Stay-at-home Millionaires?

Recently I have been accosted by friends and neighbors inviting me to their "home business" parties. In the last two weeks I have been invited to a Pampered Chef cooking party, a Scrapbooking party, a skin products party, a jewelry party, and most recently a "slumber party."

I am all for entrepreneurship and the desire for women to try and make extra money while being available to stay home with their kids. That being said, I do wonder if women buy into these businesses because they really think they can make the big bucks, or if it is just a way to get out and meet people. My hope is that it is the later. I have owned my own business, and it was my mine from the ground up. I will be the first to say that it takes a lot of work to make it successful.

My neighbor, who is having her skin products "open house" tomorrow, hasn't said more than 2 words to me in about 6 months, but has decided to invite me to this party. Now maybe I am just a skeptic by nature, but something about this bugs me. This idea of "come over and spend money so I can get rich, but the rest of the year I will barely acknowledge your existence" really kind of eats at me. Last spring she gave my husband a sample of this particular product to give to me. I used it, and within 48 hours my skin had formed red, crusty dry patches.
I threw the remaining product away. A week later she came over with the anticipation that I should place this huge order, I told her my sensitive skin couldn't handle it. She looked as if I had insulted her personally. That was when the conversations ended.....until the invite to the open house. Now there is this pressure to buy something just to make it appear that I am a supportive neighbor and not a complete cheapy.

Two days ago, I received an invitation from a long lost high school friend who I haven't seen since moving back and have only spoken to once on the phone. This particular party is called a "slumber party." After reading over the lengthy invitation I was a little confused. "No one under the age of 18 allowed" was written in bold letters across the top. Words like "Sensual and Edible creams," "Fun Toys (and I don't think they mean the X-Box)," "Romance Enhancement items" dotted the page. I looked at my husband, "is this what I think this is?" He read over it, "Whoa........What?" A grin formed on his face. "Is this a sex party?"
Yes folks, a sex toys party. Kind of the antithesis of the cooking party or the scrapbooking party. Now there are home businesses that cover all of a women's needs and/or desires.

Maybe I'm a prude, but I think a party like this might be better suited for say.....really good friends, not just friends you talk to once every 5 years. I don't think even I have the kahunas to go check out "toys" or sample strawberry flavored skin lotions with complete strangers. To say the least, I will be finding a reason to get out of this little get together. Call me crazy but I don't think I could muster up a conversation about whether or not it really does feel like the real thing with just anyone.