by Birdie Jaworski
Member since:
July 30, 2006

I quit Avon.

June 10, 2007 07:58 AM EDT
views: 365 | rating: 9.9/10 (32 votes) | comments: 33

As some of you know, I have been selling Avon for three years, as well as blogging about my wacky adventures as an Avon Lady... until last week. I quit Avon, for reasons both simple and complicated. I wanted to share my funny goodbye and my formal essay with all of my Gather friends:

You can read (and listen to!) my goodbye at my soon-to-be-ex-blog, Beauty Dish. I wrote a song to mark the occasion, and if your ears and gut are strong, please listen! 

I also wrote a thoughtful essay on what it's like to sell Avon, whether you can make money selling Avon, and the quixotic nature of unofficial corporate blogging. You can read it here. It's worth a read!

Now that I am wrapping up three years of door-to-door terror, I am moving into a phase where I will be focused on writing. This summer will find me writing full-time, and in the fall I begin teaching writing at an elementary school. I have no idea what the future holds, but I'm excited about the possibilities.

 

 
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Comments: 33

Birdie Jaworski Jun 10, 2007, 8:02am EDT
I'm about to start a retreat (two days) with the staff of the school where I will teach in the fall. I'm excited about it! I'll be back Monday night. Summer REALLY begins for me then, yay. I'm looking forward to diving into writing with a new vigor and new time to spend. I hope to spend a good deal of that time at Gather, LOL!

See ya Monday night!
GOOD FOR YOU BABE!
elizabeth e. Jun 10, 2007, 8:50am EDT
Rawk on birdie...you'll love teaching. Great little song!
Gretchen Lee Bourquin Jun 10, 2007, 8:50am EDT
Didn't read the blogs, but it is always freeing to be able to emerge yourself in the work you love. Congratulations on this new chapter in your life
Lydia O. Jun 10, 2007, 9:00am EDT
Birdie, I know this is the right thing--teachers still don't make a lot of money, but it's steady--and you being somewhere, in something, that keeps your head in the writing mode? Perfect. *dances*
Dannielle S. Jun 10, 2007, 9:20am EDT
Birdie, those of us who enjoy your thoughtful essays will be the biggest winners in this decision -- or so we hope. (More Birdie stories!) If all that writing goes into your book, we'll just have to be patient. (Some of us are training for that event by waiting for Harry Potter 7, so we'll be ready.)

The real power in your writing was not the Avon content, but the richness of your descriptions, your all-embracing appreciation for the world around you, from the amazing to the absurd.
Tamara W. Jun 10, 2007, 9:49am EDT
I'm actually a torn AVON lady too. It takes them forever to post payments and they keep fining me!
Ending a chapter in our lives is always sad and exciting at the same time. Looking forward to your next chapter.
Clay Nichols Jun 10, 2007, 10:04am EDT
Good luck in the new direction!
kristy s. Jun 10, 2007, 11:05am EDT
let me know when the book comes out.....i wanna own it, sounds great. loved the lyrics to the song. i have friends who worked for avon.....your song reminds me of their story.
Carmen Y. Jun 10, 2007, 11:19am EDT
Great article!

I believe it was 20 years ago that I sold Avon. I didn't make much money but I had fun while it lasted (about 2 years). I hated going door-to-door so I ended up selling products to family members and co-workers.....they ended up getting sick of me since they were the only people I sold my products to each and every month. LOL
Jennifer F. Jun 10, 2007, 11:34am EDT
Good luck, Birdie! You are definitely going to be one of those teachers that kids remember forever.
Sue * Jun 10, 2007, 11:48am EDT
Birdie...I know you will be a success at whatever you do!
Kathryn E. Jun 10, 2007, 11:57am EDT
Birdie, RAWK ON, girl. YOu will be published and a NYT bestseller before you KNOW IT
Tonia, who hugs trees G. Jun 10, 2007, 11:59am EDT
Teaching writing at an elementary school - those will definitely be some lucky kids!
Debbie G. Jun 10, 2007, 2:10pm EDT
Exciting times for you Birdie! Exciting times for Gatherland if you have more time to share here!
Leslie ~ from NYC ~ R. Jun 10, 2007, 2:59pm EDT
Congratulations!
Moving out of a comfort zone is always difficult.
It is made easier when you are moving towards something new.
Teaching is NOT easy.
May you make the best of it.
Sonia M. Jun 10, 2007, 3:31pm EDT
I will go now and click on the links...........but am very excited to learn we might get to read more Birdie in the near future!!!!
Sonia M. Jun 10, 2007, 3:45pm EDT
Birdie.....I loved the song!!!! Especially the line about Skin so soft!

BTW, I tried to sign up for your new home on the net and it would not take me. This is the message I keep getting no matter what I did:
Authorization Required
This server could not verify that you are authorized to access the document requested. Either you supplied the wrong credentials (e.g., bad password), or your browser doesn't understand how to supply the credentials required.
:-(
Sandy F. Jun 10, 2007, 5:06pm EDT
Congratulations, Birdie! I loved my time as a volunteer writer in residence in 2nd and 3rd grades. Those kids lap everything up and cry for more. I could even see some writer-minds emerging.
Greg Schiller Jun 10, 2007, 10:02pm EDT
Good luck Birdie, you have the talent and the voice to become a great writer.
Beryl Singleton Bissell Jun 11, 2007, 11:04am EDT
Your Avon articles were a delight but I'm certain your teaching experiences shared on Gather will be even more wondrous. And yes, yes, yes. Write, write, write. You'll be famous some day, I just know it.
flit . Jun 11, 2007, 11:18am EDT
You were right... it was well worth reading.
Lisa W. Jun 11, 2007, 9:06pm EDT
Congrats Birdie, sounds like you made a good decision. Good luck teaching and enjoy the summer!
Duckie 1 Jun 13, 2007, 12:15am EDT
If you were close enough, I'd come and sit in your classes! I'm short enough to qualify as an elementary school student... With the help of your Avon products, I might even look young enough!

Hah!

But it sure would be fun :-)

Good luck on your new life adventure, dear Birdie... FLY!
Elizabeth M. Jun 13, 2007, 3:16pm EDT
Birdie, selling Avon is something that I NEVER thought I would do. I cannot sell anything, certainly not door to door. However, in order to continue working part-time (instead of full-time) as a technical writer, I have to do other things to bring in income. Fortunately it is a word-of-mouth situation for me. All I have to do is collect orders and submit them.

Congratulations on your ability to move on. I hope to be right behind you one day soon!
Birdie Jaworski Jun 14, 2007, 8:20am EDT
I am incredibly grateful for the kind words and well-wishes. Avon was such a huge part of my identity for three years, and it's what brought me to writing. I am glad to have had the experience, and even more glad to move along the road. It's funny, though, how even the most welcome of changes still leaves one feeling a bit melancholy, a bit like a fish out of water.
Brando S. Jun 14, 2007, 12:25pm EDT
Good for you! Follow your dreams. I hope to do the same. By the way, I meant to hit 10 rating and accidentally hit 9 sorry. Gonna go read up on avon.
Dawn M Jun 14, 2007, 11:35pm EDT
All the very best to you with your writing and teaching in the future.
John F Walter Jun 30, 2007, 9:30am EDT
Glad to hear you´ve made an important life transition, Birdie! Good luck with the fulltime writing, as well as the new teaching job. (If you want any lesson plans, you´ve got my email!)
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Mary M. Aug 13, 2008, 7:31pm EDT
I am just starting to browse around to hear more perspectives on experience selling Avon. I am not a big seller, nor am I in an area where I could make a lot of money with this. But if I could start up at low cost, and still get discounted products, that would be worth my effort.
Elizabeth D. Sep 16, 2008, 5:35pm EDT
can't wait to read your essay..

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