Cliques suck- a rant

When I was in High School I was not popular. I was an invisible. This was sad because the school had maybe 300 people in it- it was a Science and Arts start up and I was in the third graduating class. The odds shoulda been for me but alas... alak... it was not meant to be.

In my junior year I became a summer program counselor for the incoming freshman class. I though this would mitigate some of my nobody status since I could make friends in the summer before everyone hit  school walls and spied me over at the "nerd table".

Only the nerds were too cool for me as well. They read comic books and talked computer games but I read different books and my family was too poor to own a PC.

I was at the Michelle table. Alone. Reading. Listening to Def Leopard and wishing Ralph Macchio would come take me away like the chick in the Calgon ad.

So as soon as school started I became invisible to the frosh kids too. Everyone was struggling to be in The Group and quickly noted who was "in" and who was merely eating lunch.
Anyway that is my psycho-babble reason for having a very strong anti-clique streak. And an even stronger contrarian one.

I CANNOT STAND when people exclude others to make themselves feel better. The only thing worst is when it's done for financial profit.
Yuck!

I've been quiet for months because I didn't want to make any waves. I do not want to annoy anyone- especially YOU dear reader.

And I don't especially want to get a big scarlet B for BEOTCH on my forehead forever and ever or get blocked from DTs in the distant future when I'm actually good at this scrap and art thing.

I am going to say this and get spanked- I KNOW IT.
Or maybe it'll be like high school again and go totally unnoticed.

Studio Calico is a clique.
And I'm over it.
I love their products. I love their DT. I love the pages made by their members and the fun contests they run.
But I cannot abide the exclusive mentality.
In the past exclusive meant colored folk had to drink from the other fountain.
WHAT? OH NO SHE DI'NT!
Did Michelle really just "pull the race card"?
Not quite.
I'm not saying I've been excluded because of my race or that Studio Calico is racist in any shape or form.
I'm saying "exclusivity" or the seeking of said status is highly problematic for me, a woman of color who values fairness and openness to everyone equally.
Exclusivity reminds me of segregation- financial and status segregation- the cool ones go here and everyone else over there.
Is that crazy?

Michelle it's just PAPER!! DAAAAAAUUUUM!
Yes and No.
It's just paper. I get it.
I have enough paper already to last a lifetime.
It's also a business and a brand with a certain set of values I'm buying into and thusly agreeing with. Increasingly the Studio Calico brand is one that gets more expensive with time while the actual amount product you buy is dwindling.
Not to mention the uncreative choices being made. Basic Grey brads- AGAIN? I fully expect the Basic Grey "partnership" announcement coming- or is it just a back door thing?

Studio Calico is a brand that uses the threat of product "sell out" to make you stay up till midnight or tune in at noon and HOPE to get the item you want. And I happen to know this is standard marketing 101 so please don't deny it.
If you want the aura of exclusivity you can't have kits hanging around for months and going on sale all the time- that would make you boringly normal.
But I was ok with that because I have the time and I sincerely LOVE the items.
What I could not understand was WHY an item I bought at the set time was suddenly "sold out" when I got my order and some crap product I would never buy was sent in it's place.  Yes you gave me a refund- you HAD TO- it's not a GIFT- it's money to pay for a product you didn't have- you ain't doing me no FAVORS.
What I wanted was THE ITEM. Why else would I stay up till midnight? HELLO? Anyone in there?
And why not just give me a percentage off my next order since it was Studio Calico's inventory mistake? A mistake made 3 times in the last 7 months- including the very first kit I ordered!
Oh- is that unreasonable?
Guess what? That bait and switch "product sold out" practice ain't gonna cut it anymore. Studio Calico you have too many competitors. And lots of discount retain lines I can buy everywhere.

Studio Calico is also a business with a very loyal following who will NOT let you air critique openly (and politely) without slapping you back into place- whatever place they deem that to be.
Well let me say this- this scrappy Latina does not have a place you can assign.
And NO ONE shuts me up.

Have we become so enamored of the cool glow we get from that box of paper that we can't listen to dissident voices? Not angry, cursing voices- voices of people who have genuine concerns or disagreements? This is a problem. A problem with the "exclusivity" mystique.
And I'm done.
Thanks!

I'll go get Midnight Rooster, Noel Mignon, Cocoa Daisy, Scarlett Lime, JBS Mercantile or Kreatorville Kraft sub. Actually- there are many kit clubs that are amazing. And many Etsy stores too. And even more Artfire stores.

My Cocoa Daisy stamp subscription is in! WOO HOO!

Chells OUT!