Sunday, January 11, 2009

Rant!

Hi all ... I just wanted to leave a message for all of you that follow this blog, because I think that you are the ones that I can consider real friends and those that I definitely do not want to lose contact with.

I am going to rant a little bit ... I am sick and tired of participating in a community where it is wrong to have an opinion different other than someone else ... wrong to love something that isn't "sanctioned" and most of all ... really tired of being told to take my thoughts and conversations elsewhere when those that I care about exist in the community that I am being pushed out of. I will not be doing that anymore ... because I refuse to throw support behind such a place. Those of you that know me through the online makeup world know exactly what I am referring to. And no ... I am not referring to Specktra.

Yes ... I know that it is just makeup ... but that has opened alot of doors to friendships that I never would have had otherwise. For those of you that are not terribly familiar with me, up until about six months ago I was all about Bare Escentuals. Then I got back into MAC and I love MAC ... always had ... and I knew when I started using BE that eventually I would add MAC back in because the products are just amazing. Alot of people in the community that I used to love being a part of have issue with that ... even though it is not their face.

I know that many of you signed up for this blog thinking that you were going to see BE all the time ... and for a while that is how it worked. I still love BE ... always will in certain ways ... but I am allowed to use whatever I want and TALK ABOUT whatever I want and it isn't hurting anyone. If you don't follow this blog as much as others because lately it has been mostly MAC then I am sorry you have lost interest. I will still be using my BE ... and just trying to get through all my new stuff, which is MAC stuff.

I am going to miss alot of people ... because many of those that I hold dear in that community do not check this blog and therefore will never read this message. Sisboo, Lisa, Cynthia, Aileen, Tasha and many of you others that I know may disagree with my response to the recent policy changes and happenings in our community ... I hope you can see past our possible difference in opinion and still keep in touch. I love all of you dearly and consider you real friends ... and the thoughts of letting a split in the community destroy that makes my stomach turn.

For those of you that read all the way through this ... thank you ... and if it doesn't make sense please feel free to post. Those of you that are a part of the community will understand what I mean immediately ... and are free to disagree with me. I just find so many things that are wrong and violating there are the moment that I have to back away from it for now. I love you all dearly ... and thanks for keeping up with the rant.

35 comments:

  1. Need a beer? LOL Just keep on doing what you are doing!

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  2. now you made me cry more..love you Erin!! Wanna have some vodka? you are invited too lisa and lindsay!!!

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  3. I totally agree with everything you said - both here and on the board - and think that the direction the board has taken is sad indeed. Apparently some don't get the concept of being able to love more than one line.

    I'm still here, enjoying your looks - both MAC and BE. :)

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  4. I will always "BE" here to visit-lol. Thanks for all your looks and helping me find my new love while supporting my old.

    It is a sad and frustrating day.

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  5. It's Katie (khy8w). I will keep reading, girl. Just keep doing what you're doing!

    Love ya!

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  6. I completely agree with everything you said (here and there). I don't understand completely why its a problem over there, but whatever. Your blog is fantastic btw :-)

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  7. Communities change. However, if the mods truly wanted to limit conversations to BE, I would like to think that they would have acted earlier.

    It's not easy, even on a corporate site (witness - or should that be "witless" - the Q's fora), to maintain so tight a focus. People don't buy makeup from just one MMU vendor. People don't even use one MMU vendor's products in their looks. So it's inevitable that there's going to be discussion about other MMU lines. (Especially when BE's latest efforts have been so very...average.)

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  8. I just wanted to tell you that I will continue to follow your blog and I hope that keep up the beautiful and hard work that you have done-I come here often to check out your looks and have learned a lot from you. I feel terrible about what has happened.

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  9. Erin, you know I love ya!! I don't necessarily dissagree with you, just have another spin on things (I tend to try to be a neutral voice in the midst of chaos). MAC, BE, TSS, or whatever you use, you are an immense talent that I will continue to look to for inspiration. Besides, who is am I gonna talk to when teaching drives me CRAZY!!!!!

    LOVE AND HUGS!!

    Cynthia

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  10. oh honey I am so sad to hear about your decision...but of course your face and I understand your decision. At least I still get to see you here. Smooches!

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  11. I'm still learning about makeup at my advanced age of 47, so I will continue to come here and learn more from such a talented person. You don't have to go through all this trouble but you do. I appreciate that.

    Jenny

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  12. Erin dear.

    It's not that I disagree with you. I just see that your opinion came out a little too strong. Seems like you're cornering the mod team as if they didn't give us freewill and they have no right to react the way James did.

    I would totally b dissapointed if i can't talk about MAC because honestly my mac collection is probably a little more than BE. But I used BE daily.

    But whatever... i don't care what really happen and i am not going to take this to heart. It's not like the end of the world or anything.

    Love you erin. Now where is the chromaline swatches that i want to see? :) hugs

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  13. I love your blog and visit it daily, your work is great and inspiring, be it MAC, BE or whatever you choose to try. They should be ashamed to loose you...

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  15. Can I just say, the February offerings are pure crap! Doesn't everyone understand why there's such a lack of interest in BE right now??

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  16. I'm sorry to see you leave Erin. I've really enjoyed your post, and I've really enjoyed my recent MAC purchases b/c of you! :) (yikes, new addiction in the making!)

    That said, for those of you using the term "mods" (plural), I know for a fact that they don't all agree with the "censorship". James is indeed a strong personality with his own opinions...

    I'll still be reading your blog Erin!

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  17. Erin - I disagree with Tasha, I don't think your opinion came out too strong. I think you made some really valid points, and you did so in the same tone and manner than James did. So, if Erin's posts were too strong, then so were James.

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  18. erin,

    i agree with you and support you in everything you said. for some time now i have been disappointed in the way the site had been geared more and more to only BE, bc i don't know a single woman who uses only one line, and limiting discussions is simply unrealistic.

    i'm glad you started this blog when you did, bc it gave you your freedom to be the creative genius you are without fear of censure. i check in here many times a week, though i rarely post. and i have become a very infrequent poster on that forum bc of the recent changes.

    i applaud your stand and your love for all cosmetics that bring dazzles to our eyes. keep on doing what you're doing, girl!

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  19. Hey AngelBunny,

    I just started posting on MM and I never mind the MAC posts or any other non-BE post. Non-be post has helped me to explore my makeup options for sure. I could never just use BE alone....never!!!

    I love your strong opionon because you speak for alot women on that board who love eachother like family.

    So like someone posted, you keep doing you and do not worry if anyone disagrees with what makeup you choose to wear...you said it "it is your face, not theirs".

    Obviously BE does not want their fans talking about another competitive makeup brand...we get it!

    Hey maybe this will encourage you to start your own Forum...How about that?!! Tell MM "In Yo face"!!! LOL HAHAHAHA

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  20. To all of you who have supported me and voiced your opinions on this particular issue I thank you very much. Even if you don't agree with me, I greatly appreciate your willingness to stand up and argue your side.

    That said ... I am happy with the compromise that the mods of said community have come up with. I know that it wasn't easy for a few of them and am glad that it was seen that it was better for the community to back away from the previously stated policy and find a better option for the members.

    I am hoping to still have a home there ... but after the drama of yesterday and even with the current compromise I just don't know if that is possible. I would like to be able to retract my statement about withdrawing from the community, but as of right now I just don't feel comfortable or particularly welcome and I don't know if it will be possible for that to change. I am responsible for my own feelings in that respect, and I hope that they will die down and settle.

    Again, thanks for all of your love and support. The blog will remain my base and my outlet ... and hopefully I will regain the comfortable feeling of the place that I would miss if I were no longer there. We shall see ...

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  21. You know you can leave things in the past.... :)xoxo

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  22. To "K". Unless you've somehow gained access to the mod forum, or have spoken with each mod, you don't know anything "for a fact".

    Yes, James has a strong personality. Since when is that a crime? I'd wager that if MM were run by a woman, that comment would never have occurred to anyone, but there seems to be a sexist double standard in place, which is very disturbing.


    I've seen lots of speculation in the last couple of days, about who or what caused the "crackdown", and what went on behind the scenes, yet it's all just that: speculation.

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  23. I just wanted to point out: look what happen with all the opinions conveyed in MM? In the end it makes everyone felt uncomfortable and does not feel the same being there.

    That thread made me realized that I should be careful not to step on someone's tail. Because the next thing I know, someone will call me out.

    Even though it changes everything, it doesn't mean we should stop trying to put things back together.

    PS: Erin, this isn't about you, its about all of us.

    I agree with Tasha... we can leave things in the past. Let's just stop calling out who's wrong and who's not please...

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  24. Sexist double standard? That's absurd. James was the one being incredibly rude, and he just so happens to be a man - coincidence, I'm sure. If a female mod said the same things in the same manner people would have equally been upset.

    Let's not bring the drama to Erin's personal blog though - that's not really fair.

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  25. Will miss you on MM, but keep up your beautiful looks, they really keep me inspired!!!

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  26. When I wrote the "rant" I knew I was opening it up to debate on my personal blog and I am completely fine with that. Please do not feel bad for posting your own opinions or disagreeing with other's comments ... that is completely fine with my as long as it is handled maturely.

    I will delete any comments that are condescending toward another poster ... but that is in the eye of the beholder and I don't think that it has occurred in this discussion. Please feel free to state your mind.

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  27. I don't disagree with you but....

    Everybody makes mistakes, and I think that J and the team made a big one. It took a day or so for them to realize all the bad feelings that had been unleashed, but when they realized what was happening they did take steps to correct it. I'm sad that this happened, and I wish that it could be undone (and I'm sure J feels the same). But I would like to think that we can forgive each other and move on, and not let the past destroy our future.

    In any case, I will certainly be following your blog because you are an awesome lady and you do amazing looks. You are an inspiration!

    ((HUGS))

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  28. Hey girlie! OMG I can't believe that the board has gone south. I LOVE all of your looks. Be it done with BE or MAC! I wouldn't think it would be a issue.

    I started using BE. It was easy for me to learn blending with. But now I have discovered the WONDERFUL world of MAC. I love it. And though I do still love BE, MAC is becoming a staple in my "makeup" world. Who cares what they say? You look great!

    -Dorkynerd

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  29. Hey Fellow West Texan!

    I am so sorry that all of this happened and so sorry that people hurt your feelings. People should be able to have differing opinions no matter where they are and be able to agree to disagree. Isn't that what this country was founded on? I hate seeing how people can attack others behind the anonymity of the Internet. It seems to eventually happen on every forum which is why I lurk....

    I will keep reading your looks and hope to see you on the board again. I do have to say that it was interesting to me that some of the folks who were complaining about MAC didn't join in the argument at all!

    I like the looks and very few people use one brand all of the time. People should be able to praise, rant, and complain without censorship.

    Hang in there and know that you are an inspiration!

    Cynthia (CynCyn37)

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  30. Erin I understood and agreed with your posts!! I love makeup! BE just happens to be one of many lines I love! Whatever you post I will be lookin!! I'm also a NARS fan! (Hint!)

    Yvette(rnsmith)

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  31. Erin,

    I just want to say that I will continue to look at your blog and will continue to love the looks that you do, whether with BE or MAC or whatever m/u you decide to use.

    I want to thank you for all of the work that you put into this blog. It has helped me to apply my e/s better, find ways to make it last longer and enabled me to buy colors that are out of my comfort zone....

    I also agree with what you said, both here and there. I also see it from the mods point of view. I just think some (not talking about you) could have gotten their point across without calling people out. I do think that tempers got the best of some and that feelings were hurt. I think that the atmosphere over there is not the best right now and I dont feel comfortable posting yet. That was the first online community that I had gotten involved in and I was shocked and saddened to see what happened.

    I think that you have made the best decision for you, and you are not the only one who has decided to leave for the timebeing.

    Continue doing what you have been doing and like you said, it is your face and you can put whatever you want on it. {{Hugs}}

    Allison (allison1998)

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  32. Hey Erin (fellow history geek). I really have been enjoying your looks. I have been lurking here. I have you to thank for helping me transition into the world of MAC. I'm so glad Joni started Majyk. I still don't feel welcome over at MM(and doubt I ever will again). So glad to have a new home too. keep the fabulous looks coming. Can you post a look with Hello Kitty when it is released? Thanks!

    bedonna
    Donica

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  33. Hi Erin...I just stumbled upon your blog and I LOVE IT!!! I love looking at your applications and combo's sooo pretty!!! Everything is sooo perfect. Your skin is divine!!
    Who cares what brand it is...as long as you love it than so BE it or MAC or NARS or Cover Girl...keep on postin girl...We love it!!

    Kimi (knailnhair)

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Please be nice (that doesn't mean you have to like the look ... just be nice about not liking it!) ... no one likes a troll ;)