Warning Rant Ahead

Okay, I wasn't originally going to post about this in my blog as it's just drama llama-ing, but after some recent blog posts that took edited screenshots from a Closed Facebook Group as well as Private E-mails, I finally felt the need to pipe up. I fully support Indie Cosmetics as an industry. Sure, there are some companies that for some reason or another I won't support but that's judging them on an individual basis and not condemning the entire industry for another company's blunders (whether in business practice or personal behavior).

I joined the infamous Facebook group not because I was affected directly by the person in question but because I saw people around me who were hurt. This is both a strength and a weakness of mine because I like to be there and support people in times of extreme emotional stress like people have been there for me. Did I take part in any of the questionable activities? Not any of the ones brought up directly in blog posts. I was purely there to distract from the negative and throw a little positive in their direction and that usually involved subjects entirely unrelated to the drama.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, just because anyone will get approval to join a Closed Facebook Group doesn't give anyone else the right to post information publicly where it can be archived on the web. I don't care how bad you were slighted, this is poor form as well. Do I condone the behavior that went on? Not at all. However when I did join, from what I saw things were already trending toward the better. Not only is this group a place where you can share complaints but also where you can share hauls and items you've found. It's also a place where people can chime in on their experiences with a product whether good or bad.

I see a lot more productive discussion going on there right now than any of the bloggers who have posted about the bad behavior are giving the group credit for. Humanity in general has a tendency to latch on to the negative and bore it into the ground. For those of you who are Ohio State Buckeye fans, you know of the mistake that Coach Jim Tressel made and he is paying for that mistake however, don't forget all of the good that he has done for the Ohio State University football program.

I have learned so much about cosmetics formulation from this group that I've seen my reviews improving. One company worked with me on cutting shipping costs if I ordered only one or two full size jars of eye shadow and the rest were samples. This is an indie company I'm talking about.

I know I am personally helping to perpetuate drama but I also hope that this puts a positive spin on things and shows the improvement and community that the FB Group has become. Yes, we still ask questions about etiquette and shipping and company complaints but lately, it's been so that people can get a better perspective on what action they should take.

So let's think about what the group has become. Although we can't hide the ugly past, we can work to improve the atmosphere to stop further drama like this from happening. We're human. Our emotions blur lines even more when they are negative. I've been there and really, if you haven't then I'd probably call shenanigans. You may not have fallen victim to it, but I am sure you experienced a time when those lines were so blurred you thought about it.

Now shall we celebrate the death of the negativity with this song of AWESOME?

Fandom: Man v. Food Nation

So last night, it seems like someone was challenging Adam Richman to a one on one food eating contest on Twitter. I tweeted back to him because having met him, he is a very genuine person and his passion for food really shows through. Last night, I also wrote a rambling 3 page blog entry on notebook paper because my laptop is still inaccessable. Eventually, I laughed at myself because the thing was so rambling, I don't think I was making sense to anyone other than myself (hooray for writing things at 3AM).
I wanted to say something that needs to be said in some sort of public place. Man v. Food is not about out eating anyone. It's about showcasing the cities that each episode is taking place in. Also, if you read Adam's book Edible America you can see the rich culinary anthropology and experiences that Adam has had outside of the show. I thought I knew quite a bit about Cleveland, Ohio and some of it's food but I had no idea about many of the things he mentioned.

I wasn't originally a fan of Man v. Food. There, I said it. However after hearing that Adam was coming to town, I started really watching the show. It took me a while but I finally saw the first episode which was filmed in my hometown of Columbus, OH. I also found out that Adam and I share the same birthday just a few years apart. Couple that with a passion for food in the both of us and I was already in heaven.

I had already decided due to Adam's reaction in that episode to Schmidt's Sausage Haus' 8 oz. cream puffs, that I wanted to surprise him with one. I did and his eyes just lit up like a kid in a candy store. I think this was the start of an even longer fandom. Now I watch Man v. Food Nation every week and I tweet along with Adam's live tweets.

I am so proud to be a member of Man v. Food Nation because it shows our history through food which is something that everyone can relate to. It also shows that no matter how much he, or anyone eats, the competition is nothing but friendly. Everyone cheers him and whoever is attempting the challenge on. I would love to be on the show even if it's just to cheer someone else on. It ranks up there with being a part of an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition build (which I've just signed up for BTW). More to come on that.