is an election year and he is vying for votes so going with the vocal minority.  Nothing I say is going to change anyone’s thoughts so I’ll leave it at that, I support gay marriage and I went to Chick-Fil-A on the 1st because I am a support of free speech too.  Besides, their food is good.

This whole typing thing with a band-aid on one finger is a pain in the rump.  Cut the finger on the foil on a wine bottle earlier tonight.  Better outlaw those things, they are dangerous!!!!  I might have bled out and died in the kitchen if it were not for the paper towels and the band-aid that only took 10 minutes to locate!  Beware of the foil covering the corks on your wine bottles.

Did you know that if the blades of your fan are dirty, it is not putting out like it should?  I knew this but hadn’t taken a good look at the fans lately. OMG! I am shocked nothing in there grabbed and ate one of the cats, it was disgusting!  I took my box fan apart, cleaned the blades and every other area that could be reached with q-tips and now it is like hurricane force winds when set on high.  Who knew?  I cleaned another one and my little baby fan in my room too.  My sister was all mock-like impressed, teasing me about having a fever because I actually used a tool (a screw driver) today.  Yeah, I’m cool like that.  I couldn’t mess this up, the cats were supervising me!

Okay so this is a totally random, lame post tonight, but at least I put something up for the first time in days.

I leave you with my cat’s very, “get your butt in bed and stop moving you are disturbing me” look.