Things that are annoying!!
- Thread starter TrevorD
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You want something else annoying? Try the protective plastic they wrap new refrigerators in. The manufacturers put it on before they install the permanent plastic trim, so it's stuck between that and the metal parts of the doors. Took me three hours last Saturday removing it from under the gasketing, and that was after I gave up and resorted to using an X-Acto knife.
I still have plastic at the top and bottom of the doors on the outside of the fridge, and in the crevice around the water dispenser.
First time I've had to tackle that. My new stove two years ago didn't have it, and the previous refrigerator was a factory-reconditioned model, so the first owner got the pleasure of divesting it of its plastic veil. If they even did that back in 2013.
I still have plastic at the top and bottom of the doors on the outside of the fridge, and in the crevice around the water dispenser.
First time I've had to tackle that. My new stove two years ago didn't have it, and the previous refrigerator was a factory-reconditioned model, so the first owner got the pleasure of divesting it of its plastic veil. If they even did that back in 2013.
Try unwrapping an entire commercial kitchen. Takes all day.
Is that all? You work fast.
No, that's with a full crew working. Nothing like the smell of a brand new $250K kitchen, though. It's like Shangri-La if it were made out of stainless and quick-connect gas lines!
So we'll make that "you," plural.
Sounds lovely. And now everyone will clean out the grease traps regularly, right?
There's not much to clean actually. They're dipshit simple machines powered by water and gravity. My oldest ones are in basements and drip into simple trash bins. You don't have to empty it every day, but it gets heavy if you don't. Others pump directly into the sewers. They require very little maintenance but are regularly inspected by the Water Commission and require daily logbooks that almost always aren't done. I only mention that because I know you're into details @Catrin Lewis . If you ever need to write a grease trap scene, I'm your guy.
I know you and your crew know better, Homer, but I'll bet you anything that if you take an average person off the street, they'll find some way to break these machines.
What's that quote by Doug Adams? "A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."
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Anyway, as for things that are annoying ... when you tell people that you're a writer, and they scoff and say things that annoy writers. Like: "If you're so good, how come you're not on The New York Times Bestseller List?"
And there are more here. (Warning: NSFW because of some naughty language, but it's worth it!)
I'm surprised to hear that restaurant cooking grease and the city sewers have anything to do with each other. I was taught from childhood never to put grease down the drain, it'd cause a clog. So that's new to me. Wow. Does the system mix anything in to keep things moving?
It depends on the system. The majority have a simple pipe that drains into XYZ. XYZ then gets emptied into the trash. Others can drain directly into the sewage system, which is large bore obviously, but it has to have a certain type of filtration system that then gets emptied manually, but there's very little left over. The main component is still water.
My friend in London puts grease and oil down her house drain all the time, and says I can, too. Me, I just can't. Some training runs too deep.
You can. It's cold water reacting with it that causes clogs. Particularly if you have an ice bin that shares the same drain pipe, which ours houses don't usually, but every bar in the world usually does. Piping hot water will take care of that. The fruit flies will point you in the right direction.
Poor Jenna.Anyway, as for things that are annoying ... when you tell people that you're a writer, and they scoff and say things that annoy writers. Like: "If you're so good, how come you're not on The New York Times Bestseller List?"
And there are more here. (Warning: NSFW because of some naughty language, but it's worth it!)
I haven't gotten any of those. What I get is people's faces lighting up like, "Oh, wow, I've met a celebrity!"
Cue the imposter syndrome, which must be suppressed at all costs. Not wise to talk down my book in the process of talking down myself.
The truly distressing question comes once I've given my logline/elevator pitch and the person seems interested. Invariably they ask, "Have you sold a lot of copies? Are you making a lot of money on it?"
Ohhhh . . . crap. If I give them a simple "No," they'll figure nobody likes it and they won't, either. I usually waffle around saying I probably won't start making a lot on it until I've got a couple more books out and it's worth the cost to advertise. But good grief, do I hate the popular idea that being an author is only or mainly about fame and fortune!
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Yes, this is exactly like the idea that a book is only any good if it's been remade into a film. Aggggghhhh. *bashes head against a wall, repeatedly*
defaux
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Generally, I find this is what people who don't read say.
The question I hate the most is the most logical one: "What is your book about?" Yes, I have an elevator pitch. It invariably flees my mind as soon as the question is posed.
Agreed. I also have several pitches, depending which book is being discussed. But I usually forget them in my enthusiasm, and start talking too much. (Sigh. I need more practice at this). :-\
