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Marianne Mernick-Hrovat

Marianne’s Consignment Confessions

December 8, 2024

The other day I received, what I’ll politely call, a “nasty-gram.” It was an email to this blog, that you are reading right now, Marianne’s Consignment Confessions. And it kind of blew me away. It was filled with vitriol towards me and towards the blog. This person, who had signed up to receive these emails, found my “opinion” of the health benefits of drinking more water to be offensive and accused me of “email abuse.” I’ll be honest, I was pretty hurt by her comments. So I’m writing to you today, all my dear readers, to clear the air, if you will…

Marianne's Consignment Confessions
Photo by Kristina Paukshtite on Pexels

So Much Love For Marianne’s Consignment Confessions

Despite the nasty email the other day, I still maintain that I have the most amazing readers out there. Marianne’s Consignment Confessions would not exist without you! And I am forever grateful for every last one of you. Your positive comments, both online and in person, at Consignments Ltd., buoy my spirits and keep my writing, twice a week, every week. And through this blog you have given me a gift and allowed me to return to the field of professional writing that I worked in for years and have been passionate about for a lifetime. Thank you.

marianne's consignment confessions

There’s A Way Out If You’re Not Happy with The Blog

So here’s where I “come clean,” if you will. I understand that the design ideas, recipes, health tips and self-improvement topics that I write on are not for everyone. That’s where the “unsubscribe” option comes in. If you don’t want to receive this blog, there’s a button at the bottom of each issue where you can delete yourself (permanently) from receiving them. I hope that you won’t, but the option is always there for you. There’s also an option to send me a note. You can tell me what you like (or don’t) and you can suggest topics that you’d like to see me cover. It’s easy. And I respond to everyone. The one thing I’m asking you, dear reader, is to use kindness in how you communicate with me. And, as my mother would often say, “if you can’t say any thing nice…” maybe just unsubscribe.

I value the rapport that we have built with each other, dear reader. And I appreciate the time that you take to read my words. I hope it will continue.

Still like the blog? Here are some other topics you might find interesting: Stories of Real Retail Customers That Will Make You Smile and I Guess I’m A Runner Now?.

Have a lovely day, Marianne

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36 Comments

  • Reply
    Patti Burlingame
    December 8, 2024 at 5:41 am

    I am so sad……In this world of political unrest, wars and famine, and just such angst, I choose to find “the light”. I have a severely disabled child and every single day, I witness kindness, love, and caring……Look for light in this darkness we see in our world. I am sorry,Marianne, that you received this negative comment……We are never going to agree on everything in these days…Choose kindness, dear readers…… Hold your loved ones close in this wonderful season and look for that “light in the darkness”.

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 9, 2024 at 6:49 am

      Patti: You have, indeed, found the light. I so appreciate you and your positive feedback! It’s people like you who make life a joy.

  • Reply
    Kim A. Hanson
    December 8, 2024 at 6:45 am

    Marianne. Ignore the naysayers. Keep going. I enjoy your blog and design tips. I’ve been shopping at your store for over a decade. My house has many treasures found there. Plus so many I have given as gifts. Thank you for being such a gift to our community. Kim Hanson

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 9, 2024 at 6:47 am

      Kim: Thank you for your encouragement and your business. Your kind words made my day!

  • Reply
    Jean
    December 8, 2024 at 7:42 am

    I’m not typically a “blog” reader but read yours faithfully and enjoy them all! I may even have learned something!! Thank you!

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 9, 2024 at 6:47 am

      Jean: So glad you are enjoying the blogs.

  • Reply
    Muriel
    December 8, 2024 at 7:58 am

    Enjoy reading your blog and love your store! Negative comments are a reflection of themselves not you.

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 9, 2024 at 6:46 am

      Muriel: Thank you so much. It’s an honor to have lovely readers, such as yourself.

  • Reply
    Paula
    December 8, 2024 at 8:14 am

    Ignore a single naysayer! Your blog is fun to read and informative to boot! I especially love that it comes to me from home wherever my travels take me! Thank you for writing.

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 9, 2024 at 6:45 am

      Paula: I am glad to be with you on all your journeys. And thanks for the encouragement.

  • Reply
    Judie Smith
    December 8, 2024 at 8:32 am

    Dear Marianne,

    I have been reading your blog since its inception and admire your talent as a writer and enjoy your subjects and topical issues.

    Having encountered a “nasty” person on a medical call center last week (of all places!), I decided the “unkind” response was more about them, than about me and the same is true of the unkind note that you received!

    To me, you have always seemed very kind, with a pleasant demeanor and an upbeat manner, both in person and in your blog. As I have developed mobility issues with age, it is difficult for me to get to your shop, but I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog and also reading about advice, your mention of family members and about what’s new in your shop!

    So please don’t be discouraged about your blog by one very unhappy person who is so miserable in their own life, that they are lashing out at others. They are to be pitied for their attitudes…

    Please keep writing your enjoyable pieces, Marianne.

    Wishing you and your family a happy Christmas and upcoming year,

    Judie 🙂

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 9, 2024 at 6:44 am

      Judie: Thank you for all your kind words. I really appreciate it. Wishing you a blessed Christmas and New Year, as well.

  • Reply
    Jean
    December 8, 2024 at 8:32 am

    So much anger and unhappiness in this world and sadly many people feel the need to project that onto others. Please ignore the person who cannot read something with which they don’t agree but feel the need to attack the messenger. That nasty email revealed the writer’s state of mind; please know your customers and readers emphatically do not agree.

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 9, 2024 at 6:42 am

      Jean: I do worry about all the anger out there. Thank you for your kindness and encouragement.

  • Reply
    Janice
    December 8, 2024 at 9:26 am

    Every fall I spend a couple of weeks in Narragansett where I grow up. This wonderful store is always on my “to do” list. When I pull out my holiday decorations and dinnerware, it puts a smile on my face to look at the pieces I’ve purchased at this great shopping spot in Wakefield. Brings a bit of R.I. Nostalgia to Arizona

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 9, 2024 at 6:40 am

      Janice: Thank you for sharing. I often wonder where our treasures end up and it’s great to know how far and wide that they are spreading. Wishing you all the best.

  • Reply
    Patti-Jo
    December 8, 2024 at 10:16 am

    Much love to you and love all of your blogs! Remember : you can’t please everyone all the time and some you can’t please ever. Life is not ever about you , it’s about what you do with it. And you have done many many wonderful things with it. Please keep up your good work and many many tanks.

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 9, 2024 at 6:39 am

      Patti-Jo: Thank you for that great reminder. It is about what you do with it. I so appreciate you and Lance. Miss your shiny face ❤️

  • Reply
    Kristine
    December 8, 2024 at 10:31 am

    I’m sorry you received such an awful email about the “staying hydrated” post. Your advice came at a crucial time for me, having been unable to have a much needed CT scan due to the technicians not being able to find a decent vein for the IV. I had to reschedule a week later. Took your advice and bought a 24-oz water bottle, drank no caffeine and no sugar liquids for 48 hours, guzzled the water, and had no problem with the IV. Thanks for the help!

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 9, 2024 at 6:37 am

      Kristine: I am so happy that your test went well! Like George Bailey, we never know the extent of our impact in life. Grateful for you and your readership.

  • Reply
    Laurie
    December 8, 2024 at 10:43 am

    Love your blog, find it a sensible, loving and informative

  • Reply
    RoseMary Koch
    December 8, 2024 at 2:20 pm

    I absolutely love your blogs and have learned a lot — no matter what our age, we can always learn something new. If you feel you cannot learn anything, then they are not for you. I find that Marianne’s blogs are informative, well written and useful, and in some cases remind me of what I learned earlier in life and forgot. They have been a reminder to me and appreciate reading these informative hints. Please keep them going –I would be disappointed if you stopped the blogs. thanks for your tije in writing these informative blogs. RoseMary Koch

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 9, 2024 at 6:34 am

      RoseMary: Thanks so much. I’m so glad you enjoy the blogs. Not letting one grumpy Gus get me down. So appreciate you and your readership.

  • Reply
    Gail M Murphy
    December 8, 2024 at 9:44 pm

    I’m sorry that one of your readers was not nice. I really enjoy your blog, especially when you choose music to go along with it. On a personal note I tried the pumpkin roll that you shared @ Thanksgiving, it was so delicious & everyone loved it! Keep up your good work! Gail Mosman Murphy

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 9, 2024 at 6:32 am

      Gail: Thank you so much for your kind words 😊 And I’m so glad that you enjoyed the pumpkin roll. It is rather good.

  • Reply
    Cate Ludlam
    December 11, 2024 at 7:41 am

    Dear, dear Marianne,
    I am so sorry to hear that someone has hurt your feelings over your absolutely wonderful, informative and extremely entertaining blog. I love your tips about everything from cleaning to style and the musical part at the end, a little treat which is always fun. I’ve met you at your shop and in the parking lot and found you to be as delightful as your smile promises.
    I have neglected to send you a thank you for providing such a friendly place in which to happily browse through an incredible variety of items both familiar, such as vintage kitchen tools like Mom’s, and unusual, such as the antique wooden firkin I found! There is not a room in my house that lacks a piece from your wonderful shop, and each one reminds me of your smiling face and your kind and helpful staff.
    In these difficult times for all, we each need to put love and kindness first. Thanks for doing such a great job! I wish you a blessed Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
    Cate Ludlam

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 11, 2024 at 8:14 pm

      Cate: Thank you so much for your encouragement and positivity. And a double thank you for your visit to Consignments Ltd. today. It was wonderful to reconnect with you and to realize we share the delay in finding the lives of our lives! Amen to time and experience. A blessed Christmas to you, as well. ❤️

  • Reply
    Collette
    December 11, 2024 at 9:24 am

    After re-reading the water post, I’m scratching my head at what could possibly be taken issue with, but as you said, there’s one button to click. When people put so much time and energy into reacting disproportionately, that is loudly and clearly their issue, and not really about water. I’m sorry you were the random target of someone’s misplaced anger at the world. Keep the fun and positive posts coming!

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 11, 2024 at 8:11 pm

      Colette: Tfanks so much! I really appreciate your support. ❤️

  • Reply
    Michelle McCormack
    December 11, 2024 at 12:59 pm

    I am so sorry someone felt the need to confront you. I also learned and taught my children, now adults to teach their children , “If you have nothing nice say, don’t say anything at all.” You are right … Just hit the Unsubscribe button, and move on.

    Anyway, who agrees with someone all the time? I have been married 36 years and love my husband incredibly,. But we have different views, thoughts, and ideas about things. We don’t always agree with each other. So we avoid that topic of conversation, or we listen to each other keep our mouth shut,😂

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 11, 2024 at 8:10 pm

      I love the this! Thank you so much for your positivity and encouragement. You are 100% right! Who agrees with anyone all of the time ❤️

  • Reply
    Michael Walsh
    December 12, 2024 at 11:22 pm

    Hi Mariannes, I can’t imagine someone being nasty. Sarcasm intended. `Unfortunately it is what has become the norm. People hide behind their keyboards and fire away. What they don’t see or understand is that the magic of what your business has become doesn’t happen between 9 and 5. The magic has happened because of your passion and vision and all of those thousands of hours you have spent before 9 and after 5 figuring out ways to make it all happen and keep improving. They don’t understand the thousands of people that you have helped out by giving them an avenue to sell their goods. The don’t understand the thousand of items you have sold and brought happiness to the new owners. And they don’t see that your words matter. Words that are positive, informative and words that educate and enlighten. They don’t understand that those words that you share with all of us are not words that magically appear on paper. They take hours to formulate and put in to a cohesive format for the reader to understandand and appreciate.
    Fortunately people like you have the courage to write about the things you do and sign your name to it. It leaves you vulnerable to the critics who have never been in the arena fighting the fight to have a successful business that has stood the test of time.
    Keep writing and keep moving forward. As hard as it is, leave the negativity behind.
    Some words absolutely don’t matter. They are just unconstructive words and a sad reflection of someone hiding behind their keyboard. Your business and your words matter. Thanks for sharing, thanks for educating and thanks for informing.
    Your words matter. Happy Holidays to you, your family and your staff.
    Mike @ Mine in Mystic

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 13, 2024 at 6:01 am

      Mike: I read your comment today and it felt like a hug! Thank you so much for your words. They matter too. And they made my week. Wishing you and yours all the best. M

  • Reply
    Ann
    December 29, 2024 at 12:00 pm

    I am so sorry you were the victim of someone’s anger and unhappiness.
    Your blogs are delightful and often a reminder of the obvious. I have owned a summer home in ‘Narragansett since 2007 and your store is my go to for all things house and home!! I even scored some great jewelry and handbags!!
    Keep doing what you’re passionate about and thank you for the gift of these blogs!
    Ann

    • Reply
      mariannes
      December 30, 2024 at 6:18 am

      Ann,

      Thanks so much for your business as well as the positive words of encouragement. I truly appreciate it. And the blogs will continue ❤️

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