Things That Sound/Look Good in Movies, Shows, Books, or Videos -- But Don't Actually Work in Real Life.

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seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,492
5,428
113
#1
Hey Everyone,

I follow a YouTube lifestyle blogger who always produces gorgeously filmed videos of how to enjoy each season. Each video is like a professional filmography of books, movies, places, foods, and activities to get the most out of enjoying your spring, summer, winter, or fall.

One of my favorite parts is when she films herself having a a picnic while reading in gorgeous locations like parks, hillsides, or lounging by a babbling brook while the gentle whisps of leaves romantically fall all around her.



Except that... In my experience, reading outside in "exotic" locations (i.e., outside in almost any condition) is never delightful. Either it's too hot or too cold. The sun is too hot, or it's too cloudy. The leaves never gracefully fall quite like in the videos because there is either a lack of a breeze (leaving the air a bit stifling,) or the wind is too robust (making it too chilly or distracting.)

And as for setting up a picnic for one... First, there is the hassle of having to pack all these extra things and then haul them to your location. Once you get there, the grass is a bit prickly (even after carefully spreading out a blanket just perfectly for those social media posts!) the ants are a bit too feisty, and... after less than an hour, you are ready to go home.


1722632437750.jpeg

And so, you wind up cozying up in your REGULAR reading spot, raggedy and un-exotic as it may be, but it sure is a lot more comfortable -- and a whole lot less hassle.

Never mind that I'm not an outdoors person to begin with.

But for me, I always love the LOOK of reading outdoors -- but have tried it enough to know that it never quite works out (for me) in real life. Give me my trusty old couch, a fluffy blanket, cold glass of juice, and I've found THE perfect reading spot.

How about you? What are some things that look absolutely delightful in words or on a screen, but turn out to be not nearly as thrilling when done in real life?

Maybe it's:

* A recipe that looked wonderful in a book or video -- but turned out to be a disaster.

* A craft or activity that featured the cutest little decoration in the thumbnail that you just HAD to try -- but all you wound up with was piles of half-dried glue and a table full of glitter.

* A game that was promoted as "fun for the whole family" -- but instead, the whole family has all retreated to their rooms, refusing to speak to each other -- and the dog is still growling at anyone who tries to get close.

* Something you've always wanted to try -- dancing, wood working, archery -- any kind of hobby, sport, etc., but... when you actually tried it, things didn't quite go the way they did in your imagination!

Doesn't so much of life seem to go that way?

"It looked/sounded good, but... the reality was far from it."

Serious or silly, we want to hear YOUR stories! :)
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,492
5,428
113
#2
Hey Everyone,

I follow a YouTube lifestyle blogger who always produces gorgeously filmed videos of how to enjoy each season. Each video is like a professional filmography of books, movies, places, foods, and activities to get the most out of enjoying your spring, summer, winter, or fall.

One of my favorite parts is when she films herself having a a picnic while reading in gorgeous locations like parks, hillsides, or lounging by a babbling brook while the gentle whisps of leaves romantically fall all around her.



Except that... In my experience, reading outside in "exotic" locations (i.e., outside in almost any condition) is never delightful. Either it's too hot or too cold. The sun is too hot, or it's too cloudy. The leaves never gracefully fall quite like in the videos because there is either a lack of a breeze (leaving the air a bit stifling,) or the wind is too robust (making it too chilly or distracting.)

And as for setting up a picnic for one... First, there is the hassle of having to pack all these extra things and then haul them to your location. Once you get there, the grass is a bit prickly (even after carefully spreading out a blanket just perfectly for those social media posts!) the ants are a bit too feisty, and... after less than an hour, you are ready to go home.


View attachment 265885

And so, you wind up cozying up in your REGULAR reading spot, raggedy and un-exotic as it may be, but it sure is a lot more comfortable -- and a whole lot less hassle.

Never mind that I'm not an outdoors person to begin with.

But for me, I always love the LOOK of reading outdoors -- but have tried it enough to know that it never quite works out (for me) in real life. Give me my trusty old couch, a fluffy blanket, cold glass of juice, and I've found THE perfect reading spot.

How about you? What are some things that look absolutely delightful in words or on a screen, but turn out to be not nearly as thrilling when done in real life?

Maybe it's:

* A recipe that looked wonderful in a book or video -- but turned out to be a disaster.

* A craft or activity that featured the cutest little decoration in the thumbnail that you just HAD to try -- but all you wound up with was piles of half-dried glue and a table full of glitter.

* A game that was promoted as "fun for the whole family" -- but instead, the whole family has all retreated to their rooms, refusing to speak to each other -- and the dog is still growling at anyone who tries to get close.

* Something you've always wanted to try -- dancing, wood working, archery -- any kind of hobby, sport, etc., but... when you actually tried it, things didn't quite go the way they did in your imagination!

Doesn't so much of life seem to go that way?

"It looked/sounded good, but... the reality was far from it."

Serious or silly, we want to hear YOUR stories! :)

Other ideas for answering this thread could include:

* Plot holes/storylines impossibilities in movies that drive you crazy.

* Scientific "facts"/loopholes that have no place in the real world.

* Cliches in books and entertainment that makes you roll your eyes every time -- for example, when looking up some ideas for this thread, one woman commented that she never understood why movies try to "Kissing in the Rain" scenes romantic.

She dryly commented, "If I'm caught in the rain, the last thing I would be thinking about is getting kissed. All I'D be thinking about is getting home, getting a shower, and getting into my nice, warm pajamas as soon as possible!" :D
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
27,360
9,373
113
#3
It has to be video game trailers for me. They try to make the game look as good as possible, but if you go to YouTube and watch a let's Play... Or if you're a sucker and actually buy the game without any research at all... It is often not at all like the trailer tried to make it appear.
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
27,360
9,373
113
#4
 

RodB651

Well-known member
Feb 11, 2021
734
453
63
59
#5
Back in the early days of home video games...

The art on the box that the game cartridge came in always gave you the impression you were getting a exciting game... But it wasn't!!!
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,492
5,428
113
#6
Back in the early days of home video games...

The art on the box that the game cartridge came in always gave you the impression you were getting a exciting game... But it wasn't!!!

Oh man.

A movie review channel I follow had an entire video lamenting the loss of the days when studios paid big bucks for the most artistic boxes for their movies, luring unsuspecting VHS rental customers into paying for beautiful covers hiding woefully bad films.

Basically, the trojan horses of the movie world!

 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
27,360
9,373
113
#7
Yeah, well... The Trojan horse was the original troll. That definitely belongs in this thread.
 

RodB651

Well-known member
Feb 11, 2021
734
453
63
59
#8
Oh...

Things that looked good but didn't work...

The Force... 🤷
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,492
5,428
113
#11
Now it's The Thread. 🙄
Or is it the force is female? They seem confused 😂
I have to admit, there are a few YT reviewers I enjoy listening to who shred every new show/movie/trailer from Marvel, Disney, DC, etc. that comes out into kibbles and bits. I don't watch any of the media itself, but am 100% positive their reviews are ten times more entertaining than what they're reviewing.

The best part to me is that these people don't claim to be Christians in any way, shape, or form. But they are all proclaiming their stand against "wokeness" and "The Message" (alphabet mafia agenda) so loudly that even Hollywood execs have pushed back against some of their videos and channels.

I personally find a glimmer of hope in this.

If even a very vocal non-Christian segment of the population can see how bad it is and are raising a fuss about it, including encouraging people not to waste their money on this garbage -- some of the big wigs might actually have to make some changes.
 

JohnDB

Well-known member
Jan 16, 2021
6,214
2,522
113
#12
My favorite is the ballerina turned homesteading trad wife who is homeschooling 8 kids.

Her stove (often seen in the videos or pictures in her kitchen) is a stove that costs $48,000.

I'd be thrilled if I had $3-4,000 to spend on a stove.....but $48k?

Sorry....for that kind of money I could afford some serious used commercial equipment and really produce some groceries. Dough sheeter, speed racks and sheetpans, convection oven or deck oven, 20qt mixers and 6 burner commercial gas stove. But instead she got a $48,000 stove that looks pretty.

Yeah....not even gonna believe that kinda life.
 

Subhumanoidal

Well-known member
Sep 17, 2018
4,060
3,173
113
#13
I have to admit, there are a few YT reviewers I enjoy listening to who shred every new show/movie/trailer from Marvel, Disney, DC, etc. that comes out into kibbles and bits. I don't watch any of the media itself, but am 100% positive their reviews are ten times more entertaining than what they're reviewing.

The best part to me is that these people don't claim to be Christians in any way, shape, or form. But they are all proclaiming their stand against "wokeness" and "The Message" (alphabet mafia agenda) so loudly that even Hollywood execs have pushed back against some of their videos and channels.

I personally find a glimmer of hope in this.

If even a very vocal non-Christian segment of the population can see how bad it is and are raising a fuss about it, including encouraging people not to waste their money on this garbage -- some of the big wigs might actually have to make some changes.
The Critical Drinker and Nerdrotic do this. Both entertaining to listen to haha.
And for more the more social/political side of things there's Brett Cooper and Amala Ekpunobi. Neither are Christian, but are very outspoken against all the wokeness garbage. And have even defended Christians at times.
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,492
5,428
113
#14
The Critical Drinker and Nerdrotic do this. Both entertaining to listen to haha.
And for more the more social/political side of things there's Brett Cooper and Amala Ekpunobi. Neither are Christian, but are very outspoken against all the wokeness garbage. And have even defended Christians at times.
I absolutely love The Critical Drinker, though of course, due to language, I can't recommend him to other Christians. But the thing I like best about him and Nerdrotic is that they don't just have biting senses of humor for the sake of trying to be funny -- they actually have deeply insightful, immensely intelligent, multi-layered criticisms.

And since Drinker actually writes his own novels and is making his own movie, he actually puts his chops where his mouth is, unlike most critics who pick everything apart but do nothing about it (which is one of my pet peeves.)

One of the reasons I don't jump into every Christian anti-woke fight is because when it's getting to the point where even the non-Christians are pushing back, they're actually using their own money and resources to carry a lot of the fight for us.

Like Brett Cooper and company making their own version of Snow White to push back against Disney (any word on a release date? I saw the traier but don't know when it will be available.)

I'm in some Discord chats that are full of non-Christians (with some outright hostile to the faith,) but after the Olympics opening show scandal, even one of them said, "Ok now. If you're going to make fun of Christianity, it's not fair unless you take cheap shots at ALL religions..."

To me, the funny thing about the alphabet mafia agenda is that it's gotten so bad, even some of the non-Christians are defending Christianity as a way to push back.
 

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
May 23, 2009
16,492
5,428
113
#15
I'm all for travel hacks, especially ones that save you money.

At first glance, this seemed useful and even cute -- making your own coffee travel packets to save you from buying $7 cups of coffee along the way.


But then you find out that she's doing this -- BY CUTTING APART, EMPTYING, SANITIZING, FILLING, AND RESEALING -- SOY SAUCE packets.

You know, those tiny little plastic condiment sleeves you get with your Chinese takeout.

Who on earth has the TIME and inclination to wash those things out, make sure they're thoroughly dry, fill them with products that CAN ALREADY BE BOUGHT IN THEIR OWN CONVENIENT PACKETS (instant coffee, powder creamer, and sugar,) and then seal them back up again with flat iron???

My goodness.

I understand it's convenient to have it all in one packget but jiminy crickets!

I can just throw a handful of packets of each of those products in a Ziploc bag -- and I'm out the door in seconds.
 

Subhumanoidal

Well-known member
Sep 17, 2018
4,060
3,173
113
#16
I absolutely love The Critical Drinker, though of course, due to language, I can't recommend him to other Christians. But the thing I like best about him and Nerdrotic is that they don't just have biting senses of humor for the sake of trying to be funny -- they actually have deeply insightful, immensely intelligent, multi-layered criticisms.

And since Drinker actually writes his own novels and is making his own movie, he actually puts his chops where his mouth is, unlike most critics who pick everything apart but do nothing about it (which is one of my pet peeves.)

One of the reasons I don't jump into every Christian anti-woke fight is because when it's getting to the point where even the non-Christians are pushing back, they're actually using their own money and resources to carry a lot of the fight for us.

Like Brett Cooper and company making their own version of Snow White to push back against Disney (any word on a release date? I saw the traier but don't know when it will be available.)

I'm in some Discord chats that are full of non-Christians (with some outright hostile to the faith,) but after the Olympics opening show scandal, even one of them said, "Ok now. If you're going to make fun of Christianity, it's not fair unless you take cheap shots at ALL religions..."

To me, the funny thing about the alphabet mafia agenda is that it's gotten so bad, even some of the non-Christians are defending Christianity as a way to push back.
No clue about the release date. They seem to have pushed it for a bit then they never mentioned it again. I think they made another movie too, maybe I'm wrong.

Yes, Drinker and Nerd are both naturally funny and clearly intelligent as well. It does make it more entertaining. And as you mentioned, nice to see non-Christians fighting the woke agenda as well.