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On one of my posts back in September, which was about blogging, my longtime blogging friend, Bijoux @ Bytes From The Burbs, left me this comment: 

 "My early memories of you were how much you hated Hello Kitty! Bahahaha! I think we both need to do some updated What I Hate posts! So much for positivity! Lol!"

Later that day I went back and read a few of those Hello Kitty posts and found myself laughing. Reading them reminded me that it is possible to express how much you hate something, but at the same time be humorously snarky about it.

And then last week, Bijoux published a post about crappy things that annoy her, which I thoroughly enjoyed, so I decided to do the same. Thanks for the inspiration, my friend! And you're right, we do need to do some updated What I Hate posts now and then because it's "positively" fun. LOL!

Listed below are four things that annoy me to no end. 

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+ Unsolicited Advice:


I hate when people are forever giving you unsolicited advice about what they would do in your situation. And what I find ironic about these people is that they are the same individuals who can't make decisions when it comes to their own lives. Yet, like the great and powerful Wizard of Oz, they have all the answers for everyone else. 

What is my unsolicited advice to these people?

Learn how to listen without speaking. And share your advice only when you hear a question mark.

Oh, and one more thing..."Bite Me."

+ Removing Stickers From Produce:


One of my all-time favorite annoyances is removing stickers from produce. I think it would almost be less painful to jump out of a plane and not have my parachute open, than remove stickers from produce.

I eat a lot of avocados, bell peppers and use fresh lemon juice on so many things. And out of all three, the most challenging is removing stickers from bell peppers because of their skin. The other day I had such a difficult time removing the sticker from an orange bell pepper that I went totally insane and THREW the pepper across my studio apartment as it smashed onto the floor...


And yup...that removed the sticker!


Ummm, and speaking of produce...

+ Opening Compostable Produce Bags And The Horrendous Way They Smell


Like me, I'm sure most of you have encountered those compostable produce bags at your grocery store. Well, I hate them! Yes, I know they are supposed to be eco-friendly, however, I find them extremely "no way-friendly." And do you know why? First of all, the smell. OMG, they are the most despicable-smelling things on this planet. The smell reminds me of a combination of raw sewage and someone screaming at the top of their lungs. The second I get my groceries home, I immediately rip the compostable bags open and thoroughly wash my produce, and then toss the bags into the trash dumpster in the basement of my apartment building. I want those bags as far away from me as possible.  

And the other thing that annoys me about those bags is how insanely difficult they are to open. The material is so thin and rubbery that you can't grasp the opening. One time when I was at Trader Joe's, I tried opening a bag for almost five minutes until I got so exasperated, I tossed it aside and took another one. I stood there cursing to myself, "OPEN...you mother-f'ing bag!!!!"

I even emailed Trader Joe's corporate and expressed to them how much I couldn't stand those bags and do you know what they said in their responding email? "Oh yes, we understand your frustrations, other customers have mentioned the same things, but those bags are eco-friendly and our priority is to help the earth by going green." And I almost sent them an email responding back that said, "Yes, and that's exactly the color of my face when I smell those bags...GREEN!" 

By the way, isn't it amusing how we went from paper bags to plastic, and then from plastic back to paper again, and then from plastic OR paper, to bringing your own tote bag or they charge you 10 to 15 cents. Except for Target, they charge a dollar. I do have several tote bags that I use when I shop, however, I never remember to bring them, so I end up paying a penalty fee or purchasing another tote bag. 

Oy vey!

+ Removing Cotton From Inside Bottles

Have any of you noticed how annoying it is to extract the cotton from inside either a vitamin capsule bottle or a pain-relieving tablet bottle? I have. And not only the cotton, but also the moisture absorbing pillow packet they place inside the bottle that has printed on it: DO NOT EAT! Which by the way, I am so happy they do that because the first thing I'm tempted to do whenever I see one of those pillow packets, is EAT it. Aren't you? I mean they look so damn delicious. 

What I find most annoying is how DEEP they shove the cotton inside. One time I had to use a flashlight, a screw driver, and pair of eyebrow tweezers to reach inside the bottle and grab hold of the cotton because it was so deeply packed. And by the time I got it out of the bottle, I desperately needed a pain reliever.

And have you notice how MUCH cotton they put inside?


Resembling a LARGE herd of sheep...


Have a faaaaaaaaaabulous rest of your week, y'all! 💗🐑


Okay, now it's your turn. If you so desire, please feel free to share anything that annoys you. Go for it!

49 comments:

  1. Oh my god Ron, I laughed all throughout this post! " the first thing I'm tempted to do whenever I see one of those pillow packets, is EAT it. Aren't you? I mean they look so damn delicious." LOL...LOL...LOL! Hysterical! And I love your remark about being less painful to jump out of a plane and not have your parachute open because it's not only funny, but TRUE. Those stickers are painful to remove. And what you said about those compostable bags is true as well. The smell is horrendous.

    I agree with you about the unsolicited advice, it's annoying as all hell. And for me, what I find annoying are the people who are passive aggressive. They go through all the effort of thinking of how they don't actually have to say what they want to say, but the whole time they're doing that you can tell that they are bullshitting you. I worked with someone years ago who would do that all the time, until finally I told her to just say what she wanted to say instead of beating around the bush. Another thing I find annoying are removing screw off lids from jars.

    Thank you for the morning laughs, Ron. I needed this today. I love your sarcastic sense of humor!!! xo

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  2. You are so funny, Ron! And I’m honored to have inspired this post! You chose some everyday annoyances and the one I relate to the most are those plastic produce bags. I can NEVER open them and I feel like a fool standing there for 5 minutes struggling. However, we don’t have the compostable ones and now I’m afraid! I wish they just had paper sacks. When I’m only buying one of the item, I don’t bother with the bag. And those stickers are annoying, as well. I find the worst removal is from plums. The skin comes right off with the sticker. It would be nice if they didn’t use the stickers, but unfortunately, cashiers are not good at identifying produce. I’ve had to tell them what cauliflower was, so there’s no way they know the difference between a pear and a Granny Smith apple! Good grief!

    Stores here were supposed to be banning plastic/paper bags, but then Covid happened and that went right out the window. I still have cashiers who won’t touch my bags I brought from home, like they’re contaminated? It’s bizarre. I’m happy to bag things myself, but then they start ringing up the next person while I’m trying to bag, which I find so rude!

    I haven’t had to deal with that cotton recently, but the little packets always seem to block my pills that I’m trying to shake out. So, you then have to take it out, which defeats its purpose. Dumb.

    Thanks for the laughs this morning! Have a great weekend!

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  3. OMG, if you think the plastic ones are hard to open, just wait until your store gets the compostable ones. Like I said, they smell horrendous and they have a very thin and rubbery texture that make them IMPOSSIBLE to open. Sometimes what I'll do as soon as I get to Trader Joe's is go to the produce section first and prep 3-4 of those bags by doing them all at once and getting it over with. And YES!!!! I wish they had paper sacks as well. Those were the best!

    "I find the worst removal is from plums. The skin comes right off with the sticker."


    TOTALLY agree with you about the plums as well because they have a very similar skin as bell peppers. It seems that the smoother the skin, the more challenging it is to remove the stickers. And sometimes they put TWO and THREE stickers on one piece of produce!

    "Stores here were supposed to be banning plastic/paper bags, but then Covid happened and that went right out the window. I still have cashiers who won’t touch my bags I brought from home, like they’re contaminated? It’s bizarre. I’m happy to bag things myself, but then they start ringing up the next person while I’m trying to bag, which I find so rude!"


    Yes to all of that. When COVD first happened, we were not permitted to bring our own bags. And if we did, we had to leave them OUTSIDE the store. WTF?!?! And I so hear you about how they start ringing the next person while you're trying to bag. So rude! I actually prefer doing the whole checkout process myself because I can do it faster than most cashiers.

    Over the past several years, I've noticed the cotton thing in the bottles that's I've purchased. They not only put in a lot, but they shove it down so deep that it takes me an hour to get it all out.

    Thanks so much for stopping by and for your inspiration, my friend. I look forward to your next What I Hate post! LOL! Have an awesome weekend!

    X

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  4. Funny post!! LOL Cool shoutout to Bijoux for the inspiration!!
    Ok, *sometimes* I'm guilty of the unsolicited advice, but... maybe just with my kids? And, it's true, I can tell them what to do at times, or what not to do... but am tortured to no end with making decisions for myself.
    I haven't actually seen those bags at TJ's... but maybe because things I buy are already packaged? Now I'm going to have to look (and sniff... can you see shoppers and staff all watching me do this... with one big collective..eeeewwww!) and I'll get back to you on it. My girlfriend gave me reusable netted produce bags as a gift one year. Have I ever remembered to take them with me for produce... not once. I don't even know where they are right now. Great idea, those reusable bags... there are a bunch of canvas bags and Aldi bags IN MY TRUNK... which doesn't help at all when I'm at the checkout. I just forget.
    Don't get me started on things that annoy me. How much time ya got?? LOL. Off the top of my head, since talking about grocery stores.... you have to put a quarter in to get a cart at Aldi. Grrrr. I don't always have change handy, so then I'm digging thru my car for one, or practically emptying my big purse all over the seat. Haven't they heard of the coin shortage??? haha And the size of their carts... huge! I usually run in just for a smaller order on my way home from TJ's. So one of those little carts would be fine, but nooooo, I've got to push this gargantuan thing around.

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  5. Hola Denise!

    OMG...those pillow packets are ridiculous! And those produce stickers, especially on bell peppers are a royal pain in my ass to remove. I know those compostable bags are suppose to be better for the environment (yet, I really doubt it), but their texture makes them impossible to open. And it's not just me because I can see other customers in the produce section of the store struggling with them as well. And the smell is truly disgusting, particularly during the hot summer months. Ewwwwwwwwwwwww!

    "...what I find annoying are the people who are passive aggressive. They go through all the effort of thinking of how they don't actually have to say what they want to say, but the whole time they're doing that you can tell that they are bullshitting you. "

    DITTO! I would much rathe someone just say what they want to say than make me GUESS. I have a member of my family who does that constantly.

    I too have had issues with jars, especially pasta sauce jars for some reason. I used to have one of those lid removers made out of rubber, but even they sometimes didn't work.

    Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing on this topic, girl! Have a great rest of your day and week and weekend!

    X

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  6. Hellooooooooooooo there, Mary!

    Yes, I think when it comes to your own kids it's only natural to give them your advice. However, what I mean are the people (friends, coworkers, and even some family members) who freely give their advice without you even asking them. I've learned to listen when someone is talking to me and wait to hear a question mark before opening my mouth with advice. Because quite frankly, some people just want to vent something to you. I've discovered that sometimes people need to find their own answers without me sharing my opinion.

    "I haven't actually seen those bags at TJ's... but maybe because things I buy are already packaged?"

    OMG, Mary...they are the worst! And lucky for you that you buy already packaged because those bags are EVIL. LOL!

    "My girlfriend gave me reusable netted produce bags as a gift one year. Have I ever remembered to take them with me for produce... not once. I don't even know where they are right now. Great idea, those reusable bags... there are a bunch of canvas bags and Aldi bags IN MY TRUNK... which doesn't help at all when I'm at the checkout. I just forget."

    YES!!!!!! That's me too! I do the same thing. I get to the store and say, "Shit...I forgot my reusable tote bag!!!" I literally have like EIGHT of those tote bags in my closet.

    "Off the top of my head, since talking about grocery stores.... you have to put a quarter in to get a cart at Aldi. Grrrr. I don't always have change handy, so then I'm digging thru my car for one, or practically emptying my big purse all over the seat. Haven't they heard of the coin shortage???
    "

    I haven't experienced that because living in a city, the cart thing is different. Most people walk to the store, so the grocery carts are inside the store as you walk in. And I love the carts at Trader Joe's because they are just the right size - not too big, not too small.

    Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing on this post, neighbor. I always love reading your comments!!!

    Have an awesome rest of your week and weekend!

    X

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  7. Ron, something that drives me nuts and annoys me to no end are people who wait until they get to the checkout counter to take out their credit card or cash when paying for their purchase. It makes me crazy! They have all that time to get their cash or credit card while waiting on line, but noooooooooooooo, they don't even think to have it ready before they get to the cashier. And then when they do take out the cash or credit card, the do it at a sloths pace.

    Out of your own list, I'm in agreement about unsolicited advice. This is why I only have certain friends who I talk to about things I might be contemplating because they don't immediately start giving me suggestions. And they are also people who's advice I trust. Most of the time I tend to work things out on my own.

    "I know they are supposed to be eco-friendly, however, I find them extremely "no way-friendly."

    VERY funny post, Ron! I really enjoy your sense of humor. You should be doing stand-up!

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  8. Hey there, Daniel!

    Thank you, but I could NEVER do stand-up, it would scare the shit out of me. I so admire stand-up comedians because they are up there ALONE. And not only that, but the audience is notorious for talking back to them, so they have think fast on their feet to respond. YIKES!

    OMG...I am sooooooooooo in sync with what you said...

    "..drives me nuts and annoys me to no end are people who wait until they get to the checkout counter to take out their credit card or cash when paying for their purchase. It makes me crazy! They have all that time to get their cash or credit card while waiting on line, but noooooooooooooo, they don't even think to have it ready before they get to the cashier. And then when they do take out the cash or credit card, the do it at a sloths pace"

    In fact, I just recently experienced that in Mom's Organic Market. The customer was soooooooooooooo slow, not only in paying, but also bagging his own groceries. And this was a young guy! I have to say though, I'm not the most patient person when it comes to stuff like that. I do everything so fast - I think fast, I walk fast, etc.

    Like you, I tend to works things out on my own. The only person I ever really asked their opinion was my mother because she and I approached things the same. Also, we could talk opening about stuff even if we disagreed and be respectful of one another.

    Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your annoyances, Daniel! Hope you're enjoying a great week!

    X

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  9. Ron, these are GOOD, and yes, very annoying (except for those compost bags -- we don't have them here, and from your description, I hope we never do!).


    Many of the things that irritate me involve the blatant stupidity of others -- for example, people who act like they want to drive right into your back seat, people who wait until ALL their groceries have been rung up before whipping out a checkbook and s-l-o-w-l-y writing out their check, people who have the audacity to ask you your age (or weight or how much money you make from your job). Argh!!


    I'm still giggling over that long wad of cotton -- yes, it really does look like a flock of sheep! Have a great weekend, my friend -- we're awaiting a cold front, which should make the air feel more fall-ish. xx

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  10. Hello there, Debbie!

    OMG...you should be so happy you haven't had to contend with those compostable bags. We have them here in Philly in all our grocery stores. We've had them for about two years now.

    "..... for example, people who act like they want to drive right into your back seat, people who wait until ALL their groceries have been rung up before whipping out a checkbook and s-l-o-w-l-y writing out their check, people who have the audacity to ask you your age (or weight or how much money you make from your job). Argh!!"

    YES to all of those. When I used to drive and a car, I would get so freaked by cars behind me that would drive SO CLOSE that they looked like they were going to HIT you! I'm not a very patient person, so I feel you about people who wait until they get to the checkout to write a check, take out their credit card, or pull out their cash. And yes, I can't believe when someone asks how much money you make!?!?

    It's funny you mention the cotton because I just got home from purchasing a new bottle of ZINC tablets that I take, and when I opened the lid, TONS of cotton!!!! LOL!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. So happy to hear that you'll be getting some wonderful fall-ish temps this weekend. Here too. And I can't wait because it's been unseasonably warm this week, I'm looking forward to the change.

    X

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  11. Annoyances? Me? Nah!!
    Okay, if you believe that, I have some ocean-front property in Arizona on the market!😉
    Just thin, flimsy produce bags here...and they are a pain in the butt to open. Actually a produce stocker told me "next time you come in, grab one of those moist towelettes to wipe cart handles...keep it handy & moisten your fingertips with the towelette, bag opens like a charm." It works.
    I don't like waxed fresh produce either!! Just to make them look more appealing?!! Oh and those that give me unsolicited advice? I cringe, but try my hardest to have a good come-back that'll make their lips smack shut.
    http://hootin--anni.blogspit.com

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  12. Anni, your first two sentences made me laugh out loud. VERY funny!!!

    And thank you SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH for the produce bag tip because the next time I'm in Trader Joe's, which will be on Saturday, I will definitely try it. Can't wait!!!!!

    And yes, about the waxed fresh produce, I know what you mean. I noticed that they do that a lot with apples to make them more shinny and appealing.

    And thanks for the suggesting a good come-back for those unsolicited advice people!

    Always a great to read your comments, my friend. Thanks so much for stopping by and have a superb weekend!

    X

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  13. Ron, two things that annoy me pertain to driving. I can't stand how on a highway the slower drivers don't stick to the slower driving lane, but instead drive in the faster lane, slowing it down. I also can't stand when people don't use their turn sign, so you sit there wondering whether or not you should go or not go. GRRRRRRRRRRR#!?

    This post cracked me up, dude! I was ROFLMAO about the compostable produce bags!! We don't have them where we live, and I hope we never do because they sound heinous! I'm going to have to go back and read your I Hate Hello Kitty posts because I feel the same.

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  14. Ron, I agree with you about the compostable bags at Trader Joe's. I remember when they switched over to them and I could immediately tell the difference in the way they felt AND smelled. Do you know what I do? I put all my produce in the cart before I take it to the checkout and then as the cashier scans each item, I place them in a small canvas bag that I bring myself. Then when I get home, I use a special produce cleanser before I place them in the fridge.

    VERY funny post. I read it twice and sent a link to my best friend. She loved it. LOL!

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  15. Matt, you brought back SO MANY memories for me in expressing your annoyances pertaining to driving because when I did have a car and drove, those things ANNOYED me as well. Whenever I drove on I-95 in South Florida (which has FOUR lanes each way) I would always encounter slower drivers in the faster lanes, so all you would hear is horn honking and drivers yelling at them to MOVE...OR GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!

    You should be so grateful that your stores don't use those produce bags yet because they are the most unpleasant things. HORRIBLE!

    There was a time when I would post about how much I couldn't stand all the Hello Kitty merchandise because it's just way too cutesy overload. When I lived in Japan for a summer, that's really the only thing I didn't like because EVERYONE has Hello Kitty stuff - backpacks, handbags, pens, pads, even laptop computers.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, Matt! Enjoy your weekend!

    X

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  16. Hello there, Clair!

    Thank you for sharing about how you shop and checkout when it comes to your produce. I may try that because I have a several small canvas bags. In fact, I will be going to TJ's today! I use a produce cleanser that I make myself, using essential oils. It cleans thoroughly, without the use of a detergent. And it smells really fresh and clean.

    Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing, my friend. Always great to see you comments. Have a fantastic weekend!

    X

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  17. Ron, I use something that's called Veggie Wash in case you're interested.

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  18. Thanks, Clair! I will definitely check that out :)

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  19. Wow, Ron, you sure showed that pepper who was boss!

    That thing looks like a victim on Law & Order--all we need is yellow crime scene tape.

    You must be a riot in the supermarket--literally!

    Labels on apples are particularly annoying and I can tell you from firsthand experience that they're not very tasty either.

    And don't get me started on the plastic bags. I've been known to rip several hundred bags off the roller in a desperate attempt to open one. Maybe I should learn to juggle.

    I was under the impression that medicine bottles had cut down on all that cotton, but I can see from your post that it's still a baaaaaaad situation.

    Take care, buddy, and stop beating up the produce!

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  20. "Wow, Ron, you sure showed that pepper who was boss!

    That thing looks like a victim on Law & Order--all we need is yellow crime scene tape."


    OMG Rob, that was freaking HILARIOUS! I laughed so hard that I started coughing. You are a RIOT!!!

    "And don't get me started on the plastic bags. I've been known to rip several hundred bags off the roller in a desperate attempt to open one. Maybe I should learn to juggle."

    Yes, are those plastic bags the WORST to open? I just discovered a YouTube video where a guy shows how to open those plastic bags easily and I tried it, and it WORKED! Put the plastic bag between your hands and the rub your hands together, in doing so it effectively pulls the bag apart where the opening is. Try it!

    I was under the impression that medicine bottles had cut down on all that cotton, but I can see from your post that it's still a baaaaaaad situation."

    HA! Yes, me too, but the medicine/vitamin bottles I've gotten over the past year or so have a TON of cotton inside. And that stupid little moisture absorbing pillow packet. OMG, it's impossible to get that damn thing out.

    Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your witty and wonderful sense of humor. Hope you're enjoying a grrrrrrrrrrrreat weekend, buddy!

    X

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  21. I was just pulling an endless batch of cotton from a bottle of pills this morning - the pills only covered about 1/5 of the jar! Talk about not being eco-friendly - what a lot of wasted plastic. I'm a compulsive sticker-peeler-offer. And tag-cutter-outer. But the one that REALLY gets me is unsolicited advice. I hate it. HATE IT. If I want advice I'll ask for it. And I don't offer it myself. Hell, I'm even super careful about giving advice to my own patients. Have I mentioned how much I hate unsolicited advice? No? Well, I hate it.

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  22. "I was just pulling an endless batch of cotton from a bottle of pills this morning - the pills only covered about 1/5 of the jar! Talk about not being eco-friendly - what a lot of wasted plastic."

    OMG, thank god I'm not the only one who has encountered the endless batch of cotton from bottles! Isn't it insane how much cotton they shove inside? And I agree, talk about NOT being eco-friendly!

    "I'm a compulsive sticker-peeler-offer. And tag-cutter-outer. But the one that REALLY gets me is unsolicited advice. I hate it. HATE IT. If I want advice I'll ask for it. And I don't offer it myself. Hell, I'm even super careful about giving advice to my own patients. Have I mentioned how much I hate unsolicited advice? No? Well, I hate it."


    Bwhahahahaha! OMG...I laughed my ass off at that because it's EXACTLY how passionately I feel about unsolicited advice. And I know I say this a lot, but it has to be a LIBRA thing because my mother AND father were both Libras and they too felt like that. And to me, it ALWAYS seems to be the people who can NEVER make a decision for themselves, yet they always have the best advice for other people. I have a member of my family who does that a lot and it drives me crazy.

    And me too about the tag-cutter outer. In fact, it's so funny you mentioned that because today I bought a new pair of sneakers and the first thing I did when I got home was cut all the 50 MILLION tags that they place all over the damn sneakers. HA!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, fellow-Libran!

    X

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  23. Helloooooooooooooo there, Elaine!

    No apologies needed, my friend. And I hope all is going well with the work being done on your home, I imagine just how time-consuming that must be. Glad to hear things are coming together for you!

    This made me laugh...

    "Apparently my sister things she's Ann Landers because she loves to dish out free advice without asking. I love her dearly, but we don't always see eye to eye with things, which is why I would NEVER ask for her advice. LOL!

    I love the reference to Ann Landers because I don't think many people even knows who she is/was. I remember her column in the newspaper!!! And me too, I also have a family member who enjoyed handing out free advice quite frequently. OY VEY!

    You should be so glad you haven't had to deal with those compostable bags because they are EVIL! LOL!

    Thanks a bunch for stopping by, Elaine! Hope you're having a great week too and enjoying this much needed COOLER weather. Feels great, doesn't it?

    X

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  24. Two things come to mind after I read this..."life is a stage, and each must play a part". And then, reading your negative review, the movie "Philadelphia". How I loved the story.
    Now to me reading a review of myself (if I were an actor), I think I'd learn from the negative, and be proud of the positive...but take all lessons to the stage with each and perhaps real life...

    I enjoyed this very much. Lots of incite Ron. And pure honesty. I admire your stamina and determination on the part of MC on stage.

    http://hootin--anni.blogspot.com

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  25. Good morning, Anni!

    Yes, on both the things you mentioned in your first sentence. I know that saying and love it! And it's ironic you mentioned the movie, "Philadelphia", because I own DVD. Both Hanks and Washington did AMAZING work on that film. In fact, the whole case was amazing! And when I first moved back to Philadelphia in 2001, I found all the film locations in the city and photographed them. I also lived just a few blocks from City Hall, where they shot the courtroom scenes.

    "...but take all lessons to the stage with each and perhaps real life..."

    I absolutely love what you said because it's spot on! They say that "art imitates life", which is true. However "life imitates art" as well.

    Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your positive thoughts and insight, my friend! Have a stellar rest of your week!

    X

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  26. Ron, being that I'm fairly new to your blog, I don't think I knew you had been a professional actor in the theater. But it makes sense because you are excellent at expressing yourself. Wow...this post was eye opening in so many ways because I never thought about how positive AND negative reviews could come with challenges, but your right.

    I really admire your honesty about both reviews. I can't imagine what it must be like to be an actor or actress and have to deal with not only the rejection, but the media as well. You must have to be very persistent and learn how to block certain things out, not to mention a strong will to pursue your dreams.

    Did you always know you wanted to act in the theater? And when did you start pursuing it?

    Really enjoyed reading this post, Ron. Thank you.

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  27. Hi, Clair!

    Yes, both positive and negative reviews come with their own set of challenges, that's why one has to keep them both in perspective. I'm not going to lie, it feels great to get a good review and shitty to get a negative one, but that's the reality of that profession - you eventually learn how to deal with them both. As I shared, I had a lot rejection from the start, so it was something I realized very quickly that it's part of being in that business.

    I always knew since I was a kid that I wanted to be involved in acting, particularly theater. I did shows in grammar school, junior high school, and high school. And it was in my Senior year in high school that my drama teacher suggested that I audition for an acting school in NYC. I told my parents and they agreed to send me to NYC over the summer to audition to see if I'd be accepted, which I was. However, after my first year at that school, I was rejected to come back for the second year. So you see, the rejection started early on. But it was something I knew I wanted to pursue, so I did. For about 30 years.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, Clair. Have a faaaaaabulous rest of your week and weekend!

    X

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  28. Wow! So cool that you found these reviews online. And that you were featured in the photos, Ron! I always enjoy hearing about your years in the theatre and I love how you related it to real life. At any job, you get performance reviews and it’s so easy to have feelings of anger or hurt over criticism. I know for me, I always felt as though I gave my 100%, so criticism was hard for me. But I wasn’t able to see the big picture sometimes and I would get bogged down in the detail. And wouldn’t you know, I do the same thing in real life??

    By contrast, it IS easy to get a big ego from praise and that’s when it’s just as easy to become complacent and not grow. Thanks for sharing your lessons learned from both theatre and life. A most excellent post, Ron! But don’t let that go to your head . . . Bahahaha! XO

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  29. I know, can you BELIEVE that I found these reviews online?!? I just put in my name, the theater, and the state, and VIOLA...they came up. I found several other reviews of mine online as well. Thank God for the internet, right?

    I love that you included performance reviews at your job, you're right. Even those can be challenging because I've gotten those as well.

    "I know for me, I always felt as though I gave my 100%, so criticism was hard for me. But I wasn’t able to see the big picture sometimes and I would get bogged down in the detail. And wouldn’t you know, I do the same thing in real life??"

    Yes, I completely understand your feelings, me too, I also have the tendency to get bogged down in the detail. And that's why I consider getting negative reviews/rejection early on in my career a blessing because it toughened me in a way for future negative reviews.

    "By contrast, it IS easy to get a big ego from praise and that’s when it’s just as easy to become complacent and not grow."

    A-MEN! You're spot on!

    Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your insight and experience, you've added much! Have a grrrreat rest of your week and weekend!

    X

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  30. Ron, I think my very favorite thing about this whole wonderful post are the things you learned from live theater because your right, those things do mirror real life. TOTALLY! You should consider writing a book about your perceptions if life, incorporating how your various careers contributed to how you see them. Very interesting!

    I don't take criticism very well, so I don't think I'd be good at handling a review that would be printed so that EVERYONE could read it. LOL! But like you said, it teaches you to become stronger and more focused, if you allow it. Whether positive or negative, I can definitely see how they could be challenging.

    I'm curious, how did the director of Cabaret react to the review that pretty much slammed his direction, but praised your performance? And to think that he didn't want to cast you as the Master of Ceremonies is crazy, considering that your performance was such a positive highlight.

    Thanks for sharing your life stories, Ron. I really enjoy reading them. xo

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  31. Hola Denise!

    Thank you. I truly believe that not only does art imitate life, but that life imitate arts as well. Because the longer I was involved in theater, the more I noticed that. Not only was theater a great way to express myself creatively, but it also taught me so much about how to live my life. Live theater and life go hand-in-hand.

    There are so such thing as mistakes as long as I learn from them, which is how I viewed negative reviews. They taught me how to know myself better, so that I can discern from what is true and was in not.

    A few nights before the opening night of Cabaret, the director came into the dressing room and admitted to being wrong in thinking that I was not the right choice for the role of Master of Ceremonies and apologized, which I thought was very kind of him. And I thanked him for telling me that. As far as the review goes, he really didn't say much about it, other than congratulating me. He had been the stage manager for the original Broadway production of Cabaret with Joel Grey in 1966; therefore, he had a very close connection to the show. So I think directing it years later meant a lot to him. He was very protective of its legacy.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, girl. Have an awesome rest of your week and weekend!

    X

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  32. Ron, thank you for your stark honesty here. It's refreshing to read your thoughts and see how much you've grown. I'm sure the negative reviews sting; even the positive ones must be taken with a grain of salt. After all, it's just one person's opinion, and we ALL have opinions.


    In my reporting days, I did a bit of reviewing (mostly community theater). Since these people were "amateurs" and "volunteers," I never blasted them for what they did. My editors encouraged me to look for the positive -- so they'd keep performing and the theater troupe would continue existing. When I reviewed professionals, however, the gloves came off, and I felt comfortable letting them have it if I needed to.


    As a writer, I've read reviews of my debut novel and thankfully, most have been kind. One tries to develop a "thick skin" where the criticisms don't hurt, but I tend to be a sensitive soul and yes, words can crush you if you let them.


    Have a lovely weekend -- and look out for all the rain we're sending your way! xx

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  33. Debbie, I can't tell you how much I appreciated your comment. And being someone who wrote reviews and have had reviews of your novel, I know you understand both sides of the coin. Like your said, one tries to develope a "thick skin" because one needs to. However, you also have to keep your sensitivity for either writing or acting so that you don't become numb to feeling anything.

    "even the positive ones must be taken with a grain of salt. After all, it's just one person's opinion, and we ALL have opinions."

    Yes, exactly! And that's what I discovered early on in my career. I'm truly grateful that I had all that at the start because I got used to it and was able to brush it off throughout my career.

    Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your wisdom, my friend. Have a lovely weekend too! And yup...we have rain in the forecast this weekend. We finally got some cooler weather and I noticed that the leaves are starting to change. Yipeeeeeeeee!

    X

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  34. Ron, this is such a wonderful post.

    I absolutely love how you take your personal experiences in the theater and extract some very important life lessons.

    I am in awe of your resilience. Unlike you, I am often paralyzed by rejection. I feel the pain long after the rejection has occurred.

    But I learned so much from this beautiful line: "the stinging sensation doesn't last as long the more you get stung."

    It is important to admit that you hurt, since pretending you're not only makes it worse. But then you have to ask yourself "now what?" From there you can recover and move on.

    And I appreciate the potential pitfalls of positive reviews. As you say, positive reviews can become the priority and the work will suffer. Praise can be a very addictive drug.

    I do so regret never seeing you on stage. You look great as the Master of Ceremonies!

    I'm going to memorize your life lessons from theater and make sure I apply them every day. The show must indeed go on!

    Take care, buddy, and have a great weekend!

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  35. Hey there, Rob!

    For me, I'm very stubborn when it comes to backing down to either something I fear, rejection, or a negative review because I'm determined to overcome it by learning from those things and moving forward. And it's not that I don't feel fearful or the sting of rejection or a negative review, because I do. However, I can't just leave it at that, I have to overcome it. And you yourself stated that perfectly...

    "It is important to admit that you hurt, since pretending you're not only makes it worse. But then you have to ask yourself "now what?" From there you can recover and move on."

    EXACTLY!

    And yes, praise CAN be a very addictive drug because it can become the motivating factor, instead of the work. If one is not careful, you can find yourself needing it more and more.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, buddy. I always enjoy reading your thoughts and insights!

    Have an awesome weekend!

    X

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  36. Ron, I really like when you share your experiences and then corrolate them to life lessons because I learn so much. It's reafirming to me that even the negative things that happen to us in our live are not really negative if we learn from them, which also reaffirms that there are no mistakes, only opportunities to grow!

    Thanks for sharing, dude! You continually inspire me.

    P.S. That photo of you as Master of Ceremonies is so COOL!

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  37. Hiya, Matt!

    Thanks for your kind words :)

    And I freaking LOVE what you said about "there are no mistakes, only opportunities" - that is SPOT ON true!!!! As long as I learn from something, how could it be a mistake? Plus, I believe that everything in my life is happening the way it should be happening.

    Much thanks for stopping by, my friend! Have a fantabulous weekend!
    X

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  38. Ron, I'm always impressed by your ability to think deeply and know yourself. Where you've been, and where you want to go... certainly important to reflect on / make a plan... but it's in how you stay in the NOW that gives such strength to your character. You're very center-oriented and I can see how you would be able to take something positive from a negative review, or not get too hung up on the praise in a positive one and make them all be important learning experiences.
    Staying in the present and adapting to whatever happens, of course is great advice. Sometimes I live so far in the past Bill Clinton might still be president and in future views of my life I'm sipping wine in my Italian villa. Must find that middle ground some days. haha

    I'm absolutely sure I would have LOVED your performance as Cabaret's MC! You know how I adore that musical and movie. Your passion for theater must have really come out in that one, especially because you knew that role was for you. Admiring your professionalism and dedication to those performing years!

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  39. I enjoyed reading this post because your comments about life being like theater, which reminded me of the phrase that all the world was like a stage. It is a sad thing when a person cannot take the good with the bad whether it relates to a review or anything else. Some people just feel the need to always be "right." That is indeed a sad way to live one's life in my opinion.

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  40. Hi there, Mary!

    Much thanks for you kind and encouraging words, my friend! :)

    And I LOVE what you said here...

    " but it's in how you stay in the NOW that gives such strength to your character. "

    BINGO! You are spot on about that! And I agree, it's important to make a plan as well. And it's just as important to stay in the NOW because for me, that's where I find my "consciousness" for what best for me and what paths to go down.

    "Sometimes I live so far in the past Bill Clinton might still be president and in future views of my life I'm sipping wine in my Italian villa. Must find that middle ground some days. haha"

    OMG....that made me LOL! And like you said..."we must find the middle ground." I see my life as a dance, sometimes I lead and then other times I need to follow where life leads me."

    Isn't "Cabaret" just a faaaaaaaabulous story - both the movie AND the staged musical. The whole cast was so brilliantly chosen and perfect for their roles. There are a few differences in the movie versus the stage musical (such as the musical numbers), but they both capture the essence of that time period in history.

    Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, feelings, and insights. Always enjoy your comments!

    Have a great weekend!
    X

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  41. Helloooooooooooo there, D!

    "which reminded me of the phrase that all the world was like a stage."


    I LOVE that phrase!!!!!

    "It is a sad thing when a person cannot take the good with the bad whether it relates to a review or anything else. Some people just feel the need to always be "right."

    Yes, exactly! I learned very early in my life that life is not a straight line, it has highs, lows, and twists and turns. And when I look on my life, it's the challenging times, when things didn't go as I had planned and hoped they would, were the times when I learned the most valuable lessons.

    Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your insight! Muchly appreciated!

    Hope you're enjoying a super weekend!

    X

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  42. What an honest and very inspiring post, Ron! And I loved at the end how you shared the lessons you learned. I find it fascinating how actors/actresses can get up there and become the various characters they portray. And I have often wondered if an actor/actress ever takes on the characters personality/ psyche while rehearsing and performing. Have you ever had anything like that happen to you in the different roles you portrayed?

    And by the way, I ADORE the movie, "Cabaret." I saw it when it first came out. I was still living in NY at the time. Such a wonderful film. And I can tell, just from the photo of you as Master of Ceremonies that you were AMAZING in the role! Congrats on insisting that you be cast in that role because you were obviously right!

    Hope you're enjoying this beautiful cooler weather we're having this weekend. ox

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  43. Hellooooooooooo there, Elaine!

    For me, I try to use everything I've done in my life, such as the various careers I've had, as lessons they taught me. And theater, without a doubt, taught me the most. And profoundly so.

    "And I have often wondered if an actor/actress ever takes on the characters personality/ psyche while rehearsing and performing. Have you ever had anything like that happen to you in the different roles you portrayed?"

    GREAT question!!!! And yes, certain roles that I portrayed had varying degrees of that kind of thing. Without sounding too WOO-WOO, I approach my characters by stepping out of the way and ALLOWING the character's personality to almost "channel" through me as I go through the rehearsal process and perform. So sometimes after a show is over, it takes a while to get rid of all that stuff that's been inside me for the duration of the play/musical. I have had that happen particularly when I'm portraying a real-life character or a play/musical based in history.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, neighbor! And yesireeeee...I am SO enjoying this cooler weather. I spent almost all day outside enjoying it too!

    Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
    X

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  44. Ron, thanks so much for responding to my question. That is SO interesting! I always wondered how actor/actresses got into their parts. I'm guessing that everyone has a different method. You should write a book! xo

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  45. You are very welcome, Elaine! 👍 And yes, every actor does have their own method of approaching a role. I, personally, try not to think about it too much and just let it happen. That seems to work for me.

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  46. Very interesting. And you are so right about a) being able to hear and grow from negative feedback and b) not placing too much stock in positive feedback to the point where it might hinder you. The other day I was doing a disability evaluation and the woman said she'd looked me up and I had all good reviews. I actually considered telling her those online reviews aren't worth much because most people don't bother to write reviews and the ones who do either have a great experience to share or they are disgruntled. Either way, they are suspect.

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  47. "I actually considered telling her those online reviews aren't worth much because most people don't bother to write reviews and the ones who do either have a great experience to share or they are disgruntled. Either way, they are suspect."

    Thank you SO MUCH for contributing that to this post topic because I can't tell you how much I agree with you about online reviews. So many companies (including the one I currently work for) put too much emphasis on pressing their employees to make sure all the customers that they interact with, go online and post a review about the customer service they received from you. I told my manager one day (who was pressuring me to get more reviews/surveys online) that I won't pressure customers to write reviews about my customer service because I KNOW that I give great customer, but that it's completely up to the customer whether or not they choose to write a review.

    So many companies today are literally rated/graded/and given bonuses by how many positive reviews they get each month. And like you said, either way (positive or negative) reviews are suspect.

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  48. Ron, you are very deep and dive even deeper when writing about your life. You know your strengths and weaknesses and you use both to propel you forward in life. I admire that you see positives and negatives in the negatives and positives! It's hard to see something negative and find the silver lining. And it's hard to see something positive but realize you can still improve upon it. This post shows in great detail how much a person can grow from watching and learning —and of course the show must go on, because if it doesn't you're taking a dirt nap!
    Hugs!

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  49. Helloooooooooo there, Pam!

    Thank you so much for your kind, encouraging and sweet words, my friend! And you are so right, it is hard to see something negative and find the silver lining. Yet, it seems to me and my own life, it's the only way I can get through challenging and rough times. I do think that everything that happens to me is supposed to happen (positive AND negative), and it's up to me to find the "gold" is the negative stuff. When I look back on my life and the really, really hard times, I truly see them (now) as some of the most riches times in my life because they made strong and more resilient.

    "and of course the show must go on, because if it doesn't you're taking a dirt nap!"

    HA! OMG...I loved that because you're spot on!

    Again, much thanks for your comment, I really appreciated it. Hope you're enjoying a fab week!

    X

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