Even I've gotten the Simon Cowell treatment. Impossible, yes ... but it's true. For example:
At my friend Carla's house one night with some other artist friendss, everyone's in the dining area at one point and she's in another room. I mosey on over to her accoustic guitar and ask, "may I?" And she gives me her usual sarcasm, with, "... Are you gonna rock me, Frakes?" I assure her, most confidently, that she is, indeed, about to get ROCKED!!! Everyone else is continuing to make all of this chatter ... not a glance do they give us. It may have affected my performance, now that I look back on it, but in any case ... I performed for her entertainment. And hers alone.
I began to play.
She didn't react, really, or say anything, she just sort of sat there and listened for almost half of the song, then suddenly ... she kind of reaches out. She started fumbling around, pressing her pretty hands against the strings, as if searching for the "off" switch and goes to me, "Ugh! ... I hate it." Who would've ever suspected that from such beauty could come such ugliness? As those words burned in my ears ... I died inside! But I smiled. I remained calm.
It's like that with any criticism put forward. If it's anything I can use, great! Otherwise, it's just opinion and attitude. Regardless, though ... and this is the point and moral of this story: I keep on rockin' just like I should. Even the beautiful and opinionated Carla is rendered powerless against such grim determination!