PROBLEMS CAN BECOME CHALLENGES, RATHER THAN JUST AGONY AND TURMOIL. CHALLENGES CAN MAKE THE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS BENEFICIAL, RATHER THAN STOP-GAPS WHICH JUST LET US GET THROUGH ANOTHER DAY. THIS PAPER DEALS WITH PROBLEMS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE FIELD OF MASS FINISHING AND THE EFFECT THEY ARE HAVING. IT INCLUDES PROBLEMS RELATED TO MASS FINISHING EQUIPMENT, MEDIA, COMPOUND AND WATER, AND PEOPLE. SOME WILL SEEM HUMOROUS BY TODAY'S STANDARDS WHILE OTHERS ARE MUCH MORE SERIOUS. MANY FORM THE BASIS OF AN EXCELLENT LEARNING PROCESS AND MAY EASILY WITHSTAND THE SCRUTINY OF TIME.